Western Conference Preview

While the Eastern Conference has certainly made a case in the last few seasons to claim some type of equality, the Western Conference top-to-bottom is still better. Sorry guys.

The West once again proved its dominance by have .500 teams miss the playoffs while under .500 teams made the Eastern Conference playoffs. Point taken.

That trend will continue. But the balance at the top has certainly changed. The East has won three of the past six NBA titles and arguably has three of the best four teams in the NBA. But one of those three from the West is the Los Angeles Lakers. And the Lakers, it can be argued only got better.

The three beasts of the Eastern Conference certainly got better to try and compete with the Lakers.

But while the Lakers are the class of the West, San Antonio also put in all of its chips to try and battle the Lakers and make one last run at a title. Tim Duncan's career, or at least his prime, is nearing an end and Manu Ginobili's injury problems have kept San Antonio from meeting expectations.

The Spurs certainly have the know-how to get back to championship contention. But do not sleep on Denver. A lot of things went right for the Nuggets to get to the Western Conference Finals -- including avoiding the Spurs in the second round. But with Chauncey Billups at the point and a continually improving Carmelo Anthony, the Nuggets could still get better.

Unlike the other contenders, Denver did not make any significant moves to improve. That might hurt them in the postseason. But, then again, stability might be OK for a team that is still learning how to win. The Nuggets still have some holes though and continued growth could get them over the hump.

Those sitting in the pack and waiting might be teams like Portland and Utah. The Trail Blazers took a big step in qualifying for the postseason, but struggled with the pressure on against the Rockets. Portland has the talent to return to the postseason and make some noise. The question is will the young players continue to grow and is Andre Miller enough veteran leadership to get them there?

The Jazz had a disappointing season too. But with Deron Williams at the point, the Jazz can always be dangerous. Carlos Boozer, despite his trade request, is still a pretty darn good player when healthy. Memo Okur and Paul Milsap will continue to create a pretty formidable front line. Of course, health is always an issue with the Jazz.

But in the end, this is the Lakers' conference to lose. Los Angeles has one of two best players in the league in Kobe Bryant, a pretty solid and versatile front line in Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol and a solid secondary scorer in Ron Artest. Artest will not provide the versatility that Trevor Ariza did, but he should be able to take some of the scoring and defensive pressure off Bryant.

1. Lakers: the champs got better in adding Ron Artest and will bring back a healthy Andrew Bynum. Plus Kobe Bryant is pretty decent at basketball. The defending champs are just that until someone knocks them off.

2. Nuggets: Denver is good. They have been the sleeping giant, waiting for the crafty veteran to make Carmelo Anthony serious instead of the egotistic veteran to keep Anthony selfish. Chauncey Billups is one of the best point guards of the last decade and with another good year in Denver should get serious Hall of Fame consideration. There are some questions about whether Denver can do it again. But Billups is THAT good that he will find a way to make this team good again.

3. Spurs: This definitely has some strange Ride of the Valkyrie theme to the Spurs' latest push for the NBA title. This is probably their last realistic chance of winning a title with Tim Duncan getting older and Manu Ginobili on and off the injured list. Adding Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess will help significantly, but these aging guys are one injury away from another disaster like last year's.

4. Trail Blazers: Portland to me has great regular season team written all over it. Brandon Roy is a great player and they have a lot of good young pieces. Andre Miller will give them some veteran leadership, but the rumors have started that he is causing some trouble with his new role. But they are a solid offensive team. Roy will need to become that all-encompassing superstar to get Portland out of the first round.

5. Jazz: Utah is one of those scary teams. They stay healthy and it is clear they can compete in the West. They don't stay healthy and they lack the superstar to support Deron Williams' playmaking ability. Questions abound about Carlos Boozer and whether he will stay in the team. But with Memo Okur and Paul Milsap behind him, they have a difficult front court for opponents to deal with.

6. Mavericks: Dallas backcourt continues to be sneaky good. Jason Terry and Jason Kidd can still play despite some advanced ages -- and height disadvantages. Josh Howard is good when healthy and Shawn Marion is a do-everything forward. Dirk Nowitzki of course is a pretty solid player too. This would be a great running team if Rick Carlisle weren't such a plodding coach. I really don't know how to judge this team. Their front court depth is very worrisome.

7. Hornets: New Orleans will definitely be going through a transition with the trading of Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor. That could make them much more efficient in the half court, but could make it more difficult for Chris Paul to be Chris Paul. Definitely some transition, but this team could be a lot better with a more consistent, albeit still injury prone, center.

8. Suns: Phoenix has lost a little bit of its identity, but should find it again. Steve Nash is definitely on his last legs and who knows what Amare Stoudemire's health is like. But it is easy to forget Stoudemire can be quite an offensive force. The Suns will never be the force they were, but they can be a shadow of their former self.

9. Rockets: they are down their top two players -- Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming -- but something about this team says they could still be decent. Trevor Ariza is a decent pickup and this will be his first chance to be a featured player in an offense. But Daryl Morey knows his stuff and rarely misses. The way Houston played after Yao went down in the playoffs shows there is a lot of heart in this team. Can that las them 82 games?

