Bleacher Report - Articles by Dustin Chapman

Boston Celtics-Chicago Bulls Series Preview

Dustin Chapman — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 23:21:02 -0400

Series Schedule
Game One: Sat, April 18 - CHI @ BOS - 12:30 pm ET
Game Two: Mon, April 20 - CHI @ BOS - 7:00 pm ET
Game Three: Thu, April 23 - BOS @ CHI - 7:00 pm ET
Game Four: Sun, April 26 - BOS @ CHI - 12:00 pm ET
Game Five: Tue, April 28 - CHI @ BOS - TBD (if necessary)
Game Six: Thu, April 30 - BOS @ CHI - TBD (if necessary)
Game Seven: Sat, May 2 - CHI @ BOS - TBD (if necessary)

Boston Celtics
Regular Season Record: 62-20
Eastern Conference Seed: 2

Projected Starters
G G F F C

Regular Season Leaders
PPG: Paul Pierce (20.5)
RPG: Kevin Garnett (8.5)
APG: Rajon Rondo (8.2)
SPG: Rajon Rondo (1.9)
BPG: Kendrick Perkins (2.0)

Chicago Bulls
Regular Season Record: 41-41
Eastern Conference Seed: 7

Projected Starters
G G F F C

Regular Season Leaders
PPG: Ben Gordon (20.7)
RPG: Joakim Noah (7.6)
APG: Derrick Rose (6.3)
SPG: Kirk Hinrich (1.3)
BPG: Tyrus Thomas (1.9)

Celtics Keys

Close Off Penetration: The staple of the Boston Celtics a year ago was their dedication to team defense. They talked, they sacrificed, they made remarkably crisp defensive rotations, and they let the basketball world know that you are not going to win an NBA championship if you don’t commit to both ends of the floor.

Oh yeah, and last year’s club had Kevin Garnett at full strength. This year’s Boston Celtics do not, at least for the time being, as the team recently announced that Garnett’s knee has failed to respond to the healing process as smoothly as they would’ve liked.

In fact, he may even miss the remainder of the season, no matter how far the Celtics go. The loss hurts in more ways than one, but the part Boston will miss the most is his defensive presence.

Now, there is no defensive quarterback directing traffic and providing the most active roamer and second-line defender in the league. Kendrick Perkins is no slouch, but he can’t do it alone. That is why the perimeter defense becomes that much more important in this series.

The Bulls aren’t necessarily the most feared three-point shooting team in the East, but guys like Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, and Tim Thomas can light it up when they’re hot. However, the number one defensive focus must be to contain Chicago’s penetration. Derrick Rose and John Salmons, especially, have the ability to knife their way to the rim and put the opposing defense in tough spots in the paint. With Garnett and Brian Scalabrine out of the lineup, Doc Rivers has less leeway when it comes to managing foul trouble.

Rajon Rondo is the most important proponent to Boston’s chances of cutting off Chicago’s penetration effectively. Our third-year point guard is known for making spectacular defensive plays, but he is also known as a guy that has the tendency to get caught up in the gambling game at times.

In this series, Rondo needs to make sure he uses his tremendous gifts of speed and anticipation to his advantage, by staying in front of his man as opposed to attempting to create the “home run” fast break opportunity.

If a Derrick Rose gets a step on his defender, it puts your back-line of defense in bad spots. It forces them to commit, which can both create easy dump-off opportunities for the offense—which leads to easy layups—and/or put your bigs in foul trouble.

With limited frontcourt depth, it is imperative that the Celtics avoid foul trouble as much as possible, while maintaining their level of intensity. Tough thing to do.

Finish Defensive Possessions With Rebounds: They say that if you win the rebounding battle, you are going to win the ballgame more often than not. It’s true.

The Celtics not only have to deny penetration and rapidly close out in kickout situations, but they have to make sure that they gain control of that basketball off Chicago misses. If the Celtics want to dictate the tempo, second-chance opportunities should be a rarity for the Bulls throughout this series.

Ball Movement: The Celtics didn’t accumulate 128 regular season victories over the past two years because of one-on-one, selfish play. They did it because they moved the ball and played as a team. With Kevin Garnett out of the lineup, more isolation is expected, but the men in green cannot allow those settings to take over the offensive attack.

Boston was the most efficient three-point shooting team throughout the 2008-09 regular season (39.7 percent). Let’s take advantage of that, keep that ball moving, make Chicago’s already-underwhelming defense work for stops, and continue get as many open looks as possible.

This formula guarantees success against the Bulls. Don’t believe me? Take a look at Boston’s three-point shooting numbers against the Bulls throughout the three-game regular season series.

The Celtics shot 48.1 percent from deep against the Bulls this season, and even managed a +6.8 percent clip from the field overall (51.2% to 44.4%).

Don’t give the Chicago defense an easier time than it should have on the defensive end. Make them work for their stops and forced turnovers.

Points in the Paint: One of the most noticeable advantages the Celtics have over Chicago is their interior scoring weapons. The versatility of “The Big Ticket” will be missed, but the low-post scoring presence of Leon Powe can pay dividends if Boston makes it a point to feed him.

Paul Pierce’s ability to methodically get to the rack and draw fouls could also haunt the hopes of Vinny Del Negro in his first playoff series as head coach, and we all know how effective Rajon Rondo can be when he displays that relentless, attack mindset.

Even Kendrick Perkins has a large advantage over the likes of Joakim Noah. Perk held averages of 15.7 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, on 60% shooting, against Chicago this season.

His brute strength and length is simply too much for Noah in the post, and if Perk can take advantage of that on the offensive end, the Celtics could have an easier time getting buckets than originally expected.

Ray Allen: Without Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen is going to have to make sure he begins the 2009 postseason in much better fashion than he did in 2008. The Celtics cannot afford for Ray Allen to struggle the way he did against Atlanta and Cleveland last year. For the Celtics to make a run, Allen is going to have to produce right out of the gate.

Battle of the Benches

The Bulls have a lot of talent in their starting five, but they also have some excellent options off the bench.

Kirk Hinrich was receiving All-Star consideration just two seasons ago, and while he has fallen off in terms of production ever since he signed a lucrative deal back in the summer of 2007, he is still more than capable of putting up big performances.

The sixth-year guard can play both positions in the backcourt, is known as one of the better on-ball perimeter defenders in the Eastern Conference, and can really shoot the ball from the outside.

Even more worrisome is the options Del Negro has in the frontcourt. Former All-Star center Brad Miller may not start games, but his presence alone could give the Celtics problems on a consistent basis.

Not only is he a large 7’0’’, as opposed to the frail backup seven-footer the Celtics have in Mikki Moore, he is extremely skilled. He can rebound the basketball, is one of the best passing big men the game has to offer, and most of all, he is a terrific mid-range shooter.

He likely won’t pose many problems in the post, but what he can do is stretch the defense and pull Boston’s centers out to the 15-20 foot area, subsequently taking them out of rebounding position.

Another guy that can do some damage is perhaps one of the least-liked forwards in the NBA. While he is notorious for only turning it on when a contract is on the line, he can shoot the basketball at 6’10’’ and he has done so all year long.

Through 36 games with the Knicks this season, Thomas buried the three at a 42.1 percent clip, and followed up with an even more impressive 44.2% mark through 18 games in Chicago.

The Celtics have some options of their own, however, especially in the backcourt. Most notably is one of the most devastating long-range snipers in the game, Eddie House. For a guy that couldn’t find a steady home in the NBA for so many years, he certainly has earned his appreciation here in Beantown.

House hit the three at a franchise-best 44.4 percent clip this season, and has come up huge in late-game situations for the Celtics since he signed last summer. Stephon Marbury could also find himself playing an important role in the postseason.

We all know that he can score, but he has proven that he can still make a positive impact whether he is shooting well or not, because of his floor vision and ball handling. Why is an extra ball handling option so important on this team?

It enables House to play off the ball at all times, and limits his role to what he does best - catch and shoot. House and Marbury displayed second-to-none chemistry with one another to cap off the regular season, and if they can match that throughout this series, Doc Rivers will be a very happy camper.

A third guy that could really give the Celtics a big boost in the backcourt is the oft-injured Tony Allen, who put together a string of encouraging performances after returning from his thumb injury on April 3.

“TA’s” slashing ability is a bonus for the Celtic offense, but the reason he can be used as a weapon is this series is the simple fact that he is a great matchup against Chicago’s guards and wings.

This gives Doc the luxury of giving Chicago different looks defensively, as Allen is capable of defending Ben Gordon, Kirk Hinrich, Derrick Rose, and even John Salmons if he is asked to do so. Look at Tony Allen to be the “dark-horse X-Factor” for this Celtic bench in the first round.

Bench play, from both sides, is one of the factors that could truly dictate how many games this series ultimately lasts. Stay tuned.

Additional Factors/Tidbits

Boston’s roster sports a combined figure of 422 career playoff appearances. Chicago has just 327, and that’s including the 141 postseason outings of Lindsey Hunter, who hardly ever sees the floor. In short, Boston has a large edge in experience.

When Paul Pierce has been the focal point of the Celtics offense over the past few years (ala pre-Big Three era), Luol Deng has given the captain a great deal of trouble.

Deng’s arm length and effort to stay home below the waste, as opposed to leaving his feet and falling for fakes, has made life difficult for Pierce against the Bulls in isolation situations.
Kevin Garnett won’t be there to take pressure off of Pierce offensively, but Deng won’t be there to disrupt his attack, either, as a stress fracture will keep the fifth-year forward out of action throughout the first round’s entirety.

John Salmons will likely be the man who will be assigned to defend Pierce in Deng’s absence, but even he will also be playing with a strained groin.

The Bulls have won 13 of last 15 home games. With that in mind, along with the energy they play with and their fan support, Chicago may be able to make things interesting.

Despite past tendencies, Kevin Garnett will join the Celtics on the sidelines to provide an emotional and vocal boost.

2008-09 Head-to-Head
Celtics 2, Bulls 1
PPG
114.3 - 105.0
RPG
42.0 - 37.3
APG
25.3 - 19.7
SPG
8.3 - 6.0
BPG
5.0 - 5.7
TOPG
15.3 - 16.3
FG%
51.2% - 44.4%
3FG%
48.1% - 41.3%
FT%
81.9% - 84.7%

Boston Celtics Midseason Report Card

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 19:38:26 -0500

Ray Allen

A year ago, Ray Allen was having more difficulty than other Celtic as far as adjusting to a new system. His shot would go through heavy up-and-down periods and he was uncomfortable as more of an off-ball scorer than a one-on-one scorer, which he had been for as long as he could remember.

This year, however, Jesus Shuttlesworth is back in full effect. Ray has finally found his comfort zone within Doc Rivers' system, and as a result, shooting the ball at more-than-desirable efficiencies (50.4% FG, 41.6% 3FG, and93.6% FT,) and playing like the future Hall-of-Famer that he is.

Allen's rebirth can also be attributed to the development of Rajon Rondo, who has made it a point to attack more frequently and exploit his advantages in transition. Ray will be the first to tell you that he has been the beneficiary of those attacks, and it's working wonders for his confidence and Boston's offense as a whole.

Grade: A-

Tony Allen

Coming into the year, nobody knew what to expect of Tony Allen. Fans wondered what version of "TA" they were going to get. Could they expect something similar to his 2006-2007 campaign, or "evil TA" (the one that plays without a brain)? 2008-09 has brought a mixture of both Allens.

On one hand, he still makes your heart temporarily stop when he takes more than two dribbles, and his decision-making remains questionable at best. On the other hand, he has been very solid defensively and has given the C's some big games off the bench this season, especially early on. Consistency is a concern, but at the very least, TA's energy has been a positive for the Boston bench.

Grade: C

Sam Cassell

As a coach, "Sam I Am" has been terrific for the Celtics this season. He has given the staff another vocal basketball mind to help bring along the youngsters, and with the way things are going, Cassell may find himself strictly coaching in the near future.

As a player for the C's this season, he has contributed two technical fouls and not much else, giving me no choice but to give him the following:

Grade: Incomplete

Glen Davis

"Big Baby's" play has been congruent to the motion of a live ball in a game situation; up and down. To start the season, Glen Davis was about as pitiful as a Ben Wallace free-throw. In fact, that mid-range jumper went down at an even more abysmal clip than Wallace's charity stripe anticts.

Since the beginning of the New Year, however, it's difficult to go against the notion that Big Baby has been Boston's best bench player. The jumper is falling more frequently than before, but that's not the reason why the big fella has played better basketball. The real reason why Big Baby has been more productive since the holidays is simple; it all comes down to what spots he is shooting from. When Big Baby limits his offense to pick-and-pop jump shots and nothing more, he struggles mightily. On the contrary, when he picks his spots intelligently and mixes up his attack with inside-outside play, he is a much more productive asset.

Not only does this open up more for him within the offense in pick-and-roll (not pop) situations, it allows him to help create more second chance opportunities for the C's with his work on the offensive glass.

As long as Davis continues to play the way he has played in January, he is going to be just fine.

Grade: C

Kevin Garnett

Comparing the numbers of this year's Garnett to last year's version, you notice one major difference. It's not that he is scoring less and it's not that he is shooting a career-best 84.2% from the charity stripe. It's that he is dishing fewer assists and shooting two less free throws per game (4.7 to 2.7).

A lot of lurkers could suggest that those statistical decreases are a bad thing. I don't necessarily see it this way. Why? Because there is a valid reason for Garnett creating at a lesser degree with the basketball.

Rajon Rondo is controlling the ball more than ever and playing with a far more aggressive state of mind than he has in previous years. It's not ideal for your best big man to be getting less trips to the free-throw line than the fourth big in the rotation (Leon Powe is averaging 3.3 FT/game,) but let's face the facts. KG is once again sacrificing his own stats for the betterment of this team's offense, and it's working.

KG has been terrific, although he hasn’t been quite the player he was a season ago, at least from the standpoint of consistency. Leg pains have limited him at times this season, and he understandably hasn't brought the same physical intensity every single night because of it. Expect a more fluid second half from "The Big Ticket."

Grade: B+/A-

J.R. Giddens

It's difficult to judge Giddens off of a couple of preseason performances and a few impressive NBDL box scores. Boston's first-round pick joins Sam Cassell as the only two Celtics who have failed to check into a regular season game.

From the little that we have seen from him, however, it is evident that he has some legitimate defensive potential to go along with that motor. Time will tell.

Grade: Incomplete

Eddie House

Throughout Boston's eight-game winning streak, Eddie House has been terrific, as he has managed to knock down half of his last 42 three-point attempts and has two twenty-plus-point performances in Boston's last three games. However, I have a beef with Eddie House. Before I get into it, I’ll note that I am not taking anything away from House’s contributions to last year’s glory, and I’ll also go on record saying that I like Eddie.

With that said, let's make an objective observation; number 50 only seems to shoot well when the Celtics are in a blowout situation. This season, it's as if Eddie is only "the man" when the game is decided. Let this eight-game winning streak serve as an example. He went for 25 points in a blowout against Miami and put up 23 in an absolute stomp-job over Dallas four days later. But what happened in between, when the Celtics were in a tight game at Amway Arena? Eddie shot 0-3 from the field and was a relative non-factor. Prior to this winning streak, Eddie's only good shooting performance came on January 2, where the Celtics beat Washington by 25 points. What happened in the game prior, where the Celtics lost by single-digits in Portland? Eddie only hit one of his five shot attempts.

Look at Eddie House's 2008-2009 game log. You'll notice hot streaks through Celtics winning streaks and blowout situations, but rough patches through tight games and single-digit losses. As harsh as this assessment may appear, you've got to look at the facts. Eddie is the king of garbage time, but as the Celtics fold, Eddie folds. That's not what "instant offense" is supposed to be all about.

Grade: D+

Patrick O'Bryant

You know, it is probably unfair to give P.O.Box 26 anything but an "incomplete," but I can't help it. He is that much of a disappointment when he steps out on the court. He's got the gifts, but he's got no heart, and I find it hard to believe that his testicles have dropped just yet.

What is the one thing that this Celtic bench needs? A center with size and length. O'Bryant stands at seven-feet tall and has arms long enough to punch Godzilla in the face. He's got all the size and length you could ask for, but he has nothing to offer alongside it but wasted talent. It's a real shame.

Grade: F

Kendrick Perkins

Ever since he was drafted 27th overall in 2003, we've heard nothing but appallingly positive words circulating around Kendrick Perkins' work ethic. We've seen him grow from a fat high school senior to a fierce human being; a boy to a man, really.

But now, we've seen a promising youngster transform himself into a basketball player. Perk has shown improvement across the board this season, and the numbers back it up with career-high averages in scoring (8.6 PPG), rebounding (8.0 RPG), and shot blocking (1.8 BPG). Most importantly, he's fouling at a lesser clip (5.69 fouls per 48 minutes, as opposed to his career average of 6.5.) As a result, he has also been able to play a career high in minutes per game (28.7.)

Perk is no longer just a big intimidator. He's a full-fledged enforcer. Now, he may be an enforcer that has yet to master the art of going right up with the ball off the catch, but he's an enforcer nonetheless.

Grade: B

Paul Pierce

We're all well-aware of Ray Allen's 07-08 struggles, caused by a less-than-100% ankle and a level of unfamiliarity and newness to Doc Rivers' offense. Ironically enough, those same issues triggered a slow start to Paul Pierce's 08-09 campaign.

As the Celtics got out on the run more often and Pierce found himself with less isolation touches, his scoring production struggled, subsequent to his shooting woes. As the year has gone on, the captain has found himself to be more comfortable on the court and his production has taken off. Through 16 games in November, Pierce shot just 38.4% from the field. In January, the opposition can't handle The Truth's 49.5% clip, to go along with a remarkable 45.3% three-point accuracy (on 4.9 attempts per game.)

Pierce is also rebounding at a higher clip than last year, and I’ll even go as far as saying that his defense has been overlooked to a degree due it now being expected of him.

Finally, we can't talk about Paul Pierce's first half without mentioning how unbelievable he has been in crunch time on many nights. Typical, I know, but it must be pointed out.

Grade: B+/A-

Leon Powe

There are some guys that come into the NBA with that "what you see is what you get" aura, and a lot of them never lose it. Leon Powe looks to be one of those guys, and that's alright.

Unfortunately, Leon has been a bit underwhelming thus far, and he continues to struggle with the same issues: a low basketball IQ, relatively poor defensive rotations, and black holeness (not an official word, but it is now).

The man can take a charge and he certainly brings the muscle and hustle, but he has failed to meet expectations of many. He's not one I'd worry about, but he can produce better than what he has so far this season.

Grade: C-

Gabe Pruitt

Gabe's role has increased this season, and he has shown flashes of potential on both ends of the floor. However, they are just that, flashes. Granted, he has not been given a role constant enough to bring along a more consistent level of play, but he has been as up-and-down as any other member of the Celtic bench.

A lot of it seems to have to do with his comfort level, as a guard with that kind of stroke should not be shooting just 32% from the floor. As you'd expect from a sophomore second-rounder, he simply has not found his niche just yet.

He's got the size, length, shooting stroke, and defensive potential needed to become a formidable combo guard at the NBA level, he's just not ready yet. Luckily, at age 22, time is on his side. For the time being, however, he's got a ways to go.

Grade: D+

Rajon Rondo

As Rondo goes, the Celtics go. You can't find a truer statement than that.

As previously touched upon, Doc Rivers has handed Rajon Rondo the reigns as this team's primary ball-handler, and it has worked out for the best this season. The Celtics now have a more consistent approach to the attack game, and Rondo's combination of speed, headiness, and floor vision has opened up a brand new dynamic to Boston's offense.

Additionally, Rondo has opened up his game from an individual standpoint, putting his talents on display for all to see. When Rondo pushes the ball on the break, it keeps the opposing defense on its heels, giving him the opportunity to attack the rim with his quickness. He forces defenses to collapse, creating on-the-fly opportunities for streaking teammates. When Rondo attacks seams in the halfcourt, he showcases his wonderful drive-and-kick game. If you decide to play up on him, "fah-get about it." No matter what the tempo of the game may be, Rondo is going to create something positive.

It's very rare that you can find a point guard that can score the ball at a 50% clip, establish himself as one of the league's top perimeter defenders, and dish eight assists and grab five rebounds per game. Furthermore, it's even more difficult to find that in a 22-year-old, who is establishing himself as a leader on a team highlighted by a trio of Hall of Fame-level players.

Now, he hasn't been perfect. He started the season relatively slow and indeed went through a rough holiday stretch with the rest of the club. His consistency can improve, especially with his jumper, that has made progress. Regardless, make no mistake about the fact that Rondo has been playing at an All-Star caliber level for the bulk of the season.

Grade: A-

Brian Scalabrine

In previous years, the "Scal-A-Bree-Nee" chants have been nothing more or less than a gesture to mock the token, out-of-place, red-head when he steps on the court. This year, some of them have actually been warranted.

Scal is no hero, but the man deserves some due. When his name is called, he comes in and does what is asked of him. He plays hard, knocks down open shots, and you guessed it, brings the intangibles.

Whether he has been asked to play a small role off the bench or start at center in place of an injured Kendrick Perkins, he has done his job. It's easy, and sometimes fun, to poke fun at Scal for being Scal, but you've got to give number 44 credit for the solid basketball he played.

I hate to say I told you so, but I did.

Grade: C/C+

Bill Walker

Six games and 47 minutes of garbage time isn't enough to form a grade, but there is a lot to like about Billy Walker. Obviously, he possesses eye-popping athleticism and is on the highlight radar every second he is on the floor.

But there's a lot more to Walker than the occasional youtube-worthy dunk. He's got a terrific NBA body with ample strength, has shown flashes of being able to create offense for himself, and most importantly, he appears to have the drive to want to become a better basketball player. Only time will tell, but there's plenty of promise to look forward to in Bill Walker.

