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Whole new season now, post-allstar game. I think it will go thusly:
1. Spurs
2. Lakers
3. Jazz
4. Dallas
5. Suns
6. Hornets
7. Warriors
8. Rockets
Once Parker gets back, the Spurs should be fine. Damon Stoudamire has been a really slow starter for them in place of Parker, really slow. No points in 20 minutes slow. I find that surprising.
Who knows with the Lakers, they have a lot of firepower and depth, but not a lot of experience playing their latest starting 5. I hope Kobe gets rewarded for his loyalty and professionalism with a trip deep into the playoffs this year, he's been amazing. And props to Gasol for playing well immediately.
I like the Jazz. They always play hard for Jerry Sloan, they're big, strong, smart, experienced and they defend. I guess their outside shooting is getting better now too. Deron Williams an absolute wizard with the ball. He's awesome. They got a ton of weapons, this team. I see Utah reaching the conference finals.
Dallas. Nowitzki will never be acknowledged or respected as the leader of that team. He's too soft, and it trickles down. If Devean George ever allows Jason Kidd onto the team, interesting things could happen, but again, its experimentation during the playoffs.
I don't care for the Suns, I think as always, they're too one dimensional with pick and roll after pick and roll, or 3-ball. I guess the idea of Shaq as rebounder-and-outlet-passer negating the need for him to run all night with the Suns might work but - like the Lakers - it's an untested concept. They must have really hated Shawn Marion in PHX to send him to the Heat. I wonder what he did to piss everyone off?
As good as the Hornets have been this year - and I have a new favorite player in David West - lack of depth is unfortunately going to kill them during the intensity of the playoffs. Their starting five is just about perfect, they could reach the finals if only they had a bench to give the stars a rest. Chris Paul is the best point guard in the league and should be in the allstar game over Iverson!
Warriors could be the 6th seed, or even the 5th if they keep playing like they've been. They just put Chris Webber on the inactive list lol, that fucking idiot. Chris Webber plays for one thing: Chris Webber. This is a great ballclub (without Webber) that plays on emotion, effort and guts. They could do some damage if they stay healthy. Baron Davis is a true leader, not someone they wish was, and thats gonna help tons in the playoffs. I even like Jax1 these days lol! I didn't realize just how good this guy was. Conference semis a real possibility.
Rockets are overachieving this year imo. When Bonzi Wells isnt smoking crack or beating up people in nightclubs, he's a hell of an offensive basketball player, top 15. One of those guys with an ungodly amount of natural talent, paired with ungodly little discipline. McGrady is too soft to be an effective leader, he'll always be the reluctant superstar. Yao will score tons of points, get tons of rebounds and do little else for his team. Not enough of any one thing to go too far in the playoffs.
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