West Should Be Wild

How will the West be won?

Do Kobe Bryant and the Lakers—a juggernaut even before Andrew Bynum is back seemingly healthy for the playoffs—merely need to toss their Nikes and Reeboks on the floor to assure punching their return ticket to the Finals? Or can somebody else—all of them at least 11 games poorer than L.A. in the standings—find the magic over the next six weeks?

Certainly there are worthy candidates, beginning with the upstart Nuggets, who seemed a likely lottery team until Chauncey Billups arrived to revitalize the franchise. Don’t rule out any of the teams from the Texas Triangle, San Antonio, Houston, even Dallas, each stocked with veterans who’ve been through this before and have the potential to do it now.

Why not the young and fast-improving Portland Trail Blazers, who weren’t supposed to be a legit contender until their new big man, Greg Oden, had learned the ropes. Or the Hornets, who seemed on the verge of greatness last year largely thanks the game’s top point guard, Chris Paul, but haven’t been able to build on it this season.

At least yet.

Finally, could you imagine a tougher No. 8 seed than the Jazz, a team just two years removed from the Conference Finals? Unlike the East, you see, once you get past the Cavs, Magic and defending champion Celtics, there’s virtually no shot of someone else riding the wave to the top.

In the West, beginning tonight, if not the Lakers, anyone can grab it.

Lakers (1) vs. Jazz (8)—That seemed to be a very loud message Kobe and the Lakers left for Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer and rest of Jerry Sloan’s gang Tuesday at Staples Center. With their playoff fate sealed, nothing to be gained and potentially everything to lose,, the Lakers didn’t rest their regulars and take no chances, they systematically pounded a Utah team that still had a mathematical chance to avoid the No. 8 spot into submission.

Doing it in a best of seven, particularly considering the physical game Utah plays, won’t be an easy trick. While not quite John Stockton and Karl Malone, the Jazz still runs the pick-and-roll expertly, Williams working smoothly with Boozer, Mehmet Okur Ronnie Brewer and Paul Millsap.

But the Jazz has proven vulnerable in some key areas, particularly on the road. Assuming they can hold serve at home, since they only need one at Staples there’s best hope is to string the series out, then summon up their energy for one late push.

Doing that, though, is another story, since the Lakers are fully capable of winning anywhere.

Lakers in five

Nuggets (2) vs. Hornets (7)—This matchup wouldn’t have seemed a surprise back in the pre-season, except that New Orleans would be the second seed, with Denver slipping in at seven. But neither team lived up to its billing, which has brought them to this point.

Both team have two legit stars—Billups and Carmelo Anthony for the Nuggets, Psul and David West for the Hornets. Both teams have big men plagued with injuries throughout their careers, Denver’s Nene and New Orleans’ Tyson Chandler. Both have solid role players, capable of making big plays, J.R, Smith and Chris Andersen for George Karl’s team, while Byron Scott can call on Rasual Butler and James Posey.

Ultimately, this one will come down to defense and rebounding, neither of which was supposed to be the Nuggets’ forte. In the long run that will prove their undoing in what will go down as a upset in name only
Nuggets in six,.

Spurs (3) vs. Mavs (6)—The Spurs were the big winner on the final night of the regular season, jumping up from a potential No. 5 seed to Midwest winners and No. 3. The reward is a matchup vs. Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd & Co., who lifted themselves up from No. 8 and near certain elimination against the Lakers to No. 6.

Many now like their chances vs. Tim Duncan’s and Tony Parker’s gang, who won’t have Manu Ginobili available to provide instant offense off the bench. That role now falls to unheralded Ime Udoka along with veterans Drew Gooden and Kurt Thomas. Dallas, meanwhile can call on Jason Terry and Jose Barea.

When it comes to sheer firepower Dallas would seem to be the clear leader. But when you factor in defensive tenacity, coupled with the kind of intangibles that have resulted in four championships over a nine-year that tips things just a bit in San Antonio’s favor.

Spurs in seven.


Blazers (4) vs. Rockets (5)—The Rockets started the final night of the season a win and Denver loss from locking up the West’s second seed. They got the Denver loss and even had a 14-point lead on Dallas, but couldn’t put it away eventually losing and falling all the way to No. 5 seed.

Meanwhile, Portland, which wasn’t supposed to be this good (54-28) until Greg Oden developed into an inside force, blew out the Nuggets in the finale to get the No. 4 seed and hotly desired home court advantage over Yao Ming’s team. While Portland has been formidable at the Rose Garden and Houston doesn’t have a history of recent playoff success on the road, the Rockets are good enough to change that trend.

Houston’s two best defensive players, Ron Artest and Shane Battier will try to put the clamp on Portland’s Brandon Roy and Lamarcus Aldridge. On the other hand Yao figures to be a force, since neither Joel Pryzbilla nor Oden can match up with him.

The Blazers have become the trendy pick to not only beat Houston, but give the Lakers all they can handle. But they still seem a bit too new to all this, making them ripe for an early exit.<

Rockets in six.

Of course, the way the West has gone all season—other than the Lakers, of course—you might well have to tear this up and start again come the second round.