Tonight marks the start of Lebron James’s first title defense, and more then likely the first of many. In one of the most anticipated NBA seasons of all time, a stacked Miami Heat team led by the most amazing physical specimen to ever play the game defend their title against one of the most impressive top-heavy Western conferences in recent memory, and I can’t wait.
This season’s five biggest questions:
How will the Lakers fit together? – Kobe Bryant is used to playing with elite big men, and thats what he got with the addition of Dwight Howard, but he is not used to playing with elite point guards, and now he has one of the best pure points to ever play the game. If any point guard can bring this group of stars together and have them play as a team, its Steve Nash. I have no worries that they will fit perfectly, and they are my favorite to win the west.
Will the Thunder be the same without Harden? – Harden was traded saturday night in a trade that shocked most of us basketball fans. The Thunder received what James Harden is worth by acquiring Kevin Martin, rookie Jeremy Lamb, and two first round picks, but was it the right move? The Thunder are a better team with Harden, plain and simple. I think Martin will fit in, but he’s not James Harden. I think the Thunder made a big mistake here.
Will the Spurs ever age? – For the last two years people thought that the Spurs would fade away gradually, but that has not happened. With a nice mix of young talent and veteran studs, Pop has his guys contending year after year. Time is going to catch up with the Spurs eventually, but I think Duncan and compony have one more chance at a run this year, although with the competition in the West, it will be tough to get to the finals.
Will Derrick Rose’s return bring the Bulls back to contention? – Last season the Bulls entered the playoffs as one of the favorites to win it all, until Derrick Rose went down and is still sitting out from the same injury. Rose won’t be back until mid-season, but I still don’t think the Bulls have any chance this year. Many questionable offseason moves left the Bulls with a very mediocre bench. I think the team without Rose will be fighting for the 8 seed, and once Rose comes back I think they can manage to get up to the 7th, but they have no shot against Miami this year, even with Rose at full health.
Can anybody beat the Heat? – The Heat had another amazing offseason, keeping almost everybody from the previous year’s team and adding Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis. Not to mention they still have Chris Bosh, the second best shooting guard in the league in Marquette alum Dwayne Wade; who’s finally healthy again, and the best player of the decade in Lebron James. Outside of the Lakers, I don’t think anybody stands a chance.
Western Conference Outlook
- The Contenders – Los Angelas Lakers – The Lakers made the biggest splash this offseason, and now it seems Kobe may be hungrier then ever for his sixth ring. I don’t know if the Lakers will win the regular season, but they are my pick to make the NBA finals out of the West.
- San Antonio Spurs – Tony Parker leads the battle tested Spurs, who are back with a very similar roster from last year. If the Spurs don’t see the Thunder during the playoffs, I can see them coming out of the West, but they don’t match up well with OKC at all.
- Oklahoma City Thunder – Would be my two if they still had Harden. I still like the Thunder as a contender, and down the road if Lamb and the rest of their picks develop, they will be very dangerous, but this season I don’t see them getting back to the finals.
- Los Angelas Clippers – Don’t sleep on Chris Paul. The Clippers are loaded this year, bringing back a healthy Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler as well as adding Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford, and Grant Hill off the bench. Chris Paul is still the best player in LA despite the arrival of Howard, and it will be tough for the Clippers to get deep into the playoffs, but they are scary.
- Playoff Bound – Memphis Grizzlies – Without a dynamic player like Mayo coming off the bench, I can’t consider the Grizz a contender. But they will be a nuisance to whomever they play in the first round; Gay and Randolph are great players, and they could make a run into the semifinals.
- Denver Nuggets – Denver traded virtually nothing to acquire Andre Iguodala, and the Nuggets may be one of the most fun teams to watch this season. Another year or two of development for Lawson, Faried, and McGee and the Nuggets could be in the conference’s elite.
- On the Bubble – Dallas Mavericks – Dallas avenged their almost failure of an offseason by adding some solid players around Nowitzki near the end of the summer. Dallas seems to be a shoe in for the playoffs, but are no guarantee, and not a viable threat to do much of anything when the playoffs begin.
- Minnesota Timberwolves – The young Wolves have one of my favorite rosters moving forward in the league. Unfortunately, it looks like Love and Rubio will miss the first month of the season at least, which is going to make it tough for them to pull together a playoff run. But with the two of them healthy, if Brandon Roy comes back to anything even near 2009 Brandon Roy, the Wolves could be a team to keep an eye on late in the season.
- Houston Rockets – The Harden trade was a great move for a team desperate for a star. I’m a believer in Lin, and if it wasn’t for the questionable moves on releasing basically every solid vet on the roster including Scola this summer, they could be 7th on my list.
- Utah Jazz – Utah is loaded with front court talent. If either Milsap or Jefferson are traded for a solid back court player, and Favors and Kanter keep improving, the Jazz can be a playoff team. Only if that happens though.
- Golden State Warriors – My darkhorse team for a playoff run. A solid starting lineup if Barnes lives up to expectations and Bogut comes back healthy make the Warriors a very intriguing team this season.
- Rebuilding Mode – New Orleans Hornets – Anthony Davis is an absolute stud. Eric Gordon could potentially blow up this year. But other then that, the Hornets have a questionable roster. Give them a few more years and a few more pieces to be a threat in the conference.
- Sacramento Kings – Talk about a talented team that just doesn’t fit together. Cousins will be an all star at some point, and has interesting young players around him. But I don’t think Evans is a good fit for this team at all.
- Portland Trailblazers – Aldridge leads a group of pretty bad players along with Damian Lillard and Nicholas Batum. Its a shame injuries killed this once promising franchise, they have some work to do moving forward.
