As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

[23]

on the teams that are right there for now, and the teams that used to be powerhouses but are now on the brink of the decision to DO SOMETHING ELSE now considering the circumstances

Pick a team to give your analysis on

PHX
DAL
NOH
SAS
LAL

PHX - I think that they have a huge identity crisis. All of those calling the Shaq trade a bust seems to not have been the case at all. While Shaq is not the Shaq of old and afterall who is? He has absolutely done his part on the team in terms of his leadership(making Amare even scarier last year) training dedication for conditioning and health, and his play.

Right now Nash looks bad, Amare even worse at times and they simply need to get rid of Terry Porter and chalk that off as a mistake. He has no idea what to do with this team and they aren't assembled to play the kind of basketball Kerr is looking for. I still feel the fans were cheated because Sarver decided his personal pocketbook was more important than giving this team its full potential.

I wont write a book but I will do one more short one then look forward to what you all have to say...

SAS - It is an odd year, and that seems to be the time their number is called.
Emmanuelle Ginobili is looking healthy again taking it to the rack and dunking over an unexpecting big man. His health is usually a good indication of how well the Spurs can play you in a 7 game series. Although they're getting up there in age and mintues, Pop and TD aren't the ones you come against and underestimate them because they have a knack for winning.

Although Roger Mason Jr is another RC Buford stroke of genius, I think they might need one more guy at the trade deadline to be outright scary again, but as of right now they have a good chance as anyone in the West.

What say you?

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Like I said in the Summer:

Dallas is done. They should pray that Bosh lands in their laps via trade or free agency.

Pheonix is done. Amare will be gone in 2010 or earlier via trade.

Shaq= A.I. Sure they both aren't the main culprits to their team's demise this season, but both don't fit in and enhance their teammates, whom were put in place to fit a system. The Suns were obviously a part of a system Mike installed, and in Detriot Chauncey fit in flawlessly with RIP and Dice/Sheed.

The only teams that have a shot of coming out of the West are SA, LA NO. I'll throw out Utah and HOU just because I haven't seen them when fully healthy.

If Andrew is out all season, the Lakers probably won't rep the West. If he can come back and the injury is only a sprain, I like their chances to rep the West.

[Stumbleweed]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Keep forgetting about Denver, everyone. We'll be right here at the top of the Northwest.

Replace Denver with Utah, Born -- they're all but done for this year... there's basically no way that they make the playoffs along with the Nugs and Blazers... even with Dallas and Phoenix struggling.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Yeah, I'll let Denver serve me up some crow before I vouch for them.

I love Chancey's effect, and Nene's been playing at a level I never seen him play at in his career.. I will say that much. They have to prove it to me first.

[GSW]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Yeah, I'll let Denver serve me up some crow before I vouch for them.

I love Chancey's effect, and Nene's been playing at a level I never seen him play at in his career.. I will say that much. They have to prove it to me first.

Terry porters the reason phoenix sucks.

not Shaq.

Shaq is still commanding double teams and kicking it out but that horrible coach over there has no idea to design an effecient offense...Meanwhile U got amare Stoudamire crying about touches... and Steve nash Still cant play D..(and its getting worse). Jason Richardson looks like a 4th fiddle bum, and the best sixth man is Matt Barnes.

wheres TheMatrix31. I KNOW he cant ebe happy.

[z Revis]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

The Suns, talent wise, are as good as anyone. They just can't get it all working together and become a great team. And I think the firing of D'Antoni was a huge mistake. I think they'll make the Playoffs...but I doubt they're doing anything in the Playoffs. Who knows though. Maybe Porter can get something going with them. But seriously, Porter's main focus, from what I've heard, is defense....they don't have the personnel for a defensive team...and if that's the case, why in the hell do you trade Diaw and Bell??? They were the two better defenders on the Suns.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

As much as I hate to say it, I dont see any team from the West (us included) giving the Lakers a BIG problem in the playoffs. Im through w\ the whole "if" the Rockets are healthy thing....biggest tease in NBA history since the 00's Blazers.

unless someone does some damage at the deadline, I just see anyone giving the Lakers any trouble.

