2010-2011 NBA Blog Previews Pacific Division: LA Clippers, LA Lakers Sacramento Kings, Phoenix Suns, Golden State Warriors
by Atma Brother ONE on Oct 24, 2010 6:46 PM PDT
in NBA
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PrintIt's your favorite and my favorite NBA division as previewed by a cast of superstar bloggers (and myself). There's just nothing quite like the Pacific. Warriors South, Sacrapmento Queens, LA Fakers, Phoenix Softies, and Clippers North- do you want more?!
FUN FACT: WE BELIEVEr Matt Barnes has played for every single team in the Pacific Division.
JUMP for the linkage and my top question for each team.
LA Clippers
Question: Will Baron Davis be motivated this season?
So far this has been a terrible signing for the Clips.
Sacramento Kings
Sactown Royalty | Cowbell Kingdom | SBNation Recap
Question: Just how good will DeMarcus Cousins be?
Nice matching shirt!
LA Lakers
Silver Screen and Roll | Forum Blue & Gold | NBAtipoff | SBNation Recap
Question: Can the Lakers 3-peat?
2009, 2010, 2011?
via i.pbase.com
Phoenix Suns
Bright Side Of The Sun | SB Nation Arizona | ValleyoftheSuns | SBNation Recap
Question: Was letting go of Amare Stoudemire a mistake?
Not quite LeBron, but not bad at all.
Golden State Warriors
Golden State of Mind | SBNation Recap
Question: Is Keith Smart an NBA-level head coach?
Big shadow. Big shoes to fill.
Recaps
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Raiders score 59 points?
WTF, giants in the world series and now this? Hell has officially frozen over. There might be hope for the Dubs after all?
Lights please, lights please, turn off the lights.
by Skeptic con Urquell on Oct 24, 2010 9:31 PM PDT reply actions
28-54??!?!
No way we go 28-54 unless were ravaged with injuries.
yeah there is a way
Vlad, Gad and Charlie play.
Baseball is a chamber orchestra. Football is a marching band. Basketball is a modern quintet. jazz, rock, hiphop, pop/ all about the beat./ still my revolution not/ til you dance through it.
with our lack of quality depth
Any injury will cost us.
by Uwe Blog on Oct 25, 2010 12:05 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
seriously
Which guy can we afford to have miss 10-20 games? Any injury will be potentially devastating. We talk about the Suns losing ground because they’ll be playing Hedo, Warrick, and Childress. The Jazz being worse for playing Jefferson and Raja. Dallas making bad pickups with Haywood, Chandler, and Butler. Any of those players would be major contributors on this Warriors team! 8th man and spot starter at the very least.
We already have Amundson and Udoh out for most of 2010. Hopefully Udoh can be a contributor when he returns, and hopefully Amundson is done getting nicked up. If any of our top 7 remaining guys gets hurt we will be at a major disadvantage against a lot of teams.
Unfortunately, there will probably be games where Charlie Bell plays 30 minutes. Games where Dan Gadzuric starts.
And I have news for you, Vlad and Gadzuric will most likely not end up getting traded. Every team has expiring contracts, and most have more of them than we do. Better players with expiring contracts.
My fellow fans, we would be wise to temper our expectations. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t hope for a winning season. Who knows, maybe we get 75 games out of our starters, Reggie, and BWright? It’s possible, however unlikely.
All that said, 28 wins seems pretty low to me. That seems like the floor for this team, with the ceiling being about 43-44 wins.
by Uwe Blog on Oct 25, 2010 12:43 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I don’t see how their “ceiling” can be 5-6 games below their Wages of Wins and Basketball Prospectus projections. And their floor, like anyone’s floor, could drop precipitously with a key injury or two. I’ll say Ceiling 82, Floor 0. Realistic ceiling 55, realistic floor 15.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Oct 25, 2010 12:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Really Sleepy? Realistic 55 wins? Sounds more like really optimistic. My kids sometimes stick two words together like that, coming up with gems like “ginormous”. I ginormously hope you’re right and I’m wrong.
