ESPN Insider Predictions - Great Outlook

Link please.

 

I guess a perfect paragraph would be one that included the additions of the athletically endowed Tmo and Boki, and a ranking closer to 4. Could we say the total additions to the 45 wins team adds 5 games for a 50 win season. That would put us at #5 last year (Wolves). To be top 4 we would have to have an improvement of 12. Is that so difficult?

 

You have to have ESPN Insider to see it.

 

So Francis would have been worth at least 13 wins. Out of the 148 games missed I am certain we could have maybe picked up another 10 wins. Add another year for TMo and EG, maybe 3 more wins. Toss in MT, Rice and Yao - 7 more wins.

That's 33 more wins. We are going to be 61 and 21!

 

I have access to ESPN Insider and I could not find the NBA rankings that you are referring to. Can you post the link?

Chris

 

Ah, I see the link. Thanks!

Chris

 

Of course the upgrade on KT would be another key factor to be considered from the 45 win team.Western Conference predictions


By Terry Brown
Thursday, October 10 Updated 10:55 AM EST


1. Sacramento Kings
Projected Record: 62-20
2002 Record: 61-21 (No. 1)
Envy their skill level, their depth, their blend of complementary players but not the fact that they are defending a title they have yet to win. You take what you can get when any semifinal matchup is against one of the top four teams in the league. Talent got them to within a single point of an NBA Championship but demons never have counted buckets. Of course, we're talking about Chris Webber. He will either have his greatest season ever as a player counting grade school, club, prep, college and pro . . . or his worst. And it will have little to do with his point per game average.

2. Los Angeles Lakers
Projected Record: 60-22
2002 Record: 58-24 (No. 2)
This team is specifically designed to win 15 games at the end of the season without ever losing two in a row. Home, away, on the third moon of Jupiter. Doesn't matter. It has been 37 years since any NBA team has claimed four titles in a row and that was back when the Celtics turned it twice by 1966 A.D. You probably weren't even born yet. Chances are, neither was your dad. Regular-season titles, individual accolades and any other door prizes the league sees fit to hand out are undercard at best. Undisputed and still reigning . . .

3. Dallas Mavericks
Projected Record: 59-23
2002 Record: 57-25 (No. 4)
Just need to get punched in the mouth a few more times until they decide that they're not going to get punched in the mouth anymore. Steve Nash, Michael Finley and Dirk Nowitzki don't need to get better. They just need to get meaner. Scoring a 100 points a game isn't enough anymore. Unless, of course, you're rubbing somebody's nose in it by drilling threes at the buzzer to go up by 24 while leaving your home locker room door open just a crack so your opponent can peep the leather recliners, big screen TVs and palm leaves as they walk by.

4. San Antonio Spurs
Projected Record: 55-27
2002 Record: 58-24 (No. 3)
Just in case you haven't noticed, this team is one year away from maxing out Tim Duncan, adding another top-flight free agent, rebuilding its backcourt by phonics and could very well go from one championship to another without ever winning less than 55 games a season in between. Seamless. Ask anyone in the league anonymously and they'll tell you that the only chance the rest of us have against Laker tyranny is this team. But, like I said, one year away.

5. Portland Blazers
Projected Record: 49-33
2002 Record: 49-33 (No. 6)
Trader Bob forces another square into the same circle and can't figure out why he keeps getting beat by the triangle. He's gone through so many stats, stars, salaries and seasons with Arvydas Sabonis at center, that he's forgotten the feel of pebbles on the basketball. He's built a team that has been reduced to cliche and still won't admit that there is a moral to this story.

6. Houston Rockets
Projected Record: 45-37
2002 Record: 28-54 (No. 11)
Yao or no Yao. Steve Francis missed 25 games last season and the Rockets won only two games without him. Their top six scorers missed a total of 148 games. Starting power forward Maurice Taylor didn't play a single one. He's back. So is Francis and Glen Rice. Along the way, though, the 45-37 team of two seasons ago picked up the athletically endowed Eddie Griffin and a 7-foot-5 center for their efforts.

7. Minnesota Timberwolves
Projected Record: 44-38
2002 Record: 50-32 (No. 5)
Kevin Garnett remains a 7-footer under a glass jar performing triple-doubles at the turn of a handle. All by his lonesome, he gets his team in the playoffs. But even with Marbury or Gugliotta or Brandon or Szczerbiak, he is, by twist and turn of NBA nature, all by his lonesome still . . . despite being the consummate team player. The Timberwolves didn't draft an 18-year-old kid with the No. 5 pick in 1995. They acquired a phenomenon that we only pretend to understand seven years later.

8. Utah Jazz
Projected Record: 42-40
2002 Record: 44-38 (No. 8)
As we speak, there are 77 years, 33 seasons and 25,017 assists lined up a point guard alone for the Jazz. Don't laugh. Add another winning season and one more playoff appearance to the most successful franchise over the last decade in terms of wins, then remove your cap and pay respects. You may not have liked John Stockton nor particularly admired Karl Malone, but more times than not, they kicked the fanny of your favorite player night after night. Eventually, the Jazz will be back. But they will never be the same.

9. Phoenix Suns
Projected Record: 41-41
2002 Record: 36-46 (No. 10)
The day will come that you won't have to look up how to spell Amare Stoudemire, Jake Tsakalidis or Shawn Marion. I'm guessing sooner than later. And if Stephon Marbury, Penny Hardaway and Joe Johnson ever realize that they're all wearing the same uniform, this team is gonna win a whole bunch of games real fast. The Suns may have finished 10 games below .500 last season, but their average margin of defeat was less than a free throw, 0.7 points to be exact. Allow me to pre-empt. I told you so.

