RealGM

http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2010/07/2 ... -out-west/

the only thing worst then having phoenix ranked 3rd in the west when they just lost their best player, is having okc ranked #2. its odd how a team that had zero injuries last season and barely made the playoffs have now jumped to second in the west when they have done absolutely nothing to get better. denver at 7th is a joke they are probably the best team in their division. about the only thing i will agree with is la at one.

1. Lakers
2. Mavericks
3. Spurs
4. Nuggets
5. Jazz
6. Thunder
7. Rockets
8. Clippers

Rockets are the clear #2 if Yao is healthy

List reads like a popularity contest, not a legit evaluation.

DanielBoone wrote:Rockets are the clear #2 if Yao is healthy

seeing as how he isnt nor ever has been id like to shoot that down

Malinhion wrote:List reads like a popularity contest, not a legit evaluation.

i agree, i dont see the infatuation with okc anyway, they barely made the playoffs last season, still have a major whole upfront and no bench

johnwall wrote:http://hangtime.blogs.nba.com/2010/07/20/the-lake-show-rolls-on-out-west/

the only thing worst then having phoenix ranked 3rd in the west when they just lost their best player, is having okc ranked #2. its odd how a team that had zero injuries last season and barely made the playoffs have now jumped to second in the west when they have done absolutely nothing to get better. denver at 7th is a joke they are probably the best team in their division. about the only thing i will agree with is la at one.

I agree that the Thunder are ranked too high but it's a bit disingenuous to say that they barely made the playoffs given how close the playoff race in the West was last year. Only a handful of games separated the #2 seed from the #8 seed. In fact OKC had just as many wins as Portland and San Antonio. So the chasm between being a #2 seed and a #8 really isn't that big. And we can say that they got lucky with injuries last year but part of the reason why they had no injuries is because they're such a young team with little mileage on their bodies. All that said I'd still put Dallas and Portland ahead of them and maybe Houston depending on Yao's health.

For the record, I'm buying the Thunder hype. Durant and Westbrook are legit.. and they have a lot of solid veteran depth on the roster now. #2 is getting too excited, but #3-4 is feasible. They'll under-perform in the playoffs again, though.

I like Utah's moves, but they need time to acclimate. Nuggets haven't done much to improve. Suns will struggle.

Texas is gonna have a good year... Spurs are gonna have a healthy season (Manu/Parker), Splitter/Blair will give Duncan lots of relief... Rockets are very deep with the perfect coach to put them together, maybe Yao comes back... Mavs need to make some moves, but they have plenty pieces.

1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Mavs
5. Rockets
6. Blazers
7. Nuggets
8. Jazz

... Suns miss. Clippers obviously miss.

i agree, these rankings suck. especially, utah and phoenix being that high up. and putting the spurs hopes on tiago splitter.

MrSparkle wrote:1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Mavs
5. Rockets
6. Blazers
7. Nuggets
8. Jazz

Did I miss a big trade or something???

I don't get the hype about Houston. Yao is finished, even if he ever plays again, he'll be a shell of his former self. The rest of the team isn't anything to write home about either, although not terrible, definitely not good enough for a playoff spot out west.

MrSparkle wrote:For the record, I'm buying the Thunder hype. Durant and Westbrook are legit.. and they have a lot of solid veteran depth on the roster now. #2 is getting too excited, but #3-4 is feasible. They'll under-perform in the playoffs again, though.

I like Utah's moves, but they need time to acclimate. Nuggets haven't done much to improve. Suns will struggle.

Texas is gonna have a good year... Spurs are gonna have a healthy season (Manu/Parker), Splitter/Blair will give Duncan lots of relief... Rockets are very deep with the perfect coach to put them together, maybe Yao comes back... Mavs need to make some moves, but they have plenty pieces.

1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Mavs
5. Rockets
6. Blazers
7. Nuggets
8. Jazz

... Suns miss. Clippers obviously miss.

vetern depth?

If everyone is healthy...
1. Lakers
2. OKC
3. Blazers
4. Mavs
5. Nuggets
6. Jazz
7. Rockets
8. Spurs

DanielBoone wrote:Rockets are the clear #2 if Yao is healthy

30 years from now... we are gonna hear the same Yao being healthy we would hv won a championship

Worst rankings ever. BTW Blazers >Thunder.

Only ignorant people that don't watch Suns games would call Amare our best player. I don't know about 3rd, but we're still a 50+ win team.

I'm pretty confused as to how the Blazers will end up in 8th/9th. Are they going to be more injured than last season?

Thunder at #2 is a joke, they are at best a 5 seed this season.

kings35 wrote:

MrSparkle wrote:1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Mavs
5. Rockets
6. Blazers
7. Nuggets
8. Jazz

Did I miss a big trade or something???

Well, K-Mart and Birdman both had knee injuries this off-season. Billups is aging. They're probably gonna be starting Al Harrinton at the start of the season.

The Thunder are only going to get better, Westbrook, Durant, Harden, Green are all young and still improving. They added a bruiser down low in Aldrich.

The Lakers most challenging western conference foe last playoffs was easily the Thunder. It's not crazy to think if they upgraded their roster(while other top teams downgraded or stayed idle) that a power ranking would have them second.

Of course it's eaisly ruffled a few feathers, but that's understandable as everyone thinks their the second best team out west at this time of year.