Grade: Incomplete

2008-2009 NBA Predictions

Dustin Chapman — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 06:17:46 -0400

*Note: Some changes were made following the completion of my "30 Teams In 30 Days" feature, hence the slight differences in some teams' records.

30 Teams in 30 Days: Washington Wizards

Dustin Chapman — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 16:48:51 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 43-39
Eastern Conference Seed: 5
Playoff Results: Lost to CLE in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: JaVale McGee (via draft), Juan Dixon (via free agency), Dee Brown (via free agency).

Key Losses: Roger Mason (via free agency).

To highlight the summer, Washington made sure a couple of the team’s stars were locked up and taken care of financially. In early July, forward Antawn Jamison—who was one of five players to average 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds per game last season—signed a four-year extension with the Wizards worth $50 million.

Jamison’s brand new deal is certainly on the pricey side, but wait...there’s more. Plenty more.

Just under two weeks later, Gilbert Arenas inked a six-year, $100 million deal with the club. Yup, a $100 million deal. And, to think, he reportedly left $16 million on the table.

I wonder if all that leftover cash could feed Latrell Sprewell’s family.

At any point, the Wizards were also forced to replace free agent guard Roger Mason, who signed a two-year deal with San Antonio. To fill that void, the team brought back former Wizard Juan Dixon, who was drafted 17th overall by Washington in 2002. In 176 games for the Wizards from 2002-2005, the trigger-happy 6’3’’ guard held an accumulative scoring average of 8.2 points per game on a sub-.400 shooting clip.

Washington also brought in high-upside center JaVale McGee with the 18th overall pick in June’s draft. The super-long and athletic seven-footer averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game as a sophomore at Nevada last season. He’s currently very raw and has quite a way to go, but, as far as raw talent and upside is concerned, he’s certainly an intriguing prospect to keep your eye on.

Due to Brendan Haywood’s preseason injury, McGee might even get thrown into the fire sooner than the coaching staff had originally thought.

Depth Chart

C: Etan Thomas / Andray Blatche / JaVale McGee / Brendan Haywood*
PF: Antawn Jamison / Darius Songaila / Oleksiy Pecherov
SF: Caron Butler / Dominic McGuire
SG: DeShawn Stevenson / Nick Young / Juan Dixon
PG: Gilbert Arenas / Antonio Daniels / Dee Brown

Biggest Strength

Offensive Threats: There aren’t many teams in the NBA that have a trio as offensively talented as Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison. Each of the three are proven All-Star caliber, 20-plus-point players, and they can abuse defenses with their ability to put up numbers in a hurry.

When healthy, the Wizards possess one of the most highly-powered offenses the league has to offer, and it’s led by one of the most lethal assassins in “Agent Zero.”

Biggest Weakness

Health: Sure, the Wizards are a very good club when healthy. The problem is that they are rarely ever healthy as a collective unit. Whether it’s Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas (who recently recovered from open-heart surgery), etc., the Wizards seem to be plagued by the injury bug on an annual basis.

This season is no different, as Arenas, Jamison, Haywood, and Nick Young have already missed time. Jamison and Young are back in action after missing minimal preseason action, but that unfortunately cannot be said for the others. Arenas is said to be sidelined until December in order to recover from minor knee surgery performed last month, while Haywood will be out of the lineup for a whopping period of 4-to-6 months after tearing a ligament in his right wrist.

So, right off the bat, Washington already has its leading scorer out for 1-to-2 months, and its only legitimate defensive presence (and starting center) sidelined for the majority, if not all of, the season.

Some things just aren’t mean to be, I guess.

X-Factor

Gilbert Arenas: The star guard should average 28 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals, and over two three-pointers per game.

It’s completely unfair to ask a player who has not played in an NBA game for over a year’s time to come in and produce like his old self as soon as he returns in December, but that’s what Gilbert Arenas is going to have to do in order for the Wizards to compete.

Initially, it’s easy to say “ehh, he can’t pull that off,” but Arenas’ work ethic is freakish. Let’s at least give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being, and hold the belief that it is at least possible.

If not, however, then the D.C. faithful are in for another long season.

What to Expect in 2008-2009

I originally had Washington pegged for 43 regular season wins and the seventh Eastern Conference seed. However, those predictions were made well before the injury to Haywood, whom I believe is a much bigger piece to Washington’s puzzle than his statistics show.

Therefore, I’m going to hold off on my Wizards record prediction until I put together a complete standings and awards piece, which should be out in the coming days.

Coming Soon: Full Standings & Award Predictions

30 Teams In 30 Days: San Antonio Spurs

Dustin Chapman — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 05:48:06 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 56-26
Western Conference Seed: 3
Playoff Results: Lost to Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference Finals (4-1)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Roger Mason (via free agency), George Hill (via draft).

Key Losses: Robert Horry (via free agency/retirement?), Brent Barry (via free agency), Damon Stoudamire (via free agency).

As usual, the Spurs pretty much stood pat this summer. After re-signing veterans Michael Finley and Kurt Thomas to short-term deals, the team replaced the services of Brent Barry and Damon Stoudamire with a pair of young scoring guards.

Firstly acquired was George Hill, whom San Antonio selected 26th overall in the 2008 NBA draft. The 6’2’’ combo guard put together a remarkable junior year at IUPUI last season, where he held averages of 21.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on extremely efficient shooting clips of 54.5 percent overall, 45 percent from beyond the arc, and 81.2 percent from the line.

His decision making is a bit suspect and he surely is far from a pure point guard, but with a little seasoning he could certainly become a terrific energy booster off the bench.

The other key offseason addition was brought in via free agency.

On July 11, Washington Wizards free agent two-guard Roger Mason Jr. was signed to a two-year deal worth $7.3 million. Appearing in 80 games for the Wizards last season, Mason put up 9.1 PPG while tying Boston’s Ray Allen for the league’s 34th-best three-point shooting percentage (39.8 percent)

As a starter in nine games, the 6’5’’ guard elevated his game to new heights, averaging over 17 points, three rebounds, and three assists on a 43.1 percent three-point shooting clip. The versatility that Mason brings to the table is similar to that of former Spur Brent Barry, but his athleticism is an added bonus.

To fill out the roster, a plethora of youngsters are battling for jobs. The favorites appear to be guard Desmon Farmer and center Anthony Tolliver, but Malik Hairston may have a chance as well.

Depth Chart

C: Kurt Thomas / Fabricio Oberto / Ian Mahinmi / Anthony Tolliver
PF: Tim Duncan / Matt Bonner
SF: Bruce Bowen / Ime Udoka
SG: Michael Finley / Manu Ginobili / Roger Mason / Desmon Farmer
PG: Tony Parker / George Hill / Jacque Vaughn

Biggest Strength

Experience & Chemistry: The base of this team has been in place for years, with centerpiece Tim Duncan and mastermind Gregg Popovich gearing up for their 12th and 13th respective seasons with the Spurs. Add a touch of seventh and eighth year Spurs Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, you’ve got a core group with the most experience with one another in the entire league to go along with a proven track record.

Only the Detroit Pistons’ foursome of Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace have been together long enough to be mentioned in the same world.

This is a club that has raised four championship banners within the past decade, and a first-class organization that has only missed the playoffs five times throughout its 41 year existence. That’s no joke.

Biggest Weakness

Age: Of the 15 players listed in the depth chart above, the average age on this team is 29.5 years old. When you discount the likes of Farmer, Mahinmi, and Tolliver—who are likely to struggle to find consistent minutes—that average age becomes 31.

San Antonio remains the oldest team in the league, and while their experience and basketball know-how will continue to serve them well, you wonder whether or not this team still has what it takes come May and beyond.

X-Factor

Legs: Piggy-backing off of the above statement regarding this team’s age, it is mightily important that “Pop” manages the wind of this team in order for them to have their legs come postseason time. When you’re in a situation like San Antonio, with eight players falling in the 30+ age bracket, you’ve got to milk your aging contributors as much as possible.

“Pop” has done a mighty fine job of this throughout the past few years, which is why every member of San Antonio’s “big three” has played 34 minutes per game or less throughout the past four regular seasons. However, there comes a time where savoring the flavor is no longer enough. At some point, the flavor is gone.

Will the flavor disappear in 2009?

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Rightfully so, San Antonio is questioned and doubted on an annual basis at this stage of their legacy. Regardless, they always prove the naysayers wrong and they remain on the short list of legitimate title contenders each year. Until this team is officially knocked off in the first or second round, it’s impossible for me to say that 2009 will be any different.

The Spurs are old and achy, but they’re also wiser than the competition. San Antonio is a big time threat until proven otherwise.

Predicted Standings
52-30
3rd in Southwest Division
5th in Western Conference

Coming Soon: Toronto Raptors

30 Teams in 30 Days: Phoenix Suns

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:15:22 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 55-27
Western Conference Seed: 5
Playoff Results: Lost to SA in Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-1)

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Terry Porter (via coaching change), Robin Lopez (via draft), Matt Barnes (via free agency), Goran Dragic (via draft), Sean Singletary (via trade), Louis Amundson (via free agency).

Key Losses: Mike D’Antoni (via coaching change), Gordan Giricek (via free agency – left for Europe), Brian Skinner (via free agency), D.J. Strawberry (via trade), Sean Marks (via free agency).

Goodbye Mike D’Antoni. The Phoenix Suns are no longer married to the transition guru unable to spit out a sentence containing the word “defense.” In fact, reports suggest that D’Antoni refused to include more of a defensive emphasis with the 2008 Suns.

Replacing D’Antoni is former player Terry Porter, who holds a 71-93 (.433) career coaching record, all with the Milwaukee Bucks from 2003-2005. In his only postseason experience as a coach, the 2004 Porter-led Bucks fell to the Detroit Pistons in the first round, 4-1.

Porter may not be the most-established coach on the market, but he certainly brings more of a defensive mindset than D’Antoni.

General Manager Steve Kerr also brought in players to help push Phoenix in the right direction defensively. With the 15th overall pick in June’s draft, the Suns selected Stanford big man Robin Lopez, who is thought of as an Anderson Varejao-like energy player. The seven-foot rookie can step in and give Phoenix much-needed frontcourt depth off the bench with his size, length, rebounding, and shot altering.

About three weeks later, the team signed veteran free agent Matt Barnes—who could start at small forward over Grant Hill—to a one-year veteran’s minimum deal. Phoenix will be the sixth-year forward’s fifth team since being drafted in the second round of the 2002 NBA draft.

Despite the journeyman tag, however, Barnes is known for his toughness, defensive mentality, and hard versatility. He can even shoot it a little, as well. As a starter in 18 games for Golden State last season, Barnes held averages of over 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, and one steal per game while shooting 38.1 percent from beyond the arc.

With the moves made this past summer, it looks as though Phoenix is headed in the right direction concerning the defensive side of the ball.

Depth Chart

C: Shaquille O'Neal / Robin Lopez
PF: Amare Stoudemire / Boris Diaw / Louis Amundson
SF: Grant Hill / Matt Barnes / Alando Tucker
SG: Raja Bell / Leandro Barbosa
PG: Steve Nash / Goran Dragic / Sean Singletary

Biggest Strength: Offensive Weaponry

This is a team that is in the three-point shooting record books, can put up 110-plus points with regularity, and can hurt you offensively from literally every area on the floor.

When you’ve got “The Diesel” inside, shooters like Raja Bell and Leandro Barbosa, one of the league’s most prolific and versatile scorers in Amare Stoudemire, and the ultra-efficient Steve Nash running the show, you’ve got more than enough tools to absolutely demolish opposing defenses.

Biggest Weakness: Defense

Phoenix can score with the best of them, but they have not been able to get necessary stops in crucial moments of ballgames, on account of the tiresome year-round tempo at which they’ve played.

By the end of games, especially in the postseason, fatigue has played a large role in Phoenix’s recent lack of advancement. With the likes of Steve Nash, Shaquille O’Neal, and Grant Hill, creeping up on the final stages of their respective careers, it may be difficult to ameliorate this deficiency.

X-Factor: Terry Porter

Coach Porter has a lot in front of him, and he’s got very little time to produce a winner. He’s got to somehow learn his new club, tweak the team’s style and pace, establish a defensive emphasis, get his players to respond to those demands, earn respect, and manage legs—all in a matter of months.

For the average NBA coach, the task at hand is nearly impossible and even unfair—especially for a guy like Porter who has just two years of head-coaching experience, and has yet to lead a team beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Good luck, Terry.

What to Expect in 2008-2009

Phoenix should still be one of the top five or six teams in the Western Conference, but if last season’s first-round showing was any indication, this team’s window is closing at a freakish pace—if it hasn't already.

Whether they win the title or not, however, look for Amare Stoudemire to potentially find himself in the MVP running this season. Post-All-Star break in 2008, “STAT” put up 28.5 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game. If he can come anywhere close to that kind of production, it’s going to be difficult to keep the three-time All-Star out of the discussion as the league’s Most Valuable Player.

Predicted Standings

50-32
Second in Pacific Division
Sixth in Western Conference

Coming Soon: Portland Trail Blazers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Philadelphia 76ers

Dustin Chapman — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:22:46 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 40-42
Eastern Conference Seed: 7
Playoff Results: Lost to DET in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (4-2)

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Elton Brand (via free agency), Marreese Speights (via draft), Kareem Rush (via free agency), Theo Ratliff (via free agency), Royal Ivey (via free agency), Donyell Marshall (via free agency).

Key Losses: Rodney Carney (via trade), Kevin Ollie (via free agency), Calvin Booth (via trade).

Everybody is talking about the improvements made within the Eastern Conference, and the Philadelphia 76ers are usually the first team to roll off the tongue. On July 9, the Sixers signed All-Star forward Elton Brand to a five-year, $82 million deal, giving the team its first legitimate two-way interior threat it’s had in over a decade.

The nine-year NBA veteran holds career averages of 20.2 points and 10.3 rebounds per game to go along with 2.7 assists and 2.1 blocks. Throughout the 2005-06 season, Brand put up 24.7 PPG, 10.0 RPG, and 2.5 BPG while leading the Clippers to the second round of the playoffs.

Roughly a month later, Philly locked up Andre Iguodala in the second week of August by signing the 20-5-5 stud to a six-year extension worth approximately $80 million. This past season, “Iggy” put up career highs in scoring (19.9 PPG), steals (2.1 SPG), blocks (0.6 BPG), threes made per game (1.2) and improved his '06-07 field goal percentage from 43.7 to 45.6 percent.

In addition to that, the Sixers locked up another promising young guard, signing Louis Williams to a five-year, $25 million deal on August 4. The soon-to-be 22-year old held career highs in nearly every category last season—scoring (11.5 PPG), rebounding (2.1 RPG), assists (3.2 APG), steals (1.0 SPG), blocks (0.2 BPG), three-point percentage (36%), and free throw percentage (78.3%).

With the 16th-overall pick in the draft, the club selected forward Marreese Speights, who averaged 14.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game last season at the University of Florida. The 6’10’’ athlete is said to have terrific upside, a knack for rebounding the ball, strong finishing ability at the rim, and a nice-looking mid-range jump shot. A lot of people even feel that he is a lottery-caliber talent, and could be one of the biggest reward picks in the draft down the line.

To stabilize the rotation and add depth, Ed Stefanski brought in veterans Royal Ivey, Donyell Marshall, Theo Ratliff, and Kareem Rush on one-year deals.

Depth Chart

C: Samuel Dalembert / Theo Ratliff / Jason Smith
PF: Elton Brand / Reggie Evans / Marreese Speights
SF: Thaddeus Young / Kareem Rush / Donyell Marshall
SG: Andre Iguodala / Willie Green
PG: Andre Miller / Louis Williams / Royal Ivey

Biggest Strength: Versatility

Throughout the second half of last season, Mo Cheeks adopted the run n’ gun style of play and gave his youngsters a little more freedom in the open floor. This year, with the addition of a post presence like Elton Brand, they have the option of doing that as well as posing a humongous threat in a halfcourt setting.

Not only can Brand carry the scoring load with post-iso’s and mid-range jumpers over the top of the defense, he also gives the Sixers a new weapon that they hadn’t been able to use very often last season—the pick n’ roll. Andre Miller is a stud in pick n’ roll situations, and he now has a partner to produce those opportunities.

Biggest Weakness: Outside Shooting

Philly looks as though it is ready to become a threat to Eastern Conference teams, but they may be unable to take it to the status of contention until they bring in a reliable outside shooting threat or two. Look no further than Kyle Korver’s impact in Utah after the Sixers dealt him for the expiring contract of Gordan Giricek last season. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Ed Stefanski makes a play for a sniper before February’s trading deadline passes.

X-Factor: Elton Brand’s Health

Brand has never been known as an injury-prone player, as he had suited up for 92.4 percent of possible regular-season outings throughout his career—prior to last season’s achilles injury that kept him sidelined for all but eight games. As long as the two-time All-Star big can keep all of that behind him and put together a complete season, the 76ers can be a scary Eastern Conference team in 2009.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Philly has a chance to establish themselves as one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season, and could give just about anybody a run for their money in a seven-game series. The '09 Sixers are going to be fun to watch, hard-working, and extremely competitive.

Predicted Standings

46-36
Second in Atlantic Division
Fifth in Eastern Conference

Coming Soon: Phoenix Suns

30 Teams In 30 Days: Orlando Magic

Dustin Chapman — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 21:45:40 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 52-30
Eastern Conference Seed: 3
Playoff Results: Lost to DET in Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-1)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Courtney Lee (via draft), Mickael Pietrus (via free agency), Anthony Johnson (via free agency), Mike Wilks (via free agency).

Key Losses: Maurice Evans (via free agency), Keyon Dooling (via free agency), Carlos Arroyo (via free agency – left for Europe), Pat Garrity (via retirement).

The Magic kept the base of the team intact this summer, and for good reason, but the perimeter rotation has a few new faces.

To make up for the loss of Maurice Evans via free agency, the team brought in a pair of defensive-minded swingmen in Mickael Pietrus and first round draftee Courtney Lee. Pietrus was signed to a four-year deal worth approximately $25 million.

If you ask me, they overpaid, but if a chance of scenery is all the five-year veteran needed, then it could be a worthwhile pickup. Pietrus will add athleticism and length to the two-guard position, which should be a nice complement to sharpshooters like Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis.

Six-foot-five Courtney Lee will bring versatility, as the former Western Kentucky star has a complete offensive arsenal and brings a tremendous level of defensive intensity. He’s an NBA-ready guy that can defend up to three positions, depending on matchup, and provide a scoring punch to complement Stan Van Gundy’s perimeter stars.

Guards Carlos Arroyo and Keyon Dooling also jumped ship this past summer, as Dooling tagged along with the New Jersey Nets and Arroyo signed himself a more lucrative contract with Maccabi Tel Aviv of Israel.

As a replacement, Otis Smith turned to veteran backup point guard Anthony Johnson, who has held averages of 5.7 points and three assists per game over the course of his 11-year NBA career. For insurance as a third-string point guard, journeyman Mike Wilks was obtained on a one-year deal.

Subsequent to his contract’s expiration, forward Pat Garrity announced his retirement early last month. The 6’9’’ perimeter big spent 10 years in the NBA, nine of which were spent in Orlando, and held career averages of 7.3 points and 2.6 rebounds per game to go along with an admirable 39.8 percent three-point shooting clip.

Garrity’s best statistical season for the Magic came in 2001-2002, where he put up 11.1 PPG and 4.2 RPG, and appeared as a starter in 43 regular season games.

Depth Chart

C: Dwight Howard / Adonal Foyle / Marcin Gortat
PF: Rashard Lewis / Tony Battie / Brian Cook
SF: Hedo Turkoglu
SG: Mickael Pietrus / Keith Bogans / Courtney Lee / J.J. Redick
PG: Jameer Nelson / Anthony Johnson / Mike Wilks

Biggest Strength

Spacing

Orlando without a doubt has one of the most deadly perimeter shooting casts in the league. With guys like Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu up front to go along with guards Keith Bogans and Jameer Nelson, opposing defenses have to make it a point to close out with tenacity. Even reserves Brian Cook, J.J. Redick, and rookie Courtney Lee pose as long-range threats.

Having a group of shooters like this not only spreads the defense out and opens up lanes for penetration - although a consistent slasher is absent on this roster - it gives Dwight Howard plenty of room to operate inside.

Biggest Weakness

Frontcourt Depth

Beyond Dwight Howard, the Magic may have the absolute weakest interior rotation in the league. It’s to the point where wings are frequently moved up to the four-spot, and players at the caliber of Marcin Gortat are fighting for consistent minutes. Getting Tony Battie back healthy should help add depth up front, but even so, this team is lacking post options both offensively and defensively outside of Superman.

If Orlando wants to establish themselves as a legitimate Eastern Conference contender, these holes must be filled.

Fran Vasquez would be nice. So much for that…

X-Factor

Tony Battie

Of course, Battie gives the Magic another interior defensive presence and adds depth along that front line, but the offensive end of the floor is where Battie will help out most.

Throughout the 07-08 season, with Tony Battie out of action the whole year due to a torn rotator cuff, just 29 percent of Orlando’s shots came in the form of a mid-range jumper. That was good for dead last in the NBA, as the league average in that category rests as a percentage in the low-40’s. Battie gives the Magic a medium-range shooting threat and another guy for Dwight Howard to defer to when doubled in the paint.

Battie may score just five-to-seven points per game, but he adds much-needed versatility to Stan Van Gundy’s offense.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

With the East getting stronger, it’s only natural for a couple of 2008 Eastern Conference teams’ win totals to decline. Orlando may be a product of this in 09, especially if Dwyane Wade helps Southeast Division rival Miami Heat move back into the playoff picture.

