A quick pre-season look at the postseason, with predicted conference ranking and predicted record in parentheses.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Lakers (#1, 57-25):  Best conference record against the West (37-15) says something, so let the dynasty begin.

New Orleans (#2, 56-26):  Surprising Hornets could be prime candidate for postseason letdown, but they're led by former Lakers champion Byron Scott, which says something.

San Antonio (#3, 56-26):  Many believe Spurs are old, but Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker aren't, so don't be surprised if defending champions reach conference finals.

Utah (#4, 54-28):  Jazz horrendous on the road all season long, but they won Game 7 in Houston a year ago with Derek Fisher on the roster, so we'll see what they're all about in the rematch.

Houston (#5, 55-27):  The value of the big man - if it weren't for Luis Scola and the ageless Dikembe Mutombo, the Rockets would be out and the Warriors would be in.

Phoenix (#6, 55-27):  Suns' poor head-to-head record against West playoff teams says a lot about their ability, or lack thereof, to compete with the best of 'em, but the arrival of Shaq and the re-emergence of Amare Stoudemire have made the Suns legitimate contenders once again.

Dallas (#7, 51-31):  Not that it's possible, but the Mavs could do to the Hornets this year what the Warriors did to the Mavs last year.

Denver (#8, 50-32):  It's obvious to me that Carmelo Anthony's desire to be in Denver in the future is not in his plans, as poorly timed DUI charge indicates, therefore Nuggets have zero chance of winning a game against the mighty Lakers.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Boston (#1, 66-16):  Leading the league in defense and wins and 25-5 record against the Western Conference says something, so let the dynasty begin.

Detroit (#2, 58-24):  The Spurs of the East keep winning with balance and chemistry and they're deeper and younger, so don't be surprised if Pistons reach NBA Finals.

Orlando (#3, 52-30):  Magic have been better on the road than at home all season so home-court advantage in the first round could actually hurt them.

Cleveland (#4, 46-36):  Lebron of 2007-'08 looks like Kobe of 2005-'06, which means one-and-done in the postseason.

Washington (#5, 43-39):  The Nuggets of the East - all that talent and firepower but not enough in quality decision-making to win big games.

Philadelphia (#6, 41-41):  Even if overachieving Sixers get swept in the first round, young team has already made believers out of tough Philly fan base.

Toronto (#7, 41-41):  Underachieving team can't seem to solve point guard situation and Bargnani is a bust, which means Raptors will be one-and-done against the Pistons in the first round.

Atlanta (#8, 38-44):  Even if the Hawks were to pull off an upset and win game one of their series against Boston, they still don't have enough big-game experience to close out the Celtics in a seven-game series.

Conference Finals Prediction

West - Lakers over Spurs in six        East - Detroit over Boston in seven

NBA Finals Prediction

Lakers over Detroit in seven

Alright ladies and gentlemen, it's time to play some basketball! In less than a week, the NBA suddenly became a lot more interesting, providing sportsfans a seamless transition from football.

So I start to wonder...

- Now that new Suns center Shaquille O'Neal has decided he wants to be the one responsible for keeping the great Kobe Bryant from having another shot at a title, where does this put Phoenix in the grand scheme of things? And what is Shaq's real weight these days?

- Which team would win in a seven-game playoff series? The Young Guns with the best closer in the game, who has a supporting cast consisting of two All-Star caliber seven-footers and lengthy multi-position players who hustle and play defense? Or the runnin'-n-stunnin' veteran bunch with a former champion past his prime, who'll screen-and-roll alongside arguably the best PG in the league and who will join a high-fly act and an assortment of long range gunners?

- Now that the NBA is beginning to really shape into form and the stars are properly being aligned, who becomes the favorite to capture the O'Brien Trophy?

- As we undergo the makings of a fairy tale season, what team now possesses the most potent core unit?

In the east, you've got "The Boston Three Party." Cleveland has King James and the Knights of the (Mike) Brown Table. Detroit has a bad boy and a bunch of princes in a palace, while a magical kingdom called Orlando has something "big" to brag about. But let's not forget about The Flash and The Matrix, coming soon to a theater near you.

Out west, the Young Guns of Hollywood continue to be the story of the year and the blazin' Suns look to get even hotter by switching to diesel. The defending champion Spurs have the luxury of knowing how to win at the highest level while their Dallas neighbor is keeping a close watch nearby. Byron Scott has the Hornets buzzin', and it's the same ol' jazz tune being sung in Utah.

- Since blockbuster trades seem to be the theme for 2008, are we going to see Yao and T-Mac team up with Jason Kidd? Or will Kidd wind up in Portland, so he can lob passes to Greg Oden, Travis Outlaw, Brandon Roy, and Martell Webster? Either way, Kidd wouldn't mind having a center who could actually play like a center.

- The disgusted Dwyane Wade and Miami Heat continue to experience a long and disappointing campaign, as losses keep mounting. In his new reality commercial, Dwyane Wade similarly grows frustrated as Charles Barkley's annoying calls to him begin to mount. Funny how life works sometimes.

