מעורב הופס ליום רביעי / מנחם לס

דרוג 8 הקבוצות הראשונות בסיום עונת 2014-15

1. שיקגו בולס (20-62)

Gary Dineen/Getty Images

Pau Gasol and Joakim Noah is a scary combination.

They're complementary players who can create beautiful basketball with their phenomenal passing from all areas of the court, and Noah's defense should mesh perfectly with Gasol's finesse offensive game. But the Spanish 7-footer—who might create some problems with Taj Gibson, seeing as the now-veteran power forward eventually needs a starting gig—wasn't the only big move this offseason.

Doug McDermott is a scoring stud who should make immediate contributions in the Windy City. Nikola Mirotic is coming across the pond as well and is set to help increase the offensive capabilities of this defensively dominant squad.

Oh, and Derrick Rose. You may have heard something about him.

While we won't know anything definitive about the former MVP until he's provided us with a sizable sample of regular-season action, he's been phenomenal during the summer.

"He's been the most impressive guy here," Jim Boeheim said to ESPN Chicago's Nick Friedell, referring to Rose's performance during the Team USA training camp in Las Vegas.

Similar sentiments were given by Mike Krzyzewski, and Rose hasn't exactly been shy about expressing confidence in his game.

If the point guard is vintage D-Rose, the Bulls may as well be a lock for the No. 1 seed. But this roster is now so deep and talented on both ends of the court that he could ease his way back into action, play like a replacement-level guy at the start of the season and still help lead a charge toward the top of the East.

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Agency

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1. San Antonio Spurs: 57-25

1. San Antonio Spurs: 57-25

Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images

First of all, let's just acknowledge that the picture up above is fantastic and should be sitting in an expensive frame in the house of every single San Antonio Spurs fan out there.

Moving past that ultra-obvious statement—I mean, look at it!—the Spurs are primed to be the best team in the Western Conference yet again.

Darn, I can't get out of the realm of the obvious yet…

San Antonio didn't lose any crucial pieces, notably re-signing Boris Diaw and Patty Mills, and it didn't exactly have a need to make any improvements. As Josh Martin made clear for Bleacher Report, the Spurs can afford to "run it back" after winning a title in such dominant fashion:

And, really, why wouldn't San Antonio run it back? The team won 62 games during the regular season, stormed through the last three rounds of the playoffs and have in place a system in which all the pieces presently fit perfectly.

All of which is to ask: If it ain't broke, why fix it?

This team certainly isn't broken, and whatever does go awry will probably just be fixed by Gregg Popovich, who continues building a legacy that will ultimately leave him on the Mount Rushmore of NBA head coaches.

Only the parity of the Western Conference and the ages of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker (which will lead to rest days) are going to keep San Antonio from matching last season's 62 wins. And why bother pushing toward that number when 57 should be capable of winning a conference in which all the good teams will keep one another from racking up too many victories?

 

OK, go ahead and tell me on Twitter and Facebook where you disagree. Or where you couldn't agree more, if you're feeling kind. 

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2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 54-28

2. Cleveland Cavaliers: 54-28

Having LeBron James on the roster helps.

Any team he's on is going to be an immediately competitive squad, as he's reached that point in his development and has been there for a few years now, but the Cleveland Cavaliers already had quite a bit of talent on the roster.

Kyrie Irving may finally start living up to the hype, assuming he's motivated to play defense and thrives when LeBron draws attention away from him, which will allow him to become more efficient than ever before. Anthony Bennett appeared to be in better shape and far more confident during the Las Vegas Summer League, and Andrew Wiggins is obviously an impressive talent.

Add in Dion Waiters (great in the second half of the season), Tristan Thompson, Anderson Varejao and the rest of the roster, which should be laden with veteran shooters by the time the offseason ends, and you're looking at a great team.

However, let's not give King James and the Cavaliers a crown yet.

Defense is still going to be an issue, especially if the depth and talent are gutted for a chance to acquire Kevin Love. So too is the overall youth, and the fact that a first-year head coach is running the show. Talented as David Blatt may be, his success overseas doesn't guarantee quality work in the Association.

I'm on board the Blatt train, but there will still be an adjustment period.

