Toughest Western Competitor

[Mojazz]

Guys, who would you think is the Spurs' toughest western competitor this coming season?


Houston Rockets...
After acquiring a comeback starplayer Steve Francis, the recent FIBA Americas MVP Luis Scola, and the full intact Rockets coming from last season, would you think Yao, Tmac, Bonzi, Franchise, and Scola is enough to break there 1st round playoff jinx and be the Spurs' toughest opponent?


Denver Nuggets...
First whole season that Iverson and Anthony will be playing together, with not much movement in there roster, and imagine a healthy, Marcus Camby, Nene, and Kenyon Martin (if he'll be back this season) this year could be there much awaited year for a good playoff run and might be all the way to the finals. (knock on wood nugget fans)


Dallas Mavericks...
There 1st round loss last playoffs is one of the most debastating 1st seeded playoff exit in the recent years and theyre definitely hungry for revenge. With the lead of last season's MVP Dirk Nowitzki, hiring of veteran Eddie Jones, Josh Howard and the re-signed Jerry Stackhouse, can they still be known as a threat for the Western Conference this coming season?


Phoenix Suns...
Not much movement on their roster this offseason, they just added the veteran Grant Hill and with Stoudemire, Nash, Marion, Diaw and Barbosa whom i think one of the quickest guard in the NBA today still in the same team but without the most decent TD defender in the name of Kurt Thomas, can they still be the greatest rival of the Spurs' run for a repeat?


So, whose your take to be the Spurs' biggest rival this year? Any addition to the list will be better (if there is any other better western team competitor out there) ...Just drop some few cents guys! Discuss...

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Mavs.

Houston is overrated.

Phoenix got worse.

Kenyon and Marcus will find a way to get injured again.

[RC's Boss]

Dallas just like the last 2 years. Nothing's changed.

[Mojazz]

Mavs.

Houston is overrated.

Phoenix got worse.

Kenyon and Marcus will find a way to get injured again.

LMAO...

[Switchman]

People are underestimating the Nuggets.

[td4mvp21]

Dallas definitely. We still haven't beaten them yet in the playoffs recently (although I think we are better than them right now....still has to be done). Houston will be tough as always, McGrady always seems to have big games against us. Phoenix will be tough but they won't beat us in the playoffs since they got rid of Kurt Thomas. No way Amare can guard Duncan, nor Marion. Who else on that team can? Stupid move.

[Roxsfan]

Houston will be tough as always, McGrady always seems to have big games against us.

intelligent spurs fan







Mavs.

Houston is overrated.

.

Special-ed spurs fan


:clap


Phoenix,Houston,then Dallas in that order of difficulty

[tlongII]

Portland Trail Blazers. We will fly under the radar and beat everybody.

[Roxsfan]

Portland Trail Blazers. We will fly under the radar and beat everybody.

mmkay :rolleyes

[SpursDynasty]

I will say that the 2007-2008 season may very well be the single most non-competitive Western Conference we've seen in years, with SA on top.

Dallas is out for revenge, because they lost, but they also lost in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006...what's changed? They certainly didn't get BETTER this offseason.

Phoenix, no comment. I mean you run and gun, jack up some shots, and you get 62 wins, until you run into superior defense.....

Nuggets are a joke.

Rockets are a joke.

[AnotherArgie]

Spurs

[Mister Sinister]

I will say that the 2007-2008 season may very well be the single most non-competitive Western Conference we've seen in years, with SA on top.

Dallas is out for revenge, because they lost, but they also lost in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006...what's changed? They certainly didn't get BETTER this offseason.

Phoenix, no comment. I mean you run and gun, jack up some shots, and you get 62 wins, until you run into superior defense.....

Nuggets are a joke.

Rockets are a joke.
Hey, dude? Next time your two brain cells bump together to produce a thought...let it go.

[TDMVPDPOY]

rockets are a joke

[Hoy]

If Brooks, and I think he can, come through, Rockets are clearly superior to Spurs.
Their weakest positions were power forward and point guards and I think they addressed that. And I know Bonzi owns Spurs.

[SpursIndonesia]

Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Phoenix Suns, in that order.

[sa_butta]

Mavs, and Suns are still the toughest. Houston and Jazz would be next on my list, but I dont see either of those posing a real threat in a run to another title.

[Whisky Dog]

If Brooks, and I think he can, come through, Rockets are clearly superior to Spurs.
Their weakest positions were power forward and point guards and I think they addressed that. And I know Bonzi owns Spurs.

WTF? That makes no sense. It's an Adelman team now, which means not much D and still not much O outside of McGrady. Scola will be decent on O, but no D whatsoever. Yao gets run into the ground every season and sucks in the PO. McGrady had a decently healthy year last year for the first time in forever, what are the chances that happens again? Rockets will be a 5th seed at best and another 1st round exit.

Phoenix just got rid of the only decent big man defender on their team, and added a no-defense playing hobbled shooter. As if shooting was their problem. Ridiculous.

The Mavs will be tough, but I'm interested to see how they rebound after two straight years of CHOKE. They probably won't be right in the head after being exposed.

[MrChug]

Houston shouldn't even be in this conversation.

It's still Dallas.

[urunobili]

Rockets

[Oh, Gee!!]

Phx

[sandman]

Is it too much to ask for the Rockets to actually win a playoff series for the first time in a decade before we start including them in "best" conversations?

[thispego]

houston, phoenix, denver, utah, dallas, memphis

[thispego]

Is it too much to ask for the Rockets to actually win a playoff series for the first time in a decade before we start including them in "best" conversations?
how could what they have done in the playoffs for the past 10 years possibly matter for this coming season? with the additions they have made it's a tottally new/better team. its funny that people still want to disregard them even though it's indisputable that the rockets have made the most improvements this offseason.. in the west anyways

[Samr]

First Tier:
Mavs- I love ragging on them (mainly because I cannot stand Dirk), but the Spurs will still have to beat them in the playoffs because there isn't another team that can reasonably do it. They haven't changed much from last season, and that is scary.

Second Tier:
Suns- Are not the same, or even better, than they were with Kurt Thomas. They took a proven formula last year, added an injury-prone vet at wing, and removed their post defense. It's a fantastic ode to offense, but not a way to win a championship. They'll be a tough opponent... for anyone else who forgot about their frontcourt this off-season.... Buller? ... Buller?

Nuggets- Nene's injury to his calf should keep him out of pre-season, but if he rushes the recovery, I could see this becoming a nagging injury during the regular season as well. If K-Mart and Camby stay healthy, though, combined with Iverson and Melo, this team could see run deep into the playoffs.

Rockets- Yao/Tmac are the proven commodity here. Scola's potential is exciting, but Bonzi and Francise should not be a factor. The Rockets need some stability on their roster for a few years, instead of searching for a quick fix like they are currently. They'll make it to the second round and be out in five.

Third Tier:
Jazz- The tandem of Williams and Boozer will be one of the most threatening in the league, Okur will continue to be a factor, and everyone else will continue to overachieve on last year's dark horse wonder team. Talk to me in another two years or so and we'll be talking real contender, but not right now. They are still too young.

Portland- Sorry, but how can you NOT be a Portland fan right now? They are so easy to like and a solid, talented core of players. Unfortunately, youth and inexperience is going to keep them from any extended success this year, but I'd be surprised if they didn't at least scare someone in the first round.

Lakers- Shaq won a ring AND got divorced before Kobe? Who would have thought? This team begins and ends at Kobe, and unfortunately, so does Kobe as well.

Golden State- Congrats, you beat the Mavs and Barron Davis shaved a few years off his life expectancy. They'll feel the pressure to repeat last year's magic all season long, and that's more than enough to break them before the All-Star break.