Whatever happens in the next few months, one thing is certain: the next five years are promising to be the greatest period of competition the NBA will have ever experienced. It is so competitive in the Western Conference that a two game losing streak could drop you from second to seventh in a matter of hours. Just ask the Los Angeles Lakers. They were atop the conference standings for two days, then quickly dropped from first to sixth after one loss!

And there is balance between youth and veterans around the league, there is parity between teams, and above all there is a significant amount of All-Stars, SuperStars, and SuperDuperStars that are on contending teams.

The National Ballers Association is primed and ready for topnotch action. It's where amazing things happen, so let's get ready to rumble!

The 2007-08 NBA season will see a major shift in the balance of power in the Pacific Division. Over the last three years, the LAKERS-SUNS matchup has turned into an extremely bitter rivalry not only for the players and coaches but also for the thousands of loyal fans that support these two tough teams.

After keeping serious tabs on these two teams over the summer, one thing is obvious to me. The LAKERS are vastly improving both on offense and defense and gaining more confidence by the second, while the SUNS look like their same old predictable selves and are getting more brittle and more frustrated as each passing day comes. Let's begin with the LAKERS.

As I've been saying all along, THE LAKERS ASSAULT IS COMING. In fact, it's already happening.

I know it's early and people will say that the Lakers' recent one-sided victories against Phoenix (119-98) and Utah (119-109) came at the expense of their opponents' second night of back-to-back games. But do you expect me to believe that these professional athletes this early in the season will have weary legs? Give me a break. Back-to-back games in the first week of the season should not be an excuse. Players are in shape and they should be more pumped up to play, especially with Phoenix playing in their home opener and Utah having to travel only 1 hour to get to Los Angeles from Oakland. The Lakers were flat out better and it is a major sign of things to come.

As for the KOBE BRYANT saga, we are not trading Kobe. We never will. Kobe for the unproven and hyped-up Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, and a throw-in? What a joke of a proposal. The Bulls are 0-3 and the reason is because they have no superstar. I feel bad for the Chicago Bulls because they should have gone after Pau Gasol this summer. Instead you have Chicago fans chanting KOBE-KOBE-KOBE in their own stadium in front of their own players after a loss to the lowly Milwaukee Bucks. How sad it is, the reality of it all.

Kobe wants to be a Laker for life and that's a fact. He's said it before. The only reason the rumors kept flying out of the bird cage was because Jerry Buss said he would entertain offers. It surely doesn't mean he will trade him or that Kobe would waive his no-trade clause. In fact, Bryant has never came close to even hinting at waiving the no-trade clause. Even Buss has repeatedly said that the Lakers are going to build a contender with KOBE as the cornerstone of the Laker franchise. In due time the role players will prove themselves worthy enough to satisfy Bryant's unrelenting will to win and when the time is right Kobe will announce his desire to remain with the Lakers the rest of his career. Then Phil will extend his contract and we will all say to ourselves that we knew it all along.

It has been obvious since the summer, when I was repeatedly backing up the entire Laker organization, that we were never going to trade Bryant. Why in the world would it make business sense for the Buss family to give up the best player in the game after we went 26-13 last year and defeated all the NBA's elite teams at least once (2 out of 3 against the World Champion Spurs and 2 out of 3 against West Finals participant Utah) before the injuries hit? And why would Kobe want to start over with another team with no guarantee that the other team would have better role players than what he's got here in Los Angeles. After all, the Lakers would basically look to gut another team's roster in exchange for Kobe. So that automatically means L.A.'s trading partner would have to forfeit their top two or three players. Kobe wouldn't want that and neither would Dallas, Chicago, or Detroit. The Pistons, for example, still have their nucleus intact and are still highly competitive in the East so it would not make good business sense for Joe Dumars to Rip it all apart just to get the league's top scorer.

I have maintained for many months that L.A. should not break up their roster to bring in old All-Stars like Jermaine O'Neal and/or Jason Kidd (with all due respect to their greatness). Why not? Because... 

1)  the new players you bring in will have to learn the triangle and start from scratch, thereby throwing away all chemistry that was developed over the last three years with the original nucleus,  2) O'Neal and Kidd are both on the downside of their careers and there is no guarantee that either will make the Lakers better than what they are now, and 3) In Los Angeles, we build for dynasties and long-term success. We don't go out there and rent aging superstars who are in the final one or two years of their contracts in HOPES that we get to the FINALS, much like Phoenix (Grant Hill), Dallas (Eddie Jones), Miami (Ricky Davis), and Detroit (Chris Webber) do. It is no surprise that all of the aforementioned players have never appeared in the NBA FINALS. They have a history of mediocrity and that's exactly what they will bring to their respective teams - a mediocre attitude that will rub off on their teammates.

Moreover, we are not trading Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum or anyone else not named Brian Cook.

We have size. We have athleticism. We can run-n-gun. We can play half-court. We have the best player and coach in the game. We have wingmen, slashers, guys who can post up. We have role players who bring a ton of energy off the bench. The players have a renewed defensive fervor about themselves. We have veteran presence. And above all, we have youth and balance, and we are starting to develop and maintain the work ethic that is needed to become champions. All of this is on KOBE's shoulders as the leader and he knows it and accepts it. That's why he's the greatest of his era. 

This team is so scary, that only people who really know basketball know what I'm talking about. Everyone else who can deny this are simply hating.

The Lakers can play with any team in this league. Utah is tough but they have no one to contain Bynum and we have a tremendous size advantage. San Antonio handled Utah last year in the West FInals because of these same two factors: Domination down low and the Jazz had nobody to stop Duncan. The only team that will give the Lakers fits in the West are San Antonio, Houston or perhaps Denver because all three teams have legitimate centers. The rest of the teams are cakewalk if the Lakers can continue to play EVERY GAME like they did the last two. It starts with TOTAL TEAM EFFORT and I strongly believe the Lakers have finally gotten it.

I feel terrible for the entire state of Arizona right now because Suns fans can slowly feel in their hearts what is coming. I'm sure they're already saying, "Uh-oh." Hey, at least you guys still have the SUN DEVILS.

The way Phoenix looked in their first three games lets me know this...

1) Nothing has changed for the better. The SMURFS' lack of size will absolutely KILL them this year (they have been outrebounded in all three games by sorry Seattle, the Lakers, and the undermanned Cleveland Cavs who were missing one of their top rebounders in Varejao)

2) Amare Stoudemire's lingering knee problems will spell doom for the Suns if they persist throughout the year. If Bynum, Ronny Turiaf, and Kwame Brown can rough him up and limit him to 7 points and 1 rebound, imagine what the rest of the West can do to this overhyped new version of Antonio McDyess. Phoenix should have traded him for KG but there is a reason why the Boston Celtics have all the history and Phoenix doesn't - the upper management in Boston has more moxie to take risks than Phoenix's shot-callers do.

3) Mike D'Antoni is not as good as everyone thinks he is. Phil Jackson is already in his head, and the simple fact he makes a big deal about that silly timeout for which Phil had a very legit reason for calling, lets me know he has his own insecurities about his own team. Take the loss like a man D'Antoni and quit crying like Adelman and C-Webb were doing when the Lakers kept shoving it against the Kings' you-know-what back in the day. You haven't won squat, and I'm sure you haven't earned that respect from Jackson the way he admires and reveres Jerry Sloan, Gregg Popovich, and Pat Riley.

4) If Steve Nash ends up having to carry the load offensively, then expect the Suns to lose in the first round because come May Nash's back will be all but done, and Amare's legs will be worn out, and the rest of the Suns players will have zero confidence once they realize they can't hang with the bigger teams (Houston, Utah, Lakers, Dallas, Denver, New Orleans) who can play a half-court game and run-n-gun when the situation calls for it. And we already know that D'Antoni play his starters 40 minutes a game and never uses his bench (he's already done so the first three games) so the Suns may be in for a long season. And what if Grant Hill ends up getting hurt? Now what?

5) The signing of Hill, although beneficial for them, was the wrong move. It will limit the productivity, shots, and minutes of guys like Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa, two very key elements in their past success. And Hill's below average long-range shooting does not make him a great fit for this system either.

6) The Suns' poor upper management decision makers should have realized that in the Western Conference, you need tough big men who can hold the paint in order to contend. Why do you think Kurt Thomas skipped town? Because he knew that Phoenix is not as good as everyone thinks they are and he didn't want to shorten his career by playing an up-tempo no-defense style the rest of his life. And Thomas knew better, considering he played for the big, bad, and tough New York Knicks in his heyday and knowing what it takes to contend, Thomas made a very intelligent business move and went to a young team who could value from his services. Phoenix should have gone after C-Webb, Jamaal Magloire, or even PJ Brown to get stronger inside but they didn't, and that's why they'll never make it to the FINALS.

7) The Suns are one-dimensional. It's way too obvious and with most of the teams employing an up-tempo style, it will be even harder for the Suns to win close games because not only do they lack beef up front, they also WASTE POSSESSIONS with their style of play jacking up shots left and right with no post game. Like I've been saying for years, they are predictable and will continue to be as long as they have Nash and Stoudemire.

It's early in the season, but many things are becoming clear in the Pacific Division. And nothing is as exciting as the drama that unfolds every time the Suns and Lakers hit the floor.

I know the both of you, along with Coach Jackson, Jeannie, Jerry, and Jim, have all been tired of hearing it. The complaints from Lakers fans. The whining from season ticket holders. The trash-talking from Laker haters. The infamous Kobe Video. And the speculation from insiders and sports-talk radio.

