How the West Was Lost...

We have all heard the phrase "nothing lasts forever." One thing that I thought would be constant, would be the western conference domination of the NBA regular season. For the last 8 years, the western conference has dominated the eastern conference without a doubt and has been the top-to-bottom best. No doubt it is still early in the 2008-09 NBA season, but some things that have held constant are no longer what they used to be.

The Dallas Mavericks, and San Antonio Spurs have a combined 6 wins and 12 losses. And both are currently out of the top 8 in the playoff race. I concede that the Spurs are missing Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker, but I am not totally convinced with the rest of the their roster. Recent Spurs teams have consisted of veteran players that were poised to win championships. The current roster is composed of many fringe players that have struggled to make it on an NBA roster. After watching the Mavs, it is honestly just hopeless for them. They can only hope get in the draft lottery, and pick up a point guard that is not 35 years old with 45 year old knees.

The rest of the western conference is looking very weak as well compared to last season. To end last year, the top 9 teams in the west all had a minimum of 50 wins. In the early season, the Sacramento Kings hold the 8th spot with an under .500 % record of 4-6. There has also been as reshuffling of the teams in playoff contention. The Portland Trailblazers, and Sacramento Kings have replaced the Mavericks, and Spurs atop the best in the west. Like I have already said, there is a ton of season left , but the west just does not look like the dominate conference it once was...