Post by Skillz on Aug 9, 2011 9:28:50 GMT -5
Opening Day Power Rankings
It’s time for our annual pre-season team rankings. After a pretty busy offseason, the scope of the league has changed once again, with the balance of power shifting more than it has in years past. Some of the elite teams have gotten worse, while a few rebuilding teams are probably a year away from taking the next step (i.e, Minnesota, Philly).. Anyway, here are our rankings:
(to see how accurate/inaccurate we were last year, click here: bbs2010.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rcs&action=display&thread=15084)
Missing the cut: Spurs, Timberwolves, Jazz, Cavs, Sixers
10. Golden State Warriors (Projected win total: 46)
What!? Game in the top 10? Well, Game pretty much has to be, as it is his contract year. After getting screwed during the Dolph Schayes saga, Game was able to land perennial all-star Alf Sjoberg. While the Warriors supporting cast is full of semi-talented but flawed players, they should be good enough to complement Alf to at least a 5th or 6th seed in the West.
9. Denver Nuggets (Projected win total: 47)
The Nuggets always seem to be a on the fringe of contention, which is exactly where they stand this year. Denver has a nice outside punch with Rooks, Jay, and Perry and some shot blockers and rebounders. Basically, they have a nice formula and a solid system, but do not have the talent throughout their roster to compete with the big boys.
8. Dallas Mavericks (Projected win total: 47)
I actually think I like Denver’s roster more than the Mavs, but I’m giving Greg the nod here because of the Mavericks regular season last year. Dallas has some nice players in Slick Leonard and Tom Heionshon, but seem to have an odd mix of players and not the star players you’d like to see on a contending team.
7. Indiana Pacers (Projected win total: 49)
Biggie in the top 10 might be even more surprising than Game, but Biggi has quietly done a decent job with the Pacers this time around. Dolph Schayes was a huge addition, and Indiana has some scorers to complement him (though I wouldn’t count on Ben Rollins too much). Indiana really has to work on getting a point guard who doesn’t turn it over—Renato Amare is a big liability.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (projected win total: 51)
The Clippers had a strong run at the end of the season last year and almost reached the finals after taking the champion hornets to 7 games. Though the retirement of Demarcus Cousins was big for LA’s future, it also hurts them in the present. Elgin Baylor at PF is not going to work with that roster, and the Clippers are going to need to find some bigs to really contend. Still, I’m assuming Martinez makes some trades, which should propel LA to the top 5.
5. Orlando Magic (projected win total: 51)
Repole’s team took a pretty big step back this offseason in my opinion. Losing JJ Erving is a pretty big deal, but Kwan Xi’s departure in free agency might be an even bigger problem. Orlando no longer has the scoring at the 1-2-3 to make its team truly elite, and needs a big season out of Bob Petit to makeup for some losses.
4. Chicago Bulls (Projected win total: 53)
It looks like the Bulls time as a dominant Eastern Conference team may be running out. Chicago is absolutely a title contender but now has more holes than it ever has before. Depth is still a huge issue and Vince McCracken and Jason Paulson took big hits in TC that will probably hurt their value more than production. The Bulls are no longer an elite offensive team, either.
3. New Jersey Nets (Projected win total: 55)
The “new-look Nets” looked better last year than Nova’s past versions of contending teams. While the Nets still have some issues at starting center, their outside offense seems to be working even though NJ’s best player is a power forward with no outside shot. Trey Mack turned in a big season last year, and if he matches that production this season, the Nets could be a force again in the East.
2. New York Knicks (Projected win total: 57)
After a 59 win season and a finals appearance, the Knicks decided to remake their roster yet again. In are Randy Sinclair, Frank Ramsey, and Lorenzo Carr and out is all-star MVP J.D. Quincy and the very upsetting Ben Rollins. New York lost some nice talent, but still have one of best bunches of players in the league. The Knicks are taking a chance with an inside look, moving Antonio Ramsay to small forward, but an elite defense should mask any potential offensive problems.
1.New Orleans Hornets (Projected win total: 59)
The Hornets proved me wrong when I predicted 63 wins last season, so I’m going with a more realistic prediction this season. The returning champs return all of its key players, but New Orleans’ mediocre TC might be giving some other top teams some hope. Rickey Francis has C- handling, but still is probably the best point guard in the league, and Dean Hollis is pretty much a freak. Not much competition out West right now.
