Why?

1) The L.A. Lakers became overconfident and are being punked by the much more physical Jazz.

2) They're losing the battle of the boards.

3) Kobe Bryant and Lamar Odom can't make wide open free throws. In other words, they're choking. Stop spinning that god damn ball so many times, Lamar, and just go up there and shoot it. You don't get bonus points for trying to make your free throw routine look all nice and artistic.

4) Vladimir Radmanob-!-t-c-h has given this team absolutely NOTHING. He's a bust, plain and simple. The new Slava Medvedenko. Soft as hell and plays with no fire under his belt. Send him to the Alps or Whistler Mountain so he can play the sport he really wants to play. Guaranteed he's gone next year as Ron Artest waits patiently to take his spot. Hurry back, Trevor Ariza, L.A needs you to take him out of the rotation.

5) Jordan Farmar and his nonchalant attitude. It's no surprise why UCLA players can't step up during the big games. In two postseasons, Farmar has not shown me anything to make me believe he's the Lakers' starting point guard of the future.

6) The Utah Jazz are playing with more heart, more grit, and certainly more toughness.

7) The Utah Jazz have figured them out.

8) Matt Harpring, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and Ronnie Price have outplayed Sasha Vujacic, Luke Walton, Ronny Turiaf, and Farmar decisively.

9) Kobe Bryant, the MVP, once again had a lapse in game recognition in overtime, when he kept jacking up shot after shot not realizing Derek Fisher had the hot hand and was solely responsible for bringing his team back in the game late in the fourth quarter. Whether it's due to his bad back forcing his competitve nature to try and take over, I won't let Bryant off the hook on this one. There are no excuses. Kobe did not lead his team in Game 4.

10) The Lakers have allowed the raucous Jazz fans to affect their concentration. ALL momentum is now with Utah, and the young Lakers are rattled, dazed, and confused.

11) Mehmet Okur, the former All-Star, is outgunning Pau Gasol, the former All-Star. Conventional wisdom says it should be the other way around. Then again, it's Okur who has the championship ring and the big game experience and not Gasol.

12) Deron Williams is outsmarting the entire Lakers' defense, including Bryant.

13) Losing this series would teach this young team a lesson or two about defensive execution against a highly cerebral team that is extremely well coached.

14) The Jazz are getting All-Star performances from four All-Stars - Williams, Okur, Carlos Boozer and Andrei Kirilenko. And they are taking it to the Lakers, no holds barred. Meanwhile, only three Lakers showed up for the trip to Utah - Bryant, Odom, and Gasol. The rest are still wearing their pajamas.

15) The lackadaisical Lakers are discombobulated on both sides of the ball and are offering very little resistance. 

This Lakers supporter is probably as angry and frustrated as Kobe Bryant and Phil Jackson combined right now. But I make no excuses. I point out the facts. I point out what I see.

And the reality is, I was wrong about Utah. They are playing high intensity playoff basketball while the Lakers think they're still playing the Denver Nuggets.

Humble down, Lakers fans. The memo is out. We have a series.

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there!! We wouldn't be the same without you.

- The Boston Celtics did what they were supposed to do at home, which is dominate an eighth seeded team. The Atlanta Hawks did what they were supposed to do in Game 7 on the road, which is play like an eighth seeded team...

- How will Gang Green gang up on Lebron James? Or do they even need to? Early prediction is Celtics in six, with James averaging close to 40 in the series...

- But I won't be surprised if Boston suffers an early exit if Cleveland's role players play their role to perfection. In the Name of the King, the Knights of the Brown Table will be expected to battle for their lives. Ok, maybe it's not life and death. But it's the NBA Playoffs, where there is only one...

- Just like I thought, the Detroit Pistons' big backcourt of Chauncey Billips and Richard Hamilton manhandled tiny Jameer Nelson and inadequate but game Maurice Evans in their 91-72 blowout of the Orlando Magic. This will set the tone for the series...

- If Orlando can't pick up the pace and force a running game, Detroit will control the tempo, keep the scores low, keep it physical, and will keep on frustrating center Dwight Howard. At this point, the young and inexperienced Howard will not have the moxie to will his team to recover. Superman is looking more like Superboy and thus the Pistons should close it out in five... 

- I keep saying to the skeptics, don't sleep on the Pistons...

- Byron Scott is one hell of a coach. His team came prepared for battle and took it to future Hall-of-Famer Tim Duncan like no other opponent has done to him before. Props to the former L.A. Lakers shooting guard, who came up with a genius strategy to hold Duncan to five points and three boards, Brian Skinner numbers...

- Duncan looked like Shaquille O'Neal out there on Saturday night. Slow and tired with no lift and contstantly getting burned on defense. With Duncan also missing his free throws a la Shaq, the only thing missing was the Hack-a-Tim. But I'm sure Scott won't employ that tactic anytime soon...

- We did see the Hack-a-Chandler for a quick second, which came to everybody's surprise. Since Popovich loves doing it so much, I'm beginning to think we should start calling the Hack-a-Shaq, Pop's Special Recipe...

