ESPN power rankings

[gordontrue]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

yah....really not a whole lot of difference between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, Jazz, Lakers.....

Spurs did win 50 games with Kawhi basically not playing- so adding DeRozan and Poeltl there should help.

the West is just crazy.....a very good team or two is going to miss the playoffs.

 

[flyerhawk]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

I think the Jazz could absolutely separate and become a top 5 team. Gobert is a defensive beast. Favors does his job pretty well. Ricky Rubio is an excellent facilitator. Joe Ingles has turned into one of the premier outside shooters.

Ultimately it will come down to whether Mitchell develops into what he can become or not.

I don't see how the Blazes, Spurs, or Nuggets really move much beyond what they were last year.

 

[trojanfan12]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

Yeah, all of those teams are pretty interchangeable at this point. You can make a case for just about any of them being ranked anywhere from #3 to just outside the playoffs.

For the Lakers, they're playing the long game. A lot of what they do will obviously be determined by Lebron and how much he plays. I think they make the playoffs, but if Lebron sits a few more games than normal, they'll be in the lower half of the bracket. How well all of the 1 year guys and kids mesh will also have a lot to do with it as well. If they mesh well and Lebron doesn't have to do as much, they can finish in the upper half of the conference.

One thing is for sure, they'll be entertaining. lol

 

[raptorlife4]

Swap The Raps and 76ers

 

[eaglesnut]

3 of the top 5 teams are in the east

Lebron only cares about avoiding the best conference.

 

[Gman]

Swap The Raps and 76ers

I disagree. Gotta see Kawhi in action first... two components to that:

1.) Is he physically healthy?
2.) Is he mentally buying in?

Kawhi's antics this past season into the off-season make these questions forceful... I don't think we can just assume everything is going to work out, although it certainly seems like it should*

* - in other words, Kawhi has a lot to lose if he doesn't kick in.

 

[tlance]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

I think it is crazy how many people are writing off the Pelicans. They are every bit as good as any of those teams mentioned above. Too much is being made of losing Rondo, and they were better last year after Cousins went out.

Adding Randle will help them more than losing Rondo will hurt. And, Anthony Davis is going to win MVP if he repeats his second half dominance for a full year.

 

[flyerhawk]

I think it is crazy how many people are writing off the Pelicans. They are every bit as good as any of those teams mentioned above. Too much is being made of losing Rondo, and they were better last year after Cousins went out.

Adding Randle will help them more than losing Rondo will hurt. And, Anthony Davis is going to win MVP if he repeats his second half dominance for a full year.

Elfrid Payton is not a playoff point guard. That's the problem with the Pels.

 

[tlance]

Elfrid Payton is not a playoff point guard. That's the problem with the Pels.

Not worried about that. The offense goes through Holiday and Davis. Payton doesn't need to do much.

 

[flyerhawk]

Not worried about that. The offense goes through Holiday and Davis. Payton doesn't need to do much.

Hard to envision a two man team being able to go far in the West next year.

But I guess it's possible.

 

[tlance]

Hard to envision a two man team being able to go far in the West next year.

But I guess it's possible.

Randle and Mirotic are pretty good too.

Yeah, their wings and backcourt depth sucks, which is a problem. But I still think they are right there with Portland, LA, etc.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I think Anthony Davis is that good.

 

[flyerhawk]

Randle and Mirotic are pretty good too.

Yeah, their wings and backcourt depth sucks, which is a problem. But I still think they are right there with Portland, LA, etc.

Perhaps I am wrong, but I think Anthony Davis is that good.

Oh I'm with you when it comes to Portland and LA.

IMO I would break the west down along 3 tiers.

Tier 1 - Probably should just be the Warriors but the Rockets played them tough and who knows what Morey will wind up doing.

Warriors
Rockets

Tier 2

Jazz
Thunder

Lakers could sneak in here but I doubt it this year.

Tier 3 - Griz could surprise if Conley comes back fully healthy.

Blazers
Pelicans
Twolves
Lakers
Nuggets

Tier 4

Everyone else. Mavs could shock folks if Doncic is more NBA ready than most people would expect.

 

[megalodon30]

Where the Kings at?

 

[flyerhawk]

Where the Kings at?

The penultimate losers.

 

[tlance]

Oh I'm with you when it comes to Portland and LA.

IMO I would break the west down along 3 tiers.

Tier 1 - Probably should just be the Warriors but the Rockets played them tough and who knows what Morey will wind up doing.

Warriors
Rockets

Tier 2

Jazz
Thunder

Lakers could sneak in here but I doubt it this year.

Tier 3 - Griz could surprise if Conley comes back fully healthy.

Blazers
Pelicans
Twolves
Lakers
Nuggets

Tier 4

Everyone else. Mavs could shock folks if Doncic is more NBA ready than most people would expect.

I agree mostly.

I would make my 3 tiers like this though:

Tier 1:
GS

Tier 2:
Houston

Tier 3: in no particular order
Utah
OKC
LAL
SA
NO
DEN
POR
Wolves

The ONLY team on that list that would really surprise me if they finished 3rd is Portland. And they were 3 last year. 1 or 2 probably will seperate, but it could be just about any of them

 

[flyerhawk]

The ONLY team on that list that would really surprise me if they finished 3rd is Portland. And they were 3 last year. 1 or 2 probably will seperate, but it could be just about any of them

Interesting. Personally I would be very surprised if the #3 seed is anyone other than Utah, OKC and maybe the Spurs if things really click for them.

 

[lebron23james]

Pretty darn close to how I would rank them today.

Some of those teams are hard to figure, but I think the top 9 are probably those teams in some order.

The top 4 are pretty solid...The bottom will greatly fluctuate between 9 and 5 and their will be surprise team and a team that probably falls off the list

 

[WiggyRuss]

I don't know how to decipher between the Blazers, Spurs, Wolves, Thunder, Nuggets, & Jazz. Those 6 teams, along with the Lakers will be battling for the last 6 playoff spots after GSW and HOU, imo. One of those teams is going to join the Pelicans to makeup the 2 most disappointed fan-bases at the end of the season.

dude it can be any of the teams that miss the playoffs- including the Thudner or Lakers (though I seriously DOUBT the Jazz dont make the playoffs- just too stable and too good unless Gobert AND Mitchell both ahvei njuries)

I dont know why people are sleeping on the Pel's so much. Holiday is a good point guard. Davis is a top 5 player--- arguably the 3rd best player in basketball. Randle and Mirotic round out one of the best front courts in basketball.

They need a wing badly, but other than that this is a good team.

Obviously, as you said, Houston and GSW should walk into the playoffs...

So, as you said 6 spots for, how I would order them right now:

1. Jazz
2. Thunder
3. Lakers
4. Twolves
5. Pels
6. Spurs
7. Blazers
8. Nuggets

but seriously- I think 3-8 on that list are pretty much interchangeable- while I also think that, all else being equal, that the Jazz and Thunder have deeper/more talented rosters than the other 6 teams.

I am of the mind to push the Jazz and Thunder SLIGHTLY above the Lakers, Twovles, Pels, Spurs, Blazers, Nuggets.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I agree mostly.

I would make my 3 tiers like this though:

Tier 1:
GS

Tier 2:
Houston

Tier 3: in no particular order
Utah
OKC
LAL
SA
NO
DEN
POR
Wolves

The ONLY team on that list that would really surprise me if they finished 3rd is Portland. And they were 3 last year. 1 or 2 probably will seperate, but it could be just about any of them

I miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight give Utah and OKC their own tier.....MIGHT. It would be hard for me to see either of those teams missing the playoffs.