Utah Jazz: Projecting the NBA Western Conference

Predicting how the NBA Western Conference will end up...

This season is the best regular season in NBA history. Never have the standings been this close from one through eight with 15/16 game to go in the season. The playoff picture is up in the air and won't be clear until the last day of the regular season. Here are my projection for the remainder of the year for all Western Conference teams still in playoff contention. I predicted the match-ups using the head to head and home/away records as the primary guide.

Current Standings:
1. Houston Rockets............46-21
2. LA Lakers ......................46-21
3. New Orleans Hornets.....45-21
4. Utah Jazz........................45-24
5. Phoenix Suns..................45-22
6. San Antonio Spurs.........44-23
7. Dallas Mavericks............44-24
8. Golden State Warriors...41-25
-------------------------------
9. Denver Nuggets..............40-27


(Projected Win - Blue / Loses - Red)
Houston Rockets - 15 Games (10 - Away 5 - Home )

AWAY
Mar 19 @ NOH
Mar 21 @ GSW
Mar 22 @ PHX
Mar 30 @SAS
Apr 1 @ SAC
Apr 3 @ POR
Apr 4 @ SEA
Apr 6 @ LAC
Apr 13 @DEN
Apr 14 @UTH

HOME
Mar 24 SAC
Mar 26 MINN
Apr 9 SEA
Apr 11 PHX
Apr 16 LAC
(Projected 9-6)

LA Lakers - 15 Games (5 - Away 10 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 20 @UTH
Mar 24 @ GSW
Apr 6 @ SAC
Apr 8 @ POR
Apr 10 @ LAC

HOME
Mar 21 SEA
Mar 23 GSW
Mar 26 CHAR
Mar 28 MEM
Mar 30 WAS
Apr 2 POR
Apr 4 DAL
Apr 11 NOH
Apr 13 SAS
Apr 15 SAC
(Projected 11-4)

New Orleans Hornets - 16 Games (10 - Away 6 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 25 @ IND
Mar 26 @ CLEV
Mar 28 @ BOS
Mar 30 @ TOR
Apr 1 @ ORL
Apr 2 @ MIA
Apr 9 @ MINN
Apr 11 @ LAL
Apr 12 @ SAC
Apr 16 @ DAL

HOME
Mar 19 HOU
Mar 22 BOS
Apr 4 NYK
Apr 6 GSW
Apr 8 UTH
Apr 15 LAC
(Projected 9-7)

Utah Jazz - 13 Games (4 - Away 9 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 30 @ MINN
Apr 8 @ NOH
Apr 10 @ DAL
Apr 16 @SAS

HOME
Mar 20 LAL
Mar 22 SEA
Mar 25 CHAR
Mar 28 LAC
Mar 31 WAS
Apr 2 MINN
Apr 4 SAS
Apr 12 DEN
Apr 14 HOU
(Projected 11-2)

Phoenix Suns - 15 Games (9- Away 6 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 19 @ SEA
Mar 24 @ DET
Mar 26 @ BOS
Mar 28 @ PHIL
Mar 29 @ NJN
Apr 1 @ DEN
Apr 8 @ MEM
Apr 9 @ SAS
Apr 11 @ HOU

HOME
Mar 22 HOU
Mar 31 DEN
Apr 4 MINN
Apr 6 DAL
Apr 14 GSW
Apr 16 POR
(Projected 10-5)

San Antonio Spurs - 15 Games (7 - Away 8 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 20 @ CHI
Mar 23 @ DAL
Mar 25 @ ORL
Apr 4 @ UTH
Apr 6 @ POR
Apr 13 @ LAL
Apr 14 @ SAC

HOME
Mar 21 SAC
Mar 26 LAC
Mar 28 MINN
Mar 30 HOU
Apr 1 GSW
Apr 9 PHX
Apr 11 SEA
Apr 16 UTH
(Projected 10-5)

Dallas Mavericks - 14 Games (7 - Away 7 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 27 @ DEN
Mar 30 @ GSW
Mar 31 @ LAC
Apr 4 @ LAL
Apr 6 @ PHX
Apr 12 @ POR
Apr 13 @ SEA

HOME
Mar 20 BOS
Mar 23 SAS
Mar 25 LAC
Apr 2 GSW
Apr 8 SEA
Apr 10 UTH
Apr 16 NOH
(Projected 9-5)

Golden State Warroirs - 16 Games (8 - Away 8 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 19 @ LAC
Mar 23 @ LAL
Mar 29 @ DEN
Apr 1 @ SAS
Apr 2 @ DAL
Apr 4 @ MEM
Apr 6 @ NOH
Apr 14 @ PHX

HOME
Mar 21 HOU
Mar 24 LAL
Mar 27 POR
Mar 30 DAL
Apr 8 SAC
Apr 10 DEN
Apr 12 LAC
Apr 16 SEA
(Projected 11-5)

Denver Nuggets - 15 Games (9 - Away 6 - Home)

AWAY
Mar 19 @ PHIL
Mar 21 @ NJN
Mar 23 @ TOR
Mar 24 @ MEM
Mar 31@ PHX
Apr 6 @ SEA
Apr 8 @ LAC
Apr 10 @ GSW
Apr 12 @ UTH

HOME
Mar 27 DAL
Mar 29 GSW
APR 1 PHX
Apr 5 SAC
Apr 13 HOU
Apr 16 MEM
(Projected 9-6)

Projected Final Standings:
1. LA Lakers..................................57-25
2. Utah Jazz...................................56-26
3. Phoenix Suns.............................55-27
4. Houston Rockets.......................55-27
5. San Antonio Spurs....................54-28
6. New Orleans Hornets...............54-28
7. Dallas Mavericks.......................53-29
8. Golden State Warriors..............52-30
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9. Denver Nuggets.........................49-33

With only 5 games separating the eight seed from the one seed in the projected standings there is plenty of room for error. An off night against a sub par team could cost any team in the final standings. Injuries could also play a huge role in determining the remainder of the season. Denver will have to overachieve in their remaining games to make up ground and get back into the playoffs. When all is said and done, it is going to be a great finish to a great season.