Home | Hotmail | Search | Shopping | Money | People & Chat MLB Insider NBA Insider NFL Insider NHL Insider Edit My Insider Write Back Message Boards Site Lines We Know What You Did this Summer Central Division Off-Season Grades We know what you did this summer: Midwest Division off-season grades We know what you did this summer: Off-season grades Insider NBA Depth Charts NBA Insider Season Predictions Western Conference by Terry Brown and Chad Ford Tuesday, October 9 Updated 1:09 PM EST Break up the Western Conference. Break up the Pacific Division. Break up the Lakers. The true measure of Shaq and Kobe and crew isn't that they won their second consecutive title last season, but that they swept three teams with win totals of 50, 55 and 58 just to get to the Finals. This year, they're better. So are the Kings, Mavs and Blazers. So are the Clippers and Warriors. The Rockets could very well be the team of the future, but they'll struggle to nail down the eighth seed. Expect this year's mantra for teams from Phoenix to Seattle to Golden State to be simply, "If we were in the Eastern Conference we'd have home-court advantage in the first round." 1. Los Angeles Lakers Projected Record: 60-22 2001 Record: 56-26 (No. 2) Let's stop beating around the bush. The NBA changed the rules to stop Shaq. Won't work. Instead of scoring 30 points per game, he'll grab 20 boards and block six shots. Then you can ask him about his weight while Kobe takes a turn at leading the league in scoring. The two-time defending champs only got better over the summer with sharper shooters and springier legs. They'd win 70 if Colangelo and his cronies hadn't set the league back two decades. 2. Sacramento Kings Projected Record: 58-24 2001 Record: 55-27 (No. 3) Chris Webber may win the MVP Award this year. Mike Bibby may lead the league in assists. The Kings will set a franchise record for wins and three of their starters will make the All-Star team, but they still don't have an answer for Shaq.The second-best team in the Powerhouse Pacific is also the second-best team in the league. Unfortunately, second best isn't good enough. 3. Dallas Mavericks Projected Record: 55-27 2001 Record: 53-29 (No. 5) Mark Cuban is either the greatest owner in professional sports or the latest to sell his soul to the devil. Watch him during a game and make your own decision. He foretold of sold-out arenas, frenzied fans and fast-paced basketball. They have stars, they have depth, they have size and they have quickness. What they don't have is battle scars or we'd be talking about a Lakers-Mavs Western Conference Championship match-up in May. 4. Portland Trail Blazers Projected Record: 54-28 2001 Record: 50-32 (No. 7) If players' coach Mo Cheeks is really that good with Rasheed Wallace, if Shawn Kemp has really lost all that weight, if Bonzi Wells, Derek Anderson and Damon Stoudamire can really co-exist in the same backcourt, then how come nobody wants to quote Scottie Pippen anymore? This could be the year the Blazers come to grips with their own autographed roster but it will be too little, too late less Arvydas Sabonis. 5. San Antonio Spurs Projected Record: 54-28 2001 Record: 58-24 (No. 1) The Virgin Island Bridesmaid is about to find out the difference between stringing together double-doubles in record numbers and actually carrying a team for an entire NBA season, playoffs included. Gregg Popovich is back, David Robinson is back, and of course, so is Tim Duncan. Is that enough? The slashing Derek Anderson was a fleeting revelation last year. Let's see how Steve Smith's creaky knees do as a replacement. 6. Utah Jazz Projected Record: 50-32 2001 Record: 53-29 (No. 4) Rain, snow, sleet, inept centers and darkness of night will not keep the Jazz from another 50-win season. John Stockton will pad his lifetime achievement stats, Karl Malone will inch closer to Kareem's hallowed ground and the Jazz will make the playoffs for 298th consecutive season. They'll also get bounced in the first round, endure idle threats of Karl's retirement and eventually find out that Greg Ostertag and John Amaechi are really the same person. Then, inevitably, someone in the Delta Center will stand up and scream at the top of his lungs that Bryon Russell was pushed. 7. Los Angeles Clippers Projected Record: 45-37 2001 Record: 31-51 (No. 12) This year's Bandwagon Special. Red, white and blue and all. Just watch how many times their uniforms pop up on MTV. But you do the math. The Bulls won 15 games last season. At least 14 of them can be directly attributed to Elton Brand. Add that to the Clippers' total from last season and you have the feel-good story of the season. That is, until, Donald Sterling's infatuation wears off and he starts billing players for shower soap. 8t. Minnesota Timberwolves Projected Record: 45-37 2001 Record: 47-35 (No. 8) At one point in his career, Kevin Garnett was the youngest player in NBA history. A few years later, he may very well be its oldest. We admire the heart, the soul, those primal screams of euphoria following thunderous put-back dunks, but bones and ligaments and cartilage are still subject to physics. He can't carry this team, this family if you will, forever. 8t. Houston Rockets Projected Record: 45-37 2001 Record: 45-37 (No. 9) This team not only got better over the off season, but younger. But bring band-aids. Mo Taylor is out, Glen Rice is gimpy and Cuttino Mobley is already banged up. If Marc Jackson eventually ends up here, the Rockets could push the Wolves into lottery oblivion. If not, give them time, a pinch of paprika and they'll be sitting in the home locker room for the playoffs soon enough. 