Power Ranking The 30 NBA Franchises: Will Miami Heat Be Smiling at The End?
When this past NBA season ended, it was the same as the season before. The Los Angeles Lakers managed to out last the Boston Celtics to capture their second NBA Championship in three consecutive trips to the big show.
Yet somehow they’ve managed to somewhat fall under the radar.
If you weren’t aware, last season was as much about the pending free agent class as breathing is vital to human existence. Everywhere one looked, a question or quote could be read in regards to the subject.
The subject of free agency was filled with all sorts of twists and plots. Everyone and their mother had an opinion on who would go where.
It almost seemed as if the season was nothing more than a prelude to an even greater event.
Nevertheless, the season once again ended with a crownless king. For all the hyping and legend-creating that the media attempted, none were able to hand over a championship as they had a second consecutive MVP award.
The Year Of LeBron
This past season and offseason was clearly about one player and one player only, LeBron James. He has been the headliner who has basically carried the NBA brand for the past six or seven seasons.
With his unrivaled mixture of size, versatility and talent, James has been the product in which the NBA has used to further expose its brand. And in typical fashion, the media was all too willing to comply.
Make no mistake; these past 12 months have been about LeBron James, period.
Last season was about whether LeBron James would finally lead a team to a championship title., and this offseason was solely about where he would spend the prime years of his career.
Sure there were other plots here and there, but none controlled the headlines like James did.
Finally the League Has Balance
LeBron James would not disappoint in terms of making all the hype actually worth paying attention to. His decision to leave his not-quite hometown for the comforts of South Beach Miami turned him into an instant villain.
In not letting the media and any other entity dictate where he would pursue his aspiration of attaining an NBA championship(s), James went from being a crutch of the league to being its unnoticed hero.
By deciding to team up with Dwyane Wade, a player who is every bit James’ peer as Larry Bird was Magic Johnson’s, James had rekindled the flame of competitive nature in the NBA which had been dwindling for the past four to five seasons.
In a society that supposedly teaches freedom of choice, it became vaguely clear that its people are extremely hypocritical and opposed to the notion of freedom of thought.
When so many other players had decided to jump ship from their previous employer, only LeBron James was vilified for it.
Yet we all owe James and the Miami Heat organization a thank-you letter. They’ve provided the NBA brand and fan base with hype like never before.
Not even the return of Michael Jordan from his initial retirement garnered this kind of public attention or media exposure.
With an obvious villain already painted out and so many hunters near or greater in skill, this pending season will be the kind that carries the NBA into a very prosperous future and generate the kind of memories that fans will want to tell their grandkids.
So think what you will. But what shouldn’t go unnoticed is how interesting LeBron James and the Miami Heat have made this 2010-2011 NBA season. You’d have to be a complete fool not to notice.
Anyway, enjoy the team previews and best of luck to all you true fans. We are about to be treated to a era that could possibly rival that of the 1980s…or so I’ve been told.
30. Washington Wizards
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The Washington Wizards replaced over half of last season’s roster, highlighted by the drafting of the No. 1 overall pick of this summer’s NBA draft. Factor in the return of Gilbert Arenas and one could see why there’s hope in DC.
They’ll struggle early on due to chemistry and injuries from Josh Howard and Gilbert Arenas. Come the second half of the season, the Wizards will be a team that may affect the playoff aspirations of quite a few clubs.
Keys to winning: Gilbert Arenas cannot afford to take a passive role on this team. He has to be the No. 1 option and find away to become a better teammate on and off the court.
Rookie John Wall will need to be the engine that runs their defense. He and Kirk Hinrich could pose a serious headache with their full-court defensive pressure.
Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee will need to stay out of early foul trouble because Yi Jianlian is the team’s only respectable big on the bench.
The trio of Arenas, Blatche and Wall will be expected to produce at least 52 points, 16 rebounds, 18 assist, five steals, and one block per game.
Center: JaVale McGee, Hamady N’diaye, Kevin Seraphin
Power Forward: Andray Blatche, Yi Jianlian, Trevor Booker, Hilton Armstrong
Small Forward: Josh Howard, Al Thornton, Cartier Martin
Shooting Guard: Gilbert Arenas, Nick Young
Point Guard: John Wall, Kirk Hinrich, Lester Hudson
29. Philadelphia 76ers
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If you think the 76ers were a poor club last season, wait till you get a load of this year’s edition. The front office did little to address the overcrowded small forward position and failed to draft a player that would fit the system that was already in place.
The team traded away its starting center for a talented but rather inconsistent one. They also have a glaring need for a more traditional player to man the shooting guard position, rather than simply plugging in talented small forwards.
