With Olympics over, thoughts about the NBA West

by getBoshIn2010 on Aug 26, 2008 3:45 PM PDT

With the Olympics over and with 12 gold medals safely tucked away, it's time to think about the NBA Western Conference. This is how the West will play out for the 2008-2009 season:

1. Lakers will continue to win despite losing Turiaf. Kobe and Pau will tire towards the end of the season and not win as many games. In fact, not many teams this season will win more than 50 games.

2. Houston Rockets will get the second seed with key acquisitions: Artest and Barry joining a very talented cast led of course by Yao, Tracy and Scola. This will be Adelman's second year with the team and he will continue to tweak his plays to fit his team. (Not sure why he didn't really work out with the Ws).

3. Utah Jazz is still a solid team with solid coaching and Korver playing a full season.

4. Hornets will lose a step and Paul-to-Chandler will be a tired act which some teams will stop.

5. San Antonio will age another year and more players over the age of 30.

6. Golden State Warriors (yes, our team!) will not win 49 games but will post another winning season. Monta Ellis will not shine as a point guard but will average over 20 points per game. Will see B-Wright emerge as a star and Bellinelli be exposed as the second coming of Vinny Del Negro. A-Randolph will play some minutes as point forward. Corey Magette will continue to score points and get from bad to worse on defense which will cost some games.

7. Dallas Mavs will see old No.5 - now No.2 think about retiring towards the middle of the season and end 2009 as player-coach.

8-9. Phoenix will continue their slide especially without D'Antoni and fight the youthful and spirited Portland Trail Blazers for the last playoff spot. Expect the Trail Blazers to finish higher if Brandon Roy is not out for too long.

Expect the Minnesota T-Wolves to improve more this season and finish strong. Denver was dumb and miscalculated in letting Camby go for peanuts. Clippers will lose Davis early in the season but may come back and make a run. Memphis and Oklahoma City (choose Thunder already!) and Sacramento are in rebuilding years (still).

This FanPost is a submission from a member of the mighty Golden State of Mind community. While we're all here to throw up that W, these words do not necessarily reflect the views of the GSoM Crew. Still, chances are the preceding post is Unstoppable Baby!

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Interesting points about the west...

…but at the end of the day- Boston will win LOL!

by Tony.psd on Aug 26, 2008 3:57 PM PDT 0 recs

Riiight.

A-Randolph will play some minutes as point forward.

I’m sure Nellie will find plenty of time for him…

And I don’t totally agree that a full year of Korver will make Utah a three seed, especially in the Wild Wild West, I still see NO ahead of them in terms of wins.

Other than that, nice, interesting post.

by Baked Biedrins on Aug 26, 2008 5:07 PM PDT 0 recs

they'll get the 3

but not ahead of the hornets, ahead of houston. adding artest does not make them that much better. it makes them better, for sure, but they won’t crack the top 3 and i don’t think they’ll get past their probable first round matchup with the spurs.

heart of a champion, will of the warrior.

by cap'n hack on Aug 26, 2008 9:18 PM PDT up 0 recs

i feel like

living in minnesota while i attend school compels me to mention that they are awful, whenever anyone says that they are about to turn a corner. love forces jefferson to the center where he cannot defend anyone, he was bad enough on that end as a 4 and love won’t be any better as a defender there either. combine that with the matadors on the wing and a mediocre point guard that kevin mchale thinks is the franchise’s point guard of the future and i see them improving by a few wins at the most. miller is a nice addition, but that defense, uggh. it’s sort of nice to look at an nba roster and say, “hey, i think the warriors can play better d than they can.” it’s not a common feeling.

heart of a champion, will of the warrior.

by cap'n hack on Aug 26, 2008 9:23 PM PDT 0 recs

New to the site

First time posting, but I have visited the site regularly the past 8 months for the sure enjoyment of reading fellow W’s fans debate on a diverse array of topic pertaining to the Bay Areas most popular pro team. I have to respond because I see a lot of hate and despair towards the squad and it refreshing to see some hope for our team this year. I for one feel we should sneak a playoff birth this year! Captain Jack even said he thought we have a better all around team this year. SA, DAL, PHX, are old! Catch them in the second half of a back 2 back and thats a W. HOU, LAL, NO, UT, are locks and should be solid. And we are in the mix with a bunch of teams trying to get in. If Steven is smoking what he is selling, with a HOF coach like Nelson, and every major media outlet giving us a snowball chance in hell of making it to the playoffs, sounds like the prefect storm for a exciting season. I can’t wait to see our team prove everyone wrong.

by Prettyugly on Aug 26, 2008 10:58 PM PDT 0 recs

I can’t wait to see our team prove everyone wrong.

More likely they’ll prove you wrong :>) At least we won’t have to play our first 6 games without Jax. and just 82 without Boom !!!

Till I get free
I live my life in the Walmart
Cholesterol chasin me

by Skeptic con Urquell on Aug 26, 2008 11:26 PM PDT 0 recs

NBA preview

Love the optimism on Golden State. Can’t tell if that’s supposed to be good or bad that Belinelli will be exposed as Del Negro. I think I would take Del Negro out of Bellineli. I agree that Houston is a team to watch but How often will all those guys (Yao, Tmac, Artest) actually be on the court together given injuries other issues? I like seeing Dallas, Spurs and Suns sliding slowly into oblivion. I think Dallas and San Antonio are going to be worse just based on age. Pheonix is more unpredictable – they have good young players in Amare and Barbosa but Nash and Shaq are aging- you might get very little out of Shaq but you never know- he’s an all-time great. Still I agree that they might be fighting for a playoff spot this year.

I think Hornets will be better than last year for two reasons. One- Julian Wright may develop into an athletic versatile sf- I think we may have chosen the wrong Wright, I hope I’m wrong. Two Posey will add depth and more 3 point shooting and of course the proverbial intangibles- playoff experience etc.

I agree that Minnesota will be marginally better this year with Miller and Love but I really think Memphis has more long term promise although you rightly projected them as still rebuilding. By next year an exciting backcourt may emerge from Conley, Crittendon, and Mayo. Plus they have Gay who looks like a star. If Marc Gasol and/or Darrell Arthur are good this team could be interesting by 09/10.

How well Portland does depends according to me upon whether Oden is a franchise center or Sam Bowie. I think more likely the former. If so Portland could win a lot of games this year.

I. Lakers 2. Hornets 3. Rockets 4. Blazers (maybe a stretch i just hate spurs and jazz) 5. Jazz 6. Spurs 7. Mavericks 8. Warriors (please?)

by gsfool on Sep 9, 2008 12:25 PM PDT 0 recs