Mike Conely is a top ten PG. Very underrated guard. However, Curry is better and Klay is better than Tony Allen, so you are right we should win the back court battle, but it's closer than you think. We'd have to dominate their bench.

Their frontcourt right now has a big advantage with Gay more developed than Barnes, as well as getting more shots in their offense and MGasol being much more developed than Ezeli. With Bogut back, that changes and makes a big difference in the two teams.

I like martin's format, so I'm stealing it:

I want: the Clippers, the Jazz, the Rockets
I don't want: the Grizzlies, the Thunder, the Nuggets
The wildcard: the Spurs

I'm not as scared of the Spurs, for whatever reason. Yes, they always overcome their old and vulnerable label come playoff time, but I'm just not that worried... I think we match up well with them.

Oh, and if Andrew Bogut is fully healthy, you can scrape the Nuggets and the Grizzlies off of those teams that I'm scared of. Denver and Memphis out-sized us and that was it. Get our heavyweight back and I believe we're more talented than both of them.

But, yeah. Whoever runs into OKC is getting flatlined.

So this is pretty interesting to me: out of all the current playoff teams, the only only team that has a worser home court record than us is Houston. With our road record, or pretty much in the middle of pack. We have to win on the road and make sure we defend home court when if we want that 4th seed, and I want that 4th seed bad. If we keep up this losing streak that window could close rather quickly.

Who are we pushing outta the top 4? You really think its possible?

OKC is a lock, so are the Clips at this point... Soo, you see us leapfrogging the Spurs, Grizzlies, and/or Nuggets?

Midseason Prediction for the West

1. Spurs
2. Thunder
3. Clippers
4. Nuggets
5. Grizzlies
6. Warriors
7. Rockets
8. Jazz

F*ck it, why not:

1. Thunder
2. Spurs
3. Clippers
4. Nuggets
5. Warriors
6. Grizzlies
7. Rockets
8. Lakers

Just a hunch on that 8th seed. I know the team is playing like complete crap, but somehow I just see a second half surge in there for them. The Lakers are the league's annoying pretty girls whom everything in life just seems to work out for. Be is superstar whistles, a D12 trade that motivates the team, a rise in morale in honor of Dr Buss... I just see LA sneaking in by seasons' end.

If we happen to take the 4th seed, it'll be in place of Denver.

I think there is a big chance that we are gonna stay ahead og Rockets and Utah (maybe Lakers), but I definetely not think we can advance over Denver and after Memphis' currently win streak, that looks difficult too.. so, what does that mean? It will result in that we are going to face Clippers which is probably the 3rd seed in the end of the season.

What are you thought about Clippers? I don't think we stand a chance if they're healthy, but let's see.

I think there is a big chance that we are gonna stay ahead og Rockets and Utah (maybe Lakers), but I definetely not think we can advance over Denver and after Memphis' currently win streak, that looks difficult too.. so, what does that mean? It will result in that we are going to face Clippers which is probably the 3rd seed in the end of the season.

What are you thought about Clippers? I don't think we stand a chance if they're healthy, but let's see.

The Maloofs just cashed out and reenforced Houston in a major way. Thomas Robinson in that running system is scary. Blake Griffin kinda scary. The poster shop is opening soon.

And it makes me worried because I think the Rockets are come-uppers in the 2nd half. They beat us twice - soundly - and just knocked off OKC. The idea of them getting stronger is worrisome.

That's correct, but I think the Rockets are at least a little weaker after the trade short-term because they dealt the 2 PF's and apparantly is expecting Thomas Robinson to play starter minutes. While they certainly are on a roll and can make basket with the best in this league, I don't think they can overtake our 6 seed. But on the other hand, I don't really care just we reach the playoffs, cause no matter what the Clippers, Spurs and Thunder are going to be very, very tough matchup. These team along with Heat are the top 4 of the NBA right now.

But long-term, that's another story. If Robinson can blossom into an all-star en a few years, which he certainly is capable of, they will be hard to deal with in the future - along with Parsons, who also have legit all-star potential for 1 or 2 years, and the possibility of acquiring Smith in a sign-or-trade or another star player, cause they certainly have the assests to tradein Terrence Jones, Royce White, Motiejunas, Lin, Asik, Parsons and Robinson if they see something they like to pair up with Harden. An most importantly, they have the money.

Short-term, im not that worried, but Rockets can really become a facter in the future.

I think that if the team goes about 50% in their remaining away games and is able to win a good 80% of their remaining home games, 75% even, 4th seed is a real possiblility, though I doubt that will be what happens, going by recent performance of the team.

I'd take the Clippers in the 1st round, the team has performed well against them this season more than against any other top 4 team. So 6th seed probably best option.

They'll handle Minny today and Indiana on Tuesday, but they're traveling to NY and playing the ass end of a back to back against Carmelo Wedneaday, so that's a loss. Friday/Saturday is another back to back, but the latter will be in Philly so I'm not too worried and if they knock off the Celts, that's a 4-1 road trip - which I expect, if Bogut comes back.

From there, it's 7-straight at home, mostly trash teams. TOR, SAC, HOU, MIL, NY, DET, CHI. 4 automatic wins, plus I think a revenge win against Houston, but Chicago and New York worry me. I guess we'll see how well they fair against NY, but the Bulls manhandled them on the glass, so I'm going with an early 5-2, with Houston AND Monta Ellis back in Oracle on a back-to-back BOTH capable of handing them disappointing losses.

That's followed by a 1-2 in the making road trip: Houston, next night NOLA, then the Spurs in their house. We should beat the Pelicans.

Back home, you get 5 gimme games. DC, LAL, SAC, POR, NOLA... Should all be victories in Oracle, not a single back to back game.

Then your final 7 games has 3 road contests separated out; LAL, PHO, POR... Winnable, but Portland's got a good crowd, so I'm thinking 2-1 on those. The 4 home games include UTA, MIN, OKC, SAS. So, expect 2-2.

At that rate (and admittedly, that's predicting a LOT of good basketball without slumps), that leaves the team's record at 51-31. Assuming the Spurs and Thunder both win 60 or near it, the Clippers roll to 55... There's a slight chance the Dubs overtake the 4 seed, but you need a losing streak for Memphis and Denver like the one we just had: 6 straight for either of them and it's on.

One thing is for damn sure. If Denver gets the 4th seed, we do NOT want to be the 5th seed. They just wont lose at home, it's ridiculous. Even if we do take 4th seed, I still don't want Denver. That team is scurry, son.