LAKESHOW top of the food chain until otherwise.............BLAZERS, SPURS, OK CITY, and DENVER still chasing...

The NBA'S WESTERN CONFERENCE is still the same show. KOBE & KOBE & KOBE & KOBE & KOBE. I won't stop saying that until the Nuggets, Blazers, Spurs, and others force me to go elsewhere. What is really scary is that the LAKERS are better than the were last year with some key additions albeit all veterans. A couple of teams in the west are closing the respective gaps on each other and not the lakers. They are still on top but they can't stay on top forever. So here are the Best in the West trying to play past mid-April:

9. CLIP JOINT: The Clippers have a nice mix of youth and veterans but no leadership. Until someone changes the culture over there the CLIPS will be average at best. They have young building blocks in G ERIC GORDON and PF BLAKE GRIFFIN. With one of the best Centers in Chris KAMAN and One of the better NBA Point Guards when he wants to play in "B DIDDY" Baron DAVIS they baffle me on how they struggle a lot. GRIFFIN should be a welcome addition and we will see if COACH VINNY is a good NBA coach. WARNING VINNY: There are a lot of coach killing jobs out there and your part of one unless the LAKERS success rubs off on y'all. DAMN y'all play in the same building use the lakers lockers for home games.

8. PHX: Man the SUNS let STAT (STANDING TALL AND TALENTED) go to Gotham City and you get nothing in return. Is former GM Steve Kerr back on TNT with the "MARVELOUS ONE" Marv Albert. Yeah he is and you see why. They added a nice piece in HEDO what he do in TURKOGLU. The TURKEY Version of Jordan at least that's what I have been told. Look Suns you don't get rid of a Piece and then go add a piece. I understand fully STAT isn't a guy you build around he is a piece to the puzzle guy. Now with NASTY (NASH) getting older and STAT no longer there the Sun won't rise anytime soon in the desert.

7. MAVS: Poor Mark Cuban treading water like the best of them. I truly think he is one of the brightest and youthfulness Owners professional Sports has. But look closely the window isn't shut but someone is running over there to shut it. OK you knew ,THE DIGGLER, Dirk was staying put. He even gave back some Deutsch Marks so that the MAVS could go get some more help. They just don't have enough firepower to compete in a Western Conference that is average at best. Hey Cuban,"you should take a page out of the Warriors book and remove the other Nelson, Really".

6. JAZZ: Didn't they move to Chi-Town? The new-look Jazz will be good because they have two things: Coach Sloan who is TOP TOP Shelf and PG Deron Williams who is arguably the best Set up man in the BIZ. Losing Boozer wasn't as half bad as losing Korver, Brewer, and Mathews Jr. They added G Raja Bell and PF Al Jefferson, but they don't have enough balance on their team to compete with the top WEST Teams. Coach Sloan will still have them a high 40's to low 50's win team. But Playoff time won't get out of April.

5. MILE HIGH: I send my prayers to one of the BLUEDUDE'S favorite coaches in George Karl. I remember when coach was toiling in the CBA with Albany NY Patroons and then had a magnificent teams up in SEATTLE with likes of THE GLOVE, RAIN MAN, THE GERMAN DETLEF, NATE MCMILLAN, and a host of others who could flat out play his style. Go Coach Karl and FAM my prayers are with you. Nuggets have one problem: What y'all going to do with 'MELO? He doesn't want to be there and you know he doesn't want to be there so blow it up, get something for him, and start over. Nothing is promised when you start over but sometimes in this business you have no choice. If he leaves the Nuggets leave this ranking all together.

4. SPURS: 5 reasons the Spurs have this spot and should be higher but I am going with youth on the other two teams:
1. Coach POP need I say more
2. Maybe the Best NBA Front Office Today. Y'all hiring the BLUEDUDE gets it in for real.
3. MANU
4. The French PG
5. THE BIG FUNDAMENTAL #21
CHECK BACK TO SEE BY MARCH IF THEY ARE NOT ON THE Lakeshow's Tail. These guys can turn it around in a hurry and with a TIM Duncan that is even lighter than last year. We get the Tim that was built like back in Winston-Salem when he was playing with the likes of Randolph Childress and Rusty LaRue, someone will have to pay.

3. RIP CITY: Blazers will be tough. If they can just stay healthy they will be in this spot. They need "B ROY" at the Big Guard spot, and a healthy front line. Losing both Centers Oden and Pryzbilla was Gloom and Doom for the Blazers. Andre Miller is a constant at the point but how long can he hold up. Forward from Seagoville, Texas by way of Hookem' Horns, LaMarcus Aldridge turn the corner last year and came up big. He needs to be the Consistent post feed if they Blazers make that leap.

2. OK CITY: Like the O K Corral, these young guns are like the movie somewhat unstoppable. " THE DURANTULA" KD KEVIN Durant lead the Association in scoring last year. The kid can hit from anywhere. You have to guard him starting at the hotel or he will just kill you. PG Russell Westbrook is quietly for those of you not in the know becoming an elite NBA servant. Ever improving range and as explosive as they get at the point he is relentless. They add big fella from ROCK CHALK JAYHAWK IN THE DRAFT COLE ALDRICH to stop up the middle and all them athletes get out in the passing lanes and in transition to do damage. The front office is mostly from the Spurs Front Office and if they keep it up that's exactly what they ARE BUILDING IN OKC. NBA TV Analyst Steve "SPARTY" Smith called Durant " BABY ICE" cause he is so effortless and smooth. You don't even know KD hit you for 40 plus until you look at the score sheets.

1. LAKESHOW: The givens are Coach Phil, Kobe, Dr. Jerry Buss, and GM Mitch Kupchak. You want to know why teams like the Yankees, Steelers, Spurs, Red Sox, and Patriots among others always stay on the top. One they have a very solid foundation at the top and they are always looking to get better an add pieces to help. The Lakers don't need to add players but they did anyway. FA's Matt Barnes and Steve Blake. You lose Jordan Farmar but you add those guys. Then Center Andrew Bynum might not be back until Thxgiving, so you add back-up C/PF Theo Ratliff. They have only 2 2nd round picks and they get a troubled but re-focused Derek Character out of UTEP and Devin Ebanks from Morgantown. This is how you not only stay at the top but build for the future with limited cap space and low draft picks. DAMN............see you KOBE & Company in late June.