# Which Team is Our Biggest Threat?



## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Dallas
C-LaFrentz/Bradley/Eschmeyer
PF-Nowitzki
SF-Najera/Howard
SG-Finley/Abdul-Wahad/Daniels
PG-Nash/NVE/Johnson


Minnesota
C-Olowokandi/Johnson
PF-Garnett/Madsen
SF-Szczerbiak/Ebi
SG-Spreewell/Hoiberg
PG-Cassell/Hudson


Sacramento
C-Divac/Miller
PF-Webber/Funderburke/Songalia
SF-Stojakovic/Wallace
SG-Christie/Peeler
PG-Bibby/Jackson


San Antonio
C-Nesterovic/Willis
PF-Duncan/Rose/Horry
SF-Bowen/Turkoglu
SG-Ginobilli/Mercer/Brown
PG-Parker/Carter


Which team is the biggest threat to us?


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## JGKoblenz (Jul 19, 2002)

1 - San Antonio
2 - Sacramento
3 - Dallas
4 - Minnesota


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## MJG (Jun 29, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>JGKoblenz</b>!
> 1 - San Antonio
> 2 - Sacramento
> 3 - Dallas
> 4 - Minnesota


That's the order I'd put them in as well, but I consider the Spurs to be a step above the rest -- I'd label them 1, 2, and 3, and start with the Kings at 4.


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## Laker Freak (Jul 1, 2003)

1 - San Antonio
2 - Sacramento
3 - Minnesota
4 - Dallas

Dallas is last because they have LaFrentz as their center. Minnesota will move down to 5 if they have chemistry problems.


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## Wilt_The_Stilt (Jun 7, 2002)

Here is how I rank them

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Dallas
4. Sacramento


-edit...Anthony Peeler was signed by the Kings as a backup SG.


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## sjfinest5 (Mar 27, 2003)

1. Spurs
2. Kings
3. Wolves
4. Mavs

Mavs are to weak in the interior to be ranked higher


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## Scinos (Jun 10, 2003)

Hmm...I'd rank them:

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Sacremento
4. Dallas


San Antonio should be #1 as they are defending champs. They managed to replace Robinson with Nesterovic and add some nice role players like Hedo and Mercer.

Minnesota could cause some problems, so I put them at #2. KG can cause problems and now he actually has a supporting cast with Cassell, Spree and Kandi.

Sacremento will be a threat, but not as much. Webber will miss the start of the season, and will probably be injured by the playoffs, lol. They added Miller, who is one of the better centers against Shaq, but I think the Kings window is closing...that's why I put them at #3.

Dallas will rank at #4 until they can add an inside presence. At the moment, they are the same team that is scared of the Lakers. They still remember blowing that huge 4th quarter lead...


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## bigbabyjesus (Mar 1, 2003)

*Same order..*

1 San Antonio
2 Sacramento
3 Dallas
4 Minnesota

I think Dallas is just behind the Kings though, with their recent acqusitions of Jamison, Fortson, and Welsch, now all they need is a quality center.


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## Scinos (Jun 10, 2003)

*Re: Same order..*



> Originally posted by <b>hellbot</b>!
> I think Dallas is just behind the Kings though, with their recent acqusitions of Jamison, Fortson, and Welsch, now all they need is a quality center.


Yeah, if the trade for Jamison/Fortson goes through, then Dallas will be better too. I think all four of those teams are gonna be more dangerous now...


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## jazzy1 (Jul 16, 2002)

If the Lakers play to their capabilities amd develop the neccessary cohesion I don't think any 1 team will be a threat. 

I think the Spurs have slipped subtracting the athletic and clutch shooting Jackson and lose their defensive minded athletic LEADER in the D Rob, and their solid back up in Claxton. They add the tweener in Hedo and the slow footed soft Rasho. They add Anthony Carter who's a terrible shooter and they add Mercer who's a bad player and not the greatest lockeroom guy. And Horry is toast. 

The Kings add Miller a positve then lose Clarke a minus then lose Hedo another negative. If C Webb comes back slow from surgery as expected then can Miller and Divac play togehter. NO. 

Dallas oh well. 

And the Wolves add a bunch of head cases.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

The Lakers can only beat themselves. They weren't that far off from being the best team last year and now they add a top 3 point guard and powerforward that can pass and shoot and should make double teaming Shaq even more dangerous than leaving him in single coverage. All this while losing practically nothing (only Horry) unlike those other teams.

If Phil gets them to click and guys like Malone keep their mouths shut it shouldn't


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## JYD (Sep 3, 2002)

1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Sacramento Kings
3. Minnesota TimberWolves
4. Dallas Mavericks
------------------------------------
1. Timmy D is soooo good.
2. SacTown aquirred Shaq's good friend Brad Miller.
3. KG, Kandi Man, Spree, Wally World and Sam I Am.
4. Lost Laker killer Nick the Quick.


