ESPN Western Conf Predictions (08/29)

[Transistor]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/stor ... redictions

Rockets #3

I still have the Spurs ahead of the Jazz, Mavs ahead of the Suns, and Nuggets ahead of the Warriors

[TMU]

The Hornets are damn overrated.

[ShaY]

The Hornets are damn overrated.

They did beat Dallas convincingly and nearly got to the WCF.

[A.J.]

We will finish 1st before it is all said and done.

[hipmaster]

The Hornets are damn overrated.

No they aren't. No one in the league can guard Chris Paul and they should have made it to the WCF last year.

[Duiz]

The Hornets are damn overrated.

No they aren't. No one in the league can guard Chris Paul and they should have made it to the WCF last year.

Utah fans laugh at that. We don't know whose matchup on the west benefits us more... Hornets or Rockets for the playoffs. I think the Hornets would probably get swept by the Jazz. Rockets however can beat us any day of the week, specially if Tracy McGrady is not on. (Just kidding about T-Mac)

I think the rankings are accurate. I do feel though that the Mavs might not even make the playoffs, or the same with the Suns. I feel one of them will stay out, and the Kings will make it back in.

[BaYBaller]

IMO if healthy the Lakers are at least a half a step above the rest of the western competition. The talent is all there they just did not have a championship quality type defense last year.

I think NO is slightly overrated as well, but that is not a knock on CP. The team still has no depth and an injury or two to key players can wreck havoc in the regular season for them. I would be very surprised if they are a top 2 seed which the general opinion seems to indicate. I do not believe they will even win their division next year. If healthy though they will be a tough out for anybody in the playoffs but with their lack of depth I do not see them getting out of the gauntlet of western conference powerhouses.

[tisbee]

Every team except Portland is going to have a worse record? I wonder if I can bet against that in Vegas?

Agree w/Lakers as best record-it looks like a weak Div so they should feast on their Div foes.
Utah's Div looks like it's weakening also so I imagine they'll do well also intr-Div,but I wonder if they've hit their plateau as a 54-55 win team,or does Deron have more growth in him and are their young wings ready to step up consistantly. If they do,Utah is a back-up big away from being a monster.
I like NO to win Div as Spurs look like they will start slow than usual this yr,and I cannot see Hou staying injury free all yr. If I went by my gut,I'd say the Hornets were due for a letdown after a magical season,the Post-Katrina vibe wil not be as strong,they had their injuries last yr but no long ones and I wonder if they're still hungry. On the other hand,I think they will be much more dangerous in the post-season w/Posey.
Next Rockets who have enough depth that they can ride out a month or so loss of one of their three top players,but not enough to grab a top spot. The team also has a tough early schedule which prob means they'll be playing catch-up again.
I think the Suns are going to suprise alot of people,and if they'd added a scoring wing I'd consider them higher. I really like their Lopez pick as he can keep Amare at the 4 and can play off of Shaq. The team may not run as much,but I imagine the NBA wil get sick of Nash/Amare screen-rolls.
I really don't like the Spurs off-season,but their core is a Play-off group and may have one last big run in them. I wouldn't be supprised at anything from First to Seventh.
Dallas still has talent,I just don't know if Kidd will fit their new coach's style.
Not completely sold on Portland but I'll give them the 8 spot over thrown together GS and Denver-unless Karl gives up on pretending to teach D and just tries to outscore everybody ala the recent Suns.

Lakers 60 wins
Utah 58
NO 58
Hou 57
Pho 56
SA 55
Dal 52
Port 44
Denver 43
GS 43
Minn 36
Mem 35
Sac 32
LAC 30
OKC 28

[franchise73]

Every team except Portland is going to have a worse record? I wonder if I can bet against that in Vegas?

Agree w/Lakers as best record-it looks like a weak Div so they should feast on their Div foes.
Utah's Div looks like it's weakening also so I imagine they'll do well also intr-Div,but I wonder if they've hit their plateau as a 54-55 win team,or does Deron have more growth in him and are their young wings ready to step up consistantly. If they do,Utah is a back-up big away from being a monster.
I like NO to win Div as Spurs look like they will start slow than usual this yr,and I cannot see Hou staying injury free all yr. If I went by my gut,I'd say the Hornets were due for a letdown after a magical season,the Post-Katrina vibe wil not be as strong,they had their injuries last yr but no long ones and I wonder if they're still hungry. On the other hand,I think they will be much more dangerous in the post-season w/Posey.
Next Rockets who have enough depth that they can ride out a month or so loss of one of their three top players,but not enough to grab a top spot. The team also has a tough early schedule which prob means they'll be playing catch-up again.
I think the Suns are going to suprise alot of people,and if they'd added a scoring wing I'd consider them higher. I really like their Lopez pick as he can keep Amare at the 4 and can play off of Shaq. The team may not run as much,but I imagine the NBA wil get sick of Nash/Amare screen-rolls.
I really don't like the Spurs off-season,but their core is a Play-off group and may have one last big run in them. I wouldn't be supprised at anything from First to Seventh.
Dallas still has talent,I just don't know if Kidd will fit their new coach's style.
Not completely sold on Portland but I'll give them the 8 spot over thrown together GS and Denver-unless Karl gives up on pretending to teach D and just tries to outscore everybody ala the recent Suns.

