The NBA: What I Think So Far

The basketball season has just begun and at this early stage in the season let's see which teams are living up to the hype (or mediocrity) and which teams are already disappointments. 

Obviously, it is still very early in the season, but these are my first impressions of the 2008-2009 season.

Teams living up to the hype

Boston Celtics: No surprise here as they're off to another fast start.  Paul Pierce's confidence has sky-rocketed following his MVP performance in last season's Finals and his level of play has reaped the benefits.

They need to keep their legs fresh and injuries down. The Celtics HAVE to be healthy in the post season as opposed to playing for home court advantage in the regular season.

Los Angeles Lakers: Season's like this are why Phil Jackson still coaches.  He has a star player to finish off games, a low-post European threat who dominates first quarters, a young seven-foot beast in his rotation, and he gets to play mind games with a talented 6'11" point-forward all season long. 

The only thing missing would have been if they could have picked up a head case that he could pick on.  Dennis Rodman is a free agent?  Just for fun.

Detroit/Denver: Early showings looked like this was going to be a tough season for Detroit after the Allen Iverson-Chauncey Billups trade.  After defeating both the Lakers and Cavs, it seems like Iverson is starting to find his rhythm with the Pistons. 

On paper, the Nuggets have always looked good, but with Billups playing the role of Carmelo Anthony's new best friend; he is exactly the steady force the Nuggets have been lacking in the Melo era.  Too bad they sold off Marcus Camby. If healthy, he may have made the Nuggets one of the better defensive teams in the league.

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James is on a mission.  I believe he wants to stay in Cleveland, but if the Cavs don't come close to a title (in Lebron's eyes) this year, they will have to win it next year or he is gone in 2010.

Phoenix Suns: The regular season doesn't matter to them; they just need to get into the playoffs healthy.  When the postseason starts they are a team that is capable of beating any team in a seven-game series. 

They could get bounced in the first round or make a dream run and win the NBA Championship.  Not many teams can say that and not be surprised either way.  Anything can happen with them.

Orlando Magic: They are on pace to do about the same as last year, but are still missing a piece of the puzzle.  Maybe as Dwight Howard matures, he'll take them to the next level or they'll have to go out and pick up a superstar wing because Rashard Lewis isn't the answer.

Utah Jazz: They are a lot like Orlando. They'll do well in the regular season, make some noise in the post season, but nobody expects them to contend for a title.

Portland Trail Blazers: Everyone knew they would be good this year.  They made a playoff run last year. Add that experience to Greg Oden and Rudy Fernandez and I don't think anyone is surprised. They will continue to make strides as the season goes along.

Teams living up to mediocrity

Indiana: They attempted a shake up and the results have been so-so.  They are a descent team and have always been.

Mike Dunleavy has been out and Danny Granger keeps them in games.  T.J. Ford has been healthy and playing well thus far, but there really is nothing to get excited about.

This is a team that needs to bomb a regular season or two in the upcoming years and get a franchise player in the draft.  Other than that I don't really see any hope or despair on the horizon.

Charlotte: I've heard rumors of a shakeup involving Gerald Wallace for a legit center to compliment Emeka Okafor.  They are a floundering franchise in need of some direction and GM Michael Jordan is not the answer.  I'm not very impressed with their draft picks and it will be interesting how long Larry Brown will stick around.

Milwaukee: What they need is a once-in-a-generation player to come from Milwaukee, tank their season when he is draft eligible and pray the lottery gods/David Stern are on their side to make them relevant again.

New Jersey: They made the second-best trade last year in getting Devin Harris for Jason Kidd.  Harris has made the trade look like a steal. Once they get rid of Vince Carter and use his money for an actual star, they should be contenders for years to come.

Sacramento: I hate that they have fallen back into the realm of mediocrity.  Watching them play big games in their arena on TNT back in the Chris Webber/Mike Bibby days is what the NBA should be about every night.  They had their window and now that era is over; they need to find out how to get back there.  They have some young talent, but nobody expects much from them.

Memphis: It's too bad Mike Conley has looked awful so far this season.  With Rudy Gay/O.J. Mayo showing flashes of superstardom and Marc Gasol/Darrell Arthur playing solid in the post, this team would look very dangerous for years to come, but Conley hasn't added to his game and has regressed.

Teams exceeding expectations

New York Knicks: Everyone knew they would be better under Mike D'Antoni, but the difference he has made from last year is remarkable.  Coming from someone who lives in New York, wins and losses aside, he has brought an immediate rejuvenation to the culture and view of this team that had been lost under the Isaiah Thomas regime.

