NBA Top 10 for '10

[King Glorious]

1-Cleveland. I thought they were the best team this year but they couldn't match up well with Orlando. That's how it goes sometimes. There can be one or two teams that you don't match up well with but still be the best overall team in the league. If the Lakers had to play Charlotte in the Finals, they might get swept (lol). The addition of Shaq is huge. The don't even need him to repeat this year but if he can give them 13-7 a night, it's over. I love the addition of Danny Green as a perimeter defender with some length.

2-Boston. The injury to Garnett gave him half a year off. But more important, it gave guys like Davis and Powe a chance to gain significant experience. Rondo really stepped it up big time in the playoffs too. I think that the drafting of Hudson is going to pay big for them. I see him a lot like Rodney Stuckey in Detroit. He can play both guard positions. He can shoot the ball, something Rondo can't do. He can create and finish, something Allen can't do.

3-Denver. They gave the Lakers all they could handle and had a very realistic chance of beating them. I'm a believer in the feeling that teams need to go to through the process to know what it feels like and I think having this season under their belt and a better backup for Billups will make them the team to beat in the West.

4-Los Angeles. Right there with Denver. Never count out Kobe Bryant. He's getting up there and has put a lot of wear on his body but he's just so damn good. I think it's more important for them to keep Odom than Ariza but losing either one drops them just below Denver. If they keep both, I'll put them right ahead of the Nuggets. I think Odom is the key, not Bryant or Bynum.

5-Orlando.
6-Porland.
7-San Antonio.
8-Utah.
9-LA Clippers.
10-Dallas.

[SniperSB23]

If Turk goes to Portland:

1. Cleveland
2. San Antonio
3. Boston
4. Denver
5. Lakers
6. Portland
7. Orlando

[King Glorious]

I think next year is going to be one of the best we've had in the league in awhile. If all of the principles have good health, there have been some big moves made by top contenders that should make it very competitive up top. You've got Artest to the Lakers while losing Ariza. Bynum will start off the year healthy. The question is will they still have the hunger? It's always harder to defend a title but if there's one guy you want leading your team in that situation, it's Kobe Bryant. Cleveland has added Shaq? Can he play like he did this past season? If he can, the season might be a mere formality. The Celtics may have been the best last season if healthy. Now they've added Wallace and possibly Grant Hill so they should be even better. Orlando lost Turkoglu and that will hurt the way their offense flows but they got in Carter a guy that's always been the kind of guy that you could go to when the shot clock is winding down that can create a shot. That's one thing they didn't have last year. San Antonio has added Jefferson and if Ginobili can stay healthy, they may have one more run in them before Duncan's knees give out. Utah showed last year in the playoffs that they could be a pretty good team when healthy. If Boozer stays healthy, they will be a factor. Denver took a big step last year and that's usually a huge experience to help a team get to the next level. Billups is getting a little slower and the addition of Lawson should help keep him fresher when the big time moments come. One move that is not talked about at all but might turn out to be significant is the signing by Dallas of Gortat, or however you spell his name. While he's not a superstar, he did play very well in Howard's absence in Orlando and he's an upgrade over Dampier. They need Josh Howard to stay healthy though and if he can, they can't be counted out of having a big impact on the West. Portland is going to be tough too. How good can they be if Oden can up things to say 12-8 a night and figure out a way to stay out of foul trouble all the time?

[King Glorious]

It keeps getting better. Now the Mavs are adding Shawn Marion and the Spurs are adding Antonio McDyess. The Lakers are dragging their feet on Odom. It's an odd situation. The market says there isn't a lot out there for him but he's almost got the Lakers in a position where they HAVE to re-sign him if they want to remain among the favorites.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

It keeps getting better. Now the Mavs are adding Shawn Marion and the Spurs are adding Antonio McDyess. The Lakers are dragging their feet on Odom. It's an odd situation. The market says there isn't a lot out there for him but he's almost got the Lakers in a position where they HAVE to re-sign him if they want to remain among the favorites.

The mavs are old and hopeless. The spurs are old and less hopeless. It would have been interesting if they could have added rasheed though.

[King Glorious]

The Spurs are old and hopeless but adding an old Wallace would have made it interesting? I think that things in the West got a whole lot tougher. The Celtics brought in old Garnett and Allen and won a title. A few years ago, the Lakers brought in an old Malone and Payton and nearly won a title. These two teams are not too old. Dallas played Denver pretty tough last year and they have gotten a lot better real quick by upgrading at two positions. Three really because you can now move Howard to the two-guard. This gives them more defense too. I also would not be surprised if by the trading deadline, Michael Redd is on that team.

