http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-060131 -- Four teams eyeing final berth By Tim Legler ESPN Insider Did the Minnesota Timberwolves just deal themselves into the playoffs? How do Kobe and Co. fit in the picture? Is Artest enough to push the Kings into playoff contention? With about 37 games left to play, let's take a look at how the race for the Western Conference's eight playoff spots is shaping up. Locks San Antonio (35-10) -- Still the cream of the crop in the West despite not firing on all cylinders. Tim Duncan's foot and Manu Ginobili persistent injuries are a concern but Tony Parker is playing the best basketball of his career. If Nick Van Exel and Michael Finley find their niche in the playoffs, they will be in the Finals. Phoenix (28-16) -- An incredible coaching job by Mike D'Antoni and another MVP caliber performance by Steve Nash has kept the Suns on the heels of the Spurs despite not having Amare Stoudemire. When he returns, with the additions of Boris Diaw, Raja Bell and James Jones, this team will give the Spurs all they can handle in the Western Conference Finals. Denver (25-21) -- I know it sounds crazy to call a team four games over .500 a lock, but they will pull away from the pack and win their division now that they are healthy. Marcus Camby is arguably the best center in the conference. With him anchoring the defense, and with the emergence of Carmelo Anthony as one of the best clutch players in the league, Denver will be dangerous. Dallas (34-10) -- Dirk has been Dirk. Jason Terry picked up where he left off in the playoffs. And Avery Johnson actually has the Mavs at least caring about the defensive end of the floor. They can beat anyone on any given night. They will be in a dogfight with the Spurs for the Western Conference's best record. If they get it, they could get to the Finals. Memphis (26-18) -- The most underrated team in the league. By far. They are one of the top 5 defensive teams in basketball. They have great balance. They have depth. Losing Damon Stoudamire, however, will hurt Bobby Jackson's productivity as he logs heavy minutes. Great move by Jerry West to pick up Chucky Atkins to help in that area. Eddie Jones has been a difference maker with his defense and character. Los Angeles Clippers (25-17) -- If they ever have all of their pieces at their disposal, this is a dangerous team. Elton Brand has been their rock as usual and Corey Maggette, Sam Cassell and Cuttino Mobley provide plenty of punch. Chris Kaman, Daniel Ewing and Chris Wilcox provide a nice supporting cast. Likely Los Angeles Lakers (23-20) -- Kobe Bryant's greatness wills them to win, but his dominance of the ball prevents Lamar Odom from being a consistent partner. When Bryant is rolling, the Lake Show can beat anyone, but they are the NBA's youngest team and their deficiencies up front will keep them slightly better than average. Fighting For The Last Spot Utah (21-24) -- They exemplify what a team is all about. Andrei Kirilenko is one of the most unique players on the planet and rookie point guard Deron Williams is poised beyond his years, but he appears to have hit the rookie wall and has lost favor with Jery Sloan. They compete, are well coached, and unselfish, but they don't have enough talent. Bottom line, no team would want to play them in the first round. Golden State (20-23) -- They have one of the top 5 backcourts in the NBA, but their bench is abominable. They are in free-fall mode and Mike Montgomery doesn't know what to do. They should have made a serious move for Ron Artest to be taken as a legitimate playoff contender. Eventually, when you have to play your starters 42 minutes every night to survive, fatigue sets in. After a great start, they are heading in the wrong direction. New Orleans (22-22) -- Byron Scott has done a great job making this group of youngsters believe they can win now. Chris Paul should be the unanimous selection for Rookie of the Year, and David West is having a breakout season. They are a fun team to watch. Minnesota (21-22) -- KG and Wally Szczerbiak's lack of togetherness finally forced Kevin McHale to move Wally World to Boston. The T-Wolves get Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Justin Reed and Marcus Banks in return, making them a lot younger and more athletic. They will improve defensively and Davis gives you everything Szczerbiak did on the offensive end. I like the deal. It could be the shakeup this team needed to get in. Lottery Bound Sacramento (18-26) -- Getting Artest for Peja was a steal. He will give them a defensive stopper, toughness and the only legitimate post up player on the team. Mike Bibby has been putting up numbers and Brad Miller and Bonzi Wells are solid. If Artest can resurrect his career, that window of opportunity might not have officially slammed shut. Seattle (18-26) -- They are the one wild card in the West because they underachieved tremendously under Bob Weiss. Perhaps Bob Hill can get this group playing defense and sharing the ball again. Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis give you enough offense most nights. Houston (15-29) -- What a disaster. First, Yao goes out with a toe. Then, it's T-Mac with a back injury. What's left after that isn't enough to be competitive. It might be for the best. They will have a chance to get younger and more athletic with a lottery pick. Portland (16-27) -- They are starting to play better now that Nate McMillan has gone to an all-Maryland Terrapin backcourt, and they could get close to that 8th spot, but I doubt it. The Blazers struggle to get to 90 most nights and that means you have to be great defensively, which they aren't. -- Will the team with the worst record in the West get it together and steal the 8th spot? Only time will tell... GO ROCKETS!!
thats what scares me. i think this draft class might be one of the weakest in a long time. i have NO confidence at all that reddick or morrison can be productive nba players.
If this is a Lotto bound team then why beloieve the Good Guys will have enough balls, ping pong balls, to get into the 'Top' 5?
Agree, I saw Rudy Gay play against Providence and I was not impressed. I really think we need another shotmaker though and Reddick may not be the greatest athlete or defender but I think he will still be a great shooter in the pros.
Yeah, look how well some of the March boys do in the Association. Getting hot at the NCAA's do not equate to career success.
This team needs help in the off-guard spot and pf. Swift was not the answer. It's clear that in today's NBA - you need more then a couple of stars to make a team competitive. Look at the best teams - they aren't built around one player - they are stacked with good players. Dallas, SA, Phoenix, Detroit, Miami. One Dimensional teams with aging players don't cut it anymore. The Rockets Organization needs to realize this while they still have two healthy stars.
