LeBron James said it best, "I feel like my kids on Christmas Day! So juiced!!!" Of course, he was referring to the feeling he felt when the NBA lockout officially ended. There was a sense, that this lockout really could have lasted the entire 2011-12 campaign, but luckily, after 160 days of the NBA lockout, the new CBA was finally ratified. Now the best athletes in the World get to do what they do best: play some ball. We are only five days away until the season begins, and this is going to be a great Christmas present in itself. All five games on Christmas are all great match-ups. The last five NBA MVP's will be playing (Dirk, Kobe, LeBron(2x), and D-Rose). Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups both make their debut with the Clippers. Mike Brown makes his debut as the new Head Coach for the Lake show. We get an NBA Finals re-match as Miami travels to American Airlines Arena to play the Dallas Mavericks. And, sorry LeBron your NBA Championships still remain at not 5, not 6, not 7, it is still 0. Tyson Chandler and Lamar Odom both debut for their new squads. Also, we get to see the two-time defending scoring champion, Kevin Durant, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, take on the three-time defending Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard, and the Orlando Magic.
Christmas Day will serve as an appetizer of what to expect from the NBA this season. The regular 82-game season is now dwindled down to a 66-game season. This could very well affect some of the older teams in the NBA, because there will be a lot more back-to-backs, and also some back-to-back-to-backs. The Celtics and Spurs better get their wheel chairs and walkers ready. There are so many question marks around so many different teams this year, and luckily, we will soon find out some answers. Will Dwight Howard get traded to Los Angeles? Or, will he be partying with Snookie and Paulie D on the Jersey Shore? Can Dallas repeat after losing their defensive leader: Tyson Chandler. Will the Los Angeles Clippers finally become a team to wrecking with? Is this the year Miami's dynasty starts? How will the Lakers bounce back after getting swept by Dallas in the playoffs last year? Luckily, all the answers are right here, as I break down what to expect from the 2011-12 NBA season. I will go division by division and break down all 30 NBA teams. So lets get this party started and start with the Eastern Conference.
ATLANTIC DIVISION
It has been awhile since the division has been competitive, and I think we can finally say this conference is back to those days. The New York Knicks might have lost Chauncey Billups, but the acquisition of Tyson Chandler was probably the second biggest move in the off-season. Tyson Chandler showed how important of a player he can be, as he led the way defensively for the Dallas Mavericks. The New York Knicks have always had problems defensively since Mike D'Antoni took over in 2008. This is D'Antoni's final season under contract, so it will be important for him to get this team on the right track if he wants to keep his job in the Big Apple. The Knicks should be the front runner in the Atlantic Division because they have two of the most talented players in the league: Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and he has averaged at least 20 points per game in every season during his eight-year career. Amare Stoudemire was an absolute beast last year, and he has quickly become a top-three power forward currently in the NBA. The Knicks success will be on the shoulders of two young guys who they will need to step up if they want to win the Atlantic Division. Third-year combo guard, Toney Douglas, will probably be seeing a lot of time at point guard this year. He showed glimpses of stellar play last year and he is very capable to be a good young player in this league. Also, Landry Fields showed how good of a player he can be. He played lights out during the first half of the season, but after the All-star break, and the acquisition of Melo, he seemed lost on the floor. Expect him to be back in his form that got him named to the All-Rookie first team. Furthermore, the Knicks signed two veteran point guards in Mike Bibby and Baron Davis. But, in all honesty don't expect much from them. Bibby is old. Davis is out for 8-10 weeks with a herniated disc.
Moving on to the team who has dominated the Atlantic Division: The Boston Celtics. Since the acquisition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Boston has won the Atlantic Division every year. It might be hard to make it five straight years this season though. The worst thing that happened to the Celtics this year is plain and simple: they are all one year older. Kevin Garnett's knees are running out of gas, as we saw last year whenever the Celtics had a back-to-back, KG was a no show. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be fine this year, but I don't think that will be enough firepower to win the Atlantic Division. Rajon Rondo has quickly become a top point guard in the NBA, but he needs to show he can knock down some 18-footers. And, he needs to knock down his free-throws so he is not hesitant to take it to the cup, because that is when Boston is at its best. Rondo sets the tone for the entire team, and it will be important for him to stay aggressive all season long. The Celtics were dealt with some horrible news that is a real sad story. Jeff Green, will miss the entire 2011-12 season because of an aortic aneurysm, and he has to get heart surgery. Also, the Celtics thought they had David West signed, but he ended up signing with the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics will depend on newly acquired Brandon Bass from Orlando to step in and play a huge role off the bench. Also, Marquise Daniels will be a vital asset to the Celtics bench. They are banking on Avery Bradley, a second year player out of Texas, to step up this year after a disappointing rookie campaign. Also, the Celtics are hoping that the two rookies they took out of Purdue, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, will be able to play sparingly off the bench to allow those old guys to get some rest.
