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Who will be the best in the west?
This year the West is amazingly tight. There are 9 teams with over 30 wins heading into all star weekend. The conference is so tight that the difference between first and ninth is 4 1/2 games. This post will look at the remaining schedules of these 9 teams to see who is likely to end up on top and who will fall off the list. For each team I'm going to list all games that they will be playing against a top teared team, where top tear is defined as 30+ wins going into all-star weekend (Sorry Portland).
The teams are listed in no particular order. Please ignore the extra entries after the games, I copied the schedules from ESPN and just deleted the teams below 30 wins. The teams are listed in no particular order. note: I didn't double check the data so there could be errors let me know if you see any and i'll fix them. Jazz Tue 19 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Wed 27 vs Detroit [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Mon 03 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Sat 08 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Thu 20 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm RTV, 1320 AM, 98.7 FM fri 04 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 6:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Sat 12 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Mon 14 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Total: 8 Fri 29 @ New Orleans 6:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Fri 07 @ Phoenix 7:00pm FSN HD 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Tue 08 @ New Orleans 6:00pm FSN 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Thu 10 @ Dallas 6:30pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Wed 16 @ San Antonio 6:00pm KJZZ 1320 AM, 98.7 FM Total: 5 Lakers Sun 02 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 12:30pm KLAC, KWKW Sun 23 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 6:30pm FSN HD KLAC, KWKW Fri 04 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSN HD KLAC, KWKW Fri 11 vs New Orleans [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSN HD KLAC, KWKW Sun 13 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 12:30pm KLAC, KWKW Total: 5 Wed 20 @ Phoenix 6:00pm KCAL HD ESPNSCORE KLAC, KWKW Sat 23 @ LA Clippers 7:30pm KCAL HD KLAC, KWKW Fri 14 @ New Orleans 5:00pm KCAL HD KLAC, KWKW Sun 16 @ Houston 4:00pm KCAL HD NBATVHIGHDEF KLAC, KWKW Tue 18 @ Dallas 5:30pm KCAL HD KLAC, KWKW Thu 20 @ Utah 7:30pm KCAL HD KLAC, KWKW Mon 24 @ Golden State 7:30pm KCAL HD KLAC, KWKW Total: 7 Spurs Sat 23 vs New Orleans [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm KENS HD WOAI 1200AM Thu 28 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm SCORE, WOAI 1200AM Mon 10 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm My35 RTV WOAI 1200AM Mon 17 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSNSW WOAI 1200AM Sun 30 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 12:00pm WOAI 1200AM Tue 01 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm My35 WOAI 1200AM Wed 09 vs Phoenix [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm My35 WOAI 1200AM Wed 16 vs Utah [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSNSW WOAI 1200AM Total: 8 Fri 07 @ Denver 9:30pm KENS HD WOAI 1200AM Sun 09 @ Phoenix 2:30pm WOAI 1200AM Wed 12 @ New Orleans 7:00pm My35 WOAI 1200AM Fri 14 @ Detroit 7:00pm KENS HD WOAI 1200AM Thu 20 @ Chicago 7:00pm My35 RTV WOAI 1200AM Sun 23 @ Dallas 12:00pm WOAI 1200AM Tue 25 @ Orlando 6:00pm FSNSW RTV WOAI 1200AM Fri 04 @ Utah 7:00pm My35 WOAI 1200AM Sun 13 @ LA Lakers 2:30pm WOAI 1200AM Total: 9 New Orleans Wed 20 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Fri 22 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Sun 06 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 6:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Tue 08 vs Utah [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Wed 27 vs Phoenix [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Fri 29 vs Utah [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Wed 12 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Fri 14 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Wed 19 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Sat 22 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Total: 10 Sat 23 @ San Antonio 7:30pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Sat 08 @ Houston 7:30pm CST , RTV KMEZ, WIBR Sun 16 @ Detroit 5:00pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Fri 28 @ Boston 6:30pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Tue 01 @ Orlando 6:00pm CST NBATVHIGHDEF KMEZ, WIBR Fri 11 @ LA Lakers 9:30pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Wed 16 @ Dallas 7:30pm CST KMEZ, WIBR Total: 7 Denver Tue 19 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD AM 950 Mon 25 vs Detroit [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD AM 950 Wed 05 vs Phoenix [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD AM 950 Fri 07 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm Altitude HD AM 950 Thu 27 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm Altitude RTV AM 950 Sat 29 