I am not the best writer in the world. You can print that. However, I do love to write and I especially love to write about basketball. Basketball is my passion and I may make completely disillusioned statements because I love the game so much. That is part of the fun. Anybody can write about how Kobe is good and the Lakers won the Finals. Everybody who watches and cares about basketball knows certain things, but it's guys who can make these grand statements (myself included to a FAR LESSER extent) that make basketball blogging that much better. A guy that really cares about what he's covering to the extent that it seems more maniacal than biased is the type of blogging I want to read. Everybody should, actually, because isn't our favorite blogger an extension of us, the fan? Nobody who doesn't care is going to read anyway.
ESPN has something called the "TrueHoop Network." It is a collection of guys who independently cover respective teams whether being just free press or just rabid fans. Some guys, like Cleveland Cavaliers blogger John Krolik and Sacramento Kings blogger Zach Harper, have become extremely entertaining and truly credible writers that have massive followings. These guys still keep in the spirit of blogging. They are passionate about what they cover and in most cases (if not all) they don't receive a dime from ESPN. These guys are part of the reason I write; similar passion for the game and teams they blog about, little guys (at one point) and they just want to have fun discussing all things basketball. It's been a dream of mine to be one of these guys and it continues to be.
However, ESPN has proven that it doesn't care about it's TrueHoop Network. TrueHoop was the fan, it was the little guy, it was all the crazy passionate opinions you had in your head in blog form, with your particular TrueHoop team affiliate (all former bloggers for their respective teams with no ESPN affiliation) as the searchlight that made your ideas shine. It was a great thing for fans and NBA nuts...until LeBron went to Miami.
Now, the same fun that NBA fans had reading about their teams from guys just like us, is no longer. LeBron is in Miami and it's a big story. You won't be able to find Matthew Bunch and Surya Fernandez on TrueHoop anymore because they had to find sexier names in Brian Windhorst (LeBron's teet-suckler since high school) and Michael Wallace (a guy already employed as the Miami Heat's beat writer). Instead of a community of bloggers just like us that want the real deal and the raw emotions that go with it, we have to start settling for guys with established names. TrueHoop used to be about no-namers who loved talking basketball, not guys who have the latest juicy gossip. Keep those guys on the front page and leave our TrueHoop Network alone! It was fine as it was! I know money wins at the end of the day (since there will be more hits for a Windhorst article than a Fernandez article, therefore more advertising interest) but why take this small, beautiful place from actual fans who want it so badly?
Most of you probably don't know TrueHoop and all the nights it filled for me when I got home from work at 3 am with nobody to talk to. I got a chance to read articles and blogs from guys just like me. Regular dudes that love basketball and go out of their way to talk about it. Matthew and Surya will still be MY Miami Heat bloggers because they do things the same way I do; without just chasing a dollar but actually giving a crap.
Check out Hot Hot Hoops and read this:
http://www.hothothoops.com/2010/10/04/hot-hot-hoops-will-not-be-affiliated-with-espn-as-of-oct-11/
Long live Matthew and Surya! Long live giving a damn about the NBA, even if it isn't the sexy topic of the hour!
Monday, October 11, 2010
Thursday, October 7, 2010
The Nissan National Basketball Association; The NBA and Corporate Sponsorship
"$155 million in revenue..."
The English Premier league soccer league earns a reported $155 million in revenue a year from corporate partnership/ad space on uniforms. $155 million buys A LOT of soccer balls. Yeah, it's Europe and it's been going on a long time. But, holy buckets an extra $155 million in revenue is nothing to be sniffed at. That's $149,999,500 more than I have in my bank account.
As the NBA is headed toward a possible (probable) lockout and 'money' is a key reason, it's not insane to think that the NBA is headed in the same direction as the English Premier League. It makes total sense from a fiscal standpoint, whether it ruins the integrity of the league or not. The truth is, the NBA itself is a whore for corporate sponsorship at every turn even without having sponsor patches on their jerseys. Everything from promotional nights, pre/postgame shows, highlight reels, team functions to the names of the vast majority of arenas have corporate sponsorship to generate extra revenue. Why not adopt the English Premier League's jersey ad space cash cow? Is the game less meaningful if there is ad space on the unis? No. Might the game excel in a lot of different areas with the injection of an extra $155 million or more? YES! Maybe take it a step further and just have the corporate partner name be the team name. That's gotta be worth some serious dough. So for fun, let's look at teams' new names based on local corporate sponsorship interests.
The Atlanta Coca-Cola (or Cokes which would be coached by Michael Ray Richardson)
The Boston Staples (that should sufficiently piss off Laker fans)
The Charlotte Red Ventures (a step up from the Bobcats, honestly)
The Chicago Boeings (to think, Air Jordan could've been on the Boeings!)
The Cleveland Goodyears (now that LeBron is gone, the good years are behind them...see what I did there?)
The Dallas Texas Energy (can't really call them the Dallas Cubans)
The Denver Qwest (works with their current Qwest to keep Carmelo)
The Detroit General Motors (once dominant team with a once dominant company name)
The Golden State Gaps (The Golden State Craigslists finished a close second)
The Houston Exxon-Mobils (because Yao needs to refuel)
The Indiana Consecos (Personally, I like the Indiana Steak n Shakes)
The Los Angeles Guess (obviously the Clippers...err former Clippers in this case)
The Los Angeles Walt Disneys (the former Lakers; they win a lot of titles so why not name them after the theme park they frequent?)
