The NBA western conference is a “whole different animal” compared to the East, and for good reason. Last season, there were nine teams over .500 and one of those teams, Phoenix Suns, were 14 games above .500 and missed the playoffs. Year-in and year-out at least one very deserving Western Conference team missing the playoffs due to the elevated level of talent and play added over the years. As of now, the Larry O’Brien trophy resides in San Antonio and the West looks as if it may be back to its pure dominance that it had over the East during the early 2000’s.

Will this be the season Anthony Davis leads the Pelicans to the playoffs? By Keith Allison (Flickr: Anthony Davis) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

San Antonio Spurs: The defending champs will try to go back-to-back this season but it will be difficult with the opponents they will have to face. They are still the Spurs, though, and I have learned not to count out this team until they are actually done. The Spurs will again be a top contending team in the West and I expect them to make it back to the conference finals if not the finals again.

Los Angeles Clippers: Oh the Clippers. Just when you think they might actually break through, they let you down. A historically bad franchise finally has some hope and light in it and will look to expand upon that again. Their time to win is now as Chris Paul isn’t the youngest point-guard in the league. Adding veterans Jordan Farmar and Spencer Hawes will improve the team but my head still says they will get bounced in the second round again.

Oklahoma City Thunder: Realistically, the Thunder are so young with Durant and Westbrook that it’s scary. One of the best one-two punches we have seen in the recent NBA but they can’t seem to get the job done. Durant is the reigning MVP and needs to break through in the playoffs to be put into the same category as the greats that have won and I look for him and the Thunder to make it back at least to the conference finals again this season.

Portland Trailblazers: If the Trailblazers can stay healthy, they can do some major damage in the Western Conference and they showed a glimpse of what they could do in the postseason. They are a gritty, young team that has an unusual confidence. They look as if they will make another postseason run and you never know what could happen. Watch out for Portland.

Golden State Warriors: No matter what their record is during the season or what seed they get in the postseason, they are as scary a team as any. They can shoot the lights out and maybe having a new coach in Steve Kerr may push this team to their potential. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are the best backcourt in the league and its time for them to prove it in the playoffs.

Houston Rockets: I really liked the pickup of Trevor Ariza after Chandler Parsons left, but the reports that Dwight Howard and James Harden think of themselves as bigger than the team worries me. Even the greats realized they needed help to win and I don’t see the Rockets getting by the second round this season. This offseason could have been epic for Houston, but losing out on Chris Bosh and Carmelo Anthony was huge.

Memphis Grizzles: Everyone always sleeps on small-market Memphis and I’m not sure why. They were one game away from defeating Oklahoma City in the first round and they played that game seven without Zach Randolph. I believe if he had played, Memphis would have advanced because they were the better team. This offseason, they signed Vince Carter, which will help scoring a little bit unless he turns back into the Toronto version of himself; then watch out NBA

New Orleans Pelicans: I am personally deeming this season the “season of Anthony Davis” assuming he can stay healthy. Davis is an absolute beast and is continuing to grow and learn. I expect the Pelicans to compete for a playoff spot this season and show people that they mean business in this league.

Dallas Mavericks: This team could either be really good or they could not be able to live up to expectations. Monta Ellis had a great season last year but he’s always had some question marks. Dirk is older and we don’t know how effective he can still be. I hope they play to their potential because after adding Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler they could end up being a top team in the West.

Phoenix Suns: So far Eric Bledsoe is still a free agent and they better change that fast; he is too good to not bring back. I just don’t see them contending. They overachieved last season, but I hope they can prove me wrong.

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe is finally back and D’Antoni is out — what more could Laker fans want? Byron Scott was a good choice as the Lakers try and figure themselves out. Adding Carlos Boozer, Jeremy Lin, and draft pick Julius Randle will help the Lakers be somewhat relevant and if they can stay healthy they might be able to compete for a first round exit in the playoffs. I don’t doubt the Black Mamba and I think he can lead this team to the playoffs with an early exit. Only time will tell how he and the Lakers play though.

Minnesota Timberwolves: Losing Kevin Love hurts but it needed to be done. Adding Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett and Thaddeus Young will help this team be a little more interesting. Give this team a good three years before they actually start competing on a regular basis.

Every NBA season some surprise teams jump up and contend for the playoffs. In the West those could be the Pelicans, Lakers, and Suns.

