This one was for sure a heart breaker for the Bucks. The Mavs just looked like a better team from the get-go. Gooden had his way with Bogut , Barea was money from the three, and Dirk was Dirk. The Mavs held a steady lead, and got a good run going in the last few minutes before half. After half, they came out firing. They had an eighteen point lead at one point in time, but the Bucks hung in there. Skiles made a genius move by doing a complete substitution, bringing out everybody that was currently on the floor. Ilyasova, along with his defense on Dirk the whole game, created the only true offensive spark for most of the game. The Bucks kept it very close at the end, and eventually got it into overtime. During the extra quarter, it was close throughout. Once again though, Gooden managed to maneuver his way around a couple of dumbfounded Bucks for an easy tip-in off of a Dirk miss. Tied at 113, BJ has his chance to be a hero and for whatever reason decides to shoot a three and he misses. With three seconds left I thought to myself “keep it out of Dirk’s hands”, but Kidd feeds him and he shoots over Mbah A Moute and gets the friendly roll at the buzzer. Ouch…

A few questions:

Where was Bogut the whole game?

Why did BJ take so many ill-advised threes?

Will Ilyasova start in the future in place of Warrick?

Why was Ilyasova not guarding Dirk on the last shot even after he played great D on him throughout the game?

Why was LRMAM guarding Dirk on the last shot even after he did not play great D on him throughout the game?

Some things to look at:

BJ shot 63% from the line, and the team as a whole shot only 64% (Dallas shot 77%)

BJ was the teams second leading rebounder, behind Ilyasova (Show yourself Bogut!)

Drew Gooden scored 65% of his TOTAL points for the year and grabbed 54% of his TOTAL rebounds for the year in tonight’s game

I can’t say I am all too upset about this loss. We let them get ahead, but managed to send it into overtime after overcoming an eighteen point deficit. As for the last shot, I am glad it was Dirk that sunk it. I am and always have been a fan of Dirk. He has one of the most clean and unblockable jumpshots in the history of the league. Congrats Dirk and congrats Dallas on the win tonight.

Disco Dirk, doing some damage

When Patrick O’Bryant gets to close things out for the Raptors, it means one of two things — it was either a really, really good night or a hellish one. Friday night was good news, tonight…well, not so much. Big Patty’s late slide tackle of Rodrigue Beaubois wasn’t enough to spark the Raps to a win, as the Mavs rolled to a 129-101 romp.

I swear, if Disco Dirk Nowitzki got to play the Raptors 82 times a year, he’d average something like 62.1 points and shoot about 80% from the field. Something like that, at least. The German Sensation went to work again tonight, scoring 29 points and adding nine boards before calling in quits early in the fourth. Dallas shot an unheard of 62.4% and scored 74 points in the second half against Toronto’s usually rock-solid D (not).

The Raptors hung tough for much of the first half before the annihilation of the final 24 minutes. One problem, aside from not coming within 10 feet of a Dallas jump shooter all night, was bench play, which is especially big on a back-to-back on the road — Jarrett Jack, Marco Belinelli, Antoine Wright and Amir Johnson combined to shoot 6-of-24.

Chris Bosh and Andrea Bargnani carried the offensive load for Toronto, scoring 26 and 22, respectively. Jose Calderon had a decent game by his early-season standards, chipping in 13 and seven assists.

If one of the three on the current trip was going to get ugly, this would’ve been the one I picked. In all, a rough one, but one I can live with.

The Raps, who fall to 3-3 with the loss, are in San Antonio Monday before returning home to face Chicago on Wednesday.

The Raps have another early-season test tonight in Disco Dirk

I’m usually none too thrilled about a road date in Dallas, but after last night’s sh-lacking in New Orleans, I’ve got the Raptors winning by about 50. Okay, well maybe 30. Alright, I’ll settle for anything that doesn’t have us jumping to an early double-digit lead and then letting it get away, which has been par for the course for the Raps in Dallas the past few years.

First off, last night’s win still feels sweet. Sure, the Hornets are scuffling to start the year, but bad teams don’t go on the road and win by 17 against Chris Paul. A heroic effort to say the least, and all the more special with my guy Jose Calderon shaking his early season funk.

Meanwhile, the Mavs come into tonight’s game coming off a loss to those same Hornets in that same Big Easy, 114-107 in overtime on Wednesday. They’ve been up and down thus far — aside from the loss to CP3, they fell to the Wizards at home on opening night and came up with a win in Kobeland last Friday. Still, I’ve gotta figure this one won’t be a walk in the park. I’m starting to think the Mavs are a better team than I gave them credit for in my season preview, and they’ll be even more of a force when Josh Howard and Drew Gooden hit the court in the near future. Maybe it’s good we get to face them tonight, then.

Anyway, last night’s romp was a nice start to a hellish west coast swing and it certainly bodes well for tonight. The Raps look to make it two straight on the road and three straight overall — tip is at 8:30.

