With Gasol in L.A., NBA West Even Wilder

I remember coming into work and turning on ESPNews on one of the TVs. There, in the bottom right was "breaking news" from the NBA. Because the box was so small, it can only display a couple of details. Anyway, it read "Memphis trades Pau Gasol for Kwame Brown," and I nearly passed out. Sure, the Lakers did have to give up more, but anytime you can trade for a top-30 player and the headliner you are giving up is Kwame Brown, you know you made a good trade.

With Gasol in the mix, the Lakers went from sitting ducks after Andrew Bynum went down to injury to being a driving force in the ultra-competitive Western Conference. Gasol instantly gives them a low-post threat that is good for 20 points and 10 rebounds a night. Once Bynum comes back (expected to be in mid-March), the Lakers will have arguably the most dynamic front-court duo in the NBA. Throw in Kobe Bryant, and this is a team who can now contend for a shot to go to the Finals, whereas before, they may have only been able to get by the first round.

So, with Gasol heading to Tinseltown, here is a breakdown of how the rest of the West is shaking up before the All-Star Break::

Phoenix — Anytime you have Steve Nash, you're going to be in it until the bitter end. Nash is once again leading the league in assists at the break, and has a lot of guys to hand the ball off to. Amare Stoudemire leads the team in points and blocks, Shawn Marion continues to be a fantasy basketball freak, filling up the stat sheet in every category, and Leandro Barabosa coming off the bench to average almost 17 points a game. The biggest surprise has to be Grant Hill, who has had yet another comeback year in his first season with the Suns, averaging 14 points and 30 minutes a game.

Dallas — While the Mavs are the reigning No. 1 seed in the West, they have snuck up on people, mainly because of how well they play at home, losing only three in 23 chances. Josh Howard has really come into his own this season, becoming a major force on the glass with his 7.5 boards a game. Dirk is a rock for this team, but when you add in Howard, Jason Terry, and Devin Harris into the equation, you're looking at a team that can score with the best of them. Also, when a team averages 82.2% from the line, you know they will have an advantage in close games.

New Orleans — In what has to be the surprise of the year, the Hornets have been tearing it up through the first half, and were the No. 1 team in the West at one point. Chris Paul maturing process has been faster than anyone could have ever thought. In just his third season, CP3 is among the lead candidates for MVP, averaging 20 points and 11 assists a game. With Paul's emergence also has come two other legitimate stars in David West and Tyson Chandler. West, who will be making his first all-star appearance this year in his home arena, is averaging almost a double-double a game, and Chandler has been an animal in the post, recording at least 10 rebounds in 24 of his last 30 games.

San Antonio — Of course, you can never discount the defending champs. The Spurs are still clinging to the ideals that brought them to the dance: no frills, solid basketball. Three Spurs are averaging nearly 20 points a game, and while Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker will guide the offense, it will be the Spurs' defense and their experience that will spear-head their quest to repeat. The Spurs' will also be relying heavily on their bench players, as only one of their starting five (Parker) being under 30 years of age.

Denver — The Nuggets have one of the best scoring combination in the league with Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, but the success has been predicated upon the surprise play of two players in particular: Marcus Camby and Linas Kleiza. Camby is leading the league in rebounds in his 11th year in the league, and Kleiza has proven to be a reliable third scoring option in just his third season.

Golden State — The Warriors made a name for themselves with their amazing upset over Dallas in the first round of last year's playoffs. Baron Davis is the clear-cut leader in terms of being a floor general and the emotional driving force behind the team's success. The Warriors can go up to eight deep in their rotation, and are chalk-full of scorers. Al Harrington and Steven Jackson are reliable veterans, and Monta Ellis' performance this year is proving that last year was not a fluke.

Houston — The Rockets are a big wild-card in the equation as they are heavily dependent on the oft-injured Tracy McGrady to survive in the West. Yes, they do have one of the most imposing big men in the league in Yao Ming, but they will need T-Mac to stay healthy to have any chance in the postseason. While he may not be the best point guard in the league, Rafer "Skip to My Lou" Alston has proven to be a guy who can distribute the ball and be a formidable defender in the backcourt.

Portland — The Blazers have made it work this season, even though their nucleus of talent is amongst the youngest in the league. Despite losing No. 1 overall pick Greg Oden for the season before he ever strapped it on in a regular season game, Portland has strived on spreading around the scoring amongst the five players on the floor. The guy who really needs to be commended is Brandon Roy, who in just his second year, has become the leader of this band of 20-somethings. While Roy may not get the kind of fanfare for MVP as a guy like Chris Paul may get, Roy is as important to his team as any other player is in the league.