West Group C is loaded, with Luka Dončić’s Mavericks and Nikola Jokić’s Nuggets both looking like early favorites to claim the group.

With Group Play in the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 set to tip off in just over a month’s time, we’re breaking down each group as they prepare for opening night, continuing with West Group C.

The last three teams to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals looking to claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy – the Golden State Warriors (2022), Denver Nuggets (2023) and Dallas Mavericks (2024) – are all in the same group trying to hoist the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup.

Rounding out the group are the New Orleans Pelicans and Memphis Grizzlies to form one of the most competitive groups in the competition.

New Orleans made the Playoffs last season via the Play-In Tournament and added an All-Star guard in the offseason. Memphis was ravaged by injuries last season and finished with just 27 wins, but won 50-plus games in each of the previous two seasons as they contended at the top of the conference.

When looking at how the teams in West Group C fared against one another last season, Denver stands out with its 12-2 record and winning record against all opponents.

The Mavs finished 8-7 against the rest of West Group C, but the majority of those games came before the trade deadline, which helped lift Dallas into a title contender. The Mavs were 1-0 against Denver and 2-1 against Golden State post trade deadline.

The Pelicans went .500 for the season against these teams, with their only season series loss coming to Denver (1-2). The Grizzlies split with the Pelicans and Mavs, while the Warriors’ only season series win came against Memphis (2-1).

Teams Breakdown

Denver Nuggets: After winning the title in 2023, the Nuggets have lost key free agents the past two summers (Bruce Brown in 2023, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2024). They will look to their young talent to rise up as well as some veteran additions in Russell Westbrook and Dario Šarić to complement reigning MVP Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray to keep the Nuggets in title contention.

Dallas Mavericks: The first full season of the Luka Dončić-Kyrie Irving partnership resulted in Dallas’ first trip to the NBA Finals since winning the title in 2011. The Mavs fell to the Celtics, but added four-time champion Klay Thompson in the offseason to boost their title chances with one of the best shooters in the game.

New Orleans Pelicans: The Pelicans matched their highest win total in 15 seasons, reached the Playoffs via the Play-In Tournament, but lost Zion Williamson in the process, as the former No. 1 pick was sidelined for NOLA’s entire first round sweep by OKC. Adding a versatile guard in Dejounte Murray around the Pelicans’ existing talent raises their ceiling, but injuries continue to be a concern and a hinderance to reaching that potential.

• Update (Nov. 7): Murray suffered a fractured hand in New Orleans’ season opener. He had surgery on Oct. 25 and was expected to miss 4-6 weeks, which will keep him out for most — if not all — of Group Play.

Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies were record breakers for all the wrong reasons in 2023-24 as they used the most players (33) had the most starting lineups (51) and most games missed due to injury (578) ever. With the roster healthy, can the Grizzlies immediately bounce back to a 50-plus win contender in the West?

Golden State Warriors: The Warriors are down one Splash Brother with Thompson leaving the Bay to join the Mavs, but they still have Steph Curry and Draymond Green from their run of four titles in eight years. Can young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski take another lead? Can the vets added in the summer – Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton – help keep the Warriors in contention?

Five Games To Watch

Mavs at Warriors, Nov. 12 (10 ET, TNT):  Klay Thompson returns to Golden State for the first time since joining the Mavericks in the offseason. Thompson won four titles in his 13 years in the Bay Area and the reception he’ll get from the Chase Center crowd will be thunderous.

Grizzlies at Warriors, Nov. 15 (10 ET, ESPN): During Golden State’s run to their fourth title in eight years in 2022, they defeated the Grizzlies in the Western Conference semifinals in six games. That matched the deepest Playoff run in Grizzlies franchise history, something Memphis is looking to change.

Mavs at Nuggets, Nov. 22 (10 ET, ESPN): It’s a clash of the past two Western Conference champions and two of the biggest global stars in the game – Dallas’ Luka Dončić and Denver’s Nikola Jokić. Both players are perennial MVP candidates and nightly triple-double threats, combining for 46 just last season.

Pelicans at Grizzlies, Nov. 28 (5 ET, NBA TV): The only two teams in this group that have yet to reach the NBA Finals, the Pelicans and Grizzlies are bursting with young talent, led by athletic phenoms in Zion Williamson and Ja Morant, respectively. The teams split their season series a year ago, with all four games decided by single digits.

Warriors at Nuggets, Dec. 3 (10 ET, TNT): The 2022 champion Warriors meet the 2023 champion Nuggets in Denver. Both teams have tasted championship success and are eager to get back to the mountain top. Denver swept the season series a year ago, but three of the four games were decided by six points or less.

Prediction

If there is a group most likely to come down to tiebreakers with point differentials being needed, it is West Group C, as this group is loaded with contenders.

No other group has three different teams that have won their conference over the past three seasons. Then add in a team that is one year removed from back-to-back 50-plus win seasons. Plus, another that is loaded on talent, but short on injury luck in the postseason. This group is stacked and should result in competitive games on every Cup Night.

Forced to make a prediction, I have Denver edging out Dallas to win the group, but have my eyes on Memphis trying to make an early “We’re back!” statement with a run at the NBA Cup.