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## shobe42 (Jun 21, 2002)

*The only team that can take this title from us is...*

the eagle county jury.

other than that we should be fine


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## grizzoistight (Jul 16, 2002)

> Originally posted by <b>JYD</b>!
> 1. San Antonio Spurs
> 2. Sacramento Kings
> 3. Minnesota TimberWolves
> ...



y the way dont forget hudson.. 
anyways at least fish wont be gettin torched by hudson bibby parker nash anymore!!! welcome GARY!!!!!!1


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## jackiejackal (Nov 7, 2002)

*nope*

"The only team that can take this title from us is... the eagle county jury."

Let's put the blame square on the shoulders of Mr. Kobe..
Let's not put the blame on someone else.


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## whiterhino (Jun 15, 2003)

I think the Mavericks will be awesome now that they got a good crew from the Warriors.


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## Locke (Jun 16, 2003)

Gotta go with the Spurs. The whooped us last year and probably have best idea of how to do it again. Of course, they won't though. Losing Robinson is big. Nesterovic......... I just don't know what they were thinking getting that guy. Guess they had no other choice. But Turk is a good addition, but they've also lost some other good players as well.


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## Basketball Fan (Sep 12, 2003)

Your biggest threat is the Spurs. Not because of the talent on the team, but mostly because of the experience, and being able to know how to win now. I don't think their aqcuisitions in the off-season were good to be honest. Stephen Jackson, although not the most talented player, was probably the 2nd best player in the playoffs for the Spurs. He was clutch, had good 3pt range, and had pretty good defense. Robinson was the biggest loss. Nesterovic is a step forward in the offense, but a huge step back in the defensive department. Robinson was a great roleplayer, and played great Post D. Nesterovic doesn't play any. Neither does Turkoglu for that matter. Mercer was just filler in the trade. Unless he gets his game back from when he was averaging 20 ppg with the Bulls, he probably will be IR. Other than that, Duncan is Duncan. He and Shaq are the best players in the league.

1. San Antonio
2. Minnesota
3. Dallas
4. Sacramento


I put Sacramento 4th because they lost alot of depth. I was surprised they traded away Clark, didn't re-sign Jackson, then traded away Turkoglu. Their bench was always the best in the league, and their best asset. They took a dip losing that. Plus their health is always in question. They lead the league in man games missed last year.


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## Jamel Irief (May 19, 2002)

Mercer is the same player as he was with the Bulls. The problem is that he's a gun slinger and the Pacers didn't really need that as they already had scorers. He'll easily replace Jackson.


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## mook (Dec 31, 2002)

Guess I'm a little different from almost everybody I've heard from on this subject....

1. Minnesota
2. Dallas
3. San Antonio
3. Sacremento

My theory is that it's going to take a phenominal team, an outright brilliant team where everything just clicks for Malone/Payton/Shaq/Kobe not to win it all. That's why my money is on Minnesota.

#1. Minnesota
The T-Wolves remind me a lot of the Blazers from a few years ago. While a lot of fans on this board think this is a bad thing, you have to remember that first WCF where the Lakers came oh-so-close to losing it to Portland. 

The T-Wolves will either be like the Blazers were that one year (a brilliant team), or they'll be like the Blazers all the subsequent years (contentious disasters). I think they stand a chance at really putting it together, because they have an advantage we never had: a true superstar in Garnett. On top of that, Cassel is a huge improvement over Stoudemire, Spree is a better defender than even Pippen was by the time he got here, and Wallyworld will shoot at least as well as Steve Smith did back then. 

On top of the consistent greatness of Garnett, on any given night Hudson, Cassell or Spree could go for 30. And there is the mystery of Kandi, who could still defy the odds and have a breakout season. (I know, I'm rolling my eyes too as I type it. But it's going to take a little luck and karma to assemble a team that does in LA.)

#2. Dallas 
I can't remember the last time four starters had so much offensive potential on one team. Any one of them would be the first option on a number of other teams. If that offense clicks to its full potential, it will be a brilliant team. And you never know--there's always the chance they can start learning to defend. 

#3. Spurs
The Spurs were a very good team last year, but I wouldn't say they were a truly special team. They played to their full abilities and have (IMO) topped out. Parker will get a little better, but Rasho is just not the defender Robinson was. I like Turkoglu, but at best he'll match the nice performances Jackson had last year. They'll be very good once again, but just not truly "special." 

