NBA BASKETBALL IS ARRIVING- The Poisonous Pacific Division!

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

The Pacific Division wasn't the NBA's best a year ago, but it was probably the most entertaining. The high-octane Suns. The surprising Clippers. The Lakers with Kobe Bryant. The Kings with Ron Artest. Only the Warriors failed to provide a good reason to stay up late and watch on the dish.

This season the Pacific should be even more compelling theater. The Suns look like a legit title contender, especially if Amaré Stoudemire regains his form. The Clippers have all the key pieces back to take the next step. The Lakers will have another year under Phil Jackson, and new coaches in Sacramento (Eric Musselman) and Golden State (Don Nelson) should make those teams more interesting as well. Here's a look at the burning questions facing each of the Pacific's five:


Phoenix Suns (53-28)
1. How's Amaré?
The All-Star power forward sat out basically all of last season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his left knee. He then had minor surgery on his right knee over the summer. Stoudemire says he expects to be 100 percent by opening night, but training camp will tell the story.
2. How will the new faces fit in?
The Suns shook up their supporting cast over the summer, adding Marcus Banks, Jumaine Jones and Eric Piatkowski to replace the departed Eddie House, Tim Thomas and Brian Grant. The new guys will have to make a quick adjustment if the Suns want to avoid a slow start.
3. Do they like pasta?
They had better, since they will be spending training camp in Treviso, Italy. Their 14-day trip includes a preseason game in Rome and two in Cologne, Germany. At least Suns coach Mike D'Antoni, who starred as a player and coach in the Italian League, will know some good restaurants.


L.A. Clippers (47-35)
1. Are they satisfied?
After their most successful season in franchise history, Elton Brand & Co. no longer will be able to sneak up on anybody. Coach Mike Dunleavy's biggest challenge in camp might be getting them to avoid complacency and restore the chip on the shoulder that helped them so much a year ago.
2. Who will play small forward?
The Clippers signed Thomas to a four-year, $24 million free-agent deal in hopes he could provide the same outside shooting threat he gave the Suns during last year's postseason. But the 6-foot-10 forward will have to battle holdovers Corey Maggette and Quinton Ross for minutes at the position.
3. Anybody here speak Russian?
Like Phoenix, L.A. will spend part of training camp overseas. The Clippers are in Moscow, where they will play exhibitions against local pro teams BC Khimki and CSKA Moscow. And, yes, they do have a ready translator in second-year Clippers forward Yaroslav Korolev, a Russian native.


L.A. Lakers (45-37)
1. Who's in charge here?
Lakers coach Phil Jackson will undergo surgery Tuesday on his right hip, keeping him off the sidelines indefinitely (though he expects to be back for opening night). Assistant coach Kurt Rambis will run practices in the meantime, with help from longtime assistants Frank Hamblen and Jim Cleamons.
2. How's Kobe's health?
Kobe Bryant, coming off his first scoring title, underwent arthroscopic surgery on his right knee in July. The 28-year-old star sat out the World Championships this summer to rehab, and says he expects to be 100 percent by opening night, but training camp will be the first chance to see how close he is to being ready.
3. Where does Vladimir Radmanovic fit in?
In their only big offseason move, L.A. pried Radmanovic away from the crosstown Clippers with a five-year, $31.7 million free-agent deal. The lanky 6-10 sharpshooter could start at small forward, with Lamar Odom shifting over to the 4, or he could be used off the bench.


Sacramento Kings (44-38)
1. Who's that guy with the whistle?
After eight seasons (and eight playoff appearances), Rick Adelman is no longer running the show for Sacramento. The Kings fired Adelman and replaced him with Musselman, the former Warriors coach, who promises to bring a new defensive approach, starting with training camp.
2. Who starts at shooting guard?
With Bonzi Wells having departed as a free agent, the Kings signed former Sixers guard John Salmons to a $25 million free-agent deal. The 6-6 fourth-year pro will battle Kevin Martin, who filled in ably as a replacement for the injured Wells a year ago, for playing time alongside Mike Bibby and Ron Artest.
3. Will Ron-Ron behave?
With Artest, it's always a fair question. The volatile swingman has been on his best behavior since arriving in Sacramento midway through last season, but many believe it's only a matter of time before he causes some kind of controversy. For Musselman's sake, a quiet event-free camp would be a big help.


G.S. Warriors (34-48)
1. What will Nellie do?
The Warriors also have a new face on the sidelines in Nelson, who takes over for Mike Montgomery. It will be interesting to see what the Mad Scientist has in store for his team in training camp. For certain it will involve a lot of running and a more wide-open offensive attack.
2. How's the backcourt?
Baron Davis has been injury-prone in the past, and Nelson has said he wants his star point guard to lose weight. Jason Richardson is still recovering from offseason surgery on his left knee and will sit out camp. Without his two stars working together, Golden State's transition could be slowed.
3. Can Dajuan Wagner make it?
Wagner, the 6-2 former Cavs guard and No. 6 overall pick in '02, hasn't played since Dec. '04 due to a variety of ailments ranging from a knee injury to colitis. He says he's now healthy, and the Warriors are hoping he can be a secret weapon in Nelson's Small Ball attack.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/marty_burns/10/03/pacific.camp/index.html

[J Bananas]

  i cant wait

wednesday the 1st vs lakers, opening night downtown oakland chyeeeeaahh

[GangstaBoogy]

I'm not worried about the Warrior or the Kings. I see us getting past Phoenix. The battle for L.A. that we were all prepared for when the Lakers took a 3-1 lead might happen this postseason.