Keys to winning: The 76ers will look to employ a pressure-oriented defense to generate open-court opportunities due to its lack of half-court scorers.They will also lean heavily on second-year point man Jrue Holiday and third-year big Marreese Speights. The two will be greatly needed to assist Andre Iguodala if the team will have any kind of success.
The trio will be expected to produce at least 46 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Spencer Hawes, Tony Battie, Darius Songalia
Power Forward: Elton Brand, Marreese Speights, Craig Brackins
Small Forward: Thaddeus Young, Andres Nocioni, Jason Kapono
Shooting Guard: Andre Iguodala, Jodie Meeks, Evan Turner
Point Guard: Jrue Holiday, Louis Williams
28. Toronto Raptors
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The Raptors have the talent to be a successful club, but that will weigh heavily on how much help Andrea Bargnani will receive this season. With the departure of Chris Bosh, the pressure and opposing defenses' attention will be mostly on Bargnani.
Linas Kleiza, Sonny Weems and Jarrett Jack are players no one is talking about, but they could propel the Raptors into a better-than-expected season.
Keys to winning: The Raptors will need to outscore their opponents because defense won’t be a strong suit of theirs. They’ll rely on a lot of ball movement and open-court opportunities to be successful.
They have two very capable offensive threats in Kleiza and Bargnani, but they are more second options than first options.
The trio of Bargnani, Jack and Kleiza will be expected to produce at least 48 points, 15 rebounds, eight assist, two steals, and one block per game.
Center: Andrea Bargnani, David Andersen, Joey Dorsey
Power Forward: Amir Johnson, Reggie Evans, Ed Davis
Small Forward: Linas Kleiza, Sonny Weems, Julian Wright
Shooting Guard: DeMar DeRozan, Leandro Barbosa
Point Guard: Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Marcus Banks
27. Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers lost the face of their franchise and responded by going 6-2 during the preseason even though they did little to address the departure of LeBron James.
The Cavaliers will be coached by Byron Scott, arguably the perfect coach to handle this dire situation. Scott has taken two teams to the NBA Finals and a couple to Conference Finals.
Keys to winning: J.J. Hickson will be the focal point of the team’s offense this season. Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison will be expected to provide support scoring as well as veteran leadership.
Defense will be the real key for the Cavaliers. If they can provide a consistent effort, they’ll be in contention to win a lot of games.
The trio of Hickson, Jamison and Williams will be expected to produce at least 51 points, 22 rebounds, 10 assist, three steals, and one blocks per game.
Center: Anderson Varejao, Ryan Hollins, Samardo Samuels
Power Forward: J.J. Hickson, Antawn Jamison, Leon Powe
Small Forward: Jamario Moon, Joey Graham, Jawad Williams
Shooting Guard: Anthony Parker, Manny Harris, Christian Eyenga
Point Guard: Mo Williams, Ramon Sessions, Daniel Gibson
26. Indiana Pacers
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Things aren’t looking so good for the Indiana Pacers. They acquired the point guard they’d been searching for since the era of Jamal Tinsley ended, but in doing so they lost arguably their second-best player (Troy Murphy).
The team is extremely young and has a huge void to fill at the power forward position. Couple this with a bench that is loaded with young and unproven talent, and you get a recipe for disaster.
Keys to winning: The Pacers are hoping Roy Hibbert can make the leap into the conversation of top 10 centers after a very productive offseason regimen. He will be expected to be the third head on a three-headed monster that will also feature the newly acquired Darren Collison and team star Danny Granger.
The trio will be expected to produce at least 54 points, 20 rebounds, 12 assist, 5 steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Roy Hibbert, Jeff Foster
Power Forward: Josh Roberts, Tyler Hansbrough, Magnum Rolle
Small Forward: Danny Granger, James Posey, Paul George
Shooting Guard: Mike Dunleavy, Brandon Rush, Dahntay Jones, Lance Stephenson
Point Guard: Darren Collison, A.J. Price, T.J. Ford
25. Phoenix Suns
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The Phoenix Suns are one Steve Nash injury away from being the worst team in the league. That should strike their fans as being odd considering the talent that is on their team.
On paper the team looks has a lot of notable names, too bad most of them play the same positions. The team addressed the Amar’e Stoudemire departure by bringing in a small forward coming off a down year…why?
Keys to winning: The Suns will need to play more zone defense than any other team in the NBA. This is primarily because of the minutes that Hedo Turkoglu will play at the power forward position.
He will need to be a consistent second or third option behind Steve Nash and Jason Richardson. Robin Lopez also will need to carry a significant role offensively.
The trio of Nash, Richardson and Turkoglu will be expected to produce at least 55 points, 15 rebounds, 18 assist, three steals, and one blocks per game.
