Predict the Western Conference Standings.

[Krapinsky]

1. OKC 58 (wins)
2. LAL 57
3. Dallas 54
4. Portland 50
5. Houston 50
6. Memphis 48
7. San Antonio 48
8. Utah 45
9. Clippers 42
10. NOH 38
11. Denver 38
12. Phoenix 32
13. Minnesota 28
14. Golden State 24
15. Sacramento 22

[Krapinsky]

It's interesting to see how many quality teams will be left out of the playoffs

[Breakdown777]

I already did this somewhere else, but I can't find it at the moment, so here's a new updated one:

1. LA Lakers (60 wins)
2. Dallas (53 wins)
3. OKC (52 wins)
4. Utah (50 wins)
5. Portland (50 wins)
6. San Antonio (48 wins)
7. Denver (48 wins)
8. New Orleans (43 wins)
9. PHX (43 wins)
10. Houston (43 wins)
11. LA Clippers (40 wins)
12. Memphis (39 wins)
13. Minnesota (29 wins)
14. SAC (25 wins)
15. GS (22 wins)

[bluethunder0005]

1. Lakers 63
2. Dallas 57
3. Denver 53
4. San Antonio 52
5. Houston 50
6. Portland 48
7. Oklahoma 47
8. Utah 46
9. Memphis 42
10. Clippers 40
11. New Orleans 37
12. Phoenix 36
13. Sacramento 33
14. Golden State 28
15. Minnesota 25

[Foye]

1. Lakers 60
2. Portland 55
3. San Antonio 52
4-6. Dallas 50
4-6. Houston 50
4-6. Oklahoma 50
7. Utah 46
8. Memphis 45
9. Denver 41
10. Phoenix 40
11. New Orleans 37
12. Clippers 32
13. Minnesota 30
14. Golden State 25
15. Sacramento 24

[revprodeji]

1. Lakers 55
2. Dallas 52
3. San Antonio 50
4-6. Portland 50
4-6. Oklahoma 50
4-6. Houston 48
7. Utah 44
8. Denver 43
9. Phoenix 43
10. New Orleans 40
11. Clippers 35
12. Minnesota 33
13. Memphis 30
14. Golden State 23
15. Sacramento 20

Other than the lakers I see all the other "top" teams as having some serious weak spots. I think 2-6 are one injury away from dropping out all together. I also think the bottom feeders have improved and we will get some parity. I still do not like the collection of pieces that Memphis has.

[Foye]

1. Lakers 55
2. Dallas 52
3. San Antonio 50
4-6. Portland 50
4-6. Oklahoma 50
4-6. Houston 48
8. Utah 44
9. Phoenix 43
10. New Orleans 40
11. Clippers 35
12. Minnesota 33
13. Memphis 30
14. Golden State 23
15. Sacramento 20

So is Memphis going to lose all their starter to injuries or how do they manage to win less games than we do?

And you didn't notice that I forgot Denver.

[revprodeji]

ha! I updated with Denver. I did use your list.

I do not like the collection of Memphis' talent. I do not think they play as a team. They have assets but it just seems like a weird fit.

[AQuintus]

1. Lakers 58
2. OKC 55
3. Dallas 55
4. Portland 52
5. Utah 50
6. SA 50
7. Houston 48
8. Clipper 45
9. Memphis 43
10. Denver 38 (trade Melo Mid-season)
11. Phoenix 32 (team is constructed terribly and Nash starts to slow)
12. Minnesota 28
13. Sacramento 28
14. Golden State 21 (switch from Nelly ball to real ball is painful)
15. New Orleans 20 (Paul forces a trade Mid-season)

[Krapinsky]

I like Memphis to surprise this year. Their chemistry should build upon last year with basically their entire squad coming back, but now with more depth. Allen gives them someone to guard Kobe, Roy, Martin, Ginobili, Evans, etc - which is something they were really missing last year.

[Zeitgeister]

I'm surprised how low so many of you have Sacramento. I think they definitely win 30 games this year. Probably not 40, but I'd say mid 30s somewhere. They have a lot of young talent in Tyreke Evans, Demarcus Cousins, Jason Thompson, Omri Cassipi, Beno Udrih, Donte Green and Carl Landry.

[Krapinsky]

Never thought i'd see the day Beno Ughdrih was described as young talent.

[shangrila]

I don't think Sacramento goes anywhere. The main addition they made was Cousins and I think he's going to struggle with fouls trouble and probably the new technicals if they stick around.

[Zeitgeister]

Never thought i'd see the day Beno Ughdrih was described as young talent.

I got a little lazy in my writing. Not all of those guys are technically "young" but they certainly aren't old either. They do have a number of young guys who you would expect to continue to progress and they should gel more. Yeah, Beno isn't a big time talent or anything but hell, a role player who can shoot near .400 from three point range and .500 from the floor with 12 ppg is pretty good. They had 7 guys that put up double figures in scoring last year (Kevin Martin isn't back of course), several guys with a PER above 15. That is not a team that ends up in the low twenties in wins next year, IMO.

[Wolves21]

I am not going to get into the actual records but hears how I see it.

Lakers
Thunder
Jazz
Rockets
Mavs
Spurs
Blazers
Suns
Clippers
Wolves
Nuggets
Grizzles
Kings
Hornets
Warriors

Real how the west is right now I could see nearly anyone getting in the playoffs at the 7th or 8th seat.I think every team in the west has a shot to make the playoffs.Should be a real fun year with a wide open playoff race.

[Esohny]

Why do you think the Hornets will do so poorly?

[IcemanMN]

I think the Wolves will have 33 wins. This is a team with a dozen talented players and no superstar. I think Rambis will finally be focused on game management, i.e., trying to win instead of trying to lose. I don't think 33 wins will be enough to escape the lottery.

[AQuintus]

Why do you think the Hornets will do so poorly?

I wouldn't be surprised at all if the Hornets were one of the worst teams in the league this year. They've looked terrible in preseason and outside of Paul, almost every one of their players is overpaid and mediocre. On top of that, they completely wasted their best asset outside of Paul in Collison. Even if Paul doesn't force his way out, I wouldn't expect more than 35-40 wins at the most.

[Devilzsidewalk]

plus on 2k11, Paul is a teammate of mine on My Player and he's Horrible w/ a capital H

[Esohny]

plus on 2k11, Paul is a teammate of mine on My Player and he's Horrible w/ a capital H

Well, that supporting evidence aside, I think 2nd to last in the conference is too low, unless Paul is injured for a lot of games or forces his way out.