Best Team in the league?

by **Dro** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:21 am

Well the season is less than 3 weeks away, so I thought it would be interested to read what my fellow basketball intellectuals have to say regarding what the best team in the NBA is and why.

Now I might just be a homer, but I honestly think the Phoenix Suns are going to be an unstoppable force come mid-season. Why? This is the quickest and most explosive Suns team ever assembled, not to mention the deepest.

A huge problem in last year's playoffs for the Suns was lack of an inside presence. The Lakers, Mavs and especially the Clippers all owned the Suns in rebounding. Now it looks as if Amare Stoudemire is back for real. If you watched the preseason game today, you would see that he is quickly re-gaining his explosiveness. He played on a back-to-back which is a huge leap forward. He and the Suns' staff expects him to be near or at 100% by the time the season starts. Kurt Thomas is also playing injury-free...most people forget that the Suns were a decent defensive and rebounding team before Kurt Thomas went down around mid-season last year. With him and Amare back, it gives the Suns much needed depth at the forward and center positions.

The improvement of Boris Diaw and Leandro Barbosa are two more reasons I'm positive that this Suns team is the best. Diaw was criticized for being passive at times last season, but that's totally not the case now. He had two monster dunks against Maccabi Tel-Aviv today, and he still hasn't lost his passing ability. The thing that strikes me the hardest about Boris is his on-court chemistry with Steve Nash...absolutely mind-blowing. Barbosa was unstoppable today with 27 points. His main problem is consistency, but when he's feeling it, he's good for 20+ points.

The second unit of Banks-Barbosa-JuJones-Diaw-Amare was unstoppable today. Last year, the Suns became cold whenever Nash was out. That's not going to be the case this year...the second unit outplayed the first. Quite possibly the fastest backcourt in the league right there, and they can shoot, or go inside with Diaw and Amare.

However, I think they're going to get out to a slow start. When there are so many weapons on a team it takes a while to get in the type of rhythm they were last year. When Amare is playing with the first unit, what often happens is that he doesn't want to get in the way of what was successful last year. They have to find a way to incorporate him into the offense and give him touches. I have no doubt that Steve Nash will find a way to make this happen, and once it does, I just can't see this team being stopped.

Sorry for the long post. I'd like to read what you guys have to say.

by **Matt** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 11:25 am

Miami, until they are knocked off.

by **Silas** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 12:57 pm

Suns, its the same team plus one of the best centers in the NBA and a great backup PG in Marcus Banks.

by **nets4life** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:02 pm

New Jersey (Y)

... nah prob Suns when amare is healthy

by **Dro** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:16 pm

Matt wrote:Miami, until they are knocked off.

Of course, the Heat have to be talked about in the discussion. And they might have an easier road to the finals than they did last season. Are there any other elite teams in the East besides the Heat? The Pistons are going to be tough of course, but it has yet to be seen how the loss of Big Ben affects them. The Bulls will be tough this year, but with all the youth they have, they're still at least a year away from serious championship contention. However, I still think the Suns, Mavs, and possibly Spurs are all better than the Heat.

by **Cornerthree** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:19 pm

Suns, maybe Mavs or even Cavs...

by **Klayface** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:25 pm

Not a shocker to hear the Heat being brought up, but personally I can't disagree more. You can't deny Shaqs on the decline, last year were his worst numbers, and unless he turns it around which I can't see him doing its just gonna happen again. Wade is a great player but after those international games I'm starting to scratch my head wondering if hes better than Bron or if hes just half man half hype. They have 3 head cases with Walker, Payton, & Williams, and now that they have their rings you think those guys are gonna put in as much work as they did last year? I don't think so. The Mavs did get to the playoffs, but I think they just came together at the right time last year and can't see them being number one either, Dirk can't do it every night. The best team in my opionion has to be the Spurs, they have had the same nucleus for sooo many years now and to me thats all that matters. Everybody knows their role, they know what their job is in order for the team to win. Had they not lost game 7 vs Dallas I think the Finals would have had a different ending. Almost forgot Detroit, Flip doesn't know what the hell hes doing with that team so thats that with them.

by **Dro** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:25 pm

Pursuer wrote:Suns, maybe Mavs or even Cavs...

Why is everybody so high on the Cavs? Other than LeBron, they have no consistent scoring threat. Maybe Hughes can stay healthy and contribute 18 ppg...don't know if that will be enough or not.

by **Dro** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:34 pm

stackmillz93 wrote:They have 3 head cases with Walker, Payton, & Williams, and now that they have their rings you think those guys are gonna put in as much work as they did last year? I don't think so.

That's a good point, and I hadn't though of that. Payton and Walker are certainly not getting any more productive. Shaq is indeed getting old, but don't think for a second that Wade is just hype. He's proven himself time and time again. That's the only reason why you can't throw the Heat out of this discussion...Shaq may be almost done, but Wade is getting better and better as he enters his prime.

