With training camps set to start in a week or so, I figure now was as good of a time as ever to take a pre-preseason and training camp look at the league right now. We’ll be taking a look at the top conference aka the West first by dividing the teams into three categories. The Elite, The Contenders and the Lottery Bound.
THE ELITE
San Antonio: They are and forever will be the perennial top dog in the Western Conference. With the mind of Popovich, the combination of Duncan/Ginobli/Parker and the smart play of everyone else that is an no-brainer. The only thing that can hurt them are injuries and a lack of motivation. Since the Tim Duncan tankjob in 96-97, the Spurs lowest win total was 53 wins which lets you know they will be getting the job done in 07-08. They simply are just that good and they will be at the top all year. There however is a reason that this team has never won back-to-back titles. They have a tendency to let down after winning the big ones, hell most non MJ teams do. After they beat the Nets they ran into a motivated Lakers team that beat them. After they beat the Pistons they ran into a motivated Dallas team that beat them. When a team wants it more than the Spurs they usually take it. There was a reason why I was talking about how unstoppable the Spurs were last year and that was because they were healthy and super-motivated. With a championship, two other great teams to deal with and several teams bubbling under the surface, can the Spurs repeat? I’m going to go with doubtful at best. Do not get me wrong they will be dominant over the first 82 games that is for damn sure. And they added Ime Udoka who is pretty much the prototype of a Spurs guy. How is it legal that they have Bruce Bowen AND Ime Udoka? I just think the two teams below have a heck of a lot more on the line than these guys do.
Phoenix: The Suns have to get it done this year because that window is closing at an alarming rate. Steve Nash only has so many years left on that body and well they go as far as he takes them. D’Antoni Ball has done them well until they run into either San Antonio or Dallas. So why am I talking about them second? Because I think this should be their year. Barring injury this should be the year they get to the Finals. As a matter of fact there is an argument that it should have been last year had they not choked that game without Amare away. Grant Hill will hopefully give them a purpose and unite the locker room. Don’t let the NBA Access pieces fool you there is some disharmony floating around courtesy of Amare and the Matrix. Hopefully Kurt Thomas’ departure will lead to Boris Diaw returning to the center position. With him as a backup and the mismatches he could create would add another dimension to the Suns. However, their biggest problems are their inabilities to get the job done in the playoffs and Shawn Marion. Marion has got to stop with the whining and just play. He and Amare’s egos could rip this team apart and cost them their last chance at the gold.
Dallas: This is my biggest problem with Dallas. For one they brought back the same team with Eddie Jones which means they still have the exact same problems. People are praising the Jones signing yet seem to forget just how terrible he was in Memphis last year and how old he looked in that Chicago series. Who is he going to guard out West? They still will have problems with teams that have good perimeter players and play fast. That was exposed by Golden State. Mentally are they going to be able to overcome the fact that they have choked the past two years. I mean from going 2-0 to 2-4 in the NBA Finals and then losing to the #8 seed in the playoffs. That is a lot for one team to try and overcome, especially when everyone around them is getting better and they are just getting older. Can Avery coach this team to the top? He got outcoached by Don Nelson and Pat Riley in those key series. I’m beginning to think that think that their opportunites may have passed them by.
Back later with the contenders..