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  1. #1
    Administrator insidehoops's Avatar
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    Default 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Let's have a 2014-15 NBA West Preview from each of you.

    Let's do the best eight West teams, with notes on each team. Whatever you think is worth saying about a team. Brief notes, full sentence(s), etc.

    2014-15 BEST OF NBA WEST PREVIEW:

    1)
    2)
    3)
    4)
    5)
    6)
    7)
    8)
    Last edited by insidehoops; 09-27-2014 at 02:20 AM.

  2. #2

    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    1. Oklahoma City. KD and Westbrook continue to mature & figure out how to sublimate their game for wins.
    2. San Antonio. They will be in fine form but not kill themselves for the first seed.
    3. Los Angeles. Griffin's maturation will continue and Doc Rivers will get the best out of this loaded squad.
    4. Dallas. Reloading with youth and talent will help.
    5. Golden State. If Bogus stays healthy they'll climb the ranks.
    6. Memphis/Portland. Tough but not talented enough.
    8. New Orleans. Davis will become the next great big man & dominate.
    Last edited by Gotterdammerung; 09-27-2014 at 01:35 AM.

  3. #3
    the no ego dynasty Bobcats2013's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    1)Spurs - Self explanatory. Every year everyone says they're gonna suck and every year they prove everyone wrong.
    2)OKC - Same old same old. KD and RW will do their thing.
    3)Dallas - There's a resurgence in Dallas. The old men found life.
    4)GSW - All a matter of health. If they stay healthy they're in the mix.
    5)Portland - Young talented squad on the verge of breaking out.
    6)Clippers - It doesn't matter how much talent is on this team. It doesn't matter who coaches this team. This team is the Cinncinati Bengals of the NBA. Fabulously amazing during the regular season, and massively overrated during the post season.

  4. #4
    Jeremy Lin beat you Kidbasketball20's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    1) Spurs: They may not finish with the best record, but they'll be the best in the West.
    2) Thunder: Last go around. If they don't make a 3 seed Durant is out.
    3) Dallas: Surprise team in the season. Early playoff exit.
    4) Lakers: Led by Kobe and Lin. A resurgence and miracle team.
    5) Clippers: Not a great playoff team.
    6) T Blazers: Lillard.


    Major fall off: ROCKETS!

  5. #5
    Good college starter NZStreetBaller's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Thunder - KD in his prime Westbrook in his prime. adams kicking butt
    Clippers - i see them really stepping it up this season.
    Spurs - same old same taking it easy (for that longetivity)
    Portland - yeah
    GSW - yeah
    Dallas
    Lakers - because they are the greatest

  6. #6
    ... on a leash ArbitraryWater's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    NBA 2014/2015 Standings (1-8 Playoff Teams) - PREDICTION:

    West:

    1. San Antonio Spurs - Leonard/Parker/Ginobili... They're top heavy AND deep. Every single Player can be the MVP of the Team on any given night, ATG Offense AND Defense, coupled with arguably the greatest Coach of all-time.

    2. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin and Chris Paul, 2 possible Top 5 Players, with DeAndre Jordan as DPOY material, Jordan Crawford as 6th Man, an ATG Coach, more good pieces in Hawes/Reddick/Davis/Turkoglu.

    3. Oklahoma City Thunder- The most loaded Team in the league. Durant/Westbrook/Ibaka; 2 possible Top 5 Players, with 6th Man caliber in Reggie Jackson, and more youth, energy, defense... Need a capable Coach. (Although it this doesn't mean they can't win now with their Team)

    4. Golden State Warriors - Perhaps the deepest Team in the league. Top 5 Player at every Position. Need a capable coach.

    5. Dallas Mavericks - With Dirk as leader, you're guaranteed a top Offense, excellent leadership, everyone thriving and playing to their potential, locker room happyness, etc. Simply an overachieving Team. Surrounded by Monta Ellis, an energetic scorer, Chandler Parsons with a well-rounded game, Tyson Chandler hopefully providing great rim protection, a nice PG Combo in Nelson/Felton, re-born Devin Harris, the always efficient Brendan Wright, and one of the best coaches in the league. Defense will be the question.

    6. Portland Trail Blazers - LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard at the helm, a beautiful offense, Batum a highly underrated and complete SF, with Matthews at SG and Robin Lopez at C a tremendous starting 5, but still in need of a better bench to make the next step.

