This is my first go at my Power Rankings. I hope this will be a weekly segment, even though I realize this first entry is coming almost three weeks into the season. But at least we have a bigger sample to go by. So here we go...
1. Boston Celtics (8-1): Despite the loss of Glen Davis, Sheed's arrival has been a big part of their strong start. C's are outscoring opponents by almost 15 ppg with only loss coming vs. surprising Suns.
2. Los Angeles Lakers (7-1): 7-1 start without Gasol (and minus Bynum for 2) is enough to make you forget about needing OT to beat OKC and Houston.
3. Phoenix Suns (8-2): Leading the NBA in scoring. Nash dishing out a league-best 12 dimes per game. Only two losses coming on the road vs. last year's finals teams. Anyone think they are missing Shaquille O'Neal?
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-3): Early season struggles aside, the Cavs had yet to really impress until sweeping a road back-to-back over Orlando and Miami.
5. Miami Heat (6-2): Not a bad start on South Beach. Heat are supporting D-Wade's stellar (as always) play with 5 OTHER guys scoring at least 8 ppg and a stifling defense (91 ppg against).
6. Atlanta Hawks (6-2): Trading for Jamal Crawford (17.5 ppg off the bench) looks even better when the Hawks' investment in resigning Mike Bibby for $18M has produced little results (10 ppg, 4 apg).
7. Denver Nuggets (6-3): I said it in last year's playoffs and I'll say it again now - Carmelo Anthony has made the jump into the elite level of NBA stars. Melo is pouring in over 30 ppg and adding almost 7 rebounds and 2 steals per game.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (6-3): After some uninspired play, Nate McMillan seems to have decided that the offense is better served starting both Steve Blake and free agent signee Andre Miller. Since the move to a 3-guard lineup, the Blazers have won all 4 games by an average of 18 points.
9. Orlando Magic (6-3): Yes, they are 6-3, but there is concern when you're blown out not only by the Cavs (at home), but the Thunder too. Even more so when your coach is questioning the team's effort nightly.
10. San Antonio Spurs (4-3): Slow starts are nothing new to the Spurs in recent years, but injury concerns to Parker and Duncan are. That said, Spurs were able to handle Mavs minus both.
11. Dallas Mavericks (5-3): Dirk is off to a great start and Marion is looking like a good addition but it's important for them to get Josh Howard healthy. Versatile swingman was on the verge but is sidelined again with a setback to his ankle.
12. Houston Rockets (5-3): Are we ever going to see the end of the Rockets exceeding everyone's expectations? Trevor Ariza, Aaron Brooks, and Carl Landry are leading a surprisingly potent offense averaging 104 ppg.
13. Toronto Raptors (4-4): Raptors are leading the NBA in offensive efficiency and 3rd in scoring (108.1 ppg). Unfortunately, they're 27th in scoring defense (108.6). It seems Bryan Colangelo really has brought his Suns brand of basketball to Canada.
14. Detroit Pistons (4-4): Offseason acquisitions Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva lead the team in scoring, but the team still wins off its defense (86 ppg against). It will be interesting to see how new head coach John Kuester balances the backcourt minutes once Rip Hamilton returns from injury.
15. Oklahoma City Thunder (4-4): It took the Thunder 33 games to win 4 a season ago, but this team's improvement can be traced to defense, giving up 13 fewer points a game than a year ago.
16. Chicago Bulls (4-4): This team deserves to be right in the middle. They don't give up a lot of points (92.9), but they don't score many either (88.6) and they've already played 4 games decided by 3 points or fewer (and are 3-1 in those games).
17. Milwaukee Bucks (4-2): If Brandon Jennings continues to play this well (averaging 20-4-5), you can expect to see a few more potential one-and-done high schoolers make the trip to Europe to play for some cash before entering the draft.
18. Indiana Pacers (3-3): Danny Granger (nearly 25 ppg) has been as good as advertised but who would have thought his most offensive support would come from Dahntay Jones?
19. Sacramento Kings (4-4): Kings have responded to losing Kevin Martin and his 30 ppg (out 6-8 weeks) by averaging 108 points in 3-game winning streak.
20. Utah Jazz (3-5): Followed up big win vs. Spurs with home loss to Kings, 2-point win over Knicks, and a blowout loss to Celtics. Deron Williams said the team is dealing with issues of selfishness, despite his 9.9 apg being second in the NBA.
21. Philadelphia 76ers (4-4): Starting big men Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert are combining to average a putrid 15.8 points and 11.9 rebounds per game between them. They also will combine to make nearly $27 million this season.
22. Charlotte Bobcats (3-5): Even with two 100-point games (both W's) under their belt, the Bobcats are still averaging a meager 83 ppg and only 77 in their 5 losses.
23. New Orleans Hornets (3-6): Whether you think the timing was right or not, it had become clear that Byron Scott's time on the Hornets bench was circling in on an end. GM Jeff Bower and Tim Floyd have got to act quickly if there's any hopes of a playoff run in the Big Easy.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (3-6): Clippers are in trouble for a long season if they can't string together some W's soon. They've only played 3 teams with winning records so far, none in November.
25. Washington Wizards (2-5): Caron Butler has scored 90 points this season and given out a grand total of FOUR assists. Sure, Arenas has the ball in his hands more but Butler is too good to have such a poor ratio.
26. Golden State Warriors (2-5): Another day, another chapter in the saga of Stephen Jackson vs. the Warriors. On top of expanding his trade demand to include every team short of the Harlem Globetrotters and his agent bashing Don Nelson, the Artist Formerly Known as Captain Jack is blaming the media for making him out to be the "bad guy in all this."
27. New York Knicks (1-8): In a system designed to thrive on PG play, Chris Duhon is doing his best to lose his starting job, shooting just 23% and scoring only 6 ppg despite being 2nd on the team in minutes played.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-8): A scoring margin of -14.4 is going to do nothing to make fans forget that Ricky Rubio won't be walking through that door for at least 2-3 years.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (1-8): As much as Allen Iverson may hope, he's really about the only newsworthy thing going on in Memphis these days. Is his career over? Some say yes and if so, we may have seen the last of the brilliant, albeit rocky, career of The Answer.
30. New Jersey Nets (0-8): In hopes of finding a bright spot in their winless start, Nets' fans can enjoy for a second that the second-year tandem of Brook Lopez and Chris Douglas-Roberts are combining to average 34 points and almost 14 rebounds per game.
Friday, November 13, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Out of Town
I will be in South Carolina attending the Clemson vs. Florida St. football game on Saturday night. I will be back on Monday and when I do, look for a bunch of new posts, including my initial Power Rankings of the season, more News and Notes, maybe a rookie report and some new features.
Stay tuned!
Stay tuned!
Monday, November 2, 2009
News and Notes
So to borrow a segment from Who Lurks, here is a quick hit on some of the buzzworthy headlines and stories from the past week in the NBA:
Rajon Rondo gets PAID
Like, ridiculously paid. Rondo agreed to 5-year, $55 million extension at the deadline to sign one before becoming a restricted free agent next year. That's a lot of loot for a guy the Celtics shopped all winter and said was difficult to handle, especially considering the price tags they have on the Big 3 going forward. BUT, this is a deal that I think had to go down. For all his misgivings, Rondo is the perfect PG for them. He is unselfish (on the court, at least) and doesn't need to worry about putting points on the board to be effective. We saw just how valuable he can be in last year's playoffs and he's an important part in how the Celtics play. It helps that Garnett, Pierce and Allen are unselfish, but Rondo is the guy with the ball in his hands a lot of the time so his unselfishness is just as key. I think they made the right move in locking him up, ending the questions about his future there, and not letting him hit RFA where he would have been a hot commodity.
Ginobilil Swats Bat, Gets Rabies Shot
Yeah, that headline is right. On Halloween night, a bat was flying through the AT&T Center during the Spurs-Kings game and Manu got so fed up, he swatted the bat to the ground with his hand and then carried it off the court. Now, according to Manu's facebook page, he needs to get a rabies shot. The NBA, where rabies happens.
Michael Redd's Knee Already Acting Up
So after missing a good portion of last season and undergoing surgery on his ACL in March, Michael Redd is already experiencing pain and discomfort in the same knee. After averaging 12 ppg on 32% shooting in Milwaukee's first 2 games, Redd is going on the shelf. The Bucks say he should be out about 2 weeks but this is not exactly what you want to see so early in the season for a player coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Eerily reminds you of Gilbert Arenas last year...