It’s happened before. Teams have ramped up their roster in exciting off-seasons, bringing about delusions of grandeur, but when the playoffs finally arrive the said team doesn’t play up to their potential and has an early postseason exit. The 2013-2014 Houston Rockets are the latest team to fall victim to this phenomenon.

Next season will bring much criticism for James Harden and the Rockets after a first round playoff exit. By Game Face (Flickr: The Beard), via Wikimedia Commons

They finished as the fourth-seed in the tough Western Conference and met-up in the playoffs with a young-and-gun Portland Trailblazer team who, at one point, was the best team in the NBA. Portland quickly took the first two games of the series in Houston, an impressive feat for a young team and the Rockets could never recover. Houston rebounded and took game 3 in Portland but dropped game 4 to the Blazers and after that the Blazers had full control. It wasn’t like the Blazers were destroying the Rockets — most games were very tight and could have gone either way — but they mainly went the Blazers’ way.

So, the Blazers move on to the second round and the Rockets, disappointingly, go home way earlier than most people expected.

It is very clear that Dwight Howard has found a home in Houston with the Rockets and that he enjoys playing second-fiddle to Harden, but are those two enough to get the Rockets over the hump? I don’t believe so.

They need another star-type player to make another big three in the NBA. We all know that Dwight Howard isn’t the best offensive center in the league and James Harden sometimes doesn’t play his best, especially on defense. Having another star to carry them would go a long way toward putting them over the hump.

Next season will be very interesting for the Rockets because even though most people didn’t expect them to compete for a title in the first year together, losing in the first round of the playoffs with home-court advantage isn’t a good sign. For their sake, I hope they use this season as motivation to figure out what ails them. If not, the reputations of both Harden and Howard as true stars in this league are at stake.

All season long, the two-time defending champion Miami Heat have been the favorites in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs, who lost to Miami in the Finals last season, had the best record during the regular season and have looked like a team on a mission. The Indiana Pacers, who seemed determined to overthrow their rivals in Miami started off the season hot but have slipped lately. This was supposed to be the year that some team knocked off LeBron James and the Heat and stopped them from becoming a dynasty. Thus far in the playoffs that dream seems very unlikely.

Could the NBA Finals return to the Moda Center in Portland this season? By Another Believer (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

At this point, I think the only other two teams that could give the Heat some trouble out East are the young Toronto Raptors and the veteran Brooklyn Nets, who happen to be facing each other in the first round. With the Pacers struggling to find themselves, it almost looks like a lock for the Heat to meet up with a team like the Wizards in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In other words, it’s not turning out to be as challenging as many thought for LeBron and co.

In the West, it’s a free-for-all, with some of the top teams struggling so far in the playoffs. The top-seeded Spurs are playing their in-state rival Dallas Mavericks who so far are showing the Spurs they mean some business. The two teams from the Lone Star State have split the first two games in San Antonio and Dallas could have won both games in San Antonio if not for an impressive run to end game one by the Spurs.

The second-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder with MVP Kevin Durant seemed primed for another playoff run yet find themselves down 2-1 to the gritty Memphis Grizzlies. The Houston Rockets had a lot of hype after the addition of Dwight Howard in the offseason, but they are down 0-2 to the Trail Blazers heading into one of the loudest arenas in the NBA back in Portland. The Los Angeles Clippers are the only top seeded team looking like they should taking a 2-1 lead over the Warriors including winning a game in Oakland.

The NBA playoffs are far from over and anything can happen, but so far signs are pointing towards the Heat reaching their fourth straight NBA Finals and meeting up with any of the right Western Conference teams that clinched a postseason berth. Here is what I believe will happen over the course of the playoffs:

First Round:

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Dallas Mavericks (Spurs in 7)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 7. Memphis Grizzlies (Grizzlies in 6)

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6. Golden State Warriors (Clippers in 7)

4. Houston Rockets vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

1. Indiana Pacers vs. 8. Atlanta Hawks (Pacers in 7)

2. Miami Heat vs. 7. Charlotte Bobcats (Heat in 5)

3. Toronto Raptors vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets (Nets in 6)

4. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Wizards in 4)

Semi-Finals:

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 7. Memphis Grizzlies (Clippers in 7)

1. Indiana Pacers vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Wizards in 6)

2. Miami Heat vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets (Heat in 7)

Conference Finals:

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

2. Miami Heat vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Heat in 5)

NBA Finals: 2. Miami Heat vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (TBA)

Nothing compares to a good individual rivalry in the NBA. Since one-on-one is the name of the game in the League, individual match-ups are analyzed and torn apart. Fans ask the age-old question of who is better than who? By the time a game is over, we sometimes even get a definitive answer.