- And be sure to check out the latest hit on television. It's called...

  YOUNG GUNS: The Assault Continues

Starring Kobe Bryant as William H. Bonney aka Mamba the Kid

Pau Gasol as Doc Scurlock

Lamar Odom as Chavez

Andrew Bynum as Richard "D!CK" Brewer

Sasha "Vidal Sasoon" Vujacic as Dirty Steve Stephens

and introducing Luke Walton as Charley Bowdre

with Phil Jackson as John Tunstall, Mamba the Kid's teacher and mentor 

This is how the West will be won - the old fashioned way, with all the gunslingers taking over your town.

The first round of the NBA playoffs is almost complete and I've seen enough of the games to be able to tell which teams are for real and which teams are going to come up short.

After watching and dissecting about 3-4 games per day, I've definitely received a strong dosage of postseason action thus far. While teams continue to beat up on each other, the annual awards are being passed out and the incomparable Kobe Bryant waits patiently for the MVP trophy.

Meanwhile,  Ernie, Kenny, and Charles continue to be the best in the business at giving fans expert analysis, new footage for Youtube, and up-to-the-minute updates on who's going fishing.

What can we expect from here on out? Here's a glimpse:

L.A. Lakers - The Young Guns have been on a mission since day one of training camp. They made a statement by dispatching the high-powered Denver Nuggets, the first 50-win team in history to get swept out of the playoffs. OOPS, scratch that. Thanks to Hoffman's expertise, the Lakers also dispatched the  50-win Portland JailBlazers 7 years ago. Good job, Hoff. It appears the Lakers make a habit of embarrassing good teams with high expectations in the playoffs.  

Kobe is dominating like only he can, while Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom continue to provide the inside presence the Lakers need for them to keep teams guessing on defense. The role players are coming off the bench and taking over during short stretches in games when the stars are either resting or are in foul trouble. The roster is the deepest in the league and they're about to get defensive specialist Trevor Ariza back in a couple weeks. Phil Jackson is on a major mission for his tenth title and has something to prove as a coach. Lakers fans are talking title. It's safe to say the Lakers are back. Advantage, Lakers. 

Prediction: Western Conference Finals, NBA Finals, NBA Champions

San Antonio Spurs - Everyone counted them out because they were 1-3 against the Phoenix Suns in the regular season. Everyone said they were too old and lacked the depth needed to successfully defend their title. Everyone said there was a reason the Spurs don't ever repeat as champions.

Then the playoffs started. Duncan, Manu Ginobili, Tony Parker, and Gregg Popovich continue to impress in the postseason because like Kobe, Derek Fisher, and the Zenmaster, they've been there and done that. Once again they've flipped the switch, they're playing championship level defense, and they're proving to the Suns that in order to play elite, you've got to dictate the tempo, protect possessions, and get to the foul line when it matters most. When the Spurs run into the Lakers, they'll realize that the Lakers are just as good in doing the things the Spurs do best. And the Spurs will find out the Lakers are deeper and bigger. And the Spurs won't have home-court advantage. Advantage, Lakers.

Prediction: Western Conference Finals

New Orleans Hornets - The suprise team of the year keeps on surprising. They're stellar play on offense and defense comes from a balanced lineup that is being coached by someone who knows what it takes to go deep in the playoffs. They are about to free the disappointing Dallas Mavericks from their misery and will probably face the Spurs in the second round. The Hornets are deep enough to match up and compete with San Antonio, but a major advantage for the Spurs is that they will get a number of calls going their way late in games.

Against S.A., the Hornets will have to figure out how to prevent Ginobili and Parker from penetrating at will, and Duncan from abusing the 6-9 David West in the post. Popovich will devise a strategy to nullify the Chris Paul-Tyson Chandler alley-oop so  Byron Scott will have to find a way to genetrate fluidity and continuity on offense with players like Morris Peterson, Bonzi Wells and Jannero Pargo, who will need to come up huge. And we know that Bruce Bowen will be physical with Peja Stojakovic, thereby minimizing his effectiveness as a three-point shooter so it makes it even that much more important for the Hornets' bench to counter Brent Barry, Fabricio Oberto, Michael Finley, and Kurt Thomas. It will be a great learning experience for the young Hornets, who are still a Michael Redd type of shooting guard away from being a great team. Advantage, Spurs.

Prediction: Western Conference Semifinals

Utah Jazz - The coaching brilliance of Jerry Sloan can only take them so far. Just like last year, the Jazz will give a solid effort only to come up short because a bigger and better team beats them inside. They beat up on a Houston team that was missing their lone inside presence in Yao Ming and included a center who should be retired and an undersized rookie power forward (Luis Scola) who never got any calls going his way. Their best point guard didn't play until game three but it was already too late and the Jazz took advantage. But this time they will face a Lakers unit that has won 12 of 13 dating back to the end of the regular season.

Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are two of the best pick-n-roll players in the NBA, but Mehmet Okur and Andrei Kirilenko are also two of the most inconsistent players on that Jazz frontline. The Jazz will be game, but they'll be hard pressed to take the Lakers to seven games, let alone win two. They're just not deep enough and their lack of size and muscle inside and absence of a solid defender against Kobe will lead to their demise. They were 1-3 against L.A. in the regular season and Pau Gasol  didn't even play in any of those games, making it even harder for the Jazz to strategize and plan their matchups. In addition, former Jazz guard Derek Fisher knows all their plays. Advantage, Lakers.

Prediction: Western Conference Semifinals

Gone Fishin': Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Denver

Boston - Their two losses at Atlanta prove what I've been thinking all along. This particular team's lack of experience playing together in games of significance has come back to hurt them temporarily. But it's not too late for the guys in green. They're full of veterans and this may be the wake-up call they need in order to get their act together, which they will.

But if it's Detroit and Boston in the East Finals, I like the Pistons' chances. Postseason special Tayshaun Prince will be a load for Paul Pierce, Rasheed Wallace will give KG fits inside and outside, and Chauncey Billips and Rip Hamilton will execute much better than Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. And the difference will be the Pistons' bench outplaying the Celtics' bench. Two lingering questions remain: Can Kevin Garnett take over a series and is he really cursed? We shall see. Advantage, Pistons.

Prediction: Eastern Conference Finals

Detroit - The unpredictable and mysterious Detroit Pistons already received their wake-up call and they pulled out a tough one on the road against the surprise of the East, Philadelphia. Their success, once again, lies on the shoulders of the enigmatic Wallace. Another huge concern is Coach Flip Saunders' ability to motivate his bunch. It seems like everyone on the roster has something to prove, especially since they collapsed last year at the hands of the one-man show they call Lebron James. If anything, Detroit still has the best team defense in the East when it comes to postseason play because they've proven it so many times in the past. As of press time, Detroit is blowing out the Sixers by 17 and siezing all momentum in the series.  Advantage, Pistons.

Prediction: Eastern Conference Finals, NBA Finals 

Cleveland - King James keeps doing what he does against the Wiz Kids. The only question is whether or not his teammates will follow suit. Their overall play in the playoffs has been respectable but not exceptional. One thing is clear: the only "soulja" in the series between Cleveland and Washington has been James. The big test comes in the second round against Boston, and if Lebron treats the Celtics the way he did the Pistons last year and advances, I will finally believe. But I just don't think that the Cavaliers have enough toughness as a team unit to match up with the Celtics position for position. Advantage, Celtics.

But for now, let's just enjoy being witnesses.

Prediction: Eastern Conference Semifinals

Orlando - The big surprise in the Magic's first round series against Toronto hasn't been the dominance of Dwight Howard. It's been the steady play of point guard Jameer Nelson. His consistency spearheaded Orlando's attack and he suddenly became another valuable weapon, hitting big shot after big shot. However, Orlando is still prone to giving up easy baskets and Detroit's offensive weapons will know how to take advantage. And if Howard ends up in foul trouble, the Magic will have a hard time keeping Prince, Jason Maxiell, and 'Sheed from scoring inside. In addition, Orlando's guards don't have what it takes to matchup with Detroit's guards, who all move well without the ball.  Advantage, Pistons.

Prediction: Eastern Conference Semifinals

Gone Fishin': Washington, Toronto, Atlanta, Philadelphia

And lastly, please Kenny Smith... I plead with you. Do not take that job with the New York Knicks!

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!

A follow-up to the 2007 NBA Pre-Camp Power Rankings, here is the current power list as we approach the halfway point...

**In parentheses (pre-season rank, overall record, home record, road record, and record against teams in their respective conference)**

POISED FOR THE POSTSEASON...

1. Boston (#2, 30-5, 16-2, 14-3, 20-5 vs East):  Why are the Celtics the best right now? They are tops in the NBA in points allowed per game, opponent FG%, and are beating opponents by a 12-point margin. And they recently went 4-0 on a West Coast road trip, temporarily silencing all critics.

2. Dallas (#6, 26-11, 17-3, 9-8, 17-5 vs West): The Mavs' recent 102-86 shellacking of Detroit and current seven-game win streak puts defensive minded Dallas ahead of the Pistons in the power rankings, for now. And Detroit has already lost twice to Chicago, whom Dallas defeated last month.  

3. Detroit (#7, 28-9, 13-3, 15-6, 19-3 vs East):  Still contending, the Pistons now feature a younger and deeper bench than in years' past. They're second in the league in points allowed per game, opponent FG%, and they lead the league with fewest turnovers per game. The key to their success thus far has been their overall balance and efficiency. Detroit wins on the road just as much as they do at home.

4. L.A. Lakers (#8, 24-11, 14-5, 10-6, 15-5 vs West): The Young Guns' ascent in the rankings is due to their ability to consistently beat the top teams in the West. The Killer B's (Bryant and Bynum) lead the way for the Lakers, considered by many as the deepest and most dangerous team in the NBA. L.A.'s well-balanced machine can score and play defense with the best of them. Case in point: #3 in the NBA in PPG and FG%, #4 in the NBA in opponent FG% and steals per game. And their average 7-point margin of victory is third in the league and tops in the mighty Western Conference.

