So here are the teams I think should be ahead of Portland on paper LAL DAL SA LAC OKC MEM, UTA, POR, GS Does that seem about right?
Utah? Idk I think kings are in better shape then Utah and I think we are better then Utah assuming la plays.
It all depends on LMA and Batum, IMO. Just remember we had the same team as last year, without the distraction of Roy possibly taking back his starting spot from Matthews. Now that Roy is gone, I think our team will have a better direction on how we play; which will make us a much stronger team. Spurs may decline badly, but I truly can't count them out as long as they have Parker and Duncan. I doubt Utah gets much better, especially if Milsap is gone. Sacramento will not be better, IMO. At least not better than us. And if LAL don't land Howard, then I suspect them to fall considerably. They have a ton of drama now. You should hear how the players are reacting over here. They are really pissed about the Odom deal.
My ranks... w/ CP3 a Clipper and Howard NOT a Laker. 1 - OKC 2 - DAL 3 - LAL 4 - POR 5 - LAC 6 - SA 7 - MEM 8 - GS
I think because of the lockout shortened season, there's going to be a lot more volatility than normal in the "muddy middle" (everyone outside of the top 4 or 5 teams in each conference). But as far as lists go, it's as good as anything I've seen.
I don't think there's any way we're that high. We have no bench and no center. I'm thinking 7th or 8th if we make the playoffs at all. At this point I would rather see us tank for the lottery.
Right now our starting lineup is either Felton/Wes/Nic/Crash/LMA or (more likely, imo) Felton/Wes/Crash/LMA/Camby. Both of those are decently-above-average lineups. Our bench is pretty inexperienced. We have Thomas and Johnson at the backup big spots (barring an Oden sighting), and Nic and the young'uns at the guard spots. I don't think you can live with an 8-man rotation in a short season, so we may take hits there, but so will "old" teams like DAL and LAL and SAS. I don't think 4 seed is unreachable at all. I don't see "championship" unless we swing a deal at the deadline for a superstar or Oden comes back healthy and one of the young guys gives us something off the bench, but I wouldn't be shocked to see us win a series. As Marcellus might say "we're pretty f***ing far from ok."
I actually hope POR misses the playoffs, they need more talent and next year's draft (particularly lottery) would help the retooling.... That being said, chances are they make the back end of the playoffs.... DAL, OKC, LAL, MEM, SA, LAC there is 6...that leaves POR battling with UTA, GS, DEN, HOU, NO & PHX
