No Love November (Love will not save us... but AK-47 will)

[Tirion]

Damn, I'm telling ya Love better hit the ground running and thank the guys who are carrying his load right now.

Meanwhile, upcoming schedule:

10 @ Chicago – Barea, Roy out? Thankfully Chicago offense is not that good, in fact they play a lot like the Pacers. PEK should go off on Noah, who's too light and french to provide much resistance. And Boozer is a horrible defender, so more meat for Lion? AK can handle Deng and that should be a hard earned win. (W)

12 @ Dallas – I hear Dirk is out additional month? They are solid though and looked good early in the season. Roy and/or Barea may be back for this one. This is a toss-up imo, but the win would be huge for playoff positioning. **** it. (W)

14 vs Charlotte – Are you kidding me? (W)

16 vs Golden State - They can get hot at any given night, but otherwise? Wolves better. (W)

21 vs Denver – Too much talent. (L)

23 @ Portland – Roy kills them. (W)

24 @ Golden State – This is that game were they probably get stupid hot from three and it's a tail end of a b-2-b. (L)

27 @ Sacramento – Will they fire their coach by then? If not it's a win. (W)

28 @ L.A. Clippers – Clippers are deep and good. Again too much talent, plus it's a 2nd of a b-2-b and the last game of a long road trip. (L)

30 vs Milwuakee – Should bounce back at home. (W)

What do you think?

[southern wolf]

Love AND Rubio better thank the others carrying their load.

It's a fairly easy run but there could be a few surprise losses in there. I think we'll go about 5-5.

[Tirion]

I watched some of Dallas-NY game to scout them and feel better about my prediction already.

1) Not only they have no Dirk, Marion is out this week too.
2) Because of that their D is suspect. Knicks got a lot of easy point of backdoor cuts (good news for AK) and generally were able to generate good looks without much pressure.
3) To piggyback on previous point, Mayo and Collinson are below average defenders individually and Crowder while being above average is a rookie and prone to mistakes.
4) A lot of turnovers. Collinson and Mayo are new to the team and it shows. Mayo is also just not a smart player in general.
5) Their offense is better than their defense, but not by that much. They have no post presence other than Kaman, Mayo was carrying them by being hot from three, but that is not sustainable.

[Foye]

I would most definitely predict a loss today. Chicago without Rose is still a tough team to beat at home and we're on the 2nd night of a b2b.

[funfactor]

My mind tells me that tonight it's gonna be tough and finally we are going to lose, but i can't avoid having the feeling that we are going to win again. Maybe im going nuts!!

[NikolaPekovic]

I would most definitely predict a loss today. Chicago without Rose is still a tough team to beat at home and we're on the 2nd night of a b2b.

thats what ppl said about us playing the nets.

[younggunsmn]

I would say 5-5 and not be terribly disappointed with that. Chicago and Dallas are very well coached, veteran teams. Don't underestimate them. I also wouldn't be surprised if Love is back by thanksgiving.

The Clippers are the one team that has really impressed me thus far as improving over last year. Crawford and Barnes are great role players, Odom might eventually go on a diet and be serviceable, and Billups isn't even back yet. That team is deep as long as Paul/Griffin/Jordan all stay healthy.

Outside the Clippers, Wolves, and Hornets, I think every team in the West is either about the same or has regressed a little bit. I'm not sold on the Nuggets either. They have alot of slightly above avg talent and athleticism, but no star players. It's going to be hard for them to be consistent.

[eyeteeth]

I think they could go 6-4, or even 7-3... but need to win tonight. Tonight's a tough test, I'm pretty stoked.

Also, yeah, Love comes back in here somewhere.

10 @ Chicago – (W)
12 @ Dallas – (L)
14 vs Charlotte – (W)
16 vs Golden State - (W)
21 vs Denver – (W) }
23 @ Portland – (W) }
24 @ Golden State – (L) } }We will lose one or two of these four.
27 @ Sacramento – (W) }
28 @ L.A. Clippers – (W)
30 vs Milwuakee – (W)

@Youngguns, I agree about Denver.

[Klomp]

Steve Aschburner ‏@AschNBA

MIN Kevin Love flexing R hand, oddly NOT discolored/swollen after 2 fractures/surgery: "You would think after punching somebody..." Wink.

Steve Aschburner ‏@AschNBA

Love only doing flexibility work w. R hand, not strengthening. 2B examined in week or two. He, Rubio and Brandon Roy (knee), MIN-CHI.

[Tirion]

Meh, I underisitmated Chicago's defense, which is elite when they have both Taj and Noah on the floor.

Dallas looks even more shaky though, lost to Charlotte.

[Calinks]

I knew Chicago would be tough. You aren't just walking over them. Now that love comment about punching, am I grasping at straws here or is that hint that he may have really broken his hand because he punched somebody?

[guille_4]

Let's hope for a 6-4, but to be honest I'd be happy with anything better than 4-6. Starting the season without both Rubio and Love, a 50% record sounds pretty good. Let's hope Budinger is fine! Loving what I'm seeing from him!

[Klomp]

I knew Chicago would be tough. You aren't just walking over them. Now that love comment about punching, am I grasping at straws here or is that hint that he may have really broken his hand because he punched somebody?

I don't think so. I think he's just saying it because that's what everyone thinks, hence the wink.

[Basti]

I just don't get it why everyone is so up in arms about Love possibly breaking his hand after punching someone or something.*

Why does it matter how it happened? It happened. Period. As long as he learns from it and doesn't do it again I couldn't care less.

*It's also safe to assume that if he actually hit someone this person would have publicly said anything about it.

[Worm Guts]

The only reason I have a tendency to believe Love's story is because if he was making it up, he should have been able to come up with something better.