Previous NBA Previews:
Central Division
Northwest Division
Southeast Division
Southwest Division
Pacific Division
1. Boston Celtics (3rd in East, 7th in NBA)
Who is new: Brandon Bass, Keyon Dooling, Chris Wilcox, JaJuan Johnson, E’Tuan Moore
Why are they here: Certainly not because of how they played to start the season. With Jeff Green gone for the year and Paul Pierce hurt, the Celts have started 0-3.
Most important player: Rajon Rondo. He’s going to have to get the most out of the aging veterans on this team.
Outlook: I’m not going to cheat, since I did these before the season started, but the Celtics certainly don’t look like a 3rd seed right now. Jeff Green being gone for the year is a loss and it happened late enough they couldn’t really replace him. I think that they will get in a groove as the season wears on, but will continue to struggle in the outset. I could also see Ainge making a big move, as he obviously tried to do with the Paul for Rondo swap.
2. New York Knicks (4th in East, 13th in NBA)
Who is new: Tyson Chandler, Mike Bibby, Iman Shumpert, Baron Davis, Josh Harrelson
Why are they here: They added a defensive presence in Chandler to their big-2 of Anthony and Amare. PG is an issue with Billups gone, but they are hoping that Baron Davis can come back healthy and have an impact for the last 20 games of the season.
Most important player: Landry Fields. Like so many other teams, the Knicks have the star power, but need quality depth to make a serious run. Fields, Shumpert and Bill Walker will all have to play key roles if they want to challenge in the East.
Outlook: I think it’s good for the NBA that the Knicks are relevant again. They have always been the one NYC team I don’t hate. They were wise to get rid of Billups (they didn’t need scoring) and add Chandler, though I wonder if Chandler’s impact on the game is a little overstated.
3. Philadelphia 76ers (8th in East, 17th in NBA)
Who is new: Nikola Vucevic, Lavoy Allen
Why are they here: They went 38-28 after starting off the year 3-13 last season. They lack star power, but have one of the best benches in the league with Lou Williams, Thad Young and Evan Turner. They will win a lot of games with their second unit going up against other squad’s benches.
Most important player: Evan Turner. This is a tough one, since the team is so deep, but Turner has the most room for improvement and has been more aggressive and effective in his first two games this year. I’m excited to see how he develops.
Outlook: I think that where I have the Sixers now is probably a worst-case scenario. I think with Boston’s struggles and Dwight Howards impending departure, they could sneak up as high as 4th in the East. If they don’t though, I would prefer they drop and get a good draft pick. In lieu of a full Sixers preview (which I didn’t have time for) I’ll do a sentence or two on each player…
Andre Iguodala – I liked him a lot more last year than in year’s past because he didn’t force his shot as much and played to his strengths. He has been amazing in the Sixers first two games and could be primed for a great year.
Elton Brand – Finally became productive last year. I expect him to make less of an impact this year, but still be solid when he’s in the game. I’m hoping they amnesty him next year if a move can be made.
Jrue Holiday – The player with the most upside hasn’t shown it in the first two games. I believe he can be an all-star, but don’t know what his full upside is.
Spencer Hawes – My least favorite player last year has tried to win me over in the first two games. He has played with a lot more energy on the boards and on defense. We forget he is just 23. I do fear that he will play out of his mind this year and get a horrible contract from the Sixers.
Jodie Meeks – Fantastic shooter and not much else, hopefully he doesn’t take too many minutes away from…
Evan Turner – Don’t know about his new shot, but he is taking it to the hole with confidence and appears to have a signature move with his floaters in the lane.
Thaddeus Young – Can he play up to his contract? We know he’s an very efficient scorer off the bench, but can he show he can do more?
Lou Williams – Drives me insane. Thinks he’s better than he is, but is excellent at times. Needs desperately to get his FG% up.
Nikola Vucevic – First impression is that he is another Spencer Hawes. Good offensive player, needs work on defense. Had a couple impressive offensive plays against Phoenix though.
Craig Brackins – Has a mohawk and can maybe shoot the three. I’m at least intrigued by him.
Tony Battie, Lavoy Allen, Andres Nocioni, Marreese Speights – More or less irrelevant.
4. New Jersey Nets (10th in East, 24th in NBA)
Who is new: Shawne Williams, Sheldon Williams, Marshon Brooks
Why are they here: Because even before Brook Lopez went down, Deron Williams was the only good player on this squad.
Most important player: Dwight Howard. Because if they don’t get him, I see Deron Williams going elsewhere and them starting from scratch.
Outlook: Not good. I don’t think they get Howard (who would they trade? Especially with Lopez gone) and I think Williams bolts to Dallas next year. That would put them back to square one for their move to Brooklyn.
5. Toronto Raptors (12th in East, 27th in NBA)
Who is new: Aaron Gary
Why are they here: Their #1 pick, Jonas Valanciunas, will spend the year abroad, giving the Raptors another year to stink and get a good draft pick.
Most important player: Demar DeRozan. Their best chance at a solid piece for the future.