    7. Memphis Grizzlies - The usual tough grind-out Memphis Team... Older but still led by the interior force of Gasol and Randolph, Perimeter defense with Tony Allen, Conley as one of the better PG's in the league, and Carter can provide a great spark off the bench... Lack Shooting.

    8. Phoenix Suns/Houston Rockets/Denver Nuggets/New Orleans Hornets...

    All-out Battle for the last spot, the 8th seed.

    East:

    1. Chicago Bulls - Rose will need about a YEAR to get back to form, but the roster is loaded and in sync, with perhaps the best coach in the league. Rose/Butler/Gibson/Mirotic/Gasol/Noah

    2. Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron/Love/Irving with a good supporting cast / role players... Lacking an inside presense, someone who can protect the paint/basket. That's all they need. They have rebounding and they don't necessarily need another scorer at C. An entirely new team put together, will mesh come playoff time.

    3. Toronto Raptors - Lowry and DeRozan are the lead men, with a young and rising cast. Valanciunas improves as C, with All-Star ceiling. Ross/James Johnson/Amir Johnson other difference makers.

    4. Washington Wizards - Another great all-around team, Wall and Beal are the lead men, 3 tough Bigs in Nene/Gortat/Humphries. Experience and veteran Leadership in Paul Pierce

    5. Charlotte Hornets - Kemba Walker and Al Jefferson will continue to get better, both All-Stars, and an addition in Lance Stephenson, who likely will be one too. Young guys with some upside in MKG/Zeller/Vonley/Biyombo

    6. Atlanta Hawks

    7. Brooklyn Nets

    8. Detroit Pistons/New York Knicks/Miami Heat



    Extra: 2015 NBA World Champion - Prediction:

    ANYTHING could happen in the West, 11, ELEVEN Teams of 50-wins caliber, with multiple stars...

    Spurs/Thunder/Clippers/Warriors/Mavericks/Blazers/Rockets/Suns/Nuggets/Pelicans/Grizzlies...

    Historically loaded conference / competition / era.

    East is pretty much the opposite right now. Cavaliers/Bulls, 2 more teams with a small chance of upset and the rest not.

    I'm going with LeBron and him leaping his team over the Bulls and whatever West team, likely the Spurs.

    My Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers
    Last edited by ArbitraryWater; 09-27-2014 at 08:13 AM.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    I've helped kept track of all West predictions here:

    http://www.insidehoops.com/forum/sho...d.php?t=349400

  8. #8
    YAY AREAAA!! Inferno's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Spurs
    OKC
    Clippers
    Warriors
    Blazers
    Mavericks
    Grizzlies
    Rockets

  9. #9
    Very good NBA starter chips93's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    2014-15 BEST OF NBA WEST PREVIEW:

    1) spurs
    2) thunder
    3) clippers
    4) warriors
    5) mavs
    6) blazers
    7) rockets
    8) grizzlies

    the rockets are a really hard team to predict this year. i could see howard gaining a bit more mobility a year removed from surgery, and harden taking defense a little more seriously after team usa, and how everybody kills him for it now. that supporting cast is trash though

  10. #10
    NBA rookie of the year senelcoolidge's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    1) Spurs
    2) Clippers
    3) Thunder
    4) Warriors
    5) Trailblazers
    6) Mavs
    7) Rockets
    8) Grizzlies

  11. #11
    College superstar VengefulAngel's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Why does everyone have the Grizzles so low?They were on pace for 55 wins if it weren't for injuries. But I guess the west is so competitive even great teams will miss the play-offs.

  12. #12
    College superstar JellyBean's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    West 2014-15 Top 8 Teams:

    1). OKC(60-22)- With a healthy Westbrook, this team is primed for a serious run. The roster is deep as usual – Reggie Jackson, Steven Adams, and Jeremy Lamb have more playoff experience under their belt which should only add to the teams success. I’m still not a fan of Kendrick Perkins being in the starting lineup, he doesn’t fit the roster well in certain match-ups, but still the Thunder are one of the top rebounding, assists, and scoring teams in the league.

    2) San Antonio(58-24)- The Spurs are the Spurs. They are coming off a stellar championship season with essentially the same roster as last year. Patty Mills will miss a considerable amount of time and it will be interesting to see if Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili can continue to perform at All-Star caliber levels. San Antonio’s experience will carry them as far as they want, but will they be able to outlast their old age? The Spurs will still finish around 60 wins and nearly win the West.

