Nine teams have the possibility of winning 50-plus. Just six games are separating first place from the ninth. Six teams are two or fewer games from having the conference's best record and only three weeks remain.

Indeed, the NBA's Western Conference playoff race is the best and closest in league history. Projected first-round matchups are changing on a daily basis. Then again, seeding this year may just not matter. The teams are all simply too closely matched to think of any playoff outcome as being an upset.

How will it all turn out? Even at this late date in the NBA regular season, it's tough to figure out. After all, who could have predicted that the Lakers would lose consecutive home games to the lowly Bobcats and Grizzlies?

Still, here's an educated guess as to who will be playing who to open the postseason:

(Records and remaining games are listed through outcomes from Friday night)

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (49-22)

Remaining schedule — Road games (7): at Toronto, Orlando, Miami, Minnesota, L.A. Lakers, Sacramento and Dallas. Home games (4): vs. New York, Golden State, Utah, L.A. Clippers.

Comment: A split in the four games remaining against the other strong Western teams may be enough to land the Hornets the No. 1 overall seed in the West. New Orleans has three sets of back-to-backs left, however, and could drop an unexpected game or two along the way. But don't be surprised if Chris Paul, David West and the rest of the Hornets go 8-3, at worst, in their remaining games.

Prediction: Expect a 57-25 final record, which will give them the No. 1 overall seed in the West, playing the No. 8 Golden State Warriors in the first round.<

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (50-23)

Remaining schedule — Road games (4): at Utah, Portland, L.A. Lakers, Sacramento. Home games (5): vs. Houston, Golden State, Phoenix, Seattle, Utah.

Comment: The defending champs have the roughest remaining schedule. Of their nine games, only two are against sub-.500 clubs. It will be a good pre-playoff test for the Spurs, for sure. San Antonio, however, hasn't been quite as impressive this year and a 6-3 mark with this tough remaining schedule is probably as good as they can expect.