West Top 8 Teams

[Rastapopoulos]

Who's DEFINITELY missing the playoffs?
Suns and Grizzlies for sure.
Pelicans and Mavs very likely.
Minnesota and Sacramento probably.
OKC - if they blow up the team, put 'em with the Suns and Grizzlies.

Portland is probably assured a playoff place just because of the abundance of crappy West teams, but I would be fucking amazed if the Blazers got homecourt.

 

[hoopsjock]

Who's DEFINITELY missing the playoffs?
Suns and Grizzlies for sure.
Pelicans and Mavs very likely.
Minnesota and Sacramento probably.
OKC - if they blow up the team, put 'em with the Suns and Grizzlies.

Portland is probably assured a playoff place just because of the abundance of crappy West teams, but I would be fucking amazed if the Blazers got homecourt.

Didn't you say the other day that you never predict Portland as a top-4 (or 5) team?

 

[hoopsjock]

I NEVER have Portland in my top 5. My love is unconditional.

If you never have Portland as a home court team whether you think so or not then why would your opinion that we'll all be disappointed in April and that the Blazers won't have home court this year mean anything?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Who's DEFINITELY missing the playoffs?
Suns and Grizzlies for sure.
Pelicans and Mavs very likely.
Minnesota and Sacramento probably.
OKC - if they blow up the team, put 'em with the Suns and Grizzlies.

Portland is probably assured a playoff place just because of the abundance of crappy West teams, but I would be fucking amazed if the Blazers got homecourt.

I think there are 9 pretty good teams if you count Sacramento and don't count OKC, Dallas, or New Orleans. (Which I would not rule out yet)
It is still only July 7th and I still only see a couple of crappy teams. No Team in the west won 60 games last year. The 7 and 8 seed were only 9 games back of the GS. We may see an even smaller gap next year.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

If you never have Portland as a home court team whether you think so or not then why would your opinion that we'll all be disappointed in April and that the Blazers won't have home court this year mean anything?

Because I'm closer to being right more often than anyone else?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Didn't you say the other day that you never predict Portland as a top-4 (or 5) team?

Glad to see people are taking notes.

 

[hoopsjock]

Because I'm closer to being right more often than anyone else?

Ha ha, okay, not quite how I would classify your posts but you're certainly welcome to believe that!

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Ha ha, okay, not quite how I would classify your posts but you're certainly welcome to believe that!

All the times I APPEAR to be wrong, I was in fact being sarcastic.

 

[hoopsjock]

All the times I APPEAR to be wrong, I was in fact being sarcastic.

Oh, gotcha. You're one of those people, ha ha.

 

[James lamphear]

I wouldn't be surprised if the warriors struggle at the beginning. They lost Durant and Klay on the shelf and I think the big loss was Iggy. Iggy defended the best player on the other team. Warrior defense will not be good. Now Curry will be Curry. Green offensive went south last year but still good defender and Klay guard the best guard on the other team so that will be missing at the start. Now good starting lineup but question there bench. Clippers the same good starting lineup and you got Lou coming off there bench for there offensive. Denver is deep was last year mirage or for real. On paper has a good starting lineup but who going back Gobert due they lost Favors. It looks majority can put very good starting lineups on the floor but what going come to his the bench and injury who will make the playoffs.

 

[1eyedjack]

Feel sick to my stomach saying this but Lakers and Clippers will likely finish 1-2 (only way they don’t is if either team has injury to their key guy). LeBron is still one of those guys that can carry his team all by himself his defense is horrendous but AD will more than makeup for it. Clippers defense is going to be amazing. Three of the best defenders in the NBA

From there it’s a total crap shoot from there Houston Portland, Denver, Utah, Spurs and I think GS barely gets in.

 

[Hoopguru]

Total by the seat of my pants guess. But I'm pretty sure its accurate!

1. Denver
2. Portland
3. Utah
4. GS
5. Houston
6. LAC
7. Dal
8. NOP

 

[joeBlazers]

I don't see how the Lakers make the playoffs. Here is why.
1. LeBron is an old man. 17th NBA Season?
2. Any opposing coach with a brain will push the ball for 48 minutes. In his last year in Cleveland, LeBron could only be competitive in half court basket ball. Remember how the Pacers took them to game 7?
3. LeBron is injury prone and will need load management.
4. Their supporting cast is just as old: Rondo? Cousins?
5. Even AD is injury prone and hasn't proven anything during the regular season with better roster.
6. LeBron doesn't rotate on defense anymore. If he can play keep up man on man, he can't rotate fast enough
7. The West will be brutal. Losing a single game can change so many things. Remember the Rockets losing a few games and ended up with a bad seed.
8. Lakers will need time to adjust to one another

 

[Rastapopoulos]

I don't see how the Lakers make the playoffs. Here is why.
8. Lakers will need time to adjust to one another

3 of them know each other pretty well

 

[kjironman1]

3 of them know each other pretty well

Then add LeBron James to that and Cook with McGee off the bench backing up Cousins.
There is a reason they kept Kuzma. He doesn't stink.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I don't see how the Lakers make the playoffs. Here is why.
1. LeBron is an old man. 17th NBA Season?
2. Any opposing coach with a brain will push the ball for 48 minutes. In his last year in Cleveland, LeBron could only be competitive in half court basket ball. Remember how the Pacers took them to game 7?
3. LeBron is injury prone and will need load management.
4. Their supporting cast is just as old: Rondo? Cousins?
5. Even AD is injury prone and hasn't proven anything during the regular season with better roster.
6. LeBron doesn't rotate on defense anymore. If he can play keep up man on man, he can't rotate fast enough
7. The West will be brutal. Losing a single game can change so many things. Remember the Rockets losing a few games and ended up with a bad seed.
8. Lakers will need time to adjust to one another

Great points; Yeah I wouldn't be surprised either. They needed role players who can defend and shoot. Green is good, but even he is 32 and can't do that for big minutes 82 games. He has had years where his shot goes very cold. None of their other role players can shoot and defend. The have the shooters they missed last year but not the defenders. Lonzo was a great defender and he's gone.

