Division War Room: Can ANYONE Beat the Thunder? Northwest Division Predictions

October 8, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

“They’re super talented, and they’re super talented.” That’s the exasperated refrain Matt Moore offered while trying to explain why the Oklahoma City Thunder are the prohibitive favorite to win the NBA’s Northwest Division for the third straight season—a division that sent four of its five teams to the playoffs last year and where the last-place finisher might still be a competitive team. On Locked On NBA Daily, hosts Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore, and Hayes broke down each team in the league’s deepest division, from the Thunder’s absurd depth to Denver’s aging core, Minnesota’s high-variance experiment, and the battle for last place between two rebuilding franchises with very different trajectories.

The Thunder’s Floor Is Everyone Else’s Ceiling

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What you'll learn

1 (01:46) **Division Preview Kickoff: Northwest Division** - Wes, Matt, and Hayes introduce the Northwest Division War Room, noting three teams won 49+ games last season and four made the playoffs.
2 (03:05) **Predicting the Winner: The Thunder's Dominance** - Hayes and Matt agree Oklahoma City is the clear favorite to win the division, citing their depth, coaching, and system.
3 (07:50) **Challengers for the Throne: Denver vs. Minnesota** - The panel debates which team has the best chance to dethrone the Thunder, with Denver's proven track record vs. Minnesota's potential.
4 (10:29) **The Aaron Gordon Health Question** - The panel examines the importance of Aaron Gordon's health to Denver's success, given his recent injury history.
5 (13:15) **Predicting Last Place: Portland vs. Utah** - The hosts debate who finishes at the bottom of the division, with Portland's experience vs. Utah's youth and talent.
6 (23:30) **Floor and Ceiling: Jazz vs. Trailblazers** - The panel compares the floor and ceiling of Utah and Portland, agreeing Utah has the higher ceiling but Portland has the higher floor.
7 (27:41) **Biggest Collapse Potential in the Division** - The hosts discuss which team is most likely to have a disastrous season, with Minnesota and Denver as the top candidates.

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Guests on this episode

Wes Goldberg Matt Moore

Show Notes

Can anyone stop the Oklahoma City Thunder from winning the Northwest Division? The Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves and Portland Trail Blazers are loading up for a run at OKC, while the Utah Jazz are finally ready to start winning games.

Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore and Haize enter the Northwest Division War Room to predict how all five teams will finish in the 2026-27 NBA standings.

Are the Thunder a lock for 60 wins after trading Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe? Does adding DeMar DeRozan give Nikola Jokic and Denver enough firepower to challenge OKC? And can LaMelo Ball help Anthony Edwards and Minnesota take the next step? Then, Portland has assembled one of the NBA's most fascinating backcourts with Ja Morant and Damian Lillard. Could the Blazers make the playoffs? And with Darryn Peterson joining Utah, is it possible that ALL FIVE Northwest teams could compete for postseason spots?

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