The NBA season starts tonight with a doubleheader on TNT! After finishing our divisional previews, we're going to cap it all off with our award predictions.
Coach of the Year
Charlie’s pick: Rick Adelman, Houston Rockets.
Don’t be surprised to see the Rockets sitting near or at the top of the standings come April, with Adelman receiving a lot of the credit.
The Scrapper’s pick: Scott Skiles, Chicago Bulls
The Baby Bulls are growing up. After the Bulls put together the best regular season record in the East and come within a game of the NBA Finals, Skiles unanimously walks away with Coach of the Year Honors.
Most Valuable Player
Charlie’s pick: Yao Ming, Houston Rockets
Yao is going to take the NBA by storm this year. He was exceptional last year and he will be completely indefensible this season.
The Scrapper’s pick: Lebron James, Cleveland Cavaliers
Lebron has improved steadily in each of his first few seasons and I look for the trend to continue this year. If Lebron's jump shot is anywhere close to as good as it was this summer in international play, look out for him to average over 30 points a game and continue to fill up the rest of the stat sheet.
Rookie of the Year
Charlie’s pick: Al Thornton, Los Angeles Clippers
While he won’t get as many touches as Durant, he also has less growing to do. He’s NBA ready and his numbers will reflect that.
The Scrapper’s pick: Kevin Durant, Seattle Supersonics
Instantly the go to guy on a young Supersonics team, Durant will average over 20 a game and run away with Rookie of the Year Honors. Not that it will really matter for the voting, but I'm a little scared for him on defense having to match up against other shooting guards.
Defensive Player of the Year
Charlie’s pick: Shawn Marion, Phoenix Suns.
This is the year that Marion gets the credit he’s due on the defensive end. He has always been an underappreciated defender, and extra campaigning this year will help him garner attention.
The Scrapper’s pick: Emeka Okafor, Charlotte Bobcats
Okafor is a shot blocking machine. If he can stay healthy, he will put up some impressive defensive stats.
Sixth Man Award
Charlie’s pick: Leandro Barbosa, Phoenix Suns.
Barbosa is too good not to win this award again.
The Scrapper’s pick: Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
The Spurs have found their niche with Ginobili as the first man off the bench. Ginobili provides a tremendous spark off the bench and after a full season as sixth man, people will be wondering if Ginobili is the best ever. Leandro Barbosa and David Lee could also win this.
Most Improved Player
Charlie’s pick: J.J. Redick.
With a more dynamic offense under Stan Van Gundy, and even more improvement from Dwight Howard, Redick will be getting a lot of open looks this year. He had a terrific summer league and seems to have adjusted to the NBA defensive pace.
The Scrapper’s pick: LaMarcus Aldridge
With Zach Randolph a Knick and Greg Oden out for the season, Aldridge will be getting a ton of touches in the post. Look out for him to build on a solid rookie campaign with a breakout sophmore season. Watch out for Ronnie Brewer to finish a close second.
Western Conference Champion
Charlie’s pick: Spurs over Rockets.
The Spurs have a few more years of Duncan in his prime, and they will take advantage. Their balanced attack and team defense will be too much for the Rockets to overcome.
The Scrapper’s pick: Spurs over Suns
Charlie's take on the Spurs was dead on. They are just too good right now. The Suns will regret not resigning Kurt Thomas when Amare Stoudemire gets in foul trouble trying to guard Duncan.
Eastern Conference Champion
Charlie’s pick: Heat over Celtics.
I’m sorry Scrapper Nation, I refuse to jinx my own team by not picking them here. I don’t think it’s too wild a stretch of the imagination either. Fully healthy, the Heat are loaded enough with playoff veterans to come out of the East.
The Scrapper’s pick: Celtics over Bulls
The Bulls build on last year's first round sweep of the Heat with an appearance in the NBA's final four. But the Celtics prove to have just enough firepower in Garnett, Pierce, and Allen to eke out a seven game Eastern Conference Finals victory.
NBA Champion
Charlie’s pick: Spurs over Heat.
The Spurs are an absolute juggernaut and the only thing that could change this outcome would be injury.
The Scrapper’s pick: Spurs over Celtics
Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan play to a draw while Bruce Bowen shuts down Paul Pierce. In the end, Parker and Ginobili's penetration ability is too much for the Celtics to overcome.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Duke University’s Blue & White Game: A preview of what may be the ACC’s surprise team
By Vivek Upadhyay
Special to Scrapper Nation
Note – this article will also appear at http://sportsstation.blogspot.com
In his halftime speech to the crowd, Coach K explained to the Cameron Crazies, many of whom were freshmen experiencing their first game ever in Cameron, who he wants this Duke team to be. Coach K said "there are a lot of expectations for a Duke Basketball team. And the reason why, are well—those,” as he pointed to the 10 final four banners lining the ceiling above him. In the past 27 seasons while he’s been head coach, Duke has been to 10 final fours, won 3 national titles, and finished the season #1 seven different times, more than any other conference (yes, conference) in all of Division I. “I don’t want us to be anyone else but ourselves. I want us to be Duke.”
That excellence over the past 27 years is the main reason why Duke is in an unfamiliar role this year—sleeper. I went to the Blue and White game to get an idea of how talented this Duke team is going to end up, and found what may be the best team in the ACC this year (that’s right, better than North Carolina).
First of all, to all of you who don’t know, what is the Blue & White game? The Blue & White is an exhibition game held every year (usually during Parents’ Weekend) which features Duke Blue v. Duke White, with half the team on each side. This year's teams were:
Duke Blue
G – Greg Paulus – Jr.
G – Demarcus Nelson – Sr.
F – Gerald Henderson – Soph.
F – Taylor King – Fresh.
C – Brian Zoubek – Soph.
Duke White
G – Nolan Smith – Fresh.
G – Jon Scheyer – Soph.
F – Kyle Singler – Fresh.
F – Lance Thomas – Soph.
F – Steve Johnson – Soph. (walk-on in place of injured David McClure)
Reserve – Jordan Davidson – Jr. (walk-on in place of injured Marty Pocius)
The Game
Blue & White started as a complete massacre on the part of Duke Blue, as they went up 27-9 at one point in the first half. Paulus did a good job running the offense as Taylor King, freshman from Mater Dei HS in California, lit up Duke White, scoring 17 points in the first half (5-7 from three). King was afraid of nothing, as he threw up a three anytime he thought he could. Also looking good for Duke was Gerald (or G, as we affectionately call him), who did an outstanding job playing defense and covering Scheyer.
White trailed blue going into the second half. However, when they came back, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler showed exactly why they were recruited. Smith took control of the offense, while Singler quietly scored a game-high 23 points, as they tied it up 57-57 with 6 minutes left. Blue struck back, building a 5 point cushion and riding it to the end, 69-64.
Highlights
- Brian Zoubek’s new defense: scream
- Taylor King making his 3rd three in a row and screaming out “yeah boi.”
- Nolan Smith throwing a 25-foot alley-oop to Singler, finishing it one-handed
- Smith and Singler connecting again from 30 feet, only to have G block Singler’s shot mid-air
- An offense. Enough said.
Grades for Blue and White
Coaching – A – Coach K learned his lesson from last year and decided to run an up-tempo, full-court offense this year based around three point shooting. Thank you to the big guy upstairs. Coach K finally realized that JJ and Sheldon aren’t on the team anymore.
Nolan Smith – A - defensively, one of the best players on the team. It’s obvious that this kid spent 3 years in high school covering Ty Lawson and Brandon Jennings. He came out looking scared, but after the first half, he dominated the 2nd half, already setting up the inevitable “Paulus or Smith” dilemma.
Taylor King – A – Taylor King plays with the same, if not greater, talent and energy than Lee Melchioni his senior year. For a freshman, that is outstanding. People often forget that most freshmen don’t come in and contribute day one. King showed his place in the Duke offense today. When he’s hot, no one can stop him.
Kyle Singler – A+ - the silent leader of the white team, he lead all scorers with 23, doing it quietly. However, I will warn you all, the past 4 leading scorers of the blue/white game have been Brian Zoubek, Lee Melchioni, and Shavlik Randolph twice. Maybe he shouldn’t have done so well…
Jon Scheyer – C – Scheyer was forced into being more of a “glue-guy” in this game, disabling him from being the pure shooter he is. With that said, G just shut him down. Come on, 8 points?
