This was a topic that i made that got deleted, and i dont have anything that i wrote in my initial post saved, so i'll do the best i can. Topic question is "Which team that did make last years playoffs, has the best chance this next season?"What are your top 5?List that didnt make it:New York KnicksToronto RaptorsPhiladelphia 76ersBoston CelticsNew Oreleans HornetsSeattle SonicsMinnessota TimberwolvesGolden State WorriorsOrlando MagicHouston RocketsUtah JazzCharlette HornetsPortland TrailblazersAtlanta HawksNow here was my list, I'm dont have time to put anything about why i picked these teams, so her you go.5. Houston Rockets4. Toronto Raptors3. Utah Jazz2. Orlando Magic1. New Oreleans HornetsWhat's your list and why?
The Hornets will definitely make it. I just like their roster a lot right now. They have their distributing PG in Chris Paul, veteran in Peja at the 3, rising star in David West at the 4, Tyson at the 5 (his numbers will go up because of Paul), and dont forget the big men: Cedric Simmons and Hilton Amstrong. I think that team is pretty sound defensively. Raps wont make the playoffs, Jazz could but injuries always hurt them at the end, Magic definitely, and Rockets maybe if TMac and Yao are at least 80% healthy the entire season.
I think the sonics will make the playoffs, the season before last they won 50+ and the only thing thast changed was the coach and j.james left. I think with wilcox in the lineup for a full season will be big and they will be back.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clangus @ Aug 18 2006, 05:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the sonics will make the playoffs, the season before last they won 50+ and the only thing thast changed was the coach and j.james left. I think with wilcox in the lineup for a full season will be big and they will be back.</div>Are you joking? The sonics have the same team as last year and they didnt fix any of their problems. Sure, they have a Chris Wilcox through the whole year but who is to say that he will do the same thing at the end of last year this entire season? Also, they are an AWFUL defensive ball club and they dont have a center. They have 3 young unproven centers that dont know what they are doing. Their wasted 10th pick Saer Sene wont help them considering he is just as bad as Swift and whats his face. He just learned a few months ago how to do a left handed layup off of the correct foot. He is raw and wont make an impact any time soon. They will easily have a losing record. ALSO, their are teams improving like Minny, (a healthy Utah is alot better than them), New Orleans, and a healthy rockets team. No way in hell they make the playoffs.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Aug 19 2006, 07:01 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Are you joking? The sonics have the same team as last year and they didnt fix any of their problems. Sure, they have a Chris Wilcox through the whole year but who is to say that he will do the same thing at the end of last year this entire season? Also, they are an AWFUL defensive ball club and they dont have a center. They have 3 young unproven centers that dont know what they are doing. Their wasted 10th pick Saer Sene wont help them considering he is just as bad as Swift and whats his face. He just learned a few months ago how to do a left handed layup off of the correct foot. He is raw and wont make an impact any time soon. They will easily have a losing record. ALSO, their are teams improving like Minny, (a healthy Utah is alot better than them), New Orleans, and a healthy rockets team. No way in hell they make the playoffs.</div>they didn't make any major changes, but since the wilcox trade they went something like 24 - 18 - hardly a losing record!! Yes Sene was a wasted pick. but the dude has fast feet, long arms and is a fast jumper! he wont do much at all this year but he'll be good in a year or two - no help this year.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clangus @ Aug 18 2006, 05:26 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think the sonics will make the playoffs, the season before last they won 50+ and the only thing thast changed was the coach and j.james left. I think with wilcox in the lineup for a full season will be big and they will be back.</div>don't be a homer. there no chance. They were a complete sleeper two years ago, and theyu don't care at all about defense. That team is going literally nowhere, except for maybe oklahoma city.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Aug 19 2006, 07:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>don't be a homer. there no chance. They were a complete sleeper two years ago, and theyu don't care at all about defense. That team is going literally nowhere, except for maybe oklahoma city.</div>Homer?? they'll be fine. 2 allstars and wilcox IMO is one of a few up and comers. I spose you think the C's are going to rock the East?? pft even more uinlikely!I hope they do move to oklahoma city - might get a decent stadium.
haha, "rock the east"?? i predict them to get the 7th or 8th seed in a much weaker conference (at the bottom anyways). No one in seattle knows how to spell defense. They're a one dimensional team with not good frontcourt play. Chris Wilcox won't be able to keep that up for a whole season, especially with his contract that he already has (less motivation).