The Memphis FedEx (they can ship their championship aspirations away more efficiently)
The Miami Burger Kings (insert LeBron James joke here)
The Milwaukee Harley-Davidsons (The Milwaukee Manpower was runner up. Conclusion: Milwaukee would have a badass name regardless)
The Minnesota Targets (if only anybody targeted them)
The New Jersey ONEXIM (Mikhail Prokhorov does own them after all)
The New Orleans Tidewater (too soon?)
The New York...ugh...good God...too many options
The Oklahoma City QuikTrips (this should really be the Seattle Starbucks)
The Orlando Air(Trans) (Dwight Howard can fly and so could Vince Carter...if it's a contract year)
The Philadelphia Comcasts (no joke for this name...which is weird since this team is laughable)
The Phoenix Go Daddy (this team GOES, DADDY! Don't worry, no intentions of quitting my day job)
The Portland Microsoft (short for MicrofracturesSoftTeam)
The Sacramento Intel (you know the 'ding, ding-ding-ding-ding' noise Intel uses? It should remind you of the noise the rim makes as Sacramento bricks a lot of shots)
The San Antonio Valeros (really grasping at straws for a San Antonio sponsor but this name sounds cool. Small market basketball ladies and gents!)
The Toronto Fairmonts (please tell me somebody else is a Jiminy Glick fan)
The Utah Million Airs (much more fun than the Utah Mormons)
The Washington Posts (great basketball team name; if only their post players were as good at post play as Woodward and Bernstein were at reporting)
If think this corporate naming thing should happen.
The English Premier league soccer league earns a reported $155 million in revenue a year from corporate partnership/ad space on uniforms. $155 million buys A LOT of soccer balls. Yeah, it's Europe and it's been going on a long time. But, holy buckets an extra $155 million in revenue is nothing to be sniffed at. That's $149,999,500 more than I have in my bank account.
As the NBA is headed toward a possible (probable) lockout and 'money' is a key reason, it's not insane to think that the NBA is headed in the same direction as the English Premier League. It makes total sense from a fiscal standpoint, whether it ruins the integrity of the league or not. The truth is, the NBA itself is a whore for corporate sponsorship at every turn even without having sponsor patches on their jerseys. Everything from promotional nights, pre/postgame shows, highlight reels, team functions to the names of the vast majority of arenas have corporate sponsorship to generate extra revenue. Why not adopt the English Premier League's jersey ad space cash cow? Is the game less meaningful if there is ad space on the unis? No. Might the game excel in a lot of different areas with the injection of an extra $155 million or more? YES! Maybe take it a step further and just have the corporate partner name be the team name. That's gotta be worth some serious dough. So for fun, let's look at teams' new names based on local corporate sponsorship interests.
The Atlanta Coca-Cola (or Cokes which would be coached by Michael Ray Richardson)
The Boston Staples (that should sufficiently piss off Laker fans)
The Charlotte Red Ventures (a step up from the Bobcats, honestly)
The Chicago Boeings (to think, Air Jordan could've been on the Boeings!)
The Cleveland Goodyears (now that LeBron is gone, the good years are behind them...see what I did there?)
The Dallas Texas Energy (can't really call them the Dallas Cubans)
The Denver Qwest (works with their current Qwest to keep Carmelo)
The Detroit General Motors (once dominant team with a once dominant company name)
The Golden State Gaps (The Golden State Craigslists finished a close second)
The Houston Exxon-Mobils (because Yao needs to refuel)
The Indiana Consecos (Personally, I like the Indiana Steak n Shakes)
The Los Angeles Guess (obviously the Clippers...err former Clippers in this case)
The Los Angeles Walt Disneys (the former Lakers; they win a lot of titles so why not name them after the theme park they frequent?)
The Memphis FedEx (they can ship their championship aspirations away more efficiently)
The Miami Burger Kings (insert LeBron James joke here)
The Milwaukee Harley-Davidsons (The Milwaukee Manpower was runner up. Conclusion: Milwaukee would have a badass name regardless)
The Minnesota Targets (if only anybody targeted them)
The New Jersey ONEXIM (Mikhail Prokhorov does own them after all)
The New Orleans Tidewater (too soon?)
The New York...ugh...good God...too many options
The Oklahoma City QuikTrips (this should really be the Seattle Starbucks)
The Orlando Air(Trans) (Dwight Howard can fly and so could Vince Carter...if it's a contract year)
The Philadelphia Comcasts (no joke for this name...which is weird since this team is laughable)
The Phoenix Go Daddy (this team GOES, DADDY! Don't worry, no intentions of quitting my day job)
The Portland Microsoft (short for MicrofracturesSoftTeam)
The Sacramento Intel (you know the 'ding, ding-ding-ding-ding' noise Intel uses? It should remind you of the noise the rim makes as Sacramento bricks a lot of shots)
The San Antonio Valeros (really grasping at straws for a San Antonio sponsor but this name sounds cool. Small market basketball ladies and gents!)
