The second part of this six-piece Midseason Report Card series spotlights the Pacific Division.  The Pacific is quickly sinking to the bottom of the West despite being home to the most recent Conference Champion Lakers.  The Kings continue to stockpile young talent while the rosters of the Suns, Clippers, and Warriors are vastly different from a year ago.

Click here to read Part One of the series on the Northwest Division

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors, surprisingly, lost Baron Davis to the Clippers at the start of free agency and have been reeling ever since.  Monta Ellis has missed the entire season due to his infamous moped accident, and as Don Nelson and Robert Rowell have taken complete control of the franchise, they are losing like it?s 1994-2005.

Team MVP: Andris Biedrins

Biedrins has easily been Golden State?s best player and is usually the only rebounder with a pulse on the floor at any given time.  He is putting up career-high numbers in points, rebounds, and minutes and is in the top-10 in the entire NBA in season FIC.

Needs Improvement: Corey Maggette

Many of the players that need improvement (Marco Belinelli, Anthony Randolph) and have a promising future in the NBA are not routinely given a chance to play by Don Nelson.  Even though it is difficult for an almost 30-year-old shooting guard to improve, Maggette has either been hurt, ineffective, or strictly trying to ?get his.?

Best Move: Drafting Anthony Randolph

Even though Nellie seems to be doing everything possible to run him out of town, the decision to draft Randolph with the 14th overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft looks like it will eventually become an outright steal.  

Biggest Surprise: Anthony Morrow

He isn?t scoring 37 one night and 25 the next like he did over a stretch of two games in November against the Clippers and Blazers, but Anthony Morrow continues to be the early leader of the undrafted rookies of the 2008 draft class.

First Half Grade: D

The Warriors probably deserve an Incomplete for the first half because they have been playing without Monta Ellis, but given how mercurial the situation has become from the front office down to the floor, their present has been lost, and their future doesn?t look nearly as promising.

L.A. Clippers

The Clippers got off to a dismal start with a brand new team and haven?t been able to gel collectively as a unit.  Throw in the trade for Zach Randolph and the injuries up front, and you have a team that will be battling it out for the top overall pick next summer.

Team MVP: Zach Randolph

With Z-Bo in the lineup, the Clippers went 6-8.  Since he got hurt, they haven?t won a single game.  The Clippers traded away basically nothing to get Zach from the Knicks, and he was a beast for them in the paint during his time on the floor.  He has averaged 23 points and 10 rebounds per game and even 2.5 assists!  The Clippers have eight wins this year.  EIGHT.  Six of those wins came with Zach down low.

Needs Improvement:  e) All of the above

Let?s face it, the Clippers aren?t good in any facet right now.  With the amount of talent on this roster, they should never be losing double-digit games in a row all season.  

Best Move: Getting Zach from New York

This is a tough one because they did get Marcus Camby and his 12.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 2.6 blocks per game from Denver for a second rounder.  But with Zach in the lineup, the Clippers are a formidable team.  He compliments Camby perfectly down low, and both are monsters crashing the boards.  And, they got him for the since-retired Cat Mobley and ?Whiny? Tim Thomas.

Biggest Surprise: Eric Gordon

The Clippers' top pick has been a pleasant surprise this season, coming on strong in the month of January.  As his minutes have soared to 40 per game, so has his production.  E-Gord is scoring 22.3 points per game to go along with nearly 4 assists in the New Year.  Look for him to continue putting up big numbers on the scoreboard.

First Half Grade: F

The Clips are loaded with talent across the board but are playing like the undisputed worst team in the league.

L.A. Lakers

Hollywood?s favorite ballers are off to a scorching start to the season following their triumphant return to the top of the Western Conference.  With Pau Gasol for a full season and a healthy Andrew Bynum, there is no excuse for this team not to shatter the competition in the Pacific.  

Team MVP:  Pau Gasol

I could have taken the easy route here and gone with Kobe Bryant, but that just seems too clich?.  Ever since Pau?s arrival last season, the Lakers are 53-10 in regular season games that he plays (23-4 last regular season, 13-7 in playoffs, 30-6 this season).  I?m afraid the same can?t be said about Kobe.

Needs Improvement:  Sasha Vujacic

Shocker.  A guy who is mediocre for his first three seasons in the league comes out blazing hot in his contract year.  Now all of a sudden the money is being direct-deposited into his hometown Slovenian account, and he can?t remember how to drill a three-pointer.  Sasha?s numbers are down across the board, and his shooting from deep is only getting worse.  After hitting 43.7% of his three?s last year, he?s down to 36.2% this year, and even worse ? only 27.6% so far in January.

