Lemme gih u my Western Conf contender power rankings

[FultzNationRISE]

Ordered by how likely I believe they are to make the finals.

Keep in mind these are not first round predictions, as the conference is so close it would not be surprising for any of these teams to win or lose in the first round, depending on matchups. This is just based on how fit I think they are in theory to go all the way.


1. Denver - self explanatory

2. OKC - they play more mature than their age. im becoming convinced their record isnt just about being regular season try-hards. I see their style translating in the ‘yoffs.

3. Dallas - very feast or famine squad but their ceiling makes them easily capable of getting three straight series wins. Their two most important guys do have playoff pedigrees

4. LAL - LeBITW will have them playing at their max level, and his presence alone gives them a chance, but the roster doesnt feel *quite* strong enough to push all the way thru. Tho it’s within the realm of possibility.

5. Phx - I dont think theyre good enough to make the finals, but on paper they have enough to have a chance

6. Minny - solid team, maybe theyll surprise me, but none of them have done anything in the playoffs. Theres no compelling reason to have them higher

7. New Orleans - same story as Sota. Theyre good, but you still see them needing a considerable deal of luck to go 3-0 in the West.

8. LAC - If KaInjured, Playoff Pee, James Soften, and Sus-sell Westbrook make a finals run, Ill eat my hat.

N/A: GS, Sac - Much as I enjoy the Beam Team, they and the Warriors dont have any meaningful chance.

[CurryOverLebron]

Don't let media brainwash you. No one has beaten a healthy Lakers team in playoffs. Last season Lebron played with foot injury.

[Im Still Ballin]

Tight rankings, homie.

[FultzNationRISE]

Don't let media brainwash you. No one has beaten a healthy Lakers team in playoffs. Last season Lebron played with foot injury.

Well of course. LEBRON'S not gonna lose, but his teammates might. The issue is theyre the same team as last year... but the rest of the conference has gotten better.

They can beat anyone and with the right matchups I think they could be a conference finalist, but to win the conference you have to win three straight series. Thats where age, injury proneness, and depth affect the Lakers chances. It's not that Lebron cant lift them to be as good as anyone on a given day. It's that theyre SO reliant on him to have to do it over and over. You could in theory have to play 21 games to get to a finals (if they all go 7). He's 39 years old. It's a huge load.

That's why this list isnt about ranking how strong these teams are in a single head to head series, but how likely they are to withstand three rounds in the bloodbath West. I dont think in a single game OKC is much better, if at all, than the other teams farther down. But their combination of mental maturity and physical youth I think gives them better odds at winning three series consecutively than some of the other teams.

[FultzNationRISE]

1. Denver - self explanatory

2. OKC - they play more mature than their age. im becoming convinced their record isnt just about being regular season try-hards. I see their style translating in the ‘yoffs.

3. Dallas - very feast or famine squad but their ceiling makes them easily capable of getting three straight series wins. Their two most important guys do have playoff pedigrees

4. LAL - LeBITW will have them playing at their max level, and his presence alone gives them a chance, but the roster doesnt feel *quite* strong enough to push all the way thru. Tho it’s within the realm of possibility.

5. Phx - I dont think theyre good enough to make the finals, but on paper they have enough to have a chance

6. Minny - solid team, maybe theyll surprise me, but none of them have done anything in the playoffs. Theres no compelling reason to have them higher

7. New Orleans - same story as Sota. Theyre good, but you still see them needing a considerable deal of luck to go 3-0 in the West.

8. LAC - If KaInjured, Playoff Pee, James Soften, and Sus-sell Westbrook make a finals run, Ill eat my hat.

N/A: GS, Sac - Much as I enjoy the Beam Team, they and the Warriors dont have any meaningful chance.


Got em :basketball

[FultzNationRISE]

Check the date boys, this was in March.

[tontoz]

Check the date boys, this was in March.

You had the Suns over Minny. Great call :oldlol:

[ArbitraryWater]

Check the date boys, this was in March.

good but wrong on Minny and OKC too high, Mavs will beat them. lakers would have beaten OKC too.

[BarberSchool]

good but wrong on Minny and OKC too high, Mavs will beat them. lakers would have beaten OKC too.

Word. I genuinely feel like after closing out the Clippers in Dallas in game 6, the Mavs will beat the Thunder and face Denver in the Western Conference Finals. And that’s with Denver favored, and with Denver home court, but Dallas still has a shot with their new size, length, and athleticism, if Luka’s right knee holds up well under all that weight,

[FultzNationRISE]

You had the Suns over Minny. Great call :oldlol:

I said I didnt think the Suns could win but I was giving them some benefit of the doubt because of their experience on paper, and I said Minny was a solid team who could surprise me. I also said specifically this was NOT A MATCHUP PREDICTION but rather a simple power ranking. With different matchups it could have very well been the Suns advancing and Minny bounced.

