Bleacher Report - Articles by John Friel

No Catch of the Day: Miami Dolphins Could Have Handed Indianapolis Colts a Loss

John Friel — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 00:43:10 -0400

It's surprising that I'm not used to this by now. The anticipation and excitement grows inside me every Sunday or Monday night when the Miami Dolphins play, and each week I go out and expect that the Dolphins are going to somehow come away with a win.

But week in and out, the Dolphins seem to find a way to lose each game. This recent Monday night affair against the powerhouse Indianapolis Colts proved no different, except that the Dolphins should have won this game with no potential threat from the Colts in the waning minutes of the fourth quarter.

They can accredit this to a number of reasons on both sides of the ball, as well as the coaches on the sideline and in the booth.

Let's take a look at the positives first: You can give the credit where credit is due to the Miami Dolphins, especially for their running game and offensive line. The wildcat worked tremendously for the team as Ronnie Brown had a field day with the Colts constantly forcing the opposition to make adjustments and tiring the team out.

The anticipated match-up between Dwight Freeney and Jake Long appeared to be easily leaning in Freeney's corner early on, but as time passed, Long was able to keep up and did a good job of protecting Chad Pennington for most of the game, besides a few instances early in the game.

Pennington was very efficient, especially on third downs, where the Dolphins managed to convert on 15 of 21 conversions. He was able to find his receivers open in the flat on short yardage third downs and was able to complete it most of the time giving the offense another threat for the Colts to worry about.

All in all, the Dolphins offense did a pretty good job against the Colts defense revitalizing the wildcat and being able to react well to pressure situations on third downs. Possibly if this was a weaker team and the Colts didn't have the MVP as a quarterback, the Dolphins would've come away with a win, but that brings us to what caused the downfall of this sure win for Miami.

What went wrong?

Miami Dolphins secondary

For the second week in a row, the Dolphins allowed an opposing tight end to run up and down the field. This was Tony Gonzalez multiplied by one thousand for Miami. Dallas Clark had 183 yards on seven catches and constantly had big time plays, with many of them coming on the Colts touchdown drives. It is inexcusable for a defense to allow a tight end, even one like Dallas Clark, to tally that many yards. You cannot blame an entire loss on one individual in the secondary, but there is a name I would pull out: Gibril Wilson.

Wilson was believed to be a decent safety, but in this game, he was constantly embarrassed. On the opening drive, Wilson had the chance to make Clark's 80 yard touchdown pass into a 30 yard reception, but was shook off with such ease that no one on the Dolphins secondary had time to recover and chase down the tight end. Late in the second quarter, he had the chance to recover a tipped ball for an interception to ensure the Colts don't get a chance at a field goal.

Wilson dropped the ball and on the ensuing play, Peyton Manning completed a 20 yard pass to Clark at the Dolphins 30 yard line. Adam Vinatieri kicked a field goal as time expired and tied the game at 13 going into the half.

There were many lapses guarding Clark by everyone in the secondary, but it was the game winning touchdown that put the icing on the cake. The Dolphins went on an all-out blitz, which backfired when a number of key blocks by the Colts receivers allowed Pierre Garcon to complete a 48 yard touchdown to win the game. It only took about three blocks to allow Garcon to score and only showed another reason why the Dolphins secondary needs some desperate help.

Time Management

When it came to bad time management, the Dolphins made sure to do it at the worst possible moment. The Dolphins had to move 82 yards in a span of three minutes and thirteen seconds. They wasted one minute and thirteen seconds of that precious time on three plays. The first three plays of the drive managed seventeen yards and only got the team to their own 35 yard line.

A timeout was completely wasted as well, when a Colts player went down with an injury that could have ended up as an official timeout. Instead, the lone timeout was wasted when time could have been stopped by the referees if the coaching would have waited another second.

Back to the subject of the first few plays on the last drive though, the Dolphins wasted nearly a minute between their first and second plays of their drive and ended up wasting their second timeout.

You cannot give a team much more opportunity than what the Dolphins were offered. Two time outs on the last drive were wasted when they could have been used when the Dolphins were running a hurry-up and wasting a snap spiking the ball instead of wasting them in a delay of game desperation and before an official time out was called.

4th-and-1

Late in the second quarter, the Dolphins faced a fourth-and-one at the Colts 30 yard line with a little under 50 seconds remaining. The team's fullback Lousaka Polite is one of the most automatic short yardage backs in this league and has yet to fail the team when it comes down to plays like this. You would think the team would send him out there and get the first so that Miami could waste a little more time and possibly get another chance at the end zone to take a 17-10 lead going into the half.

Instead the Dolphins decided to take a field goal, a field goal that was taken from 44 yards out from the infield dirt. Kicking a field goal from there is equivalent to risking a fullback push on fourth and one, but one thing is certain, Polite would've made that first and the Dolphins could have gone into the half leading by a touchdown.

Butterfingers

It was the drop heard around the world for the Dolphins. On a perfect pass from Pennington thirty yards out from the end zone, he launched a pass right into the hands of Ted Ginn, Jr.

If you're not too keen on what the Miami Dolphins faithful think of Ginn, there are mostly negative views of the receiver and this game did nothing more than to give his critics fuel to an already out of control fire. In fact, he dropped a potential touchdown early in the game when he came up short on a pass that eventually resulted in a field goal for Miami.

But to the last drive now, Pennington fired a laser right into the hands of Ginn to win the game. It would have left about ten seconds on the clock that would have given the Colts a chance at one hail mary. Ginn was covered well, but the ball still hit both of his hands and any receiver that is in the NFL should be able to make that catch, overrated or not.

It's a disappointment to see Ginn drop it after having an actual productive day with 108 yards on 11 catches, but he will be only remembered for that catch that should have won the game.

I'll say that Peyton Manning is an absolute beast when it comes to leading a team, and deserved this win, but he can attribute the team's success to a number of miscues on the Dolphins part. Miami goes to San Diego to play an erratic 1-1 Chargers team, but with a quarterback like Phillip Rivers leading the way, the Dolphins could see 0-3 very easily.

The BCS Should Watch Out For The Storm Approaching

John Friel — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:18:17 -0400

With it's ACC counterpart's facing some of the nation's weaker teams at the moment for it's first few games of the season, the Miami Hurricanes decided to run before it could crawl when it came to scheduling.

The Hurricanes are on a Usain Bolt pace.

Following two years of mediocrity and even failing to record a postseason appearance two years ago when the team went 5-7 and 7-6 (with a resulting loss in the Emerald Bowl to California), respectively, the Hurricanes faced the possibility of starting the 2009-'10 campaign at 0-4.

Match ups at Florida State, and Virginia Tech, along with home outings against Georgia Tech and Oklahoma had many of the Miami faithful cringing at the thought of another unsuccessful, bowl-less season.

So far, so good for Miami and it's fans.

In a matter of three weeks, the 'Canes have leapfrogged from unranked to ninth in the nation after winning a battle in Tallahassee, and then easily handling a Yellow Jackets team that has had Miami's number since their inception into the ACC, including a dismal 41-23 loss last year when Miami allowed 472 yards.

A lot has happened in the span of less than a year.

The Miami Hurricanes have found their starting quarterback for the next three years in former Miami Northwestern High School standout Jacory Harris.

Harris is used to winning, finishing his high school career at 30-0. He has transitioned that into the college game with a new look Miami offense.

Harris's ability to stay calm, poised, and under control are the main reasons why the Hurricanes stand at 2-0 and at the number nine spot at the moment.

When his team was down against the Seminoles in the closing minutes, there was never a moment of panic on the face of Harris. In a span of three minutes, Harris marched his team 59-yards down field, while only having to face one third-down on the six-play drive.

Even with his team on the brink of blowing all Harris had worked for, he stood composed, arms folded, and stone faced, one which could bluff even the greatest poker players.

Eventually, the defense held up and Harris walked away with a win to start off the season.

Since then, the look on Harris's face hasn't changed.

The home opener against Georgia Tech was a test against the team's running defense, which had stopped the Seminoles defense the week before and now had a true test against Tech's triple option.

Give the 'Canes defensive line a gold star.

A year after surrendering 472 yards, Miami only allowed 95 yards, including limiting "ACC Player-of-the-Year" Jonathan Dwyer to seven yards.

Harris did the rest leading his team to a 17-3 halftime lead that the Jackets never came close to threatening.

Georgia Tech was stifled by the 'Canes defense and blown up for a number of big plays by Harris, including a 40-yard opening strike to Laron Byrd to open up the game. He finished with 270 yards and three touchdowns, while completing a ridiculous 20 of 25 passes.

Not only Harris, but the coaching staff has excelled on each side of the ball with much credit going to head coach Randy Shannon and new offensive coordinator Mark Whipple.

Like Harris, Shannon stays cool under pressure and made the right play calls to get the job done.

Whipple has been putting opposing defenses in a tizzy with the possibility of either having to defend a breakout run, a screen pass, or possibly a deep pass that somehow always finds it's ways in the hands of a Hurricane receiver.

The first two games of the season were tests, the next two are statements.

The 'Canes get it's biggest match up of the season when it goes to Blacksburg this Saturday to face Virginia Tech.

Miami and Virginia Tech have had a number of memorable matchups, from the 2001 affair where Miami preserved it's undefeated season with a 26-24 victory, and the year after with a 56-45 shootout.

Over the past few seasons, the Hokies have taken charge of the rivalry and have taken advantage of the 'Canes numerous weaknesses.

That could all end this year when the new look 'Canes take their amped offense and stifling defense to a Virginia Tech team that has encountered a number of tests already as well, including a season opening loss to Alabama and then a last minute comeback against Nebraska at home.

Standing at 2-1, the Hokies could be the only legitimate team to challenge the Hurricanes for the ACC title.

Following the Hokies, the 'Canes get their last threat for awhile when it take's on a Sam Bradford-less Oklahoma Sooners team at Landshark Stadium.

The Sooners lost their opening game to the BYU Cougars, as well as their Heisman quarterback. Despite the loss of Bradford, the Sooners have outscored their opponents in the past two games by a score of 109-0.

Even though they were against teams like the Idaho State Bengals and Tulsa Golden Hurricanes, shutting out two teams in a row while averaging over 50 points a game is still something to be worried about.

All four teams that the 'Canes have faced and are planning to face have been ranked in the top 20 since the season started and unexpectedly, Miami has downed it's first two opponents in fantastic fashion.

This leaves a question for the team: Can they run the table and possibly make it to the BCS championship game?

The answers to both of those are an absolute yes.

The 'Canes get the brunt of their schedule in the first four games and has passed it's first two tests with flying colors. If Miami can pull out a win against Virginia Tech and then come home and win against Oklahoma, it can easily have an undefeated season.

Following the showdown with the Sooners, Miami faces home games against Florida A&M, a 2-1 Clemson team that lost a close one to Georgia Tech, a Virginia team that might not win a game, and a Duke team that could care less when it comes to football.

On the road, Miami faces a 2-1 Central Florida team, a Wake Forest team that has yet to face a bowl caliber team, and then potential upsets against North Carolina and South Florida.

North Carolina has upset Miami over the past few seasons in a number of down to the wire games with the Tar Heels coming out on top every time.

The Bulls of South Florida are only one year removed from being ranked number two and could still surprise a team like the 'Canes late in the season.

The Bulls are 3-0 at the moment with all three wins against bottom of the barrel teams.

Miami could run the table; it just needs to stay cool, calm, collected and have faith in their quarterback.

They are only eight years removed from its late championship.

With Jacory Harris at the helm, we could see the Hurricanes of old have a new lease on life.

Washington Wizards: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sat, 29 Aug 2009 13:05:36 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 19-63, fifth in Southeast Division, 15th in Eastern conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Mike Miller via trade, Randy Foye via trade, Fabricio Oberto via trade

Key Losses

Etan Thomas via trade, Olekisy Pecherov via trade, Darius Songaila

For the Washington Wizards, the offseason was not meant for blockbuster trades and to make huge signings to improve the team after its worst season in a decade. They didn't need to completely rebuild the team, which usually happens to a franchise when it wins only 19 games in season.

They didn't need any of that because they already have everything they need to make a postseason run.

They just need to stop facing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first round.

Over the course of four consecutive postseason appearances, they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers the last three. It was for a number of reasons, mostly LeBron James related, but the Wizards would always have the opportunity to topple the Cavs and come up short. Each deciding game would usually come down to the wire and end in favor of Cleveland.

Each team has taken two different routes since their last matchup in the 2007-'08 postseason with the Cavs getting the Eastern conference's best record and the Wizards finishing at the bottom of the conference.

This upcoming season is going to tell a different story about this Wizards team as they now have all the essential parts to become a legitimate postseason threat. Last season, the team lost three starters to injury including all-star Gilbert Arenas who has been injured for the past two seasons.

When healthy, Arenas is one of the top players in this league, and arguably the best scorer in the league. His career best was the 2005-06 season when he averaged 29 points per game, but over the past two seasons he has seen near career lows in nearly every category.

He has only played a combined 15 games the past two years while being the most important part to this team. The Wizards are going to need him now more than ever if they want to succeed in a now stacked Eastern Conference.

The Wizards should have no problem in making it to the postseason once again, especially now that Antwan Jamison and Caron Butler now have a serious starting lineup to work with. The same lineup has helped them make the postseason with ease four years in a row.

As the team's starting power forward, Jamison assumed the role as team leader and even being the great player that he is today, could not make miracles happen to a team with three rookies and aging veterans in it.

He still managed to put up his usual numbers and be one of the most underrated forwards in the league. At 22 points and nine rebounds per game, Jamison is capable of putting up numbers good enough for another all-star caliber season. Even with Arenas in the lineup, Jamison can still manage to average 20 points and ten rebounds throughout the season.

Along with Jamison in the front court is Caron Butler. Since joining the Wizards, Caron has improved every year and is nearing an all-star game appearance if he keeps improving his numbers.

Butler averaged a career high 21 points last season, along with six rebounds and four assists. He has been flying under the radar and has become one of the most versatile forwards in the league. If Butler keeps putting up numbers like he has been, it only improves the Wizards chances of being a contender in the next few years.

The Wizards will also see the return of Brendan Haywood into the starting lineup after only playing six games last season. While Haywood is not too good of an offensive producer and should drastically improve his rebounding, his body and size causes problems for the bulky, post up centers of this league. This could come in handy when the Wizards face centers such as Shaquille O'Neal and Dwight Howard.

Over the off season though, the Wizards did even more to improve to its already talented, stacked starting lineup by trading for shooting guard Mike Miller. In recent seasons, Miller has emerged as one of the best three-point shooters in the league, but averaged a career low 10 points in his only season with the Minnesota Timberwolves before being traded over the off season.

Miller will address the needs for a shooting guard, which was originally the spot held by DeShawn Stevenson. He was another player who fell victim to the injury bug and was missed by the Wizards, who is known for his three-point specialty. He only averaged seven points per game before ending his season after playing 32 games. He will see his time go to the bench now that he has been replaced by a more consistent scorer in Miller.

Despite having three of their starters on the bench with injuries, it did give plenty of experience to young players such as Javale McGee, Javaris Crittenton, and Nick Young. Young in his second year averaged 11 points as a starter, McGee as the starting center who averaged six points and four rebounds, while Crittenton in his first season with the Wizards averaged five points and three assists.

The experience they gained as starters early in their career will help them later on in the long run when they are needed off the bench. Their contribution as role players could be the factor that gives the Wizards that extra push they need to advance further into the postseason.

