How Does the Loss of Yao Ming Change the Scope of the West?

With Yao Ming out of the picture, the Houston Rockets are destined to miss the playoffs this year. Sure, they could band together over this loss and make a strong run at the playoffs, but at the end of the day, they just aren't going to make it in.

It's done. It's a rap. It's over.

So how does that change the landscape of the West?

Well for starters, the toughest division in all of basketball just got a whole lot easier. The Southwest Division had four potential teams vying for the playoffs, but now that number drops to three. That means that those three teams, the San Antonio Spurs, New Orleans Hornets, and Dallas Mavericks just gained a game or two on the rest of the league, presuming they'll beat the Rockets in their remaining matches with the team. It's only a game a two, but in a conference where first places and 9^th place are separated by only 6 games, a game or two can be the difference between the first seed in the West and not even having home court advantage in the first round.

Secondly, the demise of the Rockets means that one team that wasn't going to make the playoffs gets in, because certainly, the Rockets were going to get in the playoffs considering just how well they have been playing throughout the month of February. With the Portland Trailblazers in 10^th place, 4 games back of 9^th place, and headed in the wrong direction with only 2 wins in their previous 10 games, they don't seem to be in contention. That means that the 9^th place Denver Nuggets will be the team to crack the top 8 as Houston slowly, but surely, has a precipitous fall out of the post-season picture. The way Denver was playing, I certainly did not think that they had a chance in the world of making the playoffs, but it appears as if the basketball gods have smiled on them.

Thirdly, with a 12-game winning streak the Rockets were well on their way to winning a playoff spot, probably as high as the 6^th seed. Since they won't even sniff the post season now, this not only allows the Nuggets to make the dance, but readjust the seeding in the West as well. As I said before, the Hornets, Mavericks, and Spurs will probably be the ones to most take advantage of this, and I really think that those teams will all make the top six seeds in the conference with their new advantage. The Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers, and Utah Jazz will fill in the other 3 spots of the top 6, thus leaving the Golden State Warriors and the Denver Nuggets vying for those final 8 spaces. Because I don't think the Nuggets wouldn't have made the playoffs without the injury to Yao Ming, I can't project them winning that 7^th spot. Thus, that leaves Golden State to capture that 7^th seed which will be truly beneficial since I think the Spurs will be the #1 seed when it is all said and done.

Those are the three effects that Yao's injury and the demise of the Rockets will have on this NBA season. It's a real tragedy, because it looked like the Rockets may have turned the corner this season with their play as of late. But perhaps they can find solace in the fact that their fall has such a huge ramification on the shaping of the Western Conference Playoffs this summer.