Lebron James told Chris Paul to demand trade but stay in West

[MullinFan]

Can the NBA look into this as some form of collusion? I mean its obvious the "Superfriends" had it all worked out even before this free agency came about...Now he's trying to get other players who are under contract to force a trade? Just so he can have some "Super-Villan" rivalry......bunch of BS!

[Ashy Larry]

A few years ago GS won 50 games but missed the playoffs. When was that?

think it was the 2006-07 season, and I think they lost the last two games and ended up with 47 wins. Had a great season though.

[resistanze]

Right, but if the Lakers were in the East, they'd go to the Finals any way. Plus if you put Orlando, Boston etc. in the West, they'd still be great teams but I promise you their records wouldn't be AS strong since there are a of a lot more teams in the East to prey off of than in the west.

You can look at the East and assume Boston will get weaker, Orlando is still a huge question mark (unless they can snag Paul) and you are left with Miami being the heavy favorites. I like the moves Chicago has made a lot, but let's see how it pans out this season.

I still see the West being tough next season, and once again, even though the Lakers have been the Finals 3 straight years, they still beat the of of whoever came from the East the past 2 trips. So not only does the best team in the NBA hail from the West in a much much tougher conference, but you have a playoffs in the West where a 7th seeded beating a #2 seed isn't the shock of all shocks because the difference between the seeds isn't that great. Whereas in the East, if a 7th seed beats a 2 seed, then someone on the #2 must've been injured.

The East is still the leastern conference as far as I'm concerned. Miami may make some major noise, but the West is definitely the tougher conference. I still think you can get a bye round in the first round of the East. The West, not so much.

Definitely there are more compe ive teams in the West (and the East is more top heavy), but I think it's a bit overblown. Last season, I would put the Celtics, Magic and Cavs ahead of every team in the West except the Lakers. The biggest challenge to the Lakers last season came from the 4th seed from the East, who were one quarter away from winning the le.

I just don't know how heavily I'd lean on regular season wins. The 8th seed in the West was only 7 games behind the first seed/NBA champions, but I don't think the teams were really that close. Seeds #2-#8 in the West are definitely close, but I think they're on a lower level that has been fighting for second place. The Jazz win 50 games every year but are a perennial doormat for the Lakers.

Eventually, I'd expect a tougher conference to result in parity - more than one team making it to the Finals. But as how I see it, all the talk about "X team would've made it in the playoffs in the East" isn't too important. Lower seed teams typically don't make it out of their conference, first of all. Secondly, team X from the West would likely get bounced from one of the stronger teams in the East.

[mytespurs]

Is it time to finally say that Eastern Conference> Western Conference?

Old powers in the West like the Suns, Mavs, and Spurs are fading away and the only team that is coming up is the Thunder. You could throw in Portland too but you never know with their injuries. Rockets have a good squad on paper but as usual they are filled with injuries.

Imho, the East is stacked and the West has the Lakers and the Thunder.

3 championships in the past few years were won by WC teams. Wake me when the east begins to dominate in the championship race. Until then, imho, WC>EC but EC is getting stronger-cyclical nature of the beast goes in their favor.

[HarlemHeat37]

I guess it depends on what you value..

IMO:

Miami = LA
Boston > OKC
Orlando > San Antonio/Dallas
Chicago = San Antonio/Dallas
Milwaukee = Portland
Atlanta = Denver

Teams like Utah and Phoenix are going to be better than any other team in the East, probably Houston too(assuming health, then they would be for certain)..

That's just my opinion of course, so you can see why I view it this way..do you value the top more, or the bottom more?..

[Cane]

Orlando's been overrated imo. They do great in the regular season but in the playoffs all you need is a guy that can single cover and/or frustrate Dwight Howard by baiting him into fouls and Orlando's system implodes (or just hack him a bunch and activate some scrubs to pick up fouls). Several teams out West have the potential to do this including the Spurs (Duncan, Dice), Mavs (Haywood and Chandler), Portland (Camby and Oden), Rockets (Miller and Yao), Lakers, etc. Imo all those teams match up well with Orlando which is understandable since teams out West have been trying to beat Shaq/Duncan and LA's stacked frontcourt depth in the past several years. The Magic seem like a team filled with a bunch of Robin's/secondary options on offense as well, but they can be a nightmare to deal with if you don't have competent size in your frontcourt especially in the regular season.

[BullsDynasty]

I guess it depends on what you value..

IMO:

Miami = LA
Boston > OKC
Orlando > San Antonio/Dallas
Chicago = San Antonio/Dallas
Milwaukee = Portland
Atlanta = Denver

Teams like Utah and Phoenix are going to be better than any other team in the East, probably Houston too(assuming health, then they would be for certain)..

That's just my opinion of course, so you can see why I view it this way..do you value the top more, or the bottom more?..

FYI, Bulls swept the Spurs last year. Just saying.

[picc84]

The Magic are reliant on Vince Carter to produce to beat elite teams. They're done.

[mavsfan1000]

Orlando's been overrated imo. They do great in the regular season but in the playoffs all you need is a guy that can single cover and/or frustrate Dwight Howard by baiting him into fouls and Orlando's system implodes (or just hack him a bunch and activate some scrubs to pick up fouls). Several teams out West have the potential to do this including the Spurs (Duncan, Dice), Mavs (Haywood and Chandler), Portland (Camby and Oden), Rockets (Miller and Yao), Lakers, etc. Imo all those teams match up well with Orlando which is understandable since teams out West have been trying to beat Shaq/Duncan and LA's stacked frontcourt depth in the past several years. The Magic seem like a team filled with a bunch of Robin's/secondary options on offense as well, but they can be a nightmare to deal with if you don't have competent size in your frontcourt especially in the regular season.

Kendrick Perkins probably the best suited for that duty. He also shut down Shaq. Great low post defender.

[SenorSpur]

As much of a demon and leader as CP3 is on the court, is he really this weak-minded off the court, that he needs to take the direction and recommendations for LBJ and his cast of sychophants?

[KidCongo]

First post after LeBron has left. I been travelling through Ireland, Scotland and just want to say

LeBron, the should never be mentioned alongside any player in the top 10.

Now thats out of the way Go Cavs, JJ Hickson time and Kid Congo, look out league.

[KidCongo]

Did you cry? Is there any truth to Gloria getting ed by KFC Delonte?

No tears, just an empty feeling that passed after a few pints of Guinness. I got no idea on that rumour, have only really been able to read some quick headlines.

Anything is possible!!! Right?

Damn, need a name change too.

[redzero]

Behold The King, you know LeBron's the only reason you became a Cavs fan in the first place.

[KidCongo]

Behold The King, you know LeBron's the only reason you became a Cavs fan in the first place.

Hectic aye, guess I better hop on the Miami bandwagon.



Not to de-rail this thread, what is the go with Paul and will the Hornets give in??

[redzero]

We'll find out today if there is actually anything going on with Chris Paul.