Its just so effortless. Its just so easy.

Wow. NO-LOOK.

Schade nur dass am Ende der Ballverteilungskette “The Jet” war, aber, dass macht den AssistadaWeek nicht schlechter!!

Here we are at the 1 month point in the NBA regular season. This week has been a great one. One thing I have noticed to this point, the good teams are winning, the bad teams are losing. There is a pretty big disparity in the top teams and the bottom teams. I understand trying to get free agents in the off-season coming up and some teams have dumped players in hope of picking up these great players, but do you think they are going to want to go to a team that finishes 20-62? I wouldn’t. I know damn well LeBron doesn’t want to go to the Knicks with the team that they have now.

Performance of the Month

This time, I am looking the best performance of the month. A lot to choose from but its got to go to the YungBuck3 (his Twitter name) Brandon Jennings. He dropped 55 against the Golden State Warriors, which takes away from the performance a little bit because they are not good plain and simple, but still, 55 points is 55 points. Here is a clip of that night when he served the Warriors the speed limit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFBg1LLYC_k

Play of the Week

Here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pawMSgU-E-k&feature=player_embedded

The one bad thing about this weeks play of the week, it didn’t count. Kevin Garnett made a shot from the other team’s foul line after time expired in the 2nd qurter against the Golden State Warriors. This is something we all do every time we go into a basketball gym, chuck up a full court shot and see if we can make it. Most of the time, we don’t. That one lucky time we do make it however, it’s always “OH MY GOD DID YOU SEE THAT!?!?!?!” It’s something very hard to do, and that’s why we get so excited when we make the shot. Garnett made the shot even harder then it usually is. He did a spin move into the shot, and then chucked it one-handed. Most of us shoot it like we would pass a chest-pass, but we just chuck it up. The one-hander is a lot harder than the chest-pass shot. Unfortunately, it was after time had expired. Get’em next time KG.

Stock Up, Stock Down

Let’s start in the eastern Conference and the Orlando Magic. They are on a 5-game winning streak. Two of the wins were quality while the other three were over “cupcake” teams. They took down the Celtics in a 83-78 victory, which was very impressive. Now, the Magic know they not only can contend with the C’s, but can also beat them. They also beat the Raptors which is not a team to sleep on. What I like about this streak is that the Magic are getting it done from every position on the court, not only Dwight Howard. Jameer Nelson dropped 16 one game, Rashard Lewis tracks a double-double the next, Vince Carter leads them with 26 against the Celtics, and sharp-shooter JJ Redick lights it up for 19 the next. If the role players can take some of the pressure off of Superman, there chances of getting back to the title round rises tremendously.

Moving on to stock down, the New Jersey Nets. Need I say more? Like really, 0-13. They are horrible. It’s pathetic that the metropolitan area has a combined 3 wins total. That area is the mecca of basketball in the entire world and yet, they have 3 wins. They really don’t even deserve my time. A few years ago, they were winning rings with JKidd, VC3, and RJ. Now, they are 0-13. You guys don’t even get pictures.

I’ll stop bashing on the NJ Nets and move on to stock up in the west. The Mavs get this weeks stock up. They are on a 5-game winning streak where they beat the Spurs in a 99-94 thriller. Dirk Nowitzki is playing at a MVP lever. When he is on, no one can stop him. There is no one in the league that can match up with a 7-foot shooter. He is the best big man shooter in the history of the league…EVER. If you think there is a better shooter 7-feet and over, please name him. Jason Terry is a great compliment to Dirk. When they get the pick-n-roll working with those two, they are very hard to beat. Shawn Marion was a great pick up for them even though he was injured in the Spurs game and did not play. In the latter-end of the season, this squad will be one to reckon with.

The Timberwolves take stock down in the western conference for the second straight week. I wasn’t sure if it was possible for a team to get this award 2 weeks in a row, but the T-Wolves managed to pull it off. Any team on a 12-game losing streak deserves it. After trading away Garnett, the Wolves have been on a drastic decline. Liek the Nets, the really don’t deserve my time to look for pictures for them. Congrats Timberwolves for the 2nd straight week.

Eastern Conference

The way I see the East taking shape, right now, I only think two teams can contend for the Eastern Conference Championship. The Magic and Celtics are clearly the 2 best teams. However, the Atlanta Hawks are playing great ball right now and you can never count out LeBron. I still can’t put these two teams on the first tier with the Magic and C’s, but we will see how the rest of the season continues to progress. It should be a tight one in the east.

Here are the standings after a month of action:

1. Boston Celtics (10-4) (previously 1st in the East)
2. Orlando Magic (11-3) (previously 2nd in the East)
3. Atlanta Hawks (11-3) (previously in 4th the East)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-4) (previously 3rd in the East)
5. Miami Heat (8-5) (previously 5th in the East)
6. Milwaukee Bucks (8-3) (previously 7th in the East)
7. Chicago Bulls (6-6) (previously 6th in the East)
8. Toronto Raptors (6-8) (previously 8th in the East)
9. Indiana Pacers (5-6) (previously 9th in the East)
10. Philadelphia 76ers (5-8) (previously 10th in the East)
11. Detroit Pistons (5-9) (previously 11th in the East)
12. Charlotte Bobcats (4-9) (previously 12th in the East)
13. Washington Wizards (3-9) (previously 13th in the East)
14. New York Knicks (3-10) (previously 14th in the East)
15. New Jersey Nets (0-13) (previously 15th in the East)

Western Conference

In the West, one thing has stood out to me after this week. No one can beat the Lakers. Did you see how easy everything has been for them with Pau Gasol back in the lineup? This is one of the best front lines of all time. Adding Ron Artest into the lineup gave them something Trevor Ariza did not, another big man. Ron can play both a guard position and a forward position if needed. The Lakers have 5 players that can play in the post, causing so many match-up problems. Pau, Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, Ron Arter, and Kobe can all score from the post. Most teams only have 2 or 3 post players at most. I really don’t think anyone can stand in the Lakers way of a repeat besides injuries.

Standings after 4 weeks of play:

1. Los Angeles Lakers (10-3) (previously 1st in the West)
2. Dallas Mavericks (10-3) (previously 5th in the West)
3. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (previously 2nd in the West)
4. Portland Trailblazers (10-5) (previously 3rd in the West)
5. Denver Nuggets (9-4) (previously 4th in the West)
6. San Antonio Spurs (5-6) (previously 7th in the West)
7. Houston Rockets (8-6) (previously 6th in the West)
8. Utah Jazz (7-6) (previously 8th in the West)
9. New Orleans Hornets (6-9) (previously 12th in the West)
10. Oklahoma City (7-7) (previously 9th in the West)
11. Los Angeles Clippers (5-9) (previously 11th in the West)
12. Sacramento Kings (5-7) (previously 10th in the West)
13. Memphis Grizzlies (4-9) (previously 14th in the West)
14. Golden State Warriors (4-8) (previously 13th in the West)
15. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-12) (previously 15th in the West)

Special thanks to Yahoo! Sports for all of their great photos. Keep an eye out for next week’s updates as well. Thanks for the read and feel free to leave any comments you have.

]]> http://567wait.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/dance-winners-for-baltimores-got-talent/ Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:54:35 +0000 Katie Hopper http://567wait.wordpress.com/2009/11/22/dance-winners-for-baltimores-got-talent/

Everyone who performed last night should be proud.  It was a great show and Baltimore definitely has talent.

But there can be only one winner (for each category that is). Drumroll please…

In the 17 and under category: Jason Kidd, member of the Baltimore Danceattack representing Baltimore Dance Center.

In the 18 and over category:

Joshua Page (J. Beatz) and Jermaine Melvin (Platinum J), also members of the Baltimore Danceattack representing Baltimore Dance Center.
Platinum J and J. Beatz freestyle:

Jason Kidd & J. Beatz:

Congrats guys. I personally have the privilege of dancing with these three.  If you’d like to take class with Platinum or Josh they are also instructors at Baltimore Dance Center.

Or if you are interested in any classes at the studio, booking  or joining Baltimore Danceattack, you can contact the owner/director, Shannon “S Funk” Salemi at 410-574-2444 or mrssfunk@comcast.net.

Watched the Dallas Mavericks and San Antonio Spurs last night on ESPN and was able to catch the end of the Blazers-Pistons game on Fox Detroit live from Portland; this after doing some advance scouting at Lansing Community College (The Stars played the Mott Bears) two tough teams that we have to play against twice this year.

Dirk Nowitzki went off for 41 points last night in leading the Mavs to a 99-94 overtime win. (Dirk dropped 11 of the Mavs 15 points in the extra session)  The one area that caught my eye after reading the boxscore was in 44 minutes of burn, Dirk didn’t record a single assist.  Maybe it was because Jason Terry and Jason Kidd shot a combined 5-25. Upon further review, when you can score like that, who needs to share the ball.  Dirk likes to catch the ball on the high post, face up to the basket and score on his man.  At times he will take the ball to the basket and finish with either hand. I’ve never been a big Nowitzki fan in the past but after watching him the past few nights, I’m starting to warm up to him.  It boggles my mind as to why the Spurs didn’t double team him more often? Make someone else beat you.  If the Mavs only had a decent center, they would make a run at the Western conference championship.

(Courtesy of NBA.Com)

Dallas only turned the ball over five times in the game; as opposed to Richard Jefferson of the Spurs who committed five himself.  Spurs coach Greg Popovich was calling for more ball movement and people movement in the huddle.  That makes sense.  You get the defense moving and possibly breaking down.

Is the Mavs shooting coach on vacation? They shot 3-17 from distance last night. Time to get some extra shots up…

ESPN’s Mark Jackson made a good point during the telecast, ‘You’re the fastest player on the floor, act like it.” Not really sure who is was talking about though.  Speaking of Action Jackson, the former Loughlin Lion CHSAA all-star, seems out of place without his buddy Jeff Van Gundy.

I noticed Monte Mathis behind Mavs bench, clipboard in hand.  Mathis used to be a college assistant and one day we were sitting together at the Nike camp watching high school players go through drills in Indy. While Herb Livsey (NBA scout and basketball trainer) was lecturing the kids on footwork, Monte was a bit too loud for Herb, who proceeded to yell at us…Sorry Herb.

This has nothing to do with the game but why must ESPN show Mark Cuban after every single play? Does he really make a difference? He’s got some entourage huh? Does he get his t-shirts at baby Gap?

Brandon Roy had a great comment last night after Portland’s win over Detroit.  He was asked about his team, “Our defense is better, we’re making the effort on defense.”

Interesting question asked during Pistons telecast on Fox last night during game about Blazers center Greg Oden’s future. 12% of Pistons fans said he is going to the Hall of Fame. Huh?

Pistons assistant coach Darryl Walker was a good defensive player in his day-Quick hands, got down in a stance and was a tough son-of-a-bitch. Did you know he was one of Hubie Brown’s favorite players in New York when Hubie was the coach?

Memo to NBA Marketing people; If there happen to be open seats courtside, and by half-time those ‘rich’ folks have not arrived, teams should send their interns up (or even Dance squads) top and bring down the real fans to fill them at half-time. Can you imagine how a father of two kids would feel sitting way up top in the nose bleed seats to be asked to come down to courtside and get a close up look of their favorite players? Which takes me back to the 80’s when I would buy a ticket at Madison Square Garden to see the Knicks for $4 only to sneak way down to courtside and listen to Hubie Brown coach his team. “POWER RIGHT, POWER RIGHT!”, was the usual call coming from the Knicks bench.

For what it’s worth, Lebron James WOULD make a very good NFL player despite what Jeremy Shockey thinks/says…James has strength, speed and most of all, courage.  If Antonio Gates can be a success in the NFL after playing college basketball, James would be all-pro.

-Coach Finamore

Hoops135@hotmail.com

I’m on Facebook and you can follow me on Twitter: @CoachFinamore

Hoy en mi post me quiero centrar en un chico nacido en Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadalupe, un departamento de Francia en el caribe. Su nombre es Rodrigue Beaubois, tiene 21 años y juega en la posición de base. Fue elegido en el número 25 del draft por los Ocklahoma City Thunder, pero enseguida fue traspasado a los Mavericks donde firmó un contrato de dos años con una ficha de poco más de un millón de dólares anuales.

Beaubois fue descubierto por el jugador de los Orlando Magic, Mickael Pietrus, en un campus de baloncesto celebrado en Guadalupe. Su siguiente paso fue fichar por el Cholet Basket francés, donde jugó dos temporadas promediando 7,5 puntos por partido. Sus números en Francia fueron pobres y tampoco dispuso de muchos minutos, pero fue la experiencia perfecta para madurar como jugador.

En su primera temporada como jugador de la NBA, Beaubois no está contando aún con demasiados minutos, aunque en los dos últimos encuentros ha jugado algo más (15 min. frente a Minnesota y 19 min. frente a Detroit), saliendo como titular en lugar de Jason Terry. Sin embargo, el base francés está demostrando que, cuando le dan minutos, es capaz de aprovechar muy bien las oportunidades (en Detroit se fue a los 14 pts. con 6 de 6 en tiros de dos). Con un perfil muy parecido a Brandon Jennings (salvando las distancias), el oriundo de Guadalupe es capaz de correr con decisión el contraataque, doblando el balón o dejando él mismo la bandeja; su tiro exterior es bueno, aunque debe trabajarlo mucho para convertirse en una referencia desde el perímetro; en defensa no destaca especialmente, pero su envergadura y su rapidez le permiten cortar muchos balones (ayer mismo le robó uno al mismísimo Charlie Villanueva); además, es un experto en el rebote largo, es listo y se coloca bien, y su velocidad le permite terminar la jugada antes de que el rival tenga tiempo de recuperarse.