After beating the Jazz on a fantastic 4^th quarter performance by Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks flew to New Orleans to face the Hornets on the second game of a back to back series and the result wasn’t any good. Behind Chris Paul’s 39 points and 7 assists, the Hornets found in key pieces key buckets on clutch moments.

Nowitzki was infective for the most part of the game. He scored only 12 on the night. Double teamed the whole game, Dirk’s presence opened up wide open outside shots for guys like Kidd, Barea and Terry which kept Dallas in the game until the beginning of the 4^th quarter when they took the lead. On the defensive event, Dirk was even more frustrated. David West’s physically warn him out time and time again until the moment he fouled out with about 2 and a half minutes to go. By that point, Dallas had a lead because of the amazing performance of Terry who would eventually lose some key free throws in the end of the game that combined with Barea’s misses allowed the Hornets to tie the game.

For the Hornets it’s a great win but also a weird situation in which they may have to re-evaluate a couple of things. Chris Paul literally carried them on his back the whole game. On a night when Dallas seemed clearly tired because of the back-to-backs and did not play one of their best games, New Orleans never had a comfortable lead. Paul just played an as good as it gets game and the Hornets suffered a lot to take a warned out Mavericks to overtime. It was clear that the Mavericks kept hanging in there and because of the outside shooting and Dampier’s nice performance under the rim Dallas took the lead on the fourth. Paul then kept the Hornets on the game until Stojakovic hit the game tying 3 pointer and then on overtime David West showed up to play and the Hornets never looked back.

The lesson that New Orleans get from this game is that Paul needs to get more help if this team wants to go somewhere this season. West is a 2x All Star and an elite Forward but at some point he’s got do more than just score the basketball, he needs to be more involved the whole game because when he’s hitting shots, the Hornets’ chances to win are way better. Also Stojakovic can’t come off the bench if guys like Mou Peterson and Julian Wright will be on the starting lineup because their inability to hit shots turns them useless. Wouldn’t it be better if Paul penetrated and kicked to the outside to somebody who will most likely hit 6 out of 10 shots if wide opened?

Nowitzki is still the focus point of the Mavericks offense even when he’s not on a good night. He was double teamed so much that it opened space for other guys to produce. Terry got hot on the 4^th when he started to work the 2 men game with Dirk. When Dirk wasn’t there, Dallas seemed weird, maybe without a suitable plan to a situation like that but they were still winning and holding a comfortable lead until the moment that they started missing free throws and that was the key moment when they lost the game.

On a head-to-head battle between Southwest divisional rivals and probably playoff contenders, the Hornets take the win but should be scratching their heads because on a night when the Mavericks didn’t play their best basketball, Chris Paul had absolutely no help for 90% of the game and carried the team on his back for New Orleans to win at home. It can’t be a good sign.

Check More At: MVN

When David West hits shots, the Hornets’ chances to win are way better. Lifted West and by Paul, as always, New Orleans took early control of the game in overtime and never looked back. Without Dirk to draw double teams, the Mavericks were able to survive the end of the fourth quarter but not a whole new overtime period. Dallas’ mistakes in the fourth quarter coast them the game in regulation and once on the extra period, they never had a chance.

Lifted by Jason Terry’s huge 4th quarter, he scored 18, the Mavericks took control of the game and opened a nice 5 point lead with about 2 minutes to go however poor lead management allowed the Hornets to bounce back. Nowitzki lost his patience and eventually fouled out.

Paul kept New Orleans on the game and Stojakovic, who nailed only one shot the whole game, hit the game tying three pointer. Stojakovic hitting shots? I feel like I’m 2004 all over again.

The NBA: Where Chris Paul Happens. Lifted by Paul’s 23 points and huge defensive role, the Hornets extended their lead to 5 in the end of the 3rd. He just took the game over and there’s nothing Dallas can do about it.

For the Mavericks, Nowitzki has been ineffective because of the double teams he has suffered with the main idea to take the ball out of his hand. He’s also taking a beating on the defense event; he just can’t guard David West, too physical. Marion turned the ball over way too many times, another reason why the Mavericks felt a little bit behind in the third.

New Orleans have played better in the second half however they are not being able to take advantage of a night when Dallas is not playing its premier basketball. The Mavericks keep hanging in there and at some point, because they are more talented, they may take this game over.

Backed by their second unit, the Mavericks rallied into the second quarter but are still down at halftime 50-48. Without Paul or West, the Hornets were unable to score and allowed Dallas to come back. Nowitzki has only six points at the half but his presence on the court draw double teams coverage which opened three pointers for Kidd, Barea and Terry. When Paul returned, his extra pass ability and huge 3 pointer in the end kept the Hornets on top.

New Orleans still lead this game but as Dirk starts to evolve his game, the question about how the Hornets score the basketball without Paul and West remains. At some point those guys will need to rest and that will be the point that Dallas will take the lead for good.

After a strong start lifted by rookie Rodrigue Beaubois, who is starting in place of Quinton Ross and scored the Mavs’ first 9 points, the Mavericks allowed a 13-4 run and lost the 1st quarter by 25-17.