Blake Griffin Out with Broken Kneecap
Yes, I realize that if you follow the NBA, you already know about this. But technically, it still happened in the past week so it counts. Anyways, I can say that I was truly looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play in the opener last week but am still expecting him to make a big impression when he does, in fact, debut with the Clippers. I would say that Griffin is good enough for them to ignore all the cursed talk, but I did find it slighty unnerving that he appeared to suffer the injury on what was a fantastic highlight reel dunk. Almost fitting seeing it's the Clippers. Can't really ignore the fact that he's already been slowed by 3 injuries since the draft, but I'm rooting for him.
Rajon Rondo gets PAID
Like, ridiculously paid. Rondo agreed to 5-year, $55 million extension at the deadline to sign one before becoming a restricted free agent next year. That's a lot of loot for a guy the Celtics shopped all winter and said was difficult to handle, especially considering the price tags they have on the Big 3 going forward. BUT, this is a deal that I think had to go down. For all his misgivings, Rondo is the perfect PG for them. He is unselfish (on the court, at least) and doesn't need to worry about putting points on the board to be effective. We saw just how valuable he can be in last year's playoffs and he's an important part in how the Celtics play. It helps that Garnett, Pierce and Allen are unselfish, but Rondo is the guy with the ball in his hands a lot of the time so his unselfishness is just as key. I think they made the right move in locking him up, ending the questions about his future there, and not letting him hit RFA where he would have been a hot commodity.
Ginobilil Swats Bat, Gets Rabies Shot
Yeah, that headline is right. On Halloween night, a bat was flying through the AT&T Center during the Spurs-Kings game and Manu got so fed up, he swatted the bat to the ground with his hand and then carried it off the court. Now, according to Manu's facebook page, he needs to get a rabies shot. The NBA, where rabies happens.
Michael Redd's Knee Already Acting Up
So after missing a good portion of last season and undergoing surgery on his ACL in March, Michael Redd is already experiencing pain and discomfort in the same knee. After averaging 12 ppg on 32% shooting in Milwaukee's first 2 games, Redd is going on the shelf. The Bucks say he should be out about 2 weeks but this is not exactly what you want to see so early in the season for a player coming off reconstructive knee surgery. Eerily reminds you of Gilbert Arenas last year...
Blake Griffin Out with Broken Kneecap
Yes, I realize that if you follow the NBA, you already know about this. But technically, it still happened in the past week so it counts. Anyways, I can say that I was truly looking forward to seeing Blake Griffin play in the opener last week but am still expecting him to make a big impression when he does, in fact, debut with the Clippers. I would say that Griffin is good enough for them to ignore all the cursed talk, but I did find it slighty unnerving that he appeared to suffer the injury on what was a fantastic highlight reel dunk. Almost fitting seeing it's the Clippers. Can't really ignore the fact that he's already been slowed by 3 injuries since the draft, but I'm rooting for him.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
2009-10 West Preview: Part II
We all know who is expected to finish at the top (Lakers), but will there even really be much more than jockeying for position behind them? As detailed in yesterday's Part I of my Western Conference Preview, there really doesn't seem to be an obvious threat among the lottery teams from the last year that can contend for this year's playoffs. The only real trade out is the Suns benefiting from the Rockets injury woes and taking their spot. Some team from the Clippers/Warriors/Thunder/Rockets group could mount a surprising challenge but I don't seem them sustaining it. Therefore, I present Part II of the West Preview and how I see these 8 teams finishing it up.
8. Phoenix Suns
As I said already, the Suns may be the biggest beneficiaries of Yao Ming's lost season. After finishing 9th in an 8-horse race last year (albeit with 46 wins), they've recommitted to the run-and-gun style of the D'Antoni days, jettisoning Shaq in the offseason for what amounted to a few million bucks in salary relief. Amare is back from the freak eye injury that cost him the end of last season, just as the Suns were rounding into 140-points-is-possible form. So I expect Alvin Gentry to let the team run, run, run and then run some more. However, if this team does falter out of the gate, or looks like it could be passed in the playoff chase again, the talk about shopping free agent-to-be Stoudemire will surpass last season's elevated levels.
7. Dallas Mavericks
Another offseason spent getting older. The Mavericks acquired Shawn Marion (presumably hoping the Phoenix-version of the Matrix is still in there somewhere), but also got played by the Orlando Magic and let Brandon Bass leave thinking they would get Marcin Gortat on an offer sheet. When the Magic matched, the Mavs were left without either. Drew Gooden is a solid add in their place but is a downgrade and while they added some nice pieces in Quinton Ross, Kirk Humphries, and Richie Beaubouis, they are not guys you expect a lot from. The main core of Dirk, Kidd, Terry, and Howard is aging quickly and I just don't see the acquisition of Marion doing enough to vault them into the upper crust of the competitive West.
6. Utah Jazz
The Jazz knew going into the offseason that it could be one of major change for them. Carlos Boozer was expected to opt out of his contract (as was Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver) and Paul Millsap's restricted free agency could mean he'd be getting a big offer sheet elsewhere that the Jazz would have to contemplate matching. In the end, Millsap got his offer sheet (a front-loaded 4-year, $32 million offer from Portland) and the Jazz matched, while all 3 potential opt-outs declined the opportunity to become free agents and returned. Coupled with Deron Williams' max contract extension kicking in this season, this puts the Jazz nearly $14 million over the luxury tax line but without significant improvement over last year's squad. Sure, they still have a talented nucleus, but this team struggled down the stretch right as it got healthy and they were an easy out in the first round. The Jazz can hope for a more consistent effort this year, but that won't be easy given the fact that they are already shopping their All-Star PF in Boozer, just to try and cut the $24 million investment ($12M in salary, plus $12M in luxury tax).
#5 New Orleans Hornets
Yes, the Hornets look like they should get the better end of the Emeka Okafor-for-Tyson Chandler trade. Okafor's upside in comparison to Chandler is that he can actually produce offensively when given the ball in the low post and does not need to rely on strictly dumpoffs and alley-oops to score. However, this move alone isn't likely to make a large impact in terms of wins and losses for the Hornets, and there is little sense in believing anything else they did this summer will either. CP3 will take this team as far as he can, and with him at the helm, they will be a tough opponent, but the lack of quality depth and little production from Mo-Pete and Peja would spell another season in the middle of the pack for the Hornets.
#4 Denver Nuggets
Bill Simmons pointed out in his season preview that George Karl doesn't have a particularly comforting record in seasons coming off big successes. Whether this holds true in Denver goes beyond GK, but the early signs are a mixed bag. On one hand, Carmelo seems like he has really made the jump to star status and Chauncey Billups is the perfect leader for that team. On the other hand, everything seemed to go right last season, including the team staying relatively healthy (surprising on a team including Kenyon Martin and Nene) and the surprising impact of Chris "Birdman" Andersen. But financial concerns prevented the Nuggets from getting involved in free agency. Linas Kleiza signed in Europe, but they Nuggets will try to replace his bench production with Arron Afflalo and James White. I'm a big fan of their move in trading a future 1st rounder for the rights to PG Ty Lawson. I loved Lawson at UNC and thought he was a logical pick for them, even if he had come out a year sooner. I got to see him in a couple preseason games and he looks like the right contrast to Billups more methodical game and should provide a nice spark to their second unit.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers
The ceiling for the Blazers just keeps rising. Already armed with a roster full of young, talented players, the Blazers also were one of the few teams with a chunk of cap space last offseason. Surprisingly, they had some difficulty spending it. After Hedo Turkoglu came to a verbal agreement on a big contract, he came back a day later and said he was signing with the Raptors (in the end, I think better for the Blazers considering how Turkoglu thrived in Orlando with the ball in his hands, something Brandon Roy does in Portland). They signed Paul Millsap to the offer sheet referenced earlier, only to have the Jazz step up and match it. After a last-second attempt to pry Lamar Odom from LA, they settled on Andre Miller. Miller is another "ball in his hands" player, but the fact that the Blazers may bring him off the bench (and his willingness, at least publicly, to do so) should help. Steve Blake is the pass-first distributor the starters need, while Miller can run what will be a very talented second unit along with Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, and Joel Pryzbilla. After a disappointing first round exit last year, I think another season of maturing and expectations will help the Blazers grow into their role as a real title contender. At this point, given their recent tormenting of the Lakers, I think LA would rather see San Antonio in the WCF than the Blazers.
