For those of you keeping score, I got seven out of eight playoff teams in the West last year, and was the first to proclaim that the Clips would not be making the playoffs. I also called Phoenix in, when they were considered a non-playoff team. My only mistake was picking the Rockets in Utah, and it was my heart taking over my brain. A first look at next year. (Some assumptions are a bit iffy at this point). 1-4: Dallas, Lakers, Sacto, San Antonio: no doubts. Analysis of the rest: 5. Minnesota. In a quirky development this off-season they swap the two worst #1 picks since Pervis Ellison (yes, that includes Coleman and K. Brown) Kandi/Cassel is upgrade over Rasho/Joe Smith. If in the East, this team has the best record. 6. Rockets. (assumes Posey re-signs) Call me a homer, but I think we will be #6 next year. The team was extremely young last season. I expect much better play from Yao and Griffin. I also have high hopes for van Gundy. He may not be a better coach than Rudy, but he sure is a better coach than Larry Smith. Remember we lost our playoff spot when Rudy went down. One concern is if Cato will be able to have another strong season or will regress to Cato of old. He was a contributor last year. 7. Phoenix. Another young team that should improve. Amare, J.Johnson, Stodemire should be all better. Marbury's surgery is a slight concern. 8. Portland (assumes Pippen leaves and Sabonis' option is not picked up). This is a very deep team, but I see them on the bubble. Too disfunctional. Sabonis and Pippen were major contributors. Still, with so much talent, Bonzi, Rasheed, Derek A., Zach Randolp, etc. they make the playoffs. 9. Clippers (assumes Brand and Odom are back). This team still has talent and now they have a somewhat legitimate coach. Dooling/Jaric are competent to run the point with Odom being a point forward. 10. Golden State. Made major strides last year, but are going to lose Arenas. Dampier/Foyle a decent center combo. 11. Memphis. Between their 0-14 start and their bad finish when they did not care, this team played very well. 12. Seattle. I have a feeling that Seattle will have major injury problems this year. Ray Allen and Brent Barry have injury history and Rashard's shoulder is still a question mark. 13. Denver (assumes they get Andre Miller). Andre had a terrible year, but he is not a bad player. I think he will be motivated. Carmelo and Nene are vey talented. Still, big holes remain. 14. Utah. Yeah, baby!
I agree with pretty much everything you said, but you OVERRATE the hell outa Minnesota. We are a better team than them and everyone else in the league for that matter, too. Since it will be our first season under JVG's new system though and Yao and EG are still developing, I'll say the fifth seed for the Rockets is very likely. Maybe sixth if Portland or Minnesota suprises, but we sure as hell have ended the playoff drought. Gonna be another two decades at least until the Rockets fall into the lottery again. Utah in last in the West, I love it! Can't really get any better than that.
I wish you would have ranked the 1-4. Also I think you ranked Minnesota correctly but overrated the Clippers and underrated Seattle. Guessing that Seattle will have injuries is kinda risky. Who knows what teams and what stars will get injured so lets rank on the assumption that they won't get injured. My list is this: (Regular Season record, not ranked on who's actually best) Honestly, who knows if these spots will be correct but I think the 1-8 will get to the playoffs. I'm pretty sure that the Lakers will be the first seed and Timberwolves be the fifth seed. 1. Lakers 2. Sacramento 3. San Antonio 4. Dallas 5. Minnesota 6. Houston 7. Phoenix 8. Portland 9. Seattle 10. Memphis 11. Denver 12. Clippers 13. Utah
This might seem a little crazy but im goin out on a limb here. (dont bash a guy for not thinking the same way you do, nothing ever comes out that predicatable) 1.) Mavs 2.) spurs 3.) kings 4.)lakers ( i dont think they will mesh, they will start out ok, but then the egos will come into play) 5.) Minny 6.)phoenix 7.) Houston 8.) Memphis (my sleeper pick, i think west has stockpiled talent, swift, gasol, Jason williams(his best year last year), bell, mike miller, earl watson, battier) i think this group will surprise everyone 9.) Portland (will combust at the trading deadline) 10.)GS 11.Sonics 12.)nuggets (melos a bust waiting to happen, remember Jay "most NBA ready " Williams, thats melo in his first year 13.)Jazz hahaha
It is difficult to rank the top 4 teams...because there are so many things that can happen. The Lakers have the best talent with 3 superstars and 1 star + good role players and one of the best coaches of all time. Spurs have Tim Duncan and good role players...but they lost DRob and replaced him with Nesterovic. They will still be good as long as they got TD with him. Nesterovic is a good team player too...Mavericks will always do very good. They started last season 14-0...They still have Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Dirk Nowitzki, and Nick Van Exel. But they won't win the championship anytime soon. Kings still got CWebb, Bibby, and Stojakovic. They are getting older though. 5. Twolves. I agree with you Kayman. Their team is better with Cassell and Olowokandi and Nbudi Ebi. 6. Don't agree. I am a homer too...but I hope we can get that far. I think Portland can be #6 just because of all their talent. Utah and Denver and Golden State and Memphis and the Clippers are going to be decent but they won't make the playoffs. We will be battling against Phoenix and Seattle and maybe Memphis for the last 2 spots! I am confident that we can make it.... Francis under JVG is a little > than Marbury Mobley disciplined by JVG> Hardaway..who will get injured...all they have Johnson and that guy from Stanford Posey < Marion but Posey shut down Marion or Marion was just very off for a long stretch of time..... Griffin < < < < < < Amare. Amare owns passive Griffin. That's why we can put Cato at the 4. Too crazy guys fighting inside. Yao > those 2 Jakes. We are a better team than them! But...we need to be consistent and beat the crappy teams. All the crappy teams improved though... Francis > WHO? Brent Barry? Mobley = Allen. Allen is a way better player but Mobley can guard him...Allen's short too....along with help defense...we can contain him...just don't leave him open! Posey < Rashard Lewis. Posey can't guard Lewis...neither can Grififin. Griffin < Radmonovic. Since we need Griffin to help inside...Vladamir is always open and drains 3's all day. Hopefully JVG will adjust our defensive strategy. Yao OWNS whoever they have. Cato owns Jerome James badly. Francis > Sam Cassell Mobley > Troy Hudson. Mobley > Wally Sczerbiak Garnett = Griffin. Garnett could dominate Griffin but for some reason he doesn't. He just stays on the perimeter...and Griffin can't possibly do anything on offense against KG. Mo Taylor owns their backup forwards. Mo Taylor's both season highs were against Minnesota. Yao = Nesterovic. Yao had trouble against Rasho...and Rasho scored more than Yao. But now Rasho's gone. Instead...they have Michael...who Yao also had trouble with. We will split 2 games with them. Just for Rockets #1, I will please stop talking. Also...I am hoping we win at least 45 games and will be very very happy is we win more than 50.
Look for Utah and possibly Portland to exit from the playoffs while the Rockets get in for sure, and the Warriors could take over for Portland. Seed wise it could go like this: 1) Lakers 2) Spurs 3) Mavericks 4) Kings 5) Rockets 6) Timberwolves 7) Suns 8) Warriors
Very tough to rank 1 thru 4, but here goes: 1) Lakers 2) Spurs 3) Mavs 4) Kings And the rest ... 5) Minnesota - they still have KG, enough said 6) Portland - will still have too much talent and experience to drop out of the playoffs like so many of you think 7) Houston - with a season of playing together under their belt, they WILL make the playoffs and strongly challenge for the 5th or 6th seed 8) Phoenix - need Marbury to have another stellar season.