The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the best teams in the NBA last year after the All-star break. Head Coach Doug Collins is the perfect fit for a young and gifted Sixers team. Jrue Holliday, Evan Turner, Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Andre Igoudala form a dangerous core. All of these guys should be even better coming into this year. Expect the 76ers to make a playoff run once again, and get one of the bottom seeds in the Eastern Conference. Especially, if Elton Brand can get back to his 20 and 10 days, this team can be a scary team in the East. Brand, played well last year, averaging 15 and 8.
The New Jersey Nets are quietly getting better. But, they still need to make a big splash and get their hands on Dwight Howard. Superman and D-Will would be better than Batman and Robin for sure. The Nets have no chance at making the playoffs unless they acquire Howard. Their roster is not deep at all. Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are the only two things to get happy about when talking about the Nets. If Jay-Z can work his (blue) magic and get Dwight Howard, then the Nets quickly jump into the discussion when talking about playoff teams in the East, but until then, they will be towards the bottom of the pact in the NBA.
The Toronto Raptors have a long way to go before they get back to the days when they had Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. They have a ton of young guys capable of being good in the NBA, but none of them have proven anything yet, outside of Andrea Bargnani. DeMar DeRozan showed he can be a vital player in this league averaging 17 points per game in his second year. Furthermore, after the All-star break DeRozan was putting in 20 points a night, so expect a good year from DeRozan. Also, former first overall pick, in 2006, Andrea Bargnani, is coming off a career year. He averaged 21 points per game last season. Bargnani and DeRozan form a nice combo. But, that might be the only thing to be happy about if you are a Raptor's fan. They are hoping Dwane Casey can get Toronto on the right track as he makes his debut as the Raptor's Head Coach. Casey was an Assistant Coach, under Rick Carlisle, and the World Champion, Dallas Mavericks. He was Carlisle's right hand man for the Mavericks last year, and that should earn him some credibility right off the bat from his players in Toronto.
ATLANTIC DIVISION PREDICTIONS
1. NEW YORK KNICKS
2. BOSTON CELTICS
3. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
4. NEW JERSEY NETS
5. TORONTO RAPTORS
CENTRAL DIVISION
This division could easily be the worst division in the NBA. It is the Chicago Bulls and everybody else. The Pacers and Bucks have the potential to be dangerous in the East, but we will have to see it first. The Chicago Bulls have the reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, who was clearly the best player in the NBA last year. Luol Deng finally showed he can be a consistent player last year, and was arguably one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. The Bulls size inside is a huge strength. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Carlos Boozer, and Omer Asik are all beasts on the boards. The one thing the Bulls were missing from last years team was a two-guard. They signed Richard Hamilton this off-season, and they hope he can get back to his old form when he actually enjoyed playing for the Pistons. Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, and C.J. Watson are all good guards to have come off the bench to provide a very deep Bulls' squad. Also, remember this name: Jimmy Butler. This kid is going to be a stud, he will end up being just like his former teammate at Marquette, Wesley Mathews. The Bulls will win the Central Division by at least 10 games.
The Indiana Pacers have the potential to be a very dangerous team in the East. Especially, since landing David West. West has been one of the most underrated power forwards in the game. He is entering his ninth-season, and his career average is 16 points and 7 rebounds a game. The Pacers are loaded with young talent to go around West. Darren Collison, Paul George, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough, George Hill, and A.J. Price are all very talented young guys with a ton of potential. Also, Danny Granger is a very dangerous threat offensively for the Pacers. Granger has averaged 20 points a game every season over the last four years. This kid knows how to put the rock in the bucket. I really like the addition of George Hill who is a very talented, young, combo guard. Also, watch out for Paul George, I think he is going to have a break out season in his sophomore season. The Pacers should be battling for a five or six seed in the East.
