The Wide Open West

[handiman]

Title odds are set to generate betting interest while not creating a liability for the casino.

Over under win totals are much more accurate predictor, you can choose which side to bet if the house creates a bad line. There is no way to bet against the Lakers title odds if you think those title odds are terrible.

That's sorta the exact opposite of what I said, so I have to disagree.

 

[crandc]

How many people anywhere, not just S2, June 2018, said Toronto would be next champion? How many said Portland would be in the WCF?

 

[stampedehero]

With the Durant and Thompson injuries, it seems like the West next year is going to be more wide open than it has since the dawn of the Golden State dynasty. This summer's trade season has the potential to totally reshape the Lakers and Clippers if they succeed in their quest for Davis and Kawhi, respectively...or leave them competing for the bottom tier of the playoffs if they don't. The Rockets are looking to totally rehab around Harden, but that has the potential to blow up in their faces if they can't find good trading partners. Denver, Utah and the Blazers can play it conservative and field teams that will compete for the upper tier of the playoff bracket, or try to go all-in to make a trade that will push them towards true contention. The Warriors will probably try to re-sign Klay and Durant and then pick up bandaid vets on minimum salaries to try to get through the year and possibly be in a position to make a playoff push if one or both of those guys should prove able to return before the end of the season.

It's going to be a crazy summer with GMs trying to make the critical deals that will push their teams into contention. Any attempt to handicap the West until after free agency is a futile exercise.

A "bandaid vet" Is Durant one now?

 

[Labinot41]

No matter what happens in the offseason, Collins has to start next year. If we bring Aminu back, he or Harkless (if he's still on the roster) has to come of the bench, Aminu and Harkless cant play together anymore, it makes the game for Dame and CJ so much harder with 2 bad offensive players

 

[oldmangrouch]

No matter what happens in the offseason, Collins has to start next year. If we bring Aminu back, he or Harkless (if he's still on the roster) has to come of the bench, Aminu and Harkless cant play together anymore, it makes the game for Dame and CJ so much harder with 2 bad offensive players

The team can't get any better until one or both of those guys is replaced. Both are good enough to be useful bench guys, but both (albeit for different reasons) are overmatched as starters on a play-off team.

Is Collins the answer? Frankly, I have my doubts - but they have to give him a chance to prove he can be. He is the closest thing we have to an internal solution and there is no realistic way to bring in an upgrade.

 

[illmatic99]

A lil rocky over in Houston.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...amn-turmoil-unsettling-vibe-surrounds-rockets

It has reached a point, team sources say, where Paul cherishes the chance to play without Harden on the floor. On several occasions, according to team sources, Paul barked at D'Antoni to keep Harden on the bench while he was running the second unit. Harden simultaneously would lobby -- or demand -- to check back into the game.

 

[Cugel]

It's funny, on Sirius NBA, all the talk in the Western Conference is about the Lakers, Rockets and GSW. Pretty much saying it will be all about Houston and LA since GSW are injured etc. Not a peep about Portland that I heard. Basically, going to the WCF did nothing to improve the view of the Blazers in some minds.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

A lil rocky over in Houston.

https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...amn-turmoil-unsettling-vibe-surrounds-rockets

At first I thought this worked better if you said a little rocky over in Denver because of the mountains, but then I thought well Houston Rockets, Rocky, a little Rocky over in Houston. Yeah, it works, your headline is good.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

It's funny, on Sirius NBA, all the talk in the Western Conference is about the Lakers, Rockets and GSW. Pretty much saying it will be all about Houston and LA since GSW are injured etc. Not a peep about Portland that I heard. Basically, going to the WCF did nothing to improve the view of the Blazers in some minds.

Not showing up is really the problem, I guarantee you had the Blazers made it a 6-7 game series they'd be like well maybe they're good enough to take down GS if they are healthy. Getting swept by GS gave the media a lot of confirmation bias that they didn't think Portland was a legit threat, and they still don't.

 

[tlongII]

It's funny, on Sirius NBA, all the talk in the Western Conference is about the Lakers, Rockets and GSW. Pretty much saying it will be all about Houston and LA since GSW are injured etc. Not a peep about Portland that I heard. Basically, going to the WCF did nothing to improve the view of the Blazers in some minds.

They mentioned the Blazers on the DP Show this morning. I think people recognize what we have going on here.

 

[Labinot41]

It's funny, on Sirius NBA, all the talk in the Western Conference is about the Lakers, Rockets and GSW. Pretty much saying it will be all about Houston and LA since GSW are injured etc. Not a peep about Portland that I heard. Basically, going to the WCF did nothing to improve the view of the Blazers in some minds.

It's probably because we dont have cap space

 

[illmatic99]

I don't like Utah replacing Rubio and Favors with Mike Conley Jr. That's a terrific fit.

 

[hoopsjock]

I don't like Utah replacing Rubio and Favors with Mike Conley Jr. That's a terrific fit.

They'd have to give up more than that in a trade considering Rubio is a free agent but I agree that Conley with Mitchell, Ingles, and Gobert is pretty scary if healthy.

 

[illmatic99]

They'd have to give up more than that in a trade considering Rubio is a free agent but I agree that Conley with Mitchell, Ingles, and Gobert is pretty scary if healthy.

I didn't say Rubio was gonna be traded for Conley, just that Utah would replace their big two free agents with Conley.