Yes, there is a lot that is new this season for the Timberwolves. They altered their secondary symbol by making it look like their original logo. They have new jerseys that are form fit. They have a brand new floor at Target Center that has distinctive features with dark hardwood between the three-point lines and light wood inside them. They have a few new faces with Kevin Love, Mike Miller and Rodney Carney. And they have a new outlook.
In an exciting down to the wire finish, the Timberwolves held on to win the season opener against the Sacramento Kings 98-96.
Al Jefferson led the wolves with 21 points and 10 rebounds. Big Al was quoted in today's Star Tribune as saying "Last year was the first time I've been in that kind of a leadership role, I did a lot of growing up last year. This year will be a lot different." As a lifelong Wolves watcher, I hope this year is different. After seeing KG get his ring, and the Wolves win just 25 games, I'm ready for us to lose in the first round of the playoffs again.
For Minnesota to avoid another 57 loss season, the Wolves had to take care of some very important needs during the off-season:
Need No. 1 -- Outside shooting to complement Al Jefferson.
-- Mike Miller will open things up, not only for Jefferson, but for the point guards.
Need No. 2 -- Post presence opposite Al Jefferson.
-- Trading for Kevin Love will help Jefferson see more one-on-one defense.
Need No. 3 -- Comfort and Confidence.
-- Randy Wittman was getting comfortable on the job last season, along with nearly half of the roster who came from Boston in the KG trade. These guys are starting to get familiar with each other and looked like they were meshing well during the first game of the season.
It all starts with Big Al Jefferson . This 23 year old (he's a month older than I am) may actually be the real Greg Oden . He put up numbers comparable to any of the NBA's best players last season with 221. ppg, 11.1 rpg, 50 FG%, 1.5 bpg. Jefferson had 21 and 12 in the season opener.
Kevin Love had a great rookie debut scoring 12 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. The Mayo for Love/Miller trade may turn out to be Kevin McHale's first decent move in his history as GM. In his debut, Love looked like he had been playing in the NBA for years, grabbing rebounds out of the hands of veterans, putting put tough lay-ups in traffic, all while playing with passion. If Love can put up Al Horford type rookie numbers, he should have a good chance for ROY.
Corey Brewer has his headband back and he played like it was the key to his college success. Randy Wittman's doesn't allow rookies to wear headband, in his second season Brewer has his old friend back. Brewer had 8 points, seven rebounds and four assists tonight against the Kings. I go back to off-season need No. 3, comfort and confidence -- Brewer acquired both this off-season. Corey has to find a role, whether that be explosive offense or the lead of the fast break, he needs find a way to fit in. Brewer is very talented, but I'm still not sure if he can dribble.
Mike Miller , like Brewer, is another former Florida National champ on the Wolves roster. His outside shooting keeps defenders honest which allows him to penetrate easier and also leaves the post less congested for Al or Kevin to go to work. Miller shot just one three in his Wolves debut, but he did make a FT with 26.3 seconds left to help lift the Wolves to victory.
Randy Foye is on a lot of experts pre-season awards short lists for the NBA's most improved player honor. After missing nearly the entire season last year, Foye is motivated to be a big part of the Timberwolves turnaround. With Foye in the line-up on a nightly basis, the Timberwolves ball movement should improve.
Rashad McCants will try the 6th man role this season which could turn out to be the best thing that has every happened to him. He will get a chance to provide instant offense off the bench. In seven pre-season games, coming off the bench in all but one, McCants was second on the team in scoring with 13.3 points per game. He had 15 points tonight.
Craig Smith , who is known as the Rhino, is huge. He will provide the bang when Jefferson is taking a breather. Quoted in the Star Tribune today, Smith said, "I've kind of molded into a banger, but I'll do what's needed of me. One day it's rebounding, another it's scoring. In size, I can match up with just about anybody, so I try and keep myself in the best shape possible."
Even though he didn't play tonight, Sebastian Telfair is apparently better by leaps and strides than he was a year ago. Ryan Gomes has the type of game that can mold to either forward position and he can even play shooting guard if needed. Rodney Carney , the former Memphis star, could be a sweet steal, he has already contributed in his first game for the Wolves in 12 minutes of action. Jason Collins and Calvin Booth provide some extra size and veteran guard Kevin Ollie will help back up Foye and Telfair.
By no means am I unrealistic with expectations. I ranked the Wolves 25th out of 30 teams in my NBA Pre-Season post .
With the supporting that has slowly been assembled around Al Jefferson, maybe there is hope that Kevin McHale got it right this time around. We'll shall see.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Greg Oden... Playing Decent... But Limping. (10/28/08)
Greg Oden is making his NBA debut tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers. His hype is ridiculous. The "rookie" has every NBA fans attention on opening night. He also has other NBA players paying attention as well...
Kevin Martin won $1,000 last week from Mikki Moore for being the first to dunk on Oden. The next night, the Clippers' Ricky Davis offered $500 to several of his teammates if they could put one down on Oden -- this wass for pre-season games.
It is well into the second quarter and he has 4 rebounds and 0 points, but he is noticeably limping while running up and down the floor. It appears that Oden has not fully healed from his microfracture surgery.
I'm not saying that he is going to miss any time or that he won't improve throughout the season. But I am implying that Oden has an injury and it should be monitored. I believe that Oden is injury prone. During his one year at Ohio State, Oden had to shoot free throws with his off-hand (left) because he had to have surgery on his shooting hand (right).
I am under the assumption that because of Oden's hype, his stock has risen more than most NBA stocks since they were IPO'd. If those people feel that his limp, given his history, is a reason enough to hold off hope that he is going to out-earn his $150 price, then they may sell off. I am shorting.
On the other hand, Rudy Fernandez looks great. The other Blazer "rookie" has 9 points with 1:21 left before halftime.
Kevin Martin won $1,000 last week from Mikki Moore for being the first to dunk on Oden. The next night, the Clippers' Ricky Davis offered $500 to several of his teammates if they could put one down on Oden -- this wass for pre-season games.
It is well into the second quarter and he has 4 rebounds and 0 points, but he is noticeably limping while running up and down the floor. It appears that Oden has not fully healed from his microfracture surgery.
I'm not saying that he is going to miss any time or that he won't improve throughout the season. But I am implying that Oden has an injury and it should be monitored. I believe that Oden is injury prone. During his one year at Ohio State, Oden had to shoot free throws with his off-hand (left) because he had to have surgery on his shooting hand (right).
I am under the assumption that because of Oden's hype, his stock has risen more than most NBA stocks since they were IPO'd. If those people feel that his limp, given his history, is a reason enough to hold off hope that he is going to out-earn his $150 price, then they may sell off. I am shorting.