Center: Robin Lopez, Channing Frye, Garrett Siler
Power Forward: Hedo Turkoglu, Hakim Warrick, Gani Lawal
Small Forward: Grant Hill, Jared Dudley, Earl Clark
Shooting Guard: Jason Richardson, Josh Childess, Matt Janning
Point Guard: Steve Nash, Goran Dragic
24. Minnesota Timberwolves
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The Timberwolves have been laughed at for their offseason roster rebuilding. Many have pitted them at the bottom of the NBA standings. The team just finished the preseason 6-2, proving that the so-called analysts at ESPN and Yahoo Sports aren’t too good at evaluating talent.
The Wolves are going to shock a lot of teams and should the team’s top two players find any consistency, they might even contend for a playoff spot.
The one concern for this team is will they feature Michael Beasley or treat him as the Heat did and just make him another player.
Keys to winning: Beasley will have to exhibit the talents and skills that he’s worked so hard to acquire. Kevin Love will need to be the player he’s been sold as being, and Luke Ridnour will need to take on a Andre Miller-like approach and keep all the youngsters focused on 82 games of basketball.
Rookie Wesley Johnson will also be vital as he’s arguably the team’s best shooter and possibly the most athletically gifted player on its roster.
The trio of Beasley, Johnson and Love will be expected to produce at least 50 points, 24 rebounds, 8 assist, 4 steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Darko Milicic, Nikola Pekovic, Kosta Koufos
Power Forward: Kevin Love, Anthony Tolliver, Lazar Hayward
Small Forward: Michael Beasley, Martell Webster, Maurice Ager
Shooting Guard: Wesley Johnson, Corey Brewer, Wayne Ellington
Point Guard: Luke Ridnour, Jonny Flynn, Sebastian Telfair
23. Detroit Pistons
8 of 31
Detroit has all the pieces needed to be a respectable ball club and even a playoff team. They just need to establish a pecking order of just whose team it is.
They have three to five players who have the talent to lead them in scoring. They just don’t have that true No. 1 who can get a good shot for himself or everyone else.
They also are overstocked with perimeter players. They probably should package a few of their younger players for a really talented interior player.
Keys to winning: Tayshaun Prince is the most important Piston player because he brings the most versatility on offense. It’ll be important that he and Rip Hamilton exceed the level of play that they displayed last season if they are to succeed.
Charlie Villanueva also needs to live up to his lofty contract. Still don’t understand why this guy won’t take the time to use a set of weights.
Center: Ben Wallace, Jason Maxiell, Chris Wilcox
Power Forward: Jonas Jerebko, Charlie Villanueva, Greg Monroe
Small Forward: Tayshaun Prince, Austin Daye, DeJaun Summers
Shooting Guard: Richard Hamilton, Ben Gordon, Tracy McGrady
Point Guard: Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, Terrico White
22. New Jersey Nets
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The New Jersey Nets made more roster upgrades than any team this summer. They bought in 11 new players to assure that last season’s struggles aren’t a part of this upcoming season.
They have a lot of talented pieces to lean on but for some reason chose to take the Phoenix Suns approach by filling their roster with a ton of small forwards, five to be exact. Someone will need to be moved for a backup shooting guard or center.
Keys to winning: Devin Harris has to exceed the level that he played at two seasons ago and Brook Lopez needs to be the dominant force on defense that Dwight Howard and Andrew Bogut are.
The Nets will also lean heavily on the rising star that is Terrence Williams, who’ll compete for the Most Improved Player award.
The team will also need Troy Murphy to provide veteran leadership for a roster lacking a real leader.
The trio of Harris, Williams and Lopez will be expected to produce at least 60 points, 18 rebounds, 13 assist, three steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Brook Lopez, Johan Petro
Power Forward: Troy Murphy, Derrick Favors, Joe Smith, Kris Humphries
Small Forward: Travis Outlaw, Stephen Jackson, Damion James
Shooting Guard: Anthony Morrow, Terrence Williams, Quinton Ross
Point Guard: Devin Harris, Jordan Farmer, Ben Uzoh
21. Charlotte Bobcats
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After making the playoffs for the first time last season, the Bobcats allowed its starting center and point guard to sign elsewhere. Apparently they believe you have to take two steps backwards in order to move forward.
They still have the makings of being a top 10 defense like last season's club. The trouble lies in the uncertainty of their bench and the depth at the center and point positions.
Keys to winning: They need to make a deal to get Boris Diaw out in order to start the Tyrus Thomas project. A deal with Detroit would be an ideal situation because they have numerous pieces that can be moved for Diaw’s salary.
Other than that, they just need to come in with the same focus they displayed once Stephen Jackson came aboard. D.J. Augustin will also be expected to live up to his lottery billing.