Outlook: Raptors’ fans should root for losing and improvement from DeRozen, Ed Davis, Amir Johnson and maybe even Jerryd Bayless. If they can get a top pick and also bring in Jonas, they should take a step forward next year.
Recap
Here is how I have the East and West shaking out this year playoff-wise. In parentheses, I’ve put where I would probably have them after what we know through the first week of the season.
East
1. Miami
2. Chicago
3. Boston
4. New York
5. Orlando
6. Atlanta
7. Indiana
8. Philadelphia
West
1. Oklahoma City
2. LA Clippers
3. Dallas
4. Memphis
5. LA Lakers
6. San Antonio
7. Portland
8. Denver
Finals: Heat over Thunder
Bass is taking WAY too many shots for Boston
Also I think that the Sixers should drop some dead weight/lame duck bigs (Speights(via trade), Noce, or Batman) and grab a young defensive minded PG with some upside (maybe from the D-league?), because with the only options at PG being heavy rotation players, unfortunate injuries can happen in garbage time like we saw with Jrue. A veteran PG would even suffice, and maybe even help Jrue out a bit with mentorship.
I like how aggressive Bass has been. He’s averaging 12 FGA at 50% for 14.7 PPG and 6.7 RPG. C’s are going to need guys step and up and play above their heads to help make up for team that’s old and thin – keep in mind that Pierce has yet to even suit up. I thought the Bass pickup was quite simply perfect, I was growing tired of Big Baby.
Honestly didn’t take into account his efficiency, just the eye test here. I liked the pickup of Bass, just thought he was shooting too much, but if he’s hitting can’t really argue right? Marquise Daniels on the other hand is jacking too much and putting a ton of wear and tear on the backboard and rim, though he’s a decent player when not shooting 3′s. They seem to be having serious problems on defense, and Jermaine O’Neal’s infinite ineptitude.
I still can’t believe Jermaine O’Neal is starting for them. I was stunned to realize that he’s still only 33. I’ll be damned if he doesn’t look a day under 55. I’ll bet you he doesn’t jump higher than six inches more than 4 times this year.
I’ve become sort of attached to this weird, goofy, underachieving, yet strangely likable squad our Sixers have. They are ours. That said, I think I’m finally coming totally around on trading Iguodala, I think it’s time. I would love to see Dre and EB and Turner and Thad and Jrue catch fire and blow some people away this year but I feel like the prudent move is to look at who on this team is valuable on the trade market and start making the appropriate moves to revamp the roster. I don’t see a route to the top of the Eastern Conference with Miami, Chicago and New York primed to be very good for quite some time.
I do wonder, if Dwight Howard makes it to free agency (which I don’t really expect to happen) and the Sixers amnesty EB and decline Nocioni’s option, if a core of Iguodala, Jrue, Turner and Thad would be enough to convince him to sign here. That team could be near impossible to score against. Brooklyn and LA would still be more attractive options.
I really don’t know how to feel about this team/new management or what is reasonable to expect as far as contending or roster moves – nothing and everything would surprise me. I have, however, liked most of what I’ve seen so far in two games.
Knicks are overrated. With Mike D’ Antoni as the head coach and the players on that roster, they will not win a championship and struggle in the season. However, they could still be 2nd in the division and it will come down to the Sixers or the Knicks. Knicks 2 man show vs Sixers balanced attack. In this shortened season, the Sixers could really benefit from this. Did anyone see the Knicks play against the Warriors and the Lakers? Too much one-on-one basketball and no ball movement. D’Antoni’s Suns were better than that.
Knicks have terrible PG play. Toney Douglas is a jack and Shumpert is a Stuckey type player. Bibby is a basketball ghoul. I think their most important piece is Baron Davis. If he is >66% of the player he was for the “We Believe” Warriors, they may make a run. If he is fat boy Baron, they crash and burn and barely go above .500.
Questions I wonder about…
A non religious check of the NBA boxscores early this season strongly suggest roster counts of more than the traditional 12 bodies that have been the norm since….since….since…damn, Joe Fulks days? Am I seeing things, or did the agreement and resulting 66 game condensed schedule allow for a higher number of players for this year?
Baseball has made a living off odd starting times for a long time. Day games, night games, twilight games, Patriot Day morning games, opening days in Japan that equate to 5 AM Eastern starts in search of a television audience…they have dabbled in everything except my curiousity about what would happen if one time, maybe even I dare say two, some team played a late night game to appeal to 2nd shift types, like 11 PM, hell, maybe even midnight like this one game in Fairbanks Alaska every year just to see how it would work out. The Phillies at one time presented Businesspersons Specials as a novelty, and you couldn’t get a ticket. Tonight, when people are already working a max of a half day, the slate of NBA games is all after dark. Onliest time the NBA dabbles in weekday afternoon games is MLK Day. New Jersey is at Atlanta tonight. They’ll draw like 14-17 thou. If they played it this afternoon, I wonder if the novelty, with proper promotion wouldn’t have drawn at least the same. Yeah, television and radio audiences wouldn’t match up I suppose, but there’s something alluring to bouncing around the Atlanta sunset in traffic listening to Hawks play by play that lends to intensifying attachment as a fan.
