Can Danny?

The Magnificent Seven 

1. San Antonio Spurs: I really hate to make the obvious choice but the Spurs are looking better than ever. The addition of Ime Udoka strengthens the bench while Ian Manhimi and Matt Bonner give the Spurs another 12 fouls behind Francisco Elson and Fabricio Oberto.  But the real steal for the Spurs could be 21 year old Darius Washington.  The highly touted Memphis recruit was one of those "Came out too early" stories that Dickie V loves to tell but after a year bouncing around, Washington is sitting pretty.  He has played very well in the preseason and seems like he would be a great fit backing up Tony Parker.

2. Dallas Mavericks: An embarrassing upset should have them focused on getting back to the Finals and the new additions of Eddie Jones and Trenton Hassell should help out on the perimeter while Brandon Bass and Nick Fazekas could supply more help than most people would expect. Bass was another early entry (he left LSU because Ty Thomas was coming in and threatening to take minutes) who seems to have landed in the perfect spot. The key to the playoffs could be Devin Harris.  If he can step up his game, the Mavs should find themselves threatening the Spurs for Western Supremacy.

3. Phoenix Suns: I like the additions of Grant Hill and Brian Skinner but I don't think it puts the Suns over the top.  Growing chemistry problems are a concern and, as good as they are, I just see them wilting under the pressure of the playoffs.  The Suns needed to add attitude and instead they just got more in-fighting.

4. Denver Nuggets: I love Kenyon Martin coming back as a 6th man but this team will live and die by it's perimeter shooting.  They should be able to have a very strong season but in the playoffs, it will be hard for them to really make a run if they can't add someone who can hit the open three.  It doesn't help that they dumped J.R. Smith and have to rely on Bobby Jones and Von Wafer. Jones could be a surprise because of his defense but he isn't the answer for The Answer, 'Melo, and Friends.

5. Utah Jazz: I think Andrei Kirilenko realizes now that he has to learn to deal with Jerry Sloan or else there's no way anybody will be willing to trade for him.  A revitalized AK-47 and a breakthrough year from Ronnie Brewer should help the Jazz improve upon their record from last season. It should be interesting to see if C.J. Miles has improved any. He'd be a big asset off of the bench.

6. Houston Rockets: They added Luis Scola and have a coach who might be able to keep Bonzi Wells in line but relying on McGrady and Ming is like relying on Pedro Martinez and Kerry Wood.  They might give you some great moments during the season but they always seem to be too banged up to really help out in the playoffs. I'm not overly impressed by any of the point guards they've added and the bench as a whole just isn't inspiring.

7. Golden State Warriors: J-Rich who? While it might take a year for Brandan Wright to feel out the NBA, Kelenna Azubuike and Marco Belinelli will have Warrior fans forgetting about the departed Jason Richardson. A full season of Stephen Jackson and super 6th man Al Harrington could have the Warriors looking to run their way into the 4th spot in the West. If the Warriors can get anything close to solid minutes out of Patrick O'Bryant and Austin Croshere, they'll be a very dangerous team.

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Playing for 8th 

8. Portland Trailblazers: Oden might be out but the rest of the youth movement will be ready to move on without him. LaMarcus Aldridge seems ready to have a breakout season and is the favorite for Western Conference Most Improved Player honors. Martell Webster, Travis Outlaw, and Channing Frye also seem ready to break out of their shells. With so many players on the cusp, the Blazers really only need half of them to pan out.  The addition of Steve Blake muddies the point guard position but he could be the steadiest point guard to lead the way.

9. New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul is one of the best point guards in the league but he has to play like THE best point guard in order to carry this crew to the playoffs.  Tyson Chandler, David West, Peja Stojakovic make up a good frontcourt but it isn't one that will make coaches lose much sleep.  And Morris Peterson as the backup shooting guard? The bench also doesn't raise any eyebrows.  This Hornets lineups just seems tailor-made to just miss the playoffs every year.

10. Memphis Grizzlies: Unless Pau Gasol finds some fire and Darko Milicic lives up to his hype, this seems like a team that will consistently play down to the level of its oppoenents. Rudy Gay is still inconsistent, Hakim Warrick still doesn't have a position, Brian Cardinal is still overpaid, Mike Miller still can't play defense, and the winning attitude of Mike Conley Jr. isn't going to be enough, especially with him having to focus on winning the point guard spot. The team has enough talent to make the playoffs but they've yet to show the ability or desire to play at that level consistently.

11. Los Angeles Lakers: Andrew Bynum seems ready for an Al Jefferson-type breakthrough even if his star teammate and Hall of Fame coach have gone on record that they'd rather he be traded. Also, it's a contract year for Kwame Brown so things could be looking up for the Lake Show.  Derek Fisher and rookie Javarris Crittenton should be able to hold down the point.  But what to expect from Lamar Odom and Kobe Bryant.  I'm not sure how much either guy wants to be in Los Angeles and this team needs them focused and willing to take the mantle of leadership if they are going to succeed. The fight for the 8th spot will be a tight one and the choice for the Lakers seem to be either a season in contention or a season of contention.  With the talent in the West, they won't be able to have both.