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD AM 950 Tue 01 vs Phoenix [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD , SCORE AM 950 Sun 13 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm Altitude HD NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV AM 950 Total: 8 Sun 02 @ Houston 6:00pm Altitude AM 950 Sat 08 @ Utah 7:00pm Altitude AM 950 Mon 10 @ San Antonio 6:30pm Altitude RTV AM 950 Tue 18 @ Detroit 5:30pm Altitude AM 950 Mon 31 @ Phoenix 8:00pm Altitude NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV AM 950 Thu 10 @ Golden State 6:00pm Altitude SCORE, AM 950 Sat 12 @ Utah 7:00pm Altitude AM 950 Total: 7 Phoenix Wed 20 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN AZ HD , SCORE Fri 22 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm FSN AZ HD Sun 24 vs Detroit [BUY TICKET] 12:30pm Fri 07 vs Utah [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN AZ HD Sun 09 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 12:30pm Thu 13 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm RTV, Sat 22 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN AZ HD Mon 31 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN AZ HD NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV Sun 06 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 12:30pm Mon 14 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm FSN AZ HD NBATVHIGHDEF Total: 10 Wed 27 @ New Orleans 6:00pm My45 HD Wed 05 @ Denver 7:00pm My45 HD Wed 19 @ Seattle 7:00pm My45 HD Mon 24 @ Detroit 4:30pm My45 HD NBATVHIGHDEF Wed 26 @ Boston 4:00pm My45 HD Tue 01 @ Denver 6:00pm My45 HD , SCORE Wed 09 @ San Antonio 6:30pm My45 HD Fri 11 @ Houston 5:30pm My45 HD Total: 8 Dallas Thu 06 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm KTXAHD RTV, Tue 18 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm KTXAHD Thu 20 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KTXAHD Sun 23 vs San Antonio [BUY TICKET] 12:00pm Wed 02 vs Golden State [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm KTXAHD Thu 10 vs Utah [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSNSWHD Wed 16 vs New Orleans [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSNSWHD Total: 7 Wed 20 @ New Orleans 7:00pm FSNSW Thu 28 @ San Antonio 7:00pm SCORE, Sun 02 @ LA Lakers 2:30pm Mon 03 @ Utah 8:00pm FSNSW Thu 27 @ Denver 9:30pm KTXAHD RTV Sun 30 @ Golden State 8:00pm KTXA NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV Fri 04 @ LA Lakers 9:30pm KTXA , RTV Sun 06 @ Phoenix 2:30pm Total: 8 Golden State Wed 20 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSBayHD 680 Fri 21 vs Houston [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSBayPlus 680 Mon 24 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSBayHD 680 Sun 30 vs Dallas [BUY TICKET] 6:00pm FSBayHD NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV 680 Thu 10 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 5:00pm SCORE, 1050 Total: 5 Tue 19 @ Utah 6:00pm FSBay 1050 Sat 08 @ Orlando 4:00pm FSBay 680 Thu 13 @ Phoenix 7:30pm RTV, 680 Sun 23 @ LA Lakers 6:30pm FSBayHD 680 Sat 29 @ Denver 6:00pm FSBay 680 Tue 01 @ San Antonio 5:30pm 1050 Wed 02 @ Dallas 6:30pm 1050 Sun 06 @ New Orleans 4:00pm FSBay 680 Mon 14 @ Phoenix 7:00pm FSBayPlus NBATVHIGHDEF 1050 Total: 9 Houston Sun 02 vs Denver [BUY TICKET] 7:00pm KTXH Sat 08 vs New Orleans [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSNHOU , RTV Sun 16 vs LA Lakers [BUY TICKET] 6:00pm KTXH NBATVHIGHDEF Tue 18 vs Boston [BUY TICKET] 8:30pm FSNHOU Fri 11 vs Phoenix [BUY TICKET] 7:30pm FSNHOU Total: 5 Fri 22 @ New Orleans 7:00pm FSNHOU Thu 06 @ Dallas 8:30pm RTV, Wed 19 @ New Orleans 7:00pm FSNHOU Fri 21 @ Golden State 9:30pm FSNHOU Sat 22 @ Phoenix 9:00pm KTXH Sun 30 @ San Antonio 12:00pm Sun 13 @ Denver 8:00pm KTXH NBATVHIGHDEF, RTV Mon 14 @ Utah 8:00pm FSNHOU Total: 8 Summary: Team Record Home Away Total Hornets 36-15 10 7 17 Suns 36-16 10 8 18 Mavs 35-17 7 8 15 Lakers 35-17 5 7 12 Spurs 34-17 8 9 17 Jazz 34-19 8 5 13 Wars. 32-20 5 9 14 Rockets 32-20 5 8 13 Nuggets 32-20 8 7 13 Top 3 easiest schedules (in order): Jazz, Lakers, Rockets Top 3 Hardest schedules (in order): Suns, Spurs, Hornets If teams want to be on top they must do well in these games. Given this data which teams do you think will end up on top in the end? In my opinion with these schedules the two teams that have the greatest advantage right now are the Jazz and the Lakers. Both of them are very close to the top but have significantly easier schedules than the others. Especially the Jazz. The Jazz only have 5 hard games away and 8 games at home where they are the top rated team in the league. What do all of you think? |
It is really hard to give a good reply now, we really need 10 days to give a good reply for 2 reasons. First we have yet to see how Shaq will mesh with the Suns. I think the trade was a horrible idea, but until we see them play it will be hard to pass a final judgment. The second part is Kobe now is diagnosed with a torn ligament in his pinkie. The doctors want him treated asap, but he wants to play with it. So I would love to see in the next week how he is holding up, or will they make him do surgury now to make sure hte injury does not get worse (which is what happened from Monday night to Wednesday night).