The Toronto Fairmonts (please tell me somebody else is a Jiminy Glick fan)
The Utah Million Airs (much more fun than the Utah Mormons)
The Washington Posts (great basketball team name; if only their post players were as good at post play as Woodward and Bernstein were at reporting)
If think this corporate naming thing should happen.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
2010-11 Northwest Division Preview
DENVER NUGGETS: The Nuggets aren't looking so hot these days. To the untrained eye that is. They are going to be just as good as last season. 'WHAAAA? But Carmelo is LEAVING! They're DOOMED!' People need to curb their panic, honestly. This team might be better off WITHOUT Carmelo Anthony. I honestly think Carmelo is overvalued in the league (ala Stoudemire). He's a ball stopper on offense and takes ill advised shots. The only person who thinks Carmelo can shoot 3s (which he does a lot) is Carmelo Anthony. There's a lot more talent on this team and they could flourish without Carmelo dominating everything while being ineffective if you really look at the game film. Think about Michael Redd in Milwaukee, he was Milwaukee's best player and highest scorer but when he went down the offense opened up and other players proved their value. It is a team game after all.
When Carmelo leaves (and he will before the trade deadline), the Nuggets have a solid nucleus in place. They picked up Al Harrington (aka Carmelo Anthony light) who does a lot of what Carmelo does but won't be forced to do as much, because the perception was Carmelo is that damn good so he should do more. Nene is going to impress this year, big men historically take longer to come into their own. He's 28, his role will expand and he's primed to have a career year. I'm gaga over Ty Lawson! This guy looks reeeeally good. He's 22 and played clutch in the playoffs, stealing minutes from Chauncey Billups. So as Chauncey will inevitably decline, Lawson will be right there and could maybe exceed him immediately. JR Smith and Chris Andersen might just be the best energy one/two punch off the bench that you can find in this league. They can singlehandedly increase a lead or bring the Nuggets back when the team is sluggish. Not to mention, the Nuggets could pick up some nice young post players/energy guys in a trade for Carmelo. These guys are going to be better than anyone thinks even if they aren't as sexy as years past.
Players I LOVE:
Nene & Ty Lawson: See above.
Players I HATE:
Carmelo Anthony: See above.
Kenyon Martin: If the Carmelo Anthony saga isn't enough, Kenyon has decided he needs to be a distraction too. He's already talking about taking his rehab slowly, in a more 'screw you guys' way than an 'I'm doing the smart thing' way. True NBA warriors don't make statements like that and immediately talk about their contract situation. You're rehabbing slower because your an asshole, Kenyon, not because you want to be smart about it.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota has a better team this year. They still suck, but they could double their win total (which is still only 30 wins) from last year. The real problem is that it looks like most other bad teams in the West improved as well. I don't think opposing teams can look at the T-wolves as an automatic out anymore though. They are young and athletic enough to hang with anybody on a given night (not a huge amount of nights will be given though). This will be a classic high energy, young team that will catch good teams sleeping on a Tuesday night. Kurt Rambis is a good coach, although I think this team lacks the personnel to be an effective triangle team this year or any other year.
The departure of Al Jefferson is actually positive for this team as currently constructed. They don't play good defense with or without him, so getting rid of Jefferson opens up the offense considerably for Kevin Love and the point guard carousel. K-Love looked lovely in the World Championships this summer and he should have a nice, big set of grapefruits this upcoming season. Since the team will be, maybe, the worst defensive team ever (turnstiles at every position) I like the idea of them going small and quick. They do have the personnel for that.
I like the small lineup with the addition of Michael Beasley. I think he might be turning the corner and needed the change of scenery. People forget he was considered to be a number 1 pick just two years ago. Let's hope he becomes more like Zach Randolph in Memphis this past year and less like Shawn Kemp in Cleveland (illegitimate children and losing the ability to play effective basketball). A smaller lineup of K-Love, Beasley, Martell Webster, Corey Brewer and Jonny Flynn/Luke Ridnour looks like a scrappy bunch that can run the floor and be fun to watch. Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward look like good draft picks that can contribute immediately in a lot of areas. Darko Milicic still sucks.
Players I LOVE:
Kevin Love: The section reads 'Players I LOVE' and of course he fits perfectly, last name or not. He will have a bigger role and more big game chops from his World Championship experience. He can rebound with the best and he is a transcendent fast break outlet passer.
Michael Beasley: Whereas Jefferson couldn't coexist with Love, I think Beas can. Beasley is a lot more athletic and can play the 3 if need be. This could be a breakout year for Beasley.
Players I HATE:
Sebastian Telfair: He sucks
Darko Milicic: He sucks, too.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: Just got done talking about positive experience in the World's this summer by way of Kevin Love. But did anybody in the world raise their stock more than Kevin Durant? No! Kevin Durant was an absolute basketball God in the World Championships. He looked unstoppable, humble, motivated and skilled beyond comprehension. Before the World's, he was viewed as a top 5 or top 10 guy but not in the discussion with Kobe or LeBron. He is without a doubt in that conversation now. He led a Thunder team last year with meager playoff aspirations to a 50 win season (only 7 less wins than the Lakers, mind you), with a cast of guys who just recently graduated HIGH SCHOOL! The scary thing is, that his running mate Russell Westbrook looked pretty damned good in the World's as well. Not to get crazy here, but this Durant/Westbrook combo looks in a lot of ways like a new age Jordan/Pippen. I only say that because Durant and Westbrook are 22 and 21 respectively. These guys are All-Star, playoff veteran studs while most of their contemporaries are still in college. Where is the ceiling here? Does it exist? I don't think it does so that's why it's reigning up in here! (Wow, even I can't believe I just said that. I'm painfully white.)
