[ljt]

Originally posted by <b>RP McMurphy</b>!
I know it's early, but I'm bored with most of the threads on the NBA board right now, and I'm interested in whether anyone's mind has changed yet about who's making the playoffs.

San Antonio, Dallas, and Utah are all locks, I think, and while Minnesota hasn't been incredibly impressive so far, they always get off to a slow start and finish strong, so I'm going to go ahead and call them a lock, too.

I'm not ready to call Phoenix a lock, only because their coach seems pretty bad to me, and that will make them lose more games than they should. But they're talented enough that they should make the playoffs. Steve Nash was a great fit for them.

I'm ruling out Golden State and New Orleans, who both look awful so far. And I'm going to put Portland and the Clippers in the lottery too, they're playing all right so far, but I just can't see either of them keeping it up.

That leaves Seattle, Denver, the Lakers, Sacramento, Houston, and Memphis fighting for three spots. It's going to be awfully tough to make the playoffs in the West this year. Of course, we already knew that before the season started.

Of the three, Denver, Sacramento, and Memphis are the ones I had making the playoffs before the season started, but they've all started off slow. Memphis is struggling because James Posey is hurt. He's the leader of that team, and they're struggling defensively without him. I think when he comes back and gets in shape, the Grizzlies will go on a big winning streak and make the playoffs easily.

Denver and Sacramento are playing badly even though they don't have the excuse of missing one of their best two players. Sacramento seems to be recovering from their awful start, I think they'll be all right, although their championship window is definitely over. But Denver looks especially bad, and unless someone can explain what's going wrong with them and why it's going to change, I have to assume they'll fall short in a tough Western Conference. Seattle was my ninth seed, and they're off to a very impressive start, so I'll pick them to take Denver's spot.

So my eight are Minnesota, San Antonio, Utah, Dallas, Phoenix, Memphis, Seattle, and Sacramento.

i think you still wanna say houston 10th in the west conference?

[ljt]

Originally posted by <b>Hong Kong Fooey</b>!
I still don't feel Minnesota will win the division. I had the Nuggets winning the division and they still could, but they need to deal soon and get rid of Bzdelik. What Kiki is waiting for, I have no idea.

1. Dallas (regular wins will be the most of the league more than likely)
2. Utah
3. Sacramento
4. San Antonio
5. Minnesota
6. LA Lakers
7. Phoenix
8. Denver

I still think Denver will turn it around and Seattle will fall back. The current setup with the way 3 divisions, is a very interesting thing as I find it more likely by the day, that the Spurs and T'Wolves could meet in round one, because first I am not sold on Minny and second I think Dallas will have the best record. In years past San Antonio would be the 3rd seed. Should be an interesting playoffs, yes, no?

Originally posted by <b>Jewelz</b>!


I know this is only your opinion, but you actually think Lakers will be that high? And that Denver will make it over Houston or even Memphis?...

lol Nevermind, I already know what's going on here

[Darkwing Duck]

I'll bite.

1. SA
2. Minny
3. Sac

4. Dallas
5. Utah
6. Houston
7. Phoenix
8. Memphis


I believe the Lakers good streak will be outweighed by the bad streak and toughness of the WC.

Denver's got too many problems that firing Bzdelik will fix.

Seattle will fall back to Earth.

Portland as well.

Clippers aren't going to go places. They may surprise me and stay in that 10 range.

GS and NO we don't need to worry about.

[Jewelz]

I never made my predictions, anyway, here we go..

1: San Antonio
2: Utah
3: Phoenix
4: Dallas
5: Minnesota
6: Houston
7: Sacramento
8: Memphis
-------------------------------
9: Denver
10: Seattle
11: LA Lakers
12: LA Clippers
13: Portland
14: New Orleans
15: Golden State

[RP McMurphy]

I'm going to bump this thread every two weeks, to give people a chance to state their thoughts as the picture becomes clearer and clearer.

In my opinion, the biggest news in the Western Conference in the past couple of weeks was Hubie Brown retiring. I think this changes Memphis from a probable playoff team into a probable lottery team. Last year, that team's biggest strength was their teamwork and intensity, and coaching had a lot to do with that. This year, they just don't have it, and whoever they hire won't have the same success that Hubie Brown had. This team should be one of the three or four worst teams in the West.

New Orleans and Golden State are terrible teams that have no chance at the playoffs, and the other team I'm going to count out is Houston. I took a lot of flak for putting them 12th in West, but I honestly think a 12th or 13th place finish isn't out of the question. Some may be hoping for a turn-around, but this team sucks. The reason they're losing is, their depth is awful, and that's not going to change. Everyone is bashing Jeff Van Gundy, but I actually think he's doing a pretty good job with that team -- when your third and fourth best players are Jim Jackson and Maurice Taylor, there's not much a coach can do.

Utah is in a slump and Andrei Kirilenko is out for a month, so you can't call them a playoff lock anymore. I still think they'll make it, but they're in the pack along with Denver, Portland, Sacramento, the Lakers, and the Clippers.

The playoff locks are San Antonio, Minnesota, Dallas, Phoenix, and Seattle. It's time to accept that Seattle is a good team.

Two of the last three spots should go to Sacramento and Utah. I'm just not sold on any of the other Western Conference teams, but I have to pick somebody, so I'll go with Denver for the eighth spot.

[quick]

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Phoenix
4. Dallas
5. Utah
6. Sacramento
7. Portland
8. Seattle
____________

9. Houston
10. L.A. Lakers
11. Memphis
12. L.A. Clippers
13. Denver
14. Golden State
15. New Orleans

[LuckyAC]

I'm a Jazz fan, but I don't see any reason to rank them ahead of the Nuggets. They have equal records, and Denver is on the rise, while Utah is falling, especially now that Kirilenko is injured. I also think Sacramento is a playoff lock. After their really tough schedule at the beginning, they have been good, and they have the 55-win team back from last year.

[1 Penny]

Pacific
Kings
Suns
Lakers
Clippers
Warriors

Southwest
Spurs
Mavs
Rockets
Grizzlies
Hornets


Northwest
Wolves
Jazz
Sonics
Nuggets
Blazers


Seedings
Spurs
Wolves
Kings

Mavs
Jazz
Suns
Sonics
Rockets


Thats my prediction so far, but the only thing this season has proven is that the whole seson is Unpredicatable. Injuries, chemistry problems totally affect team performance.
Spurs will be the only team winning 60+ games in this conference, the rest will vary from 55 wins to as low as 45 wins as the cut off for the playoff spot.

[mavsman]

Ok. Here it goes:

Record:

San Antonio 61-21
Sacramento 57-25
Dallas 56-26
Minnesota 54-28
Phoenix 53-29
Denver 52-30
Seattle 50-32
Utah 49-33
Los Angeles 47-35
Memphis 46-36
others...

So the seedings:

1. San Antonio
2. Sacramento
3. Minnesota
4. Dallas
5. Phoenix
6. Denver
7. Seattle
8. Utah

Sorry but I don't think Houston will be a factor. Also the Clippers are off to a nice start but I don't see that continuing enough to get them into the playoffs. Portland is also a tough team but I just think there are too many teams in the West.

Of course I could be completely wrong.

[Cometsbiggestfan]

I think


San Antomio
Dallas
Minnesota
Sacramento
Seattle
Utah
Phoenix
Denver



Los Angeles
Houston
everybody else
15. New Orleans

[Ballscientist]

Only the fool counts Rockets out.

[mavsman]

Originally posted by <b>Ballscientist</b>!
Only the fool counts Rockets out.

And what have you seen so far to make you think that the Rockets are serious playoff contenders?