Atlanta Hawks: They have taken a bit of a fall over the past few games, but it is great to see a team pick up where they left off the previous year and build on a moral victory.  No, they didn't beat the Celtics, but taking them to seven games showed the Hawks how they need to play if they want to be a contending team. 

It's too bad their ownership will ultimately destroy what they have going on, but they are one of more fun teams to watch in the league right now.

We expected more from these teams

(It is too early to call some of these teams disappointments, but I didn't want to put teams into a wait and see category.)

Toronto: Chris Bosh is one of the most dominate low-post threats in the league and is showing why this year.  With a player like him you shouldn't be hovering around .500. 

I like the Jermaine O'Neal trade; it reminds me of the Shaq trade last year when Amare Stoudemire exploded.  They need some help on the wings to do anything in the playoffs.  Maybe Bargnani will finally begin to come into his own.

Philadelphia: Elton Brand was supposed to turn this team into a legit contender.  He looks like he has lost a step, or maybe it is just still recovering from his injury last year.  At this point there championship aspirations look extremely premature.

Chicago: This team was supposed to be contending right now.  They were supposed to have these young studs in Luol Deng, Tyrus Thomas, and Ben Gordon.  I was always disappointed with the Thomas pick (they should have taken LaMarcus Aldridge).

This was a playoff team two years ago and it has disintegrated greatly.  Derrick Rose is an obvious star who will bring them back to prominence, but that frontcourt is absolutely atrocious and Deng seems to have hit his peak and hasn't improved into the player most thought he would.  Gordon is an unbelievable sixth man, but no more than that.

Miami: It may take a while to get Beasley on board in order to see what kind of player he is capable of being.  Watching him play, he doesn't seem the type who is looking to improve his game in the gym for hours and hours.  He seems content with letting his natural ability take over. 

A healthy Dwayne Wade team should be contending and not floating around .500 either.  Wade and Bosh need to hook up when their contracts expire. Wouldn't that be fun?

Washington: The Gilbert Arenas contract was a monumental mistake and will cripple this franchise like Grant Hill did to the Magic.  At the same time, no team with two former All-Stars in their prime should be 1-8; especially in the NBA, where individual players like Arenas and Antawn Jamison make all the difference.

Minnesota: Minnesota is a disappointing franchise period.  They failed to surround Garnett with championship-level players and then gave him away to the Celtics.  The Celtics were floundering as bad as the Timberwolves, so would it have been a huge stretch for the T-Wolves to get Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and win a championship last year?

Oklahoma City: Kevin Durant can score, but he doesn't seem to have the ability to make his teammates better that elite players need to have. I think that is the reason for their 1-9 start.  I was hoping for more improvement in Durant's game this year and haven't seen it.

Golden State: They are the anti-Hawks.  They were unable to build on the success from their playoff run two years ago.  They are a team with no direction that continues to give away money to scorers who don't play defense and proceed to draft, tall, and thin big men with potential, who collect DNP-CD game after game.

Clippers: They have decent players and a decent coach, but it's their culture to be disappointing and it would be disappointing and weird if they were good.

New Orleans: Major disappointment this year.  They were supposed to have an elite season and contend for the championship.  Of course they still have that chance, but I was expecting them to be firing on all cylinders when the season started?

Houston: They are still adjusting to fit Ron Artest into their system and are in first place in the pathetic Southwest division

However, Tracy McGrady doesn't look good.  He seems to have too much wear and tear on him to find the game he had 2-3 years ago.  He doesn't look like the kind of player that can carry a team anymore and that's what the Rockets needed from him this year if they were going to contend. I don't think they will go far and probably get knocked out in the first round again.

San Antonio: Yes, the Spurs have injuries to two of their star players, but their record speaks for itself.  I expect any team with the greatest power forward of all-time to play better than they have showed so far this season. 

Yes, they will probably be in the playoffs again this year.  But, after watching them lose last year and watching their role players this year, they are getting old. They are going to have to find some talented youth if they want to be contenders this year and beyond.

Dallas: No team has fallen from grace faster than the Mavericks.  A few years ago they were hosed in the NBA finals by refs calling imaginary fouls for Wade.  Then when their "season" came around, they were embarrassed by the Warriors in the first round. 

Now, they barely look like a playoff team.  Hopefully Mark Cuban's SEC crisis won't take up too much of his time because it will be fun to see how he handles a losing team he has invested so much in.