Insider's Predictions for the West

[Guest]

Western Conference predictions

By Terry Brown

Thursday, October 10 Updated 10:55 AM EST

1. Sacramento Kings

Projected Record: 62-20

2002 Record: 61-21 (No. 1)

Envy their skill level, their depth, their blend of complementary players but not the fact that they are defending a title they have yet to win. You take what you can get when any semifinal matchup is against one of the top four teams in the league. Talent got them to within a single point of an NBA Championship but demons never have counted buckets. Of course, we're talking about Chris Webber. He will either have his greatest season ever as a player counting grade school, club, prep, college and pro . . . or his worst. And it will have little to do with his point per game average.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

Projected Record: 60-22

2002 Record: 58-24 (No. 2)

This team is specifically designed to win 15 games at the end of the season without ever losing two in a row. Home, away, on the third moon of Jupiter. Doesn't matter. It has been 37 years since any NBA team has claimed four titles in a row and that was back when the Celtics turned it twice by 1966 A.D. You probably weren't even born yet. Chances are, neither was your dad. Regular-season titles, individual accolades and any other door prizes the league sees fit to hand out are undercard at best. Undisputed and still reigning . . .

3. Dallas Mavericks

Projected Record: 59-23

2002 Record: 57-25 (No. 4)

Just need to get punched in the mouth a few more times until they decide that they're not going to get punched in the mouth anymore. Steve Nash, Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki don't need to get better. They just need to get meaner. Scoring a 100 points a game isn't enough anymore. Unless, of course, you're rubbing somebody's nose in it by drilling threes at the buzzer to go up by 24 while leaving your home locker room door open just a crack so your opponent can peep the leather recliners, big screen TVs and palm leaves as they walk by.

4. San Antonio Spurs

Projected Record: 55-27

2002 Record: 58-24 (No. 3)

Just in case you haven't noticed, this team is one year away from maxing out Tim Duncan, adding another top-flight free agent, rebuilding its backcourt by phonics and could very well go from one championship to another without ever winning less than 55 games a season in between. Seamless. Ask anyone in the league anonymously and they'll tell you that the only chance the rest of us have against Laker tyranny is this team. But, like I said, one year away.

5. Portland Blazers

Projected Record: 49-33

2002 Record: 49-33 (No. 6)

Trader Bob forces another square into the same circle and can't figure out why he keeps getting beat by the triangle. He's gone through so many stats, stars, salaries and seasons with Arvydas Sabonis at center, that he's forgotten the feel of pebbles on the basketball. He's built a team that has been reduced to cliche and still won't admit that there is a moral to this story.

6. Houston Rockets

Projected Record: 45-37

2002 Record: 28-54 (No. 11)

Yao or no Yao. Steve Francis missed 25 games last season and the Rockets won only two games without him. Their top six scorers missed a total of 148 games. Starting power forward Maurice Taylor didn't play a single one. He's back. So is Francis and Glen Rice. Along the way, though, the 45-37 team of two seasons ago picked up the athletically endowed Eddie Griffin and a 7-foot-5 center for their efforts.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves

Projected Record: 44-38

2002 Record: 50-32 (No. 5)

Kevin Garnett remains a 7-footer under a glass jar performing triple-doubles at the turn of a handle. All by his lonesome, he gets his team in the playoffs. But even with Marbury or Gugliotta or Brandon or Szczerbiak, he is, by twist and turn of NBA nature, all by his lonesome still . . . despite being the consummate team player. The Timberwolves didn't draft an 18-year-old kid with the No. 5 pick in 1995. They acquired a phenomenon that we only pretend to understand seven years later.

8. Utah Jazz

Projected Record: 42-40

2002 Record: 44-38 (No. 8)

As we speak, there are 77 years, 33 seasons and 25,017 assists lined up a point guard alone for the Jazz. Don't laugh. Add another winning season and one more playoff appearance to the most successful franchise over the last decade in terms of wins, then remove your cap and pay respects. You may not have liked John Stockton nor particularly admired Karl Malone, but more times than not, they kicked the fanny of your favorite player night after night. Eventually, the Jazz will be back. But they will never be the same.

