Who will finish 9th in the West?

[Ghazi]

It's early, but I feel two things have been established in the WEst.

1. The Lakers will get the #1 seed
2. #2-#9 will be (in no order) Denver, Utah, Portland, New Orleans, Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix.

So who is the odd team out?

I can't imagine a team like the Spurs missing the playoffs

Before the year I thought it would be Denver, but they look better since the trade.

I thought Portland was a possibility, and I could see them go into a slump because of their youth, but jeez, they're playing really well. It was a 40 win team last year + Oden, Batum, and Fernandez/Rodriguez and their younger players like Roy/Aldridge have gotten better.

Utah? This team just seems to have too much depth and once they get healthy should be good. This team's probably going to win 35 or more at home, so they'd only have to win 15ish on the road.

Hornets? I think this is a pretender jump shooting team, but Paul seems good enough to carry them into the playoffs.

Suns? Amare and Nash seem dissatisfied with the system, Shaq misses too many games, they're the oldest "playoff contender" in the West. Could it be!? But a team w/ nash, amare, and shaq NOT in the playoffs?

Rockets? Seem to have too much depth + the big 3 even if injured seems good enough to win 50 games.

So where does this leave our beloved Mavs? I actually wouldn't be shocked if the Mavs missed the playoffs, but I wouldn't be shocked if we finished 3rd or 4th either. Dirk and Kidd ALONE should get a team into the playoffs, shouldn't it? Howard and Terry are good players as well as young depth coming off the bench (not the greatest depth, but depth regardless). One plus for the Mavs is the durability of Dampier, Dirk, Kidd, and Terry. They rarely miss games.

I honestly can't make up my mind here, I think it may come down to injuries and I'm inclined to believe that the Suns and Rockets are the most vulnerable to that.

[Lakers_55]

I was wondering the same thing myself. It's too bad someone has to miss out, but that's the rules. I agree, Lakers should hold the lead wire to wire, but the rest of the pack will change frequently. Should be exciting and a test to these pros.

[lil_penny]

vbookie.. ive got my moneyon mavs but honestly it will be close

[Brickhouse]

Mavs

or Blazers

But probably Mavs

[tlongII]

The Blazers will most likely overtake the Lakers for the #1 seed, but overall your thoughts are pretty accurate. Either the Mavs or the Spurs will miss the playoffs.

[Lakers_55]

The Blazers will most likely overtake the Lakers for the #1 seed.


You know, I gave up drugs years ago, but I really want to know what you are on as it seems to lead to feelings of grand extasy!

[j-money24]

The Blazers will most likely overtake the Lakers for the #1 seed, but overall your thoughts are pretty accurate. Either the Mavs or the Spurs will miss the playoffs.

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

[Ghazi]

Another note, had I not seen basketball before this year, I would say the 3 candidates would be the Spurs, Suns, and Mavs (just 2 years ago the holy trinity of the western conference!).

But the Spurs are champions, and champions don't go from that to lottery teams (even if that lottery team has won 45-50 games) in 2 years, do they? Except for the Heat, but we all know that Finals was rigged :D and they had a completely different roster.

A core of Parker, Ginobili, and Duncan seems too good to miss the playoffs, but the Spurs have played like the 7th or 8th best team in the West so far... and are 9th in the standings.

AGain way too early though, 2-9 separated by 2 games 17-20 games into the season.

[tlongII]

You know, I gave up drugs years ago, but I really want to know what you are on as it seems to lead to feelings of grand extasy!

Either we overtake you in the regular season or the playoffs. Doesn't really matter to me. :)

[Lakers_55]

Either we overtake you in the regular season or the playoffs. Doesn't really matter to me. :)

neither will happen, book it.

[tlongII]

neither will happen, book it.

Oh it will happen. I guarantee it.

[Lakers_55]

Oh it will happen. I guarantee it.

we need to start a thread for your predictions, as was done for SpursDynasty. Get them in before the regular season is over, because I recall you won't be posting in the playoffs unless Portland finishes ahead of LA in the regular season.

[Findog]

If health continues to be an issue, perhaps Houston.

[hhml]

HowaretheJazzdownby12playingathomeagainsttheHeat?G ranted,they'reinjuredbutcomeon...thisistheHeat.And theJazzareunstoppableathome.

[A Bomb]

Either we overtake you in the regular season or the playoffs. Doesn't really matter to me. :)


Blazers could finish anywhere from 2-5, and if they do meet the Lakers in the playoffs they are pretty evenly matched, it 'd be a close series if the Blazers keep on improving.


For the 9th spot either Mavs or Suns

[cnyc3]

i smell a tlong sig bet...