5. Phoenix (#3, 26-11, 13-4, 13-7, 12-9 vs West) : Amid talk of discord, the Suns continue to remain competitive despite their serious lack of size, depth, rebounding, and defense. The most telling stat about Mike D'Antoni's bunch, however, is that they only feast on the east, where they are 14-2, but have lots of trouble against their western counterparts. Although they once again lead the league in scoring, they are still 28th in points allowed and 18th in opponent FG%. This is a disturbing trend for a team with serious talent, but one that also finds it difficult to keep up with opponents who possess that rare combination of size, athleticism, balance, and championship-caliber coaching. Against the top eight teams in the Western Conference, Phoenix is a paltry 2-6 while the Lakers, on the other hand, are 7-3 against the same competition.

6. San Antonio (#1, 24-11, 18-3, 6-8, 17-9 vs West): There is absolutely no reason to panic as the defending NBA champions have lost two in a row, gone 5-5 in their last 10, and are seemingly sliding. Why so? They are 20th in the league in opponent FG%, a defensive category they usually lead the NBA in. The reality is they are pacing. They go through this every year and despite talk of getting old, they remain third in the NBA in points allowed. It's the same old San Antonio Spurs come playoff time, when they'll be number one in most people's minds. For now, they are sixth because they lost to the Suns last month while playing without this year's team MVP Tony Parker.

7. New Orleans (#18, 24-12, 10-7, 14-5, 17-8 vs West): The Hornets should not be a surprise to people, only because we know that Byron Scott is their coach and Chris Paul is running the show. Coach Scott has instilled defense into this young nucleus and his players are responding much like the New Jersey Nets responded to his leadership on their way to the Finals earlier this decade. Now the key is... can they stay healthy, particularly veteran sharpshooter Peja Stojakovic?

8. Portland (#24, 22-13, 17-3, 5-10, 16-7 vs West) : It appears the Blazermaniacs have resurfaced. The red-hot Blazers have won 17 of their last 18 games and along the way defeated Utah three times, Denver twice, Golden State twice, New Orleans, Toronto, and appear headed for the playoffs without Greg Oden. And imagine if Oden comes back this season. Btw, Brandon Roy is the real deal and so is Coach Nate McMillan, who is my midseason Coach of the Year.  

9. Denver (#11, 22-13, 15-5, 7-8, 13-10 vs West) : The Nuggets' dynamic duo of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson keeps them in games offensively and their team defense isn't too shabby either (first in the league in steals per game and eighth in opponent FG%). However they are extremely thin at center, and their lack of depth at the point guard position could spell doom for the Nuggets come playoff time, where they will try to compete against the likes of Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Baron Davis, Chris Paul, Deron Williams, and Derek Fisher. That is not a very good sign for an inconsistent team.

10. Orlando (#19, 23-16, 7-8, 16-8, 14-6 vs East): The Magic started off strong but have tailed off lately, losing 12 out of their last 21, primarily because they are a jumpshooting team. Dwight Howard continues to be a monster, but besides him there isn't much else to be excited about. High-priced Rashard Lewis isn't even averaging 20 ppg and is shooting a disappointing 38% from three-point range. What baffles me about Orlando's management is why they picked up Lewis, who is essentially the same type of player as Hedo Tukoglu. Their stats and percentages are similar, making me wonder why they didn't go out and get a point guard like Steve Blake or Mo Williams instead.

11. Cleveland (#5, 19-18, 12-6, 7-12, 10-12 vs East): Don't let that .514 win percentage fool you. The defending Eastern Conference Champions got off to a slow start this year because of the holdouts of key players, Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao. Now both are back playing their customary roles, and the Cavs have quietly won seven of their last ten with King James putting on MVP-type performances. More importantly Cleveland is 9-6 against the mighty West, with wins against the Lakers, Dallas, Golden State, and Utah. 

12. Golden State (#14, 21-16, 10-7, 11-9, 14-10 vs West): The run-n-shoot Warriors, led by quarterback Baron Davis, continue to pile up the points and play nonexistent defense. Because of their style, they are last in the league in points allowed. However their depth keeps them in most games and the solid all-around play of Andris Biedrins has been a pleasant surprise for Nellie's rag-tag bunch.

 13. Utah (#21, 21-17, 15-3, 6-14, 11-10 vs West): Before the season began I specifically said  that Jazz fans will be wondering if Derek Fisher was really the difference maker. Three months later D-Fish has proved my point, making a huge impact on both the Lakers and the Jazz. Utah sorely misses the leadership and locker room presence that Fisher provides, not to mention his defensive savvy and toughness on the court. Ronnie Brewer has done an admirable job replacing him at shooting guard, but there is no replacement for chamionship experience and this is the main reason why the Jazz, despite their overall efficiency, have slipped in the West after making it all the way to the West Finals last year.

