1st round
Phoenix over Memphis in 5
San Antonio over Denver in 7
Sacramento over Seattle in 7
Dallas over Houston in 6

2nd round
Dallas over Phoenix in 7
San Antonio over Sacramento in 5

Western Finals
San Antonio over Dallas in 7

The reasoning on the close series,

San Antonio is going to have a lot of trouble with Denver. Denver has been playing better then anyone as of late, and Duncan probably won't be 100% for the first couple of games. Denver could pull the upset, but I'm banking on the Spurs. Sacramento against Seattle should also be really close. Sac has the experience, and Seattle is still hurting. I would have given it to Seattle a couple of weeks ago. Dallas and Houston would also be a great series. Dallas has been playing much better of late, and are much deeper then the Rockets.

With Dallas over Phoenix, this is pretty much a toss up for me. Phoenix reminds me a lot of the Mavericks of two years ago, and the lack of strong defense is going to hurt them. The Mavs on the other hand can score and run with the Suns, and have been playing pretty decent d of late. I'm probably giving the nod to the Mavs because they are my team. The Spurs should have no trouble with the Kings. The Spurs have gotten better, while the Kings have dropped off significantly.

For the finals, I think it will be another great series. San Antonio has the mental edge, and have pretty easily handled Dallas over the past few years. Dallas matches up with them a lot better now though with the improved D, the maturing of Josh Howard, and the additions of Dampier, Van Horn and Stackhouse. I still give it to San Antonio, especially if Duncan is at 100%.

GO DALLAS!

I like your take, C4. I'd probably pick Seattle and Phoenix where you have them losing, but it could go either way.

This should be a good year for the playoffs.

a couple of story lines i am interested in in the west:
1) can phoenix keep up that style of play( i hope so cuz i love it)
2) will the spurs get back on top now that duncan is healthy

I think that the Sonics will win their series in 6. They have some games where they can't seem to sink 3-pointers, but if they can make them, I think that the Sonics will win. They have good free-throwers and close range shooters. Another problem is their defense, which has been struggling lately.

GO SONICS!!

If the Sonics can play like they did for the majority of the season, then I agree with you. I think they are a better team overall then the Kings and could take them in six. But they have gone down the tubes in the last few weeks of the regular season, and are still not in playoff shape. If they can somehow turn it on, then I would love to see them take the Kings down. At this point in the season though, the Kings are just playing better overall ball. But their last two losses to the Suns and Utah were pretty horrible so this is a bit of a toss up also. This is the most excited I have been for the playoffs in awhile, because there is no clear cut dominant team.

as a fan of 80s basketball, i'd love to see a Sonics/Suns western conference final.

every game.....135-128

I agree, the Sonics need to get their game back. I don't know what has happened during the last few weeks, but if they want to make it past the first round they seriously need to step it up.

They worked so hard this season and to end it on a low note would be a shame. Ray Allen has had up and down games in the last month or so (maybe longer). Some games he will be on with his shots and other nights he will miss by a mile. I've also noticed that, during some games, it will take him a while to get into a shooting groove. He will stink up the first half, but come back strong in the second. He needs to have solid games, which he is quite cabable of having.

I've really been impressed by Ridnour in the last half of the season. His shooting has improved tremendously and he seems to be more confident with the ball. Early on I remember him running around like he didn't know what to do.

I have to give a lot of credit to Coach McMillian for turning this team around this season. IMO, he deserves the Coach of the Year award (but so does Skiles).

I would love to see that too, but I don't know if my heart could take it.

yea im praying for a Seattle Phoenix final.......the Spurs are fundamental basketball at its finest. but theyre boring as fuck.

plus no one has a nicer looking shot than Jesus Shuttlesworth

Even though I'm a Nuggets fan, I'll agree with you here. The Nuggets have absolutely been on fire since Karl took over, but the injury bug has hit them at the worst possible time. Kenyon Martin is still questionable with his knee injury and Andre Miller has a bad back. Getting Voshon Lenard back is a plus, but he'll be rusty and Person has filled his role quite nicely anyway.

The X-factor is Marcus Camby. He is the heart of that team and while he should be ok to go, hamstring pulls are a bitch of an injury because they're the nagging kind where you don't know exactly when they're totally healed. If Camby is ok, then they have a chance to take the series even with Martin not at 100%, but if Martin and Camby are hurting, I don't see this going past game 6.

the rockets will beat the mavs. ill put $10 on it.

As much as I want that to happen, I honestly don't think that it will. The Mavs have been very good lately.