#2 San Antonio Spurs
I still think the Spurs had the best offseason of any team in the West, maybe even the NBA. This is a team that, for a few years now, has heard the talk of getting too old and seeing their championship window with Tim Duncan closing. After making some nice moves to get Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill last offseason, the Spurs upgraded their roster with Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and DeJuan Blair. The trade for Jefferson was an important move for the franchise as they cemented themselves as being a luxury tax payer with it, trading mostly useless pieces for a talented wing player. Jefferson provides them with a valuable scoring option, one that will provide a huge insurance policy should Manu Ginobili go down again. He's still very athletic, a good defender, and an overlooked shooter (important considering how many open looks teams were willing to give Bruce Bower over the years as the Spurs' starting SF). McDyess provides San Antonio with another big man that is capable enough to keep the opposing teams 2nd big occupied and unable to freely double or triple Duncan on the block. Blair was a steal in the second round and given the Spurs commitment to low maintenance players with a blue-collar work ethic, Blair fits right in. He's a seasoned college player who should be able to provide value in the Spurs second unit right away.
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
Ah yes, the Champs. What do you do when you win 67 games and the NBA title? Well if you're answer was to bring in Ron Artest, then you are the LA Lakers. Outside of Artest, nothing changed. In fact, Artest was the only player sitting out last night's ring ceremony as the other 14 guys on the roster were there a season ago. The only difference is the de facto trade of Artest for Trevor Ariza. I, for one (of the few), approved of the move in the end. Artest is certifiably crazy, but I think that he is starting off his time in LA on his absolute best behavior. The guy may be an idiot at times, but I wouldn't call him stupid. This is the high point of his career and he knows he can't screw it up. He's going to be Kobe's enforcer and Phil's dog. He will attach the other team's best player on D and notbe relied on to make too many offensive plays. In the end, Ron Artest gives the Lakers a better chance at winning a title in the next 3 years than Trevor Ariza does. Ariza is the better long-term solution, but for a team set up to win now and in the next few years, I think Artest is a better play, providing he stays in line. But I think playing for an NBA Championship or three is enough to do just that. Outside of the Artest debate, the Lakers eventually got an important part of last year's puzzle back in Lamar Odom, and you can pretty much write what you expect to get from Bryant and Pau Gasol in permanent ink. If Andrew Bynum can avoid a third straight season of knee injuries and play like he has in the preseason and last night's season opener (26 points, 13 rebounds), then the Lakers will host a repeat parade in downtown LA.
8. Phoenix Suns
As I said already, the Suns may be the biggest beneficiaries of Yao Ming's lost season. After finishing 9th in an 8-horse race last year (albeit with 46 wins), they've recommitted to the run-and-gun style of the D'Antoni days, jettisoning Shaq in the offseason for what amounted to a few million bucks in salary relief. Amare is back from the freak eye injury that cost him the end of last season, just as the Suns were rounding into 140-points-is-possible form. So I expect Alvin Gentry to let the team run, run, run and then run some more. However, if this team does falter out of the gate, or looks like it could be passed in the playoff chase again, the talk about shopping free agent-to-be Stoudemire will surpass last season's elevated levels.
7. Dallas Mavericks
Another offseason spent getting older. The Mavericks acquired Shawn Marion (presumably hoping the Phoenix-version of the Matrix is still in there somewhere), but also got played by the Orlando Magic and let Brandon Bass leave thinking they would get Marcin Gortat on an offer sheet. When the Magic matched, the Mavs were left without either. Drew Gooden is a solid add in their place but is a downgrade and while they added some nice pieces in Quinton Ross, Kirk Humphries, and Richie Beaubouis, they are not guys you expect a lot from. The main core of Dirk, Kidd, Terry, and Howard is aging quickly and I just don't see the acquisition of Marion doing enough to vault them into the upper crust of the competitive West.
6. Utah Jazz
The Jazz knew going into the offseason that it could be one of major change for them. Carlos Boozer was expected to opt out of his contract (as was Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver) and Paul Millsap's restricted free agency could mean he'd be getting a big offer sheet elsewhere that the Jazz would have to contemplate matching. In the end, Millsap got his offer sheet (a front-loaded 4-year, $32 million offer from Portland) and the Jazz matched, while all 3 potential opt-outs declined the opportunity to become free agents and returned. Coupled with Deron Williams' max contract extension kicking in this season, this puts the Jazz nearly $14 million over the luxury tax line but without significant improvement over last year's squad. Sure, they still have a talented nucleus, but this team struggled down the stretch right as it got healthy and they were an easy out in the first round. The Jazz can hope for a more consistent effort this year, but that won't be easy given the fact that they are already shopping their All-Star PF in Boozer, just to try and cut the $24 million investment ($12M in salary, plus $12M in luxury tax).
#5 New Orleans Hornets
Yes, the Hornets look like they should get the better end of the Emeka Okafor-for-Tyson Chandler trade. Okafor's upside in comparison to Chandler is that he can actually produce offensively when given the ball in the low post and does not need to rely on strictly dumpoffs and alley-oops to score. However, this move alone isn't likely to make a large impact in terms of wins and losses for the Hornets, and there is little sense in believing anything else they did this summer will either. CP3 will take this team as far as he can, and with him at the helm, they will be a tough opponent, but the lack of quality depth and little production from Mo-Pete and Peja would spell another season in the middle of the pack for the Hornets.
#4 Denver Nuggets
Bill Simmons pointed out in his season preview that George Karl doesn't have a particularly comforting record in seasons coming off big successes. Whether this holds true in Denver goes beyond GK, but the early signs are a mixed bag. On one hand, Carmelo seems like he has really made the jump to star status and Chauncey Billups is the perfect leader for that team. On the other hand, everything seemed to go right last season, including the team staying relatively healthy (surprising on a team including Kenyon Martin and Nene) and the surprising impact of Chris "Birdman" Andersen. But financial concerns prevented the Nuggets from getting involved in free agency. Linas Kleiza signed in Europe, but they Nuggets will try to replace his bench production with Arron Afflalo and James White. I'm a big fan of their move in trading a future 1st rounder for the rights to PG Ty Lawson. I loved Lawson at UNC and thought he was a logical pick for them, even if he had come out a year sooner. I got to see him in a couple preseason games and he looks like the right contrast to Billups more methodical game and should provide a nice spark to their second unit.
#3 Portland Trail Blazers
The ceiling for the Blazers just keeps rising. Already armed with a roster full of young, talented players, the Blazers also were one of the few teams with a chunk of cap space last offseason. Surprisingly, they had some difficulty spending it. After Hedo Turkoglu came to a verbal agreement on a big contract, he came back a day later and said he was signing with the Raptors (in the end, I think better for the Blazers considering how Turkoglu thrived in Orlando with the ball in his hands, something Brandon Roy does in Portland). They signed Paul Millsap to the offer sheet referenced earlier, only to have the Jazz step up and match it. After a last-second attempt to pry Lamar Odom from LA, they settled on Andre Miller. Miller is another "ball in his hands" player, but the fact that the Blazers may bring him off the bench (and his willingness, at least publicly, to do so) should help. Steve Blake is the pass-first distributor the starters need, while Miller can run what will be a very talented second unit along with Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, and Joel Pryzbilla. After a disappointing first round exit last year, I think another season of maturing and expectations will help the Blazers grow into their role as a real title contender. At this point, given their recent tormenting of the Lakers, I think LA would rather see San Antonio in the WCF than the Blazers.
#2 San Antonio Spurs
I still think the Spurs had the best offseason of any team in the West, maybe even the NBA. This is a team that, for a few years now, has heard the talk of getting too old and seeing their championship window with Tim Duncan closing. After making some nice moves to get Roger Mason Jr. and George Hill last offseason, the Spurs upgraded their roster with Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess, and DeJuan Blair. The trade for Jefferson was an important move for the franchise as they cemented themselves as being a luxury tax payer with it, trading mostly useless pieces for a talented wing player. Jefferson provides them with a valuable scoring option, one that will provide a huge insurance policy should Manu Ginobili go down again. He's still very athletic, a good defender, and an overlooked shooter (important considering how many open looks teams were willing to give Bruce Bower over the years as the Spurs' starting SF). McDyess provides San Antonio with another big man that is capable enough to keep the opposing teams 2nd big occupied and unable to freely double or triple Duncan on the block. Blair was a steal in the second round and given the Spurs commitment to low maintenance players with a blue-collar work ethic, Blair fits right in. He's a seasoned college player who should be able to provide value in the Spurs second unit right away.
