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NBA Predictions Part 2

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Lyst

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http://www.sportsdistillery.com/201...azz-in-thunder-clippers-rockets-spurs-battle/

Can't say much against these predictions. I'm not a big Clippers guy, but they will be up there so can't disagree with how Sports Distillery rated them. Spurs I think will have a humungous year, and may come out in top 2 over the Rockets, if everything gels with Aldridge and Leonard keeps progressing. Jazz at the 8 seed was an interesting throw-in, there's definitely a possibility but it's not probable imo.
 
I'd be extremely surprised to see Utah make the postseason next year. Burke kind of sucks. Exum has a lot of growth needed.

Burks, Hayward, Favors, and Gobert along with adding Lyles in the draft is a solid young core, but they need time, seasoning, and growth.
 
The West is impossible to predict. The top 6 teams will each probably end up with 54+ wins. It's truly a toss up from year to year.
 
The West is impossible to predict. The top 6 teams will each probably end up with 54+ wins. It's truly a toss up from year to year.
Warriors, Spurs Tier/ A
Thunder and Clippers Tier B to me.
The rest to me are not serious contenders (Memphis, Houston, NO, Dallas to me are not good enough to win the west) I would be shocked if one of those top four did not win the West.
My early predication is Spurs over Clippers in WCF. Warriors will not have same health, and still questions about health with OKC and guys like Dion will only hurt you.
I think this is the very last run for Duncan, Ginobli and Diaw. Also probably the last year or two Parker plays at a very high level. Will morth into a solid vet soon.
 
The Thunder have the potential to make a LOT of noise if they can stay healthy and Donovan can implement his system correctly. I'd say they have the potential to at least give both GS and SA trouble and make a run for the second seed. Houston also has the potential to do that but once again they have to stay healthy which was a huge problem for them last year. It seems there's always a new team in the west each year that manages to do far better than anyone expected, and i think this year could be the Pelicans turn. New coach and with Davis a year older... it just seems like this will be the year they make a really big jump and maybe even jumps into the second round of the playoffs.
 
Warriors, Spurs Tier/ A
Thunder and Clippers Tier B to me.
The rest to me are not serious contenders (Memphis, Houston, NO, Dallas to me are not good enough to win the west) I would be shocked if one of those top four did not win the West.
My early predication is Spurs over Clippers in WCF. Warriors will not have same health, and still questions about health with OKC and guys like Dion will only hurt you.
I think this is the very last run for Duncan, Ginobli and Diaw. Also probably the last year or two Parker plays at a very high level. Will morth into a solid vet soon.
And yet the Spurs were the 6 seed last year.

I honestly would not be surprised if Houston or Memphis came out of the west. It's all about who can get healthy and hot when the playoffs roll around.

Hell, even NO has a shot. Anthony Davis might emerge as the most dominant player in the league this year, and as we've seen with LeBron, that's sometimes enough to get you there.
 
I hope everyone remembers the spurs basically didn't play until the last30games and almost snagged the two seed
 
And yet the Spurs were the 6 seed last year.

I honestly would not be surprised if Houston or Memphis came out of the west. It's all about who can get healthy and hot when the playoffs roll around.

Hell, even NO has a shot. Anthony Davis might emerge as the most dominant player in the league this year, and as we've seen with LeBron, that's sometimes enough to get you there.
New Orleans has no chance to win the west. You are honestly not being rational. Their roster beyond Davis needs a ton of changes long term. They have pieces that don't fit. I would seriously bet anyone 20 thousand dollars that the Pelicans don't win the west, and even more if I could afford to. No one will take me up on that bet.Memphis also has little chance. Randolph is ageing and the talent level is not good enough. The Spurs added a top 10 NBA talent to a team that could have easily made the WCf. Houston is s pretender to me as well unless Harden carries that team on a magical post season run. i think they have a fighters chance but Golden state and the Spurs to me are a clear tier above. Houston does not defend and they won't win the west with that mind set.
 
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I didn't say NO had a great shot. Just that they could. Clearly Houston has a chance. They made the WCF last year. Memphis is always in the mix as well. What's irrational is counting out teams that had the talent to win 55+ games last season.

I'd say the top 6 teams in the West have a legitimate opportunity to make the finals with New Orleans being a dark horse.
 
