Official Mountain West NBA Thread 2 - Page 11

TonyAnderson · #**201** Posted **Mar 26, 2010, 12:48 AM**

What are the odds the Jazz finally make it back to the Finals just to face the new Jordan, Lebron James, and get denied again as 'Bron starts his dynasty run? I can already see him pushing off on Kirilenko for the game winner.

scottharding · #**202** Posted **Mar 26, 2010, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

The only difference between LA and Denver, is LA actually wins the gimme games. Dallas has become far over-rated, because of their win streak they had. OKC is more dangerous than Dallas or Jazz, but will not be able to play properly come playoff time, because of lack of experience. Utah is most dangerous, but will tire over a playoff series, as will Dallas. If Denver gets Kenyon and Karl back as currently planned and LA doesn't get Bynum back, I don't see how the Lakers can get past Denver.

I don't see what makes you think Utah will tire through a playoff series. In the last twenty years, only San Antonio has played more playoff series. Sloan knows how to handle it. And of the eight teams in the West currently in playoff seeds, Utah's age situation is ideal in that they've been there before, they've won playoff series and have experience, but they're still one of the younger teams. Only Oklahoma City and Portland are younger. And the Jazz are far less beat up than Denver. Utah has weaknesses, but legs isn't one of them.

TonyAnderson · #**203** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 3:07 AM**

OKC tore up the Lakers last night. They really don't seem to have THAT much talent, but they play like a college basketball team with their energy, hustle, teamplay, and defense. I haven't been a believer in them all season, especially when I think about playoffs, but they're slowly changing my mind.

SnyderBock · #**204** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 8:39 AM**

Their talent is in their bigs. they have Kobe plus their bigs, Gasol, Odem and Bynum. They don't really have a good PG or a quality backup PG. They don't have a quality backup SG to Kobe (Ariza was a huge loss). They don't have a quality starting SF, nor a good backup SF. They got Kobe and the bigs and role players who work with in their system. Denver, Dallas, Utah and OKC are possibly all more complete teams than the Lakers. Coaching is under-rated and Phil Jackson plays a huge role in their success, just as Karl does with Denver and so as Sloan with Utah.

It seems all a team in the NBA needs to win, is one elite finisher/scorer, a couple All-Star caliber bigs and a future Hall of Fame type coach and it really helps to have an All-Star level PG. Sure the two best teams in the NBA in the Lakers and Cavs both have below average PG's, but they both have players who facilitate of the double team well in Kobe and LeBron, which makes up for the lack of a top level PG.

wrendog · #**205** Posted **Mar 28, 2010, 5:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SnyderBock

Their talent is in their bigs. they have Kobe plus their bigs, Gasol, Odem and Bynum. They don't really have a good PG or a quality backup PG. They don't have a quality backup SG to Kobe (Ariza was a huge loss). They don't have a quality starting SF, nor a good backup SF. They got Kobe and the bigs and role players who work with in their system. Denver, Dallas, Utah and OKC are possibly all more complete teams than the Lakers. Coaching is under-rated and Phil Jackson plays a huge role in their success, just as Karl does with Denver and so as Sloan with Utah.

It seems all a team in the NBA needs to win, is one elite finisher/scorer, a couple All-Star caliber bigs and a future Hall of Fame type coach and it really helps to have an All-Star level PG. Sure the two best teams in the NBA in the Lakers and Cavs both have below average PG's, but they both have players who facilitate of the double team well in Kobe and LeBron, which makes up for the lack of a top level PG.

I'm pretty sure he was referring to the Thunder, not the Lakers.

TonyAnderson · #**206** Posted **Mar 30, 2010, 3:27 AM**

Yes I meant the Thunder, sorry.

So the Mavs beat the Nuggets tonight and Denver falls from 2nd to 5th. Wow! This is going to be one close race from 2nd to 5th, and even 2nd to 8th (Spurs are 8th right now and only 4 games back).

scottharding · #**207** Posted **Mar 30, 2010, 5:35 AM**

Yeah, crazy! Utah moves up to third, first in the NW division, and only a half game behind Dallas at number 2. So many teams being so close together. It's amazing how balanced out the western conference has become. Even the Lakers, who hold a comfortable five game lead over Dallas, are beatable. New Orleans thumped them tonight. The Western conference title is there for which ever team wants it most.

SLC4L · #**208** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 2:32 AM**

Oh no! Ego's are collapsing and expanding! Also... Go Jazz! I remember earlier this season when people were going off on how bad they were, and here I was saying, "Stick with them... It's a long season." This is the man formally known as MetroFanatic bytheway.