[sandman]

how could what they have done in the playoffs for the past 10 years possibly matter for this coming season? with the additions they have made it's a tottally new/better team. its funny that people still want to disregard them even though it's indisputable that the rockets have made the most improvements this offseason.. in the west anyways

I wil agree that they are a totally new team, but we can only speculate that they will be a better team. They actually have to play the season first before that judgement can be made outside of the "on paper" category.

My comment regarding their historical post-season performance was a basis to show that the changes they made this off season by themselves should not place them in the "best" conversations because they were not a consistently successful team that got better. They were a good team that got "gooder", not a good team that got great.

This is not to say that they did not address certain key needs and should be a better team than last year, but I personally don't see a lower tier playoff team with first round exits the last few seasons being considered a contender because they picked up a rookie guard, a rookie international player and two past their prime chuckers. Combine that much infusion of new players into the roster with a new coach that has a completely different philosophy than the previous regime, and I just don't envison the seamless integration of all those parts this year.

Does that mean the Rockets can't get out of the first round this year? Not at all. Does it mean that the Rockets should be mentioned in the same breath as the Spurs and Mavs? Hell no. They won 52 games last year, and there is no shame in that win total. But, in my opinion all of the above mentioned changes do not translate into a +8 win total this season, which is what it will take to overcome the Spurs/Mavs in the regular season and be something more than a 5th seed with first round HCA, then having to play on the road against some combination of the Spurs, Mavs or Suns.

[thispego]

I wil agree that they are a totally new team, but we can only speculate that they will be a better team. They actually have to play the season first before that judgement can be made outside of the "on paper" category.

My comment regarding their historical post-season performance was a basis to show that the changes they made this off season by themselves should not place them in the "best" conversations because they were not a consistently successful team that got better. They were a good team that got "gooder", not a good team that got great.

This is not to say that they did not address certain key needs and should be a better team than last year, but I personally don't see a lower tier playoff team with first round exits the last few seasons being considered a contender because they picked up a rookie guard, a rookie international player and two past their prime chuckers. Combine that much infusion of new players into the roster with a new coach that has a completely different philosophy than the previous regime, and I just don't envison the seamless integration of all those parts this year.

Does that mean the Rockets can't get out of the first round this year? Not at all. Does it mean that the Rockets should be mentioned in the same breath as the Spurs and Mavs? Hell no. They won 52 games last year, and there is no shame in that win total. But, in my opinion all of the above mentioned changes do not translate into a +8 win total this season, which is what it will take to overcome the Spurs/Mavs in the regular season and be something more than a 5th seed with first round HCA, then having to play on the road against some combination of the Spurs, Mavs or Suns.
all good points, but so few agree that they will be one of our toughest western competitors this season. which is what the thread was asking. We play teams in our division 4 times and I am almost certain we will come away with more losses to the rockets this year than the mavs (regular season, of course)

[MoSpur]

In the regular season, the Jazz because of Okur and his last second shots. In the playoffs, the Mavericks because of the refs and Mark Cuban.

[Dirk Nowitzki]

The Jazz are the 2005 Sonics all over again. They dont even have a backup pg and have done NOTHING to improve their team. They wont be better. They dropped down a few spots due to standing pat.

The Mavs then the Suns are the 2 biggest threats to the Spurs. When the Rockets get out of the 1st out, then they can start to maybe be part of the convo. The Jazz dont belong anywhere on this list and they have done jack shit to improve. The Nuggets will be better than Utah this season.

[Fast Dunk]

No matter who, you will get ousted early...

[Darkwaters]

First Tier:
Mavs- I love ragging on them (mainly because I cannot stand Dirk), but the Spurs will still have to beat them in the playoffs because there isn't another team that can reasonably do it. They haven't changed much from last season, and that is scary.

Second Tier:
Suns- Are not the same, or even better, than they were with Kurt Thomas. They took a proven formula last year, added an injury-prone vet at wing, and removed their post defense. It's a fantastic ode to offense, but not a way to win a championship. They'll be a tough opponent... for anyone else who forgot about their frontcourt this off-season.... Buller? ... Buller?

Nuggets- Nene's injury to his calf should keep him out of pre-season, but if he rushes the recovery, I could see this becoming a nagging injury during the regular season as well. If K-Mart and Camby stay healthy, though, combined with Iverson and Melo, this team could see run deep into the playoffs.

Rockets- Yao/Tmac are the proven commodity here. Scola's potential is exciting, but Bonzi and Francise should not be a factor. The Rockets need some stability on their roster for a few years, instead of searching for a quick fix like they are currently. They'll make it to the second round and be out in five.

Third Tier:
Jazz- The tandem of Williams and Boozer will be one of the most threatening in the league, Okur will continue to be a factor, and everyone else will continue to overachieve on last year's dark horse wonder team. Talk to me in another two years or so and we'll be talking real contender, but not right now. They are still too young.

Portland- Sorry, but how can you NOT be a Portland fan right now? They are so easy to like and a solid, talented core of players. Unfortunately, youth and inexperience is going to keep them from any extended success this year, but I'd be surprised if they didn't at least scare someone in the first round.

Lakers- Shaq won a ring AND got divorced before Kobe? Who would have thought? This team begins and ends at Kobe, and unfortunately, so does Kobe as well.

Golden State- Congrats, you beat the Mavs and Barron Davis shaved a few years off his life expectancy. They'll feel the pressure to repeat last year's magic all season long, and that's more than enough to break them before the All-Star break.

Why does everybody always sleep on the Hornets? I have them as the 5 seed this season and they could seriously send some people home crying.

Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic, David West, Tyson Chandler, Morris Peterson, Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo

There are some pretty good names on that list. The team that should fear them the most is Phoenix...they match up really well against them. But San Antonio better not be caught sleeping on them either. I remember a big loss a couple years ago when CP3 was a rookie in Oklahoma City. CP is pretty polished now.

[Dalhoop]

I think that the Hornets will replace the Warriors in the playoff seeding this coming year, but they are not capable of knocking off any of the top four teams in the first round.

In the regular season, it will be the Mavs and Suns racing for the best record in the NBA again (Boston could give them a run in the lesser conferance). That would mean that the Spurs will once again end up with the third seed.

In order for Houston to be a threat, they would have to get out of the first round. I see them being in the fifth/sixth slot being betten out of a home court seed by the Mavs (1), Suns (2), Spurs (3), Nuggets (4).

The Rockets would have to get by either the Spurs or Nuggets in the first round ... Its not looking good for them to break their loosing streak in the first round as they wont beat the Spurs (At least not this year, too many new players and a new Coach) and the Nuggets are the one team that may be even stronger on the inside then the Spurs (Nene, K-Mart and Camby).

So the Rockets are not the "Toughest" at least not this year ... The players have to play together and show it on the court before talking so high on them.

The Suns are good but the Spurs know how to beat them and the Suns don't know how to beat the Spurs. This is a problem. The Mavs struggled with the same problem for sometime, right now the Mavs do know how to beat the Spurs, and the Spurs do know how to beat the Mavs ... this is the biggest threat to the Spurs in this coming year ... Only one team has beaten the Spurs when it counted in the last three years ... The only time the two met in the last three years.

The Spurs and Mavs both want a rematch to prove that it was either a fluke (Spurs) or that they are that good (Mavs).

Every other team on that list has yet to do anything to the Spurs when the games matter the most ... That is the definition of a "threat" : Beating the Spurs when it counts.

[Samr]

Why does everybody always sleep on the Hornets? I have them as the 5 seed this season and they could seriously send some people home crying.

Chris Paul, Peja Stojakovic, David West, Tyson Chandler, Morris Peterson, Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo

There are some pretty good names on that list. The team that should fear them the most is Phoenix...they match up really well against them. But San Antonio better not be caught sleeping on them either. I remember a big loss a couple years ago when CP3 was a rookie in Oklahoma City. CP is pretty polished now.

