Bold Predictions?

[SoonerBounce13]

Got any bold predictions for the NBA season?

I'm going to say that two weeks into the season, okc fans will be calling for Adams to start over Perkins, by the All star break he should be starting, and after the all start break he will be starting.

I was watching the thunder game last night and was surprised to see that the GMs voted that Indiana was the most likely to win the whole thing this year behind miami

 

[playmakr]

Warriors win West

(Not sure how bold it really is)

 

[SoonerBounce13]

Adams is just what the thunder needed


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[bocabull]

Give Presti credit for continuing to draft big guys. It's a hole that he had to fill and it looks like maybe they finally have done it.

If Jackson & Lamb can take the second unit up a notch they are right back in the hunt.

Impressive.

 

[gracefor24]

Interesting how quiet things are on the Thunder front considering they are 5-1, with their one loss while Westbrook was out, and you have the Heat, Rockets, Clippers, and Warriors at 3 losses each.

 

[sperry]

Interesting how quiet things are on the Thunder front considering they are 5-1, with their one loss while Westbrook was out, and you have the Heat, Rockets, Clippers, and Warriors at 3 losses each.

They're 0-1 against teams that will make the playoffs. We don't know anything about them yet. Hard to to judge until they get to the meat of the schedule. I'm cautiously optimistic since they're playing well with Westbrook struggling and I assume he will return to form. The surrounding cast remains unexciting, although I like the long term potential of Adams.

 

[gracefor24]

They're 0-1 against teams that will make the playoffs. We don't know anything about them yet. Hard to to judge until they get to the meat of the schedule. I'm cautiously optimistic since they're playing well with Westbrook struggling and I assume he will return to form. The surrounding cast remains unexciting, although I like the long term potential of Adams.

Re-read my post. Their 1 loss to that team was without Westbrook. With him they are likely 6-0 right now. Lamb is playing really well (18 PER, 46% from the field, 40% from 3), Jackson is looking good as well as Adams. The person who is stinking it up is Thabo but he will come around. Perry Jones also is giving solid minutes. Last night was a big win because of how it happened and who had to contribute for them to win. PJIII, Lamb, and Jackson all came up huge down the stretch.

Once Westbrook returns to form I think OKC is at the top of the heap with the Spurs because they are the only team that can really defend at a high level and pair it with offense. This is assuming a lot but I don't think it's crazy talk.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

They're 0-1 against teams that will make the playoffs. We don't know anything about them yet. Hard to to judge until they get to the meat of the schedule. I'm cautiously optimistic since they're playing well with Westbrook struggling and I assume he will return to form. The surrounding cast remains unexciting, although I like the long term potential of Adams.

So you think Minnesota will be the only team they have faced to make the playoff?


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[sperry]

So you think Minnesota will be the only team they have faced to make the playoff?


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I'm not even sure Minnesota will make it. The Wizards, Suns, and Jazz certainly won't make it. I think Detroit, Dallas, or Minnesota could compete for a 7 or 8 seed, although honestly I don't see any of them making it.

 

[sperry]

Re-read my post. Their 1 loss to that team was without Westbrook. With him they are likely 6-0 right now. Lamb is playing really well (18 PER, 46% from the field, 40% from 3), Jackson is looking good as well as Adams. The person who is stinking it up is Thabo but he will come around. Perry Jones also is giving solid minutes. Last night was a big win because of how it happened and who had to contribute for them to win. PJIII, Lamb, and Jackson all came up huge down the stretch.

Once Westbrook returns to form I think OKC is at the top of the heap with the Spurs because they are the only team that can really defend at a high level and pair it with offense. This is assuming a lot but I don't think it's crazy talk.

All I'm saying is we don't know anything yet. Every team the Thunder have played thus far is in the bottom half of the league. I'm not distraught that we're in dogfights with bottom-feeders. I know we'll continue to play better as Russell returns to form. I will reserve judgment until we play quality competition, though.

 

[playmakr]

My other bold prediction should have been Doc Rivers will finally be revealed as the fraud he is. And I hate to say it about a guy from Chicago.

For some reason people seem to think he has some defensive/toughness gene as a coach. Crazy talk. He's an offensive guy, and is NOT the architect of the tough defensive Celtic teams, and really didn't have much to do with it. The main architect coaches the Bulls now. The Celtics fell off dramatically after Thibs left. KG in his prime isn't walking through that door.

The Clippers will win a fair amount of games, but it's not because of some major coaching upgrade. In fact, I will be surprised if they have a better record than last year or advance any further.

Doc is just another guy.

 

[bocabull]

We'll see what happens but a few things jump out at you.

1. The East sucks as bad, if not worse, than ever. Indiana & Miami and that's it. Maybe Chicago can get it going but their offense stinks.

2. The Spurs are the West front runners. Seriously. They are allowing 90 ppg. No other West team allows less than 98. It's the Parker/Leonard Spurs now. Duncan/Diaw/Ginobili not a bad 3/4/5 option.

3. Minnesota might have finally turned the corner. We'll see if inures derail them like usual. If not you have a logjam of contending teams right behind the Spurs. Clippers, Thunder, Warriors, Wolves, Rockets and maybe even the Blazers.

 

[coolm]

Minnesota looks to be this seasons' Grizzlies. I dont think they will make it past their medical frailties ... but if they stay healthy ...

looks like

Spurs
Warriors
Clips/Thunder
Houston

Houston and OKC certainly have potential to move up. Houston depending on gaining exp together and OKC getting scoring options consistent. As much as I like them I dont see the Clips being as good as last years' version and will only go as far as CP3 can take them. Golden State and the Spurs are great. I'd be surprised if it wasn't them at the end in the west.

The east? is there really anything to say past Pacers and Heat?

 

[bocabull]

Clippers have the most potential to move up. They have a new championship caliber head coach, new multiple new pieces on the roster & most importantly Blake Griffin appears to be upping his level of play.

Clippers are 5-0 vs the Rockets, Thunder, Warriors & T-Wolves already and they have the most upside. They are easily the top challenger to the Spurs.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

I'm not sold on the Clippers. I am sold on the spurs as always and Golden State. I think the Thunder could finish at the top again if Lamb gets more consistent.

 

[coolm]

i agree with bounce

 

[bocabull]

So we have all left the Grizzlies off the list. I know they got off to a slow start after getting rid of Lionell Hollins. But in watching them a couple times the past week they are still going to be a handful. They still lack the elite go to scorer at the end of games but boy are they strong & physical.

 

[sperry]

So we have all left the Grizzlies off the list. I know they got off to a slow start after getting rid of Lionell Hollins. But in watching them a couple times the past week they are still going to be a handful. They still lack the elite go to scorer at the end of games but boy are they strong & physical.

Agreed. You do not want to draw the Grizz as a 7 or 8 seed.

 

[SoonerBounce13]

That Harden trade is looking better for the thunder.

Lamb is putting up good sophomore numbers. similar to Harden's soph numbers on a per min basis.

Adams is coming around.

Reggie Jackson is playing like a mini harden. (hehe)

I think this might be the best thunder team yet and they are more ready to challenge the Heat. Not sure if they stand a chance against them in a 7 game series but with the maturity and improvement of Durant, the new bench, and serge playing up to his potential, I like our chances better than a couple years ago

 

[bocabull]

I think your right bounce. So far so good.