GREAT READING COMPREHENSION :hammerhead:

[Wally450]

Lakers too high, even at the time.

[Im Still Ballin]

Congrats, OP.

:applause:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NX33dfn2dw&ab_channel=bkcellularking

[tontoz]

I said I didnt think the Suns could win but I was giving them some benefit of the doubt because of their experience on paper, and I said Minny was a solid team who could surprise me. I also said specifically this was NOT A MATCHUP PREDICTION but rather a simple power ranking. With different matchups it could have very well been the Suns advancing and Minny bounced.

GREAT READING COMPREHENSION :hammerhead:




You already admitted you didn't watch Minny vs Denver last year so you just had no clue what you were talking about. They gave Denver a tougher time than Lebron did even though they were missing 2 of their top 6 players.

[FultzNationRISE]

You already admitted you didn't watch Minny vs Denver last year so you just had no clue what you were talking about.

:wtf:

This is for this year. Ive watched Minny THIS year pendejo.

[tontoz]

:wtf:

This is for this year. Ive watched Minny THIS year pendejo.

Did you forget what you wrote?

:roll:


but none of them have done anything in the playoffs

Of course they havent done anything in the playoffs this year because the playoffs hadnt started yet.

:roll:

[FultzNationRISE]

Did you forget what you wrote?

:roll:



Of course they havent done anything in the playoffs this year because the playoffs hadnt started yet.

:roll:


Ohhh right. Losing a “competitive” 4-1 first round series last year qualifies as doing something in the playoffs. :rolleyes:

Very comparable to Durant, Booker and Vogel all having finals experience.

GOOD CALL. :facepalm

[tontoz]

Ohhh right. Losing a “competitive” 4-1 first round series last year qualifies as doing something in the playoffs. :rolleyes:

Very comparable to Durant, Booker and Vogel all having finals experience.

GOOD CALL. :facepalm


Yes it is significant since they were missing McDaniels and Reid. McDaniels might be the best perimeter defender in the league and Reid just won 6MOY.

Minny was in contention for 1st place all season this year, finished one game behind 1st but you have them 6th? :facepalm

[ArbitraryWater]

Lakers too high, even at the time.


Are you retarded bro?

lakers are at worst the 4th best team in the West :oldlol:

probably 2nd best after Denver

[Akeem34TheDream]

Are you retarded bro?

lakers are at worst the 4th best team in the West :oldlol:

probably 2nd best after Denver

:roll:Do you actually believe this? I know Lebron fans/haters troll a lot here but that seems genuine. If it is, then your opinion will change heavily after WCSF. Nuggets are worse this year and their next matchup will be a dog fight. However if Jokic and the Nuggets still find a way to beat the Wolves, the winner of OKC vs Mavs, and Celtics then it would be the toughest championship road ever imo. Harder than 95 Rockets.

[tontoz]

:roll:Do you actually believe this? I know Lebron fans/haters troll a lot here but that seems genuine. If it is, then your opinion will change heavily after WCSF. Nuggets are worse this year and their next matchup will be a dog fight. However if Jokic and the Nuggets still find a way to beat the Wolves, the winner of OKC vs Mavs, and Celtics then it would be the toughest championship road ever imo. Harder than 95 Rockets.


Arby watches games wearing a pair of Kurt Rambis goggles. :oldlol:

Yeah the Lakers were just a warm up series. Denver came out lethargic in the first half game after game because they know they own the Lakers. Different story going forward.

[Akeem34TheDream]

Arby watches games wearing a pair of Kurt Rambis goggles. :oldlol:

Yeah the Lakers were just a warm up series. Denver came out lethargic in the first half game after game because they know they own the Lakers. Different story going forward.
It might be but I am not sure. Is Murray's injury serious? Hope not. Also their bench was already shallow last year and they lost Bruce Brown. One of the young guys HAS TO step up. Wolves, OKC and Mavs are much deeper. And Celtics are stacked.

[Duffy Pratt]

Are you retarded bro?

lakers are at worst the 4th best team in the West :oldlol:

probably 2nd best after Denver

The Lakers win all of the series that they don’t play.

[FultzNationRISE]

Yes it is significant since they were missing McDaniels and Reid. McDaniels might be the best perimeter defender in the league and Reid just won 6MOY.