The Knicks suck. They aren’t overerated. They are overhyped. Huuuuge difference. And overrated is at least semi complimentary.
People are treating the Tyson Chandler signing as manna from heaven. He’s a very good defensive big man, but I don’t know that he’s the “culture changer” many in MSG believe/hope he will be. A commitment to defend has to be top-down thing starting with the head coach. That’s not going to happen with D’Antoni.
As far as scheduling, the NBA should stake a claim on Black Friday and schedule marquee games on national tv during the day; that could be a big day for them.
That was an endlessly frustrating loss. Free throws and rebounding, gentleman.
Furthermore, I like Lou (a little) but can’t we all get on board with the idea that someone else should have the ball in their hands at the end of games. Jrue or Dre or go out and get someone. It’s like his totally unfounded confidence rubs off on others. It’s like the flu.
In a way I sort of like that his confidence is totally and completely immune to any form of self doubt (I think every team needs a guy like that) but at the same time every part of me that has ever learned anything about basketball makes me hate that very same thing with such ferocity.
Why do the Jazz get the favorable Mormon calls? Anyway, on the Sixers front those missed free throws did not help. I hope the Sixers get their legs ready for the Warriors– from facing a rugged team to an up-tempo track meet with Stephen Curry likely returning and Monte being doubtful. Anyway, I still love my Sixers though and their effort will kick the Knicks butt. GO SIXERS!
Pete, I am not high on the knicks at all and feel the Hawes new addition [3rd in reb. to Howard and Love] is the best bargain at 4 million this season to the overpaid free agent signings [Chandler [Dalembert?], Nene and M.Gasol.
If Hawes continues his solid play a Hawes/Favors tandem would of been something to build on. I counted 8 changed shots and 2 detered shots by Hawes in the Utah game when I rewatched it. It may be time by the end of this year to find our Mahorn to Hawes’ [Gminski].
Chandler is pushing Amare out to the 3 pt. line at times and I wonder if their 3 stars ever mesh, unless P.Jackson comes back to coach them. Melo is also turning into a jumpshooter.
astute observation about Amare/Chandler getting along. Even without being a Knicks fan, it is greatly disturbing to see Amare shooting 3s.
So are you proposing both Hawes and Favors playing the 5? How much salary would even be committed hypothetically if that were so?
I think Favors is the perfect p.f. to put next to Hawes, but since we took Turner we have to get that player elsewhere.
Derek Bodner pointed out on depressed fan that Hawes is untradeable because he can refuse because he would lose his birdrights. I was hoping he could be a piece in a Howard package.
The Sixers are playing pretty well yet nothing going on with this site?
Goodbye, mr speights. Not too bad to get two second rounders out of him, if Cooney’s article is correct. He’ll get his points if they give him the minutes, but he really ah no place here on a team that starts with defense.
I’m not sold on the Knicks either. Basically they’ve recreated the old PHX teams…, if they’re even that good.
He’ll get a good change to showcase what he has, with Z-Bo out with a Torn MCL, minutes would be between he and Darrell Arthur at PF.
damn I forgot Arthur is out for the year. Speezy should have a huge opportunity to show what he’s got
Glad to hear we moved Mo today, I am a little confused about New Orleans’ role in it though. I think I’m taking Memphis’ pick and Henry straight up instead of passing him along to New Orleans for an extra #2. I wonder what the evaluation of Henry was.
The Sixers won’t face the Grizzlies until February 21st. Speights will be missed offensively, but is too lazy defensively. Now, by clearing Speights and getting some cap space in the form of a trade exception and two second round picks, the Sixers could use it to make a trade of their own and perhaps obtain better role players for scraps. I hope Rod has something up his sleeve.
I like the strategy of stockpiling second round picks. It gives you bargaining chips if you want to make a draft day deal, or you can just use the pick to take a low risk look at somebody…in other words, it gives yoh flexibility. I think our best bet is to sit on the picks for now and see where we’re at (and what the draft class looks like) when the draft comes up.
…and this draft class is shaping up nicely. There look to be a few 2nd round steals out there.
Someone let our team know that simply falling down on defense isn’t going to draw a charge.
We were just falling all over the court in Utah trying to get the calls and now we’re starting to do it again tonight.
Turner is aggressive and Hawes is FUCKING BALLING! These guys hustle and scrap. No matter how it turns out, I’m actually liking Sixers basketball right now, something I haven’t felt in a while.
SN: Did anyone catch Battie airball a 5 foot fadeaway off an OREB? One of the ugliest things i’ve seen on a court short of Shawn Marion’s shot.
Turner is not unexpected but Hawes is playing out of his mind (for Hawes that is). Guy looks legit, this may not be a fluke. If this is the real deal, I’m already entertaining re-sign vernacular in my opinion of him.