The All-Star break is over, there are only about 25 games left, and some trends are starting to develop between the contenders in the WILD WILD WEST.
I will refrain from talking about the "MILD MILD EAST" since everyone knows the DETROIT PISTONS will reach the NBA FINALS once again.
PHOENIX SUNS: They started out on a roll with that ridiculous 17-game win streak and going undefeated against the Eastern Conference until Philly beat them the other night. They are still the league's most explosive offense but the question of durability will be brought up over and over again until the playoffs start. Bell was out for a while. Nash's back problem is acting up again, and now the MATRIX is out. It seems like that 8-man rotation that D'Antoni has been using the last two years is catching up to them. The Suns may not be able to force anyone to play their tempo in the postseason because in the playoffs everyone knows that it becomes a half-court game. Plus in a seven-game series the SUNS become predictable. Great coaches like Jackson, Popovich, Sloan, Van Gundy, Johnson (all have been to the NBA FINALS) know how to PACE and MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. It will be interesting to see how the SUNS fare against some of the elite teams they will face as the regular season winds down. Special mention: SUNS are only 21-10 against the West, an unsettling sign for Suns fans given what I have mentioned above. Grade: B
DALLAS MAVERICKS: Hands down the best team in the NBA. They are the favorites to reach the FINALS for the second straight year, mainly because they are coached by a stud who knows what it takes to play tough defense and control the tempo. They haven't slowed down, they're fairly healthy, and they are led by the future MVP in Dirk Nowitzki. Dallas has not shown a sign of slowing down leading me to believe that they will be primed and ready for the postseason. The Mavericks will probably win between 68-70 games and will likely face the lowly CLIPPERS in the first round and the ROCKETS in the second. Dallas is 32-6against the West. Grade: A+
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: They are on a six-game streak and are showing signs of what championship teams do during this time of year. The SPURS are getting healthy while pacing themselves to take the #3 seed. Indeed the team to watch out for. They will be fresh and prepared and their veterans know what it takes to pace a 100-game season, something Phoenix doesn't have at their luxury. POPOVICH is a HOF coach and this is the greatest intangible a team can have when it counts the most. Spurs are 23-11 against theWest. Grade: A-
HOUSTON ROCKETS: They are possibly the sleeper in the postseason. The only concern here is how quickly they will generate the right chemistry once Yao returns. The ROCKETS have been bugged by injuries and inconsistencies all year but are managing to have a very good record. Again, I will credit the coaching expertise of Van Gundy, who has been the unquestioned leader of that franchise. He has done an admirable job and should be in the running for coach of the year. Rockets are 19-17 against the West. Grade: B-
UTAH JAZZ: The JAZZ started off strong but are tapering off a little bit. With a full and healthy squad, Utah can be trouble for many teams because they are arguably the best coached and most cohesive unit in the league. Given the fact that Kirilenko has underachieved this year they are still #4 in the West. That says a lot about Sloan's ability to keep his players motivated and ready to play despite the fact they have no shooting guard. They will most likely play Houston in the first round but that's about as far as they will go. Once they get a two-guard who can score and play Sloan-style defense, they'll be able to go deeper in the playoffs. Utah is 22-12 against the West. Grade: B-
L.A. LAKERS: Los Angeles is slowly getting their key starters back and that's a great sign for a team who can lose to the worst and beat the best at any given time because of KOBE BRYANT and PHIL JACKSON. The Lakers are slowly hitting their stride and have been playing better defense of late. Player and coach are both gearing up for the stretch run, they've been there before, and it is safe to say that the recent success will continue. Because I am a homer and because I know what this team is capable of, I will wait until the entire team is fully healthy and until they play 15 games together before saying that they will meet the DALLAS MAVS in the WEST FINALS. The LAKERS will most likely meet PHOENIX in the second round in what will be the most exciting seven-game series of the playoffs. Lakers are 19-11 against the West. GRADE: B+
THE_DAN: That's your opinion, DAN. But tell me why they won't beat SA, instead of trying to talk smack about the LAKERS. In case you didn't know, the LAKERS have owned the SPURS this year and have controlled the tempo in all the games they played this year against the aging SPURS.