Gerald Henderson – A+ - Gerald dramatically improved his jump shot, is by far the best athlete on the team, and arguably the most popular one too. One big play from Gerald makes the Crazies go, well, crazy, and he is undoubtedly going to be a star someday. I will say right now, the fate of this year’s team lies in whether Gerald can step up and be the big playmaker he’s meant to be.
Lance Thomas – C+ - Lance put on some visible muscle during the off-season, and improved his jumper. However, Zoubek forced him to play a style of game that isn’t right for him. I’d compare his style of game to Channing Frye. Unfortunately, lack of post defenders might prevent him from showing it off.
Brian Zoubek – C+ -Duke recruited Zoubek knowing that he, by the earliest, would be a major contributor his junior year. Nonetheless, it’s just a little disappointing to see that many traveling calls, missed lay-ups, and fouls (6 for the evening). The ridiculous screaming during defense might be it though…
Greg Paulus – B- - Paulus finished with 8 points, and would have gotten a C if he didn’t make a critical lay-up to seal Blue the victory with 14 seconds left. He was good running the floor, but could have looked much better on defense.
Dave McClure (Inj) – Incomplete – McClure could be the X-factor for this Duke frontcourt. If he can effectively cover opposing big men, much like a Malik Rose or Dennis Rodman, the Blue Devils’ biggest worry will be eliminated.
Marty Pocius (Inj) – Incomplete – Marty didn’t play, but he better during the year. He’s one of the team’s better offensive players, and hasn’t gotten the minutes he deserves.
DeMarcus Nelson – B+ - DeMarc is, along with Gerald, one of the most liked players on the team. He lost some weight during the off-season and looks much quicker, but still is a great rebounder. I’d like to see more production from that jump shot though.
The Cameron Crazies – A+ - for the Blue & White game, the Crazies came in numbers, as the entire camera-side of the Crazies was filled with students decked out in Blue & White. This year’s freshmen really seem to have taken to the Duke Basketball Tradition, and opposing teams should know Duke is once again, as it always was, the hardest place to play in college basketball.
Special to Scrapper Nation
Note – this article will also appear at http://sportsstation.blogspot.com
In his halftime speech to the crowd, Coach K explained to the Cameron Crazies, many of whom were freshmen experiencing their first game ever in Cameron, who he wants this Duke team to be. Coach K said "there are a lot of expectations for a Duke Basketball team. And the reason why, are well—those,” as he pointed to the 10 final four banners lining the ceiling above him. In the past 27 seasons while he’s been head coach, Duke has been to 10 final fours, won 3 national titles, and finished the season #1 seven different times, more than any other conference (yes, conference) in all of Division I. “I don’t want us to be anyone else but ourselves. I want us to be Duke.”
That excellence over the past 27 years is the main reason why Duke is in an unfamiliar role this year—sleeper. I went to the Blue and White game to get an idea of how talented this Duke team is going to end up, and found what may be the best team in the ACC this year (that’s right, better than North Carolina).
First of all, to all of you who don’t know, what is the Blue & White game? The Blue & White is an exhibition game held every year (usually during Parents’ Weekend) which features Duke Blue v. Duke White, with half the team on each side. This year's teams were:
Duke Blue
G – Greg Paulus – Jr.
G – Demarcus Nelson – Sr.
F – Gerald Henderson – Soph.
F – Taylor King – Fresh.
C – Brian Zoubek – Soph.
Duke White
G – Nolan Smith – Fresh.
G – Jon Scheyer – Soph.
F – Kyle Singler – Fresh.
F – Lance Thomas – Soph.
F – Steve Johnson – Soph. (walk-on in place of injured David McClure)
Reserve – Jordan Davidson – Jr. (walk-on in place of injured Marty Pocius)
The Game
Blue & White started as a complete massacre on the part of Duke Blue, as they went up 27-9 at one point in the first half. Paulus did a good job running the offense as Taylor King, freshman from Mater Dei HS in California, lit up Duke White, scoring 17 points in the first half (5-7 from three). King was afraid of nothing, as he threw up a three anytime he thought he could. Also looking good for Duke was Gerald (or G, as we affectionately call him), who did an outstanding job playing defense and covering Scheyer.
White trailed blue going into the second half. However, when they came back, Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler showed exactly why they were recruited. Smith took control of the offense, while Singler quietly scored a game-high 23 points, as they tied it up 57-57 with 6 minutes left. Blue struck back, building a 5 point cushion and riding it to the end, 69-64.
Highlights
- Brian Zoubek’s new defense: scream
- Taylor King making his 3rd three in a row and screaming out “yeah boi.”
- Nolan Smith throwing a 25-foot alley-oop to Singler, finishing it one-handed
- Smith and Singler connecting again from 30 feet, only to have G block Singler’s shot mid-air
- An offense. Enough said.
Grades for Blue and White
Coaching – A – Coach K learned his lesson from last year and decided to run an up-tempo, full-court offense this year based around three point shooting. Thank you to the big guy upstairs. Coach K finally realized that JJ and Sheldon aren’t on the team anymore.
Nolan Smith – A - defensively, one of the best players on the team. It’s obvious that this kid spent 3 years in high school covering Ty Lawson and Brandon Jennings. He came out looking scared, but after the first half, he dominated the 2nd half, already setting up the inevitable “Paulus or Smith” dilemma.
Taylor King – A – Taylor King plays with the same, if not greater, talent and energy than Lee Melchioni his senior year. For a freshman, that is outstanding. People often forget that most freshmen don’t come in and contribute day one. King showed his place in the Duke offense today. When he’s hot, no one can stop him.
Kyle Singler – A+ - the silent leader of the white team, he lead all scorers with 23, doing it quietly. However, I will warn you all, the past 4 leading scorers of the blue/white game have been Brian Zoubek, Lee Melchioni, and Shavlik Randolph twice. Maybe he shouldn’t have done so well…
Jon Scheyer – C – Scheyer was forced into being more of a “glue-guy” in this game, disabling him from being the pure shooter he is. With that said, G just shut him down. Come on, 8 points?
Gerald Henderson – A+ - Gerald dramatically improved his jump shot, is by far the best athlete on the team, and arguably the most popular one too. One big play from Gerald makes the Crazies go, well, crazy, and he is undoubtedly going to be a star someday. I will say right now, the fate of this year’s team lies in whether Gerald can step up and be the big playmaker he’s meant to be.
Lance Thomas – C+ - Lance put on some visible muscle during the off-season, and improved his jumper. However, Zoubek forced him to play a style of game that isn’t right for him. I’d compare his style of game to Channing Frye. Unfortunately, lack of post defenders might prevent him from showing it off.
Brian Zoubek – C+ -Duke recruited Zoubek knowing that he, by the earliest, would be a major contributor his junior year. Nonetheless, it’s just a little disappointing to see that many traveling calls, missed lay-ups, and fouls (6 for the evening). The ridiculous screaming during defense might be it though…
Greg Paulus – B- - Paulus finished with 8 points, and would have gotten a C if he didn’t make a critical lay-up to seal Blue the victory with 14 seconds left. He was good running the floor, but could have looked much better on defense.
Dave McClure (Inj) – Incomplete – McClure could be the X-factor for this Duke frontcourt. If he can effectively cover opposing big men, much like a Malik Rose or Dennis Rodman, the Blue Devils’ biggest worry will be eliminated.
Marty Pocius (Inj) – Incomplete – Marty didn’t play, but he better during the year. He’s one of the team’s better offensive players, and hasn’t gotten the minutes he deserves.
DeMarcus Nelson – B+ - DeMarc is, along with Gerald, one of the most liked players on the team. He lost some weight during the off-season and looks much quicker, but still is a great rebounder. I’d like to see more production from that jump shot though.
The Cameron Crazies – A+ - for the Blue & White game, the Crazies came in numbers, as the entire camera-side of the Crazies was filled with students decked out in Blue & White. This year’s freshmen really seem to have taken to the Duke Basketball Tradition, and opposing teams should know Duke is once again, as it always was, the hardest place to play in college basketball.
NBA Southwest Division Preview Part 2
Hey everybody. This is the final installment of our divisional previews. We're going to follow up where we left off in the Southwest Division, starting with the Mavs.
Dallas
After the Mavs choked big time against the Heat in the 2006 Finals, they were ready to go the following season, amassing 67 wins and entering the playoffs as the favorites to win. We all know how that went. After their epic collapse against Golden State, Mark Cuban’s Mavs are looking to forget the past and make another run at it.