Center: Nazr Mohammed, Kwame Brown, DeSagana Diop
Power Forward: Boris Diaw, Tyrus Thomas, Eduardo Najera
Small Forward: Gerald Wallace, Derrick Brown, Dominic McGuire
Shooting Guard: Stephen Jackson, Matt Carroll, Gerald Henderson
Point Guard: D.J. Augustin, Shaun Livingston, Sherron Collins
20. Sacramento Kings
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The Sacramento Kings really aren’t a bad team on paper. They are balanced with inside and perimeter talent that is ready to produce now.
Their only reason for concern is their inexperience and their early injuries to their front court. The reason why they rank so low is because other teams simply got a lot better while they only added two upgrades.
Keys to winning: DeMarcus Cousins is in a position to be the second coming of Tim Duncan and the Kings are hoping that he will run with the opportunity. If he takes advantage of his role at the center position, the Kings will be in great shape.
The team is also hoping for continued growth from Beno Udrih, the sixth-year point man. They will be expected to help last year’s Rookie of the Year, Tyreke Evans, get the team off to a respectable start.
The trio will be expected to produce at least 50 points, 18 rebounds, 12 assists, four steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: DeMarcus Cousins, Samuel Dalembert, Hassan Whiteside
Power Forward: Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Darnell Jackson
Small Forward: Donte Greene, Omri Casspi
Shooting Guard: Tyreke Evans, Francisco Garcia, Antoine Wright
Point Guard: Beno Udrih, Luther Head, Pooh Jeter
19. New York Knicks
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The New York Knicks did a lot of roster reshaping this offseason. But it wasn’t the quality that it had been promising its fans the past three seasons.
The starting five is a well-based unit that should thrive in the seven-second system it runs. The reason for concern lies in the bench and all the young and unproven talent. Plus there’s the cancer that is known as Eddie Curry.
Keys to winning: The Knicks need Amar’e Stoudemire, Raymond Felton and Danilo Gallinari to play at All-Star levels if the Knicks are to compete. Felton especially will have to raise his game and production of a year ago by at least 50 percent.
Anthony Randolph and Toney Douglas are talented and will be vital to the team's bench production.
The trio of Stoudemire, Felton and Gallinari will be expected to produce at least 58 points, 20 rebounds, 15 assist, three steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Ronny Turiaf, Eddie Curry, Timofey Mozgov
Power Forward: Amar’e Stoudemire, Anthony Randolph, Shawne Williams
Small Forward: Danilo Galinari, Bill Walker, Landry Fields
Shooting Guard: Wilson Chandler, Kelenna Azubuike, Roger Mason
Point Guard: Raymond Felton, Toney Douglas, Andy Rautins
18. Los Angeles Clippers
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The Los Angeles Clippers have all four starters that are regarded as top 15 talents at their respective positions. Yet no one is penciling them in as a playoff team.
Why, maybe because team leader Baron Davis hasn’t shown a consistent commitment to living up to his abilities? If Davis can get back to his level of play from three seasons ago, the Clippers will be a very dangerous club.
Keys to winning: Baron Davis needs to be this team's most dominant player mentally and physically. He’s reported to camp in better shape than any point he’s been as a Clipper.
Chris Kaman and Blake Griffin are the most versatile and offensively talented center/power forward tandem and need to play like it.
The trio of Davis, Kaman and Griffin will be expected to produce at least 54 points, 25 rebounds, 14 assist, five steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Chris Kaman, DeAndre Jordan, Jarron Collins
Power Forward: Blake Griffin, Craig Smith, Brian Cook
Small Forward: Rasual Butler, Ryan Gomes, Al-Farouq Aminu
Shooting Guard: Eric Gordon, Randy Foye, Warren Willie
Point Guard: Baron Davis, Eric Bledsoe
17. Golden State Warriors
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There will nothing old about the Golden State Warriors this season. They’ve finally gotten rid of Don Nelson as head coach and have brought in nine new players to follow the lead of head coach Keith Smart.
They’ll score a ton of points but will have an increased focus on defense and the basic components of basketball.
Keys to winning: Monta Ellis will once again be his generation's version of Allen Iverson. The focus must be on the interior defense with David Lee and Andris Biedrins. They two of them are arguably the worst pairing of defensive starting frontcourt players in the league.
Dorell Wright, Dan Gadzuric and Lou Amundson will be vital to the team’s aspiration to improving its defensive reputation.
Center: Andris Biedrins, Dan Gadzuric, Ekpe Udoh
Power Forward: David Lee, Brandan Wright, Louis Amundson
Small Forward: Dorell Wright, Vladimir Radmanovic, Jeff Adrien
Shooting Guard: Monta Ellis, Reggie Williams, Rodney Carney
Point Guard: Stephen Curry, Charlie Bell, Jeremy Lin
16. New Orleans Hornets
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It’s hard to believe that New Orleans won 37 games last season. Especially with Chris Paul playing only 45 games last season. Well Paul is healthy, but the prognosis for the team doesn’t look good.
