The Northwest Division NBA Preview

Denver Nuggets - 38-28 record last season. 6th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Ty Lawson, Andre Iguodala, Danilo Gallinari, Kenneth Faried, Kosta Koufos / Andre Miller, Corey Brewer, Wilson Chandler, JaVale McGee, Timofey Mozgov

Storyline/s: Their depth got an upgrade with the acquisition of Iguodala as part of their participation in the Dwight Howard deal. With the depth, who is the go-to-guy when the situation amounts itself to?

X-Factor/s: Can JaVale unlock his true potential under George Karl? A nation on the other side of the Pacific anticipates while the paperwork for his naturalization is being undertaken.

Prognosis: Exiting the first round of the playoffs.

Minnesota Timberwolves - 26-40 record last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Ricky Rubio, Brandon Roy, Andrei Kirilenko, Derrick Williams, Kevin Love / Luke Ridnour, Alexei Shved, Chase Budinger, Dante Cunningham, Nikola Pekovic, JJ Barea

Storyline/s: Kevin Love has made it known that this team needs to contend in the next few seasons. That, and the waiting for Ricky Rubio to return to the court.

X-Factor/s: How much does Brandon Roy have left in the tank? And how much does that knee have left in it?

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder - 47-19 record last season. Division Champions. Conference Champions. Lost to the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals.

Ideal Rotation: Russell Westbrook, Kevin Martin, Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka, Kendrick Perkins / Eric Maynor, Thabo Sefolosha, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones III, Nick Collison, Reggie Jackson

Storyline/s: They were schooled by Miami in the finals. Humbled, yet undaunted, their quest remains in returning to that destination and finish what was started. That was until Sam Presti pulled off the James Harden trade.

X-Factor/s: All eyes now on Kevin Martin as he steps into Harden's shoes. Eric Maynor returns after rehabbing from his injury.

Prognosis: Division Champions. Conference Champions. Exiting in the NBA Finals.

Portland Trailblazers - 28-38 record last season. Missed the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Damian Lillard, Wesley Matthews, Nic Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, JJ Hickson / Ronnie Price, Sasha Pavlovic, Victor Claver, Meyers Leonard

Storyline/s: The rebuilding process has begun, with the centerpiece on Aldridge. The keys to the offense has been handed to a rookie point guard. Terry Stotts has taken over.

X-Factor/s: Wes is expected to do more this season. Nic Batum got himselft a nice contract, and with such, much is expected.

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Utah Jazz - 36-30 record last season. 8th seed in the playoffs. Lost to the San Antonio Spurs in the first round of the playoffs.

Ideal Rotation: Mo Williams, Gordon Hayward, Marvin Williams, Paul Millsap, Al Jefferson / Jamaal Tinsley, Randy Foye, Alec Burks, Enes Kanter, Derrick Favors

Storyline/s: Ty Corbin remakes the backcourt, adding Mo and Randy to a potent frontcourt with All-Star caliber players. Will it be enough to stave off others who want that final slot that went to them last season?

X-Factor/s: The pressure is off Marvin Williams now, the pressure of having to live being Atlanta's 2nd overall selection in a draft that featured stud point guards in Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

Prognosis: Missing the playoffs.

Let Westbrook be Westbrook

"No. Let me get this straight. What you guys say doesn't make me happy, doesn't make me sad. Doesn't do anything. It's all about my team and us winning a game. I don't have a personal challenge against you guys, and it's not me against the world. It's not the world against me. It's me and my teammates trying to win."

The quote came from Russell Westbrook in a postgame conference addressing the notion of media criticism on him as posed to him by Gregg Doyel of CBS Sports. This is how Gregg asked that question:

Russell, you've taken some heat, whether you know it or not you have, but tonight, of course, you shouldn't take a whole lot.  Was there any vindication at all?  I know you guys didn't win, but personally do you feel okay about it? 

He finished with 43 pts on 20/32 shooting. Made all three of his free throw attempts. Missed all three of his attempts beyond the arc. Grabbed 7 rebounds. Issued 5 dimes. Stole the ball once.

But most of you, especially the media, will remember his third personal foul and his third turnover. Both of those came in the dying seconds. Because this is about the narrative. That Russell can't be a point guard in this team. That Russell is shooting the ball too much. That Russell needs to defer.

Sure, the little gaffes cost them game, but with Durant effectively muzzled by Lebron James and Shane Battier, he carried the offensive load. You cannot question his effort, his aggression and his will to win.

I am really sick and tired of how some of the media have savagely attacked him and his play. I hope his effort did not go in vain in this defeat.

Skip Bayless getting owned

I only manage to listen to ESPN2's morning show First Take via podcast, so I know who Skip Bayless is from listening to him and via his twitter (@realskipbayless). He takes pride of his hometown team, the Oklahoma City Thunder. But he is absolutely critical of one guy in the team, Russell Westbrook. Almost each and every time he takes potshots at his shot attempts, his turnovers, his decision making... And then one time, he decides to share what he knows about running a team as a point guard to illustrate what Russell ought to be doing.

But then, a local blog in Oklahoma decided to do some digging. And it leads to this gem from Jalen Rose on First Take yesterday.



Of course, this was after Kevin Durant got sick and tired of constantly having to hear about this stuff.

So, I thank you, Jalen Rose. As you always say at the start of your Grantland podcast... "Power To The People, Give the People What They Want."

The 2011 Western Conference Finals on ESPN

I'm the Larry Bird for the new millenium, bitches.

Game 1 has passed by and what a game that was. You could call it the Dirk Nowitzki Experience, where whatever Oklahoma City put up did not stand a chance. Even their coach, Scotty Brooks, said it. Lost in the DNE was that Kevin Durant was not all too shabby either.

After the jump is the much belated preview of the NBA Western Conference Finals.

Western Conference Playoff Manuscript

Well, this was supposed to be the playoff preview for the Western Conference, but since I'm posting this already after the Lakers get bounced (I predicted the Lakers to supposedly advance in 6, so I am terribly wrong in this case), might as well do a little revisionism and post-script action.

So, let's go straight to the nitty gritty.