the west is as bad as its been in quite some time...only us, the lakers and maybe the spurs if they get healthy can win it. utah and new orleans are good but not good enough and there are just alot of bad bad teams in the west. we can do it
Last I heard, NBA season is not in November. People in here likes to jump to conclusion way too fast!
we can be better,now are we are not in our best status,Battier is still out,our role players are great talented,now our big three don't need to do much.Their biggest challenge is keep healthy,too many years,we were delayed by injuries. We should believe we can be better than Jazz and Hornets,the only thing we need to do is keep healthy.In the west,Lakers is our biggest opponent.So far they only loss one game with Pistons,don't need to take Lakers too seriously.We are not in the two boats with Lakers. And I still prefer the slogan last season:It's Time!
Agreed, but I wouldn't leave Portland out of the mix. I am convinced they will get stronger as the year goes on, and will be there down the stretch. But right now, the Lakers are above everyone in the west. If we are healthy then we will be right there with them.
I hate to point it out to ya, but the west actually got tougher this year. It used to be a dead lock from the top 1-4/5 teams, now it's deadlock from 1-6. don't forget to look at the westerner conference in its whole reg. season. last few of years has been Spurs, Suns, Mavs, Lakers, Utah, Rockets (give or take on Rockets, Suns, Mavs as half team last year). This year: lakers - much stronger than last year NO - is going thru adjustment period after a big sucessful surpise year. They are still there on the top Utah - don't forget william is out, but this team will be back in the top Suns - they may not be able to win anymore games that last year, but who wants to face them in the first round? Spurs - again who would want to face want in the first round with their big 3 back healthy? Portland - young and full of energy. just like the hawks. They could take lakers to game 7. Nuggets - with chauney as their PG, they are much better organized on the floor. Don't write them off just yet.
I think its obvious that our conference is one the decline. If there was a time to try and take advantage of it all it'd have to be now since we really dont know how the Spurs will be. Dallas looks more and more like they may miss the playoffs. Its just us and the Hornets. As much as I would like to say we will have a shot at the number 1 spot in the West, losing these close games early on I think will come back and bite us.
It's just the beginning of this season!Maybe we will get the conclusion after 60 games!All we need to do is keep healthy!
Lakers are the best. Blazers got Oden. They are a threat. Golden state just found Morrow who is better than Jordan. Nuggets lost defensive hole in Camby and got a true PG in Billups. They got much better. Utah will get their Deron Williams back. Spurs will get Parker and Manu back. Suns are looking good. Rockets' excuses are new team, injuries, TMAC. not looking good. Mavs' just suck at PG. they are the only team down, but they have MVP Dirk and Howard.
Last year it was 1-6 as well. That game we played against Phoenix was the game that put them the game/half-game behind to stick them at 6th seed with 2-3 games to go. In fact, if I remember correctly in the last day or two of the season there was a scenario that had a 4 way tie from 3-6. Really 7th seed was close too but the Mavs just started losing games at the end. I think this season we can almost count the Spurs out. I can see them grabbing a playoff spot. But I can't see them getting hot enough to make it back up to the top 4. Mavs are done IMO. They don't really have an excuse to make for their horrible start unless there is some chemistry issue that will get better later in the season. I'm not convinced Phoenix is for real either, but since they are in 2nd I'll consider them innocent until proven guilty. I'm not really that surprised with the Hornets performance so far, remember last season they were a surprise team. They will make the playoffs, but I think we can win the division this year. Utah is for real, they had injury issues early and it ****ed them a little. Portland is a question mark, they have the potential to be a good team but all the players on their team have to play to their potential. Am I missing a major player here? Obviously the Lakers will probably win the west, and its looking like it will be us and Utah next followed by Phoenix and NO and then some combination of Dallas/San Antonio/Portland. Wouldn't it be sweet to end up playing Dallas in the first round and then play Utah in the 2nd? We'd have the chance to get revenge on all the teams that eliminated us.
It used to be Phoenix, Dallas, and San Antonio as the class of the NBA then everyone else now Phoenix and Dallas are a lot worse. Their windows are about done. San Antonio still has their trio but they aren't as good as before. New Orleans should roll into playoff form throughout the season, as will Utah right now it's the Lakers and everyone else I only see the Hornets, Jazz, and us being able to challenge them. But yes the West is defintely the weakest its been in a while.
yes, don't count the jazzholes out just yet.. also denver has been on a tear since acquiring billups.. they're a team to watch also
as much as i hate the jazz, they have the same record as the rockets without deron williams for most games. i would put them as a contender, and rockets better not play them in the first round again
i totally agree. as unimpressive as the rockets have looked, none of these other teams at the top impress me either, the lakers included. this is the first time in two decades that i can remember where there wasn't a gridlock of 2-4 powerhouses at the top of the conference presumed to contend for the finals. it's the lakers a tad bit in front, and everyone else lumped together right behind them.
Looking at the last couple of years, we haven't been good in the early part of the season. If we're decent by the time Jan rolls around, we should finish near the top of the standings. I'm really looking forward to seeing us at full health and working the chemistry out. Personally, I think Shane is going to be huge for chemistry when he gets back. As for those others teams, the fakers are good and will be tough. The j*zz and hornets will be competitive, but won't be able to take us. I base that on playing them last year and the team we have this year. Either way, it should be interesting.
Portland will be like the T-Wolves during Garnett's rookie year. Really freakin scary in the playoffs but lose because of lack of experience. Remember that T-Wolves team put a scare into the Barkley/Drexler/Olajuwon rockets.