It doesn't really end with those two either. Here are some other players with ages (in parentheses): Jeff Green (24), James Harden (21), Serge Ibaka (21), Cole Aldrich (21), Eric Maynor (23), Nenad Krstic (27). These guys are all gamers who will see big minutes for the Thunder and weren't even born when Michael Jackson released 'Thriller.' The majority of those names were the crucial pieces to the Thunder's playoff run. This team of KIDS made real noise last year and got invaluable experience. This team of KIDS is going to kick some serious ass this year. The rest of the NBA should be terrified! These guys made the playoffs already and NONE of the major players have reached their primes yet! They will improve with every year starting with a BIG statement this year. You've been warned NBA.
Players I LOVE:
(outside of the obvious) James Harden: Like a fine wine, this guy had time to age last year. Also like a fine wine, he's going to be much better this year and really contribute. Harden showed flashes last year, but with all the focus on Durant and Westbrook, he could really do some major damage.
Players I HATE:
Morris Peterson: I don't really hate him, I think he might be valuable in some areas. However, he is the only guy on the team over 30 (he's 33) so he makes the cumulative age of this team less impressive. Damn you Mo-Pete!
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: Ugh. Myself and everyone I know are sick of talking about the Blazers. For the past 3 years we've all been bombarded with all the "Blazers are going to surprise everybody" predictions and the "Blazers are good enough to make the Finals" chatter. I'm sick of it!
The Blazers are who they are; a talented team who can compete with the best of them. Brandon Roy is damn good. LaMarcus Aldridge is less damn good but still good. Greg Oden will NEVER be healthy. This team will win around 50 games all while exceeding and not living up to expectations. Just like every recent year; they'll be really good but have some rough stretches, they'll deal with a plethora of injuries, they'll make the playoffs as one of the middle seeds and they'll lose in the playoffs. Case closed, let's stop talking about them. Moving on...
UTAH JAZZ: The Jazz are slightly more intriguing than the Blazers, mainly because Carlos Boozer is out and Al Jefferson is in. I'm not a Carlos Boozer guy personally, he shrinks in big situations, he injures himself answering the door (good luck Chicago :-)) and he lied to a blind man in Cleveland (Cleveland should hate Boozer more than LeBron, honestly). While Boozer offered more than Jefferson defensively in previous years, I think Jefferson is a step up from Boozer. Jerry Sloan can and will motivate Al Jefferson to defend to the best of his ability. Think about it; Al Jefferson has never played on a good team in the NBA, EVER! He is a top 3 low post scorer in the league and he finally has a good and disciplined team around him. He's finally recovered from his Achilles injury (it takes two years to completely come back from that type of injury and you saw his stats improve quite a bit in the second half of last season), he's on a good team for the first time in his life and he can DOMINATE in the post. I like the Jefferson pick up.
Oh yeah, there also happens to be a guy named Deron Williams on this team. Williams torched the Nuggets and was an absolute warrior against the Lakers in the playoffs last year. This guy has balls to the wall and talent to boot. He really might be the best point guard in the league and is definitely in the top 3. The Jazz didn't lose much in the offseason outside of Boozer and I think they actually improved with Jefferson, the return of Raja Bell as a defensive stopper/3 point shooter and a guy in Paul Millsap who is only 25 (the best backup power forward in the league). This team is going to be better this year without Boozer. Note it!
Players I LOVE:
Al Jefferson: I'll say it again; Al Jefferson is completely recovered from his Achilles injury, he is on his first good team since he entered the NBA, he's a great rebounder and he's a top 3 low post threat/constantly requires a double team. I think he can really be a monster this year in Utah.
Gordon Hayward: He's like Matt Harpring and Kyle Korver, except better. Matt and Kyle did pretty well in Utah, Gordon has the ability to be better.
Player I HATE:
Mehmet Okur: If he could just do normal center stuff! You know, like rebound and be an inside presence. He's showing his age too, which worries me because Utah needs a guy who can actually be a center and not a tall 3 point shooter.
Andrei Kirilenko: I think he goes into "Boo Hoo, woe is me" mode. His contract expires at the end of the year and he's looking for a trade because of his contract value when he should be looking for a trade by playing how we all know he can really play. Hopefully he can get Utah something good in a trade or, crazy as it sounds, start playing like he actually is capable of.
NORTHWEST DIVISION AT A GLANCE: As it has been the past few years, this continues to be an exciting division. Top to bottom this may be the best division in all of basketball. Just like last year, this division has four potential playoff teams. This year they probably only get three into the playoffs as I think both the Blazers and Nuggets could miss out as the rest of the West quietly retooled. The only team guaranteed to stink and miss the playoffs is Minnesota, yet I still see them as improved. Whereas in previous years the Pacific Division and Southwest Division were the class of the conference, I think the Northwest starts to enter into that conversation if not grab it by the balls. There are two teams that can win the Finals in this division if the chips fall correctly. It's going to be extremely competitive and extremely good basketball out of the Northwest in 2010-11.
