Yeah, sorta dangerous on a board like this to call out guys. we all know pre-season picks are speculation and no reason to discourage people into thinking any strong opinion risks being thrown in their face (says the guy who defended Tim Tebow and has had that thrown in my face repeatedly!
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Speaking of predictions, someone called out above that Memphis did not have that firm of a grip on the #2 seed, and that seems prescient. And, on the flip, I'm just impressed that the Rockets keep winning despite injuries. Beverley isn't great, but it's still hard to imagine winning in the playoffs without his above avg defense on point guards. But the question really is who could rise to the Warriors level and battle them to 7 games in a series?
The Mavs aren't good enough and without Durant neither is OKC. Memphis is a pain-in-the-ass team and you could make the "playoffs slow the game down/favor grinder clubs like the Griz" but I don't really buy it. And I don't buy the Trailblazers, either. It seems to me there are three clubs in the West who could give the Dubs a run for their money:
-Houston: if Dwight can play 25 minutes per game in the playoffs that more than makes up for the defensive loss of Beverley. And it seems as if Jones should be back at least by the playoffs, and certainly in form by the 2nd round. If so, man that's a scary team if Harden gets playoff mojo going.
-LA Clippers: 2nd best team in the NBA by point differential and some noises that Jamal Crawford will be back by the playoffs. Paul was MVP great in Griffin's absence and seems like one of those situations where a team is helped by performing well without a star as everyone else is forced to be more assertive. Since his return they look pretty great, and that's without Crawford.
-San Antonio: It's sad that the dream OKC (with Durant)-GS match-up won't happen, but man the Spurs-Dubs in a conference final would be epic.Things are locking into place in general, but Tony Parker is still sub-standard. If he can raise his game the way his teammates have, then I might genuinely fear the Spurs if I'm a Dubs' fan.
Bottom line is, that while I think either the Rockets or the Clips could give anyone a run for their money, it's hard to see them actually winning the West. A revived Spurs team, though, while I wouldn't pick them would be awfully interesting.
If the Rockets pass the Grizzlies for the #2 seed, those 4 teams would be my first round picks (GS over OKC; Houston over Dallas; SA over Memphis; Clippers over Trailblazers). Clippers verus Dubs would be raucus and Houston vs San Antonio a ton of fun, too, in a 2nd round....
Some fun...