The Milwaukee Bucks were expected to have a good season last year, but that was not the case. Brandon Jennings struggled in his second year, as he battled injuries all season long. Andrew Bogut also struggled last year. The Bucks are hoping the acquisition of Stephen Jackson will help them out offensively, were they struggled last year. Also, they hope Mike Dunleavy Jr. can step up and help the Bucks off the bench, as he did with the Pacers last season. The Bucks have two young studs down in the box in Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Larry Sanders. Mbah a Moute is a coaches dream. He does everything. He will out work anybody, and his motor is always turned on full blast. If Sanders can step up and have a good sophomore season, the Bucks could very well be battling for a playoff spot. This kids potential is through the roof. Also, remember the name Tobias Harris, a rookie out of Tennessee.
There is one thing for certain in the Central Division: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons will be battling for the number five spot in the division. Both these teams have a long way to go. The future is looking way brighter for the Cavs as they are in rebuild mode. Detroit on the other hand, I don't know what they are thinking re-signing Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey, and Jonas Jerebko. I thought it was pretty obvious they need change, and yet they continue to waste all their money on players that have already proven they can not get it done together. The one bright side for Detroit is Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight, but with no cap space in sight, the future is not looking that good in Motown. The Cavs at least have two top five picks from this years draft to build on. Kyrie Irving is going to be a stud. We will see about Tristan Thompson, but he has all the tools to become a good low-post player in this league. With Cleveland most likely getting a top five pick in next years draft, watch out for this team in a few years. Especially, if they can land Anthony Davis or Harrison Barnes in next years draft.
CENTRAL DIVISION PREDICTIONS
1. CHICAGO BULLS
2. INDIANA PACERS
3. MILWAUKEE BUCKS
4. DETROIT PISTONS
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERSSOUTHEAST DIVISION
This division is Miami's to lose. I think they will win this division pretty easily, especially with all the trade talks going on with Dwight Howard in Orlando. The Atlanta Hawks lost one of their best scorers, and added Tracy McGrady to replace Jamaal Crawford. Adding T-Mac to your team, is like getting a CD Walkman for Christmas. The Miami Heat made a HUGE pick up during the off-season adding Shane Battier. Battier will fit in perfectly with the Heat. I guess those three guys named James, Wade, and Bosh aren't that bad either. They finally got on the same page after the All-star break, and showed the World, these are three bad men on the court at the same time. It is Championship or bust with this team. They were so close last year, but LeBron struggled in the Finals, and mainly just the 4th quarter. This is the time were we will find out if LeBron will be considered with Magic, Bird, MJ, Kobe, and many other greats. Or, we will find out if he will be considered with Barkley, Ewing, Reggie Miller, and many other guys who simply could not win the big one. Also, a guy to watch out for is rookie Norris Cole, out of Cleveland State. This kid was an outstanding point guard at Cleveland State, he had one game were he dropped in 41 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 dimes. He averaged 21, 5, and 5 last year as a Senior, and also averaged over 2 steals per game. Championship or bust for Miami.
The Orlando Magic have a ton of questions around them this year, and I think it will hurt them tremendously. I think Dwight Howard will be gone by the trade deadline because Orlando will try and get something for Howard, instead of letting him walk for nothing after this season. If it was not for all the trade rumors, the Magic would be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. If they can hold onto Dwight Howard for the entire season, they could definitely do some damage. However, there is a good chance Howard will get dealt before the deadline and it will be time to rebuild in Orlando. They have some good pieces with Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Glen Davis, Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, and Earl Clark. But, if Howard isn't their, this team will do nothing in the playoffs. Their season hangs on the shoulders of Dwight Howard.
The Atlanta Hawks have some very talented players. Joe Johnson and Al Horford are arguably in the top 10 at their respected positions. Josh Smith is one of the most athletic and versatile players in the NBA. They are hoping Marvin Williams keeps progressing into becoming a big contributor for the Hawks. Also, their most important player could very well be Jeff Teague. He showed how good he can be in the Semi-finals against the Chicago Bulls. Teague put up 15 points a game after he was installed into the starting lineup when Kirk Hinrich went down with an injury. If Teague plays up to his expectations in his third year, watch out for the Hawks to fly past the Magic as the second best team in the Southwest Division.
