ESPN Preseason Rankings

[Guest MrRant]

1 Lakers

2 Kings

3 Spurs

4 Mavericks

5 Nets

6 Hornets

7 Pacers

8 Timberwolves

9 SuperSonics

10 Clippers

11 Celtics

12 Pistons

13 Raptors

14 Magic

15 Wizards

16 Jazz

17 Rockets

18 76ers

19 Bucks

20 Hawks

21 Suns

22 Trail Blazers

23 Knicks

24 Bulls

25 Heat

26 Grizzlies

27 Warriors

28 Cavaliers

29 Nuggets

 

---------------------------------

 

I think ESPN generally does a good job with their rankings and I agree with most (SONICS BABYEEEEEE!) I think the T-Wolves are over-ranked. I think the Magic will be interesting depends on if Hill continues being a glass house.

[Guest bravesfan]

Just a few thoughts:

 

Way too high:

Rockets - Seventeen? And this is with no front-court?

Jazz - Any small forwards? shooting guards?

76ers - NO INSIDE PRESENCE.I repeat. NO INSIDE PRESENCE.

Pistons -Proof that the middle rankings here are crap...can Rip actually average more than 18+ ppg?

 

Way too low:

Cavaliers - they'll do better than New York, Miami and Golden State, that's for sure.

Suns - should be around the 15-16 mark, ahead of the fallen Jazz.

[Guest kkktookmybabyaway]

Ouch. The top 4 spots are occupied by West teams...

[Guest MrRant]

Well the west is better IMHO. I was rooting for the Celtics until the Baker trade which was good for my home team the Sonics.

[Guest razazteca]

well it does not matter how high the Spurs are ranked they will never ever beat the Lakers when it matters

 

Spurs still need another quality player to score points besides Timmay, Parker, Rose

[Guest danielisthor]

Not sure why, but i think the Heat will still be better than the Knicks.

[Guest Leena]

1 Lakers

2 A lot of teams

 

There's no chance the Lakers won't win the title unless the 2 best players in the league get injured. Boring NBA season coming up, bah.

[Guest Sassquatch]

Phil Jackson:

 

"If a team is in the East, all they have to do is win at least half of their games and they are in the playoffs."

 

The Zen Master speaks the truth in regards to how sorry the East is right now. Hopefully for the sake of the game, things will change in the season but as of right now, I don't see that happening.

[Guest Mr. Slim Citrus]

No argument with the Top 5; I stop paying attention after Sacramento anyway.

 

Lakers deserve the number one spot, but they will not repeat as champions again.

 

So mote it be.

[Guest cartman]

Why is the team that shoulda been in the Finals last year ranked 11th? Was Kenny Anderson THAT important to this team? I doubt Baker can screw things up THAT badly...

[Guest Y2BigJ]

The Celtics need a point gaurd big time. I'm a big Celts fan, but the fact is the Nets are going to run away with the East this year.

[Guest cartman]

Yes, they need a point guard to STEP UP this year. Anderson sucked anyways so in MY eyes adding Baker was an improvement for a team desperately needing a big body down low. One of the three decent PG's should step it up, besides Antoine is learning to be less selfish. Whenever he passes the ball the celt's win.

[Guest thesmartmark]

They look pretty accurate to me. The Lakers only have to worry about the Kings. If Webber ends up getting onto trouble over that purgery charge then they won't even be a threat!! GOLAKERS!!

[Guest MrRant]

Well considering I HATE the Lakers all I want is Kobe and Shaq to start fighting with each other and tear the team apart.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

As bad as I wanna see the Wizards do well, and make the playoffs, this year will be another "Everybody beats the Wiz" year..

[Guest Rabbi_wilson13]

Good point about the Spurs. They can be number one all year, but if they play the Lakers in playoffs, they're lucky to take one.

 

And I hate the Lakers. A lot.

 

Miami is going to be very good this year with Rooke of the Year Caron Butler tearing things up, and the T-Wolves, as sad as it is, will probably go out in the first round again.

 

And I disagree about the Wizards. It's the East. They can go to the Finals pretty easily.

 

Of course, so could anyone else in that conference.

[Guest razazteca]

Spurs need a dirty player for the playoffs, somebody like Karl Malone or Dennis Rodman who would throw elbows or jump all over Shaqs injuried big toe. And if the coach can get the offense to spread the ball more often besides depending too much on Tim Duncan and Tony Parker.

 

Spurs are the Good Guys which hurts them in the playoffs. It either depending to much from the perimeter 3 point shooters or too much Tim Duncan.

 

Spurs need Latrell Spreewell in the worst way.

[Guest NaturalBornThriller4:20]

Wizards

15th?

 

Kings

2? They should be 1.

 

Fuck ESPN.

Fuck The Lakers.

[Guest MarvinisaLunatic]

The sad fact is as long as there are no major injuries to the Lakers/Kings, both teams will be in the West Finals, 2 scrappy teams in the East Finals and the Lakers will win the Championship again. The 2nd best team in the West can't beat the Lakers in a 7 game series, and the East doesnt even have a good top 5 team (The Nets???).

[Guest midnight_burn]

That list looks decent enough, though Portland could be a bit higher. No matter what dysfunctional crap they get up to during the season they'll still most likely get enough wins to crawl into the finals so they can roll over and die for the Lakers as per usual.

[Guest Bricks]

*Prays Shaq's big toe can hold up for the playoff run*

 

Only Sacramento to worry about and if Webber gets prison time for lying to the feds, then I'd say a four-peat is coming our way.

 

GO LAKERS!!!

[Guest goodolemr]

The East is a joke and the sad fact is, the NBA is a two team league.

 

Only the Kings can be considered a real threat to the Lakers.

 

I doubt I'll be watching many NBA games this season.