<div class="quote_poster">kobe4life Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">The history said defense wins championship. The Mavs and Spurs will win it all simply because they can turn on the defense whenever they want to.</div> the way Lakers D-ed up last night you could put them in the conversation also
<div class="quote_poster">Team Steven 01 Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">in all honestly...i think it has to do a lot with the western playoff standings....i think that will determine everything. no one wants to play the suns or mavericks. the spurs are not as threatening this year as they were even last year. many people are saying that it will be the mavericks....they have the best record, but if phoenix didnt have that slow start during amares first games back, it would be a different story.</div>I can't completely agree with some of this. While I think the standings out West will help determine it, I have to disagree about the Spurs. They may not be playing as well as they have in years past, but they're still a great team and they're still going to be very tough in the playoffs. As long as Tim Duncan is manning the paint and Pops is running the show, they're going to threaten. They almost did it last year when Manu was battling injuries and Timmy had plantar fasciatis. So, to rule them out because they're struggling right now is just insane. As for your thing about Phoenix potentially having the better record if not for a slow start, I'm not sure if you realize this, but no team out West came out of the blocks slower than Dallas. They started off 0-4. If that's not a slow start, I don't know what is, so that argument is pretty null and void. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">finals-Suns vs Cavs</div>Cavs aren't even the 2nd best team out East right now. The Bulls are playing great basketball as of late and they're playing lockdown defense. Oh yea, and Ben Gordon has become that scorer that everyone claimed they needed. Did I mention that the Pistons just got better by adding CWebb? It also helps that Billups is back, so expect them to gain some steam as we get closer to the All Star Break. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">MVP- nash vs dirk vs lebron</div>I don't see how you can't mention Kobe. The Lakers might be the surprise of the league with how well they've played. He has them in contention for a potential top four seed out West, and he's made sure the team hasn't faltered without Odom and Kwame. He's playing more passively this year and getting teammates involved and making players better. I don't see how you can mention LeBron in there, who's stats are very, very similar to Kobe's, and NOT put Kobe in there. The Lakers are actually having a better season in a MUCH better conference, and if they were out East, they'd be the top seed, instead of the 5th. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> 6th man- Leandro Barbosa, i dont think that will be close</div>There's this guy out in Chicago named Ben Gordon. You may have heard of him before. Well, anyways, he's currently averaging 21ppg off the bench. That leads the Bulls in scoring. Barbosa, on the other hand, only averagin 16ppg. So, despite what you think, it definitely looks like it should (or at least could) be going to Ben Gordon again. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">rookie of the year- adam morrison</div>The very thought of this almost makes me ill. He's played like crap all year. His shooting percentage is pathetic. He's turned into somewhat of a jump shooter instead of doing what he does best, and that's take the ball to the hoop. If I had a vote right now, it'd go to Foye. It's just really unfortunate that Brandon Roy had to miss the better part of two months, otherwise it'd be him. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">coach of the year- up in the air...</div>How about Phil Jackson? Not too sure if anyone saw the Lakers being as good as they are, and a lot of that credit has to go to Phil. He's done a brilliant job coaching this year, and it might actually be his finest job to date, but we'll have to wait til the end of the season before we can make that assumption. And if not him, how about Jerry Sloan. I didn't think the Jazz would be this good, so they've certainly been a pleasant surprise, even if they have fallen off as of late. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> most improved-luke walton</div>I love the pick, but I'd give it to Kevin Martin out in Sac-town. He's averaging 21/5/2, and while Luke is having a great season and all, I'd give it to him in a heartbeat over Luke. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">defensive-yo no se'</div>How about Marcus Camby? 10pts/12rbds/3blks. Not too shabby if you ask me.
<div class="quote_poster">phunDamentalz Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">i respect that point of view but the reason why I think Phoenix will win it all is because they have proven they can beat the Lakers in the playoffs, the Spurs (unfortunately) are having an off year and offensively are stagnant as all hell and playing with little inspiration, and Dallas STILL has no answer for Amare. So it's not that I think they're such an amazing team, more like that all the matchups in the west are favorable for them. so it's more about the path they will take than the team itself. PLUS, if you can get up 20 or 25 points by the fourth quarter which they are fully capable of doing against just about anyone in the league, how many key stops do you need?</div>The past doesn't mean jack. They barely escaped the Lakers and then barely escaped the Clippers. And might I remind you, but the Lakers are a MUCH, MUCH different team than last year, and they're much better as well. I wouldn't really say the Spurs are having an off year either. They're going through a rough stretch, but they'll pick it up. Pops won't let the team slide too long, and neither will Duncan. And while Dallas has no answer for Amare (even though I think Damp and Diop do a solid job), who's stopping Dirk? No one. There isn't a single player on that lineup that can stop him. Diaw is too short. Marion is too short. Amare isn't quick enough to keep up with him on the perimeter. So, while I think Amare can be contained by the bigs of the Mavs, there is NO ONE who can stop Dirk. Plus, if they start focusing on him too much, Jet and Howard will burn them as well. Beyond all of this though, as what has already been mentioned, they will KILL the Suns on the boards. The Suns can go ahead and shoot 50+%, but it's not going to do them any good when Dallas is raking in 15+ OREB and getting 20+ 2nd chance points. So, unless they find a way to contain Dirk and manage to stop them on the boards, there is no way the Suns can take them in a seven game series. They're not physical enough and are just not a good enough rebounding team to do it.
I'll be shocked if it isn't the Mavs, Suns, or Spurs. I'm leaning towards the Mavs right now. I think the Spurs could turn it on in playoff time as well. The Suns are an exciting team, and they might be the best when fully healthy. But they're going with a 7-man rotation right now, and 6 of them are playing 30+ MPG. Their lack of depth could hurt them a lot if they suffer an injury to any of those players.