On the other hand, Rudy Fernandez looks great. The other Blazer "rookie" has 9 points with 1:21 left before halftime.
Top 10 Sports Halloween Costumes (10/28/08)
I know that this is probably played out and you've heard of all of these before, but I have searched google and everywhere for good costume sports inspired costume ideas. Here is my top 10 list.. Got any suggestions?
10. Steve Bartman -- There is always at least one Bartman at every Halloween party. The classic Bartman: Headphones, blue Cubs hat and sweatshirt. Although, you could pretty much go as any Cub fan.
9. Mike Tyson - You can actually get a Tyson mask fully equipped with face tattoo for only $18. After that all you need is some boxing gloves, a lispy high voice and no money.
8. Al Davis -- This seems to be a pretty easy costume to go as. Just have the silver and black track suit, some gold chains, rectangle glasses and a wrinkly old face. You can also bring an e-mail to read.
7. Michael Phelps -- Go with a swim cap and 8 gold medals. Don't go with a speedo, that might scare the children.
6. O. J. Simpson -- I guess an O.J. mask that was made in the mid-90's went for $300 on ebay this past week. The Juice makes for a good costume since this time around you don't have to go as a murderer but a memorabilia robber. Grab a toy gun, forge some old Simpson photos and walk around asking, "What IF I did it?", you'll be set.
5. Tom Brady -- Simple costume here. Put on your patriots jersey, some black paint under the eyes, a booted cast and some crutches.
4. Lance Armstrong -- You don't necessarily need a bike for this one, but it could help. Just get a yellow skin tight t-shirt, really short shorts, some slick sunglasses and a wrist full of "live strong" bracelets. If you are really trying to come in first place in the costume contest, just tell everybody you had a testicle removed -- you'll win.
3. Pacman Jones -- Get your "biggest" buddy and have him play the role of bodyguard. For this costume you need to have a stack of one dollar bills to make it rain and of course, a toothpick.
2. Tim Donaghy -- There are two ways of doing this costume... One, you could go as Tim the ref and make terrible calls all night. Or two, you could carry around the spreads of NBA games, wear an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs.
1. Joe Cullen -- I guess Jon Kitna pulled this one off last year. Cullen is the Lions assistant coach that was arrested for driving drunk and naked through a Wendy's drive-thru. Just grab a Lions visor and your birthday suit, have your wife dress as a Wendy's employee and you are all set.
Others:
Bill Belichick -- Cut-up hoodie, sad demenor.
Greg Oden -- Just get a Frankenstein mask.
Alex Rodriguez -- Yankee shirt, perfect nails (no rings), hair dyed just right.
Brett Favre -- The Green Bay Favre, of course. Pain killers and all.
John Madden -- "Halloween is a time, where children, get candy."
10. Steve Bartman -- There is always at least one Bartman at every Halloween party. The classic Bartman: Headphones, blue Cubs hat and sweatshirt. Although, you could pretty much go as any Cub fan.
9. Mike Tyson - You can actually get a Tyson mask fully equipped with face tattoo for only $18. After that all you need is some boxing gloves, a lispy high voice and no money.
8. Al Davis -- This seems to be a pretty easy costume to go as. Just have the silver and black track suit, some gold chains, rectangle glasses and a wrinkly old face. You can also bring an e-mail to read.
7. Michael Phelps -- Go with a swim cap and 8 gold medals. Don't go with a speedo, that might scare the children.
6. O. J. Simpson -- I guess an O.J. mask that was made in the mid-90's went for $300 on ebay this past week. The Juice makes for a good costume since this time around you don't have to go as a murderer but a memorabilia robber. Grab a toy gun, forge some old Simpson photos and walk around asking, "What IF I did it?", you'll be set.
5. Tom Brady -- Simple costume here. Put on your patriots jersey, some black paint under the eyes, a booted cast and some crutches.
4. Lance Armstrong -- You don't necessarily need a bike for this one, but it could help. Just get a yellow skin tight t-shirt, really short shorts, some slick sunglasses and a wrist full of "live strong" bracelets. If you are really trying to come in first place in the costume contest, just tell everybody you had a testicle removed -- you'll win.
3. Pacman Jones -- Get your "biggest" buddy and have him play the role of bodyguard. For this costume you need to have a stack of one dollar bills to make it rain and of course, a toothpick.
2. Tim Donaghy -- There are two ways of doing this costume... One, you could go as Tim the ref and make terrible calls all night. Or two, you could carry around the spreads of NBA games, wear an orange jumpsuit with handcuffs.
1. Joe Cullen -- I guess Jon Kitna pulled this one off last year. Cullen is the Lions assistant coach that was arrested for driving drunk and naked through a Wendy's drive-thru. Just grab a Lions visor and your birthday suit, have your wife dress as a Wendy's employee and you are all set.
Others:
Bill Belichick -- Cut-up hoodie, sad demenor.
Greg Oden -- Just get a Frankenstein mask.
Alex Rodriguez -- Yankee shirt, perfect nails (no rings), hair dyed just right.
Brett Favre -- The Green Bay Favre, of course. Pain killers and all.
John Madden -- "Halloween is a time, where children, get candy."
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Fantasy Basketball CHEat Sheet: TOP 100 (10/19/08)
Fantasy Basketball "draft season" is underway. I have a draft this evening and I am preparing my "cheat sheet". Here is my TOP 100. Let me know what you would change...
