Really..what have the Lakers done so far in the offseason? Don't you think that Kobe is going to be hopping mad and demanding a trade? So far I've seen nothing of note out of the Lakers.
The key is Scola. If he can quickly adapt to NBA in the first couple of months, I say we are the best team in the West... But that's a very steep curve for him to overcome. So I think our record would not be the best, but we look very very strong when we approach the playoff time. I will be very happy if we can get 58-60 wins.
We'll probably finish 4th again (5th, but 4th best record). We have a new coach and a bunch of new players = slow start. Around the end December expect us to get in a nice groove and pick it up and end up with a low loss total in the last half of the season pushing us to 4th. Dallas has more cohesion, but will probably not try to win that many games again, on purpose. S.A. will coast for a minute to get in their groove. Phoenix only plays one way and that's full bore, so they'll probably have the best record, barring a Nash injury.
OMG, I just can't believe that we are going to make approximately 60 wins it's just so 'out of reach' if it were the last three seasons. But with our current roster and the potential new coming POWER FORWARD, I really can see it!!! By the way, my PF: Drew Gooden, Chris Wilcox OR Josh Smith MOREY, get it done!!
NOK i think will be better than clips and GSW. last year they had tons of injuries and still almost made the playoffs.
I think the Rockets will win around 58 games and be a fourth seed. They will need a little time to get rolling with a new coach, system and so many new players. The Mavs, Spurs, Jazz and Suns will be strong again.
1 - Dallas 2 - Phx 3 - Houston 4 - San Antonio 5 - Jazz 6 - Denver 7 - GSW 8 - Lakers I think we can beat San Antonio and take 3rd place from them. The teams that barely missed the top 8 IMO are NOH and Clippers.
Denver and Utah will finish above Phoenix this season. No team from LA will make the playoffs. Houston will have the best regular season record in Texas. One of the teams with the top two draft picks will make the playoffs. The sixth seed in the West will have a better record than the fourth seed. But I have no idea who is going to make it. It is going to be even nastier than last year. Can't wait!
Don't try to cool down everybody. But isn't last year around this time, we also have this kind of feelings? We have sharp shooter Novak, summer league star Lucas, someone from Greece, and Bonzi Wells, so we expected a very good season, but it wasn't. All these 4 guys didn't contribute significantly. Hopefully this season is better, but until mid-season, I won't say we are a 60+ win team, it's too early to say.
i can't believe how hard to make a forcast here. Too many elite teams. First, assuming teams r loaded with what they have right now and no major injuries (impossible in reality) 1. Mavericks 2. Suns 3. Rockets 4. Jazz 5. Spurs (with a higher winning % than Jazz tho) 6. Nuggets 7. Lakers 8. Hornets Every year, there will be a change in the playoff picture, isn't it? (I am not sure about this). I think GS is gone and Hornets is a new addition. yet, Memphis still have a shot with their depth in rotation (so they are more injury-resistant)
I love the crazy optimism that this board has, 60+ wins? WTF? Even with our improved roster the West isn't going to bow down to us and let us trample all over them for 60 wins! I saw 50-58 wins is more realistic. 1. Suns- 62 wins 2. Spurs- 58 wins 3. Mavs- 58 wins 4. Jazz- 55 wins 5. Rockets- 56 wins 6. Nuggets- 52 wins 7. Hornets- 48 wins 8. Clippers- 42 wins Bryant gets traded from the Lakers, they suck like hell.
1. Phoenix 2. Dallas 3. Houston 4. Utah 5. San Antonio 6. Denver 7. LA Lakers, if Kobe stays, if not push them way down 8. Portland Outside looking in: GSW, NOH, LA Clippers
I think Houston will be the first team ever to win all its 82 games. Seriously, if the Lakers get Jermaine O'Neal without losing Lamar Odom they should be a lock for the 5-7 seed. If that happens you have 7 guaranteed playoff teams barring major injuries in: 1. Rockets 2. Suns 3. Spurs 4. Mavs 5. Lakers ( with Jermaine and Odom ) 6. Nuggets 7. Jazz All seven of which could kick ass out of whoever is number one in the East ( Pistons? Heat? Cavs? ) Of the remaining, Portland seems the most likely. They're loaded. They have a good coach. They're hungry.
Since the Nuggets or Jazz would be a division winner, one of them would have to be a 4th seed, unless you're just naming the teams and not in seed order, in which that case, never mind.
(Man, this post is going to suck. But it's true.) I think everyone is vastly underrating the dirty, cheating bastards from Utah. They had the second-best team in the league last year, and Deron Williams is just going to get better. Yeah, they're going to be really good for a long time. Now please excuse me while I go puke.
1. Rockets 2. Mavericks 3. Suns 4. Nuggets 5. Jazz 6. Spurs 7. Warriors 8. Fakers 9. Hornets Mavericks get beat by Warriors again in the first round.
Not in order: Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, Phoenix, Golden State, utah, Lakers (If they keep Kobe) Denver Portland, New Orleans very close