Rodrigue Beaubois dará que hablar. Aunque contará con pocos minutos esta temporada, ya que teniendo a Jason Terry y Jason Kidd dirigiendo el juego las opciones para un tercer base-escolta se reducen, sus indudables cualidades le darán opciones en el futuro. Es un jugador polivalente y elástico.

The Rockets opened their road trip with a visit to Dallas to take on the Mavericks. Even though it is early in the season, this was a big game in the division and would determine 1st place early on. Both teams sat atop the Southwest Division at 4 – 2 and, more importantly, a win would give the young Rockets momentum and confidence that they have real shot.

Erick Dampier started off the game with a really easy lay-up courtesy of Jason Kidd and a lack of concentration by the Rockets’ defense. That was not a good sign already and Dampier would end up with 14 points and 20 rebounds!

Other than the center position, the Rockets were looking good to get the game going. Aaron Brooks had a sexy lay-up with his left hand, Trevor Ariza powered an “and 1″ over Dampier and Chuck Hayes had a steal that he pushed the ball up the court himself to set Luis Scola up for a lay-up, Shane Battier hit a 3 for the 19th straight game, Brooks came across the lane with a running hook over 3 Mavs and Carl Landry came in with an immediate offensive impact. Brooks finished the 1st quarter with 14points on 5/6 shooting and the Rockets were up 37 – 28. 

It may have been a little closer but Ariza blocked Quinton Ross on a 3 point attempt. Dallas violated the shot clock on that possession but it was the last time Houston would play defense in the game. And the offense would only last another quarter.

Brooks hit a really tough 3 from the corner and Kyle Lowry and Landry continued to run well together, as they have all season. Both teams really started to pick up the pace with about 7:00 to go in the half and David Andersen’s performance was indicative of the entire team. He had 13 points but it took him 12 shots and he played absolutely no defense. The team had 103 points but they shot only 42.7% and gave up 121 points.

Despite Dampier’s height, the game still looked to be in the Rockets’ grasp until Kidd found Dampier for an alley-oop to make it 61 – 49. The Mavs took off after that play and continued to a 12 – 0 run to close the gap to 61 – 57 by the end of the 2nd. The Rockets helped the Mavs out with several turnovers and quick shots over that stretch.   

Landry’s 13 points and Brooks’ 19 points gave Houston cause for optomism in the lockerroom but those 2 guys wouldn’t have the same impact in the 2nd half and nobody else would step up.

Dallas came out with a backdoor lob to Josh Howard that was so easy that Terrence Howard could have scored it. On the next play Dirk Nowitzki went right past Scola and drew the foul. Dirk embarrassed Scola all night and it was obvious that Hayes should have switched and had Scola guard Dampier. Why is Hayes on the floor if he’s not going to guard somebody? He’s worthless if he spends the defensive possession standing next to Dampier while Dirk makes Scola jump all over the court.

To compound the problem, the offense had a few shots rattle in and out and they started hanging their heads and not running back on “D.” The Mavs got a few easy lay-ups and this let them get rolling on offense. Battier was actually part of the problem this time; he missed 4 consecutive shots (that’s consecutive shots for the team, not just 4 of his shots). This quarter was infuriating to watch because Scola was getting crushed but Landry sat on the pine, Battier was struggling while Studinger watched and Brooks didn’t look to take over even though he was on fire in the 1st half. Poor job by Rick Adelman this time around.

JJ Barea knocked in 2 three-pointers near the end of the 3rd to open the lead up to 83 – 74 Mavs. That means it was 28 – 15 for the period; not exactly the 2nd half adjustments we were looking for.      

The entire night was summed by Lowry, Budinger and Ariza on a fast break where Lowry missed the lay-up, Budinger missed the wide open tip-in, Ariza couldn’t control the rebound and Budinger missed another tip try then fouled. (Sorry, I couldn’t find the video).

It happened again later in the 4th when Houston could’ve cut the lead to single digits but Brooks made an awful entry pass to Andersen in the post and Jason Terry ended up with a dunk on the other end. That was about all she wrote and Adelman emptied the bench in disgust. Maybe he should’ve emptied Carl Landry’s seat sooner in the 3rd and the game would’ve been closer.

At least Pops Mensah-Bonsu and Jermaine Taylor got a couple of minutes. Pops goaltended a shot and altered another as a presence in the paint on defense. Adelman has to find time for him when the opposing centers are going for 14 and 20. Taylor drew 3 fouls and knocked in 5/6 from the line. If you have a guy like him who can score, why do you now put him in when the team is struggling to score? And Landry was Player of the Game but only played 25 minutes.    

103 – 121 final score.

Positives:

1. This is tough one. Maybe….well…uh…. Carl Landry was about it.

2. There definitely weren’t 2 good things.

Negatives:

1. Adelman did a pathetic job tonight. Scola shouldn’t have been guarding Dirk. Budinger and Landry should’ve played much more. Pops should’ve gotten a chance against Dampier.   

2. Ariza was a no-show.

Glad There’s a Game Tonight so I Can Forget This One,

Multatuli

			Field Goals				Rebounds
			fgm-a	3pm-a	ftm-a	+/-	off	def	tot	ast	pf	st	to	bs	ba	pts
S. Battier			1-8	1-6	0-0	-24	0	1	1	3	1	1	0	0	1	3
L. Scola			5-11	0-0	2-2	-7	1	3	4	1	3	1	0	0	2	12
C. Hayes			0-2	0-0	0-0	-9	2	2	4	1	0	3	2	0	1	0
T. Ariza			3-10	1-3	2-3	-12	1	4	5	2	1	2	3	1	0	9
A. Brooks			7-15	3-8	5-6	-5	1	1	2	1	1	0	2	0	0	22
C. Landry			7-9	0-0	5-5	-10	1	1	2	0	4	1	0	1	0	19
K. Lowry			5-7	1-1	1-4	-5	1	3	4	5	5	1	5	0	0	12
C. Budinger			1-7	0-3	2-2	-9	2	7	9	3	3	1	0	0	0	4
D. Andersen			5-12	0-2	3-4	-12	2	3	5	0	4	1	1	1	1	13
P. Mensah-Bonsu			1-1	0-0	2-2	+1	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
J. Taylor			0-0	0-0	5-6	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	5
B. Cook			0-0	0-0	0-0	+1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Las 12 pérdidas de balón de Gilbert Arenas anoche suponen un récord negativo tanto para el jugador como para la franquicia de los Wizards, pero por increíble que parezca, no suponen un récord negativo en la liga. No, hay gente que ha perdido más balones todavía. Así que aprovechando la coyuntura, vamos a repasar los “momentos mantequilla”, o “butter moments“, más insignes de la liga…

Así es, el récord de balones perdidos en un partido de liga no está en 12. De hecho, perder 10 balones en un partido es bastante más habitual de lo que se podría imaginar. Personalidades tan ilustres como Karl Malone o Charles Barkley, o tan actuales como Allen Iverson, lo han hecho en más de una ocasión. 11 pérdidas en un partido es una meta algo más complicada, pero también hay quien lo ha logrado, y no hablamos de medianías: Magic Johnson, Hakeem Olajuwon o… Allen Iverson, sí, lo lograron en alguna ocasión.

Los 12 balones perdidos del Agente 0 son una marca algo más selecta. Sólo siete jugadores lo han logrado, pero Arenas no puede acercarse al nivel de Scottie Pippen o de Jason Kidd, que no lo lograron una, sino dos veces a lo largo de su carrera. (El caso de Kidd es especialmente hiriente, ya que ambos butter moments se produjeron en un espacio de dos meses, allá por 2003). ¿Os he dicho que Allen Iverson también ha cosechado 12 pérdidas en una ocasión? Sí, The Answer es una auténtica máquina de perder balones… pero siempre lo ha sido, así que tampoco descubro el Orinoco.

¿13 balones? Sí, alguien lo ha logrado (y no, no fue Iverson). El amigo Chris Mullin logró tan épico despropósito hace ya más de 20 añitos, un día de marzo de 1988, en las filas de los Golden State Warriors y ante los Utah Jazz. Por lo menos Mullin tuvo el decoro de “disimular” su festival de pérdidas enchufando 31 puntos, incluidos 4/5 triples. (Al parecer sólo tenía las manos de mantequilla al mover el balón, no al ejecutar el movimiento del tiro). Los Warriors, por cierto, cayeron por 23 puntos de diferencia y perdieron nada menos que 32 balones. Winston Garland intentó emular a Mullin, pero se quedó en 8 pérdidas, que tampoco está nada mal.

Pero incluso el insigne Mullin se ha visto superado en una única, inolvidable ocasión. Sí, ha habido alguien que ha perdido más de 13 balones en un partido. Allá por noviembre de 2000, cuando  jugaba en los Phoenix Suns a las órdenes de Scott Skiles, Jason Kidd cometió la tropelía de perder 14, sí, 14 balones. Fue el butter moment por antonomasia: nadie hasta entonces había logrado nada así, y nadie desde entonces se ha vuelto a acercar a esa cifra. Los Suns también perdieron ese partido, ante los Knicks, por 90-85.

(Para los interesados, Kidd ha perdido 14 balones una vez, 12 dos veces y 10 otras dos veces, y también es el jugador en activo con más pérdidas, lo cual no deja de sorprenderme teniendo en cuenta que Iverson sigue dando la lata por la liga. AI está en segunda posición en pérdidas totales, a 280 de Kidd, pero si nos guiamos por promedios, Iverson es peor: 3,6 pérdidas por encuentro, por 3,1 de Kidd.)

Pero intentemos ver estos números desde un punto de vista positivo. Cuando un jugador consigue llegar a las dos cifras en su casillero de pérdidas, lo mínimo que puede hacer es rendir en otros aspectos del juego. Así, aquel día aciago de noviembre de 2000, por lo menos Kidd se portó y también contribuyó con 18 puntos, 12 rebotes y 10 asistencias, consiguiendo un atípico cuádruple doble de puntos, asistencias, rebotes y pérdidas, lo que podríamos denominar un “cuádruple doble basurilla”. Es algo que sólo otros dos hombres han conseguido a lo largo de la historia: lo logró Lafayette “Fat” Lever en 1986, en un Nuggets-Kings en el que terminó con 17 puntos, 11 rebotes, 14 asistencias y 11 pérdidas. Por si fuera poco, Lever añadió 6 robos a su estadística (qué tipo…). El otro hombre que ha alcanzado un cuádruple doble de esas características ha sido Charles Barkley, que en 1987 firmó 28 puntos, 15 rebotes, 10 asistencias y 10 pérdidas. Era cuando Sir Charles lo era todo en Philadelphia, claro…

Otros dos jugadores han estado a punto de lograr esos números: Andre Miller rozó la “hazaña” en 2005, firmando 14 puntos, 10 pérdidas, 10 rebotes y 9 asistencias, y Richard Jefferson estuvo a punto de hacer historia en 2004. Ojo a su estadística: 26 puntos, 21 rebotes, 10 pérdidas y 9 asistencias. Un pase de canasta más y habría logrado una marca difícil de igualar: un cuádruple doble basurilla con más de 20 en dos categorías diferentes.

En el otro extremo del espectro tenemos a quienes no sólo pierden infinidad de balones sino que además no aportan demasiado en otros aspectos del juego. Ciñéndonos, por ejemplo, a quienes terminaron con menos puntos que pérdidas, nos damos cuenta de que ni las leyendas se salvan: Ralph Samson o John Lucas firmaron 8 y 9 puntos el día en que perdieron 10 balones, aunque el primero capturó 14 rebotes y el segundo dio 9 asistencias. El día que perdió 11 balones, Magic se quedó en 7 puntos pero se salió repartiendo juego, dando hasta 19 asistencias. Pero sin duda el momento más aciago para un jugador sumido en un butter moment llegó el 12 de abril de 1998, cuando los Indiana Pacers se enfrentaban a los Boston Celtics. En aquel encuentro, Mark Jackson perdió 10 balones y se quedó en 2 tristes puntos. Ni siquiera le quedó la excusa de las asistencias, ya que dio 8, cifra que para él era bastante normal, la verdad. Eso sí, los Pacers ganaron 93-87.

Así que como veis lo de las pérdidas en la NBA es el pan nuestro de cada día. Gilbert Arenas puede estar tranquilo, hay gente que lo ha hecho peor de lo que él lo hizo esta pasada madrugada. Ahora sólo queda esperar unos meses a ver si Iverson coge a Kidd en el liderato de esta curiosa clasificación. (¿Por cierto, he dicho que el tercero en esa lista es Shaquille O’Neal…?).

