Not sure if this has been posted before but an NBA writer on *************** predicts the western conference playoffs. #1. Los Angeles Lakers (45-10): Not much will change for the Lakers heading down the stretch to the postseason. They are the team to beat out West and once again Los Angeles will have to make another Finals run without Andrew Bynum available. Yet knowing what Kobe Bryant is capable of, naming the Lakers the number one seed in the Western Conference is a no-brainer. Los Angeles reached the official halfway point of the season back on January 21, posting their best (33-8 at the time) record since Phil Jackson's first year in Los Angeles when the 1999-00 Lakers also started 33-8. We all know what happened that season – the first of three-straight championships for Jackson and the Lakers. #2. Denver Nuggets (37-18): It's been a historical season in Denver up to this point. Could it be a sign of good things to come? Before this season, no team in the Nuggets' NBA history had ever started off with an overall record of 37-17. Denver has gone 16-6 since the New Year and is 13-3 against the rest of the conference at the Pepsi Center. And even though the San Antonio Spurs currently rank as a second seed out West, look for Chauncey Billups' overall leadership to dictate where the Nuggets eventually finish at the end of the season – in this case right behind the Lakers. #3. San Antonio Spurs (36-17): Every year the Spurs are one of the top five best teams in the league and certainly out West. This year is no different, particularly with San Antonio going 23-8 overall against their respective conference and have been one of the hottest teams in the league since January. They've won 17 of 23 since the New Year. Not too bad for a team many counted down and out to start the year. While it was reported Thursday guard Manu Ginobili is expected to be sidelined for up to three weeks with an ankle injury, expect the Spurs once again go into survival mode just as they did when Manu missed 12 games to open the season. #4. Dallas Mavericks (32-22): You hardly picture Dallas as the run and gun team of old these days. But that's exactly how they've been putting up wins lately. In the last 10 games, the Mavericks are averaging 17.9 fast break points per game. That is 2.4 points more than their season average of 15.5 fast break points per game, ranking them fifth in the league in that category in NBA. But how long can that last? Here's the kicker. Dallas will jump in the seedings, but once Jason Terry returns from rehabbing his injured hand. That's still anywhere from two to five weeks away. And with Dirk Nowitzki and Terry forming the second highest scoring duo behind Cleveland's LeBron James and Mo Williams, "the Jet" still might have running and gunning left in him. #5. Portland Trail Blazers (34-20): Portland had one team goal this season: to make the playoffs. That goal is almost accomplished. Not many expected the second youngest team in the league to be sitting in the middle of the pack out West. And some still believe they will fall off. But the Blazers don't prescribe to that theory. It's easy to point to the maturation of Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge to explain Portland's success this season. Truth is, they are a team that will either jump on you early or fight back late. The Blazers are 17-0 when leading at halftime at home and are tied for the most of any team in the NBA, winning eight games - including six on the road - when trailing at the start of the final period. What remains to be seen, is how their experience – or lack thereof – factors into Portland's postseason run. #6. New Orleans Hornets (32-21): New Orleans is all about the second half of the season. The Hornets headed into the All-Star break with an above .500 record for the 12th time in franchise history. Usually, fares better after the break. In 15 of 19 seasons, the team has seen an improvement in their record in the second half of the season. Unfortunately, that argument may not hold weight this season. While David West and Chris Paul combine for an impressive inside-out combination, you have to wonder if the whole "Tyson Chandler trade saga" becomes a distraction or will unify the team. It's apparent New Orleans isn't the miracle team they were last season – despite what Paul and West have been able to accomplish - but it's even more clear this is a team no one out West wants to draw in the playoffs. #7. Houston Rockets (34-21): The Rockets will likely fall the hardest from now until the postseason pieces are in place. That's what happens when your franchise player decides to shut it down for the season. No one is questioning Tracy McGrady's sore left knee or his reasons for calling it a year, much to the dismay of the Rockets brass. For the Rockets though, the difficulties is trying to find where to make up McGrady's 15.6 points per game. The knock on McGrady – aside from being injury prone as he's yet to play a complete 82-game schedule in his 11 year career – is he hasn't been past the first round of the playoffs. It looks like another one of those years. Now the Rockets just have to worry about getting staying in the postseason picture. #8. Utah Jazz (32-33): The revolving door just keeps spinning for the Utah Jazz. Jerry Sloan – with all the injuries to his club - has had to use 15 different lineups this season after using just 10 all of last season, including 60 of 82 games with one lineup. That's what happens when guys miss a combined 139 games (through 55 games) due to injury. So much for the expected lineup of Deron Williams, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles, Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur. That five hasn't started one game together this season. And with Boozer rehabbing his left knee and missing 43 games (and counting), it doesn't look like they will. But that's the beauty of Sloan and his system however – interchangeable parts, showcasing a versatile roster sure to give the likes of the Los Angeles Lakers fits. Don't worry about the Jazz making the playoffs. Resiliency goes a long way.