In other news: I want Smush Parker in the dunk conest!

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

I'm not worried about the Warrior or the Kings. I see us getting past Phoenix. The battle for L.A. that we were all prepared for when the Lakers took a 3-1 lead might happen this postseason.

In other news: I want Smush Parker in the dunk conest!

My predicitons-
1.LA Lakers
2.LA Clippers
3.Phoenix Suns
4.Sacramento Kings
5.GS Warriors

[ecrazy]

Why do they reffer to the lakers and clippers as crosstown rivals when they are not even crosstown, they are in the same building?


Oh and Its the Clippers Year, Quote me......only real competition in the pacific are the suns....

Here's how i see the pacific:
1st: Clippers
2nd: Suns
3rd: Lakers
4th: Kings
5th: Warriors

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Oh and Its the Clippers Year, Quote me......only real competition in the pacific are the suns....

Here's how i see the pacific:
1st: Clippers
2nd: Suns
3rd: Lakers
4th: Kings
5th: Warriors

LOL@Lakers not being competition for the Clippers! that's a joke if I ever heard one...

[ecrazy]

Oh and Its the Clippers Year, Quote me......only real competition in the pacific are the suns....

Here's how i see the pacific:
1st: Clippers
2nd: Suns
3rd: Lakers
4th: Kings
5th: Warriors

LOL@Lakers not being competition for the Clippers! that's a joke if I ever heard one...

LMAO @ you thinking the lakers are TOP of the west...HA, seriously....Now THATS a joke

["THE" MoSav]

1. SUNS (i dont see how anyone could think differently)
2. Lakers
3. Kings
4. Clippers
5. Warriors

and to E-LOCO, tell me why its the Clippers year? Cuz there heart and soul is a year older....The Suns WILL WIN THE PACIFIC

[ecrazy]

1. SUNS (i dont see how anyone could think differently)
2. Lakers
3. Kings
4. Clippers
5. Warriors

and to E-LOCO, tell me why its the Clippers year? Cuz there heart and soul is a year older....The Suns WILL WIN THE PACIFIC

LMAO @ the clippers 4th....U Serious? We have Tim Thomas Now, without him when Amare was out....you guys wouldnt have been SHIT last year, Dudes a great Forward...And with  Kaman (Who Was one of the top leaders in Rebounds) And Brand (3rd in blocks and #4 in field goals made) dude, no one is owning the inside like the clippers own the inside....Who's Running Shit?! CASSELL Is running Shit....Age And Experience and he still has NOT LOST A STEP, HE IS ALMOST GETTING BETTER AS HE IS GETTING OLDER!!! Livingston is also developing into a awesome guard, And lets see who's coming off the bench: Maggette, Singleton (One of the top Offensive Rebounders in the NBA) Ewing...and QUINTON ROSS - An Effective and sharp passer and shooter.
HEART AND SOUL ARE ONE THING - But how about SKILL To Go Along With That!?! There u go....Ya Big DUMMY!

[GangstaBoogy]

Livingston? LMAO! That dude was like 1/365 in the playoffs. He missed every shot, his passes were turnovers, and Nash blew right by him. I don't see why people like that dude so much.

I see it like this.

1. Suns
2. Clippers
3. Lakers
4. Kings
5. Warriors

But the Lakers are still gonna beat the Clippers in the playoffs (IF we play them)

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Oh and Its the Clippers Year, Quote me......only real competition in the pacific are the suns....

Here's how i see the pacific:
1st: Clippers
2nd: Suns
3rd: Lakers
4th: Kings
5th: Warriors

LOL@Lakers not being competition for the Clippers! that's a joke if I ever heard one...

LMAO @ you thinking the lakers are TOP of the west...HA, seriously....Now THATS a joke

Yes. The Lakers being on top is so much more absurd than the Clippers being on top! LMAO.

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

1. SUNS (i dont see how anyone could think differently)

Amare slows them down, and on top of that, he's even LOST a step from all the shit his knees took. They will be worse this year...Clippers will be as good as they were last season, maybe slightly better...Lakers will improve greatly, I'd even say by as much as 7 or 8 games. Lakers > Clippers > Suns.

[Quadruple OG]

Kobe fears THE MONGOOSE

[PLANT]

Lakers > Clippers > Suns.

LMAO!

[Now_Im_Not_Banned]

Lakers > Clippers > Suns.

LMAO!

How is this funny? Please explain.