1. Kobe Bryant - You'd be fine with Amar'e, CP3 or James here...
2. Amar'e Stoudemire - Will have green light to go off statistically.
3. Chris Paul - Contributes in almost all stat categories.
4. LeBron James - Would be clear No. 1 if had higher FT%.
5. Dirk Nowitzki - Dirk has MVP potential, Kidd to dime him.
6. Kevin Garnett - KG still consistently delivers.
7. Shawn Marion - Marion could be great late first round steal.
8. Dwyane Wade - Wade will benefit from guard duties, Beasley.
9. Yao Ming - Slipping in drafts, I'm imagining a huge year.
10. Elton Brand - Lots of pressure on Brand, MVP caliber.
11. Baron Davis - Davis ready to run with new cast.
12. Deron Williams - D-Will could lead NBA in assists per game.
13. Steve Nash - Not worried about stats, but will still get 'em.
14. Pau Gasol - Full season with Kobe and Co. could be big.
15. Caron Butler - Butler might have to be great, big numbers.
16. Chris Bosh - Not sure if JO will help or hurt CB's stats.
17. Carlos Boozer - Boozer should do 17, 10.
18. Al Jefferson - Big Al could be big for points, rebounds.
19. Danny Granger - Granger's all around game makes him valuable.
20. Josh Smith - Young, athletic, versatile.
21. Dwight Howard - Has room to improve, but will lead NBA in Blk/game.
22. Tim Duncan - Duncan might be past his prime, still not bad.
23. Chauncey Billups - Billups underrated again, should be great.
24. Allen Iverson - AI scores, but turnovers hurt.
25. Marcus Camby - Camby contributes, new role makes him questionable.
26. Carmelo Anthony - Melo's selfishness helps you in fantasy.
27. Brandon Roy - Roy is ready to flirt with the MVP award.
28. Rashard Lewis - Lewis is talented, has the shot and the size.
29. Rudy Gay - Rudy's forced to be one of the only offensive options.
30. Paul Pierce - Pierce should produce, MVP talent.
31. Jason Kidd - Kidd is a walking triple-double, should be considered.
32. Kevin Martin - Sac-town needs Martin to score 25 a night.
33. Andre Iguodala - AI2 gets stats, ready for career year.
34. Joe Johnson - Atlanta's leader will have another great year.
35. Vince Carter - Could be a down year, his body isn't the same.
36. Andrew Bynum - Might end up with 12/12 per night, could be more like 6/6.
37. Gerald Wallace - Wallace needs to stay healthy, great statline though.
38. Tyson Chandler - Chandler benefits from Chris Paul's great vision.
39. Josh Howard - "Smoke weed every day..." (in the off-season).
40. Jermaine O'Neal - JO's new surroundings should revive him.
41. Andrei Kirilenko - AK47 was once a top 20 fantasy player, he'll get back soon.
42. Greg Oden - Oden might be drafted WAY too high, but right here seems appropriate.
43. LaMarcus Aldridge - Young and big, Aldridge will collect statistics .
44. Samuel Dalembert - Sam Dam might turn into an All-Stud with Brand.
45. Rasheed Wallace - Not sure if age is a factor, but it is for me.
46. Ron Artest - Artest is a question mark, could dominate defensively.
47. David West - Let's see if West can do it again...
48. Jose Calderon - Could flirt with double digit assists/game.
49. Antawn Jamison - Can he continue to produce? Or is he the downslide?
50. Michael Redd - Might have to step up like never before.
51. Tracy McGrady - T-Mac falling out of the Top 50 could be a joke.
52. Luol Deng - Deng is a great stat contributor, needs to step up a notch.
53. Richard Hamilton - Rip is still running, but how full is the tank?
54. Leandro Barbosa - The Blur should get plenty of action this year.
55. Lamar Odom - The Lakers might be too stacked, Odom will find his .
56. Jason Richardson - Richardson is offensive leader, hits plenty of 3's.
57. Mo Williams - Mo could be a solid late round point guard.
58. Devin Harris - Primed for a break-out year.
59. Kevin Durant - Don't overrate KD.
60. Ray Allen - Allen has great percentages, good for a few 3's a game.
61. Richard Jefferson - New home for RJ should solidify him as a leader.
62. Jamal Crawford - Crawford puts up great numbers, could be a steal.
63. Emeka Okafor - Okafor's inconsistency makes him drop.
64. Andre Miller - Taking Andre Miller might be a great decision.
65. Jason Terry - Terry does a lot, should benefit with Kidd all season.
66. Mike Dunleavy - Dunleavy is a serious fantasy stud, draft him.
67. Hedo Turkoglu - Hedo broke out last year, needs to prove it.
68. Chris Kaman - Kaman's numbers suffer with Camby on board.
69. Mehmet Okur - Okur can hit the three, will be solid.
70. Andris Biedrins - Biedrins can't hit a FT, will have plenty of practice this year.
71. Brad Miller - Miller contributes, solid late round C.
72. Andrew Bogut - Bogut hasn't proved he was worth the No. 1, maybe this year.
73. Al Horford - Horford could easily be a solid steal.
74. Raymond Felton - Felton has potential to drop 10 dimes a game.
75. Gilbert Arenas - I don't know where Gilbert belongs...
76. T.J. Ford - Ford's new home might help him become the All-Star he is.
77. Mike Bibby - Bibby has the crew, now it's time to produce.
78. Tony Parker - Is this Parker's year to run at the MVP?
79. Corey Maggette - A new home won't change his injury-prone body.
80. Michael Beasley - Beasley might have to prove he can pound before I draft him.
81. Mike Miller - Miller Time in Minnesota!
82. Kirk Hinrich - With Rose in the wings, Hinrich needs to be flawless.
83. Ben Gordon - BG has the talent to be a big contributor.
84. Stephen Jackson - Jackson won't hesitate hucking up the three.
85. Peja Stojakovic - Peja is a silent stat machine with the drive a dish of CP3.
86. Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Big Z might be wearing down.
87. Rajon Rondo - Rondo should be better with championship confidence.
88. Thaddeus Young - Philly is stacked, Young has all-around game.
89. Charlie Villanueva - Charlie V might be ready to break-out.
90. Randy Foye - Foye needs to be great for Minny to go anywhere.
91. John Salmons - Salmons played great last year, more of the same expected.
92. David Lee - Rebounds and now scoring? Offensive game could propel Lee.
93. Al Harrington - Harrington might be too slow to be counted on.
94. Shane Battier - Battier's game is great, but not particularly for fantasy.
95. O.J. Mayo - Mayo should have a good chance to score a lot.
96. Marvin Williams - Marvin is STILL young, but excuse is getting old.
97. Francisco Garcia - Has the offensive game to be great late rounder.
98. Al Thornton - A Davis-to-Thornton alley-oop should be common.
99. Tayshaun Prince - Prince's numbers aren't huge, but helpful.
100. Troy Murphy - Murphy will show his worth with O'Neal gone.
Others:
Anthony Parker, Zach Randolph, Nene Hilario, Jameer Nelson, Ronnie Brewer, Rafer Alston, Derrick Rose, Rudy Fernandez, DeShawn Stevenson, Linas Kleiza, Shaquille O'Neal, Martell Webster, Darko Milicic, Kevin Love, Manu Ginobili
