How the West Was or Was Not Won
Jan 4, 2024 10:43:41 GMT -6
John1974, Keyser Soze, and 2 more like this
Post by Pepe Silvia on Jan 4, 2024 10:43:41 GMT -6
2010 Western Conference Preview and Predictions
Midwest:
Projected Standings:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Houston Rockets
6. Utah Jazz
7. Memphis Grizzlies
Pacific:
In reviewing this division, I think it is probably the weakest in the league. The Timberwolves are very young and unproven outside of their lead dogs on the interior. The Big Ticket and Aldridge are a very solid post duo and the talent is definitely there for their young pups on the outside. I predict them to win the division, but I’m not sure they’re a real title contender yet. The report card in the Big D is honor roll worthy on the outside, with a slew of A grade outside shooters. What they are missing is a point guard to bring it all together, and depth down low. Dallas would be wise to swing one of their wings for a big or pg, then they may have a little stew going. San Antonio comes in show position by default. They added a bit of talent in the offseason, but already look to be shopping that talent. If they find deals they like for picks or youth, their position in the standings will stuffer. The Spurs will build around Horford/Davis/Odom which is the right move considering their current title hopes are almost nil, what they’ll be able to move the vets they acquired for remains to be seen, but no harm no foul as most of them are on larger 1 year contracts. The outlook is rocky for the Nuggets, despite employing two of the more dominant bigs in the league. Outside of Embiid and Joe Smith is a mountain of mediocrity. The time is now to rebuild in Denver with these two bigs both expiring and likely costing an arm and a leg to extend, limiting future cap flexibility. If they can move these giant deals and move on for Peja, the Nuggets will have an almost blank slate to build from. The Rockets aren’t blasting up to the top of the standings any time soon. There is a collection of unfulfilled promise on the roster in Houston that could still possibly become something in Jamison, Artest, Davis, Williams, and Conley. If they pan out then you’re talking about a very solid core, but outside of Conley who is a rookie, it hasn’t happened yet. The Jazz have two pieces who can harmonize, and may be a landing spot for one of the large contracts the Nuggets could be shopping. If they were to make a move for Embiid or Smith, the Jazz would probably be a solid point guard away from really making beautiful music in this division. The streams in Memphis are not running with the salmon of the Capistrano. Fans are singing the blues when they take a look at the box score in the paper every morning and see another Grizzlies loss. The hope for the future lies in the hands of Elton Brand, Tommy Heinsohn, and Rodney Stuckey. Hope is all they have outside of the BBQ in Memphis.
Projected Standings:
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Seattle Sonics
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. Los Angeles Lakers
There’s more than one answer in Santa Clara when asking why the Warriors can and should win the Pacific. The Dubs pair AI with Drazen Petrovic and Larry Kenon to make an outstanding triple threat. The thing holding these Warriors back from title contention is down low. This could be another landing spot for Joel Embiid or Joe Smith if the Warriors can convince the Nuggets to take on that Barker contract. With one of those bigs, and another defensive presence acquired with Malachi Flynn, I think the Warriors could compete for a ring and possibly have the best chance of all the West teams to do so. The Suns pushed some chips into the pot when they acquired Nerlens Noel last season and should be squarely in the mix for the conference title this year. Rudy Gobert was a sneaky solid addition on the MLE and may be enough to push the Suns past the Warriors. Seattle did well to lock up Giannis and has some very solid pieces around him in Mighty Mouse, David West, and Steven Adams. If they can fill the SG spot with someone competent then watch out. There is a lot to like in Sacramento between Karlton Hines and Pee Wee Kirkland. Josh Howard and Len Bias are a formidable duo on the wing, but might lack the quality to push the Kings to the throne. The City of Angels holds a group of individually talented players that I don’t see meshing cohesively for the Clippers. The talent is there I just don’t know how it all works together. From the outside looking in I see the Clippers as a fringe playoff team unless they find an identity and a point guard. In Portland, similar to the situation in Denver, they should be blazing the phone lines looking to acquire future assets for Theo Maledon and Marcus Smart. The pair are aging a bit, but still very effective, the problem is there isn’t much else around them in Portland and not much ability to build around them with the contract situation. Finally the Lakers. The Lake Show seem content to build around Chet Walker and made use of their cap space this offseason to sign players they can hopefully trade for assets. To this point it appears that teams are unwilling to give value for these assets, leaving the Lakers in a bit of a bind. If they can find homes for Soprano, Randle, and Winters they will be happy. In a savvy move, the Lakers only gave Randle and Winters 1 year deals so they can move on after this season if they cannot find a trade partner.