Orlando is still one of the top teams in the East, but it’s going to be rather difficult to top last season’s results. Until extra frontcourt pieces and perhaps a serviceable slasher is added to this roster, the Magic may struggle to advance past the second round of the playoffs.

Predicted Standings
49-33
1st in Southeast Division
4th in Eastern Conference

Coming Soon: Philadelphia 76ers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Oklahoma City Thunder

Dustin Chapman — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:35:12 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 20-62
Western Conference Seed: 15

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Russell Westbrook (via draft), Desmond Mason (via trade), Joe Smith (via trade), D.J. White (via draft), Kyle Weaver (via trade).

Key Losses: Luke Ridnour (via trade), Donyell Marshall (waived), Francisco Elson (via free agency), Mickael Gelabale (via free agency).

It’s a sad time for basketball die-hards in the Seattle area, but what’s done is done. It’s time to accept the fact that the Seattle SuperSonics are no longer—for the time being, at least. The successful, 41-year-old franchise has now evolved to the Thunder of Oklahoma City.

New era, new location, and some new faces added to the roster.

Perhaps the most promising addition to the roster was obtained on draft night, as UCLA guard Russell Westbrook was taken fourth overall. The 6’3’’ assassin is best-known for his tenacity, perimeter defense, athleticism, and high energy.

Westbrook may not be a prototypical point guard, but he’s one heck of a basketball player—and a versatile one at that. His defensive abilities should complement the team's needs, and give Kevin Durant a very formidable running mate in the backcourt for a long period of time.

With the 24th-overall pick, the organization elected to take a flyer on high-upside forward Serge Ibaka, who has signed a three-year deal over in Spain. Only time will tell what the future holds for Ibaka in the NBA, but at a long 6’10’’, he’s got the physical tools and athleticism to succeed.

Rookies Kyle Weaver (38th overall) and D.J. White (29th overall) were also separately acquired via trade, and each have four years of college experience under their belt. Weaver is known for his perimeter defense, activity, and versatility, while White’s length and relentlessness has earned him respect from many lurkers. Both should have spots in the NBA for a long time, barring anything out of the ordinary transpiring.

In mid-August, Oklahoma City involved themselves in a three-team trade with Cleveland and Milwaukee in order to repair the logjam at point guard. In doing so, the team shipped Luke Ridnour and Adrian Griffin to Milwaukee in exchange for Desmond Mason and Cleveland’s Joe Smith.

This deal sent Ridnour out of town, relieving P.J. Carlesimo of a headache regarding playing time distribution from the point guard position. In addition, it adds a much-needed upgrade on the wing behind Kevin Durant and Jeff Green.

Desmond Mason, who was ironically drafted 17th overall by the Seattle SuperSonics in 2000 and was a part of the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets from 2005-2007, will give the team an experienced and stable intangibles guy off the bench. Joe Smith, whose contract will expire at season’s end, will also provide another veteran presence to help groom and mentor the young talent on board.

To put a close to the newborn franchise’s initial offseason, injury-riddled center Robert Swift was retained on a short-term deal. The seven-footer has only appeared in a total of 71 games (23.7 per season) since being drafted by Seattle in 2004, due to a plethora of knee injuries, including a torn ACL that kept him out the entire '06-07 season.

At least he’s got the hair and the "bad-mother [shut yo mouth]" look going for him, though, huh?

Depth Chart

C: Nick Collison / Johan Petro / Mouhamed Sene / Robert Swift
PF: Chris Wilcox / Joe Smith / D.J. White
SF: Jeff Green / Desmond Mason
SG: Kevin Durant / Damien Wilkins / Kyle Weaver
PG: Earl Watson / Russell Westbrook

Biggest Strength: Young Talent

The Thunder have a long way to go before they are a competitive Western Conference basketball team, but they’ve got loads of potential just waiting to be tapped.

Within the past two years, they’ve obtained three top five draft picks (Kevin Durant and Jeff Green in 2007, Russell Westbrook in 2008), and have just two players on the roster in the over-30 age group.

Should this young core pan out and continue to grow as a unit, the Thunder could be an excellent team for the next decade or so.

Biggest Weakness: Defense

Last season, the Sonics were 29th in assists allowed (24.4 APG), 28th in three-point defense (38.5 percent), 27th in points allowed (106.3 PPG), 26th in rebounds given up (44.1), 25th in turnovers forced per game (13.2), 23rd in steals (6.47 SPG), and tied for 20th in opponent’s field goal percentage (46.1 percent).

Those numbers speak for themselves.

X-Factor: Chris Wilcox

The only thing Oklahoma City has resembling a low-post scoring threat is Chris Wilcox, who conveniently happens to be approaching a contract year. If he can return to 2005 post-All-Star form, meaning production in the vicinity of 14 to 15 points and eight to nine rebounds per game, the Thunder may be able to exceed the expectations of the average fan.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Barring significant “jumps” from multiple youngsters on this roster, the first regular-season Oklahoma City Thunder campaign should come in abysmal fashion—at least as far as the win column is concerned. Once again, this team is loaded with promising young talent, and they won’t fail to entertain fans, but they simply aren’t ready to compete with the big boys just yet.

Predicted Standings

20-62
Fifth in Northwest Division
15th in Western Conference

Coming Soon: Orlando Magic

30 Teams in 30 Days: New York Knicks

Dustin Chapman — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:46:57 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 23-59
Eastern Conference Seed: 14

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Mike D’Antoni (via coaching change), Danilo Gallinari (via draft), Chris Duhon (via free agency), Anthony Roberson (via free agency).

Key Losses: Isiah Thomas (via coaching change), Fred Jones (via free agency), Renaldo Balkman (via trade), Randolph Morris (via free agency).

The Isiah Thomas era in New York has officially, and finally, come to a close, as the Knicks signed head coach Mike D’Antoni to a four-year deal in early May. Kicking Isiah out of town is clearly a positive step forward, but did they bring in the right replacement?

In his six years of head coaching experience in the NBA, D’Antoni has held a more than respectable 267-172 (.608) regular season record, and has reached back-to-back Conference Finals series’ (2005 and 2006). Along with those credentials, however, come questions regarding his ability to make adjustments and lead a team to the next level. With his new surroundings, he’ll have even more to prove.

Skeptics are uncertain of the fit and when dissecting it from multiple angles, it’s tough to blame them.

Team Direction/Personnel: D’Antoni is evidently a coach that has adopted the run n’ gun style and has yet to show that he is able to adjust to a contrasting setting. He is a coach that requires the proper personnel to operate his system.

The New York Knicks defy everything D’Antoni is known for. One thing D’Antoni needs is a reliable point guard to set the tone. Stephon Marbury certainly has the talent to do so, but his mental antics and me-first mentality contradict the type of initiator D’Antoni needs.

Moving down the roster, a Mike D’Antoni system needs a collective group of athletes willing to get out in the open floor and push the tempo at all times. Looking at New York’s top options, it’s clear that they do not have that. Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph have absolutely no desire to get in shape and might even be unable to run unless they are racing for a whopper. Even then, they might stop halfway and wind up splitting the burger.

Some of New York’s athletic role players, such as Wilson Chandler, David Lee, and Nate Robinson, will provide exactly what D’Antoni is looking for, but when you’re big money-makers don’t fit the bill, you may have some issues spreading around touches to make everyone happy.

Overall, this roster lacks the mental and physical needs to suit D’Antoni’s body of work. The players may enjoy the “shoot within seven seconds” memo, especially Jamal Crawford, but they may not have the wheels or will power to get the job done as a group.

Defense: The biggest issues in New York have been here for many years. Logically, it makes sense to bring in a defensive-minded coach to ameliorate the problem. Unfortunately, Knicks General Manager Donnie Walsh appears to disagree.

Throughout his career, Mike D’Antoni has not shown the ability or desire to teach defensive basketball, which is likely the biggest reason why he left Phoenix, and it is now definite that the Knicks will continue their struggles in that area.

Financially: This simply digs a deeper hole for the franchise with the league’s largest payroll. In addition to their cast of overpaid scoundrels in uniform, the Knicks are now paying a one-dimensional head coach roughly $24 million to coach a team lacking direction or the necessary pieces to adapt to his methods.

If you’re going to spend this kind of money on a coach, why not wait until the team’s direction is defined with light at the end of the tunnel? The Knicks are in a dark tunnel with instability poisoning the organization across the board.

They did, however, manage to make one high-upside acquisition. The Knicks drafted Italian sensation Danilo Gallinari with the sixth overall selection in June’s draft. The 6’8’’ forward is said to have outstanding athletic ability, superb ball skills, a beautiful stroke, and some have gone as far as saying that he has star potential.

Time will tell on Gallinari, but let’s point out that Jerryd Bayless was available, and staring New York right in the eyes. The point guard product of Arizona would have been a near-perfect fit in D’Antoni’s high-powered offense. If he was so fond of Leandro Barbosa in Phoenix, it’s difficult to understand why the likes of Bayless was passed on in the draft.

To fill that guard void, the Knicks signed veteran point guard Chris Duhon to a two-year, $11.6 million contract. Financially, the deal makes sense on account of the anticipation of the 2010 free agent class. On the court, it may also be a nice fit, as Duhon is poised, experienced, unselfish, can shoot the three-ball, and brings a much-needed defensive mentality.

Duhon is expected to start for New York this coming season, making Stephon Marbury the odd man out. His future with the Knicks is about as uncertain as Marbury’s sanity; stay tuned for the outcome of that.

From Donnie Walsh to Mike D’Antoni, and Chris Duhon to Danilo Gallinari, the Knicks appear to be undergoing a great deal of change. Whether it pans out or not, change was very much needed.

Depth Chart

C: Zach Randolph / Eddy Curry / Jerome James
PF: David Lee / Jared Jeffries / Malik Rose
SF: Wilson Chandler / Danilo Gallinari
SG: Jamal Crawford / Quentin Richardson / Mardy Collins
PG: Chris Duhon / Stephon Marbury / Nate Robinson / Anthony Roberson

Biggest Strength

Talent: When you take a look at the Knicks roster, it looks more than formidable on paper. In fact, it may very well be one of the most talented teams in the Eastern Conference.

Jamal Crawford, Eddy Curry, David Lee, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph, Quentin Richardson, etc.—that’s a very, very gifted core of players. Unfortunately, they haven’t been able to grow into a cohesive unit, but with a player’s coach like Mike D’Antoni that stresses to a free-flowing offense, there’s always at least a chance that something may begin to click. Don’t go out and gamble your life savings on that, but anything is possible.

Biggest Weakness

Egos: As stated above, the Knicks have one of the most talented groups in the league and have for the past few years. However, they’ve been unable to put it all together and establish a team concept because of the egos on this team. Nobody wants to play as a unit, nobody wants to work hard on defense, and nobody wants to sacrifice their own box score for the betterment of the team.

Mike D’Antoni established a winning attitude in Phoenix, but he’s really got his work cut out for him in The Big Apple.

X-Factor

Patience: The Knicks appear to at least be eying movement in the right direction, but the fans of New York will need to remain patient. This thing is not going to turn around overnight, and it may even take another couple of years before results are noticeably apparent.

Goooosfrabba, Knick fans. Goooosfrabba…

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Once again, patience is a virtue. Knicks fans have stuck it out this long; there’s no sense in giving up on the team now. This team is going to continue to struggle and possibly for another couple of years.

On the bright side, the less wins, the higher draft lottery odds. With another high draft pick or two to go along with anticipated cap space opening up within the next couple of years, the Knicks may have a chance to build a promising foundation. For now, cheer for the David Lees, the Wilson Chandlers, and the Danilo Gallinari’s of the world. A 2009 playoff berth looks to be out of the question.

Predicted Standings
23-59
5th in Atlantic Division
15th in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Oklahoma City Thunder

30 Teams In 30 Days: New Orleans Hornets

Dustin Chapman — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:32:59 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 56-26
Western Conference Seed: 2
Playoff Results: Lost to SA in Western Conference Semifinals (4-3)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: James Posey (via free agency), Devin Brown (via free agency), Sean Marks (via free agency).

Key Losses: Bonzi Wells (via free agency), Jannero Pargo (via free agency – left for Europe), Chris Andersen (via free agency).

Goodbye, Bonzi Wells. Hello to a real sixth man.

In late July, the Hornets signed forward James Posey to a four-year, $25 million deal. The two-time NBA champion comes at a price, but he brings exactly what New Orleans has been missing off the bench—grit, tenacity, hustle, clutch play, and versatility from a seasoned veteran. The fact that he can defend three positions doesn’t hurt, either.

To replace Jannero Pargo, who sought a larger payday overseas this past summer, New Orleans also brought back combo guard Devin Brown. In 58 games for the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets in 2006-07, the soon-to-be 30-year-old guard averaged 11.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per contest.

Brown doesn’t quite bring the quickness or instant energy of a Jannero Pargo, but he’s a much bigger guard (6’5’’) and you could even argue that he’s a more complete playe.

The “Birdman” era came to a close, however, as Chris Andersen returned to Denver on a one-year deal. As a replacement, Jeff Bower brought in highly-experienced center Sean Marks, who was a part of the 2006 NBA champion San Antonio Spurs.

Once again, Posey may have been a bit on the expensive side, but there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Hornets are better-equipped to make a title run than they were a year ago.

Depth Chart

C: Tyson Chandler / Hilton Armstrong / Sean Marks
PF: David West / Melvin Ely / Ryan Bowen
SF: Peja Stojakovic / James Posey / Julian Wright
SG: Morris Peterson / Devin Brown / Rasual Butler
PG: Chris Paul / Mike James

Biggest Strength: Chris Paul

Some teams’ biggest strength is an on-court attribute, such as shooting, defense, or rebounding. For others, it’s that they have that special someone—an absolute superstar that puts butts in the seats and plays at a superstar level each and every night. The New Orleans Hornets have that in Chris Paul.

“CP3” is a once in a decade type of talent, and at 23 years of age, he’s already a heavy vote-getter in the MVP race. In fact, many would argue that he deserved the award over Kobe Bryant this past season. He’s that good—and on both ends of the floor.

His 21.1 PPG, 11.6 APG, 4.0 RPG, 2.7 SPG numbers don’t lie, but even those jaw-dropping figures don’t tell you everything about Chris Paul. This is a future Hall of Famer if I’ve ever seen one.

Biggest Weakness: Frontcourt Depth

Should Tyson Chandler or David West go down with any kind of significant injury containing a lengthy timetable of healing, the Hornets could find themselves in big trouble. Behind the incredibly-talented starting duo, New Orleans is rather weak up front off the bench.

The likes of disappointing bigs Hilton Armstrong and Melvin Ely have not and simply will not cut it. Byron Scott better hope and pray that the injury bug doesn’t make its way to Nawlans this season.

X-Factor: James Posey

New Orleans took San Antonio to Game Seven in last season’s Western Conference Semifinals, but they ended up losing that final game by nine points on account of their poor clutch shooting and inability to close the deal down the stretch of ballgames. This team was lacking a supporting player or two who could make the big shots and stops.

That’s where newly acquired sixth-man James Posey, who both relishes and thrives in that role, comes in. He’s the consummate role player, and one that very few teams have a similar contributor to match the services of.

If you need a big three, Posey will knock it down. Need a stop? Posey will harass the best opposing two, three, or four-man. Need some rebounds? Posey will hustle his way to the glass and use his terrific length to pull a big one down for you.

Are you content with what you have on the court, and simply need a veteran to calm the nerves of your team? No problem, Posey will give each and every one of them a lengthy pep talk in the form of a bear-hug.

As long as Posey brings to New Orleans what he brought to Boston and Miami, the Hornets will be in excellent shape come playoff time.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Without a doubt, this is one of the better teams in the NBA. They’ve got the league’s very best point guard, versatility, outside shooting, leadership, an energetic group, and some of the best coaching that the league has to offer.

Out west, the road to the Finals is never easy—but New Orleans has as much of a chance to get there as anybody else. Barring injury, this is a legitimate contender.

Predicted Standings

56-26
First in Southwest Division
Second in Western Conference

Coming Soon: New York Knicks

30 Teams In 30 Days: New Jersey Nets

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 20:36:35 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 34-48
Eastern Conference Seed: 10

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Yi Jianlian (via trade), Brook Lopez (via draft), Keyon Dooling (via free agency), Bobby Simmons (via trade), Eduardo Najera (via free agency), Jarvis Hayes (via free agency), Ryan Anderson (via draft), Chris Douglas-Roberts (via draft).

Key Losses: Richard Jefferson (via trade), Nenad Krstic (via free agency – left for Europe), Bostjan Nachbar (via free agency – left for Europe), Marcus Williams (via trade), DeSagana Diop (via free agency), Darrell Armstrong (via free agency/retirement?).

The countdown to 2010 is officially in progress.

As a follow-up to February’s Jason Kidd divorce, the Nets decided to continue the blow-up movement on draft night, dealing '07-08 leading scorer Richard Jefferson to Milwaukee in exchange for Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons—whose contract conveniently comes off the books in 2010.

Financially, the move was a no-brainer if they are truly intent on making a run at the likes of LeBron James two summers from now. Should that plan fail to pan out, this deal cannot be fairly evaluated until the jury reaches a verdict on Jianlian—which may not be for a few more years.

In the draft, however, New Jersey made out like bandits. At tenth overall, the team was fortunate enough to find Stanford center Brook Lopez on the board, and they pounced on that opportunity without even thinking about it.

Nearly all pre-draft boards had the better of the Lopez twins going in the top five, and even as high as third overall to Minnesota. However, for whatever reason, the multitalented center fell into New Jersey’s lap.

Not a bad replacement for the loss of Nenad Krstic, who decided to join the club of internationally-born NBA players heading back overseas.

At 21st overall, the Nets took another frontcourt player—Ryan Anderson of Cal, who gives the team a different look. Anderson is a forward who can help stretch the floor with his shooting. In addition to that, the 6’10’’ four-man pulled down 9.9 rebounds per game throughout his sophomore year, in a very tough Pac-10 conference.

New Jersey’s biggest draft-night steal, however, may have been in the second round, where they selected swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts with the 40th pick.

Personally, I wouldn’t have been mad at a team for taking “CDR” in the top 20, so when I saw the Nets nab him 10 picks into the second round, I was shocked. This is a 6’7’’ athlete who is fairly long, plays terrific defense, can finish at the rim, and has an unorthodox yet effective midrange game—which seems to be a lost art in the NBA nowadays. Coming away with this All-American at 40 is a steal and a half.

After losing Krstic and Bostjan Nachbar to the European dollar, the Nets were also active in the free-agent market.

Their biggest veteran acquisition was that of combo guard Keyon Dooling, who should be a terrific replacement for the traded Marcus Williams. The 6’3’’ assassin gives New Jersey a look off the bench that they haven’t had in quite some time—a long, athletic defensive specialist who can push the ball, provide energy, and knock down a three.

Dooling isn’t your prototypical pass-first point guard, but he’s certainly well-rounded—and gives head coach Lawrence Frank quite a bit of flexibility with small lineups.

To add excess wing depth, the Nets also inked Jarvis Hayes to a two-year deal worth approximately $4 million. The former lottery pick (10th overall, 2003) has failed to live up to his college hype, but can erratically score in bunches and provide decent insurance at both wing positions in case of injury.

On the same day, the New Jersey made their curveball move of the summer by signing Eduardo Najera to a shocking four-year contract worth roughly $12 million. Why a rebuilding club would go against their own financial goals (freeing space up for 2010) and bring in a hustle guy who will only hinder the development of their young bigs is beyond me.

On the whole, however, the Nets set themselves up for a much brighter-looking future this past summer.

Depth Chart

C: Brook Lopez / Josh Boone / Stromile Swift
PF: Yi Jianlian / Sean Williams / Ryan Anderson
SF: Bobby Simmons / Eduardo Najera / Jarvis Hayes
SG: Vince Carter / Chris Douglas-Roberts / Trenton Hassell / Mo Ager
PG: Devin Harris / Keyon Dooling

Biggest Strength: Frontcourt Depth

Brook Lopez and Yi Jianlian are a far cry from the “Twin Towers,” but New Jersey’s interior cast is loaded with young talent. Though unproven, the frontcourt cast is deep.

Perhaps the biggest name of them all is Yi Jianlian, who was highly touted before being selected sixth-overall by Milwaukee a year ago, but hit the “rookie wall” midway through his inaugural NBA season.

Prior to the All-Star break, however, the seven-foot product of China was holding respectable averages of roughly 10 points, six rebounds, and a block per game, while putting his beautiful shooting touch on display. Injuries and fatigue held him back from going out with a bang, but the upside hasn’t gone anywhere.

Josh Boone put together a terrific sophomore campaign this past year, as his grit, hustle, and length served him well inside. The former UConn Husky held season averages of 8.2 points and 7.3 rebounds per game, and performed at an even higher rate as a starter (9.7 PPG, 8.3 RPG). Boone remains limited to garbage buckets offensively, and is undoubtedly one of the poorest free-throw shooters in the game, but he goes balls to the wall every second he’s out there.

Another intriguing prospect is Sean Williams, who New Jersey selected 17th overall in last year’s draft. Williams possesses astonishing athletic ability and is a ferocious shot blocker, but he too is virtually limited to slams and assisted buckets offensively.

However, the former Boston College Eagle has a chance to become an excellent defensive presence. The word out of Nets training camp is that Williams has taken large steps forward in his development, and has outplayed the majority of the team. Keep your eye on this bubble player.

Also be sure to pay attention to New Jersey’s first-round draft picks. Tenth-overall pick Lopez possesses many skills necessary to become an outstanding center on both ends of the floor, and can likely contribute from the get-go. Then you’ve got 21st-overall pick Anderson, who can help stretch the floor and may very well turn out to be one of the sleepers of the 2008 draft class.