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
Ah yes, the Champs. What do you do when you win 67 games and the NBA title? Well if you're answer was to bring in Ron Artest, then you are the LA Lakers. Outside of Artest, nothing changed. In fact, Artest was the only player sitting out last night's ring ceremony as the other 14 guys on the roster were there a season ago. The only difference is the de facto trade of Artest for Trevor Ariza. I, for one (of the few), approved of the move in the end. Artest is certifiably crazy, but I think that he is starting off his time in LA on his absolute best behavior. The guy may be an idiot at times, but I wouldn't call him stupid. This is the high point of his career and he knows he can't screw it up. He's going to be Kobe's enforcer and Phil's dog. He will attach the other team's best player on D and notbe relied on to make too many offensive plays. In the end, Ron Artest gives the Lakers a better chance at winning a title in the next 3 years than Trevor Ariza does. Ariza is the better long-term solution, but for a team set up to win now and in the next few years, I think Artest is a better play, providing he stays in line. But I think playing for an NBA Championship or three is enough to do just that. Outside of the Artest debate, the Lakers eventually got an important part of last year's puzzle back in Lamar Odom, and you can pretty much write what you expect to get from Bryant and Pau Gasol in permanent ink. If Andrew Bynum can avoid a third straight season of knee injuries and play like he has in the preseason and last night's season opener (26 points, 13 rebounds), then the Lakers will host a repeat parade in downtown LA.
Monday, October 26, 2009
2009-10 West Preview: Part I
Last week, I gave you Part I and Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. This week, we move on to the West. The lower third of the West will have some real, honest-to-God cellar dwellers before we move into the 9-10 teams that could conceivably crack the playoffs.
15. Sacramento Kings
With all apologies to my man, the Big CM, the Kings are not going to be very good this year. Early returns are good on rookie Tyreke Evans, considered to be the top threat to the Blake Griffin Rookie of the Year campaign (editor's note: Now the ROY favorite if Blake Griffin is going to miss the first quarter of the season). Fellow rook Omri Casspi is showing the grit and skill that made him the first Israeli-born player to be drafted into the NBA. Other than that, not a whole lot to be excited about on this roster and it will be interesting to see how new coach Paul Westphal can coax more than the 17 wins the team had last year out of this group.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Wallace, really? You give away Pau Gasol two years ago "to save money" and then acquire Zach Randolph and his equally expensive contract? Oh sure, he'll put up his fair share of 20-10 lines, but he's also just as likely to punch a teammate or eat his way to the bench. Top it off by bringing in Allen Iverson on a one-year, I've gotta show I still got it, deal and you've got the makings of disaster. Keep in mind this team had enough trouble sharing the ball last year with gunners Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo, and now you add in those two. It's like the 2003-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Malone, and Payton....except with like 1/8th the talent and skill. At the very least the offensive shortcomings of #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet should go unnoticed since he will probably never get the chance to shoot.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trading two of your better players (Mike Miller and Randy Foye) for the rights to a guy playing the next few years in Spain does little to help the T'Wolves outlook for this season. But they seem OK with that reality. This is a team that is starting to accrue some good young talent. They get Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer back from injury, Kevin Love (though hurt) had a promising rookie season, Johnny Flynn has the ability to be a dynamic guard, and they made a very underrated move in signing Ramon Sessions to a very reasonable (in NBA starting PG terms) 4-year, $16 million deal. That said, this is a step in the right direction as they try to get out from the weight of the Kevin McHale era, but this team is still a few years away.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
I was poised to make the Clippers a dark-horse playoff contender until news broke about Blake Griffin's broken kneecap (cue the ominous, cursed Clipper talk). This team still has some really talented players but it was really looking to Griffin to be the glue to their puzzle. With him projected to miss 6 weeks (and about 20 games looking at their schedule), that's a sizeable chunk of his rookie season and it may be enough to cost the Clippers the shot of making a run at the #8 spot. However, I think the Clips are heading in the right direction, and with another high draft pick and a load of cap space next offseason (thanks to the aforementioned dumbass Chris Wallace and his taking of Zach Randolph's contract), the "other" LA could be an enticing option for some of the prized free agents of the 2010 class.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
I personally love this quote from the LA Times basketball preview: "If this were a 25-and-under league, you'd have to love their chances." Alas, it is not, but you can't ignore the fact that the Thunder aren't just heading in the right direction, they're writing the book on how to get there. The team has a bevy of young talent, including MVP-in-waiting Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. They added James Harden to the group, along with a couple of down-the-road rookies that could provide returns in a few years (BJ Mullens, Serge Ibaka). They did what most NBA teams can't help but do and waited on spending their mountains of cap space on an underwhelming free agent class. They head into next season armed with two 1st round picks that could be in the lottery (their own and Phoenix's), plus a high #2 (from Minnesota) and could bring in one of the free agents in next year's bonanza. This team is going to be scary good in two years. As for this year, look for them to still be going through some growing pains and the lack of a reliable inside scoring game to hamper their offense when shots aren't falling. Their young guns are good enough to win them a fair share of games, but this is not the year of OKC (yet). I do have one reservation about this prediction: If KD does make another quantum leap in production (and many say he still has that room for growth), then all bets are off.
10. Golden State Warriors
Ever since famously upsetting the Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs, the Warriors have had a team that, on paper, should be a playoff contender. But little of that playoff magic has managed to carry over and this team always seems to be in flux. This year is no different with the (former) Captain Jack requesting a trade in preseason (after being banished to the locker room by Don Nelson during a game). They have an immensely talented youngin' in Anthony Randolph, but the question is will he get PT. They added another undersized combo guard in Stephen Curry who excels on offense but offers little on D, which isn't bad until you realize his likely backcourt mate is the similar Monta Ellis. As has been the formula for the Warriors and most Don Nelson teams, they will score their points, but will also give them up in astonishing amounts. If things were to break the right way, this team could shoot its way back into the playoff talk, but I see them spending another year in ho-hum land, which is really a travesty since playoff basketball in Oakland is really something to appreciate.
9. Houston Rockets
No Yao Ming, a giant question mark regarding what Tracy McGrady will provide this season, and one player on a 15-man roster listed as taller than 6-9. Sure, this plucky bunch took the Lakers to 7 games last year but I really don't see that carrying over to an 82-game regular season. I as much as anyone love Trevor Ariza, but I do recognize that he is much better as a complimentary player than how I think he will fare in a more prominent role in Houston. That said, he's a good piece for the Rockets if he either develops a reliable offensive game or they get a healthy Yao/T-Mac combo back. Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks are going to be asked to carry a lot of offensive burden this season and that is a lot to ask for. We know the Rockets will defend and play hard to the final whistle, but I think they've just been dealt a bad hand for this season and will struggle to overcome that, hard as they might try.
15. Sacramento Kings
With all apologies to my man, the Big CM, the Kings are not going to be very good this year. Early returns are good on rookie Tyreke Evans, considered to be the top threat to the Blake Griffin Rookie of the Year campaign (editor's note: Now the ROY favorite if Blake Griffin is going to miss the first quarter of the season). Fellow rook Omri Casspi is showing the grit and skill that made him the first Israeli-born player to be drafted into the NBA. Other than that, not a whole lot to be excited about on this roster and it will be interesting to see how new coach Paul Westphal can coax more than the 17 wins the team had last year out of this group.
14. Memphis Grizzlies
Chris Wallace, really? You give away Pau Gasol two years ago "to save money" and then acquire Zach Randolph and his equally expensive contract? Oh sure, he'll put up his fair share of 20-10 lines, but he's also just as likely to punch a teammate or eat his way to the bench. Top it off by bringing in Allen Iverson on a one-year, I've gotta show I still got it, deal and you've got the makings of disaster. Keep in mind this team had enough trouble sharing the ball last year with gunners Rudy Gay and OJ Mayo, and now you add in those two. It's like the 2003-04 Lakers with Kobe, Shaq, Malone, and Payton....except with like 1/8th the talent and skill. At the very least the offensive shortcomings of #2 pick Hasheem Thabeet should go unnoticed since he will probably never get the chance to shoot.
