Utah Jazz: Tune in tomorrow for West matchups

SAN ANTONIO — Never one known to be at a loss for words, NBA retiree and current TNT studio analyst Charles Barkley — the round mound of crystal basketballs — was asked during a conference call Tuesday to break down the NBA playoffs.

To no one's shock, Barkley succinctly forecasted that Boston and Detroit will face off in the Eastern Conference finals for what he deemed would be "a monster series."

When it came to the Western Conference, Barkley had plenty to offer.

Narrowing things down, however, was a beast in its own right — because even with just one night left in the 2007-08 regular season, the West remains a real mess.

"I can't even really pick a team in the West right now," Barkley said, "because we don't know what the matchups are going to be.

"It's up for grabs right now."

It is. And the Jazz, who close the season tonight at San Antonio looking to finish with 55 victories for the first time since the 1999-2000 season, are right in the thick of things.

"I think realistically, in no particular order, Utah, the (Los Angeles) Lakers and San Antonio are the three best teams (in the West)," Barkley said. "San Antonio and Utah could play (each other) in the first round, so that would eliminate one of my picks."

Then again, Utah could wind up facing either Houston or Phoenix in first-round play.

Even after New Orleans beat the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night to trim a decidedly long list of scenarios — including elimination of the possibility Utah could finish as the West's No. 2 seed and elimination of the possibilities that Utah would open against either New Orleans or Dallas — the Northwest Division-champion Jazz still don't know where or against whom they'll be playing when postseason action gets under way this weekend.

It could be at Phoenix (if Utah loses tonight, Houston loses tonight at home against the Clippers and Phoenix wins tonight at home against Portland), or it could be at home against the Suns (if Utah wins at San Antonio and Phoenix loses to Portland).

It could be at Houston (if Utah loses tonight and Houston wins tonight), or it could be at home against the Rockets (if Utah loses at San Antonio and Houston and Phoenix both lose, too, or if Utah and Phoenix both win and Houston loses).