The Charlotte Bobcats have a very young team, and a playoff run would be a stretch for this team. They are going to need a big year from Gerald Henderson, who showed he can become a leader on this team as he averaged nearly 14 points a game during his last 30 games of the season. Also, the Bobcats are hoping Kemba Walker can do the same thing that he did for the Connecticut Huskies in route to the 2011 NCAA Championship. This kid was absolute money last year in clutch situations. If you watched any of the Big East Tournament, or the NCAA Tournament, you know what I am talking about. The NBA is a different animal, so we will see if the small 6'1" shooting guard can hang in the NBA. The Bobcats also got a very explosive Bismack Biyombo with one of their first round selections in the draft. The Bobcats heard great news this week too, Biyombo agreed to a buyout with his Spanish club team, Fuenlabrada, and he just signed a contract with Charlotte and should be ready to roll when the season starts. It might take this guy one or two years to get use to the NBA, but watch out for this kid in the future. The Bobcats are hoping that Corey Maggette, D.J. Augustin, and Boris Diaw can provide the leadership this team needs. However, don't expect much from the Bobcats this year, but the future is looking good for this team.
The Washington Wizards are loaded with a ton of young talent as they are still in rebuild mode from their Gilbert Arenas days. John Wall would have won Rookie of the Year last year, if it wasn't for some guy dunking on everybody last year. Nick Young showed he can be a perennial scorer in this league last year, averaging 17 points a game. The Wizards had an outstanding draft this year, picking up Jan Vessely, Chris Singleton, and Shelvin Mack. All three of these guys have potential to be good in the NBA. Jan Vessely is known as being the European version of Blake Griffin. Chris Singleton was the best defender in College Basketball at Florida State during his career. Shelvin Mack led Butler to the NCAA Championship game two years in a row at Butler, a mid-major school. Also, the Wizards have two young studs who should continue to get better in JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche. I think the one guy to pay attention to this year for the Wiz is Jordan Crawford. This kid can score from anywhere. We all member him from having that dunk on LeBron James at James camp, and then the tape was destroyed. He won't be remembered for that anymore because he is going to be an absolute stud down the road, and it could very well start this year.
SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
2. ATLANTA HAWKS
3. ORLANDO MAGIC
4. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
5. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
WESTERN CONFERENCE
NORTHWEST DIVISION
Oklahoma City is the favorite in this division for sure. Especially with Brandon Roy announcing his retirement from the NBA. And, with J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler, and Kenyon Martin being stuck out in China until their seasons are over, the Nuggets will be affected for sure. This season is tailor made for the Thunder to make some noise and contend for the number one seed in the Western Conference. Kevin Durant has won back-to-back scoring titles, and very well could win his third in a row this year. However, the most important area for the Thunder is Russell Westbrook to become more of a point guard. Once he realizes that Kevin Durant is their best scoring option, this will be a scary team. Westbrook took way too many shots during the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, and that played a significant role in the Thunder getting bounced in five games. Also, James Harden is due for a breakout season. Once Jeff Green was traded, and Harden became the third option, he played the best ball of his life. Harden averaged 17 points a game after the All-star break, and that is saying a lot when Durant and Westbrook averaged 37 field goal attempts per game last season. Kendrick Perkins looks like he is ready to roll this year, after he struggled getting on the same page with his new team after getting dealt to the Thunder right before the trade deadline. Perkins is in the best shape of his life as he trimmed down and lost 35 pounds. Serge Ibaka is an absolute freak when it comes to athleticism. Last year, Ibaka averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Expect those numbers to increase this year as he is starting to develop a decent offensive game. Ibaka is already one of the best defenders in the NBA. The Thunder also have a nice group of role players with Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, Daequan Cook, Eric Maynor, and expect Cole Aldrich to get into the mix this year. This division is the Thunder's to win. I see Oklahoma City winning this division by at least five games.