10. Phoenix Suns Projected Record: 42-40 2001 Record: 51-31 (No. 6) Find a Penny, pick it up. If he's not injured for good yet, he will be soon. And the Suns won't be able to replace him with the peanut shells they got for Cliff Robinson. Bye, bye post season. Counting Jason Kidd, that's three starters that won't be around this year. Stephon Marbury and Shawn Marion will thrill, but the Suns are already talking about Dan Majerle's expected contribution. Yes, that Dan Majerle. 11. Seattle SuperSonics Projected Record: 41-41 2001 Record: 44-38 (No. 10) It wouldn't be so bad if they didn't know that they would be legitimate second-round contenders in the Eastern Conference. Gary Payton remains a game breaker but any chance the Sonics have of making the post season rests on the sloping shoulders of Vin Baker. In which case, they're going to have to change a lot more than the uniform design. 12. Golden State Warriors Projected Record: 32-50 2001 Record: 17-65 (No. 14) They could very well double last year's win total and still finish 11 games out of the playoffs. Antawn Jamison could continue to increase his stats but until he's a leader, he's Stackhouse, not Carter. Danny Fortson could lead the league in rebounding and arm circumference again and still be referred to as undersized. The Golden State Warriors could make a quantum leap forward as a basketball franchise and hardly anyone would notice because, well, they're still the Golden State Warriors. 13. Denver Nuggets Projected Record: 20-62 2001 Record: 40-42 (No. 11) If Antonio McDyess starts the season in a backless hospital gown, Denver fans might as well forget the get well cards and just buy flowers for the Nugget funeral. Just try and name another player on this team not named Van Exel. Try and figure out who you'd rather have shooting the three between center Raef LaFrentz and point guard Avery Johnson. Try to understand how a team could go 27-25 against the elite Western Conference and then 13-17 against the inferior East. 14. Memphis Grizzlies Projected Record: 12-70 2001 Record: 23-59 (No. 13) Jason Williams is their seasoned veteran. Pau Gasol is their future. Bryant Reeves is their highest-paid athlete. The fact that they play their home games a 100 miles east of the Mississippi and are still in the Western Conference should be your first clue. ESPN | Fantasy Games | Member Services Copyright ©2001 ESPN Internet Ventures. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form. Please click here for legal restrictions and terms of use applicable to this site. Use of this site signifies your agreement to the Terms of Use. 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Boy, they sure do think highly of the Blazers, don't they? They are the riskiest team by far in the NBA this year. They are all liable to implode any time now. I think that the Clippers will be good, but 45 wins is stretching it very much, especially considering they have kids who don't know about winning. For them to win 45 games is a quantum leap and I'll be surprised if it happens. I think 40 maybe 42 wins at the most is more realistic. I also think that they are better than the Suns and T-Wolves, at least talent wise. No way, the Rockets win the same amount of games this year as they did last year. With Jackson, I look for us to win 48-52 games. I can't wait for the season to start so these predictions will look like they are, laughable.
I think the 5-8 seeds will not win 50 games. I think they'll win close but not as many. The Blazers, Rockets, Phoe, Seattle, Utah, and Minn are are in the same class. They will win between 49-45 games because of the bottom strgnth of the league ie Clipper,Denver and GS. I don't know how, but Denver had a better record aginst the west than the Rockets, so that can't be overlooked. The Clipps beat the Rockets 3 out of 4 and add a young healthy proven 20-10 man in Elton. Fans have to except the fact that other team got better also and no one is going to hand the Rockets anything. Their are some talented teams in the west, so the Rockets will not be able to just feast on a stronger east and expect to make the playoffs. Injury free and playing better against the west should yield a playoff berth. Its a lot of teams with talent in the west, so saying the Rockets have more talent isn't going to cut it.
So they predict the Western Conference will be 613-535. How many games are against Eastern Conference teams?
I think it may be pretty close except I am unsure about Portland as well. They have enough talent to be a 4-seed but the heart of a lottery team. But their talent should get them a 5-6 seed. I also agree with their assesment of us. We may be better but all the new faces (Griff, Tmo, Jackson if he does come) will take time to adjust to our team and in Griff & Tmo the NBA. If we gel quickly we could be a 4-5 seed but realistically we are a very scary 6-8 seed.
I don't think the Clippers will be pressing for a playoff spot this year. Next year and the years after, they will be serious contenders.
The day I never thought I'd see under Sterling's reign. Not only are the Clips in the playoffs, but ahead of our Rockets. WHAT are they thinking?
hey those clippers beat us 3 out of 4 this year. So from head to head matchups they are the better team.
true. those damn clips have been given us a hellava time lately. now they have a good low post presence...damn.
Well I know we played every Eastern conf team twice last year for a total of 30 and I think some only played 28 so 14 teams times 30 gives 420 or times 28 give 392. 406 would be in the middle and 78 games over for 406 games gives a record of 242-164. Approximately a .596 winning percentage (no calculator for that one baby). Anyone know the east-west breakdown from last year. It seems like it was in the low 600's for the west.
