Assuming PHX and Mavs do not meet, I would not be surprised if they BOTH lost in the first round. And I will be surprised if either of them advanced to the WCF. Shocked, in fact.

I heard Johnson say Kidd was ot in the game becasue he wanted to spread the floor with his best shooters. That amazed me. You go get a guy that is supposedly going to put your team over the top and you don't trust him to be on the floor in the last few minutes of a close game? Bad omen.

If Denver weren't such a headcase of a team....The Mavs are the one team of the 8 currently separated by only 4 games from Top to Bottom in the West that I'd choose to flame out and not make the playoffs.

actually, really good point.

i revise my previous prediction. I will also not be surprised if either the Mavs or the Suns miss the playoffs.

As good as the West is, it has issues. The Lakers are one bad hit on a little pinky from being a nonissue. Now, if Kobe stays healthy, this is a very good team.

San Antonio is terrific and as usual, will be difficult.

Utah is the next best but they have to be able to win on the road and their defense must improve.

NO is too young. I wouldn't be suprised if they lost in the 1st round...I would be shocked if they won in the second round.

Phoenix is in trouble. Pick any good West Conf team with Parker, Deron, Paul, heck even Fisher and their eyes will light up like a Christmas tree if they get to run the pick and roll against Shaq. Phoenix became a lesser defensive team by losing Marion and a lesser offensive team by losing Marion.

The Mavs--I like Kidd and he will put up decent numbers but he will get killed by all the great guards in the conference. Their lack of inside game is brutal too...when your only player that ever is down low is Dampier, that is trouble.

Nuggets--Too crazy. Yes, they may shock everyone and win a first round game, but these guys can implode as well.

Rockets--Yes, they are still winning without Yao...but that will not continue. I wouldn't be shocked to see them get to the playoffs though...but I would be shocked if they got out the first round.

Golden State--fun, but no defense means that they won't get past the 2nd round. If they play the Jazz, Spurs or Lakers, it means an easy first round exit.

My current rankings:
1. Lakers
2. SA
3. Utah
4. NO
5. Mavs
6.Suns
7. Houston
8. Nugs or GState

In terms of who I think the Jazz would be favored against in a series, I definitely agree with your rankings. I have confidence the Jazz could take any team in the west except LA and SA. They would have a shot against the Lakers, but I'm not sure they could pull it off. Against the Spurs I have zero hope.

I'm honestly not sure who I would rather face in the playoffs this year, LA or SA. I almost think we'd be better off against SA. It all depends on Kobe though.

For me, my dream scenario (which is plausable) would play out like this:

1) LA
2) San Antonio
3) Dallas
4) Utah
5) New Orleans
6) Phoenix
7) Houston
8) Denver

I think of all the teams that could beat LA, Denver is one of them. In my semi-realistic-dream scenario...

Denver beats LA,
Dallas beats Phoenix,
San Antonio beats Houston, (I'd love SA knocked out in 1, but it won't happen)
Utah beats New Orleans.

Round 2:
Utah beats Denver
Dallas beats SA

WCFs:
Utah beats Dallas

Finals:
Utah beats Boston-Detroit-Cleveland

I realize that this will not happen, as it would be too lucky for Utah to make it to the Finals without going through LA or SA, but I can dream... right? :)

Crazier things have happened, but never for Jazz fans. It's a real possibility that Dallas or Phoenix could miss the playoffs. Heck, a couple of weeks like we had in December and we'd be out of the playoffs. This is a rough conference.

I fear a Laker series, especially in the first or second round. We have no answer for Kobe. He's a Jazz killer. That said, they're Kobe's Lakers and drama is bound to occur at some point. I also think we have a little more depth than LA. For those reasons I think we would have a puncher's chance in a Laker's series.

I think the only drama that will occur with Kobe is whether he can score 40 or 50 with his broken pinkie.

Kobe the off-court persona is, in a word, lame. Cheats on his wife, pouts, calls the owner an idiot, etc..

Kobe on the court is amazing and I appreciate any chance I get to watch him play in person. For all the razzing he receives as a team killer, he was an integral part of a 3-peat (something that most true team killers do not achieve). A look at the Lakers roster this year shows that Kobe has finally dedicated himself to making his teammates better, trusting them, working with them, etc.

There will be no drama from Kobe now. He is on the clock. He has been given everything he has asked for.....legitimate big man in Bynum, powerful sidekicks in Pao and Lamar, and a very deep bench in Farmar, Vujacic, Vlad-Rad, Ariza (although he is injured until April), etc.. At the rate the Lakers are currently playing, I am not even sure if it matters if Bynum comes back this season....but having him in the middle, if purely for defense, will create the most amazing front-court in the NBA.

Not sure if the Lakers WILL win it all. But they most definitely CAN win it all. There are really only about 4 teams right now that can say that with full confidence (LA, SA, Bos, Det).

Maybe I am the one who is wishfully thinking now. Vegas oddsmakers agree, though.

Bingo. This is why people hate Kobe. He whines and pouts and is a cancer to his team if he doesn't get what he wants... just like Vince.

People can't stand that.