_logo.gif){kind=logo}
15. Utah Jazz
They're young and athletic but also lacking in experience. They remind me of the Celtics from last year in that they're going to be somewhat competitive and semi-fun to watch until they lose all their January games. They're another team that's rebuilding and headed in the right direction but they're not quite there yet. I like Alec Burks, I like Gordon Hayward and I liked their rookie Dante Exum. But they're going to lose a lot of games. That's that.
14. Los Angeles Lakers
Steve Nash is out. Ronnie Price is out. Xavier Henry is out. Their roster is depleted. Kobe is back and so is a lot of last year's roster. They've got a new head coach Byron Scott, former Laker champion, who seems determined to drag them to newfound depths. Scott came in over the summer preaching about the mid-range game and opening up shots for players. Cool. He also said he wants to move away from the 3-point shot almost entirely. Okay... But you can only maximize efficiency that way if you're really good on defense, say for instance THE MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES WHO WERE TOP 3 DEFENSIVE TEAMS IN THE NBA LAST YEAR. 17.1% of the Grizzlies shots were from deep last year but that team's defensive rating with Marc Gasol on the court was phenomenal.
I look at the Lakers current roster and it's filled with people who have reputations for being atrocious on defense. So is Kobe going to play solid defense 35 minutes a night, 82 games this season? Is he going to play 70 games this season? They're not going to be able to defend anybody. I do not think they're going to win 30 games. I really want Bryant to do well individually cause it sucks to see NBA Legends go out the way Nash and him are.
Julius Randle is the bright spot for me in this team. Him and Ed Davis can be developed in that front-court. And at the end of the day Kobe Bryant is worth the price of admission if you're an NBA fan. Enjoy it while it's there. (Even though you don't have a choice cause they're going to be on national TV 29 ****ing times).
13. Sacramento Kings
I looked at the odds and the over/unders to help write this preview. That involved me looking at the predictions, agreeing with them or scoffing at them but also having to think and explain why... Then placing heavy bets on the under for the Lakers. The Kings are at 30.5 wins and I'm taking the under. I've always liked DeMarcus Cousins. Boogie is good. I like Ben McLemore and I'm impressed that Rudy Gay was able to find himself on this team again. But it's not going to make a difference. The roster sucks. They're going to be bad. I'd be surprised if they won more than 30 games too. It sucks cause I really do like Boogie's game. I think he's going to have a great, breakout season but it's just not going to matter.
12. Minnesota Timberwolves
Flip Saunders is literally the man. No like seriously, he runs everything on that team. He's the head coach, President of Basketball Operations and still a part-owner. Now he's had success in the league before. He's also sucked really bad. Him and Byron Scott are relics of NBA past. They're those grandparents you have that are all "things were better in the old days without all this fancy-schmancy technology and iPhones". Flip took the Timberwolves to the WCF and the Pistons to a 64-win season. He also coached the Wizards from 2009-2012 with a record of 51-130. So I'm not too sure how coaching is going to help.
I think this team is really talented. But they fall into the same category as the Jazz and the Celtics. Young, talented guys. But they need to learn how to win. They also need to learn how to play in the NBA. I like Wiggins. I really like Andrew Wiggins's game. This team is going to be my second guilty pleasure to watch in the NBA this year. He's teamed with Anthony Bennett and Zach LaVine (God that kid can fly) and if they all pan out and Ricky Rubio is actually willing to shoot.... This team will be fun to watch. They'll lose games. But they're going to run fast and jump high and dunk really hard. Fun.
11. New Orleans Pelicans
I'm putting my money on Anthony Davis being the next superstar in the NBA. I think he'll finish this year as a top-10 player in the league. But I don't know how I feel about this team. Eric Gordon's going to be back but who knows how long that's going to last. John Salmons is playing the 3-position.... (John Salmons is still in the NBA??? #KeepGettingDemChecks). However, Jimmer Fredette is free from Thibs' dungeon, which I like. And Ryan Anderson (whose game I love) is coming back from the severe injury he had last year. They've also got Jrue Holiday at point-guard and I've always been a fan of his game. I can just imagine him run the pick-and-roll with Anthony Davis (AWESOME). Omer Asik can play as center and take some of the pressure of the Brow at the 4-position. He's already great on defense but he'll get better. They can man the interior together as opposed to last year where he took a pounding by himself. There's a lot to be positive about on this team. They were all injured last year. I think I've written myself into believing in them. Yep. All in for over .500.