Y con esto termino una nueva entrada “patrocinada” por esa joya de Internet que es Basketball-Reference…

Sorry, but not much else (than what already has been said) needs to be said about the Yankees defeating the Phillies in the 2009 World Series.  The Yankees had the best PECOTA projections in the preseason, which led me to correctly pick them to win the World Series (meanwhile, we’ll forget about the Mets pick).  They had the best on-base percentage, slugging percentage and OPS (and the second-best batting average) in the league in the regular season.  Couple that with above-average team pitching, and you had the best record in the MLB.  Sure, the Phillies were a darn good team, but they weren’t the best in the league.  The better team won this series, and did so with a more balanced starting lineup and more reliable pitching (it helps that Charlie Manuel made the series’ worst decision by not starting Cliff Lee in Game 4 and instead putting Joe Blanton on the rubber).

As I briefly mentioned after the NLCS, the Phillies became the fourth team this calendar year to repeat as conference champions.  The other three teams won just one league championship each in those two years.

The frequence repeats have happened before.  As I mentioned during the summer, there were five instances of multiple of championship rematches (in 1952-53, 1955-56, 1957-58, 1968-69 and 1977-78) in one year, including the year of 1958, which featured three championship rematches.  The NFL was the only one of the four major U.S. sports leagues that didn’t have a championship rematch, and they were and still are just fine with that, considering how the 1958 NFL Championship Game went down.

I’ll do a bit of research to figure out exactly how many times at least four teams repeated as conference champions in a calendar year.  Note that the AL and NL are considered conferences in this discussion.  Hopefully, I’ll post my findings soon.  I have that and the BCS computers analysis to finish up soon.

Anyways, here’s a reminder of the four teams who repeated as conference champions in 2009:

Detroit Red Wings (2008 Stanley Cup Champions, 2009 Western Conference Champions)
The Red Wings exchanged three wins with overtime/shootout losses in the 2008-09 season.  Detroit finished 54-21-7 with 115 points in 2007-08, dominating the Western Conference en route to the top seed.  The Wings then finished 51-21-10 with 112 points as the Western Conference second seed in 2008-09.  The difference for the Red Wings truly came in the Stanley Cup Finals.  In the 2008 NHL Playoffs, the Red Wings swept the semis and conference finals, and lost just four games en route to the 2008 Stanley Cup.  The Pittsburgh Penguins were simply outmatched then, as they couldn’t handle the depth and execution of the mighty Wings.  (Seriously, I can’t remember seeing better passing in the NHL then I did with the Red Wings in the 2008 NHL Playoffs.)  However, in the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals, the tough-minded Penguins weathered the Detroit storm.  The Red Wings may have been the better team, thanks to another year of amazing depth and execution, but Pittsburgh put up a much tougher battle the second time around and won the 2009 Stanley Cup in a classic seven-game series.

Los Angeles Lakers (2008 Western Conference Champions, 2009 NBA Finals Champions)
In the preseason, the 2007-08 season didn’t look like a championship season for the Lakers.  The Lakers did start well, though, thanks to Andrew Bynum.  Bynum got injured, so the Lakers pulled off one of the greatest trades in recent NBA history, acquiring Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies.  From that moment on, Los Angeles put the pressure on the rest of the Western Conference, virtually forcing the hands of the Mavericks and Suns.  Dallas traded a much younger point guard in Devin Harris for Jason Kidd.  Meanwhile, Phoenix traded for Shaquille O’Neal, who didn’t fit the run-and-gun, fast-paced style of Mike D’Antoni’s offense.  Both Mavs and Suns were dropped in five games in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs, while the Lakers were never truly challenged en route to the Western Conference title.  Unfortunately, the Lakers had to go up against the Big Three and the Boston Celtics.  The Lakers lost in six, and lost horribly in Game 6, 131-92.  One year later, the Lakers had Bynum back and Gasol broken in, so they dominated both the regular season and playoffs.  Kobe Bryant put on a classic playoff run, built by swagger and determination, and beat the Magic in six to earn his first NBA Finals Championship without his big bro in crime, Shaquille O’Neal.

Philadelphia Phillies (2008 World Series Champions, 2009 National League Champions)
The Phillies, a franchise long hindered by excessive losing, finally got rewarded for building a strong team.  The Phillies entered the 2008 MLB season with 10023 regular season losses in franchise history, the most in U.S. sports history.  Still, they had one of the most impressive home-grown young nuclei in the league, if not the most impressive.  Chase Utley (2000 1st round), Cole Hamels (2002 1st round), Jimmy Rollins (1996 2nd round) and Ryan Howard (2001 5th round) all were drafted by Philly, and became stars in 2008.  Add in 2008 additions Pedro Feliz, Joe Blanton and Brad Lidge, and the Phillies were ready to contend.  Whether you think the competition was weak and simply not ready to contend against the peaking Phils or not, the fact is that Philadelphia took championship form and earned their success.  Finally the city and the franchise was lifting from a loser’s curse, winning the 2008 World Series.  Harry Kalas spent 28 years waiting for another championship, and it was great to hear him call the final strike of the 2008 championship season.  Unfortunately, Kalas passed away in April, and we all know what just happened in the 2009 World Series.

Pittsburgh Penguins (2008 Eastern Conference Champions, 2009 Stanley Cup Champions)
Speaking of young nuclei, the Penguins may have the best young nucleus in all of sports.  Centermen Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal led the Pens, and should continue to do so for years.  The big three, spearheading a very talented team, finally broke out in the postseason in 2008.  The second-seeded Penguins lost just two games en route to the 2008 Eastern Conference Championship.  Of course, they ran into the Wings in the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals.  To make matters worse, the Pens struggled in the first half of the 2008-09 season.  On February 18, 2009, Pittsburgh stood at 27-25-5 and five points out of the playoffs.  However, the Pens eventually made one of the biggest turnarounds in league history, and then made a remarkable playoff run as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference (they earned the fourth seed on the last day of the regular season).  New additions Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin helped in a big way, while intertim head coach Dan Bylsma sparked a hidden determination.  Pascal Dupuis, Brooks Orpik, Sergei Gonchar and Maxime Talbot, among others, provided great support for the young stud centers and the new additions.  Somehow, Pittsburgh weathered two classic seven-game series, the Eastern Conference Semifinals and Stanley Cup Finals, en route to the 2009 Cup victory.

I must admit I’ve been quite baffled by the way Rajon Rondo’s future with the Celtics has been debated and questioned over the past six months. After the way he performed in the playoffs, when he was, without question, Boston’s best player when they pushed the eventual Eastern Conference champion Orlando Magic to seven games (without Kevin Garnett), it looked like the 23-year-old point guard was becoming the face of the team, and the man who would become the team’s best player in the coming years as he became this generations Jason Kidd, with his incredible ability to churn out triple-doubles (after averaging 17 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the playoffs).

But then, bizarrely, Rondo’s name began being bandied about in trade rumors, and there were questions about whether or not he would be signed to a contract extension by tonight’s midnight deadline, or else he would become a restricted free agent as part of next summer’s free agency bonanza. A quick look at the list of point guards in the NBA, however, proves that Rondo is more than deserving of the five-year, $55 million contract extension he agreed to with the Celtics earlier today, a contract that locks him in as the franchise’s headlining young player.

Outside of Deron Williams and Chris Paul, is there another point guard better than Rondo in the NBA? Is there another point guard, based on talent alone, besides those two that the Celtics would swap him for right now? Gilbert Arenas has plenty of talent, as we know, but he’s also had plenty of injuries and has never won anything. Chauncey Billups, Steve Nash and Kidd all have had brilliant careers, but clearly are on the downside. And he’s a more complete player (especially on the defensive end) than other “top” point guards like Tony Parker and Mo Williams.

So then, the obvious question is why would the Celtics look to make something happen with Rondo? There have been plenty of rumors about maturity issues with Rondo, but he still is only 23 years old, despite his now lengthy time in the league, and he’s already been the point guard on a championship team – something that only a few point guards in the league today (Parker and Billups, among the top players at the position) can say about themselves.

In the end, it wasn’t much of a choice for Danny Ainge, the man who has constructed this current version of Celtics. He had to have Rondo, had to keep him in the fold. There may be risks in signing a player you have maturity questions about to a massive, top-level contract like the deal Ainge gave his young point guard today. But there are bigger risks in the world than that. One of them is letting one of the most unique talents in the league at one of the hardest positions to fill walk away at the age of 23 because you’d like him to be a little more mature.

Maturity can be coached, can be learned, can be taught. But Rajon Rondo’s skill set is as unique as anyone’s in the NBA not named LeBron. And, in the end, the allure of keeping that talent in Celtic green was too much for Danny Ainge to pass up.

What do Americans Really Want?  – One thing that they want is success, without paying for it…

I’m working my way through the new Frank Luntz book, What Americans Really Want…Really.  It is my selection for this Friday at the First Friday Book Synopsis.  I heard him interviewed on the Krys Boyd Think program on KERA (NPR in Dallas—listen to the interview here), and she described it this way to Mr. Luntz:  ”Your book concludes that we are a nation of well-meaning hypocrites.”  Luntz agreed, admitting that we want small government, lower taxes – but better government services.  (See my earlier post, To be Rich without Being Greedy — What Americans Really Want…Really by Frank Luntz about this book to see another example of this of this “hypocrisy” – or, at the least, inconsistency).

The book has much to offer as we think about success in business and in life.  Here’s an excerpt:

You can learn a lot from listening to accomplished individuals talk about their craft…  Among the most memorable conversations of my career was one with Jason Kidd, one of the great basketball point guards – not just of our time, but of all time.  He had three simple words to explain the success on the court:  “read, react, execute.”  Read the basketball court not just as it looks at that instant but as it will look a split second later; react to the opportunities in front of you as they develop; and execute so that those opportunities are realized.

Read — react — execute.  There’s Ram Charan’s Execution in three words…

If you are in our area, come join us.  We meet this Friday, 7:00 am.  Register here.

But it’s not as if the winner of this World Series Game 4 is of any significance to this post.

I just watched a RedsArmy.com uploaded video of the Chris Paul / Rajon Rondo altercation that took place after the Hornets and Celtics game today and it got me thinking. In his rookie season Rondo barely crossed my radar, except maybe for the rumour that came out that he was beaten in a game of horse by Doc Rivers‘ kid. Now he’s arguably just as valuable as any player on the Celtics’ stacked roster.

The fact this his contract is still up in the air leads me to believe that at the end of the day he’ll be the odd man out in Boston, which is unfortunate. Unlike the Big Three and even Rasheed Wallace, Rondo isn’t prepping for retirement, but unlike his youthful peers on the team, he’s actually quite good.

I can’t think of any players that fill up box scores in such stupid fashion as Rondo except for, maybe, Jason Kidd back in the day (but still… it’s different, I can’t explain. Rondo isn’t HOF-bound like Kidd). I like what I’ve seen from Russell Westbrook so far, and any other long guards that rebound obsessively, but what you see in Rondo is really quite unfathomable. If Boston somehow blows their transition from this team to a future team that could be led by Rondo, it’s entirely on them.

But that’s why I’m not a Celtics fan.

Anyway. For the most part of the evening, the Phillies game was actually quite enjoyable, but I still can’t get over the fact that Joe Blanton doesn’t seem to fit in with the rest of the pitchers that have been assigned to pitch in this series. More importantly though, did anybody else notice that every single time the Phillies were tied, they responded by blowing it at the top of the following inning? That’s just cruel.

They blew it to start, they blew it after tying at two, and sure enough they blew it after Pedro Feliz tied the game with a home run in the eighth. Philly fans are making a great huzzah about the brainfart that led to Johnny Damon going from first to third, but when you actually think about it, thanks to the Alex Rodriguez shot that scored him, he would have reached home from either third base or second anyway.

Game 5 will be in Philadelphia but even the most optimistic of Philadelphia fans have to be getting ready to live the next few months in a deep depression.

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: Nick J Online

E daí se estou repetindo assunto de tópico. É legal, sô! E se não for, azar! O blog é meu. *criança egoísta* =P Bora ver mais citação de celeburridades.

“The most loving thing to do is to share your bed with someone.” (A coisa mais amável de se fazer é compartilhar sua cama com alguém.)— Michael Jackson
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!! Tá explicado.

“Smoking kills. If you’re killed, you’ve lost an important part of your life.” (Fumar mata. Se você morre, você perde uma parte importante da sua vida.) — Brooke Shields
É verdade, concordo plenamente! Se você morrer, você vai perder uma parte correspondente a 100% da sua vida.

“[I hope] my child will be a good Catholic like me.” (Espero que minha filha seja uma boa católica como eu.) — Madonna
Imagina se ela não fosse católica. medo/

“It’s really hard to maintain a one-on-one relationship if the other person is not going to allow me to be with other people.” (É muito difícil manter um relação se a pessoa não vai me deixar ficar com outras.) — Axl Rose
KKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK!!!! Não é possível! Ele tava zoando. Claro né, Axl. Se a relação é com UMA pessoa, não dá pra colocar outra no meio. Vou considerar que você se referia à necessidade de também passar tempo com os amigos, além da namorada. Foi isso que você quis dizer, não foi? Claro que foi!

“We are going to turn this team around 360 degrees.” (Nós vamos virar esse time 360 graus.) — NBA player Jason Kidd
Quer voltar pro mesmo lugar, espertão?

