Kneejerk reaction- we are at least the 6th best team in the West

To start with, we have played the toughest schedule and have the 2nd best point differential.

So far, there are only two teams that we have severe trouble with- Phoenix and the Lakers. No one else has won convincingly against us. By contrast, we have blown out three opponents.

The Lakers are the best in the west, so far.
Phoenix looks better than we do.

Otherwise- Utah, Houston and New Orleans seem to be around our level. They have similar records. I'd say a healthy Houston is better than we are and Utah should be better when they are healthy.

New Orleans is more of a toss up- We have split the series so far with NO- they were lucky to beat us at home and we killed them at the Garden. I don't think they'd want to see us in the playoffs.

I think we are better than San Antonio until it's shown that Parker comes back healthy and than dsyfunctional Dallas. i also think we're better than Golden State.

 

At this point in the season we havent played the hardest schedule. New Orleans is off to a rough start, but i think at the end of the season they will have a better record.

 

To me there is no reason why we can't get homecourt advantage for the playoffs.

 

Maybe at this point in the season we havn't played the toughest schedule but it would have to be close to the hardest schedule. I looked and it seems like it's the hardest but there was also a couple other teams with a really tough schedule.

 

I'm just tired of seeing it at the start of every post. According to whatever formula Hollinger is using we have played the 8th hardest schedule. We don't even have the most road games anymore if you can believe that.

I'm just saying, things have started to even out a little at this point.

 

I agree they have started to even out but I still think we have the hardest schedule for the first 24 games. I don't know how Hollinger is figuring we have the 8th hardest. Sometimes I wonder where he gets his formula's.

 

From in between his two butt cheeks.

 

San Antonio will end up better (And you know they get the calls in close games) Phoenix on the other hand I am waiting to falter. Did you see that article on Amare not happy that he isn't the main guy and is looking towards Free Agency? First Marion now Stoudamire. Why did Nash leave Dallas? He must have secretley hated Cuban.

Anyway there are 4 teams better than us and 4 others who are damn close. I hope fans don't freak out if we have a bad road trip. I will be happy with 2-3.
The road is always tough.

 

he just uses the winning percentage of the teams you've played. so 8th toughest schedule before factoring in that portland has played more road games than most of the teams in the league, and you have a really tough schedule.

 

I think you have to look at last years record for teams like SA, Utah and even Dallas. SA and Utah have had a lot of injuries to the top players and are better then their record shows. Plus which teams you have played on the road.

 

well yeah. his method isn't a perfect one especially during the early stages of the season. once we get to the midpoint or so of the season, his strength of schedule will be a pretty good indication of how tough the schedule has been(and how tough/weak the remainder should be).

 

Portland has been playing the hardest schedule based on last year's records. They have the 8th hardest schedule based on this year's records. But it doesn't make a lot of sense to go by this year's records this early in the year. Teams haven't had time for their records to fully reflect their talent level. The 2-8 teams in the West aren't all going to have near-identical records.

I think it's still much more useful to go by last year's records. And, of course, being on the road so much makes a big difference.

 

I'm not sure if Hollinger weights for this in his formulae, but history has shown that road teams are almost always at some kind of disadvantage away from their home court. Regardless, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that we've had a pretty tough start and the team is far exceeding all reasonable expectations.

 

You didn't mention Denver, but I agree that we should be one of the top six teams in the West.

 

i wouldn't say that it's more useful to go by last year's records. teams change year to year. knowing the strength of schedule based on both this year and last year's records would be most useful.

 

I wasn't trying to say the schedule isn't hard. I'm just saying at this point it's getting redundant. Do we really need to be reminded every post they've played the "hardest schedule"? By this point everyone should be able to see they're a good team. There are also at least a couple teams by my count with equally difficult schedules even taking into account road games.

But given the responses I won't hold my breath for people to lay off of it.

 

Right now, I think SoS based on this year's records is pretty useless. So, while teams changing makes last SoS based on last year quite imperfect, it's a lot less flawed than using records that still have a high degree of uncertainty and randomness to it. Right now, like 6 teams can claim, from a record standpoint, to be the second-best team in the West. I don't think that reflects reality very well.

 

but team's records this year reflect how well those teams have been playing this season. why would that not be most important?

 

Because so few games have been played, records are not necessarily indicative of how well teams have been playing. If a team has gotten a few lucky wins, or happened to upset some teams who were playing below their level, their record may be inflated...and if you then beat them, your SoS is now inflated. Over a full season, all of that tends to mostly even out, but I don't think it has at this point.