Playoffs?

oh, hey! sorry for my tardiness but I got em’

1. Los Angeles Lakers: OK, an early home schedule is good and all, and Pau Gasol is back and doing work, and everythings clicking. But, there is no but, the Lakers are the number one team in the league. However, I’m not sure Kobe’s increased scoring is a good sign or not.

2. Atlanta Hawks: Disclaimer: Yes I am writing this after watching their cold effort in their falling to the Orlando Magic, at home. But coming into Monday this team was still on fire, yes they deserve to be here now. Next week? watch out.

3. Denver Nuggets: Coming into the season I was concerned about Denver. Yes, drafting Ty Lawson is a HUGE plus, but they made no offseason moves to improve the team. But then, Carmello Anthony stepped up, he finally is dishing out points and rebounds like a true superstar. Tracking Anthony’s development at a recent trip to the pool really sold me on the Nuggets, they’ve come a long way. They had Allen Iverson around this time last year.

4. Phoenix Suns: Have the Suns winning become bland again? reference my analysis last week because nothing has changed for Steve Nash, Amare Stoudamire and Company.

5. Orlando Magic: Vince Carter takes bad shots. Sometimes. Now Dwight Howard’s lobbying Stan Van to ease up. They aren’t exactly dominating the league. Tough loss to Miami, questionable call? Don’t ask Pietrus.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: My Cavs are doing alright. Not dominating, not losing. I also feel LeBron has not exactly turned it on yet. The win against Orlando was the most intense of the season, compared to the lackadaisical effort, a win at least, against the Pistons. The Shaq injury does hurt the depth of the team. And JJ Hickson, well expect a bromance post pretty soon from the Champ.

7. Boston Celtics: When did the Celts get so cold? Now theyre barely beating teams like Philly, Minnesota, and New Jersey. OK. No real significant injury problems. Is Iverson the answer? reference Stephon Marbury.

8. Dallas Mavericks: What’s up with past MVP’s having great seasons? Dirk, Steve Nash, Hey even AI’s back in the news. Oh well, the Mavs look alright I guess. West elite? no. Top Four seed? yes.

9. Portland Trailblazers: The three guard combo of Blake, Miller, and Roy was interesting, but maybe the Blazers weren’t as potent. Although I feel that might be a good matchup issue in the playoffs so giving those three guys time on the floor together is a good thing in my eyes. Greg Oden’s coming around too, good for him.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: OK, the Bucks can stay. Brandon Jennings.

(thats all I have to say about the Bucks)

Missing from Last Week:

Miami Heat: Wait until next week. The win over Orlando was huge, and the Champ, maybe just a little bit is starting to finally be won over by Michael Beasley, not for the game winning dunk though, although that helped a little bit.

Note: This is part of an ongoing series of player previews of the 2009-10 Hoyas.

Perhaps no Hoya stands to benefit from the turnover on Georgetown’s roster as much as sophomore guard Jason Clark.

Clark came to Georgetown last year after a successful career at D.C.-area Bishop O’Connell, where he was twice chosen All-Met, including as player of the year his senior year.  As a freshman, Clark made valuable contributions.  Playing 18 minutes per game, Clark averaged 5.2 points, 2.6 rebounds, and just under 1 assist, and shot well from the field.  Despite standing just 6′2″, Clark has extremely long arms and is a particularly gifted athlete, making him an invaluable defensive presence.  However, he was also extremely turnover-prone – a team-wide flaw that, along with rebound margin (and, related to both, a general listlessness presumably caused by chemistry issues), submarined the Hoyas’ season.

Encouragingly, Clark improved, earning more minutes as the season wore on, largely at the expense of Jessie Sapp.  In the last 10 games in particular, Clark went up in nearly every statistical category over his full-season averages (including, unfortunately, turnovers). Somewhat disturbingly, it’s not clear that the Hoyas were better with Clark on the floor than with him on the pine.

Clark shined at the Kenner League this summer, shooting well and playing energetic defense.  (You can check out full summaries here, here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.)  Apparently he posterized Michael Beasley at one point, a feat perhaps made marginally less astounding by Beasley’s apparent substance-abuse problems.  Clark used his energy and quickness both to good and to ill — on the one hand, grabbing rebounds, disrupting passing lanes, and finishing on the break, while, on the other, occasionally getting ahead of himself and coughing the ball up.

The coming season is wide open for Clark.  The graduation of Sapp and transfer of Omar Wattad leave plenty of minutes to be had in the backcourt, particularly if JTIII puts Austin Freeman as the 3 in a three-guard offense.  Depending on performance and opposing lineup, Clark will likely compete with Hollis Thompson for a starting spot.  Regardless of whether he starts, though, Clark will be counted for greater contributions, particularly in relief of Chris Wright at the point. How effective Clark can be as the lead guard seems largely dependent upon the restraint he demonstrates offensively. If he can protect the ball better and find his teammates with greater frequency, Clark’s high-tempo energy could provide the spark that Georgetown’s offense sometimes lacks.

Clark will see time off the ball as well.  As the best-returning three-point shooter, Clark will need to help space opposing defenses, and punish those defenses that collapse on Hoya back-cuts and Monroe post-ups.  His athleticism and ability to finish in traffic may help him finish on the aforementioned back-cuts.  Due to his quickness, energy, and long arms, Clark can make an impact defensively and on the boards, two areas where Sapp’s absence will be felt.

Like many of his teammates, Jason Clark is a player of unquestioned talent entering a season of great opportunity.  If he seizes that opportunity this season, the Hoya backcourt will be all the more formidable.

The Atlanta Hawks are on somewhat of a hot streak. They currently hold the Eastern Conference’s best record with last night’s 105-90 victory over the Miami Heat at 10-2. Joe Johnson scored 30 points and Josh Smith was all over the stat sheet: 16 points, 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 blocks and 2 steals. Bringing in Jamal Crawford was also key to the team’s success. Michael Beasley had 21 points and 9 rebounds for the Heat.

~Signing Off~
AGE

Sabíamos que Barack Obama jugaba al basketball, que era zurdo y escolta. Su afición le llevó a prometer la construcción de una pista de baloncesto –Zapatero se frotaba las manos para echar unas canastas– en la White House y hasta su acierto en el lanzamiento le llevó a ser bautizado como Barry O’Bomber. Pero la cosa no termina ahí. Resulta que en una reciente conversación entre Barack Obama y Dwyane Wade, el presidente de los States se interesó por el estado de Michael Beasley, el alero que este verano fue pillado en una red social una fotografía en la que se veía marihuana y que sufre un trastorno psicológico acusado. “Hizo muchas preguntas sobre Beasley. Quería asegurarse que le estábamos apoyando y que utilizaba mi liderazgo para echarle una mano”, explico Flash. Al llegar al vestuario al día siguiente, Wade le explicó la conversación al aludido. “Estas cosas enseñan a mucha gente lo grande que es”. Eso o es que ha hecho una suculenta apuesta en favor de los Miami Heat y no quiere dejar ni un cabo suelto. Es broma. Wade y Obama son íntimos, ambos de Chicago y el escolta apoyó la campaña del ahora presidente el pasado año e, incluso, su amistad ha llegado a las pistas. En el mes de junio echaron un uno contra uno. “¿Tuviste que usar trash-talking?”, le preguntó un periodista entonces. “No fue necesario. Lo maté en silencio”, sentenció entre risas Wade. Zapatero, calienta.

