What's new

ESPN western conference predictions

OKC is overrated just like the Blazers were a couple years ago. They will be a top 5 team in the west because of Durant, but until they spend the money to put the final pieces around him, they will not get over the hump. Jeff Green is decent, Westbrook is a good pg, but he shot 41 percent from the field last year. Westbrook and Green will both be up for contract extensions, and imo, the Thunder will sign Westbrook and let Green go.
 
"experts" just do not understand how bad Boozer really is. To look at that as a step backwards is laughable. They mentioned the pick up of Jefferson, but not the Raja Signing or the fact that we drafted Hayward. Its all up to chemistry. This team is as talented, if not slightly more than last years. If the players are all on the same page, the Jazz could be very dangerous.

While I agree that Boozer is sometimes overrated in the media, Jefferson has a lot of the same problems. Many here posting about how great he is probably haven't even seen him play outside of when he faced the Jazz. He is just as bad of a defender! Just because he is an inch taller doesn't mean we have our "defensive big." He will probably pair up a little better against length, but he's no stopper. In addition, he's not at Boozer's level running the pick and roll. Hopefully, with Deron's help, he will pick this up quickly.

I love that we got Jefferson because he's younger and maybe a better fit, but in the short term swapping him and Booz is a minor step backwards.
 
While I agree that Boozer is sometimes overrated in the media, Jefferson has a lot of the same problems. Many here posting about how great he is probably haven't even seen him play outside of when he faced the Jazz. He is just as bad of a defender! Just because he is an inch taller doesn't mean we have our "defensive big." He will probably pair up a little better against length, but he's no stopper. In addition, he's not at Boozer's level running the pick and roll. Hopefully, with Deron's help, he will pick this up quickly.

I love that we got Jefferson because he's younger and maybe a better fit, but in the short term swapping him and Booz is a minor step backwards.

I think that playing on a bad team in Minnesota would hurt ones desire to play defense. So like Boozer could occasionally play decent defense, I think Jefferson will up his defensive intensity. Hopefully this will not be for a few games a year though like Boozer. Jefferson is definitely a better shot blocker. Hopefully make things tougher for people driving in the lane. Millsap/Jefferson Jefferson/Fes is definitely a step up defensively compared to Boozer/Okur.
 
I believe Boozer is 6'8", Jefferson is 6'10", AND Jefferson is a whole lot more physical.
OKC is talented but still very young; obviously overrated for this coming season.
Pairing Millsap and Jefferson will be significantly better than pairing Boozer with Millsap, which we did a lot of last year.
Since the West has been so close in regular season records among teams the last few seasons, without a healthy Okur to start the season with, 7th seed may be about right. Either Okur has to start out healthy, or Fesenko needs to step up big-time, or we're gonna get off to a rocky start. Right now AK is the backup for Millsap; as long as AK doesn't have to play a lot of minutes there, OK.... A lot of "if's" though, to be honest...
 
Back
Top