Q1) If Tristan Thompson's holdout lasts significantly into the regular season, could that be prove to be a difference in the race for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference? How do you see that situation eventually ending?

Q2) Did you like the Fred Hoiberg hire for Chicago? Derrick Rose's orbital fracture, and Joakim Noah apparently questioning Rose's work ethic grabbed headlines. The biggest issue I see though is Mike Dunleavy's back. Do you think Doug McDermott is ready to emerge as a productive starter? Noah should be healthier this year. Gasol and Mirotic at the 4 is strong. Jimmy Butler has emerged as a star. Is it fair to say that LeBron and the Cavs would be favored in a 7 game series, but that the Bulls have better overall talent?

Q3) Atlanta had a great 2014-15 regular season, winning 60 games, and the Southeast Division. Their season ended when they were swept in the Conference Finals by Cleveland. The Hawks have 4 All-Stars, but it can be argued that only Al Horford is a borderline elite talent. Thabo Sefolosha was missed in the post-season, but it's hard to believe he would have reversed Atlanta's fortunes vs. the Cavs. Do you see Atlanta having another good regular season, and again having little chance of getting past a healthy LeBron, or do you see the Hawks as having a legitimate chance to represent the East in the NBA Finals?

Q4) With Bosh, and Deng healthy - Miami has a nice starting 5 with those two joining Dragic, Wade, and Whiteside. Do you like the bench with Winslow, etc? Any reason to think Wade plays 70+ games for the first time since the 2010-11 season?

Q5) The de facto local team is the Washington Wizards. Where do you rank John Wall, and Bradley Beal among backcourts league wide? It looks like Kris Humphries has supplanted Nene Hilario at the 4. Gortat remains at the 5. There is some decent usable depth. It seems to me that Washington's upside is depending on Beal taking another step, and Porter Jr showing in Year 3 he was worthy of being the 3rd overall pick in '13. Agree, disagree here?

Q6) The best talent remains in the West, and defending Champion Golden State starts the year as the favorite. What is your biggest question with the Warriors?

Q7) San Antonio adds LaMarcus Aldridge to their starting lineup. With him, and Kawhi Leonard available to lead the roster, it will be that much easier for Coach Popovich to find plenty of rest for Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Thoughts on the Spurs?

Q8) If you knew that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would stay healthy and available to the Thunder all year, would you expect Oklahoma City to be in contention for home court advantage in the West? Beyond Durant's health, what's the biggest question with OKC?

Q9) The Clippers will again be entertaining, and Memphis will again not be a push over vs. anyone. Still, I find it hard to believe either is capable of winning three different series in the Western Conference playoffs to reach the Finals. Am I selling either squad short?

Q10) You can only watch one of Milwaukee, Utah, Minnesota, or New Orleans all year - who do you pick?

Q11) Rookie you are most excited to watch? Who will have the most immediate impact?

Q12) 2015-16 All-NBA Teams, who do I have wrong? Does Anthony Davis end this year as the league's best player?

1st Team: James, Davis, M. Gasol, Harden, Curry
2nd Team: Leonard, Durant, Cousins, Westbrook, Paul

3rd Team: George, Griffin, Jordan, Thompson, Irving

Q13) What story-line interests you the most as the season is beginning?

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#10 BSLMikeLowe

CFB Analyst

Moderators
19,394 posts

LocationPortland, Oregon

Posted 17 October 2015 - 06:58 PM

EAST

Cleveland

Chicago
Atlanta

Toronto
Miami
Washington
Milwaukee
Boston
----------------

Charlotte

Indiana
Detroit
New York
Brooklyn
Orlando
Philadelphia

WEST

Oklahoma City

Golden State
LA Clippers
San Antonio
Houston

New Orleans
Memphis
Phoenix
-----------------
Utah

Sacramento
Dallas
LA Lakers
Minnesota
Portland
Denver

East Champ: Cavs

West Champ: Spurs

O'Brien: Spurs

MVP: Davis

ROY: Okafor

COY: Hoiberg

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#11 BSLChrisStoner

Owner

Administrators
156,027 posts

Posted 19 October 2015 - 07:55 PM

CBS Sports: Best Lineups

West:
http://www.cbssports...ce-best-lineups

East:

