supposadly For all those no it alls........

[dirkdirk+carter=championship]

dallas will make the playoffs
the lakers will have to rebuild
and the spurs will probaly get the 1 seed in the west
Dallas will maybe get the 2 seed battling min,den
minesota will be just as good like maybe winning it all
the nuggets will be unbieliveble
the clips forget bout them
the suns good shot at the 2nd round
seatle i dont no wat to say bout them
houston defintley playoffs and will breing talent

[chumdawg]

Just remember, folks: you heard it here first.

[dirkdirk+carter=championship]

dallas WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND I DONT CARE WAT ANY! SAYS THE MAVS R THE BEST TEAM NOW COME ON SHOW THAT PRIDE!! go mavs!

[u2sarajevo]

I moved this to the General Mavs because it had no trades proposed. Chill on the creation of new threads, search for existing threads about the same topic first.

Thanks.

[dirk2003]

1 San Antonio - only elite team that improved.
2 Kings - stayed the same
3 Wolves - got worse because of Spree and Cassell's age
4 Dallas - Will have to "gel" once again
5 Utah -Good offseason and great coach
6.Lakers - got worse
7 Houston - good offseason
8 Denver/Grizz - improved
9 SUNS!!!! No playoffs for mr nash.

[cheesestar]

i would put houston in front of the lakers and maybe the mavs, denver in front of the grizz and the lakers, the suns in front of the grizz

[mavsfanforever]

Originally posted by: dirkdirk+carter=championship
dallas WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND I DONT CARE WAT ANY! SAYS THE MAVS R THE BEST TEAM NOW COME ON SHOW THAT PRIDE!! go mavs!

I am relieved to know dallas will make the playoffs. Chill out dude.

[DubOverdose]

If the Spurs are the #1 seed, then the Mavs will definitely not be the #2 seed. It is impossible, unless the NBA changed the rules with the new divisions.

[birdsanctuary]

Thanks for the info Preston, you certainly are very excited about the Mavs....


Preston do you know who John Hinkley Jr. is?

[dirno2000]

You're really going out on a limb with that screen name.

[Drbio]

I'd just like to point out a couple of other obvious things.....

In the thread title it is supposed to be "supposedly" and "know-it-alls"......
His screen name is immediately rediculous.....

<AND>

someone is hitting the caffeine too hard.


I won't even begin to grade the post itself.

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: dirkdirk+carter=championship
dallas WILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS AND I DONT CARE WAT ANY! SAYS THE MAVS R THE BEST TEAM NOW COME ON SHOW THAT PRIDE!! go mavs!

I'm glad there is someone here that is looking into the future. Most of us have to wait and see in order to make statements like that.

[dude1394]

My take

1 San Antonio - Tim Duncan, no shaq
2 Kings - stayed the same
3 Wolves - Age will catch up with cassell and he made them go last year. 35-36 years old, he's about done. Their chance was last year.
4 Memphis - Very deep, very tough team. Only get better.
5 Houston - McGrady/Yao...
6 Dallas - Mavs will fall again and houston will swap places with them. (As they are constituted now) (MAN THIS TORQUES ME!!!!)
7 Portland - Very strong second half.
8 Lakers - This is a crap-shoot. Utah/Portland/Phoenix could easily get in which I think would knock the lakers out.

[endtroducing]

memphis is poised for first round exits until they have a star player that can lead them. you can't win in the NBA playoffs if there's no differential between your starters and the 12th man on your bench...until the players aren't so readily interchangable, I don't see them being successful in the post season. and houston will stay RIGHT where they are, and I really don't think they'll suddenly be on this meteoric rise. who's their point guard, mark jackson?

this will be minnesota's year, by the way...cassell isn't really a natural point guard, and with hudson returning, he'll move to shooting guard, which will really help with his durability. I think they might get some good depth in a wally/possibly olowokandi deal.

and uh...denver won't make the playoffs? weird choice. I really don't think the lakers make it into the post-season, either. and don't sleep on new orleans.

[dude1394]

I think I was wrong about about denver, forgot about martin coming there. Geezz... even without shaq, the west just continues to get tougher... Good grief mavs better get it in gear or they have a good chance of NOT making the playoffs. Dirk is going to have his hands full.