Obama y Wade, together

The last three years have seen two #2 overall picks and 1 #1 overall pick come from the Big 12. Which player was the best of those three? And who is next?

Over the past three years the Big 12 has been probably the best conference in college basketball. They’ve seen a national champion, and at least one Elite 8 team each of the last three years. They’ve also had three of the great individual talents in college basketball. In 2007, Kevin Durant took Texas to a share of the conference title and a #2 pick in the NBA Draft. The year after Michael Beasley had perhaps an even better season statistically, and led K State to only one of three wins over Kansas. The year after that Blake Griffin had a slew of double doubles and led Oklahoma to the Elite 8. But which was best? A statistical rundown.

O-Rating

We know Offensive Rating for team (pts per 100 possesions.) This is just the individualized version.

Durant: 116.5

Beasley: 119.8

Griffin: 117.2

Some context: Each player had decent 2nd bananas, DJ Augustin, Bill Walker and Willie Warren, so you cant penalize or give anyone a bonus there. 2009 was a terrible year for upper echelons teams, so perhaps give Griffin a bit of a penalty for doing it against worse competition than Beasley and Durant.

Edge: Beasley

eFG%

The formula for eFG% is (FG+.5*3P)/FGA. This adjusts for the fact that a three pointer is worth more than a two pointer.

Durant: 53.6%

Beasley: 56.3%

Griffin: 65.7%

Here Griffin was just so good inside (Made 66% of his twos) and got a ton of dunks which gives him a huge edge here. Durant and Beasley both played outside more and shot more jumpshots. Durant took over 200 three pointers and Beasley took almost 100.

TS%

True shooting percentage is a derivative of eFG that takes into account field goals, 3 pointers and free throws. The formula is PTS/ (2* (FGA + .44*FTA))

Durant: 58.7%

Beasley: 61%

Griffin: 64.8%

Here Beasley draws a little closer to Griffin because he shot 77% from the line whereas Griffin shot just 59%. Durant, for his part, shot 81%

Edge: Griffin

Offensive Rebounding

Durant: 9%

Beasley: 13.3%

Griffin: 14.1%

Really all 3 of their numbers are impressive when you look at the fact that Durant and Beasley were mainly perimeter players. Although, they did have the advantage of being boxed out by smaller guys.

Defensive Rebounding

Durant: 24.1%

Beasley: 29.9%

Griffin: 32.4%

Griffin was the 3rd best defensive rebounder last year, Beasley was the 6th in 2008, and Durant was 27th in 2007.

It’s really close, but to me Beasley was the best of the three players, at least offensively. As it’s been shown in his brief NBA career, the guy just doesn’t play defense. But, seeing as neither Durant nor Griffin are defensive stalwarts themselves, I think Beasley is the best of the one and done era, which is odd since he probably will be the worst of the three in the NBA.

Die Medienwirkung, die LeBrons Auftritt in New York erzielt hat, war enorm. Sein Werdegang und die Diskussion darüber, wo er nächste Saison spielen wird, gehören zu den meist beachteten Themen rund um die NBA, die es in den letzten Jahren gegeben hat. Diszipliniert beantwortet James jegliche Frage, die mit einem möglichen Wechsel zusammenhängt und achtet darauf, bloß nichts preiszugeben. Vielleicht weiß er bereits, welchen Schritt er in der Offseason 2010 gehen wird, das sei einmal dahingestellt. Geht es ihm um die Moneten, wird er wohl in Cleveland bleiben, da die Cavs ihm den Regularien nach einfach am meisten Cash auf das Bankkonto transferieren können. Nicht, dass er ohnehin genug verdient hätte in seiner noch jungen Karriere, aber ein Faktor bildet das Geld immer. Nun hat er in einem Interview ein Statement gebracht, dass Fans aus allen NBA Städten hat aufhorchen lassen.

Das Geld sei ihm eigentlich egal, somit sei ein großer Kontrakt zweitrangig. Auf Siege käme es ihm an und es gäbe viele Spieler, mit denen er gerne in einer Mannschaft stünde. Nun sollten sich die Anhänger der Sacramento Kings nicht allzu große Hoffnungen machen, aber LeBrons Aussage sollte bei Teams wie vor allem den New York Knicks schnell begriffen und verinnerlicht werden. Sicher, Donnie Walsh hat gute Arbeit geleistet die Knicks wieder unter den Salary Cap zu bringen. Das Geld wäre also da, aber was ist mit den richtigen Mitspielern? Sechs Knicks-Akteure werden im kommenden Sommer zunächst vertragslos sein und ob es D’Antoni und Walsh gelingt David Lee, Nate Robinson und Al Harrington auch längerfristig zu binden und zufriedenzustellen ist fraglich. Darüber hinaus sollte man sich die Frage stellen, ob James überhaupt mit Harrington, Lee und Robinson zusammenspielen will.
New York mag das Mekka des Basketballs sein, aber in der NBA gibt es attraktivere Destinationen, wenn es um die Konkurrenzfähigkeit geht. ESPNs Chris Sheridan hebt zu Recht die Miami Heat hervor. Auch Dwyane Wade könnte sich via Free Agency einen neuen Club suchen, doch was passiert wenn sich Wade und James darauf verständigen zusammen in Miami anzuheuern und man es schafft Amar’e Stoudemire oder Chris Bosh davon zu überzeugen nach Florida zu kommen? Die Heat haben mit Mario Chalmers und Michael Beasley zwei sehr talentierte Spieler in ihren Reihen und zusammen mit Wade, James und Bosh oder Stoudemire wären sie in der Eastern Conference konkurrenzlos.
Damit will ich nicht sagen, dass die Heat notwendigerweise bessere Karten haben Superstars vom Markt zu greifen als die Knicks, die ihrerseits mit Danilo Gallinari und Wilson Chandler werben können, doch hoffe ich einfach für Walsh, dass er sich einen guten Plan zurecht gelegt hat.
Dieser Tage Spricht zwar kaum jemand über die New Jersey Nets, aber auch sie sollten  im Wettlauf um LeBrons Gunst nicht ausgeklammert werden. Erst gestern hat man wieder gesehen, dass sich James und Jay-Z, der bekanntlich Anteilhaber der Nets ist, nahe stehen. Mit Devin Harris, Brook Lopez und Courtney Lee sind auch die Nets nicht schlecht besetzt, obgleich die Heat meiner Einschätzung nach mehr Talent aufzubieten haben.
Bei all den Worten, die über LeBron verloren werden, muss auch erwähnt werden, dass andere überaus talentierte Spieler auf dem Transfermarkt erhältlich sein werden, darunter Joe Johnson, Manu Ginobili, Dirk Nowitzki und die zuvor erwähnten Wade, Bosh und Stoudemire.
So werden auch die Minnesota Timberwolves das nötige Kleingeld haben, um einen Spieler mit Starqualitäten in den hohen Norden der USA locken zu können. Mit Al Jefferson, Kevin Love, Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions und möglicherweise noch Ricky Rubio warten Mitspieler, mit denen es sich lohnt auf dem Court zu stehen. Dennoch glaube ich nicht, dass LeBron James oder Dwyane Wade nach Minneapolis ziehen, da es, wenn man bloß den Standort in Betrachtung zieht, attraktivere Möglichkeiten gibt.
Wie wahrscheinlich ist es, dass nächste Saison drei NBA Superstars im gleichen Team landen? Wäre eine Kombo mit James, Wade und Bosh ein automatischer Titelanwärter?

The 2009-2010 season has been one of immense scoring, and tremendous excitement.

