I am not excited whatsoever for the NBA this year. Making predictions makes it at least a tad more entertaining because I can see how close I was or how horribly wrong I was. I hate the idea of 66 games in two less months; I understand it's about money and I get it blah blah blah, it just bothers me. The NBA season is too long as it is, I'd be happy with 50 games a season and then playoffs. I'm gonna be completely honest, I have no feel for how the league will go this year other than the Heat and the Bulls will win a lot of regular season games. Outside of that, it's completely wide open in my opinion, so I'm fully prepared for my picks to be, as I said, horribly wrong. But oh well, that's why it's fun. Here we go
Atlantic Division
1. Boston Celtics - I don't think they'll have a great regular season, but their division just isn't good, and I think the Knicks are highly overrated.
2. New York Knicks - They'll be entertaining, but when your two "superstars" don't play defense, there is a problem.
3. New Jersey Nets - I can't stand Deron Williams, but he's good enough by himself to finish above the 76ers and the Raptors.
4. Philadelphia 76ers
5. Toronto Raptors
Central Division
1.Chicago Bulls - They have the youth to deal with the shortened season perfectly, and adding Rip Hamilton will only help them take pressure off of Derrick Rose.
2. Milwaukee Bucks
3. Indiana Pacers
4. Detroit Pistons
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
Southeast Division
1. Miami Heat - They will cruise through the regular season, probably finishing with the best record in the league. The addition of Shane Battier is huge for Miami.
2. Atlanta Hawks
3. Orlando Magic - This is a train wreck waiting to happen. Dwight Howard wants out, and I think he's going to throw a grown up temper tantrum on his way to forcing to Magic to trade him.
4. Washington Wizards
5. Charlotte Bobcats - As long as Michael Jordan is in charge of this team, they will not win big
Northwest Division
1. Oklahoma City Thunder - If Russell Westbrook can realize he's the 2nd best player on this team and stop trying to upstage Durant, this is the best team in the western conference. If Westbrook can't control his ego, that could ruin the Thunder's season.
2. Portland Trail Blazers - Brandon Roy was one of my favorite players and I'm very sad that he has to retire so young because of his knees, but I think not having to worry about his status will help the Blazers this year, as it's become Lamarcus Aldridge's team.
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Utah Jazz - I like a lot of the pieces on this team, especially Derrick Favors. I think Kanter has the potential to become a defensive powerhouse at the center position, and give the Jazz one of the best frontcourts in the league for the next decade next to Favors. If Josh Howard can stay healthy, he will help them, but the Jazz biggest need is the wings. I like Gordon Hayward, but he is a great 6th man in my opinion. I hope the Jazz will try to showcase Al Jefferson early in the season to try to bait a team into overpaying in a trade for him and hopefully upgrade the wing position, so they can finally get rid of both Raja Bell and CJ Miles. The Jazz have the potential to be able to compete in the west for the next 10 years in my opinion, probably not this year because they are so young, but within a couple years if they can develop their young guys. The biggest question mark I have about this team is Ty Corbin. I like him a lot, but I don't think he's quite ready to take a young team up to the next level. I hope I'm wrong, because I'd like to see the Jazz succeed and prove that they made the right move by getting rid of Deron "Douchebag" Williams. Hopefully Jazz fans will not have too high of expectations for this season, and be willing to give it a couple years. We shall see.
P.S. Those of you who have talked to me about this already know, but for those that don't, I've always disliked Deron Williams and haven't cheered for the Jazz since he's been there, so my ripping him isn't a reaction of what happened last year with Sloan. I am not a Jazz fan, but when they have players I like, I cheer for them to do well. I love that the Jazz got rid of him, and I hope he never succeeds on whatever team he is on :) that is all
5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Why are they even allowed to still have a team?
Pacific Division
1. LA Clippers - Yes I am buying into the Clippers. Chris Paul is still the best point guard in the NBA, and unless the Lakers are able to get Dwight Howard without giving up Pao Gasol, the Lakers are going to slip.
2. LA Lakers - I am hoping beyond hope that this team struggles mightily, because if they do, the true Kobe Bryant will once again emerge, and he will cry and throw a fit and eventually want out of LA. He did the same thing after he forced Shaq out, and the Lakers were terrible with Kobe trying to be the main guy until the Grizzlies gift wrapped Pao Gasol to them. Kobe does not win a single title without his dominant big guys on the team, and Gasol is vastly under appreciated in LA. I've read so many articles the past couple years talking about how Kobe has matured since his trade demands 4 years ago. Guess what, NO HE HASN'T, Kobe Bryant is the equivalent of the screaming toddler in the grocery store whose parents buy him whatever he wants just to keep him happy. Kobe takes no responsibility for his team ever struggling, and if the Lakers didn't miraculously acquire Gasol, he'd already be out of LA. I am hoping for the true Kobe to show up again this year, so all the idiots that wrote about his maturity can realize how dumb they actually were.
3.Golden State Warriors - Another exciting offensive team that doesn't play defense and will win about half their games.
4. Phoenix Suns
5. Sacramento Kings - sorry to put a damper on all you Jimmer fans, but I just don't think he's a starter in the NBA. He is a great shooter, but he will get exposed on defense because he is not quick enough to keep up with point guards and not big enough to guard the 2's. If he is used correctly, like a Jason Terry, he could help a team out, but if they expect him to come in and be the team star, they will be vastly disappointed.
Southwest Division
1. San Antonio Spurs - They have enough younger guys to deal with the regular season just fine.
2. Dallas Mavericks
3. Memphis Grizzlies
4. Houston Rockets
5. New Orleans Hornets
MVP - LeBron James
Rookie of the Year - Derrick Williams
Coach of the Year - Vinny Del Negro
Defensive Player of the Year - Kendrick Perkins
PLAYOFFS!!!
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. Boston Celtics
5. New York Knicks
6. Orlando Magic
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. Indiana Pacers
First Round - Heat over Pacers, Bulls over Bucks, Hawks over Magic, Celtics over Knicks
Second Round - Celtics over Heat, Bulls over Hawks
Conference Finals - Celtics over Bulls
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. LA Clippers
5. LA Lakers
6. Memphis Grizzlies
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. Denver Nuggets
First Round - Thunder over Nuggets, Blazers over Spurs, Mavericks over Grizzlies, Lakers over Clippers
Second Round - Blazers over Mavericks, Thunder over Lakers
Conference Finals - Thunder over Blazers
NBA Finals - Celtics over Thunder - and of course this is a biased pick. I am a Celtics fan, and this might be my last year for awhile that I can pick them and they have a legitimate shot. I think Miami has the most talented team, but I think if Boston is healthy in the playoffs they can take them down. That is a huge if, but that's what I'm going with. Feel free to comment and tell me how bad my picks are, or how smart you think I am :) hopefully the NBA will be better than I am expecting this year.
Til Next Time,
Dallas
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