Dallas’ poor half court defense allowed the Hornets to open an 8 point lead. David West has hit shots early on which always give New Orleans better chances. Dirk Nowitzki hasn’t gotten it going yet but yesterday he wasn’t either until 4th quarter came. With Paul and West on the bench to start the second, it’s tough to see where the score is going to come.

After a come from behind win at home against the Jazz, the Dallas Mavericks are on the road to face the New Orleans Hornets in Louisiana on a Western Conference showdown. Last night Dirk Nowitzki scored 29 points in the 4^th quarter, 40 overall, to win the game for Dallas and that’s one of the reasons why this game is important for the Mavericks. They have to prove that not all of their offense is based on what Dirk does and doesn’t do.

For the Hornets this game should be faced as a head to head battle. New Orleans started the season 1-3 and need to start winning games. After winning 49 games last season, expectations are high in Louisiana. Two seasons ago Bart Scott was named the coach of the year, this one he’s expected to be the first fired and that’s another reason why the Hornets need to start winning some ball games.

Sensacional inicio de temporada de Marc Gasol (foto: AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Notables actuaciones individuales en la noche de ayer. Tres jugadores llegaron a los 40 puntos en un domingo ciertamente fructífero en actuaciones individuales. Mayo y Carmelo rivalizaron en un partido con poca defensa, que cayó del lado de los favoritos Nuggets. Kobe llegó a 40 puntos tirando de un carro al que todavía no se ha subido Pau por lesión y Artest por adaptación (suponemos).

Marc Gasol hizo su tercer gran partido consecutivo. Sus promedios en lo que va de temporada asustan: 20 puntos, 11 rebotes, 73% en tiro de campo y más del 80% en tiros libres. Soberbio. Iverson está a punto de reaparecer. Ojalá siga la racha para Marc.

La jornada de ayer también nos dejó un expediente X: los tiros libres de Dwight Howard. La “bestia” hizo 14/16 en tiros libres en una noche gloriosa de su muñeca de piedra. No he visto el partido y desconocemos si el “factor tablero” ha ayudado a Dwight. En todo caso, y haciendo balance de los 3 partidos jugados por el center de los Magic, su promedio no llega todavía al 70%. Imperdonable para un jugador franquicia.

Calderón hizo un 10-2-6 y falló los mismos libres que Howard (ayer fue un día extraño…) y Rudy dio la de arena (1-0-1).

Destacados:

• Carmelo: 42-7-5, 1 triple, 2 robos, 15/26 en campo y 11/12 en libres. Sólo perdió 1 balón, su equipo ganó y Melo sigue creciendo (como los Nuggets)
• OJ.Mayo: 40-5-4, 4 triples, 1 robo, 17/25 en campo y 2/2 en libres. No perdió balones. Soberbio encuentro del sophomore
• Kobe: 41-8-3, 5 robos, 1 triple, 15/29 en campo y 10/11 en libres. Tirando del carro sin Gasol
• Ryan Gomes: 23-15-4, 2 triples, 2 robos, 10/13 en campo y 1 robo. Con Big Al recuperándose y Love lesionado, Gomes y Flynn pueden ser las primeras opciones
• Bosh: 35-16-1, 2 triples. Jugosa semana
• JJ.Redick: 27-6-5, 5 triples, 8/14 en campo, 6/7 en libres. SI Redick funciona, los Magic tienen mejor equipo de lo que pensaba
• Joe Johnson: 27-9-4, 3triples, 8/10 en libres, 1 balón perdido. Buque insignia de los Hawks
• Paul Pierce: 27-4-2, 3 triples, 2 robos, 10/14 en campo. Sólido
• Jameer Nelson: 30-2-5, 5 triples, 2 robos. Notable encuentro

Troy Murphy Trophy:

• Nene Hilario: 18-9-6, 1 robo, 6/6 en tiros de campo y 1 pérdida

Otros destacados:

• Los 20-10: Marc Gasol (20-11-4) y Dwight Howard (24-11-1)
• Anotadores: Deng, Bargnani y Stojakovic metieron 26 puntos
• Rebotes: Odom cogió 14 rechaces
• Asistencias: Nash hizo 14 pases de canasta, Rondo 10 y Paul 8
• Triples: Stojakovic y un sorprendente Frye metieron 6 triples. Y ojo al trío de los Magic: Nelson, Ryan Anderson y JJ.Redick hicieron 5 triples cada uno
• Robos: otro Magic, Barnes (6 robos); Kobe 5; Salmons, Chalmers y Webster 4
• Tapones: Thabeet colocaron 4 gorros, Joel Anthony, Tyrus Thomas y Ron Artest colocaron 3 tapones

Vaya día!!

