25. Clippers
Clippers fans are probably still reminiscing about how exciting it would have been to see Baron Davis and Elton Brand work in tandem. Now, they are stuck with a big man that will have to rely on Baron Davis' creativity for scoring opportunities.
Al Thornton and Chris Kaman should continue to play significant roles this year, although more will be expected out of Thornton after the departure of Corey Maggette.
The scariest thing now for Clippers fans has to be the thought of Ricky Davis and Jason Williams receiving playing time together. There is no doubt in my mind that there will be at least a few wild moments with that duo on the court.
Mike Dunleavy Sr. is one of the best coaches in the league right now, and so expect them to put up a fight every night. I expect them to be a solid home team, but it's definitely a benefit that they play the least number of road games in the league, along with the Lakers.
Prediction: No team with Baron Davis at the point will have a problem putting up points on the board.It's the other end of the floor that severely hampers their chances of winning games. Should be improved from last year, but let's not hope this is the beginning of another ping-pong era for the Clips.
26. Timberwolves
The acquisition of Mike Miller gives the team a really nice piece to complement Al Jefferson. Miller thrived with Pau Gasol in Memphis, because his overall game is well-suited to be a secondary option to a dominant inside presence, which Al Jefferson has now become.
The key to the Kevin Garnett trade emerged last season as a true franchise player, one that shoulder the load of a team on his back, as well as compete on a game-to-game basis.
Kevin Love was a solid lottery pick that provides them with a true center to take some of the physical demands of playing with the biggest boys away from Big Al. They really needed to go big with the stockpile of guards and forwards already on the roster.
The Wolves aren't light-years away from becoming a contender, but they certainly won't be giving teams major headaches either. They ended last season on a "high" by winning 10 of their final 24 games—but with the value of a win at its highest in the league, elite teams will be looking to lock up the games they should take.
Prediction: Should win about 30 games this season, but they aren't concerned with wins just yet. Development is the key, and they should be thrilled if they can get numbers from Love similar to those of Al Horford's first season.
For wins though, Randy Foye and Rashad McCants will have to live up to the expectations of when they were first drafted.
27. Grizzlies
It's almost shocking to see a roster this bad in the West. After Rudy Gay and O. J. Mayo, there is not a single name that even catches the eye. Hakim Warrick has shown flashes of how athleticism can impact a player's game, but his overall game is more suited towards that of role player rather than All-Star.
Darrell Arthur seemed to be a good pickup for them—untll he put himself in a completely unnecessary mess with his involvement in the marijuana incident at the NBA Rookie Camp. Lets get back to the positives, though.
Gay might have a sub-par season, since teams will be able to gang up on him on the defensive end. He averaged five three-point attempts per game last year, which is way too many for someone that not only has the ability to create for himself, but shoots just 35 percdent from long distance.
As much work as he might have put in to improve his jumper this summer, he will find it a difficult adjustment to not have a devastating shooter like Mike Miller alongside him on the wings. This is going to be a very long season for Memphis!
Prediction:The fact is they will be one of the few teams playing out the string right from Game One. It would be shocking to see them win more games than last year, but there is no doubting the excitement of watching the Gay-Mayo era take its first steps.
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