I believe there is a fighter's chance all 8 teams out west can win 50 games. The 6th seed Warriors have 43 wins with 13 games to go. That should be a yes The 7th seed Grizzlies have 40 wins with 15 games to go. 10-5 seems reasonable for them. The 8th seed Mavericks have 41 wins with 13 to go. They don't have the easiest schedule ahead of them but its not impossible to go 9-4. Besides... The 9th seed Suns have 39 wins with 14 games to go. They have a unfavorable last 8 games or so but with a strong desire to get into the playoffs and Bledsoe back, momentum can build fast.
I remember that Rockets team that went 51-31 and won their division. That record may only get you the #7 or #8 these days.
That's not even the most recent season it happened. In 09-10, the Spurs and Thunder finished 7th/8th with 50 wins each. What made 07-08 more ridiculous is that the #9 team in the west (GSW, 48 wins) would have had home court advantage as a #4 seed in the East.