1. Boston Celtics: I am no fool. The Celtics are legit, at this point in time the C’s are  the best team in the league. Their offense is clicking, Rasheed Wallace looks more like a contestant for the All Star Weekend NBA 3 Point Contest, rather than the Sixth Man of the Year. Rondo got his extension, a safe move to protect young talent on an aging team. Things are working out in Boston, and as of week one, no team can touch them.

2. Orlando Magic: Just ask The Octagon, the Magic are very potent. The depth of this Magic Team is simply incredible. Their scoring recalls the glory days of the Phoenix Suns under Mike D’Antoni. Just think with J.J. (Get me a record deal!) Reddick scoring 27 points in the absence of Vince Carter, as well as Rashard Lewis’ suspension and Pietrus’ injury the Orlando Magic offense firing on all cylinders is truly scary.

3. Los Angeles Lakers: I can’t bring myself to rank the Lakers any lower than third, they are: 1. still the best team substantially in the Western Conference 2. temporarily lacking the frontcourt depth that Pau Gasol brings and 3. they are the Los Angeles Lakers, the same Lakers that have won 15 NBA titles, brought in guys like Gasol and Ron Artest, and will continue to do anything to win Kobe another ring.

4. Denver Nuggets: While predicting the Western Conference standings at the end of the season, I wasn’t too big on the Nuggets. Sure they have guys like Chauncey Billups, J.R. Smith and the Birdman, and I thought their trip to the Western Conference Finals was a fluke. Then I remembered that they had Carmelo Anthony. 113 points in 117 minutes played. That alone earns them the 4 position.

5. San Antonio Spurs: Although disappointed with the loss in Chicago, I’m still big on the Spurs. Antonio McDyess is a great addition off the bench. DeJuan Blair, is making every GM in the league regret not taking him, even though I believed his talent was on par with a first round pick. Besides, the team already has a guy who can do this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1DpjBEwekE

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: Ah, there they are. Forget the 0-2 start, the Cavaliers are looking better. The return of Delonte West was hailed in Cleveland, as he locked in 13 points and two assists. Mo Williams, who has also stepped up his game in the last two victories, and Daniel Gibson looks like he has his three point shot back, for now. Also, there is a real possibility that LeBron could average a triple double for the season, woah.

7. Dallas Mavericks: Dirk’s on usual pace, Terry’s looking like his sixth man self, and Marion is contributing with points and rebounds. Despite the Mavs’ opening loss, the team has turned itself around. Howard has been looking like the Josh Howard of old, and the Mavericks can be a real prescence in the West.

8. Phoenix Suns: I’ll give it to the Phoenix Suns, an undefeated record combined with Grant Hill’s efforts and Channing Frye’s resurgance, the Suns look alright. Amare has not looked like himself, despite putting up average numbers. How long can this streak last? a five game road trip against Eastern Conference teams should dictate that.

9. Miami Heat: Am I really that impressed by the Heat? No. But I cannot argue a 14.3 ppg difference in wins for their first three games. I can’t put my faith in Jermaine O’Neal, i simply just can’t. Michael Beasley should improve as a sophomore but with OJ Mayo scoring 40 points now this early in the season for Memphis, I question the Heat’s draft pick. If Dwayne Wade does not believe in this team, he could be gone by next season.

10. Atlanta Hawks: I feel that the Hawks have not improved substantially from last year. As Joe Johnson recently said coming off a loss to the Lakers “were too soft.” Josh Smith, progressing in terms of his blocks, has not even attempted a three pointer this season. I simply believe the Hawks are playing about to their potential in terms of their talent base.

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.

MICHAEL BEASLEY

Fresh off a stint in rehab, young Miami Heat forward Michael Beasley has been involved in another photo flap. The celebrity website TMZ.com has posted what might be compromising photos of Beasley asleep on a boat surrounded by empty beer bottles.

The Heat issued a denial today insisting Beasley did nothing wrong. They say Beasley doesn’t drink and that they have a statement from the ship’s captain swearing that he did not ”consume or even touch” alcohol.

The TMZ incident follows another photo controversy this offseason where Beasley was caught with marijuana. He checked into rehab immediately after that incident.

Starting Five:

-          Mario Chalmers

-          Dwyane Wade

-          Michael Beasley

-          Udonis Haslem

-          Jermaine O’Neal

Key Reserves:

-         Jamaal Magloire

-         Daequan Cook

-         Quentin Richardson

-         Carlos Arroyo

-         Yakhouba Diawara

Significant Off-Season Additions:

-         Acquired Quentin Richardson from Timberwolves

-         Signed Free-Agent guard Carlos Arroyo

Significant Off-Season Losses:

-         Lost Jamario Moon to the Cavaliers

Man on the Hot Seat: Michael Beasley

The second overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft is in the hottest of seats this season. Coming off the lowest point in his life during the summer at rehab, Beasley is ready to prove the doubters wrong. Beasley averaged 14 points in 25 minutes of play last season as a rookie sixth man. That doesn’t seem like a lot but not many players in the league can produce that much in such a limited role. No matter what people say, Beasley is an enormous part of the Heat and hopefully he can get his act together on and off the court.

Biggest Question:

Can Dwyane Wade produce another MVP type season alone and stay in Miami after this season if that’s the case?

I believe Wade has the power to produce another type of season like last season. The problem this time around is will he want to do it alone? This year Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers are not rookies anymore and Wade should be expecting more help from them. The fact that Beasley was the second overall pick in the 08 Draft makes him a target for success.

Wade has already been public about wanting more help in Miami or else he will bail on them at the end of the season. What will Pat Riley do? Trade for talent? Tell Wade to navigate to storm alone for one more season and help will be on the way? If you listened to Wade over the off-season, he is really serious about this, he is in the prime of his career and he doesn’t want to waste it in a team that will not go back to the Finals. As of right now, The Miami Heat might as well be called the Miami Wade until we see if the rest of the team can help the One Man Band.

09/10 Record: 48-34 (4^th East, 2^nd Southeast Division)

Playoffs: Eliminated in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals by the Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3)

also he shows how to slam the French in one fell swoop.

Beasley picked on Diawara because of his deep French accent. Diawara, a Pepperdine grad, shot back: “I’m an educated man. Put Pepperdine against wherever you went, college dropout. Did you even stay long enough to major?”

Good luck trying to get into the rotation for quality minutes....

Beasley, who spent one season at Kansas State before leaving to become the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 draft, didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, I had a major. My major was Bucketology. You don’t know about that. I mastered in getting buckets.” Miami Herald

As long as you don’t master in these, then we are straight B-Easy…..

Too many of these and you will be seeing John Lucas for a different addiction...

BTW… can you get some more buckets at a little higher clip?  That would really help with the fantasy team…

The heat is on in South Florida, with the Dolphins rising once more and and a return to national prominence by the  Hurricanes, the Heat, a perennial playoff team, struggle to keep the attention focused on them. The Heat followed a 43-39 season, good enough for 5th place in the Eastern Conference, with a disappointing off season. Targeting Lamar Odom and other big-men, the Heat only managed to add the services of point guard Carlos Arroyo and guard Quentin Richardson. Odom resigned with the Lakers and the Heat were left with lesser players to pick from.

Dwayne Wade had a prolific 2008-09 season. Wade averaged a league high 30.2 points per game, earning his first NBA Scoring Title, and added 7.5 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 2.2 steals, and 1.3 blocks per game. Wade scored 50 points through three quarters of play in a game against the Knicks but was taken out of the game after scoring 55 points, one shy of the Heat franchise record held by Glen Rice.