Even newly-acquired veteran Eduardo Najera can help show these youngsters the ropes, and lead by example with his tenacity and hard work both in games and practice.

Stromile Swift...well, we won’t spend much time there.

Biggest Weakness: Offensive Structure

Lawrence Frank seems to have taken a page out of Mike Brown’s offensive playbook—the only page, I might add. If you’ve seen one offensive set by New Jersey, you’ve seen them all, as the majority of them seem to conclude with an isolation play.

A post option may help take down the swelling—and they may have found that in Brook Lopez—but it’s going to take a hell of a lot more off-ball movement from the perimeter players to establish a threatening offense. They’ve got the talent and tools, but are lacking structure.

X-Factor: Brook Lopez

Sure, Lopez is only a rookie, but he’s also the only two-way post threat that the Nets have on their roster. His rebounding and polished post game should highly benefit the team right away, and in time, there is no reason why the long seven-footer can’t become a serviceable [at worst] post defender.

Furthermore, Lopez tends to play off instinct, which is rare for a 20-year-old big to do effectively.

For the first time in a while, the Nets have a legitimate center on their hands.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

All the Nets have got going for them right now is promise and the possibilities of the 2010 free-agent class. For the time being, expect more downs than ups, and don’t be surprised if the 2009 New Jersey Nets are one of the worst teams in basketball.

Rocky roads are ahead—but sooner or later, things will smooth out.

Predicted Standings

26-56
Fourth in Atlantic Division
14th in Eastern Conference

Coming Soon: New Orleans Hornets

30 Teams in 30 Days: Minnesota Timberwolves

Dustin Chapman — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 21:29:27 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 22-60
Western Conference Seed: 13

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Mike Miller (via trade), Kevin Love (via draft), Rodney Carney (via trade), Jason Collins (via trade), Brian Cardinal (via trade), Kevin Ollie (via free agency).

Key Losses: Marko Jaric (via trade), Kirk Snyder (via free agency), Antoine Walker (via trade), Greg Buckner (via trade), Chris Richard (via free agency).

Draft night trade: Greg Buckner, Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and the draft rights to O.J. Mayo (third overall) to Memphis for Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, Jason Collins, and the rights to Kevin Love (fifth overall).

My draft night reaction:

I hate to be a pessimist here, but what was Kevin McHale thinking? He finally got the opportunity to bring in a legitimate star, and he blew it. He had O.J. Mayo in the palm of his hand, and he let him go… but not like most teams. Most teams let talents like Mayo go by force. McHale did it by choice, and that is why there is not a single Timberwolves fan with a smile on their face at this point in time.

Is Kevin Love going to be a good pro? Absolutely. Is Mike Miller one of the best shooters in the NBA? Absolutely. Now let me ask this: Are either of those two players the best individual talent in the deal? Are either of those two players going to push Minnesota into immediate playoff contention? No. The answer is no. So why pass up on the far superior talent to balance the roster?

Over three months later, I stand by my comments.

When you’re a rebuilding franchise, as the Minnesota Timberwolves have been since they traded Kevin Garnett in July of 2007, you firstly want to build your foundation with as much talent as possible; not fill in your holes. Kevin McHale chose the opposite direction.

To be fair, I’ll openly accept the possibility that Mayo fails to live up to the hype. But even if that becomes the case, my opinions on this deal remain. When you’re in the state that the Timberwolves are currently in, you’ve got to swing for the fences with a mega-talent like O.J. Mayo.

With this deal, McHale set Minnesota up for mediocrity rather than bringing the team the possibility of a star-studded base.

I’m not drinking the “haterade,” but as skilled as Kevin Love is, he can only dream of possessing the upside of an O.J. Mayo.

Depth Chart

C: Al Jefferson / Jason Collins / David Harrison / Calvin Booth
PF: Kevin Love / Craig Smith / Mark Madsen
SF: Ryan Gomes / Corey Brewer / Brian Cardinal
SG: Mike Miller / Rashad McCants / Rodney Carney
PG: Randy Foye / Sebastian Telfair / Kevin Ollie

Biggest Strength

Scoring Options: Whether I’m a fan of the draft night deal or not, there’s no doubt in my mind that the addition of Mike Miller gives Minnesota an extremely versatile offensive group.

The perimeter cast is filled with offensive talent. Mike Miller and the trigger-happy Rashad McCants will produce one of the most deadly outside-shooting duos in the NBA and give you a pair of snipers that can put up numbers in bunches. Mix that with the silky-smooth mid-range game of Ryan Gomes, and the defense will be forced to keep honest.

Randy Foye, who is also a big-time shooting threat, has the ability to create offensive opportunities in many different ways. If you play up on him, he’s going to bull his way to the basket and either finish at the rim or earn a trip to the free-throw line. If you back off of him, he’s going to stick a J, and to top that off, he takes his game to another level when the lights are on in the fourth quarter. They don’t call him “Fourth Quarter Foye” for nothing.

Randy Wittman also has the luxury of balancing the perimeter cast out with a pure table-setter in Sebastian Telfair, who, despite his flaws, proved to be the team’s only reliable option to run the offense efficiently in '07-'08.

Additionally, having all of these perimeter threats to create spacing is only going to give Al Jefferson more room to operate on the blocks. And the more room Big Al has to operate, the more damage he does. Simply put, the 23-year-old Mississippi native is one of the most deadly post scorers of the past decade, and it may not be out of the question to suggest that he has the widest post arsenal in today’s game.

The addition of Kevin Love will certainly provide extra versatility on the offensive end of the floor. Love is highly skilled, and he may very well be the best passing big man to come into the NBA since Vlade Divac. He, too, will provide excess spacing, as he has the ability (and even prefers) to step out and knock down mid-range jump shots. Every once in a while, you’ll even see the former UCLA Bruin bury a three.

The only missing piece to the puzzle on the offensive end is a reliable slasher from the wing. However, Rashad McCants has shown multiple flashes of such a player. Time will tell.

Biggest Weakness

Defense: The 'Wolves will have no problem scoring the ball, and that’s great, but that quality goes to hell when you factor in the defensive side of the floor. Minnesota cannot defend, and to put it lightly, and adding Love to the frontcourt is not necessarily going to cure this team’s cancer.

X-Factor

Corey Brewer: A case could be made for Randy Foye, as he was unable to “officially” break out this past season and put remarkable finishing touches on his season. However, Randy Foye is a scorer, and we’ve been over the fact that this team has offensive weapons from virtually all angles.

What this team doesn’t have is a strong defense. That’s where Corey Brewer comes in—as the team’s stopper. His offensive game needs lots of fine-tuning, as his shot is inconsistent and he makes fans close their eyes after taking more than three dribbles, but he is one heck of a defender.

If “Brew Crew” can take a step forward in his development and give this team a defensive threat that doesn’t disrupt the flow of the offense (like last year), then taking him seventh overall in 2007’s draft still has plenty of room for justification.

What to Expect in 2008-2009

The 'Wolves are clearly a better basketball team than they were a year ago, but it still isn’t good enough, especially out west. It’s probably realistic to expect better than last year’s 22-60 showing, but don’t expect Mike Miller and Kevin Love to transform this team into a playoff threat just yet. Anywhere between 25-32 victories is likely a reasonable estimation.

By my estimation, the 'Wolves are one or two years away from breaking out of their shell.

Predicted Standings
26-56
Fourth in Northwest Division
13th in Western Conference

Tomorrow: New Jersey Nets

30 Teams in 30 Days: Milwaukee Bucks

Dustin Chapman — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:23:54 -0400

2007-08 in Review

Record: 26-56
Eastern Conference Seed: 13

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Scott Skiles (via coaching change), Richard Jefferson (via trade), Joe Alexander (via draft), Luke Ridnour (via trade), Tyronn Lue (via free agency), Francisco Elson (via free agency), Malik Allen (via free agency), Damon Jones (via trade).

Key Losses: Larry Krystkowiak (via coaching change), Maurice Williams (via trade), Yi Jianlian (via trade), Desmond Mason (via trade), Bobby Simmons (via trade), Royal Ivey (via free agency), Michael Ruffin (via free agency), Jake Voskuhl (via free agency).

For the past couple of years, Bucks fans have expressed their desire for the organization to “blow up” the roster and establish a new attitude. This summer, the low-quantity fan base finally got its wish, as Milwaukee’s 2008 training camp roster consists of just six returning players.

The first big move of the offseason came directly after the 2007-08 regular season had come to a close. In the third week of April, the Bucks replaced head coach Larry Krystkowiak, whose career coaching record stands at 31-69 (.310), with the tough-minded presence of Scott Skiles. The 44-year-old no-nonsense coach was fired by the Chicago Bulls just 25 games into the '07-08 season, but holds a respectable 281-251 (.528) career record.

Having Skiles on the sidelines ensures a new style and attitude for the Bucks. Known as a defensive-oriented coach, Skiles let his new team know from the start that he refuses to settle for poor defense and minimal effort. In fact, he noted that his goal is to turn Milwaukee into one of the most aggressive defensive teams in the league.

He will have his work cut out for him, however, in trying to gel this completely revamped roster together.

The first big roster move made this summer took place on draft night, when the Bucks acquired high-scoring forward Richard Jefferson from New Jersey in exchange for a package of Yi Jianlian and Bobby Simmons.

Jefferson holds career averages of 17.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and three assists per game, and averaged a career-high 22.6 points this past season. Pairing the freakishly athletic 6’7’’ swingman with sharpshooter Michael Redd could very well one of the most devastating one-two scoring punches in the Eastern Conference this coming season.

It will not, however, form the one of the most offensively talented trios, as guard Mo Williams was sent packing to Cleveland in a three-team blockbuster that landed the Bucks the services of Luke Ridnour as well as the expiring contracts of Adrian Griffin and Damon Jones.

On paper, this deal looks like a rough situation for Milwaukee, but if you thoroughly think about each and every factor, it makes perfect sense. One reason why is the simplest to figure out—the financial aspect of the trade. Williams is set to make over $43.5 million over the next five years, whereas Ridnour’s salary runs just two years in length for a total of $13 million, while Griffin and Jones’ combined $6.17 million contracts come off the books in a matter of months.

In addition to that, Ridnour’s pass-first style of play is undoubtedly a better fit for Milwaukee’s offense than the score-first qualities of Williams.

When watching this team on the offensive end of the floor in recent years, it has been overly stagnant for the majority of the game. Why? Because the team had been lacking reliable options to initiate a flowing offense. Ridnour and Ramon Sessions aren’t quite as talented as Williams, but they fit the mold of what this offense has needed—ball movement.

To add veteran depth, Milwaukee signed guard Tyronn Lue and big men Malik Allen and Francisco Elson to short-term deals. Lue should help Skiles set the tone in practice with his defensive intensity, while Allen and Elson give the team more formidable options than the likes of Jake Voskuhl or even Dan Gadzuric.

Despite the effort to bring in more experienced players, the team still had the eighth overall selection to play with in June’s draft. With that pick, Milwaukee took West Virginia forward Joe Alexander, whose raw ability is highlighted by his jaw-dropping athleticism.

Standing at 6’8’’, Alexander possesses a 38.5’’ vertical leap to go along with an 8’10’’ standing reach, making him one of the most physically impressive prospects in this year’s draft class. With time, hard work, and proper tutelage, there’s no reason for Alexander to fail in the pros.

To cap off the summer of “in with the new, out with the old” transactions, the Bucks extended the contract of center Andrew Bogut, whom they selected first overall in the 2005 NBA Draft. The contract is said to run for five years at a whopping price tag of $72.5 million. Bogut indeed held post-All-Star break averages of 16.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game, but $72.5 million? Huh?

That almost nullifies the whole idea of moving Williams, in a sense, especially when considering the $42.4 million remaining on Richard Jefferson’s deal.

Regardless, Milwaukee has an asset that most NBA clubs are without—a well-rounded and reliable starting center.

Depth Chart

C: Andrew Bogut / Francisco Elson / Dan Gadzuric
PF: Charlie Villanueva / Malik Allen
SF: Richard Jefferson / Joe Alexander / Luc Richard Mbah a Moute
SG: Michael Redd / Charlie Bell / Adrian Griffin
PG: Luke Ridnour / Ramon Sessions / Tyronn Lue / Damon Jones

Biggest Strength

One-Two Punch: When you combine the '07-08 scoring averages of Richard Jefferson and Michael Redd, you come up with a combined total of 45.3 points per game. You also come up with 207 three-point buckets and a free throw percentage above the 80 percent mark.

Mixing Jefferson’s finishing ability and extraordinary athletic ability with Redd’s basketball IQ and sweet shooting stroke is going to produce one of the most talented wing duos in the NBA.

Biggest Weakness

Toughness: One of the things that I believe will hold the Bucks back from making a significant jump is their interior weakness. Andrew Bogut is highly skilled, but the rest of Milwaukee’s interior cast is rather soft.

Even then, you could say that Bogut lacks consistent aggression. Charlie Villanueva is more of a perimeter big and a combo forward than a power forward, and, at times, he is a significant defensive liability.

Off the bench, you’ve got a cast of mediocre (at best) reserves in Malik Allen, Francisco Elson, and the most erratic of them all, Dan Gadzuric.

Unless Bogut develops a legitimate mean streak out of nowhere, which probably isn’t realistic to expect, the team is going to continue depress inside. Scott Skiles can preach toughness, but coaching emphasis becomes moot without on-court production in that respective area. The Bucks are perhaps a banger away from being a playoff threat.

X-Factor

The Emergence of a Point Guard: As previously touched upon, the pass-first mentalities of Luke Ridnour and Ramon Sessions fit this team’s needs more than the likes of a scoring guard, such as Mo Williams. However, neither of these two guys are proven at the pro level.

Sure, Ridnour once put up 11.5 points and 7.0 assists per game on a lackluster Seattle Supersonics squad. Sure, Ramon Sessions lit it up this past April with beastly averages of 11.5 points, 11.3 assists, and 4.9 rebounds per outing. But can he do it consistently, and can Ridnour learn to be more efficient and/or be able to defend an elderly woman in a wheelchair? That remains to be seen.

Whatever the case may be, Scott Skiles will need one of these guys to set themselves apart from the other in order to establish a consistent and flowing offense. Both guards have the talent and ability to do so; now it’s about going out there and doing it.

What to Expect in 2008-09

Scott Skiles is going to demand constant energy, aggressiveness, and defensive intensity, but, quite honestly, I don’t think that this roster has the tools to complement his style just yet. Expect minimal improvement, but with at least eight new faces and a completely new system to adopt, it’s going to be difficult to make the jump into playoff status, even in the Eastern Conference.

The one thing that should be anticipated, however, is more heart. Last season, watching this team was a disaster because only a very small handful of players played like they cared. Skiles will not accept that.

2008-09 Predictions
Record: 31-51
Central Division: 4th Place
Eastern Conference: 12th Place

Tomorrow: Minnesota Timberwolves

30 Teams in 30 Days: Miami Heat

Dustin Chapman — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:10:46 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 15-67
Eastern Conference Seed: 15

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Erik Spoelstra (via coaching change), Michael Beasley (via draft), James Jones (via free agency), Mario Chalmers (via draft), Shaun Livingston (via free agency), Jamaal Magloire (via free agency).

Key Losses: Randy Pfund (via resignation), Ricky Davis (via free agency), Jason Williams (via free agency), Alonzo Mourning (via free agency/retirement?), Earl Barron (via free agency – left for Europe).

After one of the most abysmal regular-season showings in NBA history this past season, the Miami Heat underwent some big changes in the summer of 2008, both from a roster and personnel standpoint.

Replacing Pat Riley, as the ultra-accomplished head coach decided to step down from the role, is Erik Spoelstra. The 37-year-old rookie has spent 13 seasons with the organization under various titles, such as assistant coach, director of scouting, head of individual player development, and team video coordinator.

Subsequently, Riley found himself a new title—General Manager—after Randy Pfund “resigned” from the position just over a week ago.

Why is the word “resigned” in quotes? Rumor has it that Pfund was forced out of the job, so that Riley could have the superiority and “official” job title. That seems mighty reminiscent of the 2005 incident where Stan Van Gundy stepped down as the Heat’s head coach to “spend more time with his family.” Funny how that works, isn’t it?

On the bright side, Riley can no longer reel in criticism for missing his own team’s games to do extra scouting work.

One of the prospects that Riley has spent extensive time scouting is Michael Beasley, who was available on the draft board when Miami was on the clock with the second-overall pick in June’s NBA Draft. After much speculation regarding the possibility of trading down, or even boldly taking O.J. Mayo at No. 2, Heat personnel convinced Riley to select Beasley, the Kansas State sensation who put up superior freshman numbers to Kevin Durant’s of 2006-07.

Simply put, “B-Easy” can do it all on the offensive end, whether “it” be posting up, using a soft touch around the basket, hitting a midrange jump shot, burying the three, rebounding, or bullying his way to the hoop after contact. You name it, Beasley can do it—and he can get it done at either forward position.

The defense remains a work in progress, but it will be utterly shocking if Michael Beasley doesn’t establish himself as a perennial All-Star and consistent 20/10 threat for a long time to come.

Via a trade on draft night, Miami also picked up the fairly promising and well-rounded point guard Mario Chalmers, who is popularly known for “the shot” he drained to force overtime against Memphis in the 2008 NCAA Championship game. Chalmers is in the mold of former Heat backup Keyon Dooling—a long, athletic guard who can shoot the ball, defend, run the floor, and provide a great deal of energy to help lift the team.

As long as the rookie camp’s marijuana incident is put behind him, Chalmers should prove to be more than worth the exchange with Minnesota (future second-round pick and cash considerations).

In order to try and make up for the three-point shooting lost in the departure 2006-2007’s Jason Kapono, Miami went out and signed veteran sharpshooter James Jones to a five-year deal in July. The native of South Florida appeared in 58 games for the Trail Blazers last season, where he scored eight points per game and shot an impressive 44.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Another positive to the addition of Jones is his on-ball defense, as his lateral quickness and outstanding length allow him to disrupt the opposition far more than Kapono could ever dream.

Riley also brought in a couple of flyers in Jamaal Magloire, who will add much-needed depth at the five-spot, and former fourth-overall pick Shaun Livingston, who looked to be one of the NBA’s most promising guards two season ago before tearing multiple left knee ligaments in 2007. The 6’7’’ point guard is said to have worked tirelessly to return to form, and potentially get on the right track to advancing his career to where he had once envisioned himself going—the NBA All-Star game.

Time and patience will be required, but with a two-year deal, the low-risk, high-reward signing of Livingston could result in a perfect backcourt complement to Dwyane Wade in the future.

Speaking of Wade—how about the way he played for Team USA throughout its Gold Medal run this past summer in Beijing? “Flash” was absolutely phenomenal, and certainly proved himself to be back in typical form—and by that, I mean 2006 NBA Finals MVP form.

With a healthy Wade, the addition of Beasley, and rejuvenated Shawn Marion motivated by his contract year, Miami’s 2008 roster moves have to be considered a success. They couldn’t have gone anywhere but up from last season’s 15-win campaign, though, right?

Depth Chart

C: Mark Blount / Jamaal Magloire / Joel Anthony
PF: Michael Beasley / Udonis Haslem
SF: Shawn Marion / James Jones / Dorell Wright
SG: Dwyane Wade / Daequan Cook / Yakhouba Diawara
PG: Chris Quinn / Mario Chalmers / Marcus Banks / Shaun Livingston

Biggest Strength: Offensive Weapons

The Heat have a few holes to fill and quite a few questions to answer, but the one thing that this team will have no problems with is offensive versatility and firepower.

Guys like Shawn Marion and Dorell Wright are killers in the open floor,—especially Marion, who gets up and down with the best of them in the NBA. When the tempo is slowed, the four-time NBA All-Star can create off the ball and even knock down some open threes.

We’ve already touched on Beasley. The young man has the total package on the offensive end of the floor, giving his team a tremendous inside-outside balance and the versatility to play both the three and the four.

Newcomers Jones and Chalmers, along with guards Daequan Cook and Chris Quinn, will help spread the floor with their terrific shooting ability, which will keep the defense honest and give the stars of the team more room to operate going to the basket.

Then there’s Wade, who holds career averages of 23.9 points and 6.5 assists per game. The 6’4’’ combo guard is one of the most fierce penetrators and finishers in the game, and possesses a silky-smooth midrange pull-up jumper to keep the defense from completely sagging off of him. If he gets caught in a trap or stuck in a corner, no worries—D-Wade will find his open teammates, and play as unselfishly as any other star in the NBA.

Up front, Mark Blount and Udonis Haslem give the Heat a pair of reliable midrange jump shooters to open up the drive-and-kick game for the team’s guards.

Whether Miami comes out victorious or not, they’re going to make opposing defenses work to stop the wide variety of offensive talent on their roster.

Biggest Weakness: Interior Presence

Despite all of the offensive talent, there’s not a single player on this roster that can be counted on to deliver in the post on either end of the floor. Haslem sure is aggressive, but his 6’8’’ frame gets outmatched by bigger opponents on the blocks, making him more of an intangibles-based defender than a post stopper.

Recently acquired Jamaal Magloire will rebound well, but if you’re expecting any defense or blocked shots, you’re going to be disappointed. To cap it off, you’ll be more disappointed with Mark Blount, who at age 33, has yet to have his testicles dropped.

Unless Alonzo Mourning returns to the court and manages to put together a healthy 16th and final season, Miami is in deep [you know what] on the inside.

X-Factor: Dwyane Wade

If Wade can manage to put together a healthy season, similar to '05-06, the Heat can be a strong threat to more than double last season’s win total and give a top-seeded Eastern Conference team a run for their money in the first round of the playoffs.