“I’m so smart now. Everyone’s always like ‘take your top off.’ Sorry, NO! They always want to get that money shot. I’m not stupid.” (Estou tão esperta agora. Todo mundo é sempre tipo “Tira sua blusa.” Sinto muito, NÃO! Eles sempre querem tirar aquela foto que vai dar dinheiro. Não sou burra.) — Paris Hilton
Uau! Esperta demais. Faz companhia pro amigão aí de cima.

“Predictions are difficult, especially about the future.” (Previsões são difíceis, especialmente sobre o futuro.) — Yogi Berra
É verdade. São difíceis mesmo.

“I’ve never really wanted to go to Japan. Simply because I don’t like eating fish. And I know that’s very popular out there in Africa.” (Eu nunca quis ir para o Japão. Simplesmente porque não gosto de comer peixe. E eu sei que isso é muito popular lá na África.) — Britney Spears
[Depois daquela do Canadá ultramarino] Ainda me impressiona (a falta de) o conhecimento geográfico dessa pessoa. Depois reclama de ser zoada. Ajuda aí, uai!

“So, where’s the Cannes Film Festival being held this year?” (Então, onde vai ser o Festival de Cannes esse ano?) — Christina Aguilera
Vai ser na Venezuela, gata!

“I think gay marriage is something that should be between a man and a woman.” (Eu acho que o casamento gay é algo que deveria ser entre um homem e uma mulher.) — Arnold Schwarzenegger
Jura?

“Too many OB/GYN’s aren’t able to practice their love with women all across the country.” (Muitos obstetras e ginecologistas não são capazes de por em prática seu amor com mulheres de todo o país.) — George W. Bush
É que os maridos iam ficar com ciúmes! E esse cara foi presidente (2 vezes!).

bjomeliga

By Justin Cherot

Time to buckle down and finish these previews. Photo by Justin Cherot.

Admittedly, I need to take a headline writing course.  More importantly, I needed someone (cough, Colin, and by the way, you need to stop doing ’shrooms) to kick me in the head a couple of times and remind me that trying to do 30 previews player-by-player, while cool and original, just doesn’t fit into any normal, 40-hours-a-week person’s schedule.  While I did better than I did my first time trying this in 2006, I couldn’t even fit one measely playoff team into my previews.  For that, I apologize.  Oh well, live and learn.  Next year I promise to do better.

But, for now, we’re less than 20 hours away from a Washington Wizards’ ass-kicking (Go Mavs!), meaning I have to get these done in a timely manner.  This is what I propose: instead of over-analyzing the remaining 300 or so players I haven’t mentioned yet (apologies to J.J. Redick, J.J Barea, Daequan Cook and plenty of other non-starters I won’t have time to go into), I’ll give you the most important player (MIP) from all the remaining teams and why they fit into such a category.  Inevitably, some will be the “duh, even my daughter knows that this guy is the star of the team” players, and some will be those unsung guys whose team’s success hinges on whether or not they produce on a nightly basis.

So, for one last time, let’s ride.  After the next 2000 or so words, these NBA previews will no longer hold me hostage.  Now, where was I?

20. Memphis Grizzlies

MIP: Rudy Gay

If this team truly wants to take the next step from hype machine to legitimate playoff contender, Gay needs to take the reins of this team.  Yeah, O.J. Mayo , Zach Randolph  and boom or bust free agent pick-up Allen Iverson all need more attention (and shots) than him, but Gay, talent-wise, is the best and most versatile of this bunch.  His assertiveness has been in question before, ultimately costing him a national championship at UConn, but if he can step in and be more of a leader on the court, this team is too talented not to contend for a playoff spot.  The pieces are there, but like a trippy Dora the Explorer puzzle that seems like one thing until a shimmer of light hits it and then it looks completely different (not speaking from experience or anything), sometimes the pieces can be hard to put together… so hard in fact that sometimes they just refuse to fit.

19. Detroit Pistons   

MIP: Tayshaun Prince

On a team full of “get mine” guys–Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton, Charlie “NitTwit” Villanueva and Will Bynum, to name a few– Prince just needs to keep being that versatile, lockdown defender he’s always been.  Yes, the faces are new and more offensive-minded, but Prince just has to be there to remind them that, contrary to popular belief over the past few years, there is still a “D” somewhere in Detroit.  If he can’t, it’ll be this simple: Etroit will miss the playoffs.

18. Philadelphia 76ers

MIP: Lou Williams

The Sixers have a very nice core, headlined by Andre Iguodala and Elton Brand, who I think is finally due for a relevant season after two seasons of nothingness.  However, the Sixers’ biggest move was letting Andre Miller walk without getting a true point guard to fill his shoes.  Williams is going to try his hand at the spot, but let’s face it: he’s definitely a two.  Coming from someone who had to do it at the high school level, trust me: it sounds easy to “learn” how to play the point, but guards are pretty much born into a position.  How he handles the transition from one to two is ultimately going to tell the story of whether or not Philly makes the playoffs.  And, as of right now, I just don’t see him doing well in this crash course, even if he does have Eddie Jordan pulling the strings for him.

17. New Orleans Hornets

MIP: Chris Paul

Denver Nuggets’ fans should be horrified right now.  Bill Simmons (book out tomorrow, a must-buy) wrote in his NBA previews (Part I here and Part II here) that the Nuggets were this year’s ”Last Season Everything Went Right; This Season Everything Went Wrong” Team.  Last year’s version?  The Hornets.  I knew it would happen, I even wrote it.  In my own words, in ‘07-’08 everyone except for CP3 played way above their heads.  Last season, everybody came back down to earth and they fell all the way to the seventh spot.  Paul needs to basically carry this team just for them to sneak into the playoffs this year, and he will do his best to urge this squad with questionable talent into doing big things.  Unfortunately, with the next team on the come-up, I just can’t see that happening.  But Paul will make it interesting into the final week of the season.

16. Los Angeles Clippers

MIP: Baron Davis

Does anybody remember this Baron Davis:

Funny, because if you’re a Clipper fan you hardly saw any of this last year.  Was it the injuries?  Was it his conditioning?  Was it his overall indifference because he felt betrayed by Elton Brand who, allegedly, begged him to come, only to sign with the Sixers?  Who knows?  What I do know is that apparently he’s in muuuuuuch better shape coming into this season, and I feel like the Davis of old will be back.  On paper, this roster suits his style of play perfectly, with high-flyers in Blake Griffin (when he comes back from a broken knee cap, of course) and Al Thornton and a young, budding backcourt-mate in Eric Gordon.  Guys, if Davis can stay healthy and on the court for 70, this is a playoff team.

15. Toronto Raptors

MIP: Chris Bosh

The rumors are swirling about where Bosh is going to be next season.  Fine.  That’s next season.  This season, the Raptors have a playoff roster on paper.  There’s no questioning CB4’s talent, but his gusto may eventually come into question (yeah, I went there, Chris Rock fans), especially if the Raptors come out of the gates slow.  However, as mentioned before, Bosh has plenty of talent around him.  The Hedo Turkoglu signing/Portland Trailblazer screwing takes a lot of pressure off of him, and it never hurts to have a pass- first point guard (Jose Calderon) and an emerging big guy who’s showing signs of “getting it” (Andrea Bargnani).  The Raptors probably don’t have enough talent in the long run to keep Bosh in cold Canada, but his last run with them should find them in the playoffs.

14. Miami Heat

MIP: Michael Beasley 

Side note before I get into Mr. “Be Easy” himself: the East has really closed the gap.  Hard to believe I have the Heat this low.  Anyway, we all know about Beasley’s off-the-court “stuff”, and anyone who knows me knows that it’s not that hard for me to relate to the troubled guys.  It’s all about getting past it, though.  If anything, Beasley needs to use the court as an outlet, because his team is going to need him to play like a No. 2 overall pick.  They already have arguably (it would be quite an argument but the point could be made) the best player in the NBA in Dwyane Wade and some good young p… okay, I won’t sugarcoat it: Miami is this high strictly because of Wade’s ability to flat-out bring it every night.  He just needs someone to bring it with him.  Beasley can definitely be that guy.  Or, he can just be satisfied with being the second coming of Derrick Coleman.

13. Washington Wizards

MIP: Gilbert Arenas

Okay, we all drank the “Wizards Are Better Off Without Hibachi” juice.  And then last year happened.  Granted, he wasn’t the entire reason they couldn’t even crack 20 wins last season, but needless to say he had a ton to do with it.  I’ve read so many “Gilbert Looking Good” stories this past summer and off-season that I think I’m about to vomit, but I do admit that his highlights throughout the pre-season have been promising.  It goes beyond numbers, though.  Even for a team that doesn’t lack swagger–hell, their second best player, Caron Butler, calls himself “Tuff Juice” for crying out loud–they need his “swagger on a hundred, thousand, trillion” voice out on the floor and in the locker room to succeed.  With their off-season improvements, I have them pegged as the East’s sixth seed right now (defense is a MF), but really the sky is the limit for this team if Gilbert really is the old Gilbert.

12. Chicago Bulls

MIP: Luol Deng

Gordon is gone from this bunch, so the Bulls will have to find someone to take and make all those big-time shots at the end of games.  It’s assumed that Derrick Rose is the guy who’ll step up and have the ball in his hands down the stretch, but he can’t do it all.  Somehow, the Bulls have to replace his 20 a game, and Deng is the likely candidate to put the biggest dent in that 20, if not go for 20 himself.  If he can return to ‘06-’07 form, then the Bulls may not even miss Gordon all that much (especially with new acquisition Jannero Pargo trying to actually BE Ben Gordon down the stretch of ball games).  It’ll be interesting to see if this young, talented bunch takes the next step… or if it remains stagnant like the old Baby Bulls (when Gordon and Kirk Hinrich and were considered young).

11. Phoenix Suns

MIP: Jason Richardson

Steve Nash has become one of the better facilitators in NBA history.  But his defense is non-existent.  Prior to the eye injury, Amare Stoudemire added a damn near automatic mid-range jump shot to his stellar athleticism.  But his defense is non-existent.  Neither player has ever been known for his great work on the “other” end.  But Richardson has.  In college, he was the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season.  With his great scoring numbers in the league, we forget that Richardson was at one time a really good defender.  Especially with Raja Bell gone, the Suns need him to re-capture that defensive energy while still maintaining his offensive output in order to compete in the West.  That’s a tall order for him, but he’s shown in the past he’s up to the task.

10. Utah Jazz

MIP: Andrei Kirilenko

It was only a couple of years ago when AK47 put up these numbers: 15.3 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 3.2 bpg, 1.5 spg.  That’s disgusting.  In his defense, how do you even go up from there?  While it’s true he never really found out for whatever reason, he really only needs to be a shade of his former self for the Jazz to get back into serious contention.  With second best point guard in the world Deron Williams running the show and Carlos Boozer (for now) holding the fort down inside, Kirilenko doesn’t even need to average double-digits.  If he just gets back to being that all-over-the-place player that made Jazz fans fall in love with him, then the Jazz could be really good.  However, if he reverts back to the “I Can’t Even Beat Out C.J. Miles” Kirilenko, then the Jazz might be in danger of missing the playoffs.  My guess is that they’ll be somewhere in between.

9. Atlanta Hawks

MIP: Jamal Crawford

One day when she’s old and wise, Cadence will use this gem to describe the intracacies of life to her kids and grandchildren: “Life is like a Jamal Crawford: you never know what you’re gonna get.”  Corny, probably, but oh so true.  How come a guy who can just go off for 50 at the drop of a hat has only averaged over 20 ppg once?  Weird.  Nonetheless, he can definitely help the Hawks take that next step.  Last year in the playoffs, it was clear that it was Joe Johnson or bust down the stretch.  Now, Atlanta has one of the best “give me the ^%$#in’ ball” players in the NBA to go along with a young and versatile front line in Crawford.  They can’t beat any of the East’s Big 3 yet, but their time will come.

8. Portland Trailblazers

MIP: Greg Oden  

Through all the injuries, all the foul trouble (3.9 per game is just an amazing number), all the columnist nit-picking, everything… Oden put up nine and seven last season while blocking a shot a night.  Off the bench.  Translation: at his absolute worst he’s better than a lot of centers in the league.  But, if the Blazers want to take the next step, it mainly falls on Oden to take the next step.  Brandon Roy is already there, becoming a much better NBA player than anybody thought he ever would, so what’s stopping Oden?  I know this team is still young, but with that whole low-salary cap threatening to happen, this almost seems like a make or break year for this squad.  And Oden.

7. Denver Nuggets

MIP: J.R. Smith

What I’m about to say is bold and controversial: Smith, talent-wise, is one of the top 10 offensive players in the NBA.  Why he hasn’t put it all together yet remains a mystery to me, but he may very well be my favorite player in the NBA to watch when he’s not playing the Mavericks.  He’s not off to the greatest of starts to this campaign, as he’ll be watching the first seven games in NBA dress code-friendly attire due to off-the-court problems.  The Nuggets need Smith to take pressure off of Carmelo Anthony, especially with Chauncey Billups not getting any younger.  Given that Smith starts the season on the bench and the Nuggets pretty much stood pat in the off-season, it’s safe for me to say that the Nuggs take a step back this season.

