In the Pacific Division last season, four of the five teams made the playoffs with the lone exception...that's right, your Mike Montgomery lead Golden State Warriors.  The Suns, Clippers, Lakers and Kings are the teams this years Warriors lead by Don Nelson will compete with in the standings.  With the regular season rapidly approaching it’s time to take a closer look at the competition and figure out where the 2006-2007 Golden State Warriors fit into the mix.

Phoenix Suns: 54-28 1st Place in the Pacific Division, and the 3rd seed in the Western Conference playoffs.  The Suns are a definite title contender this season bringing back essentially the same team as a year ago and adding a healthy Amare Stoudemire.

Key Additions: Marcus Banks, Jumaine Jones, Eric Piatkowski

Key Subtractions: Eddie House, Tim Thomas, Brian Grant

Head Coach: Mike D’Antoni

Los Angeles Clippers: 47-35 2nd Place in the Pacific Division.  The Clippers got Sam Cassell back for another year and their young players will continue to improve.  Elton Brand and company will not be able to use the surprise attack as one of their weapons this season.  Let’s see if coach Dunleavy can manage a deep and talented young roster.

Key Additions: Tim Thomas, Aaron Williams

Key Subtractions: Vladimir Radmanovic

Head Coach: Mike Dunleavy Sr.

Los Angeles Lakers: 45-37 3rd Place in the Pacific Division.  The Lakers organization is in bad salary cap shape and has a limited roster, but when you factor in the best all around player in the game and one of the best coaches in the history of the league, you realize that Phil and Kobe have the ability to take a group of average players and mold them into a winning basketball team.  If Phil Jackson can figure out a way to unleash the talent that lies within Lamar Odom the Lakers could become tough to handle.

Key Additions:  Vladimir Radmanovic, Jordan Farmar

Key Subtractions: Devean George

Head Coach: Phil Jackson

Sacramento Kings: 44-38 4th Place in the Pacific Division.  The Warriors and Kings were even in terms of playoff chances at one point last season, but when they landed Ron Artest at the trade deadline, that swung things heavily in they're favor. Getting Eric Musselman as their new head coach will make them even tougher...Barring an Artest melt-down or significant injury the Kings are going to be in the mix again for a Western conference playoff spot.

Key Additions: John Salmons, Louis Amundson, Quincy Douby

Key Subtractions: Bonzi Wells, Jamal Sampson

Head Coach: Eric Musselman

Golden State Warriors: 34-48 5th Place in the Pacific Division.  The Warriors are bringing back the same roster with a new attitude and a new head coach.  Don Nelson will try to exploit match-ups and utilize his deep and versatile roster in a new way that will hopefully result in more than the 34 win total that they have achieved the previous two seasons.  If pre-season is any indication of things to come the small ball lineup could be fun to watch this year.

Key Additions: Dajuan Wagner, Patrick O’bryant, *Anthony Roberson

*Roberson is not officially on the roster but is potentially a key addition

Key Subtractions: Mike Montgomery, Derek Fisher

Head Coach: Don Nelson

Even if four teams from the Pacific Division make the post season again in 2006-2007, the Warriors chances of being one of them is slim. Most likely only three teams from the Pacific will make it anyway because the rest of the Western Conference has improved significantly as well. The playoff teams from a year ago that could possibly slip into the lottery are Memphis, Denver and Sacramento.  If that happens, there is no shortage of lottery teams that are going to battle Golden State for that eighth and final playoff spot. Teams like Houston, Utah and New Orleans/Oklahoma City for example. The only teams that the Warriors appear to be safely in front of in terms of playoff chances at this point are Minnesota, Seattle and Portland, but somebody has to win the Northwest Division and whoever does will more than likely be the final Western Conference playoff team.  The Warriors best chance to make the playoffs is to finish in the top three in the Pacific Division.