Lakers 60 wins
Utah 58
NO 58
Hou 57
Pho 56
SA 55
Dal 52
Port 44
Denver 43
GS 43
Minn 36
Mem 35
Sac 32
LAC 30
OKC 28

You have to be HIGH if you think the lakers are going to win 60 games. Plain and simple. Sorry for the rudeness!!!

[tisbee]

Franchise73,
No offense taken. FYI,I don't drink,nor do drugs,I'm rather boring. But I do live in LA and watch alot of Laker games.
Gasol was made for the Triangle offense and his addition turned a decent team into one that went to the Finals. They won 57 games last yr,27-9 after Gasol joined team-that's 75% winning percentage,which over a yr =61 wins(and Gasol missed 10 games w/an ankle injury).I believe having Gasol all yr,having Bynum back and Ariza is worth at least 3 more wins. The only player they lost was Turaif. They're in a weakened Div,so they should feast on Div foes,they don't have to travel as much as anybody else(2 "Road" games in their own building)
My boss is a huge Laker fan and I would love to see them struggle,but w/normal NBA health,the Lakers are gonna roll thru the regular season.

[Baller 24]

Think this conference is getting tougher and tougher, I wouldn't be surprised if they won 60 games, but I really doubt it happens.

[Iggyemu]

tisbee thats quite frankly too many wins for any of those teams. The conference is too tough. I don't see a 60 win team in the West. I think 55-57 might be where the top team finishes. Between the East and the bad teams in the West being really bad..that should be in reach. But 60 is too much IMO.

[franchise73]

Franchise73,
No offense taken. FYI,I don't drink,nor do drugs,I'm rather boring. But I do live in LA and watch alot of Laker games.
Gasol was made for the Triangle offense and his addition turned a decent team into one that went to the Finals. They won 57 games last yr,27-9 after Gasol joined team-that's 75% winning percentage,which over a yr =61 wins(and Gasol missed 10 games w/an ankle injury).I believe having Gasol all yr,having Bynum back and Ariza is worth at least 3 more wins. The only player they lost was Turaif. They're in a weakened Div,so they should feast on Div foes,they don't have to travel as much as anybody else(2 "Road" games in their own building)
My boss is a huge Laker fan and I would love to see them struggle,but w/normal NBA health,the Lakers are gonna roll thru the regular season.

Bro the confrence is simply too tough for any team to win sixty games in a season. This is the Western Confrence were talking about. Lakers are a good team but their not a 60 win team. Bynum and Pau Gasol are too soft down the strech. And Odom is on his own lil island, i wouldnt be suprised if hes traded by the all star break. You have San Antonio, New Orleans, Houston, Utah. Do you realy think that a team like the lakers can stand out over the rest of these teams and get 60 games? Imposible!!!

[PocketRockets]

Bynum is okay. Pau is contantly hurt with nagging injuries and will continue to be hurt throughout his career (big man problems). For your sake, I hope he doesn't get hurt when it counts, near the end of the season or playoffs. Kobe is great, but we all know what happens when he feels like he has to do everything. He'll become the punk that he is and with the amount of low self-esteem players on the lakers (Bynum, odom, walton, etc), they'll cower or be vengeful and won't play hard. The same thing happens in workplaces where the boss yells and degrades players all the time. If Gasol is ailing (60% healthy), the lakers are in for another 1st round exit.

[moofs]

the lakers are in for another 1st round exit.

^ huh?

[Joe Kleazy]

Bynum is okay. Pau is contantly hurt with nagging injuries and will continue to be hurt throughout his career (big man problems). For your sake, I hope he doesn't get hurt when it counts, near the end of the season or playoffs. Kobe is great, but we all know what happens when he feels like he has to do everything. He'll become the punk that he is and with the amount of low self-esteem players on the lakers (Bynum, odom, walton, etc), they'll cower or be vengeful and won't play hard. The same thing happens in workplaces where the boss yells and degrades players all the time. If Gasol is ailing (60% healthy), the lakers are in for another 1st round exit.

I know we aint talking about punks from a fan of t-mac. Good thing kobe's punk is more effective than mcgrady's on the court. I also dont see 60 for our team but having our squad healthy and newly foucused on defense makes the word " impossible " dissapear. We were barely considered a playoff team last year and pulled out first place BEFORE NABBING PAU, then returned to the top after losing bynum and working pau in. Having them both with kobe coming off a extremely sucessful summer dedicated to learning how important it is to focus on team defense to win will allow him to push this idea on his own team. Defense + Health for us = better championship chances (although no gaurantees).


I also feel your team will be no worse than second in the west if ron can play his position and you can avoid injuries yourself.