West doesn’t get bad, it gets even

OK, who put the league in the compactor?

Welcome to “Survivor: NBA.” This isn’t any South Sea island, but it’s going to be the same idea.

They’re always moaning about parity in the NFL, but it just hit the NBA. It has actually been coming since the ‘80s, when sports’ first salary cap ended an era when the Lakers’ and Celtics’ second teams, with players such as Bob McAdoo, Michael Cooper and Bill Walton, could have made the playoffs.

In recent years two superstars were enough, but the Shaquille O’Neal-Dwyane Wade tandem is sagging and the Shaq-Kobe Bryant tandem is gone, as is the Tim Duncan-David Robinson tandem. This is what’s left.

Ten teams may have a shot at the title. This includes two or three from the East, which was in trouble before Shaquille O’Neal left (of the first 46 meetings, the West won 30) and now looks like the “It’s a small world” ride at Disneyland.

For the moment both local teams are entitled to dream, but the West will be especially tough with everyone beating the stuffing out of each other nightly, as this survey suggests.

* Utah -- Big, deep and good. Dismantling the Clippers shows the Jazz is for real, but with Andrei Kirilenko the oldest starter at 26, the team won’t run away and hide.

* San Antonio -- Duncan is still great, but he’s not what he was and neither are the Spurs.

* Clippers -- Getting dismantled in Utah shows they’re not quite there. Their power game with Chris Kaman as well as Elton Brand made them special, so they’ll have to get it back.

* Lakers -- Amazing but true, with Phil Jackson coaching selected games, Bryant returning at 50% and Lamar Odom going back into his shell as soon as he saw Kobe, anyway.

Andrew Bynum’s unforeseen quantum leap changed everything, opening up a future based on more than great expectations. A Lakers team official, asked last week if he would trade Bynum for Kevin Garnett, said he’d have to think about that.

(By the way, it’s not happening. It’s not only wrong to move Bynum before they know if he’s good, great or off the charts, it’s not in the cards. It was Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak who focused on Bynum when he was 17 and looked like Baby Huey, but Jim Buss was actively involved and ownership loves the 19-year-old center.)

Now all the Lakers have to do is survive their expectations long enough to separate themselves from all the competition. That’s still a race, not a given.

* Houston -- Yao Ming, 26, showed how dramatically he has passed 34-year-old O’Neal, outscoring him, 34-15, in the Rockets’ win in Miami. Last season’s No. 29 offense is now No. 2 in three-pointers. Becoming really good depends on whether Tracy McGrady goes back to being a great player.

* Golden State -- People forgot how special Don Nelson was -- not Nelson, of course -- but the Warriors started 6-3 with late-arriving Jason Richardson averaging 14 points. They’re No. 4 in scoring at 105, having just averaged 115 in a 4-0 run.

* New Orleans -- Doing it again with a new team built around child prodigy Chris Paul. Peja Stojakovic, who just has to catch and shoot, is at 45% on threes.

* Sacramento -- They were bubbling like a witches’ brew without Ron Artest even doing anything, but new Coach Eric Musselman taught the Kings a new trick, defense. Kenny Thomas and Shareef Abdur-Rahim fought before becoming teammates and several times afterward. Now both start in a three-forward lineup and insist it was all a misunderstanding.

* Dallas -- The defending West champions aren’t even in a playoff slot but just went 4-0 after their 0-4 start so someone will have to move over for the big dog.

* Denver -- Still on hold for their missing shooting guard (dreams of Paul Pierce last season, Corey Maggette now), the Nuggets are No. 30 in three-point accuracy, but Carmelo Anthony is averaging 30 points and shoots 10 free throws a night. If they hadn’t blown two fourth-quarter leads, they’d be 5-2.

* Phoenix -- They’re also not bad as No. 13 teams go. If the Suns can’t get Amare Stoudemire back into it, they’re in trouble. Of course, if they can, everyone else is in trouble.

* Seattle -- Another bad night for the Lakers in the dreaded Northwest Triangle. Little was expected, but the Sonics look a little like their crack-shooting 2004-05 team. Just went 3-1 on the road after starting 1-3.

* Portland -- The Lakers are just happy they don’t have to go back for a year. The young Trail Blazers have rallied from 27, 16 and 13 points down to win games, a 180-degree turn from last season’s sulk under Nate McMillan. His No. 1 project, Zach Randolph, is now averaging 27 points.

* Minnesota -- We’re finally talking overmatched. The world is lined up at their doorstep to make offers for Garnett, but they still think they’re OK.

* Memphis -- Brian Davis and Christian Laettner just need $300 million or so to complete their purchase. If they’re smart, they’ll realize that with a big draft class coming, a bad start is a terrible thing to waste.

mark.heisler@latimes.com