1.) San Antonio
2.) Los Angeles Lakers
3.) Denver
4.) Utah
5.) Dallas
6.) Portland
7.) New Orleans
8.) Los Angeles Clippers
9.) Phoenix
10.) Oklahoma City
11.) Houston
12.) Golden State
13.) Minnesota
14.) Memphis
15.) Sacramento
Southwest Division:
San Antonio – To say that I’m giddy about the Spurs this season is quite the understatement. Realizing that our window is about to close, we went out and traded for Richard Jefferson while picking up Antonio McDyess, and drafting DeJuan Blair. Suddenly, our eight-man rotation is as follows: Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess, Roger Mason, George Hill, and DeJuan Blair. That’s awesome. The first five of that group will be closing games, which is a better lineup than any other team can put on the floor. It’s interesting how instead of taking the fate that was given to them once Tim Duncan began showing his age, the Spurs decided to round up a group that would give them the best chance at one last Duncan-era title. There isn’t a whole lot of youth around, but Parker, Jefferson, Hill, Mason, and Blair are all under 30. Duncan and Ginobili have to prove that they can stay healthy this year, but if they do, look out. Tim Duncan has never had a supporting cast this good – and he’s won four championships regardless. Oh yes, I’m excited.
Dallas – An interesting team to be sure. The Mavericks beat the Spurs in the first round of last year’s playoffs and then were done in by Carmelo Anthony’s Denver Nuggets. Instead of keeping the same group together, they added Shawn Marion, Drew Gooden, and Tim Thomas. All three have the mental stability of an adult who was once a child star, but there still may be some ability left in them yet. Personally, I think Marion is finished. His athleticism set him apart for so many years, but now that it’s regressed to the mean, he’s no longer a productive player. He flamed out in Miami and Toronto last year, but came to Dallas in hopes of leaning on Jason Kidd to throw him a few lobs. Dirk Nowitzki has grown his hair back out, maybe to make people forget that he once dated Cristal Taylor, but I’m not forgetting that. Ever. He’s not getting any younger, but his game should age well due to his shooting stroke and perimeter-based style. The aforementioned Kidd played well last year, but he’s not the difference-maker he used to be, which makes it all the more important for Jason Terry and Josh Howard to provide a consistent scoring punch in Dallas. Howard is already facing injury problems, but they need him to score and score often to minimize the effect of Kidd’s lack of points. Defensively, this team is a mess. A crunch time lineup of Kidd, Terry, Howard, Marion, and Nowitzki would have trouble guarding the University of Kansas this year, yet that’s what they’re probably going to be rolling out in the fourth quarter. Good luck with that. The offense should be good, but the defense will keep the Mavericks from greatness…basically, the same story in Allas (no D) for the past decade.
New Orleans – Sometimes I look at their roster and cringe. Other times I think, “hmm, that’s not bad at all.” I can’t figure out which way to go on them. Just as I put them 7th in the West, I could have easily put them 4th. The whole conference is in a state of flux, and they seem to personify that the best of any team. Gone are Tyson Chandler, Antonio Daniels, and Rasual Butler. In are Emeka Okafor, Darren Collison, and Marcus Thornton. All-Stars David West and Chris Paul lead the charge, obviously, but the supporting cast will have to show up for the Hornets to succeed. Paul is a magician and could probably win 40 games with a college team (kidding, please don’t bring the college team argument to me, I’ll swat it like Dikembe in ’99) and continues to do more with less than just about anyone in the league. His problem is that he isn’t quite good enough to take his team to the promised land. Conference semifinals are fun and all, but you don’t get rings for that. I don’t see how this year will be any different, either. I like the West/Okafor combo down low, and I do think that Darren Collison will prevent Paul from having to play 40+ minutes per game, but there isn’t much scoring on this roster. Morris Peterson and Julian Wright are starters, which doesn’t bode well for the Hornets, but if Peja Stojakovic can give them a spark off the bench (that’s an expensive sixth man, by the way), then look for the Hornets to surprise. However, if Peja’s back continues to act up, 7th seems about right for New Orleans. At least the Saints are good.