Despite the retirement of Brandon Roy, the Trail Blazers have a chance at battling the Thunder for the Northwest Division. LaMarcus Aldridge has quietly become one of the top power forwards in the game, and yet he gets overlooked. This guy is the most underrated player in the NBA. Last season he averaged nearly 22 points and 9 rebounds a game last year. And, Portland dealt with so many injuries last season, but Aldridge put the Blazers on his back and led Portland to a playoff berth. Aldridge is dealing with a heart condition, but all signs point that he will be close to 100% by the time the season starts, which is great news for Portland fans. Look for Aldridge to find a way to make the All-star team in the West this year, after he got snubbed last year. With Roy announcing his retirement, the Blazers knew they needed to add someone. Jamal Crawford was their guy. Crawford has been one of the top sixth men in the NBA the last five years. He can light it up quick, but inconsistency has been an issue with him in the past. Also, Raymond Felton was a nice pick up by Portland. Felton was traded for Andre Miller, which was a nice move to get younger at point guard. Portland is hoping this will be the year Greg Oden can stay healthy, but it is not looking that will be the case. Luckily, the Blazers have the Candy Man, Marcus Camby, who has been a very solid center during his 15 year NBA career. They signed Kurt Thomas, who is a savvy vet, to back up Camby at center this year. The Blazers have three solid wing players in Wesley Mathews, Gerald Wallace, and Nicolas Batum to provide plenty of depth. Also, watch out for Nolan Smith, the reigning ACC Player of the Year at Duke, to try and find a way to get into the rotation. Portland will probably have the best chance to battle Oklahoma City for the Northwest Division, but I do not see them winning it. They will still find a way into the postseason and most likely get a 5 or 6 seed in the West.
The Denver Nuggets really put the meaning in team basketball. They do not have that star player, but they have a ton of good role players. J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, and Wilson Chandler all decided to sign overseas in China instead of waiting out the NBA lockout, so the Nuggets had to find other guys to fill their void. They acquired Rudy Fernandez and Andre Miller, and re-signed Nene and Arron Afflalo. Ty Lawson is due for a break out year. The Nuggets traded Felton to allow Lawson to take control of this offense. Last year in 31 starts, Lawson averaged 15 points, 7 assists, and nearly 2 steals per game. I would not be surprised to see Lawson take home the Most Improved Player award this year in his third season. The Nuggets could very well be the deepest team in the NBA going two-deep at every position. Arron Afflalo is going to be a huge player for Denver this year because he will be the guy the Nuggets will depend on for big buckets in clutch situations. Also, expect Danilo Gallinari to have a good year in his first full season with the Nuggets. The Nuggets had a good draft this year too. They drafted Kenneth Faried, from Morehead State, who is an absolute beast. Expect him to make his presence felt defensively right from the start. Last year, he averaged 15 rebounds (led the Nation in rebounding), 2.3 blocks, and 2 steals per game. They also drafted Jordan Hamilton, out of Texas, and this kid knows how to score the rock. Expect both of these guys to see some playing time in their rookie campaigns. Al Harrington, Chris Anderson, Corey Brewer, Timofey Mozgov, and DeMarre Carroll will also be contributors off the bench for the Nuggets. Expect Denver to get one of the eight playoff spots in the West.
Things are finally looking good for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but unfortunately, they are still a couple years away from contending in the West. The era of Ricky Rubio finally begins. Kevin Love proved to be a double-double machine last year, ending the season with 64. He had a streak of 53 straight double-doubles, which was the longest streak since the ABA/NBA merger in 1976. Also, Love had a 30/30 game, when he recorded 31 points and 31 rebounds against the Knicks. He was the first player to record a 30/30 game since Moses Malone in 1982. Love averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds, and shot a ridiculous 41 % from 3. His 15.2 rebounds per game were tops in the NBA last season. The Timberwolves are stacked with a ton of young talent. Minnesota was ecstatic when they landed the number two pick in the draft, because that meant one thing: Derrick Williams. As a sophomore at Arizona last season, he averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, shot 60 % from the floor, and an insane 56 % from 3. He led Arizona all the way to the Elite 8 and we all remember the Blake Griffin type of dunks he threw down on Duke, as they dominated Duke in the Sweet 16. Derrick Williams game is very similar to Blake Griffin, but he has excellent range, which is the big difference between the two. Things are looking good for the future of Minnesota basketball, something they have not even been close to since trading away Kevin Garnett. Michael Beasley, Wesley Johnson, Malcolm Lee, Wayne Ellington, Darko Milicic, Anthony Randolph, Martell Webster, and Luke Ridnour make up a nice mix of mostly young players and a few veterans. Minnesota has the potential to be a decent team towards the end of the 2011-12 campaign to build towards a good 2012-13 season.