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
Trading two of your better players (Mike Miller and Randy Foye) for the rights to a guy playing the next few years in Spain does little to help the T'Wolves outlook for this season. But they seem OK with that reality. This is a team that is starting to accrue some good young talent. They get Al Jefferson and Corey Brewer back from injury, Kevin Love (though hurt) had a promising rookie season, Johnny Flynn has the ability to be a dynamic guard, and they made a very underrated move in signing Ramon Sessions to a very reasonable (in NBA starting PG terms) 4-year, $16 million deal. That said, this is a step in the right direction as they try to get out from the weight of the Kevin McHale era, but this team is still a few years away.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
I was poised to make the Clippers a dark-horse playoff contender until news broke about Blake Griffin's broken kneecap (cue the ominous, cursed Clipper talk). This team still has some really talented players but it was really looking to Griffin to be the glue to their puzzle. With him projected to miss 6 weeks (and about 20 games looking at their schedule), that's a sizeable chunk of his rookie season and it may be enough to cost the Clippers the shot of making a run at the #8 spot. However, I think the Clips are heading in the right direction, and with another high draft pick and a load of cap space next offseason (thanks to the aforementioned dumbass Chris Wallace and his taking of Zach Randolph's contract), the "other" LA could be an enticing option for some of the prized free agents of the 2010 class.
11. Oklahoma City Thunder
I personally love this quote from the LA Times basketball preview: "If this were a 25-and-under league, you'd have to love their chances." Alas, it is not, but you can't ignore the fact that the Thunder aren't just heading in the right direction, they're writing the book on how to get there. The team has a bevy of young talent, including MVP-in-waiting Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green. They added James Harden to the group, along with a couple of down-the-road rookies that could provide returns in a few years (BJ Mullens, Serge Ibaka). They did what most NBA teams can't help but do and waited on spending their mountains of cap space on an underwhelming free agent class. They head into next season armed with two 1st round picks that could be in the lottery (their own and Phoenix's), plus a high #2 (from Minnesota) and could bring in one of the free agents in next year's bonanza. This team is going to be scary good in two years. As for this year, look for them to still be going through some growing pains and the lack of a reliable inside scoring game to hamper their offense when shots aren't falling. Their young guns are good enough to win them a fair share of games, but this is not the year of OKC (yet). I do have one reservation about this prediction: If KD does make another quantum leap in production (and many say he still has that room for growth), then all bets are off.
10. Golden State Warriors
Ever since famously upsetting the Mavericks in the 2007 playoffs, the Warriors have had a team that, on paper, should be a playoff contender. But little of that playoff magic has managed to carry over and this team always seems to be in flux. This year is no different with the (former) Captain Jack requesting a trade in preseason (after being banished to the locker room by Don Nelson during a game). They have an immensely talented youngin' in Anthony Randolph, but the question is will he get PT. They added another undersized combo guard in Stephen Curry who excels on offense but offers little on D, which isn't bad until you realize his likely backcourt mate is the similar Monta Ellis. As has been the formula for the Warriors and most Don Nelson teams, they will score their points, but will also give them up in astonishing amounts. If things were to break the right way, this team could shoot its way back into the playoff talk, but I see them spending another year in ho-hum land, which is really a travesty since playoff basketball in Oakland is really something to appreciate.
9. Houston Rockets
No Yao Ming, a giant question mark regarding what Tracy McGrady will provide this season, and one player on a 15-man roster listed as taller than 6-9. Sure, this plucky bunch took the Lakers to 7 games last year but I really don't see that carrying over to an 82-game regular season. I as much as anyone love Trevor Ariza, but I do recognize that he is much better as a complimentary player than how I think he will fare in a more prominent role in Houston. That said, he's a good piece for the Rockets if he either develops a reliable offensive game or they get a healthy Yao/T-Mac combo back. Luis Scola and Aaron Brooks are going to be asked to carry a lot of offensive burden this season and that is a lot to ask for. We know the Rockets will defend and play hard to the final whistle, but I think they've just been dealt a bad hand for this season and will struggle to overcome that, hard as they might try.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
2009-10 East Preview: Part II
In 2008, while everyone knew the Celtics were the champs and the Cavs were the competition, no one really took the Orlando Magic seriously. Not after getting off to a fast start and not after cruising to a Southeast Division title with a cool 59 wins, or even after posting an 8-3 record against the Lakers, Celtics, Cavs, and Spurs. But we all know how that turned out. This season? Not so much. Each of the East's big three have made significant alterations to their roster in an effort to outdo the others. Who does that mean will be coming out on top? Read on to find out...
8. Toronto Raptors
Last season saw the Raptors fail to live up on heightened expectations of a season ago. The offseason saw them bring in an aging, defensively-challenged, Euro-styler in Hedo Turkoglu. Nevermind the signs of regression that Turkoglu showed last season in Orlando, but is he really the piece that's going to keep Chris Bosh around? I doubt it. On paper, the Raptors have enough talent to cobble together about 40-43 wins, squeak into the playoffs in the lower half and be cannon fodder for one of the East's bigwigs in the first round.
7. Miami Heat
The Heat were a feel good story last year, rebounding from 15 wins to the 5th seed in the East. But they basically stood still in the offseason, sitting out free agency due to their salary obligations as a luxury tax team. The result is that virtually no depth was added to an already thinning roster while they watched an underrated Jamario Moon skip off to Cleveland on a relatively reasonable offer sheet because they couldn't match it. Outside of D-Wade, are they really ready to rely on Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley. Let's just say they need two things from last season to happen again: Wade plays like an MVP, and does so for 75+ games.
6. Washington Wizards
A year ago, even if they had a healthy Gilbert Arenas, I would have docked them a couple spots after the news that Antawn Jamison will be missing the season's first month (or more) with a shoulder injury. However, in addition to getting Arenas back (and supposedly healthy), the Wiz also have some much-needed depth for the first time, courtesy of their draft-night trade with Minnesota. In that deal, the Wizards picked up some talented, albeit unspectacular, pieces in Mike Miller and Randy Foye in exchange for the pick that wound up being used on Ricky Rubio, whom you might have heard, is playing at least the next two seasons in Spain. In either case, I see the Wizards returning to the playoffs under Flip Saunders.
5. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls showed a lot in last year's playoffs, taking the Celtics to 7 games in that memorable first round series. While that's cause for optimism in Chicago, don't expect them to make a serious run at the East title just yet. The Bulls have Derrick Rose, yes, but they will also be trying to replace Ben Gordon's off-the-bench production, trying to reincorporate Luol Deng, and hoping that either Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas find some consistency and reliability down low. Jannero Pargo should provide some of the spark Gordon did, but the Bulls still lack much of an inside presence. That said, they are primed to be a player in the 2010 free agent bonanza (more for Wade or Bosh than LeBron) so this team could be in a good spot for years to come.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are stuck in a middle ground that no other East team is. They're a playoff lock much more so than the teams 5-9 in this preview, but a far cry from bring considering in the class of the BOS/CLE/ORL triumvirate. They have solid talent, but were OK letting Josh Smith shop around for an offer sheet this offseason, and content at bringing Bibby back. But beyond those moves, where is there opportunity to improve? Johnson, Horford, Williams, and those 2 make a solid starting 5, but it lacks a verifiable star. They added some depth in trading for Jamal Crawford and drafting Jeff Teague, and I see them locking up first-round home court advantage again, but I don't see them posing a real threat at cracking the top 3. The future will be interesting considering the money they've shelled out to keep this current group intact.
3. Orlando Magic
I, for one, believe the Magic got better in the offseason. Trading for Vince Carter is a risk, but a justifiable one in my opinion. They added some depth in Brandon Bass and resigning Marcin Gortat. So why are they still third? Because I believe the moves made by Cleveland and Boston surpassed Orlando, rather than Orlando regressing behind those two. Orlando needs a lot of shots to fall to be competitive and while they got enough last year, its a lot to ask for again. They'll be good, but will they survive another playoffs going through both Boston and Cleveland? My guess is no. Like I said at the top, no one was really ready to take them seriously last year until all of a sudden they had the Cavs on the brink of elimination. That won't happen this year.
2. Boston Celtics
So without KG, this team still took the eventual East champs to 7 games, retained most of its core, brought in the type of rangy big-man needed to counter Rashard Lewis and the Orlando perimeter game, and should be getting Garnett back at near full-strength. Sounds like a pretty good start to the season for Boston. But all of it will come back to KG's knees. Will they hold up through 82 games and the playoffs? Will he have the same effect on defense that allows the Boston perimeter guys to play right up on their marks? These are justifiable questions when a guy like KG has logged so many high-impact games and minutes on his knees. If he is close to the same player and stays healthy, I like their chances of making another trip to the Finals. If not, well the Big 3 in the East just became 2.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, I question the Shaq trade. Will he fit in? WIll he accept his role as LBJ's sidekick? Is Ilgauskas a better player for their offense? I really think Shaq will be more of a bit player than many people think this year. And he's going to have to accept that or face another tumultous departure (which would make 5 in his career). This is LeBron's team and they will play LeBron's game. Plus, it's not like Mike Brown really has much of an offensive gameplan that is ready to incorporate an aging, on the block center. But I still like Cleveland in the East because of their ancillary moves (and Shaq is in that category. He's not a high-impact player. He was brought in to try and combat Dwight Howard). I think Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Leon Powe could mean as much to this team as Shaq does. I think it provides them with enough depth to play big or small and counter whatever looks the Celtics and/or Magic throw their way. And in the end, LeBron still wants to bring a title to Cleveland, even if at the very least it means he fulfilled that goal if he does indeed decide to move on next summer.