After a soul-searching journey to the Australian outback, Dirk Nowitzki is ready to follow up his MVP campaign with another stellar season. All-Star Josh Howard, former ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest, will improve on his numbers from last year and truly enter the upper echelon of small forwards.
I think that Devin Harris will finally be consistent. Word is that he’s got the starting job this year, with Jason Terry coming off the bench. I’d imagine they’ll be getting pretty even minutes and wouldn’t be surprised to see them on the floor together, especially given Terry’s penchant for hitting the timely three.
It should be another terrific regular season down in Dallas. The question is whether or not they can carry that success into the postseason.
Here’s Avery Johnson taking out his frustration on a helpless reporter in the postgame conference after a loss to the Heat in the Finals. It’s great. My favorite part is when he says, “We got people from Israel, and…uh…Minnesota.”
Memphis
I found that picture of Pau Gasol and Hubie Brown lounging by the banks of a stream a few years ago and couldn't resist posting it. Anyway...
After watching Mike Miller fill it up for Team USA in Las Vegas this summer, I’m excited about the Grizzlies. Word is that Pau Gasol has had a really strong summer as well, playing for Spain, and working on expanding his range out to 15 feet.
The Grizzlies bring in dynamic point guard Mike Conley Jr. and lights out Spanish pro Juan Carlos Navarro to bolster their backcourt. After battling injuries, former one-and-done Villanova star Kyle Lowry should be ready to contribute more meaningful minutes. He’s going to be an excellent player.
Marc Iavaroni, for years considered the best assistant coach in the business, steps into the head coaching role in Memphis. I caught some of Memphis’ preseason game against Malaga in Spain, and they looked good. I think that this Memphis team has the pieces in place to be competitive in the West again. They should be in the mix for the bottom playoff seeds.
This has been posted around the web, but it’s worth reposting. It’s Mike Conley Jr. doing his dribbling workout. Truly incredible. Children and young persons everywhere, emulate this man and you may go far.
New Orleans
This is another team, like the Grizzlies, that is a year removed from playoff contention and itching to get back. Last year’s season was derailed due to injuries to Peja Stojakovic and Chris Paul, but they both return healthy this season and the Hornets’ expectations are sky high as a result.
Though ACC fans may never forgive Paul for the sucker punch he delivered to the groin of N.C. State’s Julius Hodge in the ACC tournament a few years back, the rest of the basketball world has absolutely fallen in love with him. As a Duke fan, having witnessed Paul throwing cheap shots at a few of our players during the Wake-Duke game in Cameron in 2006, I’m still not sold on Chris Paul the humanitarian all-around good guy, though articles like this make a strong case.
Regardless, he is a phenomenal basketball player and the key to the Hornets’ success this season and in seasons to come. He is a game changer and is a mismatch against almost every point guard in the league. He has developed his outside shot to the point that you can’t leave him open, and if you play him too tight he has the quickness and the handles to blow by you and finish strong. The Hornets’ hopes rest on his shoulders.
To illustrate my point, here is an outrageous clip of Chris Paul driving hard and dunking on Dwight Howard. (This is only because I couldn’t find a clip of the Paul-Hodge ‘incident’)
Houston
Houston is another trendy pick to come out of the West this year. I think that fans in Houston have good reason to be excited. The Scrapper and I are going to put out our preseason projections as far as standings and major awards, but I’ll give a spoiler here.
I think Yao Ming is taking down the MVP this year. He was dominant last year and there is nothing to say that he won’t continue to improve. This offseason he got married, so hopefully his life off the court will settle down and he won’t be caught in his hotel room with 30 empty beer cans anymore.
Tracy McGrady will be stellar as always. By this point we know what to expect from T-Mac, and I don’t expect his production to decline at least for a few years. His offensive contributions will be supplemented by the across the board production of Shane Battier, the NBA’s best glue guy.
Battier is good but not great at just about everything, and he plays his heart out every night. He is a terrific defender and is willing to sacrifice his body on every play if necessary to help out his team.
The Rockets brought alumnus Stevie Francis back to Houston this summer, though it remains to be seen if he can wrest the starting job from Rafer Alston. Either way, the Rockets should be steady at the point. Trading for the rights to Luis Scola will probably prove to have been their best offseason move since the McGrady trade. After starring in Europe for years, Scola is ready to come in and complement Yao down low.
The Rockets are a legitimate threat to win every night, even against the league’s upper tier. It is not inconceivable that they will best the Spurs and Mavs and win this division.
They have the talent to hang with anybody, and once the game hits crunch time, they have a player capable of scoring 13 points in 35 seconds. I’m not joking. This clip is required viewing for any basketball fan. If you haven’t watched it, do so immediately.
Monday, October 29, 2007
Why the Spurs are boring, and why they will win
Hey Scrapper Nation. Due to a garish and tragic ankle injury which set me back a bit, I have been slow to finish my Southwest Division preview. I've been working on the Spurs section, and it has become very long. For that reason I am going to post it in its entirety now, and follow up later today or tomorrow with the rest of the Southwest Division (Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Memphis).
San Antonio Spurs
The consensus among casual basketball fans is that the Spurs are the most boring team in the NBA. If I had to guess, I’d say that this is also the consensus among network executives at ABC who saw their ratings drop precipitously during last year’s Spurs-Cavs Finals. What makes them so boring? Let’s break it down.
Reason #1: Their superstar might actually be a robot.
We’ve been waiting for years to see some evidence of emotion from Tim Duncan other than the shocked “Me?!?! You called a foul on me?!?!” face he makes after every whistle.
Here at Scrapper Nation we hypothesize that when he was designed in the engineering laboratory in the Virgin Islands, Duncan was pre-programmed with only two facial expressions: stoic and bewildered. If you see smiles, laughter, or anger at any point in the coming season, attribute it to technological advances which have allowed Duncan to be rewired and made to appear more authentically human.
Reason #2: The Spurs play solid, conservative, textbook basketball.
They run a methodical offense. On the other end, they don’t overplay passing lanes because they know that they can rely on the five guys on the floor to play as a stifling defensive unit.
Despite the fact that they have All-Star guards Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili, their offense typically runs through Duncan and their points come from playing smart, efficient basketball and taking advantage of what the defense gives them. This is not exciting for the casual fan.
Reason #3: They play in a small market and they never have any drama.
No one on the Spurs issues trade demands. No Spur gripes about playing time. The Spurs rarely if ever get involved with any on-court altercations (see “Horry, Robert” for the exception).
The closest thing they have to an exciting storyline is the Tony Parker-Eva Longoria relationship, which has so saturated the sports world in the past year that I’m not going to bother summarizing it, except to say that my favorite part was when Eva implied that Tony was a bit of an amateur in the bedroom.
So, Charlie, we get it, they’re boring. Isn’t the point of your preview to highlight reasons to get excited about these teams?
Yes, friend, you are correct. And there are a lot of reasons to get excited about this Spurs team, but there is one reason that trumps all others: this team is the model of perfect basketball. As a basketball fan, how can you not appreciate watching this Spurs offense systematically dismantle every defense it faces?
If you think they lack flair, just wait until Duncan hits the bench and Manu becomes the facilitator. He's among the best in the game at finishing acrobatically, and he is no stranger to clutch performances.
You hate Manu because he’s a huge flopper? Fair enough. Turn your eyes to Parker as he inconceivably fills it up in the paint as a 6 foot nothing point guard.
Complain all you want about how boring the Spurs are, or how tired you are of watching them, but don’t lose sight of the reality. You are witnessing perfect basketball. Don’t believe me? Check back in June.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
NBA Pacific Division Preview
Alright. Today we're looking at the Pacific Division. The poll might be a bit lopsided for this one.
How do you guys think the Pacific will shake out?
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors broke their epic playoff drought last year and shocked the sports world by knocking off Dirk and the Mavs. They went from relatively unknown to ubiquitous, and their challenge this year will be to carry over some of that momentum to make another playoff push.
This offseason, they traded Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright and drafted Italian sharpshooter Marco Belinelli. I’m not sure the additions of Belinelli and Wright will be enough to offset the loss of Richardson this year, and the competition for the lower half of the playoff seeds in the West will be just as tough if not tougher than last season.
Don Nelson raved about Belinelli during the summer league, but he seems to have cooled off and it remains to be seen whether Belinelli can come in and be an effective starter in this league his first year. He has the advantage of having played at the highest level in Europe for several years, including numerous stints with the Italian national team. I think he’s going to get the job done.