The Utah Jazz announced they were rebuilding once Jerry Sloan resigned and then traded Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets last year. This will be a tough year for the Jazz. I really think the Jazz will trade Paul Millsap before the season is over as they try and get Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors to be their two big guys inside for the future. Expect Enes Kanter, who was the third overall pick in the draft, to play sparingly in the first half of the season. He was ruled ineligible at Kentucky last year, so he did not get any playing time at Kentucky. So expect the Jazz to depend heavily on Al Jefferson inside. Alec Burks, their first round pick, out of Colorado, could become a very good wing player in the NBA. Also, Gordon Hayward got things on track during the last month of the season as a rookie. He averaged 17 points a game during this period. Devin Harris has proven himself in this league as being a legitimate point guard. The Jazz will most likely find themselves having a tough 2011-12 campaign, but things are heading in the right direction if they can develop Hayward, Favors, Burks, and Kanter to form a nice core group down the road. The Jazz should be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.
NORTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
1. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
2. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
3. DENVER NUGGETS
4. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
5. UTAH JAZZ
SOUTHWEST DIVISION
The Dallas Mavericks were the best team in the NBA last season, but the departures of both J.J. Barea and Tyson Chandler will hurt this team tremendously this year. I do not see how this team can win the NBA Championship again this year without these two guys. Barea was a spark plug off the bench last year in the playoffs and Chandler was the main cog on the defensive end. Watch out for Memphis to make a jump in the Western Conference standings this year. Also, you can never count out the Spurs with Greg Poppovich in charge in San Antonio. However, I still see the Dallas Mavericks as the favorites to win the Southwest Division. This will be the closest race in all of the divisions. Dirk Nowitzki finally got that monkey off of his back. He was known for not being clutch, soft, and overrated. All of that erased last June because he put his team on his back and showed the will of a Champion. Nowitzki's playoffs stats were remarkable. 27.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 49 % from the floor, 46 % from 3, 94 % from the FT line, and 3 assists per game. The Mavericks have a ton of talent despite the departures of Chandler, Barea, Butler, and Stojakovic. The addition of Lamar Odom was a huge pick up. Lamar Odom and Dirk will be a great combo on the floor together. Jason Kidd returns, in which will probably be his last season. Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, and Delonte West will form a nice core to go along with Dirk and Odom. Brenden Haywood is not Tyson Chandler, but he still can be a force defensively and on the glass. Expect Rodrigue Beaubois and Jeremy Randle to fill the void of the loss of J.J. Barea. Dallas should find a way to get a top 3 seed in the Western Conference.
The Memphis Grizzlies became the third 8-seed to knock off a 1-seed in the playoffs last year, when they knocked off the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games. We will find out if this was a fluke last year, or if Memphis is for real in the West. Zach Randolph was an absolute beast last year. Randolph averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds last year. Also, with a healthy Rudy Gay coming back, this makes Memphis a very dangerous team in the West. The emergence of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol made Memphis one of the best teams after the All-star break last year. Also, if the Grizzlies hang on to O.J. Mayo, this is a very good starting five. Memphis has a deep team. Tony Allen, Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, Greivis Vasquez, Xavier Henry, and Josh Selby provide the Grizzlies with one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Expect Memphis to give Dallas all they can handle in the Southwest Division.
The San Antonio Spurs are in the same boat as the Boston Celtics, this could very well be their last run at a title. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobli still present a dangerous threat to the rest of the NBA. The Spurs acquired a very talented Kawhi Leonard, out of San Diego State, when they traded George Hill for him on draft day. Also, the emergence of Gary Neal last year was huge for the Spurs. If Tiago Splitter can emerge this year off the bench, that will be huge for the Spurs. Dejuan Blair has been a beast in his short career so far, and expect his numbers to be even better, with Antonio McDyess announcing his retirement after the Spurs declined to pick up his option. The Spurs are always in good hands with Greg Poppovich in charge, so expect the Spurs to be right there with Memphis and Dallas this year battling for the Southwest Division.
