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Dec 25
2011-2012 Bold Statements: Most Improved Player - Andrew Bynum I’ve kept saying that Kobe Bryant will be the reason why the Lakers, but realistically he won’t be able to do it alone.  No matter if Mike Brown will be great for LA or horrible, Andrew Bynum will have a great year.  He’s healthier than he’s ever been in a while and he’s due for a big year.  I see him making the leap from being a good center to the All-Star level (granted he’ll also get voted in by default).  Also, I believe that Pau Gasol will have a down year, so I expect Bynum to pick up on those stats. Runner-Ups: Paul George - There are a lot of second year players that will be eligible for the MIP award.  You have Evan Turner who greatly improved his jump shot.  Ekpe Udoh can finally get a “full” season, and he’s improved his post game.  John Wall is set to make a jump similar to Derrick Rose and play at an All-Star level.  The Lakers’ Devin Ebanks is finally getting minutes and can be a huge surprise.  So why Paul George?  First, the Pacers traded Brandon Rush to the Warriors for Louis Amundson, leaving the starting Shooting Guard spot George’s for the taking.  He should be able to thrive with the improved minutes.  Also, he grew two inches.  That’s a 6-10 shooting guard! Eric Gordon - My choice for Eric Gordon is similar to how Kevin Love won the MIP award last season.  He’s already a great player, but this is the year that will catapult him into an All-Star.  There is no one in New Orleans that will be able to hold him back… maybe except for Monty Williams’ slow pace, but he’ll still be getting buckets at an efficient rate. Dark Horse Candidate: Andris Biedrins Andris Biedrins is a little bit of a homer pick, but after following the Warriors through their training camp, Biedrins looks to have a bounce back year.  Granted, he may not be able to bounce back to a great level, but he’s looking a lot better.  He’s gained weight and he looks like he bulked up, and in the Warriors’ two pre-season games, he looked more confident and aggressive, especially on the defensive end. If he can get back into his double-double ways, he has a chance.  In the past two seasons he averaged 5 points and 7.6 rebounds with a Free Throw shooting percentage around 20% (yikes).  If he can get back to averaging at least 11 points and 11 boards with a 50+ FT%, he’ll be solid.  

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Most Improved Player - Andrew Bynum

I’ve kept saying that Kobe Bryant will be the reason why the Lakers, but realistically he won’t be able to do it alone.  No matter if Mike Brown will be great for LA or horrible, Andrew Bynum will have a great year.  He’s healthier than he’s ever been in a while and he’s due for a big year.  I see him making the leap from being a good center to the All-Star level (granted he’ll also get voted in by default).  Also, I believe that Pau Gasol will have a down year, so I expect Bynum to pick up on those stats.

Runner-Ups:

Paul George - There are a lot of second year players that will be eligible for the MIP award.  You have Evan Turner who greatly improved his jump shot.  Ekpe Udoh can finally get a “full” season, and he’s improved his post game.  John Wall is set to make a jump similar to Derrick Rose and play at an All-Star level.  The Lakers’ Devin Ebanks is finally getting minutes and can be a huge surprise.  So why Paul George?  First, the Pacers traded Brandon Rush to the Warriors for Louis Amundson, leaving the starting Shooting Guard spot George’s for the taking.  He should be able to thrive with the improved minutes.  Also, he grew two inches.  That’s a 6-10 shooting guard!

Eric Gordon - My choice for Eric Gordon is similar to how Kevin Love won the MIP award last season.  He’s already a great player, but this is the year that will catapult him into an All-Star.  There is no one in New Orleans that will be able to hold him back… maybe except for Monty Williams’ slow pace, but he’ll still be getting buckets at an efficient rate.

Dark Horse Candidate: Andris Biedrins

Andris Biedrins is a little bit of a homer pick, but after following the Warriors through their training camp, Biedrins looks to have a bounce back year.  Granted, he may not be able to bounce back to a great level, but he’s looking a lot better.  He’s gained weight and he looks like he bulked up, and in the Warriors’ two pre-season games, he looked more confident and aggressive, especially on the defensive end. If he can get back into his double-double ways, he has a chance.  In the past two seasons he averaged 5 points and 7.6 rebounds with a Free Throw shooting percentage around 20% (yikes).  If he can get back to averaging at least 11 points and 11 boards with a 50+ FT%, he’ll be solid.  

Posted 1 year ago

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nba, basketball, sports, season previews, andrew bynum, los angeles lakers, paul george, eric gordon, andris biedrins,

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Sixth Man of the Year - Brandon Bass Random, right?  If you really think about it, Bass makes sense.  Kevin Garnett is getting limited minutes in this shortened season.  With more games slated per week and more back-to-backs, Garnett may not even play every game.  That leaves a lot more room for Bass to play in Doc’s system, which seems like a much better fit than in Orlando.  Sure, he’ll get several starts with Garnett’s DNP’s, but he’ll still come off of the bench enough times to qualify for the 6th man award.  I expect a big year from this guy. Runner-Ups: Lamar Odom - The biggest reason why I don’t have Odom as my main pick as 6th man of the year is because rarely do players get back-to-back 6th Man of the Year awards.  In spite of this, Odom will be great off the bench in Dallas.  Odom is the type of player that can work with any team’s system, so expect him to have a good year.  Problem is, though, that he’ll be sharing 6th man duties with Jason Terry. James Harden - Harden was actually my favorite to win the 6th Man award, but I actually see him eventually getting the starting spot for the Thunder, thus making him ineligible for the award.   Dark Horse Candidate: Chuck Hayes He’s back!  After having heart troubles that showed up in his physicals, his contract was initially voided by the Kings.  Luckily, he’s getting a second chance with the team, which makes me very happy.  Hayes isn’t the type of player that jumps out to you in the boxscore, but he really helps his team with post defense and grabbing offensive rebounds.  When I choose Hayes, this is a huuuuuge stretch.  I just really like the guy.