Next week....the Western Conference.
8. Toronto Raptors
Last season saw the Raptors fail to live up on heightened expectations of a season ago. The offseason saw them bring in an aging, defensively-challenged, Euro-styler in Hedo Turkoglu. Nevermind the signs of regression that Turkoglu showed last season in Orlando, but is he really the piece that's going to keep Chris Bosh around? I doubt it. On paper, the Raptors have enough talent to cobble together about 40-43 wins, squeak into the playoffs in the lower half and be cannon fodder for one of the East's bigwigs in the first round.
7. Miami Heat
The Heat were a feel good story last year, rebounding from 15 wins to the 5th seed in the East. But they basically stood still in the offseason, sitting out free agency due to their salary obligations as a luxury tax team. The result is that virtually no depth was added to an already thinning roster while they watched an underrated Jamario Moon skip off to Cleveland on a relatively reasonable offer sheet because they couldn't match it. Outside of D-Wade, are they really ready to rely on Jermaine O'Neal and Michael Beasley. Let's just say they need two things from last season to happen again: Wade plays like an MVP, and does so for 75+ games.
6. Washington Wizards
A year ago, even if they had a healthy Gilbert Arenas, I would have docked them a couple spots after the news that Antawn Jamison will be missing the season's first month (or more) with a shoulder injury. However, in addition to getting Arenas back (and supposedly healthy), the Wiz also have some much-needed depth for the first time, courtesy of their draft-night trade with Minnesota. In that deal, the Wizards picked up some talented, albeit unspectacular, pieces in Mike Miller and Randy Foye in exchange for the pick that wound up being used on Ricky Rubio, whom you might have heard, is playing at least the next two seasons in Spain. In either case, I see the Wizards returning to the playoffs under Flip Saunders.
5. Chicago Bulls
The Bulls showed a lot in last year's playoffs, taking the Celtics to 7 games in that memorable first round series. While that's cause for optimism in Chicago, don't expect them to make a serious run at the East title just yet. The Bulls have Derrick Rose, yes, but they will also be trying to replace Ben Gordon's off-the-bench production, trying to reincorporate Luol Deng, and hoping that either Joakim Noah or Tyrus Thomas find some consistency and reliability down low. Jannero Pargo should provide some of the spark Gordon did, but the Bulls still lack much of an inside presence. That said, they are primed to be a player in the 2010 free agent bonanza (more for Wade or Bosh than LeBron) so this team could be in a good spot for years to come.
4. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks are stuck in a middle ground that no other East team is. They're a playoff lock much more so than the teams 5-9 in this preview, but a far cry from bring considering in the class of the BOS/CLE/ORL triumvirate. They have solid talent, but were OK letting Josh Smith shop around for an offer sheet this offseason, and content at bringing Bibby back. But beyond those moves, where is there opportunity to improve? Johnson, Horford, Williams, and those 2 make a solid starting 5, but it lacks a verifiable star. They added some depth in trading for Jamal Crawford and drafting Jeff Teague, and I see them locking up first-round home court advantage again, but I don't see them posing a real threat at cracking the top 3. The future will be interesting considering the money they've shelled out to keep this current group intact.
3. Orlando Magic
I, for one, believe the Magic got better in the offseason. Trading for Vince Carter is a risk, but a justifiable one in my opinion. They added some depth in Brandon Bass and resigning Marcin Gortat. So why are they still third? Because I believe the moves made by Cleveland and Boston surpassed Orlando, rather than Orlando regressing behind those two. Orlando needs a lot of shots to fall to be competitive and while they got enough last year, its a lot to ask for again. They'll be good, but will they survive another playoffs going through both Boston and Cleveland? My guess is no. Like I said at the top, no one was really ready to take them seriously last year until all of a sudden they had the Cavs on the brink of elimination. That won't happen this year.
2. Boston Celtics
So without KG, this team still took the eventual East champs to 7 games, retained most of its core, brought in the type of rangy big-man needed to counter Rashard Lewis and the Orlando perimeter game, and should be getting Garnett back at near full-strength. Sounds like a pretty good start to the season for Boston. But all of it will come back to KG's knees. Will they hold up through 82 games and the playoffs? Will he have the same effect on defense that allows the Boston perimeter guys to play right up on their marks? These are justifiable questions when a guy like KG has logged so many high-impact games and minutes on his knees. If he is close to the same player and stays healthy, I like their chances of making another trip to the Finals. If not, well the Big 3 in the East just became 2.
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
Yes, I question the Shaq trade. Will he fit in? WIll he accept his role as LBJ's sidekick? Is Ilgauskas a better player for their offense? I really think Shaq will be more of a bit player than many people think this year. And he's going to have to accept that or face another tumultous departure (which would make 5 in his career). This is LeBron's team and they will play LeBron's game. Plus, it's not like Mike Brown really has much of an offensive gameplan that is ready to incorporate an aging, on the block center. But I still like Cleveland in the East because of their ancillary moves (and Shaq is in that category. He's not a high-impact player. He was brought in to try and combat Dwight Howard). I think Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker and Leon Powe could mean as much to this team as Shaq does. I think it provides them with enough depth to play big or small and counter whatever looks the Celtics and/or Magic throw their way. And in the end, LeBron still wants to bring a title to Cleveland, even if at the very least it means he fulfilled that goal if he does indeed decide to move on next summer.
Next week....the Western Conference.
2009-10 East Preview: Part I
Everyone knows who is at the top of the East, and most will agree on who falls in that second tier of playoff hopefuls, but there's virtually no debate at who will be occupying the bottom part of the East standings for the course of the upcoming season...it's just the order that's up for debate and here's my take in Part I of my Eastern Conference Preview...
15. Milwaukee Bucks
So the Bucks let Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions go without getting compensation, then pretty much sold out on the Richard Jefferson trade for some much-needed salary relief. That leaves them with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and a litany of young, unproven kids. They have to figure out if Joe Alexander was worthy of his #8 pick in the last year's draft as well as what Brandon Jennings will bring to the table as a PG. But for the 09-10 season, the Bucks are going to experience some tough times.
14. New Jersey Nets
Not much to be excited about as a Nets fan right now. There in limbo right now, trying to hold out hope of being a player in the LeBron sweepstakes this coming offseason with hopes of being a contender when they move to Brooklyn. For now, Courtney Lee isn't going to score the points (or sell the tickets) that Vince Carter did, but at least they have some young talent in him, Devin Harris, and Brook Lopez. As for now, maybe they can be excited about the pub they are getting from being called the New Jersey Nyets.
13. New York Knicks
Another team that would prefer to just fast forward through the upcoming season to get to what all Knockerbocker fans have been waiting for: the 2010 Free Agent Signing period. Will LBJ head to Gotham? Perhaps. As for this season, look for the team to put up some points but also give up a ton. They brought back Lee and Nate-Rob on 1 year deals, so they will still br trying to get theirs. And if they finally unload Curry, they will probably have to throw in some young talent and receive back some garbage so that could further deplete this team's 09-10 outlook. However, no one will really care if LeBron inks a deal to play in Basketball Mecca next summer.
12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have always had some intriguing talent, but a problem putting it all together. I really don't see that changing this year. Danny Granger is VERY good, but not capable of carrying the load of a playoff run (even in the East) on his shoulders. Getting a healthy Dunleavy back (no guarantee) should help, but there is little difference-making that will come from the rest of their offseason moves.
