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- Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 8:04am #60814
The2ndComingParticipantNow that the biggest free agents are off the table, who are the favorites to make the Finals next year? Top 3 from East and West conference:
East
1) Cleveland
2) Chicago
3) Miami*
*Assuming Wade and Bosh are healthy come playoff time. Otherwise, i’d put Atlanta here
West
1) San Antonio
2) Golden State
3) Houston (tough one here with OKC, Dallas and Memphis being extremely close)
Cavs are obvious in the East. With Aldrige, this might be the most stacked Spurs team we’ve ever seen. No weak link on the offensive end and they can easily be a top 10 team defensively as well with Leonard and Duncan leading the way. If GSW and SA meet in the conference finals, it’ll be a battle for the ages.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:09am #997961
mgreener_34ParticipantWith the exception of the Warriors, I just don’t see how OKC can’t be the favorites out West if they are fully healthy. They have the most talented, versatile, and athletic roster in the entire NBA. Have the best shot blocker, and arguably 2 of the top 5 players in the entire league.
We all know how good they have been since 2011, and that was with a horrible coach. Even if Billy D is average, he’s still going to be much better than Scott Brooks who literally had zero offensive focus, and couldn’t draw up a play to save his life. If KD is 100% this team could steam roll their way to the conferense finals. A lineup of:
Kanter-Adams
Ibaka-McGary
Durant-Singler
Morrow-Waiters
Westbrook-Augustine
Is just way too much for most teams to handle. Last year the Thunder were still 10th in OFF while having the best offensive player in league out for 55 games, and won 45 games pretty much on the back of one player. I think having Westbrook be the man for a year is only going to help the Thunder, as now they know they have two MVP caliber players that they can go to.
Kanter now gives them a solid 3rd or 4th option who can score downlow, and had an awesome 19/11 average for the Thunder. His 17.5 offensive rebounding rate is insane, and giving that Thunder team more shots is going to be scary considering they were 4th in the entire NBA in pts last year.
Like I mentioned before though, with the exception of the readdition of KD, the Thunders biggest addition is Billy Donovan. He’s not going to play terrible players like Robertson and Perks, so the Thunder should be one of the more effiecient teams this year in terms of scoring the ball. Donnovan is the exact opposite of Brooks in that he doesn’t like to run iso plays, and is a fan of ball movement and spacing. The Thunder have the personel for this type of system already with great shooters in Singler/Morrow/KD/Ibaka/DJ and they have the players who are able to break down a defense off the dribble in Waiters/Westbrook/KD.
I really think a healthy OKC team will win it all next year.
0- Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:26am #997967
bmac697ParticipantYou forgot collison and Payne. This team is super deep and I may be biased but I’m putting my money where my mouth is and saying a healthy okc team makes the finals. But the Spurs did get deeper with Aldridge pick up
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:26am #998111
bmac697ParticipantYou forgot collison and Payne. This team is super deep and I may be biased but I’m putting my money where my mouth is and saying a healthy okc team makes the finals. But the Spurs did get deeper with Aldridge pick up
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 3:07pm #998212
The2ndComingParticipantOffensively, i’ll give you that OKC can potentially be even more scary then SA with all the weapons they have but they have major concerns on the other side of the ball. Opponents scored ~102 points/game on average (23rd in the league) and had a 103.1 defensive efficieny rating, putting them in the bottom half of the league. They’ve picked up no help on that end so far in free agency and aren’t likely to do so at this point. That starting line up is arguably tops in the league in scoring, but will be giving up 100+ points to the 76ers.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 3:07pm #998067
The2ndComingParticipantOffensively, i’ll give you that OKC can potentially be even more scary then SA with all the weapons they have but they have major concerns on the other side of the ball. Opponents scored ~102 points/game on average (23rd in the league) and had a 103.1 defensive efficieny rating, putting them in the bottom half of the league. They’ve picked up no help on that end so far in free agency and aren’t likely to do so at this point. That starting line up is arguably tops in the league in scoring, but will be giving up 100+ points to the 76ers.
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- Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:09am #998105
mgreener_34ParticipantWith the exception of the Warriors, I just don’t see how OKC can’t be the favorites out West if they are fully healthy. They have the most talented, versatile, and athletic roster in the entire NBA. Have the best shot blocker, and arguably 2 of the top 5 players in the entire league.
We all know how good they have been since 2011, and that was with a horrible coach. Even if Billy D is average, he’s still going to be much better than Scott Brooks who literally had zero offensive focus, and couldn’t draw up a play to save his life. If KD is 100% this team could steam roll their way to the conferense finals. A lineup of:
Kanter-Adams
Ibaka-McGary
Durant-Singler
Morrow-Waiters
Westbrook-Augustine
Is just way too much for most teams to handle. Last year the Thunder were still 10th in OFF while having the best offensive player in league out for 55 games, and won 45 games pretty much on the back of one player. I think having Westbrook be the man for a year is only going to help the Thunder, as now they know they have two MVP caliber players that they can go to.
Kanter now gives them a solid 3rd or 4th option who can score downlow, and had an awesome 19/11 average for the Thunder. His 17.5 offensive rebounding rate is insane, and giving that Thunder team more shots is going to be scary considering they were 4th in the entire NBA in pts last year.
Like I mentioned before though, with the exception of the readdition of KD, the Thunders biggest addition is Billy Donovan. He’s not going to play terrible players like Robertson and Perks, so the Thunder should be one of the more effiecient teams this year in terms of scoring the ball. Donnovan is the exact opposite of Brooks in that he doesn’t like to run iso plays, and is a fan of ball movement and spacing. The Thunder have the personel for this type of system already with great shooters in Singler/Morrow/KD/Ibaka/DJ and they have the players who are able to break down a defense off the dribble in Waiters/Westbrook/KD.