On the other hand, if Wade is only unable to appear in 51 regular season games, as he has in each of the past two seasons, Miami’s fan base is headed for another year of pure apathy.

If his Olympic showing is any indication, he’s in good shape. The question is, however, can he maintain it?

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Let’s go ahead and assume that Wade stays relatively healthy and returns to form. Should that be the case, this team could very well end up in the sixth- to eighth-seed range. In the same breath, they could fall in the ninth-to-eleventh range on account of their interior weakness and unstable point guard situation.

I’m going to go ahead and play it safe by predicting Miami to be smacked in the middle of those possibilities—ninth seed, just one win short of tying Atlanta for the East’s final playoff berth.

Playoffs or not, Heat fans, you’ve got something to look forward to, as the Wade-Beasley pairing could develop into one of the league’s most dynamic for years to come.

2008-2009 Predictions

36-46
Fourth in Southeast Division
Ninth in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Milwaukee Bucks

30 Teams In 30 Days: Memphis Grizzlies

Dustin Chapman — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 17:09:17 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 22-60
Western Conference Seed: 14

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions

O.J. Mayo (via draft), Darrell Arthur (via draft), Marc Gasol (via trade), Marko Jaric (via trade), Antoine Walker (via trade), Greg Buckner (via trade), Quinton Ross (via free agency), Hamed Haddadi (via free agency).

Key Losses

Mike Miller (via trade), Juan Carlos Navarro (via free agency – left for Europe), Kwame Brown (via free agency), Jason Collins (via trade), Casey Jacobsen (via free agency – left for Europe), Brian Cardinal (via trade).

As a long-time Celtics fan, I’ve felt it very difficult to praise the decision making skills of Chris Wallace. Not because I have it in for him, but because he simply makes himself so hard to side with.

However, I’ve got nothing but applause and a pat on the back for the trade he pulled off abruptly following the 2008 NBA Draft: Mike Miller, Jason Collins, Brian Cardinal, and the draft rights to Kevin Love (5th overall) to Minnesota in exchange for Antoine Walker (expiring contract), Marko Jaric, Greg Buckner, and the draft rights to O.J. Mayo (3rd overall).

Now, let me make it clear that I believe in Kevin Love. I think that the old school UCLA product is going to make a terrific pro for a long time, and produce in multiple areas on the court. With that said, I don’t a future star in him.

I do, however, see nothing but stardom in O.J. Mayo’s NBA future. He’s got the athletic ability, the silky jump shot, the defensive intensity, the ball skills of a point guard, a natural scorer’s mentality, the mental toughness, the composure, and most of all, the drive.

No, not his ability to drive to the basket, but the drive to become a great basketball player.

Would Love have filled a bigger hole at the four-spot than Mayo at the two? Sure, but when you’re a rebuilding team like Memphis, you don’t fill holes first and bring in talent later. You build your foundation early on with as much young talent as possible, and then fill your gaps when the team is ready to take it to the next level.

That’s exactly what Chris Wallace is doing, and as awkward as it is for a die-hard Celtics fan to give him credit, I tip my hat to him.

Another positive aspect of Memphis’ offseason was the addition of two promising young big men, Darrell Arthur and Marc Gasol. Arthur, recently touted as a late lottery selection, ended up slipping all the way down to the late first round on account of false (according to Arthur’s camp) health reports regarding his kidneys.

New Orleans snatched him up at 27th overall, then ended up landing in Memphis after having his rights dealt three times in a matter of hours.

Regardless of his abysmal draft experience, the former Kansas Jayhawk is prepared to make multiple NBA executives pay for allowing him to drop in the draft. All rookie camp incidents aside, Arthur’s length, beautiful shooting touch, and respectable defensive activity give him all of the tools to become the latest “I told you so” NBA Draft story.

Marc Gasol may very well turn out to be a big time steal, as well. Ironically enough, the brother of Pau was involved in the package that pulled off the shocking blockbuster deal with the Lakers this past season, which sent the better of the two to Los Angeles.

However, despite Pau’s superiority on the basketball court, Marc has advantages on the defensive end in particular, that may make him a valuable asset to Memphis for a long time. The rumor out of Grizzlies training camp is that the 2007 second round draft pick has surprised in camp, and may even cut into Darko Milicic’s playing time in ‘09.

Mike Miller and Juan Carlos Navarro (who joined the popular act of leaving the NBA for Europe) will be missed, but the Grizzlies absolutely put together a terrific overall offseason and have set themselves up beautifully for the future.

It will undoubtedly take time to mesh, but I can assure you this: all 48 Grizzlies fans finally have something to cheer about again.

Depth Chart

C: Darko Milicic / Marc Gasol / Hamed Haddadi
PF: Hakim Warrick / Darrell Arthur / Andre Brown
SF: Rudy Gay / Antoine Walker
SG: O.J. Mayo / Mayo Jaric / Quinton Ross / Greg Buckner
PG: Mike Conley / Kyle Lowry / Javaris Crittenton

Biggest Strength

Athleticism

From Rudy Gay to O.J. Mayo, Mike Conley to Kyle Lowry, Hakim Warrick to Javaris Crittenton, and so on, the Grizz have one of the most athletic young groups in the league. They can do damage out in the open floor, and Marc Iavaroni’s up-tempo style complements those physical advantages to the fullest.

Biggest Weakness

Interior Presence

Rookie Marc Gasol looks to be a promising center on both ends of the floor, but all in all, Memphis is in dire need of a post presence. The athleticism of guys like Warrick and Darrell Arthur, as well as the length of Darko Milicic, allow them to make plays on the defensive end, but nobody is going to hold their ground against the elite offensive bigs in the league.

On the offensive end from Memphis’ point of view, there is nobody to dump the ball down to on the blocks and expect production from.

In order to take the next step, once the core of this team matures, the interior vacancy is going to have to be filled.

X-Factor

Mike Conley

If Mike Conley can bounce back from his injury plagued and slightly disappointing rookie campaign, and put together a more tasteful sophomore season, the Grizzlies will be in good shape moving forward. With terrific wing scorers in Rudy Gay and O.J. Mayo at the helm, all that is needed is a stable floor general to orchestrate an efficient offense.

Those were the expectations of Conley when Memphis selected him fourth overall in last year’s draft, and at just 20 years of age, he’s got all the potential in the world to become one of the league’s best point guards within the next few years. Let’s hope the long-time friend of Greg Oden can take a big step forward in 2009.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

As far as upside is concerned, the Grizzlies are one of the most promising young clubs in the league. However, with youth comes mistakes and growing pains. Expect a lot of excitement at the FedEx Forum this coming season, but don’t expect many wins for another couple years.

2008-2009 Predictions
23-59
5th in Southwest Division
14th in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Miami Heat

30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Lakers

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:37:10 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 57-25
Western Conference Seed: 1
Playoff Results: Lost to BOS in NBA Finals (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Josh Powell (via free agency), Sun Yue (via 2007 draft, signed).

Key Losses: Ronny Turiaf (via free agency).

LA’s offseason was rather uneventful, as the biggest move was simply re-signing Sasha Vujacic to a slightly oversized deal of $15 million over the course of three years.

The 24-year-old Yugoslavian sharpshooter did manage to hold career highs in scoring (8.8 PPG), rebounding (2.1 RPG), field goal percentage (45.4 percent), and three-point percentage (43.7 percent) this past season, but unless further progress is made to his overall game (particularly on the defensive end), it’ll be tough for the four-year NBA veteran to live up to that price tag.

Speaking of tasteful contracts, energetic big man Ronny Turiaf certainly received one from Golden State. On July 10, the Warriors signed the former Gonzaga star to a four-year, $17 million offer sheet, in which the Lakers had a week to match. Seven days subsequently passed by without a play from the team, and by the 19th, Turiaf had packed his bags for the Bay Area.

However, the Lakers were able to find a similar and much cheaper alternative in Josh Powell. On August 14, the four-year journey man signed a one-year deal with the Lakers worth the minimum of approximately $826,269.

Powell has spent time with four NBA teams—Dallas, Indiana, Golden State, and the Los Angeles Clippers—in which he has held career averages of 4.6 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.

This past year for the Clippers, however, Powell appeared in 64 games and put together his best professional season with averages of 5.5 PPG and 5.2 RPG in just over 19 minutes per contest. He may not be able to dance like Turiaf, but he has shown that he can get the job done in a limited bench role.

Laker fans shouldn’t be disappointed with this pickup on the court or financially.

There was one intriguing prospect brought to the purple and gold this summer, however, as 2007 draftee Sun Yue decided to make his way over to the US and begin his NBA career.

Why is he so intriguing, you ask? He’s 6’9’’ and has been said to have the ball skills and basketball IQ of a point guard.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Alright, maybe he’s not that good, but with proper patience and tutelage, Yue could develop into a serviceable role player with the ability to cause mismatch problems for the opposition each and every night.

Depth Chart

C: Andrew Bynum / D.J. Mbenga / Chris Mihm
PF: Pau Gasol / Josh Powell / Vladimir Radmanovic
SF: Lamar Odom / Luke Walton / Trevor Ariza
SG: Kobe Bryant / Sasha Vujacic / Coby Karl
PG: Derek Fisher / Jordan Farmar / Sun Yue

Biggest Strength

Big Four

On paper, calling the Lakers’ foursome the most talented in the league is an absolute no-brainer.

Kobe Bryant is, in the majority’s eyes, currently the best individual basketball player on the planet. There is nothing that “Mamba” can’t do at either end of the floor, and his 2007-2008 NBA MVP award is a well-deserved testament to that.

Lamar Odom is undoubtedly one of the most talented and versatile forwards in the game. At a long 6’11’’, he has the ability to handle the ball, lead the break, create for others, defend up to three positions, and rebound the basketball. You just don’t see that on many other rosters.

On the interior, Pau Gasol and a healthy Andrew Bynum is one heck of a duo. Gasol is perhaps one of the most well-rounded big men in the league, with his abilities to score in the post, knock down the mid-range jumper, pass out of the post (especially out of double teams), rebound the ball, run the floor, and use his outstanding length to his advantage.

In essence, he’s very similar to Kevin Garnett, minus the defense and craziness (although Pau will get vocal). To top all of that off, his skill set and style of play couldn’t be a more perfect fit for the triangle offense.

Gasol’s sidekick in the middle is Andrew Bynum, who averaged 13.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game before going down with a left knee injury (subluxation of the patella and a bone bruise) in mid-January, which held him out for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs.

However, a healthy Bynum is one of the best centers in the Western Conference, and perhaps an emerging star.

In short, the overall talent level (and size) of these four combined is absurd.

Biggest Weakness

Toughness

If the 2008 NBA Finals series was any indication, this team is lacking the mental toughness necessary to overcome adversity. Outside of the Game Two comeback that fell just short, this team displayed excessive mental weakness throughout the series.

Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol, in particular, lived up to the “soft” label that they’ve carried around for years. Defensively, this team simply was not cutting it. Not because they weren’t properly schooled or physically incapable of getting stops on a consistent basis, but because they figuratively “laid down” when they were nudged.

As the Celtics started to pull away, or as they clawed and grinded their way back from deficits (Game Four—enough said), you could visibly recognize the frustration within this Laker squad. At times, you could see them mentally collapsing.

The Lakers are as talented as any other team in the league, but if they continue displaying these signs of mental weakness, they’re going to have a tough time raising a banner. That’s not to say that they can’t pull it off, but in order to be a champion, you’re going to have to push back when necessary. That has yet to be seen with this group.

X-Factor

Andrew Bynum

As previously touched upon, a healthy Andrew Bynum is a big time force in the paint on both ends of the floor. Furthermore, he’s turning just 21 years of age on the eve of the 2008-2009 NBA regular season.

One argument that has been thrown around is that the Lakers are a better team than the Celtics with Andrew Bynum in the lineup. The conclusion to that debate remains up in the air until/unless the two teams meet fully healthy once again in 2009, but regardless, the Lakers will need Bynum at full health in order to defend their Western Conference crown and go on to win the franchise’s 15th title.

If Bynum is good to go, good things are on tap, potentially sooner rather than later.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

LA may need a minor adjustment period in order to get acclimated to Bynum’s presence in the offense, but there is no reason to believe that the Lakers won’t be one of the top teams—if not the top team—in the NBA this coming season. Perhaps a healthy Bynum gives them the interior presence needed to take care of business, and reach the ultimate goal of winning another title.

Whether that happens or not, you better believe that they’ll at least be there with the best of them.

2008-2009 Predictions
58-24
1st in Pacific Division
1st in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Memphis Grizzlies

30 Teams in 30 Days: Los Angeles Clippers

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:33:51 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 23-59
Western Conference Seed: 12

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Baron Davis (via free agency), Marcus Camby (via trade), Eric Gordon (via draft), Ricky Davis (via free agency), Brian Skinner (via free agency), DeAndre Jordan (via draft), Jason Hart (via trade), Mike Taylor (via draft).

Key Losses: Elton Brand (via free agency), Corey Maggette (via free agency), Shaun Livingston (via free agency), Brevin Knight (via trade), Josh Powell (via free agency), Quinton Ross (via free agency), Smush Parker (via free agency), Dan Dickau (via free agency – left for Europe), Aaron Williams (via free agency).

Where to begin?

Entering the summer of 2008, the Clippers had a large list of tasks to attack—the first and most important being to put forth an effort to re-sign Elton Brand.

However, Elgin Baylor and company had bigger plans than to just retain Brand. Following the renouncing of Corey Maggette’s rights, along with five others (highlighted by Shaun Livingston), two-time All-Star point guard Baron Davis verbally agreed to sign a five-year, $65-million deal with the Clippers.

The acquisition of the hometown stud drenched Clipper Nation with hope, as the word on the street suggested that Brand’s contract was forthcoming.

That’s where the trouble started.

Part two of the Clippers’ master plan didn’t quite go as well as expected. In fact, it reached the worst possible scenario, as Brand signed an $82 million contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 9. The next day, Davis officially inked his deal, and the dream of pairing him with Brand had been demolished.

Despite the disappointment, most publicly voiced by head coach Mike Dunleavy, the Clippers were able to put together an array of counter-moves to set the team up for as much success as possible.

On July 15, the Denver Nuggets absolutely shocked the basketball world by trading 2006-207 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby to the Clippers in exchange for the right to swap 2010 second-round draft picks, and a trade exception worth an approximate total of $10 million.

Yes, you read that correctly—and yes, that was the full deal. Marcus Camby, who has just two years remaining on his deal as it is, was acquired for a bag of chips and a postcard.

That wasn’t it, either. On July 28, the club announced the signing of high-scoring swingman Ricky Davis, who signed a two-year deal—the second year a player option—worth approximately $4.7 million total.

“Ricky D” put together a semi-disappointing contract season with Miami in '07-08, but with that situation all mapped out, can you blame him? The fact of the matter is this—Davis’ motto is “get buckets,” and that’s exactly what he’s going to do in LA.

To help strengthen the frontcourt, the club also brought in 32-year-old veteran Brian Skinner to relieve Camby and Chris Kaman at the five-spot. The 6’9’’ center brings professionalism, length, and an extremely active shot-blocking presence to provide stable interior insurance with the second unit.

Changes were also made via trade, as they dealt guard Brevin Knight to Utah for former Clipper guard Jason Hart. In 23 games for the Clippers in 2007, Hart held averages of nine points, four assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per contest in over 32 minutes per.

The seven-year vet struggled to find success in Utah last season, but if he can return to 2007 form for the Clippers this coming season, the deal should be worth it, considering Knight’s displeasure and erratic attitude in Clipper Land.

Shortly after, LA acquired long-range sniper Steve Novak from Houston for the right to exchange 2011 second-round draft picks.

The next day, on August 7, the Clippers signed 33-year-old guard Jason Williams to handle the backup point guard duties behind Baron Davis. At the time, it looked like a reasonably cheap and worthwhile signing—but all of that changed 50 days later, when “White Chocolate” surprisingly announced his retirement from the NBA.

So much for that.

However, an ultra-promising guard was obtained on draft day to nullify the loss (if we can call it that) of Williams. With the seventh overall pick in June’s draft, the Clippers selected Indiana’s Eric Gordon, who is well known for his unlimited shooting range and freakish explosiveness.

He may be a bit undersized for the two and he may not possess the necessary skills to run the point for extended minutes in the NBA, but he’s a flat out dynamite scorer. If you give him a centimeter of space, he’s going to use his quick release to punish you.

The 6’3’’ Forrest Whitaker look-alike may need some time to harness his talent, but with time and proper tutelage, Clipper Nation could have a more-explosive Ben Gordon on their hands.

Another high-upside draft night acquisition was DeAndre Jordan, who was taken 35th overall by the Clippers after momentarily holding the hype of a Dwight Howard twin. After Jordan’s mightily-disappointing freshman season at Texas A&M, that was all thrown out the window, but as a second-round flyer, there’s nothing to complain about. The Anaheim Arsenal certainly aren’t complaining about his prospects, either.

Perhaps an additional second-round sleeper was acquired from Portland (surprise, surprise) on draft night in Mike Taylor. More often than not, the 55th overall pick in the draft isn’t going to amount to anything in the NBA. However, Taylor may have a real shot to succeed in the NBA.

Summer league is just that, summer league, but Taylor impressed with his quickness, athleticism, and admirable activity on both ends of the floor out in Vegas a couple of months ago.

In 39 games for the NBDL’s Idaho Stampede this past season, Taylor put his well-rounded game on display with averages of 14.5 PPG, 4.3 APG, 3.5 RPG, and 1.3 SPG on an efficient 48.2% shooting clip. Don’t be entirely surprised if the former Iowa State Cyclone is the next D-League success story.

That about covers the Clippers’ monstrous 2008 offseason overhaul. Be prepared for an entirely different attitude and style of play from this team in 2009.

Depth Chart

C: Chris Kaman / Brian Skinner / DeAndre Jordan
PF: Marcus Camby / Tim Thomas / Paul Davis
SF: Al Thornton / Ricky Davis / Steve Novak
SG: Cuttino Mobley / Eric Gordon
PG: Baron Davis / Jason Hart / Mike Taylor

Biggest Strength: Interior Defense

When you combine last season’s rebounding numbers of Marcus Camby and Chris Kaman, you come up with an average of 25.8 rebounds per game, with 19.8 of them coming from the defensive glass. If you combine the interior duo’s shot blocking numbers, you come up with an accumulative average of 6.4 blocks per game, which falls just 0.3 BPG short of tying Denver’s league-leading team average in 07-08.

Those numbers speak for themselves. The psychological advantage and intimidation factor of having Camby and Kaman on the floor together should force the opposition to think twice, or even three times, before charging the basket against the Clippers.

The Clippers? Intimidating? Who’d have thunk it?

Biggest Weakness: Chemistry

Let’s face it—the Clippers underwent a gigantic overhaul this past summer. Just five players are returning from last season’s roster, and at least five or six newcomers are expected to be a part of this year’s regular rotation.

With that in mind, you’re going to have to expect an adjustment period before this team starts playing up to its full potential. Even Baron Davis noted that things would initially be “bumpy.”

This team is full of both fulfilled and untapped talent, but you might want to lower your expectations a bit if you’re expecting “the other LA team” to come out of the gate clicking on all cylinders.

X-Factor: Health

Baron Davis appeared in all 82 regular-season games for Golden State last year, but let’s not completely dismiss the following two factors:

a) Davis has a reputation of “health issues” following the completion of signing a lucrative contract.

b) Although “B-Diddy” suited up for all 82 in 07-08, he only played an average of 54.3 games throughout the previous three seasons.

In addition to that, you’ve got Chris Kaman, who despite his marvelous '07-08 campaign, missed 26 games due to various injuries to the right ankle, left shin, and lower back.

Then there’s Marcus Camby, who has only been able to put together three seasons of 70-plus games played since being drafted second overall by Toronto in 1996.

Even rookie sharpshooter Eric Gordon has suffered injuries in his freshman year at Indiana, 2008 summer league, and his first NBA training camp.

If these guys can keep healthy, they could have an exciting Western Conference competitor. However, the possibility of another injury-riddled year is far from out of the question.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

The new-look Clippers could very well be a low-seeded playoff team in 2009, but in the same breath, they could miss the postseason altogether. Expect the potentially relevant Clips to fall in the sixth-to-tenth seed range, with the downside of another late-lottery selection and the upside of a hard-fought first-round exit.

No matter what, you’ll no longer cringe or grunt when the Clippers are on. Hell, you might just develop the desire to tune in.

2008-2009 Predictions

41-41
Third in Pacific Division
Ninth in Western Conference

Coming Soon: Los Angeles Lakers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Indiana Pacers

Dustin Chapman — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 19:05:39 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 36-46
Eastern Conference Seed: 9

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: T.J. Ford (via trade), Brandon Rush (via trade), Roy Hibbert (via trade), Jarrett Jack (via trade), Rasho Nesterovic (via trade), Josh McRoberts (via trade), Austin Croshere (via free agency).

Key Losses: Jermaine O’Neal (via trade), Kareem Rush (via free agency), Ike Diogu (via trade), David Harrison (via free agency), Andre Owens (via free agency).

On July 9, the Jermaine O’Neal era officially and finally came to a close in Indiana, as he was shipped to Toronto along with the draft rights to Nathan Jawai (41st overall) in exchange for dazzling guard T.J. Ford, veteran center Rasho Nesterovic, athletic forward Maceo Baston, and the draft rights to Roy Hibbert (17th overall).

This is a move that was long overdue. Despite the love and support O’Neal has from the Indiana faithful, it was time for a change. It was time to pick a direction. It was time to rebuild. It was time to move on.

Any time you give up a six-time All-Star big man, it’s a tough pill to swallow in some respects, even if this one just so happens to be frequently injured and coming off of his worst season as a Pacer. However, the incoming package is nothing to complain about.

