2006 Preseason Top 10
Oct 12, 2012 20:29:39 GMT -5
Post by Erbes on Oct 12, 2012 20:29:39 GMT -5
[shadow=red,left,300]2006 Preseason Top Ten Power Rankings![/shadow]
Nanz and I are getting the team back together to give you the top ten teams coming into 2006. Trust me, there will be disagreements that lead to sexy pillow fights in the ensuing article. Drink it in...
[glow=blue,2,300]#10[/glow]
Nanz says: LA Lakers
LOL why not! The Lakers with another solid TC from Deron expect to improve this year and finish higher than they did last year in the standings (6th). A plus 3 TC for Deron gives everyone around LA boners. Melo went up to A outside in TC and had a sick pre-season Carmelo Anthony SF 10 37.0 27.3 7.1 3.6 1.1 0.2 2.5 .488 .862 .354. Eddy had a good year last year and should be around 20 ppg with 50% shooting once again. Deng and Azubuike are solid starters and if Balkman can come in blocking shots and rebounding like his notes say, he should be another one at the 4. Lets see if we can make some moves to get better but if not this is already another solid team.
Erbes says: Los Angeles Clippers
Sorry Nanz, but I'm picking the other LA team based purely off their preseason and potential. Hype is still nowhere to be found and yet his team went 9-4 in the preseason. I'm telling you, Wade is top 10. He can carry a team. Even if Hype posts a terrible DC I think this team makes it's CY because of a top heavy West and the ability of this team to beat up crappier teams. There are zero other superstars on this team, but Wade-AK-Lee might be enough, especially on the defensive end.
[glow=brown,2,300]#9[/glow]
Nanz says: Utah Jazz
The Jazz make the top 10 this year after adding a STUD in Redd. I actually forgot they made this deal but I still think they can be the 4th best team in the east. Baron and Redd should be nasty in the backcourt and they should be able to score a ton of points. Amare with another solid pre-season Amare Stoudemire PF 17 29.9 22.1 9.1 1.5 1.0 0.9 1.5 .500 .717 .000 should be able to put up some nice stats as the 2nd or 3rd option for them. They need some help up front but they should be better than they were last year when they just barely made the playoffs.
Erbes says: Toronto Raptors
Lol @ the preseason the Raptors had, but if it's legit then yeah they deserve to be this high. I wrote in my CY article that I thought DJ could make it with one move. He picked up Rip and while I would have grabbed a big, he should be able to score enough to help DJ to 42 wins and the playoffs. Actually yeah WTF DJ? Did you not see Gibson's preseason? Who are you putting on the bench? Smh. Ugh anyways they have the talent to win. Let's see if DJ puts together the pieces.
[glow=maroon,2,300]#8[/glow]
Nanz says: Indiana Pacers
12 and 4 in the preseason! LOL what! The pacers actually climbed the standings once they traded for DH12 but lets see what happens in a full season. Vince Carter is kind of a beast Vince Carter SG 16 39.4 28.8 6.3 4.3 2.1 0.4 2.2 .483 .865 .442 solid tos % steals rebounds.. i mean this guy does it all. Dwight had a solid preseason with 12 rebounds and also shooting 50%! He should be better this year for the Pacers. They brought in Barbosa this year and although they paid too much for him, i still think he is a very nice point guard. 3 steals is hot with good %s. Again, this team is pretty solid up and down the lineup but nothing elite.
Erbes says: Houston Rockets
Get ready for the Rockets to fall out of the sky. Big drop off coming in my opinion. Yao's offensive nose dive in TC is just the beginning. SAR didn't score in preseason and Manu still needs quite a bit of RC love. Yeah I get that Royal didn't start in preseason and he's like the Mesiah out there, but they only scored 98 ppg and went 5-9 without him. I just don't think he makes that big of a difference. But fine lets say he does make them a lot better that means they have a couple of holes on the bench. Either way you look at it, they are in trouble.
[glow=navy,2,300]#7[/glow]
Nanz says: New Jersey Nets
This team is just solid up and down. Francis looks like a very good player at the point for them. AV in pre-season had 12 rebounds and held his own against Boston last year. Kobe is umm Kobe Bryant SG 9 38.3 32.1 7.7 5.2 2.9 0.3 4.2 .500 .931 .475 a little high on the TOs but like lol he is the real reigning MVP. Joe Johnson is also ummm good now? Solid %'s and rebounding. Also, they added Samb this year and this guy is supposed to be an incredible shotblocker but it sucks that he didn't get to play in the preseason. Very solid team by Greeme wouldn't be shocked if they ended up to 2nd in the east tho.
Erbes says: San Antonio Spurs
I'm predicting a pretty sizable drop off for these guys as well. It's really just a team built around T-Mac and Kidd, which by the way each averaged more than 3 topg in preseason. I think he has some really good role players in Pryz, Nesto, and Rose, but the lack of a 3rd go to guy is going to ultimately hold the Spurs back this year. If Tiger is smart he'll realize this is the year to tank and rebuild. He should be able to get really good value for T-Mac (cough, Philly, cough) and could try to get his picks back with Kidd. Otherwise they make the playoffs and take a 2nd round exit.
[glow=pink,2,300]#6[/glow]
Nanz says: Phoenix Suns
A classic Skillz off-season LOL I have no idea who is on their team but they look pretty good! Artest had another good TC and he really does good pretty good. Iverson now comes in and because their superstar who can score 30 points a game. Bibby is till a good point guard in this league and now the Suns have Diop up front with a bunch of picks to help them get better and we all know Skillz is not done trading. I'll keep them at 5 here because i have to see how this team plays together.
