Official 2005-2006 NBA thread

[RedFusion]

This is the thread for all NBA talk (unless there is another brawl incident, which would warrant it's own thread). I'll get the ball rolling by laying out my predictions for the 16-teams that will make the playoffs this year and their seeding(remember, the division winners take the first 3 spots, which is truly stupid from a marketing standpoint, but more on that later).

East:
1. Detroit
2. Miami
3. Philadelphia
4. Cleveland
5. Indiana
6. New Jersey
7. Washington
8. Milwaukee

West:
1. San Antonio
2. Denver
3. Pheonix
4. Dallas
5. L.A. Clippers
6. Memphis
7. Golden State
8. Minnesota (in a tight race with Sacramento)

There have been a lot of complaints in recent years that current set-up of the playoffs doesn't allow the best matchups. Such as in this current set-up the two best teams in the west (SA and Dallas) would be matched up in the second round. So who thinks they should revise the system so that division winners only clinch a playoff birth and their seed gets determined by their record (which would allow SA and Dallas to be seeded the appropriate 1,2 and save the potential matchup for the West finals.

 

[Darkness]

This thread is basically pointless...

Barring a Tim Duncan injury, the Spurs will repeat.
They were the best last year (though the Pistons were close), and they only got stronger in the off-season (Finley, Van Exel, Oberto). And all three stars (Duncan, Ginobili and Parker) are under 30 so any slowing down seems unlikely.

 

[RedFusion]

This thread is basically pointless...

Barring a Tim Duncan injury, the Spurs will repeat.
They were the best last year (though the Pistons were close), and they only got stronger in the off-season (Finley, Van Exel, Oberto). And all three stars (Duncan, Ginobili and Parker) are under 30 so any slowing down seems unlikely.

The Pistons also got better, they got a new coach who will let them play offense! Their defense is just as good, with their improved O they should be ready to give the Spurs a run for their money. Also, one can never count out a team that has Shaq, so Miami will be their in the end too.

Not too mention a Cavs team that is quickly gelling as they get to know each other. It was amazing to wach their game last night against the sixers, a triple-double from Lebron with Larry Hughes adding 37, that's one dynamite duo. That team may not be ready to win it this year, but next year they almost certainly will be one of the last teams standing.

 

[jonatas]

Toronto Raptors won their first game of the season finally a few days ago.
1 and 9 Charlie Villanueva has looked really good, though Sam Mitchell isn't starting him. Jose Calderon, from Tau Ceramica has also done well. So hopefully we can win more than 10% of our games

 

[RedFusion]

Toronto Raptors won their first game of the season finally a few days ago.
1 and 9 Charlie Villanueva has looked really good, though Sam Mitchell isn't starting him. Jose Calderon, from Tau Ceramica has also done well. So hopefully we can win more than 10% of our games

I saw that score the other night and I couldn't believe my eyes. Especially considering they got it over Miami of all teams (whom are still good despite being shaq-less).
And let's hope they win more than 10% of their games (an 8-74 record wouldn't be pretty!)

 

[Darkness]

Stan van Gundy resigns. Pat Riley is the Heats' new coach...

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/basketball/nba/12/12/bc.bkn.heat.vangundyres.ap/index.html