T.J. Ford, who has also battled injuries (most notably involving his spine) throughout his young career, is undoubtedly one of the league’s quickest guards, as well as perhaps one of its better playmakers.

When healthy, Ford is a guy that can create and get his teammates involved at a very high level. Throughout the 2006-07 season, the super-quick facilitator held averages of 14 points and 7.9 assists per game, equal to 18.7 points and 10.6 assists per 40 minutes. As long as the 25-year-old guard can manage to avoid the injury bug, his skills and style should mesh perfectly with Jim O’Brien’s desired tempo and offensive philosophies.

Another promising youngster acquired in this deal is Roy Hibbert, who was one of the most fundamentally sound collegiate centers throughout his junior and senior years at Georgetown.

Though a bit sluggish and slow, Hibbert is an extremely polished basketball player, with a terrific understanding of the game and a true love of playing it. He knows how to get position, he’s got a beautiful touch, and he’s an absolutely outstanding passer out of the post, which should bode well for him in Indiana. Despite his lateral disadvantages, he is an exceptional shot blocker who can help protect the basket on the defensive end.

Don’t expect future stardom from the 7’2’’ rookie, but expect a very productive career, a great locker-room presence, and a true winner.

Hibbert also has a vastly similar veteran to learn from in Rasho Nesterovic.

Nesterovic will never “wow you” or encourage you to write a letter home to dad, but he quietly gets the job done. He’ll rebound, block shots, eat space, give defensive effort, and put terrific passing ability on display—which O’Brien has raved about in camp as of late. He can even put the ball in the basket if needed, averaginf 12.4 PPG post-All-Star break last season.

However, the most important anecdote regarding Nesterovic’s presence on this team is his experience. The seven-footer has not only played 10 years of NBA ball, but has been a crucial piece on the 2005 San Antonio Spurs championship team. That kind of knowledge and veteran savvy will be nothing but a positive influence on Indiana’s young core.

The fact that he has $8.4 million coming off the books at the conclusion of this coming season doesn’t hurt, either.

Larry Bird didn’t stop there, however. In addition to the blockbuster with Toronto, Indiana pulled off a five-player deal with Portland, as well, which sent Ike Diogu and the draft rights to Jerryd Bayless (11th overall) to the Trail Blazers for Jarrett Jack, Josh McRoberts, and the draft rights to Brandon Rush (13th overall).

There aren’t many backup point guards in the NBA better than Jack, especially when the puniness of T.J. Ford is in front of him. Jack gives the Pacers flexibility and a much-needed change of size and style off the bench.

While Ford is using his quickness to his advantage, attacking holes, and creating for his teammates, Jack provides a new dimension with his size, defense, and ability to play both guard positions. Think of him as a more versatile and athletic Eric Snow, in his prime.

While on to the topic of versatility—Brandon Rush is the epitome of that noun. A long, athletic 6’6’’ swingman who can effectively run the floor, shoot, defend, finish at the rim, and provide the willingness to sacrifice for the betterment of the team—what more can you ask for?

There is nothing that this 2008 national champion can’t do, and you could even make the argument that his skill set is in the mold of fellow former Jayhawk Paul Pierce. The only concerns regarding Rush, whose presence unintentionally ran his brother Kareem out of Indiana, pertain to the history of his knee injuries, highlighted by two ACL tears within a three-year period of time at KU.

However, as long as Rush can remain as healthy as he was in his junior year, the Pacers have one of the NBA’s most complete young players in their hands.

The surprise of the team’s offseason is that former Pacer Austin Croshere was invited to compete for a roster spot in training camp. The 33-year-old veteran forward spent nine seasons with the Pacers from 1997-2006, and within that time became a fan favorite in Hoosierville. Word on the street is that the organization thinks so highly of him that they would consider making two cuts in order to find a roster spot for him.

Perhaps the only negative to Indiana’s offseason is the fact that Jamaal Tinsley remains on the payroll. Rumor has it, though, that he may be headed out of town (Denver?) as early as today. Keep your eyes peeled for that—but even if that turns out to be nothing more than hearsay, do not expect number 11 to appear in any games for this team this coming season.

Depth Chart

C: Jeff Foster / Rasho Nesterovic / Roy Hibbert
PF: Troy Murphy / Austin Croshere / Josh McRoberts / Maceo Baston
SF: Danny Granger / Shawne Williams / Stephen Graham
SG: Mike Dunleavy / Brandon Rush / Marquis Daniels
PG: T.J. Ford / Jarrett Jack / Travis Diener / Jamaal Tinsley*

Biggest Strength: Spacing

If there’s one thing you can say about the Indiana Pacers, it’s that the roster is filled with Jim O’Brien's kind of players. In other words, players at every position that can stretch the floor and shoot the ball.

On the wings, you’ve got terrific shooters in guys like Mike Dunleavy Jr., Danny Granger, and Brandon Rush. At the one-spot, you’ve got an absolute sniper in Travis Diener and a respectable jump-shooter in Jarrett Jack. Even up front, there’s Troy Murphy and Austin Croshere to stroke it from deep, and Rasho Nesterovic to keep the defense honest from 15 to 18 feet.

Having this kind of shooting cast is only going to help T.J. Ford thrive in running this offense. With ample spacing, Ford will have the room to attack the basket and kick out to reliable shooters if the defense comes to help off of his penetration—which is inevitable.

Biggest Weakness: Post Presence

The Pacers have some outstanding veterans up front, but none of them are going to do a whole lot of damage on the blocks. Without a post presence, the majority of Indiana’s offense tends to come in the form of jump shots, therefore limiting the team’s amount of easy opportunities close to the basket.

As a result, Indiana ranked 23rd in field goal percentage (44.4 percent) and 24th in points in the paint (29.6 per game) this past season.

In essence, this team’s strength can be its weakness at times. To be a legitimate contender, you’ve got to find ways to find a reasonable balance between the output of both your perimeter and interior game. Indiana has a lot of talent, but without that post option to dump the ball down to for higher-percentage shots, they’ll struggle to find themselves primed for playoff runs.

X-Factor: T.J. Ford’s Health

As previously mentioned, T.J. Ford has had ongoing spinal troubles, which have periodically hindered his development as a player on more than one occasion. During a game against Minnesota in February of 2004, Ford suffered a spinal cord contusion that forced him to sit out the remainder of his rookie season, and threatened his career altogether.

Luckily, that wasn’t the case, but he was indeed required to miss the entire 2004-05 season for rehabilitation and recuperation.

On December 11, 2007, Ford was carried out of a game on a stretcher for similar circumstances—yet much less severe—after being whacked on the head in mid-air by Al Horford. Ford proceeded to miss 24 games before returning to the floor in Miami on February 4. Prior to his return, however, there was talk both from both speculators and Ford himself that went as far as suggesting that his career could be over.

One again, that fortunately wasn’t the case, but injury concerns will always surround the former Texas Longhorn. Should he put together a healthy '08-09 campaign, expect him to reestablish himself as one of the top 10 or 12 points guards in the league. If not, however, it may be difficult for the Pacers to creep closer to—let alone move beyond—that .500 mark.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Whether the Pacers have improved as a team or not, it’s going to be tough to match or top last season’s 36-46 record. Multiple Eastern Conference clubs are expected to improve this coming season, and for that reason, don’t be surprised to see Indiana take a slight hit in the win column in '08-09. Regardless, this team is headed in the right direction and has a very promising future ahead of them.

Don’t be concerned with continued mediocrity in 2009, Pacers fans. Despite what the record may show, good things are on tap for the organization, as opposed to prior Pacers groups with little to look forward to. Mediocrity is tough to live with in the present—but this time around, there's a light at the end of the tunnel.

2008-2009 Predictions

34-48
Third in Central Division
11th in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Los Angeles Clippers

30 Teams In 30 Days: Houston Rockets

Dustin Chapman — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 19:26:17 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 55-27
Western Conference Seed: 5
Playoff Results: Lost to UTA in Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions

Ron Artest (via trade), Brent Barry (via free agency), Joey Dorsey (via draft), D.J. Strawberry (via trade).

Key Losses

Bobby Jackson (via trade), Steve Novak (via free agency).

For the first time since pairing Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming together in 2004, the Rockets have obtained a legitimate third scoring option. While he may have mental issues that may never be corrected, at the end of the day, he can play basketball.

On August 14, the Rockets shipped veteran guard Bobby Jackson, rookie forward Donte Greene, and a 2009 first round draft pick to Sacramento in exchange for Ron Artest and rookies Patrick Ewing Jr. (who was subsequently waived) and Sean Singletary (who was later dealt to Phoenix for D.J. Strawberry).

That’s right, folks, Ron Artest has been relocated once again.

This time, however, it just might work. If not, no harm done, as Artest’s $8.45 million contract comes off the books at the end of this coming season. Given those contractual circumstances, this is as low-risk of an All-Star caliber acquisition as you’re going to find.

Artest adds a new dimension to this team on both ends of the floor. Offensively, like previously mentioned, this deal brings Houston a legitimate third option. The 28-year-old forward can score form both the inside and outside, post up, and create his own offense, which will take the pressure off of McGrady and Ming as well as give Adelman a go-to guy to turn to when the superstar duo is in need of a breather.

Defensively, you aren’t going to find much better than Ron Artest; especially when his defensive sidekick is Shane Battier. The grit, toughness, and defensive versatility of Artest gives the team a whole new look both mentally and physically.

Speaking of physicality, look no further than Rockets rookie center Joey Dorsey. If you’re unfamiliar with his style, think Ben Wallace, with a more expressive personality. Whether Dikembe Mutombo re-signs or not, Dorsey will bring a much-needed energy boost off the bench, and he may have a chance to contribute right away.

Houston was also able to retain Carl Landry this offseason. After Charlotte signed the second-year forward to a three-year, $9 million offer sheet—the third year containing a team option—Houston exercised their right to match the offer. For a relatively reasonable price, including a team option, Houston couldn't have asked for a much better situation. Once again, the Bobcats assist another team in re-signing their free agents (see: Anderson Varejao, 2007).

Back to Artest.

This is a move that could potentially push the Rockets over the top. Artest is motivated, eager to win, in a contract year, and absolutely relishes the opportunity of reuniting with Rick Adelman.

Mix those factors with Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Shane Battier, and a solid supporting cast (including newly acquired sharpshooter Brent Barry), you could very well be looking at one of the better teams in the NBA this coming season.

Hats off to Daryl Morey.

Depth Chart

C: Yao Ming / Joey Dorsey / Dikembe Mutombo*
PF: Luis Scola / Carl Landry / Chuck Hayes
SF: Ron Artest / Shane Battier / Mike Harris
SG: Tracy McGrady / Brent Barry / D.J. Strawberry
PG: Rafer Alston / Luther Head / Aaron Brooks / Steve Francis

Biggest Strength

Star Power

Not only do you have Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming, which is more than enough star power as it is, you now have Ron Artest in the mix as well. The best part? Each of the three complement one another’s game to the highest degree.

With McGrady as the primary ball handler and creator, Ming as the post scorer, and Artest as the world class defender and gritty tone-setter, the sky is the limit. There aren’t many teams in the NBA that can match this trio’s level of talent and versatility.

If all goes well, it can be downright scary.

Biggest Weakness

Inconsistency

McGrady and Ming have certainly not been perfect throughout Houston’s last three first round playoff series’, hence the hat trick of first round exits, but they may not be the biggest component to Houston’s recent postseason woes.

In fact, 2007’s loss to Utah was the only time that each of the two stars simultaneously struggled throughout a series; and of course, Ming was unable to play in this past season’s playoff loss to the Jazz on account of a stress reaction in his left foot.

The larger issue, as far as consistency in the postseason is concerned, has been the efficiency of the supporting players. Whether it be Rafer Alston (2007), Ryan Bowen (2005), Luther Head (2007 & 2008), Juwan Howard (2007), Bobby Jackson (2008), Scott Padgett (2005), David Wesley (2005), or what have you, many members of Houston’s past three postseason supporting casts have failed to rise to the occasion when needed —particularly late in games when crucial shots have decided the outcome.

Even Michael Jordan had the Steve Kerrs and John Paxsons of the world to count on down the stretch of ballgames. Though no excuses are warranted, without proper help, McGrady’s first round wall will continue to stand as tall as the one in Yao Ming’s homeland.

X-Factor

Health

Unless you firmly believe that Tracy McGrady has been struck with a curse, it seems as though the only thing that will hold this team back from doing serious damage is health. While “T-Mac” is currently battling injuries to the left knee and arthritic left shoulder (which will require surgery next summer), to go along with his ongoing back troubles, Yao has missed a total of 86 regular season games over the past three seasons.

When your perimeter star is looking as though he’ll be in need of a walking cane by age 32 and your post presence is missing an average of 28.7 games per season, you’ve got the right to be as worried as Eddy Curry when he found out his new head coach was in favor of running.

If the core of this team can find a way to stay out of street clothes on the sidelines, then Rick Adelman may have something special to work with. If not, however, I don’t blame the entire Rockets fan base for engaging themselves in emotional therapy.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

Once again, Houston’s season rests on health. They’ve got an All-Star trio, a well above average defense, a more than formidable supporting cast, and an offensive genius of a head coach. As long as the injury bug doesn’t bite them in the butt, the 2009 Houston Rockets may very well challenge for the Western Conference crown. After that, anything is possible.

2008-2009 Predictions
55-27
2nd in Southwest Division
3rd in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Indiana Pacers

*Note: I was unable to get an article up late last night, hence the day-late posting of this article, but I still intend to follow up to my goal of 30 articles in 30 days. Be on the lookout for two articles to be posted on one day, at some point soon.

30 Teams In 30 Days: Golden State Warriors

Dustin Chapman — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 19:30:03 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 48-34
Western Conference Seed: 9

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Corey Maggette (via free agency), Anthony Randolph (via draft), Marcus Williams (via trade), Ronny Turiaf (via free agency), Richard Hendrix (via draft), Anthony Morrow (via free agency - undrafted rookie).

Key Losses: Baron Davis (via free agency), Matt Barnes (via free agency), Mickael Pietrus (via free agency), Patrick O’Bryant (via free agency), Austin Croshere (via free agency).

“B-Diddy” got his money; $65 million over the course of five years, to be exact. Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on which way you look at it), it wasn’t from Chris Mullin and the gang, but rather back home in Los Angeles from the Clippers.

Interestingly enough, forward Corey Maggette opted out of his contract, had his rights renounced by the Clippers, and packed his bags to go the opposite direction by signing a five-year, $50 million deal with the Warriors.

After that inadvertent free agent switch-a-roo, containing the loss of Davis, it was time for the club to make sure that they had themselves a point guard.

With that in mind, the contract of Monta Ellis was extended for six years, making the budding star guard approximately $67 million richer. Whether or not Ellis can learn to run an efficient offense and create for others in varying situations remains to be seen, but after a breakout year of 20.2 PPG, five RPG, and 3.9 APG on a 53.1 percent shooting clip, it’s more than worth the experiment...

If only Ellis could avoid the temptation of riding a moped.

Shortly after signing the aforementioned lucrative contract, the 22-year-old stud damaged his ankle in a moped accident back in his hometown of Jackson, Mississippi. Ellis was diagnosed with a Grade 3 high ankle sprain, a torn deltoid ligament, and a syndesmosis disruption of his left ankle.

Furthermore, Ellis felt the need to lie to the organization about the incident by telling them that the injury occurred while he was “working out.” Disciplinary action is yet to be taken, but one is inevitably forthcoming.

The worst part of the whole ordeal, however, has nothing to do with putting himself in physical danger or lying to the organization. It’s that Ellis will be forced to miss the next three months of action, which may very well ruin the team’s postseason hopes.

It’s probably safe to say that Monta won’t be taking up any extreme sports next summer.

Back to basketball.

When healthy, these moves give Golden State a brand new look on the perimeter. The addition of Maggette will primarily put Stephen Jackson back in his natural position, shooting guard, and give the Warriors added size and length on the wing. As far as size is concerned, Don Nelson now has a more conventional perimeter trio to play with.

With that said, Mullin was far from finished improving the team.

Just days after the Ellis signing, center Andris Biedrins was rewarded with a six-year deal worth a reported sum of $62 million.

The foul-prone Latvian put together his best season in 07-08, as he held career highs in scoring (10.5 PPG), rebounding (9.8 RPG), field goal percentage (62.6 percent), and even improved his still-abysmal free throw shooting to 62 percent. That mark certainly isn’t anything to write home about, but when considering the fact that he shot 9.9 percent worse in the year prior, it’s a gigantic step forward.

To add depth behind Biedrins at the five-spot, Los Angeles Lakers free agent big Ronny Turiaf was obtained on a four-year deal, running for $17 million total. Turiaf is known as a good athlete, an exceptional shot blocker, a tough-minded presence, and most of all, one of the most energetic and enthusiastic role players in the game. For proof, look no further than YouTube, where you can find some of the funniest dance routines ever performed by a professional athlete in a public setting.

The club also picked up a similar player in the second round of the 2008 NBA Draft, as they selected Alabama forward Richard Hendrix with the 49th overall pick. If you’re not familiar with Turiaf and seek a comparison that you can relate to, look no further than Oakland native Leon Powe, who was ironically also taken 49th overall in 2006.

Simply put, Hendrix goes pedal to the medal at all times, and uses his hustle and upper-body strength to his advantage as often as possible. Minutes may be seldom available for the 6’8’’ bruiser early on, but if/when given an opportunity, you may very well have a Paul Millsap-esque second round steal on your hands.

At worst, he gives you a heck of a lot more than 2006 draft bust Patrick O’Bryant brought to the table.

The real high-upside talent obtained on draft night, however, was 14th overall pick Anthony Randolph of LSU. Like fellow Warrior, Brandan Wright, Randolph possesses a rail-thin frame that looks as though it could be snapped in half by your average NBA forward.

Regardless, his talent level is off the charts. Versatility is his middle name, as the 6’10’’ small forward has the ability to slash, score off the dribble, run the floor, rebound, block shots, and of course, leap with the best of them. The physical attribute that leaves you most in awe, however, is his ridiculous length. Just how long, exactly? Oh, I don’t know… somewhere in the range of a 7’3’’ wingspan and 9’1’’ standing reach.

Once again, like Wright, Randolph may need a fair amount of time before a consistent spot in the rotation can be handed to him, but as long as he can add some muscle and work his butt off, you may be looking at some legitimate star qualities a few years down the line.

Are we done? Not quite.

To cap off the long list of offseason acquisitions, the Warriors sent a conditional first round draft pick to New Jersey in exchange for ripe guard Marcus Williams. Since being drafted 21st overall by New Jersey in 2006, which seemed like an absolute steal at the time, the former UConn Husky has struggled to find himself a meaningful role. For a playmaker as highly touted as Williams once was, his early career struggles have surprised many followers.

It is possible that, like many cases of untapped potential, all Williams needs is a change of scenery and a fresh start. With Monta Ellis sidelined for roughly the first two months of the season, it is now Williams’ chance to shine. Opportunities will be given. Now, it’s all about taking advantage of them and getting his career on track. There should be no excuses, as there couldn’t be a better on-court fit for the 22-year-old facilitator than a Don Nelson offense.

Depth Chart

C: Andris Biedrins / Ronny Turiaf
PF: Al Harrington / Brandan Wright / Richard Hendrix
SF: Corey Maggette / Kelenna Azubuike / Anthony Randolph
SG: Stephen Jackson / Marco Belinelli / Anthony Morrow
PG: Monta Ellis* / Marcus Williams / C.J. Watson

Biggest Strength

Style: “Nellie Ball,” as everybody likes to call it, is a tough style of basketball to disrupt. In fact, it does the majority of the disrupting with its high octane offense and constant mismatching. In order to stop this team from scoring, you’re going to have to get twelve players with the speed of Jamaican phenom Usain Bolt, with varying sizes to contain the Warriors’ transition game and be alert for close-outs at all times.

Of course, the system is far from flawless, as it often has a tough time conserving energy for both ends of the floor and has trouble containing physically imposing post threats, but Golden State’s 2007-2008 league leading 111.03 PPG clip is no joke.

Biggest Weakness

Leadership: The Warriors are absolutely loaded with freak athletes and admirable talents, but do they have a leader? Stephen Jackson certainly has proven to be a great energizer and emotional leader, but does this team have that teacher… that mentor… that guy to rely on to put the team on his shoulders down the stretch of games? After the loss of Baron Davis, I’m not so sure it does.

X-Factor

Growth: If the Warriors are going to have any shot at maintaining a respectable record and reestablishing themselves as a Western Conference playoff threat, the team’s youth is going to have to take steps forward and begin to make names for themselves. Could it be Marcus Williams, who should be presented with the make-or-break opportunity of his career as a result of the injury to Monta Ellis? Could it be Brandan Wright, who may weigh 102 lbs. soaking wet, but has enough talent to have been in the discussion as a top three draft pick in early 2007? Could it be a pickup team’s ultimate dream boy, Marco Belinelli, who has shown flashes of potentially being one of the league’s premier long-range snipers? Maybe it’s C.J. Watson, who “Nellie” recently noted had the starting point guard job to lose, or maybe Andris Biedrins becomes more of an offensive threat. Heck, maybe it’s the versatility of Anthony Randolph that evolves into a difference maker sooner than we all expect.

Whatever the case may be, one or two of these youngsters are going to have to take a leap within their development if they want to make a believer out of more than just Jessica Alba in 2009.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

With Monta Ellis out of action until Christmas time, or perhaps even longer, Golden State is going to have a hard time holding a record that is superior to the Portland’s, Dallas’, LA Clippers’, and even the Denver’s of the world. Unless Ellis comes back with a vengeance and absolutely ignites this team’s fire from January to April, the Warriors may be destined for a second consecutive trip to lotto land. Even so, however, they’ll never leave you yawning.