10. Phoenix Suns
These guys shocked everyone last year. I don't know if they have what it takes to do it again, cause a lot of that was Gerald Green playing at a phenomenal, unsustainable level. That dude chucked everything. But the back-court of Dragic and Bledsoe is going to be fun to watch. I don't think they have what it takes to make the playoffs but they'll be fighting to get in just like last year. Shoutout to Jeff Hornacek also. He's a great coach. It may not be their time this year, but if this team can grow together, they'll be a force in the West in a few years.
9. Denver Nuggets
This team won 36 games last year and they had injuries to every position. This year they're getting JaVale McGee, Nate Robinson, Danilo Gallinari just to name a few. They're going to be a good team. I don't know if they're a playoff team, I'm not sure if they're going to be great. But they're going to be damn good. They can run the ball up and down the court at home on back-to-backs in that high Denver altitude and just run them ragged. All these players back from injury along with Ty Lawson and Kenneth Faried is going to make for some more fun basketball.
8. Memphis Grizzlies
The thing about writing about the playoff teams in the West is that they're all really good teams. You can make arguments for each of them as to why they could be or should be the NBA champions. But it's the Western conference. The Grizzlies are probably going to finish top 3 in defense this year, if not the best. They're going to physically punish teams night in, night out in the Grindhouse. But can they win in the playoffs where it matters? Are they even locked in for a playoff spot? Cause if Marc Gasol stayed injured for an extra two weeks last year, they miss it completely. The lower seeds in the West are just waiting to take that spot from you.
I like Mike Conley and the Grindfather, Tony Allen on defense. They're going to abuse and frustrate opposing back-courts. Quincy Pondexter is back to help give them some shooting from beyond the arc. And their inside game is still awesome with Marc Gasol and Z-Bo. They're far from a fun team. They're a beat-you-into-the-ground-and-step-on-your-face-and-not-apologize team, as evidenced from their playoff series against the Thunder last year. You may beat them but you're not going to come out looking pretty.
7. Portland Trailblazers
I like the Trailblazers because they know how to win games. I think they have a fantastic head coach in Terry Stotts. LaMarcus Aldridge has been one of my favorite players in the league since 2009 as him and Dirk continue to defy analytics against the mid-range game. Honestly he may not be that efficient but you can't guard him. I think Lillard is a good, young talent moving in the right direction. He still needs to get better in reading the floor as a point-guard on offense and also work on his defense but he's a great player and he's not scared of taking the big shots. They gained some experience last year, and I look forward to watching them this year as well.
6. Houston Rockets
I like their team. I like their take on shooting analytics and corner-3s. What they lost in offense in Chandler Parsons, they gained on defense, experience and leadership in Trevor Ariza (and he can still knock down the 3 ball too).
Now it's easy to make fun of Dwight and his post-game and all that. But that dude is still a physical specimen. I remember watching Dwight in 2009 and thinking that no one had the right to take DPOY from him for the next 10 years. He's finally healthy and call me crazy, but I think he's going to have the bounce-back of bounce-back years. I have him as a sleeper in the MVP race. What he's going to be able to bring to this Rockets team is going to be crazy this year. James Harden is still the best shooting guard in the league. These guys will be alright this year.
5. Golden-State Warriors
All they need is for Steve Kerr to be just as good as Mark Jackson was last year, and quite frankly I think he'll be better (as far as their offense goes anyway). Warriors were 12th in offense last year, and with all the 3-pointers and Splash Brothers memes you'd think they were higher. The offense stalled too much back then but the sets they have right now with Kerr already have them looking more fluid and dangerous. But it's preseason. I'll wait till December. However, they look good. My main worry is their front-court. Can Andrew Bogut and David Lee stay healthy this season? Cause that will be a deciding factor in whether they can make it out of the first round of the playoffs or not.
