NBA Western Conference Playoffs, Ft. The Jackson Eight

If you believe Carmelo Anthony and Chucky Atkins, the upcoming Western Conference playoffs are wide open. Melo goes so far as saying he doesn’t “really see that one dominant team.”

My reaction to Melo’s comment is to suggest that the Nuggets immediately have his eyes tested…AND have him pee in a cup. Then again, maybe since the Lakers are so far ahead of the Nuggets, Melo can’t see them.

I have no reaction to Chucky because…well…he plays for the Thunder and no Thunder player should be allowed to even watch the playoffs, much less make predictions about them.

The Western playoffs should be very competitive, though…that is, if you take the Lakers out of the equation. Of course, that’s tantamount to, back in the 70s, taking Michael Jackson out the Jackson 5 equation and saying, “Who knows what this group might do.”

But just for snots and grins, let’s pretend that we’re all on whatever Melo is on and look at the Western playoffs sans those guys in purple and gold. The Western playoff teams have been determined, but seeding is still up in the air. Only five-and-a-half games separate the No. 2 Nuggets from the No. 8 Mavs.

What that means is that it really doesn’t matter how they wind up. No wait…I take that back. If the Jazz can sneak up into the third or fourth seed, that would be huge, given their dominance at home (32-7). Then again, they “inhale” on the road (15-24), so after the first round, they’ll be toast either way.

The Spurs, unfortunately, just lost “Da Manu.” That ends the discussion about the Spurs in the playoffs.

As for the Rockets…as long as they don’t have McGrady (he won’t be available for the playoffs) and continue to bench Yao Ming late in games in which they’re behind (perceived negative defensive liability-offensive force ratio), they can count on hitting the golf courses sometime between late April and early May.

I’ll only mention the Hornets because they have “CP3.″ But they would need him plus CPs 4, 5 and 6 to do any serious damage in the playoffs.

The only other team out there worth discussing in Melo’s Nuggets. They’re playing well of late and I expect them to beat up on the other “Jacksons.”

Okay…back to reality…and “Michael Jackson,” aka the Lakers. Melo may be pretty good at grabbing his crotch (or having another player grab it), but the Nuggets aren’t the lead singers/dancers in this group. Nothing in the playoffs is guaranteed or easy.

However, I have a feeling that if the Lakers play the Nuggets, in the end we’ll hear a loud “HEEEE HEEEE” coming from the Staples Center.

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