10. Los Angeles Clippers
Projected Record: 40-42
2002 Record: 49-43 (No. 9)
What's my motivation? Miles gone, Brand snubbed, Olowokandi and Miller deferred, Odom and Q injured. This is more sweat shop than franchise and the newness of being a millionaire athlete in the NBA is about to wear off while this team turns to lottery welfare once again. Don't be fooled by the number of Clipper jerseys popping up in rap videos. On principle alone, this should be a 28-team league.

11. Seattle Sonics
Projected Record: 40-42
2002 Record: 45-37 (No. 7)
Gary Payton is now gun for hire rather than the player who would take a bullet for his team. We're not pointing fingers but forget the statistics and standings. This franchise may have just lost its soul.

12. Memphis Grizzlies
Projected Record: 26-56
2002 Record: 23-59 (No. 13)
You kinda get the feeling that in one fell swoop, Jerry West is going to snatch one last lottery pick as a parting gift from the Western Conference (which he can only get this year if it is No. 1 because of a prior trade . . . conspiracy theorists be damned) then turn around and actually win the entire Eastern Conference in realignment and we're gonna be left scratching our heads. After all, his current creation has won the last three titles and counting while the last six Executives of the Year have yet to win a single title. Ever.

13. Golden State Warriors
Projected Record: 22-60
2002 Record: 21-61 (No. 14)
Antawn Jamison at power forward and Mike Dunleavy, Jr. at small forward couldn't help move an old fridge into your new apartment much less survive an 82-game season in the NBA with a team on their backs. Maybe Jason Richardson can win another one of those dunk trinkets. Maybe they'll get something of value for Danny Fortson. And maybe the Pac 10 will admit them into league play.

14. Denver Nuggets
Projected Record: 15-67
2002 Record: 27-55 (No. 12)
Chorus. Two years from today, Nene Hilario and Nikoloz Tskitishvili will have twice as much NBA experience as they will at the end of this season but not nearly as much as they will in four. Repeat to fade.

 

If 55 wins gets #4 then I really cannot see why we cannot get that. Come on! A ten win improvement on two years ago when Anderson and Akeem was on the team. Anything short of top 4, RT needs to answer, barring injuries of course.

 

Francis is healthy (we were 2-24 without him). Cat looks like he can get his and blend in. EG and TMo are improved and stronger. Cato actually is playing better. MT and Rice are back. KT is even more toned and looks good at the 3. Moochie is 35 pounds lighter and actually will have a preseason. Torres looks better. Yao Ming, Yao Ming, Yao Ming. The rest of the bench is solid.

No reason this team couldn't reverse fortune and go 54-28 or better. I think they can give Portland fits. I really think they can be 4th, probably matched with Portland at 5 for the first round. Then they take them out and advance to the 2nd round...

 

8. Utah Jazz
Projected Record: 42-40
2002 Record: 44-38 (No. 8)
As we speak, there are 77 years, 33 seasons and 25,017 assists lined up a point guard alone for the Jazz. Don't laugh. Add another winning season and one more playoff appearance to the most successful franchise over the last decade in terms of wins, then remove your cap and pay respects. You may not have liked John Stockton nor particularly admired Karl Malone, but more times than not, they kicked the fanny of your favorite player night after night. Eventually, the Jazz will be back. But they will never be the same.



So true.

 

ESPN has us soooooooooo underrated. I cant believe they dont think well finish with 60 wins and the #2 seed in the playoffs.
@=^P

 

Thanks for the links and info guys! #6 seed is where I think the Rockets will finish out as, and if the Mavs get the #3 seed and the Rockets play them I don't see any reason why Rockets couldn't take them. The Rockets have a deeper and probably better frontcourt then Dallas, assuming everybody is healthy and playing to their potential. I think the Rockets bench and addition of a frontcourt and rebounders and shot-blockers make this a scary team to play in the first round for anybody, that includes the Lakers who struggle against strong backcourts.

 

I would be really really happy with a 6 seed as well. What's even better is that I think it is only a jumping off point for the years to come. Dallas I think would definitely have problems with us. I don't think their front court matches up well with ours, especially if Yao is a contributor. My one concern is whether or not steve would contain Nash. If you stop Nash, dallas's offense sputters.

 

I think you are right on. #6 or #7 seed is a good target to shoot for. Heck #8 would be nice too. I wouldnt want to match up with the Lakers. Shaq seems to have something personal against Yao. You dont want to wake a sleeping giant. =)

 

The Mavs didn't match up well against us even before Yao. Even last year we split the season series with them and we blew them out one game. In the games we lost, we lost by a total of 10 points. If we meet the Mavs, we are going to the second round.

 

There may be some matchup issue here.
According to ESPN conference ranking, the playoff seeding will be:
1. Kings
2. Mav
3. Laker
4. Spurs
5. Blazers
6. Rockets
7. Wolves
8. Jazz

since Mav is the division leader.

Therefore, we will face Lakers in the first round. What do you think????? I prefer a #7.

KH

 

Actually that is right, the Lakers WOULD be the #3 seed. I would prefer the #7 seed then to. I think the Rockets could put a scare into the Lakers, but why tempt fate against the world champions? Assuming things work out and the Rockets crash the playoffs as a #6 seed, I think the Spurs will win the division, and I think the Lakers will be a #4 seed. I think losing Shaq for a period of time, and the Lakers tendency to lose interest will hurt them. But looking up at the rankings I could see the Rockets overtaking the Blazers.