I stand by what I posted. Our depth is lousy, and injuries happen. Was the wages of wins almighty prediction done before or after the injuries we are already facing?
If we win 28 games, I’ll be disappointed. If we scrap to an 8th seed, I’ll be thrilled. My guess is somewhere in between.
by Uwe Blog on Oct 25, 2010 1:19 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Well, it kind of depends on how you define “realistic” and how you define “ceiling.” I guess I have a working definition of “ceiling” as something like 99th percentile. I’d say 55 wins is about that. If Lee plays like Lee, Curry plays like second-half Curry, DWright puts up last year’s numbers in a larger sample, and Monta and Biedrins approach their 2007-08 forms, I think 50 wins looks well within reach. I’m aware that that constitutes quite a few ifs. Personally, I’d pencil in 40-45 wins (your “ceiling”) as their most likely scenario.
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Oct 25, 2010 1:33 AM PDT up reply actions
Thanks for the less sarcastic opinion.
by Uwe Blog on Oct 25, 2010 1:38 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Amundson is out for like a month of the season
I believe that ghosts are like dogs. They just do things arbitrarily.
by Reverend_Randy on Oct 25, 2010 12:55 AM PDT up reply actions
Which is likely to be a very, very tough opening month. Vlad/Gad getting 25 minutes a night for 6 weeks will be hard on us. What’s your point?
by Uwe Blog on Oct 25, 2010 1:43 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
That's not
most of the season. He could still easily play in 55 games. It sucks that we have to play Wright and Adrien a few too many minutes, and Vlad and Gadz any. It’s not crippling. Biedrins and Lee will probably combine for 68 of a possible 96 big minutes. that leaves 28 minutes for Wright/Adrien/Bad Vlad/Gadz. Not ideal, but probably not season killing.
I believe that ghosts are like dogs. They just do things arbitrarily.
by Reverend_Randy on Oct 25, 2010 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions
After the Lakers who will have the best record in the Pacific this season?
Based on Griffin’s ridiculous preseason performance, I’ll say the Clips.
After that, the Kings, followed by the Suns, who I think may surprise people with their badness.
The Warriors? First place, running away. ;-)
There will be no extra point!
by Sleepy Freud on Oct 25, 2010 12:45 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Nice Reading!
rec’d.
Baseball is a chamber orchestra. Football is a marching band. Basketball is a modern quintet. jazz, rock, hiphop, pop/ all about the beat./ still my revolution not/ til you dance through it.
I had a tough time deciding who would be better between the Clippers and Warriors, but I picked Warriors. I predict the Suns will suck terribly, Cousins will have a great deal of inconsistent play, Tyreke will be clamped down upon by opponents and even Griffin will not save the Clippers completely. They will be mediocre, while the Warriors will be kinda good. At least, I hope.
The Golden Glow is the only way to reach the upper level.
Clips vs Warriors will be close
but since I am a biased Clipper fan, I’m going to go with the Clippers. In all honestly it’s too tough to call. Going to be a fun season!
Position Rundown:
PG: Baron vs Steph Curry…close but at this point I might give it to Curry.
SG: EGordon vs Monta…close, but again Monta.
SF: Gomes vs Reggie Williams(?)…Gomes slightly
PF: Blake Griffin vs David Lee…Griffin looks beast, but Lee is proven. Punting…
C: Chris Kaman vs Biedrins….Kaman.
Bench: Clips
Well, good luck to you guys. Maybe the Lakers will run into injury trouble this year more than expected, so the Dubs and Clips can pass them. Seems impossible with the good karma Phil Jackson seems to bring to teams, but I think his luck will run out.
The Golden Glow is the only way to reach the upper level.
I never want to come to GSOM again and see a picture of a laker player in my face unless
that laker player is getting a baron davis type facial from a warrior.
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