On paper the team looks like they can compete for a lower seed. However, the team looked everything but like a playoff team this preseason with their 1-7 record even though they were relatively a healthy ball club. Expect that to change when the game counts.
Keys to winning: Someone has to step up and take control over the shooting guard position between Marco Belinelli and Marcus Thornton.
Trevor Ariza will be needed to be a consistent third option behind Paul and David West. It’s a role he should thrive in. The club also needs someone to be that lead big after Emeka Okafor and West.
The trio of Paul, West and Ariza will be expected to produce at least 55 points, 19 rebounds, 15 assist, five steals, and one blocks per game.
Center: Emeka Okafor, D.J. Mbenga, Aaron Gray
Power Forward: David West, Jason Smith, Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Small Forward: Trevor Ariza, Peja Stojakovic, Quincy Pondexter
Shooting Guard: Marco Belinelli, Marcus Thornton, Willie Green
Point Guard: Chris Paul, Jerryd Bayless
15. Houston Rockets
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With Yao Ming out all of last season, the Rockets flirted with being a playoff team early in the season but ultimately fell to the middle of the standings. This season, they will hopefully have their big man for all 82 games, even if it is only for 24 minutes per game.
They are as loaded as a team can get with basically 10 players who could start for a number of teams. Anything short of a playoff berth will be a unsuccessful season for them.
Keys to winning: Yao needs to be extremely efficient and productive in his 24 minutes of play. It would be great if Luis Scola of the FIBA games showed up but that isn’t going to happen.
Kevin Martin needs to make the next step in his growth as a player and Aaron Brooks needs to be more of a facilitator than shot jacker.
Center: Yao Ming, Brad Miller, Chuck Hayes
Power Forward: Luis Scola, Jordan Hill, Patrick Patterson
Small Forward: Shane Battier, Chase Budinger, Jared Jefferies
Shooting Guard: Kevin Martin, Courtney Lee, Jermaine Taylor
Point Guard: Aaron Brooks, Kyle Lowry, Ishmael Smith
14. Memphis Grizzlies
17 of 31
The Grizzlies surprised a lot of people last year. They didn’t beat a lot of the top teams, but they sure destroyed many of the bottom feeders.
This year they will look to make another jump, being that they have a solid bench and four players who are top 15 at their position. They are talented enough and experienced enough to be a playoff club.
Keys to winning: Rudy Gay needs to bring that same focus he displayed in the FIBA games. Mike Conley needs to turn the corner and finally become a middle-of-the-pack point man. He doesn’t need to be a top 10 point for this team to be successful.
Their bench also needs to play up to their talent. Darrell Arthur, Toney Allen, Acie Law, Sam Young, Xavier Henry and Hasheem Thabeet will be extremely vital to the success of this team.
The trio of Gay, Mayo and Randolph will be expected to total 58 points, 18 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and two blocks per game.
Center: Marc Gasol, Hasheem Thabeet, Hamed Haddadi
Power Forward: Zach Randolph, Darrell Arthur
Small Forward: Rudy Gay, Sam Young, DeMarre Carroll
Shooting Guard: O.J. Mayo, Tony Allen, Xavier Henry
Point Guard: Mike Conley, Acie Law, Greivis Vasquez
13. Chicago Bulls
18 of 31
Everyone raved about the Bulls' organization and the moves they made this offseason. In reality, all they did was add three former Utah Jazz players to a core that struggled to get above 40 wins last season.
Derrick Rose is good, but he isn’t as good as Deron Williams, so it’s rather premature to assume that this year's Bulls will be better than last season’s Jazz. They’ll compete but most of their wins will be a struggle.
Keys to winning: Carlos Boozer is out for at least the first month. So the Bulls are basically the same team offensively and defensively. That means added pressure on Rose, Deng and Noah to produce.
Derrick Rose will have to carry a heavy load on the offensive end this entire season. Taj Gibson and James Johnson could help that out by showing up.
The trio of Rose, Boozer and Deng will be expected to produce at least 60 points, 22 rebounds, 12 assist, three steals, and one blocks per game.
Center: Joakim Noah, Omer Asik
Power Forward: Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Brian Scalabrine
Small Forward: Luol Deng, James Jones
Shooting Guard: Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, Keith Bogans
Point Guard: Derrick Rose, C.J. Watson
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
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It’s amazing how many people are blind to how the Thunder got to the playoffs and won 50 games last season. In their final 20 wins, 14 were against teams that missed the playoffs. Of there final 11 defeats, nine were to playoff clubs.
They went 17-9 with 14 games vs. non-playoff teams. They played eight additional games vs. playoff teams that were minus one or multiple starters, while they themselves had their best three players healthy for all 82 games.