[pawe]

I dont think the spurs are more of a candidate for the 9th seed than NO, Portland and Denver.
I may sound like a homer but the Spurs' big 3 is too good of a trio to be counted out just like that.
NO still doesnt have depth.
Portland although is very talented just doesnt have the experience, you cant be in the playoffs by relying on just talent alone.
Denver is one injury (so is any team) away from making it plus they have attitude problems.

[SpursDynasty]

Well the Lakers won't get the #1 seed, maybe a 2-4 seed because they're having so much bullshit fed to them. It's ridiculous. It's like the 2006-2007 Mavs. Having the refs give them every call.

[Roxsfan]

thong, blazers will not over take lakers in anything except perhaps hopscotch or dick sucking or some blazer activity like that

[pawe]

Well the Lakers won't get the #1 seed, maybe a 2-4 seed because they're having so much bullshit fed to them. It's ridiculous. It's like the 2006-2007 Mavs. Having the refs give them every call.

What kind of crazy mutated animal did you breastfeed on huh? The Lakers are the real deal this year, they dont need the refs to win shit.

[lil_penny]

i think they may overtake them in rocket game winners this season though.. pretty good possibility

[balli]

HowaretheJazzdownby12playingathomeagainsttheHeat?G ranted,they'reinjuredbutcomeon...thisistheHeat.And theJazzareunstoppableathome.

Man, we're so damn banged up right now. Deron's not 100%, Korver's playing with a bum ankle and shooting wrist, Harpring, Brevin Knight, AK and Boozer are all out. Plus Miami's been sitting in SLC for two days waiting to play and we played in Sacro last night.

But we'll get healthy and make the playoffs.

[Armando]

Mavs or Rockets will slip to 9th

[Roxsfan]

Man, we're so damn banged up right now. Deron's not 100%, Korver's playing with a bum ankle and shooting wrist, Harpring, Brevin Knight, AK and Boozer are all out. Plus Miami's been sitting in SLC for two days waiting to play and we played in Sacro last night.

But we'll get healthy and make the playoffs.

fuck the jizz:toast:toast

[pawe]

fuck the jizz:toast:toast

You'll feel that jizz on the face again come playoff time..hopefully on the first round :toast

[lil_penny]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2495500810_27b1b4cb66_o.gif

[hhml]

I think it may very well come down to the wire for that 9th seed. Every game will count this season if any of these teams hope to make the 8th seed. Again, it will come down to whoever wins the last game of the season will likely make the 8th seed.

[lil_penny]

lets make it 9 seed playoff and let rockets have the handicap and sit out for a couple series, being as they are really handicapped by then tmac and yao should be healthy for a few games

[Ghazi]

Alongside durability, head to head will be extremely important. Going 3-1 v a team or 1-3 can be difference between playoffs or no playoffs. And as previously mentioned, durability. If any player loses a core player for a long stretch, they're in trouble... Rockets T-Mac is out 3 weeks, but it's irrelevant because he's not even a superstar.

[Ghazi]

Now that I've thought about it, if I had a gun to my head... I would say the Phoenix Suns will finish 9th in the West.

Why? Shaq's durability, Nash/Amare's dissatisfaction with their new style and perhaps coach, and also their defense still is MIA... also they are the oldest team in the NBA, and 2 of their core players are over 35... no other West team can say this.

They have bad matchups against point guards (Parker, Williams, Paul, Billups), they have bad matchups against our beloved Dirk, and they've started this season getting blown off their home court multiple times. They're 11-8, but their margin of victory is .2, that's the MOV of a 42 win team.

[Darthkiller]

If i have to bet my money on it, it would be the rockets. I forsee it blow up due to health or team chemistry.

[jack sommerset]

I say Denver. Nice little start with Billups but its along season.

[td4mvp21]

I'm going to say Blazers, Suns, or Mavs. Most likely the Blazers though. If I had to choose who I would want to miss the playoffs, I would say the Nuggets but I'm not sure if they will now that they have a real point guard.

[Texas_Ranger]

Blazers

[Allanon]

A team from the SW division, it can be any of them:

Hornets
Spurs
Mavs
Rockets

One of them won't make it but my top 2 choices would be Spurs then Hornets.

[Anti.Hero]

I'm leaning towards the Suns.


You guys are crazy for thinking the Spurs will miss the playoffs.

[sonic21]

suns

[Kobe™]

Suns.

book it

[Brazil]

A team from the SW division, it can be any of them:

Hornets
Spurs
Mavs
Rockets

One of them won't make it but my top 2 choices would be Spurs then Hornets.

Come on Allanon you must be kidding or you're afraid of the spurs #8 seed so you are rooting for the #9.
Even being a fucking spurs homer, I can't see the spurs out of the playoffs, NO WAY.