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Sixth Man of the Year - Brandon Bass

Random, right?  If you really think about it, Bass makes sense.  Kevin Garnett is getting limited minutes in this shortened season.  With more games slated per week and more back-to-backs, Garnett may not even play every game.  That leaves a lot more room for Bass to play in Doc’s system, which seems like a much better fit than in Orlando.  Sure, he’ll get several starts with Garnett’s DNP’s, but he’ll still come off of the bench enough times to qualify for the 6th man award.  I expect a big year from this guy.

Runner-Ups:

Lamar Odom - The biggest reason why I don’t have Odom as my main pick as 6th man of the year is because rarely do players get back-to-back 6th Man of the Year awards.  In spite of this, Odom will be great off the bench in Dallas.  Odom is the type of player that can work with any team’s system, so expect him to have a good year.  Problem is, though, that he’ll be sharing 6th man duties with Jason Terry.

James Harden - Harden was actually my favorite to win the 6th Man award, but I actually see him eventually getting the starting spot for the Thunder, thus making him ineligible for the award.  

Dark Horse Candidate: Chuck Hayes

He’s back!  After having heart troubles that showed up in his physicals, his contract was initially voided by the Kings.  Luckily, he’s getting a second chance with the team, which makes me very happy.  Hayes isn’t the type of player that jumps out to you in the boxscore, but he really helps his team with post defense and grabbing offensive rebounds.  When I choose Hayes, this is a huuuuuge stretch.  I just really like the guy.

Posted 1 year ago

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basketball, boston celtics, brandon bass, chuck hayes, james harden, lamar odom, nba, sixth man of the year, sports, season previews,

Dec 24
2011-2012 Bold Statements: Rookie of the Year - Derrick Williams This award can easily go to Kyrie Irving because he will most likely start more games, but I have faith that Derrick Williams will be the eventually ROY.  Sure, Minnesota is stacked in the SF/PF column, but I see Williams able to play along side both Beasley and Love in their line-up.  Either that or the Wolves will trade Beasley for an actual shooting guard.  Regardless of what happens, Williams’ versatility will help him in the NBA and he should get enough open looks when on the floor with Love.  I can see a lot of options with these players spacing the floor. Runner-Ups: Kyrie Irving - Kyrie Irving actually has more room to succeed.  If he doesn’t start at point guard from day one, he will sooner than later.  Without a doubt he will be great in this league, but his actually problem is that he is the best player on the Cavaliers.  Team defenses will put most of their focus on Kyrie, and without a lot of other offensive weapons on the team, Kyrie will find himself in trouble against good teams. Kemba Walker - The main reason why I don’t think Kemba will get ROY is because he’ll be coming off the bench behind D.J. Augustin.  As great as Kemba will be on the team, Augustin is probably still good enough to start the whole season.  I see Kemba struggling to find enough minutes to be of ROY status. Dark Horse Candidates: Iman Shumpert and Kenneth Faried  The Iman Shumpert pick is mostly out of bias.  I really dig his game and I liked what I saw out of him in the preseason opener against the Nets.  Plus, I hope to see him in the dunk contest this year, the guy can jump. Kenneth Faried is actually a really good candidate for ROY.  He’s on a Denver Nuggets team that has a a lot of good players, not great playres, so expect him to see a lot of minutes on the floor. Also, he’s a great dunker.

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Rookie of the Year - Derrick Williams

This award can easily go to Kyrie Irving because he will most likely start more games, but I have faith that Derrick Williams will be the eventually ROY.  Sure, Minnesota is stacked in the SF/PF column, but I see Williams able to play along side both Beasley and Love in their line-up.  Either that or the Wolves will trade Beasley for an actual shooting guard.  Regardless of what happens, Williams’ versatility will help him in the NBA and he should get enough open looks when on the floor with Love.  I can see a lot of options with these players spacing the floor.

Runner-Ups:

Kyrie Irving - Kyrie Irving actually has more room to succeed.  If he doesn’t start at point guard from day one, he will sooner than later.  Without a doubt he will be great in this league, but his actually problem is that he is the best player on the Cavaliers.  Team defenses will put most of their focus on Kyrie, and without a lot of other offensive weapons on the team, Kyrie will find himself in trouble against good teams.

Kemba Walker - The main reason why I don’t think Kemba will get ROY is because he’ll be coming off the bench behind D.J. Augustin.  As great as Kemba will be on the team, Augustin is probably still good enough to start the whole season.  I see Kemba struggling to find enough minutes to be of ROY status.

Dark Horse Candidates: Iman Shumpert and Kenneth Faried

 The Iman Shumpert pick is mostly out of bias.  I really dig his game and I liked what I saw out of him in the preseason opener against the Nets.  Plus, I hope to see him in the dunk contest this year, the guy can jump.

Kenneth Faried is actually a really good candidate for ROY.  He’s on a Denver Nuggets team that has a a lot of good players, not great playres, so expect him to see a lot of minutes on the floor. Also, he’s a great dunker.