And yes, I did know the SUNS started slow but there's no need for me to mention that in the blog. DALLAS also started slow, we know that.
Nice post but i still think the Lakers are B- at best. They play in a much weaker division than the Mavs,Spurs, Rockets, yet still can only manage a 24th rancked defense. Until that defense is consistent they cant be considered much of a threat in the playoffs, especially if they have to face a healthy Mavs or Spurs team.
Dan, you are a realist. No way the lakers make it into the second round, bryant has a better chance of making mvp(and we all know how slim to none that chance is) but hey anything can happen so im going to reserve further judgement.
First off I want to say that I pretty much agree with all your grades. I totally agree the Rockets are kind of a "sleeper team". I think they will be very interesting to watch once Yao gets back.
As for the Lakers, their series with Phoenix last year was very entertaining. I think the Lakers are somewhat underrated in the NBA right now. Their record doesn't speak for their true ability if you ask me. The Lakers advantage over San Antonio has to be their youth, but then again some people might look at that as their weakness as well. But when all is said and done we know how Kobe plays in the playoffs. So anyone that plays the Lakers could be in for an upset.
Stoudemire is the x factor for the "predictable" Suns. At least the Suns are getting their injuries out of the way during the regular season this year.
I don't feel like blasting you for your Laker bias or getting into a big argument. So I'll make a prediction right here and now. Suns/Mavs in western conference finals. Hopefully for the Mavs Dirk can score a lot. Seems like he has to for them to win. At any rate, that could be one of the best series we've seen in recent times.
BTW, since the Lakers didn't make any of the many trades you proposed that would have made them better, their chances to make some noise in the playoffs obviously went down, correct?
(Dang! Sometimes I just can't stop myself).
sportsbiotch: You are perhaps the most knowledgable about basketball when it comes to your comments in this blog. Everything you said is 100% accurate. I cannot agree with you more. Thanks for the comments.
TEXASCUDAGUY: There is no curve here either.
SAMCOLTS: If I was a teacher, no one would fail. The LAKERS will make the second round with ease. Anything can happen as a sixth seed. Remember the '95 HOUSTON ROCKETS? How about the wild card DENVER BRONCOS? Both teams had an MVP candidate and a great coach/motivator. STAY TUNED for some excitement...
RICKO: click.... click.... click... their chances actually are better now because guys like ODOM, BYNUM, COOK, etc. can now concentrate on playing defense and beating your SUNS on SUNDAY. LAKERS 112, SUNS 107.
14FALCONS: "TEAM is EVERYTHING"- true but there is a "me" in team for guys like KOBE BRYANT, D-WADE, and MICHAEL JORDAN to take over games by themselves when the situation calls for it.
And as we know, the playoffs will call for that situation plenty of times. This is why the LAKERS have a legitimate shot. And Yes, I'm probably even more of a homer than DUSTY.
Lakers' best chance to get into round 2 would be to have a face off with the Suns in the first round (would also bode well with your grading of the teams). Getting past Spurs will be a tall order.
Rockets are indeed a sleeper in the western conference. 100% healthy and virtually every team in the west will have their hands full at both ends of the floor.
Hey J-Dizzle do you think your Lakers will beat my Kings tomorrow night, lol so according to your grades you have the Lakers third best, hmmmm interesting!
You only have one player that plays great, a couple that play good, and alot that play below average, I will give the Lakers this, they have Kobe, and you never know with this freak, he will be a factor no doubt, they still need to make some moves before you can consider them for real, they need quality to go along with Kobe!! Maybe a couple years away, Kings by 7!!HAHAHA
GOMAVS: I would love for the LAKERS to play the SUNS in the first round so we can beat them and get them out of the way. As a LAKERS FAN and as a believer that you have to beat the best to be the best, I want LA to face DALLAS, PHOENIX, and SAN ANTONIO or two out of the three teams in this year's playoffs to gauge how good the Lakers can be. If they can't beat any of these teams, then I will finally realize that we need more help.
However, I am totally confident in the current roster set up as it is right now because we have a good combination of swingmen, big men, finesse players, ball distributors, athleticism, and above all a coach who can maximize his players' potential.
