There are so many good teams!

[kingfish]

It seems like the talent is really spread out this year.

 

Spurs - best record and big 3 are dominating again

 

Mavs - long winning streak and beat a lot of good teams

 

Lakers - got off to a good start then cooled off

 

Thunder - great up and coming team

 

Jazz - pretty solid team

 

Celtics - dominating now that KG is back to his old self

 

Heat - starting to play well

 

Orlando - had the 1st seed for a while and are still in the race

 

Bulls - obvious contender with Boozer

 

Knicks - one of the hottest teams in the league

 

So yeah it seems like it could be anyones year, its interesting to see. This is a great year for the NBA.

[Check my Stats]

Oh goodness me, don't put Knicks in the same post as those teams! Please!

 

But I agree with you, 2nd round of the playoffs and beyond should be very exciting this year

 

Thunder have proved me wrong this year, I expected them to struggle after overachieving last year (like the Bucks). However, Westbrook has been so good, way better than I ever expected him to be this year, and is the main reason they are doing so well. He has been easily as good, or better, than Durant so far this year. That Ibaka kid is playing really well too.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Check my Stats

[Legacy]

You forgot the Warriors....

 

oh nvm, I thought we were talking about the WNBA.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Legacy

[Real Deal]

Oh goodness me, don't put Knicks in the same post as those teams! Please!

Well, the Knicks aren't contenders, but you'd have to remove a few of those teams if you want the Knicks out of there (including the Thunder). I was looking for a reason to say the Knicks were playing easy teams and taking advantage of it, but after last night's fight with the Celtics and Amare's performance, you may have to consider the Knicks as good as the Thunder and Bulls.

[Nitro]

Well, the Knicks aren't contenders, but you'd have to remove a few of those teams if you want the Knicks out of there (including the Thunder). I was looking for a reason to say the Knicks were playing easy teams and taking advantage of it, but after last night's fight with the Celtics and Amare's performance, you may have to consider the Knicks as good as the Thunder and Bulls.

 

No way. Unless you seriously expect Amare to be averaging 35/10 on such tremendous efficiency the entire year, that is the only way the Knicks are a better team than the Thunder or Bulls. As great as the Knicks played yesterday, they still lost at home to the Celtics without their 3 best Centers and with Amare going off for 39. As entertaining as that game was, and as hard as the Knicks fought, it proves nothing.

 

Anyway, yeah, the league right now is really saturated with talent. The top teams are very strong, the mid-level teams are dangerous, and even some of the bottom teams have more talent than in year's past. Compared to the majority of the last decade, we are almost seeing a new "golden era" IMO.

[Real Deal]

No way. Unless you seriously expect Amare to be averaging 35/10 on such tremendous efficiency the entire year, that is the only way the Knicks are a better team than the Thunder or Bulls. As great as the Knicks played yesterday, they still lost at home to the Celtics without their 3 best Centers and with Amare going off for 39. As entertaining as that game was, and as hard as the Knicks fought, it proves nothing.

 

Anyway, yeah, the league right now is really saturated with talent. The top teams are very strong, the mid-level teams are dangerous, and even some of the bottom teams have more talent than in year's past. Compared to the majority of the last decade, we are almost seeing a new "golden era" IMO.

Never said they were better than the Bulls or Thunder. I would take both teams in a series. But, all three of those teams are playoff teams, not contenders, and I'm pretty sure the Knicks would take a team like the Thunder to six or seven games.

[JYD]

Well, the Knicks aren't contenders, but you'd have to remove a few of those teams if you want the Knicks out of there (including the Thunder). I was looking for a reason to say the Knicks were playing easy teams and taking advantage of it, but after last night's fight with the Celtics and Amare's performance, you may have to consider the Knicks as good as the Thunder and Bulls.

I don't know. I think the Bulls and Thunder are definitely better right now. If Amar'e doesn't score 39 the Knicks aren't even close in that game, not to mention Gallo really caught fire in the 2nd half. If Amare scores his usual 25, the Knicks really aren't a top team. That's the problem, to be honest, is when he cools off scoring wise they are going to have trouble winning.

[Real Deal]

I would just rather not have to divide the teams up even more.

 

Contenders

Playoff non-contenders

Non-playoff bubble

Tank city

 

But, again, I would take the Thunder and Bulls both in a seven-game series. I just don't think any of those three (CHI, OKC, NYK) are contenders.

 

The point of my initial comment was about putting those guys in the same group. If the Knicks don't belong, neither do the Thunder or Bulls because, basically, you'd be looking for all contenders.

 

EDIT: I may have worded it wrong when I said they were as good as the Thunder and Bulls. What I meant was that they are in that same tier of teams that can make the playoffs, can get out of the first round if they play against the right playoff team (meaning, they aren't the worst playoff team in their conference), but they don't have it in them to get to the conference finals.

[*Swish*]

All the teams are playing great. Even weak teams could beat good elite teams ANYTIME this year..