TonyAnderson · #**209** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 4:05 AM**

I still feel the same. They're too sporadic to do anything noteworthy in the playoffs.

SnyderBock · #**210** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 4:12 AM**

Nuggets just have to get Kenyon healthy, Ty Lawson healthy, Birdman healthy and Coach Karl back and they will be ready for playoffs. I never would have imagined that Coach Karl had this big an impact on the success of the Nuggets. They don't even look like a playoff team without Karl and Martin. And they played alright without Martin when they still had Karl around. This adversity could make them stronger and prepare them for a tough fight to the Championship. This may be their turning point, where they ave to come together at a new level, or fade away. At this point, their final position doesn't even matter. if they can get right, they will be the best team in the west and capable of defeating any opponent they are matched up against.

scottharding · #**211** Posted **Mar 31, 2010, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyAnderson

I still feel the same. They're too sporadic to do anything noteworthy in the playoffs.

I don't think the Jazz have been too sporadic since the all-star break. They're 30-9 since then, which is good for best in the West, and the best league record since the break behind Cleveland. And the Jazz March schedule was grueling. I think this is the most solid Jazz team we've seen since the Finals years, and they can do just as much damage in the West as anyone.

5280 · #**212** Posted **Apr 1, 2010, 4:29 AM**

Dudes, I'm not judging, but why in the hell does Jerry Sloan still have Boozer and Miles in the GS game???? Up by 30 in the 4th with the playoffs a few games away? That makes absolutely no sense to me. I'd really like some intel on this, because it seems like insanity. Game is well over, why risk Boozer rolling an ankle or something?

SLO · #**213** Posted **Apr 1, 2010, 5:09 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottharding

I don't think the Jazz have been too sporadic since the all-star break. They're 30-9 since then, which is good for best in the West, and the best league record since the break behind Cleveland. And the Jazz March schedule was grueling. I think this is the most solid Jazz team we've seen since the Finals years, and they can do just as much damage in the West as anyone.

The Mavericks are 18-5 since the break, dont think there have been 39 games since the break. The Jazz are 18-7 since the break, but they have been great. Cleveland is 16-5.

The west is crazier than ever, I think the Lakers will retain the #1 seed, but then its up for grabs, lose one game and you'll drop.

scottharding · #**214** Posted **Apr 1, 2010, 5:47 AM**

Ah yes, my bad. The 30-9 record is since January, the start of the year.

TonyAnderson · #**215** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 4:05 AM**

Well the RNC members in town got to witness one of the better regular season games I've ever seen. Jazz beat Thunder 140 to 139 in overtime. I also found out Kevin Durant's normal range is about half-court. He's like a better, more athletic version of Reggie Miller.

scottharding · #**216** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 4:42 AM**

What an awesome game! Both Deron Williams and Kevin Durant have 40+ games. So many players making clutch plays. And yeah, Durant is a freakin' machine. Some of those shots are inhuman. Sorry Kobe, time to pass the torch. Those Nike puppet commercials should be between Lebron and Durant, because the fight for the crown is between those two.
Sweet win for the Jazz. Four to go.

Ronald-Dregan · #**217** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 5:06 AM**

what an emotional draining game... I haven't felt this spent at a game for quite some time. That being said we dodged a bullet because Durrant was clearly fouled on the last shot. I have never in my life seen such a terribly officiated game in my life. Ive been to around 200 Jazz games, but have never seen such bad refereeing of a nba game. Go JAZZ

Crush_Buds · #**218** Posted **Apr 7, 2010, 5:15 AM**

Sorta off topic...but is there a NFL team that the majority of the people root for?

FrancoRey · #**219** Posted **Apr 15, 2010, 10:20 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by FrancoRey

Correction. The Nugs will win the Northwest.

If I'm not mistaken, two of the teams in your sentence are 0-1 and Denver is 2-0. ALL are as a result of...Denver.

The season is long. Relax NBA fans! There's still roughly 80 chances for your teams to make it right.

Ahem. 'Twas a squeaker, but the prophecy has been fulfilled! NUGGETS WIN THE NORTHWEST!

And all these Jazz fans that were so worried about their team. We ended up with the same record. Let the trash talking and madness begin! If only Phoenix was still in here...what a fun three-way slug fest that would've been.

Looking forward to game one in Denver.

cadetwhite · #**220** Posted **Apr 15, 2010, 10:31 PM**

^^^ Definitely! Saturday night will be very interesting, I only wish I had tickets!