Wright is something of an enigma. He has the raw talent to be a dominant force, and he should have absolutely destroyed the competition in the ACC last year. While he was tremendous, he disappeared at times and seemed to lack the fire necessary to take over a game. He deferred too often to alpha dog Tyler Hansbrough. His offensive game is unpolished, but he will contribute on the glass and on the defensive end. I’m not sold on the Warriors this year though. There’s too much hype and pressure and they’ve lost the element of surprise.
Get excited about: The first Warriors-Jazz matchup and the many times the Baron Davis over Andrei Kirilenko dunk will be replayed, Steven Jackson hitting big 3s and leading by example as a captain, listening to Marv and Reggie talk about “the length of Brandan Wright.”
Close your eyes so you don’t have to see: Belinelli and Wright hitting the rookie wall, Jason Richardson tearing it up in Charlotte, Jessica Alba sitting courtside at Kings games when they make the playoffs and the Warriors don’t.
Check out these Belinelli highlights from Italy vs. Slovenia. He can really shoot it. I’m amazed at how he really doesn’t set his feet when he makes these deep threes. He’s either fading back or falling forward.
Phoenix Suns
The Suns are the trendy pick to win the championship, and a lot of people feel that they were just a suspension away from winning it last year. While I still think the Spurs are going to get the job done, the Suns have the personnel in place to prove me wrong. The only question mark now will be the Kurt Thomas for cap space trade.
If the Suns should face the Spurs in the playoffs, they will be without their best interior defender, and the burden will fall on Amare Stoudemire to competently guard the best power forward of all time. They rely on Amare so heavily on the offensive end that the idea of him picking up cheap fouls on Duncan is probably keeping new GM Steve Kerr up at nights.
Still, Kerr did what he had to do, saving owner Robert Sarver’s luxury tax money and making it possible to retain his core of Nash, Marion, and Stoudemire.
You can probably guess how I feel about the Grant Hill pickup. Hill was one of the best players in the league in the mid-90s (think Dwyane Wade now), and it will be great to see him back under the spotlight. He’s such a cerebral player, and he really doesn’t have too many miles on his body. If his surgically reconstructed ankles hold up, he will have a great year and remind people of why he was first team All-NBA a decade ago.
Get excited about: Nash threading the needle, Marion’s quirky yet effective release, Amare perfecting his jumper and becoming unstoppable.
Close your eyes so you don’t have to see: Raja Bell getting his clock cleaned by somebody this season (it’s bound to happen). If the Lakers don’t trade Kobe, maybe he’ll do it just to get suspended and stick it to Jerry Buss a bit more.
Here’s a funny SportsCenter commercial from 1995 with Grant Hill and Dan Patrick.
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers were ready to rebound from last season’s disappointing finish when the news of Elton Brand’s knee injury hit and seemingly killed the team’s chances to make it back to the postseason. I think it’s too early to write this team off. They still have an abundance of young talent, and I think people are underestimating how much of an impact rookie Al Thornton will have at the small forward position.
After years of deferring to Brand, Corey Maggette should thrive as the top option in this offense (provided he can stay out of Mike Dunleavy’s doghouse). I think this is the year that Chris Kaman finally puts it all together. They are going to be leaning on him for offensive production in the post, and an offseason of work can only help in his development. He has shown flashes of brilliance in his career, and they need him to be consistent if they’re going to overcome the loss of Brand.
I watched Thornton stick daggers into Duke for the past few years, and as a Heat fan I am relieved that he was drafted into the Western Conference. He has a tremendous amount of talent and passion for the game that will separate him from many of the players from his draft class. He’s going to play his heart out every night and do everything he can to get the W. Clippers fans should be very excited about him.
Here’s Thornton hitting some nice shots in summer league play.
Los Angeles Lakers
Welcome to the Andrew Bynum era. If Kobe hits the road, and it looks like he will, Bynum is going to grow into the top offensive option. What makes me say this? I caught a couple of Lakers preseason games and was blown away by the progress he’s made in the offseason. I kid you not, folks: he’s looking like Dwight Howard out there.
The ESPN.com report says that the Lakers are looking for a package of Luol Deng, Ben Gordon, Tyrus Thomas, and Joakim Noah for Kobe . If this trade goes through, (and the article lists many obstacles to its completion), the Lakers will actually be a better team this year. Walton, Odom, Bynum, Fisher, Noah, Thomas, Deng, and Gordon. That would be an exceptional 8-man rotation.
Unfortunately for the Lakers, this deal probably won’t go through, and they will end up with a lesser package for Kobe . Barring a surprise trade for another star (Jermaine O’Neal?) to pacify Kobe , this will probably be a long season for Lakers fans.
Get excited about: Bynum’s upside, Derek Fisher’s leadership, the lovely Jeannie Buss.
Cover your eyes so you don’t have to see: The Buss/Buss/Jackson disputes, the ups and the downs of the point guard competition, the Kobe apocalypse.
Most people have probably seen this, but for those who haven’t its worth watching. It’s the epic Andrew Bynum/Shaq confrontation. I remember being stunned watching it at the time. I couldn’t believe Bynum had the balls to pull something like that with Shaq.
Sacramento Kings
Kevin Martin quietly became one of the NBA's best scorers last year. The Kings' struggles kept him under the radar, but this year they will improve (thanks largely to his continued development) and Martin will get the credit he is due. The Kings themselves have already rewarded him, giving him a big time contract and ensuring that he will be a King for the next several years.
With Brad Miller returning at full strength and Ron Artest settling down a bit, these Kings will be competitive. New coach Reggie Theus has risen some eyebrows around the league with his unconventional and antiquated discipline, but the players are responding to him and this team will have better chemistry than last season’s.
Unfortunately, the Kings were dealt a bad hand in the preseason and lost Mike Bibby for six to ten weeks with a thumb injury. With a healthy Bibby, I was looking for this team to start strong out of the gate and keep the momentum running into the playoffs. I think the core of Martin, Artest, and Miller will be good enough to keep them afloat, but they need Bibby to come back and stay healthy down the stretch for this season to be a success. Despite the setback, I like their chances.
Do you ever wonder who is the slowest man in the NBA? If you do, this clip is for you. It’s Brad Miller with a big head start getting outrun by Chris Kaman for a loose ball.
How do you guys think the Pacific will shake out?
Saturday, October 27, 2007
NBA Northwest Division Preview
Welcome back Scrapper Nation. Today we’re looking at the Northwest Division.
Minnesota Timberwolves
I’m going to make a bold prediction: the 2007 Minnesota Timberwolves will not make the playoffs. They are short on proven star power and they will likely experience significant growing pains as their shockingly young roster hits more than a few bumps in the road.
But wait, don’t change the channel just because you see the Wolves are playing. Despite the fact that they will lose many games, the discerning NBA fan will be able to watch their games and see tremendous potential for future success.
I was talking earlier about the current Big Threes in the NBA. Here is another one to monitor in the future: Jefferson/Foye/Brewer. Jefferson is already a star, Foye is on his way, and Brewer is exhibiting all the early symptoms.
This team is currently being built in the mold of the Chicago Bulls, with several quality young players in their rookie contracts being given the opportunity to play heavy minutes and develop chemistry. Unlike the Bulls, however, they have a dominant low post scorer in Jefferson who will get 23/12 every night.
This is a team built for the future, and while Minnesota fans are probably understandably upset about Garnett’s departure, they honestly have a lot to look forward to.
Get excited about: Randy Foye getting the national attention he deserves, Jefferson dominating the opposition, Brewer setting the rookie record for most steals-into-dunks, the striking good looks of Michael Jacob Doleac, Gerald Green above the rim.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Kevin McHale finding a way to screw it up, the newly acquired Antoine Walker, the newly acquired Antoine Walker with the ball in his hands.
For those of you basketball fans who admire the big men who do the dirty work down low, this is your mixtape. It showcases the talents of Al Jefferson.
Seattle SuperSonics
The Sonics, Blazers, and Wolves all made similar moves this summer. They cut ties with their marquee players in order to free up room for the development of their young guns. The Blazers dropped Randolph to usher in Oden, the Wolves shopped Garnett to build around Jefferson, Foye, and Brewer, and the Sonics let Rashard Lewis bolt to Orlando and traded Ray Allen to the Celtics for the draft rights to Georgetown ’s Jeff Green.
