Which team is the biggest question mark this season?

Xsy · Post #1 » by **Xsy** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:22 am

You know, those teams you just don't know what to expect. They can suck, or they can do well. But no matter how they do, you're not surprised-- because, well, you didn't know what to expect.

Denver's up there for me. The 'new look' Denver really surprised a lot of people. A very diverse team that did well, despite not having 'that guy' to go to. This season, they've lost a surprising chunk of their cornerstone players to China-- without K-Mart and JR, I'm not too sure what to expect.

ReturnofMVP3 · Post #2 » by **ReturnofMVP3** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:25 am

Clippers. Could be really good or not so good because of inexperience.
Minnesota - no more triangle, proper coach and a PG who might have a really bright future.

frothbrain · Post #3 » by **frothbrain** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:26 am

Minnesota.
Very young but stocked with potential.

Grumpy Heat Fan · Post #4 » by **Grumpy Heat Fan** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:36 am

Dallas.

We are about to see how big it was to lose Tyson Chandler.

Frank Mulely · Post #5 » by **Frank Mulely** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:55 am

miami...can LeBron get them over the hump and shut the critics up by winning a ring.

SauceOnRice · Post #6 » by **SauceOnRice** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 10:02 am

lakers
clippers
minny

BIRDMAN BIRDMAN · Post #7 » by **BIRDMAN BIRDMAN** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:29 pm

Timberwolves - Can either be a surprise playoff team (8th seed) or a huge flop

Lakers - Can either be the 1st seed or no HCA

Pacers - Can surprise a lot or can disappoint a lot

D12VCMagic · Post #8 » by **D12VCMagic** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:45 pm

Magic, if they keep Dwight they are a top 5 team in the East. Trade him and they probably are a lottery team.

I'd go with Denver too. I thought they overachieved last year and they don't have Kenyon Martin and Wilson Chandler now.

Post #9 » by **Foshan** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 12:55 pm

I think Dal/LAC are the biggest question mark teams that will get all the attention.

I think Den/Min are teams that will be a big surprise but seeing as they won't be contenders will kinda get buried IMO.

I think Ind/Phi are young teams with a lot of potential to surprise... But they are Indy and Philly so no one will really take notice or care.

Alex_De_Large · Post #10 » by **Alex_De_Large** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:15 pm

New Jersey Nets
Denver Nuggets, i don't know if they are a playoffs team, or a bottom team in the west. Same for Warriors or Blazers.
Clippers and Lakers, can´t say who will finish with better record, maybe still the Lakers, atleast that would be conservative opinion.

Clangus · Post #11 » by **Clangus** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:50 pm

Blazers. They have quietly put together a very decent roster despite Oden and Roy. Well done to thier FO. They could be a real threat.

hurtem · Post #12 » by **hurtem** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 1:52 pm

Blazers still need a real center, wish they would try to acquire kaman or okafor from NO.

pass first · Post #13 » by **pass first** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:15 pm

hurtem wrote:Blazers still need a real center, wish they would try to acquire kaman or okafor from NO.

They might, but they'll probably play small a lot too, which they had plenty succes with I think.

To me Golden State is a question mark. I think they have the talent to turn it around, key is the effect of Mark Jackson. No idea what to expect from him really. He could turn out to be a great motivation or he could flop big time and be a bore instead (to his players). I wouldn't be surprised either way.

I think NY is somewhat of a question mark. Also depends who they sign. But also on how they gel.

Post #14 » by **DefenseWins** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:23 pm

Pacers. They seem like a great team, but Granger might have to step it up a level to really carry them. Their inexperience shows a lot though.

Lakers. Vanessa Bryant just filed for divorce... no Phil Jackson, No Lamar Odom, the chemistry seems bad since there are still trade talks and they didn't end on a good note last season. Huge distractions all over.

Minnesota - A lot of talent, finally a good coach enters, how will they do?

Heat - Will LBJ playing like himself for "fun" and a healthy bench (sort of) get the Heat to a championship?

Mavs - How will they do without Chandler, was he truly their missing piece last season to win it all?

Celtics - Are they really old? Do they have any left in the tank?

Knicks - Will Chandler bring the defensive presence that the Knicks need? Or was he made into a defensive "juggernaut" because of the Mavs defensive system?

I could really do this for all the teams but I'll just keep it at that.... I couldn't help myself to just do one team LOL.

