Suns Squeak Out Season Opener

The Suns do what they do best...let an inferior team hang around and try to come up with stops at the end. Fortunately, they did come up with a couple late stops and "O" Canada took over to push the Suns over the top. The Fredstrom isn't going to say much more about tonight's game, except that they need to play a whole lot better.  The Fredstrom will now digresses to give you his Western Conference preview Power Rankings.

Standings after the 09-10 regular season...

1. LA Lakers- champs add Artest, could be good or bad, and hang on to Odom. Pending any Kobe injury, Lakers will finish 1st in the West. There is no reason to put LA anywhere else. Was Ariza the Laker X-factor? We'll see...

2. San Antonio Spurs- add McDyess and Richard Jefferson to the already dangerous trio of Parker, Duncan, and Manu.  Aren't we all sad that Bowen retired? Nash can finally play the Spurs without getting raked across his arms or repeatedly tripped: )

3. Portland Trailblazers- A young team that has continued to improve, Brandon Roy and company will build upon last years 54-win season to secure the 3rd spot this year.  Greg Oden is "healthy" going into the season and that can only help.

4. Denver Nuggets- Give Chauncy Billups a full year with Denver along with a returning core of dangerous scorers. Look for Denver to be among the top 5 in the West all year and will finish in the 4th spot.

5. Utah Jazz- Have one of the leagues best point guards with D. Williams, a returning Boozer, Brewer, and Millsap...a core that has had much success in the West over the past few years. Sloan's teams are tough, gritty, play hard-nose defense and frustrate many.

6 (7). Dallas Mavericks- Dirk, an aging Kidd, Howard, Terry, and Marion make up a pretty good team. They will finish with the same record as the Suns cause the Fredstrom can't figure out who is the better team despite the Mavs looking horrible last night.

7. (6) Phoenix Suns- On paper the Suns look pretty good, Nash, Richardson (who needs to step up), Amare, Frye, Barbosa, and Hill; with a vastly improved bench.  The bench kept them in the game tonight, although it was the Clippers.  The Suns will finish either 6th or 7th depending upon the tie-breaker with the Mavs.

8. Golden State Warriors- If Stephen Jackson can hold his drama together the GSW's will once again find themselves in the 8th spot.  They add Stephen Curry to a high-octane scoring machine.  This team will be interesting to watch for sure and maybe even for the basketball?

The Fredstrom feels really confident about his top 4 picks...do you see it the same way?