10. Thunder: NBA geeks will say the Thunder are the sleeper team of the league. Kevin Durant is the best kept secret in the NBA and there are so many good young pieces. But this team is not ready. They do not nearly defend well enough to make it into the postseason out of the Western Conference. But the ex-Sonics are certainly coming in the future -- sorry Seattle.

11. Clippers: the Clippers might be good, seriously. Blake Griffin could be good. Baron Davis could be healthy. Eric Grodon could do more than score... maybe. Take everything with the Clippers with a grain of salt. They certainly have the talent, but might be too young and raw to make any postseason noise.

12. Warriors: Golden State is such a mess, I doubt I could make a complete sentence about them. Stephen Jackson, the team's best player, wants out. Stephen Curry is the perfect fit for that system, but has no one to pass him the ball. If you are looking for the definition of a team with all offense and no defense, this is it.

13. Timberwolves: the Ricky Rubio flop will haunt Minnesota for the next calendar year, but this team in all its wheeling and dealing made some good moves. Jonny Flynn will make a case for Rookie of the Year Runner-up. Al Jefferson is one of the best post players in the league -- and no one knows about him since he tore up his knee last season. They should play a decently entertaining style of ball. When they get Kevin Love back from injury in December, Minnesota will not be a tough out.

14. Kings: everyone likes Kevin Martin. He is an efficient scorer. But is he the high-volume scorer of the future for Sacramento? Who knows. Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson are also good players and Tyreke Evans might be the most interesting prospect from last year's draft. All in all, this is a young team with a lot of room to grow.

15. Grizzlies: Allen Iverson. Zach Randolph. Rudy Gay. O.J. Mayo. One basketball. The math just does not work for this talented, yet egotistical team. It has failure written all over it. Makes you fell sorry for Hasheem Thabeet.

West Finals: Lakers over Spurs in 6

Magic Wands: September 25, 2009

-Tracy McGrady and his trainers believe he will return from microfracture surgery sooner than anyone expected. An injury that many believed would keep him out until February, McGrady believes he might be ready to play by October or November. And get this, his trainers say McGrady did a poor job rebuilding his strength after originally injuring his back in 2002 (I was at that game, it was a vicious fall against the Hornets), but now they have him doing things he has not done since he was in a Magic uniform. Looks like my fantasy team is getting better by the day.

-An NBA referees' wife wonders why the league is mistreating the sacrifice she and other families give to be in the family of an NBA referee.

-Keith Bogans is a good defender who can hit an open 3-pointer, especially in the corner. Sounds like a former San Antonio Spur named Bruce Bowen. Could Bogans become the new Bowen?

-DIME Magazine wonders: Who is better? Rashard Lewis or Hedo Turkoglu? Third Quarter Collapse asks the same question.

-Apparently, Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu are two of the worst rebounders taller than 6-10 in NBA history.

-The Trail Blazers are turning to the market in bad times to set single game ticket prices. Who knows, maybe it will start a ticket revolution.

Magic Wands: February 20, 2009

-In case you missed this from All Star Weekend: Rashard Lewis, Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson had a blog from Phoenix. Pretty good stuff and a great look at the whirlwind life of an NBA All Star. It is not really a break for these guys. ...

-But at least you get some nice swag. This courtesy of LeBron James. A crystal trophy(?) with the names of the entire Eastern Conference engraved on it. It is good to be the king.

-Dwight Howard recently graced the cover of ESPN the Magazine. But the article itself is not about Superman. Rather it is about Clark Kent. And how the NBA has been transformed from the Super Flashy Men it was in the late 90s and early 00s to the dressed up, clean cut (and marketable) NBA of today. Lot of issues at work here, but David Stern has gotten the NBA right where he wants it.

-It probably did not get the notice it should have Saturday night. But what Rudy Fernandez did during the dunk contest with his first attempt was something truly special. Fernandez paid homage to the NBA's first Spain-born player, donning a throwback Fernando Martin Blazers uniform. I did not even know who the guy was, but he apparently died in a tragic car accident. A nice tribute for his countryman that certainly deserves notice.

Magic Wands: December 12, 2008

-Supersonicsoul has an interesting look at NBATV ratings. Orlando is not doing so hot (sorry, I have not been home to eat up NBATV in the odd hours of the afternoon). But the league is still as popular as ever.

-According to one scout who talked to Marc Stein on the Weekend Dime:

"I think Orlando is the best team in the NBA that's not being talked about. Everyone loves Portland right now, so everyone talks about them. Orlando is racking up the road wins again, and they're going to be a legit player in the Eastern Conference if they can get that No. 3 or [No.] 2 seed and avoid Boston in the second round. I know people say they have no bench, but once you get to the playoffs you only play seven or eight guys anyway.

"Look at what they do have: Rashard [Lewis] and Hedo [Turkoglu] to spread the floor and one of the few legit big guys out there [in Dwight Howard], even though he's not a great scorer. And Jameer Nelson … his problem is that he's making $8 million instead of $6 million. If he was making $6 million, everyone would think he's a bargain. In the playoffs, I thought the kid was pretty good."