http://www.cbssports...ce-best-lineups

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#12 BSLChrisStoner

Owner

Administrators
156,027 posts

Posted 20 October 2015 - 12:34 PM

Grantland: League Pass Rankings

http://grantland.com...kings-part-1-2/

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#13 BSLChrisStoner

Owner

Administrators
156,027 posts

Posted 22 October 2015 - 07:09 AM

Part 2: http://grantland.com...kings-part-2-2/

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#14 Pedro Cerrano

I Miss McNulty

Members
35,538 posts

LocationEllicott City, MD

Posted 23 October 2015 - 09:05 AM

Q1) If Tristan Thompson's holdout lasts significantly into the regular season, could that be prove to be a difference in the race for home-court advantage in the Eastern Conference? How do you see that situation eventually ending?

Q2) Did you like the Fred Hoiberg hire for Chicago? Derrick Rose's orbital fracture, and Joakim Noah apparently questioning Rose's work ethic grabbed headlines. The biggest issue I see though is Mike Dunleavy's back. Do you think Doug McDermott is ready to emerge as a productive starter? Noah should be healthier this year. Gasol and Mirotic at the 4 is strong. Jimmy Butler has emerged as a star. Is it fair to say that LeBron and the Cavs would be favored in a 7 game series, but that the Bulls have better overall talent?

Q3) Atlanta had a great 2014-15 regular season, winning 60 games, and the Southeast Division. Their season ended when they were swept in the Conference Finals by Cleveland. The Hawks have 4 All-Stars, but it can be argued that only Al Horford is a borderline elite talent. Thabo Sefolosha was missed in the post-season, but it's hard to believe he would have reversed Atlanta's fortunes vs. the Cavs. Do you see Atlanta having another good regular season, and again having little chance of getting past a healthy LeBron, or do you see the Hawks as having a legitimate chance to represent the East in the NBA Finals?

Q4) With Bosh, and Deng healthy - Miami has a nice starting 5 with those two joining Dragic, Wade, and Whiteside. Do you like the bench with Winslow, etc? Any reason to think Wade plays 70+ games for the first time since the 2010-11 season?

Q5) The de facto local team is the Washington Wizards. Where do you rank John Wall, and Bradley Beal among backcourts league wide? It looks like Kris Humphries has supplanted Nene Hilario at the 4. Gortat remains at the 5. There is some decent usable depth. It seems to me that Washington's upside is depending on Beal taking another step, and Porter Jr showing in Year 3 he was worthy of being the 3rd overall pick in '13. Agree, disagree here?

Q6) The best talent remains in the West, and defending Champion Golden State starts the year as the favorite. What is your biggest question with the Warriors?

Q7) San Antonio adds LaMarcus Aldridge to their starting lineup. With him, and Kawhi Leonard available to lead the roster, it will be that much easier for Coach Popovich to find plenty of rest for Duncan, Parker, and Ginobili. Thoughts on the Spurs?

Q8) If you knew that Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook would stay healthy and available to the Thunder all year, would you expect Oklahoma City to be in contention for home court advantage in the West? Beyond Durant's health, what's the biggest question with OKC?

Q9) The Clippers will again be entertaining, and Memphis will again not be a push over vs. anyone. Still, I find it hard to believe either is capable of winning three different series in the Western Conference playoffs to reach the Finals. Am I selling either squad short?

Q10) You can only watch one of Milwaukee, Utah, Minnesota, or New Orleans all year - who do you pick?

Q11) Rookie you are most excited to watch? Who will have the most immediate impact?

Q12) 2015-16 All-NBA Teams, who do I have wrong? Does Anthony Davis end this year as the league's best player?

