The Most Competitive Division of All-Time?
The Hornets headline the SouthwestIt’s been twenty years. Not since the 1988-89 season have we seen a single division as fully loaded as the Southwest this year.
‘88-89 is remembered by hoop heads everywhere for Michael-over-Ehlo. But that snapshot doesn’t grasp what the Cavs – or the Bulls, Pistons, Bucks, and Hawks for that matter – did over the course of the season. Check this: in the six-team Central Division (before the three-division rearrangement), only the Pacers finished worse than 47-35 (ironically, Chicago’s mark). The Pistons won 63 games, the Cavs 57, the Hawks 52, and the Bucks 49.
Could the ‘08-09 Southwest conference match that Central Division for quality top-to-bottom? Last season, they were step-for-step. Aside from Memphis finishing in the basement, Dallas won 51 games, Houston won 55, and both New Orleans and San Antonio took 56.
But now that the Rockets added Ron Artest to an already 55-win group, and the Hornets added James Posey to their two-seeded bunch, might the Southwest division boast two 60-win teams?
Coming off of a summer in which Chris Paul and Yao – obviously two centerpieces for their squads – spent their time working against the best competition in the world, there’s no denying that they will help propel their respective teams to new heights.
With Dallas and San Antonio aging, but still having the talent to repeat as 50-win teams, we might never see a division as good as the Southwest in ‘08-09.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
Sam I Am says:
ORRRRRRRR
maybe its not that serious…clearly none of them are reaching the Finals
MAYBE MAYBE MAYBE New Orleans
August 18th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
P..just hand over the GOLD says:
MAybe…but if none of them reach the Finals and win or put up a respectable fight…who cares
put it in other words exactly what Sam i Am said
August 18th, 2008 at 2:21 pm
Jim says:
clearly? I have no response to that. Short memories.
August 18th, 2008 at 2:29 pm
Andrew Katz says:
You don’t think that a CP3-led bunch with three knockdown shooters (Peja, MoPete, Posey) and more mature and improved Tyson Chandler can contend for a title at all?
August 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Sam I Am says:
lol I love ya’ll for supporting me
i do enjoy watching them beat the hell out of each other, but in the end it’s all about screaming into the camera…
“ANYTHING IS POSSIBULLLLL”
August 18th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
Tha Boddy says:
Sad to say but CP3 won’t see a Finals for about 4more seasons when the Spurs and Lakers are way 2 old to do anything and stand in their way
August 18th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Sam I Am says:
I think they have the best shot
But i got money on LA Lakers or the Jazz challenging it
August 18th, 2008 at 3:05 pm
Blue says:
i agree with AKatz…
I think the hornets have a great shot at reaching the finals this year. the lakers really weren’t that much better than them last season. i think losing the finals the way they did will kinda fuck with their mind a bit. aside from Kobe, everyone else’s confidence is probably shot a little bit.
i was never big on ty-chand, but CP3 has brought him up a couple levels.
barring any injuries they should at least reach the WCF!
August 18th, 2008 at 3:09 pm
Jah says:
I’m calling New Orleans, San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas to all rack up 50 wins (with maybe Dallas tip toeing the line). Definitely the toughest division (1 through 4 anyway) in the NBA.
Memphis is talented and will win some tough games, but I predict no more than 25 wins. If they gel, this lineup can be scary to the opposition:
PG – Mike Conley, Jr.
SG – OJ Mayo
SF – Rudy Gay
PF – Hakim Warrick (Darrell Arthur)
C – Darko Milicic (Marc Gasol)
LA Lakers will have the best record in the West.
Boston (or maybe LA) will have the best record in the entire league.
Playoff predictions:
Eastern -
1 Boston Celtics
2 Cleveland Cavaliers
3 Orlando Magic
4 Detroit Pistons
5 Philadelphia 76′ers
6 Washington Wizards
7 Toronto Raptors
8 Chicago Bulls
(wildcard = Miami Heat)
Western -
1 LA Lakers
2 NO Hornets
3 Utah Jazz
4 SA Spurs
5 Houston Rockets
6 Phoenix Suns
7 Dallas Mavericks
8 Portland Trailblazers
(wildcard = LA Clippers)
August 18th, 2008 at 3:52 pm
Ian says:
really u guys dont give any chance to the spurs
in and odd year
nah but seriously its gonna be either spurs or lakers vs boston
August 18th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
the mamba says:
Im calling it now, lakers vs. Rockets in west conf. Finals
August 18th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
AB_40 says:
no memphis will win like 14 games or less and that will F up the score. but they will all 4 get at least 51 wins next season
August 18th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
Andrew Katz says:
Mamba if you say it’s Lakers/Rockets, does that mean that you think the Rockets can touch the 60-win mark? You gotta think that’s one of the toughest teams to score on late in games with Artest and Battier strapping up the oppositions 2-3, they’re going to win those close games.
August 18th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
the mamba says:
I definitely see the rockets winning 60 games and being one of the best defensive teams in history this yr. The lakers might challenge the best record ever this year if they don’t start off in cruise control like some other dominant teams of the past. Kobe will be on a mission again and with them getting bynum next to odom and pau, they’re gonna be scary good
August 19th, 2008 at 4:30 pm
masputo says:
“Sad to say but CP3 won’t see a Finals for about 4more seasons when the Spurs and Lakers are way 2 old to do anything and stand in their way”
Really???….lakers are one of the youngest teams in the league..derek fisher is the only player above 30 years old…..they easily got at least 6 years of dominance left. not a fan of them, but its really hard to deny that fact.. oh….and watch out for the bulls this year…remember its still the same squad that many picked to be in the finals this past year….and they’ve added a very talented PG…