Western Conference Prediction

[Minstrel]

Well Im talking about the Suns not the Clips. Ithink it will affect the Suns negatively obviously.

I realize.My point is that you suggested that the Suns are the better team but the Clippers will overtake them due to a few factors, two of them being injuries and integrating new players. However, I think those two factors will affect the Clippers at least as much, if not more.

Also, I don't agree with your evaluation of the Clippers' talent. I don't think Davis is a top five point guard. I'd at least take Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Chauncy Billups ahead of Davis. Baron Davis is capable of some flashy numbers, but overall he's not a very efficient scorer.

And Kaman as a top-five center? Maybe barely. I'd place Yao Ming and Dwight Howard way, way ahead of him, Jermaine O'Neal and Al Jefferson clearly ahead of him, and put Kaman in a group with Andris Biedrins, Tyson Chandler and Mehmet Okur. So he might be top-five, or he might not, but he's not an impact player, IMO. And that's just among established centers. I expect Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden to be more valuable players than Kaman this season, too.

Camby is a decent enough player, but his defense is quite overrated. He plays for blocked shots and gives up a lot in man defense and against the pick and roll.

After that, I think the Clippers have almost no talent. Eric Gordon and Al Thornton might be good players at some point, but it's unlikely to be this season. They're basically a "Big Three" team without an impressive Big Three. That doesn't spell playoffs to me in a tough West.

 

[#1_War_Poet_ForLife]

O'Neal and AJ both suck defensively.

 

[DaRizzle]

Also, I don't agree with your evaluation of the Clippers' talent. I don't think Davis is a top five point guard. I'd at least take Chris Paul, Deron Williams, Steve Nash, Tony Parker and Chauncy Billups ahead of Davis. Baron Davis is capable of some flashy numbers, but overall he's not a very efficient scorer.

Okay..top 6 going into this year if your list is correct...close enough

And Kaman as a top-five center? Maybe barely. I'd place Yao Ming and Dwight Howard way, way ahead of him, Jermaine O'Neal and Al Jefferson clearly ahead of him, and put Kaman in a group with Andris Biedrins, Tyson Chandler and Mehmet Okur. So he might be top-five, or he might not, but he's not an impact player, IMO. And that's just among established centers. I expect Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden to be more valuable players than Kaman this season, too.

Being 5 is top 5

Camby is a decent enough player, but his defense is quite overrated. He plays for blocked shots and gives up a lot in man defense and against the pick and roll.

Notice I said "defensive presense, not DPOY"....i did that on purpose

After that, I think the Clippers have almost no talent. Eric Gordon and Al Thornton might be good players at some point, but it's unlikely to be this season. They're basically a "Big Three" team without an impressive Big Three. That doesn't spell playoffs to me in a tough West.

I dont disagree about Gordon but I do on Thorton. Look at his game log (LINK). I also have seen him too since I get Clippers broadcasts. Hell he had a 39 point game last year not to mention a lot of other quality games. Sure there were bad ones in between but it was his rookie year! He is only going up, and quick.

 

[umair]

You guys have to remember that top 3 are division winners and the 4th spot goes to the next best record. Therefore, I'll go with this

1. Lakers
2. Rockets
3. Jazz
4. Hornets
5. Spurs
6. Suns
7. Mavs
8. Trailblazers
9. Nuggets

 

[Minstrel]

Okay..top 6 going into this year if your list is correct...close enough

Those five for sure,IMO. Gilbert Arenas is ahead of him, too, if you count him as a point guard. Players like Devin Harris and Monta Ellis are questionable but might also be ahead of him.

Being 5 is top 5

If he is. I put four centers ahead of him and placed him in a group with several other centers for the fifth spot. But the more important point is that even if he squeaks into the top-five, he's not an impact player. There isn't a lot of separation between him and the next bunch.

 

[DaRizzle]

Those five for sure,IMO. Gilbert Arenas is ahead of him, too, if you count him as a point guard. Players like Devin Harris and Monta Ellis are questionable but might also be ahead of him.

Well Gilbert and Monte wont be playing even close to a full year this year will they. You're just nitpicking now

 

[Entity]

You guys have to remember that top 3 are division winners and the 4th spot goes to the next best record.

The highest non-division champ can be above a division champ, but all division champs are gaurunteed a top 4 seed.

 

[Minstrel]

Well Gilbert and Monte wont be playing even close to a full year this year will they. You're just nitpicking now

Not nit-picking at all. If Kobe Bryant ends up missing half of this season with an injury, would you say that moves all other shooting guards up a rank? I wouldn't.

In any case, the point is, Davis is not that tremendous of a talent these days. He's certainly a good player, but I think you are overstating his, and Kaman's, significance. For a team with as little depth as the Clippers, their top-end talent is not that impressive.

 

[DaRizzle]

Not nit-picking at all. If Kobe Bryant ends up missing half of this season with an injury, would you say that moves all other shooting guards up a rank? I wouldn't.

In any case, the point is, Davis is not that tremendous of a talent these days. He's certainly a good player, but I think you are overstating his, and Kaman's, significance. For a team with as little depth as the Clippers, their top-end talent is not that impressive.

Not over the top inpressive...but 8 seed impressive IMO...you think no...either way it will be close

 

[oldmangrouch]

After intense preparation - IE I spent more time picking out smilies than working on the list - here are my wild guesses:


Lakers
Hornets
Rockets (a real wildcard due to injury concerns)
Jazz
Mavs
Spurs (age, injuries, and ennui = tanking regular season)
Suns
Blazers (another important step forward)
Nugs (lousy defense less important in the regular season than in the playoffs)
Clips
Warriors
Kings
TWolves (maybe next year)
Grizz
Plunder

 

[MrJayremmie]

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Rockets
4. Jazz
5. Spurs
6. Suns
7. Mavericks
8. Blazers
9. Nuggets
10. Warriors
11. Clippers
12. Kings
13. Timberwolves
14. Thunder
15. Grizzlies

 

[Uther TheGardener]

My Take:
1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Spurs
4. Jazz
5. Suns
6. Trail Blazers
7. Mavericks
8. Rockets
9. Kings
10. Clippers
11. Nuggets
12. Warriors
13. Grizzlies
14. Timberwolves
15. Thunder

 

[Nikolokolus]

My shot:

1. Lakers
2. Rockets
3. Jazz
4. Hornets
5. Mavericks
6. Spurs
7. Blazers
8. Nuggets
9. Suns
10. Clippers
11. Warriors
12. Grizzlies
13. Timberwolves
14. Kings
15. Thunder

 

[kobimel]

1. Hornets
2. Lakers
3. Jazz
4. Rockets
5. Mavs
6. Blazers
7. Spurs
8. Suns
9. Nuggets
10. Clippers
11. Kings
12. Warriors
13. Timberwolves
14. Grizzlies
15. Thunder

 

[crandc]

Actually, I posted this game on this board. I am accepting entries in this thread as well. I was going to post a reminder to get predictions in by midnight.

BTW, I did record all predictions made earlier, so no changing votes.

 

[Tortimer]

My prediction:

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Jazz
4. Rockets
5. Spurs
6. Blazers
7. Suns
8. Mavericks
9. Nuggets
10. Warriors
11. Clippers
12. Timberwolves
13. Kings
14. Grizzlies
15. Thunder