EDIT: Im with yall, I cant wrap my head around why...

Nash J Rich Hill Stat Shaq Barnes Barbs etc. arent an elite team...It has to be coaching doesnt it?

[TheMonopoly]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

NOH-

Paul has made david west look like an all-star, (on any other team i dont think he is close). Chandler is a dufus on offense and has even let his def slip this year. Posey is a calming infulence but I think NO was expecting some shots out of him by now. Peja is still hitting his occasional jumpers and solid from the line. The format for this team is in place. I do like antonio daniels as a back-up to Paul. He isnt going to make mistakes and he can shoot alittle bit, good defense to. This team is really missing a 2nd option. West is a good 3rd option on a championship team which New Orleans is not. Byron Scott is a good coach and usually puts a tough team on the floor. The front office needs to try and land another play-maker that can create his own shot. Paul is stuck with the ball in his hands too much in crucial moments and he really isnt a game-breaker from long range. He wants to drive to the rim and shoot close or create. Hornets eliminated in the 2nd Round. They win 1st round match-up on Paul's back, but he cant carry them any farther.

I say the spurs are still so dangerous.

[Fiasco West]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

As much as I hate to say it, I dont see any team from the West (us included) giving the Lakers a BIG problem in the playoffs. Im through w\ the whole "if" the Rockets are healthy thing....biggest tease in NBA history since the 00's Blazers.

unless someone does some damage at the deadline, I just see anyone giving the Lakers any trouble.

We have no chemistry once we get healthy, so even when healthy I doubt it's going to work out.

I personally think only SA has a chance. I just don't see NO as good enough or deep enough.

[The 24th Letter]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Man we can make a whole new thread about the lack of chemistry from GOOD teams this year....I really want the Rockets to succeed, but they cant find thier way..

[Stumbleweed]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

To the point of the thread:

PHX -- They've gotta blow it up: Free Nash and let him play with Mike in NYC, trade an unhappy and growth-stunted Amare for good pieces in return, because he'll walk next year for nothing otherwise. Let Shaq leave after his contract is up, and bring in defensive-oriented perimeter players so that the team can actually live up to Kerr's master plan. There's no way to be a defensive team when your backcourt is a complete sieve with J-Rich and Nash.

DAL -- Same deal... trade Dirk for as many good young pieces as possible, same with Howard and whoever else they think they can get something of value for. Probably a worse situation than the Suns since Dirk isn't as tradeable as Amare simply because he's older.

SAS -- Will spoil someone's playoff dreams yet again, the bastards.

NOH -- Will make it to the 2nd round, but unless they get West and Chandler totally healthy, their ceiling is limited this year... And even with them, I still don't think they'd beat the Spurs or Lakers in a series.

LAL -- Still the favorites, though if this Bynum thing is a big deal, their stock takes a hit and I'd put SAS as the #1 threat in the conference.

[Fiasco West]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Man we can make a whole new thread about the lack of chemistry from GOOD teams this year....I really want the Rockets to succeed, but they cant find thier way..

Rockets need a decent PG, not sure if they can find one in time as Tmac and Yao seem to age quickly.

Unless Brooks gets more consistent with his play...Rafer still starts. Rafer starting and Tmac/Artest on court chemistry are big problems IMO for this team going forward.

[DC]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

Just read a nice article on the Suns - http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/...the-Night.html

The Suns Meet Late Into the Night

February 2, 2009 10:28 AM

Late this Saturday night, after the Suns had lost to a so-so Bulls team playing its third game in four nights, a big new crack appeared in the facade of the Suns' organization.

Maybe, it has seemed, this roster would pull it together.

It is seeming less and less like that.

Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic wrote late that night about an unusual series of meetings.