Kevin McHale is new the man in charge of Houston, and expect it to be a struggle for McHale and the Rockets this season. They thought they had Pau Gasol, but David Stern voided the three-team trade involving Houston, New Orleans, and the Los Angeles Lakers. This hurt Houston tremendously, because they were going to sign Nene after this trade, because they shaved some cap space getting rid of Luis Scola and Kevin Martin. Scola and Martin are the two leaders on this team, and that is not good if you are a Rockets fan. Both of these guys are good players, but there are better as third options. Marcus Morris, their first round pick out of Kansas, could end up becoming a good player, but it might take a couple years for his game to develop. Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill, Courtney Lee, Terrance Williams, Goran Dragic, and Jonny Flynn fill out the rest of the roster. Expect Houston to finish ninth or tenth in the Western Conference missing the playoffs for the second straight year.
The New Orleans Hornets are in rebuild mode after sending Chris Paul to the Clippers. They made an excellent trade in rebuilding for the future. They acquired a very gifted scorer in Eric Gordon, who averaged 23 points per game last year with the Clippers. Al-Farouq Aminu was also included in the trade, and he could end up being a solid player down the road. But, the biggest piece of the trade was acquiring Minnesota's first round pick, which could end up being Anthony Davis, Harrison Barnes, or Austin Rivers. Next years draft class will be stacked. However, do not expect the Hornets to do anything this year. Which means they will probably have two top-ten picks in next Summers draft. Things are looking bright for New Orleans in the future. David Stern made the right call on voided the first trade because that would have meant the Hornets would have taken back a ton of salary cap and not get any younger. Expect New Orleans to be a scary team in a few years if they have a good draft next Summer.
SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS
1. DALLAS MAVERICKS
2. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
3. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES4. HOUSTON ROCKETS
5. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
PACIFIC DIVISION
This division will come down to two teams who play in the same arena. The city of Los Angeles has been waiting for this for decades and decades. The Los Angeles Clippers are finally relevant and will give the Lakers a big challenge at winning the Pacific Division. Lob city officially begins in Los Angeles with the acquisition of Chris Paul. The Los Angeles Clippers made the biggest move of the offseason in a blockbuster deal to land Chris Paul. Also, the Clippers were busy signing Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler during the offseason. Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan present one of the best starting fives in the NBA. Chris Paul is going to have the time of his life playing with Griffin and Jordan. This is by far the most exciting team in the NBA, sorry Miami. Chris Paul is the only player in the history of the NBA to average 18 points, 9 assists, and 2 steals for his career. Blake Griffin is licking his chops to get a chance to play with CP3. Blake Griffin had one of the best rookie campaigns in NBA history. He averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds a game. Now he gets the best point guard in the game to make his job that much easier. If he can develop that 12-15 footer he will be one of the top power forwards in the game. The Clippers are one of the deepest teams in the NBA with Randy Foye, Eric Bledsoe, Mo Williams, Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, Travis Leslie, and Trey Thompkins on their bench. They still need to sign a back up center, and then they will be set for the 2011-12 season. Watch out for Thompkins, their second round pick out of Georgia, to get some playing time this year and be a contributor off the bench. The Clippers will win the Pacific Division if the Lakers do not acquire Steve Nash or Dwight Howard. The one thing the Clippers were weak in last year, was experience, and with the additions of CP3, Mr. Big Shot, and Caron Butler, they filled this area. Chris Paul has had knee injuiries in the past so it will be huge for the Clippers for him to stay healthy. However, if he did get hurt, Chauncey Billups can just move over and play the point and they could put Randy Foye or Eric Bledsoe starting at the two-guard. The Billups signing was one of the most underrated moves of the off-season.
