This topic contains 32 replies, has 6 voices, and was last updated by 
Platypus 15 years, 10 months ago.
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- Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 6:49pm #21579
llperezObviously not taking huge unforseen injuries, what teams would you guys say are locks to make the playoffs? The west is just so deep to me. Last year all 8 teams won 50 or more games. We all have opinions on who makes it and who doesnt, but im not sure there are any full on locks outside of the lakers. Lets look at teams that have real chances of getting 50 wins in the west(random order):
mavericks-they now have butler and haywood for a full season. Chandler will add another inside presence and some defense. Kidd and terry are getting older but beaubois could step up his game and butler can always play some sg. Marion is still a very solid contributor and then you have dirk who is an all nba big man.
spurs-parker and manu had some injury issues but when healthy they still combine with duncan for a very solid trio of difference makers. Role players like george hill, richard jefferson, dejuan blair are all solid. Add in rookies in tiago splitter and james andersen and their is some more youth to add firpoewer to the long 82 game season.
jazz-if memo and ak47 can get back to healthy they are key players. Jefferson gives them an inside presence to make up for boozer. DWill is an all-nba star that leads the way.
thunder-hard to see this team going any way but forward as they have a young lineup and an mvp candidate in durant. aldrich and improved play from ibaka gives them a little more size which is key for them taking the next step.
suns-many might drop them out but not so fast. nash is still a top 5 pg and consistently gets open looks for his teammates. Additions of hedo, warrick and childress are all solid players that can score and finsh plays. Robin lopez and dragic are constantly improving role players.
rockets-even without yao they are capable of fighting for a playoff spot. Brooks emerged as a very good pg and now having a full season of KMart by his side should help. Plenty of depth and defense here with guys like lowry, buddinger, scola, patterson, hill, miller courtney lee and battier all solid players. Add in a healthy yao for even 50 games and you have one scary team with size and defense.
blazers-roy is the star. Aldridge and camby provide size even if oden and przybilla are unhealthy. Solid wing play with wes mahtews and batum getting better. This team is very good.
nuggets-billups and melo equals a top notch duo and they have other solid guys like nene, mart(in a contract year) and jr smith with an improving lawson and afflalo to add depth.
hornets-A healthy cp3 and this team might have been in the 50 win mix last year. Now with thornton, ariza and pondexter, paul has a lot of options to work with on the wing which he hasnt always had when peja was his main weapon. West and okafor are a very solid inside duo.
grizz-i figure many wont include this team, but they flat out have talent. Gay, mayo and randolph are all capable of getting 20 a night. Gasol is a solid center and thabeet and the addition of tony allen should help them defensively. Do not sleep on this team.
that makes 11 teams in my book capable of winning 45+ games and making the playoffs. So there really is no right or wrong predictions in the west, it is all up for grabs and teams will need to be on point all season. Even the lower teams like the clipps warriors and kings wont be walk overs.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:49pm #401470
llperezyes it is, i was asking who people think was a lock and gave some generalizations. Good to see you can read.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:49pm #401481
llperezyes it is, i was asking who people think was a lock and gave some generalizations. Good to see you can read.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:50pm #401468
TheWizardParticipantThis is basically a huge sum of all the the generalizations of potential playoff teams.
“having a full season of KMart by his side should help…Add in a healthy yao for even 50 games and you have one scary team with size and defense…(roy is the star [I just had that epiphany too!] )…billups and melo equals a top notch duo…”
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:50pm #401478
TheWizardParticipantThis is basically a huge sum of all the the generalizations of potential playoff teams.
