I think it is even funnier that you guys think T Mac/Yao will be close to the best team in the league but Kobe/Odom will struggle to make the playoffs. If Kobe stays with the Lakers they will be one of the better teams in the West. If Kobe goes to the Clippers they are my pick to win the West. PS. Houston still will not be better than Memphis!
So, say if Hou and San get 64 & 65 wins each, and all other teams have no more than 55 wins. Then the two will have to meet in the FIRST round and one will have to exit!
Actually that would not happen, Houston would be the 4 seed and as you know the 1 seed meets the 8 in the first round. Assuming that they both moved on, they would meet in the 2nd round.
Denver is going to be tough in the west too....especially with K-Mart added to Carmelo and Miller....
Kobe without Shaq will be like TM without Yao. Lot's of flurry and motion, but not much progress. I'll agree with you that KB and EB would become a very tough team, but I wouldn't say they'll be better than SA or Minny. It really all depends on the supporting cast. My own opinion is that neither Kobe or Shaq will ever win another ring again.
I think that the team Kobe is with will be far better off than Shaq with the heat whether Kobe is with Clippers or Lakers
You are smoking something ... You can actually tell me with a straight face that the Lakers with the players that they currently have on the team right now have any shot of being in the top 5-6 teams in the West? They have nothing at the Center spot and nothing at the PF spot, and an old, tired PG. I'm sorry but there is not much out there to be had either. If they move some people and can fill those holes then they have a chance to be decent. But as it stands(and even if they can land Dampier), this Laker team WILL NOT make the playoffs anywhere near a top seed. As for the Rockets, I for one don't think they will be in the top 3 this year as it will take some time to adjust. In 3 years they will definitely be contending for championships. As for Memphis ... ya they will still be stuck at around the 6-7 spot and content with mediocrity.
You know, what I was just pondering was the comparison between our trade with Orlando and the trade between LA and Miami. I think a good argument can be made that Orlando got the better deal, putting aside the pick for LA. They get one of the top backcourt tandems in the League and a decent big man for the East. (well, Shaq just made the East tougher!) LA gets Odom, who is a talent, no question, but is a bit unpredictable compared to Francis and Mobes, Butler, who is a bit redundant, but has potential, and they get Grant, who is sadly on the downside of his career. I'm shocked, really, that LA got so little. Yes, they got the pick, but it may not be in the lottery. I'd be surprised if it were.
My Top 8 WC teams goes like this: 1. Minnesota - To win the whole enchilada 2. San Antonio 3. Sacramento 4. Denver (if they get K-Mart) 5. Houston 6. Dallas - They are going to really miss Nash 7. Memphis 8. Utah If the Lakers can pick up a few decent players for the front court I would bump them up a bit. As they are now, I think they will compete for a 7-8 spot only if Kobe plays lights out. If the Rockets can pick up a few pieces they can move up to number 3, but I'm not sure those pieces are out there right now. Might need to wait until next off-season to become a true heavyweight contender.