Houston – Oh boy, where to begin? The loss of Yao Ming for the season really hurts. The loss of Tracy McGrady for an extended period of time hurts less so, but still isn’t good. All that’s left now is a bunch of guys who hustle, rebound, defend, and have sneaky good games that make you think the Rockets could do something (like Aaron Brooks going for 30 on the Lakers in the playoffs). The Rockets took the eventual-champion Lakers to seven games despite losing Yao, but it’s hard to fill that void for 82 games…when people already know he won’t be there. Luis Scola and Carl Landry are an undersized but super-effective duo down low, and Chuck Hayes defends big men about as well as anyone in the league. However, none of the three is going to be a 20 point per game scorer, and that’s where Houston will get burned. Scola is their leading returning scorer, and he only averaged 12.7 points per game last year. Aaron Brooks, Shane Battier, and Trevor Ariza will all get more shots, but neither is a proven commodity offensively. Rookie Chase Budinger will help, as all he does is play offense, but even then you’re dreaming for something that isn’t there. All in all, the Rockets will make their fans proud and make teams earn wins against them, but until Yao returns (and hopefully, McGrady doesn’t), the Rockets franchise is stuck in neutral.
Memphis – My uncle lives in Memphis. He likes the NBA and attends several Grizzlies games per year. If he were to call me and ask me whether he should spend his time at FedExForum this year, I’d say yes. Not because the Grizzlies will be good (they won’t be), and not because they’ll play solid team basketball (they won’t), but because they’ll be fun to watch. Seriously, with Allen Iverson (eventually), Rudy Gay, O.J. Mayo, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Darrell Arthur, and Mike Conley on the floor (not at one time, that’d be against the rules), the Grizzlies are going to have some entertaining plays. It’s all relative, though; most of those entertaining plays will come amidst a barrage of bricks, bad passes, and one-on-four drives, but who cares? Memphis hasn’t been good since Hubie Brown left and they haven’t been fun to watch since Jason Williams left (man, I love the Double Nickel; he’s getting his own post soon). Poor Lank’s uncle hasn’t enjoyed a Grizzlies game in years. Let the man see a crossover from Iverson, a beautiful jumper from Gay, or a no-look pass from Mayo in peace. Who knows, maybe I’ll venture out to see them in person with him at some point (they host the Spurs on two Saturdays and the Pacers on a Friday…I’m just saying).
Northwest Division:
Denver – Carmelo Anthony is my boy. I’ve loved his game since he was at Syracuse and have vowed to name my first-born son Carmelo Anthony (pending wife approval, of course). Seeing him take over the playoffs last year was quite the thrill, and I want to see what he has in store for an encore. His game has slowly developed into a complete one, and his defense and rebounding are now on par with his scoring, just not on the same level. That being said, the Nuggets have some questions to answer if they’re going to finish 2nd in the conference again. Linas Kleiza and Dahntay Jones, two guys who gave them great minutes all of last season, are now gone, and there still isnt’ much depth down low. Kenyon Martin and Nene will have to play a lot of minutes again, and considering the injury history of those two, that’s a risky proposition. Chauncey Billups will remain a steady hand at point guard, and adding Tywon Lawson to help back up the position was a stroke of genius. Lawson was one of the fastest players in college basketball last year, so turning him loose at altitude will be a nuisance to Denver’s opponents. J.R. Smith is still mercurial, but he can fill it up with the best of them when he’s hot. If he finds some consistency in his game, forget what I said about losing Kleiza and Jones. Defensive holes will have to be filled if the Nuggets want to be taken seriously, but with such a talented roster, don’t expect too much of a drop-off in the Rockies this winter.
Utah – Jerry Sloan, do your thing. One of the best coaches in the NBA, Sloan will be challenged this season. Injuries are already taking a toll (C.J. Miles and Kyle Korver are the latest victims), and Carlos Boozer needs to be placated in his contract year, but Sloan will find a way to make it all work. Deron Williams is among the best players in the NBA, Boozer isn’t a headcase, so he should play hard regardless of the circumstances surrounding his contract situation, and Andrei Kirilenko remains one of the most versatile players in the league. Drafting Eric Maynor to back up Williams was a great move, furthering the depth that gives the Jazz an advantage over most other teams. Their 8th place finish last year was a bit misleading with all of the injuries they incurred, and nobody would argue with you if you told them that Utah had top five talent in the West. Putting it all together and keeping it all healthy are different issues entirely, but there are certainly pieces in place to make a run. If this team gets off to a good start, look out; but if the going gets tough early, look to see how they respond to the situation. That could be the difference between finishing 3rd or 7th in the West.
