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Bullseye
not a lot of love i see.
Chi-town23-33
I think those predictions are fare. I see the Bulls finishing around where everyone is saying they will, but come playoff time I think they will be a bigger force than people are expecting. That's when that depth is going to come in handy, when those legs get tired after an 82 game season. Also in most of those predictions, the rookies are ignored. Thabo and Tyrus will both be surprises I believe, Tyrus more so. It's going to be an interesting year.

Side-Note: hope the Knicks continue to suck.
TOMSPY77
Nice to know Scoop J has not changed his writing style just for the big E....
ZoomSlowik
I actually think they are more likely to be good in the regular season than in the playoffs. In the regular season they can get by on good depth and stellar defense. In the playoffs you need a go-to scorer that can get the big baskets, get to the line regularly, and potentially carry the team for a game here and there. Gordon might be able to do the first one, but we don't really have guys that can do that latter two. He's still a bit streaky to be a real #1 option.

I expect them to get the 4th or 5th seed in the East (behind Miami, Detroit, and NJ and/or Cleveland). That's a pretty tough draw, because they'd have to play New Jersey or Cleveland in the first and would probably get Miami in the second. They'd need to play REALLY well to make the conference finals with that draw. It's another story if they get the 3 seed though, that would work out to someone like Washington in the first and probably Detroit in the 2nd...
heirdog
Sounds like the same criticisms that the Bears heard before the start of the season. They didn't address their offense, they don't have any primetime offensive players, etc. etc. I think the maturation of Ben G, Kirk, Luol, Andres and Viktor into more consistent scorers and the ability to get easy fast break buckets can get any lowly offense going. I think that point is being underrated just like the development and health of Grossman, Berrian, et al was underrated.

Hopefully, the Bulls start off just like the Bears have...
hammerhead johnson
Yep, if we had an SG that could get to the line on a consistent basis, I'd be able to tell people with a straight face that we are championship contenders.

IMO, there is only one elite team in this league, and that is the San Antonio Spurs. I think that the Bulls are top five as is, but without a foul-drawing monster, teams don't usually win rings.

Root for a championship, but don't bet on it.
ZoomSlowik
QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Oct 27 2006, 02:49 PM) *
Yep, if we had an SG that could get to the line on a consistent basis, I'd be able to tell people with a straight face that we are championship contenders.

IMO, there is only one elite team in this league, and that is the San Antonio Spurs. I think that the Bulls are top five as is, but without a foul-drawing monster, teams don't usually win rings.

Root for a championship, but don't bet on it.


I can somewhat agree with that, but IMO you have to add the Suns to that if Stoudemire is even close to healthy. A 2-time MVP at the point, an elite power forward, and two very solid wing players is a damn good core, and Barbosa and Bell aren't all bad either.

Of course if Amare can't play again then they are a lot weaker, because they have no depth inside.
soxfan101
No love for the Mavericks? One of the best players in the league in Dirk, a very good SF that doesnt get much love in Josh Howard. Than they have Terry/Harris at the PG position. Also have Jerry Stackhouse coming off the bench. Also Maurice Ager is a pretty polished player from the draft and they got Dampier in the middle 2. Also Diop emerged as a pretty good defensive player too.
hammerhead johnson
QUOTE (ZoomSlowik @ Oct 27 2006, 03:10 PM) *
I can somewhat agree with that, but IMO you have to add the Suns to that if Stoudemire is even close to healthy. A 2-time MVP at the point, an elite power forward, and two very solid wing players is a damn good core, and Barbosa and Bell aren't all bad either.

Of course if Amare can't play again then they are a lot weaker, because they have no depth inside.


The Suns make stupid offensive decisions in half-court sets, though. If they switched up their philosophy a bit and started attacking the basket instead of relying so heavily on three point shots, I might include them in the first tier.

Now, maybe Stoudamire can give them a great FG% guy in the paint, and maybe their shot selection will become immeasurably better by default, but I'm not counting on him to even play in half of their games this year. I'd be shocked if he was healthy come playoff time.

I also think that they have good defensive personnel out on the perimiter and in the mid-range (I love Bell and Marion), but their interior defense is below average. Kurt Thomas is 34 years old, and it shows. Stoudamire has some mental issues, because lord knows that he has the physical capabilities to stop people on a regular basis. Boris Diaw and Shawn Marion can't defend anybody in the paint.

I feel bad for Steve Nash, because he deserves to win a championship, but I don't think it's gonna happen in Phoenix. As stated, they don't play smart, conservative offensive basketball in half-court sets, and they don't have the defensive personnel on the interior.

The high-flying act is fun to watch, but come playoff time, they'll be forced to rely heavily on points scored in half-court sets, and IMO they just don't have the brains to make it work.