1. Kobe Bryant - You'd be fine with Amar'e, CP3 or James here...
2. Amar'e Stoudemire - Will have green light to go off statistically.
3. Chris Paul - Contributes in almost all stat categories.
4. LeBron James - Would be clear No. 1 if had higher FT%.
5. Dirk Nowitzki - Dirk has MVP potential, Kidd to dime him.
6. Kevin Garnett - KG still consistently delivers.
7. Shawn Marion - Marion could be great late first round steal.
8. Dwyane Wade - Wade will benefit from guard duties, Beasley.
9. Yao Ming - Slipping in drafts, I'm imagining a huge year.
10. Elton Brand - Lots of pressure on Brand, MVP caliber.
11. Baron Davis - Davis ready to run with new cast.
12. Deron Williams - D-Will could lead NBA in assists per game.
13. Steve Nash - Not worried about stats, but will still get 'em.
14. Pau Gasol - Full season with Kobe and Co. could be big.
15. Caron Butler - Butler might have to be great, big numbers.
16. Chris Bosh - Not sure if JO will help or hurt CB's stats.
17. Carlos Boozer - Boozer should do 17, 10.
18. Al Jefferson - Big Al could be big for points, rebounds.
19. Danny Granger - Granger's all around game makes him valuable.
20. Josh Smith - Young, athletic, versatile.
21. Dwight Howard - Has room to improve, but will lead NBA in Blk/game.
22. Tim Duncan - Duncan might be past his prime, still not bad.
23. Chauncey Billups - Billups underrated again, should be great.
24. Allen Iverson - AI scores, but turnovers hurt.
25. Marcus Camby - Camby contributes, new role makes him questionable.
26. Carmelo Anthony - Melo's selfishness helps you in fantasy.
27. Brandon Roy - Roy is ready to flirt with the MVP award.
28. Rashard Lewis - Lewis is talented, has the shot and the size.
29. Rudy Gay - Rudy's forced to be one of the only offensive options.
30. Paul Pierce - Pierce should produce, MVP talent.
31. Jason Kidd - Kidd is a walking triple-double, should be considered.
32. Kevin Martin - Sac-town needs Martin to score 25 a night.
33. Andre Iguodala - AI2 gets stats, ready for career year.
34. Joe Johnson - Atlanta's leader will have another great year.
35. Vince Carter - Could be a down year, his body isn't the same.
36. Andrew Bynum - Might end up with 12/12 per night, could be more like 6/6.
37. Gerald Wallace - Wallace needs to stay healthy, great statline though.
38. Tyson Chandler - Chandler benefits from Chris Paul's great vision.
39. Josh Howard - "Smoke weed every day..." (in the off-season).
40. Jermaine O'Neal - JO's new surroundings should revive him.
41. Andrei Kirilenko - AK47 was once a top 20 fantasy player, he'll get back soon.
42. Greg Oden - Oden might be drafted WAY too high, but right here seems appropriate.
43. LaMarcus Aldridge - Young and big, Aldridge will collect statistics .
44. Samuel Dalembert - Sam Dam might turn into an All-Stud with Brand.
45. Rasheed Wallace - Not sure if age is a factor, but it is for me.
46. Ron Artest - Artest is a question mark, could dominate defensively.
47. David West - Let's see if West can do it again...
48. Jose Calderon - Could flirt with double digit assists/game.
49. Antawn Jamison - Can he continue to produce? Or is he the downslide?
50. Michael Redd - Might have to step up like never before.
51. Tracy McGrady - T-Mac falling out of the Top 50 could be a joke.
52. Luol Deng - Deng is a great stat contributor, needs to step up a notch.
53. Richard Hamilton - Rip is still running, but how full is the tank?
54. Leandro Barbosa - The Blur should get plenty of action this year.
55. Lamar Odom - The Lakers might be too stacked, Odom will find his .
56. Jason Richardson - Richardson is offensive leader, hits plenty of 3's.
57. Mo Williams - Mo could be a solid late round point guard.
58. Devin Harris - Primed for a break-out year.
59. Kevin Durant - Don't overrate KD.
60. Ray Allen - Allen has great percentages, good for a few 3's a game.
61. Richard Jefferson - New home for RJ should solidify him as a leader.
62. Jamal Crawford - Crawford puts up great numbers, could be a steal.
63. Emeka Okafor - Okafor's inconsistency makes him drop.
64. Andre Miller - Taking Andre Miller might be a great decision.
65. Jason Terry - Terry does a lot, should benefit with Kidd all season.
66. Mike Dunleavy - Dunleavy is a serious fantasy stud, draft him.
67. Hedo Turkoglu - Hedo broke out last year, needs to prove it.
68. Chris Kaman - Kaman's numbers suffer with Camby on board.
69. Mehmet Okur - Okur can hit the three, will be solid.
70. Andris Biedrins - Biedrins can't hit a FT, will have plenty of practice this year.
71. Brad Miller - Miller contributes, solid late round C.
72. Andrew Bogut - Bogut hasn't proved he was worth the No. 1, maybe this year.
73. Al Horford - Horford could easily be a solid steal.
74. Raymond Felton - Felton has potential to drop 10 dimes a game.
75. Gilbert Arenas - I don't know where Gilbert belongs...
76. T.J. Ford - Ford's new home might help him become the All-Star he is.
77. Mike Bibby - Bibby has the crew, now it's time to produce.
78. Tony Parker - Is this Parker's year to run at the MVP?
79. Corey Maggette - A new home won't change his injury-prone body.
80. Michael Beasley - Beasley might have to prove he can pound before I draft him.
81. Mike Miller - Miller Time in Minnesota!
82. Kirk Hinrich - With Rose in the wings, Hinrich needs to be flawless.
83. Ben Gordon - BG has the talent to be a big contributor.
84. Stephen Jackson - Jackson won't hesitate hucking up the three.
85. Peja Stojakovic - Peja is a silent stat machine with the drive a dish of CP3.
86. Zydrunas Ilgauskas - Big Z might be wearing down.
87. Rajon Rondo - Rondo should be better with championship confidence.
88. Thaddeus Young - Philly is stacked, Young has all-around game.
89. Charlie Villanueva - Charlie V might be ready to break-out.
90. Randy Foye - Foye needs to be great for Minny to go anywhere.
91. John Salmons - Salmons played great last year, more of the same expected.
92. David Lee - Rebounds and now scoring? Offensive game could propel Lee.
93. Al Harrington - Harrington might be too slow to be counted on.
94. Shane Battier - Battier's game is great, but not particularly for fantasy.
95. O.J. Mayo - Mayo should have a good chance to score a lot.
96. Marvin Williams - Marvin is STILL young, but excuse is getting old.
97. Francisco Garcia - Has the offensive game to be great late rounder.
98. Al Thornton - A Davis-to-Thornton alley-oop should be common.
99. Tayshaun Prince - Prince's numbers aren't huge, but helpful.
100. Troy Murphy - Murphy will show his worth with O'Neal gone.
Others:
Anthony Parker, Zach Randolph, Nene Hilario, Jameer Nelson, Ronnie Brewer, Rafer Alston, Derrick Rose, Rudy Fernandez, DeShawn Stevenson, Linas Kleiza, Shaquille O'Neal, Martell Webster, Darko Milicic, Kevin Love, Manu Ginobili
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
NBA Players To Watch In 2009 (Oct. 14, 2008)
NBA Players to Watch in 2009:
Mo Williams -- Williams teams up with LBJ after two straight seasons scoring more than 17 and dishing more than 6. If all goes well for Williams (meaning he doesn't miss his annual 15-20 games), he should have a career year.
