NBA Preview
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
It might be hard for people to smile about Kevin Durant going to the Golden State Warriors, but on the bright side, the NBA begins in two weeks from tomorrow. Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to repeat as champions, after they completed an improbable 3 games to 1 comeback in the finals.
It is very possible that Russell Westbrook could flirt with a triple-double every time he steps on the court this season for the Oklahoma City Thunder. How will this NBA season be written in the history books?
Eastern Conference: Atlantic Division: 1. Boston Celtics: Al Horford with be the main man that they desperately need.Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley will gel together in the back court. R.J. Hunter needs to be a legit scorer off the bench. They are a grind it out kind of team. Brad Stevens will rally his troops to be an Eastern Conference Contender.
2. Toronto Raptors: It will be challenging to build off last seasons success. They were the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference and won 2 playoff series. Toronto challenged Cleveland in the conference finals, but they lost in 6 games. Kyle Lowry and DeMar Derozan is a fine back court, but they can't carry this team by themselves.
3. New York Knicks: This team could be really good in real life or on the injury list. Derek Rose, Brandon Jennings, and Joakim Noah are all prone to injury. I guess you could put Carmelo Anthony on this list to. If they are fully healthy, they will definitely make the postseason, and maybe pull off a postseason upset.
4. Brooklyn Nets: They don't have a great roster, but it will be good enough for them to stay out of the cellar. Robin Lopez will be the leader of this team. Expect some young players to make a name for themselves.
5. Philadelphia 76ers: Joel Embiid will finally make his NBA debut this season after being sidelined with injuries the past 2 seasons. Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, and Dario Saric will be a solid front court, but the back court will struggle.
Central Division: 1. Cleveland Cavaliers: Kyrie Irving is ready to be crowned top point guard in the NBA after that Game 7 game winner last season. He has all the talent and tools to be one. Lebron James will be a vocal leader inside the locker room. J.R. Smith hasn't signed a contract yet and that is a concern. Jordan McRae is ready to fill the void if needed. This team has the talent to repeat as NBA Champions.
2. Indiana Pacers: Paul George was phenomenal last season. Jeff Teague is the point guard this team needs. He is a pass first point guard, but he can also score. He will compliment Monta Ellis nicely in the back court. Myles Turner is going to be a star at the center position. They also added another super star in Al Jefferson.
3. Detroit Pistons: The pesky Pistons are ready to take their game to the next level. Andre Drummond is a freak of nature at the center position. Tobias Harris and Marcus Morris will take some pressure off of Drummond. If they can get any bench production, they can contend in the east.
4. Milwaukee Bucks: They are lengthy and freaky, but do they have enough offense to make the postseason? Giannis Antetokompo is known as the "Greek Freak". He is an upcoming super star in the NBA. Jabari Parker needs to stay healthy all season. He is one of the top scorers on the team.
5. Chicago Bulls: Dwayne Wade has decided to go to his hometown, but there is no intentions of winning a championship like when Lebron returned home to Cleveland. The fun thing for Wade is he will face Lebron four times this season. Jimmy Butler is the main option on this team. They are basically starting from scratch.
Southeast Division: 1. Washington Wizards: John Wall and Bradley Beal not being healthy last season was one of the reasons why they missed the postseason. When they are healthy, they are too talented to miss the postseason. Scott Brooks is the new head coach. Markieff Morris will replace Nene' at power foward, and that is an upgrade. Morris can space the floor. Marcin Gortat will be good at center. They could be very dangerous if they get consistent bench scoring.
2. Atlanta Hawks: Dwight Howard is finally happy and away from James Harden. He isn't going to have to worry about Dennis Schroder not giving him the ball. Paul Millsap is going to have another all-star season, but they will feel the effects of not having Jeff Teague and Al Horford around.
3. Charlotte Hornets: With losing some players to free-agency, Kemba Walker is going to have to carry the team on his back like he did at Uconn. Can other young players like Frank Kaminsky, Jeremy Lamb, and Cody Zeller help the cause?
4. Orlando Magic: Frank Vogel is the new head coach in Orlando, but they are a year or two away from being good. They acquired Serge Ibaka from the Oklahoma City Thunder. It cost them Victor Oladipo though. Aaron Gordon needs to develop a post game. He is a terrific rebounder and defender.
5. Miami Heat: Losing Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, and a couple of others players will have them going from a playoff team to missing it completely. Chris Bosh may not ever return because of his blood clot issues. Hassan Whiteside is currently the face of the franchise. They will struggle to score the basketball all season.
