You know what that means - this thread is official, jack!
One month of training camp and preseason until the ball drops in November. Who knows what this season will bring - for now, hope springs eternal (unless you're Memphis)
Anyways, my wildly inaccurate first impressions are:
SUNRISE CONFERENCE
LEBRON AND THE LEBRONETTES - This is the season. Or else. ORLANDO BLACK MAGIC - If you don't think Vince is an upgrade over Turkoglu you're crazy. Regardless, 2010 is the Year of the Revenge of Nelson. RED'S GREENIES - He's going to be an All-Star this year. You know who I'm talking about. KAAAAWWWW - Will always be fighting for 4th/5th, unless Josh Smith spurts wings... which is possible. ONCE-WERE-BAD BOYS - Who are these guys? What the hell do we have? Where am I? I want to open my eyes and be back in the comfort of last year, and Chauncey can tell me it was all just a bad dream and tuck me back into bed. WASHINGTON RESURRECTION - I’m high on this team, and on the return of HIBACHI in general. RAP ATTACK - This team was designed to destroy Euroleague Final Four. NBA? Not so sure. PHILLY 2999 - Has no point guard. Somewhere in LA, Baron Davis is chilling with his Hollywood friends when suddenly, he can't stop laughing. MIAMI WARM - ... this team makes no sense. Wade = Sisyphus MILWAUKEE BAD BUCKS - Is it just me or does this feel like an NCAA All-Stars team? (That's not a good thing) UNC BOBCATS - I've never seen a "Larry Brown team" with no "Larry Brown players" before. BABY BULLS - Will never grow up. Ugh. Replace BG with Pargo, who spent a year in Europe? Great. Luol or Bust. FREE ROSE. INDIANA PACERS - Such a funky team. FREE GRANGER. But most importantly... BOOM THO!!!!! THE NEW YORK D'ANTONI EXPERIMENT: YEAR TWO - Good luck playing D'AntoniBall with below average PGs and no shooters. НЬЮ-ДЖЕРСИ НЕТС - The Chelsea FC of the NBA in two years? In Brooklyn? Jay-Z? LeBron? So much intrigue, but one thing is sure for this year - they're gonna suuuuuuck.
SUNSET CONFERENCE
SAN ANTONIO EVERY DAY - This team is fucking scary. Favorites for the 2010 chip. THE LAKE SHOW - Dunno about Artest, but still got Kobe, Pau, and Lamar Kardashian. TRAILS BE BLAZING - Young, smart, and ready. CHAUNCEY'S TEAM - It all depends on the Young J.R. BZZZ BZZZ BZZZZZZZ - I'm gonna miss The Alley-oop. Without his Oop Buddy, Chris is gonna get them mean, ball-punching eyes now. He's going to go on a nut smacking spree, going beserk on the league, leaving in his trail a path of crushed hopes and broken dreams. Watch out. DALLAS ICE PACKS - Kidd grows old, and Marion grows old, and Howard grows mediocre, but Dirk springs eternal. JERRY SLOAN - Doesn't this team feel like it should be better than it is? Carlos Boozer, fucking up another team with negative karma. PHOENIX ASHES - The death of Seven Seconds or Less is still incredibly tragic. I remain in mourning about it, even as the window closes on Nash+Amare. CHINA'S FAVORITE TEAM - It's time for T-Mac to put on those Darfur Eyes and unleash fury. WE BELIEVE - I have no fucking idea. Neither does Nellie. CLIP SET - Two conditions and this is a playoff team: 1) Health all year, 2) Al Thornton learns to shoot less. MINNESOTA TIMBERPUPS - They'll be fun to watch now, but man, Ricky would have made this team's every game Must-Watch TV. OKC SONICS - Young, smart, and two years away from ready. MEMPHIS SOUP - Mayo-Iverson-Gay-Zach Randolph-OtherGasol. Not bad on paper right? Welcome to a lesson on Chemistry. SACRAMENTO PAIR OF 3 - I can't think of a single reason to watch this team. NOPE, not Kevin Martin. Okay, maybe Tyreke Evans. But I'm not watching for more than eight mintues.
