Famous analyst John Hollinger wrote an article in The Athletic about the NBA's top eight in the Western Conference for the new season, and he thinks the Thunder will secure home-court advantage throughout the playoffs with a record of 66 wins and 16 losses.

When it comes to the defending champions, John Hollinger believes that the Thunder's biggest opponent is injuries. If we don't consider the impact of injuries, the Thunder's biggest worry is that their opponents have "figured out" their offense after last season's observation. In fact, the Thunder's on-ice offense isn't that great, with an offensive efficiency of 111.6 in the finals, and a hitting percentage of 43.8%. The only thing the team is good at on the offensive end is avoiding turnovers. But with the Thunder's current roster, it's more likely that they'll continue to stretch their lead than get caught up with the rest of the conference.

John Hollinger predicts the top eight in the Western Conference as follows:

1--Thunder: 66 wins, 16 losses

2--Skippers: 54 wins, 28 losses

3--Warriors: 51 wins and 31 losses

4--Golden Nuggets: 50 wins, 32 losses

5--Gray Wolves: 49 wins and 33 losses

6--Lakers: 47 wins and 35 losses

7--Spurs: 46 wins and 36 losses

8--Rockets: 45 wins and 37 losses