Most Imposing Teams Still Lurk in the West

Imagine the depth of a conference in which the No. 2 finisher edges out the No. 3 team in the last week... then goes on a 15-1 romp through the playoffs.

The West was supposed to be a powerhouse last season and it was, although things turned out a little differently than anyone expected.

The defending champion Lakers bickered until April 1 before finishing the season with an 8-0 run as a prelude to their 15-1 postseason.

The San Antonio Spurs, who looked respectable, went belly up in the Western Conference finals and were called every name in the book by an indignant press.

The Portland Trail Blazers, who looked like they were still $90 million worth of trouble, turned on each other and are still trying to reassemble the pieces. Arvydas Sabonis, perhaps irked about Rasheed Wallace throwing a towel in his face in a timeout huddle, retired.

Now the Trail Blazers, who used to be the biggest, deepest team of all, will start a power forward, Dale Davis, at center.

Their new coach, Maurice Cheeks, acknowledges they don’t have anyone who can stand up to Shaquille O’Neal but asks, who does?

Well, his team used to.

The Sacramento Kings had a surprising season, with Chris Webber supposedly on his way out, and could have another, with Webber still there, now joined by Mike Bibby.

Seven teams in the West won 50 games, a record. The No. 8 Timberwolves won 47.

Two more teams, the Houston Rockets and Seattle Supersonics, had winning records and missed the playoffs.

The Clippers improved by 16 victories, to 31-51. Now, as Coach Alvin Gentry reminds people, all they have to do is improve by another 17 and they’ll be in the playoffs.

It’ll be another free-for-all out here. The Lakers look like they’re the best but, of course, might not show up before April 1 again, so there’s some hope, all around.