Let's be real, only 5 teams that actually matter for the 2014 championship.

[Connor B]

EAST

Heat - obvious
Pacers - obvious

WEST

Thunder - their record and Kevin Durant speak for themselves. Ibaka playing great, Westbrook will get back into the groove eventually, and their role players have all stepped up.

Clippers - Their win over OKC today really showed how good they can be. I think Doc Rivers is a top 5 coach, I think Blake Griffin is morphing into maybe the best PF in the game, I think Chris Paul, even though he is overrated, will have a career year in the playoffs.

Houston - barely included them. Thought about it for a while...I don't trust Harden to lead a team to a series win over the Thunder/Clippers, but I can't deny that when they are all playing well they are really hard to beat. They have the star players and the role players to match all of the above teams

That's it. In the east, its obvious. If it isn't Indiana/Miami in the ECF that will be one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. In the west, while several teams are good, several of them have some clear flaws...and what it comes down to is can any of the following teams beat OKC/Clippers in a 7 game series?

Trailblazers - rely too much on jump shooting, not very good on defense, inexperienced.

Warriors - I question Mark Jackson's coaching abilities...rely too much on jump shooting, lack of defense, similar problems to the Blazers. So much pressure on the backcourt. Their bench is also still not good enough despite recent signings.

Suns - We're never a contender, still aren't, won't be. Their best player is Dragic who is playing like an all-star but other than that they do not have anyone who can really have huge games.

Spurs - injury questions, and their core is just a little over the hill. Love Duncan but let's be real, you saw how OKC has played against them in the regular season. They can't win a 7 game against younger, faster, more star powered teams.

Timberwolves/Grizzlies/Mavericks - should be nowhere near the conversation

[Inferno]

Warriors have a top 3 defense in the league.

[comerb]

Warriors are good enough, they're just underperforming this season. They may rely too much on the 3, but they've got one of, if not the best jump shooting backcourt in nba history... it's just a matter of them getting hot at the right time, just like the Mavericks in 2011. I wouldn't want to play them in a best of 7.

[ImKobe]

I think it's going to be San Antonio - Miami Finals rematch.

Just like last year, SA is flying under the radar while maintaining a top 2 seed in the West, OKC is hyped up like crazy in the regular season. If SA faces OKC in the Playoffs, it will be a 7 game series and it could go either way, but something tells me Westbrook will not be healthy for the Playoffs AGAIN and KD's scoring will not be enough to win the series against a deep Spurs squad.

Though I think Indy is stacked and equipped to beat Miami, I think Bosh and Wade will show up in the big games and Lebron will destroy PG when it matters. Miami in 7 again.

Finals could go either way depending on which team is healthier.

[T_L_P]

So the only real reason you picked the Clippers over the Spurs is because they have a better shot of beating Oklahoma?

[russwest0]

The Clippers?

Howabout we let them get out of the first round first

[Connor B]

So the only real reason you picked the Clippers over the Spurs is because they have a better shot of beating Oklahoma?

The Suns cannot take OKC or Clippers in a 7 game series. They lack the star power and are inexperienced.

[Milbuck]

The Spurs don't matter? Really?

It's getting pretty ridiculous. This happens every single year. They were literally one shot away from winning the finals in 6, and now they don't matter?

Even with all their injuries and age concerns and shit, they're the 2nd seed in the West. Let that sink in. They've underachieved like crazy and have had players dropping like flies, and STILL have the 4th best record in the NBA.

They've done this for the past 2 seasons, and this season isn't much of an exception. They have injury concerns, people question their age, etc. blah blah blah. But then all of a sudden before the playoffs, they get healthy, enter this zone, and look pretty much unbeatable. In 2012 it took KD, Westbrook, and Harden ALL going absolute apeshit on them, and last season it took arguably the single clutchest shot in NBA history to stop them.

Seriously, what the **** have the Clippers or Rockets done to "matter" more than the Spurs? The Rockets have 2 "franchise players" tailor-made to fail in the playoffs - if it wasn't for Westbrook's injury, both of them would've had their ass handed to them in 4 on their respective teams (one of them did, by the Spurs :confusedshrug: ). I don't mind the Clippers being there. But you have to mention that while they look promising this season, they have been miserable disappointments in the playoffs since acquiring CP3.