The Washington Wizards with their healthy lineup could be one of the most dangerous teams in the league, especially now that they have an offensive threat at nearly every position on the floor, including some fire power off the bench. The Wizards might become a contender and make a deep run into the postseason that is if they don't have to face the Cavaliers. But judging from the team now, anything is possible.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Gilbert Arenas

SG-Mike Miller

SF-Caron Butler

PF-Antwan Jamison

C-Brendan Haywood

This is Pt. 30 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Utah Jazz: 30 Teams In 30 Days

John Friel — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 13:43:12 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 48-34, third in Northwest Division, eighth in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-1

Key Additions

Eric Maynor via draft, Goran Suton via draft

Key Losses

None

After months of trade rumors surrounding all-star power forward Carlos Boozer, the Utah Jazz remained with the same lineup that's led them to the postseason for the past three years and are now ready for a deep postseason run.

Over the offseason, trade rumors circulated around the Utah Jazz organization over whether they should part ways with the oft-injured Boozer. Many of the rumors involved a possible trade with the Miami Heat to bring in forwards Udonis Haslem, Dorrel Wright and the deal breaker Michael Beasley. When Utah brought B-Easy up, the Heat stepped back a few paces and decided to wait a few more months to give serious thought to giving up Beasley.

When healthy, Boozer is one of the top power forwards in the league, but due to his constant battles with injuries his play suffers substantially. Two years ago, when he played a career-high 81 games, Boozer had the best statistical year of his career, averaging 21 points and ten rebounds. This past year is a different story, though, as he only played 37 games and saw his numbers go down well below what he usually puts up.

With averages at 16 points and ten rebounds per game, we hardly saw the Carlos Boozer we're used to seeing battle in the paint. His mid-range jump shot and agile post moves are very similar to Tim Duncan's. The difference between their games, though, is Boozer's lack of health, which takes away his trade value and puts his future in jeopardy.

Along with Boozer, the Jazz have one of the most stacked starting lineups and bench in the NBA. That's mostly due to star point guard Deron Williams. Williams has been the key reason why the Jazz have been making postseason runs, and despite not making a large run last year, he had the best statistical year of his budding career.

He had career highs in points and assists despite missing 14 games with an injury. At 19 points and 11 assists per game, Williams has emerged as arguably a top-five caliber point guard in only four years in the league. He has become the team leader and to the delight of Jazz fans, it appears he is going to stick around for a while.

When Boozer went down with an injury, another young star came into the limelight and proved his worth and got a lucrative deal over the offseason out of it. Paul Millsap took over the power forward spot for the Jazz last season and was a double-double machine. Even though he only averaged 14 points and nine rebounds per game, it seemed like after every game Millsap's stat column would read 20 points and ten rebounds.

Millsap is an explosive player, but might have to spend the first few months of the regular season on the bench as Carlos Boozer's backup, which does not exactly utilize his potential and talent. Sure enough though, Millsap will be the starter eventually and certainly figures in the team's future.

Regarded as one of the most talented players in the league only a few years ago, it appears Andrei Kirilenko has lost his role as a major contributor to the Jazz. Despite averaging 12 points, five rebounds, and three assists, AK-47 saw his lowest minutes since his second year in the league and was sent to the bench after being the usual starter. Kirilenko is still an everyman type of player who can do a little of everything, but for now it appears that the bench is his likely spot for now.

Third year player Ronnie Brewer also emerged as a part of the future Utah Jazz as the team's starting shooting guard. Brewer was the first-round pick for the Jazz in 2006 and is starting to show that he was quite the steal after last season's breakout performance. He averaged a career-high 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists last year, and he's still improving. His passing production needs to improve significantly; there's no excuse for having forwards average more assists than a shooting guard.

Mehmet Okur has become the team's starting center and has also become one of the top shooting big men in the league. His three-point percentage was at the highest of his career at 45 percent and he also averaged 17 points and eight rebounds per game. To have nothing but shooters on the starting lineup could be a good thing, but it could also have it's flaws. Okur is not big enough to compete with the league's stronger, taller centers and could get pushed around by the larger centers of the powerhouse teams, such as the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Jazz are known for their depth.They have substantial depth at every position and there's a possibility you could make an entire starting lineup out of the bench and it could compete for a postseason run. Led by the likes of shooting specialists Kyle Korver and Paul Millsap, as well as defensive specialists in Kirilenko and Matt Harpring, who could be a potential starter, the Jazz bench is one of the best in the league.

In the past draft, the Jazz took one of the most underrated point guards in the draft by selecting Eric Maynor with the 20th pick out of VCU. Maynor is a pure scorer and has the ability to pass as well, which is a great combination for any young aspiring point guard. He will not become a starter any time soon, but he will be a solid backup to Williams at the point guard spot. Maynor averaged 22 points and six assists last season.

In a new and improved Northwest division, the Jazz will have some even tougher competition this year and will need only the best performances from their stacked lineup of talent. They can guarantee a postseason appearance in the upcoming 2009-'10 season, but the Jazz are looking for more than that. The championship that has eluded them for so long is so close, but with the competition in the Western conference, the Jazz are still so far away.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Deron Williams

SG-Ronnie Brewer

SF-Matt Harpring/Andrei Kirilenko

PF-Carlos Boozer

C-Mehmet Okur

This is Pt. 29 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Toronto Raptors: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:11:21 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 33-49, fourth in Atlantic Divison, 13th in Eastern Conference, missed postseason

Key Additions

Hedo Turkoglu via free agency, DeMar DeRozan via draft, Reggie Evans via trade, Jarrett Jack via free agency, Amir Johnson via trade, Rasho Nesterovic via free agency, Sonny Weems via trade, Antoine Wright via trade, Marco Belineli via trade

Key Losses

Shawn Marion via free agency, Anthony Parker via free agency, Jason Kapono via trade, Carlos Delfino via trade

The Toronto Raptors have never been regarded as a contender. They have been in the league for going on their 15th season now and have yet to make a postseason run or ring up a 50-plus win season. They brought basketball to the northern frontier of Canada, but they have yet to bring them anything more than an average or below average season.

The Raptors have failed to make it past the second round and only made it to the semifinals in the 2000-'01 season, which was also when they posted their best record of 47-35.

They made it to the postseason the past two consecutive years, but all the glory of making an appearance in the playoffs is gone now, as Toronto has to work from the ground up again after recording only 33 wins.

Over the offseason though, Toronto made a number of moves to improve the team without having to lose any of it's top players.

They are obviously living in the present and trying to become a legitimate threat in the Eastern conference, which they have rarely ever been. In light of last season's performance, the Raptors improved their starting lineup mightily by bringing in Hedo Turkoglu.

Turkoglu exerted some of his true potential last year as one of the NBA's top clutch players. Throughout the regular season, as well as the postseason, he came up big for the Orlando Magic making a number of critical shots in the waning moments of a game.

He averaged 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists last year, while also making nearly two three-pointers per game. Turkoglu should fit in well with the Raptors and could be the piece that the team needed to make it past their regular season failures.

Turk wasn't the only forward the Raptors managed to pick up. They also drafted one of the most talented players in the draft in DeMar DeRozan.

He is capable of playing as a shooting guard and small forward and even drew comparisons to Kobe Bryant in his college days. He has great athleticism, a solid mid-range game, and a great rebounding average for someone of his size at 6'7".

He averaged 14 points and six rebounds in his final season at USC.

DeRozan could see starting time as soon as next year with the Raptors lack of depth at the shooting guard spot. They managed to bring Marco Belinelli in as a possible option, but for the Raptors to truly become a legitimate contender, they'll need to play DeRozan as much as they can.

He has the potential to become one of the most solid players out of this draft and if the Raptors can harness that youth in the right way, DeRozan could be an all-star in a few years.

If you take a hard look at the Raptors starting lineup, you can say that it's actually a solid roster. They have one of the top point guards in Jose Calderon and a top five power forward in Chris Bosh, not to mention a center that is starting to break out of his shell.

Toronto is going have to do a lot of convincing to keep Chris Bosh on their side after 2010. Bosh has stated that he plans to leave when he becomes a free agent and the crowd has shown displeasure with him, especially last season when he was jeered at by his home crowd at times.

Taken in the historic 2003 draft, Bosh has emerged as a top power forward of the league and could rank as No. 1 if he becomes a leader and still averages numbers like he has been for the past few years.

Over the past four seasons, Bosh has averaged 22 and 23 points while putting up more than 10 rebounds per game in two of those seasons.

The problem he faces as a power forward is his strength. He is not one of the strongest in the league and has trouble against stronger power forwards.

His blocking percentage could go up as well, as he only averages one per game.

Despite all this, Bosh has become one of the top players in the league and it's going to be tough for Toronto if they lose him.

The team's point guard Jose Calderon has also emerged as a solid, top point guard, especially after having the best year of his young career last season.

He averaged 13 points and nine assists, while shooting nearly 50 percent, which is always fantastic for a guard. There have been no signs of Calderon leaving anytime soon, so the Raptors do not have to worry too much about signing another point guard in the near future.

Andrea Bargnani has been declared a bust a number of times after being taken with the No. 1 pick three years ago, but last year he showed a little promise.

He had to take on the role of a starting center when the team traded away Jermaine O'Neal, and he did considerably well.

His scoring was solid at 15 points per game, but there is such a downside to his rebounding and blocking averages that it completely turns you off from his offensive production.

At only five rebounds and one block per game, the numbers Bargnani put's up for being a seven foot center is unacceptable. He is projected to be the starter once against next year and will have to improve his rebounding and blocking ability if he no longer wants to be labeled a bust.

The Raptors bench was much improved this offseason, as they managed to bring in a number of reliable role players.

Antoine Wright, Jarrett Jack, and Marco Belinelli are all solid contributors who will cause an impact for the better off the bench. Wright has been coming off the bench for his career and averaged a career high seven points last year.

Jarrett Jack on the other hand has experience as a starter, and the role of a bench player is pretty new to him. He has been a starter since he came into the league and averaged a career high 13 points last year, as well as four assists per game.

Jack is going to be a solid backup to Calderon as a point guard.

Belinelli is going into his third year and could be the potential starter, but for now he is listed as the second option at the shooting guard spot. He has shown flashes of being a solid player down the road, but for now he still has much to improve on.

Marco averaged nine points for the Warriors last season and has had injuries over his two years in the league.

The Raptors are a team looking to finally gain a voice in the NBA world and this might be their best chance to prove it as they are now stacked on talent.

It could also be their last chance to prove it for a while due to the 2010 free agency that is looming around the corner. Toronto needs to take advantage of what it has now and needs to have the best season in franchise history if it wants to keep Bosh and other contributors around for years to come.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Jose Calderon

SG-DeMar DeRozan

SF-Hedo Turkoglu

PF-Chris Bosh

C-Andrea Bargnani

This is Pt. 28 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

San Antonio Spurs: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 15:50:56 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 54-28, first in Southwest Division, third in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Dallas Mavericks 4-1

Key Additions

Richard Jefferson via trade, Dejuan Blair via draft, Jack McClinton via draft, Antonio McDyess via free agency, Theo Ratliff via free agency, Nando De Colo via draft

Key Losses

Drew Gooden via free agency, Bruce Bowen via trade, Kurt Thomas via trade, Fabricio Oberto via trade

Usually a 54-win season ending with a first round postseason exit would please many NBA teams, probably more than half the league's teams, but to a team like the San Antonio Spurs it is considered a major disappointment.

A team like the Spurs are used to the finer things of the NBA world and have experienced championship glory and contending for a title year in and year out. Just to show you how dominant this team has been for the past decade, here's a stat for you: 54-28 is the worst record San Antonio has had in ten years. Not to mention, they had advanced past the first round of the playoffs for eight consecutive seasons.

Obviously, only the best is reserved for San Antonio. We can see the Spurs contending every year for a top three seed and every year they get it with a number of Southwest division titles. With all the offseason moves being made by San Antonio, it is obvious to see that 54 wins is not enough for a team like the Spurs.

They pulled off one of the first moves of the offseason and turns out it could be the most important. The team traded away several non-offensive factors and stole away one of the best producers in the NBA on the offensive side in Richard Jefferson.

Jefferson had spent the first seven years of his career with the New Jersey Nets before going to the Milwaukee Bucks last year.

One year was enough for RJ as he was quickly traded away at the end of the season. He averaged 20 points and five rebounds which are the numbers Jefferson has put out consistently every year in the league. He is a very underrated offensive threat and fills in the small forward position for a Spurs team that was lacking depth at the three spot.

By bringing in Jefferson, the Spurs lost out on hometown favorite Bruce Bowen. While Bowen was a little to non-threat as an offensive player, it was his frustrating, dangerous defense that kept him around for so long.

Bowen will be missed as a defender and most of all by the city of San Antonio, but this trade was for the best and vaults the Spurs near, if not to the top of the Western conference power rankings.

The combined scoring of Bowen, Thomas, and Oberto last year added up to barely half of what Jefferson makes per game. With Parker and Duncan as the leading scorers of the Spurs, this could be one of the top three-headed monsters in the game, which will cause problems for Western conference powerhouses such as the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Spurs success over the past decade can be credited to "The Big Fundamental" Tim Duncan and Tony Parker. The combination of Parker and Duncan has won three championships with all three coming in the past seven years. They are arguably the best combination in the NBA at the moment and could be discussed amongst the best historically.

Duncan has been fantastic from the start when he won his rookie of the year award in the 1997-98 season averaging 21 points and 12 rebounds. A lot has happened between then and now, and nothing has changed in Duncan's game. He has averaged a double-double for his entire career and averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds last year. While some might criticize him for his lack of intensity and emotion, numbers don't lie and championship rings don't either.

Over the past few years, Tony Parker has emerged as a team leader and has a created a great chemistry with Duncan in their postseason pushes. Eight years into his NBA career, Parker had the best season of his career posting a high of 22 points and seven assists per game. He also had a career high 55 point game which led his team to a victory.

Tony has become one of the top point guards in this league and with leadership and determination on his side, three championships are only the few of many more to come if he can get Duncan to will out a few more in his waning career.

Usually with championships, it takes more than two superstars to win it. It needs a supporting cast and the Spurs have one of the best. When they brought in Roger Mason last year, it wasn't too publicized due to the fact that Mason was not much of a scorer or much else.

It wasn't until he came to the Spurs that he finally decided to become the NBA player many had hoped he would be. He averaged a career high 11 points, three rebounds, and two three-pointers per game last year in his first season with the Spurs.

He has become a reliable role player and one of the top three-point shooting players in the NBA and luckily to San Antonio, he decided to break out of his shell the moment they picked him up from the Washington Wizards. He is sure to be the team's starting shooting guard next year and will more than likely produce even more than he did last year.

Not only is Mason a reliable scoring option, the Spurs also managed to steal Antonio McDyess away from the Detroit Pistons. McDyess is another great role player and could be a huge factor on the postseason road.

He has a consistent jumper and plays hard defense which is perfect for the Spurs style of play. His numbers have gone down in the past due to his age and role on a team, but he is always ready to knock down 10 points on average in a contest.

The bench has been very kind to San Antonio as well due to the fact it has one of the best sixth men in the league. Manu Ginobili sat out most of the season last year with an injury, which could be the reason why the Spurs did poorly in the postseason, but in the games he played he still averaged 16 points per game which is the usual numbers Ginobili puts up per game off the bench.

He is a threat on each side of the court and comes up huge for the team when they need him. This could also be the reason why the Spurs were not too successful last season in the postseason.

Usually they could rely on a threat off the bench which is Ginobili, but they lost this for the postseason and they suffered one of their worst postseason losses in a decade. He's the X-factor for this team and is the most dangerous bench player in all of the NBA.

