Who will challenge Lakers in the west this season

[usdane]

New faces in the west and plenty that left. What team will challenge the best?

[HarlemHeat37]

Impossible to say IMO..

A lot of people seem to think OKC is the clear #2, but I don't really see how that's the case..while they were only a few games behind the rest of the West and will obviously show improvement, they were also the healthiest team in the West(maybe in the entire league) last year, and we have yet to see how they will respond to being a marked team this season..

Outside of the Lakers, every team in the West has a very high amount of "IFs", which makes it too difficult to judge at this point in time IMO..

From the teams last year, Phoenix obviously took a big step back by losing arguably their best player, and Utah lost a significant piece in Wes Matthews and the loss of Boozer's chemistry with the team..

[SomeCallMeTim]

Sorry, your pole is broken.

Would've voted Spurs.

Not sure if this was an editorialization via intentional omission. Why leave them off?

[Silver&Black]

Why are the Clippers, Rockets, and Blazers on this list??? And not the Spurs???

Neways...If I had to pick one...I would pick OKC.

[anonoftheinternets]

Sorry, your pole is broken.

[usdane]

We are on Spurstalk what do think people would vote? Besides Spurs are probably done now.

[The Gemini Method]

I would've selected the T'wolves...but couldn't find their seleccion...

[SomeCallMeTim]

We are on Spurstalk what do think people would vote? Besides Spurs are probably done now.

Why? Because they got swept out of the POs this year?

I'm not saying that should be ignored -- it does count for something... but will also point out the 99 Lakers got swept out of the POs and the 00 team turned out OK.

[Hooks]

The Spurs of course, our recent signing of the Golden God instantly makes us a contender.

[usdane]

Why? Because they got swept out of the POs this year?

I'm not saying that should be ignored -- it does count for something... but will also point out the 99 Lakers got swept out of the POs and the 00 team turned out OK.

Good point. However resigning Bonner and RJ seals it.

[HarlemHeat37]

The Lakers weren't vastly superior last year, they were just superior..it took them long series' to beat Phoenix and OKC, including 2 buzzer-beaters to virtually clinch both series'..I don't expect them to be challenged this season though, they will win the West again..

[Darrin]

My heart wants to say the Thunder, but I wonder if the need one more year. We'll find out. The Nuggets may have one more run in them if they can stop asking Chauncey Billups to be both guards on that team. I'm taking a wait-and-see approach to the Jazz. I'm not sure Al Jefferson is the passer or the player that Carlos Boozer was, and I know they lost a lot of athleticism when they let Wes Mathews walk out the door.

Portland is a team that needs to prove something, as does Houston. They have talent on paper, but neither team has lived up to it.

The Mavs may make it to the Conference Finals, but they won't challlenge the Lakers once there. Much like Phoenix last year.

[21_Blessings]

Why? Because they got swept out of the POs this year?

I'm not saying that should be ignored -- it does count for something... but will also point out the 99 Lakers got swept out of the POs and the 00 team turned out OK.

Yeah that makes sense if you're a Spurs fan.

Manu will have a breakout year and become the best perimeter player in the league. And Duncan will reverse age by 8 years this summer while he plays Starcraft 2 all day.

[HarlemHeat37]

The 2009 Lakers were vastly superior to the West and to the rest of the league, the 2010 Lakers weren't..

[usdane]

Why are the Clippers, Rockets, and Blazers on this list??? And not the Spurs???

Neways...If I had to pick one...I would pick OKC.

I keep Clippers in because Griffin and they have lot's of talent on the roster.
Rockets - Yao Ming is back.
Blazers - Deep and very talented team if healthy.

[Ashy Larry]

I'll go with Portland and OKC ....... young ath-a-le-tic teams give the Lakers problems. When it's a plodding, tires in the mud type of game, the Lakers strive.

Maybe the Mavs, but ..... it's the Mavs

[200 miles]

There won't be a team in the West that will really challenge the Lakers, but the team with the best chance...

My mind says the Thunder and my heart says the Blazers.



Other than that, Lakaluva is right, the Lakers will simply cruise to the Finals
with no threat from the West whatsoever. At all. Like a hot knife through butter. Like Juggernaut through a wall of Charmin.

[HarlemHeat37]

I don't see OKC challenging them, unless Brooks shows that he can coach a lot better than he did during the playoffs, and until they can get rid of Jeff Green..he's pretty much guaranteed to choke against an intimidating team like the Lakers..

[mingus]

i think at this point the OKC. i think it will be the Spurs by the end. they've played LA very well and now that they have another 7-footer, i like it.

[Ashy Larry]

i think at this point the OKC. i think it will be the Spurs by the end. they've played LA very well and now that they have another 7-footer, i like it.

[DJB]

Yeah that makes sense if you're a Spurs fan.

Manu will have a breakout year and become the best perimeter player in the league. And Duncan will reverse age by 8 years this summer while he plays Starcraft 2 all day.

I can't believe I just LOL'd at something your got ass just said. Well played.

[21_Blessings]

The 2009 Lakers were vastly superior to the West and to the rest of the league, the 2010 Lakers weren't..

The Lakers rolled through the West and that was with two of their starters babying serious injuries and the officials spotting the rest of the conference +99 free throws to keep the TV ratings up.

That was way too easy, tbh.

[Kai]

[21_Blessings]

Agreed. The Rockets are the best team out West after the Lakers if Yao can avoid injury.

[tlongII]

The question should be "Will the Lakers challenge the Blazers in the West this season?"

No team has as much talent as the Blazers.