The NBA western conference is the most competive conference in sports history.

The hornets #1 seed could drop all the way out of the playoffs with just one bad week.

The difference in the #1 and #9 is just a few bad games.

<TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">New Orleans</TD><TD align=middle>32</TD><TD align=middle>12</TD><TD align=middle>0.727</TD><TD align=middle>-</TD><TD align=middle>16 - 7</TD><TD align=middle>16 - 5</TD><TD align=middle>23 - 8</TD><TD align=middle>6 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>W9</TD><TD align=middle>9-1</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Phoenix</TD><TD align=middle>33</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>0.717</TD><TD align=middle>-</TD><TD align=middle>16 - 4</TD><TD align=middle>17 - 9</TD><TD align=middle>14 - 11</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 4</TD><TD align=middle>W3</TD><TD align=middle>8-2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Dallas</TD><TD align=middle>31</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>0.705</TD><TD align=middle>1</TD><TD align=middle>20 - 3</TD><TD align=middle>11 - 10</TD><TD align=middle>21 - 6</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>W4</TD><TD align=middle>8-2</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Utah</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD><TD align=middle>0.600</TD><TD align=middle>5½</TD><TD align=middle>19 - 3</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 15</TD><TD align=middle>16 - 11</TD><TD align=middle>3 - 4</TD><TD align=middle>W5</TD><TD align=middle>9-1</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">L.A. Lakers</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD><TD align=middle>15</TD><TD align=middle>0.651</TD><TD align=middle>3½</TD><TD align=middle>17 - 7</TD><TD align=middle>11 - 8</TD><TD align=middle>18 - 8</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>W1</TD><TD align=middle>6-4</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">San Antonio</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD><TD align=middle>16</TD><TD align=middle>0.636</TD><TD align=middle>4</TD><TD align=middle>20 - 5</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 11</TD><TD align=middle>18 - 13</TD><TD align=middle>6 - 5</TD><TD align=middle>L3</TD><TD align=middle>5-5</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Portland</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD><TD align=middle>0.591</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD><TD align=middle>18 - 4</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 14</TD><TD align=middle>16 - 9</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>W1</TD><TD align=middle>5-5</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Denver</TD><TD align=middle>26</TD><TD align=middle>18</TD><TD align=middle>0.591</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD><TD align=middle>19 - 5</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 13</TD><TD align=middle>15 - 13</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>L2</TD><TD align=middle>5-5</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Golden St.</TD><TD align=middle>27</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD><TD align=middle>0.587</TD><TD align=middle>6</TD><TD align=middle>13 - 8</TD><TD align=middle>14 - 11</TD><TD align=middle>15 - 12</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 2</TD><TD align=middle>L1</TD><TD align=middle>7-3</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Houston</TD><TD align=middle>25</TD><TD align=middle>20</TD><TD align=middle>0.556</TD><TD align=middle>7½</TD><TD align=middle>12 - 9</TD><TD align=middle>13 - 11</TD><TD align=middle>15 - 13</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 6</TD><TD align=middle>W1</TD><TD align=middle>7-3</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Sacramento</TD><TD align=middle>19</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD><TD align=middle>0.442</TD><TD align=middle>12½</TD><TD align=middle>12 - 9</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 15</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 15</TD><TD align=middle>0 - 6</TD><TD align=middle>W1</TD><TD align=middle>6-4</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">L.A. Clippers</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>28</TD><TD align=middle>0.317</TD><TD align=middle>17½</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 15</TD><TD align=middle>5 - 13</TD><TD align=middle>8 - 18</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 5</TD><TD align=middle>L3</TD><TD align=middle>3-7</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Memphis</TD><TD align=middle>13</TD><TD align=middle>32</TD><TD align=middle>0.289</TD><TD align=middle>19½</TD><TD align=middle>9 - 15</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 17</TD><TD align=middle>7 - 19</TD><TD align=middle>2 - 10</TD><TD align=middle>L1</TD><TD align=middle>3-7</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Seattle</TD><TD align=middle>10</TD><TD align=middle>35</TD><TD align=middle>0.222</TD><TD align=middle>22½</TD><TD align=middle>6 - 16</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 19</TD><TD align=middle>4 - 23</TD><TD align=middle>2 - 4</TD><TD align=middle>W1</TD><TD align=middle>1-9</TD></TR><TR class=bg2 vAlign=center align=right height=17><TD align=left width="22%">Minnesota</TD><TD align=middle>8</TD><TD align=middle>36</TD><TD align=middle>0.182</TD><TD align=middle>24</TD><TD align=middle>6 - 14</TD><TD align=middle>2 - 22</TD><TD align=middle>5 - 24</TD><TD align=middle>0 - 8</TD><TD align=middle>L1</TD><TD align=middle>3-7</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

i could make a case for any of the top 10 making it to the finals right now. i dont buy the hubbub about san antonio just waiting until the playoffs to start playing better. everyone else got better while they just stayed the same and got older.

gtc08 said:

i could make a case for any of the top 10 making it to the finals right now. i dont buy the hubbub about san antonio just waiting until the playoffs to start playing better. everyone else got better while they just stayed the same and got older.

Click to expand...

Spurs are only 2 games behind their pace last season when they won it all... they have been battling injuries, no way you can count this team out. They will be a major factor come playoff time

not counting them out, but they are hardly a lock like everyone is proclaiming them to be,

The Spurs aren't a lock but they will be there in the end more than likely.

Chop,

Is anything ever less than the best or worst ever? Andruw Jones is the best CF ever, Marques Colston is the best WR ever, LSU is the best team ever, I am sure Chris Paul is the best PG ever. I am sure I am forgetting ten or twenty and could find them if I wanted to search threads you have started