Is it safe to say that the Suns and Mavs are no longer part of the "Big 3?"

Shaucob_Burjan

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Oct 11, 2006
Posts
13,327
Likes
17,232
Location
Sydney
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
Thread starter #1
The Kidd and Shaq trade happened, and now look at them.

I think the Lakers, and Jazz could be promoted to being the new "Western Big 3" along with the Spurs.

The Hornets could be up there too, but they basically have never been to the playoffs before with the team they have now, and also have no one coming to their games, which gives them a disadvantage coming to the playoffs.

That said, Kupchak is a genius, he made the Mavs and Suns push for trades which has made them worst so far.
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Look2Me4Guidance

Not A Campaigner
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Posts
29,609
Likes
11,994
Location
On the punt
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Phoenix Suns
#2
I don't think that's the case at all. This question can't be answered until the playoffs are said and done. Ray Charles can see both teams are struggling at the moment, but Phoenix and Dallas had previously dominated the regular season and failed to get past the second and first rounds respectively. I'll happy with the trade from a Phoenix point of view, we lacked size and weren't going to win a title with that lineup. The Dallas deal on the other hand I don't quite get. Time will give us an answer soon enough.
 

Borgsta

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Apr 3, 2003
Posts
27,044
Likes
128
Location
Melb.
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Tottenham, Orlando
#3
Phoenix in particular really look shithouse since the trade. I can't see them improving too much.

Dallas, well they may have lost 3 in a row but they were all against good teams and they had a chance to win all 3 aswell. they should be AOK.
 

mdc

Cancelled
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Posts
13,666
Likes
9
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
#6
The Mavs are still a strong team, but behind the three you mentioned.

The Suns are going to be a first-round walkover this year in the West.
 

peternorth

Facts Machine
Joined
May 6, 2005
Posts
82,664
Likes
38,614
AFL Club
Richmond
Moderator #7
The Kidd and Shaq trade happened, and now look at them.

I think the Lakers, and Jazz could be promoted to being the new "Western Big 3" along with the Spurs.

The Hornets could be up there too, but they basically have never been to the playoffs before with the team they have now, and also have no one coming to their games, which gives them a disadvantage coming to the playoffs.

That said, Kupchak is a genius, he made the Mavs and Suns push for trades which has made them worst so far.

ive never called kupchak a genius simply because lets face it, in the off season he did nothing (good for us as it turned out) and the majority of us laker fans were pissed including KB. its certainly helped us now but
 

bbhs

Rookie
Joined
Feb 21, 2008
Posts
21
Likes
0
Location
Brighton, UK
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
Bucks
#8
I wouldn't write off any of these teams. The west is very strong and the playoffs will be a absolute dog fight. There are 5 games between 1-8 seedings. The 8th seed Golden state is 14 games over .500

Just like last year the number 1 seed may not make it out of the first round.

Compare that to the east. Where the difference 1-8 is 20 games.
The 8th seed is 7 games under .500
 
Joined
May 10, 2004
Posts
24,872
Likes
5,599
Location
The Mothership
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Pistons/Hammers/Sri Lanka/The Exers
#9
ive never called kupchak a genius simply because lets face it, in the off season he did nothing (good for us as it turned out) and the majority of us laker fans were pissed including KB. its certainly helped us now but
It was the long way round to essentially getting Gasol for Butler wasn't it? Funny how Chris Wallace is always somewhere around to make other dud GM's look good. Isiah is going to be pissed hes not the worst GM in the league any more.
 

celtic_pride

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Nov 12, 2004
Posts
19,310
Likes
47
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
B.Celtics, FC Barcelona, Leeds Utd
#11
Hmm it depends on whether you believe Shaq is saving himself for the playoffs as to how far the Suns can go ...

I am not sure if they have the depth of the other west sides to be honest, but right now, I think the Spurs have been looking super impressive and finally starting to get healthy again ..
 

(Log in to remove this ad.)

Look2Me4Guidance

Not A Campaigner
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Posts
29,609
Likes
11,994
Location
On the punt
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Phoenix Suns
#13
Sure.

What do you propose?
Well going by your quote you suggested we'd be a walkover, I take this as getting swept? Is this a fair assumption?

I am by no means sure of a guaranteed first round playoff victory (I don't think many teams would be in the west) but I think we'll take it to at least 6 games in our series.
 

peternorth

Facts Machine
Joined
May 6, 2005
Posts
82,664
Likes
38,614
AFL Club
Richmond
Moderator #14
Well going by your quote you suggested we'd be a walkover, I take this as getting swept? Is this a fair assumption?

I am by no means sure of a guaranteed first round playoff victory (I don't think many teams would be in the west) but I think we'll take it to at least 6 games in our series.
i think a monetary bet is on the offering here. perhaps both parties exchange bank details and a wager officially put down, bookmarked with witnesses.
 

mdc

Cancelled
Joined
Jun 26, 2007
Posts
13,666
Likes
9
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Collingwood
#15
Well going by your quote you suggested we'd be a walkover, I take this as getting swept? Is this a fair assumption?

I am by no means sure of a guaranteed first round playoff victory (I don't think many teams would be in the west) but I think we'll take it to at least 6 games in our series.
A walk-over by no means implies a sweep.

It means they're one of the playoff teams in the West (along with Denver and Houston) who have almost no shot of getting out of the first round.

I'll tell you what, how's this:
If the Suns win their first round series, I'll change my signature to whatever you want (make it embarrassing) for 1 week. If they don't, you do the same. What do you say?
 