Right now I'm sure neither one of you really knows what will happen in the upcoming weeks of the free agency period. There has been so much of this Garnett trade talk circulating around the NBA that a new team enters the picture every week. Who's next, the Clippers?

Kobe, I have one thing to say to you so you better stop complaining. Be patient, young padawan. The force will be with you. Phil, the Jedi Master, has your back and that should be enough to let you know that the Lakers will do everything they can to build a title contender this year. Chick Hearn is watching and he too is probably sick of hearing it from you.

And what are you complaining about? It's not like you've ever led a team to a playoff series victory anyway since Shaq left. You make $136 million, you have the top selling jersey in the world, your reputation and image are vastly improved, and the Lakers have reiterated over and over again that they will build around you. You've made your point. Now's the time to be adult and professional about the whole situation.

And I have your back too. That's why I'm writing this piece. If anyone in the Laker organization reads this, I sure as heck hope you get a copy Mr. Kupchak. And please give one to Brian Shaw, Kurt Rambis, Tex Winters, Jim Cleamons, Frank Hamblen, Mr. Buss, his grandkids... whomever. You guys up there in the war room who make all the decisions, you need to be a  lot more creative when you pitch other GM's around the league about a proposal. How effective are you at selling the benefits of a Lamar Odom and an Andrew Bynum to other investors?

If Danny Ainge could pull off a trade to get Ray Allen for practically nothing, then why can't you execute anything of significance Mr. Kupchak? And  if you are calling the re-signing of Luke SkyWalton a major move of signifcance, then maybe you need to call me in for a job interview with your scouting team and let me show you what I can do with a desk, computer, and a phone.

If the reality is that you won't have enough to sign KG, then allow me to make a pitch to you before you pitch it to them.

Go after YAO MING. It's clear that the Yao and T-Mac experiment will probably not work no matter how many guards the Rockets acquire. Do the Rockets actually think that bringing back Mike James will catapult them to the second round? What a joke! Then they go out and sign another point guard in Aaron Brooks and bring in an undersized power foward in Carl Landry, who makes me wonder if he is just going to be another Juwan Howard, whom they dealt to Minnesota for James. Looks to me like the Rockets are either going in circles or are heading for outer space to explore Mars. One thing is for sure, Mitch. It's time for you to make the call and help them out.

It's obvious that the Rockets may be on the verge of adopting a high-tempo style offense with the addition of Brooks and the hiring of Rick Adelman, who run-and-gunned with the Clyde Drexler Blazers in the nineties. So why not offer them point forward Lamar Odom, who would thrive in Houston next to McGrady, and Andrew Bynum, who would give them a young, legitimate post replacement for Yao? Odom and Bynum for Yao and Rafer Alston. Done deal. Just go out and sell it.

Next on the list should be Ron Artest. You have two scenarios to throw at the Maloof Brothers. They may not want to listen but you have to be aggressive. Since the King owners are in the casino business, you may want to have Jerry initiate the talks as well. 

Scenario #1: Vladimir Radmanovic and Sasha Vujacic for Artest. The contracts match. All you have to do is find a way for the Maloofs to believe in the idea that European sharp shooters are good for their franchise. It worked with Hedo Turkoglu, it'll work with Radman and Sasha.

Scenario #2: Kwame Brown and Jordan Farmar for Artest. The contracts again will match up. Sacramento gets to unload Brown's contract after next year and they receive a solid defensive big man as well. Farmar is an easy sell because the Kings get a Pac-10 replacement for Mike Bibby in case he leaves.

As far as the midlevel exception is concerned, Steve Blake would be my choice for starting point guard. He is a team player who played for a contender in college and he is a sharp-shooting specialist as well. You won't have to worry about any egos with this addition. Everywhere he's gone he's played with a top notch two-guard (Juan Dixon, Michael Redd, Allen Iverson) so there won't be an issue playing with Kobe. Blake has veteran savvy, and above all he reminds me of a combination between a young Steve Kerr and Mark Price. 

Last on the list, Mr. Kupchak, will be your $1.3 milliion veteran exception. If everything above happens to come to fruition, you will certainly need another big man. There are two viable candidates with this slot. Former All-Star veteran center Jamaal Magloire could help fill a huge need as backup center. Another player worth calling is Chris Webber, who strongly considered the Lakers last year and may actually leave Detroit after a failed half-season experiment.

In sum, here are my new starters for 2007-08: 1- Blake, 2- Kobe, 3- Artest, 4- Webber, 5- Yao. Bench rotation will include Evans, Crittenton, Cook, Turiaf, Gasol, and either Farmar and Brown or Radmanovic and Vujacic.

So there you go. I've put on my Laker GM cap and made my moves. Kobe and Mitch, it's time to make yours.

Otherwise, give me a call and TO the file to me. I'll close the sale.

Sincerely,

JDizzle.

With all the stars back from injury and healthy, the madness begins. Here are the culprits...

