[AccountCanBeDeletedParticipant]

Got this poll/question directly from Nba.com, but figured that it could bring up a good discussion. Also, was pretty stunned with the results to be honest.

Which of these teams that missed the playoffs in 2012 is most likely to earn a playoff bid this season?

Rockets
52564 – 50%
Warriors
11913 – 11%
Wolves
39614 – 38%

I honestly don’t see the Rockets having any chance with their current roster, too many young players, too many positions stacked, no all-star player presence. I just don’t see how they can make it in the West, might just be me. These Lin/Rocket fans are getting annoying thinking that he’s going to come and do a J.Kidd or something and make the finals.

Seriously though just got annoyed when I saw the result, really the Rockets over the Wolves/Warriors. SMH.

Anyways would love to know your thoughts on this. Who do you think most likely?/least likely? + reasons as to why you think this.

[bangbangwayne sr]

If dat aussie dude can stay clean and heallthy

[F_S mock]

rockets:

man this team is fun to watch. they’re playing a run a gun style that suits their player very well. chandler parsons is gonna be nice… they got a lot of young pieces who compliment each other really well.

they’re one of my favorite teams to watch already. they’re stacked with talent

[TomShoeParticipant]

 If they can survive until Rubio is healthy, this team looks poised for a playoff run. They have an all star, a floor general, and a great supporting cast.

The Rockets just won’t make the playoffs, because the West is stacked, and the team is too inexperienced.

[GrandmamaParticipant]

 The T-Wolves were 5-20 last year with Rubio out.  He won’t be back until mid January at the earliest, and probably won’t play huge minutes right away.  They aren’t making the playoffs.

[roni3Participant]

Rubio is coming back around december no way he is out until mid january that could be another 4-6 weeks if you put it that way.

[corneggParticipant]

Very Stunning

 

[Kinguy11Participant]

Timberwolves for me. Rubio – Roy – Kirilenko – Love -Pekovic. Seems pretty likely to me.

I laughed when I saw 50% of people buying into Lin’s hype / voting for the Rockets.

[TallmanNYCParticipant]

 I don’t agree with that voting above. But I’m not counting out the rockets. First, I think Lin will be good. Secound, I think Asik is going to be good and will be regarded as about the 10th best center in the league by Christmas. If you have a legit starter at PG and Center you are going to win games. That said, the West is so stacked that I don’t think Playoffs are a possibility for the Rockets. Just expect them to make some noise when they come East. 

Wolves are a lock for the playoffs. Roy looks like an NBA level player. Kirelenko will be good. Love is a star. Pekovic is good and Rubio is good and Ridour is fine until Rubio gets back. Williams looks improved. Budinger is NBA level talent and production. Steisman is a quality backup Center. The Wolves are solid. 

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

None of those three teams are likely to make the playoffs. There has to be some kind of reason to believe that a team can surpass LAL, OKC, San Antonio, Denver, LAC, Memphis, Dallas, or Utah. Heck, Portland was better than Golden State and Minnesota in what was for them a horribly dysfunctional season. All they need for is Damian Lillard and Nolan Smith to be better than what they got from Raymond Felton and Jamal Crawford to feel decent about their chance at improving. Now, if Andrew Bogut plays 75+ healthy games and Stephen Curry stays reasonably healthy, then one can make the argument for Golden State. They have a legitimate playoff rotation with Curry, Thompson, Barnes, Lee, Bogut, Landry, Jack, and Rush/Jefferson/Green. If Bogut turns into Biedrins, Ezeli, and Tyler, they have a problem. If Curry and Jack turn into Jack and Charles Jenkins, they have another problem. It is hard to predict that heath given the history of Bogut and Curry.The Rockets haven’t played a lick of defense in the preseason, and are extremely inexperienced. It is entirely possible that they can have a 2-deep where only Kevin Martin and Toney Douglas are the only two who have played more than 2,500 minutes in their NBA career. It can be a rather talented group that can win its share of home games, but they are going to be inexperienced and face all the bumps of being that way. Minnesota is just living off nonsensical ESPN hype, which I find funny because this thread is basically insulted anyone not believe what they have read and now believe. Minnesota doesn’t play defense, and aren’t even that good offensively. They hung around .500 when they didn’t have to travel in a compressed schedule that ruined the records of every non-elite team in the league. They then actually had to go on the road and died like every other bad team (5-20). Here is the thing, Detroit was also a bad team last year. They started with a travel heavy schedule and went 4-20. They closed 21-21. What does that mean? Nothing. Bad is bad however and wherever is comes about, but one team’s bad is a talking point for ESPN’s cheerleaders and the other is something nobody has mentioned.    

