Stars win, how much did continuity matter for the Raptors? Or GS, KD’s first year? They’re best two players are flat out better than Portlands Best two, you could argue Dame in the same range as them, but after that its a pretty big gap.
Healthy stars win, neither LeBron nor Davis are. I personally am getting tired of Lakers anointed champions before the season starts.
Championship odds are a funny thing. I could easily see Portland having the better record but LA having the better chance of winning a title. They're less likely to get there, but more likely to be successful if they do.
It matters a lot for the supporting cast. Both Raptors and GS had a half dozen guys who played critical roles for multiple seasons. A couple all stars can be added to that and fit in nicely. Boston had that when KG and Allen joined, both teams you mentioned, even LeBron Cavs. Dont think we've ever seen a team return only two rotational players such as LeBron and Kuzma then win a title.
Title odds are set to generate betting interest while not creating a liability for the casino. Over under win totals are much more accurate predictor, you can choose which side to bet if the house creates a bad line. There is no way to bet against the Lakers title odds if you think those title odds are terrible.
How many people anywhere, not just S2, June 2018, said Toronto would be next champion? How many said Portland would be in the WCF?
No matter what happens in the offseason, Collins has to start next year. If we bring Aminu back, he or Harkless (if he's still on the roster) has to come of the bench, Aminu and Harkless cant play together anymore, it makes the game for Dame and CJ so much harder with 2 bad offensive players
The team can't get any better until one or both of those guys is replaced. Both are good enough to be useful bench guys, but both (albeit for different reasons) are overmatched as starters on a play-off team. Is Collins the answer? Frankly, I have my doubts - but they have to give him a chance to prove he can be. He is the closest thing we have to an internal solution and there is no realistic way to bring in an upgrade.
A lil rocky over in Houston. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...amn-turmoil-unsettling-vibe-surrounds-rockets
It's funny, on Sirius NBA, all the talk in the Western Conference is about the Lakers, Rockets and GSW. Pretty much saying it will be all about Houston and LA since GSW are injured etc. Not a peep about Portland that I heard. Basically, going to the WCF did nothing to improve the view of the Blazers in some minds.
At first I thought this worked better if you said a little rocky over in Denver because of the mountains, but then I thought well Houston Rockets, Rocky, a little Rocky over in Houston. Yeah, it works, your headline is good.
Not showing up is really the problem, I guarantee you had the Blazers made it a 6-7 game series they'd be like well maybe they're good enough to take down GS if they are healthy. Getting swept by GS gave the media a lot of confirmation bias that they didn't think Portland was a legit threat, and they still don't.
They mentioned the Blazers on the DP Show this morning. I think people recognize what we have going on here.