Point taken.

I (mistakenly) left them off my list because Peja was injured last season and was not a factor. It remains to be seen if he will be a legitimate player, though, as IMHO he hasn't seen enough run yet in the system.

I like David West and Tyson Chandler a lot, though I do not think Mo Pete, Jackson, and Pargo will amount to much more than some known names to fill spaces.

Chris Paul goes without saying. Dude is a complete stud and will be (if not is currently) one of the best PGs in the NBA. And he is only going to get better.

I'll amend my prediction on them once I think about this more. Good take, Darkwaters.

[Booharv]

Unless the Suns sign PJ Brown, they are going to get owned hard when/if Amare has to guard Duncan in the playoffs.

[vander]

while Dallas is as dangerous as ever, I think the warriors broke them, showed the league how to beat them in a playoff series. you can beat the mavs with game planning and strategy.

The scariest team to me is the Jazz, that team went to the WCF operating at half-capacity. Deron Williams showed some glimpses of how good he can be last year, but wasn't all the way there yet, he can easily be the best PG in the NBA next year, Carlos's fade away is the most beautiful shot in basketball right now. they got a deadly shooter in Okur and a hustler in Millsap. once AK sees a therapist or something and starts playing like he used to, this team will be unstoppable.

just remember how they played in the 2nd half of those WCF games.

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

I am Spurs fan but again Spurs fans are underrating Rockets just because they mad at Scola trade.

Denies it all you want, it obvious to a lot of other Spurs fans reading these post here.

Remember Rockets record percentage of 60-22 when T-Mac and Yao played. Yao miss so many games, but when they both played team was winning at 60 win pace.

So they ALREADY had 60 win team in regular season barring injury not 52 win team. You making huge error in saying 52 win team when Yao missed 34 games.

Spurs win 52 games if Duncan misses 34 games? Debatable right?

Yao playing at 65 percent in playoffs according to his Chinese interviews. Hurt foot, badly hurt shoulder on shooting arm, and badly hurt ankle.

Look at his stats BEFORE foot injury and AFTER:

Before:

26.8 PPG
9.7 RPG
2.3 BPG

After (regular season):

24.0 PPG
9.4 RPG
1.6 BPG

After (playoffs):

25.1 PPG
10.3 RPG
0.7 BPG

He went from 27/10 player to 24/9 player regular season after injury and just 25/10 player in playoffs even try to step up.

Because of injury. So if he was 27/10 regular season before injury, he could have increased from 27/10 to 28/11 in playoffs instead from 24/9 to 25/10.

You think Rockets lose to Jazz if Yao playing at more than 65%?

You fans lots of you says Scola, James, Francis means "nothing".

You tell me Rafer Alston as good as Mike James who replace him? You freakin" serious???

You tell me Luther Head as good as Steve Francis who replace him? You freakin" serious???

You tell me old man version of Juwan Howard as good as Luis Scola who replace him? You freakin' serious???

They already was 60 win team if Yao just stay healthy and his hurts not from wear down they from freak accident, any player could get stepped on.

They already 60 win team and already team that would have beat Utah if Yao was playing healthy instead of plays with 3 injuries.

They have horrible offense with Van Gundy replace him with good offense coach with Adelman.

Why all fans here acts like Adelman have bad defense as coach? He have just as good rating as coach on D as Van Gundy if you take his best years.

He have team in Portland finish #2 in defense, team in Portland finish #3 in defense, team in Portland finish #5 in defense, he have team in Sacramento finish #5 in defense, team in Sacramento finish #3 in defense, team in Sacramento finish #1 in defense

Now Rockets have not only top 5 coach on D but also top 5 coach on O. Before they have top 3 coach on D and second to worst coach on O.

You people acts like change to Adelman means "nothing"? Reallys? Are you freakin' serious???

They take 60 win team and team that would beat Utah already if Yao healthy through year and in playoffs and add new coach who still elite coach on D but also elite coach on O versus horrible O coach Van Gundy.....

They replace John Lucas III with Aaron Brooks

Juwan Howard with Luis Scola

Steve Francis take Luther Head's role

Mike James take Rafer Alston's role........

For people thinks James and Francis will means "nothing".......

Luther Head playoff stats:

30.6% FG%
26.1 % 3PT%

4.6 PPG
2.7 RPG
1.1 APG
0.4 SPG

Steve Francis who replace him with same role playoff stats:

42.9% FG%
41.2% 3 PT%

19.2 PPG
8.4 RPG
7.6 APG
1.4 SPG

Rafer Alston playoff stats:

33.8% FG%

10.9 PPG

Mike James whom replace his with same role playoff stats:

46.8% FG%

11.6 PPG


Fans here think Houston "nothing"???

Rockets is better than Spurs right now not even hard to see IMO.

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Special-ed spurs fan


:clap


Phoenix,Houston,then Dallas in that order of difficulty
Yea because everyone knows Suns are the toughest even though they traded one of the better defenders, and having Scola, Francis, and a different head coach automatically propels you in front of Dallas. :reading

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Yea because everyone knows Suns are the toughest even though they traded one of the better defenders, and having Scola, Francis, and a different head coach automatically propels you in front of Dallas. :reading

Take it from overseas fan, Rockets best team in Western Conference. Spurs fans by reading posts here in for sad surprise.

[spursjustice]

The Mavs will be the biggest threat to us... call them chokers all you want but they a formidable team... the Suns will probably be tough but they've never had success against us and as for the Rockets... nice team on the paper and potentially can be our toughest opponents but let's just wait for the season begin...

[Dalhoop]

This is going to be fun


Yao playing at 65 percent in playoffs according to his Chinese interviews. Hurt foot, badly hurt shoulder on shooting arm, and badly hurt ankle.


Now, in the playoffs he was


25.1 PPG
10.3 RPG
0.7 BPG

And that's at 65% ... So, lets do the math.

We need to add 8.7 PPG, 3.6 RPG and .2 BPG to get what the Chinese interviewers think that he SHOULD have had

33.8 PPG
13.9 RPG
.9 BPG

And what does this show?

Not only that I have a calculator, but that I could say that any player was at a fraction of there ability and show what I think they Could Have Done Instead of pointing out what they Did do

Yao reached those scoring levels 12 times last year in the regular season; four times in twenty-three games before the injury and eight in twenty-seven games after the injury which would tend to indicate that he played better after the injury.

There numbers can tell you whatever you want them too :)

On paper the Rockets are a very good team, but then again, on paper T-Mac and Yao should be close to unbeatable .... Too bad they have to play the games ... Too bad the players have to share the ball .... Too bad the personalities have to mesh ....

Too bad they have to play the games.

[sandman]

Take it from overseas fan, Rockets best team in Western Conference. Spurs fans by reading posts here in for sad surprise.

And being overseas makes you an expert in the matter because.... ?

[Roxsfan]

And being overseas makes you an expert in the matter because.... ?


because the homerism from San Antonio and Houston Spurs fans reeks up in here.


it takes some away-from TX opinions to balance the homerism.

[Mojazz]

Can i hear at least a single Nuggets run in here?! lol

[raspsa]

The Rockets have the talent. If they stay healthy and blend together, they will be very dangerous. Yao was posting MVP numbers when he got injured last year. T-Mac is a Spurs killer. Scola shows promise. Battier is their Bowen. Bonzi is the joker in the pack; if he gets serious, that's another Spurs killer.. they will definitely be a factor this season.

Dallas, Phoenix, Utah - all are known quantities and manageable.. the Rockets are the team to watch out for IMO.