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jections for Each Team, Post-Free Agency

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2. Oklahoma City Thunder: 54-28

2. Oklahoma City Thunder: 54-28

USA TODAY Sports

The Oklahoma City Thunder are pretty much the exact same squad they were last year, except they've replaced Thabo Sefolosha's defense with Anthony Morrow's offense.

Morrow is one of the league's elite sharpshooters, and his perimeter prowess should fit in nicely along the other offensive pieces on the OKC roster. His defensive shortcomings will be noticeable, but less so with Serge Ibaka and Kendrick Perkins/Steven Adams cleaning up behind him.

However, while he and Mitch McGary are the only significant roster changes (sorry, Sebastian Telfair, Semaj Christon and Josh Huestis), he's not the only improvement.

This is still a ridiculously young squad.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are moving toward their respective primes, as is Ibaka. And chances are, Jeremy Lamb, Perry Jones, Andre Roberson and Adams all take strides in the positive direction now that they have even more NBA experience under their belts.

OKC might not look too different in 2014-15 than it did last season. But does it need to?

Not at all.

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NBA Predictions 2014-15: Win-Loss Projections for Each Team, Post-Free Agency

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3. Washington Wizards: 51-31

3. Washington Wizards: 51-31

Losing Trevor Ariza hurts, but adding Paul Pierce helps.

Although The Truth isn't quite as good from beyond the arc, he gives the offense a new flavor. The veteran forward is more capable of creating shots off the bounce, and he's one of the more underrated perimeter defenders in the league, thereby mitigating any negative impact on that end after Ariza's departure to the Houston Rockets.

Plus, there's a chance he could do a convincing Ariza imitation from beyond the arc. John Wall is that good at finding open shooters in the corners, and free looks tend to boost percentages.

But while Pierce is obviously the headlining addition, the newfound depth is what allows the Washington Wizards to win seven more games than they did last year while moving up in the standings.

Hoopsstats.com shows that the Washington bench finished No. 26 in minutes played, No. 28 in offensive efficiency and No. 26 in defensive efficiency, making for a brutal combination whenever the starters needed some pine time to catch their breath.

Adding DeJuan Blair and Kris Humphries will help the frontcourt. Massive improvements from Glen Rice Jr. and Otto Porter, who both looked fantastic at summer league, will aid the cause as well, and the rest of the key bench players (like Drew Gooden, a late-season addition last year) won't hurt.

On top of that, there's a great chance Bradley Beal makes the proverbial leap, while Wall continues his ascent toward the top of the unofficial point guard rankings. If both of those things happen, Washington is the first team in these projected standings with a legitimate shot at the No. 1 seed.

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rojections for Each Team, Post-Free Agency

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3. Los Angeles Clippers: 53-29

3. Los Angeles Clippers: 53-29

The Los Angeles Clippers went into the offseason desperately needing to shore up a lackluster frontcourt portion of their bench, one that struggled to keep pace whenever Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan were either catching a second wind or sitting out with foul trouble.

Did they do it?

Eh…not really.

Spencer Hawes is an intriguing addition, one who can complement Jordan quite well because of his penchant for perimeter play, but Glen Davis is the only other player set to come off the bench. He's a fairly nondescript entity at this stage of his career, and he'll hardly serve as a difference-maker for LAC.

Beyond them, there are literally no other backups at the moment.

This is still problematic for the Clips, even if the presence of the aforementioned starters, the point god known as Chris Paul, Doc Rivers and the host of talents at the wing positions will keep them right near the top of the conference. If they can parlay some of the shooting guards into big men via trade, they'll have a chance at moving all the way up to the No. 1 spot.

 

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BA Predictions 2014-15: Win-Loss Projections for Each Team, Post-Free Agency

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7. Miami Heat: 43-39

7. Miami Heat: 43-39

Few teams have the up-and-down potential possessed by these new-look Miami Heat.

If Luol Deng returns to form, freed from the heavy minutes of Tom Thibodeau and thriving in a smaller offensive role, the Heat will be solid. If Chris Bosh can capably hold down the fort as a No. 1 option, they'll be better. If Dwyane Wade can survive after losing the protection offered by LeBron James, continuing to play like an elite shooting guard even if he has to take the occasional maintenance day, the Heat will exceed even the most optimistic expectations.

