Summer Forecast: Which way is the West going?

joe.linnen · Post #1 » by **joe.linnen** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 9:31 am

I'm sorry, but I just don't see the west ending this way at all. I know some fans say that all 8 playoff teams winning 50 games or more isn't going to happen. I honestly see all 8 grabing at least 50 wins and maybe 2 of them getting 60 wins( Lakers and Hornets). What I don't see is that the west only having 5 teams crack 50 wins.

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

This is where I see everybody

60 win teams:
Lakers
Hornets

50 win teams:
Rockets
Jazz
Spurs
Suns
Mavericks

40 win teams:
TrailBlazers
Warriors
Nuggets
Clippers

30 win teams
Kings

20 and under win teams
Timberwolves
Grizzles
Oklahoma City

methius · Post #2 » by **methius** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 10:04 am

Yeah I'm going to have to agree with you. But I see the Rockets staying healthy this year and making a run at the 2 seed or possibly even the top spot. I think New Orleans and San Antonio will fall alittle bit with the Jazz picking up the slack... Just as long as the Lakers go all the way I'm A-OK.

joe.linnen · Post #3 » by **joe.linnen** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 10:48 am

methius wrote:Yeah I'm going to have to agree with you. But I see the Rockets staying healthy this year and making a run at the 2 seed or possibly even the top spot. I think New Orleans and San Antonio will fall alittle bit with the Jazz picking up the slack... Just as long as the Lakers go all the way I'm A-OK.

I'm incline to agree

Dexmor · Post #4 » by **Dexmor** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 7:56 pm

You have to put the Rockets with the Lakers and Hornets. Ming-Scola-Artest-Battier-Tmac? That is to good.

AceFresh · Post #5 » by **AceFresh** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 10:32 pm

only 1 60-win team

no injuries, I say us.

Post #6 » by **semi-sentient** » Wed Sep 3, 2008 11:47 pm

I think the Celtics and Pistons have a good shot at 60 wins in the East as well.

In the West, I'd expect the Lakers to be above 60 if healthy, but the Hornets and Rockets could also be up there.

Certainly I don't think 5 teams will crack so wins, but those are the candidates depending on who has the most good fortune throughout the season.

Luxury · Post #7 » by **Luxury** » Thu Sep 4, 2008 12:14 am

60 win team even if one of our core players are injured because that was basically what we were last season. Can't say the same for the Hornets, Jazz, and even Houston.

Houston is the only team that actually matches up well against us. In a playoff series, I think we'd go 7 games against them. All the other teams we'd beat with moderate difficulty in 6 games or under.

chefy · Post #8 » by **chefy** » Thu Sep 4, 2008 2:55 am

It'll be lal vs hou in the finals, teams that I think will rebuild this season or next season: spurs ( the ginobili injury, I think is their way of saying they're going to rebuild), dallas, suns,den

hermes · Post #9 » by **hermes** » Thu Sep 4, 2008 6:01 pm

if that lakers stay healthy, play great, everyone does what they are supposed to do
i'd say around 82 wins isn't too high

joe.linnen · Post #10 » by **joe.linnen** » Fri Sep 5, 2008 8:18 am

I have a really good feeling about this year for us. We stormed trough the west last year, Denver in 4, Utah in 6, and the Spurs in 5. I know many of you would say that the west is much stronger and I agreed, but we also got a whole lot stronger as well. Bynum and Ariza being healthy, Gasol being with us for a whole year, Odom in a contract year, bringing in Powell and Yue.

I want to see this tho as well:

Bynum 15ppg/11rpg/2.5bpg
Gasol 18ppg/8rpg/5apg
Odom 15ppg/7rpg/5apg
Bryant 25/6rpg/6apg
Fisher 12ppg/3rpg/4apg

ShowtimeFan · Post #11 » by **ShowtimeFan** » Sat Sep 6, 2008 8:52 pm

"IF HEALTHY" applies to every Team and every Prediction,

Look at the Warriors and Spurs going into the season with key players injured.

If I had to bet money on which of these three (Lakers, Hornets and Rockets) will have an injury, I would pick the Rockets...

I agree with the original poster's assessment though, with the Suns and the Mavs on their way down, mostly due to the STUPID gambles they took last year, they must not have watched the movie "No Country for Old Men"...

Tekkenlaw · Post #12 » by **Tekkenlaw** » Sun Sep 7, 2008 8:21 am

If healthy then I would put the Wolves at 35-40 wins if not more. Mainly due to Foye, he was putting up almost 20ppg at the end of last season and still wasn't at 100%. Plus Mike Miller to spread the floor and Love to help rebound and facilitate from the high post.

Post #13 » by **tkb** » Sun Sep 7, 2008 8:43 am

This should be the season where the old teams like the Spurs and Suns start to tail off a bit and the young teams like the Hornets really start to flourish.

I expect us to go into the playoffs with the best record in the league btw (better than anyone in the east too).

Mamba Venom · Post #14 » by **Mamba Venom** » Tue Sep 9, 2008 8:35 am

Spurs wont rebuild until Duncan and Ginobli retire. Than its Tony Parkers team. Look for them to get vets making a last stand for ring until 2012.

joe.linnen · Post #15 » by **joe.linnen** » Tue Sep 9, 2008 11:21 am

I don't see the Spurs falling off this season or the next as for the Suns and Mavericks that's a whole different story.