Martell Webster -- If Webster can bounce back from surgery that is expected to sideline him for 10 weeks, the Blazers may have yet another emerging All-Star. Webster has improved each season since coming into the NBA straight out of high school. He averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.0 rpg, playing nearly 30 minutes a night last season.
Jose Calderon -- After just his third season in the NBA, Calderon scored 11.2 ppg and had 8.3 apg. With Ford exiting for Toronto and O'Neal on board, Calderon should flirt with 10 assists per game this season.
Al Thornton -- With Davis on board, the Clippers offense should thrive and Thronton will be the beneficiary. After playing 27 minutes a game and averaging 12.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg as a rookie, I expect to see a solid sophomore campaign from the former Florida State forward.
DeShawn Stevenson -- Another no-college talent has used his first three seasons in the NBA as "education". Stevenson may be called upon heavily to score buckets during the first part of the season with Arenas out. Stevenson has always been productive in all categories (at least 11 points per game each of his first three seasons), the Wizards will need him to be just a little more productive.
Gerald Wallace -- If Wallace can stay on the court for all 82 games, he could be the NBA's next consistent All-Star. Wallace has improved his numbers every year since entering the league as the 25th overall pick in 2001.
Louis Williams -- This 22 year old kid broke out last year with an 11.5 ppg average and dishing out 2.1 apg. After finding confidence last year, I imagine we'll see big numbers for Williams this season.
Danny Granger -- Granger is a stat racking beast. His 6-9 frame allows him to gather rebounds (6.1) while scoring in a variety of ways (19.6 ppg, 40% from 3) and his long arms allow him to get dirty on defense (1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg). Granger should be an All-Star and will be a house-hold name in no time.
Mo Williams -- Williams teams up with LBJ after two straight seasons scoring more than 17 and dishing more than 6. If all goes well for Williams (meaning he doesn't miss his annual 15-20 games), he should have a career year.
Martell Webster -- If Webster can bounce back from surgery that is expected to sideline him for 10 weeks, the Blazers may have yet another emerging All-Star. Webster has improved each season since coming into the NBA straight out of high school. He averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.0 rpg, playing nearly 30 minutes a night last season.
Jose Calderon -- After just his third season in the NBA, Calderon scored 11.2 ppg and had 8.3 apg. With Ford exiting for Toronto and O'Neal on board, Calderon should flirt with 10 assists per game this season.
Al Thornton -- With Davis on board, the Clippers offense should thrive and Thronton will be the beneficiary. After playing 27 minutes a game and averaging 12.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg as a rookie, I expect to see a solid sophomore campaign from the former Florida State forward.
DeShawn Stevenson -- Another no-college talent has used his first three seasons in the NBA as "education". Stevenson may be called upon heavily to score buckets during the first part of the season with Arenas out. Stevenson has always been productive in all categories (at least 11 points per game each of his first three seasons), the Wizards will need him to be just a little more productive.
Gerald Wallace -- If Wallace can stay on the court for all 82 games, he could be the NBA's next consistent All-Star. Wallace has improved his numbers every year since entering the league as the 25th overall pick in 2001.
Louis Williams -- This 22 year old kid broke out last year with an 11.5 ppg average and dishing out 2.1 apg. After finding confidence last year, I imagine we'll see big numbers for Williams this season.
Danny Granger -- Granger is a stat racking beast. His 6-9 frame allows him to gather rebounds (6.1) while scoring in a variety of ways (19.6 ppg, 40% from 3) and his long arms allow him to get dirty on defense (1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg). Granger should be an All-Star and will be a house-hold name in no time.
CheChe23's Pre-Season NBA Power Rankings (10/14/08)
CheChe23's Pre-Season NBA Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles Lakers -- The Lakers should win the title, and they will probably do it over the Celtics. If Jackson can get the line-up right they Lakers could flirt with 70 wins. Odom, Bynum, Gasol and Kobe make up the most feared fab four any NBA team can floor this season. Questions still remain over whether or not they can use Gasol and Bynum at the same time, or who their primary ball handler will be. And injuries will always be a concern. Kobe has his issues, Bynum hasn't played a real NBA game since January and Gasol played 56 games in '05 and 59 games in '07. Just recently Derek Fisher has had to miss pre-season action from a sore right knee, Farmar has had to sit out because of a sore right foot and Sasha Vujacic has a sprained ankle. After 57 wins a year ago, the Lakers would be disappointed with anything less than 60 and a Western Conference crown.
2. Boston Celtics -- How will the Celtics follow up their picture perfect 66-win, NBA Championship season? Is the Boston Big Three big enough for a repeat? From the looks of it, the Celtics won't have any problem with their Eastern Conference rivals again this year, the division should be theirs for the taking. Even after losing James Posey, the Celtics depth may have improved. Tony Allen, Eddie House, Glen Davis and Leon Powe all return to anchor the bench. New additions Patrick O'Bryant, Darius Miles, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker will add youth and size while adding speed as well. KG, Pierce, Allen got what they wanted last year, I think the Lakers will get the better of them this year.
3. Houston Rockets -- Yes, the Rockets will get out of the first round of the playoffs this year. Injuries have killed what could be one of the deadliest 1-2 punches in the NBA (McGrady/Ming), but healthy they could easily win the West. Ron Artest may put the Rockets on another level, but then again, injuries and suspensions have prevented Artest from ever playing all 82 games in a season. On paper this team is stacked: McGrady, Yao, Artest, Battier, Brent Berry, Alston, Francis, Hayes, Head, Landry, Scola... Not to mention the youth movement in Von Wafer, D.J. Strawberry, Maarty Leunen, Aaron Brooks and Joey Dorsey. Houston's NBA Championship hope lies heavy on the fact that Rafer Alston is a legit NBA point guard and that they can all stay healthy -- we'll see.
4. Utah Jazz -- Utah would have knocked off the Lakers in the playoffs last year if it hadn't been for the refs being paid to put Boston against LA. It wouldn't surprise anyone to see the Jazz back in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer has made a new generation of Jazz fans respect the pick and roll. Talent is aplenty in Utah: Brewer, Kirilenko, Korver, Milsap, Okur... Depth too: Almond, Collins, Harpring, Knight, Koufos, Miles, Price...
5. Portland Trail Blazers -- Move over Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio... Portland is ready to become the newest team to beat in the Western Conference. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster and Greg Oden make a poor-man's version of the Lakers fab-four. With a little bit of the proper chemistry, I think the Trail Blazers could be playing playoff games in Portland this April.