• Kevin Durant se tiró 21 tiros….y metió 3. Marvin Williams se quedó en 1/6 en campo
• Durant y Crawford acabaron con 5 triples intentados….y 0 anotados
• Andre Miller tiró 1 vez a canasta…en 20 minutos. El fichaje estrella de los Blazers está fuera de onda
• Durant completó un horrible día también en asistencias: nulo en pases de canasta
• El Mario West: Malik Allen jugó la friolera de 6 segundos. Ni el propio Mario lo haría “mejor”
• El Concha Velasco: Russell Westbrook perdió 9 balones

La pregunta del día:

• Una pregunta complicada, pero con moraleja. Los Suns jugaron ayer un partido en casa sin llenar su pabellón algo que hacía mucho mucho tiempo que no ocurría. ¿Cuando fue la ultima vez que los Suns no llenaron?

Y todavía tenemos abierta la encuesta sobre quién ganará el campeonato 2009-10 (ver y votar)

A.Jamison (WAS) se perderá de 3 a 5 semanas por una lesión de espalda (ver en ESPN), o lo que es lo mismo de 8 a 13 partidos. En Washington tienen muchas caras nuevas este año: Foye, Mike Miller…y la vuelta de Arenas. Con estas “altas” y la baja de Jamison en el quinteto sólo parecen fijos Butler, Arenas y Haywood

En la previa de la NBA dos webs de las más importantes evalúan a Kobe y Lebron (espectacular comparación, ver en Fox), y predicen quién puede ser el nuevo MVP (leer en ESPN). Y en SI.com hacen un repaso (demasiado visual) de los rookies (ver)

La liga empezará con árbitros NBA. Se acabó la huelga de “referees” y Bavetta y cía. siguen arbitrando a los cracks

Y suena que:

• Rudy y Pau Gasol son duda para empezar la temporada
• Greg Oden podría haberse ganado el puesto de center titular en los Blazers. ¿Una nueva bestia?
• Ben “Benito” Wallace puede ser pivot titular en los Pistons. Entre él y K.Brown….
• Delonte “problemas” West ha sido acusado de violencia doméstica por su esposa. Lástima de cabeza
• Kevin Martin jugará en el inicio de temporada

Los mejores de la pretemporada:

• Puntos: Carmelo, Morrow y Nowitzki
• Rebotes: David Lee, Troy Murphy y D.Howard
• Asistencias: Nash, Westbrook y Baron Davis
• Triples: Morrow, Ryan Anderson y Battier
• Tapones: Hibbert, Brook Lopez y D.Howard
• Robos: Dudley, Wade y S.Curry

Ross Geiger’s 2009-2010 NBA Regular Season Predictions

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

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division:

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

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

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

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

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

Central Division:

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

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

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

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

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

Southeast Division:

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

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

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

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

Western Conference

Northwest Division-

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

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

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

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

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

Pacific Division-

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

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

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

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

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

Southwest Division:

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

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

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

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

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

Eastern Conference

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

Western Conference

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

En vísperas de los draft del fantasy jugones (por cierto, este año está siendo especialmente duro cerrar los grupos de segunda y tercera) vamos a hacer un análisis sobre lo que el mercado ofrece, y lo más destacable a la hora de afrontar un draft:

Paul o James

Esta parece ser la duda con el número 1. Sólo Wade parece hacer sombra a este dúo que nos ofrecieron el año pasado. LeBron promedió 28 puntos, 7.6 rebotes, 7.2 asistencias, 1.7 robotes, 1.1 gorros y 1.6 triples. Brutal y espectacular. Completísimo. Paul ofreció 22.8 puntos, 5.5 rebotes, 11 asistencias, 2.8 robos y un porcentaje de campo superior al 50%.

En fin, para gustos hay colores. Mi preferencia es Paul, pero los fríos números apuntan a LeBron. Os doy un dato más: Paul lidera los robos con suficiencia…ya que promedia un 26% más en robos que Wade (segundo en esta clasificación). Es decir, no basta con tener unos números aplastantes, es interesante dominar TANTO una faceta del juego.

El top-10

El O-Rank de yahoo tiene este top-10: Paul, LeBron, Wade, Kobe, Nowitzki, Granger, Durant, Gasol, Stoudemire y Bosh. Este ranking, más que decente penaliza mucho categorías donde el jugador sea francamente malo (esta es la razón por la que D.Howard no está en él). Destacar la irrupción de Durant en este top. Y yo lo pondría más arriba ¿ofrecerá más Kobe o Nowitzki que Durant?

Los 15-5-5

¿Cuántos jugadores promediaron el año pasado más de 15 puntos, más de 5 rebotes y más de 5 asistencias? El club es muy selecto e incluye alguna sorpresa. Y es que además, como no!, de Wade, LeBron y Chris Paul….tenemos a Iguodala (18.8-5.7-5.3) y a Stephen Jackson (20.7-5.1-6.5). Iguodala previsiblemente continuará en este grupo, y con Stephen Jackson….¿quién se arriesga? Su entrenador es Don Nelson…y Jackson ya ha pedido el traspaso.