If I had to make a call right now, I would say New Orleans, for no real reason then sympathy vote. |
I believe that like other sports and other seasons it may depend less on schedules, or strength of schedules and who gets hot at the right time. It's difficult to imagine that the Shaq trade was a good one, but who knows. Gasol hasn't totally meshed yet, and the Spurs could get hot. So my answer is a definite who knows.
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Well the interesting thing is that the teams with the best records by in large have some of the hardest schedules. This is due to them having a lighter first half of the season than the second half of the season, thus the reason they are in first. Thus in my view the teams that have already completed the hardest parts of their schedule have an advantage to pick up games in the second half.
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Whole new season now, post-allstar game. I think it will go thusly:
1. Spurs 2. Lakers 3. Jazz 4. Dallas 5. Suns 6. Hornets 7. Warriors 8. Rockets Once Parker gets back, the Spurs should be fine. Damon Stoudamire has been a really slow starter for them in place of Parker, really slow. No points in 20 minutes slow. I find that surprising. Who knows with the Lakers, they have a lot of firepower and depth, but not a lot of experience playing their latest starting 5. I hope Kobe gets rewarded for his loyalty and professionalism with a trip deep into the playoffs this year, he's been amazing. And props to Gasol for playing well immediately. I like the Jazz. They always play hard for Jerry Sloan, they're big, strong, smart, experienced and they defend. I guess their outside shooting is getting better now too. Deron Williams an absolute wizard with the ball. He's awesome. They got a ton of weapons, this team. I see Utah reaching the conference finals. Dallas. Nowitzki will never be acknowledged or respected as the leader of that team. He's too soft, and it trickles down. If Devean George ever allows Jason Kidd onto the team, interesting things could happen, but again, its experimentation during the playoffs. I don't care for the Suns, I think as always, they're too one dimensional with pick and roll after pick and roll, or 3-ball. I guess the idea of Shaq as rebounder-and-outlet-passer negating the need for him to run all night with the Suns might work but - like the Lakers - it's an untested concept. They must have really hated Shawn Marion in PHX to send him to the Heat. I wonder what he did to piss everyone off? As good as the Hornets have been this year - and I have a new favorite player in David West - lack of depth is unfortunately going to kill them during the intensity of the playoffs. Their starting five is just about perfect, they could reach the finals if only they had a bench to give the stars a rest. Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league and should be in the allstar game over Iverson! Warriors could be the 6th seed, or even the 5th if they keep playing like they've been. They just put Chris Webber on the inactive list lol, that fucking idiot. Chris Webber plays for one thing: Chris Webber. This is a great ballclub (without Webber) that plays on emotion, effort and guts. They could do some damage if they stay healthy. Baron Davis is a true leader, not someone they wish was, and thats gonna help tons in the playoffs. I even like Jax1 these days lol! I didn't realize just how good this guy was. Conference semis a real possibility. Rockets are overachieving this year imo. When Bonzi Wells isnt smoking crack or beating up people in nightclubs, he's a hell of an offensive basketball player, top 15. One of those guys with an ungodly amount of natural talent, paired with ungodly little discipline. McGrady is too soft to be an effective leader, he'll always be the reluctant superstar. Yao will score tons of points, get tons of rebounds and do little else for his team. Not enough of any one thing to go too far in the playoffs. |
If there's anything we've learned from the West over the past few years, it doesn't matter who does what during the regular season if they have to play San Antonio in the playoffs. As much as I hate the Spurs, until they lose in the post-season, they're the team to beat.
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this eludes my post about 2 weeks ago questioning the slump they go through midseason. they always start off ok and then taper off midseason. some of you said tht this was due to the tough schedule they have on the road. which may be true... but at the end of the day chassis has pretty much summed it all up pretty well.. san antonio have been dominant in and around the playoffs for a good decade now.. their record spreaks for itself. however, i dont see dallas having the same choke they did last year though. |
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Last year, they played a Golden State team that outplayed them due to matchups just like they did in the regular season. Yes it was big shock and the Mavs had the best record and all, but it was a 7 game series that they never were in control of to choke away. So overall I agree with you, Dallas is a contender, with or without Jason Kidd. |
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