Posted 1 year ago

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nba, basketball, sports, season previews, rookie of the year, derrick williams, minnesota timberwolves, kyrie irving, kemba walker, iman shumpert, kenneth faried,

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Defensive Player of the Year - Dwight Howard Dwight Howard is the obvious choice.  No one player effects a team’s defense more than Superman.  He’s the type of player that no matter what team he’s on, he will put them in the playoffs.  Honestly, Dwight shouldn’t be looking for a trade.  Instead, he should be getting good players going to Orlando to chase a ring with him there; he’s that good.   Either way, whether he gets traded or not, he has the best chance of winning the DPOY award.  Whether he’s in the Magic, if he’s a Net, or *gulp* if he’s a Laker. Runner-Ups: Serge Ibaka - If there is anyone that could give Dwight a run for his money, it’s the guy with the coolest name in the NBA.  Part of the Thunder’s success this season will be their defensive frontline, headed by not Perkins, but by Ibaka.  I will predict here that Ibaka will lead the league in blocks, and part of their success will be his protection of the paint.  He’ll have a big year. Tony Allen - I was going to put him as the dark horse candidate, but I think by now the NBA knows that he is an incredible perimeter defender.  He was 4th in voting for DPOY last season and did a lot of work on Kevin Durant in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last year (and he gives up a good 6 inches on him). Dark Horse Candidate: Andrew Bogut Bogut getting a DPOY nod depends on two things: 1) can he get back to being the same player he was before his ugly elbow injury in 2010 and 2) the Bucks can improve their record from last year.  I definitely believe that he can get back to form and break out yet again.  As for the Bucks… I don’t see them improving enough to make the playoffs.  At least their defense will still be good.

2011-2012 Bold Statements: Defensive Player of the Year - Dwight Howard

Dwight Howard is the obvious choice.  No one player effects a team’s defense more than Superman.  He’s the type of player that no matter what team he’s on, he will put them in the playoffs.  Honestly, Dwight shouldn’t be looking for a trade.  Instead, he should be getting good players going to Orlando to chase a ring with him there; he’s that good.  

Either way, whether he gets traded or not, he has the best chance of winning the DPOY award.  Whether he’s in the Magic, if he’s a Net, or *gulp* if he’s a Laker.

Runner-Ups:

Serge Ibaka - If there is anyone that could give Dwight a run for his money, it’s the guy with the coolest name in the NBA.  Part of the Thunder’s success this season will be their defensive frontline, headed by not Perkins, but by Ibaka.  I will predict here that Ibaka will lead the league in blocks, and part of their success will be his protection of the paint.  He’ll have a big year.

Tony Allen - I was going to put him as the dark horse candidate, but I think by now the NBA knows that he is an incredible perimeter defender.  He was 4th in voting for DPOY last season and did a lot of work on Kevin Durant in the Western Conference Semi-Finals last year (and he gives up a good 6 inches on him).

Dark Horse Candidate: Andrew Bogut

Bogut getting a DPOY nod depends on two things: 1) can he get back to being the same player he was before his ugly elbow injury in 2010 and 2) the Bucks can improve their record from last year.  I definitely believe that he can get back to form and break out yet again.  As for the Bucks… I don’t see them improving enough to make the playoffs.  At least their defense will still be good.

Posted 1 year ago

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nba, basketball, sports, defensive player of the year, dwight howard, orlando magic, serge ibaka, tony allen, andrew bogut, season previews,

2011-2012 Bold Statements: League MVP - Chris Paul I am buying into “Lob City” and yes, I do believe that Chris Paul will win the MVP award this season.  First, he’s still one of the top 2 scoring options for the Clippers.  If he doesn’t get monster scoring numbers in a game, his assist rate just skyrockets.  Don’t forget that he consistently is in the top 5 in steals every season. Chris Paul is the type of point guard that makes everyone else on his team better.  It will be because of him that Blake Griffin’s numbers will rise.  It will be because of him that DeAndre Jordan will be in talks for Most Improved Player.  It’s because of him that Caron Butler could maintain a 3 point percentage around 40% this year.  He even knows how to move off the ball and spot up when Chauncey brings the ball down the court. This is arguably the best talent that Chris Paul has ever been surrounded with, so expect not only for CP3’s numbers to rise, but the Clippers to rise up in the West.  Should be an exciting year in LA. Runner-Ups: Kevin Durant - If it wasn’t for that huge CP3 trade, this would be Kevin Durant’s year.  I have the Thunder slated to reach the NBA Finals and eventually win the Championship, and it will be mostly because of this guy.  He’ll be the scoring champ for his 3rd straight year, and I expect his other stats to go up a little as well.  I may very well be wrong and KD will most likely get MVP because the Thunder will by far have a better record, but I believe in the Clippers hype. Dwight Howard - I had a tough time deciding between Dwight and Lebron.  Yes, Lebron will have better overall stats, but Dwight will do more for the Magic (and eventually whichever team he may get traded to) to keep them in the Playoffs than Lebron will for Miami.   Dark Horse Candidate: Kobe Bryant What? Kobe Bryant a Dark Horse?  I don’t believe it’s too farfetched.  There is too much going against the Lakers this year.  They lost Lamar Odom.  They have a new system with Mike Brown.  Pau Gasol looks like he may have a down year because of this new system.  Their bench looks worse than last year.  In spite of all this, though, the Lakers will have a great record and it will be all because of one man: the Black Mamba.

2011-2012 Bold Statements: League MVP - Chris Paul

I am buying into “Lob City” and yes, I do believe that Chris Paul will win the MVP award this season.  First, he’s still one of the top 2 scoring options for the Clippers.  If he doesn’t get monster scoring numbers in a game, his assist rate just skyrockets.  Don’t forget that he consistently is in the top 5 in steals every season.

Chris Paul is the type of point guard that makes everyone else on his team better.  It will be because of him that Blake Griffin’s numbers will rise.  It will be because of him that DeAndre Jordan will be in talks for Most Improved Player.  It’s because of him that Caron Butler could maintain a 3 point percentage around 40% this year.  He even knows how to move off the ball and spot up when Chauncey brings the ball down the court.