6. New Orleans Hornets -- How can Chris Paul get any better? Paul had 21.1 ppg, 11.6 apg and 4.0 rpg last year, but finished second in the MVP balloting. Last year the Hornets were able to thrive off of Tyson Chandler and David West and they'll need the same production if they expect the same results (4th best record overall). Adding James Posey will help come playoff time, Rasual Butler, Devin Brown, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, Bonzi Wells, Mike James and Julian Wright give the Hornets great depth.
7. Detroit Pistons -- Aging veterans (Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton) will need talented youngsters (Aaron Afflalo, Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey) to carry much of the regular season burden. Detroit will emerge as one of the top teams in the East, but it won't come as easily as it has in the past. The Pistons will get the best from Eastern Conference foes: Boston, Orlando, Toronto, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Atlanta.
8. Dallas Mavericks -- A full season with Jason Kidd could equal great success in Dallas. Depth was the deciding factor on why I ranked Dallas at the lower half of the top 10. I'm not too confident with anyone else they have running the point besides Jason Kidd (unless I want to believe that JaJuan Smith is a point guard). And despite Jason Kidd's 14 years of experience, the Mavs are young. Looking at the Mavericks active roster on Yahoo as of today, I see 11 players with three years experience or less.
9. Philadelphia 76ers -- Philly was one of the most surprising teams last season, finishing with the 7th spot in the playoff picture. And this past off-season they added an MVP caliber power forward in Elton Brand to put the together the final piece in what could be a championship contending puzzle. Andre Iguodala must emerge as a legit NBA superstar to compliment Brand. The rest of the bunch, Sam Dalembert, Willie Green, Andre Miller, Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, must continue to progress from last year, otherwise Orlando, Toronto, Cleveland and Atlanta will surpass them.
10. Phoenix Suns -- Phoenix is hoping to get "there" with the help of "motivating factors". We all know that Shaq thinks he deserves at least one more, Steve Nash definitely would rather have a finals trophy than his two MVP's and Grant Hill wants to know what it's like to cut down the nets in the NBA. Combined all that together and couple it with Amare Stoudemire's talent and the Suns are without question a contender -- they just might need to win a few games on the road come playoff time. But any injury could derail this team to the brink of being last year's Bulls (pre-season contender to next year's No. 1 overall pick).
11. Orlando Magic -- I decided that Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis make a better 1-2 punch than Toronto's Bosh and O'Neal, which is why the Magic are ranked just higher than the Raptors.
12. Toronto Raptors -- Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal together looks great on paper, but how will it look on the floor? Questions remain over a few members of the Raptors roster: Andrea Bargnani, Jason Kapono, Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker.
13. San Antonio Spurs -- With Manu out until mid-December, the Spurs are going to have to rely on Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, Roger Mason, Salim Stoudamire and Ime Udoka. This could be a typical Spurs season: start slow, finish strong, contend for the title.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers -- Yes, LeBron could probably carry this team to the NBA final four on his own. Having Mo Williams, Z, Delonte West, Booby, Wally and Big Ben will help -- but these guys aren't the supporting cast that is going to help Bron Bron get his first ring.
15. Atlanta Hawks -- Atlanta was the feel good story last year: Making the post-season for the first time ever (not really), taking the Celtics to seven games, etc. Mike Bibby, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams together make five great athletes, but I feel like they are one player away from making a serious run.
16. Los Angeles Clippers -- There is a lot to look forward to for the Clippers. Finally they have star power in Baron Davis, defensive prowess with Camby and Kaman, rookie hype with Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan and rising talent with Al Thornton. It might not be all that bad without Elton Brand.
17. Denver Nuggets -- Denver can't play defense and just got rid of Marcus Camby, it could be a long season. But they still have Melo and AI right?
18. Indiana Pacers -- No more O'Neal means life will be good for Granger and Murphy. Danny Granger is about to let you know he's one of the best in the league.
19. Miami Heat -- Wade, Marion and Beasley make a solid sounding big three... but that still doesn't mean much when Chris Quinn and Marcus Banks are your point men.
20. Chicago Bulls -- The draft winners will have to employ Joakim Noah and Aaron Gray at center, that could be the only thing holding the Bulls back. Will this team look the same at season's end?
21. Washington Wizards -- Even without Gilbert for however long, the Wizards might be just fine with Dee Brown, Antonio Daniels and DeShawn Stevenson.
22. Sacramento Kings -- There is a serious lack of quality at the point guard position in the NBA, the Kings suffer that problem.
23. Milwaukee Bucks -- Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut all sound like they are legit NBA players. As for the rest of the Bucks roster... not so much.
24. Charlotte Bobcats -- This team has a lot of players. Can they put it all together?
25. Minnesota Timberwolves -- Randy Foye needs to play like Dwyane Wade. Mike Miller needs to be Reggie Miller. Corey Brewer needs to learn a role and play it. Kevin Love needs to be better than O.K. Mayo. Al Jefferson needs to be an all-star. The bench: Telfair, McCants, Carney, Craig Smith and Calvin Booth... need to play like starters. The Wolves need another three years.
26. Golden State Warriors -- What happened? This team was sick two years ago. Now they look like a team that might shoot 50 three's a game and give up 120.
27. New York Knicks -- Just another mess of a season waits.
28. New Jersey Nets -- New Jersey will play for the paychecks this year, no expectations will equal no accomplishments.
29. Memphis Grizzlies -- Rudy Gay might have a great year... because he has to. Mayo would be a bust for the Wolves, probably wins ROY with Memphis.
30. Oklahoma City Thunder -- What a terrible economic time to move an unpopular and somewhat untalented sports franchise to Oklahoma City.
Playoff Picture:
Western Conference:
Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference:
Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers
Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over Houston Rockets, 4-1.
Eastern Conference Finals: Boston Celtics over Detroit Pistons, 4-2.
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over Boston Celtics, 4-1.
Players to Watch:
Mo Williams -- Williams teams up with LBJ after two straight seasons scoring more than 17 and dishing more than 6. If all goes well for Williams (meaning he doesn't miss his annual 15-20 games), he should have a career year.
Martell Webster -- If Webster can bounce back from surgery that is expected to sideline him for 10 weeks, the Blazers may have yet another emerging All-Star. Webster has improved each season since coming into the NBA straight out of high school. He averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.0 rpg, playing nearly 30 minutes a night last season.
Jose Calderon -- After just his third season in the NBA, Calderon scored 11.2 ppg and had 8.3 apg. With Ford exiting for Toronto and O'Neal on board, Calderon should flirt with 10 assists per game this season.
Al Thornton -- With Davis on board, the Clippers offense should thrive and Thronton will be the beneficiary. After playing 27 minutes a game and averaging 12.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg as a rookie, I expect to see a solid sophomore campaign from the former Florida State forward.
