2006-07 NBA Discussion Thread

[fnurt]

The Clippers seem like a big-time value pick to me.

[kidcolin]

[ QUOTE ]
2003/2004&2004-2005 Detroit Pistons starting lineup

C: Ben Wallace
SF:Tayshaun Prince
PF:Rasheed Wallace
PG:Chauncey Billups
SG:Rip Hamilton

2006-2007 Bulls starting lineup (projected?)
C:Ben Wallace
SF:Tyrus Thomas
PF:PJ Brown
PG:Kirk Hinrich
SG:Ben Gordon

No one else sees it?

[/ QUOTE ]

The similarities? Sure. But the Bulls are weaker at every non-center position.

[kidcolin]

tdarko,

Your western pics look solid, but I think Houston is over-hyped. They're too many if's. Yao sounds like he finally WILL be healthy, but T-Mac's back is always going to be a problem. The Bonzi signing was great in terms of value, but they got him that cheap for a reason. Things could go south for that team quickly.

Quick note on Amare: I worry that he'll never be the Amare everyone expected. I hope I'm wrong, but I won't be surprised if he's limited to an 18/8 guy for his career, pulling down 24/12 money.

I also think the Clips could surprise again... but maybe -I'm just Cassel-biased. As for the Lakers, I could see it going either way. I could it all working out with Lamar putting up solid #'s alongside Kobe and the team gelling, or it just turning into the Kobe show with a first round playoff exit.

East-coast:

Bulls - not yet.
Det - Barring any injuries (which they gotta be due for), they'll finish with the 2nd or 3rd best record in the east. It'll be interesting to see what the loss of Ben brings out of them. This team could start putting up a lot of points.

[tdarko]

kidcolin,

I agree with just about everything you say actually. Houston has a lot of "if's" but the talent is there and just as easily as it can go south it can go north for them. Bonzi is a problem when he isn't happy, he is extremely hard-working and a problem for the OTHER team on the court when he is happy. With no injuries and the team working together they will win and when winning everyone is happy. But like you said it can all go south--but this is true for anyone.

Even if Amare is an 18/8 guy just is mere presence in the middle makes PHO better. They were softer than ever last year defensively and it was because of Amare's absence...he may never be the same but he also doesn't have to be the same to make them better.

God I hope the Clips are really good b/c I :[img]/images/graemlins/heart.gif[/img]: the Clippers! I also think they are damn good too.

I agree with your thoughts on LAL. It is hard to know if Odom was just posing for the postseason and blew his load and will now revert back to the same clumsy, liability as before. But I think he is a player that has learned the triangle and has finally figured it all out. We will see.

[kidcolin]

I've been rooting for Odom since his URI days (grew up in SE Mass, so we used to catch some games), so I hope he has a great year, especially after the loss of his newborn. Last year he looked so frustrated with Kobe, but if the team finally gels under Jackson, Odom should be an all-star caliber talent.

You're right, Amare still helps the team. That was just a random thought on my part.

On Bonzi: Now that I live in Sac, I got to see a lot of him. It's all about whether he's happy. In order for him to be happy, the Rockets need to stay healthy and win.

Just throwing it out there: Mike Bibby WILL make the all star team this year. One of the most underrated guards in the league. And no, I'm not a Kings fan, but he's a lot of fun to watch reguarly. He's dropped 20 lbs for this season, too.

[Green Kool Aid]

Look for Orlando to explode. D12 is an elite big man, and I <3 Jameer Nelson. Too bad they've wasted their last two drafts on a guy who won't leave Spain and a 6'4" guy who shouldn't have been drafted in the first round.

Houston is another obvious choice with the addition of Battier and Bonzi. If Yao/T-Mac are healthy come playoff time, this team could be unstoppable.

The Bulls will win so many regular season games and then get knocked out whenever they play the Cavs or Heat in the playoffs. I have never seen a more playoff vulnerable team than the Bulls. Seriously I think they might approach ~55 wins, but they don't have a go-to guy in the mold of Arenas, Iverson, or Wade, or a big-man to dump it into the post.

As for my guys, the Celtics, they will be exciting, but like other exciting young teams (Raptors, Hawks, etc.) they will find themselves in the lottery again next year after 38 wins, a slight improvement from last year.

[kidcolin]

Hopefully Doc can stick to 9 guys this year, and maybe Scalabrine gets hit by a bus... though he does bring laughter to my life, so maybe that's a tad harsh.

[mmbt0ne]

ATL need to either tank and get top 3 pick or make the playoffs. Anything else, and our pick goes to PHX, and [censored] that.

[Green Kool Aid]

mmbt0ne....let's pretend you are the atlanta GM for a second. what would it take for the celtics to get josh smith or marvin williams?

consider the fact that the c's have three pretty good young point guards, and atlanta is still lacking in that department.

[Pudge714]

I was offered a 50/50 bet that the Raptors wouldn't make the playoffs. Obviously I know this bet is +EV, but how much would I need to be betting on it to warrant rooting against them for the whole season.

That being said if the Raptors can get a good second option they will be a good team the problem is they have a bunch of third and fourth options filling the roles. I know so many delirious Raptors fan who think Anthony Parker, Fred Jones, and Kris Humphries are going to turn this team into a playoff team. If they were so good why was everyteam in the NBA practically giving them away?
Barnagi is still a year or two a way. This would not be a good year to have a mediocre season just miss the playoffs and be stuck with a high lottery pick as this years draft should be deep and good.