Los 20-10

Elton Brand era “Mr.20-10″ hasta que una lesión y un cambio de aires acabó con este apodo. El año pasado 4 jugadores promediaron al menos 20 puntos y al menos 10 rebotes: D.Howard (20.6-13.8), Bosh (22.7-10), Z.Randolph (20.8-10.1) y Al Jefferson (23.1-11.0). ¿A que Z.Randolph está infravalorado? Si, no tapona, pero casi robó 1 balón por partido el año pasado y más de medio triple por partido. A Randolph, tan mal jugador de equipo como buen fichaje fantasy, el O-Rank de yahoo lo entierra en el nº77

El número de partidos

No es lo mismo jugar en los Lakers que jugar en los Nets. Como sabreis los más veteranos hay días en los que la NBA prácticamente se paraliza y se cuentan con una mano los jugadores disponibles en tu plantilla para poner a jugar. Si, los jueves es el día de la semana en que los partidos más escasean. Si seleccionamos aquellos días en los que hay cuatro partidos o menos y contamos la participación de los equipos en estos días “flojos” (hay 38 días en los habrá 4 partidos o menos) de tenemos que:

Tener en el roster a Carmelo o a Derrick Rose significa tenerlos disponibles en 14 días donde escasearán las opciones. Brook López o Devin Harris no se prodigarán estos días con pocos partidos. Ojo, esto no significa que Denver juegue más partidos que los Nets, sólo significa que jugará en días con escasez de encuentros.

La pretemporada

Los equipo de la NBA son muy estáticos. Es decir, parten de un esquema teórico de reparto de minutos y es muy muy difícil que varíe significativamente a lo largo del año. La pretemporada puede no marcar un quinteto titular pero si va dando señales. Estos están siendo los mejores:

• Puntos: Carmelo, Durant, Bynum, Morrow (GSG) y Kevin Martin superaron los 20 puntos por partido. Ojo con Douglas-Roberts (NJ), Eric Gordon (LAC), Jeff Green (OKH)
• Rebotes: David Lee y Jason Thompson superan los 10 por partido. Ni falta hace decir que David Lee es sinónimo de doble-doble. Destacar a Oden (ojo con Greg este año), Gortat (dependerá de sus minutos en Orlando) y Speights (que es suplente en 76ers…de momento)
• Asistencias: Con 7 o más pases de canasta en pretemporada tenemos a Westbrook, Baron Davis, Nash, Arenas y Paul. Gilbert Arenas parece recuperado de su lesión, ha jugado 5 partidos con una media de 24.2 minutos por partido y un ratio de asistencias/balones perdidos mejor que cualquiera del quinteto de bases que acabamos de indicar.
• Otras: Ryan Anderson y A.Morrow promedian 3.3 triples por partido en pretemporada; Hibbert (IND) y Brook Lopez promedian 3 gorros o más por encuentro y Jared Dudley (PHO) roba casí 3 balones por partido

Los rookies

Sin referencia en otras temporada NBA, los rookies pueden ser una gran oportunidad en un fantasy. Hasta el momento podemos destacar, por los partidos de pretemporada, a éstos:

• Tyreke Evans (SAC): 15-5-5 y probable base titular en los Kings
• B.Griffin (LAC): 14.7-8.5-2.3, salvo sorpresa será el ROY
• DeJuan Blair (SAS): 14.7-8-1.3, sangre nueva en los Spurs
• Jeff Teague (ATL): 15.4-2-5, notable pretemporada del rookie de los Hawks, aunque la competencia será dura en Atlanta
• Brandon Jennings (MIL): 11.6-2.7-6.3, empieza de suplente de Ridnour…., se lo comerá
• Jonny Flynn (MIN): 13.8-1-4.2, apunta a titular, peleándose con Sessions

Mis apuestas

Creo que van a hacer un buen año, creo que pueden recuperar el tiempo perdido, creo que se estrenarán bien en la NBA. Son:

Anthony Randolph en los Warriors, jugador del gusto de Don Nelson;  Hibbert, center de Indiana, ya sin Nesterovic robándole minutos; Greg Oden, recuperado y fortalecido; Shawn Marion, que puede volver a ser el de los Suns; T.Evans y Brandon Jennings, incluso por delante de Blake Griffin….. ¿cuales son las vuestras?

After the disappoint loss to the Denver Nuggets on last season’s Western Semi-Finals, it became clear that this generation of the Dallas Mavericks led by Dirk Nowitzki won’t get it done and the rebuild process seemed to be the most appropriate alternative however Mark Cuban disagrees with me and since he’s the one that matters, the Mavs decided to take a last shot of what they already have.

Their first move of the offseason and probably their biggest one was resigning Jason Kidd back for a three year deal which implied right there that they’ll keep trying with this crew and in order to improve this formula, the Mavericks traded Antwan Wright and Devon George to the Raptors on a four team exchange that brought Shawn Marion to Texas in a tentative to emulate the Magic. The idea is play Dirk at Center and spread the floor with Kidd, Terry, Howard, Marion on clutch time and hope that at some point, somebody will get opened. Since Dirk can’t play the 5 for 48 minutes, Dallas signed Drew Gooden for a one year deal $4.5 million dollars guaranteed, it’s his 7^th team in 8 years (nothing else needs to be said). The Mavs also intended to improve their second unit but then they signed Tim Thomas to be their shooter off the bench which is pathetic to me because Thomas is the guy that goes hot for a night and score 15 points but he disappears for the next 20, 25 games.