The Sonics are another team that, like the Wolves, is at least a year away from playoff contention. Sonics management has put together a nice young roster which should be able to showcase the talents of Kevin Durant.
The two-headed point guard combo of Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson will have a stabilizing effect on an offense that might otherwise get out of hand due to the relative inexperience of much of this roster. Both Ridnour and Watson are dependable floor generals.
I caught some of the Sonics preseason game against the Lakers, and I was impressed by Jeff Green’s NBA readiness. He impressed me while at Georgetown (I watched him carve up Duke with his passing), but I wasn’t sure his game would immediately translate well to the NBA. I was wrong. He looks great, and I no longer question the Sonics’ decision to take him at #5.
Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox continue to go underappreciated and should both turn in typically consistent years. The success of this team hinges on whether or not Durant can handle the rigors of the long NBA season in his first year. At this point, your guess is as good as mine. We already know from watching him at Texas that you want to keep your eyes glued to the screen whenever he is on TV.
Get excited about: The ups and downs of the first year of the Durant era, the overhyped showdowns (Durant vs. Kobe ! Durant vs. T-Mac! Durant vs. Lebron!), the quiet efficiency of Jeff Green, Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson both notching over ten assists in the same game.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: The Sonics packing up shop and moving to Oklahoma City . Cmon, Seattle, get your act together! This is going to be a great team in a few years and you don’t want to have to buy NBA League Pass to watch all the games!
This is a great example of court vision. Check out Luke Ridnour making the heads up play after evading his defender with some fancy dribbling.
All the naysayers and forecasters of doom came out of the woodwork when it was announced that Greg Oden would undergo microfracture surgery. I think that even without Oden these Blazers have a bright future. They have righted the ship and erased the jailblazer image problems which haunted them this past decade. They have terrific young players who will grow together and promise to be formidable for years to come.
My favorite of their young players is Brandon Roy. What impresses me most about him is the intelligence with which he plays. He delivers in the clutch, gets to the rim, and makes the right play in almost every situation.
People are expecting LaMarcus Aldridge to have a big year, and he has lived up to his potential thus far in the preseason. The loss of Zach Randolph will hurt them this year with Oden out, but Blazers fans can take comfort in the knowledge that in the years to come they will be regularly fielding championship-caliber squads.
Get excited about: Brandon Roy becoming a star, Aldridge taking advantage of all the available frontcourt minutes, Steve Blake making his triumphant return.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: The future of the franchise inactive on the end of the bench.
Blazers fans, here is an Oden video to tide you over until the start of the 2008 season. This is his monster block to seal the game against
I was watching the Nuggets-Suns preseason game on TNT Thursday night, and I was surprised to see the
People think of the Nuggets and think Carmelo and AI, but this year we might start calling them the Big Three (although at this point, there are so many Big Threes that it’s getting out of hand…Garnett/Pierce/Allen, Duncan/Parker/Ginobili, Kidd/Carter/Jefferson, Bryant/Vujacic/Walton, etc.)
If Marcus Camby can stay healthy, I’m going on record to say that they will be right up there among the West’s elite teams. Camby is the anchor of their defense. If you look at this starting lineup, you will not be wowed by this team’s defensive prospects, but Camby is such a stout defender of the paint that he and Yakhouba Diawara more than make up for the defensive deficiencies of their offensive juggernauts.
Get excited about: Carmelo’s extended range, K-Mart returning to form, Iverson somehow maintaining his frenetic pace of play.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Would-be Tar Heel J.R. Smith getting repeatedly fined and suspended by proud Tar Heel George Karl.
Here’s a clip of Carmelo destroying two unfortunate Argentinean defenders in
The Jazz are probably my favorite team not based out of
Boozer is repairing the tarnished image of Duke players in the NBA. After such colossal lottery busts as Trajan Langdon and Will Avery, Duke needed someone to dominate in the NBA and put all talk of a Duke curse to rest. Boozer delivered. He was nothing short of spectacular in last year’s playoffs, outplaying
This year the Jazz have the potential to improve on last year’s surprisingly deep playoff run. Though the defection of Derek Fisher will hurt, Deron Williams is coming into his own, and the buzz around
Get excited about: Williams and Boozer channeling Stockton and Malone, the icy veins of Mehmet Okur, Andrei Kirilenko breaking out of his funk and playing to his potential.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Kirilenko hoisting three pointers in the event that Jerry Sloan eventually decides to duplicate last year’s system and play him at the small forward position.
I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to share this video with the world. This is one of my favorite videos on YouTube. It’s Boozer posterizing a helpless Gilbert Arenas.
Minnesota Timberwolves
I’m going to make a bold prediction: the 2007 Minnesota Timberwolves will not make the playoffs. They are short on proven star power and they will likely experience significant growing pains as their shockingly young roster hits more than a few bumps in the road.
But wait, don’t change the channel just because you see the Wolves are playing. Despite the fact that they will lose many games, the discerning NBA fan will be able to watch their games and see tremendous potential for future success.
I was talking earlier about the current Big Threes in the NBA. Here is another one to monitor in the future: Jefferson/Foye/Brewer. Jefferson is already a star, Foye is on his way, and Brewer is exhibiting all the early symptoms.
This team is currently being built in the mold of the Chicago Bulls, with several quality young players in their rookie contracts being given the opportunity to play heavy minutes and develop chemistry. Unlike the Bulls, however, they have a dominant low post scorer in Jefferson who will get 23/12 every night.
This is a team built for the future, and while Minnesota fans are probably understandably upset about Garnett’s departure, they honestly have a lot to look forward to.
Get excited about: Randy Foye getting the national attention he deserves, Jefferson dominating the opposition, Brewer setting the rookie record for most steals-into-dunks, the striking good looks of Michael Jacob Doleac, Gerald Green above the rim.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Kevin McHale finding a way to screw it up, the newly acquired Antoine Walker, the newly acquired Antoine Walker with the ball in his hands.
For those of you basketball fans who admire the big men who do the dirty work down low, this is your mixtape. It showcases the talents of Al Jefferson.
Seattle SuperSonics
The Sonics, Blazers, and Wolves all made similar moves this summer. They cut ties with their marquee players in order to free up room for the development of their young guns. The Blazers dropped Randolph to usher in Oden, the Wolves shopped Garnett to build around Jefferson, Foye, and Brewer, and the Sonics let Rashard Lewis bolt to Orlando and traded Ray Allen to the Celtics for the draft rights to Georgetown ’s Jeff Green.
The Sonics are another team that, like the Wolves, is at least a year away from playoff contention. Sonics management has put together a nice young roster which should be able to showcase the talents of Kevin Durant.
The two-headed point guard combo of Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson will have a stabilizing effect on an offense that might otherwise get out of hand due to the relative inexperience of much of this roster. Both Ridnour and Watson are dependable floor generals.
I caught some of the Sonics preseason game against the Lakers, and I was impressed by Jeff Green’s NBA readiness. He impressed me while at Georgetown (I watched him carve up Duke with his passing), but I wasn’t sure his game would immediately translate well to the NBA. I was wrong. He looks great, and I no longer question the Sonics’ decision to take him at #5.
Nick Collison and Chris Wilcox continue to go underappreciated and should both turn in typically consistent years. The success of this team hinges on whether or not Durant can handle the rigors of the long NBA season in his first year. At this point, your guess is as good as mine. We already know from watching him at Texas that you want to keep your eyes glued to the screen whenever he is on TV.
Get excited about: The ups and downs of the first year of the Durant era, the overhyped showdowns (Durant vs. Kobe ! Durant vs. T-Mac! Durant vs. Lebron!), the quiet efficiency of Jeff Green, Luke Ridnour and Earl Watson both notching over ten assists in the same game.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: The Sonics packing up shop and moving to Oklahoma City . Cmon, Seattle, get your act together! This is going to be a great team in a few years and you don’t want to have to buy NBA League Pass to watch all the games!
This is a great example of court vision. Check out Luke Ridnour making the heads up play after evading his defender with some fancy dribbling.
Friday, October 26, 2007
NBA Southeast Division Preview
Today: the Southeast Division. This division has been dominated by the Heat the past few years, but this season promises to see a much more competitive race for the top spot.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have been stockpiling young talent and have a chance to take the next step and start really making some noise in the East. I'm a huge Josh Smith fan (his game, not so much his attitude) and I think the Hawks had the best draft of any team by picking up two quality players (Acie Law and Al Horford) who can immediately contribute.
