That's pretty close to mine:Originally Posted by M2
1. Golden State
2. Portland
3. Utah
4. Indiana
5. Houston
6. Miami
7. Boston
8. Brooklyn
9. NOLA
10. Sacramento
If LeBron is considered a PG, they vault to number five.
That's pretty close to mine:
1. Golden State
2. Portland
3. Utah
4. Indiana
5. Houston
6. Miami
7. Boston
8. Brooklyn
9. NOLA
10. Sacramento
If LeBron is considered a PG, they vault to number five.
The idea that Houston was able to deal Chris Paul is unfathomable to me.
I was totally wrong in thinking him a millstone around Morey's neck.
That said, I'd much rather have him than Westbrook.
Westbrook is among the worst defensive players in the league according to Nate Silver's DRAYMOND defensive rating.
He can't shoot at all from outside.
It'll be all kinds of fascinating to see what Houston's bench does with Harden and Westbrook. I can't help but think one of them will have to acquiesce alpha dog to the other.
Revering4Blue (07-12-2019)
Yeah, I just don’t see how it makes them much better than they would have been anyway. I guess Westbrook is more durable, so they don’t have to have the 20 game Chris Paul injury.
Revering4Blue (07-12-2019)
They didn't need to get much better. This was the only team that had been able to hang with the dynasty-level Warriors in recent seasons. Maybe the Clippers are too much for them on the wings (entirely possible), but this move would seem to keep the Rockets' championship window open for another couple of years.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
I wonder when the NBA will see the balance of power swing back to the East. The Western teams are making a lot of noise this off season, but wonder if most of the movement is by players at the tail end of their careers. Tail end may be a little strong, but when most of the players moving this year were in their 30's, you wonder how much staying power said players would have. I think you can make an argument, that the only two players go move this season in the peak of their careers were Davis and Kawaii. Other than that, guys in their 30's who have played 10+ years in the league, have played in all the playoff series, have a tremendous amount of toll on their bodies.
I wonder what will happen when the old guard of players LeBron, Paul, Harden, Russ, Curry, and Durant begin to fade away and the new generation takes over. I wonder if the whole "buddy buddy" system that LeBron created will start to fade away.
The American League has been dominant for the majority of the history of MLB.
People have always been OK with that.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
The best players in the NBA, when it comes to the physical and mental toughness to win an NBA Title, are almost always at least 28 years old. People are title chasing. Anthony Davis and Joel Embiid don't have Conference Championship experience or NBA Championship experience. Most of the quality players who are responsible for winning titles are almost always 30 or more in age.
Nobody's winning a title with a bunch of guys in their 20's without having significant playoff rotation players who are in their 30's, whether it's the Stars of the team or the other rotation players.
This is why Mike Conley, in my opinion, pushes Utah over the top and into the Conference Championship. Who they play, I have no idea. Everything at this point js just on paper. The only evidence we have of any team right now going into next season on how they will be are San Antonio and Denver. Everyone else is a complete mystery to the fans, to the Coaches and to the players themselves. That's pretty exciting to me.
Conley has been the most under-rated PG in the NBA for the last 10 years. He avoids attention like the plague. No player was a more perfect fitt that changed teams this season, and I think he will have the greatest impact.
Denver has a huge advantage over everyone with their continuity and the fact that everyone will improve a lot except for Paul Milsap and Mason Plumlee.
Clippers and Lakers are scary on paper...very scary. They have the highest ceilings, no doubt. But, they don't play the games on paper.
GSW still have the best system, both Offensively and Defensively. They set the bar that only they can reach, though Philly and Denver came close last year on the Offensive end. You have to like Brown for that in Philly. Simmons had a lot to do with it, but so did Butler and Embiid.
Portland added a perfect player for Stotts' system to work with Dame and C.J. There's nobody looking over Whiteside's shoulder, and under Stotts' freedom-oriented system where mistakes are allowed to be made in the course of playing freely, he might thrive. He gets to clean up defensive mistakes, as there will be plenty of them without Harkless and Aminu, but Hood is a great defensive player, too, as is Collins, so that helps. Nurkic is a mystery come playoff time. Portland is hoping they can find Shooters (Whiteside's new mantra, "We have Shooters") among Hood, Collins, Hejonga, Bazemore and Trent,Jr. from the Corners. Simons can score from anywhere as a backup SG/ballhandler. Again, it's all a mystery if it works. On paper, this is Portland's best group that fits with Lillard.
