Poll

So who do you think the Celtics will be playing in the 2009 NBA finals? Hypothetically speaking!

Houston Rockets
9 (26.5%)
San Antonio Spurs
2 (5.9%)
New Orleans Hornets
11 (32.4%)
Portland Trailblazers
3 (8.8%)
L.A.  Fakers
7 (20.6%)
Utah Jazz
2 (5.9%)

Total Members Voted: 34

Voting closed: September 03, 2008, 03:33:26 PM

Author Topic: Western Conference Champions!  (Read 7848 times)

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Western Conference Champions!
« on: August 26, 2008, 03:29:44 PM »

Offline JR Giddens

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 8)

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #1 on: August 26, 2008, 03:34:39 PM »

Offline P2

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New Orleans. And Posey won't win consecutive rings.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #2 on: August 26, 2008, 03:36:57 PM »

Offline ChampKind

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The San Francisco Jinxes.  Or the Arizona Superstitions.  Or maybe even the Seattle Bill Simmons Style Presumptuous UltraJinxes. 
CB Draft Bucks: Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Tobias Harris, Zach LaVine, Aaron Afflalo, Jeff Green, Donatas Motiejunas, Jarrett Jack, Frank Kaminsky, Lance Stephenson, JaVale McGee, Shane Larkin, Nick Young

DKC Bucks. Also terrible.

http://www.anchorofgold.com

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #3 on: August 26, 2008, 03:38:29 PM »

Offline celticmaestro

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If they stay healthy, Houston are the cream of the Western Conference. With a strong, strong challenge from New Orleans and the Lakers.

San Antonio and Utah are dark horses in my opinion.

Of course, those are the teams I expect to come out of the West. As for the East, that's a whole other conversation.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #4 on: August 26, 2008, 03:58:05 PM »

Offline Champzilla

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Lakers all the way.
Boston is the Greatest City in the World !!!

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #5 on: August 26, 2008, 03:59:20 PM »

Offline Champzilla

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Lakers don't lose anyone and add Andrew Bynum and Sun Yue.
Boston is the Greatest City in the World !!!

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #6 on: August 26, 2008, 04:04:03 PM »

Offline Reggie's Ghost

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Hornets, they scare me alot.

Dark horse: Portland

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #7 on: August 26, 2008, 04:06:57 PM »

Offline Hoops

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Spurs won't get through the gauntlet unless Parker, Duncan and Ginobili ALL have abnormally healthy and productive seasons. I don't see it. Although, they've gotten more rest this offseason than they have in several years...

The Rockets have Tracy McGrady (i.e., no Finals for you!!). Seriously, even with Artest, the Rockets are a lot like the Spurs. Everything will have to come together perfectly (health, chemistry, a few lucky breaks, etc.) for the Rockets to survive. I wouldn't count on it happening. Between TMac's back, Yao's ankles (though I don't worry about him as much as some people) and Artest's volatility, there are too many things that could easily derail them.

I wanted to vote for the Jazz. They're consistently good - just not sure if they're going to be good enough.

The Lakers, unfortunately, will be in the mix. But I think Boston exposed a lot more about that team's weaknesses than most people are talking about. Odom and Gasol are soft, plain and simple. That won't change at this point in their careers. They are what they are. We proved that if you can slow down Kobe (which we absolutely accomplished), they don't have anyone mentally tough enough to carry them. Bynum will bring a more physical presence and that will help, but I don't see that young kid as having the testicular fortitude to carry the team when Kobe gets shut down. Also, I think there's a real possibility that Phil loses some credibility with the players after having been totally out-coached in the Finals - that'll be worth monitoring although it may not play out until the playoffs begin (which would be a bad time for a player mutiny).

I voted for the Hornets. They're young, confident, poised, well-coached and should only get better this year. Of all the Western teams last year, I think they really thought they could have and should have beat LA. Now that they've seen what Boston did, I think they have even more confidence in their abilities to take them down.



Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #8 on: August 26, 2008, 04:26:06 PM »

Offline incoherent

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Rockets because the NBA will be on their side this year.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #9 on: August 26, 2008, 04:28:25 PM »

Offline Champzilla

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Blazers are stacked this season, and are still wicked young.
Boston is the Greatest City in the World !!!

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #10 on: August 26, 2008, 04:36:58 PM »

Offline Who

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Lakers are the frontrunner and have by far the best chance of winning the West

Rockets and Blazers also have a shot.

Other teams (Spurs, Hornets, Jazz, Suns) will games in the regular season and play good ball in the playoffs (especially Hornets), but someone will knock them off before the big dance.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2008, 04:38:54 PM »

Offline Big Ticket

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I'm surprised people are so high on the Rockets.  Every year they are supposed to become the favorites, and every year they finish middle of the pack.  I don't expect this to be much different because they acquired crazy man Artest.  TMac isn't getting any younger or more durable.  Yao isn't getting any more durable.  Artest isn't getting any saner.

I think this will be a two horse race between LA and New Orleans.  I like LA to win the regular season crown, but New Orleans to go to the finals.


"It ain't about me.  It's about us."  - KG, interview with John Thompson, 2005 All Star Game.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2008, 04:40:11 PM »

Offline celticmaestro

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Portland? This year? Really? :-\

This is the most confident I've been in a Rockets team since the mid-90's.

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #13 on: August 26, 2008, 04:41:05 PM »

Offline cordobes

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Spurs, Lakers, Rockets, Hornets and Jazz, by this order.

I second celticmaestro: Portland this year?

Re: Western Conference Champions!
« Reply #14 on: August 26, 2008, 04:43:47 PM »

Offline Champzilla

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I feel the spurs are too old, they got crushed by LA last year in the playoffs.
Boston is the Greatest City in the World !!!