Mavericks... they'll win some games but they're needle is pointed nowhere. They're positioned to be mediocre for the next 3 years. Lakers... the wheels are falling off both backcourt players, the coach is a bozo and Gasol will be mentioned in trade talks again. A franchise biding it's time until next year. No reason to tune into Lakers' basketball this year.
I disagree. You have some teams out there that could really surprise. I'm interested to see what the Wizards, Pelicans, Mavericks, Cavs, Pistons... heck, even Portland can do. Those teams have some solid pieces and could make some noise.
#5 ain't a bad place to start. Especially considering 2 of the teams ahead of us are last year's finalists. I disagree with the conventional wisdom that the Rockets need at least a year before they contend. Dwight's been to the Finals. Harden's been to the Finals. McHale went there plenty of times as a player. And those are the guys who are going to lead this team. If they mesh as a unit right away, why would they need an extra season?
Right now, I think the Rox should be ranked only behind Miami. I think the Rox are a match-up nightmare especially if Asik and Howard continue to improve on what they showed toward the end of preseason. Maybe its good that people are still skeptical about the Rox. Should keep the team even more hungry and motivated.
I think the Clippers are a very good regular season team. They have the 3rd best player in the league, are deep, and have a 20/8 guy in Blake Griffin. And a good coach, if that makes any difference. But in the playoffs, I'm not so high on them. Rotations shorten, and Blake's one-dimensional game becomes easier to stop. In my preseason predictions I have the West breaking down as: 1. LAC 2. HOU 3. SAS
this. I do not see the Rockets 3 spots below the Clippers irrespective of the names you put between them. That is not the gap between these teams.
Rockets were by far the 2nd best team in the preseason. And unlike the number 1 team the Bulls, we didn't even play our starters that many minutes.
I feel like the top 7 should be more like: 1. Miami Heat 2. San Antonio Spurs 3. Chicago Bulls 4. Indiana Pacers 5. Houston Rockets 6. Golden State Warriors 7. LA Clippers Once Westbrook comes back though, you can expect the Thunder to go flying up the rankings to #2!
I'm from L.A. and listen to espnla radio with Steve Mason and John Ireland sometimes during lunch break. Neither put the Rockets in their top ten. Knicks and Nets were. No explanation either. Hilarious.
