NBA
Here’s the thing about pre-season previews. It’s a time for people to sound off and pass judgment on who will be hot and who will be not. While many craft these learned opinions from years of the kind of experience that I don’t have, I do think that making pre-season predictions about anything past the first month of the regular season is, really, pretty arbitrary.
As the Jazz training camp begins in beautiful downtown Boise, I’m reminded of a question that’s been in the back of my mind. Looking at this year’s schedule, this team indeed has their work cut out for them.
The Jazz have six extended road trips this season, four of them focused on Eastern conference teams.
If the Jazz hope to break into the playoffs, these trips will be vital to achieve that goal.
Here’s my question: if you had a Kirilenko `freebee,’ where would you spend it?
Let us consider it together:
With the NBA season quickly coming upon us, it is up to every sports writer to offer his or her expert opinion on what exactly will come of the 2006-2007 season. Their answer? They have no idea. The Heat retain all the same players from the team that defeated the Mavericks in 6 games a year ago, but they also are one of the oldest teams in the league. Teams such as the Bucks, Bulls, Clippers, and Grizzlies are being questioned whether or not their “promising” youth can lead them further into the playoffs. On the other side are teams like the Cavaliers, Suns, Nets, and Mavericks; teams that have been hanging around the past few years around the entrance to the NBA Finals, only to be turned down like the dorky kid at a dance. And before I go on and mention every NBA team, let us not forget about the talented but chemistry lacking squads such as the Knicks, Blazers, and Raptors. All your questions will be answered, starting with the Eastern Conference:
Tuesday was already shaping up to be a great day for the Bay Area. The A’s continued to pull away in the AL West, the Giants inched closer toward the NL Wild Card, the Raiders were enjoying their 4-0 preseason record, and the new Too Short album was set to hit stores. Fun for the whole family. And yet by 9 AM, all anyone could talk about was a 66-year-old man coming out of retirement (no, not Jeff George). After 12 brutal years, Don Nelson has finally returned as head coach of the Golden State Warriors, singlehandedly saving the team’s most disappointing offseason in years.
There is absolutely no reason I should be sitting here talking or, rather yet, thinking about basketball, especially since the NFL is about two weeks away from kicking off. Yet, here I am, with no choice.
There has been such a flurry of activity, especially in the East, that I have no choice but to sit back and try to make sense of any of what has happened.
So, with a long way until the start of the season, I give you: My Eastern Conference Playoff Scenario.
Close but no cigar is a very good description of the Dallas Mavericks’ season. After taking a dominant 2-0 lead against the Miami Heat, the Mavericks faltered losing 2-4 in a complete team collapse. Though they can blame the refs, the team ultimately has to blame themselves for playing scared in the waning moments of the final four games. Josh Howard and Devin Harris lost their nerves in critical moments that contributed to crucial losses.
Marc Cuban is no stranger to the offseason. In the last five years, many big names, such as Antawn Jamison, Antoine Walker, Nick Van Exel, and Steve Nash, offered their services at some point in their careers. Cuban’s array of moves is probably the sole reason the team has always be a very successful team and naturally a shoo-in for the playoffs. Cuban continues the trend as he has been very adamant in acquiring playoff savvy and experienced veterans to instill the degree of poise necessary to battle pressure and finish games.
Different starting lineup, same result. Team USA cruised to a 119-73 blowout victory over China by applying pressure defense, finding steals, and forcing turnovers. The team is pumped and ready to start competition. Here is the second set of reports with a few added categories:
Last Thursday, Team USA dictated play on both ends of the court en route to a 114-69 blowout victory over Puerto Rico. Showing poise and passion, Team USA is off to a great start in reestablishing America as the king of basketball. Though I do not like to base performance on one game, here are my notes on each player’s performance that may prove critical when determining the final twelve.
This proved to be a double-edged sword, in that the contracted amount is low enough to demonstrate the predicament Thomas is in, as far as “salary cap and luxury tax hell”. If the contract was for, what many deem to be the fair market value for a decent or unproven NBA Center, somewhere in the range of $5million for 3 years then the Knicks not matching would be more palatable.
Longtime Hornet icon Baron Davis is dishing dimes in the Bay Area, but the New Orleans Hornets still have sting. The Rookie of the Year turned team leader overnight, Chris Paul, has done an admirable job at point guard. His 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 7 assists performance this season resulted in an assortment of individual accolades such as Rookie of the Year, ESPY Breakthrough Athlete of the Year, and Team USA finalist for the World Championships.
Under CP’s era, the Hornets almost made the playoffs, reaching the seventh seed midseason. Unfortunately, the Kings and Lakers went on ferocious runs to close out the season, leaving the Hornets on the outside looking in. Given the lack of depth on the roster, the Hornets had to feel good about themselves. With just a few more pieces, mainly outside shooters, they will definitely be in the playoff hunt for seasons to come.