Until recently, we hadn’t seen any huge individual rivalries in quite a while. While Kobe Bryant has won five titles over the past decade-and-a-half, other players have come and gone. But Kevin Durant and LeBron James have changed that. Since meeting up in the 2011 NBA Finals, Durant and LeBron have been known as the two best players in the league and everything they do gets compared.

Kevin Durant is a great player but will be second to LeBron until he starts to win. By Keith Allison, via Wikimedia Commons

Durant vs. LeBron has become a matchup that is an event each and every time that the two match-up. Since 2010, when LeBron joined the Heat, Miami has a record of 9-4 against Oklahoma City, including their NBA Finals matchup.

Now why is this? It is actually very simple in the fact that the Thunder just don’t matchup very well against the Heat. I believe that if the Thunder and Heat met up in the Finals again, it would be the same boring outcome that is was back in 2011 when the Heat won the series 4 games to 1.

People can talk about how the Heat aren’t as good this season and how they won’t win a third NBA title in a row, but I give them a very good chance to do so. Until the Heat no longer have LeBron James on their roster, I will probably pick them to win each season. In my opinion, there are only three teams right now that could actually beat the Heat in a playoff series based on match-ups.

The Pacers and Spurs have proven they can play with the Heat so I give them a realistic chance to do so. The third team may be of a surprise to people but I think that the Rockets could give the Heat a run for their money. Having James Harden, the size of Dwight Howard, and all the shooters they have could cause problems for Miami.

The debate of Durant vs. LeBron is just getting started and I am excited to watch these two great players go at each other over the next several seasons. For now, though, the debate needs to stop because LeBron James is the best player in the world and will hold that title for a long time. Until Kevin Durant starts adding some NBA titles to his resume he will be second to his rival and friend LeBron James.

As the new NBA season approaches, it seems that there are more preseason story-lines than I can remember in a long time. This season, some of these questions are:

Is this the last season of the Big Three in Miami?

How will Dwight Howard fit in with James Harden and Houston?

Will this be it for Tim Duncan?

How will Kobe play when he comes back from his injury?

There are many other story lines coming into the NBA season but with story lines comes predictions, something many people enjoy doing. I have made my predictions for each the Western Conference and Eastern Conference but have yet to make my Conference Finals picks and NBA Finals picks. It has taken me a long time to finally decide which two teams will be playing for a title at the end of the season but I have made my picks and here they are:

Can the Indiana Pacers be the team to finally de-throne the Miami Heat in the East? By Marta Sand (Flickr: Heat vs Pacers, 2012), via Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Conference Finals

For respect purposes and the fact that I do believe Chicago and Indiana will play each other in the second round thus handing the Heat a spot here.

Opposing them will either be the Pacers or Bulls. While both teams play defense, I favor the Pacers over the Bulls because of the experience of a year ago. So, Indiana vs. Miami in a rematch of that epic seven game series last season but this time, I believe Paul George and the Pacers will pull through and de-throne the champions.

The Pacers are going to be a very hungry team after the end of last season and if not for a dumb mistake by Frank Vogel in game 1, I think the Pacers would have won the series a year ago. This year I believe they will get it done and make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Adding Luis Scola and Chris Copland help boost this team past the two time champions.

Western Conference Finals

This is a tough pick because I believe that there are at least six teams that can represent the West in the NBA Finals. I am going to go with a somewhat bold prediction here and say that the Western Conference Finals will take place solely in Texas. The Rockets and Spurs are my picks for the Western Conference Finals.

The addition of a (healthy) Dwight Howard to an already pretty good Rockets team is a huge factor behind this. I think James Harden and Howard will play together much better than Howard and Kobe Bryant did last season — resulting in wins rather than losses. That being said, I don’t believe it will be the Rockets representing the West in the Finals. This is going to be a test year for the Spurs since they have never dealt with a Finals loss. Will this old team fold after losing such a tough Finals series? Or, will they use the loss as motivation to get back and win another title? I’m going to bet on the motivation. So, the Spurs do it again, looking to redeem themselves from the heart-breaking Finals loss last season.

NBA Finals

Pacers vs. Spurs.

David Stern’s worst nightmare.