This is arguably the best talent that Chris Paul has ever been surrounded with, so expect not only for CP3’s numbers to rise, but the Clippers to rise up in the West.  Should be an exciting year in LA.

Runner-Ups:

Kevin Durant - If it wasn’t for that huge CP3 trade, this would be Kevin Durant’s year.  I have the Thunder slated to reach the NBA Finals and eventually win the Championship, and it will be mostly because of this guy.  He’ll be the scoring champ for his 3rd straight year, and I expect his other stats to go up a little as well.  I may very well be wrong and KD will most likely get MVP because the Thunder will by far have a better record, but I believe in the Clippers hype.

Dwight Howard - I had a tough time deciding between Dwight and Lebron.  Yes, Lebron will have better overall stats, but Dwight will do more for the Magic (and eventually whichever team he may get traded to) to keep them in the Playoffs than Lebron will for Miami.  

Dark Horse Candidate: Kobe Bryant

What? Kobe Bryant a Dark Horse?  I don’t believe it’s too farfetched.  There is too much going against the Lakers this year.  They lost Lamar Odom.  They have a new system with Mike Brown.  Pau Gasol looks like he may have a down year because of this new system.  Their bench looks worse than last year.  In spite of all this, though, the Lakers will have a great record and it will be all because of one man: the Black Mamba.

Posted 1 year ago

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nba, basketball, sports, mvp, chris paul, kevin durant, dwight howard, kobe bryant, los angeles clippers, season previews,

2011-2012 Bold Statements: All-Star Team Rosters I’m happy that in spite of this shortened NBA Season, we are still going to have All-Star Weekend.  Orlando is going to host the event this season in their new arena and the timing couldn’t have been better.  Who knows where Dwight Howard will be by the start of the ‘12-‘13 season, so this may be Orlando’s last year in relevance for a while.   The All-Star game is where the NBA’s greatest talents come for a high-flying, highlight filled exhibition match.  Granted, this game means nothing where great athletes get more attention than fundamentally rounded players, but hey, it’s fun and we don’t care!  With that said, here are my predictions for who will make each squad. (Starters that will be voted in are noted in bold and all have their team and # of All-Star appearances next to their names) East Roster: Derrick Rose (Bulls - 3) Dwyane Wade (Heat - 8) Lebron James (Heat - 8) Carmelo Anthony (Knicks - 5) Dwight Howard (Magic - 6) Rajon Rondo (Celtics - 3) Deron Williams (Nets - 3) Amar’e Stoudemire (Knicks - 7) Chris Bosh (Heat - 7) Al Horford (Hawks - 3) Paul Pierce (Celtics - 10) Kevin Garnett (Celtics - 15) Possible injury replacements: John Wall (Wizards), Joe Johnson (Hawks), Joakim Noah (Bulls) West Roster: Chris Paul (Clippers - 5) Kobe Bryant (Lakers - 14) Kevin Durant (Thunder - 3) Blake Griffin (Clippers - 2) Andrew Bynum (Lakers - 1) Russell Westbrook (Thunder - 2) Eric Gordon (Hornets - 1) Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks - 11) Kevin Love (Timberwolves - 2) Nene (Nuggets - 1) Manu Ginobili (Spurs - 3) LaMarcus Aldridge (Trailblazers - 1) Possible injury replacements: Monta Ellis (Warriors), Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Pau Gasol (Lakers) Man, deciding these rosters was actually more difficult than predicting the NBA standings themselves.  I also found it very interesting how both Conferences are in very different stages when it comes to their top players.  The Eastern Conference is filled with top veteran talents that are in their prime (except for the Celtics who are way over, and Rose and Rondo who are still young).  The Western Conference, on the other hand, has a ton of aging stars, most of which I feel won’t be All-Stars this year due to the shortened schedule.  This will allow for a lot of up and coming stars to finally make it to All-Star Weekend. Here are some notes on several of these names: Dwight Howard will be in the Eastern Conference All-Star roster, representing the Magic.  This year the event will be held at Orlando, and I don’t believe that Howard will be gone while the city holds all of this glory.  I’m not saying that he won’t be gone by the trade deadline the week after, but he will definitely be a Magic come February.  Sure, Dwight might want a trade, but it’s all basically up to Otis Smith to make it happen (which he won’t). I honestly think that John Wall will be All-Star worthy this season, but he will barely miss it because of the veteran talent in the East.  It was already tough knowing both Carmelo and D-Will would automatically take two spots away (replacing Ray Allen and Joe Johnson from last season), so that took spaces away from possible new All-Stars.  I also knew that reserves have reputation and records accounted for (that’s how Duncan and Manu made it last year), so that automatically put in Pierce and Garnett in the last spots.  That’s a shame because John Wall will be amazing this season.  I sure hope I’m wrong about this and that he does make the team, though. If Al Horford underperforms this season, then that spot will be Joakim Noah’s.  But we’ll see.  Tyson Chandler could easily slip in there depending on how the Knicks do this season. Yes, Andrew Bynum will be an All-Star starter this year.  One reason is because this will be his best year yet.  The bigger reason is because fans vote for the starters, and he is the center that will get the most votes.   Blake Griffin will also be voted as an All-Star starter, because how can he not.  People love him. In the West, there is a glaring lack of Tim Duncan, which I blame on the shortened season.  Last season, he already took dives in points, rebounds, and minutes last year, and I can only see those stats continue to sink.  With that said, this is the year for LaMarcus Aldridge to swoop in and take that spot.   Kevin Love may get more votes from coaches for the reserve spot than Dirk Nowitzki does because he will be that good.  His stats were already crazy last season, going 20 and 15, but he’s only getting better. I had a tough time deciding between Eric Gordon and Monta Ellis for one of the reserve guard spots.  Monta Ellis isn’t a homer pick; he’s been a border-line All-Star for the past two seasons and he is overdue for a trip to All-Star Weekend. He’s exciting to watch, can score a ton of buckets, and can pass the ball.  I eventually settled on Gordon, though, because he has a good chance to explode in New Orleans.  Ellis has Stephen Curry, David Lee, and Dorell Wright to help support him in  Golden State.  Gordon isn’t as lucky to have as much talent around him, and he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder.  We will see his scoring and assist numbers go up.  Way up.  If Rudy Gay played shooting guard instead of small forward, though, he would definitely take this spot.   Nene will be amazing in Denver this year, getting more touches without Carmelo, JR Smith, and Wilson Chandler around.  It also doesn’t hurt that they need to have a center reserve on the team.

