Who are your Top 10 team picks for this season?

[StrengthAndHonor]

1. Heat
2. Clippers
3. SAS
4. Pacers
5. OKC
6. Bulls
7. Rockets
8. Knicks
9. Memphis
10. GSW
.
.
.
16. Lakers, if that matters.

[Drich]

Nets have to be in there somewhere.

[StrengthAndHonor]

You're right, completely wrote them off :lol

I'll put them at 7 and move GSW out of it. Not too sure about with Jason Kidd coachig that team.

[raybies]

Heat
Spurs
Bulls
Okc
Pacers
Clippers
Rockets
Warriors
Nets
Knicks

Finalists should be put first until defeated. Pacers upgraded Their bench but still only have second rate stars. The bulls have better d, a more potent offense with the return of rose, nd a lot more shooters. Clippers are not proven. They have doc now but a poor man's Allen in reddick and a poor man's Garnett in Griffin. I just don't see a dominant enough second option in Griffin to be a serious contender. I put them at conference finals at most, thanks largely to doc. Clippers, rockets, and warriors are interchangeable. As for Okc Westbrook, Durant, and ibaka are still young and serious contender for the finals although their bench is weaker. The nets have a huge weak link in rookie coach kidd and are old. I peg them at second round. If kidd proves to be a star it could be the finals.

[lmbebo]

Memphis to high. New coach/system. I don't think they'll be as good. Talent is there, but they are more of a unknown quantity going into next season.

Same with Rockets. But I feel like that are more than likely to be in the top 10.

[D-Wade]

1. Heat - bron says he's better, dwade will be better + whatever oden and Beasley bring
2. Spurs
3. Indiana- granger back and scary depth
4. Clippers- put up or shut up time for Paul
5. Bulls- people having them higher than spurs and pacers is disrespectful.. Unit hasn't played together in a year
6. Warriors- I think bogut will be healthy. They'll miss jack and Landry though
7. Nets- #1 priority is health... Reg season for them is whatever
8. Rockets- they'll be better with d 12 but I think mchale is terrible
9. Memphis - still a solid team but not a contender anymore
10. Cleveland - don't sleep on the Irving , Bynum , varejao trio


Oops Left out OKC ... Whatever put them at 6 and move everyone down

[RsxPiimp]

1. pacers-more experienced, deeper
2. Spurs- deeper
3. Heat-fatigue
4. BN- Kidd lol, better coach and they are top 3.
5. OKC-no Russ hurts them ,probably, for the 1st month. Time for KD to dominate
6. Clippers- regular season warriors lol
7. Rockets-possibly the best defensive team
8. Knicks- I'm willing to give melo one last time to prove himself
9. Bulls- rose will have post injury rust, might start slow hurting record
10. GSW- if curry, bogus and oneal are healthy they a top 10
11. Memphis- lotta holes not addressed in the off season
12. Lakers- looking good so far, youth, full training camp and gasoline back to his comfortable position. They will surprise peeps.
13. hawks- awk
14. Portland- Lillard and Aldridge are too good to miss the playoffs
15. Boston- I believe in rondo
16. Wizards- john wall may actually lead them into the playoffs this time around

That's your 2014 playoff teams

[Proxy]

Heat
Pacers
Spurs
Bulls
Rockets
Nets
Warriors
Thunder
Clippers
T'Wolves

[gnsf0946]

Indiana is a horrible team on the road tbh

[RsxPiimp]

@harlem, you really think the lakers will miss the playoffs?

[DPG21920]

@harlem, you really think the lakers will miss the playoffs?

I am not Harlem, but there is a strong possibiity they will. They are worse defensively than last year and that was a huge issue. Kobe's selfish play, although detrimental to overall winning, will be missed and who knows when he will be back and how healthy he will be.

SA
OKC
HOU
MEM
DEN
LAC
GS

Those 7 teams are a lock to make the playoffs if healthy. That leaves 2 spots in theory for LA to fight for and there are other teams who are decent in that range.

[Rogue]

I think dem mavs are in the same tier with warriors and Rockets, teams that will finish on the lower half of the playoff table with the possibility of breaking into the 2nd round but nowhere further.

[Grit and Grind]

I am not Harlem, but there is a strong possibiity they will. They are worse defensively than last year and that was a huge issue. Kobe's selfish play, although detrimental to overall winning, will be missed and who knows when he will be back and how healthy he will be.