Another question mark around the team could be how Dirk Nowitzki is going to react with everything that has been happening with his personal life that unfortunately became public. During the series against the Nuggets while everything was going on, Dirk showed an amazing ability to focus and to perform under outside pressure. Now that the matter seems to be finished, expect maybe a more relieved, calm Nowitzki.

Like written before, after another disappointing season ending, it would be easy for Cuban to start trading Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard for draft picks but he decided not to. Dallas’ case is very similar to Toronto’s. With Marion starting instead of Wright, the Mavs are better than they were a year ago but that’s not nearly enough to join the Lakers and the Spurs as the top contenders on the West. The hope is that San Antonio run out of legs like they did in years before and that Artest + Kardashian sink the ship in Los Angeles and all of a sudden they are right there just waiting.

Dirk Nowitzki is my favorite NBA player and it sucks to say that he, just like Steve Nash, won’t be able to get his ring before it’s all said and done.

Check More At: MVN

NBA.com ha publicado los resultados de una encuesta realizada a los directores deportivos de las franquicias NBA. En dicha encuesta se planteaban preguntas sobre la temporada que está a punto de empezar. Esto es lo más destacable (lo podeis ver completo aquí)

1. Los Lakers son los máximos favoritos para ganar el anillo. El 61% de los encuestados apuestan por los de Phil Jackson. Cavs y Celtics siguen a los angelinos con un 18% cada uno. Los Spurs sobreviven…con un 3%. Si de conferencias se trata la cosa está clara: Lakers (76%, en el oeste) y Celtics (50% en el este)
2. En el apartado de jugadores, las apuestas a MVP tienen un nombre claro: Lebron James (69%). Kobe (17%) y Howard (7%) apenas hacen sobra a “El elegido”. Por si el dominio de James quedara poco claro, a los GM se le plantearon dos preguntas más:
   1. “A quién contratarías si pudieras”, y los resultados fueron claros: LeBron (79%) y
   2. “Qué jugador hace que tengas que ajustarte más cuando juegas contra él”….LeBron (39%)
3. Sobre quién será el jugador que mejore más o que evolucione mejor esta temporada tenemos a Kevin Durant (26%), y le siguen A.Randolph (15%), Louis Williams y Westbrook, ambos con un 7.4%
4. Los mejores en sus posiciones para los GM son: Chris Paul-Kobe Bryant-LeBron-Duncan-Howard. El veterano Duncan sigue estando en gran consideración para los expertos, aunque creo que el gran público todavía no le reconoce todo lo que es y ha sido
5. En el apartado de rookies el dominio de Blake Griffin es abismal. Nos gustaría destacar un aspecto que plantea la encuesta, y es qué jugador será la sorpresa entre los rookies. Ahí hay triple empate y con bajos porcentajes, lo que habla de la igualdad entre rookies (Harden (OKL), Jennings (MIL) y Lawson (DEN) son la terna)
6. Una pregunta que no gustará. Qué internacional (no EEUU) es el mejor de la liga? La respuesta mayoritaria ha sido Nowitzki (64%), y el segundo es Pau Gasol (11%).
7. La presencia española en la encuesta aparece en dos preguntas. En primer lugar se pregunta por el jugador internacional que más mejorará este año, y ahí Rudy Fernández se lleva la palma con un 22%. Tras él, los tres italianos: Gallinari, Bargnani y Belinelli. La otra pregunta que suena a español es “cual es el mejor jugador no EEUU que no juega en la NBA?” Y ahí domina el poder mediático de Ricky Rubio (50%), pero tampoco se olvidan de la Bomba Navarro (15.4%) o de Splitter, con el mismo porcentaje.
8. La encuesta tiene sitio para valorar los fichajes de esta pretemporada. Así, el equipo que mejor se ha movido según los GM han sido los Spurs, el movimiento con mayor impacto ha sido el de Vince Carter, el movimiento más infravalorado el de A.Parker, el equipo que más ha mejorado han sido los Wizards y la sorpresa ha sido el fichaje de Artest por los Lakers
9. En el apartado de entrenadores domina Phil Jackson, como mejor entrenador de la liga, como mejor entrenador “atacante” y mejor motivador. Popovich es el mejor en los 2 últimos minutos de los partidos y de cuando defender se trata. Una curiosidad, los encuestados ven en Derek Fisher un buen entrenador cuando cuelgue las botas
10. Para finalizar una de retales:
    • Los Lakers son el equipo más agradable para la vista
    • Los Cavs es el que mejor partido saca a sus partidos como local
    • LeBron es el más atlético
    • Chris Paul el más rápido con el balón y Rip Hamilton el más ràpido sin la bola
    • Okur es el que más hace con menos
    • Nash el mejor pasador, pero Billups el que más liderazgo tiene….

Y vosotros? Qué opinais?