I think the Rockets will be the 8th seed. They will probably make the playoffs by winning the last game of the regular season. Playoff teams 1) LA Lakers 2) San Antonio Spurs 3) Sacramento Kings 4) Dallas Mavericks 5) Portland Trailblazers 6) Phoenix Suns 7) Utah Jazz 8) Houston Rockets Out of playoffs (but close to contention) 9) Minnesota Timberwolves 10) LA Clippers
I guess the Rockets are just that much better than Seattle too. They have a coach in place, Vin Baker is in shape and Payton is still the best pg in the game. With Payton,Baker, and Lewis they have a good core also. Phoe seems to have their core back together, its going to be tough. Its going to come down to the Rockets being able to close games out and not making stupid turnovers in the end. 5-8 is going to be a war because the top 4 are just plain better than the others.
Would someone please tell me what the Mavs have the Rockets dont? And IMO, Shawn BRadley and Juwan Howard don't count. I don't know why people think the Mavs will keep getting better and better? I think they'll be the same 4-8 seed-like team as the Rockets/Twolves/Suns/Jazz
Regardless of the ability and potential of Francis, I think most GMs would readily take Nash/Nowitzki/Finley over Francis/Mobley/Rice. They'd probably also take Howard/Bradley over Thomas/Cato. That would change if Cato would play to his potential and Thomas was healthy. Right now, Francis is the only Rocket's starter I would choose over a Dallas starter. Now does that mean the Mavericks are 8 wins better than Houston, perhaps, but that's why they play the games.
I agree. The mavs are good, but they're not on the level of the lakers, kings, spurs and maybe even the blazers. They will barely be better than the lower half playoff teams.
Overall ESPN did a nice job. But, Dallas is not a top 4 seed in the West. LA and Sac are definitely better, I also think SA and Portland will fight over the 3-4 seeds. I think Portland will be tougher than people think, DA helps them and ANY coaching change was bound to improve them. They still only finished 3 games below the 4th seed last year playing as terrible as a team as their individual talents could possibly have allowed them to. Portland doesn’t need good chemistry to be good, if they have just "poor chemistry" (like 2 years ago) instead of "piss poor corrosive hemorrhaging chemistry” (last year) and they will end up having home court in the 1st round. Another word for this is “regression to mean”. NO WAY the Clips are ahead of Minnesota, and they should not be a ahead of us either. The Wolves have Smith back, Brandon is still solid, and KG and Wally are young, and pretty good chemistry (especially on the defensive side)--barring injury they will at least be equal or a small notch better than last year. Also, Brand is good, but he is the West now, where he will hold his own more often than dominating. The Clippers still don't have the guard play, shooters or team growth to knock on the playoff door just yet. IF we get Mark J, I put us as a very solid 8th seed favorite. W/O Marc I see it as an 8th seed tossup with us still in it but with a substantial gap between #7 and the rest. Someone said Phoenix didn't lose their core?? Huh, I thought Kidd WAS their core and Robinson was the 2nd most consistent offensive player and 3rd best player. Its only a question of how much worse they are, I suspect quite a lot worse. Also, the real question for GMs is would you take Nash, Finley and Nowiski over Francis, Mobley and Griffin (not Rice) to build your team around?? However, if we get Marc, Rice has a decent year, and Eddie contributes regularly on the defensive end this year, I think we are very close to being as good as the Mavs now (and have a better future). Lots of IFs for us though. Both us and the Mavs do have weak interior defense and not much low-post game, which is why neither will compete very well in a 7-game series with the Western elite. Competing with and beating Jazz like the Mavs did is not all that great of feat these days--even previous less capable Sac teams mastered this. The Mavs pitfull performance against an SA team w/o their 2nd leading scorer was more telling about just how close to elite they really are.
Im not saying the Mavs aren't good. Im not even saying that the Rockets are necessarily better than the Mavs. I'm just saying that I think the Mavs as a team have had 1 good year. The West is strong, and the Mavs, like the Rockets, have a bunch of really good players, but no one on their team has stepped up to be a star - something we are hoping Francis or Mobley will do for us. If Nowitski continues to improve, than I say the Mavs are a top 4 West team, cause that guy can flat out play. But on the strength of Nash and Finley...I mean, c'mon. Id take Francis and Mobley over them two any day of the week.
Wakko and Jay I agree with your view of the Mavs. What might help both of us are the new rules, we will just have to see how that plays out. Also on Nowitski, but those claiming he can control a game like Larry Bird or Magic or even Tim Duncan or Garnett are so way off. He does not control game, and a couple of playoff games he was barely visable (e.g., the 1st three games of the SA series when the series was in doubt). If his shot is off, he cannot control via other ways--passing, rebounding, defense. Dirk is an outstanding player but not a "great" one yet, in fact I think I would build a team over Stevie before Dirk.
You'd take Finley over Mobley? Finley scored more, rebounded more and had more assists. He also had more steals. He shot better from the field overall, although Mobley was slightly better on 3 pointers. Mobley shot FTs much better. Finley is only a year older so long term shouldn't be an issue either. I'd trade Mobley for Finley straight up in a heartbeat.