[Roxsfan]

The Rockets have the talent. If they stay healthy and blend together, they will be very dangerous. Yao was posting MVP numbers when he got injured last year. T-Mac is a Spurs killer. Scola shows promise. Battier is their Bowen. Bonzi is the joker in the pack; if he gets serious, that's another Spurs killer.. they will definitely be a factor this season.

Dallas, Phoenix, Utah - all are known quantities and manageable.. the Rockets are the team to watch out for IMO.


You know your stuff, Sir. :reading

[hsxvvd]

Dallas and Phoenix are the only threats.

Trading away Kurt Thomas was a great move by Steve Kerr. He takes away the option of playing Thomas on Duncan and means they are forced to go with Amare/Diaw and keep running. Personally, I was glad to see the suns slow down by going with Thomas, it plays right into our strengths.

Mavs are hurting, and whilst they might not actually be able to win it all, they've beaten us before, so I don't think there will be any problems with confidence agains the Spurs.

Houston, not unless McGrady & Yao can stay healthy, and even IF that happens, they need to make their mind up on a PG, overcome chemistry issues with the like of Bonzi, Sooky Scola (How long until he complains about his playing time?) and the locker room cancer that is Francis. Not to mention a coach that has watched it all fall apart time and time again, in Golden State, Portland and Sacramento... I'm afraid to say it's over before it ever began.

Denver...lol... Hilarious to even mention them in the same discussion. AI & Anthony can shoot all they like but at 40% a piece, they got nothing. 45 wins, 1st round exit.

Utah is more a risk than Houston or Denver, simply becuase they are well coached, have chemistry, structure and enough internal development to improve. That said, they have a long way to go, before they threaten the Spurs.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

First Tier:
Mavs- I love ragging on them (mainly because I cannot stand Dirk), but the Spurs will still have to beat them in the playoffs because there isn't another team that can reasonably do it. They haven't changed much from last season, and that is scary.

Second Tier:
Suns- Are not the same, or even better, than they were with Kurt Thomas. They took a proven formula last year, added an injury-prone vet at wing, and removed their post defense. It's a fantastic ode to offense, but not a way to win a championship. They'll be a tough opponent... for anyone else who forgot about their frontcourt this off-season.... Buller? ... Buller?

Nuggets- Nene's injury to his calf should keep him out of pre-season, but if he rushes the recovery, I could see this becoming a nagging injury during the regular season as well. If K-Mart and Camby stay healthy, though, combined with Iverson and Melo, this team could see run deep into the playoffs.

Rockets- Yao/Tmac are the proven commodity here. Scola's potential is exciting, but Bonzi and Francise should not be a factor. The Rockets need some stability on their roster for a few years, instead of searching for a quick fix like they are currently. They'll make it to the second round and be out in five.

Third Tier:
Jazz- The tandem of Williams and Boozer will be one of the most threatening in the league, Okur will continue to be a factor, and everyone else will continue to overachieve on last year's dark horse wonder team. Talk to me in another two years or so and we'll be talking real contender, but not right now. They are still too young.

Portland- Sorry, but how can you NOT be a Portland fan right now? They are so easy to like and a solid, talented core of players. Unfortunately, youth and inexperience is going to keep them from any extended success this year, but I'd be surprised if they didn't at least scare someone in the first round.

Lakers- Shaq won a ring AND got divorced before Kobe? Who would have thought? This team begins and ends at Kobe, and unfortunately, so does Kobe as well.

Golden State- Congrats, you beat the Mavs and Barron Davis shaved a few years off his life expectancy. They'll feel the pressure to repeat last year's magic all season long, and that's more than enough to break them before the All-Star break.

I agree with everything you said except with what's in bold.

Bonzi was a huge (the biggest) factor when the Kings played us two years ago in the playoffs.

I really don't know about Francis. He could be an asset if he can play within the system, which he's never done on any team he's been on (so I don't think anyone should be inclined to think that there's a great chance that will change), but IF he does they can be an awesome threat to us and every other playoff team in the west.

They have the players (Bonzi, Scola, Francis, McGrady, and Yao) but will they have the chemistry?

Adelman is great with creating a offensive chemistry. If he can do that with this team, AND learn from his past experiences, creating an at least good enough defensive system, they'll be really good.

[The Franchise]

I have to say that on paper we look like we can kick some a$$ but there will be an adjustment period. So i will say Mavs,Suns, then Rockets FOR NOW.

[Indazone]

Adelmans teams that won championships were always ranked near the top of the league in defenense. Do some research before you spout off.

[Ronaldo McDonald]

Adelmans teams that won championships were always ranked near the top of the league in defenense. Do some research before you spout off.

:drunk :lmao

[Ronaldo McDonald]

And I don't remember the Kings having a good defense...

[td4mvp21]

because the homerism from San Antonio and Houston Spurs fans reeks up in here.


it takes some away-from TX opinions to balance the homerism.
I know you're super excited because the Rockets added some good players and a new coach....but jsut because Spurs fans don't consider Houston their biggest threat does NOT mean they are underrating them. This Houstons team hasn't played a SINGLE GAME yet and you're telling us they can make it out of the West, with teams like San Antonio, Dallas, and Phoenix in their conference? Don't get me wrong, I think the Rockets will be damn good, but thye haven't even played well together for nearly as long as the three current super powers of the West. Start calling it homerism when the Rockets do something and then Spurs fans continue to disregard them. For now, it's not homerism.

[lefty]

Memphis Grizzlies

[screw_ston713]

out of the 3 years tmac and yao have been the core of the rockets, houston has had 2 50+ win seasons unfortunantly houston had to face a HOT dallas team in the 1st round but took them to 7 games. PPl act like houston got swept or somethin. Before u walk u must crawl. houston havent played 1 game together?????? the non-sense that is post in these forums. the only player that is no longer here is jawan howard, the rest of the core is returning. the players we added were previously rockets b4 so its not like they are coming to a city they havent played in before.

[screw_ston713]

last year with our non-offensive squad and no bench on december 22 hou@san 97-78 final and also on jan 24th hou@san 90-85 final now you add scola, james, bonzi will actually play this year, and francis and houston is no threat???? every team is a threat when you are the champs because teams will bring their A game every game.

[tlongII]

We are not just a threat. We are the new dynasty of the NBA.

[ducks]

We are not just a threat. We are the new dynasty of the NBA.
when the hell did you win a title?

[tlongII]

when the hell did you win a title?

2008

[Mister Sinister]

2008
Ohhh! I see what you did there!

[Roxsfan]

We are not just a threat. We are the new dynasty of the NBA.


wow, we have oden, we will win 12 championships...please. The blazers will be contenders in 4 yrs maybe.

[Roxsfan]

last year with our non-offensive squad and no bench on december 22 hou@san 97-78 final and also on jan 24th hou@san 90-85 final now you add scola, james, bonzi will actually play this year, and francis and houston is no threat???? every team is a threat when you are the champs because teams will bring their A game every game.


wow, I can't wait to play the spurs and show them whats up in the reg. season and to bump them out of the playoffs would be f'ing great. :smokin

[tlongII]

Ohhh! I see what you did there!

Thank you. But I still will not stick my dick in any dude's mouth!

[Mister Sinister]

Thank you. But I still will not stick my dick in any dude's mouth!
I never mentioned it. Sounds like someone's in the closet.

[MrChug]

because the homerism from San Antonio and Houston Spurs fans reeks up in here.


it takes some away-from TX opinions to balance the homerism.

When you get out of the first round (which you still might not this year) talk shit...till then, go to your room--you're in time out son.

[screw_ston713]

When you get out of the first round (which you still might not this year) talk shit...till then, go to your room--you're in time out son.
guess when you have nothing else to say "get out the 1st round" always work :sleep

[sandman]

guess when you have nothing else to say "get out the 1st round" always work :sleep

Actually, until you do, that is all that needs to be said.