Order of Finish:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Utah Jazz
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
When Carmelo leaves (and he will before the trade deadline), the Nuggets have a solid nucleus in place. They picked up Al Harrington (aka Carmelo Anthony light) who does a lot of what Carmelo does but won't be forced to do as much, because the perception was Carmelo is that damn good so he should do more. Nene is going to impress this year, big men historically take longer to come into their own. He's 28, his role will expand and he's primed to have a career year. I'm gaga over Ty Lawson! This guy looks reeeeally good. He's 22 and played clutch in the playoffs, stealing minutes from Chauncey Billups. So as Chauncey will inevitably decline, Lawson will be right there and could maybe exceed him immediately. JR Smith and Chris Andersen might just be the best energy one/two punch off the bench that you can find in this league. They can singlehandedly increase a lead or bring the Nuggets back when the team is sluggish. Not to mention, the Nuggets could pick up some nice young post players/energy guys in a trade for Carmelo. These guys are going to be better than anyone thinks even if they aren't as sexy as years past.
Players I LOVE:
Nene & Ty Lawson: See above.
Players I HATE:
Carmelo Anthony: See above.
Kenyon Martin: If the Carmelo Anthony saga isn't enough, Kenyon has decided he needs to be a distraction too. He's already talking about taking his rehab slowly, in a more 'screw you guys' way than an 'I'm doing the smart thing' way. True NBA warriors don't make statements like that and immediately talk about their contract situation. You're rehabbing slower because your an asshole, Kenyon, not because you want to be smart about it.
MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES: Minnesota has a better team this year. They still suck, but they could double their win total (which is still only 30 wins) from last year. The real problem is that it looks like most other bad teams in the West improved as well. I don't think opposing teams can look at the T-wolves as an automatic out anymore though. They are young and athletic enough to hang with anybody on a given night (not a huge amount of nights will be given though). This will be a classic high energy, young team that will catch good teams sleeping on a Tuesday night. Kurt Rambis is a good coach, although I think this team lacks the personnel to be an effective triangle team this year or any other year.
The departure of Al Jefferson is actually positive for this team as currently constructed. They don't play good defense with or without him, so getting rid of Jefferson opens up the offense considerably for Kevin Love and the point guard carousel. K-Love looked lovely in the World Championships this summer and he should have a nice, big set of grapefruits this upcoming season. Since the team will be, maybe, the worst defensive team ever (turnstiles at every position) I like the idea of them going small and quick. They do have the personnel for that.
I like the small lineup with the addition of Michael Beasley. I think he might be turning the corner and needed the change of scenery. People forget he was considered to be a number 1 pick just two years ago. Let's hope he becomes more like Zach Randolph in Memphis this past year and less like Shawn Kemp in Cleveland (illegitimate children and losing the ability to play effective basketball). A smaller lineup of K-Love, Beasley, Martell Webster, Corey Brewer and Jonny Flynn/Luke Ridnour looks like a scrappy bunch that can run the floor and be fun to watch. Wesley Johnson and Lazar Hayward look like good draft picks that can contribute immediately in a lot of areas. Darko Milicic still sucks.
Players I LOVE:
Kevin Love: The section reads 'Players I LOVE' and of course he fits perfectly, last name or not. He will have a bigger role and more big game chops from his World Championship experience. He can rebound with the best and he is a transcendent fast break outlet passer.
Michael Beasley: Whereas Jefferson couldn't coexist with Love, I think Beas can. Beasley is a lot more athletic and can play the 3 if need be. This could be a breakout year for Beasley.
Players I HATE:
Sebastian Telfair: He sucks
Darko Milicic: He sucks, too.
OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER: Just got done talking about positive experience in the World's this summer by way of Kevin Love. But did anybody in the world raise their stock more than Kevin Durant? No! Kevin Durant was an absolute basketball God in the World Championships. He looked unstoppable, humble, motivated and skilled beyond comprehension. Before the World's, he was viewed as a top 5 or top 10 guy but not in the discussion with Kobe or LeBron. He is without a doubt in that conversation now. He led a Thunder team last year with meager playoff aspirations to a 50 win season (only 7 less wins than the Lakers, mind you), with a cast of guys who just recently graduated HIGH SCHOOL! The scary thing is, that his running mate Russell Westbrook looked pretty damned good in the World's as well. Not to get crazy here, but this Durant/Westbrook combo looks in a lot of ways like a new age Jordan/Pippen. I only say that because Durant and Westbrook are 22 and 21 respectively. These guys are All-Star, playoff veteran studs while most of their contemporaries are still in college. Where is the ceiling here? Does it exist? I don't think it does so that's why it's reigning up in here! (Wow, even I can't believe I just said that. I'm painfully white.)
