April 27 (Reuters) – Brief profiles of the eight Western
Conference teams that qualified for the National Basketball
Association (NBA) playoffs:
SAN ANTONIO SPURS
Regular-season record: 50-16
How they qualified: Western Conference champions
Head coach: Gregg Popovich
Top scorer: Tony Parker (18.3 points per game)
Top rebounder: Tim Duncan (9.0 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: Four (2007, 2005, 2003, 1999)
(Age no deterrent to best in the West a season after losing
in first round of 2011 playoffs)
– –
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
Regular-season record: 47-19
How they qualified: Second in West, Northwest Division
champions
Head coach: Scott Brooks
Top scorer: Kevin Durant (28.0 points per game)
Top rebounder: Durant (8.0 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: One (1979 as Seattle SuperSonics)
(With scoring champion Kevin Durant, Thunder hope to rumble
in playoffs after missing top seed)
– –
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Regular-season record: 41-25
How they qualified: Third in West, Pacific Division champions
Head coach: Mike Brown
Top scorer: Kobe Bryant (27.9 points per game)
Top rebounder: Andrew Bynum (11.8 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: 16 (2009-10, 2000-2, 1987-8, 1985, 1982, 1980,
1972 as Los Angeles Lakers; 1952-4 and 1949-50 as Minneapolis
Lakers)
(Kobe and crew have something to prove after being swept by
eventual champion Dallas in 2011 second round)
– –
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Regular-season record: 41-25
How they qualified: Fourth in West
Head coach: Lionel Hollins
Top scorer: Rudy Gay (19.0 points per game)
Top rebounder: Marc Gasol (8.9 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: None
(Depth, defense could make hot Grizzlies a first-round winner
after clinching home court advantage)
– –
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
Regular-season record: 40-26
How they qualified: Fifth in West
Head coach: Vinny Del Negro
Top scorer: Blake Griffin (20.7 points per game)
Top rebounder: Griffin (10.9 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: None
(Early season glitter gone, Clippers could be in trouble
after letting division title slip away)
– –
DENVER NUGGETS
Regular-season record: 38-28
How they qualified: Sixth in West
Head coach: George Karl
Top scorer: Ty Lawson (16.4 points per game)
Top rebounder: JaVale McGee (7.8 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: None
(League’s top scoring team faces tough challenge opening with
Lakers)
– –
DALLAS MAVERICKS
Regular-season record: 36-30
How they qualified: Seventh in West
Head coach: Rick Carlisle
Top scorer: Dirk Nowitzki (21.6 points per game)
Top rebounder: Shawn Marion (7.40 rebounds per game)
NBA titles: 1 (2011)
(Reigning champions could be first-round casualty after
struggling in regular season)
– –
UTAH JAZZ
Regular-season record: 36-30
How they qualified: Eighth in West
Head coach: Tyrone Corbin
Top scorer: Al Jefferson (19.2 points per game)
Top rebounder: Jefferson (9.6 points per game)
NBA titles: None
(Young, inexperienced Jazz hope to continue late surge that
earned them postseason berth)
(Compiled By Gene Cherry in Salvo North Carolina; editing by
Julian Linden)
