Not so fast on the Pelicans...

[Arizona_Sting]

I was high on them about two months ago, but now with Tyreke Evans expected to miss 6 to 8 weeks and Norris Cole could be out for 6+ weeks as well with Jrue Holiday on a minutes restriction they are all of the sudden really short on guard depth and STILL don't have a SF.

Eric Gordon is also extremely injury prone so they could be in real trouble if he goes down. Listen, I love AD and think he's a top 3 player and will eventually be the best in the league but he can't do it on his own.

With this recent news I'd say the 7&8 seeds are wide open in the West.

 

[SFGRTB]

Mentioned this in the breakout teams thread, and I agree. I think that Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix are competing for 2 spots.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Mentioned this in the breakout teams thread, and I agree. I think that Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix are competing for 2 spots.

Yeah, should be interesting. I by no means am counting out the Pelicans for one of those spots yet but it's going to be difficult for them if they fall behind early in the West. My bet would be PHX-UTH at the moment with NOLA and SAC right behind.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I think that Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix are competing for 2 spots.

 

[CitySushi]

Guard depth will definitely be a problem with the injuries to Cole and Evans.

That being said, I think this team is still primed for a breakout. AD is AD, but he'll be used to maximum efficiency by Gentry. Ryan Anderson is going to benefit immensely from the coaching change as well.

Offense is not going to be a problem for them. What will need to be seen is how they can defend. They don't really have any plus defenders (AD included).

 

[SFGRTB]

Yeah, should be interesting. I by no means am counting out the Pelicans for one of those spots yet but it's going to be difficult for them if they fall behind early in the West. My bet would be PHX-UTH at the moment with NOLA and SAC right behind.

I'm just concerned that they'll fall behind too far. Depth was already a big concern, and the season hasn't even started yet and they have to test that depth. Looking at their early schedule, it won't make things any easier. 2 games versus Golden State, 2 games versus Altanta, @Toronto, @OKC, San Antonio, 2 vs. Phoenix, @LAC, @Utah, Memphis, @Houston, and Cleveland by December 4th including 5 back-to-backs.

 

[SFGRTB]

Great comment, really furthered the conversation.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Great comment, really furthered the conversation.

I usually don't elaborate when people come up with dumb statements.

It's one thing to be a homer, another to be realistic.

 

[SFGRTB]

I usually don't elaborate when people come up with dumb statements.

It's one thing to be a homer, another to be realistic.

I don't think it's at all out of the realm of possibilities to expect Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix to compete for the 7/8 spots. OKC/SA/GS/Memphis/LAC/Hou are pretty much locked in, Dallas is definitely out, Portland is out. Utah/Sac/PHX/NOL are the next tier competing for 2 spots.

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

I don't think it's at all out of the realm of possibilities to expect Utah, Sacramento and Phoenix to compete for the 7/8 spots. OKC/SA/GS/Memphis/LAC/Hou are pretty much locked in, Dallas is definitely out, Portland is out. Utah/Sac/PHX/NOL are the next tier competing for 2 spots.

I don't know where "the Kings might make the playoffs" talk is coming from? You guys won 29 games this year, do you really think you've improved that much that you might make the MINIMUM of 45 wins necessary to make the playoffs in the West?

Same with the Suns. As far as I'm concerned they got even worse than the 39 wins they had last year.

So where is all of this coming from then?

 

[Shaqdaddy11]

Look I'm not trying to be confrontational here or start arguments. Heck for all we know the Knicks could surprise everyone and become champions but I'm just trying to understand the logic here.

 

[SFGRTB]

I don't know where "the Kings might make the playoffs" talk is coming from? You guys won 29 games this year, do you really think you've improved that much that you might make the MINIMUM of 45 wins necessary to make the playoffs in the West?

Same with the Suns. As far as I'm concerned they got even worse than the 39 wins they had last year.

So where is all of this coming from then?

Last years King's team easily wins more than 29 games if Cousins doesn't go down with meningitis, which lead to the team going through 3 head coaches in the season. Then you completely revamp the bench, adding actual NBA players like Koufos and Belinelli, and retaining a healthy Collison who missed the last half of the season, instead of Reggie Evans, Jason Thompson, Carl Landry and Nik Stauskas. It's not perfect, Rondo and McLemore are still big time question marks. But the collection of players actually makes sense, instead of Gay and Cousins, good luck.

I'm honestly not looking through homer goggles here, if you just look at the collection of players, with a HOF head coach, it's a good team.

 

[SFGRTB]

The Phoenix Suns have a great starting 5. I'm not sure about their depth, I'll need to see it first. But their top 5 competes with a lot of teams.