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Dallas - They made it look easy all season long, as the Mavericks set out to prove that last year was no fluke. Dirk Nowitzki played MVP-caliber ball all year but still has to prove that he can make free throws when it counts most. Defensive-minded Dallas has something to prove so we'll see, as they open up against a team they've lost to six out of their last seven games. Grade: A+

2. Phoenix - With the number-two seed already locked up, the Suns still played their starters deep into the 4th quarter in their loss to the Clippers this week. Something's telling me that Mike D'Antoni doesn't have too much confidence in his bench. The Suns' lack of depth may cost them against the deeper and bigger L.A. Lakers, especially if Kobe Bryant and co. can play defense the way they know they can. On the flip side, Phoenix can still score whenever they want to, with two-time MVP Steve Nash spearheading the attack. Grade: A-

3. San Antonio - The most battle-tested team in the playoffs is also the league's hottest since the All-Star break. You can't count them out because Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are as healthy as they've ever been, and Tony Parker had Eva Longoria to keep him well-oiled throughout the postseason. And we can't ever fail to mention Robert Horry, who is also on a mission of his own: ring #7. Grade: A

4. Utah - They surprised us all with a fast start to a turn-around season. They defeated Phoenix three out of four. They won 50 games. They overachieved once again under Jerry Sloan. They are as cohesive as any unit in the NBA, but their lack of a legit two-guard may cost them in the long run. T-Mac should have a huge series against the Jazz. Grade: B

5. Houston - If Yao never got hurt and missed all those games, he'd be in the running for MVP. If McGrady never had back spasms, he would be in the discussion for MVP. One thing is for sure. Jeff Van Gundy is a favorite for coach of the year. The Rockets can potentially go as far as the conference finals if they play consistent defense and pound the ball inside to Yao who, in turn, has to dominate. Grade: B+

6. Denver - The big question isn't whether Melo and AI can play together. The key to the Nuggets' playoff success depends heavily on the contributions of Marcus Camby and Nene. If they play big and stay out of foul trouble, they have a chance to extend the Spurs. But once they allow Duncan to own the paint, it'll be all over in five. Grade: B-

7. L.A. Lakers - Just another season in Tinseltown. Kobe won another scoring title and Phil Jackson was inducted into the HOF. Lamar Odom's son died unexpectedly, Kwame Brown threw a cake and got fined, Vladimir Radmanovic became known as Slalom after he decided to take up snowboarding and lied about it, rookie Jordan Farmar dispatched Smush from the starting PG position, and Luke SkyWalton was rumored to be linked to Britney Spears. The only story Lakers fans are really concerned about is whether the role players will be mentally prepared to butt heads with the fun-n-gun Suns. The roster is finally complete. L.A. has depth. The Lakers will be ready. Grade: B for Bryant

8. Golden State - If Nellie had never pulled off the trade that brought over Al Harrington and Stephen Jackson, maybe the Clippers would be playing Dallas. Instead, Nelson goes up against his former team with something to prove. Unfortunately, the Warriors' best big man happens to be  80-year old Adonal Foyle. Grade: C+

Please check out my Eastern Conference report card in a separate post coming soon to a blog near you...

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 32-6 against 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 the West. 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+

If the postseason began today, Dallas 1 would be hosting Denver 8, and Utah 4would host Houston 5.

Phoenix 2 would host the Clippers 7in a rematch of last year's seven-game thriller, and the LAKERS 6 would play San Antonio 3 on the road.

In the East Detroit 1 would meet Miami 8 in the first round although this would be considered by most to be the real East finals, while Toronto 4 would have home court advantage against Chicago 5.

Washington 2 would get homecourt against slumping Orlando 7, and Cleveland 4 gets a tough test as they host Indiana 5.

Barring any significant player movement between these teams, it is highly likely that it will end up just like this by the time the playoffs actually begin.

The Mavs have proven to be just as dominant all around as they have been consistent. They beat the elite teams and pounce on the noncontenders. I see them handling the Nuggets in five games and taking care of the winner of Utah-Houston in six.

The Suns continue to run up the score but in the playoffs the nature of play changes.  Phoenix should run all over the helpless Clips who will be swept out of the playoffs. The best first round series in the West will be between L.A. and S.A., with KOBE coming out victorious with a buzzer beater in game 7.

This is where everything becomes interesting. Phoenix vs. the Lakers. Seven Games. Round Two. Nash-Kobe. Run-n-gun vs. The Triangle. Offense vs. Defense. Mike vs. Phil. Cactuses vs. Palm Trees. Take your pick. You can't go wrong with either one because everyone will watch this series.

Who will deserve the right to face the defending Western Conference champion Dallas Mavericks? Will Nash prove once and for all that he is the real MVP? Or will Bryant shut everyone up and show why he is the ultimate scorer and team player in the game today?

Meanwhile, the East is best summed up like this: De - troit Basket - ball! 

If all holds true to form and if everyone continues to play how they've been playing, and if the Heat and Lakers continue to stink it up and disappoint me, then the NBA Finals will be DALLAS vs. DETROIT. This one will go seven games but you pick the winner. 

