Kris and Dan answer NBA Questions

Cleveland, the Lakers and Celtics are clearly the class of the league, but who is on that second tier and can any oft hem win the championship?

DAN SAYS:

Here are the teams I'd call "second tier" in each conference, and whether or not they have a chance to win the title:

EASTOrlando: if Jameer Nelson hadn't got hurt, I would have said maybe. It'll be hard to beat Boston or Cleveland, but Orlando has three top-level players in Howard, Turkgolu, and Lewis, and a fantastic coach. The role players are good, too, in Michael Pietrus, Courtney Lee, Anthony Johnson. But it was Nelson playing at a top level this year (I never thought he could, but he was) that made this team elite. With him playing at that level, they could have upset Boston or Cleveland in the Eastern Conference Finals. With Anthony Johnson and Tyronne Lue as their PGs, no, they can't win.

There are no other second tier teams in the East. Detroit fell off, Atlanta isn't quite there yet, and you can't count Philly or Miami as second tier, third tier at best.

WEST

San Antonio: They still have Duncan, Parker, and Ginobli, and are coached by Popp. So, yes, of course they can win the title.

New Orleans: They haven't been as good this year as they were last year, but they have Chris Paul. Chris Paul is that good that he could carry a team to the finals, and he has a good enough supporting cast in David West, Peja, and Chandler that they could win it. The odds are against it, I'd say, but they've got enough talent and the player that I think is 1d best player in the league (1a Kobe 1b Lebron 1c Duncan 1d Paul).

Denver: Only if the Lakers lose to someone else. They can't beat the Lakers. Other teams? Maybe. Billups, Anthony, Nene, Kenyon Martin, JR Smith, Kleiza. They've been playing incredibly well for most of this year. They have enough talent to do it. Probably not, but again, if the Lakers get upset by Houston in the first round (not impossible) Denver could beat anyone else in the West.

Part of me wants to say Houston, Utah, and Portland, but I can't quite put them at Tier 2 yet. Tier 2.5, with the potential to get there if they get healthy (Houston and Utah) or make another big trade (Portland.)The Suns fell off. Dallas is better then people think, but can't win a title with old Jason Kidd (he can't stop Billups or Paul or Parker.)

KRIS SAYS:

I hate when I let Dan go first and he steals my answers.

EAST:

Yes in the East I think Orlando with a healthy Jameer Nelson could have truly competed with Cleveland and Boston for Eastern Conference supremacy. The on reason I still think they can is they guard your butt in the half court. And as we know in NBA playoff basketball if you can get stops in the half court you always have a chance (see, San Antonio Spurs).


I would put the Hawks up there just because I think they are cool. They did play a great series last year against the Celtics and I don’t think that was a fluke. They have so much athleticism all over the court. A healthy Al Horford will be key going down the stretch. Defensively they aren’t great in the half court but Josh Smith can make up for those mistakes as a glass cleaner

The rest of the East I think is defiantly on a lower level.

WEST:

Obviously the Spurs always have a chance. It is crazy to watch Popp coach in the regular season like a few weeks ago when he just didn’t play Duncan, Parker, Manu or Finley and they were all dressed. That just shows you that that team cares only about one thing. This is an odd year too, which they seem to play better in.


I always have to put Houston in this category because of their three starters, McGrady, Yao and Artest. I know, anyone can point out that McGrady has never been out of the first round, and that is just a silly statistic for someone who is so good. I do think that having Artest is a big key, because in the past McGrady had to guard the other teams best player and be the star on offense, with Artest he can take that defensive role in a playoff series guarding a Brandon Roy, Manu Ginobili, or Carmelo Anthony.


I do think Portland is still a year or two away and I always don’t believe in Denver because of my half court defense theory.