11. Charlotte Bobcats
What's in store for a team that has yet to make a playoff appearance but managed a franchise record in wins last year? More of the same. Larry Brown teams can defend, but it's scoring the rock that will hold down the Runnin' Jordans this year, a fact not helped by the trade of Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler. When's the last time you saw Chandler contribute offensively on a play not involving a lob from CP3? I doubt DJ Augustin and Ray Felton will provide the same alley-oop ops this year. That said, LB coaching and their reliance on a strong D will help them win a few games and keep them out of the East's cellar, though not by much.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of the hardest teams to peg. Back-to-back trips to the postseason and the return of Elton Brand should be enough to make another playoff trip, right? Well considering that they lost Andre Miller, a vital cog in the running of their offense, they will be searching for a new identity with new coach Eddie Jordan. Jordan should improve their offensive efficiency, but what gameplan will it be? The team struggled after trying to run the offense through Brand in the low post last season, only to take off after Brand separated his shoulder and they reverted to the up-tempo offense from the year before. So which do they play this year? I don't think it matters. Between Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday at the point, this team is going to struggle when Iguodala has to be the initiator on offense. Aside from trading for Jason Kapono, they made no other moves to rectify the fact that this team has little-to-no perimeter scoring. I see struggles and disagreements over the direction in Philly.
9. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were a mess last season and tried to retool on the fly this offseason. Gone are Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace. In comes Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. Problem is, Villanueva and Gordon are remarkably similar (albeit, younger) than the guys they lost, and that wasn't exactly a winning combo last year. Villanueva doesn't provide the team with much in the form of a low-post game, and Gordon is another shoot-first guard to go along with Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton, and all 3 lack the size to allow them to start 3 guards. So it will be interesting to see if new coach John Kuester can figure out a rotation that will keep all 3 happy. Overall, I see the lack of defense and a reliable inside game being enough to keep the Pistons out of the playoffs after squeaking in at #8 last season.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. Next week, I tackle the West.
15. Milwaukee Bucks
So the Bucks let Charlie Villanueva and Ramon Sessions go without getting compensation, then pretty much sold out on the Richard Jefferson trade for some much-needed salary relief. That leaves them with Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut and a litany of young, unproven kids. They have to figure out if Joe Alexander was worthy of his #8 pick in the last year's draft as well as what Brandon Jennings will bring to the table as a PG. But for the 09-10 season, the Bucks are going to experience some tough times.
14. New Jersey Nets
Not much to be excited about as a Nets fan right now. There in limbo right now, trying to hold out hope of being a player in the LeBron sweepstakes this coming offseason with hopes of being a contender when they move to Brooklyn. For now, Courtney Lee isn't going to score the points (or sell the tickets) that Vince Carter did, but at least they have some young talent in him, Devin Harris, and Brook Lopez. As for now, maybe they can be excited about the pub they are getting from being called the New Jersey Nyets.
13. New York Knicks
Another team that would prefer to just fast forward through the upcoming season to get to what all Knockerbocker fans have been waiting for: the 2010 Free Agent Signing period. Will LBJ head to Gotham? Perhaps. As for this season, look for the team to put up some points but also give up a ton. They brought back Lee and Nate-Rob on 1 year deals, so they will still br trying to get theirs. And if they finally unload Curry, they will probably have to throw in some young talent and receive back some garbage so that could further deplete this team's 09-10 outlook. However, no one will really care if LeBron inks a deal to play in Basketball Mecca next summer.
12. Indiana Pacers
The Pacers have always had some intriguing talent, but a problem putting it all together. I really don't see that changing this year. Danny Granger is VERY good, but not capable of carrying the load of a playoff run (even in the East) on his shoulders. Getting a healthy Dunleavy back (no guarantee) should help, but there is little difference-making that will come from the rest of their offseason moves.
11. Charlotte Bobcats
What's in store for a team that has yet to make a playoff appearance but managed a franchise record in wins last year? More of the same. Larry Brown teams can defend, but it's scoring the rock that will hold down the Runnin' Jordans this year, a fact not helped by the trade of Emeka Okafor for Tyson Chandler. When's the last time you saw Chandler contribute offensively on a play not involving a lob from CP3? I doubt DJ Augustin and Ray Felton will provide the same alley-oop ops this year. That said, LB coaching and their reliance on a strong D will help them win a few games and keep them out of the East's cellar, though not by much.
10. Philadelphia 76ers
This is one of the hardest teams to peg. Back-to-back trips to the postseason and the return of Elton Brand should be enough to make another playoff trip, right? Well considering that they lost Andre Miller, a vital cog in the running of their offense, they will be searching for a new identity with new coach Eddie Jordan. Jordan should improve their offensive efficiency, but what gameplan will it be? The team struggled after trying to run the offense through Brand in the low post last season, only to take off after Brand separated his shoulder and they reverted to the up-tempo offense from the year before. So which do they play this year? I don't think it matters. Between Lou Williams and Jrue Holiday at the point, this team is going to struggle when Iguodala has to be the initiator on offense. Aside from trading for Jason Kapono, they made no other moves to rectify the fact that this team has little-to-no perimeter scoring. I see struggles and disagreements over the direction in Philly.
9. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons were a mess last season and tried to retool on the fly this offseason. Gone are Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace. In comes Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon. Problem is, Villanueva and Gordon are remarkably similar (albeit, younger) than the guys they lost, and that wasn't exactly a winning combo last year. Villanueva doesn't provide the team with much in the form of a low-post game, and Gordon is another shoot-first guard to go along with Rodney Stuckey and Rip Hamilton, and all 3 lack the size to allow them to start 3 guards. So it will be interesting to see if new coach John Kuester can figure out a rotation that will keep all 3 happy. Overall, I see the lack of defense and a reliable inside game being enough to keep the Pistons out of the playoffs after squeaking in at #8 last season.
Check back tomorrow for Part II of my Eastern Conference Preview. Next week, I tackle the West.
Blog Reboot
I am hoping to be a little bit better on the blogging front as this season tips off. It has been a crazy hectic summer but hopefully all will right itself as the NBA season gets underway next week.
Upcoming posts will include a preview of the Eastern and Western Conferences and my 2009-2010 NBA predictions.
Stay tuned!
Upcoming posts will include a preview of the Eastern and Western Conferences and my 2009-2010 NBA predictions.
Stay tuned!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Denver Nuggets Season in Review
By Jon Gallagher
Is it possible to have the greatest season in franchise history, and at the same time still have an incredibly disappointing finish? The Denver Nuggets (and I) believe so.
Although the season began on October 29th, the Denver Nuggets season didn't really begin until about ten days later, when they made the blockbuster trade moving Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. They were 1-3 at the time, they went on to set a franchise record with 54 wins, good enough to win the Northwest division and the #2 seed in the West. There are a lot of great story lines for this Nugget team, but the Chauncey Billups homecoming is at the heart of all the action. This team was probably on their way to a quick playoff exit, if not missing the playoffs altogether. Chauncey turned them into a championship contender.
Chauncey is not the only highlight of the Nuggets season. Carmelo Anthony has turned into a bonafide superstar. He's not the best player in the game, but he has staked his claim as one of the best, and is arguably the best pure scorer. He also figured it out on the other end of the floor, with a career high in rebounds as well as learning that it takes a little defense to win championships.
Chris "the Birdman" Andersen established himself as a cult hero here in Denver, coming off the bench to be 2nd in the league in blocked shots and the established crowd electrifier. Nene came back from cancer and finally had an injury free season, establishing himself as one of the better big men in the West. He still hasn't put it all together, but he's proven he's worthy of his big contract. Kenyon Martin also had an injury free season and was incredibly valuable, especially providing toughness on the defensive end. JR Smith made strides coming off the bench as one of the best 6th men in the game and a frighteningly dangerous scorer. Linas Kleiza had a lousy year, but was probably Denver's 3rd best player in the last couple games against the Lakers, showing signs of life. Dahntay Jones came out of D-League hell and established himself as a capable NBA starter who can be a pest on defense and can electrify a crowd with his pure athleticism to throw down a monster dunk.
The Nuggets as a team won their first playoff series since 1994, annihilating the Hornets in 5 games including a 58-point blowout, the biggest home loss in NBA history. They breezed through Dirk's Dallas Mavericks, also in 5, and made it to their first conference finals since 1985 (third ever). They came closer than ever to a finals appearance with two wins in the conference finals. But it still managed to end in some disappointment, the Black Mamba was just too much.
The Nuggets believed they were the more talented team in the conference finals, and top to bottom they probably are. But Kobe has that championship pedigree, and as much as I hate his guts, he knows how to win and how to close a series. This Nuggets team just didn't know how to win like the Lakers did. A Lamar Odom sighting in Games 5 and 6 combined with a terrible performance by Chauncey from the 4th quarter of Game 5 on, and Carmelo Anthony forgetting that defense got them there in game 6 led to the Lakers moving on. It is disappointing because they are physically the superior team to LA, but mentally they just weren't there yet. The Lakers had the fortitude to gut out back to back difficult series to move on. It also hurt that Game 6 was their worst performance in a meaningful game in weeks, maybe months (probably going back to the end of February when they got destroyed by Boston in Denver).