bla bla, the same talk I love when media underestimate the Rockets everyone is cheering for Lakers, Celtics, Cavs and new NBA pet Orlando "Dwight Howard" Magic it's those kind of writers that don't watch the actual games, they rather go on the official site and check the stats and type crap
This is just stupid. The Rockets have won in spite of McGrady this year, not due to any contributions of his to the team. I don't have any delusions of making any postseason noise, but there isn't any reason to think they won't make it there.
I realize that Sportswriters can only realistically watch so many games, but this is just bad. I am sick of people calling Tracy our "franchise player". We've got our current record in spite of Tracy being in and out of the lineup. Oh well. I think we will do better than the 7 seed.
It's hard to make up for his 15.6 points per game. It seems like this guy just copy and pasted what he wrote two years ago and changed the numbers. This is crap. The Suns are probably not going to make the playoffs, and I see us occupying our comfortable niche of 5th place. New Orleans could get in front of us, and the Trailblazers will be 6th.
It's not that unreasonable of a finish. The Lakers will be #1. I think the Spurs and Nuggets will be #2 and #3, but either could take the #2 spot. The Suns are most likely to miss the playoffs of the bunch, which they predicted. There's such a small amount of wiggle room in 4-8 that any ordering is possible at this point. It's like last season. You can be #4 one day, lose 2 games, and all of a sudden be out of the playoffs. Well last season, you could be the #1 seed and then fall to 9 in the blink of a few games. I don't think it's that unreasonable to expect a falloff for the Rockets. I think we'll weather it and make the playoffs as this list does. However, I don't think we'll be hit disproportionately compared to other teams seeing how almost every team has injuries right now. Spurs: Ginobili Lakers: Bynum Mavs: Terry Jazz: Boozer and occasionally Williams Suns: Stodemire Hornets: Chandler Blazers: Oden At this point, only the Nuggets are at full strength. Granted TMac is one of the best players of the injured list above, but he has been a shell of himself this season. If we had been dependent on a more dominant TMac for our success, it would be a much more crushing loss. However, most of our ups and downs this season have been a result of trying to rely on TMac and having him underdeliver OR adjusting to a team that doesn't rely on TMac.
It is shocking how quick people are to forget. Last year's playoffs we lost in 6 games without yao. Before this year, Yao and company without Mcgrady could barely scrap out a win. Obviously this year is different because well we have added a borderline allstar in Ron Artest, Luis Scola is more experienced and is dominating, Aaron Brooks has come into his own. We didn't have that last season...and yet mcgrady still got us to 6 games which no other losing first round team did. So...yes, mcgrady is our franchise player. Is he our franchise center piece? No, that belongs to yao. Yao couldn't do what mcgrady did last season. Just because Tmac isnt healthy doesn't mean he isn't worth appreciating at least. Yao and company are winning games without tmac not because TMAC is not playing. They are winning because of improved players and betters players on the Roster. PERIOD
Most of you guys get pissed every year when Barkley stated that the Rockets will not make it to the second round. Until the Rockets actually prove something then I hate to admit this, but the sportswriters are correct.