When a team has a good season, they usually end up picking some non-factors from the draft in the late picks.

Once again, the Spurs like to prove they are different.

They took one of the most underrated players in the draft in DeJuan Blair in the second round after he was projected to be a late first round pick. Blair's stock dropped because of his small stature as a center, but he was one of the best rebounders at the college ranks last year averaging nearly 12 per game as a 6'7" center.

He has a knack for offensive rebounding mostly, as he led the NCAA last year with six per game. That means half of his rebounding came off of offensive boards, which is always an advantage for your team.

Not only did they take Blair, but they also selected one of the most talented scorers in Jack McClinton. In his time at Miami, he averaged 19 points with nine of those coming off of three's.

As arguably the best three-point shooter of the draft, McClinton could see a lot of playing time later on. He could be declared the Spurs second steal after being taken late in the second round.

As we can tell by the offseason moves the Spurs have made, they appear ready to make one of their strongest championship pushes since their last appearance three years ago.

They are always a threat, and have one of their best teams assembled ready for the 2009-10 season. By adding scorers and role players, this San Antonio team could be seeing it's fourth championship in eight years this coming June.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Tony Parker

SG-Roger Mason

SF-Richard Jefferson

PF-Tim Duncan

C-Matt Bonner

Sacramento Kings: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:47:23 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 17-65, fifth in Pacific Division, 15th in Western Conference, missed the postseason.

Key Additions

Tyreke Evans via draft, Omri Casspi via draft, Jon Brockman via trade, Sergio Rodriguez via trade, and Sean May via free agency.

Key Losses

None

There was no doubt about it last year, the Sacramento Kings were the worst team in basketball. No arguments about it. They had a decent offensive squad, but having no defense is the reason why you would lose 65 games in a season. The 65 loss season last year was their worst record in the team's 60-year history as an NBA team.

It's hard to believe that less than 10 years ago, the Kings were one of the most dangerous squads in the league and made a number of championship runs throughout the early 2000's. In the 2001-'02 season, they had their best record at 61-21 and made it seven games into the conference finals and is regarded as one of the best teams to not a win a championship.

My, have times changed.

The Kings were pitiful last year, and this upcoming season is not going to be a huge turnaround either. Sacramento did not make any major moves when it comes to trades and free agent signings, but they did have a impressive draft, which should show some upside in the future.

They took one of the top point guards in Tyreke Evans with the fourth pick in the draft, which probably was the safest move among drafting a top point guard. Evans has great size at 6'5" to be a point guard and shooting guard and has a good knack for scoring as well, he averaged 17 PPG last year. He's also a great rebounder as a guard, which could cause trouble for opponents at the next level.

There's not really much downside to him either, aside from his weak three-point shooting which could improve later down the road. Overall, the Kings pulled the right move by drafting Evans and he's going to be a reliable point guard or shooting guard.

The Kings also made history in the draft by taking the first Israeli player. They took 6'8" Omri Casspi who can finish around the basket and play good defense due to his tremendous wingspan, but he's going to have trouble in scoring when he has little to no shot. His shot and passing ability could come into question, but it seems that he's going to be a decent rebounder and defender.

The Kings only have one potential All-Star on its team and we saw him have the best year of his young career last year. Despite playing in only 51 games, he averaged a career high 25 points and two three-pointers and is also near the top in the league when it comes to getting to the free throw line. He averaged nearly 10 free throw shots per game.

Martin has the potential to become a superstar in this league due to his size as a shooting guard (6'7") and the ability to score at will. Paired up with Evans, we could see the next top duo in the league in a few years. Martin's scoring ability, as well as Evans scoring and passing ability could bring the Kings back from obscurity.

It won't come next year, but we could see a .500 team very soon.

The factors holding the team back is the supporting cast. There is none. Andres Nocioni is probably the most reliable, which is still a stretch, and averaged 14 points and six rebounds per game in his first season with the Kings, which only lasted 23 games. He is expected to be the team's starting small forward next year and will see a bigger role in Sacramento than what he had in Chicago.

The Kings will see Spencer Hawes as its starting center again and could see his breakout season coming soon. Last year was huge for Hawes when he got the minutes to prove himself and he put up good numbers in his time on the floor. The 7'1" 10th pick out of the 2007 draft averaged 11 points and seven rebounds last year in 29 minutes per game.

It appears that Hawes could be breaking out of his shell as soon as next year and might be a potential 20-10 guy. Hawes is also the only true center on the team which means that he should have no problem getting in plenty of minutes as a starter.

Beno Udrih, who was the team's starting point guard last year, might be sent to the bench due to the pickup of Evans. Udrih has been reliable since he came to the Kings three years ago and averaged 11 points and five assists last year. Right now though, the Kings are going to need more than a "reliable" anything at any spot.

Evans might become one of the top point guards soon and should have the chance to prove himself as soon as next season. Udrih and Evans will most likely share time as point guards this season, but next year Evans will probably get the start.

Sacramento is not used to seasons like this, they've never endured a 60-plus loss season and I am sure they don't want to experience it again. With youth on its side, the Kings could be at a spot where they were 10 years ago in the next few seasons, but we won't be too confident about that.

The Kings need all they can to develop and need to bring in true veteran leadership to bring this team out of the hole they dug themselves into.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Beno Udrih/Tyreke Evans

SG-Kevin Martin

SF-Andres Nocioni

PF-Jason Thompson

C-Spencer Hawes

This is Pt. 24 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Portland Trail Blazers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 14:20:25 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 54-28, second in Northwest Division, fourth in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Houston Rockets 4-2

Key Additions

Victor Claver via draft, Dante Cunningham via draft, Jeff Pendergraph via trade, Patrick Mills via draft, Andre Miller via free agency

Key Losses

Sergio Rodriguez via trade, Channing Frye via free agency

After failing to make the playoffs five years in a row, the Portland Trail Blazers had their best year in nearly 10 years thanks, in part, to a potential future MVP in Brandon Roy. Roy and his band of fellow talented youths have led the Blazers back to the top of the Western Conference and are now eyeing a championship in the near future.

Roy is only going into his fourth year and is already being named among the top shooting guards in the league with the likes of Dwyane Wade and Kobe Bryant. Last year, he averaged career highs in points with 23, rebounds with five, and field goal percentage with 48 percent. He did a lot of growing up last year, and not only showed he is a top player in the regular season, but at the next level as well.

Even though the favored Blazers could not beat out the upset-minded Houston Rockets, Roy played like an all-star and someone who is ready to lead a team to a championship really soon. In the six-game series, he averaged 27 points and five rebounds leading the team in scoring. Roy is the main reason this Blazers team is back as a Western Conference power and is going to make sure this will be the first of many postseason runs.

Like any successful franchise, there is a little man who has his big man in the paint waiting to clean up his messes and be a reliable post presence. Kobe had his Shaq, and Brandon Roy has his LaMarcus Aldridge. Obviously, I'm not comparing Kobe and Shaq to Roy and Aldridge, but this Blazers combination could be tops in the league in a few years.

Aldridge can play the power forward and center position and is going into his fourth year as well and like Roy, had the best statistical season of his young career so far. He averaged 18 points and a little under eight rebounds per game in his third season with Portland. Aldridge is a reliable post presence and has a consistent jump shot to remain as the second scoring option for the Blazers.

Despite having two of the best young superstars on its team, the attention has been mostly featured on a player who only averages nine points and seven rebounds per game. If it was anybody not named Greg Oden, not many people would care, but because of the name people are starting to wonder when he is finally going to be able to break out of his shell and be the last piece to the puzzle the Blazers need.

Oden was selected as the No. 1 pick two years ago, and due to a number of injuries plaguing his young career he has not had a true chance to develop and prove himself. Even last year when he was able to finally play, he missed 21 games and only averaged nine points and seven rebounds. Oden will be fighting with Joel Pyrzbilla for minutes and for a starting spot as the team's center.

Over the offseason, the Blazers managed to bring in some veteran leadership at the point guard position. Portland managed to steal Andre Miller away from the Philadelphia 76ers and he will be expected to become the team's new starting point guard. He averaged 16 points and seven assists last year leading the 76ers to a postseason appearance.

The Blazers lineup is very young with Pryzbilla, when he stars, as the team's veteran at 29 years old. With Miller inserted into the starting lineup, his veteran leadership could be another deciding factor that leads Portland deep into the postseason.

Travis Outlaw has seen his career finally blossom in the past two years as he has hit double digits in scoring for the first time. He has spent all six years of his career with the Blazers and averaged 13 points and four rebounds last year and will share time at the small forward spot with Nicolas Batum, if not become the starter. Batum is not a reliable scorer and Outlaw would add some more scoring to a Blazers lineup that could always give Roy and Aldridge some help.

The bench will be led by Rudy Fernandez, Jerryd Bayless, and Steve Blake. Fernandez has become a fan favorite among the Blazers fan base because of his high flying acrobatics and his consistent shooting ability. He averaged 10 points and three rebounds last year coming off the bench as a spark to fuel the Blazers fire.

Last year's first round draft pick Jerryd Bayless is waiting for his time to shine and right now appears to be the third string point guard between Miller and Blake. He only played in 53 games while averaging four points and could see more minutes to get some experience as he will probably become the team's future point guard. Steve Blake, who was the point guard last year, had the one of the best year's of his career averaging 11 points and five assists.

The Blazers are becoming one of the most dangerous teams in the NBA, and with Brandon Roy developing into one of the league's premiere players, the Blazers could be thinking championship soon. The team has some growing up to do, but if it can manage a run in the postseason, there are not many players or teams that could stop the momentum they build up.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Andre Miller

SG-Brandon Roy

SF-Travis Outlaw/Nicolas Batum

PF-LaMarcus Aldridge

C-Joel Pryzbilla/Greg Oden

This is Pt. 23 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Phoenix Suns: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 12:47:36 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 46-36, second in Pacific Division, ninth in Western Conference, missed postseason

Key Additions

Earl Clark via draft, Taylor Griffin via draft, Channing Frye via free agency, Sasha Pavlovic via trade

Key Losses

Shaquille O'Neal via trade, Matt Barnes via free agency

Breakdown

After four straight years of being a championship contender and being a 50-plus win team, the Phoenix Suns failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2003-04 season, when Steve Nash was still a Dallas Maverick.

Since Nash has arrived, the team has seen some of the best years in franchise history, including two of its three seasons with 60-plus wins. Despite being one of the scariest teams to face because of the run-and-gun offense, the Suns never advanced past the conference finals and have not made the NBA finals since Charles Barkley was wearing short-shorts in 1992.

Nash has been the glue for this team, with two MVPs to show for it. He has been able to make all of his teammates look like superstars and create numereous open shots. Last year, Nash's numbers went down, bringing the Suns down with him.

Nash averaged 16 points and a little under 10 assists for the first time in four years, which is the first time he's been under that mark on the Suns. These low numbers go right along with the Suns' record and it also could've been weighed down by a 300-pound center that was trying to run with the fastest team in the league.

When the Suns traded for Shaq, they knew it would be an anchor to their speedboat. Taking a step in the other direction proved costly for the Suns, as Shaq never truly fit in with their style of play. He had a surprising resurgence, and averaged 18 points and eight rebounds per game. He also played in 75 games, which is the most he's played in since the 1999-2000 season.

O'Neal had a few breakout games with Phoenix, including a 45-point game, the most he's scored in quite a long time. O'Neal had to assume the role of a third option for the first time in his career, and has had to get used to the role of a sidekick since he left the Lakers—his age simply caught up with him. He will now be the sidekick to LeBron James and attempt one or two more championship runs before The Diesel's tank is finally empty.

Despite losing O'Neal, the Suns still have one of the top offensive threats in the league. Amare Stoudemire had to deal with another injury-plagued season last year and was only featured in 53 games. He averaged 21 points and eight rebounds last year, but as most NBA and Suns fans know, Stoudemire is capable of anything. He is arguably the strongest player in the league and can score at will by dominating in the post or taking a mid-range jump shot.

His head may not be in the game 100 percent of the time, though. He's also had to deal with injuries for the latter part of his career. His defense is subpar, as well. While he could use his strength to body opposing players, he doesn't utilize his weapons as often as he should.

This is not to mention his future with the Suns is in limbo as well, who will probably want a legitimate contender instead of coming up short over and over again. While a top offensive force, Amare still has a lot of growing up to do on both sides of the court.

The acquisition of Jason Richardson might have been the best move made by the Suns last season. Richardson is as run-and-gun as they come, and fits in very well with the team's style of play. His three-point shooting will be utilized to its full potential, and when he gets his first full season with Phoenix next year, he could be the factor that propels this team to a postseason appearance.

He only averaged 16 points and four rebounds last year, but this upcoming season should be different and we should see a much scarier side of Richardson.

The supporting cast for Phoenix is very reliable with players such as Grant Hill, Leandro Barbosa, and now Earl Clark. Clark is entering his first year in the league after being the 14th pick in the draft. He doesn't have the best shot, but he is able to knock down some and could be a good scorer. His rebounding is stellar, as well, especially on the offensive glass. He averaged nearly three last year at Louisville, as well as 14 points and nine rebounds, which could make him one of top undersized rebounders of the league.

Barbosa is still a top sixth man, and proved it last year. His points dipped a little to 14, but he's still a reliable scorer off the bench. We did not see him take as many threes as we're used to seeing. Prior to last year, he would average nearly five attempts a game, but last year only averaged around three. He'll need to start hoisting up threes again if he wants to bring his points back up.

Grant Hill also saw his points drop from his usual averages. In his second year with the team, he averaged a career-low 12 points. He is going into his 15th year in the league, and looks like he might be on his last legs.

He might end his career as soon as next year.

Injuries have plagued him his entire career, but ironically enough this past season with Phoenix was his first full 82-game season in the NBA. His numbers might go down, but it looks like Hill gives it his all every game.

The Suns know what it's like to be a No. 1 team and have a two-time MVP to lead them. When the pressure gets to be too much, the Suns are anything but hot. Is there a possibility they will realize that defense wins championships?

Chances are unlikely, but one thing is for sure: the Suns will be one of the most fun teams to watch again.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Steve Nash

SG-Jason Richardson

SF-Grant Hill

PF-Amare Stoudemire

C-Robin Lopez

This is Pt. 22 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Philadelphia 76ers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:50:19 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 41-41, second in Atlantic Division and sixth in Eastern Conference

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Orlando Magic 4-2

Key Additions

Jrue Holiday via draft, Primoz Brezec via free agency, Jason Kapono via trade

Key Losses

Andre Miller via free agency, Reggie Evans via trade, Theo Ratliff via free agency

Over the past few years, the Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as a .500 team—nothing more and nothing less.

With the moves they've made this offseason, it looks like another .500 year, which is just not going to cut it anymore in a stacked Eastern Conference.

Teams are getting better and .500 is not going to get you a sixth seed.

Since the 2004-05 season, the 76ers haven't finished more than four games over .500 or eight games under .500.

Philly does have some of the best talent in the East, but there are a few circumstances that could be holding the team back from a legitimate postseason run.

The 76ers brought in Elton Brand for the sole reason of elevating the team past average to become a contender.

What the 76ers don't realize is that Brand is very injury-prone and is coming off of an injury that only allowed him to play eight games in the season prior to his arrival.

Brand only played in 29 games, averaging 14 points and nine rebounds before sitting out the remainder of the season.

When healthy, Brand is one of the top forwards in the league and hit career highs only four years ago when he averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds.

If the 76ers can harness that energy, Philly could avoid having another .500 team and vault themselves to a top seed.

When Brand left, it appeared Philadelphia was approaching a below-average season until a veteran point guard rallied the team and eventually led them to a postseason appearance.

