Biggest Threats

[Handlogten's Heros]

So know that we are in the title conversation and GS looks to be on ice for a year at least... who are the biggest threats to us? Who should we be preparing the roster for in the playoffs. I'm not sure you look all the way to the finals and prep for Milwaukee or Philly.

In the west is it Houston with their internal issues and aging CP?
Is it the Lolakers… they are an organizational joke, but Lebron and AD is scary if healthy. You know every waived veteran is headed there.
Is it the Clippers with Kahwi? What else do they add?
What about Denver? If the young guys improve and MP Jr. ends up being good (likely not an impact guy in year one).

Portland, SA, Dallas, OKC, Sacramento will still be good/improving but they don't scare me.

Who worries us most?

 

[Stoked]

Honestly. Attrition scares me the most. The west is going to be a blood bath. Especially if Kawhi goes to the Clips and anyone important goes to Dallas. The west could be a dozen teams deep.

As far as teams, GSW will be in full swing with Thompson back. Denver and Clips (again Leonard).

 

[campaignist]

Assuming the bench is filled out properly, honestly....

No one scares me besides the Clippers with Kawhi, which I think isn’t likely. I really think Conley solves a ton of the problems we’ve had.

Houston is still the worst matchup, but Conley can help slow Harden down, and the offense won’t stall as much.

Our backcourt is almost even with Portland and our front court is a lot better.

I think we’re already a bad matchup for Denver, and Okc hasn’t changed much while Westbrook is getting worse and we’re getting better.

The Lakers have no depth, San Antonio just isn’t that good. Barring some unforeseen acquisitions, the rest are improving but aren’t there yet.

I have no idea how far the jazz can get-I think the conference finals are pretty realistic. If a miracle happens and Tobias Harris comes here, it’s a punchers chance at the title.

 

[LoPo]

- Warriors: yes, they have injuries. However, Klay will be back for the playoffs. Even if they lose KD, they are a good team with Klay, Steph, Draymond, Iggy and whatever spare parts they can assemble.

- Rockets: they seem to have our number. Conley will help, but they have owned us recently.

- Lakers: LeBron and AD with Kuzma spreading the floor? That's a tough team without knowing who they are about to add.

- Nugs: Do they keep Millsap? How good is MPJr gonna be? What else do they do with their roster?

- Blazers: A Western Conference Finals team who gets Nurkic back. They will be tough.

- OKC: Westbrook and PG are great players. Do they have Adams or swap him for other talent? Same for Shroeder.

- Clippers: Do they get Kawhi? Do they get more than Kawhi?

- Mavs: Doncic and healthy Porzingis seem solid. Give them a max addition, and they could be great.


The West is gonna be super tough. The question is - what are our questions:

- Jazz: Adding Conley makes them tougher, but are they going to do more? Do they bring back Favors or upgrade PF? Can they get more quality depth?

 

[dy47]

- Warriors: yes, they have injuries. However, Klay will be back for the playoffs. Even if they lose KD, they are a good team with Klay, Steph, Draymond, Iggy and whatever spare parts they can assemble.

- Rockets: they seem to have our number. Conley will help, but they have owned us recently.

- Lakers: LeBron and AD with Kuzma spreading the floor? That's a tough team without knowing who they are about to add.

- Nugs: Do they keep Millsap? How good is MPJr gonna be? What else do they do with their roster?

- Blazers: A Western Conference Finals team who gets Nurkic back. They will be tough.

- OKC: Westbrook and PG are great players. Do they have Adams or swap him for other talent? Same for Shroeder.

- Clippers: Do they get Kawhi? Do they get more than Kawhi?

- Mavs: Doncic and healthy Porzingis seem solid. Give them a max addition, and they could be great.


The West is gonna be super tough. The question is - what are our questions:

- Jazz: Adding Conley makes them tougher, but are they going to do more? Do they bring back Favors or upgrade PF even more?

smart post

 

[stitches]

Honestly. Attrition scares me the most. The west is going to be a blood bath. Especially if Kawhi goes to the Clips and anyone important goes to Dallas. The west could be a dozen teams deep.

As far as teams, GSW will be in full swing with Thompson back. Denver and Clips (again Leonard).

Yep, the attrition of the long season is something we should worry about because of how shallow our roster will most probably be. We just cannot afford quality rotation players after the Conley trade and we will have to play our stars a ton so I'm worried about whether we can get them all in optimal shape and health to the post-season.

I think the west is wide open. No team really makes me shake in my boots. I think LAC with Kawhi would be one of the favorites... I think Denver can be even better than last year, but I kind of feel like we have the bodies to throw at Jokic defensively to limit him significantly and I think we can absolutely destroy their defense and Jokic offensively. The way we played them last season was like a cat and mouse game. We were doing whatever we wanted against them and getting any shot we wanted. The only question is whether we can actually hit those shots. HOU can be serious competitor too but CP3 is getting older and they have some weird things happening between their stars. I want to see what the Lakers do in FA before I crown them as contenders... their management seems clueless for the most part.