1st Team: James, Davis, M. Gasol, Harden, Curry
2nd Team: Leonard, Durant, Cousins, Westbrook, Paul

3rd Team: George, Griffin, Jordan, Thompson, Irving

Q13) What story-line interests you the most as the season is beginning?

1) N/A at this point but wow do I think they overspent on him.

2) I don't think Dunleavy's back is close to the biggest question for the Bulls. This is a team surrounded by questions. It's hard to envision them getting through the entire year healthy and I also think it was dumb for them to part ways with Thibs. Cleveland is clearly better than they are.

3) Losing Carroll hurts Atlanta, as he was likely their best player down the stretch. I think Miami and the Wizards are both finishing ahead of them in the Southeast

4) I think Miami is the team to beat in the Southeast. They have enough talent where they can get by once Wade misses a handful of games. Limiting his (and Bosh's) minutes during the regular season will be key for Spo.

5) Agree with everything you say about the Wizards. Obviously GS has a better back court and I think Houston probably does as well, but I'd put Wall and Beal up against any other tandem in the league.

6) Honestly, the biggest question might be Kerr. This is a team that returns everyone that mattered on a team that won the most regular season games and the title. I have no questions about their roster. But if Kerr is out and Luke Walton has to coach, I'd be interested to see how that effects the team, if at all. Either way, they are my pick to repeat as champs out West.

7) I think we are rolling towards a SA/GS WCF which will be awesome to watch. Pop does a great job resting his aging stars, and eventually that age will catch up with them no matter how often they sit in mid January against Philly and Denver. I think they have another run left in them though, and adding LA, who might be the best stretch four in the league not named "Love", is obviously a huge asset. I also think SA will be able to mask his, at times, questionable defense. Their division is a tad bit easier now with Dallas seemingly heading towards a rebuild, but Houston could get in the way. Whichever team finishes second there will have the unenviable task of starting a first round series on the road against LA or something, something I'm sure Pop will remember about last year. I don't see him resting stars again if a home court series is on the line in April.

8) If those two stay healthy they'll be right there for HCA. They have the easiest path to a division title in the league and it's not close so they're guaranteed to start the playoffs at home. I still like GS and SA a little better. But man, is the West insane or what?

9) The Clippers lack depth and the Grizzlies can't score enough. Both would be a good challenge to CLE in the East but will get eaten alive in the West.

10) New Orleans. They have the best player on the planet.

11) I really wanted the Lakers to draft Justise Winslow if they didn't win the lottery. I think he has a really bright future ahead of him. He won't get a ton of run this year, but I think he will be fun to watch. Immediate impact has to be Karl Anthony Towns in Minnesota. Him playing with Wiggins and Rubio should be really fun to watch even if the team isn't that good yet.

12) I guess you're asking for our 1st-3rd team predictions? Here's my first team:

PG: Paul

SG: Harden

SF: James

PF: Davis

C: Gasol

2nd Team:

PG: Westbrook

SG: Thompson

SF: Durant

PF: Aldridge

C: Howard

3rd Team:

PG: Curry

SG: Leonard

SF: George

PF: Griffin

C: Gobert

13) Tons of storylines interest me. Looking forward to the season.

Weber, you gonna answer these or what?

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#15 BSLMikeLowe

CFB Analyst

Moderators
19,394 posts

LocationPortland, Oregon

Posted 23 October 2015 - 10:39 AM

Not that divisions matter a whole lot anymore, but the schedules are still unbalanced and the Southwest Division is stacked. There are likely 4 playoff teams in that division and Dallas (if they don't strategically tank as the season wears on) should be among the better teams to miss the playoffs. That's one of the reasons I only had the Spurs as the 4-seed in the West, along with Pop resting older players for the playoffs. Conversely, the Northwest Division is terrible, better than only the Atlantic in the entire league, and should be good for a couple more easy wins for OKC compared to the rest of the West contenders, so they are my 1-seed.

@HardCountCFB