[noob cake]

Eliminate Houston since we have 0% chance of beating OKC.

We can beat GSW and Spurs and possibly the Clippers.

[MichaelCorleone]

Phoenix Suns will be the underdog, but watch out.

[T_L_P]

The Suns cannot take OKC or Clippers in a 7 game series. They lack the star power and are inexperienced.

I said Spurs bro.

[T_L_P]

The Spurs don't matter? Really?

It's getting pretty ridiculous. This happens every single year. They were literally one shot away from winning the finals in 6, and now they don't matter?

Even with all their injuries and age concerns and shit, they're the 2nd seed in the West. Let that sink in. They've underachieved like crazy and have had players dropping like flies, and STILL have the 4th best record in the NBA.

They've done this for the past 2 seasons, and this season isn't much of an exception. They have injury concerns, people question their age, etc. blah blah blah. But then all of a sudden before the playoffs, they get healthy, enter this zone, and look pretty much unbeatable. In 2012 it took KD, Westbrook, and Harden ALL going absolute apeshit on them, and last season it took arguably the single clutchest shot in NBA history to stop them.

Seriously, what the **** have the Clippers or Rockets done to "matter" more than the Spurs? The Rockets have 2 "franchise players" tailor-made to fail in the playoffs - if it wasn't for Westbrook's injury, both of them would've had their ass handed to them in 4 on their respective teams (one of them did, by the Spurs :confusedshrug: ). I don't mind the Clippers being there. But you have to mention that while they look promising this season, they have been miserable disappointments in the playoffs since acquiring CP3.

Milbuck with that knowledge :bowdown:

[Connor B]

The Spurs don't matter? Really?

It's getting pretty ridiculous. This happens every single year. They were literally one shot away from winning the finals in 6, and now they don't matter?

Even with all their injuries and age concerns and shit, they're the 2nd seed in the West. Let that sink in. They've underachieved like crazy and have had players dropping like flies, and STILL have the 4th best record in the NBA.

They've done this for the past 2 seasons, and this season isn't much of an exception. They have injury concerns, people question their age, etc. blah blah blah. But then all of a sudden before the playoffs, they get healthy, enter this zone, and look pretty much unbeatable. In 2012 it took KD, Westbrook, and Harden ALL going absolute apeshit on them, and last season it took arguably the single clutchest shot in NBA history to stop them.

Seriously, what the **** have the Clippers or Rockets done to "matter" more than the Spurs? The Rockets have 2 "franchise players" tailor-made to fail in the playoffs - if it wasn't for Westbrook's injury, both of them would've had their ass handed to them in 4 on their respective teams (one of them did, by the Spurs :confusedshrug: ). I don't mind the Clippers being there. But you have to mention that while they look promising this season, they have been miserable disappointments in the playoffs since acquiring CP3.

I respect where you are coming from but the Spurs' route to the finals last year was a joke. Healthy Westbrook gets OKC to the ECF and I don't think they could beat the Thunder. Not to mention they haven't looked great at times versus top west teams, the Thunder especially. They could beat Clippers in a 7 game maybe, but not the Thunder, not with Durant playing like he can and Westbrook getting back into things.

As for the Clippers, they are a better team this year, if only because of Rivers, who I really do think matters. Not to mention Griffin and Deandre have both gotten noticeably better.

[MichaelCorleone]

Suns and Spurs gonna surprise a lot of people.

[blackification]

So I see OP is going to act like Bledsoe died and isn't coming back before the end of March? both green and bledsoe can go off on a given night. Markieff has had some big games off the bench as well

[MichaelCorleone]

So I see OP is going to act like Bledsoe died and isn't coming back before the end of March? both green and bledsoe can go off on a given night. Markieff has had some big games off the bench as well
This.

Eventually we'll get Kevin Love or Lamarcus Aldridge to play with Dragic, so Phoenix Suns future is BRIGHT.

[T_L_P]

I respect where you are coming from but the Spurs' route to the finals last year was a joke. Healthy Westbrook gets OKC to the ECF and I don't think they could beat the Thunder. Not to mention they haven't looked great at times versus top west teams, the Thunder especially. They could beat Clippers in a 7 game maybe, but not the Thunder, not with Durant playing like he can and Westbrook getting back into things.