This will be another tough, grind it out type series much like the Heat-Spurs series was last season and as much as my heart wants to pick the Indiana Pacers to win, my mind won’t let me. I have counted out the Spurs for too long. My pick to be the 2014 NBA Champions is the San Antonio Spurs. They added another shooter and in my opinion a tough-minded player in Marco Belinelli which should help the already explosive offense. After their first NBA Finals loss, I believe that Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and especially Tim Duncan will be extremely motivated and hungry to get one more title as a core unit. Tim Duncan and the Spurs pull a page from the Baltimore Ravens playbook with Ray Lewis and send Duncan off into the sunset on top of the NBA world, gathering his fifth NBA ring.

2014 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs 

The 2013 NBA offseason had major implications on the fate of the league in the coming years. This offseason brought fans many unusual moves. Big-name players switched teams, the “bad” teams got better, and some of the most historic teams in history look as they are going to fall off the map for awhile. Clearly, the league is going through some changes both in players and perception.

Can LeBron and the Heat win a third straight NBA title or will another team de-throne them? By Steve Jurvetson (Flickr: LeBron James), via Wikimedia Commons

Josh Smith joined the Pistons, Andre Igoudala joined Golden State (this one happened before Howard), Al Jefferson joined the Bobcats, Chris Kaman and Nick Young went to the Lakers, Metta World Peace joined the Knicks, Paul Millsap went to Atlanta, Brandon Knight and Brandon Jennings were traded for each other, Monta Ellis went to Dallas, Greg Oden and Michael Beasley joined Miami, Chauncey Billups went back to Detroit and Andrew Bynum and his hair move to Cleveland, where (of course) a bank is located.

Within all the madness, there were a few retirements and coaching moves too. Doc Rivers left Boston to become the Clippers coach, and Jason Kidd became the Nets coach. George Karl and Lionel Hollins lost their jobs despite the Nuggets and Grizzlies having great seasons. In addition to Jason Kidd retiring, Grant Hill and Tracy McGrady also decided it was time to hang it up.

For me, one move made me feel sick to my stomach and I’m a Lakers fan. Longtime Celtics Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were dealt to the Nets and for some reason that makes me mad. It has recently come out that LeBron and the Miami Heat are critical of the move since both Pierce and Garnett criticized Ray Allen last season for leaving Boston and joining Miami. Unlike Allen, Pierce and Garnett were traded away, and although Garnett waived his no trade clause he did it because he wanted to keep playing alongside Pierce. The move of Pierce and Garnett means the Celtics (like the Lakers) will probably have less than spectacular seasons ahead.

The NBA looks as it is shaping up to be great in the next ten or so years and I for one, am very excited. There is so much young talent in the league and it will only get better. The 2013-14 season tips off in a couple weeks and I will be glued to my TV all season long.

Who do you think was the biggest NBA move of the summer? Comment below!

I’ll say it again — it’s never too early for NBA predictions.

Since LeBron James (or Ray Allen depending who you talk to) led the Miami Heat their second straight NBA title, the other 29 teams have been making many moves to try and compete with the defending champs. While not all teams will even be given a chance to dethrone the champs, I thoroughly believe that most teams in the league improved from a year ago, which is going to make for a great NBA season.

Even with adding Dwight Howard, James Harden and the Rockets aren’t in the top 5 in the Western Conference. By Derral Chen derivative work: Bagumba via Wikimedia Commons

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Yes, you read that correctly. The Clippers are the number one seed in the Western Conference but that doesn’t always lead to a title. The additions of Jared Dudley, JJ Redick, Daren Collison  and of course coach Doc Rivers make the Clippers, in my opinion, the best team in the West right now.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder: I think losing Kevin Martin and finding no replacement for him is going to be a huge loss for the Thunder whom basically traded away James Harden for nothing now. They still have Durant and Westbrook and nobody really wants to play those guys come playoff time, unless you’re the Miami Heat.

3. San Antonio Spurs: Meer seconds and one rebound away from another title, all the Spurs did this offseason was get even better. Marco Belinelli adds both shooting and toughness. Look for another great year from the ageless wonders.

4. Memphis Grizzles: People keep forgetting about the Grizzles and I don’t understand why. They are much like the Knicks in that sense. They made it to the Conference Finals — granted they beat a Westbook-less Thunder team — but still they are good. They play defense and Marc Gasol and Mike Conley are only going to get better.

5. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry had an incredible coming out party last season and so did the Warriors franchise. Yes they lost Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry but they added Andre Igoudala. When Harrison Barnes is coming off the bench as a 6^th man, you know that your team is in good shape. Plus they gained much needed playoff experience.

6. Houston Rockets: For the people whom may be reading this and think I am crazy for putting the Rockets so low, think again. I know that they added Dwight Howard who will pair with James Harden to make a pretty good one-two punch. Aside from them though, who else do they have? Chandler Parsons? He can play, no doubt about it, but seriously who else? As we saw last year with the Lakers, having big names but no bench doesn’t equal success. We shall see how their top two mesh but for now they are at best my 6 seed in the stacked Western Conference.

7. Denver Nuggets: Losing Igoudala is a huge blow to this up-tempo team but I’m sure new coach Brian Shaw can figure out how to make it work. They will be getting Danillo Gallinari back from his injury and added Nate Robinson and J.J. Hickson. The Nuggets have one of the most stacked frontcourts in the league but they need to learn how to win on the road, which was their downfall last season.

8. Portland Trailblazers: I really like what the Blazers have done this offseason improving their horrible bench from last season. Led by rising star Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge, the Blazers should make the playoffs baring any major injuries like they unfortunately have had in the past.

9. Los Angeles Lakers: People keep writing the Lakers off and I believe that will just inspire Kobe to play even better. I think that they actually got better by losing Howard because now they don’t have to worry about him wanting the ball every time down the floor and the question whether or not he will stay or leave. Adding Nick Young, Chris Kaman, Jordan Farmar and Wesley Johnson aren’t season changing moves but its good enough for them to fight for a playoff spot again.

10. Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves aggravate me so much because they have so much potential but never can live up to it because of constant injuries. I am done betting on them to stay healthy so I will put them at the 10^th spot in the West. The additions of Kevin Martin and rookie Shabazz Muhammad should improve the team but like I said, I am expecting some sort of injury that costs the hopes of makes the playoffs.

11. Dallas Mavericks: Dallas is a tricky one because they didn’t really get worse in the off-season but they didn’t get better either. Adding Monta Ellis doesn’t qualify in my opinion as getting better. For now they are 11^th in the West.

12. New Orleans Pelicans: Welcome to the NBA Pelicans, your 12^th best team in the Western Conference in 2014. I liked the moves to get Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evens but this team is still too young to compete. Give it a few years and maybe New Orleans will be back in the playoffs.

13. Phoenix Suns: I really liked the trade that sent them Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler. Bledsoe is an up-and-coming star point guard who will improve the team and Butler is a good SF to have on a roster. If Michael Beasley could stop smoking pot for once in his life, this team might be able to do something in the coming years in the West.

14. Sacramento Kings: The Kings are similar to the Magic in the East as they have a rising star in Ben McLemore, whom I believe will be ROY when it’s all said and done. They have done some good building in Sacramento but not for the present. Wait it out a few years and good things will happen in Sac-town.

15. Utah Jazz: It’s not normal that a team who was competing for a playoff spot a year ago drops to the bottom of the standings but its also not usual for a team to lose both its starting center and power forward in the same off-season and not bring anyone in to fill the holes. Trey Burke and Gordon Hayward are two good pieces for the Jazz but the rest of the team isn’t quite remarkable. Dark times again for the fans in Salt Lake City.

Dwight Howard is taking his smile and game to Houston. By scott mecum, via Wikimedia Commons

After being bounced in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs for the second straight year in 2012, the Los Angeles Lakers are in unusual territory.

They aren’t being considered serious contenders for the upcoming year.

Trading for Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in separate deals to pair with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol last year brought the promise of a hugely successful season. Fast-forward to the 2013 offseason, and dejected Lakers fans wondered, will Dwight Howard re-sign?

While many in the Lakers’ organization seemed optimistic, fans and executives around the NBA thought it unlikely Howard would continue in the Purple and Gold. With 16 NBA titles under its belt, I think the Lakers organization and must have been confident in re-signing Howard. They have Hollywood, legends, and banners, everything that Dwight Howard has said from the beginning that he wants. How can any star player deny a chance to become another legend that wore the famous purple and gold jerseys?

Don’t get me wrong, Howard is a great NBA player. When healthy, he is the best center in the league. But he is still immature and sometimes delusional, and never quite seemed like he belonged.

