Seed the West

RutgersBJJ · Post #221 » by **RutgersBJJ** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:43 pm

1. LAL
2. SA
3. OKC
4. Memphis
5. LAC
6. Dallas
7. Denver
8. GSW

elbowthrower · Post #222 » by **elbowthrower** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:55 pm

BROWN wrote:7. DEN: Role players no star, allot of bigs, allot of head cases.

I know you're going to say McGee (though I'd disagree), but who else on the team is a head case?

Xsy · Post #223 » by **Xsy** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 6:56 pm

Dirk had one of his worst seasons ever, and the team has changed too much to be immediately successful. They'll be good, but they need at least half a season of gel time. They miss the playoffs.

youngthegiant · Post #224 » by **youngthegiant** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:23 pm

elbowthrower wrote:
BROWN wrote:7. DEN: Role players no star, allot of bigs, allot of head cases.

I know you're going to say McGee (though I'd disagree), but who else on the team is a head case?

Denver has actually cleaned out their roster of pretty much all the headcases. Only one you can make a case for is Mcgee, but he has been a different player since he has arrived in Denver.

OneWhoKnocks · Post #225 » by **OneWhoKnocks** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:41 pm

ITT Clips are getting underrated while Lakers are getting overrated...

TheNewEra · Post #226 » by **TheNewEra** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:48 pm

nuposse04 wrote:
TheNewEra wrote:People are really underrating the fact the Clippers have a set bench to start this year and will actually have a training camp to gel. Starting last year Bledsoe was out for a good portion to start the season and when he returned it took weeks for him to get his legal back under him. RYAN GOMES was our back up SF! Reggie and Martin came on late with Reggie being hurt and Martin in China our bench was terrible to begin the year and for a couple of months but the starters held us together.

This team is ready to go and even though Mo Williams was strong to start the year the rest of the bench was so bad it was Mo or nothing and it cost us some games. Hill, Crawford, Odom,Turiaf and Bledsoe are ready and will bring an immediate impact that will help the team makes up for some of last seasons lack of bench production during the start of the season.

Blake will also be healthy by then.

although not related to the regular season, the clippers lived and died by the 3 point line in the playoffs. The wing players they lost all had faults, but they were all way better deep shooters than the people they've brought in. They've replaced Martin and Evans with Turiaf+Odom, that is a serious downgrade. Especially considering the way Odom played last year.

But the upgrade in other places is so much better all the bigs are better free throw shooters so the hacking thing will be less effective. Even still if the players are not the same 3pt shooters we have more players this year who can create their on shot which will help with the offense not being a bunch of players standing around waiting for Paul/Bledsoe or Billups to make something happen for them.

This is about the regular season record and I remember Mo being doubled and tripled teamed when Vinny would bring the whole bench in. If Mo was on he still lit the teams up but if he was off we got nothing from the bench. We were one game and a half away from the third seed I loved the squad last year but this team will have a bigger advantage of a full camp and a full season to gel.

Odom dogged it last year if he even gives 50% of his usual talents he is better than Martin, Evans, and Young as just a natural leader of the second units he has had in the past . Add to that Crawford and Hill looking to have bounce back return years and the emergence of Bledsoe after the playoffs going into the season healthy we are for sure a better team now going in.

elbowthrower · Post #227 » by **elbowthrower** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 7:50 pm

OneWhoKnocks wrote:ITT Clips are getting underrated while Lakers are getting overrated...

I called it a few pages back. I suspect the Clippers will win their division.

edit: nevermind it was in another thread

Dr Positivity · Post #228 » by **Dr Positivity** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:14 pm

1. San Antonio
2. OKC
3. LA Lakers
4. Utah
5. Dallas
6. LA Clippers
7. Golden State
8. Minnesota

Spurtatcus · Post #229 » by **Spurtatcus** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:17 pm

spearsy23 wrote:
Spurtatcus wrote:How the **** could I forget about him...add him into my post too. Spurs aren't going away guys. People need to realize that OKC beat us by hitting an unusual amount of long 2 point shots, which was the Spurs' game plan to force them into. They just got lucky, and it ran out against Miami.