OJ, Rose, or Beasley? 

12. Los Angeles Clippers: If any lottery team can overcome the loss of their best player and make due, it's the Clippers. The Scrappers have Sam Cassell leading the way with Corey Maggette, Ruben Patterson, Tim Thomas, and Chris Kaman all out to show that they have something left in the tank.  If Thomas doesn't come to play, rookie Al Thornton should be able to bounce around and score some points. The one thing holding them back could be Mike Dunleavy.  He has to realize that this isn't a regular season and ride with what he has.  He spent too much of last season battling with ownership over Corey Maggette.  He has to look at his team and put the best guys out there and craft an attack to their strength.  If he's too headstrong, the Clippers could easily find themselves in last place and dealing with a squad of unhappy campers.

13. Sacramento Kings: I just can't see how Ron Artest stays sane on a team this bad. Kevin Martin will pad his scoring stats but no team relying on John Salmons, Kenny Thomas, and a washed up Brad Miller is going to be able to compete in the West.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves: The Wolves have an amazing bench.  Unfortunately, four members of the bench have to start for them.  I'm not sold on Randy Foye and while I expect big scoring numbers from Rashad McCants, he seems better suited as a 6th or 7th man.  Outside of Al Jefferson, there's really nobody on the team that I'd like to see starting. Corey Brewer should blossom into a starter but he probably won't be ready.  Gerald Green will continue to be the most promising player who can't seem to find a way to get decent minutes even though he's on one of the worst teams in the league.  The Wolves should be fun to watch since they are packed with ex-Celtics but I can't see them reeling off enough wins to escape the bottom three of the NBA.

14. Seattle Supersonics: Kevin Durant sprained his ankle, something which will likely happen a lot this season since the Sonics are expecting him to defend NBA shooting guards. Durant will get his points but his passing ability still needs work and I could see critics quickly coming down on him for needing 20 shots to score 20 points. While many see him as the obvious rookie of the year, I wouldn't be stunned if an upstart like Al Horford, Al Thornton, or Rodney Stuckey challenge him for the prize.  Robert Swift might have been a great prospect but he looks painfully slow out there and I'll be stunned if he ever develops into much of anything. Team chemistry also could be tough as many guys on the bench (most notably Earl Watson, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West) will be trying to win starting spots. It's going to be a very long season in Seattle.

Posted by SoulHonky at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Alright, break time is over. The NBA is back and so I'm back to blogging.  Glad to see nobody missed me.  Here's the Eastern Conference predictions. 

1. Detroit: I still think the Pistons are the team to beat.  The window is closing as age and injuries creep up on the 'Stones but with Billups, Rip, 'Sheed, and Prince they still have the best quartet and they upgraded their bench.  Losing Webber could put a dent in their rotation (I have a feeling that Jason Maxiell might be a summer league mirage) but this team should still find its way to the #1 seed in the East.

2. Boston: Unless injuries catch up to Pierce and Allen (which isn't hard to imagine), the Celtics should be able to nab a top 3 spot in the East.  Rajon Rondo is still learning to run the point but his defense is strong and the C's have the offensive firepower to be able to maintain while their PG gets through his growing pains.  Kendrick Perkins should finally emerge as a solid big man... if he can stay healthy.  The C's have a three year window to make it happen but I think their best shot will actually come next season.

3. Chicago: The Bulls were good last year and are only getting better. The keys to a smooth season is tied to the emergence/arrival of Ty Thomas and Joakim Noah as well as the contract situations of Luol Deng and Ben Gordon.  Those two working to earn a max contract could be great but then again, it could cause them to focus on themselves and move away from the team basketball which Scott Skiles preaches. All of this being said, I've thought the Bulls would be at the top of the East the last couple of years and they've disappointed.

4. New Jersey: The Celtics Big Three gets all of the press but the Nets trio of Kidd, Vince, and Richard Jefferson is still formidable and a healthy Nenad Krstic could have them threatening to steal the Atlantic crown from Boston.  If Jamaal Magloire can turn back the clock or Sean Williams can put down the pipe, they could have one of the best starting fives in the league.  The bench has been improved but the loss of the underrated Bernard Robinson to a torn MCL means that they might have to rely on Antoine Wright. The Nets can't be excited about that seeing as they just Nets turned down his contract option for next year.

5. Toronto: Andrea Bargnani is the front-runner for Most Improved Player while Chris Bosh and TJ Ford are already All-Star level players.  Defense could prove to be a problem, especially with Jason Kapono figuring to get big minutes.  Sam Mitchell's team will again be ready to step up if the top teams falter but they are still a shooting guard away from being able to overtake the top teams outright (especially come playoff time).

6. Washington: The Wizards would have won their division and could have made some noise in the playoffs had their trio of Hibachi, Jamison, and Butler not gone down with injuries. They have an interesting bench with Aundray Blatche, Oleksiy Pecherov, Nick Young, Dominic McGuire, and Darius Songaila. Interesting, however, isn't a good description of a bench.  Blatche should be improved but he seems like he's ready to start getting statistics and still needs to learn how to help a team win.  McGuire's defense and energy might actually make him the best young guy this year but regardless, this team lives and dies on their trio: Arenas, Jamison, and Butler.  Those three should have the Wiz in the playoffs but they'll be hard-pressed to carry the team to home court advantage in the first round.