Next...

[MrChug]

guess when you have nothing else to say "get out the 1st round" always work :sleep

Well bud...your failure to compete at the level of the lower echelon of any of the horrible teams of the league vs the most dominant team in the league you kinda look pretty stupid. Sorry...I'm not really a rude person but the truth is the truth.

[mavs>spurs2]

Well bud...your failure to compete at the level of the lower echelon of any of the horrible teams of the league vs the most dominant team in the league you kinda look pretty stupid. Sorry...I'm not really a rude person but the truth is the truth.

:lol Hence his favorite phrase "fuck off and die"

[dy-nasty21]

Mavs- assembled to beat the spurs
Phx- w/o kurt thomas, its not possible to beat the spurs
Jazz- don't have enough firepower
rockets- will be tough if they stay healthy

[screw_ston713]

Well bud...your failure to compete at the level of the lower echelon of any of the horrible teams of the league vs the most dominant team in the league you kinda look pretty stupid. Sorry...I'm not really a rude person but the truth is the truth.
you actually expected the rockets to beat mavericks? their 1st time making it back to the playoffs since 2000. Houston and a jerry sloan utah jazz team was evenly matched, the ball coulda bounced anyway and it bounced jazz way. if rockets brought back the exact same team i could understand these fans who know nothing about basketball to use "get out the 1st round". You have 2 stars and the rest nbdl players at best. Like mavericks josh howard said "i couldnt name any 1 off their bench". Kg is one of the best power fowards in the game, how many times have twolves been out of the 1st round? other than 1nce when they had sprewell and cassell and lost to lakers in the conf finals :bang

[screw_ston713]

Well bud...your failure to compete at the level of the lower echelon of any of the horrible teams of the league vs the most dominant team in the league you kinda look pretty stupid. Sorry...I'm not really a rude person but the truth is the truth.
2 50+ win seasons 2 playoff appearences in 3 years. finished 5th seed in year 1 and finished 4th seed in year 3. Lost to a 60 win mavs team, and lost to a 50 win jazz team who was the 4th seed majority of the year also took both teams to a deciding game 7. Did you just start watching basketball????? how many teams in the west after being together for only 1 year have a 50 win season? in the same division as mavs and spurs :pctoss

[mavs>spurs2]

2 50+ win seasons 2 playoff appearences in 3 years. finished 5th seed in year 1 and finished 4th seed in year 3. Lost to a 60 win mavs team, and lost to a 50 win jazz team who was the 4th seed majority of the year also took both teams to a deciding game 7. Did you just start watching basketball????? how many teams in the west after being together for only 1 year have a 50 win season? in the same division as mavs and spurs :pctoss

I can see Houston being a legit contender this year, maybe even bumping out the Suns

[Nashfan]

I can see Houston being a legit contender this year, maybe even bumping out the Suns



:nope :lmao :lmao

[mavs>spurs2]

What's the Suns defensive answer for Yao and Tmac again?

[lefty]

Mavs- assembled to beat the spurs
Phx- w/o kurt thomas, its not possible to beat the spurs
Jazz- don't have enough firepower
rockets- will be tough if they stay healthy


um....Thomas didn't do shit against Duncan in the playoffs; no scratch that : Thomas couldn't do shit against Duncan in the playoffs

[Nashfan]

What's the Suns defensive answer for Yao and Tmac again?


Guess you haven't watched the Suns play the Rockets much. :rolleyes The Suns run Yao until he almost drops from exhaustion. We have a very good record against them. So, no I don't think they are going to bump us.

[Roxsfan]

When you get out of the first round (which you still might not this year) talk shit...till then, go to your room--you're in time out son.


wow, that was so edumacational :rolleyes

we'll see you in the playoffs beatch

[leemajors]

a true competitor always finishes first in a circle jerk. unfortunately that's a loss.

[Roxsfan]

Guess you haven't watched the Suns play the Rockets much. :rolleyes The Suns run Yao until he almost drops from exhaustion. We have a very good record against them. So, no I don't think they are going to bump us.


What have you done lately against the Rockets :wtf :nope :rolleyes
Thats what I thought. Here is a refresher for you.

sprinkle in some Franchise, Mike James, 35lb lighter and in shape Bonzi(that's right) and some Scola...Aaron Brooks in the near future while losing ONLY a shiity J. Howard.

And the Suns get worse and lose kurt thomas and are shopping whiny marion?

And, yes for some stupid reason deantoni had his starters in and they were trying, click on the video in this link, beatch. There will be more of that next year for you guys.
http://www.nba.com/games/20070416/PHXHOU/recap.html
Tracy McGrady wasn't afraid to exaggerate the magnitude of the Houston Rockets' 120-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

McGrady scored 39 points as the Rockets won their fifth straight and clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Houston also snapped a six-game losing streak to Phoenix and secured its best record since 1997. The Rockets will open the playoffs at home against Utah next weekend. McGrady has never won a playoff series in five tries, but his team will have the extra home game for the first time.

"This is one of the greatest accomplishments of my career personally,'' McGrady said.

McGrady also had 11 rebounds and nine assists and Yao Ming added 34 points and nine rebounds. When the final buzzer sounded, the Rockets celebrated at midcourt as the capacity crowd stood and roared.

"It is huge,'' said Yao. "We were so excited when the clock was running to zero. It feels like winning a playoff series.''

After the celebration, McGrady reflected on the season that started with a recurrence of his back problems. He missed seven games in December, then returned just before Yao broke his right leg. Yao missed 32 games, but McGrady helped the Rockets to a 20-12 record without him.

"Yao going down for 2 1/2 months put us in a situation to either move forward or really do something special in terms of keeping our head above water,'' McGrady said. "I didn't want that to happen. I took my game to another level, the guys stepped up and played extremely well.''

Amare Stoudemire scored 30 points and Shawn Marion added 27 for the Suns, who used their starters most of the game even though they had already clinched the No. 2 seed in the West. Steve Nash added 15 points and 15 assists.

"We want to win every game and keep playing well into the playoffs,'' said Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni. "We're having fun playing and we'll keep playing that way.''The game had playoff intensity from the start, and despite building a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Rockets had to sweat out their first victory over the Suns in Houston since November 2003.

The Rockets led 118-108, but Leandro Barbosa started the Suns' last-ditch rally with a layup and a 3-pointer. Nash then intercepted a bad pass by Luther Head and found Stoudemire for a dunk to trim Houston's lead to 118-115 with 48.5 seconds left.

McGrady missed a 3-pointer and the Suns rebounded with one last chance to tie. Nash missed a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left, but the ball ricocheted off Head and out of bounds.

Stoudemire missed another 3-pointer and Marion tipped it in, but that only cut the deficit to one. Rafer Alston was fouled and hit two free throws for the final margin.

McGrady hit 14 of 31 shots and missed his first triple-double since 2003 by one assist. Yao was 14-of-20 and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
"Tracy played a great all-around game,'' Marion said. "When Yao got going, it was really hard to stop the tandem.''

McGrady scored 25 points in the fast-paced first half, smoothly sinking jumpers from every angle. Every time McGrady scored, the Suns answered.McGrady also had five assists in the half, the last to Yao for a hook shot with 5.2 seconds left before the break. Yao blocked a shot by Stoudemire in the closing seconds, but Stoudemire got the rebound and threw in a mid-range shot at the buzzer to cut Houston's lead to 56-54.

Stoudemire was 8-for-12 and scored 20 points in the opening half.

McGrady came up with the shot of the night a minute into the second half, driving past Stoudemire for an up-and-under reverse layup. Unfazed, Stoudemire responded with a mid-range jumper at the other end.