One thing though is that Manu is nowhere near the level he was in 2011. Last season you could really see his decline. I thought after breaking his hand and sitting out most of the season he'd be fresh but he just looked discombobulated most of the time. He had maybe 1 great game each series and that's not going to cut it for us right now unless Leonard takes over and really becomes something special this season.

OKC got lucky? They were the best shooting team from mid-long range 2 pt shots in the NBA. The Spurs 'forced' them into playing to their strengths. And OKC continued to score in the finals, they just couldn't get a stop ever.

Shooting Percentage on Two-Pointers From 15 Feet and Out

You were saying?

WenningtonGuy · Post #230 » by **WenningtonGuy** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:21 pm

1.OKC
2. SAS
3.LAL
4.LAC
5. MIN
6. MEM
7. DEN
8. DAL

CntOutSmrtCrazy · Post #231 » by **CntOutSmrtCrazy** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:25 pm

For all the flack Kahn gets on this board, he's had a very impressive off-season thus far. His GMing could look brilliant later on this year.

Nuggets_Talk · Post #232 » by **Nuggets_Talk** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:57 pm

lilojmayo wrote:
Phiology wrote:in my opinion, the top 4 are:

OKC
LAL,
SAS,
and Dallas.

these teams are either too good or bring a complete package: good coaching, intangibles, team play., superstar/finisher.

behind this, I find this hard to rule.

next choices:

DENVER/LAC/MEMPHIS:

i normally rate denver, and especially coach karl very high, but they lack a true closer, but the team is overall very well built in my opinion. also i really love to watch them play.

for the clippers: they have gotten better, period. however, i think that denver, lakers, dallas etc. have also got better, and with this frontcourt (jordan/griffin) and this coach, i don't see them finishing in the top 4. hope, that Paul stays healthy, otherwise bye bye playoffs.

Memphis is a real dropdown candidate for me. one surprise, semisuccessful playoff appearance where they overachieved, last year was rather bad (injuries ofc), but i think that things are falling apart. lets get real: in my opinion, marc gasol is the only real consistens piece in the puzzle. what do conley, gay, randolph and defensive minded players bring? a good team in the west. place 4-8, but with the possiblility of dropdowns if any major player gets hurt, also no true superstar (sorry gay).

8th seed: MINNY/UTAH/GSW:

utah, to me, seems like the most solid team, but with the least upside. didnt really get better than last year (on paper). but this organisation just works.

minnesota really tried to power up, but there are too many X-factors in my opinion: rubio getting fully healthy, at least one of roy and svhed playing relatively well and AK47 playing good. really, if all these things happen, and pekovic can conserve his play from last year, they would in my opinion be a top 4 team. but i highly doubt this will happen.

gsw: a team of great shooters, mostly as they have always been. bogut is great, but injury prone. im not sold in trusting curry and thompson to lead a team to playoffs on their own. in my opinion the least probable outcome, but who knows.

What I am having a tough time understanding, some also call it comprehending, is the fact that ppl have Dallas missing the playoffs.

Dirk led team has not missed the playoffs in 10+ years, not to mention he has never played with a player as talented as OJ Mayo since Steve Nash.

Put 2 and 2 together folks.

Championship contender

obviously

Nuggets_Talk · Post #233 » by **Nuggets_Talk** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:59 pm

TheNewEra wrote:
nuposse04 wrote:
TheNewEra wrote:People are really underrating the fact the Clippers have a set bench to start this year and will actually have a training camp to gel. Starting last year Bledsoe was out for a good portion to start the season and when he returned it took weeks for him to get his legal back under him. RYAN GOMES was our back up SF! Reggie and Martin came on late with Reggie being hurt and Martin in China our bench was terrible to begin the year and for a couple of months but the starters held us together.

This team is ready to go and even though Mo Williams was strong to start the year the rest of the bench was so bad it was Mo or nothing and it cost us some games. Hill, Crawford, Odom,Turiaf and Bledsoe are ready and will bring an immediate impact that will help the team makes up for some of last seasons lack of bench production during the start of the season.