Wade is a dynamo, a do it all player who will never quit, but there are questions surrounding the rest of the Miami roster. Incumbent point guard and former Jayhawk Mario Chalmers will likely be challenged by Arroyo, but Daequan Cook, who has morphed into an excellent three-point shooter, will likely remain at shooting guard. The small forward position was supposed to be occupied by Michael Beasley, until he checked into rehab. Without Beasley, the Heat will rely on veterans James Jones, Quentin Richardson, and Udonis Haslem to fill in. Udonis Haslem will play power forward, but it remains to be seen how many more games ol’ Udonis will play before he runs out of gas. This is where the Heat could really have used a player  like LaMar Odom or Antawn Jamison; it’s and understatement to say that the Heat lack depth at the forward position. Jermaine O’Neal, acquired in a trade with Toronto, has been a nice addition to the Heat. O’Neal’s 13.0 points per game and 5.4 rebounds helped propel the Heat into the playoffs, but he wasn’t enough to help them escape a first round loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

So the Heat lack depth. Will they return to the playoffs? Will they even finish the regular season with a .500 record? The Heat are in a dangerous Eastern Conference and even with Dwayne Wade, he wasn’t enough to get the Heat past the equally mediocre Hawks. The Heat figure to have a difficult time reaching the post season this year. Michael Beasley has to show up drug-free and ready to play basketball or the Heat are doomed. If this kid doesn’t get his head in the game soon he will begin to look like a bust. With an average defense that yielded 98.0 points per game last season, the Heat will need plenty of offense from Wade and Beasley to make a run in 2009-10.

Remember how crazy the West was 2-through-9 last year? We knew no one would catch the Lakers, and we knew you’d have to win close to 50 games to make the playoffs, but we had no idea how everything would shake out in the end. There was one great team in the conference, a bunch of very good teams, and then a whole bunch of crap. No Western team won between 29 (Golden State) and 46 (Phoenix) games.

Well, the East is even crazier than that this year, but the action is all in the middle. I see three teams that should easily win more than 46 games as presently constructed and only two that might finish with fewer than 29. That’s almost what happened last season, but what’s even more interesting is that, if forced to predict team records this season, I’d argue that there are ten Eastern teams that could hover around the 40-42 win mark. Here’s a look at the big clusterfuck:

Atlanta Hawks

2008-2009: 47-35. 10th in offense. 11th in defense.

You might wonder why these guys are on the list, as they had home court advantage in the playoffs last season. They’re also the only team on this list that was above-average on both ends of the court last season. Plus, they’ve got continuity – in re-signing Mike Bibby, Zaza Pachulia, and Marvin Williams, they’ve kept their core intact. Adding Joe Smith and Jeff Teague should improve their bench, too. Still, I see a couple of reasons why they could slip back in the standings. First, there’s the Jamal Crawford signing. At first glance, this seems like a positive move. He is, if only slightly, a better player statistically than Filp Murray, the man he is replacing. However, he is allergic to defense. Murray isn’t great at that end of the court either, but I’d rather have him out there than Jamal. Additionally, Murray was only out there for 24 minutes a night, which is what he’s been used to as a sparkplug scorer off the bench. Crawford has been accustomed to a more prominent role and has received significantly more minutes than that since 2003-2004, which leads me to question how this will work out. There are two potential problem scenarios here – having a bad defender on the court for too long, or having an unhappy Crawford cause problems in the locker room. In addition to all this, I see a second challenge in the way of Atlanta getting back to 47 wins, one that faces all of the teams I will cover here: other teams have improved. Atlanta went 26-7 against the other nine teams on this list last season and I believe this will be a significantly more difficult thing to do this time around. Even if they are still the best of the group, there is a smaller gulf between the Hawks and the teams who finished beneath them in the standings last year, one that might not make up for the fact that they are clearly a couple of notches away from being an elite team. Unless their young talent and/or coach Mike Woodson provides the club with improvement from within, expect a step back.

Miami Heat

2008-2009: 43-39. 20th in offense. 11th in defense.

If Jermaine O’Neal plays like he did in the first half of the decade for Indiana, and he manages to stay on the court, this team can improve. Reading the reports in Miami might make you seem optimistic about this, but I’m here to remind you that this is the same exact stuff we heard in Toronto last year. I truly hope Jermaine will be more than a half-decent jump-shooter and shot-blocker this season, but I remain very, very skeptical. Even if Jermaine O’Neal remains average, though, shouldn’t Mario Chalmers and Michael Beasley improve enough to add some wins? I’m not sure. Chalmers is a nice piece but I don’t see him being much of a game-changer this season. Beasley is more interesting – this is an extremely talented kid that deserves a bigger role than he had last season. If they park him on the block and give him the ball, he can score at will. With more minutes and more touches this season, he could help the Heat win more games. I’m worried about him, though, because Erik Spoelstra is going to try to play him at the 3. This is not his position. He’s going to struggle to guard 3s and he’s going to have a tougher time scoring. If they don’t get more offense out of Beasley and O’Neal, I think they could drop in the standings even if Wade turns in another MVP-level season – the drop-off on the defensive end from Marion/Moon to Beasley/James Jones/Q-Rich is huge.

Philadelphia 76ers

2008-2009: 41-41. 19th in offense. 13th in defense.

This team has some good players and a good coach, but there’s no way to know if they’re going to put it together, or put it together in time to really make a mark. They struggled integrating Elton Brand last year – we knew it would take some time to integrate a traditional post player into their athletic, fast-paced, turnover-causing attack, but didn’t think it’d be so difficult that everyone seemed relieved when the team’s best player was sidelined with an injury. Since last season, they’ve lost their starting point guard in Andre Miller and haven’t done much about it. Sure, he was lazy at times, but he was solid and, no, Jrue Holiday is not a replacement. This season we’ll see some improvement from Philly’s young guys, we’ll see a lot of Andre Iguodala handling the ball, and we’ll (hopefully) see a much more effective Elton Brand than we saw for bits of the 2008-2009 regular season. With the time it’ll take for this team to properly learn Eddie Jordan’s offense, though, and its still-obvious lack of shooters (even with Jason Kapono on the roster), I find it difficult to imagine them separating themselves from the pack in the East.

Chicago Bulls

2008-2009: 41-41. 14th in offense. 18th in defense.

Having John Salmons and Brad Miller around for the full season will help. So will having Luol Deng back. It even seems like Taj Gibson can contribute. So, why am I not projecting a big leap? Well, for one, they lost Ben Gordon. Complain all you want about his shot selection and his defense, but he is a very, very good player who the Bulls haven’t replaced. Before you scoff at the contested jumpers he puts up, realize he is an incredibly efficient scorer – his TS% of 57.2 is absolutely an elite number for a shooting guard, on par with that of Brandon Roy and Dwyane Wade. I’m not going to argue that he is a great defender, but Scott Skiles was able to effectively mask his defensive deficiencies for years. Please don’t think of Jannero Pargo as an adequate replacement. Still, with improvement from Derrick Rose, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah, this team might have the highest ceiling of any on this list. To finish at the top would require a fantastic coaching effort, though, and with Vinny Del Negro at the helm I am definitely not counting on it.

Detroit Pistons

2008-2009: 39-43. 21st in offense. 16th in defense.