Andre Miller had two of the best years of his career playing for Philly, averaging 16 points, seven assists, and five rebounds per game.

But without Miller on the team, the 76ers lose one of their team leaders and will now have a lot of youth at the spot with Louis Williams as the possible starter, with rookie Jrue Holiday out of UCLA as his backup.

Holiday is a 19-year-old point guard who averaged nine points, four rebounds and four assists in his only year at the collegiate level.

Holiday was an excellent passer in college, played great defense, and created his own shots. He'll likely find trouble with his three-point shooting and inexperience.

y playing only one year, Jrue might have entered the draft too soon and could be too young for NBA-level competition.

The team will continue to be led by high-flyer Andre Iguodala.

Andre has been improving year by year and has been one of the healthiest players in the league, missing only six games in his five-year career.

He has spent all five years with Philadelphia, and averaged 19 points, six rebounds, and five assists last year.

Emerging as the team's leader due to the absence of a true veteran over the past few years, he will now have to assume the role with a healthy Elton Brand.

Thaddeus Young is only going into his third year in the league but has emerged as one of the top young talents.

In his second season he averaged 15 points and five rebounds as a member of the team's starting lineup.

Young could improve his ability to pass though. as he only averaged less than two assists per game last year. He should also work on his shot-blocking ability.

With time and experience, Young could improve on his flaws and become a future all-star.

Many 76ers fans have blamed their mediocrity on center Samuel Dalembert.

Dalembert is a premier shot blocker and that's about it.

Sam has been with the Sixers for the past eight years and has not improved on much since his inception in the league.

He averaged a near career-low six points last year, along with nine rebounds and two blocks per game.

It appears that Dalembert has just about reached his peak and the 76ers are going to need a center that can do more than block shots to achieve a feeling of success in this league.

His backup Marreese Speights—coming off of his first year in the league—seems to be a better scorer, averaging eight points last year. He could be the future starter if he can score more points and be a credible offensive threat for Philly.

The 76ers have improved their bench by trading for Jason Kapono. Kapono is a two-time winner of the three-point competition and has one of the best shots in the league, but besides that there's nothing much else to look for in his game.

Philadelphia is looking to become a contender and, with a healthy Elton Brand back in the starting lineup, they appear ready to become a serious threat in the East once again.

Andre Miller will be missed, but if the team does some growing up then the loss of their point guard will not hurt as much.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Louis Williams

SG-Andre Iguodala

SF-Thaddeus Young

PF-Elton Brand

C-Samuel Dalembert

This is Pt. 21 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Orlando Magic: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:13:54 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 59-23, first in Southeast Division, third in Eastern Conference

Postseason

First Round: Beat Philadelphia 76ers 4-2

Semifinals: Beat Boston Celtics 4-3

Conference Finals: Beat Cleveland Cavaliers 4-2

NBA Finals: Lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-1

Key Additions

Vince Carter via trade, Ryan Anderson via trade, Jason Williams via free agency, Brandon Bass via free agency, Matt Barnes via free agency

Key Losses

Rafer Alston via trade, Courtney Lee via trade, Tony Battie via trade, Hedo Turkoglu via free agency

Defying the odds of being an underdog among the Eastern conference power houses, the Magic managed to beat the two 'superior' teams in the postseason, including LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers easily on their way to their second NBA finals appearance.

Despite making the NBA finals, from the get go it appeared that the Magic had no chance. The Lakers were too much for Orlando and their finals inexperience got the best of them on their way to losing in only five games. The part that was most surprising was the fact of how Dwight Howard was a non-factor throughout the NBA finals after having a stellar regular season and postseason.

Howard averaged 21 points, 13 rebounds and a career high three blocks. He was coming up big in the postseason as well and had a 40 point, 14 rebound game in the clincher against the Cavs that advanced his team to the finals. But when the finals came around, it was a completely different story.

Howard only had one game where he scored his average and in the other four games could not get over 17 points. It could have been a number of factors such as the Lakers length or the strategy to double team Howard whenever he touched the ball, but one thing is for sure, Dwight did not perform the way the Magic needed him to, for them to assure a championship.

The team will also be happy to see Rashard Lewis back as it's starting power forward. Lewis saw his numbers go down a fair amount, but was still a great scoring option in the starting lineup and represented a part of the memorable three-point shooting team that is the Orlando Magic. He averaged 18 points, while making nearly three three-pointers per game which tied his career high.

One of the main factors for the Magic's success last season was from one of the most underrated players in the league in Hedo Turkoglu. Turkoglu averaged 17 points, five rebounds and five assists and was huge in the clutch become the one to step up for the Magic more than anyone else on the team.

Since his career performances throughout the season, Turkoglu was offered a lucrative deal by the Toronto Raptors with little resistance from the Magic. The question now is who is going to be the one to step up in the clutch for Orlando.

With the loss of Turkoglu, the Magic did manage to bring in a top guard-forward in Vince Carter. Carter averaged 21 points, five rebounds and five assists last year playing for the New Jersey Nets. The points he put up last season were the third lowest of his eleven year career.

He is set to be the Magic's starting shooting guard next season, and seems like the perfect player to fill in the shoes Turkoglu left behind.

When Carter is brought up in conversations, usually his will is brought into question. When a team is not doing successful enough, it has been seen that Vince will tank games and not play near his full potential.

He has no excuses now playing for a team like Orlando. The organization and city of Orlando should expect nothing but the best from the former all-star and could see Carter put up another 20 points per game and possibly more. Carter used to be a regular 25 points per game type of player and we could see that again if Vince puts all his heart into trying to win a championship for the Magic.

Orlando also managed to bring in big man Brandon Bass. Bass has a lot of body and is a solid backup to Rashard Lewis. While Lewis does not have one of the strongest bodies as a power forward, Bass brings size and has the body to push around other power forwards in the league. He averaged eight points and four rebounds last year playing for the Dallas Mavericks and will be a legitimate defensive option off the bench.

In one of the most underrated pickup's of the off season, Orlando also got Matt Barnes. Barnes is a top three-point shooter and averaged a career high 10 points per game, including a career high in three-pointers making nearly two per game.

Barnes is going to fit well into the Magic's style of play which includes throwing up a lot of three's until most of them go in and it gives the team a victory.

A reason for a weak finals performance could have been seen at the point guard spot. Jameer Nelson was brought in late in the postseason after suffering an injury halfway through the season that caused him to sit out most of the team's games, resulting in him playing in only 42 games. It was his first all-star season until the injury came along and the team had to trade for Rafer Alston to fill in.

Alston was a reliable option at the one spot for the team for the latter part of the postseason and regular season, but as the finals rolled around Alston could not find his shot or create many open shots for his teammates. It makes you wonder if Nelson was 100 percent for the finals, if we could be talking about the Orlando Magic's plans to repeat.

Nonetheless, the Magic will be happy to see a healthy Jameer Nelson back in the starting lineup this year.

In the starting lineup now at the shooting guard spot will be Mickael Pietrus. Pietrus was one of the most reliable options off the bench last year in the Magic's championship run averaging nine points per game and being a big time three-point shooter, which is a requirement to be when you are a part of the Magic.

The Magic have emerged as one of the top team's in the NBA thanks to it's all-star center and stellar shooters. This upcoming season is no different from the last, the Magic are still a contender with or without Turkoglu and with a healthier lineup now, there chances of winning are better than ever.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Jameer Nelson

SG-Mickael Pietrus

SF-Vince Carter

PF-Rashard Lewis

C-Dwight Howard

This is Pt. 20 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Oklahoma City Thunder: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 12:08:21 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 23-59, fifth in Northwest Division, 13th in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

James Harden via draft, B.J. Mullens via draft, Serge Ibaka via draft, Kevin Ollie via free agency, Etan Thomas via trade, Robert Vaden via trade

Key Losses

Earl Watson via waivers

The jerseys are ugly, but the way this team plays sure isn't. Despite ending their first season in Oklahoma City finishing 36 games under .500, the team has the talent and potential to become one of the next powerhouses of the NBA world.

With the number of young players on this team, they are being led by a potential future MVP in Kevin Durant. "Durantula," who is only going into his third year, averaged 25 points per game, which was good for sixth in the league. He averaged six rebounds and three assists as well.

He was thrown into the Thunder lineup as the leader of the team at only 18 years old and has assumed the role like any other strong willed leader in the NBA.

He showed flashes of brilliance all season including his 46-point performance in the rookie-sophomore game, which broke the previous record of 36. It proved his dominance over his draft class and the rookies, and proved he's ready to compete with the elite of the NBA. At only 20 years old, Durant is the future face of the NBA.

It's not all about Durant, though, when it comes to the Thunder. Players like Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook are trying to will this team as a legitimate contending team. Green was brought in to the Thunder when Ray Allen was traded away, and right now Green is holding his own as the team's starting power forward.

Green was second on the team in scoring at a little under 17 points per game, while also grabbing seven rebounds in the process. Green is an explosive high-flyer who also has a stable jump shot and has the potential to remain in the Thunder lineup alongside Durant for years to come.

The Thunder's draft pick last year, Russell Westbrook, had a huge impact on the team last year as the team's starting point guard. Becoming a new point guard on any team is difficult by itself, but to do it on a team where a 20-year-old is the leader, it's surprising to even do as good as Westbrook did last year.

Taken as the No. 4 pick, Russell averaged 15 points, five assists, and five rebounds, and earned the first triple-double of his career. He was a little turnover prone, averaging over three per game, but he was able to create shots for his teammates. With more experience in this league he will see his turnover average go down significantly.

In this past draft, the Thunder grabbed another young starter to add to its lineup in Arizona State shooting guard James Harden. Harden averaged 20 points, five rebounds, and four assists in his last year at the college level. He's got one of the best shots of his draft class, and is versatile at doing everything on the floor as indicated by his high numbers in every statistical category.

Harden does face a number of problems going into the NBA, though, as he is very turnover prone and averaged three per game last year. His ball-handling skills aren't of high quality either which could cause problems if he wants to be able to create his own shots, like he did at Arizona State.

The Thunder also managed to trade for 7'0" center out of Ohio State, BJ Mullens. Mullens was listed as the No. 2 center in the draft, but had his draft stock slip after recruits believed him to be a weak defensive player, while not being able to have a decent shot either.

Despite this, it could be just what the Thunder need. OKC has no post presence whatsoever and last year had Nenad Krstic as their starting center. Mullens has the size to become a potential starter, but has a lot to improve on.

Like stated before, the Thunder see problems in the post as the team has little to no presence in the middle. They tried to trade Tyson Chandler last year which could have solved that problem completely, but unfortunately the trade fell through and the Thunder were left with the same problem as before, except with more questions to be answered.

Currently Krstic is listed as the team's center, but he is not reliable or strong enough to compete with other centers. He averaged 10 points and five rebounds last year, but missed half the season due to injuries. Nick Collison became the team's starting center, but is still not a suitable option at the spot as he is only 6'9".

The Thunder did try to improve their problems at the center spot by bringing in veteran Etan Thomas. Thomas has usually been a second or third string option on the Washington Wizards and never had a chance to prove himself in the starting lineup, but chances are there's a reason for that.

With the questions that arise at the center spot, there are also questions with the team as a whole. Does the team still need a few years to develop, and if so, for how long? They have the talent and the potential to become a Western Conference beast, but they're going to need Durant to become a team leader emotionally and physically if they want success in this league.

The bench also brings problems as well due to the fact there are no reliable scoring options. The Thunder are going to need Shaun Livingston most of all to step up. Livingston was taken with the No. 4 pick five years ago, but due to injuries ravaging his career, it never got off the ground like people hoped for.

He only played eight games for the Thunder last year and averaged eight points and three rebounds. Oklahoma City will need all they can get from their bench if they want any chance of succeeding in the NBA.

The Thunder are one of the most exciting up-and-coming teams to watch and most of the NBA wants to see them develop into the power house they're supposed to be. With the core of Russell Westbrook, Kevin Durant, and Jeff Green, with James Harden waiting at the wings to become a superstar, Oklahoma City is seeing anything but thunderstorms ahead.

It's bright and clear for takeoff.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Russell Westbrook

SG-James Harden

SF-Kevin Durant

PF-Jeff Green

C-Nenad Krstic

This is Pt. 19 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

New York Knicks: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:11:15 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 32-50, fifth in Atlantic Division, 14th in Eastern Conference, missed postseason

Key Additions

Jordan Hill via draft, Toney Douglas via trade, Darko Milicic via trade, Chris Hunter via free agency

Key Losses

Quentin Richardson via trade

The New York Knicks at one time were one of the most storied franchises and were a championship contender year after year in the 1990s.

Time has run it's course on the Knicks though and they have become the laughingstock of the NBA by finishing with a losing record for the eighth straight season and have only one postseason appearance to show for it.

Over the past two or three seasons, the Knicks have not exactly tried to have a serious contending team and have traded it's big name players away for lesser named ones for one sole purpose: LeBron James.

New York has been saving up enough money to have the best chance in the 2010 offseason to sign a big name player such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, or Chris Bosh.

As not to disrupt the process of bringing in revenue by saving up on lesser known players, the Knicks know they're not going to be a legitimate team and are going to endure another season before the offseason they've been waiting for comes around.

That is why we see such little attempt at an improvement in the team this pass offseason. The Knicks drafted two, young premier players and traded for one of the biggest busts in NBA history. Championship or even playoff contention appears to be far out of the Knicks mindset.

Jordan Hill is a power forward out of the University of Arizona and has the potential to become a Chris Bosh or Tim Duncan type of forward. He averaged 18 points and 11 rebounds last year. He is known for his turnaround jumper, athleticisim, and lengthy wingspan which only improves his defensive ability.

The downside to Hill is minimal, with problems such as his man to man defense and that his shooting can be inconsistent at times. Despite his flaws, Hill appears to be NBA ready and with Mike D'Antoni as the coach, he won't even need defense so there really isn't a problem with his game.

The team also drafted guard Toney Douglas out of Florida State University. Douglas could be one of the most underrated players in the draft due to his uncanny scoring ability and the ability to play great man to man defense which is always a plus in a team that needs it as much as possible.

He's more of a shoot first type of point guard which could cause problems, but he does have the potential to become a Gilbert Arenas type of player.

Even though the team has been tanking seasons to get to one of the top 2010 free agents, it can still boast one of the top big men in the league in David Lee. Lee has been one of the most underrated players of the league and held the lead last year for most double-doubles, even more than the likes of all-star Dwight Howard.

Lee averaged 16 points and 12 rebounds last year playing in all but one game. He is set to be the cornerstone of the team and the one keeping them afloat until a superstar comes along and takes the reigns.

There is also a lot of upside in the Knicks sixth man Nate Robinson. Nate averaged a career high 17 points, four assists, and four rebounds last year while being the team's first option after the bench.

He has become one of the most reliable scoring options on the team, but his inability to play defense and throwing up wild shots is a problem. Robinson is still a player you can rely on to get 15 to 20 points per game and one of the top sixth men in the league.

Last year's top draft pick Danilo Galinari is still waiting for his emergence as a top player in the league and will have a better chance to live up to his sixth pick. He only played in 28 games while averaging six points and two rebounds playing in a limited number of minutes per game.

Despite trading away some of it's top players, the Knicks still have Al Harrington on their side. Harrington is going into his 11th year and averaged a career high 21 points last year which led the team. He is expected to remain as the team's number one scoring option and will be utilized to his full potential as a scorer in the upcoming season.

New York could also see the emergence of it's young forward Wilson Chandler after developing very nicely last year. He averaged 14 points and six rebounds last year. His explosiveness and high-flying ability is out of the roof and he got his first chance to prove himself last year and took advantage. He is set to be the team's starting small forward and will share time with Gallinari at the spot.