Minny was in contention for 1st place all season this year, finished one game behind 1st but you have them 6th? :facepalm

Hence they have not proven anything in the playoffs. This is a straight up fact. They looked good this year, thus I said “maybe theyll surprise me.” But they have no track record. Youre leaning on hindsight now that theyve won their first round match convincingly to sustain your argument. I made these rankings in March. And we’ve seen first place finishers lose to 8th seeds before. Seeding and power rankings are not the same.

Youre being belligerently pedantic.

[tontoz]

Hence they have not proven anything in the playoffs. This is a straight up fact. They looked good this year, thus I said “maybe theyll surprise me.” But they have no track record. Youre leaning on hindsight now that theyve won their first round match convincingly to sustain your argument. I made these rankings in March. And we’ve seen first place finishers lose to 8th seeds before. Seeding and power rankings are not the same.

Youre being belligerently pedantic.

You didnt even watch them in the playoffs yet you think you know better than MPJ who played against them in the playoffs. Cool story bro.

MPJ gave this interview right before the playoffs. He was asked about who would be the toughest matchup in the west. Color me shocked that he didn't mention the Lakers. :lol


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVDxgptxSJM

[ArbitraryWater]

:roll:Do you actually believe this? I know Lebron fans/haters troll a lot here but that seems genuine. If it is, then your opinion will change heavily after WCSF. Nuggets are worse this year and their next matchup will be a dog fight. However if Jokic and the Nuggets still find a way to beat the Wolves, the winner of OKC vs Mavs, and Celtics then it would be the toughest championship road ever imo. Harder than 95 Rockets.

The lakers will have been the Nuggets biggest test besides the Mavs.

Only the Mavs can be tougher.

You people will eat crow after this WCSF.


On another note:


https://i.gyazo.com/88930b30227ed601cc62a1b9332bd3ac.png


this you?

[tontoz]

It might be but I am not sure. Is Murray's injury serious? Hope not. Also their bench was already shallow last year and they lost Bruce Brown. One of the young guys HAS TO step up. Wolves, OKC and Mavs are much deeper. And Celtics are stacked.

That is what i was saying, they own the Lakers but going forward the matchups will be much tougher.

[Akeem34TheDream]

That is what i was saying, they own the Lakers but going forward the matchups will be much tougher.

Oh my bad. I got it as they will get serious and gear up.

[warriorfan]

Ordered by how likely I believe they are to make the finals.

Keep in mind these are not first round predictions, as the conference is so close it would not be surprising for any of these teams to win or lose in the first round, depending on matchups. This is just based on how fit I think they are in theory to go all the way.


1. Denver - self explanatory

2. OKC - they play more mature than their age. im becoming convinced their record isnt just about being regular season try-hards. I see their style translating in the ‘yoffs.

3. Dallas - very feast or famine squad but their ceiling makes them easily capable of getting three straight series wins. Their two most important guys do have playoff pedigrees

4. LAL - LeBITW will have them playing at their max level, and his presence alone gives them a chance, but the roster doesnt feel *quite* strong enough to push all the way thru. Tho it’s within the realm of possibility.

5. Phx - I dont think theyre good enough to make the finals, but on paper they have enough to have a chance

6. Minny - solid team, maybe theyll surprise me, but none of them have done anything in the playoffs. Theres no compelling reason to have them higher

7. New Orleans - same story as Sota. Theyre good, but you still see them needing a considerable deal of luck to go 3-0 in the West.

8. LAC - If KaInjured, Playoff Pee, James Soften, and Sus-sell Westbrook make a finals run, Ill eat my hat.

N/A: GS, Sac - Much as I enjoy the Beam Team, they and the Warriors dont have any meaningful chance.

Seems like it was a bit of hit and miss. You got the top and the bottom somewhat correct, but that’s usually the most obvious ones.

The main problem with your rankings is the Wolves were way too low.

Lakers a bit too high, same with Suns

[FultzNationRISE]

You didnt even watch them in the playoffs yet you think you know better than MPJ who played against them in the playoffs. Cool story bro.

MPJ gave this interview right before the playoffs. He was asked about who would be the toughest matchup in the west. Color me shocked that he didn't mention the Lakers. :lol


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LVDxgptxSJM


Okay.

So you DID watch them. AND you had all the inside intel from MPJ.

And yet:




Suns in 6. Bad matchup for the wolves. Their strong interior D won't matter as much against the Suns.

