NBA Power Rankings

CODE_BLUE56 said:

Were you drunk when organized this?



I mean, not because I totally disagree with you or anything, but everything is way out of order and shit.

Click to expand...

What exactly is out of order?

Team - overall rank ... conference rank ... Team - overall rank

Papa Wheelie said:

I can't disagree with anything you say here. Really, neither the Cavs nor Bulls have proved anything yet. Personally, I thought Miami with the big 3 was much better than the Cavs will be. What made the Heat great imo was their defense. They could actually match the Bulls intensity. They were just too quick for the likes of Boozer.

I don't see this same quality with the Cavs myself. The Bulls will be able to play better defense than the Cavs. I see this as the biggest advantage for the Bulls. I'll still maintain that noone will know what to expect from most teams this except maybe SA who will be pretty much the same, albeit i year older.

With the uncertainty of both the Cavs and Bulls, the main thing that bothers me is the Bulls fans that are already conceding to the Cavs. To me that just shows weak character. The Spurs team concept completely annihilated the Heat's star concept. I don't think the stars in Cleveland are as good as Miami was either.

I'm in total agreement that it's all speculation right now. I just choose to not give up on my team before the season has even started.

Click to expand...

Let me just say this first: I love your attitude. I wish more posters had your optimism.

I think a lot of the defeatist attitude is a result of being burned the past few years. Rose's MVP year a lot of people though we were going all the way and we ended up losing in 5 to Miami because Rose couldn't take over as he usually did while being guarded by Lebron. Then the injuries snapped away the next two seasons. A lot of people are a little jaded as a result. Many of them may never admit it, but Lebron is kind of like this unbeatable entity in their minds. Part of it is because it's always Lebron plus two other legit stars while the Bulls remain "stuck" with "just Rose" and no other proficient shot creator. So adding quality pieces like Gasol, McDermott, and Mirotic are almost useless in that mindset because they're not shot creators or stars. So yes the Spurs won with depth and teamwork, but the individual pieces were also better than what we got...or so the argument goes. In a league driven by stars, the team with more stars usually wins out. With that logic, why not concede defeat to the team with a tremendous amount of star power?

Now, I'm with you and I hate that sort of mentality (that we lost before we even see anything), but I do see where they are coming from. While both teams have a lot of unknowns it's easier to take the side of the team with more stars than the team with one who's coming off a couple injuries. Plus, the Cavs unknowns are known quantities. The Bulls unknowns haven't played an NBA game ever (McDermott, Mirotic) or in a long time (Rose).

I just want the season to start already so I can start seeing our guys in action. Only then will we be able to make a truly informed prediction.

I might be one of the rare optimistic guys and think the Bulls are the #1 in the East IF THEY STAY HEALTHY!


Cleveland is a question mark for sure and is open for a debate. But I can´t put the Bulls behind the Clippers for example who didn´t prove anything in the playoffs yet, either ...


Spurs vs. Bulls would be my early Finals prediction.

Adopting a wait and see attitude towards your team is not defeatist.

Only meatballs think the Bulls are the #1 team with no sample size to speak of.

Check your fucking pompoms at the door, this is a discussion forum not a fansite.

RC_Skinny22 said:

I might be one of the rare optimistic guys and think the Bulls are the #1 in the East IF THEY STAY HEALTHY!


Cleveland is a question mark for sure and is open for a debate. But I can´t put the Bulls behind the Clippers for example who didn´t prove anything in the playoffs yet, either ...


Spurs vs. Bulls would be my early Finals prediction.

Click to expand...

Your key cog to that Finals prediction is currently 1-8 from the field vs Lithuania.

Guiz the season is OVER

clonetrooper264 said:

Guiz the season is OVER

Click to expand...

Yeah, no one is saying that. All that's being said is the rationalization for putting the Bulls over the Cavs right now isn't really rational or logical. But keep arguing against a point that hasn't been made. Good look from a staff member.

ChiSoxCity said:

Adopting a wait and see attitude towards your team is not defeatist.

Only meatballs think the Bulls are the #1 team with no sample size to speak of.

Check your fucking pompoms at the door, this is a discussion forum not a fansite.

Click to expand...

actually it is

or atleast i consider it one since its catered to a certain fan base

I don't think its reasonable anymore to have the Cavs anything but #1 in the NBA. They have the best player, and they have one of the great rebounders and 20/20 guys and 10/10 guys....and Kyrie Irving. And Waiters. Its a nightmare conglomerate and it will be a nightmare for everyone except us who will transfer our rivalry with the Heat (which will continue) and we will be the main rival of the Cavs for good measure because we don't like Lebron and we are good.

The Nets could surprise at some point, third year together. And The Clippers could be really good.

Poohdini said:

actually it is

or atleast i consider it one since its catered to a certain fan base

Click to expand...

Maybe to you. I appreciate people showing their loyalty and devotion to their favorite players/teams. But closeminded, intolerant meatball behavior and calling for people to get banned for expressing opposing views is kinda dumb, don't you think?

FirstTimer said:

Yeah, no one is saying that. All that's being said is the rationalization for putting the Bulls over the Cavs right now isn't really rational or logical. But keep arguing against a point that hasn't been made. Good look from a staff member.

Click to expand...

Why so serious FT?

Raskolnikov said:

I don't think its reasonable anymore to have the Cavs anything but #1 in the NBA. They have the best player, and they have one of the great rebounders and 20/20 guys and 10/10 guys....and Kyrie Irving. And Waiters. Its a nightmare conglomerate and it will be a nightmare for everyone except us who will transfer our rivalry with the Heat (which will continue) and we will be the main rival of the Cavs for good measure because we don't like Lebron and we are good.