6. Dallas Mavericks

MIP: Dirk Nowitzki

You know, I think at some point tomorrow on my site I might publish a Long and Drawn Out Preview for the Mavs since they’re my favorite team and all, but that’s neither here nor there for right now (potential H1N1 cough, GO MAVS!!!!!!).  Look, I can take a few angles here in terms of MIP.  Josh Howard needs to get healthy (okay, so much for that in the near future); Shawn Marion needs to learn to fit in; Jason Kidd needs to find SOME way to be effective on the defensive end.  Truthfully, it starts and ends with Dirk.  He’s been great for both the Dallas franchise and the community and is a surefire Hall of Famer, but let’s face it: his leadership skills always come under fire, and fair or not, he needs to constantly play with that “now or never” mentality, because that’s what it’s come down to.  People are saying the window of opportunity for a title is closed.  If it’s open at all, he needs to jam his pinky in there and push up with all his might.

5. Boston Celtics

MIP: Kevin Garnett

Garnett is the archetypical MIP.  When they won the title, it was because of Garnett’s production and toughness.  When they flamed out against Orlando while an injured Garnett continually cursed up a storm to himself on the bench, it was because they missed Garnett’s production and toughness.  Theoretically, it would be nice if the old KG re-emerged and put up redonkulous numbers across the board, but, now that the Celts have Rasheed Wallace to spell him, they just need his intensity.  He’s the one who pushes Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo.  However, because I’m not completely sold on Garnett’s health, I just can’t have them higher than 3rd in the East right now.

4. San Antonio Spurs

MIP: Manu Ginobili

If you really think that Tony Parker and Tim Duncan are the most important Spurs, than you obviously missed the Mavericks dismantling the San Antonio in the playoffs last season.  Even as a diehard Mavs’ fan I can admit that Dallas goes from winning that series in five to losing that series in six if Ginobili is on the floor.  He’s not their best player, but he’s their sparkplug, their wildcard who can change a game at the drop of a dime.  He’s getting up there in age and he’s probably not as athletic as he was a few years ago, but if I was playing in a game where my life depended on the outcome, I’d want Ginobili.  As far as the Spurs go, I like their off-season moves, but please don’t try to sell me on Richard Jefferson as being anything more than the 4th option on offense in crunch time.  15 a game is his absolute ceiling this season.  PROP BET ALERT!!!  PROP BET ALERT!!!  I’ll take Anthony Morrow’s average over RJ this year.  Bet me, stupid.

3. Orlando Magic

MIP: Vince Carter

I wanted to put them back in the Finals soooo bad, because on paper they are 1) more fun to watch then the Cavalier’s stagnant 1-4 offense, and 2) Carter/Kobe to me is a more intriguing Finals match-up.  But, I digress.  Pundits give the Carter acquisition mixed reviews, but I’m definitely pro-Carter.  First off, he’s a million times better than Turkoglu, so he’s an upgrade.  Second, he’s playing in his home state for the first time ever, and third, while homecomings can be rough (see, Griffey, Jr., Ken and Marbury, Stephon) he’s going to a great situation where, for once, it doesn’t neccesarily have to be all about him.  He’s got the best center in the NBA (Dwight Howard), one of the best perimeter shooters (Rashard Lewis) and a guy he can share hair tips with (Marcin “Give Us Us Free” Gortat).  However, it’s a team better built for the regular season, and I think someone gets some revenge, and that person would be…

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

MIP: LeBron James

Colin… shut up and watch the greatness…

Unfortunately, much to your delight, I do not have that greatness translating into a title for Cleveland.  Good supporting cast at the guard spots (Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, Delonte West), bodies down low (Shaquille O’Neal, Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas) to stop Bynum and Gasol… but in the end, there’s really only…

1. Los Angeles Lakers

MIP: Kobe Bryant

True, Ron Artest is the biggest wildcard in the history of wildcards, the equivalent of AK vs. pocket 7s for every last dollar you own.  However, if anyone can tame the volatile Artest, it’s Bryant.  Say what you will about Bryant’s mileage, but at 31, he’s still got at least three more years of top five in the league-type play left in him.  That, plus the fact that he’s got arguably the best four man in the league in Pau Gasol and a steady cast of characters off the bench that just keep coming at you in waves, and what does that equal? 

Repeat.

BASKETBALL IS BACK, BABY!!!!!!

NBA Preview Archives

30. Sacramento Kings

29. New Jersey Nets

28. Milwaukee Bucks

27. Minnesota Timberwolves

26. New York Knicks

25. Oklahoma City Thunder

24. Houston Rockets

23. Charlotte Bobcats

22. Indiana Pacers

21. Golden State Warriors

NBA 2009-2010 Preview

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Divison

1. Boston Celtics
The storyline for this past NBA offseason was that the rich got richer.  This applies most for the Boston Celtics.  Two years ago, they added forward Kevin Garnett and guard Ray Allen.  This year, they added forwards Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels.  It’s very likely that this team gets off to a red-hot start, but I’m curious to see how this aging group progresses over the duration of the season.  Most of  the basketball world is also engrossed in seeing how disgruntled point guard Rajon Rondo performs in the wake of a summer where he was the focal point in many trade rumors.

2. Toronto Raptors
Chris Bosh bulked up this offseason.  That was only four years overdue.  They signed Hedo Turkoglu to a major contract.  That was a pretty solid move if you want to spend all your money on someone who can do nothing but shoot from the outside.  The worst part about it is, he knows he can’t do anything other than shoot from the outside.  He doesn’t try to do anything other than shoot from the outside.  This team is a mess.  Chris Bosh is on his way out after this year.  The only thing keeping them in the playoff picture is the thought that maybe they can conjure up some chemistry courtesy of underrated, yet spectacular point guard Jose Calderon

3. New York Knicks
The Knicks could very well be much higher than I have listed them when playoff time rolls around.  They’ve put together a solid core of role players and, with the exception of the male version of Aretha Franklin, Eddy Curry, all have accepted their position in Mike D’Antoni’s offense.  Forward Al Harrington is capable of going off for thirty points a night.  Center David Lee is looking to prove his worth as a consistent double-double threat.  There’s no reason for this team to tank, seeing as they don’t have a first round pick next summer.  Oh.  And they want to give that LeBron guy a reason to sign with them.

4. Philadelphia 76ers
This team is flying under the radar for the 2009-10 season.  Clearly, I don’t expect much out of them.  Most other analysts don’t expect much out of them; however, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they somehow ended up in the playoff picture.  They lost point guard Andre Miller to free agency, but if this team can stay healthy (particularly the richest bed-ridden man in America, Elton Brand), the Sixers could turn some heads.

5. New Jersey Nets
Did anyone know that in order to relocate your team, you must dispose of all its talent?  I didn’t, but apparently that’s the Nets’ mentality.  Their move to Brooklyn has been impending for four years now, and each year since then, they’ve gotten progressively worse.  The only names that stand out on this team anymore are Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, and those two are hardly recognized outside of die-hard basketball fans.

Central Division

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
The big news out of Cleveland this year came when the Cavs traded for “The Big Nomad,” Shaquille O’Neal.  In his initial press conference, he told the media his mission was to “Win a ring for the King,” however; LeBron James’ newfound help may come in the form of other acquisitions such as forwards JaMario Moon and Anthony Parker.  It was clear to see that this team underachieved last postseason.  This year, they’ll be on top of the Eastern Conference in the regular season, and may even possibly get the King his first ring.

2. Chicago Bulls
No one imagined the Bulls would be as good as they were last year.  Mid-season, they acquired guard John Salmons, who proved himself to be a bona fide scorer on a young, dynamic team.  This past summer, they didn’t do much to develop their team; in fact, they did nearly nothing at all other than refuse to resign guard Ben Gordon.  In not offering Gordon a contract, the Bulls assume they will improve their team chemistry as Gordon required at least twenty-five shots per game in order to be considered effective.

3. Detroit Pistons
The Pistons made some of the most useless moves professional basketball has ever seen this past season.  They spent $94 million on two guys (Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva) who are both sixth and seventh men, at best.  They freed up all their salary cap space last season by dumping their undisputed leader, Chauncey Billups, last season, and in return, all they got were two selfish, shoot-first role players.  The Pistons, like their city of origin, are a mess.

4. Indiana Pacers
This Pacer team will be dynamic.  They’ll score 120 points per night.  They’ll contend for a title.  They just won’t do it this year.  Their front office, headed by Larry Bird, is finally putting all the pieces in place.  They have a solid core of young athletes, and eventually, will be a force to be reckoned with in the Eastern Conference.  Let’s just hope none of their players get too fed up with losing and become impatient too soon, because this team will, in time, be very fun to watch.

5. Milwaukee Bucks
Their uniforms are just as ugly as their team’s chances to win twenty games

Southeast Division

1. Orlando Magic
Last season, the Magic surprised many people.  They had effective three-point shooting, devastating defenders, and a tempo that was hard to match.  When they faced the Lakers in June, however, it was apparent that they were missing a piece or two.  Whatever they lacked last season, they picked up for this season, as they traded for all-star forward Vince Carter.  Carter is someone who has always possessed the ability to create his own shot.  It will be interesting to see how he fits in, seeing as he’s never played on a team of this caliber.

2. Washington Wizards
In simple terms, the Wizards were forgotten about last season.  They were plagued by misfortunes and look to regain the success they had two seasons ago when they lost to Cleveland in the conference semi-finals.  With a healthy Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison, Washington could find itself deep into the playoffs once again.  The additions of pure point guard Randy Foye and sharp shooter Mike Miller from Minnesota don’t hurt either.

3. Atlanta Hawks
The Atlanta Hawks have improved every year since they hired head coach Mike Woodson.  This year should be no different; however, since they’re playing in a much more competitive Southeast Division, it will be difficult for them to repeat their past successes.  Look for forward Josh Smith to be a frontrunner for the Defensive Player of the Year Award and his frontcourt mate Marvin Williams to contend for Most Improved.

4. Miami Heat
The Miami Wades were the most predictable team in the league last year.  Either their stellar shooting guard went for thirty points or they lost.  Look for them to continue that trend as they did nothing to change their team this summer.  If once impressive forward Jermaine O’Neal can get his act together, and sophomore Michael Beasley can successfully return from his recent stint in drug rehabilitation, this team may overachieve.  Either way, it’s not likely Dwyane Wade is in the black and red of Miami past this season.

5. Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats missed their calling when they refused to sign Allen Iverson.  AI could have been the answer, no pun intended, to Charlotte’s problems.  Iverson has already had experience with head coach Larry Brown, and, in spite of their past problems, the former all-star is now more mature and willing to sacrifice in order to see his first championship.  Regardless, the Bobcats traded center Emeka Okafor, who simply did not fit into their offensive scheme, for the more versatile Tyson Chandler.  This team is very capable of a playoff push late into the season.

Western Conference

Northwest Division

1. Utah Jazz:
Utah is one of the most underrated teams in the NBA. Deron Williams led them to a respctable 48-34, but they’ve only grown since. Williams, along with Paul Millsap and Mehmet Okur form a very powerful offense. Even if Carlos Boozer isn’t interested in playing, they an be successful without him. The big upside is, however, that Boozer is interested in signing somewhere, so when he plays he will do well.

2. Denver Nuggets
Last year, Carmelo Anthony put his name int a conversation that included LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Oh how quickly we forget. ‘Mello will definately be in the mix again this season, but we aren;t sure if the Nuggets got much better. Chauncey Billups and K-Mart add depth to that scoring. There are just too many teams growing where Denver isn’t… And that’s why they’ll lose their hold on the number one spot.

3. Portland Trailblazers
Even if last year was considered a dissappointment, it was a stepping stone. Their very young lineup learned what it’s like to win. The Trailblazers added Andre Miller to the LaMarcus Aldridge/Brandon Roy combination. That move alone could put the Blazers in contention. Add that to a healthy and more agressive Greg Odom, and Portland is starting to look like a team. Put Odom on your list for most improved player this season.

4. Oaklahoma City Thunder
Oaklahoma City has done well considering their situation. However, they are young and inexperienced. Kevin Durant puts on a good show for fans every night, and rookie James Harden has all the potential in the world. If they keep improving, they may even mae the playoffs in a year or two. Look for the Thunder to keep it exciting this year – they will be that “close but no cigar” team all season.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves
If their offseason was any indication, Minnesota isn’t going far. Jonny Flynn and Wayne Ellington may pan out in the long run but it’s hard to see anything but big names with no chemistry. The Ricky Rubio disaster is just a distraction for fans. There is some hope – picking up Ramon Sessions was a definate upgrade.

Southwest Division

1. San Antonio Spurs:
San Antonio needed to add a missing piece. Antonio McDyess needed a place to land. Both got a big break. Getting McDyess to compliment Tony Parker was a great idea. DeJuan Blair was a bad pickup, and he won’t have enough playing time to even matter. Parker, Tim Duncan, and Richard Jefferson are going to prove that they have this team in their hands… Especially because they may only have a year or two to do it.

