If you remove the Spurs, who is our main challenger for the Western Conference crown? Comments please.
Houston Rockets themselves. Personally, i think this rockets squad can defeat any teams, including Spurs, in a seven games series. T-mac + Yao > Duncan + Ginobili. Our role players are more or less equal to spurs'. NVE will drive Popovich nuts. The only thing that stop rockets from over the top is the inconsistent plays of yao and the role players. Go Rockets!!!
Guys, if I included the Spurs and Rockets in the poll, we all know they would combine for 99% of the vote. I chose the poll this way to force people to think outside the iron box built around the Spurs.
I have to go with Dallas. Even with the subtraction of Finley, these guys will win a ton of games. Sac is a mystery at this point, despite their talent, Phoenix has lost Amare for months, and Denver is another question mark in my book. All of that said, none of these teams will really challenge us. We are heads and feet above everyone except SA.
Dallas They are in our division and have virtually the same roster from last year. If Phoenix had Stoudamire, it would be a different story.
Dallas v Houston Round I redux? Very possible. Home court to be the difference? Sac looks to me to be good. Denver overrated. Phoenix? Clearly in need of Amare and JJ but if the reigning MVP stays healthy they will still be sick.
I thik Dallas is going to be a LOT better than people think. The scary thing about them is they started to strong focus to being defensive-minded last year. I have to think it really sinks in this year. I think Dallas is going to hide in plain sight. People are going to view them one way when they've become a different animal altogether. What should be a bit worrysome for the Rox are reports of Diop finally starting to get it together. I put Dallas and Houston at even odds. I would NOT discount Dallas.
Dallas finished the regular season very strongly under Avery Johnson. Sure, not having Michael Finley will mean they won't have the weapons to succeed in a seven game series but they're stilll the biggest competition we have at this point. 1. We'll almost certainly have to play them in the first round due to division constraints. This means we have to get through them to get to the Spurs. None of those other teams is a certain opponent in the playoffs. 2. They are the most proven team coming into the season. Sacramento may have added Bonzi and Shareef, but neither one of those players has demonstrated a propensity for the Princeton style offense Sacramento plays. Plus they've lost Cuttino, their best spot up shooter until Peja gets out of his funk. They dived hard last year and will most likely be the winner of the Pacific only because of Amare's injury. As for the Nuggets, they were a beneficiary of a weak second-half schedule and were exposed in the playoffs as a team that cannot grind out a series. 3. Dallas has the fewest weaknesses. They have a center, granted Dampier sucks but he's still a legit 5. They have a plethora of wing players. They can play solid D and light it up on the offensive end. Until further notice, they're the #3 team in the West.
I voted Sactown, and am glad you included them in this poll. I think they may be the most underrated team heading into the start of the season.
Of course it's Dallas. It doesn't matter who's playing there, they still have their number point guard, David Stern on their side
I voted for Sacramento. By default. They'll need chemistry, what with their new-look roster, and they'll need to keep their power forwards happy (Kenny Thomas is undersized but more than a decent player; I don't know if he or SAR will be asked to slide to the three so they can both get their minutes). With Phoenix out of the way, the Pacific Division should be theirs for the taking. If Denver swings the trade for Paul Pierce (Nene and A-Miller for Pierce; maybe, maybe not), then they could be dangerous as hell. But it's a big "if." As we all know, most trades don't pan out. Otherwise, they'll be strong, likely winners of their division, but not championship-caliber. Dallas? They'd have to get past the Rox and the Spurs. Tough assignment. But as a homer, I assume the Rox can get past the Spurs and the Mavs, so maybe Dallas has it in them. Phoenix? If Amare comes back one hundred percent and gets in game shape and stays there without having a balky knee (or fears that the problem will recur, thus causing him to baby the knee and get tentative)....if all this, then Phoenix (unless they miss the playoffs; unlikely) will be the low-seeded team that NO ONE wants to face. If Tracy's knees hold up; if our chemistry is there; if Yao takes the next step (not a giant leap, but a step, to be sure), then the Spurs and the Rockets, with Dallas as the dark horse, are the W.C. challengers this year.
I think King is still a dangerous team. It still has so many weapons, if those guns like Bibby, peja, Bozi get hot, watch out. I am not too worried about Suns or Nugs. Amareless Suns is like a moster lose its right arm. Nugs, well, they are a good team, but I think we are better than them in terms of defense, bball IQ, and we can pound them inside.
