Western Conference Outlook

[WeekapaugGroove]

Well with LMA the last big domino to fall let's look at the west.

Teams that will make the playoffs barring catastrophic injury:

Golden State
Memphis
San Antonio
OKC
Houston

Teams that look like playoff teams but are a little flawed or are just 1 injury away from dropping out:

Clippers
Dallas
New Orleans

Teams who could fight the above teams for a playoff spot:

Utah
Phoenix
Maybe Portland although this looks like it's going to be a rebuild year.

Team who are either not trying or are but are real long shots to be good:

Sacramento
Lakers
Timberwolves
Denver

So the question is should phoenix try to jump into the playoff hunt or sit on assets and play the young guys with an eye on 2016?

[No-Man]

More or less agree with your take, there are still a few pieces that could change the outcome but as of now I'd say,

Golden St
Oklahoma City
San Antonio

Houston
Memphis
Los Angeles

New Orleans
Dallas
Utah
Phoenix

Sacramento
Portland
Minnesota

Denver
Los Angeles

Will be rankings in tiers, so basically there are 4 teams fighting for 2 spots, right now I'd give the nod to New Orleans, Davis and the same core plus a better coach, and Dallas, top2 coach in Carlisle, and they will end up signing quality bench guys like always somehow.

Utah for me is the favourite to go in and knock anybody out, and Phoenix is the odd man out.

[bwgood77]

I agree with both lists. I think the hardest to peg is Utah and Phoenix, because Phx hasn't played together yet....the starting backcourt is pretty new, a new center, Marcus gone who had major minutes last year and Warren and Len's growth (and how much of it there is or isn't) will be a huge factor. I believe Hornacek, with time to work with a unit in the preseason and the entire season, without moving parts like last year, will have a MUCH easier job. After his first year, he lost half of the most effective pick n roll pairing in the league, then the other didn't have an impact after getting moved off the ball. Guys knowing their defined roles will be big. But will parts KEEP shuffling?

Utah is in growth mode too. Will they keep growing a ton? They have a ton of guys that have been in the league 1-5 years, so they could have massive jumps or no jumps.

Both teams could surprise people or disappoint.

I think the Pelicans will get a boost on offense from Gentry, so that will be interesting to see.

I am really interested to see what Carlisle can do in Dallas. He can usually put a competitive product on the floor but their guard rotation right now doesn't look great.

[Wannabe MEP]

And I more or less agree with this take. Just a couple questions:

Golden St
Oklahoma City
San Antonio

Houston
Memphis
Los Angeles

New Orleans
Dallas
Utah
Phoenix

Sacramento
Portland
Minnesota

Denver
Los Angeles

1. Oklahoma City – yeah, they have the talent to beat anyone. But they’ve got some roster funkiness to work through, and I worry about injuries becoming chronic. I just think they’re a total question mark. This team could win the West, or not make the playoffs.
2. Los Angeles – mediocre defensive team just lost their two best defenders. They could go small and be CRAZY SCARY on offense…but worse defensively than any D’Antoni-era Suns team: like 2004-2005 Suns except no Marion. Or they play somebody garbage at the 5, because it’s not Rivers’ style to go all-in on small ball. I’m just not buying Clips as sure-fire playoff team.
3. Dallas – I’d put Dallas ahead of LA. Solid additions + healthy Chandler Parsons + addition by subtraction (Rondo). I’m picturing them better than they were last year. But they are definitely vulnerable to injuries and/or complications from roster turnover.
4. Portland – I’d put Portland even lower. They’re losing (arguably) 6 of their 7 most important players. Nothing against Lillard, but he’s not dragging this collection of leftovers & misfits out of the trash pile.

[Damkac]

Unless Durant is injured again there's no chance that OKC may not make the playoffs.

Tier 1 - Contenders
GSW
Spurs
(healthy) OKC

Tier 2 - Not contenders but tough to beat
Grizzlies
Rockets

Tier 3 - May be good or may disappoint
Dallas
Clippers

Tier 4 - 8th spot contenders
NO
Utah
PHX

[NTB]

BTW i think Matthews will miss half of the season.

[kennydorglas]

Really tough place for us

[JTrain]

First thoughts with rough win estimates. I'll probably do a closer look with statistical breakdown in October.

1. Warriors 60
2. Spurs 55
3. Thunder 55
4. Clippers 54
5. Grizzlies 54
6. Rockets 51
7. Pelicans 46
8. Mavs 45
9. Jazz 44
10. Suns 40
11. Blazers 37
12. Lakers 35
13. Wolves 29
14. Kings 28
15. Nuggets 21

[Moochthemonkey]

1. Warriors
2. Thunder
3. Spurs
4. Mavericks
5. Rockets
6. Grizzlies
7. Pelicans
8. Clippers
9. Jazz
10. Suns
11. Kings
12. Blazers
13. Timberwolves
14. Lakers
15. Nuggets

are my ultra premature predictions. I think the Nuggets are the only surefire terrible team and have clinched the bottom seed. The Suns could potentially be as good as the '14 team with renewed chemistry and better defense, putting them as high as 7. But they could also be as low as 14 if this whole Chandler signing turns out to be another "square pegs in circular holes" scenario a la the Terry Porter fiasco. The only two teams from the top 8 that I think have a chance missing the playoffs are the Pelicans and the Clippers. Jazz Kings, Timberwolves, and possibly the Lakers have the potential talent of being a surprise good team like the Bucks where last year. The Blazers gutted their roster but with Damian Lillard still there I don't see the team being too bad.

[lilfishi22]

40-45 wins I think is possible. I think our C rotation would be right up there with any team in the WC which is something we haven't had for a loooooong time. However, if we want to do better than 40 wins, we will need career years from 2 players (Kieff, Bledsoe, Knight).

[lilfishi22]

Added a poll on projected Suns wins

[MrMiyagi]

I'm saying we crack 50 wins. SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bwgood77]

I'm saying we crack 50 wins. SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are crazy, we will struggle to get to 30 wins with this **** squad.

[StarMaker]

I'm saying we crack 50 wins. SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Alex Len average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this coming season, Suns can do that.

[ATTL]

I'm saying we crack 50 wins. SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You are crazy, we will struggle to get to 30 wins with this **** squad.

And somehow still get the 13th pick.

I think Utah will be better than new Orleans thus year.

[SunsFanSSOL]

1. Warriors 63
2. Thunder 60
3. Spurs 56
4. Grizzlies 53
5. Rockets 52
6. Clippers 51
7. Mavs 48
8. Pelicans 47
9. Suns 46
10. Jazz 44
11. Blazers 38
12. Kings 37
13. Lakers 35
14. Wolves 24
15. Nuggets 22

[MrMiyagi]

I'm saying we crack 50 wins. SHOCK THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If Alex Len average 20 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks per game this coming season, Suns can do that.

All aboard the fan-wagon! CHOO CHOO!!!!!!!!

[Sunsss]

8. Pelicans 47
9. Suns 46

We'll lose to them on game #82 on a buzzer beater too, right?

[Bogyo]

8. Pelicans 47
9. Suns 46

We'll lose to them on game #82 on a buzzer beater too, right?

Knowing our luck...

But one could argue that OKC pretty much lost out on the playoffs on a buzzerbeating double pump fallaway Davis 3 pointer in their head-to-head matchup, if we want to twist things this way.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmar9bLehVY

[NTB]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618823895240413184[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/SpearsNBAYahoo/status/618824653205692416[/tweet]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/ESPNSteinLine/status/618818662523387904[/tweet]

LMAO