Welcome to the second installment of the unenviable job of predicting the outcome of a surprising and thrilling 07-08 NBA season.
After the Eastern Conference preview and a high profile trade between the Grizzlies and Lakers, a little tweaking and fine tuning was neccessary before this article could be released.
It does not take a high-paid writer or analyst to come up with the observation that the class of the NBA resides west of the Mississippi. Over the past five seasons the West has been able to boasted 26 teams recording fifty-win seasons, while in the same time period the East has had just ten. This season 10 of the 15 teams out West hold records above the .500 mark, signifying that there will be many deserving teams getting an early start to the offseason.
Once the playoffs begin, the West has the potential to be a wide open crapshoot with the hottest team come April and May having the best shot of taking it all. Without further hesitation, we reveal final positions for the Western Conference.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (Currently 10-36, Projected 16-66)
Beginning with their offseason woes -which could be attributed to GM Kevin McHale letting loose a bit of Celtic Pride- the 2007-2008 campaign has been a disaster for the Wolves.
On paper, Minnesota has the talent in place to compete, and in the East might be a playoff contender.
However in the Western Conferece, the young squad is over matched from the minute they step on the floor each night. Injuries to Randy Foye and the inconsistencies in Sebastian Telfair's game have doomed Minnesota at the point guard position. Also, the Wolves lack steady performances from any player outside Al Jefferson; thus, the picture is clear for the Wolves standing in the West.
In Jefferson, the Wolves have a bonafide superstar in the making, paired with young talent such as Foye, Rashad McCants and Corey Brewer, the Wolves have the nucleus in place to build in the near future. With Theo Ratliff's contract expiring, it will be interesting to see McHale's offseason plan with the cap flexibility.
14. Seattle Supersonics (Currently 11-35, Projected 22-60)
The Kevin Durant Era in the Northwest has offered few surprises early in the year.
After parting ways with sharpshooters Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, Durant has shot early and often, leading the Sonics and all rookies with 19.6 points per game, albeit on 40% shooting and a dismal 28% from long range.
As he has grown this season, Durant has exhibited more presence on the court and is developing the skill to control an NBA game while creating off the dribble. Down the stretch, Durant should be able to squeeze a few wins out for the Sonics along the tough road that includes a seven game road trip to open the month of March and 25 games remaining against conference opponents.
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