The Nets could surprise at some point, third year together. And The Clippers could be really good.

Click to expand...

There are at least 3 teams in the West that should wipe the floor with the Cavs or anybody from the East. I'd be surprised if the Cavs even made a series with the Spurs competitive.

In the East, I hate to say it but I have to like the Wizards, number 1 if we have to go based on a team playing together. Something tells me they will be better then the Heat and the Bulls. My main reason for saying Bulls is because I don't know what to count on from Rose... i's not like he looked like a star player, even when he came back last season. I can't put them number one in the East until I see Rose can survive a regular season for a month, and look great doing it. I can say the Cavs, for the same reason the original poster did. Though as the season plays out... all that will change I'm sure... Cavs would have to sort of destroy each other to not go past the Wiz on my list.

The Cavs are, on paper, the best team in the east. They have the best player in the league, the best power forward in the league, and an all-star in Irving. We do not know yet what the Bulls will be all about, do we? We have a lot of unknowns. That is realism, like it or not.

RamiTheBullsFan said:

There are at least 3 teams in the West that should wipe the floor with the Cavs or anybody from the East. I'd be surprised if the Cavs even made a series with the Spurs competitive.

Click to expand...

Normally I'd disagree, but after seeing the Heat get destroyed in the last Finals you might be right. At least about the Spurs. Not sure how OKC or LAC or even Portland would look in a series with the Cavs. I doubt we'll get to find out this season, but who knows.

Cliffs notes version:

**Cavs best team in the NBA, regardless of 'continuity' issues. The only team with a core that can match theirs is Oklahoma City. Every team adds and subtracts pieces, meaning there's always an adjustment period. Some adapt faster than others.

**If Thibs doesn't learn how to manage player minutes, our newly rediscovered depth isn't going to mean shit. As important as Rose's return is, Thibs taking the next step as a coach is equally as important.

**Keeping Rose's minutes down and letting him ease his way back into a primary scoring option is an absolute must during the first few months of the season. I'm not putting tons of stock in his lowly FIBA performance. However, if it carries into January, I'll throw up a red flag.

**I'm interested to see how Pau and Mirotic mesh with Noah defensively. Pau, in particular, shouldn't be asked to contribute huge minutes because Gibson. Just like Rose, Pau's minutes in check for the end of the regular season/playoffs is vital. And, once again, that comes down to Thibs.

**I'm higher on McDermott then most. He needs to come in and show he's a capable scorer right out of the gate. With not knowing what kind of step forward Jimmy Butler could take on offense (if at all), and having no feel what kind of increase in minutes Tony Snell will play, the Bulls are going to need his floor spacing and shooting. Also, I don't think he'll be the detriment defensively everyone is assuming he'll be "just because he's white."

**The lack of a backup center still scares me. I don't count Pau. Noah getting hurt is a possibility, and if he goes down, I'd hate to see Pau, Gibson or God forbid Baristow, be forced into that role. If unaddressed, this could be an issue come playoff time

I think the Bulls will fall somewhere between #2 and 5 in the East.

JosMin said:

**The lack of a backup center still scares me. I don't count Pau. Noah getting hurt is a possibility, and if he goes down, I'd hate to see Pau, Gibson or God forbid Baristow, be forced into that role. If unaddressed, this could be an issue come playoff time

Click to expand...

Why is Gasol at center a bad thing? He's definitely capable of playing center in this league. He did so plenty with LA and Memphis. Even Taj could handle playing center in some matchups due to his defensive prowess. This is an age of the NBA where centers are rare and we see a lot of the PF/C hybrid or undersized centers (Chuck Hayes for example). Imo it'd be totally fine to have Gasol playing center because not only is he capable, but we still have Mirotic on the bench to play PF so our big man depth isn't totally bereft of life.

Can Noah play some PF? Does he have a versatile enough game to be PF to Gasol's C?

Raskolnikov said:

Can Noah play some PF? Does he have a versatile enough game to be PF to Gasol's C?

Click to expand...

Yes?

What am I saying....Gasol played with Bynum, so of course they will play together. Its a great fit because Gasol plays more like a PF on offense, stepping out, as well as variety of post moves. His length plays more like a center on defense, but Noah is a passer on offense but could actually use some help on the bigger guys in the league. I think its going to be a great fit, and with Gibson, Snell, Butler, Mirtoic, McBuckets, Barstow, Brooks, Heinrich, and Dunleavy we actually have a very deep team capable of matching up with anybody and any scheme in the league. Survive an injury to a guard and a big for a while, and probably have the parts to make the trade we need to if more injuries than that occur.

Making line-ups is really fun with this team, they have alot of tweeners.

Rose-Butler-McBuckets-Mirotic-Gasol is one of my favorites. Rose-Dunleavy-Butler-Gibson-Noah is a logical professional lineup that Thibs can trust. Snell and Barstow and Brooks may not give us anything and they don't have to.

I still think Cavs are #1. Then Spurs. Thunder. Clippers. Golden State. Portland. Chicago. and the rest are essentially insignificant teams that could knock the above out of the playoffs but not capable of running the gauntlet of teams.


Atlanta and Arizona should be nice teams....oh yeah and the Hornets might have all the pieces to enter the elite. Wizards are going up. nets are an unknown. There are some good teams out there, but the Cavs have superstars at 3 positions.