Lakers may Face Some Competition in the Playoffs

Western Conference
WESTERN		W	L	PCT	GB	HOME	ROAD	DIV	CONF	PF	PA	DIFF	STRK	L10
1	x - LA Lakers	53	19	.736	-	32-5	21-14	12-2	31-12	102.4	96.6	+5.8	Lost 1	7-3
2	Denver	48	25	.658	5 ½	30-6	18-19	10-4	29-15	107.2	102.5	+4.7	Won 1	6-4
3	Dallas	47	25	.653	6	25-11	22-14	7-6	25-18	101.5	99.8	+1.7	Lost 1	6-4
4	Utah	47	26	.644	6 ½	29-8	18-18	7-8	27-18	103.9	98.2	+5.7	Lost 1	6-4
5	Phoenix	46	26	.639	7	29-9	17-17	12-4	30-16	110.4	106.0	+4.5	Won 6	8-2
6	Oklahoma City	44	27	.620	8 ½	24-12	20-15	8-3	24-19	100.3	96.7	+3.6	Won 2	7-3
7	San Antonio	43	28	.606	9 ½	26-11	17-17	8-5	26-18	101.2	96.5	+4.6	Won 1	7-3
8	Portland	43	29	.597	10	24-13	19-16	6-7	27-16	98.0	94.8	+3.1	Won 1	8-2

In the best of all possible worlds, the Fakers will face-off against Portland in the first round and OKC in the second. That should live them pretty ragged for the WCFs, assuming they get that far, and I, for one, am not willing to make that assumption. OKC needs to move up a slot to make possible a second round match-up with the purple.

It may be time for Celtics fans to pull out that Kevin Durant jersey from draft day a couple years back.