We know how deep and talented the Western conference is. Because of how close the top and bottom teams are, the playoffs have already started for teams in the West. You can be the #1 seed, have a bad week, and slip out of the playoffs. Every game is a playoff game for most West teams until the end of the year. Then in the actual playoffs, there will be no easy opponents, whoever wins the West will have endured an intense regular season and 3 tough opponents in the post season. The West champion is going to be beat up mentally and physically by the time those finals come around. Now look at the East, there's only 4 teams with a shot at doing anything in the playoffs, there's going to be 1 tough matchup in the opening round (Det/Bos should cruise 4-0). Boston and Detroit have the 1,2 locked up so they can start resting up early. The East champ most likely only has to play 1 tough series and 1 competitive series ( last year's East Champ had 1 tough series). We know how SA blew out Cleveland last year in the finals, but Boston certainly looks like a tough team, much tougher than Cleveland was last year. SA would have also had a much tougher time with the Pistons last year. So with all these obstacles in the West champ's way: tough regular season, 3 grueling playoff series, capable East opponent, can a West team win the championship this year?
I was thinking about this earlier. Especially when I saw the fact that Boston is 16-0 against the West. Detroit is always a tough challenge for any team as well. It would not suprise me if Boston or Detroit took the title this year.
If it's the Spurs and maybe the Suns, the western teams will win. But anyone else, I think the Eastern teams will pretty much be favorite, esp. if it is Detroit or Boston. Boston and Detroit can pretty much beat every team in the west in a series, and fairly easy. Boston is not an all-time great team, not yet.....but they have beaten some really good teams without Kevin Garnett. The Lakers even with Gasol and Bynum are still not great match up against the Celtics. Who is going to guard Kevin Garnett. He can run circles around both players at the same time and outrebound them as well. Kobe is going to have his hands full, does he guard Pierce or Allen. The Mavs are have similar situation against the team who is going to d-up on Garnett. The Jazz, backcourt might not be able to slow down Pierce and Allen. The Warriors wouldn't last two games in that series....literally no front line, playing very little defense, weak rebounding, and consistently jacking up 3s....that's a death wish against a team like Cs. Rockets actually match up better with than other teams, because we have second superstar and plays another position beside those three. Also, we have Battier and T-Mac to cover Allen and Pierce and even Wells off the bench. We've got three players who could guard K.G. --- Scola, Landry, and Hayes, no particular order. I think all three a better defenders than Nowitzki, Amare, and Gasol. I think as far as the West goes we are the 2nd or 3rd best team who could beat Boston.
It's so unfair that the east top teams can just walk through the first two rounds, while the west team has to fight for every game,
I wouldn't say so, because the round two is going to be Lebron and D-Howard for 5 to 7 games. Definitely, won't be an easy task especially trying to beat Team Lebron. Who the Celtics have struggled against? Mainly, because they don't have any who can guard him, unlike other SG/SF, he is 6,9 and nearly 250 with blazing speed and aggressive to basket. They could use someone on their bench who is tweener PF/SF or defensive stopper at SF, a Bruce Bowen.
It's anybodys game this year. Spurs: full of veterans but vunerable due to old age. Lakers: Kobe finally has a very good supporting cast. Pistons: Same as Spurs but a bit younger. Suns: Who knows which Shaq shows up. Rockets: How much will the rookies improve? Celtics: The big 3. Jazz: 2 words: "KYLE KOVER!" Mavs: embarrasing first round knockoff should be plenty of motivation I dont really think much of Cavs, Magics, and Hornets.
The sad thing is the Celtics probably will win it all this year. Yeah, they might face one decent opponent (Detroit) in the three playoff rounds leading to the NBA Finals but they'll probably still win it. Whichever battered, bruised and exhausted team they face in the Finals from the West will probably be well out of gas by that time.
im pretty sure a west team will win. dont count the ROX out against the Celts if they get that far. we only lost to them by 4 and t-mac didnt play and they were healthy
Pretty good; but I should note that Phoenix is now OLDER than the "maybe too old" Spurs. As for the Celtics beating all the West teams? Meh, they take all those games as statement games; teams that take the regular season TOO seriously can be overestimated (see '06 Pistons, '07 Mavericks, and '08 Patriots).
getting out of the west will be such a struggle that ANY team that represents the west in the finals should be that much tougher for it. good luck to the C's or pistons or whoever beat up on low 40 win teams on the way to the finals.
Tougher, yes.. but definitely tired as well. I hope the Rockets can make it to the finals, but damn that's a hard road leading up there. Especially if our showers are still cold.
hopefully uncle mutombo can convince uncle alexander to pay the gas bill. the winner of the west may be more tired, but do you bet on to win a fight... a guy that has gotten into a bunch before...and recently, or a guy who never got into a fight since middle school?
idk, i think boston will take it. their defense is very impressive. they play hard, they play together, theyre hungry, and the offense isnt even running on all cylinders IMO and has a lot of room for improvement, and they are still 41-9. i would say the lakers could beat them, but boston beat them soundly twice so it makes me think that even with gasol it may just be a bad matchup for the lake show.
The Lakers almost won against the Pistons in Detroit without Gasol and Bynum. They lost on the last second 3 pointer from Prince.
