NBA Power Rankings, WEST.

[AzDesertRat]

On a somewhat parallel topic, when does anyone think the next time David Stern will show his ugly smug mug here in Phoenix?

[tuq]

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On a somewhat parallel topic, when does anyone think the next time David Stern will show his ugly smug mug here in Phoenix?

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When he presents Steve Nash with the Finals MVP award next June. Not before that though, unless he has extensive security detail.

[HorridSludgyBits]

I think 9th for Sac is optimistic. They're just not that good. I'm a Jazz fan, and I think they could finish 4th, but they need to figure out Kirilenko's role, if any, with this team. He looked like the odd man out in the playoffs last year when DW and Boozer took the team over. And, yes, I'm afraid no more All-Star appearances for Okur, lol, even though he was very important to the team when Boozer was out and did a better-than-expected defensive job on Yao in the playoffs. I think 5th is more realistic.

As long as they let San Antonio pound on Nash during the playoffs, I can't see the Suns getting there. They'd need someone else (Mavs, who else?) to eliminate SA so they wouldn't have to play them.

[kidcolin]

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On a somewhat parallel topic, when does anyone think the next time David Stern will show his ugly smug mug here in Phoenix?

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When he retires, like everyone else who lives there.

[tdarko]

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When he presents Steve Nash with the Finals MVP award next June.

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Aww, thats cute, Nash is personally giving the trophy to his bff Dirk. BIMO

[westhoff]

[ QUOTE ]
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When he presents Steve Nash with the Finals MVP award next June.

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4sure! 2p2 titles are always true, amirite?!

[kidcolin]

1. Spurs
2. Mavs
3. Suns
4. Rockets
5. Jazz
6. Lakers
7. Nuggets
8. Hornets
9. Warriors
10. Kings (Hawes is gonna bust so bad)
11. Grizz
12. Blazers
13. T'Wolves
14. Clippers (ps, Maggette will opt out of his contract. yay!)
15. Sonics

[moayer]

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7th. Warriors - It's weird for me to think they're the favorite to make the playoffs, and do BETTER then last year (slipping in as the 8 spot) because I don't like this team as much as last year. Jrich missing will hurt quite a bit. The pressure really falls on Biedrins and Ellis; can they continue their growth/ascent to stardom? Possibly. Even still, I dont think they will get past the first round, miracles aside.

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look for Kelenna Azubuike to step up and fill JRich's spot on the roster. in two years Azubuike will be a more productive than Richardson.

[Taraz]

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1. Spurs
2. Mavs
3. Suns
4. Rockets
5. Jazz
6. Lakers
7. Nuggets
8. Hornets
9. Warriors
10. Kings (Hawes is gonna bust so bad)
11. Grizz
12. Blazers
13. T'Wolves
14. Clippers (ps, Maggette will opt out of his contract. yay!)
15. Sonics

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I like these rankings much better than OP's. I might flip-flop the Lakers and the Nuggets, but it's a pretty solid list.

[IrishHand]

Too much guessing and hunches in most above rankings. My list:

Lottery Locks
15th. Sonics - Completely bereft of talent, the team has maybe 2 legit NBA starters and has no depth. Awful, awful, awful. 20 wins would be the Super Bowl for them.
14th. Trailblazers - Traded away their top scorer and lost their 2nd scorer to a preseason injury that may well require surgery. No C, no SF, a crappy PG...instant lotto ticket. Without Roy, they're possibly worse than Seattle - but he should be back relatively soon.
13th. Clippers - Almost a .500 team with Brand, awful without him. I expect Brand back in January, but they'll be toast by then and will surely hit the "tanking" switch. They have enough decent vets (Cassell, Mobley, Maggette, Kaman) to clear the bottom 2 by a reasonable margin though.
12th. Timberwolves - Same talent level as Portland, but more developed. Foye, Jefferson and Ricky Davis give them a better core than the bottom 3. The other spots are filled by role players - so long as they accept those roles, this team should easily clear 30 wins.
11th. Grizzles - Like Minnesota, only better. May run'n'gun their way to a surprise playoff run under their new coach, but the odd's play is mid-30 wins and another year of development and talent acquisition via the draft/FA.
10th. Kings - Like last year's sorry 33-win team, only a year older. That's good for Kevin Martin, bad for Bibby and B. Miller. Starting 5 actually pretty good, but they have zero chemistry. Playoffs remain a mirage and Spencer Hawes is hardly some sort of panacea.


Fringe Playoff Contenders
9th. Warriors - All people remember is a fluke playoff upset, not the 42 wins and the fact that they dumped one of their best players for a prospect to save money. I'm not a J-Rich fan, but he was a perfect fit for this team under Nelson. Expect a .500 record.
8th. Hornets - Assuming Peja's healthy and 90% of his former self, this team is really good. Getting MoPete on the cheap was a great move. Paul/MoPete/Peja/DWest/Chandler is a great, balanced starting lineup.
7th. Lakers - Best player in the league, best coach in the league. They were right behind the big 3 last year until the injury bug hit. Starting lineup doesn't scare anyone, but it's a Phil lineup - clear stars, clear role players, everyone giving their best. Assuming Odom misses his customary dozen or so games, I'd chock them up for mid 40s wins and a playoff berth.
6th. Jazz - Last year, they played much better than the sum of their parts. That sort of thing tends to balance out the following season. They're solid, but they're not close to the elite teams. Mid 45-48 wins and a 1st round exit seems right unless Kirilenko rebounds in a big way.

Borderline Championship Contenders
5th. Nuggets - Nice fantasy team, but can they put it together on the court? They've had their one-year "new star" break-in period, Nene's fully recovered from his knee surgery and I think 50 wins is a fair expectation.
4th. Rockets - Adding Battier for Gay was a stroke of genius and put them over the 50-win plateau. Changing coaches was probably a bad plan, but the raw talent and intelligent additions keep them at that level.

The Title Contenders
3rd. Mavs - The big 3 are the big 3, but I can't see Dallas beating either the Spurs or the Suns in a 7-game set. Call it heart, call it toughness, call it chemistry, call it what you want. They just don't have it.
2nd. Spurs - Elite team and won't get an argument from me that they're not #1. I just think that:
1st. Suns - D'Antoni's preaching a return to "I just don't give a [censored]" mentality. To me, that means 60+ wins and a horrific playoff matchup for any team - including the Spurs. Marion's gone after this year, so this is their time.