It doesn't really end with those two either. Here are some other players with ages (in parentheses): Jeff Green (24), James Harden (21), Serge Ibaka (21), Cole Aldrich (21), Eric Maynor (23), Nenad Krstic (27). These guys are all gamers who will see big minutes for the Thunder and weren't even born when Michael Jackson released 'Thriller.' The majority of those names were the crucial pieces to the Thunder's playoff run. This team of KIDS made real noise last year and got invaluable experience. This team of KIDS is going to kick some serious ass this year. The rest of the NBA should be terrified! These guys made the playoffs already and NONE of the major players have reached their primes yet! They will improve with every year starting with a BIG statement this year. You've been warned NBA.
Players I LOVE:
(outside of the obvious) James Harden: Like a fine wine, this guy had time to age last year. Also like a fine wine, he's going to be much better this year and really contribute. Harden showed flashes last year, but with all the focus on Durant and Westbrook, he could really do some major damage.
Players I HATE:
Morris Peterson: I don't really hate him, I think he might be valuable in some areas. However, he is the only guy on the team over 30 (he's 33) so he makes the cumulative age of this team less impressive. Damn you Mo-Pete!
PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS: Ugh. Myself and everyone I know are sick of talking about the Blazers. For the past 3 years we've all been bombarded with all the "Blazers are going to surprise everybody" predictions and the "Blazers are good enough to make the Finals" chatter. I'm sick of it!
The Blazers are who they are; a talented team who can compete with the best of them. Brandon Roy is damn good. LaMarcus Aldridge is less damn good but still good. Greg Oden will NEVER be healthy. This team will win around 50 games all while exceeding and not living up to expectations. Just like every recent year; they'll be really good but have some rough stretches, they'll deal with a plethora of injuries, they'll make the playoffs as one of the middle seeds and they'll lose in the playoffs. Case closed, let's stop talking about them. Moving on...
UTAH JAZZ: The Jazz are slightly more intriguing than the Blazers, mainly because Carlos Boozer is out and Al Jefferson is in. I'm not a Carlos Boozer guy personally, he shrinks in big situations, he injures himself answering the door (good luck Chicago :-)) and he lied to a blind man in Cleveland (Cleveland should hate Boozer more than LeBron, honestly). While Boozer offered more than Jefferson defensively in previous years, I think Jefferson is a step up from Boozer. Jerry Sloan can and will motivate Al Jefferson to defend to the best of his ability. Think about it; Al Jefferson has never played on a good team in the NBA, EVER! He is a top 3 low post scorer in the league and he finally has a good and disciplined team around him. He's finally recovered from his Achilles injury (it takes two years to completely come back from that type of injury and you saw his stats improve quite a bit in the second half of last season), he's on a good team for the first time in his life and he can DOMINATE in the post. I like the Jefferson pick up.
Oh yeah, there also happens to be a guy named Deron Williams on this team. Williams torched the Nuggets and was an absolute warrior against the Lakers in the playoffs last year. This guy has balls to the wall and talent to boot. He really might be the best point guard in the league and is definitely in the top 3. The Jazz didn't lose much in the offseason outside of Boozer and I think they actually improved with Jefferson, the return of Raja Bell as a defensive stopper/3 point shooter and a guy in Paul Millsap who is only 25 (the best backup power forward in the league). This team is going to be better this year without Boozer. Note it!
Players I LOVE:
Al Jefferson: I'll say it again; Al Jefferson is completely recovered from his Achilles injury, he is on his first good team since he entered the NBA, he's a great rebounder and he's a top 3 low post threat/constantly requires a double team. I think he can really be a monster this year in Utah.
Gordon Hayward: He's like Matt Harpring and Kyle Korver, except better. Matt and Kyle did pretty well in Utah, Gordon has the ability to be better.
Player I HATE:
Mehmet Okur: If he could just do normal center stuff! You know, like rebound and be an inside presence. He's showing his age too, which worries me because Utah needs a guy who can actually be a center and not a tall 3 point shooter.
Andrei Kirilenko: I think he goes into "Boo Hoo, woe is me" mode. His contract expires at the end of the year and he's looking for a trade because of his contract value when he should be looking for a trade by playing how we all know he can really play. Hopefully he can get Utah something good in a trade or, crazy as it sounds, start playing like he actually is capable of.
NORTHWEST DIVISION AT A GLANCE: As it has been the past few years, this continues to be an exciting division. Top to bottom this may be the best division in all of basketball. Just like last year, this division has four potential playoff teams. This year they probably only get three into the playoffs as I think both the Blazers and Nuggets could miss out as the rest of the West quietly retooled. The only team guaranteed to stink and miss the playoffs is Minnesota, yet I still see them as improved. Whereas in previous years the Pacific Division and Southwest Division were the class of the conference, I think the Northwest starts to enter into that conversation if not grab it by the balls. There are two teams that can win the Finals in this division if the chips fall correctly. It's going to be extremely competitive and extremely good basketball out of the Northwest in 2010-11.