Do not count on the Pistons finishing 21st in offensive efficiency next season. With Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, and Chris Wilcox joining Rip Hamilton, Rodney Stuckey, Tayshaun Prince, Will Bynum, and Jason Maxiell, new coach John Kuester has plenty of scoring options to work with. Kuester is the man who re-worked the Cleveland Cavaliers’ offense last season, when they jumped from the league’s 19th-best offensive team to its 4th-best. Even though they’ve been absolutely great in previous years, Allen Iverson and Rasheed Wallace hurt the Pistons on both ends of the floor last year. The long jump shots and sub-par defense we saw from these two last season is the reason we have the term “addition by subtraction”. Detroit fans should be expect a much more functional locker room than the one Michael Curry dealt with last season, plus potentially one of the league’s top offenses. This is all good stuff. There’s a reason I’m not expecting an enormous jump in the standings, though: defense. Charlie V. and Ben Gordon will be huge boosts on the offensive end of the floor, but these guys will never be mistaken for defensive stoppers. Same with Wilcox. They’ve brought Ben Wallace back, but at this point in his career I’d argue that Kwame Brown is a more useful defensive player. I would be very impressed if Kuester managed to keep this club at around the league average next season, that’s what it would take in order to move into the upper echelon of the conference, even if these Pistons are up there with Portland in terms of offensive potency.

Indiana Pacers

2008-2009: 38-44. 17th in offense. 19th in defense.

I’m not going to tell you that the Pacers are more talented this year. They’re not – swapping Marquis Daniels, Rasho Nesterovic, and Jarrett Jack for Dahntay Jones, Tyler Hansbrough, and Earl Watson shouldn’t get any Pacers fan excited. Here’s the thing, though: these downgrades don’t prevent Indiana from winning a few more games than last year. Brandon Rush had a killer end of the season, Roy Hibbert was already a very effective center in his rookie campaign, and T.J. Ford is better than what he showed last season. I’d bet on all of them being more consistent this season. You have to hope that T.J. can stay healthy and Hibbert will cut down on the fouls, but the potential is there for 3/5ths of the Pacers starting unit (at least until Mike Dunleavy returns) to show considerable improvement. In addition to this, Danny Granger will continue the ascent to stardom that got him an All-Star berth and the Most Improved Player award in 2008-2009. I’m not fond of the Pacers’ overall plan or long-term outlook, but I won’t be at all surprised if they’re in the thick of the playoff hunt next season. I’d encourage you to pay attention to this team even if they’re not, though, as Jim O’Brien’s club played at the 3rd-fastest pace of any team last season and were a ton of fun to watch.

Charlotte Bobcats

2008-2009: 35-47. 27th in offense. 7th in defense.

The Bobcats wanted that 8th seed last year more than perhaps any franchise I’ve ever seen. Eschewing the bottom-out-and-get-draft-picks plan, coach Larry Brown pressured management into acquiring veterans Raja Bell, Boris Diaw, Vladimir Radmanovic, and Juwan Howard in the hopes of having the Bobcats’ most successful season yet. To his credit, he technically did that, as the Bobcats had previously never eclipsed the 33-win mark. Brown managed to impart his defensive wisdom on the young and old on the roster, making Charlotte one of the league’s best defensive teams by the end of the season. While I think none of this was/is in the best interest of the team’s future, I expect the Bobcats will make another charge at a low playoff seed in 2009-2010. This time, the vast majority of the key players are already used to Brown’s coaching style and this could translate into a few more wins. It’s a shame they took a step down by trading the solid Emeka Okafor for the chronically-injured Tyson Chandler, but they gained some ground by adding some much-needed wing scoring in Flip Murray and Gerald Henderson. If their defense sustains and they make some strides on the offensive end (a good start would be increasing D.J. Augustin’s minutes), then they’ll be in the mix.

Milwaukee Bucks

2008-2009: 34-48. 23rd in offense. 11th in defense.

You’ve got to love Scott Skiles, at least for the first few years he coaches a team. Even though they were overmatched some nights last season, the Bucks always competed. Even with guys like Luke Ridnour and Charlie Villanueva playing major minutes, the Bucks maintained an above-average defense and avoided toiling in the league’s cellar. Now, though, after losing three of their best players in Villanueva, Ramon Sessions and Richard Jefferson, can they be better? I say yes. The most impressive part about what Skiles accomplished last year in Milwaukee was the fact that he did it with Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut missing more than half of the season. With these guys coming back, expect a big jump on offense. And even though the Bucks failed to make any headline-grabbing news this summer, they did add some pieces to try to make up for what they gave away. Hakim Warrick, Kurt Thomas, and Carlos Delfino can contribute right away and they hope to get contributions from Ersan Ilyasova, Brandon Jennings, Jodie Meeks, and Roko Ukic as well. All this, plus the presence of the defensive-minded, brilliantly-named Luc Richard Mbah A Moute! I must say, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the Bucks.

Toronto Raptors

2008-2009: 33-49. 22nd in offense. 22nd in defense.

Kelly Dwyer was right when he said last year’s version of Jose Calderon was only at full strength for about a third of his 68 appearances. This is the single biggest reason why I expect the Raptors to make a jump from their terrible record last season. As a Raptors fan, it pained me to watch Jose last year. This guy who couldn’t move laterally, couldn’t turn the corner on the pick and roll, and couldn’t get the proper lift on his three-point shots was not the same guy I had seen running the point in TO the year before. The guy I had seen before was a danger to shoot at all times, ran the offense perfectly, knew when to attack, and made his teammates much better. Sure, he wasn’t an all-world defender, but he wasn’t a liability on that end, either. This All-Star-worthy version of Calderon is the man who I expect to be running the team this year, and this is why I project them to jump into the playoff picture. In Jarrett Jack, Rasho Nesterovic, Amir Johnson, and Antoine Wright, the Raptors have a much-improved bench and the addition of Hedo Turkoglu into the starting lineup alongside Chris Bosh, Calderon, and Andrea Bargnani could give Toronto one of the most potent offenses in the league. Hence, there is optimism in Toronto. Don’t believe the 50-win nonsense, though – this team is still too weak defensively and at the 2-guard spot to approach that number. That is, of course, unless Bargnani drinks some magical defense-and-rebounding juice and Jay Triano does a Stan Van Gundy-esque job of getting his weak defenders to play intelligent team D.

Washington Wizards

2008-2009: 19-63. 26th in offense. 29th in defense.

I’m sure you know that this is a completely different team to the Wizards of last year. With a healthy Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood, last year wouldn’t have been the nightmare that it was. Add Randy Foye and Mike Miller to the lineup, plus the coaching of Flip Saunders, and you have a team that will likely make a bigger jump than any other in 2009-2010. With a starting 5 of Arenas, Foye/Miller, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Brendan Haywood, opposing defenses are in for long nights against the Wiz. The problem, of course, is that opposing offenses may be in for easy nights. As great as this Wizards team looks offensively, with the aforementioned top six plus Fabricio Oberto, DeShawn Stevenson, Nick Young, JaVale McGee, and Andray Blatche, they look bad defensively. I love Flip, but he is more of an offensive guru and I doubt there’s a coach in this league that could make this bunch into a decent defensive group. If he does, they’re better than most teams here. If he doesn’t, as I expect, well… What do you get if you’re league-best on one end and league-worst on the other? Another middle-of-the-pack club.