2011-2012 Bold Statements: All-Star Team Rosters

I’m happy that in spite of this shortened NBA Season, we are still going to have All-Star Weekend.  Orlando is going to host the event this season in their new arena and the timing couldn’t have been better.  Who knows where Dwight Howard will be by the start of the ‘12-‘13 season, so this may be Orlando’s last year in relevance for a while.  

The All-Star game is where the NBA’s greatest talents come for a high-flying, highlight filled exhibition match.  Granted, this game means nothing where great athletes get more attention than fundamentally rounded players, but hey, it’s fun and we don’t care!  With that said, here are my predictions for who will make each squad. (Starters that will be voted in are noted in bold and all have their team and # of All-Star appearances next to their names)

East Roster:

  • Derrick Rose (Bulls - 3)
  • Dwyane Wade (Heat - 8)
  • Lebron James (Heat - 8)
  • Carmelo Anthony (Knicks - 5)
  • Dwight Howard (Magic - 6)
  • Rajon Rondo (Celtics - 3)
  • Deron Williams (Nets - 3)
  • Amar’e Stoudemire (Knicks - 7)
  • Chris Bosh (Heat - 7)
  • Al Horford (Hawks - 3)
  • Paul Pierce (Celtics - 10)
  • Kevin Garnett (Celtics - 15)

Possible injury replacements: John Wall (Wizards), Joe Johnson (Hawks), Joakim Noah (Bulls)

West Roster:

  • Chris Paul (Clippers - 5)
  • Kobe Bryant (Lakers - 14)
  • Kevin Durant (Thunder - 3)
  • Blake Griffin (Clippers - 2)
  • Andrew Bynum (Lakers - 1)
  • Russell Westbrook (Thunder - 2)
  • Eric Gordon (Hornets - 1)
  • Dirk Nowitzki (Mavericks - 11)
  • Kevin Love (Timberwolves - 2)
  • Nene (Nuggets - 1)
  • Manu Ginobili (Spurs - 3)
  • LaMarcus Aldridge (Trailblazers - 1)

Possible injury replacements: Monta Ellis (Warriors), Rudy Gay (Grizzlies), Pau Gasol (Lakers)

Man, deciding these rosters was actually more difficult than predicting the NBA standings themselves.  I also found it very interesting how both Conferences are in very different stages when it comes to their top players.  The Eastern Conference is filled with top veteran talents that are in their prime (except for the Celtics who are way over, and Rose and Rondo who are still young).  The Western Conference, on the other hand, has a ton of aging stars, most of which I feel won’t be All-Stars this year due to the shortened schedule.  This will allow for a lot of up and coming stars to finally make it to All-Star Weekend.

Here are some notes on several of these names:

Dwight Howard will be in the Eastern Conference All-Star roster, representing the Magic.  This year the event will be held at Orlando, and I don’t believe that Howard will be gone while the city holds all of this glory.  I’m not saying that he won’t be gone by the trade deadline the week after, but he will definitely be a Magic come February.  Sure, Dwight might want a trade, but it’s all basically up to Otis Smith to make it happen (which he won’t).

I honestly think that John Wall will be All-Star worthy this season, but he will barely miss it because of the veteran talent in the East.  It was already tough knowing both Carmelo and D-Will would automatically take two spots away (replacing Ray Allen and Joe Johnson from last season), so that took spaces away from possible new All-Stars.  I also knew that reserves have reputation and records accounted for (that’s how Duncan and Manu made it last year), so that automatically put in Pierce and Garnett in the last spots.  That’s a shame because John Wall will be amazing this season.  I sure hope I’m wrong about this and that he does make the team, though.

If Al Horford underperforms this season, then that spot will be Joakim Noah’s.  But we’ll see.  Tyson Chandler could easily slip in there depending on how the Knicks do this season.

Yes, Andrew Bynum will be an All-Star starter this year.  One reason is because this will be his best year yet.  The bigger reason is because fans vote for the starters, and he is the center that will get the most votes.  

Blake Griffin will also be voted as an All-Star starter, because how can he not.  People love him.

In the West, there is a glaring lack of Tim Duncan, which I blame on the shortened season.  Last season, he already took dives in points, rebounds, and minutes last year, and I can only see those stats continue to sink.  With that said, this is the year for LaMarcus Aldridge to swoop in and take that spot.  

Kevin Love may get more votes from coaches for the reserve spot than Dirk Nowitzki does because he will be that good.  His stats were already crazy last season, going 20 and 15, but he’s only getting better.