Order of Finish:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Utah Jazz
3. Denver Nuggets
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Minnesota Timberwolves
Monday, October 4, 2010
2010-11 Atlantic Division Preview
Let's go team by team and look at how their 2010-11 campaigns might end up. I'll look at each individual team; their strengths and weaknesses, their story lines and the players which I LOVE and which I HATE. Without further ado, here's my 2010-11 Atlantic Division Preview:
BOSTON CELTICS: The Boston Celtics made a lot of fans and gamblers look foolish last season, going all the way to game 7 of the Finals against the Lakers. They were an unfortunate injury to Kendrick Perkins away from winning it all. A healthy Perkins in game 7 and Boston raises another championship banner in the rafters. This offseason, the rest of the NBA got better in the top tier, especially in the East, and the Celtics aged another year. But I think the Celtics improved their roster nicely too.
Even at their advanced ages, The O'Neals (Shaq and Jermaine) are still forces when utilized properly. Shaq will be motivated after last year's debacle in Cleveland and Jermaine showed he can still be pretty effective in the post after everybody was ready to sign his death certificate. The Celtics are loaded up front, so those older, bigger bodies won't have to get beat up as much (Kevin Garnett should be salivating). Delonte West was also a great pickup, the guy is a starter in this league and hasn't reached his prime yet. He's had some off court issues...Ok, a lot of off court issues, but he's surrounded by a really tight, veteran team now that has seen it all. I see Ray Allen becoming a great mentor for him and maybe he'll begin to pass the torch a little as well. Also, I think they got a potential STUD in Avery Bradley. He looks like he could contribute right away and could possibly be a star in the future.
The Celtics didn't lose much either. They'll miss Tony Allen's surprisingly effective defense on the wing (and really nothing else from Allen, because outside of the defense he, well, sucked) but I think West will be effective against the smaller players and maybe Marquis Daniels will improve defensively in this system with his athletic ability... Yeah, probably not. Rasheed Wallace played admirably in the Finals but I think the two O'Neals are a big upgrade if they can stay healthy. They still have Paul Pierce (who has at least two elite seasons left in him), Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo (who continues to become a true star), Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins (proved essential to the Celtics in the Lakers series). I don't think they will miss Tony Allen or Rasheed Wallace all that much. With more depth this season in the post, there should be less injury problems as well. Boston looks better to me this year than last.
Players I LOVE:
Kevin Garnett: Supposedly, he is in ridiculously good shape this offseason and looks a step quicker than last. His knees aren't what they used to be but I think with the added depth and news of the great shape he is said to be in, I think he can outplay people's expectations this season.
Delonte West: He can shoot, pass, play decent defense and rebounds well for his size. West fits in perfectly for the Celtics and I think the Celtics are the perfect team to get West on track this season. Also he can play the point when needed and looks to take a lot of minutes from Nate Robinson (not exactly a bad thing).
Players I HATE:
Glen Davis: Big Baby, indeed. This guy looks like he could be cancerous in the locker room. There will be less minutes for him this year, because there are better players in front of him. He doesn't bring enough to the table to be the first or second big man off the bench, Boston is just too deep and Davis has attitude problems. What a fitting nickname, he's going to cry like a big baby all season.
Marquis Daniels: He should be a big part of the rotation but he's extremely injury prone. Oh yeah, and he kind of sucks.
NEW JERSEY NETS: This team is bad but keep your chin up Nets' fans, you're better than last year. Also, you guys get to move to Brooklyn in a couple years. The future looks bright, honestly; motivated/deep pocketed owner, good coach in Avery Johnson and nice looking frontcourt of the future with draft pick Derrick Favors and Brook Lopez. But if you're expecting big things this season you are, well, stupid.
There are some nice new pieces outside of Favors (who does look special) in Anthony Morrow (can score like nobody's business), Troy Murphy (great rebounder and shooter; can't do anything else effectively though, especially defend) and Travis Outlaw (their big off season signing, but as pathetic as that sounds he can actually ball). These guys are nice pieces, but they don't exactly look like guys on a contender. They are more like guys you'd expect to see on a roster competing for the 8th seed in the East. However, they won't even be that good this year.
Devin Harris, with Lopez, is the best it gets for the Nets. These are guys who could steal a spot on an All-Star team, but they might be the 3rd best option on a true contender at best. That isn't exactly something to be excited about. They're more Lamar Odom than Kobe or Pau. Which isn't a bad thing, Lamar is good, but he ain't leading a team deep in the playoffs. The Nets need a stud and if they actually have one in Favors, his "studliness" (made that word up; do something about it) will not be evident for at least a couple years. Sorry Mikhail Prokorov, you're team still sucks (right now).
Players I LOVE:
Derrick Favors: I don't think he's the second coming of Kevin Garnett, but I think he can be close if all goes right in his career. This year will be very valuable for him as he can build his confidence playing under the radar and gaining more polish to his game.
Terrence Williams: Hasn't really lived up to his potential thus far, but looked much improved in summer league and looks much more confident. He even is looking to take more of a leadership role. Plus at 6'6" he has point guard skills. Me likey.
Players I HATE:
Travis Outlaw: Just because he makes $7 million. Aren't the Nets just as bad with him as they would be without him? Now they still suck and they have $7 million less in flexibility.
Brook Lopez: Horrible summer. He had mono I hear but he still looked really sluggish and out of shape on top of that. Plus, in the first preseason game he had trouble dominating a guy who was a half foot shorter. I think Brook has a bad season but will rebound the following year.
