Scouts' forecast for the '09-10 season

[BoBoBREWSKI]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/10/19/scouts.picks/index.html

 

[hasoos]

Interesting. The expectations around the league for Portland seem to be very big. I think one of the biggest adjutments will be for the Blazers to now realize there is a bullseye on their back every time they walk into an arena. The question is, do they step up, or step out? New Orleans had huge expectations on them after the season before last. Then last season happened, and they were clearly not ready to handle the pressure of being a marked team every night.

 

[Schilly]

I definitely don't think they will want to play from behind very much.

 

[magnifier661]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writers/ian_thomsen/10/19/scouts.picks/index.html

LMAO! Did you see this?

Explained another scout: "You've got to look at the top defensive teams, and I don't care about how many shots you get up or the points per possession -- as you get deeper in the playoffs, it's all about defending." While the Magic played surprisingly good defense last season, they weren't as strong as their Eastern rivals at that end of the floor, and now Cleveland has added Shaq to body up against Dwight Howard while the Celtics have brought in Rasheed Wallace to back up surgically repaired Kevin Garnett.
In the Western finals, almost everyone likes the Lakers again:
Lakers beat San Antonio
Lakers beat San Antonio
Lakers beat San Antonio
Lakers beat Portland
Lakers beat Portland
San Antonio beats Lakers


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...n/10/19/scouts.picks/index.html#ixzz0UPgmhRNS
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I didn't know 3 teams make it to the Western Conference Finals.

 

[magnifier661]

Scratch that, Duh.... LOL it was 6 different predictions. <--- Reading comprehension problem.

 

[hasoos]

Scratch that, Duh.... LOL it was 6 different predictions. <--- Reading comprehension problem.

Well to be honest, they didn't communicate that very well. It took a small leap in logic.

 

[magnifier661]

Well to be honest, they didn't communicate that very well. It took a small leap in logic.

Yeah I was like, WTF are they doing? Then after I already posted "submit" I re-read is cause I doubted CNNSI would make such a Huge mistake.

 

[oldmangrouch]

The closer you get to the head of the pack, the more hungry jaws you have snapping at your heels.

The challenge is going to be a bit different this season.

 

[STOMP]

I definitely don't think they will want to play from behind very much.

With Greg's apparent vast improvement and their overall size & depth I expect them to wear teams down... thats how they led the league in points differential the 2nd half of last season. Once the season starts the minutes and roles should become a lot more delineated/set then we've seen this preseason, things won't seem so chaotic. I doubt they'll fall behind early quite as often as last year as their young team should still be on the upswing, but I'll take their chances of coming back on teams when they do.

STOMP

 

[magnifier661]

The closer you get to the head of the pack, the more hungry jaws you have snapping at your heels.

The challenge is going to be a bit different this season.

I agree 100%. During the pre-view on NBA.com TV, I was like hearing "winning on the road more" as an improvement, but I suspect we will lose some games we are supposed to win, just because we have "off nights" etc.

I will be happy with a win improvement, but even more happy seeing us win against "winning ball clubs" on the road. If I see a significant improvement on that, I will be a happy Blazer fan!