Western Conference: Pacific Division: 1. Golden State Warriors: Why shouldn't they be the favorites to win the NBA Championship? Kevin Durant signed with them in the off-season, but they lost a few role players. Will Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, or Draymond Green's game suffer with him being there? The game doesn't have 2 basketballs and it only has 1 for everyone to share. How will they be able to make everyone happy?
2. Los Angeles Clippers: Are they finally going to get to the Western Conference Finals or will they flop once again? Look, they had injuries last season to Chris Paul and Blake Griffin which caused them an earlier exit than expected, but there is no more room for excuses. It is Paul Pierce's final season.
3. Los Angeles Lakers: New Head Coach Luke Walton is going to have his players compete at a high level every night. Executing the game plan is another story. They have young franchise cornerstones like Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., D'Angelo Russell, and Jordan Clarkson. The alpha male legend Kobe Bryant is behind them now after retiring at the end of the 2015-2016 season. It could be an exciting season for the Lakers.
4. Sacramento Kings: Could Willey Cauley-Stein and DeMarcus Cousins throw a block party in the front court? They could also throw a dunk party as well. Rudy Gay will be the outside threat on offense. However, this team has too many individuals and not enough team passion.
5. Phoenix Suns: It is going to take some time for the Suns to be a relevant team again. They drafted Dragan Bender in the first-round of the NBA Draft this past summer. If he is used right away, he will be a major factor in the lineup. Brandon Knight and Eric Bledsoe is an explosive guard combination, but they always seems to get injured.
Southwest Division: 1. San Antonio Spurs: Life is going to feel different when Tim Duncan doesn't step on the court for them this season. A true legend will be surely missed in the sport. Maybe he will be around with the team once in a while. They will still be a legit Western Conference Contender. Pau Gasol will take over what Tim Duncan did last season. LaMarcus Aldridge needs to step up when it matters most.
2.Memphis Grizzles: It is truly amazing what they accomplished last season. The Grizzles were severely injured, and they used 28 players last season. If they made the postseason with so many injuries, why can't they make it if everyone stays fresh? This is the final season of Zach Randolph's contract. Chandler Parsons will be the main scorer.
3. Houston Rockets: James Harden might have to carry the team by himself because of his talent, not because of his leadership. They aren't very deep. They lost Dwight Howard. Clint Capela is going to become a rising star. It could be a long year for them.
4. Dallas Mavericks: Can ageless wonder Dirk Nowitzki keep working his magic? His step back shot seems to keep getting better and better every season. Harrison Barnes and Wesley Matthews will be dropping buckets. The question is can the defense stop anybody?
5. New Orleans Pelicans: Anthony Davis is one the most intriguing stars in the NBA. The problem with the Pelicans is they have talent, but they always get plagued by the injury bug.
Northwest Division: 1. Portland Trail Blazers: Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum turned into a back court sensation last season. The additions of Festus Ezeli, Evan Turner, and Shabazz Napier make this team deeper. They play with a ton of energy, and they aren't afraid of challenges.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder: The loss of Kevin Durant stings, but the heart and soul of the Thunder remains in Russell Westbrook. He is a fierce competitor, and his teammates will follow him. Victor Oladipo and Westbrook could be a reckless guard combination. Enes Kanter is going to have to become one of the best centers in the NBA.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves: They feel like they are ready to make the postseason now. Tom Thibodeau is the new head coach, and he isn't a stranger to postseason basketball. Karl-Anthony Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Shabazz Muhammad are young talented players. They are some what raw but it will be vanished as the season goes on. They will be a very physical and defensive minded team.
4. Utah Jazz: Another young team that is ready to make noise this season. Dante Exum, Rodney Hood, and Alec Burks are solid guards on this team. They added key veterans like Boris Diaw, Joe Johnson, and George Hill.
5. Denver Nuggets: They are not ready to compete in this tough division. Emmanuel Mudiay is going to be an assist machine. Jamal Murray will be a nice compliment to Mudiay in the back court.
Playoffs: Eastern Conference: First Round: (1) Cleveland over (8) Atlanta, (2) Boston over (7) New York, (3) Indiana over (6) Toronto, and (5) Washington over (4) Detroit. Second Round: (1) Cleveland over (5) Washington and (3) Indiana over (2) Boston. Third Round: (1) Cleveland over (3) Indiana.
Western Conference: First Round: (1) Golden State over (8) Memphis, (2) LA Clippers over (7) Utah, (3) Portland over (6) Minnesota, and (5) Oklahoma City over (4) San Antonio. Second Round: (1) Golden State over (5) Oklahoma City and (3) Portland over (2) LA Clippers. Third Round: (1) Golden State over (3) Portland.
The NBA Finals: (1) Cleveland over (1) Golden State.