What does this all mean? Well, all of the above teams are flawed. Flawed enough that they won’t approach the win totals of Cleveland, Orlando, and Boston if those teams stay relatively healthy. It also means they all have talent, though, and they’re all capable of beating better Western Conference teams on a random night in February. We know that, with trades and injuries, things will change for these teams and how they rank in comparison to each other as the season goes along. When we near the end of the season, though, I’m sure it’ll be a right mess trying to figure out which teams will make it into the playoffs and which of those will be lucky enough to get the 4th and 5th seeds and avoid facing one of the aforementioned juggernauts in the first round. Sure, the vast majority of these teams won’t play a game in May or June, but they will provide us with some pretty damn good basketball during the regular season. For a guy will be flipping from game to game on League Pass every night starting in two and a half weeks, this is something to be excited about.

Which NBA Players have taken their careers for granted, and not given their team 100% effort? Which high draft picks must either step up their game or consider retirement? What NBA veterans, because of a change in coach, team, or their team’s style of play will be forced to take on a different role than they have been used to throughout their career? Which players have suffered numerous injuries and are possibly being given their last chance to be a valuable player for their team? All are important questions which will undoubtedly be played out and answered during the upcoming NBA season. Here is my list of players who must change their game or find themselves riding the pine or at the unemployment line.

Darko Milicic(NYK) - When the Knicks traded Q-Rich to Memphis for the rights to Darko, everyone in NY figured that the move was made for 2010 salary space. After 6 disappointing seasons of 5.5 ppg and 4 rebs , Darko will be given one more chance to prove he is a NBA player or forever be placed on NBA Draft Bust lists(if he isn’t already). The ‘03 draft is remembered as one of the best in recent memory but not because of (#2) Milicic.

Sam Dalembert(PHI) - Since receiving a huge contract for averaging 11.6 ppg and 12.8 rebs in a first round playoff loss to the Pistons in ‘05, Slammin’ Sammy has regressed, seeing his scoring(6.4 ppg), minutes(24.8), and Blocks(1.7) drop to their lowest last year, since his rookie campaign. He has had issues with giving effort and staying out of foul trouble. With Elton Brand and Jason Smith back from injuries and 2nd year player Maurice Speights pushing for playing time, I don’t see where he fits in new coach Eddie Jordan’s rotation.

Andrew Bynum(LAL) – Andrew Bynum is the definition of talented but prone to injury. After multiple knee injuries, Bynum is expected once again to be at or near 100% for the upcoming season. Although he averaged 14.3 ppg and 8 rebs in 50 games and is signed through 2012, Bynum will be given the opportunity as a major contributor. If he succumbs to another major injury, he could drift into draft bust territory as a former(‘05) lottery pick.

Eddy Curry(NYK) – For Curry’s sake, he should be motivated to be in shape and contribute on a bad Knick team who is already looking forward to the 2010 free agency sweepstakes. Since averaging a career high 19.5 ppg in ‘07, Curry has played in only 62 games and his scoring dipped to 13.2 and dismal 1.7 ppg. Even though it is doubtful he will remain on the Knicks roster past the trade deadline, he needs to show something if he hopes to remain on any team’s roster past next season.  His recent injury won’t help matters.

Allen Iverson(MEM) – Although A.I. can still play at a high level, the future HOFer is no longer among the league’s elite players and it appears that he is having some trouble accepting that fact. After refusing to come off of the bench last season in Detroit, the team actually paid him to stay away. Hopefully the humbling experience of not receiving any long term offers this Summer. and accepting a 1 year deal in Memphis, will give him a sense of reality and finally become a team player………….lol.

Andrew Bogut(MIL) – It’s tough to live up to being a #1 overall draft pick. Bogut has been good, but not great. He has shown flashes of potential and has has career highs of 14.3 ppg in ‘08 and 10.3 rebs in ‘09 and is still one of the pieces the the Bucks look to build around. One could argue that he has been hindered by a lack of a talented point guard to play with, but that will change this season with the addition of Brandon Jennings, meaning that there will be no more excuses.

Baron Davis(LAC) – Davis is coming off of his worst season in years. The 2 time All Star and 17 ppg career scorer who was once considered one of the league’s fiercest competitors saw his scoring(14.9ppg) dip to it’s lowest in the past 9 seasons. At age 30, has the toll of more than 700 NBA games taken their toll on his surgically repaired knees or did he just have a bad year. The Clippers have surrounded him in LA with some outstanding talent to return to star status. Or will Baron be overtaken by the Clipper curse?

Michael Beasley(MIA) - Can a player be at a career crossroads after just one season? Beasley will answer just that after admitting or not to having a substance abuse problem and going into rehab. Obviously Beasley is still a young(20) man who likes to have fun and not follow the rules but he needs to mature very quickly since he has already had a few offcourt incidents which may or may not have affected his play. Most players would kill for rookie stats of 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds but they don’t live up to the standards for a player of Beasley’s caliber. He has already been involved in trade talks as bait in bringing Utah’s Carlos Boozer to Miami.

Vince Carter(ORL) – At age 32, Vinsanity is entering new territory in his career. Carter has amazed all of us with his ability to take over games as the go to guy in both Toronto and New Jersey. He now must become one of the best role players in the NBA since the Orlando Magic are already stacked with talent and have one of the league’s best go to guys in Dwight Howard. The knock on Carter has always been his penchant for jacking up 3 pt shots, sometimes too often and at inopportune times. How Carter adjusts to playing within coach Van Gundy’s system and becoming a complimentary player may be the Magic’s biggest question going into the season.

Tie, Gilbert Arenas(WAS), Tracy McGrady(HOU), Amare Stoudemire(PHO), and Elton Brand(PHI) – It’s hard to put players on this list because of injuries but each of these players have missed significant time in their careers due to injury. Arenas and McGrady are probably at the biggest crossroads since they have suffered the worst injuries. Both are supposedly almost at full strength but are returning to different situations. Arenas has a good supporting cast waiting for him on a good team while T-Mac will return to a Houston squad in rebuilding mode. Brand has missed almost two full seasons due to Achilles and shoulder issues. His outlook appears good since he is on a rising young team in Philly with plenty of talent around him and is implementing an offense which favors multi-talented big men(see Antawn Jamison and Chris Webber). Stoudemire is not so lucky to be on a young team like Brand, but is on an aging team on the way down. All Summer long there have been rumors of his departure to another NBA city.

Countdown to tip-off: 22 days.

Are you ready? I can’t wait.

Next in the series of players to watch for are a few young players who are hovering on the edge of superstardom (in my not-so humble opinion anyway). For those players who have star potential, the thing that separates the stars from the shoulda-been stars is hard work. Most of that work is put in during the summer months. This is a list of players who have not made an All-Star appearance (not counting Rookie games and other special events, just the big game), but who have either had productive summers or look good thus far in Training Camp.

1. Kevin Durant, F/G, Oklahoma City Thunder

I almost didn’t pick him to be on this list. The simple fact of the matter is that Kevin Durant is already a star. But he hasn’t received All-Star recognition so, here he is, in his rightful spot. Durant is a more than capable scorer with physical abilities that are in a class all of their own. His length causes trouble with smaller defenders, larger defenders struggle with his quickness. When Durant learns to react to multiple defenders, and gets strong enough to take contact and still finish, don’t even think about trying to stop him. If he learns how to put that size to use on the defensive end, he will go down as one of the best. Getting stronger would help him defensively as well. Simply put, the guy is a freak. But in a good way of course.