A lot of people criticize the Hawks roster and dismiss them as being overloaded with swingmen and undermanned at point guard and center. While Horford doesn't exactly address the center issue, he should provide dependable scoring on the block, and the addition of Law should help erase bad memories of the Marvin Williams pick. If the Law/Sam Cassell comparisons turn out to be even close to accurate, the Hawks will have their playmaker for the next decade.
Get excited about: Winning considerably more games than usual, Josh Smith getting way, way up, Horford's post moves.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Marvin Williams struggling to live up to his draft position.
Here is an awesome YouTube clip of Josh Smith's top ten plays from last season. He flies under the radar because the Hawks have been pretty mediocre the past few years, but he is one of the most electrifying players in the entire league. In my opinion he is the most vicious dunker in the NBA. Look at how hard he throws it down!
Orlando Magic
The Magic added two critical pieces this summer which have the team and the city excited about their postseason chances this year. Rashard Lewis will come in and give them a dependable wing option, while the great and highly underrated Stan Van Gundy will give them an advantage on the sidelines.
The evolution of Dwight Howard from hesitant teenager into dominating low-post monster will be just as significant for this team. I think that by mid-season he will supplant Shaq as the East's best center.
It remains to be seen whether or not J.J. Redick can deliver for this team, but if he can reclaim any of the old Duke magic, he will be a very valuable contributor. The interior threat of Howard should open up the perimeter and Redick figures to be one of the principle beneficiaries if he can stay injury-free and contribute on the defensive end.
Get excited about: Howard getting double teamed and dunking anyway, the smooth game of Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson having a career year, the great Stan Van Gundy.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: A healthy Grant Hill thriving in Phoenix and prompting many a "What might have been..." musing in Orlando.
Check out this Dwight Howard dunk.
Washington Wizards
Along with the New Jersey Nets, this Wizards team is one that I think most fans sleep on a little bit. The general perception is that they are good, but not elite. The fact that the Wizards didn't make any key offseason improvements while much of the East did seems to indicate that this team will once again finish in the middle of the pack and suffer a early to mid-round playoff exit.
Much like the Nets, I think this Wizards team's performance and perception has been lowered due to injury. Remember, two years ago these were the guys who went the distance with the Cavs (and probably should have knocked them off). If these Wizards can stay healthy, they can be extremely dangerous and should probably be considered the favorite to win the division. Gilbert Arenas seems to have recovered from his knee injury and should be ready to go.
Get excited about: Gilbert's theatrics on and off the court, Caron Butler's second consecutive All-Star selection, Andray Blatche emerging from the dark recesses of the bench.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Brendan Haywood botching things in the middle. While the Etan Thomas situation is tragic on multiple levels, it will also really hurt the Wizards in the middle as they will have to depend much more on Haywood to be consistent night in and night out.
Here's a YouTube clip of Gilbert dropping 60 on the Lakers. I had the great pleasure of watching this game live.
Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats added Jason Richardson to an already athletic backcourt. The trio of Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, and Gerald Wallace will be very fun to watch. If Richardson can gel with his new teammates, the Bobcats' playoff aspirations may well pan out.
The loss of Sean May to injury is going to hurt them down low, but they should be able to get by with Emeka Okafor and Walter Herrmann. Though its still too early to tell, things aren't looking good for Adam Morrison's career. After a very rocky rookie campaign, he's out for the year due to a torn ACL.
Despite these setbacks, the Bobcats do appear poised for a significant increase in the wins column. They've built well through the draft and the addition of a proven scorer in Richardson could be enough to get them over the hump.
Get excited about: Having the two-time NBA Dunk Champion on your team, the maturation of Raymond Felton's game, playing relevant games in March and April.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Adam Morrison rocking the stache and the retro suits on the bench.
Here is yet another YouTube dunk video. This one is Jason Richardson showing what he can do on both ends of the court. I love the fact that he is bold enough to throw down a 360 with a defender trailing him.
Miami Heat
Ah, at last, the moment we've all been waiting for. It is with gladness in my heart that I now turn to my hometown team: your 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat. Regarding Wednesday's Antoine Walker for Ricky Davis/Mark Blount swap, there is only one thing to say: Pat Riley strikes again!!
I cannot tell you how happy I am with this trade. Just a few days before I had been reading online that some NBA scout thought that Antoine Walker was virtually untradable due to his contract size and his recent performance. I was resigned to the idea of watching Antoine bobble, fumble, stumble, and chuck his way to retirement in a Miami Heat uniform. Then Pat Riley pulled off this terrific coup and an offseason's worth of missed opportunities and inactivity was suddenly and miraculously fixed.
Ricky Davis will be a fine addition, especially in the early season while Dwyane Wade is still recovering from surgeries. While I will certainly miss Michael Doleac and even Walker (a little), I think this was an incredible deal for the Heat. I think that this team, if healthy, will definitely be better than projected.
Get excited about: Keith Askins' bowties, Ricky Davis being kept in line by Deputy O'Neal, Wade's triumphant return.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Brick after brick after brick being hoisted by this team's three point shooters as they suffer from the departure of Jason Kapono, Eddie Jones, and James Posey.
I'm going to leave you guys with this quintessential Miami Heat play. Maybe the greatest single play in Heat history. Enjoy.
This division has no clear-cut favorite in my opinion, and it will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. What do you guys think?
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks have been stockpiling young talent and have a chance to take the next step and start really making some noise in the East. I'm a huge Josh Smith fan (his game, not so much his attitude) and I think the Hawks had the best draft of any team by picking up two quality players (Acie Law and Al Horford) who can immediately contribute.
A lot of people criticize the Hawks roster and dismiss them as being overloaded with swingmen and undermanned at point guard and center. While Horford doesn't exactly address the center issue, he should provide dependable scoring on the block, and the addition of Law should help erase bad memories of the Marvin Williams pick. If the Law/Sam Cassell comparisons turn out to be even close to accurate, the Hawks will have their playmaker for the next decade.
Get excited about: Winning considerably more games than usual, Josh Smith getting way, way up, Horford's post moves.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Marvin Williams struggling to live up to his draft position.
Here is an awesome YouTube clip of Josh Smith's top ten plays from last season. He flies under the radar because the Hawks have been pretty mediocre the past few years, but he is one of the most electrifying players in the entire league. In my opinion he is the most vicious dunker in the NBA. Look at how hard he throws it down!
Orlando Magic
The Magic added two critical pieces this summer which have the team and the city excited about their postseason chances this year. Rashard Lewis will come in and give them a dependable wing option, while the great and highly underrated Stan Van Gundy will give them an advantage on the sidelines.
The evolution of Dwight Howard from hesitant teenager into dominating low-post monster will be just as significant for this team. I think that by mid-season he will supplant Shaq as the East's best center.
It remains to be seen whether or not J.J. Redick can deliver for this team, but if he can reclaim any of the old Duke magic, he will be a very valuable contributor. The interior threat of Howard should open up the perimeter and Redick figures to be one of the principle beneficiaries if he can stay injury-free and contribute on the defensive end.
Get excited about: Howard getting double teamed and dunking anyway, the smooth game of Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson having a career year, the great Stan Van Gundy.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: A healthy Grant Hill thriving in Phoenix and prompting many a "What might have been..." musing in Orlando.
Check out this Dwight Howard dunk.
Washington Wizards
Along with the New Jersey Nets, this Wizards team is one that I think most fans sleep on a little bit. The general perception is that they are good, but not elite. The fact that the Wizards didn't make any key offseason improvements while much of the East did seems to indicate that this team will once again finish in the middle of the pack and suffer a early to mid-round playoff exit.
Much like the Nets, I think this Wizards team's performance and perception has been lowered due to injury. Remember, two years ago these were the guys who went the distance with the Cavs (and probably should have knocked them off). If these Wizards can stay healthy, they can be extremely dangerous and should probably be considered the favorite to win the division. Gilbert Arenas seems to have recovered from his knee injury and should be ready to go.
Get excited about: Gilbert's theatrics on and off the court, Caron Butler's second consecutive All-Star selection, Andray Blatche emerging from the dark recesses of the bench.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Brendan Haywood botching things in the middle. While the Etan Thomas situation is tragic on multiple levels, it will also really hurt the Wizards in the middle as they will have to depend much more on Haywood to be consistent night in and night out.
Here's a YouTube clip of Gilbert dropping 60 on the Lakers. I had the great pleasure of watching this game live.
