Biggest surprise team(s)

[julius]

Blazers not included, which teams are the biggest surprise (both positive and negative) this season, so far?

For me, the biggest surprises are Minnesota and Memphis.

I figured both would be much better than they are.

 

[3RA1N1AC]

nets are a train wreck, thought they were a lock for home court in the 1st round

philly is much better than i thought

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

The Celtics. I thought they would be beyond shit.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Surprise good: Suns
Surprise Bad: Brooklyn

Surprises me every year: Spurs . . . I swear every year I think they will start to decline

 

[blazedanugz]

brooklyn and phx.....i dont understand why people thought minny was going to be a playoff team....i mean really on their roster is a difference maker? chase budinger? kevin martin?? please

 

[Natebishop3]

I had a feeling Phoenix was going to be good. They've got a lot of young scrappers. They're one of those teams that will stay around .500 on grit alone.

I'm surprised how bad New Jersey and New York are playing.

I don't blame Memphis for sucking because Gasol is out, but that roster sure looks average. That's one team that might be willing to offload some talent and tank.

 

[Strenuus]

I had a feeling Phoenix was going to be good. They've got a lot of young scrappers. They're one of those teams that will stay around .500 on grit alone.

I'm surprised how bad New Jersey and New York are playing.

I don't blame Memphis for sucking because Gasol is out, but that roster sure looks average. That's one team that might be willing to offload some talent and tank.

couple years late on that. lol.

 

[MARIS61]

Memphis.

 

[KingSpeed]

Brooklyn WILL have HCA in the first round. Players are coming back from injury and they're starting to play better. Philly is horrible. Memphis was playing badly WITH Gasol. Minnesota hasn't had a legit team in 10 years. Nothing has changed. Obviously, we're the biggest surprise in the last 20 years but you are asking me to except us. So... I'll go with Phoenix.

 

[KingSpeed]

Surprise good: Suns
Surprise Bad: Brooklyn

Surprises me every year: Spurs . . . I swear every year I think they will start to decline

Listen to me very clearly: the Spurs will always be good. Always.

 

[PapaG]

Good: Denver
Bad: Brooklyn

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Listen to me very clearly: the Spurs will always be good. Always.

When Duncan retires?

When Pop retires?

Both retire same year?

 

[Natebishop3]

Listen to me very clearly: the Spurs will always be good. Always.

Nah. Once Duncan retires that team will be very pedestrian. He is the heart and soul of that franchise. Do you honestly think Tony Parker will carry that team without Duncan?

 

[KingSpeed]

The Spurs will Always be good. When Pop retires, when Duncan retires, when Parker retires, they will ALWAYS be good. Get used to it.

 

[KingSpeed]

Nah. Once Duncan retires that team will be very pedestrian. He is the heart and soul of that franchise. Do you honestly think Tony Parker will carry that team without Duncan?

Yes

 

[The_Lillard_King]

The Spurs will Always be good. When Pop retires, when Duncan retires, when Parker retires, they will ALWAYS be good. Get used to it.

I say they start to decline . . . . . . next year

 

[Natebishop3]

Yes

Nope.

 

[Draco]

Agree with most people on Suns and Brooklyn. Boston has been interesting with Crawford playing point.

One team nobody has mentioned is the Lakers. I didn't think they would be anywhere close to .500. I've been very impressed with D'Antiono coaching. It reminds me of the run he had with Lin in NY when Melo was out. This Lakers team has less talent than Utah but is playing with a ton of effort and making the most of fringe NBA players.

 

[Natebishop3]

Agree with most people on Suns and Brooklyn. Boston has been interesting with Crawford playing point.

One team nobody has mentioned is the Lakers. I didn't think they would be anywhere close to .500. I've been very impressed with D'Antiono coaching. It reminds me of the run he had with Lin in NY when Melo was out. This Lakers team has less talent than Utah but is playing with a ton of effort and making the most of fringe NBA players.

Eh, they have a few vets to go with their young talent. Guys like Gasol and Blake actually help a lot, but their bench is amazing. Nick Young and Xavier Henry was playing very well.

 

[Further]

A lot of why the spurs are always good has to do with their ownership. Losing Duncan and Pop will hurt, but I trust their ownership to find the right replacement for Pop and to continue the culture that turns late picks into gems.

 

[magnifier661]

Wait what pop is leaving?!

 

[magnifier661]

Listen to me very clearly: the Spurs will always be good. Always.

Listen to me very clearly: the Bulls will always be good (fan in 1997). Always.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Blazers not included, which teams are the biggest surprise (both positive and negative) this season, so far?

For me, the biggest surprises are Minnesota and Memphis.

I figured both would be much better than they are.

Blazers, The Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL. Er NBA

 

[julius]

A lot of why the spurs are always good has to do with their ownership. Losing Duncan and Pop will hurt, but I trust their ownership to find the right replacement for Pop and to continue the culture that turns late picks into gems.

It's not terribly hard to be consistent when you have arguably the best true PF the game has ever seen, and he's been healthy for the vast majority of his career.

 

[KingSpeed]

A lot of why the spurs are always good has to do with their ownership. Losing Duncan and Pop will hurt, but I trust their ownership to find the right replacement for Pop and to continue the culture that turns late picks into gems.

Exactly

 

[Natebishop3]

It's not terribly hard to be consistent when you have arguably the best true PF the game has ever seen, and he's been healthy for the vast majority of his career.

Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding

How do you replace Tim Duncan? And more important, how do you replace Tim Duncan when you're not LA?

 

[Eastoff]

I had a feeling Phoenix was going to be good. They've got a lot of young scrappers. They're one of those teams that will stay around .500 on grit alone.

I'm surprised how bad New Jersey and New York are playing.

I don't blame Memphis for sucking because Gasol is out, but that roster sure looks average. That's one team that might be willing to offload some talent and tank.

Nate likes scrappers... INTERESTING

 

[Natebishop3]

Nate likes scrappers... INTERESTING

Aww crap... they're onto me.

 

[Further]

Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding ding

How do you replace Tim Duncan? And more important, how do you replace Tim Duncan when you're not LA?

One possibility is to lure Aldridge

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

A lot of why the spurs are always good has to do with their ownership. Losing Duncan and Pop will hurt, but I trust their ownership to find the right replacement for Pop and to continue the culture that turns late picks into gems.

For all we know they already have gems on the team that rarely play. Joesph and de Colo may very well already be the next Parker and Ginobili in line.