9. Phoenix Suns

Projected Record: 41-41

2002 Record: 36-46 (No. 10)

The day will come that you won't have to look up how to spell Amare Stoudemire, Jake Tsakalidis or Shawn Marion. I'm guessing sooner than later. And if Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Joe Johnson ever realize that they're all wearing the same uniform, this team is gonna win a whole bunch of games real fast. The Suns may have finished 10 games below .500 last season, but their average margin of defeat was less than a free throw, 0.7 points to be exact. Allow me to pre-empt. I told you so.

10. Los Angeles Clippers

Projected Record: 40-42

2002 Record: 49-43 (No. 9)

What's my motivation? Miles gone, Brand snubbed, Olowokandi and Miller deferred, Odom and Q injured. This is more sweat shop than franchise and the newness of being a millionaire athlete in the NBA is about to wear off while this team turns to lottery welfare once again. Don't be fooled by the number of Clipper jerseys popping up in rap videos. On principle alone, this should be a 28-team league.

11. Seattle Sonics

Projected Record: 40-42

2002 Record: 45-37 (No. 7)

Gary Payton is now gun for hire rather than the player who would take a bullet for his team. We're not pointing fingers but forget the statistics and standings. This franchise may have just lost its soul.

12. Memphis Grizzlies

Projected Record: 26-56

2002 Record: 23-59 (No. 13)

You kinda get the feeling that in one fell swoop, Jerry West is going to snatch one last lottery pick as a parting gift from the Western Conference (which he can only get this year if it is No. 1 because of a prior trade . . . conspiracy theorists be damned) then turn around and actually win the entire Eastern Conference in realignment and we're gonna be left scratching our heads. After all, his current creation has won the last three titles and counting while the last six Executives of the Year have yet to win a single title. Ever.

13. Golden State Warriors

Projected Record: 22-60

2002 Record: 21-61 (No. 14)

Antawn Jamison at power forward and Mike Dunleavy, Jr. at small forward couldn't help move an old fridge into your new apartment much less survive an 82-game season in the NBA with a team on their backs. Maybe Jason Richardson can win another one of those dunk trinkets. Maybe they'll get something of value for Danny Fortson. And maybe the Pac 10 will admit them into league play.

14. Denver Nuggets

Projected Record: 15-67

2002 Record: 27-55 (No. 12)

Chorus. Two years from today, Nene Hilario and Nikoloz Tskitishvili will have twice as much NBA experience as they will at the end of this season but not nearly as much as they will in four. Repeat to fade.

[Diesel]

Houston #6?

I expect Houston to be much improved but not that much.

Minn #7?

Who is he kidding they lost Billups and they didn't improve at all in an improving West.

Watch Memphis, Golden State, and LAC turn around and bite him on the butt. All three of these teams have silently collected talent. ONce LAC gets over their INjury bug, they may do some damage!!!

[Guest]

IMO, the Clipps may be bottom dwellers again - capable of beating ANYONE on any given night, but I think they've lost all semblance of unity. Perhaps I'm underestimating Gentry, but there just seems to be a lot of bad vibes flowing out of that camp....I wonder if they can play as a unit, esp. in crunchtime.

[Traceman]

I think he's overestimating what Phoenix will do though and underestimating the character of Elton Brand and Andre Miller. Those two guys are likely out of LAC next season but they will play hard this year despite the fact that their owner is a fool. The key for LAC is health. If Brand, Olowokandi and Q get healthy and if Odom can come back 100%, I think they make the playoffs on sheer talent alone.

I think Utah and Minnesota will be battling for that last playoff spot. The million dollar question is whether KG alone is good enough to overcome the aging duo Stockton and Malone.