No one in phoenix knows how to spell defense either. Whats your point?Why would the delonte west's and ryan gomes be able to keep up what they hinted at last season? There is no reason why they would and Wilcox wouldn't and as far as his contract goes- its only three years- hardly a contract to retire on - He'll be plenty motivated.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clangus @ Aug 18 2006, 07:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No one in phoenix knows how to spell defense either. Whats your point?Why would the delonte west's and ryan gomes be able to keep up what they hinted at last season? There is no reason why they would and Wilcox wouldn't and as far as his contract goes- its only three years- hardly a contract to retire on - He'll be plenty motivated.</div>Are you saying that Seattle is as talented as Phoenix is? And have u ever heard of guys named Raja Bell or Shawn Marion?
i'll cop Shawn Marion but Raja bell??????and i was only saying that it is possible to win without a great defense.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clangus @ Aug 18 2006, 07:49 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>No one in phoenix knows how to spell defense either. Whats your point?Why would the delonte west's and ryan gomes be able to keep up what they hinted at last season? There is no reason why they would and Wilcox wouldn't and as far as his contract goes- its only three years- hardly a contract to retire on - He'll be plenty motivated.</div>when phoenix was fully healthy, they were a decent defensive team. Boris Diaw, Shawn Marion, Kurt Thomas, Raja Bell. Chris Wilcox even said in an interview that he needed to pick up his game BC it was a contract year. If Gomes and West perform how they did in the second half of the season, and we stay healthy, i can guarantee a better record than the Sonics. If Gomes and West make a jump and we stay healthy, then we will make the playoffs.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (clangus @ Aug 18 2006, 07:56 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>i'll cop Shawn Marion but Raja bell??????and i was only saying that it is possible to win without a great defense.</div>Raja bell is a pretty good defender, but i guess you wouldn't know. and i never said you had to have "great" defense, but Seattle's is arguably the WORST in the league.
yeah your right they are horrific. That doesn't mean that they cant win!! thats all im saying. To be perfectly honest i really dont think there will be very much difference record wise between the C's and the sonics.But i guess we'll have to wait and see.
i'm predicting atleast an 8 game difference between the Sonics and Cs.They are not a talented enough team to make up for their horrible defense. They have no rebounding or inside presence whatsoever. They just have a bunch of shooters and a good playmaker.
The Atlanta Hawks WILL make the playoffs next season, Speedy Claxton will have a much bigger impact than people give him credit for. He averaged a solid 12 points, 5 assists, 1.5 steals off the bench last season.With Atlanta having a true Point Guard running the show they should make some noise in the Eastern Conference.
that was bold. but they have made a great jump this offseason. I don't think they'll make the playoffs, but they certainly won't be a pushover.
The Hornets are so deep this year theyll make it fsho...they fell off of the 6th seed at the end of the season this year if you rememberDEEPPG: Paul | B. JacksonSG: Mason | PargoSF: Peja | ButlerPF: West | SimmonsC: Chandler | M. Jackson | Armstrongone more wing and theyre all setedit: wow looks like they might be planning for Desmond and Peja to play big minutes with BJax backing up both guard postions and Rasual backing up the 3all the guys at the 4/5 will be playing for minutes, they should all be pretty efficientdo you ppl realise that for Utah and Hosuton to be in the playoffs they have to be better than either NOK Mem or LAL?houston could do it, dont bet any money on utah this year though
