Western Conference report (NY Daily News)

Written by Mitch Lawrence the NBA writer for the Daily News. He is predicting we lose to the Spurs in the West conference final. Rox are convincing a lot of people we are the 2nd best in the West behind the Spurs. After seeing the Spurs tonight, I have to agree, they have too much talent. Now CD has to get us another player to overtake them.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/story/361292p-307802c.html

West report

NBA 2005-06 Preview



Phil Jackson is back in Hollywood and Larry Brown has come home to New York to fix the Knicks, but for this season, the center of the NBA universe will continue to be little old San Antonio, home of the defending champs, the league's model franchise and its best player.
Coming off June's title run, Tim Duncan now has won three rings, to go along with three Finals MVP awards and two regular-season MVPs. Now he goes for his set of first back-to-back titles, an accomplishment that will only add to his legacy. A look at the West:

Heavyweight

1. San Antonio
Last season: Won third title in the Duncan Era after a 59-23 regular season.
Who's in and who's out: Ex-Blazer Nick Van Exel and Ex-Mav Michael Finley give the Spurs their best depth in years. Role players Devin Brown (Jazz) and Mike Wilks (Cavs) have left.
Scout's view: "I think the only question is whether Van Exel and Finley accept their roles. Since they've got a chance to play with Duncan and win a ring, why wouldn't they?"
Prediction: Duncan gets his back-to-back titles.


Middleweights

2. Denver
Last season: Went 49-33, then lost to the Spurs in first round.
Who's in and who's out: Earl Watson gives the Nuggets three point guards (along with Andre Miller and Earl Boykins). They had no significant losses.
Scout's view: "They won't be able to re-sign Nene, so look for them to try to get a shooting guard using Nene as trade bait. That's their only glaring weakness."
Prediction: If they make the second round, they are right on schedule. Paul Pierce ends up a Nugget by the trading deadline.


3. Houston
Last season: After going 51-31, the Rockets were crushed by Dallas in Game 7 of the first round.
Who's in and who's out: Ex-Memphis power forward Stromile Swift and former Blazer Derek Anderson are new additions. PG Mike James went to Toronto for Rafer Alston.
Scout's view: "They needed to get more athletic, and Swift and Anderson should help in that area. Now they've got the talent and coaching to go a long way."
Prediction: A berth in the Western finals against San Antonio.

4. Dallas
Last season: Went 58-25, then lost to Phoenix in West semis.
Who's in and who's out: Michael Finley signed with San Antonio and Shawn Bradley retired. Doug Christie came over from Orlando.
Scout's view: "They don't have that second star behind (Dirk) Nowitzki, but watch for Josh Howard to have a huge season. They regard him as their second most-important player."
Prediction: Nowitzki gets them out of the first round.

5. Sacramento
Last season: Lost to Seattle in playoffs after going 50-32.
Who's in and who's out: Former Memphis G-F Bonzi Wells and ex-Blazer Shareef Abdur-Rahim are new. Cuttino Mobley (Clippers), Greg Ostertag (Jazz) and Bobby Jackson (Grizzlies) have departed.
Scout's view: "Abdur-Rahim is going to flourish in their system. Wells is going to do fine in a relaxed setting. So they're going to do better than people think because they've got a lot of options."
Prediction: They're going to sneak up on people.

6. Phoenix
Last season: Had the West's best record at 62-20, then lost to Spurs in five games in conference finals.
Who's in and who's out: Ex-Knick Kurt Thomas, ex-Laker Brian Grant and ex-Jazz Raja Bell are in as the Suns put more emphasis on defense and rebounding. Huge loss: Amare Stoudemire is out until at least mid-February after knee surgery. Quentin Richardson (Knicks) and Joe Johnson (Hawks) are gone.
Scout's view: "Losing Stoudemire is a killer. They won't be nearly as good without him.''
Prediction: Steve Nash won't be the MVP this season.

Lightweights

7. Seattle
Last season: Won Northwest Division at 52-30, then lost to Spurs in conference semis.
Who's in and who's out: Coach Nate McMillan (Blazers), C Jerome James (Knicks) and G Antonio Daniels (Wizards) are gone. The Sonics didn't make any significant additions for new coach Bob Weiss or their top player, Ray Allen.
Scout's view: "I just can't see them having the same success they had last year, when they had so many guys who were on the last year of their contracts."
Prediction: Don't be surprised if they finish out of the playoff hunt.


