NBA third-quarter report cards: Grading all 15 teams in the West, where only two teams get high marks

The article presents third-quarter NBA report cards for the Western Conference, evaluating team performance against expectations. The Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs are highlighted as the conference's top teams, both receiving an 'A' grade and being favorites for a potential Western Conference finals matchup. The Denver Nuggets, with Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokić together, and the Minnesota Timberwolves are noted as strong contenders, though the Timberwolves' consistency in a playoff series is questioned.

The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are mentioned as competitive but limited by offensive and defensive issues, respectively. The play-in tournament field and tanking teams are taking shape, with one team receiving an 'F'. The Los Angeles Clippers showed improvement, moving from an 'F' to a 'D' to a 'C', with speculation on whether Darius Garland could help them reach a 'B' by season's end. The Phoenix Suns are cited as a team exceeding expectations.

A specific analysis is provided for the Dallas Mavericks, who have struggled significantly, going 2-12 since the trade deadline and 2-18 since January 24. Despite having Cooper Flagg as their three-quarter MVP , the team lacks a winning culture and supportive players for his development. The front office, particularly Nico Harrison, is criticized for the trade involving Luka Dončić and Anthony Davis, which is deemed disastrous. The Mavericks' best lineup and poor records against both winning and losing teams are highlighted, though they are positioned to gain another high lottery pick.

For the Denver Nuggets, Nikola Jokić is listed as their three-quarter MVP with impressive stats, underscoring his central role in the team's performance.