NBA ceilings/basements vol. 1 - the west

How the West could be won or lost:

1. LA Lakers - Their ceiling is the highest of all teams. They look like they could win 70+ and run amok in the playoffs en route to an NBA championship. Their basement isn't too bad either. It would take a catastrophic series of injuries to keep them out of the playoffs, and as we've seen in the past, Kobe, Odom and scrubs is good enough for at least a seventh seed, which is their basement right now.

2. New Orleans Hornets - They could go to the Finals if the Lakers get hit with injuries and no one else (Utah, Houston) steps up their games. Look, I love Chris Paul. I think he's the best point guard in the game since Magic and the best pure point since Isiah. But I get the feeling that the rest of the team had career years and played above their ability last year and are falling back to Earth this year. I'm still not sold on David West being a big factor come playoff time. Worst case scenario, Paul gets injured and they don't make the playoffs. If they had one more competent big, I could see them doing real damage in the playoffs. Of course, if Chris Paul turns in an Oscar Robertson season, all bets are off and their ceiling goes way up.

3. Utah Jazz - Again, they could be in the Finals if the breaks go their way or end up as a 5th or 6th seed if Deron Williams gets hurt again. That's not bad for a team. Their basement isn't very low and this is a very talented team with a good bench and a great coach that forces them to play disciplined basketball night in and night out.

4. San Antonio Spurs - Do they have one more Finals run in them with this core? Yes. Can they be a top seed? Probably not because of the injuries to Parker and Ginobili. Will they miss the playoffs? No. They're going to be a very dangerous 3rd or 4th seed in the playoffs and at worst, an absolutely deadly 6th seed. No one will want to see these guys in round 1.

5. Houston Rockets - Overrated? Yes. Yao's going to get hurt. This always happens. McGrady's already hurt again and he's lost a step. I think he might be done. Maybe it's just the knee injury, but he couldn't blow by anybody this year and was shooting terribly. Sad to see that Artest joins the Rockets just in time to see them turn into the Sacramento Kings. Let's see, underachieving coach? Check, Rick Adelman to boot. High expectations never met? Check. People were all over this team in the preseason because they look great on paper. On the court is a different story altogether.

6. Portland Trailblazers - Oh, who cares where these guys finish, this is such a fun team to watch. Oden plodding around, while Fernandez and Roy make the game beautiful. Seriously though, if this team matures and Oden starts delivering, they can be this year's Hornets. I could see them getting to the second round of the playoffs, especially if they draw a weaker team like the Mavs or the Rockets in the first round. The bottom, of course, is missing the playoffs, but I don't see that happening.

7. Phoenix Suns - Another "on paper" team. Shaq, Amare, Nash, Grant Hill. This should be enough except three of those guys are well over 30 and Amare has a history of knee injuries. Plus, they willing got rid of a great coach and replaced him with a mixed bag coach. Not good, Phoenix. Nash had a telling quote recently saying that the Suns couldn't run with Utah when they got out on the break. Imagine that, the Suns can't run with other teams now. They peak with a 5th seed. Amare might be enough to get them in the playoffs, but their championship window closed last year.

8. Dallas Mavericks - They're done. Their window was slammed shut by D-Wade and the Heat in game three a few years back and then it was boarded up by Golden State upsetting them in the first round two years ago. Dirk lost his confidence and stopped sneering after big shots. Worse yet, he stopped taking and making big shots. He defers in key situations now. Teams have figured out how to defend him. Jason Terry and old man Stackhouse are the "game on the line" shot guys. That's a terrible situation. Jason Kidd has lost about five steps and can't defend any point guard. Their center position is a mess with two overpaid guys that both can't score and draw too many fouls. And Josh Howard is a scapegoat for admitting to smoking pot. Well, wouldn't you smoke pot if this was your team? Their basement is out of the playoffs which I think is likely. Oh, and they still have Devean George.

9. Denver Nuggets - The Iverson-Billups trade rejuvenated this team and fixed one of their biggest issues. Now they have a real point guard running the show and Melo can be the big scoring guy again. Their defense is a little better, but they're not getting out on the break as much as they did last year. Their ceiling is still a first round elimination unless they draw Houston. I don't think Nene and K-Mart are enough in the front court. They need one more big guy. Too bad it wasn't McDyess.

10. Golden State Warriors - Let's not kid ourselves. This team is not making the playoffs. Without Baron, they don't have anyone that scares another team. They might contend for the 8th seed playing Nellieball, but even if they get in, they'll be out in 4 games. Their basement is finishing under 500.

11. LA Clippers - Not making the playoffs. That's their ceiling and their basement and everything in between. This is one of those teams that you look at, and on paper, they look good enough that maybe you talk yourself into thinking that they could sneak up on some teams and steal a playoff spot. No, they can't. Tim Thomas and Ricky Davis on the same team, Dunleavy's the coach, and Baron already says their not on the same page. The Clippers are always in the Lottery, yet they never win.

12. Sacramento Kings - Where do you think their ceiling is? Not very high? Right. Ok. Move right along then. Oh, right the basement. Well, they'll get used to that. This team isn't very good and won't even sniff the playoffs. But at least they'll get a high draft pick. Maybe somebody told the Maloofs that the NBA Lottery is like gambling and they decided that's where they want to be.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves - Fun, young team that is still a few years away from contending. They might finish ahead of the Clippers and the Kings but they'll be well out of contention.

14. Memphis Grizzlies - See Minnesota Timberwolves entry.

15. That team that plays in Oklahoma City - You know the one. Their ceiling is also their basement. Gets cramped down there. They'll be the worst team in the West. Durant and Green will take the next steps and it won't be enough. There's nothing around these guys. They might be the worst team in the entire NBA. They are basically a bench and 3 starters away from contending. Think about that. That's pretty much the entire team. This team is an entire team away from contending. It's an absurd statement, but it's true. If only they could steal a good NBA team and move it to Okie Dokie City and give it a generic Arena Football team name.