See all 2009 NBA team previews Oklahoma City Thunder 2007-08 Record: 20-62 Cool 2007 Stat: For all the criticism Kevin Durant got, he put up the 3rd best PPG ever (20.3) for a player under 20. The first 2 are LeBron and Melo - and Durant was put in a far worse situation than either. Anticipated Starting Five PG- Earl Watson SG- Kevin Durant SF- Jeff Green PF- Chris Wilcox C- Johan Petro Bench: Russell Westbrook, Desmond Mason, Damien Wilkens, Nick Collison, Joe … [Read more...]

See all 2009 NBA team previews Minnesota Timberwolves 2007-08 Record: 22-60 Cool 2007 Stat: Al Jefferson was only the 2nd Wolves player (KG, the man he was traded for, was first) to average 21 points and 11 rebounds in a season. KG was the same age (23), when he got his first as well. Anticipated Starting Five PG- Randy Foye SG- Mike Miller SF- Ryan Gomes PF- Kevin Love C- Al Jefferson Bench: Rashad McCants, Corey Brewer, Sebastian Telfair, Craig Smith, Rodney Carney Biggest … [Read more...]

See all 2009 NBA team previews Portland Trailblazers 2007-08 Record: 41-41 Cool 2007 Stat: Their top 4 scorers (Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, Webster) are all 23 and under. It would have been 5 if Greg Oden had played. Anticipated Starting Five PG- Jerryd Bayless SG- Brandon Roy SF- Martell Webster PF- LaMarcus Aldridge C- Greg Oden Bench: Steve Blake, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw, Channing Frye, Joel Przybilla Biggest Strength - Abundance of Young Talent At Every Position The … [Read more...]

See all 2009 NBA team previews Utah Jazz 2007-08 Record: 54-28 Cool 2007 Stat: PG Deron Williams was only the 4th player in history to average 18 pts and 10 asts per game while shooting a blistering 50%+ from the field. The other 3 players are Steve Nash, Magic Johnson and Kevin Johnson. (Note: Williams ruined one of my best stats by falling under 19 ppg for the season. Had he stayed there, he and Carlos Boozer would have been the second pair of teammates to go for 20 ppg / 10 rpg and … [Read more...]

See all 2009 NBA team previews Orlando Magic 2007-08 Record: 52-30 Cool 2007 Stat: Dwight Howard is the youngest player ever (22) to average 20 points, 14 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. He also put on a dunk contest performance that prompted my favorite quote of the year, from Kenny Smith, who was just screaming, “He’s not a real person! He’s not a real person!” Anticipated Starting Five PG- Jameer Nelson SG- Mickael Pietrus SF- Rashard Lewis PF- Hedo Turkoglu C- … [Read more...]