RealGM

I did a thread like this a little bit ago, actually last month, but figured with the change a new one needs to be done.

Now with the Pau Gasol deal how does the "Western Conference" shape up?

Here is my playoff picture and records for the rest of the season.

1. Phoenix (60-22) - Division Winner
(Nash/Bell/Hill/Marion/Amare)
2. LA Lakers (57-25)
(Fisher/Kobe/Odom/Gasol/Bynum)
3. San Antonio (57-25) - Division Winner
(Parker/Finley/Bowen/Duncan/Oberto)
4. Denver (48-34) - Division Winner
(Carter/Iverson/Melo/Nene/Camby)
5. Dallas (56-26) - Homecourt
(Terry/Stackhouse/Howard/Dirk/Dampier)
6. New Orleans (52-30)
(Paul/Mo Pete/Peja/West/Chandler)
7. Houston (47-35)
(Alston/Mcgrady/Battier/Hayes/Yao)
8. Golden State (47-35)
(Davis/Ellis/Jackson/Harrington/Biedrins)


On the brink
Utah (46-36)
(Deron/Korver/AK-47/Boozer/Okur)
Portland (44-38)
(Blake/Roy/Webster/Aldridge/Przybilla)


Round 1 Matchups
#1 Phoenix vs #8 Golden State
#2 LA LAkers vs #7 Houston
#3 San Antonio vs #6 New Orleans
#4 Denver vs #5 Dallas

IMO, I don't really care where the Lakers seed in the playoffs. We just need to GET INTO the playoffs.

Hopefully we play Phx or anyone but the Spurs and hopefully Dallas knocks out the Spurs for us.

I think it'll take time to gell for the lakers, but come playoff time i think they'll be able to take any team in the West in 7.

JordansBulls wrote:On the brinkUtah (46-36)

Are you serious lol?

Utah won't be that bad.

You need to swap Utah to the 4th seed and Denver to the 7th /8th seed and leave off the Rockets. If you want list the Nuggets and Houston as tied for 8th if it makes you feel better. (Sorry i know your a rockets homer and detest that the Jazz knocked you out last year but be real.)

Utah are right now 29-18 so they should be 17-18 for the rest of the season less than 50%. I don't think so.

1. Pheonix(57-25)
2. LA Lakers(53-29)
3. Dallas Mavericks(52-30)
4. Utah Jazz(50-32)
5. San Antonio Spurs(49-33)
6. New Orleans Hornets(49-33)
7. Houston Rockest(48-34)
8. Denver Nuggets(45-37)
9. Golden State(44-38)
10. Portland(41-41)

Bradford wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Are you serious lol?

Utah will be there... Houston wont

i agree, but with jazz 4th instead of the nuggets. jazz 8th in general, only 4th cause they win division.

Wow those are some horrible rankings. SA has way too much ground to make up to get 57 wins, especially considering injuries. Same with LA depending on how they gell with Gasol.

Utah will win their divison, they are much better than Denver. Portland will miss the playoffs, probably along with Golden State.

BaYBaller wrote:Wow those are some horrible rankings. SA has way too much ground to make up to get 57 wins, especially considering injuries. Same with LA depending on how they gell with Gasol.

Utah will win their divison, they are much better than Denver. Portland will miss the playoffs, probably along with Golden State.

A healthy Golden State is easily a 50-55 win team. Home heavy schedule comes in February, we will be 15 games over .500 possibly at the end of the month. Denver, Portland and Houston are all weaker teams.

FJS wrote:Utah are right now 29-18 so they should be 17-18 for the rest of the season less than 50%. I don't think so.

Who does Utah replace then?

Also I think Phx needs to have HC Advantage to win it all.

@ people saying the Jazz are better than the Nuggets. Did anyone actually watch the Nuggets hand it to the Jazz when they met not long ago?

The Nuggets were missing key guys and still owned the Jazz.

The Nuggets and Jazz are both underachieving IMHO. They both have blown many supposed easy games.

I dont think the NW will be decided to the very last week of the regular season

JordansBulls wrote:Who does Utah replace then?

Utah will win the Northwest Division, so they will have a top 4 seed....Also, they will atleast have the 4th best record in the West overall as well, so there are a number of teams they will "replace" in your standings predictions.....