I guess... what I wanted to say is - I think we have a chance against everybody, but I also don't think we are clearcut favorites against most of the best of the west. I think LAC with Kawhi is the most serious contender... if they can land him of course.

 

[candrew]

I think the rumors of Houston's demise is greatly exaggerated.

It's quite possible Paul stays put just by virtue of the fact that no one wants that contract on their books.

 

[Archie Moses]

Portland and Denver can both be really good.

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

To me its the Rockets still, but that situation is delicate... age, dysfunction, could take their toll there. I do think Conley might score 30 a game in the playoffs if they give him that floater like they gave us. Having a shooting/creating 4 is most beneficial against this team... so staying with Favors might hurt us most against them. If CP takes a step back or just isn't healthy that is significant... EG and Tucker might slide a bit too... I'm not sure Capela will love his name in trade rumors all summer... its delicate there.

The Warriors with limping Klay are scary, but that injury he likely isn't 100% and they are going to have the depth issues... also Steph gonna have to log heavy minutes and he's had an injury here and there. KD I thought was our biggest issue with the Warriors... no one could guard him... got his shot whenever he wanted and his length is huge positive on defense. I think Rudy can really hurt their small ball lineups without that additional length.

 

[Watcher]

Will be interesting to see if the Blazers keep Hood and Kanter.

 

[Thee Idiotic Minivan K]

In the west is it Houston with their internal issues and aging CP?

Even with internal issues they still have GS all they could handle.

Is it the Lolakers… they are an organizational joke, but Lebron and AD is scary if healthy.

AD never really scared me much. While very talented, he doesn’t have that go for the throat mentality, he seems to rely solely on talent to get by. Forget Gobert owning him, but Favors also has a history of owning him. Jazz have not had trouble beating the Pels in the past, as for LBJ, he’s this generation’s GOAT, but let’s be honest, the jazz have owned any team he plays for going back to his heat days. LA-L’s don’t scare me much.

Is it the Clippers with Kahwi? What else do they add?

Adding Kawhi does scare me, he just beat GS.

What about Denver?

LOL, no. We own them.

Portland, SA, Dallas, OKC, Sacramento will still be good/improving but they don't scare me.

This the most. All of them are talented enough to knock us off. We can get by any one of those teams, but all of those teams is an up hill climb.

 

[Archie Moses]

If both MPJr and Bol pan out to be half as good as they were both considered at their peak, they have some length, depth and Denver can and will be a contender.

I still can't believe Bol dropped that far and Denver got him. I think he could be an all star in his career.

 

[campaignist]

Here’s how I’d rank the big threats:

1. Clippers with kawhi
2. Houston
3. Portland
4. Lakers as they are right now
(And I don’t think they’ll get someone like Kyrie, Butler, kemba, etc)
5. Denver
6. Okc

No one else is that scary

 

[Handlogten's Heros]

Will be interesting to see if the Blazers keep Hood and Kanter.

They will keep Kanter because his market is going to be really limited... Hood will be a cap casualty... they don't have his bird rights and I don't think they can use the full MLE because of some other cap mechanics. Think they are left with the taxpayer MLE which won't be enough.

 

[kabenac]

Houston stomped a mud pit in our a-- and so I'd list them as a threat. I'm not worried about the Clippers or Spurs and the Warriors are going to have it rough in 2019-20. OKC, Portland and Denver will be tough though we'll be improved from last season - hopefully none of those three will be but in all likelihood they'll be making moves as they see the light with GS hobbled.

 

[SCS]

We'll see how it shakes out after free agency. But right now the only teams that I think could possibly beat us are the Rockets, Warriors and Lakers.

I'm not scared of anyone else. I believe we were already better than the Nuggets and Blazers BEFORE we got Conley. A Kawhi led Clipper team doesn't scare me either.

 

[Watcher]

OKC, Portland and Denver will be tough though we'll be improved from last season - hopefully none of those three will be but in all likelihood they'll be making moves as they see the light with GS hobbled.

This, I think, is the big unknown factor right now. With the GS injuries I suspect other teams are going to go all in to be able to take a shot at it this year.

 

[Udidthizz]

Hard to say now before we know where all the free agents land. But I feel we’ve gone from a team that can cause problems for the top teams to a team that can beat anybody in a playoff series in the west. Not saying that we will, but we can.
It actually makes me a little nervous, because it raises expectations which also raises the chance of disappointment.

 

[Ron Mexico]

I agree with the attrition posts.

One huge problem for the Jazz the last 3 years has been we have had to push hard to make the playoffs. At that point we are worn down and injured more than the teams we face. Plus I'm the second round we are facing fresh good teams after we had to battle hard to get there.

We need to be able to coast a bit until the playoffs and beat our first round plenty opponent handily.

If stars come West that makes everything harder. Cheer for Brooklyn, NY, Boston... To pick up teams.

 

[Keefe]

Will be interesting to see if the Blazers keep Hood and Kanter.

Are they def keeping Aminu?