7. Miami: If Shaq and Wade are healthy and care about the regular season, this team could win the East.  If they aren't, they might not even win their division.  With Daequan Cook, Ricky Davis, and Penny Hardaway in the mix, it should be a team to keep an eye on but with health being such an issue, they are a hard team to put money on.

8. Cleveland: If there was ever a team that seemed destined for complacency, it's the Cavs. They have done next to nothing to improve their team and if they don't find a way to re-sign Sasha and Sideshow Anderson, they'll have taken a real step back.  And after making it to the Finals last season, I could see them sleepwalking through the regular season.

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9. Orlando: The Magic have talent but they just don't seem all that impressive. Yes, they could be capable of putting together a big regular season but I think they'd then get swept in the playoffs. Dwight Howard is a monster but his game is all power right now.  Rashard Lewis is a nice second option who is getting paid like a second team All-NBA candidate. Jameer Nelson, Hedo Turkoglu, and JJ Redick?  I just can't jump on this bandwagon.  Even worse, the addition of Rashard could mean less minutes for Trevor Ariza, who was quietly one of the most important players on the team last season.  I like Stan Van Gundy as a coach but I think it will take him a year or two to get this team playing his style of basketball.

10. Atlanta: If Mike Woodson can make it happen, the Hawks should surprise a lot of people this season.  The team has been a mess at the point guard position but this season Anthony Johnson should be able to lead this team.  Off the bench, Ty Lue and Acie Law IV give the Hawks depth at the position.  The key to the season is Al Horford and Josh Smith.  If Smith can get his ego under control, he should be one of the better players in the NBA.  If he tries to be the Human Highlight Reel, it will be another soap opera in Hotlanta.  Al Horford should have a shot at being the Rookie of the Year and will show Shelden Williams exactly how a lotto pick big man should make his mark in the NBA.  All of those "should"'s being said, the Hawks could also find themselves in last place since things never seem to go as they should in ATL.

11. New York: Vegas oddsmakers must be terrified of the Knicks.  This is a team that has the talent to beat the best but at the same time could probably get blown out by the worst as well.  The biggest issue, which Isiah has noted but been unable to fix, is the lack of consistent shooting. This makes it easy to double down on Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry. The odds of either of those guys passing it back out to the perimeter is bad but the odds of someone on the perimeter hitting a jumper is worse.  David Lee should be ready to emerge but instead is trying to learn how to play small forward.  Wilson Chandler should be a solid rookie but his role is basically the same as Renaldo Balkman's. I like a lot of the players on the Knicks but I don't like them as a team.

12. Charlotte: This is a team with a lot of talent and nobody to bring it together.  Raymond Felton is a solid point guard but he's not the playmaker this squad needs.  Gerald Wallace will emerge as an All-Star caliber player but he, Jason Richardson, and Emeka Okafor need someone who can run the show. Replace Felton with Chris Paul and the Bobcats are a playoff team. Another problem is outside shooting.  Richardson, Felton, and Wallace make up one of the worst shooting backcourts in the league.  They're best lineup will probably have Okafor at center with Wallace at 4 and Matt Carroll at 3.  The Bobcats will be able to sneak up on some teams and beat teams that look past them but they were good enough last season that everyone realizes this and will take them seriously.

13. Indiana: Jim O'Brien should like what the Pacers can do offensively but defensively this team is going to be a mess.  They need career seasons from most of their players to fight for the playoffs and even then, an injury to Jermaine O'Neal (which is basically a given at this point in his career) would derail them.  Indiana will live or die by the three.  If Granger, Dunleavy, Diener, and Murphy are on, they could upset some teams and make no mistake that almost every win they have this season will be considered an upset.

14. Milwaukee: On draft night, I said that the new Bucks frontcourt looks more like a trio of Bond villains than a trio of All-Stars and I stand by that. Bogut, Villain, and Yi is one of the most mismatched trios in basketball unless the question is: who are three of the worst defenders in the league? Outside of Michael Redd, everything about this team screams "average". I like Mo Williams but he's an average starting PG. Bobby Simmons and Dez Mason aren't going to help much. While Larry Harris had a very successful first year in Milwaukee, he has been one of the worst GM's in the league over the last two years. He'll be rewarded by getting a shot at Derrick Rose or OJ Mayo.

15. Philadelphia: The Sixers are rebuilding and are heading into a very important offseason next year.  They'll have 'Dre Miller's expiring contract and, for the first time in about decade, cap space to sign some free agents.  This season will be a time to watch Louis Williams, Sam Dalembert, and Kyle Korver so the front office can figure out whether the team wants to keep them or if they will be able to dump them for anything of value. Thad Young will likely have a rough rookie year but Philly fans should hold off before labeling him a bum.  He's a project, which is perfect for the Sixers who'll be looking to add top picks the next couple of years to get them back to the playoffs.

Posted by SoulHonky at 02:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)