My predictions seedings for the Western Conference 1.) Lakers 2.) Spurs 3.) Rockets 4.) Blazers 5.) Hornets 6.) Nuggets 7.) Jazz 8.) Mavericks
Ok but what have the Mavericks, Blazers, Nuggets, Hornets proved THIS YEAR that tells these writers they are better than the Rockets? Especially the Mavs, who still play little defense. Ive learned something, dont listen to national media unless they have direct ties to the organization, because they dont watch the Rockets this year and make predictions on previous years success, not this year. I explain this by bringing to mind, 4 BSPN "analysts" aka- ex nba player that have nothing better to do than go on TV with little or no training in Mass Commnications- ALL picked the Pistons to be the "second half team" this year, even though they show no reason to be. They ONLY go off of past years to base they bogus conclusions
I don't know about that, I do believe the Blazers are better than them. Nuggets have improved their defense and toughness a lot over the year. But I am not sure how consistent they are. I also would prefer the Rockets playing the Nuggets in the 1st round.
oh yeah, and to add to the comments by Barkley... Nothing that he says should have any creditbility considering that 85 percent of his statements are made when his BAC is higher than .08 Lay off the liquor before you go on air, and I might respect the opinion
The Fact is this.... You can hate each writer out there and Barkley all you want, but until the Rockets do something in the playoffs they are correct. Am I saying that the Mavs, Nuggets or Blazers are better than the Rockets NO.... But the fact remains the same, we go thru these discussions every year and everyone wants to call the writers Idiots every year... But the fact is they are correct until the Rockets prove them wrong.
I dont hate on writers just because of their opinions, thats what media is in this specific field, its an outlet for opinions. I simply dont agree with this opinion. As a person who graduates with a Mass Comm/Media degree in 2 months, I like to look at the source of the article before I put any thought into it. This particular writer I will inform you, graduated from Northwestern(a very good Media school) with a POLITICAL SCIENCE degree. He also writes for the WallStreetJournal. He is writing this piece looking at a "QuickHit Sheet" which is a rundown of all of the Western Conference stats and simply basing his piece off of that. He has limited knowledge of the NBA and is basing his predictions strictly off of stat lines(winning pct., last 20, points for/against, team defense, ect.) and I dont think this does any justice to the essience that is the ups and downs of NBA basketball.
I don't know it is hard to say, because everyone though last year when we were fighting with Nuggets, Trailblazers, and Warriors for the last spot...a number of people in the media (especially ESPn with the likes of Stephen A.Smith) picked us to be the odd team out and missed the playoffs (finish as low as 10). We ended up being the 4th best team in conference only being 2 wins away from the number 1 seed with injured Yao Ming. Funny, Stephen A. thought the Nuggets with AI and Melo would be the ones to go on a tear. It happened the year before last with JVG's squad and that team overachieved down the stretch. I'm seeing the same thing, this year were most people aren't really feeling us for a particular high seed or have us out of the playoff picture by season's end. Even though, we have winning lately, and T-Mac really hasn't been consistent all season. I suspect most people just go by stat sheets what happened to this team the last three seasons. You can do that, sometimes, but you have to look at the big picture. This is a new seasons and new crop of players, you can't really determine the outcome for any team, unless they are really bad or good. Most critics are on the fence of us making it out of the 1st ROund, but nearly all don't have us getting out of the second round. Even though, we've played better against Spurs, Lakers, and Nuggets than we have against teams, like Memphis, Utah, Detroit (from previous seasons) and sometimes the Trailblazers. We aren't very consistent against young, explosive (athletic) teams or teams who play a very aggressive style. Reason, why I wouldn't mind if the Rockets met the Spurs or Lakers in the 2nd round. Both teams play very similar to us, and I don't think we will get as physically overwhelmed or having circles run around us, if we played a team that likes to run and gun (with explosive young players) or a team with brutal style of play.
