As of today, conventional wisdom is?

[Blackjack]

Minions,

It recently dawned on me that the Spurs may be in better position than I would have had myself believe, not only prior to the season, but just prior to the trade deadline. I wasn't one to think they were legitimately a championship-caliber team. They were elite ... but behind Boston, LA and maybe even the Heat when it came to matchups.

Now I look at the league and see three teams in each conference as legitimate le contenders:

West: SA, LA and Dallas;

East: Boston, Miami and Chicago

As it pertains to the West, I wouldn't be surprised one bit if either one of the aforementioned made it to the Finals, all things being equal. What gives me more reason for optimism as a Spurs fan is the likelihood that the Lakers and Mavs will have to face each other prior to meeting the Spurs. SA would only have to play one of them, after they had gone through a tough series and they'd have home court. Honestly speaking, the Mavericks give me more cause for concern than the Lakers at this point.

LA looks like a champion that's been on top a little too long and has declined more on the court than in their mind. They just look to have lost their edge, along with a good amount of their physical advantage on the court.

Dallas on the other hand, if they're able to keep their team healthy and both Kidd and Marion can defend and rebound the ball anywhere near they used to, Chandler's emergence allows that team to defend at a championship level. Combined that with Dirk still being at the top of his game offensively and enough O surrounding them to compliment the D, that's a quality team if they're 'right' at the right time of year.

Spurs-Mavs is always pretty much a toss-up ... injury, foul calls, luck and everything in between could easily wind up being the difference.

Looking to the East, although I think more highly of the Bulls than the Thunder as a contender, I'd probably lump them in the same category: a year away. So that leaves two teams in the East to battle it out in my view: Boston, Miami.

Boston was my pick prior to the season and up until the deadline if they were healthy come the postseason, but I'm beginning to re-think that after the Perkins trade - did they just give the Heat the means to get by? Right now, my gut's telling me the Heat need to send the C's a stellar fruit basket and flower arrangement.

The darkhorse in all of this is of course Orlando. But it would take a healthy amount of fortune for them to make it back to the Finals, imo (i.e., injury or flat-out luck).

So right now, gun to my head, while whitewater rafting, Spurs-Heat NBA Finals. As of today, at least . . .

Your conventional wisdom (for those of my minions that don't ascribe to the tl;dr philosophy)?

[Blackjack]

i think if the lakers beat the mavs in the 2nd round, they'll go on to beat the spurs and probably win it all. they have a tendency to play their best ball at the right time. i'm a little worried that if the mavs beat LA (which i think is a certain possibility) that homecourt advantage and the wear and tear of such a grueling series might be too much to overcome, not necessarily because were the lesser team.

Like I said, either of those three teams I could see representing the West. Just what I've seen when it comes to Spurs-Lakers this year and what the Lakers have shown against the rest of the league, I get a somewhat similar feel to that '03 team of the Lakers the Spurs bounced. A little weary and not as good as their swagger would allow them to believe.

Spurs-Mavs, as always, could go either way. I'm not even sure you can say it's about who the better teams is, but just who happens to be playing their best at the right time - who's doing what they do better than the other. They've both got advantages they can exploit of each other, even if it seems that Dirk is the one and only true problematic mismatch by most, it's just a matchup thing. Style make fights, iow.

But the fact that the Mavs would have to beat the Lakers to play the Spurs is absolutely one of the reasons I'm more optimistic than I've been. Like I said before, it could very likely come down to something like that. They're just that close when it comes to their matchup/rivalry . . .

[DazedAndConfused]

First of all, the Lakers haven't declined at all.

You're a fool for ever believing their poor play was due to anything other than pure disinterest.

This is a team you won't want to with come playoff time. But keep running your mouth and believing your midget 3pt shooting team is going to do in the playoffs.

[Blackjack]

First of all, the Lakers haven't declined at all.

You're a fool for ever believing their poor play was due to anything other than pure disinterest.

This is a team you won't want to with come playoff time. But keep running your mouth and believing your midget 3pt shooting team is going to do in the playoffs.

K. I'm a trashtalker. This is clearly a trashtalking thread.

[DazedAndConfused]

Your team is nothing more than a slightly better defensive PHX Suns of old.

Not having any size outside of a grandpa Tim Duncan will be your undoing.

Playoff basketball != regular season basketball. Two totally different beasts.

[jjktkk]

First of all, the Lakers haven't declined at all.

You're a fool for ever believing their poor play was due to anything other than pure disinterest.

This is a team you won't want to with come playoff time. But keep running your mouth and believing your midget 3pt shooting team is going to do in the playoffs.

The Lakers got alot of miles on those legs, and lack depth on the bench. They will be a tough out, but there ripe for ing tbh, be it the Spurs, or Mavs.

[thispego]

why is everyone so certain mavs and lakers will finish 2 and 3? i say the lakers finish 4 or 5 and we end up having to play lakers then mavs in the 2nd and 3rd rounds

[Blackjack]

Your team is nothing more than a slightly better defensive PHX Suns of old.

Not having any size outside of a grandpa Tim Duncan will be your undoing.

Playoff basketball != regular season basketball. Two totally different beasts.

I'm a trashtalker. I can't bring reasoned logic like that. Thanks for doing your fellow Lakerfan proud.

[jeez21]

I think the thing that separates this team from everyone else , including LA/BOS, is the amazing ball movement. When this team moves the ball nobody can stop them. It's a beautiful thing to watch when the ball swings around and the defense has no chance of stopping it.

[ohmwrecker]

Your team is nothing more than a slightly better defensive PHX Suns of old.

Hey! We're doing better!

[Sisk]

Hey! We're doing better!

Dazed is so butthurt in this thread.