Its the time of year when every casual sports fan puts on his prediction hat and proclaims that x team is going win the NBA Championship. While it's understandable that most have picked the Celtics, Lakers, Spurs, Hornets or Cavaliers, a few elite teams are flying under the radar.
In the case of some, there is considerable doubt over how a major offseason move will play out, or there's a feeling that the team's window of opportunity has closed. Perhaps there is a young nucleus which seems a little ripe.
One formula I've sworn by for a very long time is the 3+3D formula—three stars, depth, determination, and defense.
In this league, regardless of whether you have LeBron, Kobe, or Duncan, you need solid B and C options. You also need depth, solid role players, the determination to win, and a defensive identity.
The following five teams each boast a spectacular trio of star players surrounded by solid supporting casts. Each of these teams has a great shot at exceeding expectations, and each of them had a very disappointing end to the 2007-08 NBA season.
5.Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets boast one of the most imposing starting lineups in the NBA, which features one of the league's premier scorers, its best perimeter defender, and its biggest global icon. Between Artest, McGrady, and Yao, the Rockets have nearly as talented a trio as the Boston Celtics.
Role players like Rafer Alston, Shane Battier, Steve Francis, Brent Barry, Luis Scola, Carl Landry, Aaron Brooks, and Luther Head make the Rockets one of the deepest teams in the league.
They have one of the finest coaches in the NBA in Rick Adelman, and are coming off a season of injuries and disappointment. Look for the Rockets to get well past the first round this season. Even against the Lakers or Spurs, this team has a great chance.
4.Toronto Raptors
The Raptors shipped T.J. Ford and Rasho Nesterovic to Indiana for what they hope is a healthy, and rejuvenated Jermaine O'Neal. They put former first-overall pick Andrea Bargnani through a summer of weight training, surgery, pickup, games and overall development.
The Raptors have two spectacular players in Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon, who led them to the playoffs last season. When you add a healthy O'Neal, and a vastly-improved Bargnani to that mix, you're basically adding two star players to replace Nesterovic and last year's Bargnani—who was, to put it kindly, awful and unhealthy).
If a few role players like Kris Humphries, Anthony Parker, Jason Kapono, and Roko Ukic can play a little above their heads, this might be a squad that could be the last team standing in the East.
10 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
Dave Morrison 9 months ago
Nice article, I agree with these teams.
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Don Wayne 9 months ago
Wow...honestly I agree with 100% of what you have here, and I have just about never done that before. I even like the way you have teams ranked. It seems like everyone is writing off the Suns. According to the "experts" all of a sudden, they are too old, or too slow. I don't buy it yet. I think Shaq is rejuvenated and they had a couple of nice pickups. Blazers - if they gel - have potential to blow everyone away. In terms of raw talent, nobody is better up and down the roster. They're young but by years end they could shock people. I like Miami's big three and Houston's another team that I think could go all the way if they stay healthy.
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Ben Thomason 9 months ago
Same I agree with everything apart from the spelling of Stoudemire.
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robert stevenson 9 months ago
Good read.
The big thing for these teams though is health. I expect Shaq, Nash, Yao and Mcgrady to miss games.
I think Wade Oden, and J.O. might.
I seriously hope none of them do as that would be a fantastic season and everything predicted here would be a real possibility.
The sad fact is that injuries will play a big role for the above teams (and more probably), at the time of writing Portland have Fernandez and Webster hurt, Amare is still getting used to goggles and T mac is hurt.
The only good thing is someone gets a chance to step up and produce just like you mentioned in your formula, depth.
Other than that its nice to read an optomistic piece rather than the normal hating stuff.
Bring on the season.
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Mike Turnell 9 months ago
Portland will be great but no way do they exceed the fan's expectations, no team can.
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Shan 9 months ago
I think the expectations that the Lakers fans have is huge, if any team thinks they are for sure going to be in the finals it is the Lakers and their fans...
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Rojo Grande 9 months ago
I agree, Mike. While the Trail Blazers may fit Robert's 3+3D formula (jury is still out on the defense), there's no way they can exceed the expectations.
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Shan 9 months ago
Nice article, I really like the pics!!! I agree Phoenix will be a bigger threat than most think but I dont see them playing well towards the end of the year or in the playoffs. I think the expectations for Portland and Houston are already pretty great. I think there are two other teams that could really be called the sleepers and destroy the already low expectations and they are the Clippers and the Pacers. The Clippers accquired one of the top five point guards in the league in Baron. There is no question that he still has what it takes to lead a team. The Pacers got TJ Ford and they already have Granger, ONeal and Dunleavy all these guys have the ability to score 25 points on any given night. I was rooting for them to make the playoffs last season, they fell short of 8th place by like 3 games. So I like these two underdogs to make some noise.
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Robert Seagal 9 months ago
Really really hate to break it to you but the Indiana Pacers will be lucky to win 25 games this year. And on a more important note, what do you think they gave up to get Ford? Unless you're telling me a team of Ford/Dunleavy/Granger/Daniels/Hibbert/Rush/Foster/Nesterovic/Jack can actually beat a playoff team, they're going no where... notice the exclusion of jermaine O'Neal (because he's a Raptor now?)
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Shan 9 months ago
Wow totally forgot about ONeal going to Toronto...but I still like the Pacers because I love the underdog.....just like the Clips... I really dont think Pacers are a quality playoff team or anything I just think they could be better than expected, which is the title of this article and since most people think they will suck anyway...
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