McGrady sank his second 3-pointer and Yao converted a three-point play to start a 19-4 Rockets run that broke a 66-66 tie.

The Suns rallied with Nash on the bench. Marion scored twice inside and James Jones hit a 3-pointer from the wing to cut Houston's lead to 93-86 with just under 10 minutes left.

Nash and Stoudemire returned after long rests with 7:03 left, but Head hit a 3-pointer and Yao scored inside over the next minute to push the lead back into double-digits.

The Suns mustered one more rally in the final minutes, but couldn't complete their second straight regular-season sweep of Houston

[mavs>spurs2]

Guess you haven't watched the Suns play the Rockets much. :rolleyes The Suns run Yao until he almost drops from exhaustion. We have a very good record against them. So, no I don't think they are going to bump us.

How does that answer my question of how the Suns are going to guard Yao and Tmac? I already knew that they could run and Amare would get his, but who's going to match up with Yao once the Rockets get the ball? Like a typical Sun fan you seem to forget that basketball is played at both ends. If Amare scores on the fast break, then Yao comes right back and posts Amare up, the Suns don't get an advantage.

And aside from Yao, how are you going to stop Tmac? What about an in shape Bonzi Wells? Steve Francis will also take Nash off the dribble repeatedly. When these two teams meet the advantage will definately go to the Rockets simply because there are too many matchup problems, not to mention the Rockets can actually play d.

[Man In Black]

If Amare scores on the fast break, then Yao comes right back and posts Amare up, the Suns don't get an advantage.
Silly Mavs-fan, the advantage gained is that since Phoeinx is more proficient at a fast paced game, there style of play will garner more attempts and more points unless Yao can impose his will defensively. Unlike Duncan, he hasn't proven to have the most stamina and as such, Amare running on Yao is still yet an advantage.

[mavs>spurs2]

Silly Mavs-fan, the advantage gained is that since Phoeinx is more proficient at a fast paced game, there style of play will garner more attempts and more points unless Yao can impose his will defensively. Unlike Duncan, he hasn't proven to have the most stamina and as such, Amare running on Yao is still yet an advantage.

You really should learn to read before butting into other people's arguments. I already acknowledged that Amare's ability to run the break and take advantage of Yao's stamina is a major advantage. But the previous poster still failed to answer my question "How will the Suns stop Yao at the other end?"

Aside from that one matchup in Phoenix's favor, all other advantages are in Houston's favor.

Scola, Yao, and even Wells will have their way down in the post.

Francis has the quickness to take Nash off the dribble just about any time he wants.

The Rockets have more depth than the Suns

The Suns have no real answer for Tmac who doesn't seem to be bothered at all by Marion

[Man In Black]

Please...When the Rockets start seeding Top 3, then you can talk about them being a strong team. Scola-Projected to be good. Yao-will give as much as he gets(has positive AND negative connotations), Wells-Good when he wants to be(but 1 out of every 5 games doesn't really mean anything)
When last was Steve Francis quick? Also, having Francis take him off the dribble to take what is probably a bad shot plays right into his opponents hands. DISCIPLINE, not something "Franchise" does well.

T-Mac an amazing player, when he can stay on the court. Health and consistency are 2 things that elude him during the season.

OH AND IT'S A FORUM and as such, anyone can pipe in with an opinion...like I just did.

[Nashfan]

Please...When the Rockets start seeding Top 3, then you can talk about them being a strong team. Scola-Projected to be good. Yao-will give as much as he gets(has positive AND negative connotations), Wells-Good when he wants to be(but 1 out of every 5 games doesn't really mean anything)
When last was Steve Francis quick? Also, having Francis take him off the dribble to take what is probably a bad shot plays right into his opponents hands. DISCIPLINE, not something "Franchise" does well.

T-Mac an amazing player, when he can stay on the court. Health and consistency are 2 things that elude him during the season.

OH AND IT'S A FORUM and as such, anyone can pipe in with an opinion...like I just did.

Thank you for pointing out the obvious for that Mav fan. :clap Couldn't have said it better.

[Nashfan]

Silly Mavs-fan, the advantage gained is that since Phoeinx is more proficient at a fast paced game, there style of play will garner more attempts and more points unless Yao can impose his will defensively. Unlike Duncan, he hasn't proven to have the most stamina and as such, Amare running on Yao is still yet an advantage.



:clap :clap

[Nashfan]

What have you done lately against the Rockets :wtf :nope :rolleyes
Thats what I thought. Here is a refresher for you.

sprinkle in some Franchise, Mike James, 35lb lighter and in shape Bonzi(that's right) and some Scola...Aaron Brooks in the near future while losing ONLY a shiity J. Howard.

And the Suns get worse and lose kurt thomas and are shopping whiny marion?

And, yes for some stupid reason deantoni had his starters in and they were trying, click on the video in this link, beatch. There will be more of that next year for you guys.
http://www.nba.com/games/20070416/PHXHOU/recap.html
Tracy McGrady wasn't afraid to exaggerate the magnitude of the Houston Rockets' 120-117 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Monday night.

McGrady scored 39 points as the Rockets won their fifth straight and clinched home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.

Houston also snapped a six-game losing streak to Phoenix and secured its best record since 1997. The Rockets will open the playoffs at home against Utah next weekend. McGrady has never won a playoff series in five tries, but his team will have the extra home game for the first time.

"This is one of the greatest accomplishments of my career personally,'' McGrady said.

McGrady also had 11 rebounds and nine assists and Yao Ming added 34 points and nine rebounds. When the final buzzer sounded, the Rockets celebrated at midcourt as the capacity crowd stood and roared.

"It is huge,'' said Yao. "We were so excited when the clock was running to zero. It feels like winning a playoff series.''

After the celebration, McGrady reflected on the season that started with a recurrence of his back problems. He missed seven games in December, then returned just before Yao broke his right leg. Yao missed 32 games, but McGrady helped the Rockets to a 20-12 record without him.

"Yao going down for 2 1/2 months put us in a situation to either move forward or really do something special in terms of keeping our head above water,'' McGrady said. "I didn't want that to happen. I took my game to another level, the guys stepped up and played extremely well.''

Amare Stoudemire scored 30 points and Shawn Marion added 27 for the Suns, who used their starters most of the game even though they had already clinched the No. 2 seed in the West. Steve Nash added 15 points and 15 assists.

"We want to win every game and keep playing well into the playoffs,'' said Phoenix coach Mike D'Antoni. "We're having fun playing and we'll keep playing that way.''The game had playoff intensity from the start, and despite building a double-digit lead midway through the fourth quarter, the Rockets had to sweat out their first victory over the Suns in Houston since November 2003.

The Rockets led 118-108, but Leandro Barbosa started the Suns' last-ditch rally with a layup and a 3-pointer. Nash then intercepted a bad pass by Luther Head and found Stoudemire for a dunk to trim Houston's lead to 118-115 with 48.5 seconds left.

McGrady missed a 3-pointer and the Suns rebounded with one last chance to tie. Nash missed a 3-pointer with 6.4 seconds left, but the ball ricocheted off Head and out of bounds.

Stoudemire missed another 3-pointer and Marion tipped it in, but that only cut the deficit to one. Rafer Alston was fouled and hit two free throws for the final margin.

McGrady hit 14 of 31 shots and missed his first triple-double since 2003 by one assist. Yao was 14-of-20 and 6-for-6 from the free throw line.
"Tracy played a great all-around game,'' Marion said. "When Yao got going, it was really hard to stop the tandem.''