For the very first time I will refrain from hyping my favorite team, The Los Angeles Lakers. This is not an attempt to generate hits on my blog, so for once I won't talk about KOBE.

I'm sure NASHTYBALL, RICKO, CRYMEARIVER, JESUS2, MAILMAN4, 14FALCONS,  BISHOP53, The_DAN, VEARLTHEPEARL, NACHOooO, QWIZ and all the rest of the LAKER HATER NATION are jumping for joy right now.

I could talk about Kobe's 43 pts against the Celtics and how the Lakers played team ball while winning by 13,  but what good will that do me?

So instead of talking about the elite, I break down the teams from both conferences who I believe will surprise us in the second half of the season. They may even knock out an elite squad or two once the playoffs begin...

1)  HOUSTON ROCKETS - Before Yao got hurt, he was a legitimate MVP candidate. Considering that Yao and T-Mac are hardly ever on the court together and that they have a 28-16 record, the Rockets are in perfect position to sneak up on a few teams and really become a threat. Their roster is built for defense, they have an excellent bench, they have size to match up with the elite, they have an experienced coaching staff, and we have yet to see how good they can really be with guys like Battier, Alston, Wells, Novak, and Greek PG Spanoulis surrounding Yao and T-Mac. Mutombo has been a pleasant surprise and Juwan Howard seems to have discovered the fountain of youth. Possible first round adversaries include San Antonio, Phoenix, and the Lakers.

2) DENVER NUGGETS - They are only five games behind Utah (3 in the loss column) for the division lead and are slowly starting to learn how to play with each other. Of course, a lot of it falls on George Karl's shoulders, whether or not Carmelo and Iverson can learn how to coexist, and the impact Kenyon Martin makes if he ever returns. But the talent is certainly there on paper. My hunch is that Denver overtakes Utah to win the division simply because the Nuggets have scoring punch in all positions. The Jazz will find out that unless they make a trade, they will continue to get torched by opposing teams' shooting guards and will struggle from here on out now that Boozer and Kirilenko aren't 100% healthy. They could wind up upsetting a team like San Antonio or Dallas in the first round

3) L.A. CLIPPERS - I am not counting them out  just yet, especially when you have Sam Cassell on your team. The Clippers are only 4.5 games behind the Lakers and if they manage to get an 8-seed in the playoffs they will have a good chance at knocking out a contender, be it Phoenix or Dallas. The nagging questions for the second half remain: Will Kaman prove he's worth the money? Do they keep Magette? Will Livingston finally work his way out of his funk? Is Tim Thomas just waiting for the playoffs before he starts shooting the lights out again? Why did they sign Doug Christie?

4) MIAMI HEAT - What needs to happen if they are going to make some noise in the postseason:  Shaq has to be in shape, D-Wade has to be healthy, Walker needs to be motivated, Posey needs to play defense, Zo needs to maintain the fire, Payton needs to be The Glove, J-Williams needs to know he won't be traded, Eddie Jones needs to be clutch, Riley needs to want to be there, and Haslem needs to be Haslem. The Heat could literally be an 8-seed and would be the favorites if all of the above is happening.

5) INDIANA PACERS - Larry Bird says Carlisle's job is safe. Larry Bird says he believes in Jermaine O'Neal. Larry Bird says the additions of Murphy and Dunleavy will improve their frontcourt defense and rebounding. If the Pacers can somehow muster some chemistry from this unpredictable unit, then maybe they could contend in the East. Right now O'Neal is underperforming but Larry Bird says he'll change all that come playoff time. I see Indiana matching up really well with Cleveland, Washington, Detroit, and every team in the Atlantic.

The Dallas Mavericks are on top right now but can they keep it up in the postseason?

The fun-n-run-n-gun Phoenix Suns keep scoring but will they tire out defensively by season's end?

The Spurs are winning despite Poppovich calling this year's team his "worst ever" and will their age show in their legs as the postseason gets longer?

The Jazz, Rockets, and Nuggets are sleepers in the West and could upset any of the top three in a seven-game series.

THE LAKERS, on the other hand, have KOBE BRYANT, the one man who is the only capable 30-point scorer in the league to literally will his team to the top night in and night out. The LAKERS. FINALS. I keep saying it, but people don't want to listen.

I was at my homie's pad the other night and a very serious discussion broke out as to who was the best team of all time in the NBA. Some of my buddies made terrible arguments to support their claim, and as I enjoyed ripping people's head off backing up my '87 Lakers, I'll cut them some slack since a bottle of Remy Martin 1738 managed to get the best of us.

One of them said the Houston Rockets of '94-'95, and while I can certainly give Olajuwon and company a lot of credit for being a six-seed and coming back from behind in spectacular fashion against the Jazz and Suns and sweeping Orlando, I'd have to say my buddy was smoking something. Then I looked over and indeed he was choking on a blunt.

