WESTERN CONFERENCE - SOUTHWEST DIVISION
1.) San Antonio 2.) Houston 3.) Dallas 4.) New Orleans 5.) Memphis
All-Southwest Team:
PG - Tony Parker / Chris Paul
SG - Jason Terry / Mike Miller
SF - Tracy McGrady / Josh Howard
PF - Dirk Nowitzki / Tim Duncan
C - Yao Ming / Pau Gasol
1. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
-- The Spurs have been the most dominant NBA franchise since the dynasty days in Boston and Los Angeles. But there is one thing that has eluded this current dynasty: back-to-back titles. Last year the Spurs were productive in the regular season winning 58 games but they played their best ball during the post season. After a controversial call or two that turned the Suns / Spurs series into history, San Antonio will use their so-called controversial title as motivation to prove its real value. The biggest and arguably the best big three in the NBA is on the side of the Spurs. Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili will once again take on the role as defending champions and favorites in the west.
New Additions: Tiago Splitter, Marcus Williams, Ime Udoka, Vassilis Spanoulis, Darius Washington, Keith Langford,
Losses: Jackie Butler, Luis Scola, Giorgos Bintezis
Players Under the Radar: Ime Udoka / Matt Bonner
Big Games: Nov. 6 @ HOU, Nov. 15 @ DAL, Dec. 5 vs DAL, Dec. 15 vs DEN, Dec. 17 vs PHX, Dec. 26 vs CHI, Jan. 3 @ DEN, Jan. 31 @ PHX, April 11 vs PHX
2. HOUSTON ROCKETS
-- With 52 wins and a playoff disappointment, the Rockets will look to have repeat success during the regular season without the bitter end result. 52 wins was good for fifth most in the NBA last year, but just third most in the state of Texas (or should I say the state of basketball?). The season stayed on course despite T-Mac missing 11 games and Yao Ming missing 34 (Yao has missed 52 games over the last two seasons). The Rockets welcome in Rick Adelman which will give them a much needed playoff professor. McGrady is probably the most thankful that he'll be taught how to win come post season, he's 0-6 in potential series closing playoff games (losing each closing game by a sad margin of 19.5 points). Adelman has 70 career playoff wins which ranks 11th all time. McGrady will get by round one this year, finally.
New Additions: Steve Francis, Mike James, Justin Reed, Jackie Butler, Luis Scola, Mike Harris, Aaron Brooks, Carl Landry, Brad Newley
Losses: Juwan Howard, Vassilis Spanoulis
Players Under the Radar: Chuck Hayes / Rafer Alston
Big Games: Nov. 1 @ UTA, Nov. 5 @ DAL, Nov. 6 vs SA, Nov. 16 @ SA, Nov. 17 vs PHX, Nov. 21 vs DAL
3. DALLAS MAVERICKS
-- Two 60 win seasons in a row including a whopping 67 last year might be just be the peak for Dallas. After an MVP season, Dirk Nowitzki had to accept his award from a press conference podium because his team was eliminated pre-maturely by the Don Nelson, secret knowing, three point making, run and gun Warriors. It would have been interesting to see the outcome of a Nash / Dirk match-up or a potential Western Conference Finals series of Mavs / Spurs, but the early exit for Dallas is a sign. Finishing third in this division could very well mean finishing third in the entire NBA -- but Dallas won't be reaching the club record for wins this season. Then again, Dirk is amazing. Nowitzki was the only player in the NBA last year to hit 50% from the field, 40% from three and 90% from the free through line.
New Additions: Trenton Hassell, Brandon Bass, Nick Fazekas, Reyshan Terry, Eddie Jones, Renaldas Seubutis, Jamal Sampson, Darvin Ham, Jared Newson
Losses: Austin Croshere, Milovan Rakovic,
Players Under the Radar: DeSagana Diop / Erik Dampier
Big Games: Oct. 31 @ CLE, Nov. 5 vs HOU, Nov. 15 vs SA, Dec. 19 vs PHX, Feb. 14 @ PHX, Feb. 25 vs CHI, Feb 28 @ SA, April 6 @ PHX
4. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
-- In 2003, Memphis won a total of 28 games but responded the next season winning 50. After just 22 wins last year, can they pull a turnaround again? With Pau Gasol, Mike Miller, Rudy Gay and Hakim Warrick already in place -- by adding the number four overall pick Mike Conley Jr. and signing Darko Milicic, the Grizzlies could be ready to flirt with that 50 win mark. If Memphis can keep Gasol healthy and Conley improves the point guard game (they were 2nd worst in the west last year in TOs averaging 16.4 per game) -- many believe that they could again become contenders in the Southwest division.
New Additions: Darko Milicic, Mike Conley Jr., Andre Brown, Casey Jacobson, Juan Carlos Navarro, Kasib Powell, Dontell Jefferson
Losses: Chucky Atkins
Players Under the Radar: Hakim Warrick / Damon Stoudamire
Big Games: Nov. 16 vs NO, Dec. 5 @ HOU, Dec. 30 @ SA, Feb. 9 @ NO, Feb. 22 vs DAL, April 8 vs PHX
5. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS
-- Last season wasn't a failure, nor was it a success. The Hornets were hoping that they would get more production from Peja Stojakovic, but he missed almost the entire season from a surgically repaired back. New Orleans missed out on the post season for the third year in a row and they might not be able to keep up in one of the deepest Western conference divisions. It might be better than expected for the Hornet's first full season back in the big easy. Accompanying super star Chris Paul will be a healthy Stojakovic, David West and Tyson Chandler. Chandler might be a huge factor in the Hornets success. During the month of February last year, Chandler recorded an average of 16.1 rebounds per game -- the second highest average for a player that participated in at least three games in a single month. The Hornets will employ a group of role players to fill in the holes.
New Additions: Morris Peterson, Julian Wright, Adam Haluska, Melvin Ely
Losses: Desmond Mason, Brandon Bass, Eric Chenowith, Anthony Richardson
Players Under the Radar: Jannero Pargo / Rasual Butler
Big Games: Oct. 31 vs SAC, Nov. 16 @ MEM, Dec. 1 vs DAL, Jan. 26 @ SA, April 16 @ DAL
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