Minnesota Sports Forum

Wolves #12 8th in west. High or low?

About right overall, a little low in the West IMO

Seems to be in the right neighborhood. I think there are a bunch of teams that are going to be fighting for that 6th/7th/8th playoff spots, with us being one of them. Injuries will have a huge impact on deciding the outcome.

CBSSports.com has the Wolves at 18.

http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-power-rankings-warriors-open-2016-17-on-top-high-hopes-for-celtics/

I'd put the Grizzlies and Mavs below the Wolves. I'd rank the Wolves about even with the Rockets, Blazers and Jazz. I see the Warriors, Clippers and Spurs definitely finishing ahead of the Wolves. I think 4 through 8 are pretty wide open with the Wolves, Blazers, Rockets, Jazz, Grizzlies, Mavs and Pelicans battling for those four playoff spots. That's seven teams battling for four spots.

I would honestly put the wolves 10th for a preseason power ranking. With the 8 teams that made the playoffs and the jazz ahead. Now I think we are better than the grizz, Dallas but until we prove we can win games it is all potential while the other teams have proven they can win

lipoli390 wrote:I'd put the Grizzlies and Mavs below the Wolves. I'd rank the Wolves about even with the Rockets, Blazers and Jazz. I see the Warriors, Clippers and Spurs definitely finishing ahead of the Wolves. I think 4 through 8 are pretty wide open with the Wolves, Blazers, Rockets, Jazz, Grizzlies, Mavs and Pelicans battling for those four playoff spots. That's seven teams battling for four spots.

Good thing you're not one of those advanced stats guys Lip! The non-common core math says that'd be 7 teams fighting for 5 spots!

Memphis is such a tough one to figure out. For years now, that team seems to surprise everybody by being sneaky good.

Only two years ago, Memphis won 55 games and made the 2nd round of the playoffs where they were up 2 - 1 vs. GSW.
Last season, they were 39 - 26 at one point. That's a team that could have been flirting with 50 wins (if healthy). Then, injuries hit and that team finished 3 - 14... or 3 - 18 if you count the playoffs. Xavier Mumford was playing 20 mpg. Jordan Farmer was essentially plucked off the streets and given a starting gig. They looked nothing like the team from the first 65 games. Literally.

If healthy, I don't see how that team slides too far.

IF healthy... obviously. Injury concerns are legit. And they could win 50 games... or less than 30. I can't think of many teams with that wide of a difference.

AbeVigodaLive wrote:Memphis is such a tough one to figure out. For years now, that team seems to surprise everybody by being sneaky good.

Only two years ago, Memphis won 55 games and made the 2nd round of the playoffs where they were up 2 - 1 vs. GSW.
Last season, they were 39 - 26 at one point. That's a team that could have been flirting with 50 wins (if healthy). Then, injuries hit and that team finished 3 - 14... or 3 - 18 if you count the playoffs. Xavier Mumford was playing 20 mpg. Jordan Farmer was essentially plucked off the streets and given a starting gig. They looked nothing like the team from the first 65 games. Literally.

If healthy, I don't see how that team slides too far.

IF healthy... obviously. Injury concerns are legit. And they could win 50 games... or less than 30. I can't think of many teams with that wide of a difference.

I do agree but I will say that they do have a different coach and that COULD be significant. Joerger has to get some credit for how they still kept that thing afloat. Fizdale has been highly regarded for quite a while and so I am not suggesting he is gonnna suck but it's possible he will be a downgrade. Maybe he pushes the right buttons. Idk it's at least an unknown to consider.

I agree that health is going to be such a major factor in the West because right now it appears that the only juggernauts are Golden State, San Antonio, and perhaps the Clippers. OKC is now out of the "juggernaut" picture because of Durant's move to Golden State.

Memphis - they are getting long in the tooth, so even if they can maintain some semblance of health (and they are pretty banged up already), I just question whether they have the firepower to win 50+ games again.

Dallas - Great coach, but again, I just don't see the firepower. Is Harrison Barnes better than Chandler Parsons? I don't think so, yet they are counting on him to carry a big load.

Denver - I actually think these guys could be better than Dallas or Memphis. Nurkic and Jokic is a very big, very tough, and very skilled frontcourt duo. Gallo can shoot the hell out of the ball. There are some major question marks with their back court, but their frontcourt could take them a long ways. I think they are in the mix for a playoff spot.

Utah - These guys have just been getting better and better. Fortunately for us, they come into the season pretty banged up already. But if they get healthy, they are definitely in playoff contention.

Portland - If these guys get better defensively, they might even leap into the 3rd or 4th playoff spot. They have an MVP candidate in Lillard, another deadeye shooter in McCollum, and some nice depth up front, even if none of those guys are true standouts.

Houston and OKC - I put these two teams together because I'm not sure there are any two squads more dependent on a singular player in James Harden and Russell Westbrook. These guys are THE offense for both teams and if either go down for any stretch of time, they will have a hell of a time scoring points. If they stay healthy, however, both teams are in the playoff mix.

Tough seeing Sacramento, New Orleans, Phoenix, or Lakers making the playoffs.

It's not far-fetched to think that Memphis, Dallas, and either Houston/OKC could fall out of the playoff mix, which would give us our first taste of playoff basketball in damn close to a generation!!!