Disco Dirk is looking for back-to-back championships

Owner: Darren Sinke

2008-09 Record: 117-70-2 (League Champion)

Keepers: Paul Gasol, Rashard Lewis, Kevin Martin, Steve Nash, Dirk Nowitzki, Russell Westbrook

Late in the 2007-08 season and with a roster loaded with injuries, Darren Sinke made the decision to shut down and rebuild for 2009. Needless to say, things went according to plan. After sitting comfortably in the league’s top three from start to finish, Sinke took home the Green Jacket with a tight win over Brent Minty in the 2009 President’s Residence Championship. With a well-rounded group of keepers and an unrivaled dedication to the league, expect Sinke to be right in the mix come the end of this season as well.

Back to lead this year’s entry is Dirk Nowitzki, whose 25.9 scoring average last season was the third-highest of his career. At 31, Nowitzki figures to have at least another couple years as a top-tier fantasy talent. The big German is joined by a pair of reliable foreigners — Pau Gasol and Steve Nash — and Sacramento’s Kevin Martin, who averaged 24.6 points and 2.3 three-pointers per game in 2008-09 (albeit in just 51 appearances).

Sinke will also be picking up a veteran contributor in Jason Kidd, who he’ll receive following the draft as part of a deal with Dave Mantel that was completed earlier this month. Though his scoring numbers are down, Kidd is still one of the league’s top assist and steal men, on top of being arguably the NBA’s best rebounding guard.

PROGNOSIS

Playoffs, and a definite title contender.

Ramon Sessions es el elegido por los Wolves para el puesto de PG. Si, si, confiamos en Jonnhy Flynn, pero por si acaso fichamos a Sessions y le pagamos 16 millones de dólares por 4 años. Pero confiamos en Flynn …y en Rubio en 2011. Raro. (Gracias, Bend3r)

David Lee y los Knicks están a punto de llegar a un acuerdo por 1 año. Claro! Un añito de contrato bien pagado, pero que no nos estorbe cuando queramos ir a por LeBron James. Por cierto, dicen que Eddy Curry podría ser el titular en los Knicks este año. No le daría mucho crédito a la noticia.

Bruce “lee” Bowen se retira tras 12 años de defensiva carrera profesional. Un histórico de Popovic, y un jugador al que siempre le acompañó su fama de duro y buen defensor.

Sección rosa: La ex-novia de Nowitzki, que está en prisión, y que tenía media docena de identidades a lo largo de su delictiva carrera, no está embarazada. Pobre Nowitzki, me imagino lo que estará pasando en USA, donde nunca se le ha reconocido (pese a ser MVP) lo buenísimo que es.

Vamos con Ricky. Publica Chris Sheridan en la ESPN un buen artículo contándonos lo bien que le vendrá a Rubio retrasar un añito más sus planes (suponiendo que haya planes) de jugar en la NBA. Jugar tres años en el Barça supone cobrar 3 años en el Barça y poder negociar 5 años con los Wolves a precio de All-Star (leer en ESPN). Además su salida vale 1 millón de euros en el año 2 y lo mismo en el año 3. El artículo deja caer además, que Rubio no tiene palabra, pero si gran interés por la pasta. Sigo estupefacto con el tirón mediático (para bien o para mal) de Ricky en USA.

Sasha Vujacic no jugará el Eurobasket. Ha abandonado la concentración de Eslovenia por una lesión en la rodilla. Mejor para Eslovenia? Intuyo que si.

Es seria duda Mensah-Bonsu en la escuadra británica. El inglés ha firmado con los Rockets, que todavía no le han dado permiso para competir con sus selección.

El futuro de Mario West parece ligado a los Hawks pese a todo. West, agente libre, ha recibido una invitación de la franquicia de Atlanta para el “trainning camp”, algo extraño ya que la franquicia suele darle fracciones de minuto (y de la basura) para demostrar su “potencial” (recordad en Jugones)

Una de presidiarios: La ex de Nowitzki ha sido condenada a 5 años de cárcel. Y Tim Dogherty, ex-árbitro, condenado a cárcel por amañar partidos volverá entre rejas. Violó la condicional y no se presentó al trabajo que le habían buscado. Volverá al “trullo”.

Los de la M roja nos cuentan el nuevo rumor sobre Ricky: Memphis. Horror! (o como diría Homer Simpson: “me aburro!!”)

Nate Robinson fue detenido por conducir sin carnet (leer en el NYPost). La conversación entre agente y jugador fue más o menos así:

Robinson: Bien, soy Nate Robinson, de los Knicks

Agente: Vale, Nate Robinson de los Knicks, estás arrestado.

Pues eso, que para chulo…

Todo el mundo tiene amigos gays except for me and my monkey. Es lo que pienso mientras me incrusto en Tribulete, atravesando como un golpe de cámara de Wes Anderson (es la última referencia cultural, prometo. Denle una oportunidad al post, sigan leyendo) y diseccionando un pequeño conflicto enmarcado en metros y segundos. En el estanco, el de la tienda de chucherías florea entre babas a una señora que acaba de entrar riendo cómplice. A diez metros, en la tienda de chucherías, la mujer del tendero barre ajena a la escena dos paredes más allá.