14. Houston (#10, 20-17, 9-6, 11-11, 10-11 vs West): The Rockets are currently on their longest winning streak of the season at five games and seem to be on a roll without their leading scorer, oft-injured Tracy McGrady. Although they are fourth in the league in points allowed and third in opponent FG%, something remains missing in the grand scheme of things for this underachieving ballclub. Some say that Yao Ming is too soft, yet others say inconsistencies in their rotation is what has caused the inconsistency in their record. Whatever it is, they need to figure it out fast or else a huge trade may be on the horizon. 

15. Toronto (#12, 19-17, 9-8, 10-9, 12-9 vs East): The absence of point guard T.J. Ford for half of the season has really hurt the Raptors thus far. Despite missing his leadership on the floor, they are sixth in the NBA in points allowed and second in steals per game. Notable wins so far have come against San Antonio and Dallas, and once Toronto gets Ford back in the lineup expect them to make a run for either the third or fourth playoff spot in the East. 

16. Washington (#16, 19-16, 11-8, 8-8, 13-10 vs East): The Wizards have been a mild surprise as they currently hold the four spot in the East despite being without top scorer Gilbert Arenas for most of the season. Former Laker Caron Butler has done a tremendous job leading the way, averaging 22 ppg while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from long distance. Antawn Jamison has also pitched in by averaging 21.6 ppg and 11 boards. Maybe they're better off without Arenas, whose commitment to winning an NBA title has been questioned of late.

POISED TO BATTLE 'TIL THE END...

17. New Jersey (#15, 18-18, 9-12, 9-6, 13-12 vs East): When Jason Kidd trade rumors seem to always persist, something is bound to happen. Kidd for Pau Gasol and Mike Conley? Kidd for Arenas? Kidd for McGrady? Kidd for Mike Bibby? If I'm Rod Thorn, I choose one because either way I won't go wrong. Unless a move is made, the Nets will continue to hover around mediocrity.

18. Atlanta (#29, 15-17, 10-8, 5-9, 9-13 vs East): The fact that the Hawks are 6-4 against the West seems promising. With the emergence of Josh Smith as a bonafide potential All-Star player and Marvin Williams as a consistent scorer, there is hope in Atlanta after all. Now to see if they can develop team chemistry and defensive consistency with Joe Johnson as their leader. A playoff spot is definitely within reach.

19. Chicago (#9, 14-20, 7-10, 7-10, 11-11 vs East): With all that talent, the struggling Bulls still lack a strong inside punch. Looking on the bright side, they are 5-3 under new coach Jim Boylan. Now to see if they finally structure a deal to pick up Pau Gasol or Amare Stoudemire.

20. Indiana (#20, 17-21, 8-9, 9-12, 9-11 vs East): How is it that the Pacers are ranked seventh in the league in scoring and fifth in opponent FG% yet they're only 2-8 in their last ten games and are playing terribly of late? Maybe it's because Jermaine O'Neal has lost interest. His averages of 15 points and 7 rebounds are not typical of the All-Star forward and his style of play doesn't seem to fit Coach Jim O'Brien's system. You can expect O'Neal to be dealt by the trading deadline, especially if Indiana continues to slide.

POISED FOR THE LOTTERY...

21. Milwaukee (#25, 15-22, 10-5, 5-17, 10-12 vs East): There is no question that on paper, the Bucks have talent. Then why is it they can't seem to get over the hump? Because they are 28th in the league in opponent FG%, while only 22nd in scoring.

22. Sacramento (#23, 14-21, 10-9, 4-12, 6-13 vs West): They have been without Mike Bibby, Ron Artest, and Kevin Martin for most of the season. Martin is back, with Artest and Bibby soon to follow. But the big question is still whether or not Bibby and/or Artest will be traded. Chances are they'll be shipped out, especially since young players like Francisco Garcia, Mikki Moore, and John Salmons all have done fairly well in the Kings' youth movement.

23. Philadelphia (#26, 14-23, 7-11, 7-12, 8-12 vs East): Losers of six in a row, the 76ers are insisting they won't part with either Andre Igoudala or Andre Miller. Philadelphia is acting as if they're both franchise players, and if they continue to believe that they won't be winning anytime soon. At best, Igoudala is a third option on a contending team and Miller is a starter on only a quarter of the teams in this league.

24. Charlotte (#22, 13-23, 11-11, 2-12, 9-20 vs East): The story of their season will be beating the Celtics in Boston and Michael Jordan's return (to the practice court).

25. L.A. Clippers (#30, 10-23, 5-13, 5-10, 6-14 vs West): GM Elgin Baylor says he is extremely disappointed with the Clippers' performance this year despite the injuries to Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston and the All-Star caliber play of center Chris Kaman. What else is new?

26. Memphis (#17, 10-26, 6-12, 4-14, 5-17 vs West):   The Grizzlies hired a new coach in Marc Iavaroni, who came from Phoenix, a team that doesn't have the word 'defense' in its vocabulary, and what is the result? 29th in the NBA in points allowed per game and 29th in opponent FG%. With all that talent in the lineup, there is no reason why Memphis should be this bad.

