<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (tHe_pEsTiLeNcE @ Mar 18 2007, 06:02 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The warriors are 6-2 against Dallas, San Antonio, Detroit, and Utah and nobody's parading them as a contender. Point being that performance against good teams doesn't mean too much if you can't beat the bad ones</div>Good Point. Bad teams are scarier to play than the top teams if you are the Lakers.
The weird thing about the Lakers too is we play the good teams better then we play the bad teams.It's like our young guys don't get hyped playing the "lotto" teams.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ Mar 18 2007, 09:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Eh?</div>Woops. I mean to say that I clearly thought the Spurs were the 3rd best team in the league. My bad.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Marvinmartian @ Mar 18 2007, 07:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah he can, and he should. SA is clearly in the top 3 teams, and if you want to debate anything, you can debate if SA is actually the second best team, or possibly even the best team with they way they've played in the past month.As for the 4th best team...To me it's between Utah and Detroit.The Lakers when healthy, if that's a determining factor, and the Rockets are close, also when healthy.I don't buy the Cavs in the top 5 or 6 teams at all, and Miami is a team to look out for, if Wade comes back relatively healthy too.</div>I don't see how you can't buy into the Cavs in the top 5 or 6, I could easily throw them into the top four teams in the league in my opinion. The Cavaliers record wise are right there with Utah and Detroit for having the best records, and are on an 8 game winning streak at this point in time. Throw in the fact that in the past two weeks or so they have beaten both Utah and Detroit, and this team is more than able to hold that number four spot in the NBA. What has amazed me, is this team has proven over this 8 game winning streak, they can both without Lebron James and with Lebron James. They have also proven over the last month or so that they can catch back up, and score when Lebron James is out. So this is not just a one man team, with Lebron James running the show, this team has the looks of being a good team, easily deservable of being called the fourth best team in the league.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (valo35 @ Mar 18 2007, 08:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't see how you can't buy into the Cavs in the top 5 or 6, I could easily throw them into the top four teams in the league in my opinion. The Cavaliers record wise are right there with Utah and Detroit for having the best records, and are on an 8 game winning streak at this point in time. Throw in the fact that in the past two weeks or so they have beaten both Utah and Detroit, and this team is more than able to hold that number four spot in the NBA. What has amazed me, is this team has proven over this 8 game winning streak, they can both without Lebron James and with Lebron James. They have also proven over the last month or so that they can catch back up, and score when Lebron James is out. So this is not just a one man team, with Lebron James running the show, this team has the looks of being a good team, easily deservable of being called the fourth best team in the league.</div>Sorry, I just don't buy into Cleveland that much. They are a good team, but I just don't think of them as an uper echelon team like PHX, Dallas, SA, and this year Detroit and Utah IMO.They have about as good a chance as anyone to get out of the East, but I just wouldn't put them near the top of the list.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Marvinmartian @ Mar 18 2007, 07:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Sorry, I just don't buy into Cleveland that much. They are a good team, but I just don't think of them as an uper echelon team like PHX, Dallas, SA, and this year Detroit and Utah IMO.They have about as good a chance as anyone to get out of the East, but I just wouldn't put them near the top of the list.</div>I agreeI dont see lebron carrying the cavs to the finals. Theyll probly lose to detroit like last year, but this time in the eastern conference finals. I wanna see wizards-cavs playoffs rematch though.
Yeah, I dont buy the Cavs being the 4th best team in the league, or that they could beat Detroit in a series. Cleveland has been inconsistent all year and Zadrunas seems to have taken a step backwards. When they are playing well and really clicking, they are a talented group and Lebron can do anything when he is feeling it, but Detroit is much more experienced and have played alot better than them this year. Gaining Chris Webber and having him play like he has really put them over the top of Cleveland IMO.
Cleveland is right there on the bubble for me, as with Houston. Both teams are very good, but have a lot of key weaknesses which will cost them. also, this whole topic is like asking which is the prettiest ugly step-sister of Cinderella. One of the top 3 teams will win the Title, and the 4th, 5th, 6th,....30th team doesn't really matter.