Look2Me4Guidance

Not A Campaigner
Joined
Sep 10, 2007
Posts
29,609
Likes
11,994
Location
On the punt
AFL Club
St Kilda
Other Teams
Phoenix Suns
#16
A walk-over by no means implies a sweep.

It means they're one of the playoff teams in the West (along with Denver and Houston) who have almost no shot of getting out of the first round.

I'll tell you what, how's this:
If the Suns win their first round series, I'll change my signature to whatever you want (make it embarrassing) for 1 week. If they don't, you do the same. What do you say?
Haha, you might stop posting for a week then!
 

Darealrath

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Jul 6, 2002
Posts
11,299
Likes
2,338
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Essendon
Other Teams
Arsenal, Pacers
#17
I feel sorry for Nash. Jeff Foster is a better C than Shaq these days.

Mavs are about the same as they were before the trade - good but not good enough.

I'd be surprised if the Lakers don't go all the way.
 

Joey Bungle

Team Captain
Joined
Mar 5, 2008
Posts
541
Likes
0
Location
warragul
AFL Club
Essendon
#19
Whoa! This bet's like Hurly & Sawyer on "Lost"!:)
Phoenix barely scrape into the my best 10 in the West let alone 3.
Lakers, Spurs, Hornets the big 3.

A walk-over by no means implies a sweep.

It means they're one of the playoff teams in the West (along with Denver and Houston) who have almost no shot of getting out of the first round.

I'll tell you what, how's this:
If the Suns win their first round series, I'll change my signature to whatever you want (make it embarrassing) for 1 week. If they don't, you do the same. What do you say?
 

celtic_pride

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Nov 12, 2004
Posts
19,310
Likes
47
Location
Melbourne
AFL Club
Carlton
Other Teams
B.Celtics, FC Barcelona, Leeds Utd
#20
I feel sorry for Nash. Jeff Foster is a better C than Shaq these days.

Mavs are about the same as they were before the trade - good but not good enough.

I'd be surprised if the Lakers don't go all the way.
To be honest, I'd be much more confident if/when the Celtics play the Lakers in the finals, instead of the Spurs ..

I just think Boston have the pieces to cover Kobe and Gasol etc, but Timmy D and Parker and the other trophy hardened Spurs would be a much tougher proposition IMHO ...
 

jerry springer

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Posts
16,837
Likes
7,274
Location
In a good place
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
NBA Winning Machines/Dallas Cowboys
#21
Lakers, Spurs, Hornets the big 3.
until the Hornets win a play-off series they arent even in the "big 8"

write off Dallas and the Suns at your own peril.there is a huge difference between shitty regular season games in feb/mar and the play-offs and both of those teams have that play-off experience behind them.
 

TheNextBigThing

Premiership Player
Joined
Feb 19, 2003
Posts
3,596
Likes
71
Location
Victoria
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Other Teams
Chelsea, Mavericks
#22
until the Hornets win a play-off series they arent even in the "big 8"

write off Dallas and the Suns at your own peril.there is a huge difference between shitty regular season games in feb/mar and the play-offs and both of those teams have that play-off experience behind them.
Thats it mate, hopefully we (mavs) are gonna make a run at the right time of the season this year.
 

Inferno

Norm Smith Medallist
Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Posts
5,655
Likes
2,991
Location
Tramland
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Charlotte Hornets
#23
until the Hornets win a play-off series they arent even in the "big 8"

write off Dallas and the Suns at your own peril.there is a huge difference between shitty regular season games in feb/mar and the play-offs and both of those teams have that play-off experience behind them.
Shitty regular season games? the West is so close you need to win as much as you can at the moment, there is so little difference between a home playoff series and not making the playoffs at all its not funny! At this rate the Suns won't even make the playoffs and Dallas aren't playing that much better. Dirk will crumble again under playoff pressure so don't expect much from the Mavs while the Suns look lost without Marion.
 

jerry springer

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Posts
16,837
Likes
7,274
Location
In a good place
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
NBA Winning Machines/Dallas Cowboys
#24
Shitty regular season games? the West is so close you need to win as much as you can at the moment, there is so little difference between a home playoff series and not making the playoffs at all its not funny! .
all you have to do is make it.plain and simple,the nba season is far too long.last year Dallas lost their first 5 games,then went on to get the best record in the NBA,then crash out in the first round.Make sense of that if you can

its a long boring season until about this time of the year.Why is that?because every game counts now,which is awesome,so why cant every game count?The best season was 99 because teams had to play hard every night or they would miss out on a play-off berth.it was like college basketball.

and once you have made it,all it takes is one loss at home in the play-offs and it reverses in a blink of an eye.see Spurs/nuggets,Mavs/GSW,Spurs/suns last year just off the top of my head

so all you have to do is make it

in saying that,It would be interesting to find out how many top seeded teams have won the championship over the last 50 years.my guess it would be about a 40-60 success rate.
 

jerry springer

Brownlow Medallist
Joined
Sep 3, 2002
Posts
16,837
Likes
7,274
Location
In a good place
AFL Club
Collingwood
Other Teams
NBA Winning Machines/Dallas Cowboys
#25
Thats it mate, hopefully we (mavs) are gonna make a run at the right time of the season this year.
even though i got much joy out of seeing dallas crash last year in the first round,it did rob the Spurs out of another awesome series against the Mavs and extracting revenge for the previous year.

lets hope we get it on this play-offs:thumbsu:the last few play-off series against the Mavs have been the best basketball in years
 
Top Bottom