2. LaMarcus Aldridge, F, Portland Trailblazers

Okay, so maybe this is a personal pick but I am just in love with LaMarcus Aldridge’s game. When I first drew up this list, he was number one. Every year he gets better and better. This will be his 4th season in the NBA and he’s coming in with more muscle. He has a smooth, steady game as it stands. Being stronger should help him on defense and in the post where he sometimes avoids contact. As it stands, LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trailblazers are locked in contract renewal talk. I don’t see any reason why they wouldn’t bring him back. They have until October 31st to agree to an extension or LaMarcus Aldridge will be a restricted free agent next summer.

3. Rudy Gay, F, Memphis Grizzlies

October 31st is also the deadline for the Memphis Grizzlies to reach an agreement with their talented swingman, Rudy Gay. This summer Rudy Gay bulked up to 241 pounds and worked on his ball handling. His focused offseason proves that Gay has his mind set on breaking into the upper-echelon. Gay’s hops are scary, add that to his soft touch and new bulkier frame and he has all the tools to become an All-Star. Well, that’s if Memphis knows how to utilize him. Gay already showcased his talent at the USA Basketball mini-camp this summer, proving that he indeed has the star potential.

4. Derrick Rose, G, Chicago Bulls

Like Kevin Durant, Derrick Rose is already a bona fide star. He’s only entering his second year but the reigning Rookie of the Year has all of the ingredients. Derrick Rose believers are already listing him as one of the NBA’s top point guards. Considering his age, what he did last season was remarkable. Leading the Bulls to the Playoffs and not being content with just being there, Derrick Rose not only showed heart and toughness, he showed flashes of greatness. He’s athletic, he’s strong and he has incredible vision. I’d say that earns him a top spot.

5. Rajon Rondo, G, Boston Celtics

Say what you will about Rajon Rondo but the fact that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Doc Rivers all vouch for the guy means a lot in my book. He is blessed with great targets yes, but it takes a special kind of point guard to keep three of the biggest names in the game happy. And in the Playoffs, where Kevin Garnett was pretending to be a coach, Paul Pierce was fading due to fatigue and Ray Allen was a little inconsistent, it was Rondo that stepped up to the plate. He nearly averaged a triple-double while leading his hobbled team into the second round of the playoffs. Shot selection is an issue but that will improve with age.

Honorable Mention: OJ Mayo, G, Memphis Grizzlies, last year’s ROTY runner-up is a scorer who shows promise on defense. I’m not sure if putting him under Allen Iverson’s tutelage is the smartest thing Memphis could have done for the 2nd year player…Michael Beasley, F, Miami Heat is a big question mark. Coming out of Kansas State, Beasley was known for his rebounding and we all know that he can put the ball in the basket. His issues off the court are a hinderance and he looks lost on the court most of the time. As far as raw talent, Beasley has all of the potential in the world. Now if he’ll just harness it into something positive.  Andre Iguodala, G, Philadelphia 76ers is a strange player for me. I love the way he plays. He’s a strong finisher, a solid defender and a strong rebounder. Sometimes, you can tell that he’s a guy that was thrust into the number 1 role and he’s still figuring out how to settle into it.

Check out the rest of the series: Rookies to Watch and Vets to Watch

• Miami is going to start Michael Beasley at small forward. I get it; they want to start their best 5 players. Plus, if they’re going to go after Carlos Boozer or Chris Bosh this summer, they’re not going to want Beas playing the 4. Still, I’m a bit worried about this plan. As I said in my Heat preview, one of the biggest goals this season has to be Beasley’s development. He was actually very good offensively last year, but wasn’t given the minutes or touches to really show what he can do. It’s in the Heat’s long-term best interest to raise Beasley’s stock around the league. Plus, they need his scoring. If you ask me, putting him at the 3 for long stretches of time might hurt his offensive numbers. He’s more valuable offensively on the post than he is on the wing. Plus, on the defensive end, multi-talented 3s will routinely expose his weaknesses. At the end of the season, the Heat need people to be talking about what Beasley can do rather than what he can’t, and, in my eyes, he needs significant minutes at the 4 for this to be the case.

• The Toronto hype machine is saying that Andrea Bargnani is much improved at everything. Most notable is that his defense is supposedly better – apparently, his anticipation has improved and so has his understanding of team defensive principles. Still, even though I defended his contract extension, I am wary about buying into this. Who exactly is he defending, with Chris Bosh sitting training camp out? Rasho Nesterovic, Patrick O’Bryant, and maybe a bit of Amir Johnson, that’s who. I’m going to wait and see what Bargnani does in a real game, because, as much as I want to believe he’s made a big leap on D, the objective side of me tells me this kind of story is meaningless.

• Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer is saying that the Bobcats offered Ray Felton a long-term deal for about $7 million a season and HE TURNED IT DOWN. Whaaaa? Isn’t this team trying to shed its long-term deals? Don’t they want to develop D.J. Augustin? You don’t give $7 million a year to a guy who hasn’t shown any improvement in 4 seasons. Yeah, it seemed like Felton had a lot of potential coming out of UNC, but since arriving in the league he’s been a below average player. He doesn’t score efficiently, can’t shoot the 3, and the only reason his stats look decent is that he plays upwards of 37 minutes a game. Bill Simmons is wrong about this one. If there’s truth to this story, both sides are crazy

• Brandan Wright will be out 4 to 6 months because he will require shoulder surgery. Don Nelson is upset because Wright “might be the best player in camp” and “it’s quite a loss for us”. So, Nelson’s saying he was finally going to give Wright a shot then. Really? He only let Wright play 9.9 minutes a game in his rookie season and 17.6  in his sophomore season, so why should we believe him? Both seasons, there wasn’t much consistency in the minutes department – he was jerked in and out of the line-up like all other young players tend to be in Golden State. All the while, he’s put up very good per-minute stats, making us dorks who care about such things wish that he will be given an opportunity to showcase his skills somewhere else. I’ve felt bad for this kid the last two years on the Warriors’ bench and feel really, really bad for him now that he’s hurt. Hope he returns at full strength.

• Spurs blog 48 Minutes of Hell is speculating that DeJuan Blair might end up putting up the best per-minute stats of any rookie. While I’m not ready to fully jump aboard that train, I’ve got to say I’m excited about the guy. It’s unbelievable that a guy who rebounds like he does slipped so late in the draft. How well does he rebound, exactly? Well, his offensive rebounding rate last season was better than some entire teams’ rates. The guy is a monster. I’ve said it many times before but it bears repeating: The Spurs off-season has been mind-bogglingly good. Without a ton of cap room or a high draft pick, they’ve added a ton of rotation-worthy players and put themselves into title contention once again.

We’re well into the business end of a deep draft, where upside and potential means everything, and old veterans are reluctantly selected based on name value alone.

Catch up on Round 10 here. Fantasy notes:  We’re using a 12-team, H2H format, with standard categories.

121. Kahn’t Buyout Love: Al Thornton | Los Angeles Clippers

Drafted So Far: Chris Paul, Kevin Garnett, Tim Duncan, Paul Pierce, LaMarcus Aldridge, Mike Conley, Eric Gordon, Raymond Felton, Greg Oden, Anthony Morrow

I can see Al Thornton being a bit of a sleeper this year… or he’ll end up on the bench, if Mike Dunleavy finally realises how one-dimensional he really is. If the Clippers decide to run this year, with Babyhead gone and Kaman (presumably) out injured, we’ll see some bumps in Thornton’s stats.