    3). The Los Angeles Clippers(55-27)- The Clippers, I am still having hard time getting my mind around the fact that the Clippers are better than my beloved Lakers. But it is what it is and the Clippers will be the 3rd(4th) best in the West. This season the roster hasn’t made any significant improvements and I envision them not having the same success winning against teams they defeated last year in the conference. Chris Paul is a year wiser but his legs are a year older and the Clippers don’t have a viable back-up point guard to replace him considering all the heavy minutes he contributes.

    4). Dallas Mavericks(55-27)- With so many dangerous teams in the West you have to give the Dallas Mavericks kudos for adding Chandler Parsons to a lineup equipped with excellent scorers such as Dirk Nowitzki and Monte Ellis. Tyson Chandler rejoins the Mavs as the missing defensive anchor/energy player the team needed during the 2013-2014 NBA playoffs. The bench is solid with Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton holding down the guard position, so I don’t see any reason why they can’t advance beyond the 1st round of the NBA playoffs. Defense and rebounding has been an issue for this team as they ranked in the bottom tier in both categories, but Tyson Chandler is a game changer, so I expect those negative statistic to change. If you’re a Dallas Mavericks fan you have to be excited about the 2014-2015 NBA season.


    5). Portland Trailblazers (53-29)-A very exciting team that surprised many last season but I don’t expect huge success in 2014-2015, especially considering Portland could still have some issues receiving contributions from the bench. This season Portland did look to improve the bench by signing center Chris Kaman and guard Steve Blake to two-year contracts and they still have Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge — two of the top-15 players in the NBA. If Kaman and Blake pay dividends, this team could find themselves advancing past the second round of the NBA playoffs.

    6). Golden St Warriors (52-30)-The Warriors made some very notable moves during the off-season with the signing of guard Shaun Livingston to a three-year contract and veteran guard Leandro Barbosa, however, their success will rest in the hands of first time head coach Steve Kerr.

    Kerr has zero coaching experience, yet the Warriors still have enough talent to win 50+ games this season. Historically speaking, the Warriors could suffer a small decline in wins unless it proves that Mark Jackson’s coaching philosophy didn’t fit the direction of the team — which I think is b.s. On a positive note, Andrew Bogut is slated to return this season which could translate to to the 54 wins we predicted, but I am more concerned with how this team will react to a new coaching scheme. Is Steve Kerr in over his head, will players trust him immediately, or will it be a gradual transition?


    7). New Orleans Pelicans (50-32). I think this is the year for the Pelicans. Anthony Davis continues on his path to becoming one of the NBA’s top-5 players. Omer Asik was added to bolster the inside with Davis and Eric Gordon looks healthy for the first time in what seems like a decade. If Jrue Holiday can have another All-Star season, the Pelicans are an extremely scary dark horse team. Either way, New Orleans will be a surprise in an insanely tough Western Conference this year.

    8). Houston Rockets(49-33). The West is just competitive. The Rockets will be that team that is going to shock the crap out of teams. With Dwight and Harden as the leaders, this team is really good. Folks were tripping because the Rockets lost Chandler Parsons. Trevor Ariza makes up for that. He gives them additional defensive help and the long ball. The Rockets will be a tough team this year.



    I just know, I can not wait until the NBA season starts!! I am so geeked, I am trying to watch exhibition games...starting this weekend!!!

  13. #13
    ... on a leash ArbitraryWater's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Quote Originally Posted by JellyBean
    I just know, I can not wait until the NBA season starts!! I am so geeked, I am trying to watch exhibition games...starting this weekend!!!


  14. #14
    3-time NBA All-Star oarabbus's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    It's pretty messed up that out of the Suns, Mavs, Grizzlies, Pelicans, only two will make it. I think the Kings will surprise a lot of people, and the Lakers wont be bad either. Jazz will improve compared to last year as well.

    The West is just way too good this year.

  15. #15
    Saw a basketball once illastrate's Avatar
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    Default Re: 2014-15 NBA West Preview

    Quote Originally Posted by Kidbasketball20
    1) Spurs: They may not finish with the best record, but they'll be the best in the West.
    2) Thunder: Last go around. If they don't make a 3 seed Durant is out.
    3) Dallas: Surprise team in the season. Early playoff exit.
    4) Lakers: Led by Kobe and Lin. A resurgence and miracle team.
    5) Clippers: Not a great playoff team.
    6) T Blazers: Lillard.


    Major fall off: ROCKETS!

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