The future is bright in Nuggetland. Every key player should be back. The free agents are the Birdman, Jones, and Anthony Carter. All three want to be back, I'm hoping they dump Anthony Carter's worthless ass, show Birdman some money (definitely worth a couple million), and bring back Dahntay Jones for his defensive tenacity, although on the cheap. If he asks for too much let his go, you can find guys like him all across the D League and Europe. They also have the benefit of having a full off-season and training camp with Chauncey, if Carmelo continues to grow, and JR Smith figures out how to show up with consistency, they should be among the favorites to win it all. Chauncey will be making an 8th consecutive trip to the conference finals next year, and with just a little growth, the Denver Nuggets will be on their way to their first Finals appearance in 2010, where anything is possible.
Is it possible to have the greatest season in franchise history, and at the same time still have an incredibly disappointing finish? The Denver Nuggets (and I) believe so.
Although the season began on October 29th, the Denver Nuggets season didn't really begin until about ten days later, when they made the blockbuster trade moving Allen Iverson for Chauncey Billups. They were 1-3 at the time, they went on to set a franchise record with 54 wins, good enough to win the Northwest division and the #2 seed in the West. There are a lot of great story lines for this Nugget team, but the Chauncey Billups homecoming is at the heart of all the action. This team was probably on their way to a quick playoff exit, if not missing the playoffs altogether. Chauncey turned them into a championship contender.
Chauncey is not the only highlight of the Nuggets season. Carmelo Anthony has turned into a bonafide superstar. He's not the best player in the game, but he has staked his claim as one of the best, and is arguably the best pure scorer. He also figured it out on the other end of the floor, with a career high in rebounds as well as learning that it takes a little defense to win championships.
Chris "the Birdman" Andersen established himself as a cult hero here in Denver, coming off the bench to be 2nd in the league in blocked shots and the established crowd electrifier. Nene came back from cancer and finally had an injury free season, establishing himself as one of the better big men in the West. He still hasn't put it all together, but he's proven he's worthy of his big contract. Kenyon Martin also had an injury free season and was incredibly valuable, especially providing toughness on the defensive end. JR Smith made strides coming off the bench as one of the best 6th men in the game and a frighteningly dangerous scorer. Linas Kleiza had a lousy year, but was probably Denver's 3rd best player in the last couple games against the Lakers, showing signs of life. Dahntay Jones came out of D-League hell and established himself as a capable NBA starter who can be a pest on defense and can electrify a crowd with his pure athleticism to throw down a monster dunk.
The Nuggets as a team won their first playoff series since 1994, annihilating the Hornets in 5 games including a 58-point blowout, the biggest home loss in NBA history. They breezed through Dirk's Dallas Mavericks, also in 5, and made it to their first conference finals since 1985 (third ever). They came closer than ever to a finals appearance with two wins in the conference finals. But it still managed to end in some disappointment, the Black Mamba was just too much.
The Nuggets believed they were the more talented team in the conference finals, and top to bottom they probably are. But Kobe has that championship pedigree, and as much as I hate his guts, he knows how to win and how to close a series. This Nuggets team just didn't know how to win like the Lakers did. A Lamar Odom sighting in Games 5 and 6 combined with a terrible performance by Chauncey from the 4th quarter of Game 5 on, and Carmelo Anthony forgetting that defense got them there in game 6 led to the Lakers moving on. It is disappointing because they are physically the superior team to LA, but mentally they just weren't there yet. The Lakers had the fortitude to gut out back to back difficult series to move on. It also hurt that Game 6 was their worst performance in a meaningful game in weeks, maybe months (probably going back to the end of February when they got destroyed by Boston in Denver).
The future is bright in Nuggetland. Every key player should be back. The free agents are the Birdman, Jones, and Anthony Carter. All three want to be back, I'm hoping they dump Anthony Carter's worthless ass, show Birdman some money (definitely worth a couple million), and bring back Dahntay Jones for his defensive tenacity, although on the cheap. If he asks for too much let his go, you can find guys like him all across the D League and Europe. They also have the benefit of having a full off-season and training camp with Chauncey, if Carmelo continues to grow, and JR Smith figures out how to show up with consistency, they should be among the favorites to win it all. Chauncey will be making an 8th consecutive trip to the conference finals next year, and with just a little growth, the Denver Nuggets will be on their way to their first Finals appearance in 2010, where anything is possible.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Eastern Conference Finals - Game 6 Recap
Cleveland Cavaliers 90
Orlando Magic 103
Orlando Wins Series 4-2
Not this year, Cleveland. A city so desperate for a championship after a 45-year drought will have to wait a little longer. This, of course, is in no way the fault of LeBron James. The King had another stellar performance, but once again, his team was unable to provide him with enough support to overcome another great effort by the Orlando Magic. So instead of the Kobe-LeBron dream Finals everyone thought was inevitable, Kobe's Lakers now get to deal with stopping Superman, Dwight Howard.
The Magic executed a flawless gameplan, going inside to Howard early and often, and he rang up 40 points on the night. When Howard wasn't scoring down low, he was either at the line (where he impressed again, hitting 12-of-16) or drawing double teams that left his shooters open (12 3-pointers). The Magic controlled the boards, outrebounding the Cavs by 13 and managed to stay in control all game. In fact, Cleveland did not lead at any point during the contest. So 14 years after being led to the Finals by a dominant center in Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic are going back on the shoulders of their new dominant big guy.
Cleveland has an interesting offseason ahead of them. Obviously, the focus will again be on giving LeBron James enough of a supporting cast to win it all. Everyone thought that's what they had this season, and this group helped LeBron win MVP and the Cavs to an NBA-best 66-16 record. On top of that, the Cavaliers rolled through the first two series of the playoffs (combined 8-0) before running into a confident Magic team that was playing its best basketball of the playoffs and just presented so many matchup problems for the Cavs. I don't think Cleveland should overreact. They have a good team with good role players that fit, they just didn't play well in this series. I think the Lakers had a lot of criticism about them after the Finals loss to Boston last year, but they didn't overhaul the roster. Granted, it helped to know that they would be getting Andrew Bynum back, but still, they resisted doing anything drastic. I think Cleveland should ignore the inevitable questions of how good the supporting cast is because obviously, it was good enough for 66 wins (plus 10 more in the playoffs), just underperformed at the wrong time.
Coming up on TSG, we will break down the upcoming NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. Stay tuned!
Orlando Magic 103
Orlando Wins Series 4-2
Not this year, Cleveland. A city so desperate for a championship after a 45-year drought will have to wait a little longer. This, of course, is in no way the fault of LeBron James. The King had another stellar performance, but once again, his team was unable to provide him with enough support to overcome another great effort by the Orlando Magic. So instead of the Kobe-LeBron dream Finals everyone thought was inevitable, Kobe's Lakers now get to deal with stopping Superman, Dwight Howard.
The Magic executed a flawless gameplan, going inside to Howard early and often, and he rang up 40 points on the night. When Howard wasn't scoring down low, he was either at the line (where he impressed again, hitting 12-of-16) or drawing double teams that left his shooters open (12 3-pointers). The Magic controlled the boards, outrebounding the Cavs by 13 and managed to stay in control all game. In fact, Cleveland did not lead at any point during the contest. So 14 years after being led to the Finals by a dominant center in Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic are going back on the shoulders of their new dominant big guy.
Cleveland has an interesting offseason ahead of them. Obviously, the focus will again be on giving LeBron James enough of a supporting cast to win it all. Everyone thought that's what they had this season, and this group helped LeBron win MVP and the Cavs to an NBA-best 66-16 record. On top of that, the Cavaliers rolled through the first two series of the playoffs (combined 8-0) before running into a confident Magic team that was playing its best basketball of the playoffs and just presented so many matchup problems for the Cavs. I don't think Cleveland should overreact. They have a good team with good role players that fit, they just didn't play well in this series. I think the Lakers had a lot of criticism about them after the Finals loss to Boston last year, but they didn't overhaul the roster. Granted, it helped to know that they would be getting Andrew Bynum back, but still, they resisted doing anything drastic. I think Cleveland should ignore the inevitable questions of how good the supporting cast is because obviously, it was good enough for 66 wins (plus 10 more in the playoffs), just underperformed at the wrong time.
Coming up on TSG, we will break down the upcoming NBA Finals between the Orlando Magic and the Los Angeles Lakers. Stay tuned!
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