Post by New Orleans Hornets on Sept 29, 2007 1:57:17 GMT -5
With the All-Star Weekend and the 1st half of the season done and the trade deadline nearing, The focus on teams minds are now on securing a spot in the playoffs.
we will be looking into some of the top contenders and teams that are desperately trying to hang on to the 7th and 8th spots.
Top Contenders:
One of the main focus this year will be the New Orleans Hornets and the Phoenix Suns in the West and the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat in the East.
WEST:
a Perennial powerhouse, the Phoenix Suns will be trying to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 when Charles Barkley faced MJ and the Chicago Bulls. But one of the problems they will have to face this year is the New Orleans Hornets who just broke the Lakers All-Time record of 33 wins in a row and is looking very solid right now. The Hornets will be trying to go back to the playoffs since 2004 when Baron Davis was the team's leader with the Hornets making a lot of Blockbuster trades this year, they have combined experience and youth which resulted as a great team and will be a fun team to watch come playoff time.
EAST:
Once again the Pistons are still showing that they can still rule the east with teamwork and consistency, it will be very hard for teams to knock them off the playoffs either in the 1st or 2nd round. The defending champion Miami Heat will be looking to defend their title this year without the help of Future Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O'neal who was traded to the knicks for young center Channing Frye. Frye will team alongside Peja Stojakovic and superstar Dywane Wade and try to make a solid playoff push but they will have to maintain their winning ways since Cleveland is just right behind them in the standings and is close to taking away the #2 spot in the east.
7th and 8th spots:
WEST:
two teams who are fighting to keep the 7th and 8th spots are teams who traded away their franchise players for more depth and youth are the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. surprisingly, they managed to keep up with the teams and still managed to hold a spot in the playoffs. these teams will be interesting to watch in the last games of the season.
EAST:
A team who is desperately trying to hold on to the 8th spot and a team who is looking to move up are the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers will have a tough time trying to hold their spot if superstar Jermaine O'neal does not stay healthy and will have to rely on Dunleavy and Granger to keep this team alive if he does get injured. The Bucks on the other hand will try to move up the standings after acquiring Yao Ming and reuniting him with Tracy Mcgrady and putting him along with guys like Stephon Marbury, Emeka Okafor and Kevin Martin. when this team's chemistry rises so are they and they will be the team to watch in the east if they make the playoffs.
a lot can happen before the playoffs start, orlando can still catch up after acquiring Elton Brand and their is still no certain answer on who will be getting the 8th spot in the west with Denver and Utah close behind the Spurs. There will be a lot of interesting things that can happen in this league so, TO ALL TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE, GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU.
we will be looking into some of the top contenders and teams that are desperately trying to hang on to the 7th and 8th spots.
Top Contenders:
One of the main focus this year will be the New Orleans Hornets and the Phoenix Suns in the West and the Detroit Pistons and Miami Heat in the East.
WEST:
a Perennial powerhouse, the Phoenix Suns will be trying to reach the NBA Finals for the first time since 1993 when Charles Barkley faced MJ and the Chicago Bulls. But one of the problems they will have to face this year is the New Orleans Hornets who just broke the Lakers All-Time record of 33 wins in a row and is looking very solid right now. The Hornets will be trying to go back to the playoffs since 2004 when Baron Davis was the team's leader with the Hornets making a lot of Blockbuster trades this year, they have combined experience and youth which resulted as a great team and will be a fun team to watch come playoff time.
EAST:
Once again the Pistons are still showing that they can still rule the east with teamwork and consistency, it will be very hard for teams to knock them off the playoffs either in the 1st or 2nd round. The defending champion Miami Heat will be looking to defend their title this year without the help of Future Hall-of-Famer Shaquille O'neal who was traded to the knicks for young center Channing Frye. Frye will team alongside Peja Stojakovic and superstar Dywane Wade and try to make a solid playoff push but they will have to maintain their winning ways since Cleveland is just right behind them in the standings and is close to taking away the #2 spot in the east.
7th and 8th spots:
WEST:
two teams who are fighting to keep the 7th and 8th spots are teams who traded away their franchise players for more depth and youth are the Houston Rockets and the San Antonio Spurs. surprisingly, they managed to keep up with the teams and still managed to hold a spot in the playoffs. these teams will be interesting to watch in the last games of the season.
EAST:
A team who is desperately trying to hold on to the 8th spot and a team who is looking to move up are the Indiana Pacers and the Milwaukee Bucks. The Pacers will have a tough time trying to hold their spot if superstar Jermaine O'neal does not stay healthy and will have to rely on Dunleavy and Granger to keep this team alive if he does get injured. The Bucks on the other hand will try to move up the standings after acquiring Yao Ming and reuniting him with Tracy Mcgrady and putting him along with guys like Stephon Marbury, Emeka Okafor and Kevin Martin. when this team's chemistry rises so are they and they will be the team to watch in the east if they make the playoffs.
a lot can happen before the playoffs start, orlando can still catch up after acquiring Elton Brand and their is still no certain answer on who will be getting the 8th spot in the west with Denver and Utah close behind the Spurs. There will be a lot of interesting things that can happen in this league so, TO ALL TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE, GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU.