Why the Los Angeles Lakers Don't Need the Top Seed in the West

Senior Writer Written on March 27, 2008

With the Pau Gasol trade and Andrew Bynum showing flashes of dominance before he got hurt, anything less then the top seed in the Western Conference would be a let down right?

Wrong. In fact, it wouldn’t be that bad at all.

It would be the perfect slot for a championship team.

Looking back at the last five champions, (Spurs, Heat, Spurs, Pistons, and Spurs again) none were the first seed in their conference.

06-07 San Antonio Spurs NBA Champions

Dallas 67 15 .817

Phoenix 61 21 .744

San Antonio 58 24 .707

Utah 51 31 .622

Houston 52 30 .634

Denver 45 37 .549

LA Lakers 42 40 .512

Golden State 42 40 .512

05-06 Miami Heat NBA Champions

Detroit 64 18 .780

Miami 52 30 .634

New Jersey 49 33 .598

Cleveland 50 32 .610

Washington 42 40 .512

Indiana 41 41 .500

Chicago 41 41 .500

Milwaukee 40 42 .488

04-05 San Antonio Spurs NBA Champions

Phoenix 62 20 .756

San Antonio 59 23 .720

Seattle 52 30 .634

Dallas 58 24 .707

Houston 51 31 .622

Sacramento 50 32 .610

Denver 49 33 .598

Memphis 45 37 .549

03-04 Detroit Pistons NBA Champions

1. z-Indiana 61 21 .744

2. y-New Jersey 47 35 . 573 14.0

3. x-Detroit 54 28 . 659 7.0

4. x-Miami 42 40 . 512 5.0

5. x-New Orleans 41 41 .500 20.0

6. x-Milwaukee 41 41 .500 20.0

7. x-New York 39 43 .476 22.0

8. x-Boston 25.0 36 46 .439 25.0

Also, if teams are a No. 1 seed, there will most likely face the most dangerous and hungry of all the teams that made the cut. I.e. Golden State or Denver.

Everyone knows about the firepower and explosiveness behind those two ball clubs and how any one of them can bring down the house on any given night.

Next you have to think about the future.

Teams with a lower record get the higher the draft pick.

And with Lamar Odom leaving soon, this would be the perfect time for the Lakers to draft a SF/PF and groom him for a year.

Chris Douglas-Roberts maybe available and would definitely appeal to Kobe and the Lakers with his overall athleticism and versatility.

Currently the Lakers are in the third seed in the Western Conference, and I believe that not having the top seed in the West is the best position for them based on the numbers and reasons above.

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written on March 27, 2008 Sports

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