<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> 1.Pistons-You know by now the treatment defending champs get here. Especially when their roster looks better, with Dice and Delfino, than it did in June. 2.Spurs-Pop says he 'hated' the Shaq trade because beating the three-peaters was the ultimate challenge. The bet here is he'll get over it once these Spurs start rolling. 3.Timberwolves-No one doubts them in the playoffs any more. The doubts of note are attached to Cassell's hip, because Sam I Am absolutely has to be healthy for Minny to stay up here. 4.Heat-The committee has always found South Beach to be a bit overrated. But that was before it became Shaq-apulco.</div> Full Rankings Nets seem too high for my liking, Warriors are also too high even though in the east they would be decent. Sonics at 29th is also a bad selection, no team with Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis should be that low. They will struggle this year but will not be worse than teams like Clippers, Hawks, Bulls, Wizards and Raptors.
Marc Stein's at it again! .. I could care less about the other rankings, but the Raptors have got to be better than 2nd last in the East. Oh and by the way, Toronto has a better team than Seattle.
I like these rankings alot. It's so hard to rank teams before the season starts, but I think he did a pretty good job. I also like the fact that he acknowlegdes that he may be shortchanging the Celtics. That certainly earned him some points with me.
I like the rankings too. I've been thinking that San Antonio is in the driver seat, but the Pistons addition of Dice just might make them a repeat champion. I understand the huge jump by Miami, for one very obvious reason. As a Mav's fan, I'm pretty good with the Mav's #10 ranking since the loss of Nash was a huge hit, looking at it from a national perspective. The local perspective has been that we need to play championship caliber defense, and I'm happy with the progress the team made in the offseason toward that goal, but they will take time to learn the new system and the goal is to peak for the playoffs. I do think the Nuggest, Rockets and Jazz jumping ahead of the Mavs is a little premature, but that seems to be the national perspective on things. Stien is just jumping on that bandwagon. He's right on target about "LA's smallish roster ".
Even with the addition of Shaq, I'm weary of them moving Miami all the way to #4. They lost alot of supporting talent in that trade and I'm not sure thier bench is as deep as needed to secure that kind of overall league ranking, but I guess when you've got a back as big as Shaq's to carry you, people expect big things. Shortchanging the C's? I'm intrigued by that one. Most publications aren't giving the C's enough respect, some even ranking them behind the decimated Nets, so it's hard for me to argue ESPN's ranking since they are alot more inline with my own thoughts that the C's are going to make more noise than people expect this season.
Why do people love the Jazz so much? I was annoyed with Steve Kerr's rankings, but Stein is supposed to be reputable. It's almost as if he enjoys acting otherwise.
Steve Kerrs rankings in my eyes were so <font color="DarkRed">(edited for masked profanity</font>) that I was like screamin at my computer... he's like the stupidest guy in the world, honestly, I could rate better than him with 1 brain lobe shut off.
I Liked the Pistons at #1 Myself.as with their defense,they have a great shot at repeating for the NBA Crown.in my opinon the #1 Ranking was very approriate.
I would put the Spurs, I think they are the best team(I don't think they'll win a championship though). I think the Heat will win the championship. I love the Pistons but I don't think they will be able to repeat. Wizards at 27? What are they thinking? And with the Sonics at 29th. I think the Blazers are up too high. They're good but not that good.
Your the Champs until someone eles becomes the Champs. Good move putting Detroit at #1. The Warrors at #15 I know they will be improved but not that great, they lost Dampier, who was their man guy on the boards. The Jazz are also a bit high, they got Boozer in free agentcy and thats about it. The Sixers are a little low they should be anywhere from 18-20, I don't see how the Magic are better then them. The top 5 is pretty right on the money, if anything I would drop the Spurs down and move the T'Wolves up one. What a difference a year makes eh? Can I finally say that the East is now even with the West?
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Can I finally say that the East is now even with the West?</div> The East isn't quite there, from a top to bottom perspective, but it's getting closer.
The only 'talent' the Heat lost was Lamar Odom. Caron and Grant are easily replaceable. There will be more Odoms, Grants, and Butlers before there will be more Shaqs. I remember Riley saying that last year's team were about 3 years away from competing with teams like Detroit.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">The East isn't quite there, from a top to bottom perspective, but it's getting closer.</div> I'd say next year,we will see the East being even with the West.but the West is still the domintating factor in the NBA.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There will be more Odoms, Grants, and Butlers before there will be more Shaqs.</div> If ever there was a "master of the obvious" statement, that would be it. Of course you can replace guards of thier caliber faster than centers of Shaq's caliber. You didn't consider the important part of the statement. I said SUPPORTING talent. Shaq may be the most dominating force in the NBA, but no man wins NBA championships by himself. It goes along with this thought: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">and I'm not sure thier bench is as deep as needed to secure that kind of overall league ranking</div> Again, to win, you need a team effort. If Shaq's gotta log 40+ mins a game all season, you can be sure he'll end up either injured or completely worn out by the time the playoffs roll around. Since we're making obvious statements: If you take Shaq from Miami's lineup, the odds in Vegas of them competing for a championship will shift from a contender, to a long shot, faster than a Ferrari goes from 0-60.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hagrid:</div><div class="quote_post">The East isn't quite there, from a top to bottom perspective, but it's getting closer.</div> Well if you can take the top 3 teams from the east and west, I think the east might be better: East: West: 1. Pistons 1. Spurs 2. Pacers 2. T'Wovles 3. Heat 3: Kings East is getting there, but from the top 3 teams I would say it's a tie.
i think miami is too high. You have to let them play and see before you rank them like that. You never know, shaq could end up hurting this team. Not saying he will (there is a 85% chance he will help it) but i think the heat will be beat out by detroit or the pacers and the spurs timberwolves and kings are all better in my opinion, but then again it is just my opinion.
Miami is ranked up too high. Just because Shaq is there doesnt mean that theyre gonna instantly win a championship. They should be lower than the Kings.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">There's still too much there to drop Dallas out of the top 10 sans Nash. That said, looks like Mavs still have too many scorers and not enough passers, even if they do improve on D.</div> Big deal they lost Nash im getting tired of hearing that. They got Jason Terry, and Devin Harris. I find this too much of an overated statement, JT is a good passer and they did improve on D. Again so what they lost Nash, I still think the Mavs will get passed the 1st round, maybe not past the Semis, but I guarantee past the 1st.