As for the Clippers, they are a better team this year, if only because of Rivers, who I really do think matters. Not to mention Griffin and Deandre have both gotten noticeably better.

Are you serious with the Clippers comments?

We're 2-1 against them this season, and the Spurs' game works much better in the postseason, when things slow down, than it does the Clippers.

[MichaelCorleone]

Spurs need to get it together against .500 teams though.

But never count them out.

[Milbuck]

I respect where you are coming from but the Spurs' route to the finals last year was a joke. Healthy Westbrook gets OKC to the ECF and I don't think they could beat the Thunder. Not to mention they haven't looked great at times versus top west teams, the Thunder especially. They could beat Clippers in a 7 game maybe, but not the Thunder, not with Durant playing like he can and Westbrook getting back into things.

As for the Clippers, they are a better team this year, if only because of Rivers, who I really do think matters. Not to mention Griffin and Deandre have both gotten noticeably better.
I agree about OKC, to an extent. OKC is the only team that the Spurs should be legitimately be afraid of. That being said, I think they have a better shot of taking the Thunder out than any other team in the West.

Aside from OKC, I can't see anyone beating a healthy, in-form Spurs team. And if the past few seasons have shown us anything, it's to not count them out because of injuries and age. They just turn it to another level come playoff time.

Their road to the finals wasn't the most difficult, but I think GS in the 2nd round and Memphis in the WCF isn't exactly easy. They swept the Grizzlies but that Memphis team was no joke, they were vicious and some of those games could've easily gone the other way. Anyways, it doesn't matter how their road to the finals went because once they did get there, they almost won. So it's not like they rode a joke path to the finals and got destroyed once they got there. They showed that they could hang with anyone.

[T_L_P]

I agree about OKC, to an extent. OKC is the only team that the Spurs should be legitimately be afraid of. That being said, I think they have a better shot of taking the Thunder out than any other team in the West.

Aside from OKC, I can't see anyone beating a healthy, in-form Spurs team. And if the past few seasons have shown us anything, it's to not count them out because of injuries and age. They just turn it to another level come playoff time.

Their road to the finals wasn't the most difficult, but I think GS in the 2nd round and Memphis in the WCF isn't exactly easy. They swept the Grizzlies but that Memphis team was no joke, they were vicious and some of those games could've easily gone the other way. Anyways, it doesn't matter how their road to the finals went because once they did get there, they almost won. So it's not like they rode a joke path to the finals and got destroyed once they got there. They showed that they could hang with anyone.

The Spurs team is tailored for the Playoffs...and the same can't be said for the Clippers, Trailblazers or the Rockets :confusedshrug:

[MichaelCorleone]

The Spurs team is tailored for the Playoffs...and the same can't be said for the Clippers, Trailblazers or the Rockets :confusedshrug:
You want the championship you have to be tailored for the HEAT.

[T_L_P]

You want the championship you have to be tailored for the HEAT.

Kinda hard to game-plan for a squad that destroyed an entire conference by teaming up with each other :confusedshrug:

[All Net]

I know alot think of Thunder/Spurs as the main two but Clippers/Rockets getting to the conference finals wouldn

[JohnFreeman]

Kinda hard to game-plan for a squad that destroyed an entire conference by teaming up with each other :confusedshrug:
http://i.4cdn.org/b/src/1393230268162.gif

[funnystuff]

Kinda hard to game-plan for a squad that destroyed an entire conference by teaming up with each other :confusedshrug:
:pimp:

[MichaelCorleone]

Kinda hard to game-plan for a squad that destroyed an entire conference by teaming up with each other :confusedshrug:
Excuses.

[East_Stone_Ya]

The Suns cannot take OKC or Clippers in a 7 game series. They lack the star power and are inexperienced.


http://gifatron.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/RRnhhqW.gif

[qrich]

As long as the Clippers can avoid the Spurs and Grizzlies, I can see us making out of the West, which again will come down to matchups in the postseason. Houston won't be easy, but I think Clips will take them in six, same with Portland and Golden State. Against Phoenix, Dallas and Denver, I expect to beat them in five if we match up against any of them. No disrespect to those sides either.

