Butler out 3-4 weeks (per Woj)

[Scoot26]

I don't care about our seeding or who we play. If we can't beat the teams in the east, we don't deserve to win the title.

I thought this team could go to the Finals before this season started.. I was cautious with the way Cleveland got Love... but still saw us as #1 or #2... I never really thought they had much of a chance of actually winning in the Finals.

 

[knoxville7]

Personally I think whoever comes out of the East will get stomped by whoever gets out of the West.

ehh never know. injuries can happen and swing things as we all know too well :rage:

 

[clonetrooper264]

ehh never know. injuries can happen and swing things as we all know too well :rage:

That's true. Assuming both sides are healthy though, I think the West is winning no matter what.

 

[Scoot26]

That's true. Assuming both sides are healthy though, I think the West is winning no matter what.

I can only think of one Finals team thats ever gotten the injury bug in the Finals..The 1989 Lakers. Lakers lost Bryon Scott just before Game 1 and lost Magic Johnson in Game 2... Then got swept by Detroit.

 

[knoxville7]

That's true. Assuming both sides are healthy though, I think the West is winning no matter what.

plus the western representative will more than likely be a bit beat up and drained from winning the "big bad western conference" and the eastern team may cruise through the east and be fresh. just going along with you guys assumption that the west is so much better :shrug:

 

[Scoot26]

plus the western representative will more than likely be a bit beat up and drained from winning the "big bad western conference" and the eastern team may cruise through the east and be fresh. just going along with you guys assumption that the west is so much better :shrug:

LeBron got to cruise last year and then lost handily to the Spurs.

 

[knoxville7]

LeBron got to cruise last year and then lost handily to the Spurs.

bad example since he won the two before that

 

[Scoot26]

bad example since he won the two before that

Got lucky the year before with the Spurs...The one against OKC, I'll give him that. They had to play a 7 game series in the ECF both years though.

 

[knoxville7]

Got lucky the year before with the Spurs...The one against OKC, I'll give him that. They had to play a 7 game series in the ECF both years though.

I just personally don't think the west is sooo much better than the east like most everyone else does

 

[Scoot26]

Eastern Conference
EASTERN	W	L	PCT
1	Atlanta	47	12	.797
2	Toronto	37	22	.627
3	Chicago	37	23	.617
4	Cleveland	37	24	.607
5	Washington	34	26	.567
6	Milwaukee	32	27	.542
7	Miami	25	33	.431
8	Indiana	25	34	.424

WESTERN	W	L	PCT
1	Golden State	46	11	.807
2	Memphis	42	16	.724
3	Houston	41	18	.695
4	Portland	39	19	.672
5	LA Clippers	39	21	.650
6	Dallas	39	22	.639
7	San Antonio	36	23	.610
8	Oklahoma City	33	27	.550

Purely on matchups... assuming each team is 100% healthy..
Golden State IMO can beat all of them
Memphis wouldn't stand a chance against Cleveland or Chicago IMO. They're tough but beatable.
Houston is interesting...They can beat any team in the east, but the Hawks defensively could slow them as well as Chicago.
Portland is beatable by many teams in the East
LA Clippers are beatable by Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland
Dallas has been worse with Rondo, so I don't know if they have a chemistry issue or what
San Antonio has not been that great this year... but I still think they could beat any team in the East.
OKC can beat any team in the East when healthy.

There's only 3 teams I mentioned consistently in the East. IMO Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Miami, Indiana ain't doing shit.

 

[Undisputed]

Can we just have one season that's not injury riddled to the max? 3-4 weeks, that's a major hit. Bright side is McDermott will get some run now.

 

[clonetrooper264]

Bright side is McDermott will get some run now.

That's what you think

 

[knoxville7]

Eastern Conference
EASTERN	W	L	PCT
1	Atlanta	47	12	.797
2	Toronto	37	22	.627
3	Chicago	37	23	.617
4	Cleveland	37	24	.607
5	Washington	34	26	.567
6	Milwaukee	32	27	.542
7	Miami	25	33	.431
8	Indiana	25	34	.424

WESTERN	W	L	PCT
1	Golden State	46	11	.807
2	Memphis	42	16	.724
3	Houston	41	18	.695
4	Portland	39	19	.672
5	LA Clippers	39	21	.650
6	Dallas	39	22	.639
7	San Antonio	36	23	.610
8	Oklahoma City	33	27	.550

Purely on matchups... assuming each team is 100% healthy..
Golden State IMO can beat all of them
Memphis wouldn't stand a chance against Cleveland or Chicago IMO. They're tough but beatable.
Houston is interesting...They can beat any team in the east, but the Hawks defensively could slow them as well as Chicago.
Portland is beatable by many teams in the East
LA Clippers are beatable by Atlanta, Chicago, Cleveland
Dallas has been worse with Rondo, so I don't know if they have a chemistry issue or what
San Antonio has not been that great this year... but I still think they could beat any team in the East.
OKC can beat any team in the East when healthy.

