Touted as a pre-season favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals after acquiring Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the off-season, the Lakers have embarrassed themselves and their fans by displaying poor leadership, resulting in a record of 19-25 (winning percentage of .432).

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The NBA Sonics made the playoffs 22 times before leaving town in 2008, a run that included six trips to the Western Conference finals and three to the NBA finals.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Create Eastern and Western conferences, a la the NBA and NHL, so that natural rivals can also be divisional rivals.

FORBES: Time For Baseball to Realign

The Suns' 13-28 record is the worst in the Western Conference and fourth-worst in the NBA. Only Cleveland, Charlotte and Washington are worse.

NPR: Staggering Suns 'Part Ways' With Coach Gentry

But he ranks 48th among all guards in the NBA in scoring (11.3 points per game) and 26th in the Western Conference.

FORBES: Is it the NBA All-Star Game or All-Popular Game?

Game 6 will be in Indiana on Saturday night, while the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs keep waiting to see who they'll face in the NBA Finals starting on June 6.

NPR: Pacers, Heat Prepare For Crucial Game 5

The NBA released its first All-Star balloting update of the season on Thursday and Lin was running third among Western Conference guards behind Lakers front man Kobe Bryant (639, 419 votes) and Chris Paul (353, 603) of the Los Angeles Clippers.

FORBES: Is it the NBA All-Star Game or All-Popular Game?