2. New Orleans Hornets:
Chris Paul is a one-ma recking crew, and he alone can make or break the Hornets.  CP3 is the best point guard in the league, but it’s just not enough to win a championship. Paul won’t benefit from losing his better half in Tyson Chandler, but someone in the front office must like Emeka Okafor. If Okafor is a bust, Paul still has David West to dish off to. Even with the miscues built in, New Orleans is still ahead of most in the Southwest division.

3. Dallas Mavericks:
With the baby momma problems behind him, Dirk Nowitzki is in the spot light. Ultimately, his successes will make the Mavericks great again. Jason Kidd is too old to be considered a factor, but that difference can be made up if Josh Howard steps up his game from last year. Drew Gooden and Shawn Marion make excellent additions, but the Mavs will still be perennial underachievers. Maybe this year someone will duct tape Mark Cuban’s mouth shut.

4. Houston Rockets:
Houston just doesn’t have what it takes. Adding Trevor Ariza was a good start, but he can only do so much for a team that needs so much more help. And don’t be mistaken, he is not a number one scoring machine. Yao Ming is still out, and Tracy McGrady begins this year injured, so as of right now there’s not one player who averaged over 15 points per game last season.

5. Memphis Grizzlies
Mephis sis the most to assure that they would be competitive this seasn, but they ended up with too big of a personality pool. The Allen Iverson experiment should be the least of their concerns. OJ Mayo is explosive, but not mature enough to run a team, and Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph are way to inconsistant to help out. Don’t be fooled into thinking Hasheem Thabeet is the answer… He isn’t designed for offense at all.

Pacific Division

1. L.A. Lakers:
You want to know how good the Lakers are? Just look at their starting five. Derek Fischer, Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum and new aquisition Ron Artest may be the best lineup in the league. They are so good, they have Lamar Odom on the bench! The 2009 champions aren’t relying on Kobe anymore; instead they are giving him many more options. In such a lame division, the Lakers take it easily.

2. Phoenix Suns:
The Suns showed some signs of life towards the end of last year, but they lost Shaq in the offseason. As much as he horses around, Shaq is an important part of play on both sides of the ball. Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire will continue to be a great duo, but outside of them the team looks bleak. Grant Hill is aging, and this year he may start showing it. They did muster the number one offense in the league, so they cant be that bad can they? Just good enough for second place.

3. Golden State Warriors:
Out of the three bottom feeding teams in this division, the Warriors have the most room to grow. Their lineup is young and now supplemented with Stephen Curry. The key is getting the kids to grow up together, instead of in their own seperate ways. They do have the potential to put up some poins, but defense will kill them in the end.

4. L.A. Clippers:
Blake Griffen won’t fix this team, but he sure can try. Behind Eric Gordon and Al Thornton, the Clippers offense seems recharged. Griffen should help them capitalize on those missed shots. This season will be a success if they hit 30 wins.

5. Sacremento Kings:
Yes, they drafted well. But the Kings needed more thank Tyreke Evans to make themselves a contender. Evans and Kevin Martin still won’t let the Kings be better than mediocre.

Ross Geiger’s 2009-2010 NBA Regular Season Predictions

What’s up everyone, coming soon is no longer, it’s time for the NBA season, which means it’s time for a entertaining NBA season with Ross Geiger. As for me, I’ve been busy juggling my 6 classes for the semester leaving me not much time for NBA preseason write-ups. But now that the season is here, I’ll be sure to be posting frequently! Other than the season itself, things to look forward too include and are not limited to the following, day to day game predictions from yours truly, nationally televised game recaps, and of course a few interesting articles along the way! But for now enjoy my NBA Season Predictions and I look forward to reading each and every intellectual comment, question, or concern. Without further ado, enjoy!

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division:

Boston Celtics- While they continue to age, throw their team’s youngest talent in trade talks and inked an always-risky chemistry issue star; the Celtics remain to stay atop the Atlantic Division. Boston continues to test the “Luck of the Irish” while both the Knicks and Nets remain patient for the 2010 & even 2011 free agent class. Not only does the addition of Rasheed Wallace help ease those who continue to question the recovery of Kevin Garnett but also allows them to be a very versatile bunch as he’s able to play both frontcourt positions. Truthfully I see Garnett coming back strong, if so I love the idea of Garnett on the block with his back to the basket. It allows the “Ra-Ra” tandem (Rajon & Rasheed) to run the pick and pop up top opening up a sealing Garnett inside on the block. From there KG has his options: make a move, kick it back out to swing the ball a-Rondo-horn or find a slashing Pierce. Don’t rule out the idea of seeing Rasheed at the small forward to matchup up big with a team like the Orlando Magic. Placing Rasheed at the small forward is somewhat of a stretch but remember the wise words of KG, “nothing’s impossible!”

Toronto Raptors- Clearly the city of Toronto is located in Canada making it not a part of the United States. But what’s not clear is if on paper the Toronto Raptors look like an NBA roster. Raptors GM Bryan Conlangelo has strengthened the depth this offseason having solid backups at each position with Jack, Bellinelli, Wright, Johnson, and Nesterovic. Though Hedo Turkoglu was an overpaid free agent whose numbers will slightly drop this season, he provides the “go-to” perimeter shooter down the stretch that the Raptors have lacked ever since Vince Carter left town. Another year under Calderon’s belt only points to positive results and let’s not forget that head coach Jay Triano embarks on his first full season after trying to pick up the mess that Sam Mitchell left behind last season. For the Raptors to cling to second place in the Atlantic, they’ll need a big season from Bargnani who needs to show he was worth the contract extension he received (which will be hard to do earning 50 million over 5 years). With the departure of Anthony Parker, the team will need someone to step up to fill that shooting guard position. I’m excited to see who decides to step up and am hoping it’ll be Marco Belinelli who has always been one of my favorite summer league players to watch. All we’ve ever heard is that he just needs to find the right opportunity, that opportunity is now there; it’s time to shine in Toronto.

Philadelphis 76ers- It was hard not giving the upper edge to Philly over the Raptors but they decided to not fully address their point guard concerns this offseason. After letting Andre Miller walk (one of the NBA’s most underrated PGs), they made no move to improve their point guard position. Drafting Jrue Holiday was a great selection but he’s not ready to be thrown into the fire. Ivey is a decent backup, and the favorite to start at PG this year Lou Williams makes Leandro Barbosa look like a true point guard. I question why they didn’t attempt to bring in a point guard but further question how Elton Brand will comeback. If Brand comes back to full health and Dalembert stays healthy then the 76ers are a point guard away from being a scary team in the Eastern Conference.

New York Knicks- I don’t know the history into how Times Square got it’s name but I can tell you this, time is still square for the New York Knicks. In fact, they’re onto the last and final square 4. One more season of waiting until the LeBron James auction begins which also means one more season of bad basketball in Madison Square Garden. The square heads inside the Knicks management better pray they can recruit LeBron because settling for anything less after this effort would be a shame. It’s sad that instead of even predicting their season, it’s more interesting to predict their next moves, so here we go. In the upcoming season, I predict them to tank again (even if not on purpose), remain interested in Rubio by offering Minnesota expiring players for him in return or if the stink enough that they can offer a high lottery pick for his rights, and I also feel they’ll end up signing David Lee to a one year deal. I’m still unsure how Jordan Hill will pan out for them this season especially after having a not so impressive summer league but he should get plenty of opportunities to show what he can do. On closing thoughts I’d also like to note that Brandon Jennings was a perfect fit to run D’Antoni’s offensive game plan being a pure point guard who has the ability to be the future guru of the fastbreak offense if he lives up to his potential. I’d love for the Knicks front office to answer this, what’s the most important position in order to run a successful fastbreak? All in all, get LeBron James (which I feel they will) and all this questioning will fade away as fast as Allan Houston.

New Jersey- Surprisingly I love New Jersey’s offseason moves as their best bet was to work toward the future and put themselves in a position to snag a star free agent in the next two off-season’s that await. Until then they got a nice young nucleus starting with Devin Harris and Brook Lopez, both whom exceeded their expectations with their first year with the club. Courtney Lee will be given a huge role, which will allow him more opportunities to shoot the basketball. Yi will continue to be the Yi that was hyped up but can’t live up to any of it and hopefully Terrence Williams will prevail over Bobby Simmons as the starting small forward. Head coach Lawerence Frank being my favorite head coach in the entire NBA makes it hard for me to put his team in last place in the division but I feel it’s a realistic final standing. The New Jersey Nets should move into their new arena when finished with a bright bunch of young NBA veterans.

Central Division:

Cleveland Cavaliers- GM Danny Ferry will continue to lose some sleep after LeBron turned down the idea of a contract extension, but do you blame him? As he continues to have not the slightest idea which way LeBron’s noggin is swaying, at the very least he’s got to be more than satisfied for his offseason pickups. Ferry added Anthony Parker, Jamario Moon, Leon Powe, resigned Andersen Varejao and I almost forget…he traded for the BIG WITNESS, Shaquille O’Neal. The Cavaliers are more than ready than contend for an NBA championship and anything less than winning a ring, will result in the departure of LeBron James in my opinion. Many sites believe Delonte West will remain the starting shooting guard but I disagree, I feel Anthony Parker is the better shooter to complement LeBron on the wing. Parker was a huge pickup; he may actually have more of an overall impact than Shaq this season. Moon becomes a great substitute when LeBron gets his quick breathers and having Big Z (Ilgaukas) coming off the bench is key, as both Shaq and Z rely on one another to remain injury-free. Staying optimistic on a healthy return for Leon Powe will be big as an additional spark plug next to Varejao. Powe will be invaluable if & when the Cavaliers meet the Celtics in the playoffs. For the last few years Powe has went against both Garnett and Perkins in practice and can offer valuable insight on how to defend both of them to his fellow Cavalier big men. This looks to be the year we’ll finally see Shaq & Kobe matchup in the NBA Finals. If so any chance I can request Nike to create a Shaq puppet and a Ron Artest puppet?

Chicago Bulls- When you surround your team with a player as high of a caliber as the league’s reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Derrick Rose, the sky is the limit. The deadline move to bring over John Salmons and Brad Miller will continue to pay dividends this year. Both Tyrus Thomas and Joakim Noah showed drastic improvement as the year went on and both should continue to blossom next to the Rose. So you may be wondering what needs to happen in order for the Bulls to be a serious team to compete come playoff time, for the answer listen up and as I put a little twist to Pharrell’s hook in Chicago native Common’s hit, Universal Mind Control, “It’s that Deng, to de-Deng, Deng, Deng, Deng”. Luol Deng’s strong comeback determines just how far the Bulls can climb this year. A healthy Deng allows Salmons to move over the shooting guard position and helps Ty Thomas remain a more comfortable fit at power forward. But bringing back a former Bull in Jannero Pargo returning from overseas could possibly leave some doors open for trade talk for Kirk Hinrich. If Pargo can prove he can be a solid enough backup guard for spot minutes behind Rose, the Bulls should explore trade options for team’s interested in Hinrich. A great situation for Hinrich waits in Philadelphia where he could be their missing link to becoming a very scary team in the Atlantic Division possibly even competing for the top spot with the Celtics. If Philly becomes desperate for a REAL point guard, a package that includes Hinrich could possibly bring over a guy like Thaddeus Young who would help heal the wound at the small forward position if Deng can’t return strong. The Chicago Bulls are by far the best team in the Eastern Conference too not only compete now but to compete in the bright future that lies ahead in the windy city. On top of all the possibilities of making a serious postseason run for an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals, even if they fall short, don’t forget that next season Dwyane Wade will be making a homecoming when he signs a long-term deal with the Bulls, giving the Bulls one of the most athletic backcourts in the history of the NBA.

Detroit Pistons- Each year the Detroit Pistons seem to be getting away from what help them be successful in the first place, defense. Yes, I realize players’ age, there’s needed change and some players leave. But why not do your best to replace those players with similar basketball player mentalities? All of a sudden the Detroit Pistons have become obsessed with vortex scorers shying away from their team defense and unselfish play on the offensive end of the floor. It started with Billups for Iverson, then allowing Rasheed and McDyess to walk replacing them with Villanueva and Gordon. At this point, Tayshaun Prince must be dreading the upcoming season having nobody else who takes pride in their defense out on the floor with him. At the end of the offseason it’s almost like GM Joe Dumars realized it and pushed the panic button by trying to revive dead glory bringing back Ben Wallace. There’s no question that the Detroit Pistons won’t have trouble scoring the basketball, but who’s going to rebound? Who’s going to defend the opponent’s big man? Did I mention yet that their depth at the center position has Kwame Brown starting and Ben Wallace backing him up? I’d love to hear Stephen A. Smith’s comments regarding both of those centers and how they’ll impact the Pistons this year. If the Pistons develop a run and gun style like the Phoenix Suns then maybe their new roster can be effective but until then I see tons of problems, maybe even chemistry issues as each player is going to have to sacrifice some touches. Call me crazy, but if the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers focus in on their defense and stay healthy with their players, I see BOTH of them having a good chance at jumping the Detroit Pistons in the win column. But until then, the Pistons have the upper edge.