Besides now we have a new all star Matt fucking Bonner : we can stop the season the title is already for the spurs and the MVP finals is already for Matt. You can begin right now the off seasons threads. :rollin

[td4mvp21]

If we can stay healthy we will make the playoffs. The only way I can see us missing is if we continue to have injury problems. We definitely have the team to make it.

[Xylus]

If the Suns don't get their act together and start playing as a team, then they'll end up with the 9th seed. I said at the beginning of the year that the Mavs would definitely make the playoffs, and I don't think I'm going to be wrong. Originally, I thought the Nuggets wouldn't make it, but that was before the Billups trade.

Honestly, I don't think the Rockets are going to make it because of their health issues.

[m33p0]

A team from the SW division, it can be any of them:

Hornets
Spurs
Mavs
Rockets

One of them won't make it but my top 2 choices would be Spurs then Hornets.
it has got to be the Spurs. after all, Spurs have to tank the season, right Allanon?

[ClingingMars]

You know, I gave up drugs years ago, but I really want to know what you are on as it seems to lead to feelings of grand extasy!

[manufor3]

mavs

[Findog]

This guy just launched a Hot Carl all over Chauncey and the Nugz:

http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.com/2008/12/watch-out-for-denver-nuggetsas-they.html

All we've been hearing about since the Allen Iverson-Chauncey Billups trade is how Iverson is destroying the Detroit Pistons while Billups is revitalizing the Denver Nuggets. Meanwhile, I've kept saying two things:

1) Besides the well known salary cap relief that the Pistons can obtain by not re-signing Iverson, Iverson can have an impact this season by potentially making the Pistons more dangerous come playoff time because of his ability to dribble penetrate, collapse defenses and draw fouls. Detroit's offense stagnated in recent postseasons but he can have a 20 point quarter singlehandedly; the Pistons don't have an apparent solution to the way that Boston pushed around their bigs in last year's playoffs but the Iverson acquisition can at least jump start their offense. I didn't think that the Pistons were going to win the East before the trade and I don't think that they are going to win the East with Iverson but by the end of the season they will not be any worse off for the deal and there is a decent shot that they will be a more dangerous playoff team.

2) Denver has made a habit in the past few years of beating weak teams but falling flat against good teams; people seem to have forgotten that the Nuggets had some impressive winning streaks when Iverson teamed up with Anthony. It is not correct to speak of Billups' allegedly transformational effect on the team until the Nuggets actually face strong competition.

That loud thud you just heard was the San Antonio Spurs knocking the status right out of the Nuggets in a 108-91 beatdown that was not as close as the final score. This game was played in Denver, by the way, but homecourt advantage played little role as the Spurs' "Big Three" of Tim Duncan (21 points, 12 rebounds, seven assists, five blocked shots), Tony Parker (22 points, eight assists) and Manu Ginobili (21 points on 7-11 field goal shooting) dominated while Billups (12 points on 5-13 field goal shooting, four assists) was almost completely invisible, scoring most of his points when the game was already all but out of reach. Duncan provided a nice demonstration of the difference between an MVP level player and a regular All-Star such as Carmelo Anthony (16 points, six rebounds) or Billups; Duncan has an impact on almost every possession at both ends of the court, drawing double teams, scoring and passing on offense while blocking shots, clogging the middle to deter drives and grabbing rebounds on defense.

You may retort that this was just one game out of 82--and you would be quite correct to say that but this truth should hardly be encouraging to Denver supporters because it is reasonable to expect plenty of other results like that as the Nuggets begin their inevitable descent from third in the West to fighting for the eighth playoff spot. Keep in mind that the Nuggets are just two games ahead of the three teams in a logjam at the seventh-ninth spots right now.

At full strength, the Lakers, Hornets, Spurs, Jazz, Rockets, Blazers and Mavericks are better than the Nuggets. The Suns look a bit shaky but I expect them to pull things together eventually. Denver will not win too many games against those teams this year. The Nuggets may very well pad their record in their next three games (at Sacramento, followed by home games versus Minnesota and Golden State) but then they visit Dallas and Houston in a killer back to back before playing Cleveland in Denver, traveling to Phoenix and battling Portland in a home and home series. Let's just say that Denver will most likely not be in third place in the West after those nine games.

[The Franchise]

You'll feel that jizz on the face again come playoff time..hopefully on the first round :toast

You realize that we haven't had our entire team on the floor yet this year and are still winning. When the playoffs do arrive one of you shit talkers are going to have a V.I.P. ticket to the T-Mac second round cherry busting jamboree. :king

[Indazone]

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2272/2495500810_27b1b4cb66_o.gif


I'm waiting for this stupid picture in all it's glory or another one close to it with a shit eating grin on his face when he gets past the 1st round with the caption " I POPPED MY CHERRY"