Dallas, Suns, and Spurs are deff the top 3 who ever thinks other wise is a id*ot no offense. lolJazz are overrated I say. Rockets are better for sure then the Jazz.But I will go as far as to say Denver as the 4th best team.Lakers I think have OVER achieved this season.If Denver starts to click and really work together, and atleast play decent D I have no problem putting them as the 4th best team if they play even half of the way they did against the Suns the first 3 periods.
^Denver????? What makes you think that they are the 4th best team in the NBA? God knows that they have more talent than all teams in the NBA outside of Dallas and Phoenix, but look at them since they got AI. I think that they will turn it around eventually, but they have been playing way too bad to call them the 4th best team. Go ahead and call them the 4th best team if they play like the should, but they arent right now....So, to call them the 4th best team is ridiculous actually.And Utah is not overrated. They started off the season hot, and they cooled off a little bit, but they are still playing great ball. They are a deep team, they have great big thats can play inside or out, they have a great PG, a great coach, and are the best rebounding team in the game...both offensively and defensivley. If I had to choose a 4th best team, it would definalty be between them and Detroit.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Mar 19 2007, 04:00 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>^Denver????? What makes you think that they are the 4th best team in the NBA? God knows that they have more talent than all teams in the NBA outside of Dallas and Phoenix, but look at them since they got AI. I think that they will turn it around eventually, but they have been playing way too bad to call them the 4th best team. Go ahead and call them the 4th best team if they play like the should, but they arent right now....So, to call them the 4th best team is ridiculous actually.And Utah is not overrated. They started off the season hot, and they cooled off a little bit, but they are still playing great ball. They are a deep team, they have great big thats can play inside or out, they have a great PG, a great coach, and are the best rebounding team in the game...both offensively and defensivley. If I had to choose a 4th best team, it would definalty be between them and Detroit.</div>Nah cause they are the 4th best team they just need some more time together they need to larn each other, and click. But yes they are the 4th best team they way I look at it only team I might be fine arguing about is Rockets T-Mac star, and a big presence in side in Yao is great to have a duo like that. They play great D and role players do there thing.Jazz the way I look at it are overrated.And Lakers I think actually over achieved this season.DET is not better then Rockets, Denver, and Jazz.I agree about them being better then the Lakers MAYBE.
Detroit is not better than the Rockets, Denver or the Jazz? Are you kidding? How do you come to that conclusion?
Right now, I would take Detroit over Utah. Detroit is playing great basketball with Chris Webber in their lineup. They have so many options on offense; it's unbelievable. ALL of their starters are capable of getting 15+ on any given night, and two of them are capable of getting 20+. They have excellent ball movement, they are smart players, and of course; all are great on defense except Chris Webber.They are a great team, and I'd say they are 4th best in the League right now.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (The Lefty @ Mar 18 2007, 07:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I never said the Lakers were the 4th best team in the NBA... If you read, I said Detroit was.Then you said the Rockets are better than the Lakers... your obviously just going by records, which is wrong.</div>Whether going by records or not the Rockets to me, are a better team than the Lakers are. The Rockets are a better and more agressive defensive team in my opinion. They have the ability to be a better, and more balanced offensive team than the Lakers having two big time players like Yao in the middle and Mcgrady on the outside. I really see this team being the better of the two, quite easily.<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (blazerspwnu @ Mar 18 2007, 11:21 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I agreeI dont see lebron carrying the cavs to the finals. Theyll probly lose to detroit like last year, but this time in the eastern conference finals. I wanna see wizards-cavs playoffs rematch though.</div>With the way this team has been playing lately, I don't see Lebron having to carry them all the time. Sure he is going to be the driving force behind this team, but I think we are starting to see this team step up and show what they can do without Lebron James, and be able to keep the scoring going without Lebron James in the game. They have scored two of their season high in points, when Lebron James was out of the lineup, as well as cut some deficits when Lebron James was out of the lineup. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ballerman2112 @ Mar 18 2007, 11:25 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Yeah, I dont buy the Cavs being the 4th best team in the league, or that they could beat Detroit in a series. Cleveland has been inconsistent all year and Zadrunas seems to have taken a step backwards. When they are playing well and really clicking, they are a talented group and Lebron can do anything when he is feeling it, but Detroit is much more experienced and have played alot better than them this year. Gaining Chris Webber and having him play like he has really put them over the top of Cleveland IMO.</div>I buy the Cavaliers being able to beat Detroit in a seven game series, and I buy them making it out of the Eastern Conference playoffs this year. They took almost this exact Detroit team to seven games last year. This year they have lost Ben Wallace, who helped to play a major role against Lebron James driving abilities last year in the playoffs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas might have taken a step back, but I believe the rest of the team combined has taken a step forward this season especially with the way they have played the last few games, on the home stretch for the playoffs. Sasha Pavlovic is starting to emerge and show he can help shoulder the scoring load when Lebron James is out, as well as hit the shots when Lebron James is in off the drive and kicks Lebron creates. This Cleveland team is a top rebounding team in the league, usually outrebounding the other teams they play. They play solid team defense, and control the pace of the game well. I really believe if these two teams meet in the playoffs, the Cavaliers are going to make it out this year.
