How tough is the West?

[WayOutWest]

Do any of you guys put any stock into the statements being made on TV regarding the playoff race in the West?  Since the West is so tight, having a bump in the road, Lakers/Spurs, could knock you out of the playoff race.  There will be teams with a winning record missing the playoffs in the West again.  I know every playoff team, with the possible exception of Utah and Pistons, is ONE injury away from blowing the season.

Is it possible for a team like the Lakers/Spurs or even Mavs/Suns to miss the playoffs should they get hit with a bump in the road, most notably a key injury.

The race in the West is one of the tightest I've ever seen, only 5 games seperates no. 8 from no. 1 and IMO all the teams look beatable right now.  Even the Spurs have lost some of their unbeatable shine lately but I expect for them to go into playoff mode in the last couple of months before the playoffs, IMO that is when you can measure a teams championship caliber.  Playing the Spurs late in the season will let you know if your team is a contender or pretender.  Last nights game between the Spurs and Suns showed how brains can beat out talent, the Spurs are clearly outmatched talentwise by the Suns but the Spurs kept their cool and played like a champ is supposed to.  Fun game to watch.

Anyway, who do you think might drop off?  I don't know if the Nuggets or GS will be there in the end, if the Lakers don't get healthy soon at the C Mihm/Bynum they could drop off as well.  I really hope Ariza gets back quickly, his defense is missed, having Kobe guard the other teams best player will start to wear him down on offense.

Team                W  L
1.) Phoenix        33 14
2.) New Orleans  32 13
3.) Dallas           31 14
4.) San Antonio   29 16
5.) Lakers           28 16
6.) Utah             28 18
7.) Denver          27 18
8.) Golden State  28 19

There are three teams on the outside looking in but they could make it in and knock someone else off without hardly breaking a sweat.  IMO Portland is not going to hold up, I have no idea what the Kings are capable of this year.
Portland       26 19
Houston       25 20
Sacramento  20 24

[westkoast]

It's crazy how close the west really is.  Wonder if this ranks up there as one of the tightest years in a conference in NBA history.  6-7 games are seperating first in the west and an early vacation.  That is just nuts to think about.  Especially when you think about previous years in the NBA when the first and last place team were separated by 15+ games.

[WayOutWest]

It's crazy how close the west really is.  Wonder if this ranks up there as one of the tightest years in a conference in NBA history.  6-7 games are seperating first in the west and an early vacation.  That is just nuts to think about.  Especially when you think about previous years in the NBA when the first and last place team were separated by 15+ games.

Durring one of the Laker Threepeat years I remember the competition in the West being the best ever.  Every team in the playoffs had at least 50 wins, don't know if that ever happened in NBA history or if it has happened since.

[Lurker]

It's crazy how close the west really is.  Wonder if this ranks up there as one of the tightest years in a conference in NBA history.  6-7 games are seperating first in the west and an early vacation.  That is just nuts to think about.  Especially when you think about previous years in the NBA when the first and last place team were separated by 15+ games.

Durring one of the Laker Threepeat years I remember the competition in the West being the best ever.  Every team in the playoffs had at least 50 wins, don't know if that ever happened in NBA history or if it has happened since.

And that was 2001...the tightest since the turn of the century.

2000/01:  7 seed Portland 50-32;  8 seed Minnesota  47-35
2001/02:  6 seed Portland 49-33; 7 seed Seattle 45-37; 8 seed Utah 44-38
2002/03:  5 & 6 seed 50 wins
2003/04:  6 seed Memphis 50-32; 7 seed Houston 45-37; 8 seed Denver 43-39
2004/05:  6 seed Sacramento 50-32; 7 seed Denver 49-33; 8 seed Memphis 45-37
2005/06:  Suns, Mavs, Spurs only western teams with 50+ wins (note: only Detroit & Miami in east had 50+)
2006/07:  6 seed Denver 45-37; 7 seed Lakers 42-40; 8 seed Golden State 42-40 (5 seed 51 wins)

Other close years...
1990/91: western 6 seed was 52-30
1993/94: western 6 seed was 50-32
1996/97: eastern 6 seed was 54-28
1999/2000:  western 6 seed was 50-32

[JoMal]

There are three teams on the outside looking in but they could make it in and knock someone else off without hardly breaking a sweat.  IMO Portland is not going to hold up, I have no idea what the Kings are capable of this year. Portland       26 19
Houston       25 20
Sacramento  20 24

Well, let's take a look. they are 13-9 against the Eastern Conference, where, if they played in that conference, they would currently be the seventh seed.

And out of about 12 road games against Western Conference teams, they have managed to win 1 (one) of the games. That should tell you where they are and where they wish they were.