Best Move: Bump up Trevor Ariza?s minutes

Ariza was a involved in quiet trade last year with the Orlando Magic and has been a force on both sides of the ball coming off the bench for the West?s number-one team.  Ariza?s high-energy play has been rewarded this season, as he is averaging a career high 24.7 minutes per game, up from 18.0 last season.

Biggest Surprise: Trevor Ariza

Ariza?s sparkplug game and terror on the defensive side of the ball have been integral in helping this Laker team retain its edge.  The L.A. native and UCLA standout has been huge this year, averaging 9.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists.

First Half Grade:  A

The West is theirs for the taking once again.  The Lake Show is performing like its closing night each time on the floor as Kobe looks to lead his mates back to the Finals once more.

Phoenix

Looking at the Suns' starting lineup, you would think this was the all-time greatest fantasy team about five years ago.  Steve Nash, J-Rich, Grant Hill, Amare, and Shaq?wow!  That?s just fun to write.

Team MVP: Steve Nash

While Mike D?Antoni might be pumping up Chris Duhon?s value in New York, Nash is still the guy in Phoenix that gets this show on the road.  Obviously, his numbers are down from last year, but the team still runs through his critical decision making.  In the nine full games Nash has played since the addition of Jason Richardson, he has seven double-digit assist games.  Yes, his scoring is down, but with four other scorers surrounding him in the starting five, he has got to be on his game in order to make Terry Porter?s machine work.

Needs Improvement:  Robin Lopez

With two All World big men on the roster, Robin Lopez could not have asked for a better scenario to enter the league and learn from the best.  Instead, he?s played sparingly and is losing playing time to Louis Amundson.  Yea...  And his twin brother just had 31 and 13 the other night in Jersey.

Best Move: Trading for Jason Richardson

J-Rich has provided a new dimension to this seemingly old and lead-footed team.  The Suns are 8-3 since his arrival and have enjoyed his sharpshooting from beyond the arc.  Richardson has been absolute insanity from deep, hitting on 49% of his 4.6 three-point attempts per game.

Biggest Surprise:  Rebirth of Shaq

For all those who thought Shaq was finished, think again.  Shaquille O?Neal has enjoyed a renaissance this season for the Suns, putting up 17.4 points per game while leading the team in rebounding (8.9 rpg).  His post presence with Amare at his side has given basically every team in the NBA matchup issues on the block.

First Half Grade:  A-

The Suns were a team considered on the fringe of a playoff spot out West when the season began, but the rebirth of Shaq and the acquisition of Richardson have solidified this squad?s place in the top half of the conference.

Sacramento

The Kings knew that they had their hands full entering this season with a roster limited on experience and talent.  However, things got off to a worse start than expected.  Coach Reggie Theus was canned after a 24-point blowout loss at home to the Knicks that left the Kings with a 6-18 record.  Kenny Natt has taken over in the interim but is only 3-12 since.

Team MVP: Kevin Martin

When Kevin Martin is healthy, he is the team?s best player bar none.  The speedy sharpshooter is averaging 24.5 points and 2.7 assists while hitting on 39.1% of his three-point attempts.  The Kings have a more dangerous look when he is on the floor and have only won three games in his absence.  Of his 11 starts, 5 of them are wins.

Needs Improvement:  Landlord?s property nearing foreclosure

With the healthy resurgence from Brad Miller, the maturation of Spencer Hawes, and the extensive upside of Jason Thompson, there are just no minutes left for the WNBA?s biggest fan.  Shelden Williams has been seen more with his pregnant girlfriend Candace Parker than he?s been seen on the floor for the Kings.  The Landlord is averaging a dismal 3.5 points and 2.4 rebounds in his 8.9 minutes per game this season.

Best Move: Taking a reach on Jason Thompson

Thompson was slated to go late in the first round of the 2008 NBA Draft, but the Kings liked what they saw from this 22-year old from Camden, NJ, and took him at the tail end of the lottery.  Thompson has blossomed in Sactown and is contributing 9.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game.  

Biggest Surprise: Spencer Hawes

Brad Miller Jr. has finally started to show signs that he was worth a top 10 pick before last season.  His numbers have been rather Brad Millerish so far this season, averaging 11.1 points (as compared to Real Brad Miller?s 11.8) and 6.9 rebounds (RBM?s 8.1).  Hawes has recorded five double-doubles thus far and is even connecting on 35.7% from downtown ? yet another Millerish (40%) thing for him to do.

First Half Grade:  D+

Injuries to Kevin Martin have slowed this team?s ascent, but there are plenty of pieces in place to suggest that the Kings may be looking at a much better second half.

Feel free to contact Jason M. Williams with your thoughts. He can be reached at Jason.Williams@RealGM.com for comments or questions.