Some really interesting results today in the NBA, some that threw the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. Having a look at the ones that matter (ignoring ones like… say, Minnesota defeating Memphis!):

• New Orleans visited Sacramento, and lost.  Yup… lost.  Now, of all the times they need to win every game – what, with LA hot on their heels for the Western Conference lead (scratch that – LA now has the lead!) and San Antonio breathing down their neck in the Southwest Division – they lose to the Kings, 91-94.  The Hornets are now  behind the Lakers (due to LA’s better conference record), and only a half game ahead of the Spurs for the division lead.  Now, New Orleans will host the Clippers, then head to Dallas to face the Mavericks.  The Spurs head to California to play the Lakers, then Sacramento before returning home to play the Jazz.  LA has two home-games left, the aforementioned Spurs, then the Kings.  #1 is still anyone’s for the taking.
• Golden State win a tight one over the Clippers (122-116), and Denver got absolutely TOASTED by Utah (97-124) – which means that they are back to dead-even.  So GSW fans, all’s not lost.  Denver host Houston and Memphis, so the Warriors just need to go to Phoenix, and beat the Suns.  Head back home defeat the Sonics.  Scratch that, all is screwed GSW fandome.
• Speaking of the lower end of the West, Dallas lost to Portland in a game that means very little – but does build a bit of momentum for Portland for next year, when they won’t be sans-Oden.  As for Dallas, it has to be alarming to lose to a lottery-bound team with a match against New Orleans but a game away (which – if the positions hold as they are now – would be the pairing for the 1st round of the playoffs).
• With the Eastern Conference now set in stone, no games really have importance at this end of the season, other than that all-important ‘momentum-going-into-the-playoffs’ (insert rolling eyes smiley).
• With the switch in teams for the Western Conference lead, does that mean that all the people who were crowing for Chris Paul to be MVP because he lead the Hornets to the top of the West will now start doing the same for Kobe?