Cousins seems like a Knicks move, I don't see that helping, and if he is not getting minutes or touches on that cheap contract he will not be a happy role player, same as Carmelo on the Rockets last year.

They have a lot of risk as well, if one of AD/LeBron is hurt they could fall out of the playoffs, then does AD explore leaving next summer? It would be a disaster.

That team has the second highest odds of the title right now? Huge expectations, its a lot of pressure to win and that could stop them from taking the time to develop the chemistry needed, it could also force LeBron to go to hard and get burned out by the middle of the season.

Of course LeBron and AD are an incredible duo; but Kawhi's delay and/or their front office competency didn't get the great role players needed to be a definitive contender.

 

[joeBlazers]

If the Lakers get into the playoffs, they will be dangerous, because the networks will space the games enough to give them time to recover. But, what if they are the #8 seed and meet the Clippers who are the #1 seed? Can these Lakers compete with the Rockets? Bad matchups will kill their season.

 

[tiredhunter]

If the Lakers get into the playoffs, they will be dangerous, because the networks will space the games enough to give them time to recover. But, what if they are the #8 seed and meet the Clippers who are the #1 seed? Can these Lakers compete with the Rockets? Bad matchups will kill their season.

Would they even have a travel day?

 

[tester551]

Top tier
1) Clippers
2) Denver

Next tier
3) Utah
4) Warriors

Pretenders
5) Houston
6) Portland
7) Lakers

Fighting for participation trophy
8) Spurs
9) Kings
10) OKC
11) Dallas

Then the rest

 

[hoopsjock]

Top tier
1) Clippers
2) Denver

Next tier
3) Utah
4) Warriors

Pretenders
5) Houston
6) Portland
7) Lakers

Fighting for participation trophy
8) Spurs
9) Kings
10) OKC
11) Dallas

Then the rest

Are you of the opinion the Blazers got a lot worse this summer? I don't understand putting the Blazers two tiers below Denver.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Are you of the opinion the Blazers got a lot worse this summer? I don't understand putting the Blazers two tiers below Denver.

There was a lot I didnt understand in that post but... ok.

 

[ABM]

The dust has pretty much settled at this point

Clippers
Warriors
Rockets
Blazers
Lakers
Jazz
Nuggets
Spurs

Truly, though.....there are about 36+ permutations of this set. I mean, placing Denver @ 7 almost seems ridiculous.

The West is gonna be a bloodbath.

 

[James lamphear]

This is not in order:
Blazers
Lakers
Clippers
Utah
Denver
Houston
Golden State (San Francisco)
Sacramento

 

[SIeepwalker]

Clippers
Blazers
Denver
Golden State
Lakers
Utah
Houston
Dallas

Kings
Spurs
Minnesota
Pels
Grizz
Suns
OKC

 

[ABM]

FWIW...

https://ripcityproject.com/2019/07/13/portland-trail-blazers-play-nbas-toughest-division/

The Portland Trail Blazers still play in the NBA’s toughest division
With the Northwest Division stacking up talent this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers will have their hands full next year.

NW Division
Utah Jazz - FanDuel projected win total: 53.5
Denver Nuggets - FanDuel projected win total: 50.5
Blazers - FanDuel projected win total: 44.5
OKC Thunder - FanDuel projected win total: 39.5
Minnesota T-Pups - FanDuel projected win total: 37.5

 

[e_blazer]

FWIW...

https://ripcityproject.com/2019/07/13/portland-trail-blazers-play-nbas-toughest-division/

The Portland Trail Blazers still play in the NBA’s toughest division
With the Northwest Division stacking up talent this offseason, the Portland Trail Blazers will have their hands full next year.

NW Division
Utah Jazz - FanDuel projected win total: 53.5
Denver Nuggets - FanDuel projected win total: 50.5
Blazers - FanDuel projected win total: 44.5
OKC Thunder - FanDuel projected win total: 39.5
Minnesota T-Pups - FanDuel projected win total: 37.5

Thanks. Needed a new liner for the ol' bird cage.

 

[PDXFonz]

I agree with KJIronman as well; I despise the Lakers as much as the next guy, but they’ve got Lebron, AD, Boogie, Avery Bradley and lets not forget the most important piece to that puzzle - Rondo(don’t forget how amazing of a facilitator this dude is).

Im also not sold on the chemistry between Kawhi and PG-13

1. Blazers
2. Lakers
3. Nuggets
4. Rockets
5. Warriors
6. Clippers
7. Spurs
8. Jazz

 

[blazerkor]

1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Blazers
4. Rockets
5. Nuggets
6. Warriors
7. Utah
8. Dallas

I think the two LA teams are obvious front runners. I think the Rockets are a lot like last season's Thunder. Nuggets are still the Nuggets. The Warriors will be dangerous in the playoffs but will have a rough regular season. Utah isn't that much better. Dallas will be the biggest turn around team from last season to this season. We are better than we were last season. We have pieces that fit. Our defense is going to be much better. Our offense will still be the same (potent). I think we'll take the third seed again and at least win our first round match up, even if it is against the Warriors.

 

[LayneStaley]

Clips
Lakers
Utah
Den
Por
Hou
GS
Dal

That order, those teams.

 

[VanillaGorilla]

1. Denver
2. LAC
3. Portland
4. Houston
5. Utah
6. LAL
7. Golden State
8. San Antonio