“having a full season of KMart by his side should help…Add in a healthy yao for even 50 games and you have one scary team with size and defense…(roy is the star [I just had that epiphany too!] )…billups and melo equals a top notch duo…”
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:54pm #401475
TheWizardParticipantreading this article was a waste of 4 minutes of my life.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:54pm #401485
TheWizardParticipantreading this article was a waste of 4 minutes of my life.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:55pm #401477
llperezim very sorry to hear that. I will work harder in the future to entertain you.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:55pm #401487
llperezim very sorry to hear that. I will work harder in the future to entertain you.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:58pm #401479
TheWizardParticipantThe school IDs of you entertained me enough today.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 7:58pm #401489
TheWizardParticipantThe school IDs of you entertained me enough today.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:02pm #401480
TRC1991Participantwow reke is kind of a d1ck haha
anyways, i guess your list was cool although a little pointless
i think u forgot to mention al harrington- i think he makes a big splash in denver
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:02pm #401491
TRC1991Participantwow reke is kind of a d1ck haha
anyways, i guess your list was cool although a little pointless
i think u forgot to mention al harrington- i think he makes a big splash in denver
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:09pm #401482
llperezwell, my point in this thread was not to make a list or to even breakdown the teams. My point is simply to ask who people think are locks becasue i saw another thread that mentioned certain teams are locks and to be honest i dont think anybody is really a lock. I was quickly pointing out the positives of these teams to kinda back my feelings that anyone could make the playoffs in the west and was hoping to hear if anyone thought certain teams are hands down in like i have seen in other posts.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:09pm #401493
llperezwell, my point in this thread was not to make a list or to even breakdown the teams. My point is simply to ask who people think are locks becasue i saw another thread that mentioned certain teams are locks and to be honest i dont think anybody is really a lock. I was quickly pointing out the positives of these teams to kinda back my feelings that anyone could make the playoffs in the west and was hoping to hear if anyone thought certain teams are hands down in like i have seen in other posts.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:17pm #401484
TheWizardParticipantNo worries Condrin, it was all in fun. Lolz. I thought the IDs were made up…… MY BAD
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:17pm #401495
TheWizardParticipantNo worries Condrin, it was all in fun. Lolz. I thought the IDs were made up…… MY BAD
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:19pm #401490
llperezthe id’s are made up. McDunkin has an endless supply of ways to make jokes.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:19pm #401500
llperezthe id’s are made up. McDunkin has an endless supply of ways to make jokes.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:20pm #401492
butidonthavemoneyUnlike the rest of these amateurs, I actually understood you.
Great question.
I see seven "locks", but I am a conservative when it comes to matters like this.
- Lakers
- Mavericks
- Jazz
- Thunder
- Rockets
- Blazers
- Spurs
Then I think the Nuggets and the Suns battle it out for the last position.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:20pm #401502
butidonthavemoneyUnlike the rest of these amateurs, I actually understood you.
Great question.
I see seven "locks", but I am a conservative when it comes to matters like this.
- Lakers
- Mavericks
- Jazz
- Thunder
- Rockets
- Blazers
- Spurs
Then I think the Nuggets and the Suns battle it out for the last position.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:23pm #401494
llperezonly 7 locks nomoney? You really are conservative on such matters. You have more locks then ahmad rashad has main men.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:23pm #401504
llperezonly 7 locks nomoney? You really are conservative on such matters. You have more locks then ahmad rashad has main men.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:35pm #401496
butidonthavemoneyLet me clarify…
I don’t believe that these young, "special" teams can compete with the teams that have proven that they can win.
Look at the Suns and the Nuggets.
Does anybody really think that the Grizzlies, Clippers or Hornets actually have a chance of finishing with a higher record than either of those teams? Even if Denver trades Melo for lesser value, they still have a leader in Chauncey Billups and a fury of talent. The Suns have a proven system, a point guard that makes everybody better, and a more defensive-minded roster than last year.
I’m conservative, meaning skeptical, of the idea that another team is capable finishing with a higher record than any of the nine teams I mentioned.
Maybe my word choice was poor.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 8:35pm #401506
butidonthavemoneyLet me clarify…
I don’t believe that these young, "special" teams can compete with the teams that have proven that they can win.
Look at the Suns and the Nuggets.
Does anybody really think that the Grizzlies, Clippers or Hornets actually have a chance of finishing with a higher record than either of those teams? Even if Denver trades Melo for lesser value, they still have a leader in Chauncey Billups and a fury of talent. The Suns have a proven system, a point guard that makes everybody better, and a more defensive-minded roster than last year.