I had a tough time deciding between Eric Gordon and Monta Ellis for one of the reserve guard spots.  Monta Ellis isn’t a homer pick; he’s been a border-line All-Star for the past two seasons and he is overdue for a trip to All-Star Weekend. He’s exciting to watch, can score a ton of buckets, and can pass the ball.  I eventually settled on Gordon, though, because he has a good chance to explode in New Orleans.  Ellis has Stephen Curry, David Lee, and Dorell Wright to help support him in  Golden State.  Gordon isn’t as lucky to have as much talent around him, and he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder.  We will see his scoring and assist numbers go up.  Way up.  If Rudy Gay played shooting guard instead of small forward, though, he would definitely take this spot.  

Nene will be amazing in Denver this year, getting more touches without Carmelo, JR Smith, and Wilson Chandler around.  It also doesn’t hurt that they need to have a center reserve on the team.

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Dec 23

2011-2012 Bold Statements: NBA Finals

In my previous posts about the Eastern Conference and Western Conference standings, I listed my Playoff picture predictions.  Let’s see how this would have panned out:

Round 1: East

Miami Heat (1) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (8)

The Sixers will be the team that just barely made it into the Playoffs.  Just like last season, they might be able to steal a game at home, but the Heat would eventually win in 5.

Chicago Bulls (2) vs. Atlanta Hawks (7)

The Hawks last season had poor offense whenever Jamal Crawford was on the bench.  Now that he’s with the Blazers, I don’t expect that offense coming back.  Bulls in 4.

New York Knicks (3) vs. Indiana Pacers (6)

The Pacers’ depth will help keep them in the Playoff picture, but there is too much talent between Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire.  Knicks win the series in 6 games.

Orlando Magic (4) vs. Boston Celtics (5)

The Celtics’ three future Hall of Famers will be well rested from some DNP - Coach’s Decision.  This may be the last year in this Celtic team’s Championship window, so they’ll fight hard.  Celtics in 7.

Round 1: West

Oklahoma City Thunder (1) vs. Denver Nuggets (8)

The Nuggets can win their two home games thanks to altitude and talent, but the Thunder will be too good to beat.  Thunder in 6.

Dallas Mavericks (2) vs. San Antonio Spurs (7)

After not meeting in last year’s playoffs, the Mavs and Spurs rivalry will be back.  This time around, I doubt Tim Duncan will make as much of an impact as before, and Odom will be great off the bench.  Mavs in 6.

LA Lakers (3) vs. Portland Trailblazers (6)

The Blazers will be good, but LaMarcus Aldridge won’t be able to carry his team throughout the whole series.  Kobe probably can.  Lakers in 5.

Memphis Grizzlies (4) vs. Los Angeles Clippers (5)

This will be a playoff series to watch.  Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol vs. Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan will be a wonderful sight to see. Chris Paul will be the biggest factor, though, and carry the Clippers late in games.  Clippers in 7.

Round 2 - Conference Semis

Heat (1) vs. Celtics (5)

This series would more or less look the same as when they met last year.  Heat in 6.

Bulls (2) vs. Knicks (3)

Don’t tell me you wouldn’t want to watch this series. The Bulls’ back court will carry the team to a series win in 7 games.

Thunder (1) vs. Clippers (5)

Great series to watch, but this will ultimately go down to Scott Brooks’ great coaching against Vinny Del Negro’s mediocrity.  Thunder in 5. 

Mavericks (2) vs. Lakers (3)

A sweet rematch from last year’s sweep.  Kobe will be out for blood and I look for a very competitive series.  Lakers in 7.

Round 3 - Conference Finals

East: Heat (1) vs. Bulls (2) 

Both teams are amazing, and Rip Hamilton will help Rose a lot.  With that said, the Heat will be playing better than last season.  Heat in 6.

West: Thunder (1) vs. Lakers (3) 

A matchup I’ve been waiting for since 2010 when these two teams met in the first round.  This time, the Thunder are more mature and have a more dominant front court.  Plus, this is when the Lakers will really miss Odom.  Thunder in 5.

NBA Finals - Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat

This will not be a popular choice but: OKC takes the Championship in 7.

Why the Thunder?

I think they will have it figured out this season.  The role players will know what to do, especially James Harden.  He will have a big year, and he helps this team create spacing, as well as taking offensive pressure off of Durant and Westbrook.  Also, in recent history, Championship teams have great, defensive front courts.  The 2008 Celtics had Kevin Garnett and Perkins.  The 2009 and 2010 Lakers had Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, and Lamar Odom.  The 2011 Mavs had Dirk Nowitzki and Tyson Chandler.  This season’s Thunder have Ibaka and Perkins.  I see Ibaka making a nice leap offensively and become another weapon that will make the Heat worry.  Both are defensive studs that will protect the paint.  They will be the keys to a Championship win.  

But of course, Kevin Durant will win the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy.

Why not the Heat

Taking that front court argument that I used for the Thunder, who do the Heat have besides Chris Bosh?  Their main two options at Center are Joel Anthony and Eddy Curry. Eddy Curry.  Sure, Dwyane Wade and Lebron James can carry their teams and that is how they will obtain the best record in the NBA.  That is what everyone thought in 2011 too, when the Mavericks ended up beating them.  The Thunder have a lot of options with the pick n’ roll and pick n’ pop, and it’s just a matter of if they adjust.  The Thunder have the ability to keep the Heat outside of the paint, and that may be key. 

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2010-2011 Bold Statements: Western Conference Standings

I doubt anyone will agree with these standings.

