Around the League: Week 2 11/3-11/9

[Cap]

Bad idea. You don't know where that money has been.

[virtual9mm]

I just don't think we can be THAT high in the standings (~#1 seed) without a strong interior defense or any offensive big men. Basically with a very shaky PF/C rotation overall. I like a lot of our guys but it isn't a strong part of our roster night in and night out.

I know my projections are Laker fan territory, but "you" got to have at least "one of those".

I`m not advocating that suns are favorites to grab nr.1 seed, but i do like our chances and i dont think we absolutely need to be awesome at PF and C to get it. If Len keeps standing tall in right spots and Goran "wakes up/is used correctly" i feel good about our probability for nr.1 seed . Bledsoe-Tucker-Len just makes me smile when i think about our potential on D.
Im not worried about our offence one bit, Hornacek is a wizard there(psychological wizard).

But that said I feel spurs are 3x more likely to grab it than us. This is how i feel on average :

Spurs 58, Suns 56, Warriors 56, Clippers 55, Rockets-Maverics-Grizzlies 53, Thunder-Trailblazers 48

Then I mostly feel like Pelicans 38, Nuggets 36, Wolves-Kings-Jazz 35, Lakers 18.

Made a Lakers under bet (31,5) which makes me feel good ! Almost as good as suns over (42,5).

Since i got so much belief in suns I made a side bet for Hornacek being coach of the year. Suns 56 wins should get him that.

Put some money where my mouth is !

Love your optimism but we won't know exactly how good this team is until the schedule hardens up later in the season.

[Beetlejuice]

Frye looks incredibly heavy right now. Needs weeks minimum to make "basketball recovery". Hope he does not get too much hate from Magic fans. Kind of reminds me of Tolliver currently

[carey]

Apparently PJIII has been taken to the locker room injured during the OKC / Toronto game. Thunder Cats, HOOOOO are down 9 in the 4th and will likely drop to 1-4.

[Cap]

Somebody Up There doesn't like OKC. Whatever they did to piss Him off, they'd best start repenting.

[Wally_West]

Somebody Up There doesn't like OKC. Whatever they did to piss Him off, they'd best start repenting.

Moving back to Seattle is a good start.

[SDC]

a) either the suns are a bad road team (vs jazz, lakers?)
b) terrible on back to backs (vs jazz, grizz?)
c) great at home (spurs, grizz? sactown? gsw?)

we will see in the next four games.

[Cap]

Amazing how humans can find complex patterns in three data points.

[SDC]

maybe i'm overreacting a bit on a small sample size. but those were the options.

[INFORMER]

Houston had a great win tonight; they looked amazing down the stretch against Miami. Bombing away from 3, making plays on the defensive end.

It was a good win for a number of reasons. They were missing Terrence Jones and playing on the second night of a back to back, on the road against an unbeaten Miami Heat team. The Rockets are now 5-0 (making m pick for them to miss the playoffs look really bad, though it's early).

[Mori Chu]

A lot of people underestimated the Rockets. I don't see why everyone liked them to miss the playoffs. They lost nothing of real value and gain a year of cohesion as well as a healthier Dwight and a Harden who's a year closer to his prime. Ariza is a good fit, too.

[EDC]

Not sure I would call Lin, Asik and Parsons nothing of real value.

[SDC]

Houston had a great win tonight; they looked amazing down the stretch against Miami. Bombing away from 3, making plays on the defensive end.

It was a good win for a number of reasons. They were missing Terrence Jones and playing on the second night of a back to back, on the road against an unbeaten Miami Heat team. The Rockets are now 5-0 (making m pick for them to miss the playoffs look really bad, though it's early).

yep. and it's a road game for them too.

[Beetlejuice]

Who is that Papanikolaou fella, looked like a good team player.

[INFORMER]

Who is that Papanikolaou fella, looked like a good team player.

They acquired his rights through a trade with Philly I believe. Former second round, draft-and-stash pick that they just signed this past offseason.

[Shabazz]

Who is that Papanikolaou fella, looked like a good team player.

They acquired his rights through a trade with Philly I believe. Former second round, draft-and-stash pick that they just signed this past offseason.

The Knicks.

[INFORMER]

Portland actually. Thomas Robinson trade.

[INFORMER]

Down goes Cleveland by 19.

[Ring_Wanted]

Who is that Papanikolaou fella, looked like a good team player.

He played in Spain for FC Barcelona last season. Was supposed to be one of the top swingmen in Europe, lots of pedigree, but only showed although he helped them win the ACB league. Good IQ and a little bit of everything. Shooting, playmaking, moving without the ball, defensive intensity. Not a good athlete for NBA standards, but he can contribute.

[Shabazz]

Portland actually. Thomas Robinson trade.

Ah. He was drafted by the Knicks. Forgot about the NY->Portland move. Thought it was a draft night deal to HOU.