Portland – I’m not on this bandwagon at all. After getting romped in the playoffs last year, they missed out on Hedo Turkoglu (who would’ve been a great fit) and settled for Andre Miller (who isn’t…at all). They extended LaMarcus Aldridge for 5 years at $13 million per year (no really, they did), and all of the expectations seem to be getting to them. Outside of Brandon Roy, who exactly is the stud that I’m supposed to like on their team? Aldridge is fine, but he is what he is. Rudy Fernandez is fun to watch, but he reaches the law of diminishing returns after about 20 minutes. Greg Oden has worlds of potential, but so did Kwame Brown at one point (damn Greg, I’m sorry; that was uncalled for. Keep reppin’ Terre Haute, man). Honestly, the one guy I’d want on my team after Roy was taken and Fernandez told me he wouldn’t come (remember, this is hypothetical)? Jerryd Bayless. I like that guy, but he never gets to play. Go figure. I guess I say all of that to say this: Portland has a lot of talent, but not a lot of players that I trust. When your goal is to take the next step in your maturation process by winning a playoff series or two, that’s not a good sign.
Oklahoma City – If Toronto is my third-favorite team this season, OKC is probably my fourth-favorite. I’ve been a Kevin Durant follower since his breakout performance at the McDonald’s All-American Game (which doesn’t really count, but I started liking him then for some reason), and I have a feeling that he’s going to do something silly this year statistically. Don’t ask me what, but I’m prepared for 33 ppg or 31/9/5 or 90% FT; anything like that. He’s a rare breed when it comes to scoring and I want to see what’s next. That’s just part of OKC’s allure, though (yes, a big part, but still just a part). Russell Westbrook is entertaining with his brand of I’m-going-to-drive-it-and-I-dare-you-to-stop-me basketball, his ferocious defense, and his intangibles. Jeff Green seems to fit in wherever they need him, dictated by which lineup is on the floor. I’ve seen the guy score, rebound, defend, pass; everything. He’s good. Add in James Harden, whose “old man game” should fit in perfectly in Oklahoma City, and I’m intrigued by this squad. Another bonus point stems from the fact that they have two of my “random favorite players” in the league: Thabo Sefolosha and Shaun Livingston. Random favorite players are guys you like but really don’t know why; you just hope they play well every game and eventually break out. Coach Scott Brooks was great as the interim last season, and I look forward to see how he’ll mesh all of these young parts together in order to build a contender. They’re a couple years away still, but sometimes the journey is better than the destination.
Minnesota – Some advice: the next time you look at the Timberwolves’ depth chart, close your eyes. It’s not good. Kevin Love and Al Jefferson were supposed to provide an improved inside game, but Love broke his hand and Jefferson is returning from a torn ACL. The Ricky Rubio situation is FUBAR, so scratch him off. Corey Brewer might be good, but we don’t really know because he missed all of last year with an injury. They signed Ramon Sessions from Milwaukee in the offseason, and he’s got some ability. However, there just isn’t much to like in the Twin Cities. Rookies Wayne Ellington and Jonny Flynn will get ample opportunity to prove that they belong, but they’re still rookies and won’t do a whole lot to improve the team overall. Once Love returns, he and Jefferson will be a nice tandem down low, but nowhere near good enough to get this team to 30 wins. This year will be all about integrating Flynn, Ellington, and Sessions, getting coach Kurt Rambis some experience (before he heads back to L.A. to coach the Lakers), and finding out if Al Jefferson can make the All-Star team on a squad with 14 wins at the break.
Pacific Division:
Los Angeles Lakers – Most previews have these guys winning it all yet again. Or at least the Western Conference. I’m skeptical, but I see why they’re so highly-regarded. They won the ‘ship last year, and everybody’s back. However, now that Lamar Odom has his contract, will he continue to play hard? Kobe’s knees have to feel like they’re 40 years old. And adding Ron Artest just took your chemistry from “kinda fun when Kobe is happy” to “to put it nicely…combustible”. Artest is saying and doing all of the right things, but eventually his alpha male personality will emerge and things will flare up inside the locker room. The only question is whether or not those flare ups will linger. Behind Bryant, Artest, Odom, Bynum, and Gasol, the Lakers have a bunch of guys who aren’t very good, but will be counted upon anyway. Jordan Farmar must play better, Shannon Brown must be consistent, and Luke Walton must be steady. There are a lot of question marks on this team, but as long as they have Bryant and Gasol, I’m predicting at least a conference finals appearance.