2008-2009 Predictions
39-43
4th in Pacific Division
10th in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Houston Rockets

30 Teams In 30 Days: Detroit Pistons

Dustin Chapman — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 19:27:31 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 59-23
Eastern Conference Seed: 2
Playoff Results: Lost to BOS in Eastern Conference Finals (4-2)

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Michael Curry (via coaching change), Kwame Brown (via free agency).

Key Losses: Flip Saunders (via coaching change), Jarvis Hayes (via free agency), Lindsey Hunter (via free agency/retirement?), Juan Dixon (via free agency), Theo Ratliff (via free agency).

Despite numerous rumblings suggesting that the Detroit Pistons were set to be blown up this past summer, Joe Dumars decided to take the conservative route and keep the core of the roster intact. Chauncey Billups and Rip Hamilton were not shipped to Denver for Carmelo Anthony, Rasheed Wallace was not dealt to the highest bidder, and Tayshaun Prince is still sporting the red, white, and blue (pun intended - see what I did there?).

In fact, the only significant offseason acquisition was none other than one of the biggest draft busts of all-time, Kwame Brown, who was signed a two-year deal (the second year being a player option) with the club.

As easy as it is to poke fun at Brown, especially considering the heat he has taken from Stephen A. Smith (on the level of “Rah-sho Ne-ste-ro-vic!” and “Slava Med-ve-den-ko!”), his interior defense should undoubtedly be a better fit alongside ‘Sheed than Antonio McDyess's has been. As long as they don’t ask him to catch bullet passes or win a game of knockout, the signing may be more crucial than the average lurker would think.

The big move of the summer, however, was the firing of Flip Saunders. After three straight years without advancement past the Eastern Conference Finals, it was time for a shake-up.

Replacing Saunders is Michael Curry, who is primed for his seventh year as a part of the organization. The 39-year-old served as an assistant coach this past season, after spending time as the NBDL’s Vice President of Player Development and Vice President of Basketball Operations in years prior.

The largest difference between Saunders and Curry, which is to Curry’s advantage, has been said to be natural leadership skills. Saunders has been well-known as a passive head coach who sometimes reverts to allowing other make in-game decisions for him, rather than taking the initiative. Curry, on the other hand, brings a much-needed no-nonsense mentality and the mental toughness necessary to lead a team.

Time will tell, but many a personnel within the organization are convinced that Curry is indeed the right man for the job. Stay tuned.

Depth Chart

C: Rasheed Wallace / Kwame Brown / Cheikh Samb
PF: Antonio McDyess / Jason Maxiell / Amir Johnson
SF: Tayshaun Prince / Walter Herrmann / Walter Sharpe
SG: Rip Hamilton / Arron Afflalo / Darius Washington
PG: Chauncey Billups / Rodney Stuckey / Will Bynum

Biggest Strength: Chemistry

The core of this roster has been together for multiple years, and as a result, has developed a nearly unmatchable level of chemistry. Billups, Hamilton, and Prince have each been Pistons since 2002, while Rasheed Wallace was inserted into the mix in the middle of the 2003-04 season. That’s five straight seasons that the foursome has been together, and six seasons for the perimeter trio.

Naturally, a group that has played with one another for a period of time as extensive as that is going to develop fantastic chemistry. These guys know each other like the back of their respective hands, and that’s something that can neither be taught nor taken away from them.

Biggest Weakness: Overconfidence

Like any consistently elite team, the Pistons have developed a great level of confidence to go along with a bit of a swagger. After reaching the Eastern Conference Finals six straight years, it’s more than understandable.

However, this club has occasionally taken it to unnecessary extremes. At times, they tend to put on the “we’re invincible” act. Sometimes they cruise—and the Philadelphia 76ers nearly called their bluff in the first round of the 2008 NBA Playoffs as a result. But most of all, they rarely provide a true sense of urgency until they’re pushed into rough situations.

Now, six straight Conference Finals appearances is certainly nothing to grow depressed about, but when these emotional mishaps happen on an annual basis, it turns into something that is holding this team back from greater success like the team experienced in 2004 and 2005.

X-Factor: Focus:

Spinning off of Detroit’s weakness of overconfidence, it seems as though this team’s x-factor remains its focus. Taking that a step further: consistent focus. As long as the Detroit Pistons refrain from losing focus and allowing their emotions to get the best of them (I’m talking to you, Rasheed), there is no doubt in my or anyone else’s mind that they are a legitimate championship threat.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

As long as Michael Curry can instill a constant level of focus and emotional control, watch out for Detroit. Everybody tends to write this team off year after year, yet they continue to show up and advance to the Conference Finals. Barring anything out of the ordinary, such as a freak accident or significant injury, expect this team to be near the top of the Eastern Conference standings throughout the regular season, and hold their ground as a threat to win the East.

2008-2009 Predictions

52-30
First in Central Division
Second in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Golden State Warriors

30 Teams in 30 Days: Denver Nuggets

Dustin Chapman — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:26:38 -0400

2007-08 in Review

Record: 50-32
Western Conference Seed: 8
Playoff Results: Lost to LAL in Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-0)

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Renaldo Balkman (via trade), Chris Andersen (via free agency), Dahntay Jones (via free agency), Mateen Cleaves.

Key Losses: Marcus Camby (via trade), Eduardo Najera (via free agency), Yakhouba Diawara (via free agency), Bobby Jones (via free agency).

“Haha, shut up.”

“Stop playing around.”

“Are you kidding me?”

That was my reaction in mid-July when I found out that the Denver Nuggets had traded Marcus Camby to the Clippers for the right to swap 2010 second-round draft picks.

I understand that this team was in need of a shake-up or two, and I fully understand the organization’s desire to create future financial flexibility. But giving away a player like Marcus Camby for a figurative bag of Spaldings is inexcusable to the highest degree.

It’s baffling. Hell, the Clippers look like they’ll have a better record than Denver in 2010 as it is, making the right to swap picks moot.

This move demotes Denver’s defense from bad to utterly embarrassing. It lowers the credibility of the men upstairs’ amongst the fans of Colorado even more than it already had been before this deal went down. Most of all, it makes the Nuggets an inferior basketball team.

The club was able to retain J.R. Smith to a multi-year deal, acquire Renaldo Balkman via trade in exchange for Taurean Green and Bobby Jones, and even bring back Chris “Birdman” Anderson. But the subtractions of both Camby and veteran forward Eduardo Najera—who signed with New Jersey—will leave a quite a mark.

These facts, along with the warranted frustration within the team’s fan base, make it difficult for me to classify Denver’s offseason as a positive one.

Depth Chart

C: Nene / Steven Hunter
PF: Kenyon Martin / Chris Andersen
SF: Carmelo Anthony / Linas Kleiza / Renaldo Balkman
SG: Allen Iverson / J.R. Smith / Dahntay Jones / Sonny Seems
PG: Anthony Carter / Chucky Atkins / Mateen Cleaves

Biggest Strength: Offensive Firepower

Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson are two of the most prolific one-on-one scorers in the game, and their combined scoring average of 52.1 points per outing easily led all NBA duos in 2007-08.

These two high-point men can hurt you off the dribble, in transition, in the post, from midrange, at the free-throw line, and can even knock down long balls at a combined 35-percent clip. In other words, they are the total package on the offensive end of the floor.

Add to this tandem a high-flying volume scorer like J.R. Smith, a powerful finisher in Kenyon Martin, fundamentally sound forward Linas Kleiza, and the return of interior beast Nene, and you’ve got yourself one of the most deadly offensive matchups in the league. Last season’s 110.7 points per game average solidifies that notion.

Biggest Weakness: Defense

All right, the Nuggets can score as many points as any other team in the NBA, but the problem is that they can also give up as many points as anyone else in the process. By handing an annual Defensive Player of the Year candidate like Marcus Camby to the Clippers, Denver is now left without an anchor on perhaps the most important end of the floor.

Granted, Camby is more of an active roamer than a lock-down post defender—but that’s saying a hell of a lot more than you can speak of anybody else on this roster.

The 2008-09 Denver Nuggets have the potential to be the absolute worst defensive team in the history of this league, and I’m not trying to exaggerating or cracking an joke by noting that. I’m dead serious. Unless this team goes on to break countless offensive records this coming season, little hope is preserved for the men in baby blue.

X-Factor: Nene

Last year was a “lost season” for Nene, as he battled through the removing of a testicular tumor, and was only able to suit up for 16 regular-season games. However, the Brazilian product is said to have worked hard this past summer, and is ready to accept a larger role in Denver.

As long as he can stay healthy, don’t sleep on the abilities of Nene. As a starter in 42 regular-season games for the Nuggets two seasons ago, the 6’11’’ big man held respectable averages of 14.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per contest, and also tallied 12 double-doubles throughout the 64-game campaign.

Once again, physical wellness is the major factor, but a healthy and motivated Nene can do some damage inside on both ends of the floor. The length and activity of a Marcus Camby cannot be replaced, but getting Nene back would at least help cover up the wound.

What to Expect in 2008-09

By my estimation, another 50-win season is out of the question for Denver. Carmelo can continue preaching the optimism of 60 victories, but unless the ‘Melo man is an avid NBA 2k "Association Mode" fanatic, that’s just not going to happen.

With Northwest Division rivals like Portland and potentially Minnesota expected to exceed their '07-08 records, don’t be surprised if the Nuggets roster finds themselves watching the first round of the 2009 NBA Playoffs from their respective living rooms.

2008-2009 Predictions
Record: 38-44
3rd in Northwest Division
11th in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Detroit Pistons

30 Teams in 30 Days: Dallas Mavericks

Dustin Chapman — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 18:20:09 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 51-31
Western Conference Seed: 7
Playoff Results: Lost to New Orleans in Western Conference Quarterfinals (4-1)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Rick Carlisle (via coaching change), DeSagana Diop (via free agency), Gerald Green (via free agency), James Singleton (via free agency).

Key Losses: Avery Johnson (via coaching change), Tyronn Lue (via free agency), Malik Allen (via free agency), Juwan Howard (via free agency).

The “Little General” era has come to a close, as Avery Johnson was fired at season’s end and subsequently replaced by well-respected head coach Rick Carlisle.

Johnson certainly proved his worth in the league, as his 264-194 (.700) coaching record and Finals appearance (2006) certainly delivers a more impressive resume than a handful or two of current NBA head coaches. However, back-to-back first round exits—including one of the most heartbreaking upsets of NBA playoff history in 2007—does not cut it.

Carlisle possesses six years of NBA head coaching experience, in which he holds an accumulative career record of 281-211 (.571), and has been as far as the Conference Finals on two occasions. However, a Rick Carlisle-coached club has not won a playoff series since 2005, so redemption is sought after by both he and the Maverick players in 2009. Hell, that task may even be easier than we think, as the players are now being instructed by a clinically-sane individual.

As for the roster itself, standout post-defender DeSagana Diop was brought back to Dallas on what could be argued as an oversized contract, worth $31 million over a five-year period. The seven-foot specialist appeared in 214 games for Dallas from 2005-2008, in which he held per-game figures of 2.5 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks. Regardless of his price tag, he gives the Mavs a much-needed interior defensive presence off the bench, which proved to be incredibly valuable within Dallas’ 2006 NBA Finals run.

Outside of the reinsertion of Diop, the roster appears roughly the same as that of last season’s. Eddie Jones exercised his player option, keeping him in Dallas for one final season on a $2 million salary, while fellow wings Devean George and Antoine Wright were each retained on two-year deals. Guard J.J. Barea was brought back with a three-year deal worth approximately $5 million, to solidify depth behind Jason Kidd and Jason Terry.

The only other roster additions were that of aggressive-minded forward James Singleton, veteran point guard Keith McLeod, and the likely forever-untapped potential of high-flying swingman Gerald Green. Whether any of these three are asked to make significant contributions this season remains to be seen, but insurance never hurts.

Now that all of the additions and subtractions have been noted and/or discussed, let’s move on to the Maverick that received the most attention this past summer. You all know who I’m talking about—the one and only Josh Howard, who thankfully informed us all that he does not have to acknowledge the national anthem on account of his skin color. In addition to that, the public relations expert in Howard announced his pleasure of marijuana use on ESPN Radio.

Combine those two shenanigans with his putrid end-of-season showing and suspect overall attitude, and you’ve got a talented young player failing to get full use of his talent, and losing respect from the team’s fans.

But hey, who am I to judge? It’s not like he’s calling unavailable timeouts in the waning moments of an important postseason game or anything, right?

Right?

Depth Chart

C: Erick Dampier / DeSagana Diop
PF: Dirk Nowitzki / Brandon Bass / James Singleton
SF: Josh Howard / Devean George / Antoine Wright
SG: Jason Terry / Jerry Stackhouse / Eddie Jones / Gerald Green
PG: Jason Kidd / J.J. Barea / Keith McLeod

Biggest Strength: Talent

Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, Jason Terry, Jerry Stackhouse—this team is stacked on paper. It even contains standout role players, such as DeSagana Diop and Brandon Bass, who may have been the most unrecognized and underappreciated breakout players of the 2007-2008 NBA season. Heck, Jim Carrey—I mean Rick Carlisle—is a well-respected head coach, as well.

Just by taking a glance at this roster, without knowing anything in regards to how well they play as a cohesive unit on the floor, you draw the conclusion that the Mavericks have a chance to win each and every night with a loaded group like this.

Biggest Weakness: Toughness

The difference between the Mavericks and the elite class of the NBA is toughness. When Dallas gets the first punch thrown at them, very seldom do they swing back. It all starts with their best player and supposed leader, Dirk Nowitzki. Heck, when he gets slapped in the face repeatedly, he doesn’t even back away, let alone retaliate.

That mental weakness (which often sparks physical passivity) inevitably runs through the entire team, just as the enthusiasm of a Kevin Garnett energizes his respective club. Jason Kidd provides a certain level of leadership, but a declining 35-year-old point guard can only do so much. Without that extra splash of “oomph,” it’s difficult to place Dallas in the upper echelon category of the league.

X-Factor: Josh Howard

To begin the 2007-08 season, Josh Howard was his normal self. Before the 2008 All-Star festivities, the former Demon Deacon standout held averages of 20.3 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game on efficient shooting clips of 35.6 percent from beyond the arc and 47.2 percent overall.

However, for whatever reason, his production floundered from there. Post All-Star weekend, Howard’s production dropped in nearly every category. His scoring dropped to 19.2 PPG, his rebounding average fell to 6.3 per game, his field goal percentage took a 4.6-percent hit, and his long-ball fell to an ugly 25.3-percent clip on nearly the same amount of attempts.

Come playoff time, Howard had hit rock bottom, as he put together the least efficient string of games of his five-year career. Just how bad was it? Something along the lines of 12.7 PPG, seven RPG, a 10-percent three-point mark, and a 29-percent shooting effort overall. In addition to that, his combined series assists and steal totals matched his turnover count (nine).

It wasn’t as if he just had one or two rough outings, either. The best shooting display he put together throughout the entire five-game series came in the final game of Dallas’ season, where he shot 6-14 from the field. Everything before that was Antoine Walker-esque (remember that, Dallas fans?).

Howard has a lot of making up to do, both mentally and on the court. It’s time for the 28-year-old forward to take a step forward, from a maturity standpoint, and begin showing both the organization and the fans that he was worth every penny of that $40 million extension signed in October of 2006.

We all know that he has it in him. He’s undoubtedly one of the premier do-it-all wing players in the game, as shown in his tremendous 2006-2007 campaign in which he was reeled in his initial All-Star appearance.

But now, it’s time to grow up and develop some form of consistency. If he can do that, and potentially become more willing to use his slashing ability to his advantage on a more frequent basis, Dallas will be much better off in 2009. If not, there isn’t any light at the end of the tunnel.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

The overall passive-aggressive aura surrounding this team is, has been, and will be its downfall. They should qualify for postseason play, although a few teams could have the Mavs on their heels if they get off to a rocky start, but don’t expect Dallas to make any noise in 2009.

The Mavericks simply do not have the “it factor,” despite their mightily intriguing on-paper impression. The fact that they hail from the league’s strongest division doesn’t bode well for their chances, either.

2008-2009 Predictions

46-36
Fourth in Southwest Division
Seventh in Western Conference

Tomorrow: Denver Nuggets

30 Teams in 30 Days: Cleveland Cavaliers

Dustin Chapman — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 17:52:59 -0400

2007-08 in Review

Record: 45-37
Eastern Conference Seed: 4
Playoff Results: Lost to BOS in Eastern Conference Semifinals (4-3)

Summer of 2008

Key Additions: Maurice Williams (via trade), JJ Hickson (via draft), Tarence Kinsey (via free agency), Lorenzen Wright (via free agency).

Key Losses: Devin Brown (via free agency), Joe Smith (via trade), Dwayne Jones (via free agency), Damon Jones (via trade).

Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Danny Ferry has not been sitting at the cool kids’ table over the past year and a half (to put it lightly). In fact, a fair amount of Cleveland die-hards had been waiting for his resignation/firing. His inability to put an upper-class supporting cast around LeBron James simply did not earn the respect of many fans. Very seldom did Ferry get a pat on the back.

Until Aug. 13, 2008.

Roughly six-and-a-half weeks ago, Ferry broke out of his shell as the largest beneficiary of a shocking three-team blockbuster that sent highly talented guard Maurice Williams to Cleveland. The best part about it? All they had to part ways with were the expiring contracts of disgruntled sharpshooter Damon Jones and veteran forward Joe Smith.

With this deal, LeBron now has a second option to defer to. No, I’m not talking about like when the organization tried to convince you that Larry Hughes was good enough to play second-fiddle. I’m talking about a legitimate offensive talent, and one who—unlike Hughes—put together a good individual season following his big payday.

Ferry didn’t stop there, however. For additional backcourt depth and flexibility, Delonte West was retained on a three-year deal—the third year containing a team option—worth a reasonable approximate price of $12.8 million total. The foursome of West, Williams, Daniel Gibson, and Wally Szczerbiak may just be the cast of perimeter shooters that James needs beside him.

To replace Joe Smith’s spot in the rotation, Ferry drafted NC State forward JJ Hickson 19th overall in June’s draft, giving the Cavaliers a new look (from an athletic standpoint) up front. The 20-year-old’s skill-set is very similar to that of Chris Wilcox, and those qualities could bring a much needed spark off the bench this coming season.

For frontcourt insurance, after letting Dwayne Jones go, the club signed 12-year NBA veteran center Lorenzen Wright to a one-year, veteran’s minimum ($1.26 million) deal.

With all of that said, the pickup that will get the least attention is the free-agent signing of Tarence Kinsey. However, don’t sleep on his abilities. As a starter in 12 games for Memphis in the 2006-07 season, Kinsey held more than respectable averages of 18.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game, while shooting an efficient 49.1 percent from the field.

Post-2007 All-Star break, the former South Carolina Gamecock posted 11.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game through 28 contests, and scored 20-plus points on eight occasions. That said, he only played in 11 games last year, averaging 3.6 points per contest. Don’t bank on Kinsey to be a bigtime contributor in Cleveland, but should he receive the opportunity, be aware of what he is capable of.

Ferry’s local popularity may not be up to par with the three-sport star, or even the sixth man on the JV team for that matter, but he has now graduated from geek to “average Joe.” It’s nothing to write home about, but it’s a start.

Depth Chart

C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Anderson Varejao / Lorenzen Wright / Lance Allred
PF: Ben Wallace / JJ Hickson
SF: LeBron James / Sasha Pavlovic / Darnell Jackson
SG: Wally Szczerbiak / Delonte West / Tarence Kinsey
PG: Maurice Williams / Daniel Gibson / Eric Snow

Biggest Strength

The Wrath of King James: When glancing at the majority of the Cavaliers’ roster, you aren’t exactly blown away. It’s no secret as to why Cleveland is a competitive Eastern Conference team, despite their blatantly mediocre group of supporting players. That reason is none other than the one and only LeBron James.

To put it briefly, he’s just 23 years of age, and he’s already a sure-fire Hall of Fame lock. It would be utterly shocking if James didn’t go down as one of the top five (or so) players to ever sport Jerry West on his left shoulder. If it weren’t for King James, this team would be thought of as nothing more or less than a lottery ball.

Biggest Weakness

Offensive Construction: Have you ever played pick-up basketball with a guy that plays as though it’s a game of 21? You know, where a five-on-five setting turns into “that guy with four other dudes in the picture vs. a team of five.” If you’re on his team, you don’t even waste your energy trying to get yourself open. You just stand in place until the ball hog puts a shot up, right?

That’s what it feels like watching the Cleveland Cavaliers on the offensive end of the floor, even if it's dressed up a little more professionally. Mike Brown’s offensive game plan seems to be the same each night: Get the ball to LeBron, and everyone else get the hell out of the way. Sometimes, you wonder if Cleveland’s team assist average is identical to James’ 7.2 per-game mark.

Ironically enough, they get by on account of King James’ dominance. However, if they ever want to return to the Finals—let alone win a title—they’re going to have to come up with a new offense, preferably involving some form of movement.

X-Factor

Mo Williams: If all goes well, there’s no reason why Williams shouldn’t be the best offensive sidekick LeBron James has had since Carlos Boozer (but we won’t go there). He can shoot the heck out of the ball, create for both himself and others off the bounce, and, when confident, he even has a bit of a motor.

As long as Williams continues to do those things well and buy into Mike Brown’s defensive schemes, the Cavaliers can be one scary Eastern Conference team come late April.

What to Expect in 2008-2009

The addition of Mo Williams could very well push Cleveland back into the cream of the Eastern Conference’s crop. Mike Brown now has extra flexibility to experiment with smaller lineups, yet still be effective.

