NBA predictions: Why our West forecast has the Lakers and Clippers headed in opposite directions

What will the NBA’s Western Conference look like in 2021-22?

The Los Angeles Lakers retooled in the offseason, acquiring star names such as Russell Westbrook, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Rajon Rondo, while the Golden State Warriors are close to full strength with the anticipated return of Klay Thompson boosting their season outlook.

The LA Clippers, on the other hand, will be without superstar Kawhi Leonard — he’ll miss most if not all of the regular season after surgery to repair a partial ACL tear in June. Denver Nuggets star guard Jamal Murray, who suffered his ACL tear in April, will miss the bulk of 2021-22.

Will those unfortunate injuries leave the door open for teams to vault into contention? Which teams are playoff locks? Which will be fighting for spots in the play-in tournament? Who’s still tanking?

Our expert panel is predicting the win-loss records for all 15 teams in the Western Conference.

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