The Suns swept them in the regular season. They forced Conley to score, which he doesn't want to do. They forced Ant to pass, which he doesn't want to do.


:yaohappy:

[tontoz]

Okay. So you DID watch them.

And yet:




:yaohappy:


That's true, the Suns swept the wolves in the regular season. Based on their games the wolves interior D wasn't as effective against the Suns who shoot a lot of jumpers.

On D the Suns forced Conley to score and forced Ant to pass, both of which worked.

So I actually had reasons to pick the Suns other than ignorance.

Most importantly I wasn't dumb enough to bump my post showing a bad prediction.

:yaohappy:

.

[FultzNationRISE]

That's true, the Suns swept the wolves in the regular season. Based on their games the wolves interior D wasn't as effective against the Suns who shoot a lot of jumpers.

On D the Suns forced Conley to score and forced Ant to pass, both of which worked.

So I actually had reasons to pick the Suns other than ignorance.


:roll:


You are low key one of the weirder people on here.

[tontoz]

:roll:


You are low key one of the weirder people on here.


You know what's really weird? Making a bad prediction and then bumping the thread.

:yaohappy:

[AlternativeAcc.]

:roll:


You are low key one of the weirder people on here.

:roll:

[tontoz]

:roll:




https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g195/tontoz/Screenshot_20230502-192119.jpg

[FultzNationRISE]

Did you forget what you wrote?

:roll:



Of course they havent done anything in the playoffs this year because the playoffs hadnt started yet.

:roll:


You made the exact same prediction as me, and then tried to use the result as a “gotcha.” And youre doing like serious mental gymnastics trying to justify it.

You dont see how weird you are?

:roll:

[tontoz]

You made the exact same prediction as me, and then tried to use the result as a “gotcha.”

You dont see how weird you are?

:roll:


No i didn't. My prediction was based on the matchup. Yours was about to which is the better team.

If the Pels were healthy I might have picked them over OKC based on the matchup, not because I thought they were the better team.

I am not surprised you can't see the distinction.

And I certainly didn't bump my prediction to say hey everyone, look at me lmao. I didn't even take credit for my nuggets in 5 prediction.

[ArbitraryWater]

:roll:


You are low key one of the weirder people on here.

He is and its going under the radar but he can be a good sport

[FultzNationRISE]

No i didn't. My prediction was based on the matchup. Yours was about to which is the better team.

If the Pels were healthy I might have picked them over OKC based on the matchup, not because I thought they were the better team.

I am not surprised you can't see the distinction.

And I certainly didn't bump my prediction to say hey everyone, look at me lmao. I didn't even take credit for my nuggets in 5 prediction.

My prediction was about teams best equipped to make a playoff run. I ranked the Suns and Wolves next to each other (before knowing theyd be matched up together) and explained I was giving Phoenix the benefit of the doubt because of their experience on paper. The Wolves I said were solid and capable of surprising me. So it's hardly like I was way off the mark.

And I specifically said my rankings were not necessarily predictions of how series matchups would shake out. I acknowledged a team I ranked lower could still beat a team I had higher in a series. Which is what happened with the Wolves and Suns.

You were apparently in too much of a hurry to say 'gotcha!' to read the post properly.

[tontoz]

So why exactly did you bump this thread? What do you think you should get credit for?

The worst call was probably the clippers at 8. They finished at 4 and have beaten the Mavs twice without Kawhi.

[AlternativeAcc.]

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/g195/tontoz/Screenshot_20230502-192119.jpg

What were in the other 32 tabs you had open?

[tontoz]

What were in the other 32 tabs you had open?

A few MarketWatch and tradingview, ESPN scores, PGA tour leaderboard and stats. Weather, bbref, depends on the time of year.

sometimes I am just too lazy to close them. Then I will close 10-15 at once.

[FultzNationRISE]

So why exactly did you bump this thread? What do you think you should get credit for?

The worst call was probably the clippers at 8. They finished at 4 and have beaten the Mavs twice without Kawhi.


Knowing how strong the West was and how Lebron would absolutely light it up in the playoffs even tho hed get screwed by his bullshit teammates.

DUH.

[tontoz]

Knowing how strong the West was and how Lebron would absolutely light it up in the playoffs even tho hed get screwed by his bullshit teammates.

DUH.

He got screwed by LeGM trading for Westbrook. That eliminated them from any chance at another title.

[FultzNationRISE]

He got screwed by LeGM trading for Westbrook. That eliminated them from any chance at another title.

Hey wise guy, THAT WAS AD AND PELINKA’S DECISION.