As for the Spurs, I think people have been underrating them. It seems like the second they got eliminated, everybody thinks that they're not a threat anymore. The reality is that Duncan is still Duncan, and Parker and Ginobili are still going strong. Their only problem is the aging supporting cast...Finley, Barry, Horry...either their veteran leadership will be the reason they win it all, or their age is the reason they get eliminated. Funny how that works out.

by **Klayface** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:14 pm

but don't think for a second that Wade is just hype. He's proven himself time and time again. That's the only reason why you can't throw the Heat out of this discussion...Shaq may be almost done, but Wade is getting better and better as he enters his prime.

I'm a big fan of Wades but most of the time the commentators talk about him like his game has no flaws thats all I was trying to say. Hes gonna be great in the future but I don' t think hes gonna be great enough for the Heat to be the best team in the league this year.

Forgot to mention this before, any talks of the Cavs being the best in the league is just silly. Don't think just because they almost had the Pistons beat (and blew it) they are a good team. Just like Dallas they just came together at the right time, nothing else. Maybe in a few years when they get some help for Bron, not this year though. Sorry.

by **eisfeld** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 3:50 pm

1. Pistons and Spurs:
Those two play maybe the best team-oriented ball in the league. They fight for every game and that's why they're among my top picks. Duncan healthy again and Ginobili finding his rythm I believe the Spurs will be nothing less than a contender. The Pistons of course lost Ben Wallace, but who wants to be on top of the eastern conference has to bypass Detroit.

2. Miami Heat - Phoenix Suns
It was a bit of a surprise for me that they won the finals last year. They have very good players but teamwork was lacking. Thanks to Wade they made it this far. They may surprise again. The Suns have maybe the best starting 5 in the league with a healthy Amarè. And considering that they have guys like Barbosa, Jones and Banks on the bench is an upside too. Whoever wants to reach the finals has to beat those teams.

3. Mavs, Cavaliers
Very strong teams. Very talented too but I don't think they have everything which is needed to succeed. LeBron may be one of the best (maybe even the best) player in the league right now, but his leadership and clutch abilities are questionable. He can carry a team to the playoffs, but bringing them to the finals is a huge step. The Mavs have a championship caliber roster but their attitude is questionable. But who knows, if they bypass it this season they might come out at the top of the league.

by **Jugs** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 4:02 pm

I hate saying it but Phoenix just beats out the Trailblazers as best team in the league.

by **Gedas** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:03 pm

Why the Pacers aren't even menthioned? If they get their chemistry right and avoid big injuries, I think they can be a contender.

by **Laxation** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:28 pm

Pacers arent even mentioned because they are nowhere near contenders. They arent even sure of a playoff spot...

Best team is Dallas. Sure, Miami won, but they got a year older without getting much better. Phoenix - I doubt will win, not enough defence.

by **Matt** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 7:29 pm

that's IF.....whereas other teams are more stable. If i had to pick though, i'd go wiyth Spurs.

by **nets4life** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 9:07 pm

if no major injuries go jermaine's way the pacers are a probable playoff team but wont make it out of the first round. Mavericks will have another strong year, Howard and Harris will take some of the scoring load off dirk's and jason's shoulders and make the second round easy. The Spurs are almost at the stage where Miami was last season. you can definatley see the similarities; role players, talented vets, great guards and an aging dominant big. but they dont have the same passion or want for the ring as miami had last year. see Payton and Zo.

im still sticking wif Suns

by **Zoom** on Thu Oct 12, 2006 10:43 pm

To take a different spin on things. What about the Houston Rockets?

They have arguably the best C in Yao Ming. And Tracy MacGrady is an All-Star and one of the best swingmen in the NBA. The addition of Shane Battier is good for Houston because Battier is unselfish, plays hard defence and will make shots when needed.

Then you have Bonzi Wells coming off the bench and he showed what he could do during the playoffs for the Kings.

If this team is healthy, I think they have what it takes to beat Dallas, Miami and the Spurs. The Suns are talented but i think Houston can match up with them. Perhaps Houston can be the best team?

by **Dan's Brain** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:17 am

this is the most open race in recent memory. you could make legitimate cases for nearly half a dozen teams.

phoenix: almost unstoppable even without their most dominant player. they did, however, nearly fall down to the clippers. the suns will again find themselves on top of the regular season standings, but they dont have the defence to be truly successful when it really matters.

dallas: one of the best team systems in the league. they are probably the NBA's deepest teams, which holds them in good stead come the second half of the season.

san antonio: those old workhorses. you can never count them out because they have become so accustomed over the last 10 years. any team with Tim Duncan is a legitimate contender, the only question mark now (albeit a big one) is that he has no help whatsoever inside any more.

miami: the reigning champions. there's not much to say really, i dont see payton, walker and williams slacking off this year. they do have big egos, and i dont think they'd want to let their success slide so quickly.

detroit: i dont think ben wallace leaving the team will affect them as much as i first thought. nazr mohammed is a more than adequate fill-in, given that he's spent 2 years in san antonio, a similar style team to detroit. there wont be any major teething problems, and he is a big offensive upgrade.

i thought about trying to add a 3rd eastern conference team, but i couldnt really decide on one. but it doesnt really matter, because i cant see anyone else making significant strides towards a title this year.

