[ESPN][Insider]/[5 on 5] West Outlook

Thanks for sharing

 

Have to shake my head when they put OKC at the top of the list. Westbrook injured, lost all-star level scoring off the bench.

 

I would put GSW over Memphis...

they made 0 positive changes and GSW upgraded roster and got experience for a young team.

 

Westbrook will be healthy by training camp. This is the same team that captured the #1 seed last year, minus Martin. Their team is still pretty young and some improvement should be expected from Lamb, Jackson, Liggins, even Ibaka.

I think OKC has by far the easiest road in the West to a top three seed. Spurs need to stay healthy and successfully pass bigger roles to Leonard and Green without disrupting their system. Rockets need to gel in a hurry. Clippers need to find answers on defense.

 

thats for next year.

They lost Martin...but they will add neal or miller and prob wont hurt them too much.

They had the best record last year and westbrook will be back fully healthy for start of the season.

Durant is the best player in the west. I would put them over aging spurs who havent got better this year.

So only other choice are the clippers? .... I dont think so.

 

as long as Harden doesnt get injured, I think we will be a top 3 team in the West

 

I wish we could have kept Lamb.

 

I doubt Houston will have the biggest jump in number of wins. I suspect it will be one of New Orleans or Minnesota. While I think jumping into to 55-60 range will be the most impressive jump, one of those teams could be over 50%.

 

Ill go

1) Thunder
2) Rockets
3) Spurs
4) Clippers
5) Warriors
6) Memphis
7) Portland
8) Minnesota

 

I'd be pretty happy(and a little surprised) with a 3rd place finish. OKC and SAS won 60 and 58 games last season respectively. That would put the Rockets on pace for a win total in the mid-50s or higher.

 

I'll go ahead and take Harden and run.

 

Have they done an East-side version yet? Thanks for posting!

 

I think this whole thing will shake up wildly. You could see OKC at 3 or 4 and the Spurs as low as 8.

 

Going

1. OKC
2. Houston
3. LA Clippers
4. Golden State
5. San Antonio
6. Memphis
7. Minnesota
8. Denver

 

Tomorrow

 

1. OKC
2. Spurs
3. Clippers
4. Houston
5. Memphis
6. Denver
7. Golden State
8. Dallas

 

These things should be measured logarithmically or something. Improving on an already-good record is both harder and more significant than improving a woeful record. I'll be more impressed by a 45-win team becoming a 55-win team than a 20-win team becoming a 40-win team.

 

.......
.......
.......