Coach Terry Porter did not have his postgame press conference at the usual time. He first met with staff in his office behind a closed door before emerging 20 minutes after the game ended to talk to reporters.

After most of the Suns players had left, Grant Hill and Steve Nash went into Porter's coaches' office at about 10:20 p.m. for another closed-door meeting with coaches, Suns Managing Partner Robert Sarver and Suns General Manager Steve Kerr. Hill and Nash stayed for about 45 minutes before leaving together while the rest of the group wound up meeting for about one hour in whole.

"We're obviously struggling right now," Kerr said after the meeting. "We talk about everything. We talk about how our team is constructed. We talk about what we can do better as at team, different combinations that we can play. This is what we do. This is our job.

"We're not supposed to lose this game and clearly I think ... we've lost some confidence and we've lost some energy and our mojo, whatever you want to call it. We've got to get it back. That's why you have a coaching staff. That's why you have management. You have to figure it out. You have to talk about it. It doesn't just happen. So we talked about it.

"We've got to keep pushing forward and pushing ahead. We have to figure it out. If the pieces don't fit, then that's on me. And I'm willing to take that blame if that's ultimately the case. We have to determine that and go from there."

I have no idea what that means exactly. But it's undeniable that Kerr put the team's "construction" on the table. That means the roster, right? The trade deadline approaches.

And it seems odd to me that Shaquille O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire weren't in that meeting. Maybe they were invited and didn't want to go. No idea.

Coro, for his part, wrote a story on Saturday listing the many reasons that it might make sense to trade Stoudemire now. Reasons range from his inability to connect with coaches, his knee that has a bad track record, his need for a huge upcoming contract, and the team's lack of success when relying on him as a primary scorer.

I'm sorry, Arizona, to be bringing this up now. Sunday was a tough sports day for a whole host of reasons. This too, shall pass -- but maybe there'll be a trade first.

[JBH3]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

SAS is getting healthy, and I think they can beat LA this year; especially if LA is w/o Bynum. I don't see anyone knocking them off prior to a WCF entry.

I think Phoenix could very well end the year as the odd team out. I think I said on another thread that I think they'd make it as at least the 8th seed, but I'm retracting that statement.

For some weird reason I like Utah to enter the 8th seed, but as long as Boozer can get back w/ his legs under him for March and April.

Denver is a team which interests me too. I think they can definitely advance, especially if they hold down the 3rd seed, which is highly likely because they probably have the easiest schedule from here on out.

But... at the end of the day I don't see any team knocking off a healthy Spurs team. If LA is w/o Bynum for the playoffs I still like them to run through everyone EXCEPT San Antonio.

Will LA be giving PJ Brown a call if Bynum misses significant time?

[Stumbleweed]

Re: As the West turns, Whats your thoughts

I like the Nuggets chances against the Spurs better than anyone else's, actually. Mostly because Nene and K-Martin give Timmy HELL whenever we play them -- he never gets comfortable with Nene pushing him around and Martin slapping and poking constantly. Also, they consistently have NO ANSWER for JR Smith, whose athleticism absolutely eats up the Spurs aging wing defenders. If Karl started JR and played him 35 minutes in the playoffs, we would win that series... and I say that with great confidence.

However, that matchup wouldn't be until the 2nd round, so I'm getting ahead of myself. The likely first-round matchup is against the Rockets, which I think the Nugs would win also. My worry is a healthy NO team in the first round somehow (either DEN or NO would have to fall a bit in the standings to make that happen), because the Nugs don't match up with them well at all (mostly CP3, who is way too fast for Chauncey and/or Dahntay Jones). The Hornets and the Lakers are the teams that we don't match up against well -- I like our chances in basically any other matchup, including the Spurs.

Portland to me is still the wildcard. If they really gel and keep the winning up through the end of the year, they have a chance to take the division from Denver (they're only 1.5 games back currently and are in the 5th seed). That would be my main worry as far as my Nugs are concerned... we have to win the division to have a good matchup, because otherwise it's probably the Hornets in the first round.