[rakesh.s]

1. wolves(this rides on sam cassell, if he can stay healthy the whole year, the wolves have got it)
2. spurs(i think any of the 2,3,4 teams are interchangeable..spurs will have to see if barry fits in because ward didn't last year)
3. nuggets(frontline is loaded..as good as anyone and have solid guards..sort of like Utah on steroids)
4. rockets(i look for yao ming to step it up big time this year 23,11,3)
5. kings(bleh...unless webber heals fully their window will be permanently shut...shamokavic proved that he sucks in the playoffs)
6. grizzlies(pretty much like last year..will be solid in the regular season)
7. suns(amare stoudemire will dominate this year..nash will only help and they may be able to get divac)
8. mavs(with the team they have now, dirk will be lucky to average 15 shots a game)

it's hard to see the lakers making the playoffs without a real center and no backup PF....even if kobe jacks up 40 shots a game, they will lose and only prove shaq's theory on team ball..i also don't see utah making the playoffs..it'll be close like last year..but they're like a watered down version of memphis and denver

[CaptPsycho]

mmm. i'm thinking:

1. Spurs
2. Wolves
3. Nuggets
4. Kings
5. Mavs
6. Houston
7. Memphis
8. Lakers/Suns

as of right now, its hard to say. things are still going down. Spurs and Wolves are staying as the elite. i'm thinking Denver makes a big improvement. not hard to figure out why. i don't see Houston as that much better to be honest. instead of Francis/Mobley, they have McGrady/whoever. at this rate is Lue or Jackson. Fisher would've been good, but he's signed. so...is that really that much better or different? Yao will probably step it up, but McGrady is gonna be just like Francis and it'll take a long time to drill it into his skull that it isn't his team and the ball has to go through Yao almost every possession. the Mavs and Grizzlies are staying in. can't really pick between LA and Phoenix. depends on if LA gets a center, if Malone comes back to them if he plays at all (him going to the Spurs is possible)... and Nashy/Marion/Amare is a hell of a big three.

[DCowboysGal]

I think the West is incredibly deep this year and at least 12 teams are playoff-material

1. San Antonio - still have big 3 with Parker, Duncan, and an improving Ginobili - D-stopper B. Bowen is back
2. Denver - best 3-man rotation in the league at the PF/C spot in Martin-Nene-Camby - will sign a shooter like Piatkowski or stopper like Hassell for the SG spot to round out a great starting 5 - Andre Miller will be an All-Star and leader in assists with so many guys to pass to now
3. Sacramento - Christie fading and Divac might be gone but team still has strong frontline with Brad Miller, Webber and young PF/C D. Songalia
4. Utah - One of the strongest teams in the West defensively with a frontline of Okur, Boozer, and AS Kirilenko - Giricek improving every year as a perimeter shooter - young and athletic team - PG's Arroyo, Lopez, and Williams fast and good - great depth in Harpring, Humphries, Lopez, Williams, Snyder et al. - J. Sloan Coach of the Year
5. Dallas - If DAL can sign a center, might have the deepest roster in the league and would move up a spot or 2 in these rankings
6. Houston - McGrady-Yao duo unstoppable - Howard decent third scoring option at PF but soft on D beside unphysical Yao - SF and PG spots weakest in conference with an aging J. Jackson and career backup T. Lue respectively - little depth other than PF M. Taylor
7. Phoenix - Question at C but PG Nash, SF AS S. Marion, SG J. Johnson/Q. Richardson, and PF A. Stoudemire awesome core 4
8. Minnesota - Age at PG and SG will catch up to them - Cassell and Sprewell won't be able to keep up defensively with younger backcourts in conference - will lose defensive stopper at SG/SF in Hassell - still weak at C - little depth otherwise even if they Hudson

9. LA Lakers - Like PHO, questions at C - Odom might also be too frail to play PF against likes of Duncan, B. Miller, Stoudemire etc. - C. Butler plateaued after great rookie season - K. Bryant has reliable 2nd scorer in Odom and possible 3rd in Butler - team will score lots, give up lots of points - if team lands a C, they're in ahead of PHO and MIN
10. Memphis - Still weak defensively at PF and C - overloaded with SG/SF's - team still not sold on J. Williams at PG and might start the defensively superior E. Watson
11. Portland - Decent frontline in Ratliff, Zach Randolph and D. Miles - Abdur-Rahim likely gone - PG shorty Telfair another T. J. Ford in the making - questionable depth
12. LA Clips - No Kobe or Ely - will probably match PHO offer for Q. Rich - Richardson, Brand, Maggette core still young and good - Kaman improving - virtually no depth with Drobjnak, House, Dooling etc. gone

[V]

Look, guys ... it's a dirk-dirk!

