Six Teams w/Chance at Title

[GrandpaBlaze]

Blazers getting some recognition.

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS: The good surprise in the NBA so far this season, though when one studies what the Blazers are doing so far, it doesn't seem like a surprise at all. They have the legit big man in LaMarcus Aldridge, surrounded him with shooters like Damian Lillard and Wesley Matthews, and are getting outstanding numbers from Robin Lopez. The Blazers are 15-0 when making 38 percent or better from 3-point range.

The teams they list (in order):
Heat
Blazers
Pacers
Spurs
Thunder
Clippers

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/6-teams-chance-win-nba-173207047--nba.html

Gramps...

 

[PtldPlatypus]

First thing I see in that list: no Rockets. Seems a little early to dismiss them.

Also, the Warriors should be included as well. When healthy, they are basically the sane team we are. If we have a shot, then so do they.

Sent from my LG-LS840 using Tapatalk

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

the Warriors should be included as well. When healthy, they are basically the sane team we are.

Are you insinuating that the Blazers are INSANE by stating that the Warriors are the "sane" team?



Gramps...

 

[RR7]

First thing I see in that list: no Rockets. Seems a little early to dismiss them.

Also, the Warriors should be included as well. When healthy, they are basically the sane team we are. If we have a shot, then so do they.

Sent from my LG-LS840 using Tapatalk

A similar team, but I think there's a very large difference between Aldridge and Lee, and the ability for Aldridge to get a bucket on his own goes a long way in the postseason, IMO, versus Lee.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Are you insinuating that the Blazers are INSANE by stating that the Warriors are the "sane" team?



Gramps...

Yeah, that's what I meant. What we see from the Warriors is what the Blazers would be if they weren't playing out of their minds.

Sent from my LG-LS840 using Tapatalk

 

[Draco]

Yeah the Warriors are talented, and I think they could get hot in any one playoff series and win it. It'll be tough for them to win 4 series though. Yes we matchup very similarly skillwise at all positions to them except LMA is vastly superior to Lee.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

I'll be happy with a 2nd round playoff run and overjoyed with a Western Conference Finals. That's the extent of my expectations.

 

[Draco]

Agree the Rockets should be on the list, Harden and Dwight can be two dominant players and they have a good cast around them. I don't think the Clippers have a chance at contending, Griffin and DeAndre are a flawed front court. They could win a series but no way they can win a title.

 

[KingSpeed]

First thing I see in that list: no Rockets. Seems a little early to dismiss them.

Also, the Warriors should be included as well. When healthy, they are basically the sane team we are. If we have a shot, then so do they.

Sent from my LG-LS840 using Tapatalk

No, the a Warriors aren't. No one on that team is better than Aldridge. Also- Lillard is a better three point shooter than Curry. And we have a better bench. Warriors lost their depth from last year and they only made second round. They are not contenders. We are competing for #1 seed. Makes a difference in playoffs. IMHO.

 

[Blaz06Draft]

7-8 Teams can be a "Factor in the Playoffs"

My metric for teams that can do some serious damage in the playoffs is rather simple: win 60% of your games and win on the road. If you do both of these for the season, you have decent prospects for winning a round in the playoffs, even as an upset. My philosophy: if you've been able to win on the road, there's a chance you can steal a road game and home court advantage, and beat a higher ranked team. Or if you are the higher seed and you blow a home game, you have a better chance of winning on the road and regaining home court advantage.

The teams that currently fit these criteria are:

East: Indiana, Miami

West: Portland, OKC, San Antonio, Houston, Phoenix.

I don't think all of these could be champs, but all would have a chance to win the first round.

LA Clippers at .500 on the road are on the cusp. Let's hope they don't get there tonight!

 

[julius]

I'll be happy with a 2nd round playoff run and overjoyed with a Western Conference Finals. That's the extent of my expectations.

the extent of my expectations are to win tonight.

 

[tlongII]

San Antonio is so overrated it's ridiculous. They haven't beaten anybody. And they're old.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

San Antonio is so overrated it's ridiculous. They haven't beaten anybody. And they're old.

Hasn't that been the story for the last several years?

 

[Nate4Prez]

No, the a Warriors aren't. No one on that team is better than Aldridge. Also- Lillard is a better three point shooter than Curry. And we have a better bench. Warriors lost their depth from last year and they only made second round. They are not contenders. We are competing for #1 seed. Makes a difference in playoffs. IMHO.

Da fuh?

 

[julius]

Da fuh?

He's going on this years stats (and this years only)

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/curryst01.html

vs

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01.html

As of this post (December 26th, 2013), Damian is shooting better from 3 than Stephen is.

42.6% vs 41.6%

Learn to understand what Kingspeed means, than post!

And no I'm not saying that I think Damian is a better 3 point shooter, I'm just posting this because I know eric would say something much snarkier.

 

[Strenuus]

He's going on this years stats (and this years only)

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/c/curryst01.html

vs

http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/l/lillada01.html

As of this post (December 26th, 2013), Damian is shooting better from 3 than Stephen is.

42.6% vs 41.6%

Learn to understand what Kingspeed means, than post!

And no I'm not saying that I think Damian is a better 3 point shooter, I'm just posting this because I know eric would say something much snarkier.

So now, instead of "Learning the game, then post" it has expanded to "Learn the Kingspeed, then post (with caution)"?

 

[KingSpeed]

Thank you, Julius. Numbers don't lie. Curry's shooting is overrated.

Lillard and Wes are the real Splash Brothers

 

[Tmoney12]

i would say 1.thunder 2.pacers 3.blazers 4.heat 5.clippers 6.spurs thats just my opinion

 

[NOVoodoo]

I know how horrible the East is after the Heat and Pacers, but really, if we're talking about shots at a title, shouldn't there another Eastern Conference team, given how soft that playoff schedule will be?

I know, they're all awful, but somebody has to come out of there, and it'll be a lot easier for the Nets or some team like that to pull it together in April and upset the Heat or Pacers than it will be for a Western team to run the gauntlet. Have we ever had a sub-.500 team in the Finals?

 

[HailBlazers]

i would say 1.thunder 2.pacers 3.blazers 4.heat 5.clippers 6.spurs thats just my opinion

Funny, Chuck just said there were only 7 teams in the NBA worth watching