I really think a healthy OKC team will win it all next year.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:26am #997969
HitsterParticipantThe betting has Cavs as favourites out East and the Spurs as favourites out West. I think that GSW are still good value as they have maintained their young roster but I’d never bet against a strong Spurs team.
I think 2003 Spurs may have been stronger than the current roster given Duncan was at his peak then but it would be a close call.
Houston have to be respected if they keep D12 fit and a healthy KD makes the Thunder a 50 plus win team.
Chicago again may revolve around D-Rose’s knees, however good Jimmy Butler may become I still think they need D-Rose back to his best to really be serious contenders.
The Cavs if everyone stays fit would still be my preference to win the overall title.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:26am #998113
HitsterParticipantThe betting has Cavs as favourites out East and the Spurs as favourites out West. I think that GSW are still good value as they have maintained their young roster but I’d never bet against a strong Spurs team.
I think 2003 Spurs may have been stronger than the current roster given Duncan was at his peak then but it would be a close call.
Houston have to be respected if they keep D12 fit and a healthy KD makes the Thunder a 50 plus win team.
Chicago again may revolve around D-Rose’s knees, however good Jimmy Butler may become I still think they need D-Rose back to his best to really be serious contenders.
The Cavs if everyone stays fit would still be my preference to win the overall title.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:38am #997977
Reptilian MonkParticipantI think everyone underestimates OKC. OKC could have been in multiple Finals and beat the Spurs but one year westbrook was in jured the next year Ibaka was injured. Last year KD was injured. If they all stay healthy they an easily be the most balanced talented team.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:38am #998121
Reptilian MonkParticipantI think everyone underestimates OKC. OKC could have been in multiple Finals and beat the Spurs but one year westbrook was in jured the next year Ibaka was injured. Last year KD was injured. If they all stay healthy they an easily be the most balanced talented team.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:43am #997983
llperezmy top 4 for next year. Any one of these teams could win it all or finish the year on top. I think people are sleeping on the thunder, if healthy i think they are as good as anyone. My next two teams would be houston and chicago but i think they are both a clear step behind these 4.
1-cavaliers
2-thunder
3-warriors
4-spurs
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 9:43am #998128
llperezmy top 4 for next year. Any one of these teams could win it all or finish the year on top. I think people are sleeping on the thunder, if healthy i think they are as good as anyone. My next two teams would be houston and chicago but i think they are both a clear step behind these 4.
1-cavaliers
2-thunder
3-warriors
4-spurs
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 11:40am #998156
halfdecayedParticipantI think for the Cavs, they would prefer going against OKC and im confident they would smoke them. Who guards Lebron? GSW hardly could keep him under 40 ppg and they had alot of bodies to throw at him and Iggy did an excellent job on Lebron. You think Durant can even contain Lebron? crazy man. + Love will pull Ibaka out to the 3 point line, negating his shot blocking abilities. Honestly, if they are matched against OKC, that’s a big break for Cleveland, they would win in 5 or 6.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 11:40am #998011
halfdecayedParticipantI think for the Cavs, they would prefer going against OKC and im confident they would smoke them. Who guards Lebron? GSW hardly could keep him under 40 ppg and they had alot of bodies to throw at him and Iggy did an excellent job on Lebron. You think Durant can even contain Lebron? crazy man. + Love will pull Ibaka out to the 3 point line, negating his shot blocking abilities. Honestly, if they are matched against OKC, that’s a big break for Cleveland, they would win in 5 or 6.
0- Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 3:25pm #998218
jerb2011ParticipantThat may be true, but OKC has more players to worry about than the Cavs all together. KD, Russ, Ibaka, Morrow, Waiters, Kanter (potentially), Mcgary and Steven Adams are only going to improve, along with the shooting ability of Singler and Augustine. Adding in a coach that involves spacing, ball movement, and a spread pick and roll offense to one of the best pick and roll offenses in the league the last 5 years. It won’t be so predictable on for defenses unlike Scott Brooks
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 3:25pm #998073
jerb2011ParticipantThat may be true, but OKC has more players to worry about than the Cavs all together. KD, Russ, Ibaka, Morrow, Waiters, Kanter (potentially), Mcgary and Steven Adams are only going to improve, along with the shooting ability of Singler and Augustine. Adding in a coach that involves spacing, ball movement, and a spread pick and roll offense to one of the best pick and roll offenses in the league the last 5 years. It won’t be so predictable on for defenses unlike Scott Brooks
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- Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 11:53pm #998147
sitlbitoParticipantSan Antonio,GSW and OKC are just slightly ahead of Houston and Memphis to me in the West,then you have the whole group battling for a playoffs spot from the Mavs to the Clippers to Utah,Phoenix,New Orleans and we’l see what the T’wolves and Blazers can do.
In the east,Cavs ahead of:Chicago,Atlanta,Wizards,Bucks,Raptors. Then it’s wide open.
My pick though: San Antonio Spurs.
0 - Posted on: Sat, 07/04/2015 - 11:53pm #998292
sitlbitoParticipantSan Antonio,GSW and OKC are just slightly ahead of Houston and Memphis to me in the West,then you have the whole group battling for a playoffs spot from the Mavs to the Clippers to Utah,Phoenix,New Orleans and we’l see what the T’wolves and Blazers can do.
In the east,Cavs ahead of:Chicago,Atlanta,Wizards,Bucks,Raptors. Then it’s wide open.
My pick though: San Antonio Spurs.
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