Houston will be competing for a Top-4 seed in the West. This is probably the one thing that's certain in the West, though I think that Utah is also, equally, going to have a Top-4 seed. I'm not christening anyone else (George is coming off a very unhealthy season...just had shoulder surgery, while Kahwi only played in 60 games, missing the whole season before that). To get a Top-4 seed in the West, they are both going to need to play in 70+ games. When Harden and Westbrook are likely going to play in 77+ (Harden in 80+), and Denver just keeps running Starters out there from their bench, Utah plays great Defense and great Offense every night, and Steve Kerr actually has to Coach for the first time in 5 years, there's no room for taking days off in the West. LeBron learned that all too well last season.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 07-12-2019 at 06:00 PM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Early prediction to nail to the wall I am 100% confident in:
Nuggets are too young in this experience-filled West to win a 1st-rd playoff series. No matter who they play, home-court advantage or not, they will lose the 1st Rd. They got lucky to get out of the first round last year against a not very good San Antonio team before getting embarrassed by an injury-depleted Portland team, losing twice in Denver, including Game 7....all because of a lack of experience. They earned some, but the team they will end up playing in the 1st Round will have a whole lot more.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 07-12-2019 at 07:26 PM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
Last year doesn't count for playoff experience?
Losing a tight game 7 in the 2nd round by 4 points is getting embarrassed?
It's not unusual for good teams in the West to get drummed out in the 1st round (you've been there), but we've got no idea what moves they make, how healthy they'll be, where they'll be seeded or who they'll be playing (if anyone at all) come the playoffs. For all we know, they could be the #1 seed and have Dallas or Sacramento in the 1st round.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Revering4Blue (07-12-2019)
I mentioned it. I said it counted. But, I said it didn't count enough to get to a win in the 1st Rd this year. Let's face it. They should have beat the Spurs 4-0 based on regular season records and overall talent. Their lack of experience had them down the entire series and it took 7 games, with a Game 7 at home to squeak it out. Portland was so injured, they should have won that series 4-0, also, but lost it...at home, in Game 7.
Nah. Experience losing is one type of experience. They are going to face a team in the 1st Rd of players with experience winning, and winning at higher levels of the playoffs. They have a great regular season team set up and could get the #1 seed. They will still lose to whoever gets #8.
It's why I said nail it on the wall. I'm 100% certain of it. They don't get injuries as an excuse, either. They are the deepest team in the NBA.
Last edited by Kingspoint; 07-12-2019 at 07:35 PM.
"One problem with people who have no vices is that they're pretty sure to have some annoying virtues."
1. Houston
2. Portland
3. Golden State
4. Brooklyn (if Dinwiddie, lower if LaVert starts)
5. Indiana
6. Philadelphia
7. Utah
8. Denver
9. Miami
10. Sacramento
I considered Boston, but don't really believe Jaylen Brown is an actual guard. The Pels could slide in as well if Shai builds on last season.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
Three days. You lasted three days.
"The problem with strikeouts isn't that they hurt your team, it's that they hurt your feelings..." --Rob Neyer
"The single most important thing for a hitter is to get a good pitch to hit. A good hitter can hit a pitch that’s over the plate three times better than a great hitter with a ball in a tough spot.”
--Ted Williams
dubc47834 (07-12-2019)
Charlotte certainly has the requisite expiring contracts (and/or soon-to-be expiring contracts) to facilitate a potential deal. Either way, I'll be surprised if any trade involving CP3 doesn't entail one of OKC's gazillion 1st rounders sent with CP3.
Another factor likely favoring Charlotte,, OKC owns two future Miami (another rumored destination) 1sts. I may be overthinking this, but it wouldn't seem to be in OKC's interest if such a deal results in more wins for the Heat, let alone another 1st rounder heading Miami's way.
Whatever you do, do your best to not allow the struggles of life to interfere with the pleasures of living.
M2 (07-13-2019)
Fair point on OKC having reasons to avoid helping out the Heat, though if Paul's going to anyone with visions of playoffs dancing in their heads I doubt OKC will be attaching any picks. Charlotte can demand more because it would be acting mostly as a money dump.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
Revering4Blue (07-13-2019)
I"m fairly high on Brown. He's definitely a SG/SF rather than a SG/PG. He's an off-ball player. Then again, so is Klay. Brown doesn't have Klay's outrageous shooting skills, but he plays high-end defense, his shooting is solid and he can get to the rim and finish. I think he's going to be the main beneficiary of Kyrie skipping town.
I'm not a system player. I am a system.
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