As long as this team continues to buy into what the coaching staff is preaching defensively, it’s hard to envision the Cavaliers being anything less than an enormous threat to win the East.

2008-2009 Predictions

Record: 50-32
Central Division: 2nd Place
Eastern Conference: 3rd Place

Tomorrow: Dallas Mavericks

30 Teams In 30 Days: Chicago Bulls

Dustin Chapman — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 17:51:03 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 33-49
Eastern Conference Seed: 11

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Vinny Del Negro (via coaching change), Derrick Rose (via draft).

Key Losses: Chris Duhon (via free agency).

Up In the Air: Ben Gordon.

Derek Fisher’s 0.4 shot was lucky, but not quite as lucky as the Chicago Bulls were on May 20, otherwise known as the 2008 NBA Draft Lottery.

The 42-year-old NBA franchise went into the nerve-wracking drawing with a measly 1.7 percent chance of coming away with the top draft pick. However, as history has shown, probabilities and percentages don’t always reveal the outcome.

Chicago proved that point, as they were fortunate enough to acquire the number-one overall selection, with just the ninth-best chances to do so.

With that top pick, they chose hometown point guard Derrick Rose, who helped lead the Memphis Tigers to April’s NCAA championship game as a freshman. If it weren’t for that pesky free-throw line, Rose may very well have come out victorious.

Regardless, his NBA prospects are jaw-dropping, to say the least. His combination of size, speed, quickness, athleticism, and upside was good enough to convince the majority of the basketball world that he was worthy of the top pick. Very seldom does a 19-year-old point guard claim stardom right off the bat, but the sky is the limit for Rose’s ceiling as a basketball player.

Along with the rookie sensation comes first-year head coach Vinny Del Negro, who played 12 NBA seasons with five different organizations. For a long while, former Bulls coach Doug Collins was the speculative answer to Chicago’s coaching search, but a last-minute change of mind led the club in the direction of Del Negro.

The uncertainties surrounding Del Negro’s coaching tactics will not be answered until the season gets underway, but hopefully the Ben Gordon saga will come to a halt in due time. The four-year veteran guard has yet to agree to a contract extension with Chicago, and even went as far as saying “I guess it’s safe to say that I’ve played my last game in a Bulls uniform.” Stay tuned.

Depth Chart

C: Joakim Noah / Aaron Gray
PF: Drew Gooden / Tyrus Thomas / Cedric Simmons
SF: Luol Deng / Andres Nocioni
SG: Larry Hughes / Thabo Sefolosha
PG: Derrick Rose / Kirk Hinrich

Biggest Strength: Promise

After taking a long, hard look at this roster, I’ve come to the conclusion that the Bulls are absent of a visible number-one strength. Therefore, the only logical alternative is to point to their long-term potential.

From Derrick Rose to Luol Deng, Joakim Noah to Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha to [possibly] Ben Gordon, this is a team that is highly capable of becoming an Eastern Conference powerhouse in the future. John Paxson and company have plenty of work to do as far as cleaning up the roster is concerned, but the prospective possibilities are endless.

Biggest Weakness: Offensive Balance

At times, watching the Chicago Bulls on the offensive end is like listening to screeching nails on a chalkboard. They are a team that lives and dies by the jump shot, and they usually die.

Even when the Bulls were an Eastern Conference semifinalist in 2006-07, they were primarily a jump shooting team—the only difference between then and now is that they played harassing defense two years ago. Now, they appear lost at times, and clearly have chemistry issues to work out—another large weakness.

Barring any kind of major trade, Chicago’s offensive troubles are destined to continue this coming season. The talent is there, but the balance is not. Thank God for Derrick Rose—now the Bulls have at least one player that can create off of dribble-penetration.

Outside of that, this is a team severely lacking an interior scoring threat, and their offense’s stagnancy can be utterly appalling. Rose may very well help repair this issue, but expecting a 19-year-old rookie point guard to completely correct it is more than out of the question—unless he grows eight inches overnight and develops a go-to post move similar to Shaquille O’Neal’s “black tornado.”

X-Factor: Tyrus Thomas

When discussing the NBA’s untapped potential, Tyrus Thomas is one of the first names to roll off your tongue. The former number-four overall pick has all of the athletic ability you can ask for in a 22-year-old prospect, but the question remains—will he put it all together?

He’s shown multiple flashes, mainly when he has received major minutes. When playing 30-plus minutes in 2007-08, he tallied averages of 16.9 points, 10.3 rebounds, and two blocks per game, giving Chicago fans something to cheer about and Bulls personnel something to look forward to.

However, there were other times where Thomas looked completely out of place on both ends of the floor, and has been unable to maintain proper mental focus. The immaturity has been apparent, as has the raw talent. It seems as though Thomas has one question to answer in 2009—“boom or bust?”

What to Expect In 2008-09

Chicago Bulls 2008-2009 predictions vary. Some are optimistically booking a playoff berth, some are expecting them to stay on course with last season’s showing, and others believe that they’ll struggle to a greater extent.

That’s where I’m at—“show me first” mode. We’ve discussed the imbalance and the youth, but let’s not forget that Derrick Rose is not the only rookie in Chicago this season. Vinny Del Negro is a rookie head coach, as well.

Color me mistaken if the Bulls put together an impressive resurgence—but until then, I think it’s best for Bulls fans to set low expectations for the upcoming season.

2008-09 Predictions

30-52
Fifth in Central Division
13th in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Cleveland Cavaliers

30 Teams in 30 Days: Charlotte Bobcats

Dustin Chapman — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 18:13:02 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 32-50
Eastern Conference Seed: 12

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Larry Brown (via coaching change), D.J. Augustin (via draft), Alexis Ajinca (via draft), Shannon Brown (via free agency).

Key Losses: Sam Vincent (via coaching change), Earl Boykins (via free agency – left for Europe).

After four years of harping in the basement of the NBA, with both Bernie Bickerstaff and Sam Vincent on the sidelines, the Charlotte Bobcats organization has finally said “enough is enough.” Replacing Vincent as the team’s new head coach is none other than “Mr. Quick Fix” himself—Larry Brown, who signed a four-year contract with the club in late April.

Brown, who has coached championships at both the NBA and NCAA level, will bring an entirely new dimension and attitude to this four-year-old franchise. It’ll be interesting to see whether or not Brown’s no-nonsense, “my way or the highway” style will mesh with such a young nucleus...Or better yet, whether or not Brown will be able to handle it.

In addition, Michael Jordan and company made some promising additions to the roster itself. With the ninth-overall pick in June’s NBA draft, Charlotte selected point guard D.J. Augustin, who held averages of 19.2 points and 5.8 assists per game in his sophomore year at Texas.

The pick surprised many, as Raymond Felton was thought of as the team’s point guard of the future, to go along with the fact that Brook Lopez was still on the board, but Augustin’s on-court abilities certainly aren’t in question.

11 spots later, the Bobcats nabbed center Alexis Ajinca with the pick acquired from Denver. Larry Brown admitted to “falling in love” with the seven-foot Frenchman during the workout process, on account of his size, length, and remarkable shooting touch (which is said to extend out to three-point range).

Don’t expect Ajinca to contribute a great deal right off the bat, but his long-term potential convinced the organization that the high-risk, high-reward pick was worthwhile.

To add insurance in the backcourt, Charlotte signed super-athletic combo guard Shannon Brown to a one-year, $800,000 deal.

Once a first-round draft pick (2006), Brown has failed to impress either Cleveland or Chicago enough to earn a meaningful role in the NBA, but he certainly possesses terrific athletic ability and the ball skills required to play either guard position.

Barring injury, it’s tough to envision Brown getting a consistent spot in the rotation, but with Charlotte being his third team in three years, his NBA career could be jeopardy if he doesn’t begin to prove himself.

Regardless, the low-risk signing was more than worth the flyer (especially for a team like the Bobcats, who are under the salary cap).

Depth Chart

C: Nazr Mohammed / Ryan Hollins / Alexis Ajinca
PF: Emeka Okafor / Sean May / Jermareo Davidson
SF: Gerald Wallace / Adam Morrison / Jared Dudley
SG: Jason Richardson / Matt Carroll / Shannon Brown
PG: Raymond Felton / D.J. Augustin

Biggest Strength

Perimeter Play: The Bobcats are fairly weak inside on the offensive end, but their perimeter offensive-output is certainly something to talk about. You want speed, athleticism, and slashing ability? Shannon Brown, Raymond Felton, Jason Richardson, and Gerald Wallace are there to answer your call.

You want outside shooting? Richardson, Matt Carroll, Adam Morrison, and rookie D.J. Augustin will display their beautiful shooting strokes from the arc and look to top last season’s 36.7 percent team three-point shooting clip (12th best in the NBA).

You want toughness? “Mr. Intangibles,” Jared Dudley, will earn your respect. You want ball movement? They’ll deliver a level of selflessness to establish an unselfish environment. Coach Brown will have some work to do with this group on the defensive side of the ball, but offensively, Charlotte’s perimeter core is undoubtedly one of the deepest the NBA has to offer.

Biggest Weakness

Youth & Inexperience: Charlotte possesses a great deal of talent at nearly every position, but the reason that they have yet to make any noise in the NBA is their inexperience. The ‘Cats are young, and with youth comes mistakes. In short, they haven’t lost many baby teeth since being established in 2004.

Of the team’s 14 players, only two (Mohammed, Richardson) have logged minutes in NBA playoff games. Between the two, only Mohammed has been a part of a championship club. The experience and knowledge of new head coach Larry Brown should work wonders for Charlotte’s young core, but will it be enough to pull off their first playoff berth in franchise history?

A coach can only do so much. At some point, you’ve got to start expecting your players to get the job done on the court, as well.

X-Factor

Raymond Felton: The soon-to-be fourth-year guard appears to be on the verge of a “prove your worth” kind of year. Throughout his first three seasons, both head coaches—Bernie Bickerstaff and Sam Vincent—have been wary of using Felton as a full-time point guard, and reverted to experimenting different lineups with the former North Carolina star as a combo guard.

Felton put together career-highs in scoring (14.4 PPG), assists (7.4 APG), and field-goal percentage (41.3%) last season, but he’s got the trust of yet another head coach to earn. This time, however, he’s got some legitimate competition in the background, as D.J. Augustin appears to be as savvy as any other point guard in the 2008 draft class.

It’s time for Felton to break out, and show the most heralded head coach he’s had in his professional career that he belongs in Charlotte...As a point guard.

What to Expect in 2008-2009

Charlotte is on the rise, slowly but surely. The addition of Larry Brown may not push this team into the postseason in year one, but it would be a surprising disappointment if they didn’t move up a few slots in the standings. At worst, expect a late-lottery team, with multiple flashes of brilliance, but I won’t get mad at you if you decide to select the ‘Cats as your 2008-2009 sleeper team, either.

2008-2009 Predictions
35-47
5th in Southeast Division
10th in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Chicago Bulls

30 Teams in 30 Days: Boston Celtics

Dustin Chapman — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 06:48:23 -0400

2007-2008 in Review

Record: 66-16
Eastern Conference Seed: 1
Playoff Results: Won NBA Finals vs. LAL (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Patrick O’Bryant (via free agency), Darius Miles (via free agency), J.R. Giddens (via draft), Bill Walker (via draft).

Key Losses: James Posey (via free agency), P.J. Brown (via retirement), Sam Cassell (???).

It was but 12 months ago that basketball junkies across the nation were questioning the strength of Boston’s bench.

“Do they have enough behind the superstar trio? Will the supporting cast ruin any type of success that this team has a chance of attaining?”

Months later, the naysayers were silenced. However, they were not killed off, and may very well return this fall, as sixth man James Posey elected to decline his player option and sign a lucrative four-year contract with the New Orleans Hornets this summer.

Well aware of the fact that the loss of Posey’s toughness, length, defensive ability, versatility, and clutch shooting cannot be replaced by a single player, Danny Ainge elected to fill the hole with a “backup small forward by committee.”

In the 2008 NBA Draft, he acquired swingmen J.R. Giddens (30th overall) and Bill Walker (via trade, 47th overall), who each have signed contracts with the club. Soon after, Ainge signed returning guard Tony Allen to a two-year deal worth $5 million total (using Bird Rights).

The savvy general manager even went as far as saying that Allen was a better defender than Posey, and is primed for a breakout year.

Then comes the wildcard—Darius Miles, who the Celtics signed to a non-guaranteed deal in late August. Miles not only has had his character questioned, but had specialists deem his damaged right knee a career-ending injury this past April.

Should Miles make the Celtics’ final roster and appear in at least 10 regular season games, the Trail Blazers would be forced to pay off the remaining $18 million of Miles’ contract, originally signed in August of 2004. First, however, Miles must serve the 10-game suspension recently issued by the league for violating the league’s anti-drug program (the drug was found out to be a diet pill).

With roughly half of the team’s mid-level exception, sharpshooter Eddie House was retained with a two-year deal—the second year containing a player option—giving the Celtics at least one reliable shooter off the bench to insert in the lineup down the stretch of ballgames.

The vacancy left by P.J. Brown's retirement called for a new backup center as well. To fill the hole, Boston turned to Golden State Warriors free agent and 2006 ninth-overall pick Patrick O’Bryant. While raw and unproven, the 22-year-old big man gives the C’s something that they hadn’t had in a while—a long, athletic seven-footer.

The last five-man to dawn a Celtics uniform and fit that description was Mark Blount, who certainly didn’t make full use of his physical assets. With hard work and a little help from Clifford Ray, O’Bryant may have a chance to redeem his career in Beantown.

The status of Sam Cassell remains a mystery. In a recent interview, the 38-year-old guard noted that he was close to signing a contract with the Celtics—one year in length, with an option to return as an assistant coach in 2009-2010. Keep your eyes peeled for updates in the coming days, as you’d assume that if the team truly was sold on Cassell coming back as a player for this coming season, they would prefer him to be in camp on Monday. Time will tell.

Depth Chart

C: Kendrick Perkins / Patrick O'Bryant
PF: Kevin Garnett / Leon Powe / Glen Davis / Brian Scalabrine
SF: Paul Pierce / Darius Miles / Bill Walker
SG: Ray Allen / Tony Allen / J.R. Giddens
PG: Rajon Rondo / Eddie House / Gabe Pruitt

Biggest Strength: Team Defense

A year ago, the obvious conclusion would simply be “firepower—Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, and Paul Pierce together is scary.” And it still is, especially after taking the league by storm throughout the 2007-08 season—but that’s not why the men in green were able to earn the franchise’s 17th title this past June.

The reason that the 2008 Boston Celtics came out victorious was not because of Ray Allen’s sweet stroke, Kevin Garnett’s dream shake, or Paul Pierce’s step-back jumper. It was because of how this entire team bought into Tom Thibodeau’s defensive schemes, and displayed some of the best help defense the NBA has seen in a while—perhaps ever.

The big names of Allen, Garnett, and Pierce sold the tickets, but the defensive commitment won them the ring. As cliché as that sounds, it is truer than Paul Pierce’s nickname.

Biggest Weakness: Sloppiness

Oddly enough, the best 2008 NBA team just happened to be one of the most mistake-prone. Only Sacramento, Seattle, and Memphis turned the ball over more than the Celtics in the 2007-08 regular season, as Boston’s 15.2 TOPG clip ranked fourth-worst in the entire league.

In fact, the only other clubs to rank in the bottom-ten in turnovers and still manage to make the playoffs were Atlanta and Denver, who were each sent home at the conclusion of the first round.

Very seldom do NBA champs fail to take care of the ball like Boston did in 2007-08. If anything, that speaks volumes about how strong their strengths really are.

However, it is not ideal for Doc Rivers to watch his team fall that low in the turnover column in 2008-2009. With the additions of four players age 26 or under this offseason, it makes you question whether or not the flaw can be corrected.

X-Factor: Tony Allen

A strong case could be made for Rajon Rondo to be deemed Boston’s 2008-2009 x-factor, but there is a difference between he and “the other” Allen.

With Rondo, you expect improvement. You expect his postseason experience and extra summer of work to translate into better play on the court in his third season. On the contrary, you have absolutely no idea what to expect or make of Tony Allen. You did, however, know exactly what you were getting from James Posey each and every night this past season.

With Posey's services taken down south to the Big Easy, “TA” has a large pair of shoes to fill. Will he take advantage his brand spankin’ new opportunity and return to something similar to early-2007 form—or will he continue to issue Boston fans headaches strong enough to give a bottle of Tylenol a migraine?

What to Expect In 2008-09

By my estimation, the C’s are on top of the world, until proven otherwise. They may very well find themselves below last season’s 66-win plateau, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are no longer the best team in basketball. Don’t think for one minute that this team is going to get comfortable and revert to settling for one ring—they’re going for the repeat.

Standings Predictions

58-24
First in Atlantic Division
First in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Charlotte Bobcats

30 Teams In 30 Days: Atlanta Hawks

Dustin Chapman — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 18:40:07 -0400

2007-2008 In Review

Record: 37-45
Eastern Conference Seed: 8
Playoff Results: Lost to BOS in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (4-3)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: Rick Sund (via general manager change), Maurice Evans (via free agency), Randolph Morris (via free agency), Ronald Murray (via free agency).

Key Losses: Billy Knight (via general manager change), Josh Childress (via free agency – left for Europe), Salim Stoudamire (via free agency).

Atlanta entered the summer of 2008 with a big plate to devour, as both Josh Childress and Josh Smith were set to undergo the process of restricted free agency. The organization grew patient—perhaps too patient—in their negotiations.

Childress was not fond of that, and showed his displeasure by signing a lucrative three-year contract with Olympiakos Piraeus, a Greek club that has been described as a powerhouse. The deal is reportedly worth $32.5 million total, and contains an opt-out clause at the end of each season.

This bold move not only left the Hawks shorthanded, but encouraged a cast of both American and international-born NBA ballplayers to either make the jump or return across the waters.

While Josh Childress packed his bags for Greece, Atlanta was fortunately able to retain the other Josh—taking that a step further, the better Josh. After months of displeasure and inability to come to terms, restricted free-agent forward Josh Smith decided to pressure the Hawks by signing an offer sheet with the Memphis Grizzlies in early August, worth approximately $58 million through five years.

In the blink of an eye, Hawks management elected to exercise their right to match the offer, therefore keeping Smith in Atlanta for the aforementioned contract terms.

However, the Hawks still had work to do, as they remained without a replacement for Childress. On July 29, the club signed energetic swingman Maurice Evans to a three-year, $7.5 million deal to fill the void. Roughly two weeks later, Ronald “Flip” Murray was brought in for insurance in the backcourt.

To add depth up front, Atlanta brought in hometown center Randolph Morris, who inked a two-year deal worth approximately $1.7 million total.

The move that received the least press this offseason, however, was the general manager change, which transpired in late May. Billy Knight, who spent the past five seasons as the team’s GM, resigned and replaced by Rick Sund, who has over 30 years of NBA front-office credentials.

Depth Chart

C: Al Horford / Zaza Pachulia / Randolph Morris
PF: Josh Smith / Solomon Jones / Othello Hunter
SF: Marvin Williams / Thomas Gardner
SG: Joe Johnson / Maurice Evans / Ronald Murray
PG: Mike Bibby / Acie Law / Speedy Claxton

Biggest Strength: Talent

The Hawks are a club that has plenty to prove before being thought of as a legitimate Eastern Conference threat, but they are not to be slept on.

The reason? Sheer talent.

They’ve got one of the NBA’s most complete wings in Joe Johnson, one of the most athletically gifted players in Josh Smith, a savvy and seasoned veteran point guard in Mike Bibby, and two extremely promising youngsters in Al Horford and Marvin Williams.

The talent level within that starting five is undeniable, and because of that—Atlanta is a team that can create problems for the opposition on any given night. Don’t believe me? Just ask Boston.

Biggest Weakness: Depth

As talented as Atlanta’s starting lineup is, they can’t do it all. At some point, you’ve got to turn to your reserves and be able to rely on them for production.

That remains an issue down in “Hotlanta,” as they are truly only about seven deep. The rest of the bench consists of unproven youngsters and veteran point guard Speedy Claxton, who was unable to suit up all of last season and has only appeared in 42 games since signing with Atlanta in the summer of 2006.

The young and industrious Hawks look to have a bright future ahead of them, but they’ll need to strengthen that second unit if they ever want to make noise past the first round of the playoffs. A little size up front wouldn’t hurt, either.

X-Factor: Al Horford

The multitalented 2007-08 Rookie of the Year runner-up (*cough—he was robbed—cough*) has a tough task to fulfill, as Atlanta’s lonesome interior defensive force.

Josh Smith provides a great deal of help as a trenchant roamer, but Horford is the only Hawk with the ability to hold his ground on the inside. With minimal help from the Zaza Pachulias and Randolph Morrises of the world, holding down the middle becomes a difficult load to carry.

Offensively, we know that Horford has the ability to do damage, but he’s yet to develop the aggressiveness to do so on a consistent basis. Horford is a winner—and that can be backed up by the back-to-back national championships he was a part of at the University of Florida—but he’s going to have to make more use of his versatility if he wants to experience success at the NBA level.

Should he take steps toward doing this in 2008-09, and become an even bigger double-double threat, both he and his team will be better off on both ends of the floor.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

With the pending improvements by multiple Eastern Conference clubs—including a few Southeast Division rivals—the Atlanta Hawks may have a tough time topping last season’s record. In fact, it may not be too farfetched to suggest that they could even take a minor hit in the win column.

Expect flashes of brilliance, the downside of a late lottery selection, and the upside of a consecutive first-round exit.

Standings Predictions

37-45
Third in Southeast Division
Eighth in Eastern Conference

Tomorrow: Boston Celtics