VEARLTHEPEARL: Lakers over Kings in a rout. KOBE will score 35. LAMAR will get 20-12-9. And either Cook, Smush, Evans, or another role player will score 17. Bynum will get 10 boards, score 10, and block three.
Los Angeles choked a 3-1 series lead the year before.
Big difference.
The Lakers will face either Dallas, Phoenix or San Antonio somewhere in the playoffs and will not beat them. They simply aren't good enough. What else is there to say? I know: I tell it how it is. Cheers.
Have to agree with Dan on this one. The Lakers can only ride Kobe so far and it's not far enough. They will not get past Phoenix, San Antonio, and Dallas. Maybe one, but not two teams in the west. Nothing they have done all year suggests it, but especially without Kwame and Walton. Walton's injury is more serious than just a sprain or he would have been back by now.
How the hell can you give the Suns such a high grade? They only have the second best record in the NBA, 2 time defending MVP, last years 6th man, the only player in NBA history to finish top 20 in stat catagory, probably this years 6th man and a freek of a center. Oh yeah the coach, he sucks too. He sucks so bad that 70% of the other NBA teams study the Suns so they can adopt the same style of play. I forgot his about his winning % since he started and the US TEAM's obligations he has.
Lakers maybe next year but only if Bynum doesn't have a letdown.
good post Diz.
Iwish I knew as much as most of these guys. I'd make a killing in Vegas.
whether the Lakers get out the first round this year is dubious to me but even they don't, their incredible string of injuries leaves me feeling we're OK in the rebuild plan.
But one thing we do know. If the Lakers get the second round, the west finals or the finals, it really don't matter. The haters will line up with their excuses.
"Lakers were Lucky"
"David Stern makes the refs cheat for the lakers"
"Laker opponents had injuries"
"Laker's didnt win their opponents gave it to them"
as a "casual" spurs fan, i worry about their chances come playoff time. timmy will be timmy, but i dont know where ginobili's game will be....up or down. as for mr. longoria, will he be concentrating on baskeball or eva? other than that, i dont think they'll get much from the geezer squad of finley, horry, barry and bowen.
if the lakers match up against them in round 1, i could see them knocking the spurs out.
after that, i'd avoid putting any money on them or their opponent.
i really think the suns need to use their bench more....starting now. they're starting to suffer from the injury bug, and if guys like marion, nash and barbosa arent close to 100% come playoff time, it wouldnt surprise me if they got ousted in round 2.
dallas is the favorite, but if anyone can somewhat contain dirk, i think they can be beaten in a playoff series.
As a Laker fan, I'd have to say the Lakers are playing "B" basketball at best. If the Lakers do end up playing the Spurs in the 1st round, I think they do have a good chance of advancing to the next round. The Spurs are still a very good team...Tim will do his thing as always, but Bowen isn't the same. In this year's series against the Lakers, Bowen could hardly keep up with Kobe. Plus his 3 point shooting is a little off. Ginobili is playing the Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde roll. And with Finley, Horry, and Barry, I'm not convinced that they will be able to hold their own against a younger, faster team. Should be a great series if it happens. And if I'm wrong, more power to the Spurs.
For now, Go Lakers!
J-D, great analysis. I agree with you on almost everything except I give the Suns a B+ and the Lakers and Rockets a B. And I think nobody wants to play Dallas or San Antonio in the 1st round, so I think your Lakers should either try for the 5th seed or slip down to 7th.
You analysis on the Suns are dead on, but given their excellent record, I still give them a B+. Let's see how they fare in March, when they have to play many top West teams, starting this Sunday with the Lakers. See you all Sunday night!
J-dizzle, we are watching the same Laker team, right? When you lay your hopes on the return of Walton and Brown, how can your hopes be so high. Minor role players at best. Although Walton does seem to have a grasp on the triangle more than anyone else on the team. Odom is completely lost in the triangle, only plays to his peak when Kobe is off the floor. Binum looks more like Benoit than Shaq, and don't we need a point guard that knows how to play defense going into the playoffs? I'm glad you're optimistic, I just tend to be more of a realist.
