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NBA Western Conference preview

Published April 21, 2006 at midnight

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No. 1 San Antonio Spurs

W L Pct. GB Finish

63 19 .768 - First in Southwest

• Coach: Gregg Popovich; ninth playoff appearance, 69-41.

• Record against West playoff field: 18-8.

• Postseason history: Defeated the Detroit Pistons 4-3 in NBA Finals last year. Three NBA titles (1999, 2003, 2005).

• Why they might win it all: The Spurs return all the key members of their 2005 title team and have the benefit of a talented newcomer in Michael Finley. Point guard Tony Parker has remained focused despite his continuing relationship with Eva Longoria. Forward Tim Duncan is enjoying his role as boring superstar more than ever.

• Why they might not win it all: Call it the Curse of Van Exel. Veteran guard Nick Van Exel played for five teams, including the Nuggets, before joining San Antonio last summer. None of his former teams have advanced past the conference finals. The only other thing that could derail San Antonio's repeat bid would be an injury to Parker, Duncan or Manu Ginobili.

No. 2 Phoenix Suns

W L Pct. GB Finish

54 28 .659 - First in Pacific

• Coach: Mike D'Antoni; second playoff appearance, 9-6.

• Record against West playoff field: 14-13.

• Postseason history: Lost to San Antonio 4-1 in Western Conference finals last year. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Point guard Steve Nash is making a bid to repeat as league MVP, while forward Shawn Marion is deserving of some votes as well. Guard Raja Bell has given the Suns toughness on the perimeter and his three-point shooting has helped fill the void left by the departure of Joe Johnson and Quentin Richardson. Versatile Boris Diaw, who had four triple-doubles this season, has also been a big addition this season.

• Why they might not win it all: Nash remains a defensive liability, particularly against quicker point guards, and Phoenix will miss Amare Stoudemire, who is out after his second knee operation in six months. Need another reason? See: Spurs, San Antonio.

No. 3 Denver Nuggets

W L Pct. GB Finish

44 38 .537 - First in Northwest

• Coach: George Karl; 15th playoff appearance, 60-71.

• Record against West playoff field: 9-17.

• Postseason history: Lost to San Antonio 4-1 in first round last year. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Forward Carmelo Anthony is enjoying a breakout season, showing that he is capable of putting a team on his back when necessary. Thanks to the NBA seeding format, the Nuggets would not have to face the defending champion Spurs until the conference finals.

• Why they might not win it all: Denver still has to prove that it can dictate the pace of a playoff game. San Antonio shut down the fast break last year, and the Nuggets sometimes revert to bad habits when the game slows down. The health of forward Kenyon Martin remains a daily question mark, and the lack of a consistent three-point threat will catch up with the Nuggets sooner rather than later.

No. 4 Dallas Mavericks

W L Pct. GB Finish

60 22 .732 3 Second in Southwest

• Coach: Avery Johnson; second playoff appearance, 6-7.

• Record against West playoff field: 16-10.

• Postseason history: Lost to Phoenix 4-2 in conference semifinals last year. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Few players in the NBA are more impressive than forward Dirk Nowitzki, who can score inside, outside and at the foul line. Jerry Stackhouse takes some of the scoring burden off Nowitzki, and point guard Jason Terry has asserted himself at the prodding of his coach and mentor Johnson.

• Why they might not win it all: The Mavericks finished with the second-best record in the West, but received only the No. 4 seed because they were unfortunate enough to share the Southwest Division with the Spurs. Dallas also has to overcome a mental barrier similar to that experienced by Sacramento when the Kings could never dethrone the Lakers around the turn of the century.

No. 5 Memphis Grizzlies

W L Pct. GB Finish

49 33 .598 14 Third in Southwest

• Coach: Mike Fratello; 11th playoff appearance, 20-38.

• Record against West playoff field: 12-14.

• Postseason history: Lost to Phoenix 4-0 in first round last year. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Forward Pau Gasol has adopted the bearded look of a lumberjack, and his attitude seems to have followed suit. He is playing a physical style and not shying away from contact as he has in years past. Mike Miller and Eddie Jones give the Grizzlies two dangerous shooters on the perimeter, opening things up inside for Gasol and fellow big body Lorenzen Wright.

• Why they might not win it all: The Grizzlies have never won a playoff game, let alone a playoff series, let alone an NBA title. Memphis is capable of a breakthrough, but the West is just too deep for the Grizzlies to make much of a run.

No. 6 L.A. Clippers

W L Pct. GB Finish

47 35 .573 7 Second in Pacific

• Coach: Mike Dunleavy; seventh playoff appearance, 31-28.

• Record against West playoff field: 10-17.

• Postseason history: First playoff appearance since 1997. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Point guard Sam Cassell is a seasoned playoff veteran, while power forward Elton Brand is a force in the paint. Chris Kaman looks like he should be on a Bigfoot expedition, and he is a beast in the paint. Plus, the Clippers play only a few miles from Hollywood, so anything's possible in Tinseltown, right?

• Why they might not win it all: Late-season fatigue is an issue for the 36-year-old Cassell. Kaman can throw his weight around in the middle but is subject to foul trouble against more skilled big men. Overall, the Clippers are too inexperienced to go very far.

No. 7 L.A. Lakers

W L Pct. GB Finish

45 37 .549 9 Third in Pacific

• Coach: Phil Jackson; 15th playoff appearance, 175-69.

• Record against West playoff field: 11-15.

• Postseason history: First playoff appearance since 2004. Fourteen NBA titles (1949, 1950, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1972, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001, 2002).

• Why they might win it all: Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. Any player who scores 81 points in a single game is capable of leading a team to the NBA Finals. A favorable seed that avoids the Spurs and Mavericks in the first two rounds doesn't hurt, either. Jackson's playoff record speaks for itself, and few people expected him to turn around the Lakers this quickly.

• Why they might not win it all: Depth is the lifeblood for teams during the playoffs, and the Lakers just don't have it. Kwame Brown? Devean George? Chris Mihm? Did we mention what a great coaching job Jackson has done?

No. 8 Sacramento Kings

W L Pct. GB Finish

44 38 .537 10 Fourth in Pacific

• Coach: Rick Adelman; 14th playoff appearance, 68-64.

• Record against West playoff field: 15-11.

• Postseason history: Lost to Seattle in first round last year. No NBA titles.

• Why they might win it all: Few teams enjoy more of a home-court advantage than the Kings do at Arco Arena. Buoyed by the addition of Ron Artest, Sacramento ran off 14 wins in a row at home during one stretch. Artest is a shut-down defender who can frustrate high-scoring guards and forwards alike. Mike Bibby is having a down year by his standards but seems to elevate his game in the playoffs.

• Why they might not win it all: Thanks to a horrible start to the season, the Kings put themselves in line to play the defending champion Spurs in the first round. A home win or two is not out of the question, but a series victory is.