Last edit: 2009-10-09 14:14:58
Wall-E
ChezGod Korea (South). October 09 2009 13:57. Posts 295
On October 09 2009 15:46 Ace wrote: I know you don't believe that Clippers prediction. I KNOW YOU DONT.
What's not to like?
[healthy] Baron Davis - Eric Gordon - [efficient] Al Thornton - Blake - [healthy] Kaman, with [healthy] Cambyman, Rasual Butler, Sticky Ricky Davis, and Bassy Telfair.
I should have put a third condition, which is that this team doesn't quit on its coach (and it might be too late for that already), but this team has a chance of squeezing out Phoenix for the eight spot me thinks.
... yeah I don't believe it. bleh.
Wall-E
Ace United States. October 09 2009 16:17. Posts 5146
Eric Gordon is seriously the only guy on that team I'd call a surefire "If you wanted to build a playoff team who would you pick" kind of player. Baron Davis is still iffy, Al Thornton...anyway yea Blake is unproven which is why I can't call anything about him yet. Rasual Butler is terrible and Ricky Davis is Ricky Davis. Camby and Kaman of course are health liabilities like you stated.
And Mike Dunleavy is still in town which always always always means something will go wrong.
Bulls did start higher in my mind, but every time I looked at the roster and reminded myself that their coach was Vinnie Del Negro they dropped a slot.
Wall-E
Slaughter United States. October 09 2009 16:47. Posts 4605
Well I hope that Dumars can pull something out of his ass for this season but in reality it just seems like a placeholder team until next year. Gorden + rip + Prince + Someone could make for a really good team if he can sign someone.
Never Knows Best.
zer0access Russian Federation. October 09 2009 17:12. Posts 23
the people who think Artest isn't going to work are gonna be so angry to wake up in April to see the Lakers with 70 wins.
If Farmar, Vujacic, Fisher, and Walton even play close to how they played in 08... this team is unstoppable. Clevland is going to implode, and I predict a LeBron injury this season.
Team Pandemic - www.teampandemic.net
unknown.sam Philippines. October 10 2009 11:11. Posts 1636
On October 10 2009 06:02 Xeris wrote: the people who think Artest isn't going to work are gonna be so angry to wake up in April to see the Lakers with 70 wins.
If Farmar, Vujacic, Fisher, and Walton even play close to how they played in 08... this team is unstoppable. Clevland is going to implode, and I predict a LeBron injury this season.
lol @ how much you hate lebron
Its like if you have a favorite player you have to HATE players who are on a similar level or that are considered their competition.
No way lakers win 70 btw. Just not going to happen.
How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal and you have to be willing to work for it. Jim Valvano
Servolisk United States. October 11 2009 02:35. Posts 4910
Hm, looking forward to this Pistons team, even though they aren't contenders, yet... Plz get Amare when Rip expires in 2010!
So how come no one talks much about Amare in 2010? His dominance was unreal he just had some injuries. 37 ppg against Duncan in 2005 WCF O_o (compare to Lebron's 38 ppg vs Howard, or his 22 ppg vs the Spurs in 2007). I would rather build a team around Amare than anyone but Lebron.
Anyway it won't happen this year. This year is very competetive, hard to see which of the top teams will be best.
HonestTea 
October 09 2009 13:50. Posts 4719
ChezGod Korea (South). October 09 2009 13:57. Posts 295
Ace United States. October 09 2009 15:46. Posts 5146
iLoveKT Philippines. October 09 2009 15:59. Posts 1667
zer0access Russian Federation. October 09 2009 17:12. Posts 23
CTStalker Canada. October 09 2009 21:46. Posts 5931
Xeris Iran. October 10 2009 06:02. Posts 8270
strongwind United States. October 10 2009 11:47. Posts 640
Servolisk United States. October 11 2009 02:35. Posts 4910
