The best team in the west is...

[Hambombs]

Your San Antonio Spurs!! Who I think are the best in the west right now and probably favored to win the west. Nobody talks about them. I also love Leonard's game

 

[bksballer89]

The Houston Rockets

 

[Hambombs]

They can't matchup with the clips though

 

[bksballer89]

But the spurs can't matchup with Houston or OKC (based on the season series at the moment)

 

[Hambombs]

Yeah which is why I think west is a blood bath

 

[Shanemansj13]

Spurs are the best, but matchups are key. So come playoff time, they could have a couple very tough matchups.

I think the Heat match up better against most of these West coast teams than San Antonio does actually.

 

[Clayton]

They can't matchup with the clips though

But the Rockets have Asik...












Thats 6 fouls they can use on Deandre '45% Free Throw Shooter' Jordan. This will tank the Clippers in a series somewhere.

Also of note, Asik, Howard and Griffin are all improved from the line but if they ever get shakey then you could see this being a 'hack-a' series that could get a rule changed

 

[bksballer89]

If the Spurs can avoid Houston & OKC, there is no doubt in my mind that they will be in the finals. If Houston can avoid OKC then they will be in the finals. I'm not sure what to think of their matchup with LAC yet only because 2 of those 3 meetings came early on in the season in like a 5 day span. Yep just checked 2 of their games were played on November 4th and November 9th when Houston probably did not know how to play with Dwight while Dwight was just getting used to his new teammates.

They play March 29th in H-town so let's see how that goes

 

[bksballer89]

Spurs are the best, but matchups are key. So come playoff time, they could have a couple very tough matchups.

I think the Heat match up better against most of these West coast teams than San Antonio does actually.

I agree but the Spurs matches up better w/the Heat than probably any other team out West/

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The West has a bunch of teams that can beat each other on any gven night.
Homecourt will be a huge advantage for teams and will decide several series IMO.
I would bet the Spurs decision to rest players from this point on will be much less then we have seen in the past.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

The Spurs would beat the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, Memphis, or Clippers.
None of those series would likely go 7 including the Clips.
The Clippers can beat anyone except the Spurs.

Portland could be dicey early on and steal a game in Texas (similar to last year vs the warriors).
But, San Antonio would win eventually as the series progresses and they get used to the Blazers.

Houston would be a colossal struggle, but the Rockets are too inexperienced. Eventually, Houston would make some mistake due to inexperience. Similar to the 2010 OKC versus Lakers type series.....

OKC is going to be isanely tough. HCA is imperative as I don't think they can win without it. The Thunder might still win anyways, but the Spurs need HCA versus them to even have a shot.

and ultimately, MIAMI would prefer any other western team. San Antonio is the absolute last team the Heat want to see win the West. I think the SPurs win if they get game 7 in Texas.

 

[LogicMan]

LA is my choice in the west.

 

[bksballer89]

Playoffs experience is so overrated. Houston top 2 players has several games of playoffs experiences and both been to the finals already and also been to at least 2 conference finals. If Houston lose it will have nothing to do w/playoffs experience because their stars/superstars have enough playoffs experience imo

 

[Hambombs]

The Spurs would beat the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, Memphis, or Clippers.
None of those series would likely go 7 including the Clips.
The Clippers can beat anyone except the Spurs.

Portland could be dicey early on and steal a game in Texas (similar to last year vs the warriors).
But, San Antonio would win eventually as the series progresses and they get used to the Blazers.

Houston would be a colossal struggle, but the Rockets are too inexperienced. Eventually, Houston would make some mistake due to inexperience. Similar to the 2010 OKC versus Lakers type series.....

OKC is going to be isanely tough. HCA is imperative as I don't think they can win without it. The Thunder might still win anyways, but the Spurs need HCA versus them to even have a shot.

and ultimately, MIAMI would prefer any other western team. San Antonio is the absolute last team the Heat want to see win the West. I think the SPurs win if they get game 7 in Texas.

I wouldn't count your chickens before they hatch. I thought you were more humble than that

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Playoffs experience is so overrated. Houston top 2 players has several games of playoffs experiences and both been to the finals already and also been to at least 2 conference finals. If Houston lose it will have nothing to do w/playoffs experience because their stars/superstars have enough playoffs experience imo

Houston is an amazing team, in the 4th Dwight just disappears or gets hack-a-howard'd, Asik is Asik, Harden is a big time choker. I really don't see how you think Houston is a great team. The Spurs would mop the floor with them IMO. The regular season is one thing but playoff basketball is different.

 

[starbigd]

I dont' see how the Spurs can win the west.

They're looking at 2, maybe 3 series that go 7 games. Age WILL CATCH UP TO THEM. They are simply not going to beat all these younger teams injury free and fresh as daisies in every series.

They will need more than skill to win, they will need luck. Key opponent injuries......avoiding certain teams......I just don't see this roster ever seeing the Finals again as long as they are depending on Duncan and Ginobili.

 

[gordontrue]

I dont' see how the Spurs can win the west.

They're looking at 2, maybe 3 series that go 7 games. Age WILL CATCH UP TO THEM. They are simply not going to beat all these younger teams injury free and fresh as daisies in every series.

They will need more than skill to win, they will need luck. Key opponent injuries......avoiding certain teams......I just don't see this roster ever seeing the Finals again as long as they are depending on Duncan and Ginobili.

They have a shot if Danny Green decides to drop 30 three pointers in a series at a 70% clip

 

[bksballer89]

Houston is an amazing team, in the 4th Dwight just disappears or gets hack-a-howard'd, Asik is Asik, Harden is a big time choker. I really don't see how you think Houston is a great team. The Spurs would mop the floor with them IMO. The regular season is one thing but playoff basketball is different.

I don't value your opinion and also just because Harden had one bad series as a 6th man against Miami doesn't mean the same thing will happen now that he's the top dog and #1 option on the Rockets. Last yr he avg 26 PPG with a bunch of role players as top dog. Houston is a great team since 2014. Best record in the league.

 

[starbigd]

They have a shot if Danny Green decides to drop 30 three pointers in a series at a 70% clip

We're talking about an OLD team with a bunch of role players. If ANY team's role players step up like that they could win.

I'm saying that Duncan and Ginobili can't get it done alone. Parker will be Parker, but we all saw what happened in the Finals last year - they ran out of gas.

3 tough, long series on those legs is disaster. They will have to win series in 5 or less to advance.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

I don't value your opinion and also just because Harden had one bad series as a 6th man against Miami doesn't mean the same thing will happen now that he's the top dog and #1 option on the Rockets. Last yr he avg 26 PPG with a bunch of role players as top dog. Houston is a great team since 2014. Best record in the league.

That's fine, I didn't ask if you did lol.

I hope he's prepared to carry the team on his back, because that's going to be the requirement if they want to win anything in the playoffs. All teams really have to do is focus on Harden, Dwight has no post moves anyway and he would just get fouled in the 4th quarter.

Most players average more points when they're top dog on a team of role players lol. So now that defenses will focus more on Harden, he is less liable to choke?

Houston is a regular season team.