Hey Diz, do you know who was Kobes favorite player while he was growing up in Italy and why he picked 8 for his jersey when he first started in the NBA?
pumpdude: I could care less why KOBE picked number 8 and who his favorite player was when he was a kid in Italy. For all I know it could even be Mike D'Antoni.
EVERYONE WHO"S COMMENTED THUS FAR: Thank you all for you kind and nasty comments. It's always interesting to read what you guys have to say.
Here is my overall take on my team, the LAKERS. The reason I grade them so high is not because of their record or KOBE Bryant.
At one time, the Lakers were 26-13 and playing great ball, beating some of the best teams in the league while not having a complete and healthy roster. They've been plagued by injuries more than any team except Miami and have played admirably well. I have seen what they are capable of, both live and on TV and in practice. This team will be a team to be reckoned with once they play 15 games together as a complete unit and that's why I say they will advance deep in the playoffs this year.
Of course, this is my opinion and people will say what they say but there's no denying the fact that the Lakers, unlike the SUNS, have been successful against the elite teams this year even without a full lineup. And now they are slowly beginning to hit their stride. It will start Sunday.
quikdrummer: They don't pay me enough to write about other teams.
I could write about how the Oakland A's will make the playoffs again this year on a low budget or how Mayweather will toy with de la hoya in their upcoming fight or how Manny Pacquiao will knock out both Juan Manuel Marquez and Marco Antonio Barrera if they meet again or why the Oakland Raiders will not make the playoffs until Al Davis disappears from the face of this earth or why it wouldn't be a good idea for the NBA to have a team in Las Vegas...
but right now all the excitement is about one team and one player- The LAKERS and KOBE BRYANT
ricko- your boy Nash may want to sit out Sunday and rest that back b/c he wouldn't want to be on another poster on my wall on the receiving end of a you-know-what.
Amare better not get too excited and get put in the popcorn machine by all the pumpfakes Bynum will give him because he just might blow that knee again. Be careful what you wish for my friend.
"Hey Diz, do you know who was Kobes favorite player while he was growing up in Italy and why he picked 8 for his jersey when he first started in the NBA?"
i'm not afraid to show my ignorance, or my curiousity...spill the beans will ya!
BISHOP: "Walton and Brown, how can your hopes be so high. Minor role players at best."
I will disagree with this statement. Walton not only has a complete grasp of the offense but his presence improves the play of Lamar Odom. If you haven't noticed that yet, I suggest you watch the film very closely.
Secondly, there is a reason Jackson and Buss acquired Brown for Butler, who is an all-star. But why if Butler is this good? Because Brown gives us something many teams in this league don't have the luxury of having- a big body who holds his own down low defensively. Brown is not a pushover. He doesn't have an offensive game but he is a premium on the defensive end and along with Bynum, Turiaf, Mihm, and Odom the Lakers have five big bodies to throw against the likes of Duncan, Amare, KG, Dirk, Boozer, Yao.
Lastly, we have KOBE and PHIL.
This is the Lakers' recipe for success and part of the reason we will make noise in the playoffs.
pump- thanks for dropping the knowledge...i had a pretty good idea it was him, but i like to verify stuff like that, because all too often i guess wrong and look like a complete ####.
i have a feeling DIZZ knew it all along....but it's just a feeling.
UC IRVINE graduate and proud to be an ANTEATER. My claim to fame is having played against the likes of Tayshaun and Tommie Prince, Jacque Vaughn, and Charles O'Bannon, plus getting dunked on by Schea Cotton in a CIF second round match in the nineties.
WIDELY KNOWN on FOX as one of the most biased LAKER HOMERS in blog history, highly criticized for hating on the PHOENIX SUNS fan base, and has been told on more than one occasion that LAMAR ODOM isn't worth the suit he's wearing.
Believe that "excellence is not an act but a habit."
Believe that the things you do and the things you don't do, they all send a message.
Believe that in order to know the world one must first know thyself.
And believe that it's the journey not the destination.
Finally, as the great Bruce Lee once said, "Man - he is constantly growing and when he is bound by a set pattern of ideas or way of doing things, that's when he stops growing."
This is the Way of the Dragon. Embrace it.
