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.