Here's how I see it. Lakers Kings Spurs Blazers Mavs All going to be in the top 5. That's random order. That leaves 3 spots. Phoenix Houston Seattle Utah Clippers Minnesotta The Clippers are going to make it, but they won't be as good as we think. I see some problems in having both Odom and Andre Miller on the same team. Miller isn't a scorer, and Odom isn't a big-time scorer. Brand isn't a scoring machine, but he always gets his 20 and 10. What I'm trying to say is, they're not incredible. They'll get 7th seed, and their ceiling is 6th seed. Not enough offense, and their defense doesn't make up for it. So that means the Clippers are locks. I think everyone agrees that as long as the Wolves have KG, and a complimentary scorer (Wally), they'll make the playoffs. 8th seed this time though, unless the trade rumour is true. If they ship off Brandon for Stoudamire, then they will be a team to reckon with. Don't forget, Stoudamire is a capable 20ppg scorer, and with so much pressure on KG, and a shooter like Wally, his FG% will be decent too. Expect them to make 6th seed if this happens. Then they get drawn against the Lakers, and the rest is history. So that leaves these teams battling for one mroe spot: Houston Seattle Utah Phoenix I'm very very very confident that Seattle is NOT in the picture. Payton will probably be traded at mid-season when his team is at 19-22 or something. You may not like Vin Baker, but last year, he was their post presence. An effective one too. Now, with that post rpesence gone, teams can focus on Lewis and Payton more. Which means there's no one to take over. Utah? They always seem to make it, and worry too. But is it humanly possible? Malone has no backup anymore. Marshall was giving Malone much-needed rests. Harpring can't do what Marshall did. This team will struggle for points. the only way I see them posing a challenge, is if Kirilenko and Deshawn Stevenson come into their own and become serious players. Even then, we can compete with them. Phoenix. Stoudamire is no Kwame Brown, make no mistake about it. He showed that he's been working hard, and that he's not that far away from being ready. I'd say half a season. Till then, they have Googs and Bo Outlaw. They will put on a hard-work show and surprise everyone, but their 40-42 record won't make the playoffs. I'm confident we'll make the playoffs. I'm also confident that we can take the Mavs down if we're matched up against them. I'm also confident that the MAVS only big-game player is Nowitzki, while Francis, Mobley and Griffin have all shown that they rise to the occasion. Look at Francis' games against all these PG's that claim to be better. He almost always hands them their ass on a platter. No need to explain for Mobley. But what about Griff and how he wreaked havoc on the Lakers last season? What about all his clutch 3-pters? Let's not forget Mooch. We're the only team deep enough to be able to play the Mavs. We're 2 deep at every position, except the 2, where Mobley barely sits. Lock us in. We're going.
Guy's I'm not a Yao Hatter, just a realist. The expectations that you guy's are putting on first year player that's not acustomed to all the banging and quickness he's gonna see his first year in the league is crazy. Give Yao about 3 year's in the league before you make statements like Yao is going to put up 20 and 10 a game. In oh by the way Matt Guokas has been a player and a anaylist for over 30 year's so give this guy some type of credit.
Guokas' caution against too high an expectation is legit. But his comment about Yao doesn't have a low post game and prefers to score from the perimeter is ignorant.