It really was the perfect storm for OKC. This year, they won’t catch anyone by surprise.
Keys to winning: This team will not reach its potential until Kevin Durant becomes more of a facilitator and allowing his ultra-talented teammates of Russel Westbrook and Jeff Green to do what they do. The bench has to repeat its contributions of last season also.
The trio of Durant, Westbrook and Green will be expected to produce at least 66 points, 22 rebounds, 15 assists, six steals, and four blocks per game.
Center: Nenad Krstic, Serge Ibaka, Cole Aldrich, Byron Mullens
Power Forward: Jeff Green, Nick Collison, D.J. White
Small Forward: Kevin Durant, Morris Peterson, Royal Ivey
Shooting Guard: Thabo Sefolosha, James Harden, Deaquan Cook
Point Guard: Russell Westbrook, Eric Maynor
11. Milwaukee Bucks
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The Milwaukee Bucks shocked a lot of folks last season by making it to the playoffs. Brandon Jennings and Andrew Bogut proved that there really is no such thing as a basketball expert, only those who guess right and those who guess wrong.
Scott Skiles did a remarkable job at taking a bunch of players who had been written off and molding them into his kind of team. And to think that they even got stronger and possibly deeper at every position this offseason is a very scary thought for their opponents.
Keys to winning: The key to this squad is one man and one man only: John Salmons. Will he return to them like he did the Chicago Bulls, or will he be in midseason mode to start the season? If Salmons is ready, then the Bucks will be a team to be reckoned with.
Drew Gooden will be vital also. He’ll have to hold down the interior scoring until Bogut is fully recovered from last season's injury. Bogut and Jennings will continue their growth as players.
The trio of Bogut, Salmons and Jennings will be expected to produce at least 52 points, 21 rebounds, 12 assist, four steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Andrew Bogut, Jon Brockman
Power Forward: Drew Gooden, Larry Sanders, Ersan Ilyasova
Small Forward: Carlos Delfino, Corey Maggette, L.R. Mbah a Moute
Shooting Guard: John Salmons, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Darington Hobson
Point Guard: Brandon Jennings, Keyon Dooling, Earl Boykins
(Michael Redd)
10. Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz lost four players that were key contributors to last season's playoff club. But to their credit, they did a respectable job of replacing those players with near mirror images in regards to style of play.
With that said, not much should change about the team in regards to production. They should basically be the same 50-plus win club once Okur gets back from his injury late January.
Keys to winning: Size and how well Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap defend the post will weigh heavily on this teams winning. Neither are as big as last year's starters of Okur (injured) and Boozer (Chicago).
A new set of dependable role players will need to establish themselves also. To replace the departed Mathews and Korver, Deron Williams will need a career year.
The trio of Williams, Jefferson and Millsap will be expected to produce at least 58 points, 24 rebounds, 13 assist, two steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Mehmet Okur, Kyrlo Fesenko, Francisco Elson
Power Forward: Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap
Small Forward: C.J. Miles, Andrei Kerilenko, Jeremy Evans
Shooting Guard: Radja Bell, Gordon Hayward
Point Guard: Deron Williams, Ronnie Price, Earl Watson
9. Atlanta Hawks
22 of 31
People are writing off the Atlanta Hawks even though they were a team that won 53 games last season. The Hawks kept its core group of eight in place and made upgrades where they saw fit. It makes little sense to downgrade this team.
The team seemed excited about playing under new head coach Larry Drew this preseason. Either way, the Hawks have the talent in place to remain a top five team in the ever improving Eastern Conference.
Keys to winning: Joe Johnson isn’t going to get any better, so it’s up to Josh Smith and Al Horford to take the next step in their development. Horford has already been selected as an All-Star and Josh Smith has been on the verge on several occasions. Marvin Williams also should look to make the next leap in his development.
They should run with the underdog attitude and embrace that everyone has written them off in favor of teams like Chicago and Milwaukee.
The trio of Johnson, Horford and Smith will be expected to produce at least 52 points, 22 rebounds, 10 assist, four steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Al Horford, Zaza Pachulia, Etan Thomas, Jason Collins
Power Forward: Josh Smith, Josh Powell
Small Forward: Marvin Williams, Maurice Evans, Pape Sy
Shooting Guard: Joe Johnson, Jamal Crawford, Jordan Crawford
Point Guard: Mike Bibby, Jeff Teague
8. San Antonio Spurs
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The Spurs won 50 games last season even though Tony Parker only played in 59 games and Richard Jefferson was in his first year with the team. So it’s logical to think that a healthy club this season can be special.
They appear to have a deeper bench than last season’s club, which arguably surpassed the expectation set upon them.
Keys to winning: Their key three of Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili are the engine in which this ship runs on. If they show up, the Spurs can compete and beat any team on any given night.