- Phoenix Suns – The Suns offseason will be a big time hit or miss this season, and I think the league will pitch a perfect game against the Suns. Michael Beasley is a lost cause. Scola and Gortat are great role players, but as the teams best players? No. Also find it hilarious that the Suns gave a huge contract to a guy they just traded two years ago.
- The Contender – Miami Heat – Notice how there is no ‘s’ in Contender. Thats because there is no other team that can come out of the East. The Heat are in a class of their own this year, and I expect them to run away with the East. They have some viable threats in the West, but the Eastern conference should be a breeze for the King.
- Playoff Bound – Indiana Pacers – I don’t understand why everybody thinks the Celtics are a much bigger threat to Miami then the Pacers. Paul George could be a sleeper cantidate for most improved player and have a huge year. Hibbert will be back with another great season. Granger and Wets are veterans who are hungry to make a run this year. I like Indiana to get past Boston if they meet in the playoffs.
- Boston Celtics – “Ray, we’d love to have you back, so we’re just gonna sign a similar player at the same position to take your minutes. But please resign.” Not surprised Ray Allen walked away from the big contract offered by the Celtics. He was disrespected. But the Celtics did get much deeper this year, and had a great draft. Rondo is poised for another huge year, but I don’t think they have a title run in them this year.
- Brooklyn Nets – Deron Williams finally has another scorer to play alongside him with the Nets. This Nets team will bring a lot of energy in its first season in Brooklyn, but I don’t see them as much of a threat at all.
- Philadelphia 76ers – The sixers basically lost their identity by swapping Iggy for Bynum, and it will be interesting to see what this team does this year. If Bynum fits in perfectly and has a great season, I wouldn’t at all be surprised to be watching a Heat-76ers conference finals series. But I can’t rank them number two based on if’s.
- New York Knicks – “We’ve got a nice, young point guard who took the league by storm last season. He wants a little bit too much money. Do we resign him? Nah, lets just go sign a bunch of players over 35 and a washed up point guard that was good for us three years ago.” Knicks had the worst offseason in the league. I just don’t get it. Not a threat at all, but I expect a great year from Melo.
- Chicago Bulls – It will be interesting to see how Chicago plays without Rose, but I definitely expect them to be on the playoff bubble, and Rose will get them to the playoffs when he gets back. I wouldn’t be surprised if Chicago goes on a run in the playoffs, but it will be a tough thing to do.
- Atlanta Hawks – Atlanta shed the leagues worst contract this offseason, but it makes the team a lot weaker without him. I like Lou Williams, and I like the young core Atlanta has, but I don’t see a run in them. Also would not be surprised if this is the season where we finally see Josh Smith get moved.
- On the Bubble – Milwaukee Bucks – Not much of a bubble in the East this year, as I would be pretty surprised to see a different team in the playoffs then the eight I listed barring injuries. Milwaukee’s own Bucks have a shot at a playoff berth this year, led by a very strong backcourt, but I don’t see them getting in.
- Washington Wizards – A team that has lacked maturity for many years finally has some with veterans Nene, Okafor, and Ariza, to pair along with promising players John Wall and Bradley Beal. Like the Warriors in the West, the Wizards are a pretty intriguing team to watch this season.
- Rebuilding mode – Detroit Pistons – Greg Monroe leads a young and talented nucleus of Pistons. One more top ten pick along with the hope that Drummond becomes a solid NBA center and the Pistons can be a good team down the road.
- Cleveland Cavaliers – I think Cleveland reached big time taking Dion Waiters with the fourth pick. But last year they reached and took Tristan Thompson, who looks promising. Irving may make an all star team this year, but Cleveland has a long way to go if they want another 60 win season.
- Toronto Raptors – Another interesting team. Jonas Valanciunas could be a potential stud, and with a backcourt of Lowry, Derozan, and Ross, the Raptors may have a potential playoff push in them.
- Charlotte Bobcats – Surprise! The Bobcats aren’t my pick for the worst team in the league! There really isn’t much to say here, just let the young players play and get some experience so they can add another lottery pick next year.
- Orlando Magic – If a blind homeless man who has never watching basketball was asked who he would rather have, Brook Lopez and Marshonn Brooks or Aaron Afflalo and Al Harrington, I would be stunned if he chose Afflalo and Harrington. The Thunder got more for James Harden then the Magic got for Dwight Howard, and the Magic are going to pay this year by having an awful season, and theres many more of them to come.
Miami plays Boston tonight at 7 to open up the season. Cannot wait to see it! More NBA articles to come.
Side note – expect my week 8 NFL wrap up tomorrow. Wanted to get this one done first.
Benjamin Wavey • Oct 31, 2012 at 7:28 pm
First of all, the Bulls are a contender! They were a contender last year before Rose got hurt! Don’t sleep on them! Seeing Miami play last night showed me they’re beatable! They aren’t Masuk! Let’s be honest! Lakers are horrible! They had the biggest “bang” in the off season, yet they lost to a not so good Dallas team without their star! Dwight Howard fouled out in the season opener, and Steve Nash should reture along with Kobe! OKC had a pretty good off season and brought in two very good rookies who can work with the ball! Look for them in the Western Finals!
Steven Rebeiro • Nov 2, 2012 at 12:30 am
If Lebron finished the game it would have never gotten close near the end against Boston. And give the Lakers some time to start fitting together, but they did look terrible in game one.
Anonymous • Oct 30, 2012 at 4:55 pm
Do you watch Basketball? Lakers all day, no one can stop the mamba and their will be a match up of the mambas in the finals, the other of course being the Brian Scalabrine analyst/superstar for the boston celtics.
Steven Rebeiro • Oct 31, 2012 at 6:42 pm
Unfortunately the White Mamba won’t be suiting up for Boston to shut down Lebron, so I don’t see them winning that series.