Western Conference:

5.    New Orleans Hornets

I know it seems weird to put the best team of the West in the 5th position, but the Hornets start these final 30 games of the regular season without something the other teams possess: experience! They will play 12 games against rivals of the West and in these games certainly they will suffer some huge losses and the way they will react to these losses will be the key for them. Chris Paul has been amazing, but these Hornets won't have an easy task, as besides these games, they will also have a road trip in the East at the end of March, where they will have to face in a row Cleveland, Boston, Toronto and Orlando. The team has been an ATS machine with a record of 32-19! And they had a positive record in any circumstance. It's curious the fact that they went 14-10 O/U at home and 10-16 O/U on the road. It's a team to pay attention as a dog in the future.

4.    San Antonio Spurs

The Spurs have shown recently that they have a big heart, as after losing three games in a row, they were capable to win at Phoenix, while being a 7 points dog. Actually after these three losses, the team had a 6-1 run. But I don't believe they will win the conference, as in the last times they were champions, they weren't the top seed neither and Popovych will be more concerned in recovering Parker than in winning the conference. As always the Spurs are an under machine (20-30 O/U)), showing a very strong defense (second best team in the league). The fact that they were never back to back champions, make me think that Popovych will be more concerned in making the team arrive in good physical conditions to the playoffs than in being the top seed in the West.

3.    Phoenix Suns

We all know the Suns are a team almost perfect for the regular season, but this season D'Antoni has to worry in how to fit Shaq in the team and in their system. The next three games of the Suns will be very important, as the team will face at home the Lakers, Boston and Detroit. The bookies couldn't handle the scoring machine which is Phoenix, as the over is 29-23 O/U in their games, being 16-9 O/U when the Suns play at home. The team is 11-18 ATS in games against teams from the Western conference, which is a concern for them, with the games they will have to play against these teams until the end of the regular season. If Shaq is capable of being in a good physical shape, the Suns will be a serious contender for the title, but for that we need to wait and see.

2.    Utah Jazz

This team has finally regrouped in January and they have shown that they are one of the most complete teams in the league. They were terrible in December, as their games was unidimensional, playing always to the frontcourt, but now with Okur in good shape and with the trade of Korver, Utah is a very powerful team. They are right now together with Dallas the best team at home of the league, with a record of 22-3 SU and in the 12 games they will have against their rivals, 7 of them will be at home, where they have a record of 16-9 ATS. The calendar is favorable to Utah, as the road trip they will make will just be 4 games long and in the East, where even though they are 8-13 ATS, they have won their last seven games. If the team remains healthy, they have the necessary conditions to have a good run in this final games of the regular season.

1.    Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have been one of the surprises of the season, with a great record of 31-19-2 ATS, however with the Gasol effect the team has lose a little value, as the bookies will rate them higher now than in the beginning of the season. Anyway the team is in a great condition right now, with a very deep bench. The major problem for the team will be in the middle of March where they will have a road trip with matches against the Hornets, Houston, Dallas and Utah. The schedule of Lakers is easily the easiest one in the teams of the West and that's the main reason why they are first in my power ranking, but the team with Gasol is much more complete than it used to be and they have everything to be a top seed in this season's playoffs.