Zach Lowe just posted a power ranking of the Western Conference over at Grantland that has lots of interesting insights.

First and foremost, after stating that the top 7 slots in the West are all pretty interchangeable, he drops the Blazers in at our usual #4 (how do we always end up at 4?). In his commentary he has this to say about the Men in Black...

You know what this team is? It is businesslike. It is vicious. It is mean. It is completely comfortable in its own skin, and it knows exactly how it wants to attack every opponent. It will pick at a weak spot until it bursts open and blood pours all over the court.

Vicious....I like that assessment and I have been hearing it more and more. Tonight's OKC game with a scuffling LaMarcus and more cold blooded Lillard 3s is more proof of the mean streak. Vicious.

在terms of cold, hard truths Lowe also offered this...

They could use a third reliable bench guy, preferably a wing player, and you can bank on Neil Olshey, the team’s deal-making GM, to work every corner of the trade market; they own all of their first-round picks, plus two movable midsize contracts inThomas Robinsonand Meyers Leonard. Those guys are seeing more time with mascot-abuserRobin Lopezout, but Lopez will be back, and Portland really needs only one of them.

As much as I like both players for their upsides and hard work I have to agree with him...this team is still one piece away from being a lock in terms of championship contention and we will likely need to add that piece by losing either T-Rob or Meyers....unless CJ or Crabbe suddenly warp speeds through their development. Time will tell.

Who does Lowe put in at number one? TheThunderof course. Just like the "Brow for MVP" campaign that no one seems to be pushing except for the columnists, the "Thunder are the next dynasty" mantra of the last two seasons is tough for sportswriters to let go of.

Check out the entire, very interesting readHERE.