Didn't most people think the Rockets were in a predicament when both Yao and Mutombo were out for the Lakers series last year, let alone a top West team? Yeah, you just described our very own Rockets of yesteryear.
Well, Durant's first outing in the playoffs was against Ron Artest. Sure, Artest is older, and a bit slower from his dominant defense days, but he is still one of the best defenders in the game. You call Ibaka, and Harden nonexistent? Granted, they need some more help there, but Ibaka and Harden are great sparkplugs off the bench. Frontline definitely is bad, but look at the Rockets. Yao and Hill = 7'6 and 6'11? Thunder just got hustle in Cole Aldrich; this doesn't totally solve their problems, but its a great start. Durant, Westbrook, and Ibaka (yes, Serge Ibaka) are all rising stars for the OKC. I strongly believe they will be one of the top four teams in the West next season, if not the league.
This is on paper though. Rockets didn't make it to the playoffs last year, while the Thunder did. I'm basing it off that, and not past experiences. Not sure if the Rockets can rank number 2 in the West right off the bat though, even with Yao coming back.
The thing about the Thunder is maybe I'm bitter as a Rockets fan, but that team had absolutely no major injuries the entire season. At all. The Blazers were supposed to be the new hot young team until they got derailed by the thing, and while I don't expect the Thunder to be as Portland, I do expect their health to be worse then last year. My current rankings would be: 1. LA 2. Dallas 3. Houston 4. Utah 5. OKC 6. Portland 7. Denver 8. San Antonio.
They won 50 games last year. No reason why they can't win 55+ which will put them in the 1-3 Seed range...... Unless you think Spurs/Mavs/Jazz are going to get 55+ wins based on their free agency action/getting older. The X-factor team is the Blazers, who are still young and how Greg Oden responds from his injury (again). If healthy they can easily be 1-4 seed. Nuggets will be distracted with Melo, already declaring that he wants to form a Big 3. Also Karl's healthy is not so great.. Its not so much as what the Thunders can do, its simply the west is getting weaker.
Artest or not, any player will face massive defensive pressure in the playoffs, unless the opposing team is the Nuggets or the Suns. You just proved my point on their bench. Two players do not make for a deep bench. They need better backups. Our frontline is nowhere as bad as theirs with Yao. However, I have posted in another thread that we are in dire need of a backup C. Hill CANNOT play it, as you have seen in Summer League (hopefully). So they have 2 stars, possibly 3 coming up the way. What team doesn't?
its like the golden state hype, but i do like KD. We did beat them a couple of times last year w/out yao.
Again, just because they're young does not mean they will be that much better. If that's the case, where's the love for our own Rockets? I mean, I don't see anybody projecting us for 60 wins, which is perfectly what this kind of logic dictates.
Hmmm. That's tough. (1) Lakers -- Obvious. (2) Rockets -- Might be me being a homer, but we're a very balanced team that's young and only getting better. We have the best addition in the conference via Yao Ming and Kevin Martin will be even more dangerous with him. (3) Nuggets -- Not much has changed for them but not much needs to be changed. George Karl needs to come back and they need to extend Anthony. (4) Mavericks -- Adding Chandler and dumping Dampier will be big on their interior defense. Butler will continue to get comfortable playing off of Kidd and Nowitzki. (5) Blazers* -- The asterisk is for if they stay healthy. The Oden/Roy/Aldridge/Miller 4-some is quite good, though. (6) Thunder -- Up-and-comers I'm not entirely sold on. They're incredibly dangerous at home, but I imagine they'll be a bit iffy on the road. Still, Harden and Ibaka will improve further and continue the team's improvement. (7) Jazz* - The asterisk is for if they get Al Jefferson. If they don't, they'll fall out of the top 8. I still think Jefferson won't be as effective as Boozer was and they lost a dead-eye shooter in Korver. Can Hayward fill his void? Probably not this year. (8) Spurs -- Always underestimating the Spurs, I guess. They'll probably get Richard Jefferson back, but if not, adding Tiago Splitter will help but he'll take some time to adjust to the NBA. They're the opposite of young teams (Thunder, Rockets), though; they're getting worse. The rest (with no comments): (9) Clippers (10) Grizzlies (11) Hornets (12) Suns (13) Kings (14) Warriors (15) Timberwolves
Every single team does not have an Artest. If every team played great defense, Durant's PPG wouldn't be 30.1 (iirc). I never said they had a deep bench. I just said their bench isn't nonexistent. Don't know what you mean by your last sentence. Lopez is a star. Harris is a star. But you don't see the Nets skyrocketing up the power rankings. I don't think the Thunder will be tops in the West. But I'm not sure one can have them ranked below the third spot Lakers Thunder / Rockets Rockets / Thunder is my opinion; no homerism.
Who is projecting the Thunder for 60 wins? I think that, when all is said and done, the top team in the West by season's end, whether it be the Lakers, or another team, will have less than 60 wins. The West is way too competitive. I look forward to seeing Teams 1 and 9 separated by like, 8 wins again.
1. Lakers 2. Mavs 3. Portland 4. Thunder 5. Denver 6. Jazz 7. Spurs 8. Rockets 9. Phoenix (one game back)
Okay, and 2 years ago we took the Lakers to 7 games without Yao for half the series, but we weren't the #2 seed in the West.
Did you miss the part where I said playoffs? Artest isn't some godlike defensive player - have you watched last year when he was with us? Heck, he could've even keep up with Lebron. He just TRIES. Every player can and WILL TRY to play incredible D in the playoffs. Their bench isn't nonexistent, but it sure as hell is close to it. Exactly my point. If all they have going for them are their rising stars, why aren't people hyping the Nets? Sorry, but I just don't see alot of substance in this team.
Okay. Do you honestly think the Thunder are better than the Rockets with Yao? You, and many others, put them at 55 wins, mainly because they are young and have room to improve. But wait-! Aren't our very own Rockets young as well? By means of logic: Rockets > Thunder Youth? Check. = Youth? Check. Youth = Reason for +5 wins. Therefore, the Rockets might as well be a 60 win team.
Lol I have the Rockets as #2......call me a homer, I expect some big things from this group, especially if they are healthy. If they are healthy and they manage a 42 win season...its time to blow it up (trade Yao blah blah blah)
I have the Mavericks at #2...I don't know though. They always have the most talent, yet seem to fall short of expectations. If it weren't for their upgrade at center position, which solidifies their all around stacked team, I would've put the Rockets at #2 as well.