Il keep it simple here.1. Mavs, Suns, Spurs, we know.4. Pistons (Well there' just good :winkglasses: ) 5. Jazz (Very soild team and complete team though I don't see them as the 4th best team in the league due to me not being a huge jazz fan lol, not really .. I just think they just arn't as strong as some of the other teams in the western conference and I see them as a beatable team at times)6. Rockets (God .. don't overlook this team people)7. Cav's (If u saw that pistons/cavs game awhile back then you will know that LeBron can really make a huge impact single handedly and well why wouldn't he do that in the playoffs ?)8. Lakers (Kobe can just go crazy in the playoffs, expect some wins due to kobe's offensive outings, mabye the rest of the guys will pick it up)
Denver. Denver Nuggets. They have finnaly learnt to play as a team.Next year they will be the best team. But so far the are the 4th
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Econizze @ Mar 19 2007, 09:27 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Denver. Denver Nuggets. They have finnaly learnt to play as a team.Next year they will be the best team. But so far the are the 4th</div>Denver the best team next year? No way.They play a team with a good interior defense they are done. Make Melo and AI chuck the jumpers up all day, keep them from penetrating, which San Antonio and Dallas both do well.Detroit is another team, but they're in the East.
Detroit just killed Denver. You guys are getting suckered in with the star syndrome from Denver. They are not better then Detroit, and will not be for the foreseeable future.I'd say Detroit and SA for #3 is very arguable as well.But to me it just depends on what you are using to measure the rankings. I really can't see any team beating Detroit in a 7 game series this year. They just have to much of everything. They have been there before. They have done it before. And they are still hungry and very talented. Before Chris Webber...everything was up in the air. After Chris Webber though..things look amazing. He is so perfect for this team, and IMO it will only get better.The only real questions lie with how the bench will perform in the playoffs. Will Hunter, Flip, and Delfino cut it? I'm not worried about the bigs..mostly just those 3.I dunno, I'd like to think I'm no biased. And after watching Detroit kill Denver. Kill the Suns. And hang with Dallas without Billups, and with rip banged up in the 4th..I'd like to say they are up there.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Serge @ Mar 19 2007, 04:24 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Nah cause they are the 4th best team they just need some more time together they need to larn each other, and click. But yes they are the 4th best team they way I look at it only team I might be fine arguing about is Rockets T-Mac star, and a big presence in side in Yao is great to have a duo like that. They play great D and role players do there thing.Jazz the way I look at it are overrated.And Lakers I think actually over achieved this season.DET is not better then Rockets, Denver, and Jazz.I agree about them being better then the Lakers MAYBE.</div>I am not aruging that Denver doenst have the talent to be the 4th best team, but they way they are playing right now, its ridiculous to say that Denver is the 4th best team. They havent played very well since acquiring Iverson, and they just arent clicking. If they start clicking, they could be the 4th best, but they arent right now...That is just ridiculous. A team with a losing record or a 500 record is the 4th best team in the league? Thats stupid...How are the Jazz overrated? What makes them overrated? Why did the Lakers overachieve? They have had injuries all year and when they were healthy, they could compete with the best of them. Why are Detroit not better than the Rocekts, Denver, or the Jazz? They are first in the east, they have one of the best starting lineups in the game, and they have been doing great as of late. Give me a reasoning, because everything you are saying doesn't make sense.