122. Danny Aingent 007: Kenyon Martin | Denver Nuggets

Drafted So Far: LeBron James, Troy Murphy, Gilbert Arenas, Mo Williams, Nene Hilario, Rudy Gay, Stephen Jackson, Thaddeus Young, Corey Maggette, Chris Duhon

He’s always an injury risk and courts technicals and ejections like it’s part of the game, but his numbers this late in the draft are a steal: 11 and 7 with a handy 1+ STLs/BLKs, and he will generally push 50% FG for the year.

With Kleiza booted, he could see a bit more scoring responsibility too. Assuming he doesn’t contract leprosy or shingles, or cop a year-long suspension for punching out Mark Cuban.

123. Drinking Derrick Rosé: Nenad Krstic | Oklahoma City Thunder

Drafted So Far: Kevin Durant, Brook Lopez, Kevin Martin, David Lee, Russell Westbrook, Blake Griffin, Trevor Ariza, Wilson Chandler, Lamar Odom, James Harden

In need a back-up centre, Krstic fits the bill. He was so-so in his return last year, but is just three years removed from seriously solid numbers. It also means that the team officially has 80% of the Thunder’s starting line-up, meaning — barring those rare, lonely nights when Jeff Green explodes — we’ll get a tonne of Oklahoma stats every time they play.

124. The Memphis SATs: Yi Jianlian | New Jersey Nets

Drafted So Far: Dwyane Wade, Antawn Jamison, Shawn Marion, Carlos Boozer, OJ Mayo, Spencer Hawes, Ray Allen, Ramon Sessions, Allen Iverson, Chris Andersen

Yi will start every game for New Jersey, so no matter how bad he is, so he’ll get some stats, regardless of ability. Having said that, reports out of NJ have him improving on last season, which makes this pick a little better. Even though improving from ‘ineffectual, bad

125. That’s My Power Forward! That’s My Teammate!: Rodney Stuckey | Detroit Pistons

Drafted So Far: Kobe Bryant, Jose Calderon, Gerald Wallace, Emeka Okafor, David West, Michael Redd, Zach Randolph, Stephen Curry, Ron Artest, Tracy McGrady

I’m not confident in Stuckey’s ability to produce consistently this year, but this teams needs a PG-eligible baller and he’ll — at least — be getting starter’s minutes. This is a low-risk, potentially low-reward pick, but if he manages 14 and 5 dimes, on reasonable percentages, that’s quite acceptable in the 11th round of a deep draft.

126. Facilitatin’ With Mr. Wallace: Brendan Haywood | Washington Wizards

Drafted So Far: Danny Granger, Josh Smith, Derrick Rose, Elton Brand, Ben Gordon, Andre Miller, T.J. Ford, Luis Scola, Richard Jefferson, Tyson Chandler

Thankfully, being a reasonable human being isn’t a fantasy category.

Haywood will be the starting centre on a team fairly week at the pivot spot — only JaVale McGee will challenge for burn and, although he’s a genuine fantasy sleeper, he’s too raw to be a serious threat. Brendan is an underrated swatter (1.7 in his last healthy season, 2007-08) and a solid boardsman.

127. Mark Cuban Missile Crisis: Eddy Curry | New York Knicks

Drafted So Far: Dirk Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Joe Johnson, Caron Butler, Al Horford, Tyrus Thomas, Andrew Bogut, Aaron Brooks, Ronnie Brewer, Louis Williams

Yep, he’s going — there have been reports that he’s set to start at centre, so Curry might put up some halfway decent numbers if reports about his weight are correct.

A real swing for the fences, but this team is rounded enough to take a flyer here.

128. On Grounds of Vinsanity: Kelenna Azubuike | Golden State Warriors

Drafted So Far: Pau Gasol, Chauncey Billups, Vince Carter, Jason Kidd, Mehmet Okur, Boris Diaw, Nate Robinson, Jason Terry, Andrei Kirilenko, Brad Miller

It’s a fantasy-friendly system (apart from, y’know, the abitrary benchings) and, while I doubt Kelenna will see the 32mpg he did last season, he seems to be one of Nellie’s few liked players and can be a 3PM/STL/BLK threat along with his 15 and 5 boards. He managed to rate amongst GSW’s best fantasy outputs even with the return of Monta, and finished the season with some healthy lines. Hopefully that form will continue, despite the logjam at the swingman spot.

129. Andrew Bynom Nom Noms: Rip Hamilton | Detroit Pistons

Drafted So Far: Al Jefferson, Devin Harris, Carmelo Anthony, Jameer Nelson, Paul Millsap, Andrew Bynum, Charlie Villanueva, Leandro Barbosa, Luol Deng, Jamal Crawford

Of course, Rip or Tayshaun should have gone by now. But we’ve covered why they haven’t: they’re charmless guys on a charmless team, and they’re likely to see significant decreases in minutes. But hey, this late in the draft, charmless will sometimes have to do.

If forced into a timeshare with Ben Gordon, it’s difficult to see Rip’s fantasy impact staying solid. The upside is that it’s not unlikely he’ll be sent packing elsewhere, if a team is willing to take on a biggish contract in return for a lot of off-the-ball movement. If he stays in Detroit, expect Rip to hit the waivers quickly.

130. The Buss Family All-Star Band: Tyler Hansborough | Indiana Pacers

Drafted So Far: Deron Williams, Amar’e Stoudemire, Rajon Rondo, Andrea Bargnani, Manu Ginobili, Anthony Randolph, John Salmons, Kevin Love, Mario Chalmers, Chris Kaman

Hear me out.

This team has no depth in its front court — barring Troy Murphy, the majority of these guys are just happy that the Pacers exist so they can make a roster. They took a bit of a flyer on Hansborough in the draft, and will be in a rebuilding phase, meaning we’ll see young players given time to develop.

Troy Murphy managed to get about a million rebounds per game last year, just by being the only guy who wanted them. Hansborough’s hustle when hitting the glass will get him boards — and you can expect some easy put-back points too.

131. The John Hollinger W.A.S.S.U.P. System: Francisco Garcia | Sacramento Kings

Drafted So Far: Brandon Roy, Chris Bosh, Monta Ellis, Rashard Lewis, Hedo Turkoglu, Al Harrington, Mike Bibby, Jeff Green, Josh Howard, Shaquille O’Neal

Sacramento have zero depth, so Francisco is going to see at least 30 minutes per game. While unspectacular generally, he managed 1.43PM, 1.2STL and 1.0BLK last year, which is at least as valuable as his PTS, dimes and boards combined. He can have some disgusting nights in the FG% department, but will sporadically rack up some solid BLK and STL totals.

132. The Funston Freaks: Michael Beasley | Miami Heat

Drafted So Far: Dwight Howard, Andre Iguodala, Andris Biedrins, Baron Davis, Jason Richardson, Tony Parker, Marcus Camby, J.R. Smith, Marvin Williams, Jermaine O’Neal

Though Joakim Noah looks like a potential steal here, with a team stuffed full of rebounders and shot-blockers, he’s simply not needed. (I will regret saying this when all my big men are hit with the dreaded Curse of the Inj). Same argument with Jason Thompson, who should be beasting it up in Sactown.

Beasley is a risk with a whole stack of upside. On the one hand, his love of the sticky ick ick might render him useless. On the other, the guy is a natural-born scorer who boasted per-36s of 20 and 8 last season. If he comes back healthy — mentally and physically — this could be a preposterous steal. It’s just hard to know how such a young guy will bounce back from such a tortured off-season.

Join us tomorrow for the 12th and final round.

Posted By: Anton, James & Alex

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