# Dark horse of the Western Conference



## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

With the pre-season starting tonight for the Mavs, let's try and predict the unpredictable. :biggrin: 

Which teams in the Western Conference do you think will go surprisingly far this season?

W/L records for last season:

NORTHWEST
Denver 44 38 
Utah 41 41
Seattle 35 47
Minnesota 33 49
Portland 21 61

PACIFIC
Phoenix 54 28
L.A. Clippers 47 35
L.A. Lakers 45 37
Sacramento 44 38
Golden State 34 48

SOUTHWEST
San Antonio 63	19
Dallas 60 22
Memphis 49 33
NO/Oklahoma City 38 44
Houston 34 48

For me, the two surprises will be.....

Warriors (Nelson will optimize their run-and-shoot...)
Hornets (made some serious improvement during the off-season)


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

The key is *surprisingly* far. The media has hyped the additions some teams have made, so it's hard to say...but I'd watch Minnesota and Randy Foye as KG's squad could see a resergence of sorts. 

The Golden State interest level is off the charts, and all eyes (including mine) are on Phoenix, as Marion could slide back to SF if the The Kid returns as planned.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

bray1967 said:


> The key is *surprisingly* far. The media has hyped the additions some teams have made, so it's hard to say...but I'd watch Minnesota and Randy Foye as KG's squad could see a resergence of sorts.
> 
> The Golden State interest level is off the charts, and all eyes (including mine) are on Phoenix, as Marion could slide back to SF if the The Kid returns as planned.


But we are all expecting PHX to go far, and that's no surprise. I mean... we ARE talking about a team that made the Conference Finals without Amare.... :biggrin: 

Your mentioning of Minny is quite interesting. I wrote them off for a couple years now, but they do deserve a second look. Who do you think comes out on top of the Northwest Division?


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> Your mentioning of Minny is quite interesting. I wrote them off for a couple years now, but they do deserve a second look. Who do you think comes out on top of the Northwest Division?


I like the Nuggets, but the 'experts' (my uncle used to say an ex was "a has-been", and a spert was a drop under pressure) say they were in such disaray at the end of last season they have no chance.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

bray1967 said:


> I like the Nuggets, but the 'experts' (my uncle used to say an ex was "a has-been", and a spert was a drop under pressure) say they were in such disaray at the end of last season they have no chance.


The nugs lost a heck of a lot of talent and gained NONE....

But the division is so.... (can't quite think of an appropriate word)... that they'll probably take it.

UTA has a pretty good squad there, so I might keep an eye on them as well.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> *UTA* has a pretty good squad there, so I might keep an eye on them as well.


University of Texas at Austin...yeah, they're ok. :biggrin:


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

University of Texas at Arlington has a pretty weak squad, I wouldn't worry too much about them bursting into the NBA and taking the Western Conf by storm.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Ninjatune said:


> University of Texas at Arlington has a pretty weak squad, I wouldn't worry too much about them bursting into the NBA and taking the Western Conf by storm.


LOL... how about the Collin County Community College squad? :biggrin:


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## Ninjatune (May 1, 2006)

Too many C's for me........


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

Minny looks great, I'd also like to throw in the Warriors.


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

edwardcyh said:


> With the pre-season starting tonight for the Mavs, let's try and predict the unpredictable. :biggrin:
> 
> 
> For me, the two surprises will be.....
> ...


Neither team is a surprise at all really. Nelson is a HOF coach, and Paul is everyone's goldenboy. 

The team to watch is Sacramento. Their progress this year will prove how much impact Artest and Wells truly had on the team last year.


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

edwardcyh said:


> The nugs lost a heck of a lot of talent and gained NONE....
> 
> But the division is so.... (can't quite think of an appropriate word)... that they'll probably take it.
> 
> UTA has a pretty good squad there, so I might keep an eye on them as well.


What talent did the Nuggets lose from last season? Buckner left for the Mavs, but he was non-existent in the playoffs. Ruben was traded for Joe Smith.

Adding JR Smith and Yakhouba Diawara is very nice upgrade. Don't sleep on Diawara's defense as it is at least equal to Ruben's and Buck's.


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

cpawfan said:


> What talent did the Nuggets lose from last season? Buckner left for the Mavs, but he was non-existent in the playoffs. Ruben was traded for Joe Smith.
> 
> Adding JR Smith and Yakhouba Diawara is very nice upgrade. Don't sleep on Diawara's defense as it is at least equal to Ruben's and Buck's.


You are right.... Nugs technically haven't lost K-Mart yet. :biggrin:


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## cpawfan (Jun 20, 2004)

edwardcyh said:


> You are right.... Nugs technically haven't lost K-Mart yet. :biggrin:


All of the insider reports out of camp are very good about him (knee, play, teamwork, etc). But then again, I'm amongst the Kenyon haters so why bother explaining it.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

cpawfan said:


> All of the insider reports out of camp are very good about him (knee, play, teamwork, etc). But then again, I'm amongst the Kenyon haters so why bother explaining it.


That's cool - free your mind. :meditate:


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## Floods (Oct 25, 2005)

Hornets


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

Just a little bump....

Utah is pretty amazing this year. Hopefully they'll stay healthy throughout the season.

Both GSW and NOK are 7-3, better record than our mavs....

DEN is looking.... a little down.


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## AK-47 (Jul 7, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> UTA has a pretty good squad there, so I might keep an eye on them as well.





edwardcyh said:


> Just a little bump....
> 
> Utah is pretty amazing this year. Hopefully they'll stay healthy throughout the season.
> 
> ...


Well, you predicted it, good job.


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## croco (Feb 14, 2005)

Well, I didn't expect the Jazz to be that good, but they really look for real.


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## xray (Feb 21, 2005)

edwardcyh said:


> .... Nugs technically haven't lost K-Mart yet. :biggrin:


Check that.


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