I want to know who still thinks we cannot be top 4 in the West.

DearRock,

I agree and as you stated we had to take a backlash when we stated this. The Rocks have done this despite injuries and getting Yao Ming adjusted and the team adjusted to Yao Ming. It can only get better. I think getting MT and TMo going is a big plus.

I just don't get it Codell. Despite your infatuation with Duncan, which is understandable, the Spurs just don't strike me as that good. Are they a playoff team? Of course. But we beat the snot out of them, and we were not close to full strength. Maybe I'll be watchin them play the Rockets with your tickets...

 

It will not be a big deal for the Lakers if they play like Kings and Mavs. However, they are not. They still suck a lot right now with Shaq back. 4-4 record. Lost to Heat (5-13), Grizzlies(2-17), T-wolves(11-9), and Jazz(11-8). Maybe they will get better after all-star break, but they will need to climb up a bigger hole than now. I will be surprised to see them as top-4. Even Phil Jackson realized that and he is making the top-4 finish as their goal right now. Actually achieving it, I doubt it.

 

Granted, but Shaq is still playing preseason ball. The team will eventually find its groove. When they do that, they will go on some huge winning streaks. It just seems as if people here are so sure that the Lakers cannot make the top 5 and that they are way to behind now to make up the difference. It is still early in the season.

 

We'll finish 4 and the Lakers 5. We will prevail in the first round. The start of the Ming dynasty over Shaq...

What teams do you think would NOT fear playing us in the 5 game first round...

 

Kings

 

Its not an infatuation. With players like Shaq, Duncan, etc., as long as they have competent teamates surrouding them, they will be playoff bound and if they are surrounded by one or two above average players, then they should be top 4.

SA has lost to 3 teams they shouldnt have, GS, Denver and argueably, Phoenix. Perhaps you can throw Portland in there. Parker, Jackson and Ferry have not shot good this year and Duncan seems to be off to a little bit of a slow start.

Again, if their shooters continue to struggle, my hunch is that SA will make a move to bring in a shooter or two (perhaps an Eric Piatkowski?).

In the end, although I think the two teams will be closer than I originally predicted. I just think that the Rockets will have more ups and downs this year than SA will and thats where the difference will be.

BTW, even though we beat SA, I would assume that next time, SA will try and severly limit Yao's touches for most of the game(like they did in the 2nd half) and well have to go back to depending on our wing players to hit open shots that the zone give us (so far this season, this has been our achilles heal).

With regards to what DR said, about assuming we will depend on Yao so much. I realize that even if Yao is neutralized, we have proven we can still beat teams if Francis and Mobley are on their games. However, we havent proven we can beat great teams on a consistant basis by doing this if Yao is shut down. Thats where I predict we will have our ups and downs by having to adjust so much depending on how teams defense us.

 

DearRock, the Lakers were the 3rd seed last year. Plus, Shaq just recently called out his teammates as not having the desire to win. Look for them to step it up a notch. If Shaq can remain healthy, he will have played in more games this year than last. Im not saying that they will for sure finish in the top 4, but to discount them and ride them off as a lower seed is foolish.

 

Agreed - they are the one team I do not want to face in the playoffs. Anyone else, even Dallas, I think we would have a chance to beat.

Question: What seeding arrangements would be necessary to avoid Sac until the conference finals? Obviously Sac as #1 and Houston as #2 should work, but what else?

 

DearRock,

It is way too early to annoint this team as top 4 in the West. The Spurs have been playing as good or better defense than us and are very close in the standings. I would be shocked if Tim Duncan is still shooting 45% from the field at year's end. The Spurs right now are trying to figure out how to get Duncan easier looks with the new zones they are facing.

I would not count the Lakers out as well. They have a history of playing a lot better in the 2nd half and have shown they are capable of turning the switch. I dont know if your 4th seed comment was referring to them, but the Lakers were the 3rd seed but had the 2nd best record last season in the West. This is why they had homecourt through the first two rounds. I would not put it past them to start getting it together and going on a massive run.

At this stage, the only thing I can say with some certainty is that this team should be in the playoffs barring injuries and such. There are still a whole bunch of variables ie how Mobley will fit back into the team, will they be able to consistently involve the post, etc.

 

Everyone know that when the Lakers get their grove back that they will start winning. Their just having a bad start and guys remember this...... the real test comes in the playoffs. Everyone knows that including the Lakers that's why they are the defending champions. Don't count them out. I'm not saying that they will make the top 4 but once they make playoffs you will see the champion lakers at their best.

 

That's why they are not going to be top 4. They aren't as good as you think. Sure, Duncan will carry them to 5 or 6 maybe, but they are losing to those teams because despite his 25-13 nobody else is stepping up.

Concerning who would be afraid of us first round, I think even the Kings would. They would much rather face a Utah or Seattle. No worries, at #4 we'll probably face San Antonio at #5 or at #3 we'll probably face the Lakers at #6. Barring major injury...

 

How about checking the stats for Duncan. Thus far, Duncan has struggled mightily on offense b/c of the zones and is only averaging about 20 PPG on 45% shooting. If the Spurs can make the adjustments they need and get him back up to his old level, they should be a top 4 seed.

 

we still have no answer for KG, CWebb, and Kmalone, and of course still havnt proven anything against shaq

so i say 6-7 seed is good

 

That seems to be the problem...

They can't ride this one horse pony to #4... It's over. Robinson will be gone, they'll have a crap record and fall out first round. See Duncan in Miami or Orlando next year...

 

RR,

Are we as good as we think? Maybe, maybe not. For every win against SA, we have thrown up stinkers against Phoenix, LA Clippers, Portlant and Sacramento. Both SA and Houston are inconsistent right now. Again, IMO, SA still has the edge for overall best record because they are an established, veteran team. We arent.

Right now, besides Mobley and Francis, we have no one else consistantly stepping up either.

For the record, as of this very moment, Id find it hard to believe that Sacramento or LA or Dallas is scared of facing us. I might feel differently once the season ends, depending on this team's learning curve.

 

If you mean "losses" I can't argue, but despite us supposedly "should've" won those games, we were right there and we are improving and getting healthy. I don't see that in the Spurs. We are getting better by the day.

Are we going to stumble and have a bad game or stretch? NO!