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Hoopsworld Ranks the Western Conference

I'm not that sold on the Clips. Yes, they have Paul and Griffin. But Jordan is young and needs to step up his game. Odom is a huge question mark. Hollins and Turiaf are career scrubs. Butler, Hill and Billups should all be applying for AARP cards and Crawford is a chucker. He replaces Young, so consider that a wash.

I'd put Denver ahead of the Clippers.

As for Utah, I'm trying not to be a homer, but I will be VERY disappointed if the team isn't in the 50-win territory and competing for that 4th spot. If we don't, it means Favors, Hayward and Burks haven't shown much improvement and Mo and Marvin are big disappointments.
 
i agree with NAOS on one level -- i don't really see the clips as a team built for the postseason. their big men don't defend, their free throw shooting as a team is subpar for a contender (mostly because of hack-a-blake and hack-a-DJ), and most of their role players are less efficient. in the context of playoff basketball where the importance of single possessions is amplified, i think they will have a hard time getting past round 2... ever.

having said that, they'll still win a ton of games. they have a very deep and talented lineup, and chris paul is capable of playing like he's the best PG since the turn of the century.

jordan - hollins - turiaf
griffin - odom - thompkins
butler - hill - leslie
billups - crawford - green
paul - bledsoe

that's four of their second-unit guys that would probably start on most other teams.

Unless Crawford is as bad as he was in Portland and Odom was as bad as he was in Dallas.

I think Grant Hill and Bledsoe are great rotation players. I think the Clippers will take a couple of steps back.
 
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