Richard Jefferson will be expected to do more than he did last season.
The trio of Duncan, Ginobili and Parker will be expected to produce at least 54 points, 17 rebounds, 15 assist, four steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Tim Duncan, Tiago Splitter
Power Forward: DeJuan Blair, Antonio McDyess, Matt Bonner
Small Forward: Richard Jefferson, Bobby Simmons, James Anderson
Shooting Guard: Manu Ginobili, Gary Neal, Alonzo Gee
Point Guard: Tony Parker, George Hill, Garrett Temple
7. Denver Nuggets
24 of 31
The Denver Nuggets managed to win 53 games even though they only had five players play more than 70 games, two of which were not named Carmelo Anthony and Kenyon Martin who missed a lot of time.
The team upgraded the key positions that were lacking last season but also dealt with trying to find homes for two of last season’s top three scorers.
Look for shooting guard Arron Afflalo to have a huge year. He was brilliant this preseason.
Keys to winning: It’s simple...keep Carmelo Anthony happy, period. As long as they do that and Kenyon Martin can get back from his injury quickly, they’ll be fine.
This team is filled will guys capable of getting 20 plus on any night. They now must find a commitment to defense that last year’s club struggled with at times.
The trio of Anthony, Billups and Al Harrington will be expected to produce at least 60 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assist, three steals, and one block per game.
Center: Nene Hilario, Chris Andersen, Melvin Ely
Power Forward: Kenyon Martin, Al Harrington, Shelden Williams
Small Forward: Carmelo Anthony, Renaldo Balkman, Gary Forbes
Shooting Guard: Arron Afflalo, J.R. Smith
Point Guard: Chauncey Billups, Ty Lawson, Anthony Carter
6. Dallas Mavericks
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The Mavericks didn’t do much this offseason to make themselves any better than last season’s 55-win team. They added Tyson Chandler and are banking on their 2010 draft class to pay dividends.
The team is extremely balanced with capable scorers, defenders and length. The question remains now is how well they will blend.
Keys to winning: The Mavericks need Caron Butler to be the player he was two or three seasons ago. The team will also lean on its talented 7 footers of Chandler and Haywood to control the paint.
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry will do what it is they do. A big question mark surrounds the production that Shawn Marion will produce as his game continues to dwindle away.
The trio of Nowitzki, Butler and Terry will be expected to produce at least 60 points, 15 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and one block per game.
Center: Brendan Haywood, Tyson Chandler, Alexis Ajinca
Power Forward: Dirk Nowitzki, Brian Cardinal, Steve Novak, Ian Mahinmi
Small Forward: Caron Butler, Shawn Marion
Shooting Guard: Jason Terry, Dominique Jones, DeShawn Stevenson
Point Guard: Jason Kidd, Jose Juan Barea, Rodrigue Beaubois
5. Orlando Magic
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The Orlando Magic organization did a lot of talking because of the Heat’s offseason moves and showed a classlessness not witnessed in the NBA for quite some time. They should have been focused on trying to upgrade a team that reached its ceiling last season.
The Magic will be a top four team, as they were last year, because they are so deep in the talent pool and it’ll only change once they get a consistent closer.
Keys to winning: Dwight Howard must become his team's go-to scorer. If that doesn’t happen, the Magic will be nothing more than a regular season juggernaut.
Vince Carter is old but still better than 90 percent of the players at his position from a offensive stand-point, so he needs to show that.
Rashard Lewis needs to find his game of two seasons ago. Quentin Richardson should see touches on the post also.
The trio of Howard, Carter and Lewis will be expected to produce at least 56 points, 25 rebounds, six assists, three steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Dwight Howard, Marcin Gortat, Daniel Orton
Power Forward: Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, Malik Allen
Small Forward: Rashard Lewis, Quentin Richardson, Mickael Pietrus
Shooting Guard: Vince Carter, J.J. Redick
Point Guard: Jameer Nelson, Chris Duhon, Jason Williams
4. Portland Trail Blazers
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The Portland Trail Blazers were one of the most injury-riddled teams last season. Especially the team’s center position, but luckily they were able to land Marcus Camby in a trade.
They signed Wesley Matthews this offseason, but that was pretty much it. They are banking on being healthy and letting their balance and developing talents carry them.
Nicolas Batum will have a breakout season and compete for a All-Defensive team spot.
Keys to winning: Brandon Roy needs to take that next step where he’s aggressive for 82 games rather than 50. He too often plays down to the level of his competition and no longer will that be enough. Same applies for LaMarcus Aldridge, who had a great preseason.
For the most part, however, they just need to stay healthy so their talent and size can take over.