Tim_Hardawayy · Post #15 » by **Tim_Hardawayy** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:28 pm

To me this starts and ends with the Knicks. No other team is as much a mystery imo. The hype on these boards would have you believe they're a lock for the 3 seed and might be better than Chicago, but the facts so far are that Amare and Melo had a worse record with each other than without. Chandler could change all that, or he might not.

I can see them anywhere from the 2 seed to barely making the playoffs.

inquisitive · Post #16 » by **inquisitive** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 3:43 pm

Rockets and Kings .

old rem · Post #17 » by **old rem** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:07 pm

ReturnofMVP3 wrote:Clippers. Could be really good or not so good because of inexperience.
Minnesota - no more triangle, proper coach and a PG who might have a really bright future.

Those for sure. LAC got Paul...but gave a lot. Minny was not near as good on the floor as on paper.

New Orleans made big changes...still has some talent. GSW changed coaches and I think that MIGHT be a bigger plus than expected. Lack of depth,however,can be a killer. What's going on with Utah,Houston,Denver? They are all in some transitions and the dust hasn't settled yet. Sac has a deep,young team where just having EACH of their better guys make some gains could really add up.

In the West it's hard to see what teams might end up the bottom 3, most seem to have a legit hope (for now) at being close to .500,but realistically, there's always some pecking order that takes shape.

At what point are the Celtic,Spurs,Suns....too old? NJ is trying to find an impact mercenary,but can they get their guy and still have the supporting cast? Will Orlando be starting over minus Dwight?

Washington has some talent,and in the East, there's enough soft targets they MIGHT jump from bottom feeder to a playoff niche.

There will still be several significant moves made.

In-N-Out · Post #18 » by **In-N-Out** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 4:19 pm

Clips, They now have paul.
Pacers, They now have depth.
Minnesota, New coach/System and more potential.
Knicks, Second to none front court?
Orlando, When\will they trade dwight?
Dallas, is chandler really that good?

Dr Positivity · Post #19 » by **Dr Positivity** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:10 pm

Tim_Hardawayy wrote:To me this starts and ends with the Knicks. No other team is as much a mystery imo. The hype on these boards would have you believe they're a lock for the 3 seed and might be better than Chicago, but the facts so far are that Amare and Melo had a worse record with each other than without. Chandler could change all that, or he might not.

I can see them anywhere from the 2 seed to barely making the playoffs.

I agree. I also have doubts about whether D'Antoni knows how to coach this team. IMO the right fit for this team is actually a DEFENSIVE style. Like how the effectiveness of Miami's scrubs was maximized by getting them to play as hard as they can defensively and then coasting on the backs of their stars offensively. If Pringles tries to run a Suns like offensive team I think it's going to be ugly. Terrible personnel for it with no guards/passers, very little shooting, etc.

The other ones for me:

Boston: Yes Boston. Quietly I think they could collapse this year. Their depth is ATROCIOUS for a condensed season, they have no real bigs except KG... except I think KG could be this year's falloff guy, he's played top 15 minutes ALL TIME and has bad knees, and most big guys have a year where it's simply over before they retire, like Hakeem and Ewing and etc. Ray is also up there, and Rondo is a chemistry bomb looking to go off. I could see this team never recovering from the Perkins trade

Cleveland: I really like the idea of Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao starting together. That's a tough rebounding/pnr d/clean up baskets combination that most scrub teams don't have. If Irving is a 17/7 type guy immediately, players like Parker and Casspi and Jamison hit a lot of spot up 3s, etc., this team could make an 8th seed run IMO. Or they could suck.

Atlanta: I have a feeling this team is out of gas mentally and Joe Johnson could go from trending downward statistically to being present day Rashard Lewis level of mediocore. Losing Crawford hurts their energy level, Smoove is headed out soon, etc.

Philadelphia: Will they be solid... or will they pull a top 5 seed out of their butts, having the 2nd best fit for a condensed season behind Denver. They're my pick for the team that play at a 50 W pace that NOBODY expects.

Heaven101 · Post #20 » by **Heaven101** » Sat Dec 17, 2011 5:23 pm

If Miami doesn't win a title this year, they seriously need to break up either wade or lebron, that'd further prove those two do not go well together, but consider this is the only chance Dwight is available again in a few years, might as well do it sooner or later...