Phx-Suns.Net

Leslie Alexander is in Morey's corner. He's not even on the hot seat yet. McHale, on the other hand, is in the last year of his deal, and no one has been impressed with his coaching. The general perception is he's one of the main reasons why the Rockets lost to Portland.

da_suns_fan wrote:

JCSunsfan wrote:

da_suns_fan wrote:Im pretty positive Houston is going to be worse.

A lot worse.

The vegas prediction is at 49 wins and Im seriously considering putting some cash on the under.

I assume this is because of the loss of Parsons and Asik? Oh yeah, they also lost Lin. Hmm.

That and what I saw the other day.

They won't always go 5-30 behind the line. Had they been hitting their shots at a reasonable clip it would have been a blowout.

suns will win 5 to 6 games less from last season. this down year will lead mcdo to trade some of the suns assets for players he wants. the suns currently have 3 starting caliber PGs.

INFORMER wrote:I really don't think Dallas has improved. I could definitely see them missing the playoffs.

chandler parsons could be an awful signing for the mavs.

This is why I love this board. I TOO think the Mavs and Rockets are overrated!! You guys are the most reasonable

I also think Portland and maybe Memphis might not be that good either. OKC should be able to stay competitive without KD because of Ibaka and Collison. LAC seems focused.

Out east, Detroit's been playing well during the preseason: they're another team who could use Gerald Green (but really, what team couldn't use Gerald Green?).

i hesitate to make actual predictions, but i want to echo some of the thoughts already posted... i don't think dallas improves. unless tyson chandler can help shore up the defensive chemistry on that team, and unless raymond felton ... eh, i don't know how to complete that sentence. they have too many potential issues right now. and houston, i've never been much of a howard fan, and think that losing asik will hurt.

i am more positive on portland though. i think they can still be a playoff team. lillard has been dominating and aldridge is more than solid. but yeah they have depth issues. i also don't see memphis dropping out of the playoffs. they have a very solid style and continuity. they also added vince carter, who should be useful in the second unit.

i'm not that high on golden state, i think they are top 4 but i'd be surprised if they are #1.

pickle wrote:i hesitate to make actual predictions, but i want to echo some of the thoughts already posted... i don't think dallas improves. unless tyson chandler can help shore up the defensive chemistry on that team, and unless raymond felton ... eh, i don't know how to complete that sentence. they have too many potential issues right now. and houston, i've never been much of a howard fan, and think that losing asik will hurt.

i am more positive on portland though. i think they can still be a playoff team. lillard has been dominating and aldridge is more than solid. but yeah they have depth issues. i also don't see memphis dropping out of the playoffs. they have a very solid style and continuity. they also added vince carter, who should be useful in the second unit.

i'm not that high on golden state, i think they are top 4 but i'd be surprised if they are #1.

I think second round or (just maybe) WCF is ceiling for them.

Sam Amick at USAT has an article about coaches and who is on the hot-seat & who is safe: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nb ... /17322409/

Some relevant tidbits...

Houston Rockets: Kevin McHale is a coach on an expiring contract leading a team that may have unrealistic expectations. Recipe for disaster, right? Not exactly, but his situation is worth watching.

If the James Harden-Dwight Howard Rockets aren't contending for a top spot in the Western Conference and looking like a team that can make some noise in the playoffs, McHale may be the first to raise his hand and say a change should be made. He's in it to win it, as they say, and the fact that he has no new deal beyond this coming season isn't seen as a point of contention. Don't hold your breath on a change coming, though, as the Rockets will be formidable even without Chandler Parsons, Jeremy Lin or Omer Asik around anymore.

Phoenix Suns: Jeff Hornacek's approval ratings are through the US Airways Center roof after he led the Suns to a 23-game turnaround last season (from 25-57 to 48-34). He has two years left on his deal and the right kind of personnel to help him eventually get another deal: point guard Eric Bledsoe is back by way of a five-year, $70 million extension and will again partner with Goran Dragic in the backcourt; the Suns also signed big man brothers Markieff and Marcus Morris to extensions and added Dragic's brother, Zoran.

I really think the Mavs are being overrated this year. They lost Calderon, who is a really underrated PG, and replaced him with the puu-puu platter of Raymond Fat-ton and Jameer Nelson. Yuck. They also lost two productive vets in Shawn Marion and Vince Carter. I really think they will take a step back.

I don't know what to make of Houston. People say they're overrated, and they did lose a few pieces. I don't think they are contenders. They're a middling playoff team to me, probably another first-round exit for them.

Houston is not a contender at all.

i hope the suns dont end up having a tough schedule around april (mostly away games against top playoff teams) like last season.

there's no reason why the suns should not get off to a great start this year.

look at the early schedule
http://espn.go.com/nba/team/schedule/_/ ... oenix-suns

the suns sked in april

@GSW
UTAH

back to back
@Atlanta
@dallas

@new orleans
@san antonio
clippers

The Suns may really struggle against New Orleans, if the Pelicans remain healthy. Omer Asik and Anthony Davis should have a field day against the Suns.

INFORMER wrote:The Suns may really struggle against New Orleans, if the Pelicans remain healthy. Omer Asik and Anthony Davis should have a field day against the Suns.

i agree... that's gonna be as good a defensive front line as any in the league. what do you think them playing together will do to their effectiveness/ability to avoid injuries inf? i feel like davis will have a monster year and asik will be an effective banger/rebounder/mildly intimidating shot blocker. ryan anderson playing the 3 will be rough though.

Ryan Anderson isn't playing the 3. He may get spot minutes there every now and then, but the 3 spot will primarily be manned by Tyreke Evans, John Salmons, Luke Babbitt, and Darius Miller.

Honestly, I don't think the Asik and Davis pairing will affect whether either player stays healthy; I don't think it's the banging in the paint that leads those two to getting injured. I just think they are injury prone. But I do think both will benefit from one another.

Davis has bulked up, so maybe that will help remain healthy.

i know. what i meant by the ryan anderson comment was that, he seems to be a good floor spacer who will help either big man play down low, but unfortunately they won't be able to play all three at the same time. if he plays the 4 with either davis or asik at the 5, that reduces the defensive prowess a fair bit.

has asik been injury prone? i remember him becoming a hot commodity in chicago and then getting buried after houston got howard. i read somewhere that davis being injury prone was partly due to him having to bang with centers with his wispy frame, so i was thinking maybe he'll be more durable if asik picks up more of the banger duties.

In order of likelihood to make playoffs
Clippers
Spurs
Thunder
Warriors
Trailblazers
Grizzlies
Rockets
Suns
Mavericks
Hornets
Nuggets

Kings,jazz,lakers,wolves have no shot

Cavs
Bulls
Raptors
Wizards
Hawks
Hornets
Heat
Knicks
Nets
Pacers
Pistons
Magic
Bucks

Celtics and 76ers have no shot

I think we see clippers-bulls in the finals, with bulls taking it.
MVP-lebron
Dpoy-Noah
Roy-jabari
6th man-IT
Most improved - Kidd-gilchrist

why kidd gilchrist is the most improved? because of mark price?

part of it is I think he's been underrated in his first two years. He does just about everything but shoot. Granted, he's been a terrible shooter, but i think he improves enough to stay on the court and get noticed. Mainly it's just a guess though.