TrueHoop TV: Breaking down the Western Conference

Tom Haberstroh and Beckley Mason continued their offseason NBA coverage with a comprehensive look at the Western Conference for TrueHoop TV.

They both believe the Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers are the top two teams in the conference. Mason is a little more bullish on the Spurs than Haberstroh, though.

Here’s how Mason described the Western Conference dynamic:

“The Lakers don’t have a lot of depth,” Mason said. “If they do get hit with the injury bug, it’s going to be very     tough to keep going whereas a team like even San Antonio has shown an ability to win a lot of games with     their system and with their style of play even when Manu Ginobili is on the shelf. I was very surprised that     the Spurs only got one vote (in ESPN’s NBA Forecast.) I think it’s going to be very tight at the top.”

Other interesting tidbits include how the recent Dwight Howard and Steve Nash additions have overshadowed the Thunder’s excellence, how the Spurs and Thunder will benefit from their chemistry in the regular season though the Lakers may be the best equipped team for the postseason.

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