27. New York (#13, 9-26, 7-13, 2-13, 6-13 vs East): Hmm... now what to do with Isiah, Stephon, Eddy, Jamal, Quentin, David, Nate, Renaldo, Fred, Malik, Zach, Jared, Wilson and Mardy?

28. Seattle (#27, 9-27, 5-12, 4-15, 3-16 vs West): On to Oklahoma City we go...

29. Minnesota (#28, 5-31, 4-13, 1-18, 3-21 vs West): The Timberwolves recently beat Miami by 10, one of the few bright spots (along with Al Jefferson) in a year when they could possibly break the all-time record for futility. The only thing else worth looking forward to is February 8th, the homecoming of Kevin Garnett. Will the fans boo or show their appreciation? My guess is they won't respond the way Jazz fans jeered when Derek Fisher returned to Utah as an opposing player.

30. Miami (#4, 8-28, 4-11, 4-17, 3-17 vs East): 10 losses in a row and counting. When it rains, it pours. Led by The Big Everything Shaquille O'Neal, the Heat have shown that although they can fool us all by buying a championship it's just a matter of time until the true colors begin to reveal themselves. Now Little Pookie and Riles have come to find out what Kobe, Phil and Jerry have known all this time about the Big Liability - he's only there for the money.  

With another new year on the horizon and just about a third of the NBA regular season in completion, bloggers will continue to blog, haters will continue to hate, fans will continue to watch, trades will continue to be rumored, and NBA players will continue to play.

What we will all be saying to ourselves in 2008, a year that promises to shell out a ton of surprises:

"It's about time Isiah Thomas did something."

"All the Miami Heat did was buy the most expensive championship in pro sports history because it was worth it even though they knew all along that they would get nothing from Shaq in the long run. No surprise that he is strongly hinting at retirement."

"Shaquille O'Neal is not as great as I once thought he was because guys like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Patrick Ewing, and Moses Malone were still averaging well over 17 points and 10 boards a game when they were over 35 years of age."

"Jerry Buss and Mitch Kupchak are geniuses."

"Kobe Bryant is GOD dressed up as a basketball player."

"I knew all along that the Los Angeles Lakers were more of a championship contender than the Phoenix Suns, Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets and Denver Nuggets."

"Amare Stoudemire and Steve Nash are the next Karl Malone and John Stockton. All that talent with nothing to show for"

"See, I told you Jason Kidd would end up playing in Dallas again."

"Utah's Western Conference Finals appearance last year was a fluke. I really can't believe the Jazz missed Derek Fisher and his leadership that much. "

"How is it that Smush Parker is still playing in this league?"

"David Lee needs way more playing time."

"Dwight Howard is going to need a point guard to get him the ball."

"Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer are solid All-Star caliber players but don't possess the killer instinct that can make an impact to take their team over the top."

"The teams that everyone loves to watch - Utah, Phoenix, Golden State - have finally made me realize that it takes defense and bigs to win games of importance in this league."

" I sure hope Greg Oden doesn't turn out like Sam Bowie (cringe)."

"The Houston Rockets are softies and Rick Adelman is not as great a coach and innovator as I thought. He's like Mike D'Antoni and Mike Dunleavy."

"It was just a matter of time before Pau Gasol ended up where he is now."

"I can't believe I once thought that Lebron James and Dwyane Wade had better supporting casts than Kobe Bryant."

"Nothing ever changes with Don Nelson and how he loves to tease all of us only for us to be disappointed in the end."

"It's the same old Los Angeles Clippers."

"It's the same old San Antonio Spurs."

"Somehow I'm getting the feeling that David Stern really wants the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals instead of the Detroit Pistons."

"It's the same old Pistons."

"What ever happened to Mike Conley? Oh I know... Juan Carlos Navarro."

"Why isn't Damon Stoudamire representing the Miami Heat, where old,  washed up PG's love to congregate?"

"That Carmelo Anthony-Allen Iverson tandem is getting old."

"Air Jordans are just not what they used to be."

"Michael Jordan's been practicing a lot with the team lately. I wonder if he's..."

"Kobe is the next MJ. Period."

"Bryant-Bynum-Odom is the next Magic-Kareem-Worthy in Lakerland, and it's not called the Lake Show either. It's the Young Guns, like Estevez-Sheen-Sutherland."

"I shouldn't have underestimated the Lakers and overestimated the Suns."

Happy Christmas and Merry New Year.

 

 

 

Charlotte 98, Utah 92. Detroit 87, Boston 85. New York 108, Cleveland 90. Memphis 88, San Antonio 85. Portland 101, Toronto 96.  Atlanta 117, Miami 111. Dallas 108, Phoenix 105.

Seven games. Seven unlikely winners.

What does this mean? A lot.

Although the season is young and only about 25 games old, this time of year is the time that coaches and GM's really begin to re-evaluate their rosters in hopes of possibly making changes and improvements considering the trading deadline is only two months away. And by now, teams have gotten to play several games to get accustomed to each other and coaches are starting to see what kind of personality, if you will, each team has. It's certainly a key moment in the season.

