NBA STANDINGS FOR APRIL 4, 2010

NBA STANDINGS FOR APRIL 4, 2010

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Lakers .714
2. Dallas .649
3. Denver .649
4. Phoenix .649
5. Utah .649
6. Oklahoma City .632
7. San Antonio .618
8. Portland .610
9. Memphis .513
10. Houston .500
11. New Orleans .449
12. Clippers .351
13. Sacramento .312
14. Golden State .303
15. Minnesota .195

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Cleveland .779
2. Orlando .701
3. Atlanta .645
4. Boston .632
5. Miami .558
6. Milwaukee .553
7. Charlotte .526
8. Toronto .500
9. Chicago .487
10. Indiana .377
11. New York .355
12. Philadelphia .342
13. Detroit .303
14. Washington .303
15. New Jersey .143

COMBINED STANDINGS

1. Cleveland .779
2. Lakers .714
3. Orlando .701
4. Dallas .649
5. Denver .649
6. Phoenix .649
7. Utah .649
8. Atlanta .645
9. Boston .632
10. Oklahoma City .632
11. San Antonio .618
12. Portland .610
13. Miami .558
14. Milwaukee .553
15. Charlotte .526
16. Memphis .513
17. Houston .500
18. Toronto .500
19. Chicago .487
20. New Orleans .449
21. Indiana .377
22. New York .355
23. Clippers .351
24. Philadelphia .342
25. Sacramento .312
26. Detroit .303
27. Golden State .303
28. Washington .303
29. Minnesota .195
30. New Jersey .143

As we move into April, the Western Conference has sorted themselves out with 8 teams already clinching playoff positions. The Eastern Conference is still up for grabs with only 4 teams clinching. Dallas, Denver, Phoenix and Utah are tied for second in the West and tied for 4th place in the overall NBA Standings, with Atlanta, Boston and Oklahoma City right at their heels, so it should be an interesting playoff. The Lakers are still on top of the West, and look to remain there, despite sporadic springtime play. Orlando is right at their heels, with Cleveland comfortably in the top spot in the overall standings. It’s anyone’s guess what will develop once the playoffs start, with so many able teams ready to make a run for the division championships. I always look first at overall bench strength to predict the winning team. Teams that have overlooked bench development in favor of win/loss standings during the season are now facing severe shortcomings with starter injuries and bench inexperience. With conventional wisdom still awarding the starting positions with
more than double the minutes given to the bench, the NBA as a whole still has not fully embraced the team concept of basketball, to their own detriment.

Mark Overt Skilbred