 

[Bolts]

I don't know where "the Kings might make the playoffs" talk is coming from? You guys won 29 games this year, do you really think you've improved that much that you might make the MINIMUM of 45 wins necessary to make the playoffs in the West?

Same with the Suns. As far as I'm concerned they got even worse than the 39 wins they had last year.

So where is all of this coming from then?

This team is much different than the team last year, who did start 5-1 before their star big guy went down and all hell broke loose.
-They actually have depth which was one of the biggest problems last year, teams would constantly abuse them when the bench came in.
-They have 2 bigs who can defend the paint next to Boogie with WCS and Koufos, Cousins improved on defense but he also got into foul trouble too much and with improved help down low the fouling should be reduced.
-They have George Karl for a training camp and full season assuming he isn't fired. Say what you want about his relationship with Cousins, but that makes a big difference and he's won a lot of games.
They still have some problems, I'm worried about defense on the outside and the shooting even after adding Marco who gives them a good shooter off the bench. Ben needs to take the next step, Rondo needs to not play like Mavs Rondo, and Boogie needs to limit the turnovers. But I don't think it's crazy to say the Kings will at least compete for the 8th spot. It's obvious the Blazers will fall out of the top 8 and I'd guess the Mavs do too. OKC will take one spot and assuming the Pelicans are healthy enough to make it back that leaves 1 more for the Jazz, Kings, and Suns. Are the Jazz THAT much better than the Kings or Suns? They played great defense in the 2nd half but it was 29 games.

 

[Bolts]

I think the Pelicans will hold onto a playoff spot, won't be easy but they still have one of the top 5 players in the game. It's always been their problem, the injuries. I'd like to see what they could do at full strength for 75-80 games, but that's not realistic given the injury history of their players.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

The Phoenix Suns have a great starting 5. I'm not sure about their depth, I'll need to see it first. But their top 5 competes with a lot of teams.

Great depth at center with Chandler and Len (who started last year for us)
PF they have Morris, Teletovic and Leuer (both stretch fours that can produce for 10-15 mins a game)
SF they have Tucker & Warren which is a good 1-2 punch of one being a lockdown defender the other a bucket getter. I think Warren is due for a breakout year.
PG/SG will be Bledsoe & Knight switching off at each position probably getting about 32-34 mins a game at each spot which leaves about 14-16 mins a game for each guard spot off the bench and I see most of those minutes going to Price, Sonny Weems and Devin Booker with a little bit of Archie Goodwin here and there.

As long as Knight-Bled stay healthy they are fine at guard, but if one of them goes down we could be in trouble. I really like Booker's game though, he's impressed me.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

I think the Pelicans will hold onto a playoff spot, won't be easy but they still have one of the top 5 players in the game. It's always been their problem, the injuries. I'd like to see what they could do at full strength for 75-80 games, but that's not realistic given the injury history of their players.

Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon both need to stay healthy, absolutely NEED to. If either one goes down (with the injuries they already have) then they are screwed.

Both of those players are very injury prone as well.. even Anthony Davis has had some trouble staying on the court.
Each year these are his total games played:

2012/13- 64
2013/13- 67
2014/15- 68

Falling behind early in the West in a big no-no if you want to make the playoffs and they have a tough schedule with very little depth to start the season, they could be in trouble.

 

[Bolts]

Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon both need to stay healthy, absolutely NEED to. If either one goes down (with the injuries they already have) then they are screwed.

Both of those players are very injury prone as well.. even Anthony Davis has had some trouble staying on the court.
Each year these are his total games played:

2012/13- 64
2013/13- 67
2014/15- 68

Falling behind early in the West in a big no-no if you want to make the playoffs and they have a tough schedule with very little depth to start the season, they could be in trouble.

Yeah, we saw how OKC failed to get a spot after falling behind last year although losing KD for 50+ games would screw over any teams chances. I was gonna mention that Gordon and/or Anderson being hurt, especially anytime soon while Evans and Cole are out/Jrue is limited in his minutes, could be the nail in the coffin. As much as I like AD, he is not LeBron and this is not the Eastern conference where a sub .500 record could get you 8th. At full health I'd say the Pelicans are 10 or more games better in the W column than the Suns, Kings, and Jazz but the more games they lose to injury the smaller that gap becomes.

 

[wildturkey]

They'll still be right there, they just won't be locks anymore as was expected. AD essentially carried them to the playoffs last year, he'll just have to do it again. Plus, Evans might not be out as long as you'd expect. If he's back by Christmas, I would say it wouldn't have any great bearing on their season outcome because I don't see them as a top 4 team anyway.

 

[True Lakers Fan]

I think he was talking about the spot for the top first round picks - lol