He has finally made his decision, spurning the Lakers to join James Harden and the Houston Rockets. Howard becomes the first superstar to leave Los Angeles for another team. He made it clear that he didn’t like playing under Mike D’Antoni but the Lakers didn’t budge and made it clear that he would be back as the coach. All that being said, I don’t believe Howard ever really wanted to be in Los Angeles in the first place. From the beginning he had other cities in mind — Brooklyn for instance. His relationship with the fans in Los Angeles seemed to mirror his relationship with every coach he’s ever had. Fans marveled at his talent and raw ability when healthy. They groaned when they considered the player he could be. The fans never accepted this #12 even as much as they accepted another #12 — Vlade Divac. Howard never wanted to be a Laker and rightfully so shouldn’t be one.

One last message to Dwight: Thank you for choosing the Rockets over the Lakers. At least now us Laker fans and organization don’t have to deal with all your problems. Have fun in Houston playing for a team that has won only two championships in its franchise history and the only reason they won those are because Michael Jordan left the league in 1994 and only played in 17 games in 1995. In a few years you will be sitting on your couch watching the Lakers hold up that trophy you so desperately covet and will be thinking, “I’ve made a huge mistake.” But again, thank you Dwight for leaving, you don’t want to be a Laker then the Lakers don’t need you. And Houston, this time you really do have a problem, a 6’11” problem.

Here we go again…Dwightmare 2.0 or even 2.5 as some people are calling it, is among us. New rumors swirling each and every day. The latest basically says that the Houston Rockets, who are probably the strongest competition for the Lakers in the Howard sweepstakes, are getting good signs about him leaving Los Angeles for Houston. Add the recruitment of Rockets star guard James Harden and it seems as if Howard’s days in Los Angeles are numbered. While he hasn’t come out publicly and said it, Howard seems to have trouble playing under coach Mike D’Antoni. Lakers management, who brought in D’Antoni to replace Mike Brown last season, isn’t budging and have decided to keep D’Antoni for next season. It is uncertain at this time whether or not that will be one of the deciding factors in Howard’s decision.

If Dwight Howard doesn’t want to be in Los Angeles, the Lakers don’t need him back. By Howcheng (Own work), via Wikimedia Commons

With regard to the D’Antoni mess, I completely understand where Howard is coming from. Despite Howard recovering from an injury, D’Antoni didn’t use him correctly during the first half of the season. After the mid-way point, Howard felt better and something clicked. The Lakers went 28-12 over the last 40 games and had a top-3 record over the second half of the season. Lets not forget that and if not for a bizarre occurrence of consistent injuries to Kobe, Nash, Steve Blake and Jodie Meeks right before the end of the season, the Lakers might have made a playoff run. With a starting backcourt of Darius Morris and Andrew Goudelock, the Lakers were in no shape to be playing in the playoffs. Watching the series felt like I was watching a really bad D-League game. That being said, in his final game as the Lakers were about to be swept off their home court, Howard got ejected. When Kobe Bryant walked on the court only a few minutes later, fans made it known whose team it really was, and still is.

As a Laker fan, I have decided that I no longer care whether or not Howard stays or leaves the Lakers. Don’t get me wrong, Howard is a great player and I would love to have him stay with the Lakers but if he doesn’t want to be in Los Angeles then good riddance. The Lakers have 16 championships and come with a storied history. If I am the Lakers, I don’t need anyone here who doesn’t want to be here. Dwight Howard could become another Hall of Fame big man to play for the Lakers if he wants too but that all depends on what he does this summer. If Howard really wants to win as bad as he has always said, then he stays in Los Angeles where he has the best chance to win a title (maybe not next season but in 2014 and beyond when the team would only have one or two players under the salary cap.)

I have a message to Howard: “Man up” and finally for the first time in your career take charge and stop complaining about the perfect fit and just win where you are. You left Orlando because they didn’t put pieces around you and now you are thinking of leaving the Lakers? Even after they put Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash and Pau Gasol around you? What more could you want? Whether or not you stay, the Lakers will revamp the team to be contenders again like they always do. Go ahead and go to Houston but in a few years when you are sitting on your couch watching the Lakers hoist up that trophy you so desperately want, you will regret not being a part of it and don’t say we didn’t tell you so.