The Knicks are not looking for an answer to their problems yet, they are playing one of the longest waiting games in the NBA and are not even sure they will grab a top name like LeBron James or Dwyane Wade, who has said New York is not an option.

But nothing is assured in the NBA and the Knicks have just as much a chance to scoop him up as anyone else and with the money they are saving, the Knicks could be a top team in the 2011 season.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Chris Duhon

SG: Larry Hughes

SF: Wilson Chandler

PF: Al Harrington

C: David Lee

This is Pt. 18 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

New Orleans Hornets: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 14:26:00 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 49-33, fourth in Southwest Division, seventh in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Denver Nuggets 4-1

Key Additions

Emeka Okafor via trade, Darren Collison via draft, Marcus Thornton via trade, Ike Diogu via free agency

Key Losses

Tyson Chandler via trade, Rasual Butler via trade

After a 2007-08 campaign in which the Hornets beat out teams like the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets for the Southwest Division crown, the team fell hard to fourth place in the division last year and ended its season on one of the worst notes in NBA history.

The team lost by a 121-63 score, tied for the worst loss in playoff history, in Game Four of its first-round matchup against the Denver Nuggets. It's hard to believe that a team that is one year removed from a division championship can fall this hard from grace and get beat out in the postseason this bad, even with All-Stars Chris Paul and David West still on the floor.

Chris Paul had another MVP caliber season and is widely recognized as the best point guard in the world. He averaged 23 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds last year in only his fourth season in the league. He has been the team leader since he joined the Hornets in 2005, and they have seen an improvement in their record ever since he joined—until last year, when the team had a seven-game decrease in wins.

His supporting cast has been criticized as there appears to be no other legitimate scoring options beside West. This upcoming season, though, there will be no excuses for not getting a high postseason seed after an offseason trade that could vault the Hornets back into championship contention.

The acquisition of Emeka Okafor brings another scoring option to the table. Okafor averaged a career-low 13 points last year, while also averaging 10 rebounds and two blocks per game. What's most important to the Hornets is that Okafor is a healthy center who is known for playing full season with no problems, unlike the center it traded away.

Fan-favorite Tyson Chandler was sent away to the Charlotte Bobcats in the exchange, and while Hornets fans may not enjoy it right now, they'll appreciate it later on when Okafor is actually playing in games and being a reliable scoring option. Chandler has never been a quality scoring option and had his career high of 12 points two years ago mostly thanks in part to the passing ability of Paul. Last year he only averaged eight points and nine rebounds in only 45 games. Chandler has never played a full 82-game NBA season.

The Hornets are also very lucky that West has evolved into the star that he is today. He averaged a career high 21 points and eight rebounds last year and made it to his second all-star game. West complements CP3 very well and has one of the most underrated shooting touches in the league. His jump shot is one of the purest and most consistent shots in the league, which has improved year by year and if he can keep that shot up, then it all but assures New Orleans a high seeding in an up for grabs Western Conference.

Despite having the best point guard in basketball, one of the top shooters, and a premiere, young center, the Hornets are still faced with problems on it's bench and other pure shooters.

Peja Stojakovic is known as one of the best shooting big men in NBA history, but last year proved all but different. He averaged 13 points per game which was his lowest average since his second year in the league ten years ago. The 40 percent average was the second lowest of his career as well and he also missed 21 games due to injury. The Hornets need Peja due to the fact that he is one of the few three-point threats and is in fact the best shooter on the team.

New Orleans traded away one of the few reliable scoring options it has in Rasual Butler to the Los Angeles Clippers for a second round pick seven years from now. Butler averaged a career high 11 points and three rebounds last year, while playing a full season. Butler filled in for Peja when he was out with injuries and did a decent job of standing in his spot.

The Hornets draft was for the sole purpose of bringing in consistent shooters. They traded for Marcus Thornton out of LSU on draft day and made the right move by bringing him in. Thornton is an underrated scorer and averaged 21 points last year, as well as grabbing five rebounds per game. His three-point shooting touch is also high quality and can shoot from just about anywhere on the floor.

The first round pick was Darren Collison out of UCLA who is also a notable scorer and can also shoot the lights out from three-point range. He is a little undersized though as he only weighs 165 pounds which is light even for someone that's 6'1". Despite his small stature, if he is able to create his own shot and use his already excellent ball handling to his advantage he should be able to become a legitimate scoring option for the Hornets.

The Hornets bench might struggle due to the fact that there are no reliable scoring options. James Posey is the best scorer and has an excellent three-point shot, but not much else. Hilton Armstrong, Julian Wright and Morris Peterson are not players to rely on when your starting lineup is taking a breather. New Orleans needed to make better moves this off season to bolster it's bench. Despite having a strong starting lineup, the bench could be the downfall of this team.

New Orleans has become one of the most successful teams since Chris Paul joined the squad and with Emeka Okafor joining the team, it's chances of a first NBA finals appearance are at their highest in the upcoming 2009-10 season. The team is always a postseason threat and next season means no different.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Chris Paul

SG-Devin Brown

SF-Peja Stojakovic

PF-David West

C-Emeka Okafor

This is Pt. 17 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

The Hype And Pressure Of a Recruit: Who Is Going to Be the Next LeBron?

John Friel — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 13:14:41 -0400

The life of an average high school student usually consists of doing essays at the last minute, getting a summer job at McDonald's to get some extra money, and worrying who they're going to take to prom.

It is also the time to when 14-18-year-olds everywhere decide on which college they're going to and what they're going to do with their life, it could be the most important decision a teenager has had to make his young life so far.

That's what an average student's life is that doesn't stand 6'10".

While Joe High School is stressing about SAT's and research projects, Michael Basketball is trying to find an agent and figuring out which college he should attend for one year. The next Michael Jordan or Hakeem Olajuwon is living the dream at 18 years old and prepared to make a sum of money that they won't even know what to do with.

They are loved, they are respected, and they are lucky to be born with an oversized pituitary gland. The NBA teams they watched growing up are now swooning over the chance to get the next young phenom and tanking seasons just to get a better chance at the teenager one year removed from high school.

Even though they are the most anticipated and watched teenagers in the world, two factors can make or break their entire NBA careers, as well as their life, in the next upcoming years.

The pressure and the hype.

Hype is a terrible factor to be associated with. It surrounds you ever since recruiters started showing up to your sixth grade middle school games when you were only able to shoot the ball from your chest by heaving it as hard as you can, but you were a foot taller than anyone else so it did not really matter.

It's been looming over your head while you're awake, while you sleep, and while you practice what you were made for.

Let's look at two hyped examples, shall we?

Take a look at young LeBron James, the No. 1 recruit from St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School out of Akron, Ohio. In his first year at the school, he was a starter for the Varsity as a freshman. He led his team with 21 points and six rebounds per game, and led his school to a 23-1 record.

His numbers improved year by year, and by his junior year (when he was only 16 years old), James was the most heavily hyped high school basketball player in the history of the NBA.

He was being named to the All-USA First Team three out of his four years at school, winning MVP at the McDonald's All-American game and driving around in an $80,000 Hummer before he could even buy a pack of cigarettes.

He decided to forgo college, which was allowed at the time, and immediately enter the draft.

In fact, James was trying to declare for the draft after his junior year. No doubt about it that he would have been a top five or ten pick by an NBA team willing to center their team around a high school kid.

As expected, in the 2003 draft, he was taken number one by a down and out Cleveland Cavaliers team. The Cavs were looking for an answer to take them out of the obscurity they've been in for decades, and LeBron James was that answer.

Now that's pressure, but we'll get to that in a minute.

Sure enough, James did live up to his image; he has advanced to an NBA Finals and won an MVP in only six years in the league, and is already being discussed in arguments as the best basketball player in the world.

Let's get to our other example.

Sebastian Telfair faced some of the cases LeBron James did. A hyped high school student and ranked number six in his class. He was in the same class as stars right now such as Josh Smith, Al Jefferson and then-No. 1 ranked Dwight Howard.

He was ranked ahead of high school students such as LaMarcus Aldridge, Glen Davis, and Marvin Williams.

Telfair was just like James—he didn't want to waste his time going to college and getting a little more experience for the NBA level. He wanted out of Lincoln High School in New York as soon as possible so he could be the next great point guard and live up to the ranks of Hall of Famers such as Isiah Thomas or John Stockton.

He left high school as his team's leading scorer and had a full ride to the University of Louisville to play under one of the greatest NCAA coaches in Rick Pitino.

Like any smart young basketball player, he didn't go, and thought that the high school to NBA transition could work out for him.

Taken at the 13th pick five years ago, three teams, a handgun charge, and a suspended license later, Telfair has become one of the biggest disappointments in NBA history. He has not averaged more than 10 points in a season and was traded to his fourth team this offseason.

He currently makes $2.5 million to make a little impact on the team.

Those were two cases of each extreme—one being a case where it turned out right for the phenom, and the other being where the high school to NBA transition did not work out too well.

Hype builds above a high school kid, and it goes hand in hand with pressure.

The pressure a teenager has to face to become the next Michael Jordan or the next Tim Duncan is immense. The pressure that these teams are relying on an 18 year old to lead their franchise out of the basement and into the light of the day to see a postseason or championship run. The pressure that teams were losing on purpose to get a better chance at grabbing you.

All this pressure could lead to a downfall. That downfall could lead to the end of their basketball life.

Take for instance again the Cleveland Cavaliers and LeBron James. When the Cavs got the first pick in the draft, they went 17-65 the previous season, and we know some of those games couldn't have all been lost because the team just didn't have the right chemistry.

James was picked with the highest hopes, and somehow, he managed to make the team into what they are today. He led them to an 18 game improvement his first year in the league, and then to their first playoff appearance two years after that. Year by year, James keeps living up to that image of a No. 1 pick that worked out perfectly.

This is making things a lot worse for high school kids getting recruited now.

They now have the pressure to live up to what LeBron James has done for the Cavs and do the same for their failing team. Expected one and done college students like John Wall are going to have to cause the complete turnaround of whoever has the No. 1 pick next year, and if he doesn't live up to that image, then he'll be considered the next bust.

I live next to No. 1 2010 prospect Brandon Knight, and have seen him practice a number of times at my local gym. He's got one of the best shooting touches I've ever seen and I've seen him make near 50 shots in a row from any part of the floor.

He is sure to be a top five pick in the 2011 draft, and will be expected to resurrect a team from the dead like every other top prospect is expected to do.

The question for Mr. Knight is can he deal with the hype surrounding him? Can he deal with the pressure weighing him down at every moment of his life?

High school students are trying to be the next LeBron James now and if a student thinks they can live up to that image.

Those are some serious size 18's to fill.

New Jersey Nets: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:54:31 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 34-48, third in Atlantic Division, 11th in Eastern Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Rafer Alston via trade, Courtney Lee via trade, Tony Battie via trade, Terrence Williams via draft

Key Losses

Vince Carter via trade, Ryan Anderson via trade

The core of the early 2000s that consisted of Richard Jefferson, Jason Kidd and Vince Carter dominated the Eastern Conference for years. But as the years passed with no championships to show for it, one by one each player was sent packing with each attempt of contesting for a legitimate spot at the title coming up short.

That core has now disbanded with the loss of Vince Carter. Vinsanity was traded away along with Ryan Anderson to the Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic for point guard Rafer Alston, second-year shooting guard Courtney Lee and seldom used big man Tony Battie.

Carter has been one of the most consistent players in the league, averaging more than 20 points per game for the past five years, and has averaged more than 20 points in 10 of his 12 seasons in the league. He put up 21 points, five rebounds and five assists last year for the Nets, who had their second straight 34 win season.

Vince has been criticized for his performance when a team comes across tough times, especially when he was in Toronto when he tanked games to get traded. It was not apparent in New Jersey, but as the core left and lesser known role players were brought in, Carter's stats went down, as well as the team's performance as a whole. They haven't suffered losing seasons this bad since the 2000-'01 campaign when they went 26-56.

The players they brought in are not expected to make an immediate impact as Alston is expected to ride the bench as a second-string point guard. The same goes with Tony Battie, who will not see much playing time. Courtney Lee, on the other hand, is expected to start at the shooting guard spot in only his second year in the NBA.

In Lee's first season as a member of the Magic, he averaged eight points and two rebounds and was known mostly for his performance in the postseason. He only averaged eight points, but his explosiveness came up big, and he is expected to become one of the next top guards of this league.

The Nets do have one of the top point guards in the league at the moment with Devin Harris, who had the year of his career so far. He had career highs in nearly every statistical category, including points, rebounds, and assists. He emerged as a team leader and gained a lot of experience last year, as he is expected to be the team leader in the 2009-'10 season for a New Jersey team that is trying to make a case for the postseason once again.

Harris wasn't the only one to emerge as a perennial All Star. The Nets' first-round draft pick from last year, Brook Lopez, emerged as a top center. He averaged 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks in his first season, and in his second to last game of the season had a high of 20 rebounds. Lopez is one of the few big men in the league that has size and can score at will, as well as rebound and defend. He shows a lot of potential in his game and had all-rookie team honors last year as the starting center.

The Nets starting lineup is going to suffer this year with Vince Carter no longer on the team, and will have to rely on players such as Bobby Simmons and Yi Jianlian to strengthen the lineup enough to bring it a semi-decent season.

Simmons is expected to become the team's new starting small forward and will need to elevate his game if he even wants to halfway fill the shoes Carter left behind. In his first season with the team, he averaged eight points and four rebounds starting for half the season. His career high was 16 points—coming back in 2004—and he will need to channel the thoughts he had five years ago if he wants the Nets to succeed.

One of the most hyped players to ever come out of Asia, Yi Jianlian has failed to live up to the standards of a No. 6 pick so far. His frame is small and he does not have one of the finest attitudes in the game. When he was drafted by Milwaukee, he voiced his displeasure publicly about going to a "small market" team and was traded after only one year.

You would think that he'd step up his game after going to a "big market" team like the New Jersey Nets, but he basically put up the same numbers he did playing for the Bucks. He averaged nine points and five rebounds last season and has not shown much potential to do much more than put up mediocre numbers like that. He is the projected starting power forward and will need to perform much better to give the Nets a legitimate spot at a playoff spot.

New Jersey has yet to feel what a championship feels like. The organization knows what it's like to make it and be a dominant force of the NBA, but those days are dead and gone and the Nets are back to square one as a team. With Devin Harris as the new team leader, he will need to quickly assume what power he has over the team and use it to unite this group of players and make the Nets a serious team in the NBA once again.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Devin Harris

SG-Courtney Lee

SF-Bobby Simmons

PF-Yi Jianlian

C-Brook Lopez

This is part 18 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Minnesota Timberwolves: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 12:37:02 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 24-58, fourth in Northwest Division, 11th in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Ricky Rubio via draft, Jonny Flynn via draft, Wayne Ellington via draft, Henk Norel via draft, Chucky Atkins via trade, Mark Blount via trade, Olekisy Pecherov via trade, Damien Wilkins via trade, Ryan Hollins via free agency

Key Losses

Mike Miller via trade, Randy Foye via trade, Sebastian Telfair via trade, Craig Smith via trade, Mark Madsen via trade

As you can tell, the Minnesota Timberwolves are relying a lot on youth. They had one of the busiest drafts and picked up arguably the two top point guards and one of the top shooters as well.

There moves were extremely questionable on drafting three point guards, before trading Ty Lawson away, and even if Rubio decides to come to Minnesota and leave Euro League basketball, neither one of the two can become a shooting guard.