Tell me something I don't know.

-Darko Milicic makes his run for Superman after picking up a foul against Houston on Monday. Better video here.

-Remember when I complained about Tuesday's basketball lineup on ESPN. Marc Stein calms me down in the Daily Dime. Plus, Stan Van Gundy deserves all the credit for the win at Portland (scroll to the bottom).

-Avid Trail Blazer fan Henry Abbott tries to explain why Brandon Roy made the wrong decisions down the stretch Tuesday. Here's a hint: Keith Bogans is good at defense.

-Chicago Bulls assistant coach Pete Myers gets the first crack at playing President-Elect Barack Obama, the Chicago Tribune reports.

-According to a Truehoop reader, residents of Shanghai want resident Yao Ming to play more like Dwight Howard. We will take that as a compliment and a vote for Howard as the best center in the league.

-Early returns from All Star ballotting have Dwight Howard leading the way. Not for centers, but for EVERYONE.

-Former Magic man Cuttino Mobley is going to officially retire because of a heart condition.

-Dwight Howard tells Brian Schmitz of The Orlando Sentinel that he will be competing in the slam dunk contest this year. And he has something BIG planned for it.

No respect, no respect at all

I am a journalist. I understand news judgement. I understand knowing your audience and using that to determine what you cover and how you cover it.

But I don't understand ESPN.

Perhaps, I am a bitter Magic fan right now. Perhaps I am making a good point. But tonight's game against Portland, which Orlando won on a last-second shot by Hedo Turkoglu, did not air on ESPN's NBA Fastbreak until the third segment after four other games.

What was shown before this battle between two division leaders that went down to the buzzer?

Let's start with Dallas vs. San Antonio. Not a fantastic game this season. But it has some stars and it went to double overtime. A good draw. Forgiven.

Next, Cleveland vs. Toronto. OK, that is a solid game between two decent teams with superstars in LeBron James and Chris Bosh. That one is understandable.

Last one of the segment: Los Angeles Lakers vs. Sacramento? Sure the Kings upset the Lakers. But this game can't be as interesting as a game between two division leaders (and yes, it is early to look at the standings).

Maybe if Dwight Howard would have had a better game so they could play up the matchup between him and Greg Oden, it would have been put up higher.

I just feel a little disrespected and more sure of ESPN's bias toward bigger markets. If the NBA wants to play up its parity and how every team has a chance, it needs to get the big record games on the top of the ESPN shows rather than the big name games. Sure LeBron is very marketable, but doesn't everyone get tired of seeing him and the Cleveland LeBrons play every night?

OK, the Cavaliers are better this year than last year. But who honestly thinks they can still win a title. I think Orlando is still closer. I guess we can figure that one out on January 29.

What They're Saying: Magic vs. Blazers 12/9

Orlando still has not faced a whole lot of quality opponents, but began its yearly December West Coast road trip with a big win in Los Angeles... against the Clippers. The Magic lost to the Trail Blazers about a month ago at Amway Arena. Now they head to the Rose Garden.

This is a big game for Orlando. The team got a solid effort in its first game of this road trip. A win against a good team on the road at the beginning of this road trip will make the Magic more confident heading to the rest of it. Last year, the first West Coast road trip of the season was when the team really bonded and set the tone for the rest of the season. You will find out a lot about the team tonight, win or lose.

-Dwight Howard got some mad love from ESPN's J.A. Adande and Kevin Arnovitz of ClipperBlog after his 23-point, 22-rebound, six-block performance against Los Angeles on Monday.

-Also word from Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel that Brian Cook is Howard's new enforcer.

-Interesting note from NBA.com, Portland just finished a junket out East while Orlando heads West.

-This will also be the first time Dwight Howard faces off against Greg Oden. The No. 1 picks have had completely opposite careers. Howard has played every game and Oden... has not. But one thing they do have in common is rebounding. John Hollinger's Insider Gems (box at the bottom) notes that Oden is rebounding at a higher rate than Howard. I guess this is why they play the games.

-More fun links for tonight's game from OregonLive.com's Sean Meagher.

-Remember Raef LaFrentz? He still plays for Portland, but the team has allowed him to rehab in his hometown in Iowa. Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune caught up with the veteran big man... and perrennial Magic killer.

-Magic blogger Ben Q Rock of Third Quarter Collapse adamantly defends Jameer Nelson who got slammed on a post in another blog (and is generally being slammed by other Magic fans). I think Nelson is a good player and a serviceable starter. But ultimately his defensive shortcomings will always hurt Orlando against bigger guards. Now that Chauncey Billups is gone, maybe it doesn't matter. Either way, there are bigger problems the Magic have to fix than point guard. Nelson has played great this season.

-Portland blogger Casey Holdahl of Trail Blazers Center Court by tells the story of assistant coach Maurice Lucas, who returned to practice after fighting bronchial pneumonia the last two months.

This should be an interesting game for sure. Both teams are pretty good. Orlando did not play great last night and had to use a lot of energy. Throw on top that Portland is very tough to beat in the Rose Garden. It should be a close game though, but the Blazers hold home court. Portland 103, Orlando 95