Predictions in sports can be just as fun as what actually happens and a lot of time many people do it. Every person has their own unique way of predicting outcomes, some go through the purity of stats or some use just the heart and will of a team or player. Either way, predictions can be a way for a fan, analyst or gambler to have and feel like they are involved with the actual games being played. As for me, I have made many predictions throughout my life, some that have come true and some that haven’t and I will be the first one to admit when I am wrong. On that note, here is my prediction for the Western Conference when the season comes to an end in April, a small breakdown of each team and some playoff predictions with a little over half the season complete:

I’m predicting Russell Westbrook and the Thunder losing to the Lakers in the NBA Finals.
By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

1.    San Antonio Spurs:

The Spurs have been one of the best and classiest teams in the West for years and with the core of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili still together and still playing well, you can never count out the four-time champions

2.    Oklahoma City Thunder

The reigning Western Conference champs haven’t stopped dominating the West as they did a year ago. The move to swap James Harden for Kevin Martin was a highly talked about one but I liked the trade very much. Kevin Durant is now forced to control the ball more, something I feel the Thunder need to do if they want to get better.

3.    Los Angeles Clippers

I know we are all used to seeing the Lakers around this spot but the tables have turned this year and congratulations to the Clippers for that. I think they are the team with the most depth in the NBA and can be a scary matchup come playoff time.

4.    Golden State Warriors:

In the biggest turnaround of any team this season, the Warriors make my fourth seed in the West and I believe they can do some damage. They are a great shooting team and the health of Stephen Curry has boosted them to an unusual (for them) level. Could it be possible that San Francisco and its surrounding areas can get all three major sport titles? The 49ers play in the Super Bowl this Sunday and the Giants have already won the World Series.

5.    Denver Nuggets:

18-3 at home, that’s the first stat I will throw out for the Nuggets. This is one of the best home teams in the NBA and they can be one of the most dangerous. They took the Lakers to the brink last season in the playoffs and have learned from that experience. I liked the move to bring in Andre Iguodala as he adds defense and explosiveness, which was the strength of the Nuggets before the move.

6.    Memphis Grizzlies:

This team started out hot and has cooled down since. They are the best defensive team in the NBA with only allowing 89.5 points per game and have one of the best starting lineups with Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph and Mike Conley. Look for the Grizzlies to make a run or even make my predicted Clipper matchup to be the best of the first round as it was last season.

7.    Houston Rockets:

The Rockets barely missed the taste of the postseason last year. Since then, they’ve traded for all-star James Harden and point guard Jeremy Lin. This is a very young team but the leadership of Harden and Lin will guide them to the playoffs. I don’t trust Harden in the clutch, something that is so important as the star player of a team. He is a marvelous player but needs to work on that aspect of his game.

8.    Los Angeles Lakers:

Yes, I know that this team has been in the gutter of the standings all season but I believe they will turn it around but only as the eighth seed. Led by Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard the Lakers will push their ways into the playoffs and from there you never know what can happen. They dug a steep hole for themselves but this is a whole new season especially for this team.

Notable Mentions: Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers and Dallas Mavericks

PREDICTIONS:

First Round:

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Los Angeles Lakers: Lakers in six (upset)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 7. Houston Rockets: Thunder in five

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6. Memphis Grizzlies: Clippers in seven

4. Golden State Warriors vs. 5. Denver Nuggets: Warriors in seven

Semi Finals:

4. Golden State Warriors vs. 8. Los Angeles Lakers:

Lakers win the Pacific division showdown in five games. The Lakers size and experience are too much for the young up and coming Warrior team. The Lakers take on the Thunder in a playoff series re-match from last season.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 3. Los Angeles Clippers:

The Thunder win this exciting and back-n-fourth playoff series in seven games. The Thunder make it to their third consecutive conference finals and look to go back to the NBA Finals but standing in their way is the 32-time conference champion Los Angeles Lakers

Conference Finals:

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 8 Los Angeles Lakers:

This is where it gets interesting since I believe these are the two best teams in the Western Conference despite the difference in records. This will be a physical and fast-paced series, which favors the Thunder but I can’t count out Kobe and company. The Lakers match-up very well against the Thunder. If the Lakers can even mildly contain Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrok, they can win as they did the other night. I look for this to be the best series of the Western playoffs with the Lakers coming out on top in this hard fought and mentally draining seven game series.

2013 Western Conference Champions: 8. Los Angeles Lakers

I’m not saying the Lakers will win the NBA title but I do believe they will make it back to the NBA Finals after what seemed like a hopeless season. It won’t be easy as the West is scary-good, but Kobe Bryant is in search of another ring and won’t be denied by the likes of anyone in the West. I’m sticking with my pre-season pick, the Los Angeles Lakers.