They had no depth at the point guard spot prior the draft, but now might come across problems later on when they have two of the most talented, young guards on it's team with each looking to become a starter.

Rubio has been heralded for his play in Europe as a professional basketball player before he could even drive, in fact he was on the national team from Spain that won Silver at the Beijing Olympics when he was 17.

He averaged 10 points and six assists last year while playing in Europe and is known as the next Pistol Pete Maravich because of his explosiveness and ability to create passes.

Even though Rubio can rack up the assists, his shot could come as a huge problem. He is not a quality shooter and is not known for a decent mid-range game. His slow release comes into question as well, elite and average defenders in the NBA can stop that in no time and force Rubio to take bad shots.

He is going to need to develop if he wants to succeed in this league, but as of right now he is still a quality point guard with plenty of potential to become an all-star.

Jonny Flynn was a standout at Syracuse University and averaged 17 points and seven assists in his last year with the college.

Flynn is a quality point guard who can create his own shot and pass with ease. Problems could arise with his size as he is only 6'0" tall, but if he is able to attack and create his own shot at the NBA level, then his size should not come into question as much.

Young talent could bring this team back to the playoffs and make them a legitimate team again. With the likes of Kevin Love and a healthy Al Jefferson back, Minnesota has the talent to steal a low postseason spot in the near future.

Jefferson, who came to the Timberwolves two years ago in the Kevin Garnett trade had his career blossom as soon as he came to Minnesota. He averaged a then career high of 21 points in his first year with the team, and was averaging 23 points, 11 points and a little under two blocks before succumbing to injury with 30 games left in the regular season.

Jefferson is a future all-star and could be the next premiere center or power forward. The impact he has on the team is monumental, the T'Wolves lost 23 of their next 30 games, all of those games without Jefferson in the lineup. Only two of those wins that they managed came against teams with winning records.

He is a bit undersized for the center spot standing at only 6'10", but he has a decent short and mid-range jumper which causes problems for centers with minimal length and speed. He has a superior post up game as well, which is great for a player of his size.

The T'Wolves traded OJ Mayo for Kevin Love in last years draft and it is working out great for both sides. Many thought that Love would not be fast enough to keep up with the NBA and that his rebounding could come into question, but he has transitioned very well as one of the NBA's top young, big men.

Love averaged 11 points and nine rebounds last year and was fourth in offensive rebounds per game averaging a little over three. He still needs to improve on his blocking ability, which could come with experience.

Ryan Gomes is another part of this youthful Minnesota team and has developed nicely since being drafted in 2005. Since coming along in the KG trade, he has improved every year and averaged a career high 13 points last year starting at the small forward spot. He is expected to be the starter once again in the upcoming 2009-'10 season.

The team used to be a playoff team year after year, but would never be a legitimate championship contender. They advanced deep in the 2003-'04 season and made it to the conference finals, it was the last time they made it.

As Kevin Garnett's will to play for a team that did not surround him with any talent decreased, so did the teams success. They haven't had a winning season since 2004 and have posted some of their worst records in the past two years with no Garnett on the team.

The T'Wolves two towers in the low post can cause problems for any opponent and with the top teams of the Western Conference aging, Minnesota could become a top seed if it's point guards and big men develop into the NBA superstars they are aspired to be.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Jonny Flynn/Ricky Rubio

SG-Damien Wilkins/Wayne Ellington

SF-Ryan Gomes

PF-Al Jefferson

C-Kevin Love

This is part 17 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Milwaukee Bucks: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 14:40:13 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 34-48, fifth in Central Division, 12th in Eastern Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Brandon Jennings via draft, Jodie Meeks via draft, Hakim Warrick via free agency, Sonny Weems via trade, Walter Sharpe via trade, Amir Johnson via trade, Kurt Thomas via trade

Key Losses

Richard Jefferson via trade, Tyronn Lue via trade, Charlie Villanueva via free agency

The Milwaukee Bucks were a team going into the 2008-'09 with high expectations. They had one of the best shooters in the league, as well as a reliable big man who can put in a double-double night in and night out.

But to the dismay of the Bucks, both of those players got injured early in the season. Shooting guard Michael Redd's season was derailed after playing in only 33 games. He averaged 21 points and three rebounds playing hurt for the latter part of his season.

Redd was forced to the bench four games into the season before trying to make a comeback and sitting out the rest of the season when the injury came to be more serious.

The team also lost Andrew Bogut to an injury around the same time Redd went down. Bogut was averaging a career high 10 rebounds at the time, but saw his points drop down to 12 after a productive 2008-'09 campaign when he averaged 14 points and a little under 10 rebounds per game.

The former No. 1 pick out of Utah is not living up to the image Milwaukee was hoping for, but he is a reliable post player and any time you can pick up a seven footer that can actually make an impact then its a luxury.

Despite the injuries of two of it's starters, it still managed to keep pace for the postseason before faltering late in the season. It was mostly thanks to forwards Richard Jefferson and Charlie Villanueva emerging as team leaders for the first time in their careers.

Going into the 2009-'10 season though, the Bucks no longer have these two to rely on after trading Jefferson to the San Antonio Spurs and losing Villanueva to division rival Detroit Pistons.

The starting lineup will suffer with the loss of two of it's top scorers and will now have to rely on young players such as Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, new addition Hakim Warrick and Joe Alexander at the forward spots.

The draft is going to cause an uncertain future for the Bucks. The team drafted point guard Brandon Jennings out of Italy. Jennings can jump out of the building and has some of the greatest ball handling since Tim Hardaway was crossing the NBA.

His issues include that he could become out of control at times and not play the greatest defense at times, but for his time in Europe it could have brought him more experience than what the college ranks could have.

Jennings leaves an uncertain future as we could expect maybe the next Allen Iverson potentially if things pan out right for the young point guard.

The Bucks did manage to draft a college player in Jodie Meeks out of the University of Kentucky. Meeks is most remembered in his college days for his 54 point performance against Tennessee, which is a new single-game record for Kentucky.

Meeks has one of the best shots in the draft class and is a scoring machine averaging 23 points in his junior year. If he can transition that scoring touch in the NBA, then he'd be the biggest steal of the draft.

Milwaukee did see the emergence of two of it's young players last year in Mbah a Moute and Ramon Sessions. Sessions, who was coming off an injury plagued first season in 2007-'08, showed a lot of promise of what's to come when he averaged 12 points and six assists last year as the teams starting point guard for half the year.

One of his best performances of the season was a 44 point, 12 assist and five rebound effort against the Detroit Pistons. People need to remember that last year was his first legitimate year in the league and he is already able to light teams up with scoring, passing and rebounding.

Sessions could represent the future of Milwaukee and he will compete with Luke Ridnour for the point guard spot.

The team also welcomed in former UCLA standout Luc Richard Mbah a Moute who was the team's second round pick last year. In his first year in the league, he averaged seven points and six rebounds, but could see his numbers increase when he is utilized more this upcoming season due to the loss of Jefferson and Villanueva.

New pickups Amir Johnson and Hakim Warrick will also have immediate impacts on the team, they are expected to fight for the power forward spot. Warrick averaged 12 points last season for the Memphis Grizzlies and could be a good role player for the team.

Johnson on the other hand never got into a groove with the Detroit Pistons leading up to his departure and only averaged four points in his last season with the team. Johnson is listed as the starting power forward on the teams depth chart, but could change.

Milwaukee has been one of the least successful teams of the past few years missing the playoffs three years in a row in a weak Eastern conference, as well as not having a winning record since the 2002-'03 season when they went 42-40.

The Bucks are a team in limbo right now trying to utilize it's young talent, draft picks and the little number of stars that are left on the team to make it back into the playoffs. The team will need to rely heavily on Redd and Bogut making great comebacks from season ending injuries and will also have to rely on the young talents in Sessions, Jennings and Mbah a Moute.

Milwaukee might have to wait a little while longer than other teams to make it back into the postseason, but if its draft picks and veterans can come through they might have a shot to make it as soon as next year.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Ramon Sessions

SG-Michael Redd

SF-Luc Richard Mbah a Moute

PF-Amir Johson/Hakim Warrick

C-Andrew Bogut

This is part 16 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Miami Heat: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:45:25 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 43-39

Postseason

First Round: Lost to Atlanta Hawks 4-3

Key Additions

Quentin Richardson via trade, Patrick Beverly via draft

Key Losses

Jamario Moon via free agency, Mark Blount via trade

Dwyane Wade is used to being the leader of the Miami Heat, but he is not used to carrying an entire team of rookies and aging veterans on his back to the playoffs.

He does not want to get used to it.

Wade demanded a move be made; to assure a chance at the championship in the coming years, and a sidekick to help him ease the load. They tried for Carlos Boozer: it failed for at least this off season.

They tried for Lamar Odom: it failed. With minimal offseason moves being made, Wade leaving the team in 2010 could be a reality that Pat Riley and the organization are going to have to face.

Wade has no problem leading the league in scoring and being one of the top shot blockers in the league as a guard. But willing your team to victory on a nightly basis takes a lot out of a man. You can tell by some of his games late in the regular season—and postseason—that Dwyane was physically and emotionally tired.

Wade had the best year of his career last year when he led the league in scoring and became the best shot-blocker under 6'4". Wade averaged a career high 30 points, seven assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block per game.

Wade also played in a career-high 79 games, which means a lot for the Heat as his downfall since his inception into the league has been fighting with injuries. He finished third in both MVP and defensive player of the year voting.

For the Heat to be successful this year, and get a legitimate spot in the playoffs, Michael Beasley and Mario Chalmers need to emerge as superstars. Beasley was selected at No. 2 in last year's draft and is expected to become one of the premiere scorers and rebounders of the league. He averaged 14 points and five rebounds last year coming off the bench.

B-Easy did show flashes of what's to come, including a game six performance where he had 22 points and 15 rebounds. His shooting touch is consistent at times and could come easily to Beasley—who could string a number of jump shots together. He does have the ability to drive as well, but did not use it to his advantage as much as he should have.

With every rookie comes rookie mistakes, and even Michael Beasley had some. His defense was poor as he got beat off the dribble too many times, and his ability to move without the ball was minimal. He appeared lost at times when he didn't have the ball in his possession.

He has the potential to become one of the next great talents of this league, with the possibility to start at the small forward spot this year, he will be able to prove it.

When Mario Chalmers was taken in the second round, not many people anticipated the impact that he would make for this team. Chalmers averaged 10 points, five assists, and two steals per game last year. He led all rookies in steals, including a nine-steal performance early in the 2008-'09 season.

His range was exceptional as he was able to shoot from all sides of the court and come up in the clutch a number of times as well. His on-the-ball defense could use some work, but his ability to clog up lanes was a huge part of his defensive game.

Backup guard Daequan Cook had the season of his life last year when he won the three-point contest in the All-Star game and averaged nine points, making two three-pointers a game. Cook was inconsistent in the second half of the season though, as he couldn't knock down three's as easily as he did in the first half.

Cook is only going into his third season and is a big spark off the bench with the quick threes he brings.

The center position is one of the weakest positions for the Heat as they have little depth to work with. Jermaine O'Neal is the starter and his age really started to show last year. He was injured a number of times and could not compete with the top centers of the league.

O'Neal averaged 13 points, six rebounds and two blocks last year. The second and third string centers are Jamaal Magloire and Joel Anthony. Magloire has had better years and is used as a defensive enforcer, while Anthony is utilized mostly for his shot blocking ability.

The Heat need a more reliable, young post presence if they really want to succeed in this league. Having two aging veterans, and a young center who can't score, is not going to help. The Heat will need to test the market in 2010 and contest for free agents such as Chris Bosh or Amare Stoudemire to become a contender once again.

If they utilized a combination of Wade and one of the premiere, young centers of this league then a second championship could be in order for this team.

The Heat's offseason moves were minimal, as most of it was built on trying to steal Lamar Odom away from the Los Angeles Lakers. The Heat lost out on him and walked away with nothing other than heartbreak, and ended up losing one of their most athletic players in Jamario Moon.

Moon was big off the bench and even though he only averaged seven points, the way he scored ignited the team and the home crowd. The team built off the momentum.

Just yesterday, the Heat were finally able to make a move by trading for Quentin Richardson. This will be Richardson's fourth team of the summer and if he stays, will get significant minutes off the bench as a reliable member of the supporting cast. Quentin averaged 10 points last year as a member of the New York Knicks.

The Heat know what championship glory feels like and they are not the type of team that is ok with being a middle-of-the-pack, just happy-to-be-there kind of team. They want to become a contender and with Dwyane Wade leading this team, anything is possible.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG—Mario Chalmers

SG—Dwyane Wade

SF—Michael Beasley

PF—Udonis Haslem

C—Jermaine O'Neal

This is part 15 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Tropic Wander: Journeyman Quentin Richardson Joins the Miami Heat

John Friel — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 00:30:14 -0400

Quentin Richardson could be considered a journeyman for his travels throughout the NBA being on three teams in his first eight years in the league.

Richardson right now has touched about every part of the country this summer as he joins his fourth team this summer.

The Miami Heat finally pulled the trigger and made a move this off season after failing to execute a trade for Carlos Boozer and being unable to sign Lamar Odom. The signing of Richardson is important to the team as it provides some consistent points off the bench.

The trade for Richardson is a delight to Heat fans as it also results in the departure of third string center Mark Blount. Blount had one of the worst contracts in the league making nearly $8 million a year to ride the bench. He only played in 20 games last year and averaged four points and two rebounds.

Richardson spent his 2008-'09 season playing for the New York Knicks coming off the bench and averaged 10 points and four rebounds. Team President Pat Riley already said he will get significant minutes coming off the bench. The team could use a backup at the shooting guard and small forward spot as it provides a lot more depth for a team that needed more consistency off the bench.

With the rest of the Eastern Conference bolstering it's rosters, the Heat desperately needed to make a move to compete. While not the move to skyrocket a team to the top of it's conference, its what the Heat needed to secure a playoff spot.

Memphis Grizzlies: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:33:19 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 24-58, fifth in Southwest Division, 12th in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Hasheem Thabeet via draft, DeMarre Carroll via draft, Sam Young via draft, Zach Randolph via trade, Steven Hunter via trade

Key Losses

Hakim Warrick via free agency, Darko Milicic via trade, Quinton Ross via free agency, Greg Buckner via trade

A team like the Memphis Grizzlies is like many of the other cellar-dwelling teams in the league—in a rebuilding stage trying to stay afloat and gain some recognition in the league. The Grizzlies, though, have been blessed to be in arguably the best division in the NBA, making things all but more difficult for Memphis.

This past draft the Memphis organization had a number of candidates capable of the job of being the piece that makes the Grizzlies a legitimate team and a return to the postseason. They used their No. 2 pick in the draft to take center Hasheem Thabeet out of Connecticut and are really taking a risk with the pick.

Thabeet was one of the most intimidating figures at the collegiate level standing at 7'3" and could transition that to the NBA due to his large frame. He is well known for his defense, but even at the college level, he found difficulty scoring. This past summer league, Hasheem had trouble and could barely grab rebounds as well.

While summer league is hardly a good prediction, the Grizzlies should not expect Thabeet to be nothing more than an intimidating post figure. The best case scenario is that Thabeet turns into a Dikembe Mutombo-like player and becomes one of the top shot blockers in the league or that he could end up as Samuel Dalembert, a player with a lot of length and not much else other than rebounding and blocks.

Memphis also improved their scoring when they picked up Zach Randolph. The Grizzlies were one of the worst offensive teams in the league last year only averaging 94 per game and by bringing in Randolph who is a potential 20 point per game player, the team could expect the offensive production to improve. Randolph's defense and will come into question though as Zach has never been one of the hardest working players in the league. He averaged 21 points and nine rebounds in 39 games for the Los Angeles Clippers last season.