QUOTE (soxfan101 @ Oct 27 2006, 03:17 PM) *
No love for the Mavericks? One of the best players in the league in Dirk, a very good SF that doesnt get much love in Josh Howard. Than they have Terry/Harris at the PG position. Also have Jerry Stackhouse coming off the bench. Also Maurice Ager is a pretty polished player from the draft and they got Dampier in the middle 2. Also Diop emerged as a pretty good defensive player too.


IMO, they are most definitely a strong second tier team, along with the Heat, Suns, Bulls, and Pistons. Assuming that Jermaine O'Neal can play 65 games and be at least 80% healthy come playoff time, I think that the Pacers are at or near the top of the second tier. Hell, I think that they're a major darkhorse to play the Spurs in the finals, but that will all go to spiff if O'Neal and Tinsley aren't healthy come playoff time. I really like what they did this offseason. Harrington is a legitimate #1 scorer, and Daniels is one of the NBA's most overlooked players. He brings a lot of intangibles to the table.

I'd put the Nets, Cavs, and Clippers in the third tier.

Yeah, the only first tier team in my mind is the Spurs. That's just how I see it.
Balta1701-B
I think the Suns can beat anyone except a team built like the Bulls. You run a great offense into a good defense and the good defense with an average offense and the good defense will win every time.

QUOTE (hammerhead johnson @ Oct 27 2006, 01:46 PM) *
Yeah, the only first tier team in my mind is the Spurs. That's just how I see it.

If you discount the key element in every NBA season, health, I agree. Healthy, no one beats the Spurs last year. But the Spurs were no where near healthy, and I really don't expect all 3 of their big guys to be healthy and 100% all the way throguh the end of the season. A healthy Ginobili, Parker, and Duncan...no one in the NBA can match up with that...but I see no reason to expect to see that all year...esp. Duncan, who may hold himself back for the playoffs again.

QUOTE (soxfan101 @ Oct 27 2006, 01:17 PM) *
No love for the Mavericks? One of the best players in the league in Dirk, a very good SF that doesnt get much love in Josh Howard. Than they have Terry/Harris at the PG position. Also have Jerry Stackhouse coming off the bench. Also Maurice Ager is a pretty polished player from the draft and they got Dampier in the middle 2. Also Diop emerged as a pretty good defensive player too.

There are 2 key questions with the Mavs. They have the talent to stand with anyone. But then the questions come down to injuries and matchups. Can you guarantee that Dirk will give them another full season? Maybe more likely, what about stackhouse? What if his age catches up with him? What if others, like Diop, regress to where they were in other seasons? Or what if they run into a determined Duncan with a healthy Ginobili and Paker to dish to? Or what if the Suns manage to rebound a little better due to a healthy kurt thomas? At this point, no one can pick exactly how teams will fold out in the playoffs. That's the fun of the NBA.
soxfan101
yeah but there are so many what ifs? with every team.. is it really fair to pick apart the mavericks with what if's as an excuse to make them a 2nd tier team. Oh well, difference of opinion... GO BULLS!
ZoomSlowik
A couple comments on what others have said:

Phoenix- They do shoot an awful lot of threes, but they also make quite a few of them. In fact, their team shooting percentage was damn good last year. They shot almost 48% as a team, and Nash, Marion, and Diaw were all over 50%. Stoudemire is another one that will be well over 50% when he is on the floor. They're not a great defensive team by any stretch, but I think they can be decent, which is really all they need. Bell and Marion are already pretty good defensively, and Diaw and Stoudemire have more than enough ability to be just as good (though obviously Nash will still be a liability). They would be vulnerable to a team with two legit post threats, but there aren't many of those, and the other team still has to keep up with them on the perimeter. I don't expect Amare to be a major factor early, but I think closer to the end of the year he'll be healthier and at least somewhat close to his old self. If that happens, the only teams I can see stopping them are a healthy Spurs team, the Bulls, and maybe Detroit if they get that far.

Dallas- My problem with them is that I'm not really a big fan of the way the team is constructed. They obviously had a real shot last year, but I think the rest of the league is a little stronger. Dirk is obviously close to unstoppable, and I like Howard a lot. The rest of their guys not so much. Terry has talent, but he's a serious tweener. He's a defensive liability at either spot and his shoot-first mentality is a bad fit at the point. Stackhouse does nothing but score, and Dampier and Diop do nothing but defend (both are mediocre rebounders). Harris is okay right now, the only way I see them being a real threat is if he takes a major step forward. Unless San Antonio and Phoenix have some health problems again, I don't see them making the finals.
CryptViLL
In my florida newspaper today, the bulls were predicted to be number 2 in the division, behind detroit.
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