The trio of Roy, Aldridge and Batum will be expected to produce at least 58 points, 18 rebounds, nine assist, four steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Greg Oden, Marcus Camby, Joel Pryzbilla
Power Forward: LaMarcus Aldridge, Fabricio Oberto, Dante Cunningham
Small Forward: Nicolas Batum, Wesley Matthews, Luke Babbitt
Shooting Guard: Brandon Roy, Rudy Fernandez, Elliot Williams
Point Guard: Andre Miller, Patrick Mills, Armon Johnson
3. Boston Celtics
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The Boston Celtics reminded everyone last year that they were far from dead. They finished a few possessions short of capturing their second championship in three seasons. They know they left a title on the table and are eager to get make up for their shortcomings.
To try and insure that they return for a third trip to the Finals in four year, they retooled an already deep team by adding Shaquille O’Neal and Jermaine O’Neal. The depth in which this team has is nearly unrivaled.
Where they will struggle is the dependability with their bench as it is young and filled with players who have a history of disappearing in the post season.
Keys to winning: Kevin Garnett needs to return to his dominant form of two seasons ago. That means he needs to stay healthy. Paul Pierce has to be who he was in 2007-2008.
Rajon Rondo is posed for a huge year and with him so goes the Celtics. Shaquille needs to be seen and not heard.
The trio of Garnett, Piercer and Rondo will be expected to produce at least 51 points, 22 rebounds, 18 assists, five steals, and two blocks per game.
Center: Shaquille O’Neal, Kendrick Perkins, Jermaine O’Neal
Power Forward: Kevin Garnett, Glen Davis, Semih Erden, Luke Harangody
Small Forward: Paul Pierce, Marquis Daniels
Shooting Guard: Ray Allen, Von Wafer, Avery Bradley
Point Guard: Rajon Rondo, Nate Robinson, Delonte West
2. Miami Heat
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The Miami Heat had an offseason that won’t be forgotten for quite a long time. They managed to pair the second most efficient player over the past seven seasons with the player that’s been No. 1 in that category over the same duration.
And to add further insult to the rest of the NBA, they added the guy who finished fourth in the category also.
In bringing together Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James, the Heat managed to put together arguably the greatest trio of talent in NBA history. With such an accomplishment, much should be expected.
Keys to winning: Defense will be the key to the success of this team because honestly the three big name guys don’t have offensive games that compliment each other as a trio. They’ll need to evolve and add more dimensions to their offensive repertoires to make this work.
LeBron James is the best candidate to change the way he plays, because he is more versatile physically. The outside shooting of the weak supporting cast will be vital because teams will pack the paint on them.
The trio of Wade, James and Bosh will be expected to produce at least 66 points, 24 rebounds, 17 assists, five steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Joel Anthony, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jamaal Magloire, Dexter Pittman
Power Forward: Chris Bosh, Udonis Haslem, Juwan Howard
Small Forward: LeBron James, Mike Miller, James Jones
Shooting Guard: Dwyane Wade, Jerry Stackhouse
Point Guard: Mario Chalmers, Eddie House, Carlos Arroyo
1. Los Angeles Lakers
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The Lakers did what many didn’t believe or wanted them to do. They won consecutive titles. Sure their Finals’ match-up could have gone in an unsavory manner, but it didn’t and people should respect that.
They had a few players leave but quickly retooled the team. Most are regarding them as an even better team than the one that just got crowned NBA champions. I guess we’ll see if that is the case, come next June.
Keys to winning: Pau Gasol must finally be featured on the offensive end. Bryant is still the more versatile scorer on the team but Gasol is way more efficient and allows the other three starters to be who they are.
They must utilize their length advantage and stay committed on the defensive end.
The trio of Bryant, Gasol and Bynum will be expected to produce at least 66 points, 26 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and three blocks per game.
Center: Andrew Bynum, Theo Ratliff
Power Forward: Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, Derrick Caracter
Small Forward: Ron Artest, Matt Barnes, Luke Walton, Devin Ebanks
Shooting Guard: Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown, Sasha Vujacic
Point Guard: Derek Fisher, Steve Blake
What To Expect This Season
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This season will be mainly about three teams: Miami, Los Angeles and Boston. They are the front runners to compete for the NBA title of champion.
There are other teams which will be regular-season juggernauts: Portland, Orlando, Dallas and Atlanta. However, they have a lot of work to do before they can compete with the big three.
The league will look to over-promote teams like Chicago and Oklahoma City but they will prove that much of the offseason hype about them wasn’t warranted.
Look for New Orleans, Indiana, Milwaukee and Memphis to shock many people who don’t cheer for them. All four of them will make a strong push at a playoff seed should their top three players play up to their abilities.
However, in the end, I say the Miami Heat edge’s out the Portland Trail Blazers in a five-game series.
So good luck, NBA fans. This will be a season none of us will forget.