[rakesh.s]

Originally posted by: DCowboysGal
I think the West is incredibly deep this year and at least 12 teams are playoff-material

10. Memphis - Still weak defensively at PF and C - overloaded with SG/SF's - team still not sold on J. Williams at PG and might start the defensively superior E. Watson
11. Portland - Decent frontline in Ratliff, Zach Randolph and D. Miles - Abdur-Rahim likely gone - PG shorty Telfair another T. J. Ford in the making - questionable depth
12. LA Clips - No Kobe or Ely - will probably match PHO offer for Q. Rich - Richardson, Brand, Maggette core still young and good - Kaman improving - virtually no depth with Drobjnak, House, Dooling etc. gone

i pretty much agree with 11,12..but it's hard to see memphis as the 10 seed in the west..right now, they have a better "team" than the mavericks...even though they have no star, their team can get it done in the regular season..it'll be tough in the playoffs, but i wouldn't count them out this year..they have a year of experience and are very similar to the detroit pistons..might take one more year of getting to the 2nd round or conf finals before they are considered contenders

[Jamisonite]

I think you guys are giving Houston and Denver too much credit.

Houston has a worse PG situation than we do. And TMac isnt much of an upgrade over Francis and Mobley. He wont score that much.

Denver is still young. I give them 2 years before they make their run

[Jamisonite]

O...and also

I think people are giving Utah too much credit....Okur is less of a Center than Dirk is. They will compete for the 8th seed but i dont see them getting it

[DubOverdose]

Ok, call me crazy but I don't think Denver has a shot at breaking HCA. They were EIGHTH see last season! Two seasons ago, TIED FOR WORST RECORD. Ok, they added KMart, but I definitely don't see him putting them at 3rd seed. Denver was 9 games behind Dallas last season, and Dallas was the 5th seed. Denver was 13 games behind the Lakers (2nd seed, but 3rd best record). I too agree they have gotten better, but some of yall are putting them way up there in the standings.

[DubOverdose]

Also, eventhough the TWolves have gotten older, they will still be up there in the rankings. The only way age hurts them considerably is if Sam is out for a while.

[PlanoJ]

Originally posted by: DubOverdose
Ok, call me crazy but I don't think Denver has a shot at breaking HCA. They were EIGHTH see last season! Two seasons ago, TIED FOR WORST RECORD. Ok, they added KMart, but I definitely don't see him putting them at 3rd seed. Denver was 9 games behind Dallas last season, and Dallas was the 5th seed. Denver was 13 games behind the Lakers (2nd seed, but 3rd best record). I too agree they have gotten better, but some of yall are putting them way up there in the standings.

Denver has a starting lineup of Andre Miller, Veshon Lenard (or an FA), Melo, KMart, and Camby with Nene, Skita, Birdman and Boykins coming off the bench. That's a good team. They've got plenty of scoring and good D. I think they will be one of the most fun teams to watch this year and one of the best in the West. I look forward to seeing them on the court.

[EricaLubarsky]

the birdman may be heading out, if the last newsreport was correct

[dude1394]

Ok Jamisonite, Dub....Step up to the plate. Don't stand in the sidelines and carp. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

[bernardos70]

Originally posted by: EricaLubarsky
the birdman may be heading out, if the last newsreport was correct

If only he landed in Dallas....... I wouldn't mind.

[dmavsfan]

Mavs - Dirk has MVP season after light off-season (if he plays the 4)
Lakers - good team, good coach, good trade...I can't stand them, but...
SA - solid
Grizz - young and strong
Nuggets - hard to tell?
Clippers - good team
Portland - good coach, got rid of bad apples
Kings - going down
Rockets - gave up a lot for a selfish player
Minny - getting old?

[dmavsfan]

Where do the Suns go??? It was just a fun list. Who knows...trades still coming.

[Drbio]

Birdman signed with New Orleans. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

[EricaLubarsky]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Birdman signed with New Orleans. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

They maxed his contract.


[img]i/expressions/moon.gif[/img][img]i/expressions/anim_laugh.gif[/img] :epilepsy;

[dirk2003]

Originally posted by: Jamisonite
O...and also

I think people are giving Utah too much credit....Okur is less of a Center than Dirk is. They will compete for the 8th seed but i dont see them getting it

They competed for the 8th seed last season without Harpring, Okur and Boozer! They will most definantly make the playoffs next season in my opinion. They have the right pieces and the best coach in the NBA.

[Dirkenstien]

Originally posted by: Drbio
Birdman signed with New Orleans. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-mad.gif[/img]

Where are yall seeing this?

[Evilmav2]

Originally posted by: Dirkenstien

Where are yall seeing this?

Birdman Flies Free to NO