El sexo picotea en sms y los vestidos del barrio me dan la impresión de que sólo bastaría una chispa para que todo el latinismo y negritud contagie a los oriundos de la zona, propagando una pandemia sexual callejera. En verano el sudor ajeno sabe bien, y eso lo conocemos todos. O por lo menos nadie se ha negado a probarlo. Hasta los desconchones de los bajos parecen desnudar las casas empezando por lo primero. En la mía, Radio Gladys Palmera no ayuda a enfriar el ambiente. Limon & Nada, de Minute Maid, la última tentación del moderno, se desliza por el gaznate y recuerda el color de la camisa que me ha gustado esta mañana.

Ir al Corte Inglés tiene algo de ese sueño que tenía de pequeño: quedarme encerrado en un centro comercial. Puedes pulular, probarte cosas. Me voy a pillar camisetas de la NBA, y voy a ser Nowitzki, Ginobili, Rudy y Garnett. Cuando me pruebo la de Boston me dan ganas de pegar o hacer llorar a alguien así que las dejo y paso por Puri, donde veo la camisa blanca y limón que me gustó, o por Hugo. Un rato en Caramelo, pero un rato, se está volviendo muy cascuda esa firma. Armand Bassi tiene cosas que no me podría permitir ni ahora, que está al 50%, es de coña. Odio tener clase, no es nada barato. Me molaría ser feliz con unos pantalones pirata y una camiseta sin manga que ponga “Italy”. Iría a hacerme fotos con una poligonera en la fachada del Prado.

PD: Mañana presento el Festival de Cortos de Humor de Guada. Por algo se empieza, pensaría Billy Crystal. Siempre empezando. Pericles se tocaría.

PD2: El post de ayer no significaba nada. Era parte del juego del propio post. Soy la leche ¿eh?

Y los Cavs están en la final de conferencia por la vía rápida

Si los Hawks le complicaron la vida a los Celtics el año pasado, este año no han sido rival para Cleveland. El equipo de LeBron va 8-0 en playoffs, ha ganado todos sus partidos por más de 10 puntos. Líder en la Regular, descansado en los playoffs, los escépticos dicen que Atlanta y Detroit no son rival. Bien, no son Houston y Utah, no son Chicago y Orlando, pero las sensaciones son inmejorables para el equipo de James. Cleveland sabe a lo que juega. No se aturulla y no busca la heroica. A la espera de metas mayores, ahora mismo es el favorito. Si la serie Orlando-Boston sigue a este ritmo, Cleveland tendrá que esperar casi una semana a su rival.

A destacar:

• Joe Johnson: 18-6-7, sin pérdidas, pero sin brillar
• Josh Smith: 26-8-1, sin robos y sin gorros, pero entonado en todos los playoffs
• Murray: 14-2-2, 3 robos pero un pésimo 4/15 en campo
• Bibby + Horford + Marvin Williams anotaron 7 puntos. Dato aplastante

• Delonte West: 21-4-6, 1 robo, 2 triples. Notable encuentro
• LeBron James: 27-8-8, 3 triples. Superior
• Ilgauskas: 14-10-0, 2 robos. Doble-doble de valor
• Ben Wallace jugó 13 minutos y el banquillo de los Cavs es su punto débil (8-11-2 entre 5 jugadores)

Dallas – Denver (1-3)

Los Mavs alargan la eliminatoria y buscarán en Denver llegar al partido 6. Ayer surgió el gran Nowitzki. Agobiado por sus problemas personales (hay detenciones que son muy poco oportunas), arrinconado su equipo por los Nuggets de la década, se destapó con un partidazo y tirando del carro. Dirk no es un jugador muy querido en Estados Unidos y diría que infravalorado en Europa, pero los años nos darán la perspectiva correcta de la genial carrera del teutón. Para muchos, el mejor europeo que ha jugado nunca en la NBA (al menos en la encuesta de jugones).

Nowitzki aclamado tras sus 44 puntos (Foto: Glenn James)

No lo tuvo fácil Dallas pese al partidazo del alemán. Carmelo brilló con luz propia y sólo la falta de aportación interior de los Nuggets impidió que la eliminatoria estuviese vista para sentencia. En el duelo de secundarios, Nowitzki tuvo más apoyos y la serie viaja a Colorado.

Destacados:

• Kidd: 13-10-6, 2 triples, 3 robos y sólo 1 pérdida
• Nowitzki: 44-13-3. GRANDE
• Josh Howard: 21-11-2, 1 robo
• El banquillo estuvo bien: 33 puntos entre Barea, Bass y Terry

• Carmelo: 41-11-3, 2 triples, 5 robos. Brillante
• Billups: 24-2-7, 2 triples, 10/10 en libres. Siempre dando la cara.
• Hilario estuvo mal: 2/5 fg y 5/10 ft y Kenyon Martin horrible: 2-2-1
• JR Smith volvió a poner la nota de calidad desde el banquillo: 19-1-0, 2 triples

Resumen de los partidos de ayer: