It's early but the bottom of that Western playoff picture looks crowded

[lnmymind]

Currently Portland holds that last spot sitting at 20-14...Utah in 9th at 20-15. Jazz, Rockets, and Mavs all pretty close in the next few spots.

Approaching the finish line...who misses out? Portland, Utah, Dallas, Houston, or Phoenix? I'm going to say Portland folds.

 

[yungmatt]

I say Portland is out also...Next year they are in.At the beginning of the year I had Dallas out but they are playing better than I expected

 

[tmay407]

My God, the West completely falls off after Utah at that 9 spot.

Give me Utah over Portland down the stretch. I'm tempted to think that the Rockets won't hold it together, and would consider taking Utah over Houston,too (making Portland a playoff team).

 

[ThaxbyChamblis]

Denver is 24-12 ?

Y'all think they will sustain it?

And yes, the bottom of the conference is cluttered...Will be a dogfight for those last two spots.

 

[703flipfiend]

It might be Denver that'll fall off with Melo's probably hand fracture. We shall see.

 

[lnmymind]

Originally Posted by dreClark

Denver is 24-12 ?

Y'all think they will sustain it?

And yes, the bottom of the conference is cluttered...Will be a dogfight for those last two spots.

Billups was a huge addition to that team...prior to the year I think everyone thought that THEY would be the team on the outside looking in.

 

[Los Angeles]

hou looks very suspect

 

[xtapolapacetl]

What else is new? It's been like this for a long time.. The 4th-8th best teams in the west are so much stronger than the 4th-8th best teams from the east.

 

[roc boy jada]

hou looks very suspect
Seriously. Battier and Artest are hurt and T-Mac missed over a dozen games already. They're still in good shape right now, even with all theinjuries so I say they still make it.

If I had to pick one team to not make it, I'd go with Portland as well.

 

[gusyouout]

Originally Posted by dreClark

Denver is 24-12 ?

Y'all think they will sustain it?

And yes, the bottom of the conference is cluttered...Will be a dogfight for those last two spots.

I think they will. It's not like they've just suddenly played better. It was the addition of Billups and the record shows his impact.I'm sold and think he's really changed the team around for good since he doesn't need the ball to be effective (unlike Iverson). They've alsobeat some good teams and the only bad thing was that three game skid. Other than that I don't think they've even lost back to back games.

 

[gullydagreat]

Originally Posted by 703FlipFiend

It might be Denver that'll fall off with Melo's probably hand fracture. We shall see.

say it aint so *turns to ESPN*

 

[high class scum bag]

i hate to say it, but it's probably portland. unless the blazers improve on the road, they'll be the odd team out. If that bum we got starting @ centerever lives up to be "the next great center" we'd be in 1st place..

injuries will play a huge role though. Hou always has a season ending injury after the all-star break, carmelo's hand injury will cost denver a few gamesand blazers may lose ground w/ roy out for the next week.

But if Utah ever gets healthy, they're the 2nd best team in the west IMO.

 

[i nasmatic i]

Hopefully Dallas.

I think the other teams battling for the last few spots (Phoenix, Utah and Portland) would bring more intrigue if they earned a playoff spot.

 

[high st]

Originally Posted by gusyouout

Originally Posted by dreClark

Denver is 24-12 ?

Y'all think they will sustain it?

And yes, the bottom of the conference is cluttered...Will be a dogfight for those last two spots.

I think they will. It's not like they've just suddenly played better. It was the addition of Billups and the record shows his impact. I'm sold and think he's really changed the team around for good since he doesn't need the ball to be effective (unlike Iverson). They've also beat some good teams and the only bad thing was that three game skid. Other than that I don't think they've even lost back to back games.

This is the Denver everybody was expecting a few years ago...last 3-4 years they been lookin like a top 4 seed...on paper.

It was either "oh we just gotta keep k-mart and nene healthy" or " we need to get Andre Miller back" when he was killin Philly...Now theygot their point guard, the bigs are healthy, they gettin results. Imagine if they could have kept Camby

......and if J.R had a brain!!

 

[jpzx]

Portland will be on the outside looking in IMO...watch out for them next year though.

Utah will become a force when Boozer is back and fully healthy..Millsap and Brewer are playing great by the way.

 

[dontsteponmyshoes]

Houston gets a 7 seed tops, if they make it.

 

[daprescription]

I would have to say the Lakers miss out.

 

[pdoggy85]

Portland with ANOTHER lottery pick? Lord knows what will happen if they end up winning the Blake Griffin sweepstakes.

 

[yungmatt]

Originally Posted by JPZx


Portland will be on the outside looking in IMO...watch out for them next year though.

Utah will become a force when Boozer is back and fully healthy..Millsap and Brewer are playing great by the way.

If healthy, I got my money on Boozer being traded by the deadline this season

 

[tmay407]

Originally Posted by pdoggy85

Portland with ANOTHER lottery pick? Lord knows what will happen if they end up winning the Blake Griffin sweepstakes.

Portland getting Blake Griffin or James Harden would just be

 

[lnmymind]

The draft lottery hasn't been too wacky in past years...if Portland misses out...more than likely they'll be picking 14th. They could end up with aSteph Curry or a Jordan Hill tho.

 

[dland24]

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

What else is new? It's been like this for a long time.. The 4th-8th best teams in the west are so much stronger than the 4th-8th best teams from the east.

Yeah but typically you can say the 6th-10th best teams in the west are so much stronger than the 4th-8th best teams from the east.

 

[lawdog1]

Originally Posted by dland24

Originally Posted by Xtapolapacetl

What else is new? It's been like this for a long time.. The 4th-8th best teams in the west are so much stronger than the 4th-8th best teams from the east.

Yeah but typically you can say the 6th-10th best teams in the west are so much stronger than the 4th-8th best teams from the east.

The cap is definitely closing some what. Now there are actually some decent teams in the bottom half of the East playoff picture. Detroit is the5th seed and is like 9 games over .500. Miami's currently the 6th seed and playing well, but I think alot of people are still expecting them to go intothe tank at some point this season. Anyway, while I think you can still say that the West overall is better than the East, there definitely is not nearly asbig a disparity as there used to be.

As for the thread topic, I really think who gets the last couple playoff spots in the West is going to come down to who is healthy. A significant injury forany of the teams competing for those last spots will really be a problem. That's why I wouldn't be surprised if Houston falls out, given the injuryhistory with both T-Mac and Yao.