I know the hardest thing to do when it comes to debating which team is the best ever is to compare eras because the competition was vastly different, the rules are no longer the same, and the most important element of luck cannot ever be quantitatively measured.  But at least we can talk about it and compare our opinions, right?

So here, I start the debate of ALL-TIME BEST NBA TEAM of the Modern Era, post-1980. The compensating factors that will be measured are playoff opponents, level of regular season competition and roster quality for that team's respective year.

Please feel free to add honorable mentions since I will undoubtedly leave out other great teams. And the nominees are (in no particular order)...

1996 CHICAGO BULLS (72-10): 

Playoff Opponents- Orlando (60-22) w/ a young Shaq and Penny and Indiana (52-30) with a deadly Reggie Miller were the other two East contenders, as well as an aging yet formidable New York squad (47-35) that still fielded a lineup that included Ewing, Starks, Mason,and Oakley. These three teams would give today's Eastern Conference a run for their money. And considering the Bulls swept Mourning's Heat in the first round, go 4-1 against the Knicks and then sweep Orlando 4-0 before going on to take care of the 64-18 Sonics in the Finals in six games, you can appreciate the Bulls' accomplishment that much more. This was not an easy opposition. Jordan, Pippen, Rodman, and Coach Jackson all had something to prove and prove it they did... in record setting fashion.

Regular Season Competition- There were a total of seven teams that won over fifty games, but a more telling statistic is that there were three teams that won over 60 and San Antonio, with The Admiral and Sean Elliott, won a respectable 59 suggesting that there may have been a lack of any serious competition.  All in all, Olajuwon, Robinson, Ewing, The Mailman, Stockton, Miller, Shaq, Penny, Grant Hill, Jason Kidd, Shawn Kemp, and Gary Payton were still all in their primes and Jordan was still a step above everybody else.

Roster Quality- You really can't argue much with Jordan, Pippen, and Rodman and the contributions of role players such as Toni Kukoc, Steve Kerr, Luc Longley, Ron Harper, Jason Caffey, Randy Brown, Jud Buechler, and yes Jack Haley. If there was ever a weakness on this team it was at the center position. The fact that Chicago didn't have a legitimate center made Jordan's impact much more special than it really was. This Chicago team, throughout the regular season, displayed a consistency unmatched by any other and it's propensity to play tough-nosed defense all 48 minutes o####ame made the Bulls a team for the ages.

OVERALL GRADE: A

1987 LOS ANGELES LAKERS (65-17):

Playoff Opponents- Los Angeles steamrolled through the playoffs with their trademark fastbreak, beating Alex English and Doug Moe's fun-n-gun Denver Nuggets 3-0 in the first round, Don Nelson's Run TMC Warriors 4-1, and the game Seattle Supersonics 4-0 before manhandling the mighty Boston Celtics 4-2 in the Finals. This came after the Lakers were seeking major redemption for not winning it all the previous year after Houston upset L.A. on that Ralph Sampson shot, allowing Larry Legend to sort of "escape" with a title. This Laker team presented "Showtime" at its finest and perfectly displayed that in the playoffs.

Regular Season Competition- The Lakers dominated the West considering that there were only two teams in the conference with over 50 wins, but they still faced the Warriors, Drexler's Blazers, and Seattle five to six times a year. Dallas was supposed to be the Lakers' biggest matchup with Derek Harper, Rolando Blackman, Roy Tarpley, Mark Aguirre, Sam Perkins, and James Donaldson but they were upset in the first round by Seattle, who the Lakers swept. Not until 1988 did L.A. play Dallas, in the West finals where Los Angeles won in seven. The NBA featured a cast of all-time greats including Bird, Jordan, Barkley, Malone, Stockton, Dr. J, Isiah Thomas and the Bad Boys, Joe Dumars, Clyde Drexler, Olajuwon, Moses Malone, and Dominique Wilkins. The Lakers were just in a league of their own because not only could they run any team out of the gym, they could also play defense and play physical if the situation called for it.

Roster Quality- This is perhaps the most balanced roster of all time. I say this because you have the ultimate floor leader in Magic Johnson, the ultimate finisher in "Big Game" James Worthy, the ultimate scorer in Kareem, the ultimate outside threat in Byron Scott, and the ultimate defender in Michael Cooper, who won defensive player of the year. The Lakers were the deepest team in the NBA as seven players averaged in double figures, and as a team averaged 118 ppg while giving up 108, a 10-point differential. This means they pretty much blew out every team they played in which they won. Unbelievable.

OVERALL GRADE: A+

1986 Boston Celtics (67-15):

Playoff Opponents- Swept a young Jordan's Bulls 3-0 in round one, defeated the Atlanta Hawks of Dominique Wilkins, Doc Rivers, Antoine Carr, and Kevin Willis 4-1, then swept the Milwaukee Bucks of Sidney Moncrief, Jack Sikma, Paul Pressey, and Terry Cummings before dispatching Akeem's and Sampson's Rockets 4-2 in the Finals. Although the Celtics, in a sense, played a consolation team in the Rockets after the heavily favored Lakers failed to meet their end of the bargain in the annual Boston-L.A. ratings extravaganza, they still dominated their opponents with their precision and toughness.