DeShawn Stevenson -- Another no-college talent has used his first three seasons in the NBA as "education". Stevenson may be called upon heavily to score buckets during the first part of the season with Arenas out. Stevenson has always been productive in all categories (at least 11 points per game each of his first three seasons), the Wizards will need him to be just a little more productive.
Gerald Wallace -- If Wallace can stay on the court for all 82 games, he could be the NBA's next consistent All-Star. Wallace has improved his numbers every year since entering the league as the 25th overall pick in 2001.
Louis Williams -- This 22 year old kid broke out last year with an 11.5 ppg average and dishing out 2.1 apg. After finding confidence last year, I imagine we'll see big numbers for Williams this season.
Danny Granger -- Granger is a stat racking beast. His 6-9 frame allows him to gather rebounds (6.1) while scoring in a variety of ways (19.6 ppg, 40% from 3) and his long arms allow him to get dirty on defense (1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg). Granger should be an All-Star and will be a house-hold name in no time.
NBA Awards:
Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, O.J. Mayo, Joe Alexander
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Chris Paul
6th Man of the Year: Rodney Stuckey, Shane Battier, Tony Allen
Most Improved Player: Devin Harris, Randy Foye, Darko Milicic
Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman (Rockets)
Executive of the Year: Kevin Pritchard (Trail Blazers)
1. Los Angeles Lakers -- The Lakers should win the title, and they will probably do it over the Celtics. If Jackson can get the line-up right they Lakers could flirt with 70 wins. Odom, Bynum, Gasol and Kobe make up the most feared fab four any NBA team can floor this season. Questions still remain over whether or not they can use Gasol and Bynum at the same time, or who their primary ball handler will be. And injuries will always be a concern. Kobe has his issues, Bynum hasn't played a real NBA game since January and Gasol played 56 games in '05 and 59 games in '07. Just recently Derek Fisher has had to miss pre-season action from a sore right knee, Farmar has had to sit out because of a sore right foot and Sasha Vujacic has a sprained ankle. After 57 wins a year ago, the Lakers would be disappointed with anything less than 60 and a Western Conference crown.
2. Boston Celtics -- How will the Celtics follow up their picture perfect 66-win, NBA Championship season? Is the Boston Big Three big enough for a repeat? From the looks of it, the Celtics won't have any problem with their Eastern Conference rivals again this year, the division should be theirs for the taking. Even after losing James Posey, the Celtics depth may have improved. Tony Allen, Eddie House, Glen Davis and Leon Powe all return to anchor the bench. New additions Patrick O'Bryant, Darius Miles, J.R. Giddens and Bill Walker will add youth and size while adding speed as well. KG, Pierce, Allen got what they wanted last year, I think the Lakers will get the better of them this year.
3. Houston Rockets -- Yes, the Rockets will get out of the first round of the playoffs this year. Injuries have killed what could be one of the deadliest 1-2 punches in the NBA (McGrady/Ming), but healthy they could easily win the West. Ron Artest may put the Rockets on another level, but then again, injuries and suspensions have prevented Artest from ever playing all 82 games in a season. On paper this team is stacked: McGrady, Yao, Artest, Battier, Brent Berry, Alston, Francis, Hayes, Head, Landry, Scola... Not to mention the youth movement in Von Wafer, D.J. Strawberry, Maarty Leunen, Aaron Brooks and Joey Dorsey. Houston's NBA Championship hope lies heavy on the fact that Rafer Alston is a legit NBA point guard and that they can all stay healthy -- we'll see.
4. Utah Jazz -- Utah would have knocked off the Lakers in the playoffs last year if it hadn't been for the refs being paid to put Boston against LA. It wouldn't surprise anyone to see the Jazz back in the NBA Western Conference Finals. Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer has made a new generation of Jazz fans respect the pick and roll. Talent is aplenty in Utah: Brewer, Kirilenko, Korver, Milsap, Okur... Depth too: Almond, Collins, Harpring, Knight, Koufos, Miles, Price...
5. Portland Trail Blazers -- Move over Dallas, Phoenix and San Antonio... Portland is ready to become the newest team to beat in the Western Conference. Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster and Greg Oden make a poor-man's version of the Lakers fab-four. With a little bit of the proper chemistry, I think the Trail Blazers could be playing playoff games in Portland this April.
6. New Orleans Hornets -- How can Chris Paul get any better? Paul had 21.1 ppg, 11.6 apg and 4.0 rpg last year, but finished second in the MVP balloting. Last year the Hornets were able to thrive off of Tyson Chandler and David West and they'll need the same production if they expect the same results (4th best record overall). Adding James Posey will help come playoff time, Rasual Butler, Devin Brown, Peja Stojakovic, Morris Peterson, Bonzi Wells, Mike James and Julian Wright give the Hornets great depth.
7. Detroit Pistons -- Aging veterans (Chauncey Billups, Rasheed Wallace, Richard Hamilton) will need talented youngsters (Aaron Afflalo, Amir Johnson, Jason Maxiell, Rodney Stuckey) to carry much of the regular season burden. Detroit will emerge as one of the top teams in the East, but it won't come as easily as it has in the past. The Pistons will get the best from Eastern Conference foes: Boston, Orlando, Toronto, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Atlanta.
8. Dallas Mavericks -- A full season with Jason Kidd could equal great success in Dallas. Depth was the deciding factor on why I ranked Dallas at the lower half of the top 10. I'm not too confident with anyone else they have running the point besides Jason Kidd (unless I want to believe that JaJuan Smith is a point guard). And despite Jason Kidd's 14 years of experience, the Mavs are young. Looking at the Mavericks active roster on Yahoo as of today, I see 11 players with three years experience or less.
9. Philadelphia 76ers -- Philly was one of the most surprising teams last season, finishing with the 7th spot in the playoff picture. And this past off-season they added an MVP caliber power forward in Elton Brand to put the together the final piece in what could be a championship contending puzzle. Andre Iguodala must emerge as a legit NBA superstar to compliment Brand. The rest of the bunch, Sam Dalembert, Willie Green, Andre Miller, Louis Williams and Thaddeus Young, must continue to progress from last year, otherwise Orlando, Toronto, Cleveland and Atlanta will surpass them.
10. Phoenix Suns -- Phoenix is hoping to get "there" with the help of "motivating factors". We all know that Shaq thinks he deserves at least one more, Steve Nash definitely would rather have a finals trophy than his two MVP's and Grant Hill wants to know what it's like to cut down the nets in the NBA. Combined all that together and couple it with Amare Stoudemire's talent and the Suns are without question a contender -- they just might need to win a few games on the road come playoff time. But any injury could derail this team to the brink of being last year's Bulls (pre-season contender to next year's No. 1 overall pick).
