Post by aar on Aug 26, 2010 22:13:42 GMT -5
In this edition of Contender or Pretender, we'll take a look at the top-4 teams in each conference and determine whether or not they are legit and why.
Let's get started with the top-4 teams in the Western Conference:
The Utah Jazz
Best starter: Andrei Kirilenko, PF
Worst starter: Chris Andersen, PF
This team is as well-rounded as you can get.
Up front, you have the elite rebounding and shot blocking abilities of Chris Kaman, Chris Andersen and Andrei Kirilenko, who are a huge part of the league's 2nd best defensive output based on opposing points per game. The Jazz are one of only two teams that hold their opponents to below 100 ppg.
In the backcourt, you've got the well-rounded Felipe Lopez, who was a 2nd round steal and the efficient sharp-shooting Michael Redd.
This team legitimately has no weaknesses emphasized by a solid bench containing players who could start for other teams in their own right.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: More minutes for Austin Croshere might help, other than that, sit back and enjoy the ride.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Best starter: Shaquille O'Neal, C
Worst starter: Jason Terry, PG
I mentioned the Jazz being the second-best defensive team and the Minnesota Timberwolves are the reason. With a defense anchored by Bruce Bowen, an absolute stud on D, this Timberwolves team is a force.
Geared around a hard-nosed offense with equally versatile outside and inside threats, the T-Wolves have a lot going for them.
At age 33, Shaq is still a top-5 player in the league and remains dominant. His frontcourt mate Robert "Tractor" Traylor has proved the naysayers wrong and is the perfect frontcourt compliment.
Vince Carter is Mr. Everything on this team - he creates on offense and provides on defense. He is a true superstar and does everything well.
Jason Terry may be the team's weakest link, but that doesn't say much. He shoots huge percentages and is a force on defense.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: Tinker with the depth chart and try utilizing an inside offense with a slower pace. Defense will only improve and so will field goal percentages.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Best starter: Gerald Wallace, PF
Worst starter: Qyntel Woods, SG
The acquisition of Paul Pierce and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have made this an exciting Thunder squad.
The heart and soul of the team is Gerald Wallace who does absolutely everything well - blocking, outside shooting, efficiency, you name it, he does it.
Paul Pierce is adapting to his new role as a point guard and he excels due to the weapons around him.
Up front, Ilgauskas and Wallace get the job done with the help of Danny Fortson, who grabs a ton of boards off the bench.
The backcourt consists of Bobby Simmons, Qyntel Woods, Pierce and dynamic sixth man Cuttino Mobley.
Simmons and Woods are very similar - in fact, they are nearly identical. Both are ideal non-option starters who make this team great.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: Move Simmons to SG and Woods to SF. Simmons may have a higher rebounding rating, but Woods grabs more rpg and Simmons is more efficient with the ball. Both of their TOPGs will lower and the rebounding trade off will be worth it.
Phoenix Suns
Best starter: Yao Ming, C
Worst starter: Mark Blount, PF
The Suns have two studs in Chauncey Billups and Yao Ming, but the rest of their team does not meet the standard of excellence that the aforementioned three do.
Mark Blount is a serviceable starting big man in the BBS and always has been. No more, no less, you know what he can give you and it's what you can expect from a middle of the road starting big.
Ming continues to get better and put up huge numbers, but he'd be elite if he could block more than 2.5 shots per game.
The biggest strength of this team is the defensive backcourt of Shawn Marion, Larry Hughes and Billups. They are a matchup nightmare for teams who rely on their backcourt for scoring.
Status: Pretender
Plan of Action: Try to get an upgrade for Blount who can block more than two shots per game. Another plan might be to try to build around younger players and trade Billups for high caliber players that are closer to Ming's age. It's not a necessity, but might be worth a shot.
Let's get started with the top-4 teams in the Western Conference:
The Utah Jazz
Best starter: Andrei Kirilenko, PF
Worst starter: Chris Andersen, PF
This team is as well-rounded as you can get.
Up front, you have the elite rebounding and shot blocking abilities of Chris Kaman, Chris Andersen and Andrei Kirilenko, who are a huge part of the league's 2nd best defensive output based on opposing points per game. The Jazz are one of only two teams that hold their opponents to below 100 ppg.
In the backcourt, you've got the well-rounded Felipe Lopez, who was a 2nd round steal and the efficient sharp-shooting Michael Redd.
This team legitimately has no weaknesses emphasized by a solid bench containing players who could start for other teams in their own right.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: More minutes for Austin Croshere might help, other than that, sit back and enjoy the ride.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Best starter: Shaquille O'Neal, C
Worst starter: Jason Terry, PG
I mentioned the Jazz being the second-best defensive team and the Minnesota Timberwolves are the reason. With a defense anchored by Bruce Bowen, an absolute stud on D, this Timberwolves team is a force.
Geared around a hard-nosed offense with equally versatile outside and inside threats, the T-Wolves have a lot going for them.
At age 33, Shaq is still a top-5 player in the league and remains dominant. His frontcourt mate Robert "Tractor" Traylor has proved the naysayers wrong and is the perfect frontcourt compliment.
Vince Carter is Mr. Everything on this team - he creates on offense and provides on defense. He is a true superstar and does everything well.
Jason Terry may be the team's weakest link, but that doesn't say much. He shoots huge percentages and is a force on defense.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: Tinker with the depth chart and try utilizing an inside offense with a slower pace. Defense will only improve and so will field goal percentages.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Best starter: Gerald Wallace, PF
Worst starter: Qyntel Woods, SG
The acquisition of Paul Pierce and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have made this an exciting Thunder squad.
The heart and soul of the team is Gerald Wallace who does absolutely everything well - blocking, outside shooting, efficiency, you name it, he does it.
Paul Pierce is adapting to his new role as a point guard and he excels due to the weapons around him.
Up front, Ilgauskas and Wallace get the job done with the help of Danny Fortson, who grabs a ton of boards off the bench.
The backcourt consists of Bobby Simmons, Qyntel Woods, Pierce and dynamic sixth man Cuttino Mobley.
Simmons and Woods are very similar - in fact, they are nearly identical. Both are ideal non-option starters who make this team great.
Status: Contender
Plan of Action: Move Simmons to SG and Woods to SF. Simmons may have a higher rebounding rating, but Woods grabs more rpg and Simmons is more efficient with the ball. Both of their TOPGs will lower and the rebounding trade off will be worth it.
Phoenix Suns
Best starter: Yao Ming, C
Worst starter: Mark Blount, PF
The Suns have two studs in Chauncey Billups and Yao Ming, but the rest of their team does not meet the standard of excellence that the aforementioned three do.
Mark Blount is a serviceable starting big man in the BBS and always has been. No more, no less, you know what he can give you and it's what you can expect from a middle of the road starting big.
Ming continues to get better and put up huge numbers, but he'd be elite if he could block more than 2.5 shots per game.
The biggest strength of this team is the defensive backcourt of Shawn Marion, Larry Hughes and Billups. They are a matchup nightmare for teams who rely on their backcourt for scoring.
Status: Pretender
Plan of Action: Try to get an upgrade for Blount who can block more than two shots per game. Another plan might be to try to build around younger players and trade Billups for high caliber players that are closer to Ming's age. It's not a necessity, but might be worth a shot.
fucking suck right now