Milwaukee Bucks- The Milwaukee Bucks offseason moves boggle many NBA analysts as well as tons of NBA fans. Parting ways with three of their starters in Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villaneuva, and Ramon Sessions. The simplest way to put it is that both Villanueva and Sessions didn’t fit the Skiles type player and Jefferson didn’t have the desire to play in Milwaukee. But GM John Hammond did accomplish something big, he got the Bucks barely under the salary cap while acquiring some solid role players in Carlos Delfino and Kurt Thomas that can have big impacts if (and this is a BIG if) Bucks stars Andrew Bogut and Michael Redd return healthy and remain healthy for a full season. Not to mention the Bucks had a successful draft coming away with a steal at pick #10 selecting the potentially great point guard Brandon Jennings and then selecting one of the deadliest shooters in the draft with the #41^st overall pick, Jodie Meeks. The question I always get asked, is how can I possibly truly feel the Bucks have the ability to be successful, my answer is it’s starts with their toughness on the defensive end of the floor. While I’d already considered the Milwaukee Bucks to be a Top 15 defensive team last season, parting ways with Sessions, Villanueva, & Jefferson only helps their case into being placed into my Top 10 this year. Coach Scott Skiles is a coach who demands toughness on the defensive end of the floor while also taking care of the ball on offensive end of the court. OPPORTUNITY should be the Milwaukee Bucks’ motto this season, Hakim Warrick is going to get the chance to be a “go-to” guy, an opportunity to not only be a full time starter but also to be called upon to be consistent. For Brandon Jennings, he’ll need to be patient with Skiles because there’s not a chance he’ll earn the starting role immediately but if he can be a spark plug by getting the Bucks out on transition, create open looks for his teammates, and more importantly prove to Skiles he’s not a defensive liability (even though he needs to throw on some more weight), I think Jennings could take over the reigns from Ridnour as early as January. Which would still give him a legit shot (depending on the Bucks’ playoff chances) at Rookie of the Year honors. Bottom line for the Bucks, how Bogut and Redd return, how Warrick accepts a new level of responsibility nightly and how Brandon Jennings pans out this year determines whether or not the Bucks make a claim for that 8^th spot in the Eastern Conference.

Indiana Pacers- Like the Milwaukee Bucks, the Pacers’ level of success lingers on the chances that their main players remain healthy. Unfortunately history tells us that just won’t be the case. But if Danny Granger can make history by increasing his scoring output by another five points (which would have to be 30.8) per game this season then the Pacers could be like the Miami Heat of last year. This would be Granger’s fifth straight season of improving his points per game by five or more, something that’s never been accomplished. Is it a reasonable record to break?… who knows, it’s the Indiana Pacers a team that beat five out the six division leaders (Cavs, Magic, Lakers, Nuggets, and the Celtics by 26 pts). Too make even more confusing, last season the Pacers failed to have a winning streak longer than three games last year. Newly acquired Dahntay Jones definitely helps strengthen their defensive efforts but doesn’t help them put up anymore points on the board, which concerns me. There’s still no timetable on whether or not Mike Dunleavy, one the Pacers best scoring options in the past, will play next season or ever again for that matter. Troy Murphy gave his best to produce on the offense but in the end the Pacers don’t have enough legitimate scoring threats to help out the Lone Ranger, Danny Granger.

Southeast Division:

Orlando Magic- The Magic were the last but also the first team to go fishing during the offseason. Losing in five games to the newly crowned world champion Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA finals they became the last team “gone fishing”. During the summer’s free agency period they went fishing once more reeling in a Bass, forward Brandon Bass from the Dallas Mavericks. Along with Bass, the Magic traded for the human highlight reel Vince Carter with Ryan Anderson also coming over in the deal to New Jersey guard that sent Rafer Alston and the young Courtney Lee. Adding Vince Carter gave the Magic a nice replacement for Hedo Turkoglu whom they knew would be a tough signing (eventually Turkoglu signed with Toronto). Then came a shocking move when the Magic decided to match the Mavericks offer sheet to backup center Marcin Gortat. With the little money they had left, they went out and signed forward Matt Barnes and flashy point guard Jason Williams. It’s clear to say that the Magic had a very successful offseason, bulking up their depth for another potential NBA Finals run. Dwight Howard has gained another year of experience and also now knows what it feels like to play in the NBA Finals; he’ll be hungry to make his return to the biggest stage. Vince Carter is craving a chance to play in the NBA Finals falling short to do so way back with the Raptors missing a game winner, which would’ve sent him to the finals in 2001. With Vince you must question how much “magic” is still left in the tank but Orlando is fortunate enough to have above average backups at every position, in Carter’s case it’s Mickael Pietrus. Going into the season, without question the Orlando Magic are the best suited team to challenge the Cleveland Cavaliers for a chance to go to the championship.

Atlanta Hawks- My gut feeling wants to give the Wizards a chance and select them as the second best team in the Southeast Division but I couldn’t pull the trigger due to Atlanta’s unity. Ever since Mike Bibby came to town for the most part the Atlanta Hawks gelled as a team and have kept the same solid structured roster. With the Wizards filled with many new changes as well as big impact players coming off injuries, unless the Wizards have an unbelievable second half of the season, they won’t catch the Hawks. No disrespect to the very solid Flip Murray but for the first year since Atlanta’s been a threat in the East, they finally got a lethal threat coming off their bench in Jamal Crawford. Murray played great for them but logged a ton of minutes at the point guard slot, which wasn’t his ideal position to be successful. Like Murray, Crawford flourishes as a shooting guard but also has the ability to play the point guard spot and is more effective than Murray as the floor general. But don’t get too excited seeing Crawford as a PG because rookie Jeff Teague could also see some spot minutes on the floor to provide a spark. Teague was a potential lottery pick going into the draft and Atlanta lucked out with him falling down to them at #19. Both Joe Smith and Jason Collins give Coach Mike Woodson some new-experienced post options of the bench along with Zaza Pachulia. If Atlanta continues to build upon each year like they have in the past few seasons, the Hawks could be a dark horse come playoff time.

Washington Wizards- Let’s face it, their “wizardry” paid off as Washington basically traded away their rights to selecting Ricky Rubio (whom won’t even play in the NBA for another couple years) in exchange for guards Randy Foye and Mike Miller. The Wizards organization adapted the perfect mentality when the draft approached. While all of last season the Wizards were one of the worst teams in the league, a lot of that had to do with big injuries. Rather than selecting another top prospect and waiting for him to fully develop, the Wizards’ front office decided to take a different standpoint focusing on the present. The Wizards NEED to win now, the current roster situation points to wins. With Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, and Brendan Haywood seeing the light at the end of the tunnel of their “prime”, it’s a no-brainer you risk the future and give this franchise an opportunity to be successful in the present. Grabbing Fabricio Oberto along with Foye and Miller changes the whole dimension of how “playoff ready” this team really is. If Gil-Zero comes back strong, Haywood can be consistent solid center, grabbing down some boards, and the rest of the team put up numbers they’ve put up in year’s past, the Washington Wizards aren’t a team you want to be reckon’ with. But Wizards fans, you gotta stay patient with your squad, the first 20 games may be just below .500 basketball, but once the Wiz find some signs of momentum, watch out!

Charlotte Bobcats- Head coach Larry Brown has almost completely finished his project of giving the Bobcats a makeover filled with players he’s fond of. In a nutshell I love describing the Bobcats as a team filled with borderline stars who on great teams are solid role player starters. So if we’re talking chemistry-wise then yes, I love the Charlotte Bobcats, but for some strange reason with or without reaching an agreement with guard Raymond Felton, I don’t see the chemistry translating to wins. The Bobcats are one all-star shy of being a very dangerous team even in the Southeast division. Trading away Emeka Okafor’s contract of Tyson Chandler doesn’t necessarily help the team improve but it does improve their chances of inking what I like to call a second tier free agent in these next two off seasons. Charlotte should put up so battles this year but will be that team that is solid but always falls up short in the end in tough games. Same will apply for their 2009-2010 season.
Miami Heat- After Dwyane Wade leaves Miami for his hometown Chicago Bulls this next offseason, the Miami Heat will be crowned the Eastern Conference’s version of the L.A. Clippers. The first half of the season will say it all for the Miami Heat, if the Heat struggle out the gates, it won’t come as a surprise if D-Wade happens to get “injured” having to clock some time on the injured reserve (aka staying healthy for his homecoming). Can anyone give me one reason why Wade should stay in Miami? They didn’t even make the slightest effort to be another big name to town to aid him. Instead they became the 5^th team this offseason to receive Quentin Richardson and his all so streaky long-range stroke. I’m sorry, am I missing something? Although Q-Rich and D-Wade have a good off the court relationship both reigning from Chicago (Richardson was actually working out with Wade when the news broke he was traded again) I’m pretty sure the Heat have James Jones who won’t be as effective as Richardson but is at least consistent and Daequan Cook is almost a clone (as a SG) of a young Richardson. With Beasley having off the court issues, Chalmers always leaving you wondering, and never knowing the daily status of Jermaine O’Neal’s knee I don’t like the Heat’s chances of getting out of the gate with a strong start. Like I said earlier and I cannot stress enough how terrible start and awful first half of the season= Injured Wade, but even if I’m wrong, I promise you Wade will be gone in a FLASH at the end of the season, Chi-Town bound.

Western Conference

Northwest Division-

Denver Nuggets- The Nuggets are coming off of a stellar year after acquiring Colorado native Chauncey Billups in exchange for team chemistry cancer Allen Iverson. Since Mr. Big Shot’s arrival the Nuggets have rose to the top of the Western Conference, looking to this year reach the top of the Rockies in first place of not only the Northwest Division but also the Western Conference. While it’s highly unlikely that they’ll earn that top spot, be advised that the momentum built up this past year will continue to build this year. If Coors Light came up with a bottle that turn blue when on you got your swagger, the Denver Nuggets roster is on code blue. The energy and aggressiveness that the Nuggets bring nearly every night is what will continue to drive them to success. While I’m not a fan of J.R. Smith, his play alongside Carmelo and Chauncey will ultimately determine games down the stretch, if he can continue to knock down the open shots, it allows Billups and Melo to operate with open space that will lack help side. In the post, the Nuggets also have one of the best clean up crews around with K-Mart, Birdman, and Nene. One thing to watch out for is the progression of rookie guard Ty Lawson, who should flourish in Denver’s style of play, it won’t take long for him to beat out veteran Anthony Carter for the backup point guard position and with Lawson’s speed, I also see Coach Karl playing Billups and Lawson together if the matchups present themselves. Just like the last year’s playoffs, the Nuggets will be one of the most entertaining teams to follow this year.

Portland Trailblazers- The Trailblazer nucleus now knows what it takes to be a playoff team and have a taste of the playoff experience. With that in mind, the young squad will build upon last year’s success while meshing in the newest addition of veteran point guard Andre Miller, who could become the missing link to the puzzle. Starting center Greg Oden should come out and display drastic improvement to his overall game and it wouldn’t shock me to see him average a double-double with a couple of blocks per game. Portland’s biggest problem comes at small forward where they have multiple guys who equally deserve a chance at that starting role. While Nicolas Batum started the majority of last year’s games, Martell Webster should add his argument with his lethal outside shot. I’ll even throw Travis Outlaw into the discussion; though the Blazers seem very content playing Outlaw in the second unit with Rudy Fernandez who should also blossum some more this year. Even with the addition to Andre Miller don’t look for the Blazers to impress much in the playoffs, but individually the young Blazers should continue to impress throughout the season.

Utah Jazz- I don’t know what it is about Jerry Sloan’s teams, they’re always solid but can’t ever find that extra emphasis to get over the hump in big game situations. While the Jazz will be able to easily find one of the last spots in the playoffs if Deron Williams stays healthy, the overall improvement of this year will lean on the return of Carlos Boozer. Boozer will have the ability to prove to the league, what exactly the Jazz have been missing and how big an impact he actually has in his team’s success. The Jazz will start out the season without two of their main wing players, C.J. Miles and Kyle Korver limiting their strength of depth, giving Kirlenko another shot at not only proving he’s worth a starting nod but worth considering at the small forward on occasions. Millsap, even after getting paid, should continue to be Millsap, their key post man off the bench. The Jazz look as strong as ever on paper, but can they finally find that one extra gear come time to compete for the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder- They’re young, they’re talented, they’re inexperienced, that’s all you’ll hear this year regarding the Thunder’s new and improved young team. Unfortunately this year will not be the breakout season, but there will be stretches this year that this team show signs of what’s to come for many years down the road. Each Thunder player is on a mission this year, a mission to not only gel as a team, but to ultimately prove themselves as elite players for their given roles. Durant has the ability to solidify himself as the 3^rd best overall player in this league behind LeBron and Kobe. Westbrook can solidify the league that he’s capable to handle the point guard position though he is not a true point guard. Westbrook could even throw up Kidd-like numbers in the box scores, flirting with a triple-double each game. Jeff Green should quietly continue to prosper from the attention that Durant demands and his ability to blow by slower power forward defenders that have to dread matching up with a guy of Green’s nature. If there’s anyway the Thunder find themselves in the playoffs without another team ahead of them having a star player go down, it’ll be the addition to rookie James Harden. Harden will be given the playing time to have a chance at not only become a member of the All Rookie First Team but also a legit shot at winning Rookie of the Year. Did I forget to mention if the Thunder somehow make the playoffs, who the NBA MVP will be??? Kevin Durant

Minnesota Timberwolves- The season of lessons learned, the motto in which new head coach Kurt Rambis and his team should live by this season. Even if Al Jefferson and Kevin Love remained healthy (which evidentially isn’t the case), the Wolves have no chance winning games this year. Too much inexperience, but filled with players who show signs of tremendous upside daily. Jonny Flynn will gain valuable experience as part of a struggling team and it should ultimately help him become a even better leader out on the floor. For Corey Brewer, this is a big season, a season to shine and prove his worth. Jefferson if healthy would’ve continued to improve as a fantasy owners dream, producing unreal numbers on a nightly basis. The NBA world won’t truly get a sense of the Wolves future until the Love and Jefferson tandem becomes healthy down low. Last but not least, did you think I forgot to mention the addition of Ramon Sessions, no I didn’t but honestly, I probably should have because Ramon will get beat out as the starting point guard and won’t be nearly as effective as he was with the Bucks last season. If Sessions stays with Minnesota he’ll become a player who was overpaid and overrated, but don’t be surprised if come playoff time, teams come calling.