The Los Angeles Lakers are still a top team in the Western Conference, but with Mike Brown, the new Head Coach in Laker town, it will take some time for the Lakers to adjust to a totally different scheme. The lockout hurt the Lakers tremendously because they could not get comfortable learning a new system. Also, with the loss of Lamar Odom, it will hurt the Lakers. Still, the Lakers are not done, they are still trying to get their hands on Dwight Howard. If they find a way to land the second edition of Superman, things change in Los Angeles. The Lake show are always going to be one of the top teams in the NBA with Kobe Bryant in charge. There is not a player in the NBA that is more determined than Kobe. He has that Michael Jordan determination, and there is not anyone in the NBA who hates losing more than Bryant. A lot of people are quick to write off Pau Gasol, which is a huge mistake. He is still a top 5 power forward in the NBA. Remember after the 2008 Finals against Boston, when everyone said Gasol was soft, then he came back and shut all of those critics up. The same thing will happen again this year. The Lakers will need Andrew Bynum to stay healthy this year if they want to win the Pacific Division. This is were the departure of Odom kills the Lakers. When Bynum was out, Odom could step in and start at power forward and move Gasol to center. They do not have this option anymore. Bynum has never played more than 65 games in a season, so him staying healthy all season, is highly unlikely. Metta World Peace needs to find his confidence. Ok, it feels crazy saying that name, Ron Artest is very capable of being a force, he just needs to stop thinking so much and just do what he loves: play ball. The Lakers still have a deep squad with Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher, Steve Blake, Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy, Devin Ebanks, Jason Kapono, and Darius Morris. Morris, a second round pick out of Michigan, is young and raw, but if he can get some confidence this year, watch out for this guy.
The Sacramento Kings have a ton of young talent, but they are still a couple of years away from contending in the Western Conference. The biggest question about the Kings is will they stay in Sacramento after this year or will they be moving down to Anaheim. They have a very entertaining back-court with Tyreke Evans and Jimmer Fredette. Jimmer Nation was one of the biggest stories in all of sports last season, and expect their to be a lot of hype behind him in his rookie campaign. We will soon find out if he is ready to shine in the NBA. I really think he is going to end up having a good NBA career, and I think he will be one of the more entertaining rookies to watch this year. The addition of J.J. Hickson was a nice pick up for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins could end up being a good power forward, but he needs to get his head on straight because the talent is there. Marcus Thorton, Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt, Jason Thompson, and Travis Outlaw are all nice pieces for this Kings team, but don't expect much from Sacramento this year. Jimmer and Tyreke will be fun to watch, but the playoffs are way out of the picture for this squad.
Mama there goes that man. Mark Jackson is now the new Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors. I like this hire, but the Warriors do not have a ton of talent, so it will take a couple of years before the Warrior fans are rocking the "We Believe" shirts again. Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis provide one of the most dangerous back-courts in the NBA. However, they can score with anybody, but when it comes to defense they are both liabilities. Curry sprained his ankle in the Warriors final preseason game against Sacramento, which is not a good way to start the year for Golden State. Curry has had ankle problems the last couple of years. The Warriors are hoping their first round pick, Klay Thompson, out of Washington State, can come in and be a big contributor off the bench. The only move the Warriors made this offseason was giving Kwame Brown 7-million for a one-year contract. The Warriors are hoping Ekpe Udoh will have stellar sophomore campaign. He showed signs last year that he can be a good player in this league. Also, the Warriors are hopeful that David Lee will get back to his double-double days from when he played in New York. Dorell Wright was a bright spot for Golden State last year as he was one of the best long range shooters in the NBA. The Warriors will hang around the bottom of the playoff race, but I expect the Warriors to finish ninth or tenth in the West this year.
The Phoenix Suns are on the cusp of starting to rebuild. I expect Steve Nash to get traded before the trade deadline this season. However, if the Suns come out strong, they will definitely hang onto Nash. Steve Nash has been one of the best point guards in the NBA over the last decade. Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Robin Lopez, Mickeal Pietrus, Markieff Morris, Grant Hill, Hakim Warrick, Marcian Gortat, and Shannon Brown fill out the rest of the roster for the Suns. There just is not enough firepower in this team to hang with the two L.A. teams. I expect the Suns to make some trades at the trade deadline as they head towards rebuilding for the future.
PACIFIC DIVISION PREDICTIONS
1. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
2. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
3. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
4. PHOENIX SUNS5. SACRAMENTO KINGS
PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. MIAMI HEAT
2. CHICAGO BULLS
3. NEW YORK KNICKS
4. BOSTON CELTICS
5. ATLANTA HAWKS
6. ORLANDO MAGIC
7. INDIANA PACERS
8. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
1. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
2. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
3. DALLAS MAVERICKS
4. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
5. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
6. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
7. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
8. DENVER NUGGETS
NBA FINALS PREDICTION
MIAMI HEAT vs. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
NBA CHAMPIONS
MIAMI HEAT (6 GAMES)