McGrady scored 25 points in the fast-paced first half, smoothly sinking jumpers from every angle. Every time McGrady scored, the Suns answered.McGrady also had five assists in the half, the last to Yao for a hook shot with 5.2 seconds left before the break. Yao blocked a shot by Stoudemire in the closing seconds, but Stoudemire got the rebound and threw in a mid-range shot at the buzzer to cut Houston's lead to 56-54.

Stoudemire was 8-for-12 and scored 20 points in the opening half.

McGrady came up with the shot of the night a minute into the second half, driving past Stoudemire for an up-and-under reverse layup. Unfazed, Stoudemire responded with a mid-range jumper at the other end.

McGrady sank his second 3-pointer and Yao converted a three-point play to start a 19-4 Rockets run that broke a 66-66 tie.

The Suns rallied with Nash on the bench. Marion scored twice inside and James Jones hit a 3-pointer from the wing to cut Houston's lead to 93-86 with just under 10 minutes left.

Nash and Stoudemire returned after long rests with 7:03 left, but Head hit a 3-pointer and Yao scored inside over the next minute to push the lead back into double-digits.

The Suns mustered one more rally in the final minutes, but couldn't complete their second straight regular-season sweep of Houston


Says it all when that was their first win against the Suns since November of 2003. :lol As to your question about what have we done recently against the Rockets, well we haven't been playing basketball since June :) , so I don't think either team has proved anything yet.

[SpursIndonesia]

Hmm, if the Rox can gel as a team seamlessly, and don't get struck by so many misfortune injury to their key players like what has happened in the past, i can see them beating the Suns in the post season. The Suns are great regular season team, but the Rox are more suitably built for playoff games. I still don't bear any respect to any run & gun team unless they got Magic spearheading the team.

[td4mvp21]

And then Houston promptly choked a 2-0 lead away and faced another first round exit....

[The Franchise]

And then Houston promptly choked a 2-0 lead away and faced another first round exit....
I think everyone is looking at last years team talent deficiency and transferring it to this years team. That attitude alone will be 6+ wins this season. Come in looking to kick the puppy and find a mother %$#^ing grizzly bear!! I believe that we will not only be tough but that either the Spurs Suns or Mavs will be sent home by us this year. I'd put money on it. :smokin

[mavs>spurs2]

Please...When the Rockets start seeding Top 3, then you can talk about them being a strong team. Scola-Projected to be good. Yao-will give as much as he gets(has positive AND negative connotations), Wells-Good when he wants to be(but 1 out of every 5 games doesn't really mean anything)
When last was Steve Francis quick? Also, having Francis take him off the dribble to take what is probably a bad shot plays right into his opponents hands. DISCIPLINE, not something "Franchise" does well.

T-Mac an amazing player, when he can stay on the court. Health and consistency are 2 things that elude him during the season.

OH AND IT'S A FORUM and as such, anyone can pipe in with an opinion...like I just did.

You're entitle to your opinion no matter how right/wrong it is but we will see who's correct when the playoffs roll around. I wouldn't expect them to have a better regular season record than the Suns because Phoenix is a regular season team and the Rockets will need time to gel, but it will be interesting if these 2 teams meet up in the playoffs.

[Roxsfan]

Says it all when that was their first win against the Suns since November of 2003. :lol As to your question about what have we done recently against the Rockets, well we haven't been playing basketball since June :) , so I don't think either team has proved anything yet.

the point is, the last time they met the Rockets WON. K. now shutty.

expect more of that in the future :smokin



Having said that, I have a healthy respect for the Suns b/c they are a powerhouse and I understand where you would be confindent about them!

[Roxsfan]

Hmm, if the Rox can gel as a team seamlessly, and don't get struck by so many misfortune injury to their key players like what has happened in the past, i can see them beating the Suns in the post season. The Suns are great regular season team, but the Rox are more suitably built for playoff games. I still don't bear any respect to any run & gun team unless they got Magic spearheading the team.



I think everyone is looking at last years team talent deficiency and transferring it to this years team. That attitude alone will be 6+ wins this season. Come in looking to kick the puppy and find a mother %$#^ing grizzly bear!! I believe that we will not only be tough but that either the Spurs Suns or Mavs will be sent home by us this year. I'd put money on it. :smokin





+ 1

[SpursIndonesia]

Ofcourse, the Rox still have to walk the walk. Optimism is warranted, but the todays Spurs are still on the different league when it comes to post season basketball compared to these current Rox. They still need to get out of the 1st round first before justifying all the bragging out of their fans. ;)

[Roxsfan]

Ofcourse, the Rox still have to walk the walk. Optimism is warranted, but the todays Spurs are still on the different league when it comes to post season basketball compared to these current Rox. They still need to get out of the 1st round first before justifying all the bragging out of their fans. ;)


yep

[meta2007]

:clap


Ofcourse, the Rox still have to walk the walk. Optimism is warranted, but the todays Spurs are still on the different league when it comes to post season basketball compared to these current Rox. They still need to get out of the 1st round first before justifying all the bragging out of their fans. ;)

[CarefreeAZ]

I can see Houston being a legit contender this year, maybe even bumping out the Suns

Pretty confident for getting your ass handed to you in the first round of last years playoffs. Could easily see Dallas finishing third behind San Antonio and Houston in the division - Leaving you fighting for a 7th or 8th seed playoff spot.

Yes, Dallas beat the Amare-less Suns in 2006. The Suns beat down the Mavericks in 2005 and we had fun punishing you the last two games of the 2007 season. Phoenix can't wait to match up with Dallas again.

[jman3000]

[COLOR=DarkRed]


"It is huge,'' said Yao. "We were so excited when the clock was running to zero. It feels like winning a playoff series.''



:lol

[jman3000]

with all the shit spurs fans deal with in regards to fans of other teams... it's always nice when the other teams' fans fight eachother.

[DaDakota]

The Suns will be the biggest competition for the Spurs, they are the top two teams in the conference, then Dallas and Houston are right there just a bit below.

Dallas is soft, and they did not get better, Houston has all the talent in the world now, but too many NBA players on the Roster could create a chemistry issue, they have to get rid of one or two to keep the harmony IMO.

Also, the Suns could have won the championship last year if not for them getting their players suspended, so to me it is clearly the Suns.

DD

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

:lol

[DaDakota]

You know, some year the Spurs are going to decline, and it could be this year, all these extra games will take a toll.

If Duncan declines even a little the Spurs are not the same, he is the key and he can't go on forever.

I think the Spurs are still the top dog, but the rest of the west is nipping at your heals.

DD

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

You know, some year the Spurs are going to decline, and it could be this year,

Just like how it was supposed to be in 2007.


all these extra games will take a toll.

But you have a whole offseason to rest after the extra games.


If Duncan declines even a little the Spurs are not the same, he is the key and he can't go on forever.

Even if that is true, Tony Parker is evolving and will by 09 season be the leader of the team.


I think the Spurs are still the top dog,

So then this isn't the year they decline.


but the rest of the west is nipping at your heals.

We're still #1 so that doesn't matter at all. Suns got worse, Houston got better but I don't consider them contenders just yet, Dallas stayed the same which is kinda a good thing for them being how they have always matched up well against us. So our biggest problem is Dallas, but I still have full confidence that we can beat them in a 7-game series.

[duncan228]

Is it just me or do we suddenly have a bunch of Rockets fans/trolls here?
Seems like they're multiplying by the day since the Scola thing.

[The Franchise]

Is it just me or do we suddenly have a bunch of Rockets fans/trolls here?
Seems like they're multiplying by the day since the Scola thing.
With all the upgrades we made in the offseason you could have kept Scola. I still think the rockets would get rid of one of the big three, And when the season starts i'll put my V cash where my mouth is. :p: Seriously if we were a challenge last year and had NOthing but Yao and Mcgrady it would be Ignorant to take us for granted now. I can't wait for the start of the season to put an end to this Spurs dominance talk with some on court action. That goes for Mav and sun fans as well. WE'RE COMING BITCHES!!!!!