8. Lakers
Last season: Finished tied for last in Pacific (34-38) with the Warriors.
Who's in and who's out: After the Rudy Tomjanovich debacle, the Lakers brought back Phil Jackson. Ex-Wizard Kwame Brown, ex-Sixer Aaron McKie and former Fordham star Smush Parker are new. Brian Grant (Suns), Caron Butler (Wizards) and Chucky Atkins (Wizards) are gone.
Scout's view: "Kobe Bryant will thrive under Phil, no matter what he wrote about him in his diary. But they're a borderline playoff team, at best."
Prediction: Bryant and Jackson drive the Lakers to the playoffs.


9. Memphis
Last season: Finished 45-37 and lost to Phoenix in the first round.
Who's in and who's out: Jason Williams (Heat), Stromile Swift (Rockets) and Bonzi Wells (Kings) are gone. Eddie Jones, Bobby Jackson, Damon Stoudamire and rookie Hakim Warrick are new.
Scout's view: "They got rid of all their bad actors and made a great acquisition in Bobby Jackson. But even Jerry West doesn't know how this will all come together."
Prediction: Could finish ahead of the Lakers for the final playoff berth.

Flyweights


10. Utah
Last season: Last in Northwest Division at 26-56.
Who's in and who's out: Illinois PG Deron Williams and Devin Brown are new. Raja Bell (Suns) and Kirk Snyder (Hornets) moved on.
Scout's view: "With Andrei Kirilenko coming back, they're going to be much better. He was really emerging as a star before last season (when he missed 41 games due to a knee injury). Carlos Boozer and Mehmet Okur need to produce to start validating those big contracts (owner) Larry Miller gave them two summers ago."
Prediction: Do you really think they'll have two bad seasons in a row under Jerry Sloan?


11. Clippers
Last season: The best team in L.A., even if they were only 37-45.
Who's in and who's out: The Clippers traded for Minnesota PG Sam Cassell, while Cuttino Mobley came over from Orlando. Bobby Simmons got his big payday from the Bucks, while Marko Jaric went to Minnesota.
Scout's view: "Sam and Cuttino will drive Mike Dunleavy nuts with all their talking."
Prediction: There will be many possessions where Elton Brand never touches the ball.

12. Golden State
Last season: They finished 34-48 after trading for Baron Davis.
Who's in and who's out: Rookies Ike Diogu and Chris Taft join a team that hasn't made the playoffs since 1994. Nikoloz Tskitishvili left for Minnesota.
Scout's view: "I know everybody thinks they're going to challenge for a playoff spot, but other than Baron Davis, who has weight issues when he's not hurt, can you really get excited about this group?
Prediction: Not good enough to get into the West's top eight - yet.

13. Minnesota
Last season: After going to Western finals in 2004, the T-Wolves finished in the lottery at 44-38.
Who's in and who's out:After Flip Saunders' firing, VP Kevin McHale temporarily took over coaching duties. Now it's up to ex-Seattle assistant Dwane Casey, a rookie, to get things turned around. Marko Jaric, Nikoloz Tskitishvili and rookie Rashad McCants are new. Sam Cassell (Clippers) and Latrell Sprewell are gone.
Scout's view: "Kevin Garnett came to training camp unhappy, especially with Cassell going to the Clippers. How long before he asks to get traded?"
Prediction: McHale gets fired after a long season.


Deadweights

14. Portland
Last season: Finished at 27-55, the Trail Blazers' worst record since 1973-74.
Who's in and who's out: Coach Maurice Cheeks, PG Damon Stoudamire (Grizzlies) and SG Derek Anderson (Rockets) are gone. Already one of the youngest teams in the league, they added high-schooler Martell Webster and 22-year-old Jarrett Jack in the draft. Notable imports include ex-Wizards Juan Dixon and Steve Blake. Ex-Sonics coach Nate McMillan takes over for Cheeks.
Scout's view: "Sebastian Telfair needs to keep working on his shot, but there are few guys in this league who can cover as much ground, north and south, as fast as he can. I don't know how Zach Randolph is going to keep his sanity as they continue to go young. Some playoff team is going to go for Theo Ratliff or even Ruben Patterson. The Blazers are looking for expiring contracts or more young players."
Prediction: They're in it for the long haul.

15. New Orleans
Last season: Blew it up by trading Baron Davis and finished at 18-64.
Who's in and who's out: New Orleans is out of the mix, as a result of Hurricane Katrina. The Hornets will play 35 home games in Oklahoma City and six in Baton Rouge. Desmond Mason (Bucks), No. 1 pick PG Chris Paul, ex-Jazz F Kirk Snyder and ex-Heat Rasual Butler are new. Jamaal Magloire went to the Bucks and Dan Dickau went to Boston.
Scout's view: "The only good thing about this year is that Paul will show everyone how good he will be on this level."
Prediction: Don't ask.