If we can stay a top 2 seed, we most likely won't face OKC in the first round. Hollinger's simulations currently have them as 8th seed, but remember, that projection starts with their performance to date. With the injuries to their two best players, he only has them ranked 12th in the league in his current Power Rankings. With Westbrook, and especially Durant, healthy, they are better than the 12th best team in the league. They will continue to climb up the standings. As tough as the West is, I don't know if they will be able to make it all the way to HCA, but expect them to at least get up to the 6th or possibly even the 5th seed by season's end, likely passing the Spurs and the Rockets. There is way too much basketball to play to know where everyone will finish, but if we want to avoid OKC in the first round, we should try to land a top 2 seed, or top 3 at the very least. The West is gong to be VERY interesting come late March/early April as teams 2 - 8 are all jockeying for HCA and favorable match ups (if there is even such a thing this year). BNM
Yeah OKC is an anomaly. They may even get HCA. That's why I want our team to win the most possible, regardless who's under us
Yeah, all the other top teams in the West, besides the Spurs, are playing so well OKC has a big battle to get all the way to HCA. It will be interesting to see who slips. I think the Spurs will right the ship and play better as the season progresses. They've had a lot of injuries and Pop has really been resting his vets to the point of giving games away in December so they will be rested and ready come April and May. Man, if everyone stays reasonably healthy, I think the West is going to be a real dogfight, like we've never seen in the entire history of the NBA. I think, if healthy, every one of the top 8 teams in the West has a legitimate shot at winning the title. Sure, some teams are a little better than others, but all it takes is one player on any of those 8 teams to get hot and they could beat any of the other 7 in a series. BNM
It doesn't make sense.... are the east teams just THAT bad at drafting, trading, signing, etc? It seems like the west has been the best conference for soooooo long.
The Clippers and Houston haven't really impressed me. I would have added Dallas, but that trade may interfere. It could be just as bad as its good, so I want to watch the next 10-15 games to see where Dallas stands. I have no doubt Spurs will come around and get HCA in the first round. It will be tough for OKC just because of the hole they dug
Not exactly... He made the mistake to claim a team based on 6 games instead of say "let's see how they do in December when they play more .500 teams. Also, there are now 2 more wins that were below .500 that got better and are +.500 when he made that comment. /Kingspeed
He is an analyst who is paid to give his opinion of the NBA as it stands, isn't he? It's like mocking a weather man who correctly says it's sunny out today, but then rains the next three days
Odd that you would jump all over Kingspeed with his claim about Houston, then defend Hubie Brown for using the same form of argument.
Easy. Both were statements early in the season. And actually Hubbie was wrong, since he brought up a beating +.500 team as an argument. The season was barely started, explaining how 3-3 then was really 5-3 now (two teams were -.500 and became +.500 now).