My pick: Dallas. Avery Johnson has worked wonders on this team defensively, and as the lesser-lites like Devin Harris and DeSagana Diop continue to improve, this team will find themselves taking that extra step this year.

p.s. as for houston, they will be much improved, but there's been too many changes in their make-up for them to contend right away. they will make the playoffs, but the west is too deep for them to go much further than that.

by **Amphatoast** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 1:50 am

Gedas wrote:Why the Pacers aren't even menthioned? If they get their chemistry right and avoid big injuries, I think they can be a contender.

if the knicks get there chemistry right they'd be contenders too.. lol

by **Dro** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:25 am

Honestly, in Phoenix's case, defense isn't needed. Who knows...if it wasn't for a calf injury to Raja Bell, the Suns might have been in the Finals.

What were the Suns' two main problems in the playoffs last year?

1. Lack of rebounding/inside presence
2. No legit backup to Steve Nash

I believe the Suns adressed both of those problems. They didn't even have to bring anybody in for the first one...IF Kurt Thomas and Amare Stoudemire are healthy come playoff time, there will be no rebounding problem.

Marcus Banks will allow Nash to play 32 minutes per game throughout the season and some games in the playoffs. Nash won't be burned out like he was much of last year.

Are the Suns going to give up 100 points a game? Sure, but it shouldn't matter. They have the tools to get further than they ever have before.

by **Zoom** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 10:59 am

It will be interesting to see how mentally tough the Mavs are. If they can move on from their NBA Finals loss and play even stronger, they should be the team to beat.

I think the Suns' season depends on the play of Amare. Steve Nash is getting older and the team should look to rest him so that by the time the playoffs roll around, he should be fit and ready (Y)

I guess that's hwy they got Banks and they still got Barbosa (Y)

Two young PGs

I still think Houston can bring it together. Tmac and Yao have a great relationship together and they should be able to lead the team. I was extremely happy for Houston fans when I read in an article about Yao Ming saying to media, "I've learnt how to lead on and off the basketball court so I am ready to lead the rockets."

It was really encouraging to hear that! And he backed it up with a good performance in the World Championships.

I wonder how the Spurs will do...

by **Dro** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:15 am

The West is tough as hell...Suns, Mavs, Spurs, Rockets and Clippers are all serious contenders. Then there are sleeper teams; Lakers, Nuggets, Wolves...shit, a team like the Nuggets would be the 2nd or 3rd best team in the East! I wish the talent were divided evenly among both conferences. Should make for an interesting season, though.

by **---** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:21 am

I gotta go with the Suns too. Even if Amare was to sit out this season again I would put them 2nd or 3rd in the League. Just too many weapons, but just because they have the best talent doesn't mean they'll get the ring. The best team doesn't always win it.

by **Its_asdf** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:30 am

Spurs. Always a safe bet to win the title.

by **sdot_thadon** on Fri Oct 13, 2006 11:36 am

Interesting, I see it like this

Phoenix- wins regular season games, has yet to prove theirselves in the playoffs, kinda like a Nash Dallas team a few years back. Made improvements in offseason, but their playing style will remain the same, can't win the finals that way.(Let alone make it through the west)
Saving grace- Amare becomes the monster we expected last season.

San Antonio- Consistency is a strong point for the Spurs, and every year they are right there to take the prize. This season should be no different, however Manu is having back problems and we're only in the preseason.
Saving grace- Hope that age doesn't rear it's ugly head on this squad.

Houston- Wild card. So many changes in the offseason will it work? Will the fragile duo make it through the season?
Saving grace- Vintage T-mac and healthy Yao have a shot to win it all, great supporting cast?(remains to be seen)

Miami- hate to do this but I'm going to count the champs out now. Shaq is getting older by the minute, how much of an impact can he make?
Saving grace- see spurs. or D-wade shooting the lights out like he did in the playoffs.

Detroit- Pistons minus Ben Wallace=pistons before Rasheed Wallace(no title). Rip the heart out and the beast will die.
Saving grace- nazr mohammed finds his inner Big Ben.

Cleveland- Not quite yet, but impossible is nothing.(check back in a year or two)
Saving grace- King James, enough said.( oh yeah someone earlier said he wasn't so good in the clutch. He led the league in shooting % in one possesion game situations. MOST CLUTCH.)

Chicago- Had a heart transplant, but that alone wont make them champs. A top team in the east no doubt.
Saving grace- Big Ben's attitde rubs off on the other guys.

Dallas- Ring please. Dangerous team, good from inside outside, on the break, and on D. Will be looking for revenge for last years "loss" to Miami.
Saving grace- Cuban learns to keep mouth shut.

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