I think the Heat will have trouble defending their 1st title next year. There many teams out there that have a legit chance against MiamiLegit TeamsDallas: Hungry out of this world Suns: they will be even better with Amare Spurs: still around, getting a little old though with Barry, finley and Van Exel Kings: If they keep everybody and get the right coach, they will give everybody hell. Pistons: They're still around Pacers: Either a trade or a free agent away from getting back to 50 wins Lakers: You never know with Kobe on your team I could go on...... Seriously, what are the Heat's chances??
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BALLAHOLLIC @ Jun 21 2006, 11:22 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Zo and Payton wont play with the same sense of urgency.....</div>If they even play at all, that is...
I'm havin' a Spurs feelin'. Either that or Duncan gets injured and they tank the season and get Oden.
There will be plenty of teams that will give them trouble, but I'm sure Miami will make some moves during the offseason, as will other teams.If they have the same players next season, I don't think they'll repeat... Detroit will be back (most likely), Cleveland will be better (but not championship contenders just yet), and then you have the three powerhouses out West (Dallas, PHX, and SA).It's possible, but it's tough, and I don't see them doing it.
I know this is REALLY bias but...Suns. Come on, they made it to the WCF without one of the most dominating centers in the 04/05 season. With Amare back at full strength, Nash, Marion, Diaw, Bell, 2 first round draft picks and the rest of the bench, they WILL win the championship next year. I don't care if they have no defense. We took the Mavs to 6, who took the Heat to 6. The Suns will be the 2006-2007 Champions..PG - Steve Nash - 17 ppg, 11.6 apg, 4 rpg - top 5 MVP candidate next yearSG - Raja Bell - 13 ppg, 4 rpg, 2 spg - 1st All-Defensive Team next yearSF - Boris Diaw - 15 ppg, 7 apg, 7 rpgPF - Shawn Marion - 20 ppg, 13 rpg, 2 spg - 3rd Team All-NBAC - Amare Stoudemire - 29 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 bpg (2006-2007 MVP)Call it bias, call it cocky, but I don't care.
I don't think Amare will be at full strength next year - maybe 07-08. By then Nash will be slowing down and they won't be really able to sign anybody cause of their cap situation, but it won't really matter then. I think Amare will carry the team by himself then. I love the Suns but I don't think this is their year. I'm thinking 08 or 09.
Was that saracsm? I'll type out more tomorrow I just have to study for an exam tonight lol.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bowles @ Jun 22 2006, 04:47 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think Amare will be at full strength next year - maybe 07-08. By then Nash will be slowing down and they won't be really able to sign anybody cause of their cap situation, but it won't really matter then. I think Amare will carry the team by himself then. I love the Suns but I don't think this is their year. I'm thinking 08 or 09.</div>You have no clue how hard Amare has worked to get back to full strength. He has worked out every single day since he was cleared for it, he has worked on the game he never had (jumpshots, can hit 3s now). I know my hopes are set really hight, but if you don't got hope you don't got nothing.
Grant Hill worked hard but that didn't help him.I'm not saying that it's a matter of work ethic, I just think it'll take a year for Amare to get back to Amare-level awesomeness. He'll be great next year, but he won't be Amare. It'll take a little time for him to get back to being the best at what he does.
I still ain't convinced that the Suns run-n-gun style can get them to a championship. It matches up well against many teams but look at how much trouble the Lakers gave them in the first round. Going back to back is very hard, we are going to be losing lots of players this off-season and I'm real interested in seeing how Pat Riley will make up for it.The teams I think have the most legit shotallasSpursDetroitSunsThe Bulls are also a big possibility, even the Nets as well depending on how they do in the off-season. If Chicago drafts a good player to play center, they will be a championship team in two years or less although the east is getting tougher every year.Those teams, including Miami are the ones I think have the only legit shot, I don't see any team taking the league by storm and making a run for a title. Alot of this depends on what teams do, who they sign, who they trade and so on.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'>Going back to back is very hard, we are going to be losing lots of players this off-season and I'm real interested in seeing how Pat Riley will make up for it.</div>He's going to package Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, and James Posey for Mike James (sign-and-trade), Grant Hill, and Sam Cassell (another sign-and-trade) in one of the most complex deals in NBA history because he's not satisfied with his team's youth and inexperience. I think the Suns can be beaten simply because they rely too much on the outside shot and a good team can slow them down with relative ease. They can give teams a scare, but they're going to have to learn how to play just a little D before I take them seriously.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bowles @ Jun 22 2006, 01:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>He's going to package Jason Williams, Antoine Walker, and James Posey for Mike James (sign-and-trade), Grant Hill, and Sam Cassell (another sign-and-trade) in one of the most complex deals in NBA history because he's not satisfied with his team's youth and inexperience. </div>Yeah your right, losing our two biggest bench players is not a problem at all.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jun 22 2006, 12:31 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah your right, losing our two biggest bench players is not a problem at all.</div>Hey, this is Pat Riley, the guy who brough in Antoine Walker. I'm not saying he makes sense. (But admit it... won't you be just a little surprised if he doesn't make some huge move this summer involving at least one player over the age of 30?)
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Bowles @ Jun 22 2006, 01:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Hey, this is Pat Riley, the guy who brough in Antoine Walker. I'm not saying he makes sense. (But admit it... won't you be just a little surprised if he doesn't make some huge move this summer involving at least one player over the age of 30?)</div>I could care less if it gets us a title really. Antoine wasn't a bad choice for the most part, he played pretty well in the first few rounds of the playoffs. He can play good when he feels like not being lazy, when hes driving and attacking the rim it opens up his outside game.However when hes shooting tippie toe threes, :no1:
After watching that debacle with the Mavs and Antoine and Antawn, I feel your pain. But you just beat my team for the title so I don't feel too much of it.Hm, Antoine had an all right postseason... is this a contract year for him?
Don't single Artest out. Any other player in the league has the same possibility of doing something incredibly stupid over the off-season.Examples:Jay Williams, Kobe, Allen Iverson,
