For my last column of the semester I feel it is appropriate to talk about something that is more near and dear to me than anything else as innately sad as that may be— basketball.
With that said this week I will lay out my predictions for the eight teams that barring injury will make it to the Western Conference playoffs this season from top to bottom seed. If you’re not exited about getting a glimpse into the future then you must not have a pulse.
So as the apostle Paul once so famously said “He who as an ear let him hear…”
The best team in the West this year will be the Los Angeles Lakers. As a Kings fan this is rather difficult to admit but there is no doubt in my mind that a starting lineup of Derek Fisher Kobe Bryant Ron Artest Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum will win a whole lot of games. And when you throw in the bench mob of surprising back-up guard Shannon Brown Lamar Odom and Jordan Farmar (I leave off Luke Walton and Sasha Vujacic because they’re just awful) this team looks pretty unbeatable.
At the two-spot I have the Carmelo Anthony-led Denver Nuggets. That’s because I have been one of the biggest critics of Anthony you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. But I’ve seen a real maturity and discipline to his game from the end of last season. He’s not taking terrible shots he’s not a “black hole” on offense and he’s even playing very respectable defense to boot. Add in the leadership of Chauncey Billups the scoring of J.R. Smith and Nenê as well as the interior defense of Kenyon Martin and Chris “Birdman” Anderson and you have yourself quite a team.
In the third seed I have the young and talented Portland Trailblazers. I feel that the continual development of Brandon Roy LaMarcus Aldridge Rudy Fernandez Martell Webster Travis Outlaw and Greg Oden make for a dynamic team loaded with more young talent than any other. Sprinkle in veteran Andre Miller you have a very explosive team.
At No. 4 are the reliable San Antonio Spurs. While not flashy by any stretch the combination of Tony Parker Manu Ginobili Tim Duncan and head coach Gregg Popovich has proven to be one of the best recipes of success this decade. Add Richard Jefferson Antonio McDyess and draftee DeJuan Blair and it’s clear the Spurs will again be a major factor.
Taking the fifth spot are the high-scoring Phoenix Suns. Many critics thought with Shaq gone and Nash aging a year they would take a major step back this season. However both Nash and Grant Hill continue drinking from the fountain of youth and Jason Richardson has stepped his game up to a new level that few anticipated this year. With the addition of Channing Frye the dominance of Amar’e Stoudemire and the sensational play of Leandro Barbosa and the league will have its hands full guarding this Suns team.
At the sixth seed I have Dirk Nowitzki’s Dallas Mavericks. Dirk Josh Howard Jason Kidd Erick Dampier Jason Terry and the addition of Shawn Marion are enough firepower to lead these Mavericks to a lot of wins. I only question the depth of this team which outside of Jose Barea seems light for my taste.
Coming in at seventh are the very talented and defensively disciplined Utah Jazz. Led by one of the most dominant point guards in the league in Deron Williams and one of the most potent frontcourts in the game with Carlos Boozer Mehmet Okur and Andre Kirilenko the Jazz are going to score a lot of points. Throw in a great coach in Jerry Sloan and one could argue the Jazz might be the team no one wants to face in the playoffs.
Between the New Orleans Hornets the Houston Rockets and the Oklahoma City Thunder I’m giving the slight edge to the Rockets for the eighth seed for a couple of reasons. One is that they have the most balanced squad on both ends of the court with the sensational play of Aaron Brooks Louis Scola and former Laker Trevor Ariza leading the way on offense. And the Rockets are the most capable defensive team of the three by a long shot.
There they are. I suggest calling your bookie in Las Vegas to place bets accordingly.
