West
Midwest
Denver (3)
Utah (5)
Portland
Minnesota
Seattle
Pacific
Phoenix (1)
Golden State
Sacremento
LA Lakes
LA Clips
Southwest
San Antonio (2)
Dallas (4)
New Orleans (6)
Houston (7)
Memphis (8)
East
Central
Chicago (1)
Detroit (4)
Cleveland (6)
Indiana
Milwaukee
Atlantic
Boston (2)
New Jersey (5)
Toronto (8)
Philly
New York
Southeast
Orlando (3)
Miami (7)
Washington
Atlanta
Charlotte
Playoffs
PHX over MEM, SAS over HOU, DEN over NOH, DAL over UTA
PHX over DAL, DEN over SAS
PHX over DEN
CHI over TOR, BOS over MIA, ORL over CLE, NJN over DET
CHI over NJN, BOS over ORL
CHI over BOS
PHX over CHI
MVP-Carmelo Anthony--He was probably the MVP of the season before he was astonishingly suspended for 15 games for a slap. Best inside/out player in the league. He will have to know when to take the big shots and when to pass them off to AI or other Nugz. Best player on Team USA second straight summer
ROY-Durant--obvious. Other roox to watch: Acie Law IV, Tiago Splitter
COY-Skiles
MIP-Lamarcus Aldridge
6TH-Leandro Beep Beep Barbosa
Worst Team--Charlotte-What did they expect when then gave Bickerstaff complete control of the franchise.
First Coach to get Fired-Eddie Jordan, WSH
Dissapointments-Golden State, Mike Conley Jr, Baron Davis, Eastern Conference (again)
Surprises-Orlando, New Orleans
Late Season X factor-Where Sammy Cassell takes his extra terrestrial game. (nuggets, celtics?)
Bad teams that we will be forced to watch on national TV all season-Blazers, Lakers.
(Semi)-Breakout Years- Linas Kleiza, Nenad Krstic, Lamarcus Aldridge, Chris Paul, Martell Webster, Ike Diogu, Sergio Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Navarro
Happy NBA Season! Go Nugz!
Also, just in case you are in a bad mood...
1 comment:
In response to Will's and the noticeably similar Bill Simmons (just kidding) NBA preview here a few picks and thoughts.
I'm not going to pick the 3-5 spots in each conference cause I really don't care where the Bobcats, Hawks, TWolves or Blazers finish in their division. I will just list the division winner and other teams that will make the playoffs.
Pacific:
Suns--I think Grant Hill is a really good addition if he can stay healthy. Nash is still arguably the most important player to his team, and one of the best to watch.
Golden State--
Sacramento--Because Reggie Theus on the sideline is pretty funny every time you see it.
Midwest:
Nugs--They win the division because I think they have a chip on their shoulder this year and aside from the Jazz this division is nothing special.
Jazz--
Sonics--Sleeper pick, I could see these guys going on a run led by Durant when they get totally healthy.
Southwest:
Spurs--
Houston--
New Orleans--
Central:
Bulls-- Seem to get better and more experienced every year.
Pistons--Seems that fewer people are talking about them with the everyone's thoughts centered on Boston right now.
Southeast: Heat-- Is it me or is nobody talking about the Heat? Is it the collective health and age of Wade and Shaq? Is it the fact that everytime you look up P Riles is making moves that leave you scratching your head. I will still take D Wade and the Diesel more times than not.
Washington--
Orlando--- Dwight Howard is sick.
Atlantic:
Nets-- The Celts are the easy pick here but I think JKidd has maybe one more good run.
Celtics--
Raptors--
Playoffs:
West-- Spurs over Suns in the Western Conference Finals
East-- Bulls over Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals
Finals--Spurs over Bulls---As much as I don't want to see it I think it is almost a given unless the Spurs all of a sudden realize they are too old or not motivated.
Random Thoughts--I think Melo has to be the favorite for MVP like Will said, because he somehow gets better every year. I also don't see any other guys having true MVP seasons this year. Nash would be my other pick. I could also see Melo winning the scoring title, which would be amazing with AI as a teammate, but would also be impossible without AI.
Durant is the easy pick for ROY, but I think Al Thornton and Al Horford will be good. I think Thornton is ready to play now, will get good minutes and will have Brand to mentor him. Was it just me or did everyone truly feel bad for Oden when the news came out he was done for the year?
I think the Nugs will win 56 games and will win the division. I also think they will get out of the first round because they will have a better regular season for the first time in the Karl-Melo era which in turn will give them a better first-round matchup.
I also think Melo and AI being together for an entire season will prove to be a big difference.
I don't think the Nugs can beat the best in the west (Mavs, Suns, Spurs) in a 7 game series for a couple reasons.
1. Every time since Karl became coach I haven't felt good when the Nugs get past Melo, AI, Camby, and a healthy KMart. Linas Kleiza, Diawara, and whatever random guys Karl feels good about that night just don't do it for me. Over the past four years depth has always seems like our biggest weakness. I just don't think you can compete with the best with some of the guys we continue to try and win with.
2. George Karl. I just don't see why everyone loves this guy so much. Has he ever had a team where he did a really good coaching job? Every team he has achieves about to its talent level but never much more. I love George Karl as a person, but I think he is better suited as an analyst.
I hope I'm wrong, but it seems like the same problems never get fixed.
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