Post by pudgejeff on Apr 30, 2009 14:27:49 GMT -8
With the trade deadline now passed It's now time give a preview for the Western Conference teams playoff chances and there ability to dethrone the Bulls and win it all. The West isn't quite as top heavy as the East but it still has some big hitters and is strong all the way through. We'll find out if the records are a sign of the teams individual strengths or if the stiff competition in the West has caused the records to make the teams look not quite as good as they truly are.
#1 seed Phoenix Suns:
Ever since they brought in Chuck the Suns have been a contender. Coming into the year they had high expectations and early on in the season they were living up to them with strong showings from not only Barkley but KJ as well. When all of the sudden they're shot at a championship fell in their lap in Derrick Coleman. He and Charles have been truly dominant down low and they look to give the Bulls the greatest test in the championship as shown by the latest power rankings produced by Andrew.
#2 seed Houston Rockets:
Any team with The Dream is built to win but this was a team really built to win in a year or two with a young influx of talent in Kenny Smith and Robert Horry added to a strong core of late 20's veterans Vernon Maxwell, Otis Thorpe and Hakeem Olajuwon. But Ducky Houston's first year GM wasn't satisfied with that and wanted to win now, and by sacrificing some picks and some but not all of his young talent for Kevin Willis, Randy White, and Derek harper he's done that. Gonna be a great second round series with Olajuwon and Willis matched up against Stanley Roberts and Danny Manning.
#3 seed Los Angeles Clippers:
Most of the Clipper talk starts and ends with the two big guys down low but what really carries this team is the two great PG's. Marc Jackson and Michael Williams are averaging a combined 16 assists a game with 3:1 assist to turnover ratio. They lost some fire power with trading Ron Harper and that's where there going to come up short against Houston.
#4 seed Utah Jazz:
Yet another team in the west with two dominant big men in Karl Malone and Brad Daugherty. With all world PG John Stockton running the show they're going to be a tough team to handle. If they had a consistent scoring threat on the wing they might be the favorite. It's only been a week since they got Brad Daugherty at a ridiculously discounted price so we don't know quite how good they're going to be but I just can't see them getting by Phoenix in the second round.
#5 seed Seattle Supersonics:
The Sup's have slid into the fifth spot thanks to the injury to Vlade Divac. A very young team playing very very well right now with The Reign man absolutely dominating. One of a few teams to not make any deals this might have made a mistake. They're not quite built to win the championship but were much too good to end up in the lottery. They're probably going to lose in the first round and then lose either Benoit Benjamin or Kemp to free agency because they're both gonna want a lot of money.
#6 seed Los Angeles Lakers:
An aging team falling apart at the end of the season. Divac looks to be out through the first round of the playoffs and that's going to be too much for the Lakers to handle as they'll most likely be swept out of the first round of the playoffs by the cross-town Clippers. Could be good next year but if they get off to a slow start they might ship some veterans to try and start rebuilding.
#7 seed San Antonio Spurs:
A great young team with emerging superstars Robinson, Elliot and Johnson will be a force in the years to come but the top teams in the west are just to strong for this young team. After there first round exit they need to get right back to work and resign both Elliot and Robinson and then find some one to get with there MLE. Add a good draft pick in and they should start next season as a contender.
#8 seed Portland Trailblazers/Minnesota Timberwolves:
The Trailblazers were moving a long fine as a playoff team with not much shot at winning a title and then all of the sudden there GM decided right before the trading deadline to blow up there roster and hope for a lottery pick. Meanwhile the Timberwolves are playing like one of the best teams in the league winning 8 of there last 10 but with only 10 games left for them and 11 left for Portland it's tough to think they'll be the one's getting swept by Phoenix and not in the lottery.
With the playoffs just a few weeks away it's only a matter of time until next season's preseason preview will be printed.