Regular Season Competition- Six teams won over 50 games and only two, L.A. and Boston, won over 60. The contenders throughout the year were the Sixers of Barkely, Dr. J, and Mo Cheeks, but they too were upset in the playoffs making the Celtic championship drive that much easier in the playoffs. Nevertheless, you can't discount the fact that they still finished the season a remarkable 82-18, with a margin of victory of 111.8 to 102.5 in the regular season., finishing third in the league in offense and number one on defense.

Roster Quality- This was perhaps the best and most consistent team the Celtics fielded during their dynasty. Larry Bird was in his prime averaging 26 ppg, 10 rpg, and 7 apg. McHale averaged 21, Parish and DJ averaged 16, and Ainge averaged 11 on mostly three pointers. Plus they had a dependable yet fragile Bill Walton off the bench, who gave them huge minutes. This team was balanced all the way around but what made them great was their knack for hustling, superb defense, and ability to put teams away when they were down. Only a few teams in history struck as much fear in their opponents as the 1986 Celtics.

OVERALL GRADE: A-

Other teams worth mentioning are the 1989 Detroit Pistons, 1983 Philadelphia 76ers, 1995 Houston Rockets, 2001 Los Angeles Lakers, and 2005 San Antonio Spurs.

The Bad Boys were indeed a dominant bunch but they're run was stopped short by the Bulls because they got old too quickly. In any case, they maximized what they had as they went to the Finals three straight years, winning two.

The Sixers dominated 1983, losing only one game in the playoffs and sweeping the Lakers in the Finals. This was perhaps Moses Malone's best season as he averaged 24.5 ppg, 15.3 rpg, and 2 bpg and was the league's MVP and Finals MVP. Bobby Jones was a key contributor off the bench, winning the sixth man award, and Dr. J (21 ppg), Andrew Toney (19.7 ppg) and Mo Cheeks' uncanny leadership and defensive genius rounded out the best 76er team of all time.

We all know the story of Hakeem Olajuwon's Houston Rockets of 1995. When teams "underestimate the heart of a champion" you get what the Rockets accomplished, which was special considering they were number six in the West, down 3-1 against the Jazz and the Suns before coming back to win both series. The performance of Olajuwon in the playoffs is arguably the single-most dominating performance in the postseason in quite some time.

The Lakers of 2001 is an honorable mention simply because they orchestrated perhaps the most dominant playoff run of all time, going 15-1 against the West which fielded seven 50-game winners. The magnitude of this accomplishment can be felt once we look back and see that they swept the Blazers (50-32), who literally had an all-star cast with Scottie Pippen, Rasheed Wallace, Steve Smith, Arvydas Sabonis, Dale Davis, Detlef Schrempf, Bonzi Wells, Damon Stoudamire, and Greg Anthony. Then they went out and swept the Sacramento Kings (55-27) of Chris Webber, White Chocolate, Vlade, Peja, and Bobby Jackson and also swept the one-seed San Antonio Spurs (58-24) who still had The Admiral, Sean Elliott, Steve Kerr, Avery Johnson, and  Derek Anderson to support Tim Duncan. Lastly, we all know what they did to A.I. and Mutombo in the Finals.

You also can't argue with the 2005 Spurs as being worthy simply because of the way in which they won with their defense that year. They beat the Pistons in a grueling seven-game series in the Finals and it was Detroit who was supposed to have a much tougher defense that year. This team deserves some recognition despite the fact that they weren't the most fun to watch. They are arguably the most fundamentally sound team in the modern era and thanks to their acquisition of Robert Horry they also became one of the most clutch teams in the postseason in recent memory.

SUMMARY IN A NUTSHELL:  All of these teams could beat each other at least twice in a seven-game series on any given two-week period. So the debate boils down to which team would be more likely to have a higher winning percentage against each other should they all face each other at least once in a seven-game series.

So here goes... the All-Time Best NBA Team of the Modern Era is the 1987 Lakers, with the '96 Bulls a close second, and the '86 Celtics not that far behind.

The Lakers win out because of their overall balance as a team offensively and defensively. Magic and Jordan would have neutralized each other as would Worthy and Pippen. The Bulls would have no match against stopping Kareem despite the toughness of Rodman. Plus the Lakers could have used Michael Cooper to tire out Jordan, allowing Magic to do his thing. The Lakers also had a much deeper bench than both Chicago and Boston and would have run the heck out of them. The Lakers' versatility also made them formidable in a slow-it-down tempo since they could have gone to Kareem at will in the low post or allow Magic to post up the smaller guards. Jordan would have gotten his 30-50 points but Magic, Worthy, Kareem, and Byron Scott would have consistently combined for 80 points night in and night out.