The Western Conference is much more of a mystery than the East.  Every major team has made major roster changes, so I may be completely off with these standings.  And just like last year, there will be a lot of teams fighting for the final 8th seed in the playoffs.  
Playoff Picture
  • Thunder (1) vs. Nuggets (8)
  • Mavericks (2) vs. Spurs (7) 
  • Lakers (3) vs. Blazers (6)
  • Grizzlies (4) vs. Clippers (5)

The Oklahoma City Thunder will be amazing this year.  All of their main players will be back: Durant, Westbrook, Harden, Ibaka, Perkins, Sefolosha, Maynor, Collison, and Cook.  A full year and training camp with Perkins will also be really beneficial to their success.  There won’t be a problem with Westbrook taking too many shots this season and Durant will be a top consideration for MVP.  This team has it.

I almost didn’t put the Dallas Mavericks this high because they are getting older and Jason Kidd will not be playing all 66 games this season. They also lost great pieces in JJ Barea, DeShawn Stevenson, and defensive cornerstone Tyson Chandler.  The main reason why I have them this high is because they replaced those players with a lot of talent.  Delonte West, Vince Carter, and Lamar Odom are all great talents that will contribute a lot to this team.  Beaubois should also be back for a full season.  I have high hopes for this team.

The Los Angeles Lakers at the 3nd seed is a stretch to me.  They lost a lot of chemistry with the losses of Lamar Odom and Phil Jackson.  How Mike Brown’s system will work with this team is a total coin-flip.  With that said, this team still has too much talent that you cannot ignore.  Kobe is still Kobe and will score a lot of points.  Bynum will be really good this season (once he’s back from his suspension).  Josh McRoberts isn’t Lamar, but he will be a great player off the bench.  Devin Ebanks looks like he will break out this season.  The Lakers will still be really good. 

This is probably my most ridiculous prediction.  Yes, I think the Memphis Grizzlies will be good enough to take the #4 spot in the Western Conference.  Their young core of Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol, Tony Allen, Mike Conley, and OJ Mayo is still in tact.  I actually had this team up at #2 (huge stretch, but I believe), but once Darrell Arthur went down with an Achilles injury, my hopes dropped a bit.  

I’m surprised I don’t have this Los Angeles Clippers team higher.  I’ve given in to “Lob City” but you also have to remember that it’s only their first year together; they haven’t even had a full training camp together.  Their starting line-up is deadly, though, with CP3, Billups, Butler, Blake, and DeAndre, with a solid bench of Mo Williams, Foye, Gomes, and Reggie Evans.  If I’m so high on them, then why are they only the 5th seed?  Vinny Del Negro.

Like the Pacers, I’m probably a lot higher on this Portland Trailblazers team than many others.  Brandon Roy and Greg Oden being out will be a big blow, but you also have to take into account how neither of them were around a lot last season, and they still got the 6th seed.  They still need another big man to make up for Camby’s absence in the beginning of the season, but LaMarcus Aldridge’s due for a huge All-Star season.  Plus, with the addition of Jamal Crawford, they have a nice back court with Wesley Matthews and Raymond Felton.

The San Antonio Spurs are in the same situation as the Boston Celtics: win enough games to make the playoffs.  Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili definitely won’t be playing 66 games each.  Antonio McDyess just retired and George Hill is now a Pacer.  That means players like Tiago Splitter, Matt Bonner, Gary Neal and Kawhi Leonard are going to have to step up more, but only to a low playoff seed.  The Spurs’ championship window is closing and sadly, this doesn’t look like their year.

There is no team more confusing than the Denver Nuggets this year.  They lost JR Smith, Wilson Chandler, and Kenyon Martin to the Chinese Basketball Association until March; two out of those three more than likely would have returned to Denver.  Nonetheless, they still have enough on their team to make the playoffs.  Both Nene and Arron Afflalo will be back and will have more touches.  Gallinari is due to step up his game, and Andre Miller and Ty Lawson will be a great point guard tandem.  Rudy Fernandez is also a really good pick-up from the Mavericks, and Kenneth Faried will be a really good rookie.  Now it’s just about George Karl putting this all together cohesively.

The Unfortunate Ones

  • Houston Rockets
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Golden State Warriors
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • Utah Jazz
  • New Orleans Hornets
  • Sacramento Kings

I feel bad for the Houston Rockets.  They are always stuck fighting for that 8th seed in the playoffs, but eventually falling just short.  Kevin McHale will be a good coach for this team (even Jordan Hill looked good during the preseason), but with a roster like this, one can only do so much.

10th seed seems a little high for the Phoenix Suns, but Steve Nash and Grant Hill have had a taste from the fountain of youth.  Nash is the kind of point guard that makes everyone around him better, and they’ll keep fighting to make that last playoff spot.

The Golden State Warriors’ success all depends on how the team responds to Mark Jackson’s devotion to team defense.  Also: Stephen Curry’s ankle.  With this roster, though, realistically I only see them around the 9th-12th seed.  That means that they don’t make the playoffs and they lose their top-7 protected 2012 draft pick that the Utah Jazz have.  Luck of the Warriors.

I am buying into the Minnesota Timberwolves this year.  They are no longer the worst team in the Western Conference with Kevin Love getting even better and the additions of Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams, and JJ Barea.  Granted, they still won’t be good enough, mostly because Rubio and Williams have still yet to prove their worth.

I’m not nearly as high on the Utah Jazz as anyone else.  They lost too much talent with Deron Williams and Jerry Sloan.  Though they have a great front line with Favors, Jefferson, Millsap, and Kanter, I just don’t see enough talent to push them back to relevance.  They can easily go up to 10th, though, but I doubt it.

What can I say about the New Orleans Hornets… I think Aminu’s, Gordon’s, and Kaman’s faces say it all.  At least Gordon can let loose and have an All-Star worthy year!

And that leaves the Sacramento Kings.  At first I didn’t want to put this team so low, but I couldn’t put myself to write them any higher.  They have a lot of solid players in Tyreke, Jimmer, Thornton, Salmons, Garcia, Honeycutt, Hickson, Cousins, Thompson, and Hayes… but honestly, how is Paul Westphal going to implement these players cohesively?

