2008-2009 Western Conference Predictions
Posted: Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:15 pm
2008-2009 WESTERN CONFERENCE
1 - Los Angeles Lakers
2 - New Orleans Hornets
3 - Houston Rockets
4 - Utah Jazz
5 - Dallas Mavericks
6 - San Antonio Spurs
7 - Phoenix Suns
8 - Portland Trailblazers
Honorable Mention - Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals - Lakers and Celtics again
Explanation - Lakers getting to the Finals last season and now adding Bynum will repeat as West Conf champs and return to the NBA Finals, Odom leads great 2nd unit off bench. New Orleans Hornets with Chris Paul and addition of Posey off bench should be very good, good for 2nd. Houston Rockets have potential to make 2nd spot but I don't see them being healthy 100% of the season, if their big 3 stay healthy most of the season I think they look good for 3rd. Utah Jazz has same team, Kirilenko off the bench to lead 2nd unit, good for 4th. Dallas Mavericks will be good as long as healthy, aging players, mediocre bench, not sure how good Antoine Wright will be as starting SG, good for 5th. San Antonio Spurs, the oldest team in the NBA, will be without Ginobli for at least a month, with elderly starters in Bowen/Finley/Thomas they are good for 6th. Phoenix Suns will be good but this team cant rely on Shaq being healthy all season, Suns lowering Nash's minutes, injury prone Stoudemire, good for 7th. Portland Trailblazers had good team last season barely missing the playoffs, this season Oden pushes them into the playoffs at the 8th spot in a very good Western Conference. My honorable mention team is the Denver Nuggets, I see them possibly taking the 8th spot but I don't see how they could be better than last years team without their only good defense player Camby gone and replacing him with injury prone Nene, they also have injury prone Kenyon Martin and average PG in Anthony Carter, if I was them I'd start Iverson at PG and fill in JR Smith at SG.
1 - Los Angeles Lakers
2 - New Orleans Hornets
3 - Houston Rockets
4 - Utah Jazz
5 - Dallas Mavericks
6 - San Antonio Spurs
7 - Phoenix Suns
8 - Portland Trailblazers
Honorable Mention - Denver Nuggets
NBA Finals - Lakers and Celtics again
Explanation - Lakers getting to the Finals last season and now adding Bynum will repeat as West Conf champs and return to the NBA Finals, Odom leads great 2nd unit off bench. New Orleans Hornets with Chris Paul and addition of Posey off bench should be very good, good for 2nd. Houston Rockets have potential to make 2nd spot but I don't see them being healthy 100% of the season, if their big 3 stay healthy most of the season I think they look good for 3rd. Utah Jazz has same team, Kirilenko off the bench to lead 2nd unit, good for 4th. Dallas Mavericks will be good as long as healthy, aging players, mediocre bench, not sure how good Antoine Wright will be as starting SG, good for 5th. San Antonio Spurs, the oldest team in the NBA, will be without Ginobli for at least a month, with elderly starters in Bowen/Finley/Thomas they are good for 6th. Phoenix Suns will be good but this team cant rely on Shaq being healthy all season, Suns lowering Nash's minutes, injury prone Stoudemire, good for 7th. Portland Trailblazers had good team last season barely missing the playoffs, this season Oden pushes them into the playoffs at the 8th spot in a very good Western Conference. My honorable mention team is the Denver Nuggets, I see them possibly taking the 8th spot but I don't see how they could be better than last years team without their only good defense player Camby gone and replacing him with injury prone Nene, they also have injury prone Kenyon Martin and average PG in Anthony Carter, if I was them I'd start Iverson at PG and fill in JR Smith at SG.