Charlotte Bobcats
The Bobcats added Jason Richardson to an already athletic backcourt. The trio of Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, and Gerald Wallace will be very fun to watch. If Richardson can gel with his new teammates, the Bobcats' playoff aspirations may well pan out.
The loss of Sean May to injury is going to hurt them down low, but they should be able to get by with Emeka Okafor and Walter Herrmann. Though its still too early to tell, things aren't looking good for Adam Morrison's career. After a very rocky rookie campaign, he's out for the year due to a torn ACL.
Despite these setbacks, the Bobcats do appear poised for a significant increase in the wins column. They've built well through the draft and the addition of a proven scorer in Richardson could be enough to get them over the hump.
Get excited about: Having the two-time NBA Dunk Champion on your team, the maturation of Raymond Felton's game, playing relevant games in March and April.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Adam Morrison rocking the stache and the retro suits on the bench.
Here is yet another YouTube dunk video. This one is Jason Richardson showing what he can do on both ends of the court. I love the fact that he is bold enough to throw down a 360 with a defender trailing him.
Miami Heat
Ah, at last, the moment we've all been waiting for. It is with gladness in my heart that I now turn to my hometown team: your 2006 NBA Champion Miami Heat. Regarding Wednesday's Antoine Walker for Ricky Davis/Mark Blount swap, there is only one thing to say: Pat Riley strikes again!!I cannot tell you how happy I am with this trade. Just a few days before I had been reading online that some NBA scout thought that Antoine Walker was virtually untradable due to his contract size and his recent performance. I was resigned to the idea of watching Antoine bobble, fumble, stumble, and chuck his way to retirement in a Miami Heat uniform. Then Pat Riley pulled off this terrific coup and an offseason's worth of missed opportunities and inactivity was suddenly and miraculously fixed.
Ricky Davis will be a fine addition, especially in the early season while Dwyane Wade is still recovering from surgeries. While I will certainly miss Michael Doleac and even Walker (a little), I think this was an incredible deal for the Heat. I think that this team, if healthy, will definitely be better than projected.
Get excited about: Keith Askins' bowties, Ricky Davis being kept in line by Deputy O'Neal, Wade's triumphant return.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Brick after brick after brick being hoisted by this team's three point shooters as they suffer from the departure of Jason Kapono, Eddie Jones, and James Posey.
I'm going to leave you guys with this quintessential Miami Heat play. Maybe the greatest single play in Heat history. Enjoy.
This division has no clear-cut favorite in my opinion, and it will be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. What do you guys think?
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
NBA Central Division Preview
The preview marches on. As promised, here are some thoughts/things worth getting excited about for the Central Division.
Indiana Pacers
The preseason word in Indiana is that Mike Dunleavy is thriving under new head coach Jim O'Brien and the system (particularly the offensive philosophy) that he has brought to the team. O'Brien's offense features a lot more motion and emphasizes liberal three point shooting. Dunleavy should see an increased role in this offense, especially as a facilitator. Really, the only thing that can derail him this season is another Ira Newble kick to the face.
Ideally, the Pacers will be able to significantly integrate Ike Diogu and Shawne Williams into the rotation. The continued development of the underrated Danny Granger will be critical to the team's postseason chances.
The Pacers are one of many teams in the East that are quietly stockpiling quality young players and setting themselves up for long-term contention.
Also, the inevitable early struggles of a team working out the kinks of a brand new offense.
Milwaukee Bucks
Ah, Milwaukee. The city forever immortalized by Wayne Campbell, Garth Algar, and Alice Cooper in the epic film Wayne's World. It was once thought that at the moment of that film's release, Milwaukee as a city had reached its ultimate peak. For those of you wallowing in the glorious memories of the past, I bring good tidings: Milwaukee is on the rise again! Swig your beers and eat your cheeses!
This summer, Bucks GM Larry Harris somehow ($$$) convinced Mo Williams to stay in Milwaukee despite an aggressive courtship by Pat Riley and the Heat. As a consolation prize, the Heat offered disgruntled Bucks guard Charlie Bell an offer sheet. To the shock of all involved, Bell himself foremost, Harris matched the offer sheet, keeping Bell in Milwaukee for years to come.
On top of this, the Bucks drafted the biggest enigma in the draft, Yi Jianlian, despite his insistence that he did not want to play in Milwaukee. With Bogut and Villanueva both benefiting from a summer's worth of training, and complementary pieces falling in around Michael Redd, this is another serious playoff contender on the right track.
Detroit Pistons
As a Heat fan, this is another tough situation for me. As much as I don't want to admit it, this Pistons team has made terrific decisions (in the interest of brevity I'm giving them a temporary mulligan for Darko) in recent years, and Joe Dumars has done a terrific job of keeping this team competitive while being fiscally responsible.
Letting Ben Wallace walk turned out to be a great call, and I really like the draft the Pistons had this year, adding Rodney Stuckey (to some, a young Dwyane Wade) and Arron Afflalo to their backcourt. Pistons fans should look forward to yet another year of consistency. They'll be near the top of the pack in the East when all is said and done.
UPDATE: Just read on ESPN that Stuckey broke his hand in Wednesday night's preseason game against the Wizards. What a shame. Here's hoping it will only be a minor setback.
Get excited about: Stuckey infusing the backcourt rotation with some youth and athleticism, Rasheed hopefully performing an encore of the YouTube Jingle Bells remix featured below.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Rasheed sitting on the bench in a suit during the playoffs after being suspended due to exceeding the league's soft cap for technical fouls.
Can Cleveland repeat as Eastern Conference champions? Most people don't think so. I agree with most people. I thought that everything went right for the Cavs in last year's playoffs, from the match-ups (Washington instead of Chicago in the first round) to Lebron's inability to miss during the fourth quarter and OT period of Game 5 against Detroit.
The Cavs haven't made any noise in an offseason which has been highly eventful for most of their Eastern competition. With that being said, they will enter each game they play with a clear advantage: the fact that they have Lebron and the other team doesn't. Even if he doesn't improve they will always be a force to be reckoned with.
Odds are, however, that Lebron will continue to mature as a player and work on the few flaws in his game to become, sooner rather than later, the best player in the NBA.
Get excited about: getting to watch Lebron night in and night out, Varejao's hustle, Larry Hughes' tattoos.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Drew Gooden's back of the head soulpatch, Damon Jones struggling to contribute in limited minutes.
Note: the caption for this image last year might've been: "We did it!!"
This year it will probably read: "Damnit!!! Why couldn't we trade you?!?! I should've bought you out myself!"
Indiana Pacers
The preseason word in Indiana is that Mike Dunleavy is thriving under new head coach Jim O'Brien and the system (particularly the offensive philosophy) that he has brought to the team. O'Brien's offense features a lot more motion and emphasizes liberal three point shooting. Dunleavy should see an increased role in this offense, especially as a facilitator. Really, the only thing that can derail him this season is another Ira Newble kick to the face.
Ideally, the Pacers will be able to significantly integrate Ike Diogu and Shawne Williams into the rotation. The continued development of the underrated Danny Granger will be critical to the team's postseason chances.
The Pacers are one of many teams in the East that are quietly stockpiling quality young players and setting themselves up for long-term contention.
Get excited about: A refreshingly up-tempo offense, ESPN talking heads potentially re-evaluating the Jackson/Harrington for Dunleavy/Murphy/Diogu swap.
Also, the inevitable early struggles of a team working out the kinks of a brand new offense.
Chicago Bulls
Scrapper Nation is probably unaware that the Scrapper is a passionate Bulls fan and that I am a very dedicated Miami Heat fan. Consequently, we have a vast difference of opinion when it comes to the current Chicago Bulls roster. I'll swallow my pride (and revulsion) and admit that this Bulls team is looking very good.
The franchise has built a squad which prides itself on work ethic and playing with passion. Nowhere do these admirable traits find better expression than in the persona of their fiendish imp of a head coach, Scott Skiles, who was once punched by Shaq. The addition of Joakim Noah should immediately pay dividends for the Bulls.
Of course, what the Bulls really need to do is grow a pair and do whatever is necessary to bring Kobe to Chicago.
Get excited about: Deng continuing his meteoric ascent, Tyrus Thomas frequenting the SportsCenter Top Ten, Joakim Noah's seersucker suits.
