Western Conference has problems....

Well this guy reakons three front runners (for the title) from the West all have problems!

The Kings, Lakers, Timberwolves, Spurs all have their issues

3 sum

THE BIG, BAD ELITE TEAMS from the Western Conference all have issues these days. At a time when championship contenders are supposed to be fine-tuning their games, none of the so-called Big Four are peaking.

Sacramento, San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves all are dealing with stuff, and it's showing.

The Kings, who have the best record in the West, had lost three of four before beating Indiana on Friday. Kings coach Rick Adelman has been starting Webber, who has played 10 games since returning from injury. Brad Miller, who had been starting, went to the bench.

"It's almost like what Allen Iverson said the other day," said Webber, referring to Iverson, who refused to come off the bench for Philly upon returning from injury. "This is what I do. I play, and I want to know what I can do and what I can't do while the season is going on."

The Kings are also feeling the effects of not having Bobby Jackson, who has missed significant time because of a strained abdominal muscle.

The Spurs are just 7-5 in their past 12 games and are facing the possibility of playing periodically without Tim Duncan, who has a sore left knee. He had missed nine of 10 games before returning in a win over Minnesota on Thursday.

"I think it's going to end up being a day-to-day, game-to-game sort of thing," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "He probably shouldn't be playing back-to-backs is my guess. It's going to have to be a read on our part, every day, I think. Sounds crazy but that's where we are."

The Lakers are the hottest of Western Conference teams, but that's only because they have won four of six. Karl Malone is back from injury, but the play of Kobe Bryant once again is a concern.

Gary Payton, who complained about his role recently, had this to say after Bryant took over in the fourth quarter of a win against Orlando. Took over might be a nice way to say Bryant monopolized the ball.

"That's just him," Payton said of Bryant. "This was his team. In Seattle, if he would have come to my team, I probably would have been dominating the ball, too. So, it's a thing like that. You've got to adjust to it. He's more comfortable when he has the ball and makes plays. I'm more comfortable when I have the ball and make plays. But I'm here and I have to adjust to that."

The Timberwolves had been one of the most consistent teams through February. Then Wally Szczerbiak came back and, lo and behold, the Timberwolves dropped six of 10.

Minnesota is also trying to work in Troy Hudson and Michael Olowokandi.

That's been the problem.

"If we want to get where we want to be, those guys have to play at their levels," Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said of Szczerbiak, Olowokandi and Hudson. "We've proven we're a good team without those guys. The big picture is, if we want to win a championship, you have to play two months at a high level."

It's March, and nobody is there yet.

"All of us seem to be blowing it," Popovich said. "Minnesota loses. We lose. Houston goes to L.A. and (L.A.) loses. I don't know what it means. Maybe it means there's nobody out there that darn good."

none of the so-called Big Four are peaking

They should be peaking at playoff time.. its still only March. This is the time when they start to get their rotations finalised and stuff for the playoffs.

Maybe it means there's nobody out there that darn good."

I feel no team has been truely great since the lockout. Its been gradually picking up tho. Once Sacramento learns how to d up they will be fine, and if indiana gets a legitimate perimeter player who can create his own shot.. or maybe if grant hill actually comes back.. who knows? also its not just the west who is "having problems". beyond the 5th seed every team in the east has a losing record.