[Samr]

I can't wait for the start of the season to put an end to this Spurs dominance talk with some on court action. That goes for Mav and sun fans as well. WE'RE COMING BITCHES!!!!!

What is it with you people? Y'all are like toddlers talking about a driver's license. Shit, first learn to get past the first round, THEN you can talk about unseating the three best teams in the league. There is a thing called "team chemistry" that Houston apparently thinks is developed around the time training camp ends. TMac, Yao, Bonzi, Scola (IF his game translates to the NBA) are a new group. Yes, there is talent in there, but that INDIVIDUAL talent means nothing if the players don't play as a team. If I remember correctly, it was only last year that TMac learned there were another four guys on the court.

You people are getting excited even before the season has started and are setting yourselves up for disappointment. The time to get excited is toward the second half of the season, when, and if, the TEAM (not the individual players) has actually shown it is good. Learn from a fan who has actually seen his team make it past the first round. A few times.

[exstatic]

Anyone who says anything other than "Dallas" is smoking somethin' good. :hat

[E20]

Dallas, they're the only team to beat us in the PO's. I think if Housten is healthy they might give us a little trouble, but nothing big if we meet them in the PO's, it would probably be over in 5-6 games, unless if Manu throws the games for Scola's sake.

[Indazone]

how about we make a trade again. We give you guys Alston for cash. How bout that? LOL

[Roxsfan]

how about we make a trade again. We give you guys Alston for cash. How bout that? LOL

Ha, ha.

Lets not get excited about the start of the season b/c we don't have chemistry and we haven't got out of the first round..blah, blah, blah.

I am excited for the season to start. :elephant

[DaDakota]

I would appreciate not being lumped in with any trolls....I respect the Spurs immensely......

And I hope the Rockets can get to the Spurs level, but don't believe they are there yet.

I don't consider the Mavs a real contender......real contenders do not lose to number 8 seeds.

DD

[LilMissSPURfect]

sorry its gotta b _allas.....but because of the choke they hadda reacquire the silent "d" _ treatment!!!!!

[The Franchise]

I like the Spurs. Believe it or not i root for them 78 games a year. :) With that being said i think my Rockets are going to be the toughest competition in the west come playoff time. Last year i didn't think we had a chance because to much of the load was on Yao and Mcgrady. I think we overacheived with the load of sh$t we had for a supporting cast.This year with all the upgrades in talent the skies the limit. Trust me, the chemistry issues will work themselves out quicker than anyone will believe. If we as fans can see how deep this team is then don't you think the players are salivating to get on the court and get this thing running smoothly? No disrespect to the Mavs or Suns but this is not going to be the team your used to defeating with your superior depth. We now have the talent to go toe to toe with the best of them, and come out of it with a knockout. Unfortunately none of this can be resolved without the games being played. :depressed

[Bruno]

My ranking on "how tough western conference teams will be in next playoffs" is :
1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Mavs
4. Nuggets
5. Rockets
6. Jazz
7-9. Hornets/Lakers/Warriors

[Reggie Miller]

I really don't understand people at all, I guess. Dallas lost to GS. An eighth seed beat a #1 seed. Apparently, this means the end, cats and dogs living together, death on a pale horse, etc.

I have no love for the Mavericks, but I don't think the 2007 playoffs represented the end of the line, either. Let's face it: the Spurs choked in 2004. (I'm sure many will disagree.) At any rate, the point is that the Spurs bounced back and won the title again the next year.

Obviously, the 2007-08 Mavericks do not have the same wealth of experience that the 2004-05 Spurs had, but it's not like they have never been to the Finals, either.

[z0sa]

I really don't understand people at all, I guess. Dallas lost to GS. An eighth seed beat a #1 seed. Apparently, this means the end, cats and dogs living together, death on a pale horse, etc.

I have no love for the Mavericks, but I don't think the 2007 playoffs represented the end of the line, either. Let's face it: the Spurs choked in 2004. (I'm sure many will disagree.) At any rate, the point is that the Spurs bounced back and won the title again the next year.

Obviously, the 2007-08 Mavericks do not have the same wealth of experience that the 2004-05 Spurs had, but it's not like they have never been to the Finals, either.

Difference is, the Mavs felt like they deserved the trophy, and didn't have to earn it. For example, Dirk only scored 8 points in the game 6 against GS: you've got to understand now, that Dirk must seriously be questioning himself and his team, with his comments how "if we lose game 4 our season is over" etc etc.

Onto the Rockets, someone said the sky's the limit, and I believe that: thing is, who is going to be the facilitator, and can these guys develop strong enough chemistry to get them to the finals?

[Kill_Bill_Pana]

Difference is, the Mavs felt like they deserved the trophy, and didn't have to earn it. For example, Dirk only scored 8 points in the game 6 against GS: you've got to understand now, that Dirk must seriously be questioning himself and his team, with his comments how "if we lose game 4 our season is over" etc etc.

Onto the Rockets, someone said the sky's the limit, and I believe that: thing is, who is going to be the facilitator, and can these guys develop strong enough chemistry to get them to the finals?

Usuals with Adelmam he have Webber and Divac and Miller be passer.

Scola and Yao very good with pass.

So this mean Scola and Yao be the one plays play maker.

[tlongII]

Unfortunately the Blazers will have to wait until 2008 to be the best team in the Western Conference. It's okay though. Time is on our side.

[bobbyjoe]

I really don't understand people at all, I guess. Dallas lost to GS. An eighth seed beat a #1 seed. Apparently, this means the end, cats and dogs living together, death on a pale horse, etc.

I have no love for the Mavericks, but I don't think the 2007 playoffs represented the end of the line, either. Let's face it: the Spurs choked in 2004. (I'm sure many will disagree.) At any rate, the point is that the Spurs bounced back and won the title again the next year.

Obviously, the 2007-08 Mavericks do not have the same wealth of experience that the 2004-05 Spurs had, but it's not like they have never been to the Finals, either.

The Sonics in the mid 90's choked twice in the first round in back to back years after winning 60 plus games in each regular season.

They then won 64 games, swept a 2 time champion, and took a loaded 72 win Bulls team to 6 games in the Finals.

The Mavs are always going to be a factor.

[Indazone]

I think the Clippers are gonna take the Spurs next year and be Kings of the WEST!!! :)

[Texas_Ranger]

Mavs.

[ShoogarBear]

Phoenix Mercury.

[Reggie Miller]

Difference is, the Mavs felt like they deserved the trophy, and didn't have to earn it. For example, Dirk only scored 8 points in the game 6 against GS: you've got to understand now, that Dirk must seriously be questioning himself and his team, with his comments how "if we lose game 4 our season is over" etc etc.

Onto the Rockets, someone said the sky's the limit, and I believe that: thing is, who is going to be the facilitator, and can these guys develop strong enough chemistry to get them to the finals?

All very good points. To clarify, I don't think the Mavs can win the championship. I do think they will be the raspberry seed in the Spurs' teeth in June. It's easier to play spoiler than win it all. The Mavs are also capable of extending a series, which is never good (greater chance of something going wrong).

[meta2007]

Did anyone watch Mark Cuban in Dancing with the Stars?

Actually, he is better than I thought.

[Indazone]

I shall be waiting to watch the resurgence of Bonzi Wells under his old coach. Coach A will have Bonzi playing like this again. And...the Spurs have no answer for him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uca66cK-WrA

[inconvertible]

Golden State Warriors without a doubt.

[meta2007]

He was almost voted off tonight! :oops


Did anyone watch Mark Cuban in Dancing with the Stars?

Actually, he is better than I thought.