Memphis and the Clips always have tough games that go either way and they have the size to really bother the Clippers, though lack of consistent outside shooting gives Doc the edge along with the coaching battle. San Antonio is San Antonio, can never count them out.

While I don't think Clippers will be favors if matched up with OKC, but if CP can get fully back from his injury and Big Baby does make an impact as the third big, I could see us taking them. We just need Dudley to stop being a Dud. Plenty of options to throw at Durant (Barnes, Dudley, Turkoglu, Blake, Bullock) and Westbrook as well (Barnes, Dudley, Bullock, Collison and, of course, CP).

[All Net]

As long as the Clippers can avoid the Spurs and Grizzlies, I can see us making out of the West, which again will come down to matchups in the postseason. Houston won't be easy, but I think Clips will take them in six, same with Portland and Golden State. Against Phoenix, Dallas and Denver, I expect to beat them in five if we match up against any of them. No disrespect to those sides either.

Memphis and the Clips always have tough games that go either way and they have the size to really bother the Clippers, though lack of consistent outside shooting gives Doc the edge along with the coaching battle. San Antonio is San Antonio, can never count them out.

While I don't think Clippers will be favors if matched up with OKC, but if CP can get fully back from his injury and Big Baby does make an impact as the third big, I could see us taking them. We just need Dudley to stop being a Dud. Plenty of options to throw at Durant (Barnes, Dudley, Turkoglu, Blake, Bullock) and Westbrook as well (Barnes, Dudley, Bullock, Collison and, of course, CP).
I don

[qrich]

[QUOTE=All Net]I don

[All Net]

We don't need too, but I'd prefer OKC over San Ant. Same reasonings I've had the past few years. They killed us in L.A. without Parker and Leonard, Manu's first game back and iirc, Duncan was in foul trouble. Granted, Paul's shoulder is still iffy, but no way he should let Patty Mills destroy him.

Then, there is Pop.

All true but Clippers did beat Spurs in San Antonio without CP.

[Sakkreth]

Clippers ? :facepalm

[All Net]

Clippers ? :facepalm
They are one of the best teams so why not.

[bigt]

You'd think people would learn by now not to count out the Spurs. But it happens Every. Single. Year.

[Hoopz2332]

1. Heat

2. Pacers

3. Thunder

[Im Still Ballin]

Lettuce beef real tea

Only OKC SAS LAC and HOU have a shot, don't even think about Indiana because Miami will beat them no doubt.

Go even further and realistically, only OKC and Spurs have a shot at beating Miami

[kobeef24]

Really? You leave out SA. Everyone always forgets them and then they shit on teams in the playoffs.

[Im Still Ballin]

Really? You leave out SA. Everyone always forgets them and then they shit on teams in the playoffs.

This.

There proven to get it goin when they need to.

They ain't looking good but they'll get there and they will be fine, just like last year when they had their end of season slump due to injuries etc that caused them to lose #1 seed

[russwest0]

They are one of the best teams so why not.

How quickly they forget about CP3's epic playoff chokes....

[Im Still Ballin]

How quickly they forget about CP3's epic playoff chokes....

Also true. Only 2 teams you can guarantee to get it going in the play offs are OKC and Spurs from the west

[brantonli]

I would be a bit wary on putting the Rockets too high. We've gone 9-1 in the last 10, but the Suns game was pretty much handed to us by the refs (thanks!). The Rockets defence simply needs to step up, and Howard has done a superb job of covering for the myriad of mistakes by Harden and Parsons. Oddly enough, I'm perfectly happy with a SAS-HOU matchup, I think we match up quite well, but Chris Paul can tear the Houston guards a new one.

[MichaelCorleone]

The Suns cannot take OKC or Clippers in a 7 game series. They lack the star power and are inexperienced.
:facepalm

[PostUpFreak]

Suns needs a scoring bigman, and it's sad that bledsoe got hurt :(

[All Net]

How quickly they forget about CP3's epic playoff chokes....

only a choke when you are actually favoured to win...