I'm hearing that there may be another trade in the making involving Chicago, Utah, and Portland. What I heard is that Boozer may end up in Chicago, Hinrich to Portland, and Tyrus Thomas in Utah. I don't really see the point of this trade at all.

Odom has the Lakers over the barrell. They have to sign him. If they don't, they are noticeably weaker while all of their challengers have gotten stronger. If they don't, I wonder where he'll end up. This is interesting. I haven't seen an off season like this before.

Originally Posted by dalakhani

The mavs are old and hopeless. The spurs are old and less hopeless. It would have been interesting if they could have added rasheed though.

I hope you are typing about Dallas adding Rasheed.

We do not allow guys with bird droppings on the fro
in San Antonio. Or idiots that leave Robert Horry open
when told not to and help lose a championship (give us one).

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

The Spurs are old and hopeless but adding an old Wallace would have made it interesting? I think that things in the West got a whole lot tougher. The Celtics brought in old Garnett and Allen and won a title. A few years ago, the Lakers brought in an old Malone and Payton and nearly won a title. These two teams are not too old. Dallas played Denver pretty tough last year and they have gotten a lot better real quick by upgrading at two positions. Three really because you can now move Howard to the two-guard. This gives them more defense too. I also would not be surprised if by the trading deadline, Michael Redd is on that team.

I'm hearing that there may be another trade in the making involving Chicago, Utah, and Portland. What I heard is that Boozer may end up in Chicago, Hinrich to Portland, and Tyrus Thomas in Utah. I don't really see the point of this trade at all.

Odom has the Lakers over the barrell. They have to sign him. If they don't, they are noticeably weaker while all of their challengers have gotten stronger. If they don't, I wonder where he'll end up. This is interesting. I haven't seen an off season like this before.

Rasheed would be a low post threat that can still rebound and defend. He would address the glaring hole in the middle of the spurs line up. yeah, he would have made it interesting. A starting five of jefferson, duncan, parker, sheed and ginobli/whoever would have been very interesting.

Are you seriously going to keep touting the mavs after all of these years? Lets check out that lineup. Shawn Marion is supposed to be the answer? Please. He is 31 now and the luster is off the diamond. They still don't have an adequate low post threat. This lineup will get smoked by the top teams. Old, slow and poor down low usually doesnt make for a good team. You bring up malone and payton but conveniently leave out that they were being added to kobe bryant and Shaq. Dirk and Jason "notta" kidd arent kobe and shaq.

Originally Posted by dalakhani

Rasheed would be a low post threat that can still rebound and defend. He would address the glaring hole in the middle of the spurs line up. yeah, he would have made it interesting. A starting five of jefferson, duncan, parker, sheed and ginobli/whoever would have been very interesting.

Are you seriously going to keep touting the mavs after all of these years? Lets check out that lineup. Shawn Marion is supposed to be the answer? Please. He is 31 now and the luster is off the diamond. They still don't have an adequate low post threat. This lineup will get smoked by the top teams. Old, slow and poor down low usually doesnt make for a good team. You bring up malone and payton but conveniently leave out that they were being added to kobe bryant and Shaq. Dirk and Jason "notta" kidd arent kobe and shaq.

Replace with McDyess.

Thank god we did not get Rasheed.
A definite no fit in my mind.
McDyess will fit.

Dallas blew it huge getting rid of Devin Harris.

[King Glorious]

Situation is getting interesting with Odom now. Reportedly, the Lakers have taken their offer off the table. It's been said that it was for three years and $27 million. That's not far off the $10 million a year he's been asking for but the biggest problem is that he wants more years. He wants five and $50 million. So now word is that Dallas has offered five at the mid-level for a total of about $34 million. It's less per year than the Lakers offer but for more years so it's more guaranteed money. Also hear that Miami is making the same offer. The interesting thing is that both Texas and Florida have no state tax so that makes the offers a little better. Or he can maybe take a three year offer from either of those teams and then hope to negotiate a bigger contract from them when they have his Bird rights. I think that's a very risky move though. Then there is Portland. If Utah does indeed match the Milsap offer, Portland has the cap space to offer Odom what he wants. Remember, they offered $10 million a year to Turkoglu. They probably figured like everyone else did that Odom was a lock for LA but if not, why not offer to him now? Weaken the Lakers while strengthening yourself.

[King Glorious]

I love the pickup of Andre Miller by Portland. He's a very underrated and steady guard and can lead the offense and let Roy take a break from that and he's more an offensive threat than Blake was.

[SniperSB23]

Originally Posted by King Glorious

I love the pickup of Andre Miller by Portland. He's a very underrated and steady guard and can lead the offense and let Roy take a break from that and he's more an offensive threat than Blake was.

Crazy NBA offseason, the gap between the haves and have nots keeps widening.