I’m conservative, meaning skeptical, of the idea that another team is capable finishing with a higher record than any of the nine teams I mentioned.
Maybe my word choice was poor.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:43pm #401503
OhCanada-ParticipantI have 6 locks and 4 teams fighting for 2 positions.
1.Lakers
2.Mavericks
3.Jazz
4.Thunder
5.Rockets
6.BlazersSan Antonio-Despite popular belief they have been slowly withering away with time. Sure getting Blair, Anderson, Splitter and Hill helps although they dont make up for Ginobli, Parker and Duncans age. If injuries plague their big 3 they will not have enough behind them to recover and make a playoff run.
Denevr-If they lose Melo I dont know what will become of them. They are walking a very dangerous line right now, they either play with an unhappy Carmelo Anthony or trade him and miss the playoffs.Either way advancing should be tough.
New Orleans Hornets-This one is tough and it is because I believe Ariza is such a good fit on this team along with the young players they acqured. This is a good team although the West is stacked ewith good teams. If Denver loses Melo I see New Orleans advancing, or if San Antonio is slowed down by injury and old age.
Phoenix-They need alot of things to go right. Phoenix needs Turkoglu to return to his previous form, which also means Nash has to be less ball dominant. Warrick, Frye and Lopez have to become very solid bigs for Phoenix and each present themselves as solid bigs in the NBA. Those 3 bigs have to show they can rebounds, bang, and defend (blocking shots included) with NBA bigs.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:43pm #401512
OhCanada-ParticipantI have 6 locks and 4 teams fighting for 2 positions.
1.Lakers
2.Mavericks
3.Jazz
4.Thunder
5.Rockets
6.BlazersSan Antonio-Despite popular belief they have been slowly withering away with time. Sure getting Blair, Anderson, Splitter and Hill helps although they dont make up for Ginobli, Parker and Duncans age. If injuries plague their big 3 they will not have enough behind them to recover and make a playoff run.
Denevr-If they lose Melo I dont know what will become of them. They are walking a very dangerous line right now, they either play with an unhappy Carmelo Anthony or trade him and miss the playoffs.Either way advancing should be tough.
New Orleans Hornets-This one is tough and it is because I believe Ariza is such a good fit on this team along with the young players they acqured. This is a good team although the West is stacked ewith good teams. If Denver loses Melo I see New Orleans advancing, or if San Antonio is slowed down by injury and old age.
Phoenix-They need alot of things to go right. Phoenix needs Turkoglu to return to his previous form, which also means Nash has to be less ball dominant. Warrick, Frye and Lopez have to become very solid bigs for Phoenix and each present themselves as solid bigs in the NBA. Those 3 bigs have to show they can rebounds, bang, and defend (blocking shots included) with NBA bigs.
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:47pm #401505
TRC1991Participanthere are the only locks:
1) LAL
2) OKC
3) DAL
4) POR
5) DENi dont think at this point San Antonio is a 100% lock…i mean technically no team is 100% but as of right now i would say only 5 teams i would bet a grand on for making the playoffs
0 - Posted on: Tue, 09/14/2010 - 9:47pm #401514
TRC1991Participanthere are the only locks:
1) LAL
2) OKC
3) DAL
4) POR
5) DENi dont think at this point San Antonio is a 100% lock…i mean technically no team is 100% but as of right now i would say only 5 teams i would bet a grand on for making the playoffs
0 - Posted on: Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:17am #401619
Jlv2010everyone knows there is only one lock in the West. Lakers and Heat baby.
0 - Posted on: Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:17am #401628
Jlv2010everyone knows there is only one lock in the West. Lakers and Heat baby.
0 - Posted on: Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:29am #401637
PlatypusParticipantthis all depends on the Melo situation
0 - Posted on: Wed, 09/15/2010 - 7:29am #401646
PlatypusParticipantthis all depends on the Melo situation
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