4. Dallas Mavericks
I did this in the Eastern Conference column with the Hornets and I'm going to do it here with this team. I AM ALL IN ON THE DALLAS MAVERICKS THIS YEAR. DAMN THIS TEAM IS GOOD. I think they are an easy 50-win team this year. Monta Ellis, Chandler Parsons, Dirk Nowitzki BOOM 2-3-4 combo-breaker! I really had to restrain myself from dropping LAC or OKC to 4 so I could put them at the 3-seed. I'm driving this bandwagon and no one can stop me. We've come such a long way from last year's mishap.
To be fair, I pick the Mavs every year as a sleeper in the West just because I love Dirk so much but think about it. This team took the Spurs to seven games in the playoffs last year. Not because they were a good team no.... They were horrible on defense. But because Rick Carlisle is a damn good coach. One of the best in the league. And he was able to maximize that team's strengths to give the champions a rough time. Can you imagine what he's going to do with this roster? And they got Tyson Chandler back to help on defense? AND J.J. Barea doesn't have to play point guard in Minnesota anymore?! Man they're going to be good on offense and defense this year. They;re going to frustrate teams, because how do you even stop that offense? At the very least they're going to be a hell of a lot of fun to watch. Their first game is against the Spurs so we'll find out soon enough.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
I dropped them from 2 because I don't know what adjustments Scott Brooks is going to make to his team after the loss of Durant. I don't think Brooks is a bad coach. I just don't think he's a great coach. And his glasses are stupid. Regardless, I still think this is a great team and that they're going to win as many as 56-58 games even without Durant. Ibaka has improved so much as a 4, and Steven Adams could start as a competent big on almost any team in this league. They've been unlucky the past two years with injuries to Westbrook and Ibaka at playoff time but I'm not sure if that's going to be enough anymore. I was worried that they didn't get anyone in free agency cause I feel for this team to make it back to the NBA Finals and win, they need more production coming from just 1 or 2 players. I need Jeremy Lamb, Anthony Morrow, Reggie Jackson or even Perry Jones III to take it to the next level and ball before I'm a 100% confident in this team again. With Durant out for some time, they'll get the minutes they need to prove themselves. Till then this is Westbrook's team. Depending on the night I'm either going to tweet #LetWestbrookBeWestbrook or #RussGonnaRuss cause you never know what you're going to get with him.
2. Los Angeles Clippers
What a turnaround it's been for this team since they drafted Blake Griffin in 2009. From perennial laughing stocks of the NBA to actual championship contenders. If there was any year that they were going to make it to the Western Conference Finals, this is the year. I think this is the best team they've had since. I believe Blake Griffin is going to be even much better this year and the only thing holding him back from being this year's MVP will be if Chris Paul wins it. These guys are that good. The only weakness they have for me is at the 3-spot but honestly Matt Barnes will be fine and that's just cause all the other players are that good. I think DeAndre Jordan will win DPOY. I liked the addition of Ekpe Udoh to help bolster their front-court. (THANK YOU FOR SAVING HIM FROM MILWAUKEE. I really thought he'd lost all value with that team last year). This is a great team. I think they get 60 wins. They'll also be fun.
1. San Antonio Spurs
First year ever I'm not buying into the "they're old" narrative. Seriously. Popovich is awesome. The system is awesome. Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili are still awesome. Tony Parker is the best point-guard in the league in my opinion. They resigned Patty Mills and Point-Center, Boris Diaw.
And they still have this kid.
NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard.... Yay.
The Spurs are going to Spur. Rest players. Destroy teams. Crazy win streaks. The major difference this year is that Manu and Tony actually got to rest this summer so they're coming back refreshed and ready for the season. Easy 60-win team. They're my favorites for the Western Conference Champions. And NBA Champions. Go Spurs Go.
No comments:
Post a Comment