Surprise Team of the Season

[BigKAT]

Previous Winners:
2016 - Minus four starters - Trail Blazers
2015 - 17 wins to 41 wins Bucks.
2014 - Phoenix Suns go for 48 wins and several speeding tickets
2013 - Nuggets go to 57 wins after Iggy Trade, notch 15 straight wins at one point.


So who you guys got for the 2017 Seasons?

Emphasis on surprise.

I want to say Wolves, but It won't be a surprise because I really do expect them to at least contend for that 8th spot.

So I'll go with the Houston Rockets. I think that team is going to be far better then people think it will be. Maybe even top 4 in the West.

[Smoke117]

I wouldn't count the Rockets doing well as a surprise...high scoring offensive teams do well in the REGULAR SEASON. I'll say the Bulls...since most people think it's going to be a complete debacle. I think they are going to find a way to be decent-good. 45-50 wins. Dwyane Wade is also my favorite player so I'm a bit biased in this regard.

[BigKAT]

I wouldn't count the Rockets doing well as a surprise...high scoring offensive teams do well in the REGULAR SEASON. I'll say the Bulls...since most people think it's going to be a complete debacle. I think they are going to find a way to be decent-good. 45-50 wins. Dwyane Wade is also my favorite player so I'm a bit biased in this regard.

I'd love seeing the bulls do well. (I'm rooting for a good ECF this year after 3 years of Lebron messing around)

But yeah. It does seem to me like the lack of shooting will butcher this team.
Hope you're right.

[Smoke117]

I'd love seeing the bulls do well. (I'm rooting for a good ECF this year after 3 years of Lebron messing around)

But yeah. It does seem to me like the lack of shooting will butcher this team.
Hope you're right.

I'd put my stock behind the Hawks then...I think they're going to be pretty damn good. Oh I thought you said team...but yeah, Hawks and Celtics are likely to be the only other teams that really make some noise in the East...and the Raptors I suppose, but we already know they can't do shit vs the Cavs. I would definitely put money on the Hawks being the biggest threat to the Cavs.

[kurple]

Denver


Every player looks much improved from last year. And those who didnt play last year looks great too (Murray, Wilson Chandler, Hernangomez).

Just need to find a way to defend the 3


Mudiay - Murray - Jameer
Harris - Barton - Murray
Gallo - Chandler - Beasley
Jokic - Hernangomez - Arthur
Nurkic - Faried - Stokes (still not nailed on)


All of Murray, Barton, WC and Faried could win 6th man. And the Nurkic/Jokic lineup has looked amazing in preseason

[BigKAT]

Denver


Every player looks much improved from last year. And those who didnt play last year looks great too (Murray, Wilson Chandler, Hernangomez).

Just need to find a way to defend the 3


Mudiay - Murray - Jameer
Harris - Barton - Murray
Gallo - Chandler - Beasley
Jokic - Hernangomez - Arthur
Nurkic - Faried - Stokes (still not nailed on)


All of Murray, Barton, WC and Faried could win 6th man. And the Nurkic/Jokic lineup has looked amazing in preseason

It appears as a team that can do well with a good coaching system in place.
Talent wise they are not inferior to last years Celtics (Gallo + Faried = Isiah imo)

So yeah, it boils down to if Mike Malone can really find the right system.

[I<3NBA]

Knicks.

no one expects them to do anything.

[AirBonner]

Knicks.

no one expects them to do anything.

And they won't. They will lose more games this year.

[BigKAT]

And they won't. They will lose more games this year.

Often times, 'Win Now' teams without a real superstar crash hard when trying to give up their future for the 'now' rather then cultivate talent the right way.

We've seen it with Brooklyn lately in 2014,
And Phoenix a season ago when instead of going young they traded for Knight, and signed Chandler. Hopefully Booker and Bender will make things interesting for them.

But yeah, Knicks seems like a 44-45 Win team at best, and 25 win team at worst. I'm leaning towards the worst, though I love porizingis and Noah, I think that the coaching might be the deciding factor, Jeff Horneack is a solid coach, but time will tell if he can arrange this well.

[Bosnian Sajo]

Lakers, not being biased either. Luke Walton has completely changed the culture for the better in LA, think of the young GSW when looking at the Lakers.

Dlow - Steph
Clarkson - Klay
Deng - Iggy
Randle - Green
Mozgov - Bogut
Ingram - Barnes
Zubac - Ezeli

Luke is trying to duplicate what happened in Golden State, and we might just have the right pieces. Deng and Mozgov were specifically signed to play the same type of roles Iggy and Bogut have (had, for Bogut). D'angelo has become a lights out shooter and Clarkson has been known to get it done. Randle is handling the ball more and playmaking, just like Green. Ingram is the question mark, but wasn't that Barnes too when the whole thing was just getting started with the splash bros?


Warriors weren't a playoff team instantly, people. Steph missed the playoffs his first 3 years in the league. Just remember I said it

[Smoke117]

^^ Mozgov is garbage defensively compared to bogut...and lol at comparing randle to green...lol at this whole damn post frankly.

[tamaraw08]

Denver


Every player looks much improved from last year. And those who didnt play last year looks great too (Murray, Wilson Chandler, Hernangomez).

Just need to find a way to defend the 3


Mudiay - Murray - Jameer
Harris - Barton - Murray
Gallo - Chandler - Beasley
Jokic - Hernangomez - Arthur
Nurkic - Faried - Stokes (still not nailed on)


All of Murray, Barton, WC and Faried could win 6th man. And the Nurkic/Jokic lineup has looked amazing in preseason

Yup, plus I think Mike Malone is one of the most under rated coaches in the league.

[Uncle Drew]

Lakers, not being biased either. Luke Walton has completely changed the culture for the better in LA, think of the young GSW when looking at the Lakers.

Dlow - Steph
Clarkson - Klay
Deng - Iggy
Randle - Green
Mozgov - Bogut
Ingram - Barnes
Zubac - Ezeli

Luke is trying to duplicate what happened in Golden State, and we might just have the right pieces. Deng and Mozgov were specifically signed to play the same type of roles Iggy and Bogut have (had, for Bogut). D'angelo has become a lights out shooter and Clarkson has been known to get it done. Randle is handling the ball more and playmaking, just like Green. Ingram is the question mark, but wasn't that Barnes too when the whole thing was just getting started with the splash bros?


Warriors weren't a playoff team instantly, people. Steph missed the playoffs his first 3 years in the league. Just remember I said it

You must be trolling?

[AirBonner]

^^ Mozgov is garbage defensively compared to bogut...and lol at comparing randle to green...lol at this whole damn post frankly.

This. Lakers have NO DEFENSE

[NugzFan]

Lakers, not being biased either.

right.