Any combination of those three things could happen, which could allow Miami to rise as high as No. 3 in the Eastern Conference standings. Of course, "any combination" allows for the distinct possibility that none of them could…

There are question marks everywhere, even when it comes to Erik Spoelstra's coaching without LeBron helping him out (personally, I think Spo has proved enough that those concerns are foolish) and the depth of the second unit.

Miami has the potential to rise to No. 3, but it could also fall out of the playoffs entirely in the wake of the four-time MVP's departure. Chances are, there's a healthy compromise, hence the placement at No. 7.

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4. Golden State Warriors: 51-31

4. Golden State Warriors: 51-31

The Golden State Warriors quietly put together a solid offseason, even if they haven't made any glamorous moves. Of course, they still could if they decide to swap Klay Thompson for Kevin Love, but it's not as though that has resulted in anything other than an impasse up to this point.

Last we heard, per Jerry Zgoda of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune, things were looking good for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their pursuit of the All-Star forward, which would leave Golden State out in the cold.

The Dubs still have plenty of young players ready to break out on the bench—Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green, Nemanja Nedovic and Festus Ezeli—but now they're adding veterans.

Brandon Rush qualifies as such, even if he's been injured during the last third of his NBA career, and Shaun Livingston is a guard who will fit in perfectly with the Golden State system.

Livingston can't stand out as a shooter, but he can handle the ball, distribute it capably, score out of the post and line up at either guard position without giving up any size or speed. He should be a big difference-maker for the Warriors, who have struggled to find workable second-unit guards for some time now.

If Steve Kerr fits right in as a first-year head coach, this is going to be a supremely dangerous squad on both ends of the court.

 

 

מנחם לס

מנהל הופס. הזקן והוותיק מכולם בצוות. מנסה לכתוב יומית - כל זמן שאוכל!

לפוסט הזה יש 17 תגובות

  3. רועי ויינברג

    30 יול 2014 17:16:24

    הנבחרת שמתמודדת נגד היאנקים לא לוקחת גם את המשחקים הפאן אמריקאיים. יריב אימונים חלש בהשוואה לרמות האירופאיות נכון לעכשיו, עוד 3-4 שנים זה יהיה שונה. שמעתם שישראל רצתה (לא אושר בסוף) לארח את מונטנגרו במדיסון סקוור גארדן?

  5. חיים כ

    30 יול 2014 18:01:13

    אנשים חושבים שאם היה משחק צמוד בין ספרד לארה"ב, נבחרת ארה"ב שלא מורכבת מהסופרסטארס, תפסיד לנבחרות כמו צרפת או ספרד.

    בצרפת: פארקר, דה-קולו, באטום, דיאו ונואה (אני יודע שלא משחק, זה בשביל להעצים את צרפת)
    בספרד: קלדרון/רוביו, רודריגז/נבארו, רודי פרננדז, ובגבוהים גאסולים ואיבקה.

    חמישיות טובות, שהיו עושות פלייאוף טוב במידה והיו בNBA אבל בהשוואה לסלקטד טים, אני רואה רמה די שווה. אם לוקחים בחשבון שכדורסל זה לא רק חמישייה, ועם העומק וקצב המשחק האמריקאי, אני ממש לא בטוח שהסלקטד טים נופלת לא מצרפת ולא מספרד. נחיתות בגבוהים, יתרון בגארדים בעיקר על ספרד

  6. מנחם לס

    30 יול 2014 18:29:49

    הנבחרת תנצח את האליפות עם 15 נק' ממוצע הפרש (כי משחקים רק 40 דקות). העתודה היתה מנצחת את האליפות בהפרש ממוצע של 8-10.

  10. דניאל

    30 יול 2014 23:53:25

    אף מילה על הסיקרס שמתנגדים נחרצות לשינוי שיטת הלוטורי, מנחם? מה המניעים שלהם לדעתך? אולי בכל זאת יש טאנקינג בליגה?

  13. עגל

    31 יול 2014 13:56:03

    גם בשנה שעברה רוז נראה מצוין בשלב קדם העונה, התחיל מהוסס ובמגמת שיפור ואז טראח נפצע.
    בואו נקווה שהפעם התסריט לא יחזור על עצמו.

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