There's only 3 teams I mentioned consistently in the East. IMO Toronto, Washington, Milwaukee, Miami, Indiana ain't doing shit.

regular season and postseason are very different types of basketball. IMO golden state wont make it to the finals. Memphis would beat Cleveland in the finals for sure...they have always given LeBron trouble and would beat up Cleveland inside, the addition of jeff green gives them enough scoring punch to win it all IMO. the rest of what you say I agree with for the most part

 

[clonetrooper264]

regular season and postseason are very different types of basketball. IMO golden state wont make it to the finals. Memphis would beat Cleveland in the finals for sure...they have always given LeBron trouble and would beat up Cleveland inside, the addition of jeff green gives them enough scoring punch to win it all IMO. the rest of what you say I agree with for the most part

I don't see why Golden State couldn't make it to the Finals myself. They obviously have great offense...even if they do rely on the 3 a lot, they can score inside as well with Lee, Speights, and the penetration of Curry and Thompson. The thing that I think can push them over the edge this year is their defense which is improved from last year. Kerr knows what he's doing apparently. Or maybe he's just the next great regular season coach. Regardless, they're balling out right now and if anyone thinks Atlanta can make it out of the East (idk if anyone does but just saying), they have to give Golden State at least that much of a chance.

 

[knoxville7]

I don't see why Golden State couldn't make it to the Finals myself. They obviously have great offense...even if they do rely on the 3 a lot, they can score inside as well with Lee, Speights, and the penetration of Curry and Thompson. The thing that I think can push them over the edge this year is their defense which is improved from last year. Kerr knows what he's doing apparently. Or maybe he's just the next great regular season coach. Regardless, they're balling out right now and if anyone thinks Atlanta can make it out of the East (idk if anyone does but just saying), they have to give Golden State at least that much of a chance.

I think Memphis, san Antonio, Houston, and the thunder could all knock out golden state. and when you consider it looks like golden st will play either san Antonio or the thunder in the 1st round....

 

[clonetrooper264]

I think Memphis, san Antonio, Houston, and the thunder could all knock out golden state. and when you consider it looks like golden st will play either san Antonio or the thunder in the 1st round....

Fair enough I suppose. The West definitely isn't easy to come out of unlike the East. The Thunder being the 8th seed really does screw up the bracket.

 

[knoxville7]

Fair enough I suppose. The West definitely isn't easy to come out of unlike the East. The Thunder being the 8th seed really does screw up the bracket.

if golden st wins the 1st round, they will make it to the WCF since in the 2nd round they will more than likely have the winner of Portland/clippers and golden st matches up really well with both of those teams I think. right now im leaning towards the Grizz coming out of the west

 

[Scoot26]

Golden State have a rare ranking to them... 2nd ranked offensive rating team and 1st ranked defensive rating team... Teams that accomplish that feat rarely lose.

They're a point off being the #1 ranked offensive team.. Only one team in NBA history has accomplished being both (well since the ABA merger anyways)... The 95-96 Bulls.

 

[knoxville7]

Golden State have a rare ranking to them... 2nd ranked offensive rating team and 1st ranked defensive rating team... Teams that accomplish that feat rarely lose.

They're a point off being the #1 ranked offensive team.. Only one team in NBA history has accomplished being both (well since the ABA merger anyways)... The 95-96 Bulls.

yes im aware, like most are I think. so one team has done it since the merger and they won it all. that guarantees nothing to the 2nd team that does it

 

[Scoot26]

yes im aware, like most are I think. so one team has done it since the merger and they won it all. that guarantees nothing to the 2nd team that does it

Yes anything can happen, but I'm not seeing it. Memphis lacks true offensive difference makers IMO. Green's an improvement but he's not a star.... For GS though, playing a healthy OKC team in the first round would be brutal.