MAVS NEWS:

[mvossman]

That's exactly where I think they'll be. Pretty sure I replied to Killer a week ago that Kidd doesn't take the regular season all that serious and that 50 wins will probably be a good goal again, hopefully this time it results in at least 1 round with home court advantage. If we take out just the West, then the seeding looks like this:

1 OKC
2 MIN
3 DEN
4 DAL

5 PHX
6 MEM
7 SAC
8 NOP

9 LAL/GSW*
10 LAC/HOU

Threw in GS, but this pretty much lines up with what I think, as it stands on July 15.

I'm not sure that Kidd doesn't care about regular season as much as he has been trying to figure out lineups on incomplete rosters.  Last season for example there were questions at every starting position except for Luka and Kyrie.  Between that and injuries it was insane how long it took to get 100 minutes of any lineup.

I think it will be a little different this season.  The starting lineup seems set in stone.  There is always the chance of injury and its possible there becomes a compelling reason to change things up, but I think the five spots are much more solid than in previous years.  That means the only real tinkering will be with second units.  

Because of that stability in the starting lineup, this feels like it might be the first team that starts winning regularly from the start, and hopefully will not ever really have to consider being in the play-in.  I don't know if that means 50 wins or 55, but I am anticipating a lot less stressful season than in the past.