[NbanflguyParticipant]

You just always ignore the fact that the wolves were a above .500 road team and a top 15 defense in the 41 games with Ricky Rubio. We also didnt have Rubio the last 25 games of the year, Pek missed most of the last 25 games, Love missed time, Barea and Beasley as well. The twolves of the last 25 games of the year were a injured mess and nothing like the first 41.

[BothTeamsPlayedHardParticipant]

1) Travel is not just about whether the game is at home or on the road. It is getting on the plane after a game and going to a new city every night. Minnesota had a skewed schedule to where they had a very, very light travel schedule for the first half of the season. They were a middling team when the deck was stacked in their favor, and then they collapsed. I pointed this out at the time, and correctly predicted the fall because they still had to travel and play divisional games. If I remember correctly, you were one of the fanboys who were calling me a hater for daring to point this out.

2) Minnesota was had already gone 4-14 when Love was shut down. They were already in the toilet at that point, but nice try. 

3) Minnesota was 5-5 in the ten games Pekovic missed in March. 

4) Rubio was replaced capably by Ridnour and Barea. Ridnour averaged 13.8 points and 7.8 assists per after Rubio went down. Barea averaged 14.1 points and 8.6 assists per. Also, neither shot 35.7 percent from the floor like Rubio or the 33 percent shooting that Rubio did in February and March. I like Rubio and always have, but he was hitting the rookie wall. His shooting and assist counts were already dropping (from 91 in his first 25 games to 6.8 in his final 16) . You don’t think that would have gotten even worse when they went on a 19-game run where they didn’t have back-to-back home games?

[baggin13Participant]

Maybe this vote was also international, like the All Star staters. I could be wrong, but maybe their is some support for the Rockets coming from our friends on the Asian condinent.

Also Wolves for sure

[NCarmean18Participant]

 I’d really like to say Golden State, however the injuries are far too concearning to me.  If Bogut is out, they will get limited production from the 5-spot, something NBA team’s cherish in today’s game.  Steph is always a threat to go down with those bad ankles, so I just can’t really pick Golden State. 

To me, it’s Minnesota.  They have revamped their roster tremendously, and I think it will really help.  Kirilenko, Roy, Schved, and even Steimsma were all pretty solid additions to the team.  Kirilenko can defend and rebound for a perimeter player.  Roy can score, pass, defend, and add some quality veteran leadership.  Schved can shoot from the perimeter, something this team desperately needs, and Stiemsma can block shots and defend.  They all have important roles, and they all will fill them quite nicely. 

[u mad broParticipant]

 wolves are a lock if they can avoid injuries. G-state is a chance and rockets….helllsss nawww

[LipstickParticipant]

Portland sure as hell is not getting in, but they have a better chance than Houston.

[OhCanada-Participant]

 @TailmanNYC

If upgrading the PG and C positions is all it takes to win games in the East then I guess the Raptors adding Lowry and Valanciunas (who I think will have a similar season to Asik as far as the foul problems on defence goea but with more offensive polish) then the Raptors are a for sure playoff team considering they also retained their starters from a year ago with Jose Calderon and Amir Johnson.

The fact is Toronto (who I must mention since Im a homer), Minneaota, GSW and Houston are all very likely to miss the playoffs.

You could definitely make a case for the Wolves except for the fact that they have their two best players Rubio and Love out for a month and a half of the season, which leaves them with Kirilenko and Roy which are two of the most injury prone players in the NBA and Pekovic the undersized Center version of Kyle Humphries.

 

 

i

[LipstickParticipant]

Pek’s a superb post on offense and a solid rebounder (not great, but at least good) and their schedule can allow them to stay at.500 with Love out. Still, the odds are stacking up.

Toronto can definitely get in. There’s Miami-Boston-Brooklyn-New York-Indiana-Chicago-Philly and then…..? That last spot is up to the likes of Atlanta, Toronto, Milwaukee and who knows who else. I think Toronto has a legitimate shot and it’s possible that Chicago and Philly crash and burn out of the gate without a healthy Rose and Bynum.

I see Toronto as the East’s T-Wolves or Golden State, a team that quietly beefed up in the off-season while dealing with an injured star least season in Bargnani. I just don’t know about DeRozan, though. He has to be better on both sides of the floor, but I love how they got Lowry and Valanciunas.

[F_S]

 guess who’s right HAHAHA

[ProudGrandpaParticipant]

Go do anatomically impossible things to yourself before I do anatomically impossible things for you.

[Author]

Posts