#4. Kings
The Kings, of course, should probably be at the top of this list on the "opportunity for brilliance" scale. The problem is that they've been leading that list for a few years now, and something always seems to get in their way. I think I'm done for now with picking them to surprise me. 

I'm actually pretty confident that the standings won't end:
1. Lakers
2. Minnesota
3. Dallas
4. Spurs
5. Kings

Dallas and/or Minnesota probably won't live up to the potential I've described. But this isn't about standings. This is about recognizing that only brilliance can defeat a team like the Lakers. In my opinion, Minnesota and (to a much lesser extent) Dallas are likely to be flirting with that brilliance.


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## Cris (Jun 18, 2003)

I dont think the lakers have threat from any team
( they are capable beating any team), it just depends on how they play on any giving night as well as if a player on the other team rises for the occasion


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## Public Defender (May 5, 2003)

The Lakers' biggest challenge will be to maximize the talents of their new players without losing the chemistry they've had the last few years. That said, I think the teams most likely to derail them would be the Spurs and the Timberwolves. 

The Spurs might not have the hunger (with Timmy D having won his second title, now), and the Timberwolves might just have too many new guys. If the Lakers have the same team for the 2004-05 season, after winning a title in 2003-04, then I'd like Minnesota's chances. But this year, I don't see anyone touching the Lakers... so long as the new players can fit in without argument. I wouldn't bet against it.


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## kb8gw32003 (Sep 10, 2003)

1.Spurs
2.Timberwolves
3.Kings
4.Mavericks


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## The_Franchise (Mar 30, 2003)

I'd have to say the Rockets. 

Who has tickets to the Christmas game?


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## Hibachi! (Sep 18, 2003)

*?*

1.San Antonio
2.Sacramento
3.TimberWolves
4.Dalls

That is the obvious selection.... theres no way any other way it can be put. Jamison isnt that big of an aquisition and Twolves still have no chance....


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

I'm bias but I just don't see how LA will defend Dirk and Jamison. Sure Shaq will dump 30 on them ever time but Dallas' forward combination will create missmatches with almost every team in the leauge.

But all the top teams in the West have added players who will play serious minutes. So everyone has to work on their chemistry this year. 1st team to get it down should take an early lead in the West, but whos to say they'll keep it?


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

The referees no one else can stop the lakers here comes no 4 and maybe David Stern


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

Shaq will scare more than 30 on the mavs more like 45


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Starbury03</b>!
> Shaq will scare more than 30 on the mavs more like 45


I'd be willing to bet against you on that. Sure Shaq ain't pretty but I don't think he'll "scare" anywhere close to 45 on the Mavs


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## Starbury03 (Aug 12, 2003)

Oh my bad I forgot you guys have Shawn Bradley


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## darkballa (Sep 19, 2003)

hmmm... hard choice

1. Kings
2.Minneasota
3. San Antonio
4. Nets
5. Dallas

i put in the nets because last year, they had a chance. the nets are probably in the run this year because adding alonzo mourning makes 5 defensive player awards for mutombo and zo, which could cause problems for shaq, but thers also malone and kobe and GP. 

nets are ahead of dallas because dallas has a soft center, i hear what moses malone said in issue 69 (i think) of slam. " there are only about 3 true centers in this league shaq, mourning and now yao ming" hmm guess hes still counting TD as a PF. raef definitly is not in my center as the other teams center is probably more aggresive than him on defense as all he does is shoot a mid range jumper taking away the chance for an offensive reboud. 


Minneasota got some champions in the locker room now. Sam Cassel a 2 time champ with the rockets, Sprewell a clutch player capable of anything and has been to the finals in 99. and an olowakandi that is now out of the NBA blackhole and will have higher stats. wally is good but he has no D. and T hudson is an offensive playmaker. 

San antonio lost robinson which is a big blow because nesterovic isnt as good a defender that robinson was, which could cause shaq to overpwer him. they got a playoff warrior to redeem himself after poor 3 point shooting. they got mercer who used to be a good scorer with the bulls and is trying to redeem himself in indy that he is still the same player. turk is agood promising player and might become another stojakovic.

Kings are contenders if they can stay healthy. C-webb needs to stay healthy and stojakovic must learn to be the leader when C-webb goes down. divac is getting old but is stilla good center and would be a good backup to Miller. Christie must contain kobe and spree, thats his job. C-webb must learn to overpower duncan and defend him better.


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## LionOfJudah (May 27, 2003)

> Originally posted by <b>Starbury03</b>!
> Oh my bad I forgot you guys have Shawn Bradley


Like I said, the Lakers can't match up against our forward combo. I don't care how great people think Malone is. Dirk and Jamison should cause enough match up problems to keep up with Shaq abusing Raef in the paint.


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