Is the Wild Wild West Done?

                  The Western Conference was extremely competitive up until February 1, 2008. That's when things just got ridiculous. For years, the East has been viewed as the weaker of the two conferences and any strides made by the Celtics or Pistons this season to disprove that claim were erased on this day.  The Los Angeles Lakers—who were the top seed in the West before losing their center, Andrew Bynum, to injury—decided to make a very bold move that would set off a chain reaction. They dealt Kwame Brown, Javaris Crittenton, Marc Gasol, and two first round draft picks to the Memphis Grizzlies for star forward Pau Gasol. Soon after, the Phoenix Suns would trade Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks to the Heat for Shaquille O'Neal. Dallas countered with their own trade, sending Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Trenton Hassell, Maurice Ager, Keith Van Horn, $3 million, and first round picks in 2008 and 2010, to New Jersey ... (link)