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Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:45 pm
by euroleague
I don’t know if the NBA will change the playoff format. But, I do think ranking the top 16 gives a better picture of how the playoffs should look
1. Warriors - obvious
2. Houston - bringing back Capela, chemistry should improve, have cap space to add waived players
3. Boston - young, but deep and well coached.
OKC - getting rid of Melo and getting Roberson back
4. Lakers - young core, adding Lbj and Rondo
5. Jazz - young core, can prepare in the offseason to build a better offense
6. Philly - lost a lot of key role players, but may get Fultz talent infusion. Dark Horse contender for the East
7. Grizzlies - Gasol and Conley when healthy are great. Added Kyle Anderson and JJJ, can’t sleep on the Grizzlies
8. Blazers - brought back Nurkic, need to rebound from the playoff collapse
9. Pacers - Tyreke is a nice addition, should build on last year
10. Denver - Millsap, when healthy, made this team elite. MPJ can be a huge addition.
Edit: 11. Wizards - lots of talent, but huge ball movement issues... but added Dwight for cheap
12. Raptors - playoff collapse, but new coach.
13. Pelicans - AD/Jrue are getting better. Missing a playmaker. Mirotic is a great fit
14. Timberwolves- despite bad relationships, KAT and Butler are a great duo. Should improve this year
15. Spurs - popovich and Aldridge building a new identity
16. Bucks - Lopez added, can be a big addition by stretching the floor
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:51 pm
by JJtheBricklayer
Lakers top 4 or 5? I'm not sure they are top 4 in the West... and as much as I dislike the raptors 11 for them is just rude
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:53 pm
by prime1time
I think the Wiz are too low. We added Jeff Green, Rivers and Howard. Beal, Porter and Oubre are each under 25 and should come back better next season. Wall is 27 and is also just entering there prime. We finished 8th in the east last year and that was with Wall missing significant time. If we are healthy, I expect that we'll finish significantly higher this year.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:57 pm
by Feel_the_Heat15
The Heat are always underrated.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 9:57 pm
by LloydFree
Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:06 pm
by euroleague
prime1time wrote:I think the Wiz are too low. We added Jeff Green, Rivers and Howard. Beal, Porter and Oubre are each under 25 and should come back better next season. Wall is 27 and is also just entering there prime. We finished 8th in the east last year and that was with Wall missing significant time. If we are healthy, I expect that we'll finish significantly higher this year.
Yea, I screwed up on Howard, I think he does well with Wall. I’d move them up to 11. Just above the Raptors, still below Denver imo because chemistry issues
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:07 pm
by euroleague
LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
They played great in the RS, but are kind of weak against good competition. I think they suffer if they are against the West
If they land Kawhi, they will move up
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:22 pm
by undertaker0
Feel_the_Heat15 wrote:The Heat are always underrated.
And then miss the playoffs or lose first round
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:26 pm
by CallMeKahn
LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
To be fair, Nurse has to prove he can get it done with that core. But still, it's a perfectly valid point they're returning pretty much everyone to a team that won 59 games last year. Hard to see them falling off that much when the rest of the East, for the most part, didn't improve much.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:28 pm
by undertaker0
CallMeKahn wrote:LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
To be fair, Nurse has to prove he can get it done with that core. But still, it's a perfectly valid point they're returning pretty much everyone to a team that won 59 games last year. Hard to see them falling off that much when the rest of the East, for the most part, didn't improve much.
Raptors will finish top 3 in east and win 50+ games. Not sure if this poll is ranking based on regular season or postseason though
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:32 pm
by BeatDaCavs420
Bulls will make playoffs
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:32 pm
by CallMeKahn
undertaker0 wrote:CallMeKahn wrote:LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
To be fair, Nurse has to prove he can get it done with that core. But still, it's a perfectly valid point they're returning pretty much everyone to a team that won 59 games last year. Hard to see them falling off that much when the rest of the East, for the most part, didn't improve much.
Raptors will finish top 3 in east and win 50+ games. Not sure if this poll is ranking based on regular season or postseason though
It maybe that Toronto gets to the finals next year now that LeBron won't bend them over. You never know.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:33 pm
by undertaker0
CallMeKahn wrote:undertaker0 wrote:CallMeKahn wrote:
To be fair, Nurse has to prove he can get it done with that core. But still, it's a perfectly valid point they're returning pretty much everyone to a team that won 59 games last year. Hard to see them falling off that much when the rest of the East, for the most part, didn't improve much.
Raptors will finish top 3 in east and win 50+ games. Not sure if this poll is ranking based on regular season or postseason though
It maybe that Toronto gets to the finals next year now that LeBron won't bend them over. You never know.
Doubtful but if Celtics have the injury bug the Raptors have a strong chance to do so.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:34 pm
by undertaker0
BeatDaCavs420 wrote:Bulls will make playoffs
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:36 pm
by Vampirate
LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
Playoffs.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:39 pm
by Vampirate
euroleague wrote:LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
They played great in the RS, but are kind of weak against good competition. I think they suffer if they are against the West
If they land Kawhi, they will move up
They were 19-11 against the west and of course some of those losses were against GS.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:40 pm
by Cavsfansince84
Bit early to have the Lakers in the top 5. They are borderline top 10 right now. I think people are generally too high on Memphis also. Pels I would put higher.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:40 pm
by Duke4life831
1. Warriors
2. Boston
3. Utah
4. Houston
5. Lakers
6. Philly
7. Denver
8. Toronto
9. Spurs (with Kawhi)
10. Thunder
11. Indy
12. Pelicans
13. Portland
14. Memphis
15. Bucks
16. Minny/WSH
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:42 pm
by euroleague
Vampirate wrote:euroleague wrote:LloydFree wrote:Toronto didn't lose one player. How do they go from #3 in the league to out of the top 10?
They played great in the RS, but are kind of weak against good competition. I think they suffer if they are against the West
If they land Kawhi, they will move up
They were 19-11 against the west and of course some of those losses were against GS.
They were a great system team with no adaptability. When matchups become planned for, and their system was adapted to, they choked.
Re: Preseason Rankings - Top 16
Posted: Sun Jul 15, 2018 10:45 pm
by Vampirate
euroleague wrote:Vampirate wrote:euroleague wrote:They played great in the RS, but are kind of weak against good competition. I think they suffer if they are against the West
If they land Kawhi, they will move up
They were 19-11 against the west and of course some of those losses were against GS.
They were a great system team with no adaptability. When matchups become planned for, and their system was adapted to, they choked.
I'm not sure if the Rankings are for the regular season or with the playoffs, because if we are going by just RS, then the Raps should be top 5 easy, if were accounting for Playoffs they are top 10, or maybe 11-12 depending on your view of them.
RS wise though they fared well against the West.