And although it's early, this time of year is the time that we start to see trends in certain teams that may linger for the rest of the year. We start to see the identities, or lack thereof, between certain contenders and pretenders.

Let's take a look at some of these candidates...

UTAH JAZZ (14-13, ninth in the West): I said in October that they were #21 in my NBA Preseason Power Rankings because not only does their bright young star Deron Williams lack the experience and veteran savvy needed to make it big in the postseason, but the absence of Derek Fisher would prove vital in their overall team growth and defensive cohesion. You simply cannot replace the intangibles that D-Fish provides. In addition injured Mehmet Okur is soft inside for a seven-footer, Andrei Kirilenko lacks the motivation to perform at his best every night, Ronnie Brewer is good but just not seasoned enough, and All-Star Carlos Boozer is undersized at PF in a very big Western Conference. Above all, they don't play the type of defense that Coach Jerry Sloan is accustomed to seeing from his teams. Utah is slipping fast in a highly competitive conference, and they better figure it out or else they'll be done before they know what hit 'em.

BOSTON CELTICS (20-3, first in the East): Tonight's last tenth of a second home loss to Chauncey Billups and the Pistons showed that the Celtics still have a lot of work to do before they consider themselves NBA FINALS bound. Although they are among the cream of the crop right now, the reality is this group has not  yet played enough important games together to develop a solid identity. A team like Detroit relishes on capitalizing on mistakes, like the one Tony Allen made when Billups put him in the popcorn machine for the decisive game-winning free throws. Imagine if this was Game 7 of the Eastern Finals. Detroit won with Tayshaun Prince going 1-10 for two points. How could that be? Because the Pistons are savvy, experienced winners, and above all they are a solid team that's been together many years and knows how to minimize impact players, like Paul Pierce, who shot 5-16 and had a subpar 11-point night. 

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (11-15, eighth in the East): Last year's East Champion better make a move and make one quick. Despite the greatness of Lebron James, the cohesion that allowed the Cavs to march to the NBA FINALS last year has been nonexistent all year. Perhaps this is due to the holdouts of Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao. Both have played a few games now yet Cleveland continues to look sluggish, getting blown out by the hapless New York Knicks. Oft-injured guard Larry Hughes gets 30+ one night then gets eight points the next. Drew Gooden is terribly inconsistent and could be the first one traded. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is big and slow and is nowhere near the All-Star form he displayed a couple of years ago. There is only so much that a coach can do. It's not his fault and right now his players are neither performing nor executing. This is where we will really see how great of a leader King James really is. If things don't change quickly, the Cavs might miss the playoffs because teams like Atlanta and Indiana are rising fast. Panic button? Not just yet because at least they have a couple of months to figure it out.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (18-7, first in the West): The defending NBA Champions are 5-5 their last 10 games, making it all the more obvious that Tony Parker is slowly becoming the MVP of the team. The added dimension that he brings on offense is similar to what Fisher provides to the L.A. Lakers on defense. Although the Spurs didn't have Paker's services available against Memphis, this loss is still considered an upset because the Grizzlies didn't have their best player Pau Gasol. The Spurs are battle-tested and tough but lately there have been some kinks in their armor. Other teams have exposed their weaknesses, primarily their lack of young and athletic depth to counter fast teams like the Warriors, Suns, Lakers, Denver, and the Hornets. And what happens if you can get Tim Duncan in foul trouble thereby minimizing his impact on the game? I guess we'll find out come playoff time, because in May chances are the Spurs will still be number one in the West.

TORONTO RAPTORS (15-12, fourth in the East): Last year's surprise playoff team just lost to the surging Portland Trailblazers in a tightly contested matchup so this game was not really an upset so to speak. All-Star Chris Bosh continues to search for his groove while the young role players continue their search for an identity. They are deep. They play European style ball. They play run-n-gun fast break ball. They are well coached. And they could be dangerous come playoff time. However, their main issue remains the center position. When a playoff game comes down to whoever can grind it out and win the inside battle, to whom do the Raptors turn to? Toronto will probably lock up the four-seed (if Cleveland doesn't catch them), but more than likely they won't get past the second round because they are still one solid big man away from contending in the East. 

MIAMI HEAT (7-18, last in the East): Now here's a team that ready to push the panic button. Whether or not it's a motivation issue, it is obvious that the Heat have problems. This is what you get when you sign a cancer called Smush Parker. It becomes contagious. I really feel for Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem because these are the only players on the team that have been there and continue to work hard and play with 100% effort every night. The same can't be said for Law Officer Shaquille O'Neal, who fouls out just about every game and maintains that he still has "it." Yeah right. If he did, he would prove to us that he could make free throws and develop a post move so that at least he could fool us into believing that he still works on his craft. But we already know about Shaq's work ethic. It's nonexistent. He gets kicked out of the game against the rising Hawks, more proof that he is getting closer to retirement by the hour. Truth be told. Someone already shot the sheriff , and trade or no trade Miami is done. Completely.