Erbes says: Indiana Pacers
Fuck yes my team is this good. Dwight-Robinson-MacCulloch-Vince-Barbs is my best starting 5 ever and should easily take the Central this year with the Pistons rebuilding. And yeah VC is a top 10 player in the league. There I said it! The guy is soooo efficient and is such a good scorer. Plus he does a little of everything. Did I overpay for Barbosa? No.
[glow=teal,2,300]#5[/glow]
Nanz says: Orlando Magic
I had them this high a year ago but play went on vacation! LOL LeBron James SF 12 40.3 32.3 8.1 5.3 1.8 0.0 3.0 .536 .754 .472 beast. They have this guy who is arguably the best player in te league if not the most valuable for sure. Rip is gone but Crawford should step up to have a sick season no doubt. Ersan with some upgrades should be solid. Not sure why Play made the deal to be honest but LOL when you still have Lebron you should be good.
Erbes says: New Jersey Nets
Greeme is like Skillz, but not as good as Skillz is at Skillzing. He tries and give him credit for amassing solid players, but he doesn't seem to have that uncanny ability to talk people into doing a bad trade. Regardless, he does have Kobe and in Kobe you have a guy who can carry your team through a season. Greeme is always about defense and this season will be no different. 6 of his players are A- or better in that category. I think the explosion of Joe Johnson, and ultimately turning him into an uhmazing 6th man could put the Nets over the top this year.
[glow=green,2,300]#4[/glow]
Nanz says: San Antonio Spurs
The best team in the west last year comes in at 4! They had a sick year last year with 58 wins and representing the West in the Finals and 1 game away from a ring! This team never looked good on paper but man I was wrong having them so low last year. Anyway TMac is just a beast and everything else is still pretty much the same with the exception of Sheed leaving town. Thats a pretty solid loss for them but they should still be enough for 55+ wins but not enough to get back to the finals.
Erbes says: Phoenix Suns
Like Nanz I really have no idea who is on this team. I'm going purely off the preseason and the knowledge that Skillz doesn't tank or not make conference finals. I know he went out and got AI, which is a great get especially you can't make the playoffs with Wally Sczerbiak starting. Artest is a bona fide star now with this past TC and uhhhh Diop gets close to 3 bpg! Like WTF why didn't I trade for him when I had the chance!? I still think Skills pulls another Houdini and gets a better big to replace Oberto, and again that potential is what makes me rank them so highly.
[glow=black,2,300]#3[/glow]
Nanz says: Houston Rockets
Rockets had a pretty nice season last year and i expect them to be back this year with a force. Yao Pau and Emeka are nasty without and the best front court in the league (after Boston lol). Yao went down in TC and Pau went up but I'm sure they are gonna be fine and sim at a high level. They struggled in the preseason but thats cause Ivey was on the bench so i expect them to be pretty good and with another good TC from manu they should be up there.
Erbes says: Orlando Magic
I think this is more a case of the previous teams falling off, rather than Play putting together a studly team. Don't get me wrong though a team of Lebron, Ersan, Gooden, and Crawford is very good. There aren't many flashy bigs on this team, but they all play defense well and can rebound at a solid clip. Play also has some solid bench depth in Ayol, Martynas, and Lorenzen Wright. I mean they went 10-2 (albeit with Rip) and Dalembert didn't even get minutes. This is a very good and underrated team this year.
[glow=red,2,300]#2[/glow]
Nanz says: Denver Nuggets
From the bottom of the standings to the top, after a busy off-season Broph finds himself with a pretty nasty team. Rondo had a sick pre-season and is ready to contribute at a high level: Brandon Roy PG 13 39.1 22.0 5.4 8.9 1.5 0.2 1.8 .505 .723 .500, that sick. I think Broph should just move to the point and work with his handles because that sta line is just nasty! Still, thats a sick backup. Oh yeah and they also have Dirk Nowitzki SF 9 36.7 32.0 8.2 3.0 1.4 0.9 1.9 .507 .782 .438 AND Shawn Marion SG 13 40.2 29.3 9.5 4.2 1.7 0.9 2.1 .465 .857 .348. With Ben holding the fort this team is just complete from top to bottom. Best team in the West.
Erbes says: Boston Celtics
This is getting old for the Celtics. They just win all the time. It's fucking annoying when you're a team in the East. Shaq is 34 and refuses to have a ratings decrease. His and TD's numbers in preseason are just dumb. Both over 23 ppg and both over 12 rbg. I think DBW will regret his Artest trade not only because of the huge ratings boost he got in this past TC, but also because I think this is the first year that there seems to be a hole in the Celtics lineup. DBW will have to get creative to fill the SG gap, but even with a role player there they should have no problem sleep walking to the ECF yet again.
[glow=yellow,2,300]#1[/glow]
Nanz says: Boston Celtics
They are the number 1 team in the league out of respect. Shaw and Timmy are still studs down for them. These two guys are at it again in the preseason with 27 and 12 for shaq and 23 and 15 for Timmy with 2+ blocks. These guys are just so damn good and with the Pistons gone this year, now with sheed on the squad, they should be they should be on their way to at least another conference finals. There are some new teams in town but the C's are still at the top of the East.
Erbes says: Denver Nuggets
What an offseason by Broph. He turned a roster of questionable youth to a team of studs. He could have the first team to boast two 30 ppg scorers during one season. The combo of Marion-Dirk is hands down the best 1-2 punch in the league. I think Broph should go Wallace-Turiaf-Dirk-Marion-Lue with Roy off the bench. I questioned whether or not Broph had the assets to win a championship coming off a total tank and I think the answer is a resounding yes. Not sure any team in the West will put up a legit fight. Maybe the only question is defense? But nahhh just score 115 ppg and be fine. Great rebuild.
YEEEEE there you go guys! Some difference of opinion and some fun! Discuss below and let us know what you think. And oh yeah I forgot something...