Milwaukee Bucks
Ah, Milwaukee. The city forever immortalized by Wayne Campbell, Garth Algar, and Alice Cooper in the epic film Wayne's World. It was once thought that at the moment of that film's release, Milwaukee as a city had reached its ultimate peak. For those of you wallowing in the glorious memories of the past, I bring good tidings: Milwaukee is on the rise again! Swig your beers and eat your cheeses!
This summer, Bucks GM Larry Harris somehow ($$$) convinced Mo Williams to stay in Milwaukee despite an aggressive courtship by Pat Riley and the Heat. As a consolation prize, the Heat offered disgruntled Bucks guard Charlie Bell an offer sheet. To the shock of all involved, Bell himself foremost, Harris matched the offer sheet, keeping Bell in Milwaukee for years to come.
On top of this, the Bucks drafted the biggest enigma in the draft, Yi Jianlian, despite his insistence that he did not want to play in Milwaukee. With Bogut and Villanueva both benefiting from a summer's worth of training, and complementary pieces falling in around Michael Redd, this is another serious playoff contender on the right track.
Get excited about: Mo Williams making more plays like the one shown in the YouTube clip below, Michael Redd lighting it up, Bogut's passing game, having your own 'Coach K' on the sidelines.
Detroit Pistons
As a Heat fan, this is another tough situation for me. As much as I don't want to admit it, this Pistons team has made terrific decisions (in the interest of brevity I'm giving them a temporary mulligan for Darko) in recent years, and Joe Dumars has done a terrific job of keeping this team competitive while being fiscally responsible.
Letting Ben Wallace walk turned out to be a great call, and I really like the draft the Pistons had this year, adding Rodney Stuckey (to some, a young Dwyane Wade) and Arron Afflalo to their backcourt. Pistons fans should look forward to yet another year of consistency. They'll be near the top of the pack in the East when all is said and done.
UPDATE: Just read on ESPN that Stuckey broke his hand in Wednesday night's preseason game against the Wizards. What a shame. Here's hoping it will only be a minor setback.
Get excited about: Stuckey infusing the backcourt rotation with some youth and athleticism, Rasheed hopefully performing an encore of the YouTube Jingle Bells remix featured below.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Rasheed sitting on the bench in a suit during the playoffs after being suspended due to exceeding the league's soft cap for technical fouls.
Can Cleveland repeat as Eastern Conference champions? Most people don't think so. I agree with most people. I thought that everything went right for the Cavs in last year's playoffs, from the match-ups (Washington instead of Chicago in the first round) to Lebron's inability to miss during the fourth quarter and OT period of Game 5 against Detroit.The Cavs haven't made any noise in an offseason which has been highly eventful for most of their Eastern competition. With that being said, they will enter each game they play with a clear advantage: the fact that they have Lebron and the other team doesn't. Even if he doesn't improve they will always be a force to be reckoned with.
Odds are, however, that Lebron will continue to mature as a player and work on the few flaws in his game to become, sooner rather than later, the best player in the NBA.
Get excited about: getting to watch Lebron night in and night out, Varejao's hustle, Larry Hughes' tattoos.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Drew Gooden's back of the head soulpatch, Damon Jones struggling to contribute in limited minutes.
Note: the caption for this image last year might've been: "We did it!!"
This year it will probably read: "Damnit!!! Why couldn't we trade you?!?! I should've bought you out myself!"
On Friday: The Southeast Division (Atlanta, Orlando, Washington, Charlotte, Miami)
NBA Atlantic Division Preview
Scrapper Nation, it is my distinct honor and privilege to once again share some of my NBA thoughts with you. The Scrapper has been very busy lately, and with the NBA season quickly approaching, I thought I would offer some of my early thoughts about the season to come.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Marcus Williams stealing another laptop and disappearing into a cloud of Sean Williams' marijuana smoke!
(In all seriousness, if Kidd and Frank can keep these guys in order, they will be very valuable contributors both now and in the future.)
Instead of breaking down roster changes and win/loss projections, I’m going to propose reasons why you as an NBA fan should be excited about each team in the league. We’ll go day by day with each division leading up to opening night on Tuesday.
The Atlantic Division
New Jersey Nets
Nets fans have a lot to be excited about this season. While the rest of the East has been improving through trades and free agent signings, the Nets hope to improve on last year’s performance simply by staying healthy. With Nenad Krstic and Richard Jefferson ready to go, the Nets will take advantage of a very dynamic offense and should be very interesting to watch.
If Jason Kidd and Vince Carter running the break isn’t enough to keep your attention, the addition of Jefferson on the wing and Krstic on the block should make this team very fun to watch (and very competitive).
Get excited about: Jason Kidd running the break with a healthy Vince and RJ on either side, Krstic stroking midrange jumpers and creating match up problems down low.Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Marcus Williams stealing another laptop and disappearing into a cloud of Sean Williams' marijuana smoke!
(In all seriousness, if Kidd and Frank can keep these guys in order, they will be very valuable contributors both now and in the future.)
New York Knicks
Here at Scrapper Nation we like to look at the positives. Yes, Isiah Thomas lost his sexual harassment case. Yes, this Knicks roster is laden with question marks and career underachievers. Yes….Eddy Curry. Despite all this, the Knicks have a chance to compete and look good while doing it. Renaldo Balkman, last year’s first round pick (remember the chorus of boos in MSG?), looked very good last season and should continue to improve.
The 300 pound gorilla is the combination of Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph in the paint. Can they coexist? If they somehow work it out, and I have my doubts, this team will be able to compete.
Get excited about: Balkman throwing down ridiculous dunks (see YouTube) and the steady low-post contributions of Zach Randolph.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Eddy Curry. Doing anything.
Toronto Raptors
Bosh. Bargnani. Ford. Calderon. Garbajosa. That’s not enough?!?! How about this: Kapono!!
The Raptors added the reigning NBA 3-point king, and while he probably won't be as good this season as he was last season as a member of your heroes, the Miami Heat, he should have another solid campaign, though he will have stiff competition for minutes with Carlos Delfino and Anthony Parker.
Raptors fans, rejoice! You will enjoy watching Kapono’s quick release and sweet stroke. His emergence as a serious perimeter threat was one of the few highlights of last season for my Heat.
Get excited about: Bargnani taking the next step, Kapono shooting textbook threes, the healthy point guard competition between Ford and Calderon.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Chris Bosh gingerly walking off the court with some sort of injury. Let's hope he can stay healthy and cement his status as one of the NBA's elite forwards.
Raptors fans, enjoy this clip of Kapono winning the 3-point shootout.
Boston Celtics
If the Celtics’ offseason moves didn’t pump you up as a basketball
fan, it might be time to consider another sport. The Big Three by themselves provide reason enough to get excited, but it’s worth looking at how Danny Ainge filled out the roster after depleting it to get Garnett.
Everyone knows that the addition of Garnett and Allen makes them immediate contenders in the East, but Ainge’s shrewd and cost-efficient additions of Scot Pollard, James Posey, and Eddie House turned this team from a three-trick pony into what seems, on paper, to be a well-balanced and reasonably deep squad with a chance to make the Finals and hang with the West. Posey was a very underrated member of the Heat’s 2006 championship team, and he has the grit and the stones to be a major factor in the postseason. If you need some Big Three refreshment, check out the Scrapper’s post with their mixtapes.
Get excited about: Seeing the Celtics on TV in May and June, watching Garnett operate in the post, Scot Pollard's ever-evolving hairdo.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Doc Rivers mismanaging games down the stretch.
Philadelphia 76ers
Andre Iguodala ('AI2', 'Iggy') took his game to the next level after the mid-season Iverson trade. Unfortunately for the rest of the league, it appears that he's only going to get better. While he has been excellent thus far, I really believe this is the year he breaks out and becomes a star. He will be the go-to guy, and with the underrated distributor Andre Miller having a Sixers training camp under his belt, this team should be able to outperform expectations.
Don't sleep on Shavlik Randolph returning from his freak ankle injury and making some noise. Ok... maybe sleep a little. I couldn't find the clip of his injury on YouTube, but if you have the occasion to view it, go ahead. Its not quite Shaun Livingston, but it's quite unpleasant. Hopefully he'll be able to come back and contribute again.
Get excited about: Miller lobbing to Iguodala, newcomer Thaddeus Young potentially mixing it up, Korver doing his best Jason Kapono impression.
Cover your eyes so you don't have to see: Larry Brown looming.
Tomorrow: The Central Division (Indiana, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit, Cleveland)
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