Blake will also be healthy by then.

although not related to the regular season, the clippers lived and died by the 3 point line in the playoffs. The wing players they lost all had faults, but they were all way better deep shooters than the people they've brought in. They've replaced Martin and Evans with Turiaf+Odom, that is a serious downgrade. Especially considering the way Odom played last year.

But the upgrade in other places is so much better all the bigs are better free throw shooters so the hacking thing will be less effective. Even still if the players are not the same 3pt shooters we have more players this year who can create their on shot which will help with the offense not being a bunch of players standing around waiting for Paul/Bledsoe or Billups to make something happen for them.

This is about the regular season record and I remember Mo being doubled and tripled teamed when Vinny would bring the whole bench in. If Mo was on he still lit the teams up but if he was off we got nothing from the bench. We were one game and a half away from the third seed I loved the squad last year but this team will have a bigger advantage of a full camp and a full season to gel.

Odom dogged it last year if he even gives 50% of his usual talents he is better than Martin, Evans, and Young as just a natural leader of the second units he has had in the past . Add to that Crawford and Hill looking to have bounce back return years and the emergence of Bledsoe after the playoffs going into the season healthy we are for sure a better team now going in.

oh man, what i would give to be able to ask clipper fans a year ago which roster they wanted. its amazing how as soon as they lose evans, martin, young, etc they dont miss those guys at all! what are the chances?!

Nuggets_Talk · Post #234 » by **Nuggets_Talk** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:00 pm

CntOutSmrtCrazy wrote:For all the flack Kahn gets on this board, he's had a very impressive off-season thus far. His GMing could look brilliant later on this year.

playing the odds...eventually it had to work out.

spearsy23 · Post #235 » by **spearsy23** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:06 pm

Spurtatcus wrote:
spearsy23 wrote:OKC got lucky? They were the best shooting team from mid-long range 2 pt shots in the NBA. The Spurs 'forced' them into playing to their strengths. And OKC continued to score in the finals, they just couldn't get a stop ever.

Shooting Percentage on Two-Pointers From 15 Feet and Out

You were saying?

I was saying it was one of their strengths, which it is. The Spurs 'forced' them into playing to it by giving them wide open 15-20 footers, causing the percentages to be even higher. There's nothing lucky about hitting all the open shots they were creating.

Catchall · Post #236 » by **Catchall** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:15 pm

Dallas is going to miss Jason Terry. A lot of nights he seems almost as important as Dirk. I'm not seeing OJ Mayo as making a big impact there.

ZB9 · Post #237 » by **ZB9** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:25 pm

LOL @ people predicting the Mavs missing the playoffs. They havent missed the playoffs since the Bill Clinton administration

The Mavs didnt miss POs last season, with a worse team than this season and a lock out shortened schedule...and they arent going to miss POs this next season. The odds are better for Dallas to get a top 4 seed this next season than to miss the playoffs.

bobbyc · Post #238 » by **bobbyc** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:30 pm

Catchall wrote:Dallas is going to miss Jason Terry. A lot of nights he seems almost as important as Dirk. I'm not seeing OJ Mayo as making a big impact there.

Its too bad they only signed Mayo.

Nuggets_Talk · Post #239 » by **Nuggets_Talk** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:16 pm

ZB9 wrote:LOL @ people predicting the Mavs missing the playoffs. They havent missed the playoffs since the Bill Clinton administration

not that i think they will miss the playoffs, but this logic seems to indicate they will never miss the playoffs.

Swimmer · Post #240 » by **Swimmer** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 10:34 pm

ZB9 wrote:LOL @ people predicting the Mavs missing the playoffs. They havent missed the playoffs since the Bill Clinton administration

The Mavs didnt miss POs last season, with a worse team than this season and a lock out shortened schedule...and they arent going to miss POs this next season. The odds are better for Dallas to get a top 4 seed this next season than to miss the playoffs.

I think their team is worse this season than last season. At the very least, the team is newly formed together, and will need a significant portion of the season to gel.