Pacific Division-

Los Angeles Lakers- The question isn’t whether or not the Lakers will be at the top of the Pacific Division that’s already a given, it’s whether Ron Artest helps them repeat as NBA champions. Despite the rest of the league’s attempt to put together a championship contending team, the Lakers once again will have the best-suited team for success. Opposing teams must pray that Ron Artest continues to ruin team chemistry with the teams he’s a member of. This very well could be a transition year for the Lakers with Derek Fisher slowly (and I mean slowly) earning less minutes in order to develop Jordan Farmar, but so far Farmar has yet to show consistently that he’s worthy of the slow changing on the guard. For Bynum, he must bounce back to full strength and become aggressive when given his touches or he maybe ignored on the offensive side of the ball come midway through the season. So far so good when it comes to moving the basketball for the Lakers, each player has seemed to accept their roles with the Artest addition. Odom seems fine providing a spark of the bench if need be and Kobe will continue to be Kobe, no matter who joins the franchise. In the end, if Kobe is Kobe, Artest continues to be Artest, it should be a very interesting year for the Lake Show, but one filled with a lot of promise.

Phoenix Suns- Did I put any bias into this pick? Absolutely not, in fact I’m quite displeased in the way the Suns have managed to put together this team. Lacking a solid back up point guard (sorry the guy who gets paid lottery pick money not a backup) Dragic is no better than Roko Ukic. Now off that rant and on to the next one the Suns have no legitimate backup center, even before the injury of Robin Lopez. While I love that the run and gun mentality is back being that it’s a joy to watch during the season, but historically just awful to watch fail come playoff time. The Suns need such a lucky playoff matchup to even stand a chance in the first round. Do they have the ability to get there? I don’t know, I think Coach Gentry has the right mentality to have a chance, he just lacks the right personnel, simply because the management isn’t willing to spend the money. Channing Frye will prove to be a great management move and will definitely fit the “blue light” special bargain, but his option at the end of the year will be avoided and Frye will be gone, unless the Suns decide to over pay him. I can’t say much about the Suns this year, I just can’t, I’m done buying into the “eyes on the prize” as a supporter because simply that’s not what the management has their eyes set on. In many senses, the management is blind with a future that doesn’t look promising. Most likely Amare will be gone after this year, Frye will be gone (or overpaid), and poor, ring less Steve Nash will continue to descend from his prime. On the bright side, the Suns will potentially have a chance to get back into the playoffs by strictly out scoring teams where I hope they prove me wrong, and make me a believer. Earl Clark will be fun to watch progress and hopefully he’ll be given an opportunity unlike Alando Tucker. Well there’s not much else to say, be on the lookout on an article soon to really go in depth on my opinion regarding the Suns because though many find me a hater, I’m not, I’m just a not a believer in the way this franchise is being handled, I support the product being thrown out there on the floor 95% of the time. That 5% will be shown on January 11^th. But in all, Suns will earn one of the last spots in the playoffs but without any emphasis on defending, they’ll be one and done, gone in the first round, then Amare will be gone. Though the Suns team, as I knew it is already gone, I hope we all enjoy what is left of it.

Los Angeles Clippers- Could the Clippers potentially leap the Suns in the Pacific Division? I posed the question earlier this summer, got mixed emotions. In my opinion it’s a close call but I much take the proven Phoenix Suns than a young, unpredictable team filled with many depth questions. Who starts at center? Does Blake Griffin come off the bench? How does Eric Gordon’s role change with the signing of Rasual Butler? Is Baron Davis healthy and ready to go? These are just a few of the many I have for the Clippers this year and not even their biggest fans can truly answer these with complete certainty. I do like what Clipper fans have to look forward too, even before grabbing Griffin in the draft lottery. Gordon and Thornton were both surprising players last year and hope to improve upon that with the aid of a healthy Baron Davis by their side. Camby and Kaman both continue to show their worth with their inside presences and I’m hoping DeAndre Jordan will sprout soon. Jordan could soon be a very good poor man’s Dwight Howard having tremendous potential. The overall success of this team relies on Baron Davis, whether he can do enough to incorporate everyone into the offense and do so in an effective manner. While I think he can do much of that, I don’t feel he can do enough of it to make the Clippers a playoff team.

Golden State Warriors- I’m well aware that Stephen Curry could be up for Rookie of the Year honors, but I don’t think he presence helps the Warriors succeed. His vortex mentality as a shoot first point guard will not improve the young Warriors team it will in fact hurt their chances in becoming a successful team. With the amount of scoring they have, the Warriors need to stress ball movement, getting everyone on the same page is something that should but won’t be done, just by examining the roster’s personality. With Captain Jack being relieved on his position, the Warriors lack a proven leader. No leadership translates into having a bad season. If Don Nelson isn’t willing to give Anthony Randolph his opportunity this season, they should consider trading the young product in exchange for a leader, a guy with the leadership ability of Chauncey Billups could really go far with a team not far from being successful. The Warriors will struggle but play hard to the end like ANTHONY who plays like there’s no ToMORROW. By the way, watch out for him, he could be a potential fantasy stud, especially with an unhappy Stephen Jackson.

Sacramento Kings- With not much too look forward, Tyreke Evans becomes the main attraction in Sac-Town. Evans can at least bring some future hope to what’s to come along with potential double-double machine Jason Thompson and maybe even inconsistent center Spencer Hawes, whose shown signs of success but not enough to be fully bought into yet. But nonetheless the Kings should be back into the running for the #1 pick next year and I can only imagine a backcourt consisting of Evans and John Wall, talk a future backcourt for year’s to come! With a new coach and new point guard in charge of controlling the floor, change is in the air in Sacramento, patience could be worth it Kings fans, could be….

Southwest Division:

Dallas Mavericks- Dare I do it? I shall! The Spurs are great and will be right up there with the Mavs but I’m picking the Mavericks to be the biggest surprise in the NBA. Why? They made some very serious offseason moves, ones that will help the team step up to the next level. The most important was reuniting Shawn Marion with long lost teammate Jason Kidd. In my mind, Marion couldn’t of found a better home outside of Phoenix, being a firm believer I feel he’ll return to the Matrix of old for the most part. Though he’s already on the downside of his prime, he’s still enough left in the tank and enough motivation to seek a title. His slashing game compliments Nowitzki’s game well and don’t be surprised to see Marion play with Josh Howard whom they’ll move over to the shooting guard. With the best sixth man in the game today, in Jason Terry, the Mavericks will be the second best team in the Western Conference by a hair. Drew Gooden is a very legit backup big man able to play both power forward and center. Head coach Rick Carlisie has plenty of lineup options he can experiment with but once he finds the right solution, I believe the Mavs will be rolling from there on out. Dallas is the team to beat in the Southwest Division.

San Antonio Spurs- They’re old, they’re experienced and they’re going to be good, especially come playoff time. But for the season’s sake, I’ll have them finishing behind the Mavs because at some point in the 82 game season, the Spurs will experience a rough injury, it’s just bound to happen. With stars like Ginobili, Parker, McDyess, and Duncan an injury is sitting just around the corner waiting to bite, but will it affect the overall play of the team, no in fact it’ll help the team prepare for the playoff push. Popvich if he’s smart he will start benching his players after clinching a playoff spot, in order for the aging stars to be ready for a dogfight throughout the entire playoffs. Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess were great fits for this ball club, DeJuan Blair could potentially could be the biggest steal in the draft so far showing that his knee is healthy and that he really was lottery pick worthy. The future of this franchise isn’t bright but the present is about as bright as it can get, if healthy.

New Orleans Hornets- After disappointing me in the playoffs last season, eliminated in embarrassing fashion by the Denver Nuggets, the Hornets have a lot to prove to their fan base. There’s no doubt having the best point guard in the game helps but if the streaky shooters around him don’t help out the Hornets don’t stand a chance. With the departure of Rasual Butler, aging shooters Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakovic must knock down their shots until Julian Wright is fully ready for the responsibility. James Posey wasn’t as impressive as advertised and needs to prove the league wrong this year, by getting back to knocking down big shots. David West like always, will continue to do his thing with the near 20 and 10 each night. Emeka Okafor must find his niche with Paul from the get go of the regular season to become a deadly force for the team as Okafor is very limited with his back to the basket, one on one. Along with Ty Lawson of the Denver Nuggets, Darren Collision could be a very surprising point guard from day one in the NBA. The Hornets should find a way to sneak into the playoffs but will Paul have enough threats surrounding him to help out? Probably not…

Memphis Grizzlies- By far the most confusing team in the NBA. Just when you thought the Grizz had the right idea to go young and build around their talented youth, they go out and find the biggest troublemakers possible. Adding Allen Iverson and Zach Randolph will only serve as role models NOT to follow in the NBA and will also help sell tickets. I really question whether the Memphis front office truly thinks A.I. and Z-BO can really help this team be successful, especially in a division where the should be focusing on the future, as they have no chance in competing now. A few of Rudy Gay’s touches should be taken away and given to Randolph but his scoring output should remain around the same as last year at nearly 19 points per contest. There will be two starting positions that will be interesting to follow throughout the year, Allen Iverson and Mike Conley battling for the starting job along with Marc Gasol and Hasheem Thabeet. In both cases I think Iverson and Thabeet will come about with the starting duties. Sam Young has shown some promise early on, but finding legitimate time could become a problem. The Memphis Grizzles will remain in the spotlight this upcoming year for all the wrong reasons, it’s unfortunate we won’t be able to focus on the positive young future that’s been held up by aging, chemistry issued stars.

Houston Rockets- The Rockets might not win a game this year if Luis Scola doesn’t average 20 plus a game. Just kidding but Scola needs to average 20 points in order to even be competitive. I think we’ll quickly see that Trevor Ariza is overrated when it comes to be a franchise player and Aaron Brooks can only pass so many times a game in order to produce ball movement. I like the Rockets in terms of defense and their scrappy mentality but they have no identity on offense what so ever, it’s going to be an offensive about as confusing as the first few minutes of a pick up game. Coach Rick Adelman has a long season ahead of him and I have much respect for any positives he can get out of this season. As for Tracy McGrady, I almost forgot he’s still an active player in the league. While I hope for a strong return I don’t know how much T-Mac has left in the tank that’s definitely running on empty. For the Rockets 2009-2010 season, the wins will be running on empty as well.

Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Boston Celtics
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Chicago Bulls
7. Washington Wizards
8. Detroit Pistons

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Denver Nuggets
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Portland Trailblazers
6. Utah Jazz
7. Phoenix Suns
8. New Orleans Hornets

So the teams have been drafted for the 2009-2010 Fantasy Draft and here are the rosters.

The Teams:

The Custodian:

The Custodian expects LBJ23 to produce this season, will he? probably. Will the guy on his team watching him produce? probably not.

• Steve Nash
• Kevin Durant
• Joe Johnson
• LeBron James
• Pau Gasol
• Al Jefferson
• Brook Lopez
• Elton Brand
• Devin Harris
• Gerald Wallace
• Josh Smith
• OJ Mayo
• Mo Williams

The Franchise:

The Franchise followed the book and took Chris Paul with the #1 pick.

• Chris Paul
• Brandon Roy
• Chauncey Billups
• Carmelo Anthony
• Dirk Nowitzki
• Tim Duncan
• LaMarcus Aldridge
• Carlos Boozer
• Paul Pierce
• Caron Butler
• Rudy Gay
• Tony Parker
• Blake Griffin

The Freelancer:

Will Dwayne Wade bring victory to the Freelancer?

• Dwayne Wade
• Danny Granger
• Andre Iguodala
• Antawn Jamison
• Chris Bosh
• Kevin Garnett
• Troy Murphy
• Mehmet Okur
• Gilbert Arenas
• Rashard Lewis
• Shawn Marion
• Ray Allen
• Nene

The Champ (Pippen Ain’t Easy)

Kobe Bryant leads a stellar squad of studs which almost certainly ensures victory for the Champ

• Deron Williams
• Kobe Bryant
• Kevin Martin
• Vince Carter
• Amar’e Stoudemire
• David West
• Dwight Howard
• David Lee
• Jose Calderon
• Derrick Rose
• Hedo Turkoglu
• Jason Kidd
• Allen Iverson