PHOENIX SUNS (18-8, second in the West): Are the Suns setting? You betcha. And I'll tell you why (once again). Fact number one: Clueless Coach Mike D'Antoni's insistence on wearing out his starters (especially the ageless Grant Hill) by playing them 40+ minutes every night will come back to bite them in the you-know-what come playoff time because a) his bench (or whatever's left of it) won't be ready to produce when called upon in crucial moments of the game, and b) past injuries may take its toll on players like Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire who, mind you, are not getting any younger.

Fact number two:  The Suns have already lost to the two worst teams in the league, are 27th in the NBA in team defense, points allowed per game, and the most important one, 24th in opponent FG%. As we all know over the last 30 years, the teams that win the championship always have been top five in the league in opponent FG%. By contrast, the revitalized Lakers are first in the West and fourth in the NBA in that category and are on pace to surpass the Suns in the Pacific by January.  Phoenix can believe they will be contending because they lead the league in scoring and field goal efficiency but seriously,  tell me a team besides the Showtime Lakers or Chicago Bulls (an exception to the rule because these teams were legitimate dynasties not one-year wonders) that won the championship over the last 30 years that led the league in scoring? You probably won't find one. 

Fact number three: I don't call them the Smurfs for nothing. The Suns' lack of size continues to hurt them. Despite the brilliance of Nash and Stoudemire, it's obvious that this factor is catching up with them. They're no longer as consistent in putting together dominant win streaks like in year's past and the reason is because they get outrebounded and outmuscled every single night. Rebounding the ball is crucial in the playoffs. Why? Because whoever wins the rebound battle establishes control of the paint and whoever gets offensive rebounds affords your team second chance points, which is one of the most overlooked stats in basketball. Case in point from tonight's game: Total rebounds - DAL 49, PHX 35. Offensive rebounds - DAL 20, PHX 7. Final Score: DAL by 3. You may get away with it against the pretenders, but against the contenders you had better win the rebound battle or else you're more than likely going to be disappointed. Phoenix shoots 52% from the field, 84% from the line, and 43% from the arc yet they still lose. I wonder why.

In sum, things are just heating up in the best professional sports league in the world.

Why is the NBA much better than the NFL and MLB? Because in this game, no one does steriods and no one does HGH to get an advantage over the record books. All they do here is smoke ganja, make millions of dollars, wear nice kicks, do semi-funny commercials, and show us how good they look wearing those Armani suits and of course, the bling bling.

I present NBA trends after the fall quarter. Where "I love this game" happens.

 

 

- New Jersey is 9-12 with their Big Three and slipping, as everyone awaits a major transaction...

- Four other teams besides the Nets likely to make a move of significance before the trade deadline: Bulls, Sixers, Grizzlies, and Knicks...

- Three more teams that need to be looking for trade partners: Heat, Kings, and Cavaliers...

- Multiple THUMBS DOWN to ALL Jazz fans for booing Derek Fisher, the epitomy of class, during his first game back in Utah as an opposing player...

- 29 other teams would absolutely love to have Shaquille O'Neal and his 15 point 7 rebound average, but at $1.3 million...

- Surprising to say but Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony averaging 25 apiece for the Nuggets is NOT gonna get it done...

- On the other hand, the Lakers have four players averaging in double-figures and two more right under 10 ppg with Jordan Farmar and Vlad Radmanovic at 9.8 and 9.4 respectively. Watch out, it's only the beginning...

- Lebron James, hands down, is the MVP of the NBA right now, with Hammer Howard second...

- Josh Smith is the best team defensive player in the league, while Kobe Bryant remains the best one-on-one defender in the game...

- Just imagine if  Kobe and Smith were on the same team...

- Like I said after the second week of the season, by Christmas time the Clippers would be back in their old true form...

- Most suprising team is Orlando while Miami is the most disappointing...

- San Antonio, in its quest to repeat as champions for the first time, is serious about gaining home court advantage throughout the postseason and having the best regular season record in the NBA...

- Sleeper to win the Western Conference has to be the L.A. Lakers and the sleeper in the East has to be the Cleveland Cavs...

- Most likely teams to be disappointed in the playoffs: Phoenix and Detroit...

- My TOP 10, with special mention in parentheses:

1) San Antonio (12-0 at home)

2) Boston (10-0 at home)

3) Phoenix (10-3 on the road)

4) Orlando (11-2 on the road)

5) New Orleans (only 6-5 at home, but 8-2 on the road)

6) L.A. Lakers (above .500 both home and away)

7) Detroit (above .500 both home and away)

8) Utah (only 5-7 on the road)

9) Dallas (only 4-6 on the road)

10) Denver (only 4-5 on the road)

And Finally...

A team that considers itself a title contender and then loses to the Minnesota Timberwolves (worst team in the NBA and is on the verge of threatening the all-time record for futility) is probably not going to win the championship anytime soon. Boy I can't wait for Christmas Day...

 

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.