Who will win the West?

[Kai]

Honestly think if you make the playoffs you have a decent shot to get to the finals. There are no elite teams in the west.

[LkrFan]

I'm going out on a limb and say the Lakers. OKC is talented, but they not ready. They beat us at home on the tail end of a back to back. The bearded one pissed Kobe off in the process. I guarantee you that if they meet in the playoffs, the Lakers prevail (health notwithstanding).

We got a pass first PG that will add a 3rd legit playmaker to this team. We also got younger at the PG spot and not to mention more athletic in a position of severe weakness. Our frontline is better than theirs to begin with. Now that Kobe won't have to chase Westbrook around he is freed up to on Harden and whoever else they trot out there at SG. I trust Bynum over Porkins. And now that the threat of being traded is over, I expect Pau to win his matchup with Blocka. I expect more fastbreak points and early offense now that Fish is gone too. That should spark our offense. The defense is already top 3 in FG%. Now we improved the perimeter defense with at player 12 years younger than Fish. Not to mention he is in a contract year so he should be motivated. Blake will run our 2nd unit who we fortified with McBob and now Jordan Hill to spell Gasol/Bynum with energy. Murph should be able to splash 3s as well now that we have a PG that can penetrate and dish.

Lakers 4, OKC 2. Book it.

[midnightpulp]

I'm going out on a limb and say the Lakers. OKC is talented, but they not ready. They beat us at home on the tail end of a back to back. The bearded one pissed Kobe off in the process. I guarantee you that if they meet in the playoffs, the Lakers prevail (health notwithstanding).

We got a pass first PG that will add a 3rd legit playmaker to this team. We also got younger at the PG spot and not to mention more athletic in a position of severe weakness. Our frontline is better than theirs to begin with. Now that Kobe won't have to chase Westbrook around he is freed up to on Harden and whoever else they trot out there at SG. I trust Bynum over Porkins. And now that the threat of being traded is over, I expect Pau to win his matchup with Blocka. I expect more fastbreak points and early offense now that Fish is gone too. That should spark our offense. The defense is already top 3 in FG%. Now we improved the perimeter defense with at player 12 years younger than Fish. Not to mention he is in a contract year so he should be motivated. Blake will run our 2nd unit who we fortified with McBob and now Jordan Hill to spell Gasol/Bynum with energy. Murph should be able to splash 3s as well now that we have a PG that can penetrate and dish.

Lakers 4, OKC 2. Book it.

Homers like you don't go out on in' limbs. You were probably one of those dumb s thinking the Lakers were Finals poised in '06 after going up 3-1 on the Suns.

And yes, there were quite a few of you. That's how re ed your overall fanbase is.

[LkrFan]

Homers like you don't go out on in' limbs. You were probably one of those dumb s thinking the Lakers were Finals poised in '06 after going up 3-1 on the Suns.

And yes, there were quite a few of you. That's how re ed your overall fanbase is.

Actually you are not too far fetched on your assessment mid. The Lakers played really well against the Sam Cassell led Clips. We would have won that series - no doubt. The Mavs that year? We played really well against them too. I believe that was the year Kobe had 62 on them after 3 quarters. You think Wade ted on them in the Finals, Kobe could have had 80+ on them if PJ would have played him in the 4th qtr. Now against Shaq and Wade, I think we would have gotten our pushed in. The hate for the Lakers was strong. Bynum wasn't the player he is today (not that it would have mattered), we had Mihm , and some dude named Kwame.

Make no mistake. Had we gotten past the Suns, things would have been really interesting in those playoffs.

[midnightpulp]

Actually you are not too far fetched on your assessment mid. The Lakers played really well against the Sam Cassell led Clips. We would have won that series - no doubt. The Mavs that year? We played really well against them too. I believe that was the year Kobe had 62 on them after 3 quarters. You think Wade ted on them in the Finals, Kobe could have had 80+ on them if PJ would have played him in the 4th qtr. Now against Shaq and Wade, I think we would have gotten our pushed in. The hate for the Lakers was strong. Bynum wasn't the player he is today (not that it would have mattered), we had Mihm , and some dude named Kwame.

