Off-Season West Conf Discussion

[TheMatrix31]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

The Lakers are winning the West.

[X*Cell]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

The Lakers are winning the West.

not very ballsy sir

[TMagic]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

ESPN's panelists' top eight:

1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Blazers
4. Nuggets
5. Mavs
6. Jazz
7. Hornets
8. Suns

On the outside looking in:

9. Rockets
10. Clippers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...-WestStandings

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

If HOU ends up 9th I'll be shocked beyond belief.

This is assuming they'll miss TMac for a stretch to start and that Yao will miss the entire season.

[pbz06]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

Balkman to throw at Kobe, actually. But yeah, I get your point -- they don't have great matchups for their best players (I mostly worry about damn long-armed Gasol, who nobody on our team can handle). I just think that they're in a better position than last year simply because they had the experience two years in a row. And really, Balkman can defend the **** out of Kobe... he's one of the best man defenders in the league despite rarely getting PT and can bother Kobe with his length. Not worried about Artest on Melo at all really.

I don't like their chances in either of those series, but give me the enemy I know rather than one I don't. And Pop > Phil in terms of making adjustments and punishing teams for not paying attention, which is what he'll do to George if he gets the chance. But yeah, this all hinges on Manu (and Timmy, whose knees looked pretty shot at the end of the season) -- if Manu's even 75% of what he was 2 years ago, they'll be the team to beat... Lakers or not, IMO. Remember that they managed the 3rd seed last season despite Timmy being banged up badly, Manu being out most of the year, etc. They improved a lot via free agency and if those other guys are healthy, they'll be scary.

I still think the Lakers (and everyone else) think they got better than they actually did. I'm a Ron-Ron apologist and I love the guy, but I just think it won't work out quite as well as everyone thinks it will. Not because of his personality or anything like that, but just because I think he's not the basketball fit that Ariza was for this particular team. I'm on an island with that belief for the most part, but I'm pretty confident in it. Other than Artest, they did nothing and I think SAS did more (again, with Manu playing decently), especially in regards to depth. The Lakers bench is basically GARBAGE except for Lamar (Farmar/Brown are debatable, but basically question marks as to whether they can play a bigger role than last season).

You're wrong on several statements, but whatever. You're entitled to your opinion(s) no matter how easily refuted they are.

[BiggD]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

ESPN's panelists' top eight:

1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Blazers
4. Nuggets
5. Mavs
6. Jazz
7. Hornets
8. Suns

On the outside looking in:

9. Rockets
10. Clippers

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/s...-WestStandings

I can't see the Rockets or Suns being this high IMO,Too many wrongs and not enough rights..... Clippers have a chance to make it(as long as there is no big injuries).. i think the top7 is set and that 8th seed is up for grabs

[Jasong7777]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

I'm pretty sure the Clippers will not be anywhere near the playoffs.

[ProjectRipCity]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

I'm pretty sure the Clippers will not be anywhere near the playoffs.

Yepppp lol.

Houston wont come close either. I would be more on Memphis...Dont kill me.

[pbz06]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

I'm pretty sure the Clippers will not be anywhere near the playoffs.

Clippers arn't nearly as bad as you think they are.

You have to remember that as bad as they were last year they could have finished around the #9 seed if they wern't so devastated with injuries (by far the most man-games lost to injury). Camby, Kaman, Davis all missed huge chunks of the season and they had a different starting lineup every day. They added Griffin, Rasual Butler, and Craig Smith. Gordon is a star in the making, Davis will be more motivated, Thornton is another potential star.

They have some quality young players and their bench is looking solid.

People are picking OKC as the young "sleeper" team, but the Clippers are looking better than anybody besides the top 8 or 9 teams in the West. I don't think they make the playoffs unless Houston really falls apart, Phoenix fizzles out or whatever. But I don't think they will be the typical laughing stock they usually are.

[pbz06]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

I also don't think Houston will be as bad as some of you think. Don't forget that not too long ago they won 20 games in a row WITHOUT Yao. They're still a top tier defensive team. Ariza isn't as physical as Artest but gives them an athletic energetic quality defender. They still have Battier, Scola, Landry/Hayes. All quality defenders at their positions. Brooks is a rising star, and who knows how McGrady will be when he comes back eventually.

Either way, don't sleep on them too much. They have proven they can win without Yao before, and they will do it again.

[Teddy_Long]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

if Oden can develop 4 moves, the Blazers will be representing the west--period.

btw, i do not see my spurs beating L.A.

[pbz06]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

if Oden can develop 4 moves, the Blazers will be representing the west--period.

btw, i do not see my spurs beating L.A.

lol, not so fast buddy. Anybody can play the "if" games. If Dampier develops 4 moves he would be good too. lol. Oden just doesn't have the natural basketball skills that will ever have him scoring more than 10ppg. Don't get your hopes up, he will never be more than a defender/rebounder.

People also need to realize that LA made it to the Finals two years ago without their center, and won the championship last year with him not contributing much after coming back from injury.

There was a stretch during the regular season when Bynum found his rythym and the Lakers were DOMINATING. Their +/- was a ridiculous 10 points and you couldn't double anybody. Kobe, Gasol, Bynum, Odom were exploiting people left and right while the Lakers were averaging 110ppg.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

Here's some off-season fodder

I don't agree with KMart but I do feel like Denver pissed away a golden chance to actually take LA out. I'm telling you, DEN is the only other team outside of SA that can beat LA in a 7 game series out West.

Nuggets forward Kenyon Martin says the team feels as though they are better than the defending-champion Lakers.

Martin was asked by 104.3 The Fan in Denver what the team learned from their deep playoff run this past season.

"That you have to play on a consistent basis throughout the regular season and just better your position. Just learn from the things we did right last year and learn from things we did wrong, but we had a great run," Martin said on the radio.

"I think guys know that we were right there and everybody in that locker room and in the organization feels we were a better team than the Lakers. Everybody feels we were a better team than the Lakers and no one can tell me anything different. No one."


The rest of the interview, says he has his hops back.

http://sportsradiointerviews.com/2009/09/21/kenyon-martin-%E2%80%9Ceverybody-feels-like-we-were-a-better-team-than-the-lakers%E2%80%9D/#more-12391

[Jasong7777]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

The Nuggets never will and never have been better than the Lakers. They could have won, but we all remember what happened.

[ex carrabba fan]

Re: Off-Season West Conf Discussion

Spurs sign Bogans to a 1 year deal.

That's a nice signing to keep Manu fresh.

Parker/Hill
Mason/Manu/Bogans
Jefferson/Finley
Dice/Blair
Duncan/Bonner/Ratliff

The only question I have is the backup bigs, but Blair/Bonner should be enough to get by even in the playoffs.