NBA Power Rankings

RamiTheBullsFan

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mine:

9/08 rankings:

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Spurs- 1 ...... 01 .... Bulls- 6
Thunder- 2 .. 02 .... Cavs- 7
Clippers- 3 ... 03 .... Heat- 10
Blazers- 4 ..... 04 .... Wizards- 14
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Warriors- 5 ... 05 .... Raptors- 15
Mavs- 8 ........ 06 .... Nets- 16
Nuggets- 9 .... 07 .... Hornets- 18
Grizzlies- 11 ... 08 .... Knicks- 20
--------------------------------------------
Rockets- 12 ... 09 .... Hawks- 21
Pelicans- 13 ... 10 .... Celtics- 23
T-Wolves- 17 .. 11 .... Pistons- 24
Suns- 19 ........ 12 .... Pacers- 25
Kings- 22 ....... 13 .... Bucks- 27
Lakers- 26 ...... 14 .... Magic- 28
Jazz- 29 ......... 15 .... Sixers- 30
--------------------------------------------

9/26 rankings:

1. Spurs
2. Thunder
3. Clippers
4. Blazers
5. Warriors
6. Bulls
7. Cavs
8. Mavs
9. Nuggets
10. Heat
11. Grizzlies
12. Rockets
13. Pelicans
14. Wizards
15. Raptors
16. Suns
17. Nets
18. Hornets
19. T-Wolves
20. Knicks
21. Hawks
22. Celtics
23. Kings
24. Pistons
25. Lakers
26. Pacers
27. Bucks
28. Magic
29. Jazz
30. Sixers



Note:
Can't put Cavs in front of the Bulls yet when they haven't played one game together, and a big part of their core/coaching has never seen the playoffs. They'll get better as the season goes along.
 
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clonetrooper264

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My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Golden State Warriors
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
Someone is going to say the Bulls haven't played a game together yet therefore your argument is invalid...I just know it. That or Rose won't be a superstar level player so we lose by default to the Cavs.

It's the realistic expectation
 

Axl Rose

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Bulls haven't played a game together yet therefore your argument is invalid

besides Rose won't be a superstar level player so we lose to the Cavs by default
 

clonetrooper264

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My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Golden State Warriors
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
Bulls haven't played a game together yet therefore your argument is invalid

besides Rose won't be a superstar level player so we lose to the Cavs by default
I knew you'd get my back
 

RamiTheBullsFan

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Bulls haven't played a game together yet therefore your argument is invalid

besides Rose won't be a superstar level player so we lose to the Cavs by default

Thibodeau has coached a big part of the core (Noah, Gibson, and Butler) for a number of years now. The Bulls' defense will start out as elite. The Cavs' defense won't. They have weak links all over their roster defensively, and their coach will need a number of games to adjust to the NBA style and pace. The Cavs' offense will also need time to mesh. The Bulls will have Rose back (better than anything they had last year- star level or not) and added on a lot of quality offensive players. They will need time to adjust, but they will be better than they were offensively right off the bat.

That logic is what leads me to believe that right now, the Bulls will be a better team than the Cavs. And that is not to say that the Cavs aren't likely to improve a lot as they play more and more together.
 

The Hawk

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I do not see the Bulls in the Cavs class. A LOT has to happen for that to happen as in:

1. Rose has to be AT LEAST as good as he was before the two injuries and his transition seamless.

2. Mirotic has to be a starter by year's end.

3. McDermott has to be a viable man off of the bench

4. Gasol must adjust to his role of limited minutes and not disappear.

5. The remainder of Butler, Gibson, and Dunleavy must, at minimum, be as productive as last year.


This is a whole lot to ask a team.
 

BIGGIEsmalls 23

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The Cavs will have the East for the next 4 years, just like Miami had it the previous 4 years.

Multiple stars win in this league.
 

Papa Wheelie

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What other team improved as much as the Bulls while ALSO keeping their core of players together? This is the biggest advantage for the Bulls imo. The Bulls have basically kept the same team that has battled for the last two years except they added a legit post up scorer, the best player from Euro, and the #1 college scorer. I'm surprised honestly that more Bulls fans are not more excited by this. Then again maybe I'm not.
 

clonetrooper264

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My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Golden State Warriors
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
What other team improved as much as the Bulls while ALSO keeping their core of players together?
The Cavs...who kept every key player on their roster and added Lebron and Love into the mix. I agree with everything you said, but the fact of the matter is that we're still not the most talented team in the East. We still got a shot, but we just can't be considered favorites by virtue of not having the best player in the world on our team AND our best player was up to today shooting 21% against subpar competition. I expect Rose to do better of course, but still...
 

Papa Wheelie

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The Cavs...who kept every key player on their roster and added Lebron and Love into the mix. I agree with everything you said, but the fact of the matter is that we're still not the most talented team in the East. We still got a shot, but we just can't be considered favorites by virtue of not having the best player in the world on our team AND our best player was up to today shooting 21% against subpar competition. I expect Rose to do better of course, but still...

I just can't agree. The Cavs not only have a new coach, he's never coached in the NBA before. While they are figuring each other out, the Bulls will bring back the constant of Thib's defense. Also Lebron is going from a great defensive team to a not so great defensive team. Imo, the one thing we know for sure is the Bulls and Thib's will bring a top defense again. I'm not trying to downplay the Cavs, but people need to give the Bulls a little more respect.

And Rose shot 60% today against Slovenia and looked pretty good, like I said.
 

BIGGIEsmalls 23

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What other team improved as much as the Bulls while ALSO keeping their core of players together? This is the biggest advantage for the Bulls imo. The Bulls have basically kept the same team that has battled for the last two years except they added a legit post up scorer, the best player from Euro, and the #1 college scorer. I'm surprised honestly that more Bulls fans are not more excited by this. Then again maybe I'm not.
The post up player is now old, while the Euro player & college scorer are both unproven at the NBA level.