Make no mistake. Had we gotten past the Suns, things would have been really interesting in those playoffs.

Spoken like a true deluded dumb homer.

The Mavs would've slaughtered that team, despite Kobe's meaningless regular season outburst. With that, you sound like a Cavs who thought they had a chance in the Finals against the Spurs because they swept them in the regular season.

[DeadlyDynasty]

1. OKC
2. MEM (w/ Z-Bo, 4th or 5th w/o)
3. LAL
4. SA
5. DAL
6. LAC
7. HOU
8. DEN

[DPG21920]

I'm not sold on MEM, but they have that potential for sure.

[Stalin]

Tanking to up another draft?

Co sign

[Giuseppe]

I'm not sold on MEM, but they have that potential for sure.

8

tee, hee.

[#41 Shoot Em Up]

I really don't see the mavs having enough left in the tank when it comes down to it. I think that sure we'll continue to pick it up from our recent ty play and start looking decent, but when it comes to playoff time I question Dirk's ability to put the team on his back again, which is pretty much what it would take. We're probably a 2nd round exit and will put up a good fight against whoever we go against.

No surprise you think this way.... you're a bigger pole smoker than Kim Kardashian

[HarlemHeat37]

This is the most wide open West that I can remember, in a minute..

It's all going to depend on matchups IMO..

Lakers lose to Thunder, Thunder lose to Spurs, Spurs lose to Lakers..

A healthy Grizzlies team could be just as good as the other 3 teams, and the Mavs could be, if Odom ever elevates his game..

The rest of the teams in the West won't win the conference, but they will be difficult matchups in the 1st round..

[Killakobe81]

I think that is correct (I remember reading that, I'll look for the link), but I haven't heard anything recently on that.

My understanding it is possible but not all teams. my guess is the crap series will have a back2back. Doubt LAL or MIA will get one ...

[ElNono]

The back2back on the playoffs this year are on the 2nd round, IIRC...

[ElNono]

I'm going out on a limb and say the Lakers.

uh?

[Kamnik]

Don't discount Westbrook doing one bonehead move after another when the need for smart play is the biggest.

I think Spurs could do serious damage but it ALL depends on their health.

[Latarian Milton]

OKC ain't even relevant imho they made the WCF last year which was just as much of a fluke as dem mavs winning championship. they can enjoy the regular season as much as they want but we know they ain't going anywhere further then the 2nd round in the playoffs this year tbh, they just got pwned by that 36yr old TOSB duncan & his spurs last night which didn't happen by accident tbh

[DAF86]

I don't know, all I know is that the Spurs own OKC.

[Venti Quattro]

The NBA got the series it wanted and the outcome it wanted even if it finally could not pull a rabbit out and skew it to 7 games or some like that.

Re this "artificially induced" finals, I am sure a lot watched and some even cared, that the Heat destroyed the Thunder.

Meanwhile, in all honestly, by far the two best and complete teams (the Bulls and Spurs) were home due to injuries or spurrious officiating at key moments and count the fans of the Celtics, Lakers and Mavs as also rightfully pissed off that their teams simply count not stand in the way of a dream match to end a shortened season. It iwll be peculiar for sure, that for some reason this season unlike the 99 season will not have an * attached to it; but one should be and doubled down as **2012 champs, for in reality the Heat are still a beatable team with no depth and poor skill at at least two positions, but whom somehow got the games called the way they needed for their superstars and of course "redeemed themselves" after last years seemingly equally scripted defeat where the NBA Gods placated Cuban finally.

Therefore, to get in step with what the Commish and the NBA Gods want many of you will coronate the King and revive his countdown to 7. You will surely pray and hope that Howard gets what the he really wants. You even will hope D. Williams goes to the Lakers or some such crap as that.
A few of you wil surely also hope that things will work out well for the Lottery lucky (or enhanced) Hornets who went from being owned by the NBA to a tax write off for a car salesman.

However, count me out of really caring for the NBA so much anymore.

For as my 14 y/o said, Dad if they are not going to even give them a chance with the calls why the should we watch or even care anymore? One should not and I cannot - so out for at least a long, long time.