SA
OKC
HOU
MEM
DEN
LAC
GS

Those 7 teams are a lock to make the playoffs if healthy. That leaves 2 spots in theory for LA to fight for and there are other teams who are decent in that range.
Nuggets aren't a lock for shit

[ElNono]

1. Heat
2. Spurs
3. Bulls
4. Pacers
5. Thunder
6. Clippers
7. Brooklyn
8. Houston
9. Memphis
10. Knicks

[DPG21920]

Disagree. They, to me, are a lock for a playoff spot if healthy.

[ElNono]

Not sold on the Warriors to repeat last season... I also think if Dirk is ok (not great, ok), Dallas can make it too.

[Grit and Grind]

Grizzlies >>> Knicks , it's not even close :lol

[Ghazi]

1. Heat
2. Nets
3. Spurs
4. Clippers
5. Thunder
6. Pacers
7. Bulls
8. Rockets
9. Grizzlies
10. Warriors
11. Knicks
12. Nuggets
13. Wolves
14. Cavaliers
15. Mavericks
16. Hornets
17. Pistons
18. Wizards
19. Hawks
20. Lakers

[Ghazi]

the Lakers are gonna have a trainwreck basketball season... anyone saying "watch out they might surprise people" is talking out of their ass.

That team has no talent whatsoever.

a fringe top 10 offense and a bottom 10 defense will result in a mediocre 40-45 win campaign.

[timtonymanu]

1. Heat
2. Spurs
3. Pacers
4. Clippers
5. Bulls
6. Thunder
7. Rockets
8. Nets
9. Grizzlies
10. Knicks

[DPG21920]

the Lakers are gonna have a trainwreck basketball season... anyone saying "watch out they might surprise people" is talking out of their ass.

That team has no talent whatsoever.

a fringe top 10 offense and a bottom 10 defense will result in a mediocre 40-45 win campaign.

Agreed. Last year, their defense was so bad. Now you add in no Dwight? Kaman is a terrible defender, Pau is soft inside so they have no rim protection. You could overcome some of that with good perimeter defense, but Kobe/Nash might be the worst defensive starting duo in the league at the guard positions.

They have some shooters and skill guys, but overall they will be a slightly above average offense overall IMO. They are in trouble. They got more athletic, but any decline from Kobe spells disaster and their youth isn't all that skilled.

[RD2191]

All I know is that Curry/Thompson still scare the shit outta me. :lol

[DPG21920]

Nuggets athleticism inside is clearly gobling up LA's interior. Will be like that all year.

[Rogue]

Nuggets are pretty much done imho. They're still gonna win some games at home by depriving opponents of oxygen though. Nuggets have been the most irritating team for years and I'd be more than glad to see them finally settling in the lottery zone, tied to mediocrity for years to come.

[Rogue]

Agreed. Last year, their defense was so bad. Now you add in no Dwight? Kaman is a terrible defender, Pau is soft inside so they have no rim protection. You could overcome some of that with good perimeter defense, but Kobe/Nash might be the worst defensive starting duo in the league at the guard positions.

They have some shooters and skill guys, but overall they will be a slightly above average offense overall IMO. They are in trouble. They got more athletic, but any decline from Kobe spells disaster and their youth isn't all that skilled.
But _'Antoni will find a way to make it work without defense imho. Having Kaman in the middle instead of DH will smooth their offense and expand their range so its fair to say their offense has been slightly upgraded over last season imho. You don't need to give a shit about defense when _'Antoni is coaching the team

[timtonymanu]

All I know is that Curry/Thompson still scare the shit outta me. :lol

Jarrett Jack scared me more than both of those guys and he's no longer on the team. Putting Green on Curry and Kawhi on Thompson really took Golden State out of the series.

[Mark in Austin]

1. Heat
2. Spurs
3. Pacers
4. Bulls
5. Thunder
6. Nets
7. Clippers
8. Rockets
9. Grizzlies
10. Warriors

[ElNono]

Nuggets also have the altitude factor... tough to win there as it is and on back to backs it's a huge advantage for them.

[Pelicans78]

But _'Antoni will find a way to make it work without defense imho. Having Kaman in the middle instead of DH will smooth their offense and expand their range so its fair to say their offense has been slightly upgraded over last season imho. You don't need to give a shit about defense when _'Antoni is coaching the team

Kaman is a downgrade offensively. So inefficient on that end. Always has been. He's a black hole.

[Trainwreck2100]

Nuggets also have the altitude factor... tough to win there as it is and on back to backs it's a huge advantage for them.

new coach tbqh