Meanwhile, Cleveland like Miami, has 3 franchise players in their starting lineup.
 

ChiSoxCity

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Guys, you need multiple scoring threats in your starting five to win a championship. Let's wait and see how the new players perform before we start talking NBA championships and whatnot. Stop the madness.
 

clonetrooper264

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My favorite teams
  1. Chicago Cubs
  1. Chicago Bulls
  2. Golden State Warriors
  1. Chicago Bears
  1. Chicago Blackhawks
I just can't agree. The Cavs not only have a new coach, he's never coached in the NBA before. While they are figuring each other out, the Bulls will bring back the constant of Thib's defense. Also Lebron is going from a great defensive team to a not so great defensive team. Imo, the one thing we know for sure is the Bulls and Thib's will bring a top defense again. I'm not trying to downplay the Cavs, but people need to give the Bulls a little more respect.

That's true, but while we all may hope that the Cavs turn out like the Dwight Howard Lakers, the trend is more often than not talent wins out. Cavs have more talent...way more. Our defense will continue to be great and yes we have that over the Cavs as far as we know, but defense won't mean jack if we still can't score. That's why the "realists" (read: pessimists) still doubt so much.

They are right to a degree, we have no idea how McDermott or Mirotic will do in the NBA. They were one of the best scorers in their respective leagues, but the NBA is a different game than both. I imagine their expectations for how their games will translate is almost like that of Bairstow (20 ppg scorer in college who no one expects to do anything) in that they're in no way expecting McDermott or Mirotic to be the successful scorers they were outside the NBA. That said, I think their floor is 40% 3pt shooters which is something this team needs anyway and will help Rose immensely and I'm pretty confident that McDermott will be able to score in ways other than spot up shooting. If McDermott isn't "starting" by the end of the year ("starting" may mean playing huge minutes over Dunleavy like Taj did over Boozer last year instead of actually starting due to Thibs stubbornness) I'll be surprised.

I agree that people should give the Bulls a little more credit, but people are jaded by recent failures and to their credit, we have quite a few unknowns as well.

And Rose shot 60% today against Slovenia and looked pretty good, like I said.
And the haters will say one game out of like seven. :shrug:

There is no pleasing the internet
 

FirstTimer

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Thibodeau has coached a big part of the core (Noah, Gibson, and Butler) for a number of years now. The Bulls' defense will start out as elite. The Cavs' defense won't. They have weak links all over their roster defensively, and their coach will need a number of games to adjust to the NBA style and pace. The Cavs' offense will also need time to mesh. The Bulls will have Rose back (better than anything they had last year- star level or not) and added on a lot of quality offensive players. They will need time to adjust, but they will be better than they were offensively right off the bat.

That logic is what leads me to believe that right now, the Bulls will be a better team than the Cavs. And that is not to say that the Cavs aren't likely to improve a lot as they play more and more together.

Which is why pre-season Power Rankings are worthless. If you are basically arguing by the end of the season the Cavs will be and should be the better team why is any of this really up for discussion?

For as much as you want to harp on the Cavs needing time to adjust to playing together you're glossing over the fact that the Bulls have a ton of new major parts and Derrick Rose not only hasn't played an NBA game in nearly a year but has looked pretty poor for the most part in the FIBA games. He's been easily outplayed by Irving.
 
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RoseMVP1

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They may have more talent but that doesn't do much good when 2 of the 3 are injury prone and often in suits :shrug:
 

BIGGIEsmalls 23

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They may have more talent but that doesn't do much good when 2 of the 3 are injury prone and often in suits :shrug:
Well, as much as I support Rose & Noah, they seem to be injury prone also.

You seem to be implying that we can only beat the Cavs if they are bitten by injuries. That's a clear admission by you that our team is not better.
 

Papa Wheelie

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That's true, but while we all may hope that the Cavs turn out like the Dwight Howard Lakers, the trend is more often than not talent wins out. Cavs have more talent...way more. Our defense will continue to be great and yes we have that over the Cavs as far as we know, but defense won't mean jack if we still can't score. That's why the "realists" (read: pessimists) still doubt so much.

They are right to a degree, we have no idea how McDermott or Mirotic will do in the NBA. They were one of the best scorers in their respective leagues, but the NBA is a different game than both. I imagine their expectations for how their games will translate is almost like that of Bairstow (20 ppg scorer in college who no one expects to do anything) in that they're in no way expecting McDermott or Mirotic to be the successful scorers they were outside the NBA. That said, I think their floor is 40% 3pt shooters which is something this team needs anyway and will help Rose immensely and I'm pretty confident that McDermott will be able to score in ways other than spot up shooting. If McDermott isn't "starting" by the end of the year ("starting" may mean playing huge minutes over Dunleavy like Taj did over Boozer last year instead of actually starting due to Thibs stubbornness) I'll be surprised.

I agree that people should give the Bulls a little more credit, but people are jaded by recent failures and to their credit, we have quite a few unknowns as well.

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.
 

Papa Wheelie

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The post up player is now old, while the Euro player & college scorer are both unproven at the NBA level.

Meanwhile, Cleveland like Miami, has 3 franchise players in their starting lineup.

And those 3 franchise players for Miami got their Butt handed to them in the finals. The Cavs big 3 is not as good, and their defense will be nothing like the Heat's was.
 

Papa Wheelie

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Well, as much as I support Rose & Noah, they seem to be injury prone also.

You seem to be implying that we can only beat the Cavs if they are bitten by injuries. That's a clear admission by you that our team is not better.

You seem to be arguing the Cavs side of the debate with passion.

Go Bulls!
 

CODE_BLUE56

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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.
 

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