(12-10-2020, 03:38 AM)madmavsgirl Wrote: [ -> ]4) Golden State: Assuming Curry stays healthy of course.
You have GSW as a top 4 team this year with no Klay Thompson? Listen I love Steph as much as everyone, and think that he alone can make them a playoff contender, but top 4 in the West is a different story. Wiseman would have to be the next star in the league and Draymond would need a flashback to 2015 for that to happen.
I have GSW on the fringes right now. Anywhere from 6th-9th.
1. Lakers (I mean defending champs get respect. Number 1 is theirs until they show they can't have it).
2. Denver (Denver is so deep and have proved us all wrong time and again)
3. Clippers (Kawhi+PG alone puts them here)
4. Dallas (If KP comes back strong Mavs could make a serious jump.)
5. Portland (could go anywhere from 3-7 honestly)
6. Phoenix (I can't see a CP3 led team with another potential All-NBA guy falling lower than this)
7. Utah (Can Gobert and Mitchell put their differences aside? I they can go anywhere from 4-8 this year for me)
8. Warriors (Hard to count out a healthy Curry. If he's available then the Warriors are fringe playoff contenders. If he's injured, I can see the Warriors bottoming out).
9. Houston (If Harden stays, Houston is in the playoffs. If not then they can fall as low as 12th).
10. Minnesota (Kat, DLO, Rubio, and Edwards is enough talent for them to be here. But the wonky fit amongst them and lack of D means I see them as playoff hopefuls)
11. Pelicans (Lost Jrue Holiday and instead got Steven Adams. Zion alone can't lead them to the postseason. If Houston tanks, then I can see them making the play-in)
12. Memphis (Honestly I can see MEM taking a big step and gunning for the playoffs. But it all depends on Jackson jr. and Morant's development.)
13. San Antonio (Odd putting SAS this low. Hard to count Pop and co out but with all signs of them rebuilding, Derozan and Aldridge are probably getting shipped out)
14. Sacramento. (As MMG put it, not picking Luka puts you here. Also just letting Bogi go for free?? They deserve to be here).
15. OKC (They made a bunch of moves to tank. They look like they want to take. I don't see them not tanking. So bottom of the list they go)
For the West, I can see anywhere from 8-12 being shuffled about. Warriors and Houston depend on health and trade, and they can easily miss the playoffs. MIN, Pels, MEM are all on the outside looking in though and need to make the big jump.
East
1. MIL (Giannis, Jrue, and Middleton means they are one scary regular season team. Hard to see them lose 20 games this year. Remains to be seen in the postseason).
2. 76ers (Now that Morey's in charge and he's actually put shooters around Ben/Embiid, I think Philly is scary. They could even trade for Harden and still be this high)
3. Boston (Stevens is a great coach. Tatum is a superstar. Though Kemba is injured, and Hayward is gone, I can't see them falling out of top 3 barring injuries).
4. Heat (This team is sneaky strong. I can see them going as high as 2, but not lower than 4 barring injuries).
5. Brooklyn (KD+Kyrie are nutcases. But they are talented as hell. if KD returns to 95% of what he was Brooklyn is a strong team).
6. Wizards (Westbrook+Beal are strong enough to duo to carry the Wizards. I can see angry Westbrook trying his hardest to destroy everyone)
7. Pacers (Sabonis is back, Turner is still strong, and if Oladipo returns to his old self this team is really scary)
8. Toronto (FVV is back, but Ibaka and Gasol are gone. Lets see how good Pascal really is. I don't think they miss the playoffs, but they've certainly dropped)
9. Orlando (Vuc+Gordon are talented enough to bring them right at the bottom of the playoff bracket, but without Issac I think Orlando misses out).
10. Atlanta (They've made a lot of additions with zero time for those additions to practice. I think ATL can make the playoffs but I have to see it to believe it.)
11 Detroit (DET decided Hayes+all the centers is how they make it back to the postseason. Funnily enough I think if Griffin is healthy, they have a shot)
12. Chicago (Lavine is talented. Markkanen is talented, WCJr is talented. Coby White is talented. But they aren't a playoff team just yet. Future is bright in CHI-town)
13. Charlotte (Ball's entertaining circus show is all CHA has got going for them. Hope they're excited to see Hayward put up 18/5/6 everynight to 20 wins)
14. Cleveland (When they trade Love and Drummond, I wonder who wins the tankathon between them and New York)
15. Knickerbockers (They made some really smart moves this offseason. Winning moves? No. But smart moves. Which is a first for NYK in a long time)