Yesterday I picked my Eastern Division winners and today I’m headed west, where the sun is brighter, the cheerleader’s outfits are tighter and the blunts are rolled hella bigger!It’s a Texas hoedown on the Western Front, with all three teams from Tejas weighing in with some huge chances to be there when the cow dung hits the fan.
Here they are and all I can say is Yee-ha!
WESTERN DIVISION
SAN ANTONIO SPURS: If they don’t go all the way this season, they deserve to be hog-tied and bull-whipped, because they have the best squad, at least in the Western Division if not in the entire NBA. Tim Duncan is no longer the spry young man he was way back when, but he’s still a force night after night and when he’s at his best, he’s unstoppable. Sure, he averaged less than 20 ppg for the first time in his career last season, but he will get his numbers back up to respectability in no time. Rasho Nesterovic and Nazr Mohammed are gone, which is cool because I thought their names were too long, anyway. Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli are back, however, and that’s the good news.
Odds to win it all: 2 to 1.
DALLAS MAVERICKS: Granted, the owner is a jerk. (I refuse to print his name here, because he craves publicity and that would only be encouraging him.) Last season, Dirk Nowitzki stepped up and actually played some defense. He will continue to D up more this year, which will help this team immensely. Even though their backcourt is small, they have a great bench, with Jerry Stackhouse, Austin Croshere, Devean George and Anthony Johnson. If Josh Howard can mature and show more discipline than the team’s childish owner, the Mavs will look marvelous in 06/07.
Odds to win it all: 4 to 1.
PHOENIX SUNS: Coach Mike D’Antoni has a bunch of players that can beat any team on any given night, and if Steve Nash can continue to be a leader, the sun will again shine in Phoenix once more. Amare Stoudamire is back from missing last year due to injury, and although he may be a quarter- step slower, he’s probably a little wiser after observing and learning the game from the sidelines. The Suns have to learn to step up during the postseason – they always play phenomenal basketball during the regular season and then crumble under pressure during the playoffs. This may be the year they explode and char the rest of the west.
Odds to win it all: 7 to 1.
HOUSTON ROCKETS: If Tracy McGrady can stay healthy and Yao Ming starts playing tough and ceases being the Kung Yao Chicken in the post, the Rockets are headed skyward at the speed of light. If they learn to listen to Jeff Van Gundy, the coach will retain most of his hair and Houston will be once again in the championship race. Yao is the key to their success – it’s time for the 7-foot-5 former #1 pick to finally emerge as the dominant center in the game. Various foot problems caused the Yao-ster to miss 57 games last year, so hopefully he used some of his yen to hire a good podiatrist of acupuncturist this season.
Odds to win it all: 14 to 1.
Who will be in the NBA Finals?
(Drum roll, please!)
Dallas vs. Cleveland
And Who Will Go All the Way?
LeBron in 7!!
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