[niko]

Five is the right number but the wrong texas team is in OP's post.

[dabigbaws]

let's be real, no one is beating OKC in the west

[SHABBA]

I think it's going to be San Antonio - Miami Finals rematch.

Just like last year, SA is flying under the radar while maintaining a top 2 seed in the West, OKC is hyped up like crazy in the regular season. If SA faces OKC in the Playoffs, it will be a 7 game series and it could go either way, but something tells me Westbrook will not be healthy for the Playoffs AGAIN and KD's scoring will not be enough to win the series against a deep Spurs squad.
OKC are an awful match up for the Spurs. They've won something like 9 of the last 11 against them. If OKC are healthy, the Spurs are not making the finals. And they wouldn't have last year either.

Edit: I should say, the Spurs are clearly still the second best team in the West and the second favourites to make the finals.

[AintNoSunshine]

I have learned over the years that as long as Duncan, Parker and Pop is with the Spurs, don't count them out!

[AnaheimLakers24]

dirk vs bran pt 2

no one cares about beta durcant

[Darius]

The Clippers?

Howabout we let them get out of the first round first

This Clippers "first round" meme makes no sense as they were out of the 1st round all of 2 years ago.

[WallIn]

Stacked West could still suprise us, like Dallas in 2011, who knows :confusedshrug:

In the East I'd agree about Miami and Inidana. The other teams just don't cut it

[Prometheus]

The Spurs don't matter? Really?

It's getting pretty ridiculous. This happens every single year. They were literally one shot away from winning the finals in 6, and now they don't matter?

Even with all their injuries and age concerns and shit, they're the 2nd seed in the West. Let that sink in. They've underachieved like crazy and have had players dropping like flies, and STILL have the 4th best record in the NBA.

They've done this for the past 2 seasons, and this season isn't much of an exception. They have injury concerns, people question their age, etc. blah blah blah. But then all of a sudden before the playoffs, they get healthy, enter this zone, and look pretty much unbeatable. In 2012 it took KD, Westbrook, and Harden ALL going absolute apeshit on them, and last season it took arguably the single clutchest shot in NBA history to stop them.

Seriously, what the **** have the Clippers or Rockets done to "matter" more than the Spurs? The Rockets have 2 "franchise players" tailor-made to fail in the playoffs - if it wasn't for Westbrook's injury, both of them would've had their ass handed to them in 4 on their respective teams (one of them did, by the Spurs :confusedshrug: ). I don't mind the Clippers being there. But you have to mention that while they look promising this season, they have been miserable disappointments in the playoffs since acquiring CP3.

Milbuck AGAIN shuttin shit down. Mad respect for my fellow Jan 14er. 99% of what this dude says is spot-on.

[ArbitraryWater]

So Mavericks beat the Blazers&Pacers ON THEIR COURT, beat the Rockets twice and only a GW Miss held it from being 3, lost to the Clips in a miracle comeback, beat the Warriors, Grizzlies and Suns, clearly showed they can hang with the top teams such as Miami, but are nowhere near the conversation...

[ArbitraryWater]

Look, one year the Spurs' Run is over. I know we, well people did, I didn't, said it a lot before, but this is the Year. They have been pretty crappy against top teams, and I see them getting bounced in the 1st round to be honest... by the Warriors or Mavericks... Suns too if it happens, Grizzlies? probably not

[ArbitraryWater]

only a choke when you are actually favoured to win...

Riiight, because you can't play bad under pressure&in games overall when you aren't favored.. :rolleyes:

And the Grizzlies weren't even Favorites

[All Net]

Riiight, because you can't play bad under pressure&in games overall when you aren't favored.. :rolleyes:

And the Grizzlies weren't even Favorites

Didn

[SHABBA]

Look, one year the Spurs' Run is over. I know we, well people did, I didn't, said it a lot before, but this is the Year. They have been pretty crappy against top teams, and I see them getting bounced in the 1st round to be honest... by the Warriors or Mavericks... Suns too if it happens, Grizzlies? probably not
Mavs have been good but it's pretty unlikely they'll be good enough defensively to do anything in the playoffs.

[MavsSuperFan]

agreed. And this is whats wrong with the nba, and why its not more popular.