Yesterday I wrote up playoff scenarios and series picks for the Eastern Conference, based off of the records at the start of December. Here is how the playoffs would look in the Western Conference if the season ended today.
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers (14-1) vs. 8. San Antonio Spurs (9-7)
The Lakers have opened this season on an absolute tear, with their best record since the 2001-2002 season. They are playing with energy, consistency and teamwork that are helping to erase their demons from their Finals loss to the Celtics.
Kobe Bryant's points are down from 28.3 ppg last year to 24.4 this year. He's playing less minutes and is being helped out by his teammates and bench in a way that he hasn't experienced since he had "The Diesel" at his side.
It seems like eons ago that Bryant was shouting out for a trade.
The Lakers have put together two seven-game winning streaks, with one loss coming at the hands of the Detroit Pistons. The Lakers are beating teams by an average margin of 16 points. Further, as proof by their come-from-behind victory against Dallas last week, they are putting every team on notice that there is no safe lead against them.
They are on pace to win 70 games this season, something this writer doesn't think is possible, but none-the-less, a great standard for any team to measure itself by.
In the month of December, the Lakers face opponents with a combined record of 107-121. To start the month, they face a string of sub-par teams, Indiana, Philadelphia, Washington, Milwaukee, and Sacramento, which should help them to stretch their streak past 10 games, and get them to 19-1.
LA's biggest test will come at the end of the month when they play four games on the road before coming back home for a Finals re-match with the Celtics.
There is no reason to believe the Lakers won't escape December with as few losses as they enter it with. They have the focus and the drive to run the table in the West and will probably be a lock for the one seed by the All-Star break.
I really can't imagine the Spurs playing poor enough to be the eight-seed in the West. Phoenix and New Orleans have dysfunctional problems that will test them, and Houston is always plagued by injuries that will probably keep them from a high seed in the West once again.
Further, the Spurs are getting their starters healthy, and have benefited by early injuries because it has allowed their young bench players opportunity to step up and truly become part of the team.
After a 1-4 start, the Spurs have built off of a three-game and a four-game winning streak to bring their season back into focus, before the winter stretch begins. They have also had a fairly balanced schedule and have one the games they needed to win, and lost to teams that have shown more consistency early.
Knowing the Spurs though, there is no doubt in my mind that by mid-February, they will go off on one of their patented, late-season runs, to move up in the standings.
In the month of December, the Spurs face opponents with a combined record of 108-126. This offers them a great opportunity to build on their streaks, and on their healthy players and move themselves up in the West.
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