I didn't say NO had a great shot. Just that they could. Clearly Houston has a chance. They made the WCF last year. Memphis is always in the mix as well. What's irrational is counting out teams that had the talent to win 55+ games last season.

I'd say the top 6 teams in the West have a legitimate opportunity to make the finals with New Orleans being a dark horse.
I guess it depends on what you mean by dark horse. It would take significant injuries from the big boys for me to consider NO at all. Look at the Veags odds and it will tell you that they are a few years away from being an NBA finals contender. Making the second round this year for NO would be a great step forward. Getting out of the west is just asking way way too much IMO. That roster needs to be changed if they want to win in the west with Davis over the next 5 years. They need a couple trades, another significant addition as well. Davis is a great young talent, but a PF carrying a team in a loaded staked conference is just silly IMO. They snuck into the playoffs and got swept, have major wholes on the roster and you want them to beat teams like SA, GS, OKC and LA in a 7 game series three straight times? It is a pipe dream for next year. two years from now, 3 years from now, with a different roster around him Davis being even better the Pels may be serious. But you are about 24 months ahead of schedule putting them in the mix.
 
I was going to ask when the last time a team that didn't win a playoff game, like NO last year, made the Finals the next year...but then I realized the answer was the 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers.
 
I was going to ask when the last time a team that didn't win a playoff game, like NO last year, made the Finals the next year...but then I realized the answer was the 2014-15 Cleveland Cavaliers.
Yeah and it took adding two all stars and three solid role players just to win the East. Asking a PF (as good as he is to carry a team to Western Conference title) is just fantasy.
Unless they are magically trading for a top 5 nba talent, they wont be joining that list in the 15-16 season. The key for them is making the playoffs this year and possibly winning a series. They will also need to improve the roster over the next several years. The roster as it is right now wont get the job done. They have about 5-6 years to put a title contending roster around Davis before he becomes a UFA. That is plenty of time, but they are not close right now.
 
I guess it depends on what you mean by dark horse. It would take significant injuries from the big boys for me to consider NO at all. Look at the Veags odds and it will tell you that they are a few years away from being an NBA finals contender. Making the second round this year for NO would be a great step forward. Getting out of the west is just asking way way too much IMO. That roster needs to be changed if they want to win in the west with Davis over the next 5 years. They need a couple trades, another significant addition as well. Davis is a great young talent, but a PF carrying a team in a loaded staked conference is just silly IMO. They snuck into the playoffs and got swept, have major wholes on the roster and you want them to beat teams like SA, GS, OKC and LA in a 7 game series three straight times? It is a pipe dream for next year. two years from now, 3 years from now, with a different roster around him Davis being even better the Pels may be serious. But you are about 24 months ahead of schedule putting them in the mix.

What were the Warriors odds last off-season? Hint: not good.

Who cares?
 
I hope everyone remembers the spurs basically didn't play until the last30games and almost snagged the two seed

This often seems to be ignored, and they were hurt majority of the year. Then they get banged up against the Clippers. Parker clearly was injured, and stunk in that series. Splitter got hurt, and they still almost beat them, and maybe should have if it wasn't for a bizarre early buzzer that tipped their last play of the game, who knows.

Every year people want to write off the Spurs because they're old, might not stay healthy. And every year, despite any hiccups they have, they always seem to thrive regardless.

They don't always end up on top, but pretty damn close. If they just win that game against NO, who knows, maybe they are the champs.
 
What were the Warriors odds last off-season? Hint: not good.

Who cares?
You are comparing the Warriors roster going into last year vs New Orleans this year? This is just getting silly. We are taking about a team that got in the Playoffs only because Durant was hurt and got swept. Fired thier coach and has players who cant stay healthy who will be playing in a new system trying to win the Western conference, who might be the strongest it has ever been. Odds are slim.
No one is saying AD is not a great young talent, but come on. They are a minimum 2 years away, but probably 3 (pending major roster moves)
Seriously, in 2016 If I gave you 10 grand if they won the west and I could only win 3 grand back if they did not would you take the bet? What would it take for you to make the bet? This will tell me what odds you actually believe they have. I am curious to what type of certainty you have. In honor of the Oi, I am interested in taking bets to anyone who wants to believe the Pelicans are a legit contender. I am willing to negotiate on the odds, I am confident that this is easy money.
 
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