2008 NBA Playoffs Already Started

I know, I know, it's only March. The Spurs still have 23 games and 7 weeks left in the regular season. Then it's crunch time, when Tim, Tony, Manu and the gang have to consistently win four out of every six or seven games against the league's best opponents over a period of roughly two months.

For all practical purposes, the 2008 NBA playoffs have already started. Just five games separate the first-place Spurs from the eighth-place Warriors. Two playoff teams have double-digit win streaks (Spurs-10, Rockets-15) and four teams have won at least eight out of their last 10 games. Take any of the playoff teams in the West and drop them in the East and they'll be no worse than the #3 seed. The Western Conference has never been stronger in my lifetime.

What this means for the Spurs and every other playoff contender is that the playoffs have already started. Win four out of every six games, and you should hold your spot. Slip just a little, even for a week, and you may find yourself making plans for a fishing trip come April. Just ask the Denver Nuggets, who the Spurs face this Friday. Two weeks ago they were in the middle of the playoff pack. After playing .500 ball for the past ten games, they now find themselves in the ninth spot, two games out of contention.

In today's Daily Dime, Tim Legler goes out on a limb to pick the Spurs and Lakers to face off in the Western Conference Final. He gets everything right but the final result.