Midwest:
Projected Standings:
1. Minnesota Timberwolves
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Houston Rockets
6. Utah Jazz
7. Memphis Grizzlies
Pacific:
In reviewing this division, I think it is probably the weakest in the league. The Timberwolves are very young and unproven outside of their lead dogs on the interior. The Big Ticket and Aldridge are a very solid post duo and the talent is definitely there for their young pups on the outside. I predict them to win the division, but I’m not sure they’re a real title contender yet. The report card in the Big D is honor roll worthy on the outside, with a slew of A grade outside shooters. What they are missing is a point guard to bring it all together, and depth down low. Dallas would be wise to swing one of their wings for a big or pg, then they may have a little stew going. San Antonio comes in show position by default. They added a bit of talent in the offseason, but already look to be shopping that talent. If they find deals they like for picks or youth, their position in the standings will stuffer. The Spurs will build around Horford/Davis/Odom which is the right move considering their current title hopes are almost nil, what they’ll be able to move the vets they acquired for remains to be seen, but no harm no foul as most of them are on larger 1 year contracts. The outlook is rocky for the Nuggets, despite employing two of the more dominant bigs in the league. Outside of Embiid and Joe Smith is a mountain of mediocrity. The time is now to rebuild in Denver with these two bigs both expiring and likely costing an arm and a leg to extend, limiting future cap flexibility. If they can move these giant deals and move on for Peja, the Nuggets will have an almost blank slate to build from. The Rockets aren’t blasting up to the top of the standings any time soon. There is a collection of unfulfilled promise on the roster in Houston that could still possibly become something in Jamison, Artest, Davis, Williams, and Conley. If they pan out then you’re talking about a very solid core, but outside of Conley who is a rookie, it hasn’t happened yet. The Jazz have two pieces who can harmonize, and may be a landing spot for one of the large contracts the Nuggets could be shopping. If they were to make a move for Embiid or Smith, the Jazz would probably be a solid point guard away from really making beautiful music in this division. The streams in Memphis are not running with the salmon of the Capistrano. Fans are singing the blues when they take a look at the box score in the paper every morning and see another Grizzlies loss. The hope for the future lies in the hands of Elton Brand, Tommy Heinsohn, and Rodney Stuckey. Hope is all they have outside of the BBQ in Memphis.
Projected Standings:
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Phoenix Suns
3. Seattle Sonics
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Los Angeles Clippers
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. Los Angeles Lakers
There’s more than one answer in Santa Clara when asking why the Warriors can and should win the Pacific. The Dubs pair AI with Drazen Petrovic and Larry Kenon to make an outstanding triple threat. The thing holding these Warriors back from title contention is down low. This could be another landing spot for Joel Embiid or Joe Smith if the Warriors can convince the Nuggets to take on that Barker contract. With one of those bigs, and another defensive presence acquired with Malachi Flynn, I think the Warriors could compete for a ring and possibly have the best chance of all the West teams to do so. The Suns pushed some chips into the pot when they acquired Nerlens Noel last season and should be squarely in the mix for the conference title this year. Rudy Gobert was a sneaky solid addition on the MLE and may be enough to push the Suns past the Warriors. Seattle did well to lock up Giannis and has some very solid pieces around him in Mighty Mouse, David West, and Steven Adams. If they can fill the SG spot with someone competent then watch out. There is a lot to like in Sacramento between Karlton Hines and Pee Wee Kirkland. Josh Howard and Len Bias are a formidable duo on the wing, but might lack the quality to push the Kings to the throne. The City of Angels holds a group of individually talented players that I don’t see meshing cohesively for the Clippers. The talent is there I just don’t know how it all works together. From the outside looking in I see the Clippers as a fringe playoff team unless they find an identity and a point guard. In Portland, similar to the situation in Denver, they should be blazing the phone lines looking to acquire future assets for Theo Maledon and Marcus Smart. The pair are aging a bit, but still very effective, the problem is there isn’t much else around them in Portland and not much ability to build around them with the contract situation. Finally the Lakers. The Lake Show seem content to build around Chet Walker and made use of their cap space this offseason to sign players they can hopefully trade for assets. To this point it appears that teams are unwilling to give value for these assets, leaving the Lakers in a bit of a bind. If they can find homes for Soprano, Randle, and Winters they will be happy. In a savvy move, the Lakers only gave Randle and Winters 1 year deals so they can move on after this season if they cannot find a trade partner.