11. Orlando Magic -- I decided that Dwight Howard and Rashard Lewis make a better 1-2 punch than Toronto's Bosh and O'Neal, which is why the Magic are ranked just higher than the Raptors.
12. Toronto Raptors -- Chris Bosh and Jermaine O'Neal together looks great on paper, but how will it look on the floor? Questions remain over a few members of the Raptors roster: Andrea Bargnani, Jason Kapono, Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker.
13. San Antonio Spurs -- With Manu out until mid-December, the Spurs are going to have to rely on Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, Roger Mason, Salim Stoudamire and Ime Udoka. This could be a typical Spurs season: start slow, finish strong, contend for the title.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers -- Yes, LeBron could probably carry this team to the NBA final four on his own. Having Mo Williams, Z, Delonte West, Booby, Wally and Big Ben will help -- but these guys aren't the supporting cast that is going to help Bron Bron get his first ring.
15. Atlanta Hawks -- Atlanta was the feel good story last year: Making the post-season for the first time ever (not really), taking the Celtics to seven games, etc. Mike Bibby, Al Horford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith and Marvin Williams together make five great athletes, but I feel like they are one player away from making a serious run.
16. Los Angeles Clippers -- There is a lot to look forward to for the Clippers. Finally they have star power in Baron Davis, defensive prowess with Camby and Kaman, rookie hype with Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan and rising talent with Al Thornton. It might not be all that bad without Elton Brand.
17. Denver Nuggets -- Denver can't play defense and just got rid of Marcus Camby, it could be a long season. But they still have Melo and AI right?
18. Indiana Pacers -- No more O'Neal means life will be good for Granger and Murphy. Danny Granger is about to let you know he's one of the best in the league.
19. Miami Heat -- Wade, Marion and Beasley make a solid sounding big three... but that still doesn't mean much when Chris Quinn and Marcus Banks are your point men.
20. Chicago Bulls -- The draft winners will have to employ Joakim Noah and Aaron Gray at center, that could be the only thing holding the Bulls back. Will this team look the same at season's end?
21. Washington Wizards -- Even without Gilbert for however long, the Wizards might be just fine with Dee Brown, Antonio Daniels and DeShawn Stevenson.
22. Sacramento Kings -- There is a serious lack of quality at the point guard position in the NBA, the Kings suffer that problem.
23. Milwaukee Bucks -- Richard Jefferson, Charlie Villanueva, Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut all sound like they are legit NBA players. As for the rest of the Bucks roster... not so much.
24. Charlotte Bobcats -- This team has a lot of players. Can they put it all together?
25. Minnesota Timberwolves -- Randy Foye needs to play like Dwyane Wade. Mike Miller needs to be Reggie Miller. Corey Brewer needs to learn a role and play it. Kevin Love needs to be better than O.K. Mayo. Al Jefferson needs to be an all-star. The bench: Telfair, McCants, Carney, Craig Smith and Calvin Booth... need to play like starters. The Wolves need another three years.
26. Golden State Warriors -- What happened? This team was sick two years ago. Now they look like a team that might shoot 50 three's a game and give up 120.
27. New York Knicks -- Just another mess of a season waits.
28. New Jersey Nets -- New Jersey will play for the paychecks this year, no expectations will equal no accomplishments.
29. Memphis Grizzlies -- Rudy Gay might have a great year... because he has to. Mayo would be a bust for the Wolves, probably wins ROY with Memphis.
30. Oklahoma City Thunder -- What a terrible economic time to move an unpopular and somewhat untalented sports franchise to Oklahoma City.
Playoff Picture:
Western Conference:
Los Angeles Lakers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Portland Trailblazers, New Orleans Hornets, Dallas Mavericks, Phoenix Suns, San Antonio Spurs
Eastern Conference:
Boston Celtics, Detroit Pistons, Philadelphia 76ers, Orlando Magic, Toronto Raptors, Cleveland Cavaliers, Atlanta Hawks, Indiana Pacers
Western Conference Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over Houston Rockets, 4-1.
Eastern Conference Finals: Boston Celtics over Detroit Pistons, 4-2.
NBA Finals: Los Angeles Lakers over Boston Celtics, 4-1.
Players to Watch:
Mo Williams -- Williams teams up with LBJ after two straight seasons scoring more than 17 and dishing more than 6. If all goes well for Williams (meaning he doesn't miss his annual 15-20 games), he should have a career year.
Martell Webster -- If Webster can bounce back from surgery that is expected to sideline him for 10 weeks, the Blazers may have yet another emerging All-Star. Webster has improved each season since coming into the NBA straight out of high school. He averaged 10.7 ppg and 4.0 rpg, playing nearly 30 minutes a night last season.
Jose Calderon -- After just his third season in the NBA, Calderon scored 11.2 ppg and had 8.3 apg. With Ford exiting for Toronto and O'Neal on board, Calderon should flirt with 10 assists per game this season.
Al Thornton -- With Davis on board, the Clippers offense should thrive and Thronton will be the beneficiary. After playing 27 minutes a game and averaging 12.7 ppg and 4.5 rpg as a rookie, I expect to see a solid sophomore campaign from the former Florida State forward.
DeShawn Stevenson -- Another no-college talent has used his first three seasons in the NBA as "education". Stevenson may be called upon heavily to score buckets during the first part of the season with Arenas out. Stevenson has always been productive in all categories (at least 11 points per game each of his first three seasons), the Wizards will need him to be just a little more productive.
Gerald Wallace -- If Wallace can stay on the court for all 82 games, he could be the NBA's next consistent All-Star. Wallace has improved his numbers every year since entering the league as the 25th overall pick in 2001.
Louis Williams -- This 22 year old kid broke out last year with an 11.5 ppg average and dishing out 2.1 apg. After finding confidence last year, I imagine we'll see big numbers for Williams this season.
Danny Granger -- Granger is a stat racking beast. His 6-9 frame allows him to gather rebounds (6.1) while scoring in a variety of ways (19.6 ppg, 40% from 3) and his long arms allow him to get dirty on defense (1.1 bpg, 1.2 spg). Granger should be an All-Star and will be a house-hold name in no time.
NBA Awards:
Most Valuable Player: Yao Ming, Chris Paul, Pau Gasol, Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year: Greg Oden, O.J. Mayo, Joe Alexander
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard, Josh Smith, Chris Paul
6th Man of the Year: Rodney Stuckey, Shane Battier, Tony Allen
Most Improved Player: Devin Harris, Randy Foye, Darko Milicic
Coach of the Year: Rick Adelman (Rockets)
Executive of the Year: Kevin Pritchard (Trail Blazers)
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