While Memphis is not a top team, it could expect to be one in a few years. They feature one of the youngest lineups in the league with Mike Conley running the point, OJ Mayo as the shooting guard, Rudy Gay at small forward and the possibility of having either Marc Gasol or Thabeet at the center position.

Gay is beginning to emerge as one of the stars of the league and is going have to perform at a superstar level if he wants to be the leader of this Grizzlies team and lead them out of obscurity. Rudy has been healthy his first three seasons in the league and averaged 19 points and six rebounds last year. His numbers actually went down from the 2007-'08 season thanks in part to the inclusion of OJ Mayo on the team.

Mayo, who finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, was a spark in the Grizzlies offense and had a stable, consistent enough shot to become a starter and a future all-star. With age will come experience which Mayo will get as the years pass and already a near all-star, OJ will complement this team very well and bring them a postseason in its future.

Speaking of the postseason, the Grizzlies are not too accustomed to the fact of winning a postseason game. At 0-12, Memphis has the worst postseason record in the sporting world. They made the playoffs three years in a row and each year ended the same as the other: a sweep in the first round. The Griz have hit the 50 win mark only once in it's 15 year history and are looking for their first winning season in four years.

The center position is the only one to battle for on the team as it will come down to Marc Gasol and Hasheem Thabeet fighting for the start. While Hasheem appears to be the better rebounder and defender, Gasol is most likely going to be a far better scorer. He averaged 12 points last year and played a full season which could also be a detrimental part of the position. Anyone with size like Thabeet's is more likely than other's to suffer season threatening injuries, and with a 7 footer like Gasol playing a full 82 game season is a positive for the young man out of Spain.

The losses the Grizzlies suffered are not franchise threatening, but the loss of Hakim Warrick could affect the team. Warrick was the team's high flyer and averaged 12 points as the fourth leading scorer on the team.

The team did manage to shake off Darko Milicic from the team which eliminates a fourth center from the roster. Milicic managed to average six points and four rebounds as the backup center for Memphis in his second season with the team.

The Grizzlies are one of the up and coming teams of the NBA and could be making an impact as soon as the upcoming season. The core of Mayo-Gay-Thabeet could become one of the elite cores of the league in a few years time and will bring the Grizzlies to a postseason and hopefully for their sake gain that first postseason win.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Mike Conley, Jr.

SG-OJ Mayo

SF-Rudy Gay

PF-Zach Randolph

C-Marc Gasol/Hasheem Thabeet

This is part 14 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Shield Your Eyes: The Worst Franchises of All Time

John Friel — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 15:37:09 -0400

Only the winners write history. Its a fact throughout civilization that those who are the winners will reap the benefits and will be the ones to write about their success and victories. The winners gain the attention and respect of their peers, while the losers keep to themselves and wait for their turn to emerge as a winner. Some of these losers though seem to never emerge. They stay in the dark hallows for years and never seem to come out except for one rare appearance in the postseason every 20 years that usually results in a first round exit. Could these losers ever emerge from their deep, dark cave? Yes. The real question is though after years and years of hardship and embarassment, why can't they come out as a legitimate winner. The hard reality is these teams just always seem to be the loser, no matter who they get or what moves they make.

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Los Angeles Lakers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:43:05 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 65-17, first in Pacific Division, first in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Beat Utah Jazz 4-1

Semifinals: Beat Houston Rockets 4-3

Conference Finals: Beat Denver Nuggets 4-2

NBA Finals: Beat Orlando Magic 4-1

Key Additions

Ron Artest via free agency, Chinemelu Elonu via draft

Key Losses

Trevor Ariza via free agency, Sun Yue via waivers

After a disappointing end to their 2007-08 season with an NBA finals' loss to the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers knew there could be only one destination if they wanted to consider next season a success.

Mission accomplished.

The Lakers made short work in that finals appearance by beating the Orlando Magic in a quick five games. The Lakers appeared to be the stronger team at every position and proved they wanted the NBA championship more than anyone else...and that Kobe Bryant was going to get his fourth championship at all costs.

Kobe emerged as the emotional and physical leader, which has brought him three championships prior, and willed his team to an easy finals victory. He came up big in the waning minutes of games throughout the regular season and postseason, and he eliminated every comeback that any team would try and make against his LA team.

This championship meant more to Kobe than any of his others. Throughout the season and the closer the finals got, Bryant heard the same thing over and over: "Kobe can't win a title without Shaq."

He had to suffer through it last offseason after the Lakers lost to the Celtics, and he had to suffer through it all regular season as the Lakers got closer to the NBA finals.

There are no doubts anymore, Kobe's true leadership won this championship for the city of Los Angeles.

Bryant averaged 30 points per game, the third highest in his playoff career, including three-40 point games. His points production in the regular season wasn't up to his par at 27 points per game, but because of his reliable supporting cast Kobe wasn't forced to carry the load as he had in the previous years.

Pau Gasol was brought in to be Kobe's right-hand man, and he handled the position very well. Gasol averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds last season and came up big through the playoffs in the title run.

He averaged a career playoff high of 11 rebounds and two blocks per game while averaging 18 points. The role of big man has finally been filled by the Lakers, and Gasol appears to be the perfect fit.

The matchup between Kobe Bryant and Ron Artest in the semifinals was a battle between one of the top offensive players and the top defensive player in the league. But now, Kobe won't have the trouble of going against Artest anymore, as the Lakers brought him in this offseason.

Artest is known for his hard-nosed, in-your-face defense and could be just what the Lakers need for a repeat and a chance to climb over the fabled 70 win mark. In his lone season at Houston, he was able to lead the team to their first second-round appearance in 13 years.

Ron averaged 17 points and five rebounds last season and was a part of the two-man core that led to the Rockets' success in the regular season and through most of the postseason, before a number of players went down with injury.

By gaining Artest, they are compensating for the loss of Trevor Ariza. Ariza is coming off of his first healthy season since his rookie season, and he brought length and a reliable shooting touch to the floor.

Because of his breakout season last year, he was offered a lucrative deal by the Rockets that he couldn't refuse. The Lakers knew they did not need a third small forward and let him go with little resistance.

This past offseason, however, brought a lot of drama from the mind and pride of Lamar Odom. Odom, who was a free agent this year, wanted to explore his options outside of LA and was quickly disowned by the Lakers' GM Jerry Buss.

Buss took his offer from the table and let Odom go to what appeared to be the Miami Heat. At the 11th hour though, the Lakers came through and sent Odom another deal to try and bring him back.

Odom broke a lot of Heat fans' hearts that day. Odom went back to the Lakers and is in store for another championship run, rather than taking more money in Miami.

The Lakers are still waiting for their starting center Andrew Bynum to have his break out. And he does appear to be getting near it, after having his best season last year. Bynum averaged a career high 14 points and eight rebounds last year, but injuries persisted and allowed him to only play in 50 games.

Bynum has the size, speed, and potential to become an all-star, but his health problems have halted any sort of major progress. If Andrew can stay healthy, the team's championship can all but be assured if the final piece of the puzzle is ready to fit in.

The Lakers have everything an NBA team can ask for: an outstanding shooter, a reliable big man, and a star-studded bench that could give starting lineups trouble. The Lakers are looking to repeat and with the roster the team has now, it appears easier than ever.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Derek Fisher

SG: Kobe Bryant

SF: Ron Artest

PF: Pau Gasol

C: Andrew Bynum

This is part 13 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Los Angeles Clippers: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 13:47:38 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 19-63, fourth in Pacific Division, 14th in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Blake Griffin via draft, Mark Madsen via trade, Craig Smith via trade, Sebastian Telfair via trade

Key Losses

Zach Randolph via trade, Quentin Richardson via trade

They have the talent, they have the youth and they have the veterans. So why can't the Los Angeles Clippers win?

A combination of injuries and team chemistry doomed the Clippers 2008-09 season, as it led them to their worst record in nearly 10 years. The Clippers are used to being under these circumstances as they have posted two winning records in the past 18 years.

The Clippers veterans succumbed to many injuries this past season leaving the work to rookies and inexperienced players. The man who L.A. brought in that was supposed to save the team in Baron Davis was half the man he used to be in Golden State when he averaged 15 points on 37 percent shooting and eight assists, while missing 17 games.

This is not the numbers we are used to seeing Davis put up and it is certainly not the numbers Clippers management wanted to see. Davis had not experienced point totals that low since his second season in the NBA in the 2000-01 season. His field goal percentage was also at the lowest of his career.

When Davis had the intent of signing with the Clippers, the team expected regular season success and maybe even a rare sighting into the postseason, but with a lack of team chemistry the team was an embarrassment to watch.

Chris Kaman and Marcus Camby are two other veterans who sat out due to injuries which greatly affected their performance. Both were expected to be defensive enforcers in the paint, especially Camby who won a defensive player of the year award only two years prior.

Camby was forced to sit out 20 games, but did have one of the best rebounding years of his career. He pulled down a career high 27 early in the season which does show that Camby could still be a force in the paint despite his age and mobility. Injuries have plagued Camby's entire career as he has never played a full season and has played in 70 games or less in 10 of his 13 seasons in the NBA.

He wasn't the only big man to see missed time.

Kaman suffered the worst through the season as he missed 51 games. Chris has spent six long years with the Clippers and it appeared that his career might finally have been lifting off before falling apart last season. Kaman averaged a career high 15 points and 13 rebounds in the 2007-08 season.

Even though the Clippers only won 19 games, a lot of promise was showed in the youthful talents of Al Thornton and Eric Gordon. The two were forced to step up and be team leaders for an injury ridden squad of former all-stars and inexperienced veterans.

In his second year in the league, Thornton averaged 17 points and five rebounds and is expected to be the team's starting small forward. Thornton is an offensive force and could help out well in the long run for a team that desperately needs some offensive production. His defense is questionable at times and needs to bulk up if he wants to be able to keep up with the elite small forwards of the league.

Eric Gordon, who was the Clippers first round draft pick last year was the teams starting shooting guard last year and forced to assume the role of shooter after Davis went down with injuries throughout the season. Gordon averaged 16 points and three assists in his first season and shows a lot of potential to be a consistent 20 point per game type of player throughout his career.

Draft picks have come as no problem for the Clippers and this year might be the one to cause a complete 180 for the team and send them to the postseason. By using the No. 1 pick in the draft to pick up Blake Griffin, a winning record might all but be assured for the next few seasons.

Griffin was a standout at Oklahoma and was the nation's leading rebounder and won the John Wooden award for the most outstanding collegiate player.

His athleticism and scoring ability should not be brought into question at all due to his range and strength. Griffin already has an NBA body and appears to be ready to compete at the professional level. In the summer league, Griffin won the most outstanding player and in a few years, he could see a regular season MVP.

Over the offseason, the Clippers managed to bring in a few players to support the bench. Mark Madsen, who's career has been all but illustrious, was brought in to be a veteran backup at the young power forward position.

The team also welcomed former high school standout Sebastian Telfair.

Telfair's career has not lived up to it's expectations, but he did average a career high 10 points last year for the Minnesota Timberwolves and could see some time as Baron Davis's backup.

By bringing in Blake Griffin, getting a number of veterans back from injury, and having it's future all-stars gain experience points, the Clippers might not be that other team in Los Angeles anymore. The team has potential and it does have the talent to move onto the next level, but does it have enough to co-exist and get the chemistry needed to get it's first postseason appearance in three years and possibly advance past the second round in, well, ever?

The Clippers have it all and this could be the breakout year where the city of Los Angeles has a second team to look out for.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG—Baron Davis

SG—Eric Gordon

SF—Al Thornton

PF—Blake Griffin

C—Chris Kaman/Marcus Camby

This is part 12 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Indiana Pacers: 30 Teams In 30 Days

John Friel — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:49:21 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 36-46, fourth in Central Division, ninth in Eastern Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Tyler Hansbrough via draft, Dahntay Jones via free agency, Earl Watson via free agency, Solomon Jones via free agency, A.J. Price via draft

Key Losses

Jarret Jack via free agency, Rasho Nesterovic via free agency

A team lost in mediocrity. A team looking for a voice. A team trying to become a contender once again.

After three years of missing the postseason and posting a losing record, the Indiana Pacers had a busy, productive offseason and are now trying to climb back up the Eastern Conference ladder they were once at the top of.

The Pacers come into the 2009-10 season after drafting two premiere stars from the college ranks and signing a few other lower name guards and forwards as well. Indiana has yet to sign an impact player though, which could affect it's success in the upcoming season and the next seasons after.

While this team does still have room to grow, it is led by its young fourth year forward Danny Granger. Granger had the best year of his blossoming career last season when he averaged 26 points and five rebounds. Granger showed he could come back from an injury as well. When he went down for 11 games a little before the season ended, he came back and averaged 29 points over the last 12 games of the season.

The Pacers are lucky to have a player like Granger on their side as he is a consistent shooter from all parts of the court and has range and a scoring ability only NBA superstars can wield. He shot 40 percent from three-point range and nearly averaged three per game last year. His touch has improved by the year and he could represent the future of the NBA.

Granger will have the load lightened off in the 2009-10 season when Mike Dunleavy returns from an injury that only let him play the first 18 games of the season.

Dunleavy has done an excellent job as a role player for the Pacers and averaged a career high 19 points in the 2007-08 season.

Tyler Hansbrough and AJ Price join the team via the draft and could have an immediate impact on the team due to the lack of depth the team has.

Critics claim that Hansbrough does not have the size or strength at his position to survive in the NBA world, but if he could bring that knack of scoring that got him into the draft into the NBA, then Tyler would shut his doubters up and prove that he is ready to play with the men.

Hansbrough won the ACC Conference Player of the Year award and averaged 20 points and eight rebounds last year. Tyler broke countless Tar Heel and NCAA records throughout his four years of college ball and is looking to make an impact on an Indiana team waiting for another all-star to bring the team out of mediocrity.

AJ Price was a standout as Connecticut's point guard and does have a solid shot and could create shots for other players as well. He could have problems though if he relies too heavily on outside shots, instead of attacking the rim which he needs to improve on as well. He averaged nearly three turnovers a game as well last year which could cause problems in the NBA if he does not learn to control his passes.

The Pacers could also see the emergence of their big man in Roy Hibbert.

Hibbert, at 7'2" is the third tallest player in the league and possibly could see an increase in minutes next season as the team is looking for size. He only averaged 14 minutes last year and only put up seven points, three rebounds and a block per game.

The current center is Jeff Foster who is considerably shorter than Hibbert, but has no offensive touch and his blocking ability isn't up to par with his size. After a disappointing 2008-09 season, Foster could be replaced with Hibbert sometime in the season.

TJ Ford will continue to be the team's point guard after having one of his best offensive years of his young career. Despite his offensive production, which was at 15 points per game last year, his assists went down considerably. He averaged a consistent six to seven assists per game his first five years in the league, but only averaged five last year.

The Pacers are a team looking for an answer and they might have that answer on their team. If Danny Granger evolves into the superstar he is aiming to be, this Pacers team could become the contender it once was and could have that voice again it lost four years ago.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG—TJ Ford

SG—Danny Granger

SF—Mike Dunleavy

PF—Troy Murphy

C—Roy Hibbert/Jeff Foster

This is part 11 of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Houston Rockets: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 14:13:25 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 53-29, second in Northwest Division, fifth in Western Conference

Postseason

First Round: Beat Portland Trail Blazers 4-2

Semifinals: Lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-3

Key Additions

Trevor Ariza via free agency, Chase Budinger via trade, Jermaine Taylor via trade, Sergio Llull via draft

Key Losses

Ron Artest via free agency, Dikembe Mutombo via retirement

Losing your all-star 7'6 center and your defensive enforcer could cause problems for any team. In the case of the Houston Rockets, it means a lost season.