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2011-2012 Bold Statements: Eastern Conference Standings

In my opinion the Eastern Conference standings will more or less be the same.  The same eight teams will be in the playoffs with shifts in standings that will definitely be effected by the shortened season.  As for the other 7 teams… let’s just say that they are still pretty bad.

Playoff Picture

  • Heat (1) vs. 76ers (8)
  • Bulls (2) vs. Hawks (7)
  • Knicks (3) vs. Pacers (6)
  • Magic (4) vs. Celtics (5)

The Miami Heat are undoubtably the clear favorites to win the Division title this season, and more than likely will have the best record in the league.  I find no reason why they won’t plow through the Eastern Conference and eventually end up in the NBA Finals once again.  They had a full year to create chemistry and added Shane Battier, an elite perimeter defender who can create space on the court and knock down the open 3.

The Chicago Bulls organization feel like they found the answer to their problems when they picked up Rip Hamilton this offseason, and they’re right.  He’s the scoring shooting guard that the Bulls needed last year to take offensive pressure off of Derrick Rose.  Furthermore, the Bulls have the same core players from last season and they’re still a relatively young-middle aged team.  With Rose signing an extension this week, expect the Bulls to be contending for a title for years to come.

The New York Knicks with the third seed?  I believe it.  Their addition of Tyson Chandler is their greatest move because he will be able to hide Carmelo’s and Amar’e’s defensive liabilities without needing to do much on offense.  Rookie Iman Shumpert, while having an awesome name, also looks like he can become a solid role player behind Douglas, Fields, and Baron when he comes back from injury (no comment on Mike Bibby). Also: JORTS!

The success of the Orlando Magic depends on one thing and one thing only: when will Dwight Howard be traded?  If Dwight stays with the Magic all season, they have the 3rd-4th seed on lock.  If he gets traded (which I believe he will be), then they will definitely drop in the standings, based upon who Orlando gets back.  Either way, the team needs to find some sort of identity, and guys like Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, and Big Baby need to step up and stay consistent all year.

If this was a normal 82 game season, the Boston Celtics would no doubt be the 3rd seed again.  With this compressed 66 game season, though, I expect them to only be good enough to make get a lower seed, and then work their hardest during the playoffs.  Garnett, Allen, Pierce, and maybe even O’neal won’t be playing 66 games each, which leaves Brandon Bass, Marquis Daniels, Keyon Dooling, and Chris Wilcox cleaning up the mess.  Yikes.  Bass will have a good year, though, filling in for Garnett in Doc’s system.

I am actually very high on this Indiana Pacers team.  They have upgraded their roster and have a deep bench, so they might have a chance to take that 5th seed (depending on how many games the Celtics veterans take off).  They replaced guys like Mike Dunleavy, Josh McRoberts, James Posey, and Brandon Rush with George Hill, David West, Louis Amundson, and 2 more inches on Paul George.  You read correctly, Paul George grew 2 inches taller this summer.  Also, a full year under Frank Vogel sure won’t hurt.

I’m probably as low on the Atlanta Hawks as I am high on the Pacers.  I don’t think the Hawks will realize how much Jamal Crawford meant to the offense of this team until it’s too late, and Tracy McGrady sure as hell isn’t the answer.  Also, the Hawks are now the NBA’s oldest team with an average age of over 30 years old.  They still have enough talent to earn a solid Playoff spot, but I don’t see them going far.

The Philadelphia 76er’s roster hasn’t changed very much from last season, so you can’t say they haven’t gotten any better, but they also haven’t gotten any worse either.  This team will basically earn their 8th seed because no other team in the Eastern Conference is good enough to have better records.  Sorry to the Nets and the Bucks.

The Unfortunate Ones

  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • New Jersey Nets
  • Washington Wizards
  • Detroit Pistons
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Charlotte Bobcats
  • Toronto Raptors

The Milwaukee Bucks were the 9th seed last season.  They are a very good defensive team that needs a lot of help on the offensive end.  Their answer?  Stephen Jackson and Mike Dunleavy. 9th seed sounds right.

The New Jersey Nets will have a full year (and hopefully more) with All-Star point guard Deron Williams. In spite of this, their 10th seed is more-so related to the other teams being worse than getting any better, especially with Brook Lopez being out until February with a foot injury.

The Washington Wizards are the youngest team in the league, but with 2nd year John Wall looking more like a leader, they have an okay chance at maturing.  They will still be pretty bad, though.  The bright side? They will be exciting (though sloppy) to watch. Dunks on dunks on dunks!

I actually have a lot of hope for this Detroit Pistons team this season.  Lawrence Frank should be a good coach, coming from Doc Rivers’ system in Boston.  I’m expecting Austin Daye to have a breakout season.  Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight will be great.  Blame their poor record on Joe Dumars for locking Charlie V, Gordon, Stuckey, and Prince long-term. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers have Kyrie Irving who will be great in this league.  Problem? No one else will be able to give him much help.  To the draft it is!

Just look at the Charlotte Bobcats’ roster and don’t tell me that they won’t be one of the bottom 3 teams in the league next year.  Kemba Walker will be great, but I doubt he will get enough touches with Corey Maggette on the court.  Plus, Boris Diaw is 30 pounds heavier and will play point-center.  Take that how you will.

Jonas Valanciunas will not be with the Toronto Raptors this year.  Players like Aaron Gray, Jamaal Magloire, Gary Forbes, and Rasual Butler will not change anything.  Dwane Casey has a lot on his plate for this team.

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