Los Angeles Clippers – Well, the Clipper Curse has struck again. Number 1 overall pick Blake Griffin is out for (at least) six weeks to begin the season with a broken kneecap. Honestly, I thought the Clippers could contend this year. Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Marcus Camby, Rasual Butler, Al Thornton, and Griffin would have been a very good rotation. Now, Griffin is removed and DeAndre Jordan will have to play more meaningful minutes. Everyone tells me that Baron Davis is back to health, but I have to see it to believe it first. Coach Mike Dunleavy nearly lost the team last year, but with each new season comes a fresh slate, and if he can just manage to coincide with Davis, Camby, and Thornton, the Clippers will be in good shape for a playoff spot. The problem is that asking them all to coincide with one another is quite the task. This is either a 45-win team or a 30-win team. Not many other teams have such a wide discrepancy in their potential. But then again, not many other teams are the Clippers.
Phoenix – If someone can explain to me what’s going on in the desert, I’d love to know. Caught between the glory years of the Mike D’Antoni era and the nightmare that was the Shaqtus experiment, Phoenix is attempting to stay competitive without completely rebuilding. Amar’e Stoudemire is the key here; if he stays healthy, they should be able to run and gun their way to a playoff spot. Since I have them at 9th in the West, you can probably guess my feelings on him staying healthy. Steve Nash is only getting older (he can’t defend anybody anymore, by the way), Grant Hill miraculously played 82 games last year (easily the surprise of the season) but is also on the downside, and they have two guys who are the “bad one” amongst of two pairs of NBA brothers (Robin Lopez and Taylor Griffin). Leandro Barbosa is still inconsistent and Jason Richardson is what he is at this point (a three-point bomber who sometimes drives), but at least they’re talented. A small-ball five of Nash, Barbosa, Richardson, Hill, and Stoudemire would be fun, but has a shelf-life of about 15 minutes per game. Bringing in Lopez and Channing Frye will slow them down…both literally and figuratively. The Suns will play some intriguing basketball this season, but they won’t win enough games to be playing through April…meaning another offseason where they have to face the prospect of rebuilding by choice now rather than by necessity later.
Golden State – Team Turmoil resides in Oakland. No, silly, not the Raiders. Actually, I now feel sad for Oaklanders. On one hand, you have Al Davis killing your football team, and the other hand you have the chaotic front office that’s killing the Warriors. Both beloved franchises are now on the verge of alienating their fans due to the mind-boggling missteps that have occurred in NorCal in the past few years. Remember when Don Nelson had the Warriors flying high over the Mavericks in the playoffs? Those days are long gone. In their place are bouts of infighting between Stephen Jackson and management, Monta Ellis and Nelson, Anthony Randolph and playing time, and Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis’ position. Really, it doesn’t get much crazier than Golden State right now. Honestly, a rotation of Curry, Ellis, Jackson, Corey Maggette, Andris Biedrins, Anthony Randolph, and Anthony Morrow isn’t terrible. But when you factor in the complete lack of chemistry and all of the problems surrounding the franchise, nobody plays inspired basketball and that rotation quickly devolves into a shell of what it should be. Cheer up Oakland fans, Big Brother tells me that the A’s are ready to rock next year. Until then, stay classy.
Sacramento – If anyone actually reads this portion of my preview, I’ll be stunned. I might even provide a prize to the first person that gives me a snippet of something I wrote here. Anyway, the Kings are going to be bad. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s focus on some good things; namely, Tyreke Evans. The Memphis product has quickly adapted his skill set (which was already NBA-ready) to the league and looks impossible to stop from getting into the lane. If Blake Griffin’s injuries keep him from producing this year, Evans will be the easy winner of the Rookie of the Year award. Jason Thompson and Spencer Hawes are Kings draft picks who have shown some promise and will continue to get better this year. Both are still young and should grow with Evans to provide a nice trio on which to build the franchise in the future. Kevin Martin remains one of the most efficient scorers in the league and is liable to throw up 40 points in a few games per season. On a good night, the Kings will be fun to watch and will show glimpses of what could happen in the future if everyone develops as expected and does so consistently. Unfortunately, those nights will be countered by nights of complete impotence and 30-point blowouts. The roster needs an upgrade and the arena situation needs to be rectified to keep the team in Sacramento, but there is some hope in Sacto…you just have to look closely to find it.
Best Coach: Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Worst Coach: Lionel Hollins, Memphis
Best Rookie: Blake Griffin, Los Angeles Clippers
Worst Rookie: Hasheem Thabeet, Memphis
Best Uniforms: Denver navy blues
Worst Uniforms: Oklahoma City whites
Most Overrated Player: Ron Artest, Los Angeles
Most Underrated Player: Russell Westbrook, Oklahoma City
Best Crowd: Portland
Worst Crowd: Memphis
Surprise Team: Utah
Disappointing Team: Portland
~~ Lank
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