This past off-season has been one to forget for the Rockets, who lost center Yao Ming to a season ending injury, and forward Ron Artest to the champion Lakers.

In return, the Rockets managed to steal away the Lakers own forward Trevor Ariza. The lanky small forward played a large part in the Lakers championship run, averaging 11 points and four rebounds over 23 postseason games. Ariza is best known for his defense and three point shooting, which played a huge role in Los Angeles' success.

But despite grabbing a talented young forward, the Rockets lost their veteran forward in Artest who averaged 17 points and five rebounds per game last season.

Artest's hard-nosed defense is his calling card and played an important role in the Rockets impressive regular season and playoff run.

Filling in Artest's spot with Ariza will not solve any of the problems lying ahead for the Rockets.

The injury that Yao Ming suffered last season appears to be more serious than first thought; and could even be career threatening. Ming has spent his entire NBA career with the Rockets, and ever since he started playing with the team, he's been the cornerstone of the franchise.

In his first year, he managed a 15 game turn-around (wins), and made the team into what they are today.

Throughout the years, although his talent has led the Rockets successfully, his injuries have held them back as well.

Two seasons ago when the Rockets went on their storied 22 game win streak, Yao Ming suffered an injury halfway through the streak, and the team was still able to win 11 more games in a row.

Yao, who's averaged 19 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks for his career, has had that overshadowed by missing 93 games in the last five seasons.

Just this past post-season, a Rockets team without Tracy McGrady was able to make it to the second round for the first time since Hakeem Olajuwon. McGrady, as we all know, has never been part of a team that advanced to the second round.

Entering 2009, T-Mac is a man on a mission to redeem his status as one of the top players.

Last season, McGrady only played in 35 games and averaged careers lows in points and field goal percentage. McGrady has yet to play more than 79 games in a season, and has suffered through injuries for the latter part of his career.

When healthy, McGrady is one of the most impressive players in the league, and is known for having a sweet shooting touch. He has led the league twice in scoring, and will need to stay healthy and bring that touch back if he wants to lead the Rockets to a postseason appearance.

With the loss of Artest and Yao, Houston has little to rely on. Luis Scola could be the team's starting center. But at 6'9, the size disparity will make the Rockets one of the weakest teams entering 2009-10 in the post.

While Scola can score, and does have the capabilities to rebound as well, his frame is too small to compete with any other center in the league.

If Scola doesn't start at center, the Rockets will have to rely on the 6'6 Chuck Hayes as it's starting center. Hayes played the position while Yao was out, but is too small to play the position. But the Rockets may not have a choice.

But one of the positives of last season was the surprising play of promising young guard, Aaron Brooks. Brooks averaged 11 points and three assists last season, and came up huge in the postseason against the Blazers and Lakers.

He had a postseason high 34 points in a game 4 win against the Lakers, and will need to grow up quick and lower his turnover ratio if he wants to help lead this team to another post season appearance.

Despite the changes, the Rockets core is not entirely lost; as it is still left with defensive specialist Shane Battier. Despite his strong defensive presence, his offense suffered last season as he averaged a career low seven points, and missed 22 games. But much of that can be attributed to the influx of offensive options that Rockets acquired.

So after a strong season, the city of Houston is in one of it's most desperate stages in years due to injuries and off-season losses. After a number of easy playoff appearances, the Rockets are going to need a lot more than height to make it to the playoffs again.

It's going to take pure grit, determination, and leadership to get another winning season out of this team.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Aaron Brooks

SG-Tracy McGrady

SF-Trevor Ariza

PF-Luis Scola

C-Chuck Hayes

This is part ten of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Golden State Warriors: 30 Teams in 30 Days

John Friel — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 13:34:35 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 29-53, third in Pacific Division, tenth in Western Conference

Missed Postseason

Key Additions

Stephen Curry via draft, Devean George via trade, Acie Law via trade, Speedy Claxton via trade.

Key Losses

Jamal Crawford via trade, Marco Belinelli via trade.

The Golden State Warriors are known for their flashy play and their home crowd—which causes more hearing problems than an AC/DC concert. All that has seem to have gone away, though, ever since the loss of their star point guard Baron Davis.

The Warriors had to suffer through a dismal 2008-'09 season after having two consecutive winning seasons for the first time in nearly 20 years, when they used to be a regular in the postseason.

Golden State finished as one of the top offensive teams in the league again, averaging over 108 points per game, but when you play run-and-gun basketball, the only positives are coming on the offensive side. The Warriors allowed a league worse 112 points per game.

For a team who finished 24 games under .500, the Warriors did not do much to improve their team. They managed to draft one of the top point guards and shooters in the draft, which is perfect for the Warriors style of play, but does little to improve their defense.

Curry led the entire NCAA in scoring last year, but he takes too many bad shots—which could cause even more problems for this Warriors team.

Golden State also lost one of their top scorers in Jamal Crawford in a lopsided trade that brought in Atlanta Hawks backup's Speedy Claxton and Acie Law. Claxton previously played two years for the Warriors, and he experienced career high's in points, rebounds, steals, assists, and minutes.

Crawford averaged 20 points and four assists per game in his only season for Golden State. He is known for his scoring outbursts, and was second in scoring for the Warriors.

The Warriors have one of the youngest lineups in the league, headlined by fourth year guard Monta Ellis. Ellis is coming off of an injury-plagued season, caused by a scooter accident, after receiving a handsome contract that sets him up for life.

Ellis averaged 19 points and four rebounds in only 25 games last season, but is healthy now, and prepared to step up as the team's starting shooting guard.

Golden State will continued to be led by Stephen Jackson, who is going into his tenth year of the NBA. Jackson averaged a career high 21 points and six assists last year. He, like most of the team, suffered a number of injuries, and only played in 59 games.

The starting center for the team, Andris Biedrins, will also be returning healthy after sitting out 20 games last year. He was able to average a career high 12 points and 11 rebounds last year, despite the injuries that held him back.

The Summer league has been kindest to the Warriors, though, as it showed a lot of promise for Anthony Randolph and Anthony Morrow.

The two finished one-two in scoring, and Morrow had a Summer league record 47 points. Morrow only averaged 10 points last year, but this season he could face more minutes, and have a chance to prove himself on the NBA level.

Randolph was huge in the Summer league as well, playing alongside Morrow. Randolph averaged eight points and six rebounds in his first professional year, but could see more minutes at the power forward spot thanks to the performances he put on during the Summer league.

The Warriors are a team that has a lot of growing up to do, but with the coaching staff not planning on switching up the style of play, this team might appear to be heading on a downward slope.

The young talent on this team could in time lead this team to a postseason appearance, but Stephen Curry alone is not going to make a turnaround of those proportions.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Stephen Curry

SG-Monta Ellis

SF-Stephen Jackson

PF-Corey Maggette

C-Andris Biedrins

This is part nine of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.

Big Ben Back In D-Town: Ben Wallace Rejoins The Detroit Pistons

John Friel — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 15:24:01 -0400

If there was one team in the NBA that would be excited to bring in Ben Wallace, it would be the Detroit Pistons.

Reports out of the Detroit News state that Ben Wallace has signed a one year deal worth $1.3 million and will return to the city where his career skyrocketed. Wallace was traded to the Chicago Bulls in the 2006-'07 season, and his career has never been the same since his best years in Detroit.

His averages in points, rebounds and blocks all took a turn for the worse and he was never the center that teams like Chicago and the Cleveland Cavaliers hoped he would be.

Wallace was a part of the Pistons team that went to two NBA finals and contested every year for the Eastern conference crown. He has an NBA championship and four defensive player of the year awards to his name.

Big Ben has also been named to six all-NBA defensive teams and five all-NBA teams. Every award Wallace has earned in his career came while he was at Detroit.

He experienced his career-high in points in the 2004-'05 season when he averaged a little less than 10 points. In the 2002-'03 season, he averaged over 15 rebounds and in the 2001-'02 season he experienced his high in blocks with nearly four per game. He has averaged six points, 10 rebounds and two blocks per game.

The Pistons will be very pleased to see Ben Wallace back in their side and maybe, if on the right team and with the right crowd behind him, Wallace could make an impact for this team in his 13th year in the NBA.

Miami Heat: Most Intriguing Match-ups of the 2009-2010 Season

John Friel — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 14:40:44 -0400

Over the course of the 2008-2009 regular season, the postseason and the off-season, the Heat developed a number of rivalries and have seen the revival of long lost enemies.

Not only that, but the one on one match-ups seen between Dwyane Wade and a number of other NBA stars always attract attention.

This past season has developed into a number of intriguing match-ups for the upcoming 2009-2010 season.

Miami vs. Washington Wizards, November 10th

This is not an interesting match-up to many outside the Heat and Wizards fan base, but it is the reemergence of a longtime division rivalry. The two teams have had battles since their inception in the Southeast division and it will be really interesting to see how the Wizards can finally play now that they have most of their starting lineup back from injury.

Over the past few years, the Heat have owned the Wizards in the regular season and the postseason, but with a new lease on life, the Wizards might be able to put an end to Miami's reign over Washington.

Miami vs. Cleveland Cavaliers, November 12th

Just a few days after their first look at the Wizards, the Heat will be able to get re-acquainted with old friends and new rivals. Miami will get their first look at Shaq as a Cavalier and be able to see another match-up between Dwyane Wade and LeBron James.

There has never been a dull moment between the two superstars as usually both will explode for huge games. The two teams have developed a rivalry thanks in part to Wade and James and this game will be no different when it comes to fireworks.

Miami at. Atlanta Hawks, November 18th

The Heat and Hawks didn't have one of the most intense rivalries of the NBA, but this past postseason, a heated rivalry arose between the two. Miami and Atlanta went seven games in the postseason and each game had tempers flaring. Going back to Atlanta to visit the Hawks will be no different from the past playoff series the two had as it will be highly heated game with plenty of emotions going around.

Miami at Orlando Magic, November 25th

The Magic have exhibited their dominance over the league and the Heat have not been excluded from that. Dwight Howard has taken advantage of the Heat's weakness at the center position, but that could change now with Jermaine O'Neal resting an injury over the off-season.

Dwyane Wade will not be able to light up the Magic like he used to as well, now with Vince Carter as the team's SG. The Heat will try to topple the Eastern conference champions with a healthier, well-rested team.

Miami at New York Knicks, December 25th

The Heat have had great match ups on Christmas usually against the LA Lakers to promote the Kobe-Shaq rivalry, but when Shaq left so did the Heat's usual Christmas appearance. But now the Heat are back in action and will face the Knicks on national TV.

Now the Heat-Knicks rivalry hasn't exactly been the same as it was in the 1990's, but there is plenty to see. Wade recently set a career high 55 points against New York last year and will be happy to light the Knicks up again on national TV this time.

Miami vs. LA Lakers, March 4th

Miami and Los Angeles are known for their close games and for the performances D-Wade and Kobe Bryant put on when they go head to head. This time Kobe and Wade's match up might not be the headline, it could be Lamar Odom's return back to Miami since rejecting the Heat's offer and returning to the Lakers.

The welcome he might get could be as frigid as anyone could receive. Odom was a hometown favorite when he joined the team in the 2004-2005 season, but this time Odom might want to think twice about teasing the Heat into a deal.

This 2009-2010 season might not be the most successful of seasons if the rookies don't grow up, but there will be match-ups to watch for not only the Heat community, but also for the rest of the NBA world to see Dwyane Wade's brilliance and the talent that this team can exhibit on a daily basis.

Denver Nuggets: 30 Teams In 30 Days

John Friel — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 13:24:59 -0400

2008 Statistics

Finished 54-28, first in Northwest division, second in Western conference

Postseason

First Round: Beat New Orleans Hornets 4-1

Semifinals: Beat Dallas Mavericks 4-1

Conference Finals: Lost to Los Angeles Lakers 4-2

Key Additions

Malik Allen via trade, Arron Afflalo via trade, Ty Lawson via draft

Key Losses

Dahntay Jones via free agency, Chucky Atkins via trade, Sonny Weems via trade

It only took one man to unite a team and lead them near the promise land. When Chauncey Billups arrived to be Denver's new point guard, people wondered if Billups could do what Iverson could not do: Advance far into the playoffs.

Mr. Big Shot came up huge throughout the regular season and postseason when he led his team to their best season in 20 years and their first conference finals in 25 years when players such as Kiki Vandeweghe and Alex English were leading the team.

Iverson brought the team regular season success leading them to their first 50 win season in 25 years, but he was never able to lead the team past the first round of the postseason.

Billups, who has a championship and a finals MVP to his name, was the leader that Denver needed to become a legitimate title contender. He was consistent throughout the postseason scoring in the 15-20 point range nearly every night, including three 30 point games. He was also able to score at least one three-pointer in all 16 playoff games.

They were able to take the eventual NBA champion LA Lakers to six games before coming up short and failing to win a decisive game at home.

Even though the city of Denver was disappointed to see the Nuggets lose, it raised a lot of eyebrows to see the Nuggets nearly reach their first championship. Many consider the Nuggets to be legitimate title contenders and could be the favorite to win the Western conference this upcoming 2009-'10 season.

When a player like Billups joins the team, he makes sure to make everyone around him look like all-stars. This past season saw the resurgence of power forward Nene Hilario.

The Brazilian experienced career highs in points, rebounds, blocks, field goal percentage and minutes. He was coming off of a number of injury-plagued seasons, including a cancer scare that nearly ended his career. He has emerged as one of the top young power forwards of the league and has become a viable part of this Nuggets squad.

Sixth-year standout Carmelo Anthony also had another all-star caliber year when he averaged 23 points and seven rebounds a game as the team's small forward.

Melo is one of the prime reasons why the Nuggets have had success as a team, he led the team to a 26 game improvement in his rookie season. He continues to be the team's leading scorer and there number one offensive option.

Kenyon Martin has never lived up to his image as a number one pick, but the emotion and tenacity he brings to every game are detrimental to the team's success. His verbal war with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban last year added fuel to the Nuggets fire in their postseason series as the Nuggets won in five games and once again sent Dallas to an early postseason exit. Martin averaged 12 points and six rebounds as the team's power forward.

The Nuggets did not have a big off season mostly due to the fact that there was little to improve on, but their most notable move took place in the draft when they were able to trade for former Tar Heel standout Ty Lawson.

Lawson won ACC Player of the Year and led his team to an NCAA championship last year and could be a suitable backup to Billups and could even learn a few things from a veteran such as Chauncey.

Denver will also be happy to see three-point specialist JR Smith come off the bench. Smith has been one of the top three-point shooters since his inception in the league and last year experienced career high's in nearly all statistical categories. He averaged a little over two three's last year and nearly shot 40 percent as well.

Chris "Birdman" Andersen will most likely remain with the team as the Nuggets leading shot blocker and in his first legitimate season since returning back to the NBA, he averaged nearly three blocks per game and was an enforcer in the paint for the Nuggets.

The Denver Nuggets are one of the top teams in the NBA and are now title contenders and if the team can gel at the right time they do have a legitimate chance to walk away as NBA champions.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG-Chauncey Billups

SG-Arron Afflalo

SF-Carmelo Anthony

PF-Kenyon Martin

C-Nene Hilario

This is part eight of a 30-day series of 2009-10 season previews of each NBA team. My profile will contain every other team that has been previewed before.