It’s time for our annual pre-season team rankings. After a pretty busy offseason, the scope of the league has changed once again, with the balance of power shifting more than it has in years past. Some of the elite teams have gotten worse, while a few rebuilding teams are probably a year away from taking the next step (i.e, Minnesota, Philly).. Anyway, here are our rankings:
(to see how accurate/inaccurate we were last year, click here: bbs2010.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=rcs&action=display&thread=15084)
Missing the cut: Spurs, Timberwolves, Jazz, Cavs, Sixers
10. Golden State Warriors (Projected win total: 46)
What!? Game in the top 10? Well, Game pretty much has to be, as it is his contract year. After getting screwed during the Dolph Schayes saga, Game was able to land perennial all-star Alf Sjoberg. While the Warriors supporting cast is full of semi-talented but flawed players, they should be good enough to complement Alf to at least a 5th or 6th seed in the West.
9. Denver Nuggets (Projected win total: 47)
The Nuggets always seem to be a on the fringe of contention, which is exactly where they stand this year. Denver has a nice outside punch with Rooks, Jay, and Perry and some shot blockers and rebounders. Basically, they have a nice formula and a solid system, but do not have the talent throughout their roster to compete with the big boys.
8. Dallas Mavericks (Projected win total: 47)
I actually think I like Denver’s roster more than the Mavs, but I’m giving Greg the nod here because of the Mavericks regular season last year. Dallas has some nice players in Slick Leonard and Tom Heionshon, but seem to have an odd mix of players and not the star players you’d like to see on a contending team.
7. Indiana Pacers (Projected win total: 49)
Biggie in the top 10 might be even more surprising than Game, but Biggi has quietly done a decent job with the Pacers this time around. Dolph Schayes was a huge addition, and Indiana has some scorers to complement him (though I wouldn’t count on Ben Rollins too much). Indiana really has to work on getting a point guard who doesn’t turn it over—Renato Amare is a big liability.
6. Los Angeles Clippers (projected win total: 51)
The Clippers had a strong run at the end of the season last year and almost reached the finals after taking the champion hornets to 7 games. Though the retirement of Demarcus Cousins was big for LA’s future, it also hurts them in the present. Elgin Baylor at PF is not going to work with that roster, and the Clippers are going to need to find some bigs to really contend. Still, I’m assuming Martinez makes some trades, which should propel LA to the top 5.
5. Orlando Magic (projected win total: 51)
Repole’s team took a pretty big step back this offseason in my opinion. Losing JJ Erving is a pretty big deal, but Kwan Xi’s departure in free agency might be an even bigger problem. Orlando no longer has the scoring at the 1-2-3 to make its team truly elite, and needs a big season out of Bob Petit to makeup for some losses.
4. Chicago Bulls (Projected win total: 53)
It looks like the Bulls time as a dominant Eastern Conference team may be running out. Chicago is absolutely a title contender but now has more holes than it ever has before. Depth is still a huge issue and Vince McCracken and Jason Paulson took big hits in TC that will probably hurt their value more than production. The Bulls are no longer an elite offensive team, either.
3. New Jersey Nets (Projected win total: 55)
The “new-look Nets” looked better last year than Nova’s past versions of contending teams. While the Nets still have some issues at starting center, their outside offense seems to be working even though NJ’s best player is a power forward with no outside shot. Trey Mack turned in a big season last year, and if he matches that production this season, the Nets could be a force again in the East.
2. New York Knicks (Projected win total: 57)
After a 59 win season and a finals appearance, the Knicks decided to remake their roster yet again. In are Randy Sinclair, Frank Ramsey, and Lorenzo Carr and out is all-star MVP J.D. Quincy and the very upsetting Ben Rollins. New York lost some nice talent, but still have one of best bunches of players in the league. The Knicks are taking a chance with an inside look, moving Antonio Ramsay to small forward, but an elite defense should mask any potential offensive problems.
1.New Orleans Hornets (Projected win total: 59)
The Hornets proved me wrong when I predicted 63 wins last season, so I’m going with a more realistic prediction this season. The returning champs return all of its key players, but New Orleans’ mediocre TC might be giving some other top teams some hope. Rickey Francis has C- handling, but still is probably the best point guard in the league, and Dean Hollis is pretty much a freak. Not much competition out West right now.
