Barring an injury to Shaq or Kobe, I can't imagine that team not making the playoffs. The league wouldn't allow it. Look for Dick Bavetta to ref more of their games. That'll help them out. (Although they did just lose to Golden State, which has almost the same record as the Fakers; imagine!) I'll say Minnesota will slip. I fear it will be the Rockets; our boys need to get it together, quick.
PHX is out. Amare is good but look at their last 10 games esp those without Penny Hardaway. He's their true leader or at least the glue to hold them together. He might not be much but his intangibles are what keeps that team going. As long as he's out they are a .500 team. They might be the surprise team of the first half but they are going to fall to where they should be which is around the .500 mark and finishing just out of the playoff spot around 9th or 10th in the west. Last 10 games for PHX: 4Ws and 6Ls with the last loss against Miami(without Eddie Jones)
My bet is for Utah to slip and fall out of the race & the Rockets rise to maybe the 5th or 6th playoff seed. I voted for Utah, just because they're the UTAH Jazzholes. ... and can't stand them.
