11-01-2026, 11:20 PM
Santi when healthy will be a much more valuable player than most think. His scoring average was 14PPG last year and he was a good rebounder at just under 7 a game. At 7' and as a PF he will easily help Lively handle the burden at center more easily and Lively will need all the extra help he can get.
A stretch 4 or 5 when he is in the game he gives us a lot more ability to open up the middle of the other teams defense by forcing them to guard the perimeter more diligently.
That pressure will open the lane for Risacher Kyrie and Cooper to have their way within the heart of the other teams defense. Plus on the other end of the floor that twin tower size and the added size advantages that Cooper and Risacher enjoy will make it easier to defend other teams. Kyrie is the only position with no clear size advantage but he can defend other PG's better than most and our backups can defend nicely as well.
Defensive strength from size advantages plus the offensive advantages to shoot over other players and stretch other teams defenses with our bigger 3 point threats may be the keys to playoff success.
Top 3 teams top scorers
6-0 MEM 6'5" Ty 25 6'8" Boozer 17 not impressed with the competition they beat so far only POR was tough but 5 guys are in double figs
6-1 HOU 2 6'11 guys in Durant 22 and Sengun 22.8 Jabari 19 but they have 8 guys are in double figs so they have the best depth in the west now.
4-1 POR 6'8 Avdija 23ppg 5.6apg 7 rpg 6'2 Lillard 19.2 6'2 Ja Morant 15.8ppg 5.5 apg 6'7 Camara 15.2 7'2 Clingan 8.6 ppg 9 rpg win against LAKERS and Loss to MEM 5 guys in double figures.
4 teams tied for 4th with 4-2 records
DAL 6'11 Cooper 6'3 Kyrie 6'10 PJ Naji only these 4 guys are in double figures Risacher is close to double figs and if SErgio comes back and also can score in double figs as it looked like he might have the potential to do then that is 6
LAK 6'8 Luka 36.2ppg 6.8rpg 7.6 apg 6'5 Austin 23.8 7'1 Kessler 14 only 4 guys in double figs
OKC 6'6 Shai 26 6'4 AJAY 16.5 5 guys in double figures but Chet and Jalen are hurt and that is 2 of them so till they return they have 3 guys in double figures.
SAN 7'4 Wemby 28ppg 10.7rpg 6'5 Harper 18.5 6'3 Fox 16.5 6'6 Castle 14.5 6 guys in double figs is 2nd behind Houston.
Based on this analysis
top 10 in the western conference will finish in the following order
1. HOU 8 guys in double figures
2. SAN 6 guys in double figures
3. POR 5 guys in double figures
4. DAL I can see us securing the 4th place finish because I am not sold on MEM being that good. This result will depend on the mavs recovering health especially Lively and Aldama. Currently 4 guys are in double figures but Risacher is almost in double figures now and a healthy return of Sergio might mean 6 guys can get into double figures. Aldama was a 14 ppg scorer last season and he may become the starting PF if given a chance. So far we have a SF Cooper PG Kyrie PF PJ and whatever position NAJI is those are the 4 mavs scoring in double figs. If Aldama Risacher and Sergio join them we would have 7 and be in position to find an 8th guy out of our remaining guys to then join HOU with 8.
5. MEM is playing a lot of their guys decent minutes and that rotation and is using about 12 guys seriously and developing more guys may pay off from there doing that.
6. LAL No depth curses them to not do as well.
7. OKC injured and not likely to recover fast enough to become a contender they may take off a year I can see them dropping to 10th on this list
8. DEN 5 guys in double figures they could get higher up this list
9. MIN I can see how MIN will reach higher up this list maybe they take 7th
10. GSW may fall even lower if Phoenix gets going
After my last minute considerations I will rank the west in this manner
1.HOU
2.SAN
3.DAL
4.POR
5.LAL
6.DEN
7.MIN
8.MEM
9.OKC
10.GSW
A stretch 4 or 5 when he is in the game he gives us a lot more ability to open up the middle of the other teams defense by forcing them to guard the perimeter more diligently.
That pressure will open the lane for Risacher Kyrie and Cooper to have their way within the heart of the other teams defense. Plus on the other end of the floor that twin tower size and the added size advantages that Cooper and Risacher enjoy will make it easier to defend other teams. Kyrie is the only position with no clear size advantage but he can defend other PG's better than most and our backups can defend nicely as well.
Defensive strength from size advantages plus the offensive advantages to shoot over other players and stretch other teams defenses with our bigger 3 point threats may be the keys to playoff success.
Top 3 teams top scorers
6-0 MEM 6'5" Ty 25 6'8" Boozer 17 not impressed with the competition they beat so far only POR was tough but 5 guys are in double figs
6-1 HOU 2 6'11 guys in Durant 22 and Sengun 22.8 Jabari 19 but they have 8 guys are in double figs so they have the best depth in the west now.
4-1 POR 6'8 Avdija 23ppg 5.6apg 7 rpg 6'2 Lillard 19.2 6'2 Ja Morant 15.8ppg 5.5 apg 6'7 Camara 15.2 7'2 Clingan 8.6 ppg 9 rpg win against LAKERS and Loss to MEM 5 guys in double figures.
4 teams tied for 4th with 4-2 records
DAL 6'11 Cooper 6'3 Kyrie 6'10 PJ Naji only these 4 guys are in double figures Risacher is close to double figs and if SErgio comes back and also can score in double figs as it looked like he might have the potential to do then that is 6
LAK 6'8 Luka 36.2ppg 6.8rpg 7.6 apg 6'5 Austin 23.8 7'1 Kessler 14 only 4 guys in double figs
OKC 6'6 Shai 26 6'4 AJAY 16.5 5 guys in double figures but Chet and Jalen are hurt and that is 2 of them so till they return they have 3 guys in double figures.
SAN 7'4 Wemby 28ppg 10.7rpg 6'5 Harper 18.5 6'3 Fox 16.5 6'6 Castle 14.5 6 guys in double figs is 2nd behind Houston.
Based on this analysis
top 10 in the western conference will finish in the following order
1. HOU 8 guys in double figures
2. SAN 6 guys in double figures
3. POR 5 guys in double figures
4. DAL I can see us securing the 4th place finish because I am not sold on MEM being that good. This result will depend on the mavs recovering health especially Lively and Aldama. Currently 4 guys are in double figures but Risacher is almost in double figures now and a healthy return of Sergio might mean 6 guys can get into double figures. Aldama was a 14 ppg scorer last season and he may become the starting PF if given a chance. So far we have a SF Cooper PG Kyrie PF PJ and whatever position NAJI is those are the 4 mavs scoring in double figs. If Aldama Risacher and Sergio join them we would have 7 and be in position to find an 8th guy out of our remaining guys to then join HOU with 8.
5. MEM is playing a lot of their guys decent minutes and that rotation and is using about 12 guys seriously and developing more guys may pay off from there doing that.
6. LAL No depth curses them to not do as well.
7. OKC injured and not likely to recover fast enough to become a contender they may take off a year I can see them dropping to 10th on this list
8. DEN 5 guys in double figures they could get higher up this list
9. MIN I can see how MIN will reach higher up this list maybe they take 7th
10. GSW may fall even lower if Phoenix gets going
After my last minute considerations I will rank the west in this manner
1.HOU
2.SAN
3.DAL
4.POR
5.LAL
6.DEN
7.MIN
8.MEM
9.OKC
10.GSW