NEW YORK KNICKS: Oh you poor bastards! You miss out on LeBron, Wade and Bosh, so you saddle up with Amare Stoudemire (for the same or more money as the Miami guys are making!) Gosh, that has to sting. Amare is only as good as Steve Nash wants him to be and Ray Felton ain't Steve Nash. Amare will put up numbers for you guys, but who in the hell is going to defend in the post? Stoudemire is to defense what Eddy Curry is to skinny. Ha ha, and by the way the Knicks happen to still have Eddy Curry! If New York wants to get back in the discussion with Los Angeles and Boston, they're going to need a lot more than Amare Stoudemire.
Their offseason wasn't a complete wash though. I do believe Amare is a notch above David Lee (neither can defend, Amare is an offensive savant, but Lee is by far a better rebounder) and I like what New York got for Lee. I love Kelenna Azubuike and Anthony Randolph in Mike D'Antoni's system and I think Ronny Turiaf is a vastly underrated energy/glue guy. Raymond Felton > whatever the Knicks have had at the point guard position in recent years. But... again... WHO'S PLAYING DEFENSE? Donnie Walsh should see that while D'Antoni's system is fun and high scoring, it's only effective when a really athletic, fast, defensive minded big man is in the mix. There isn't anything CLOSE to that on this Knicks roster. Put it this way, Eddy Curry could lose 100 pounds but he'd still have to learn how to play defense just to qualify. This roster is fun and will sell tickets but it stinks.
They'll improve on 29 wins from last year, but they are still barely competing for the 8th seed in the East. While contending for a playoff spot sounds nice, the East after the 6th seed is putrid and will be absolutely destroyed in the first round by the likes of Boston, Orlando and Miami. Maybe stop focusing on getting Carmelo who makes you worse defensively and try putting together an actual team instead of something that looks nice on a marquee. They are lucky they play in arguably the worst division in basketball.
Players I LOVE:
Ronny Turiaf: The only guy on this roster that can probably play defense in the post while being able to run on offense.
Raymond Felton: He is a major upgrade at the point guard spot and I think he will look good running some exciting fast breaks for the Knicks. Felton has always been underrated and in the wrong system in my eyes.
Players I HATE:
The Knicks roster for the most part: Instead of talking about who I hate individually, I figured I'd save time by just making it pretty much all inclusive. I hate the way this Knick team is constructed after they mortgaged their future in hopes of acquiring LeBron, Wade or Bosh.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: Yuck. I'm so depressed already talking about this division and now it gets worse. The 76ers are GOD AWFUL. To save my sanity...Let's just say these guys are abysmal, fix ourselves a drink and move on. A couple points though:
Demar Derozan and Sonny Weems (always liked his game) looked great and exciting in Summer League. Ed Davis looks like he could be a good player but he has a way to go. Bargnani is a talented offensive guy, but he's also a center who doesn't defend, block shots or rebound. If you're going to have a center like Bargnani you better have a power forward who is willing to defend and rebound and Davis isn't going to be that guy for a while. There is no hope for this squad this season. It honestly looks like a team the Raptors would've assembled in 1995 (you know, an expansion team!).
Players I LOVE:
Chris Bosh: Oops. That was insensitive.
Sonny Weems & Demar Derozan: I think these guys can be solid NBA players and they are talented and athletic as the day is long. It's encouraging to see these guys play together and compete to make each other better. Not much else the Raptors can hang their hats on.
Players I HATE:
Amir Johnson: This guy stinks. He's past the upside point of his career. He has athletic ability in bunches but plays like the third center on a lottery team.
Marcus Banks: The, arguably, worst team in basketball wouldn't be complete without Marcus Banks. I mean, this team is the Marcus Banks of the NBA. It works so well, it makes me nauseous.
ATLANTIC DIVISION AT A GLANCE: The Boston Celtics. Honestly, there isn't much else to talk about in this division for this season. The Nets are bad. The Knicks are bad. The 76ers are putrid. The Raptors are expansion team bad (doesn't get much worse). Honestly, the Celtics could realistically win this division by 20 games. It's really sad that a once proud franchise (the Knicks), two teams that played in the Finals in the past decade (the Nets and the 76ers) and a team that looked like it could be a perennial force just 4 years ago (the Raptors) are all now completely irrelevant for the upcoming season unless they're part of a miraculous trade. Boston will coast in this division and it should be a boring year in the Atlantic Division. Pity.
Order of Finish:
1. Boston Celtics
2. New York Knicks
3. New Jersey Nets
4. Philadelphia 76ers
5. Toronto Raptors
BOSTON CELTICS: The Boston Celtics made a lot of fans and gamblers look foolish last season, going all the way to game 7 of the Finals against the Lakers. They were an unfortunate injury to Kendrick Perkins away from winning it all. A healthy Perkins in game 7 and Boston raises another championship banner in the rafters. This offseason, the rest of the NBA got better in the top tier, especially in the East, and the Celtics aged another year. But I think the Celtics improved their roster nicely too.
Even at their advanced ages, The O'Neals (Shaq and Jermaine) are still forces when utilized properly. Shaq will be motivated after last year's debacle in Cleveland and Jermaine showed he can still be pretty effective in the post after everybody was ready to sign his death certificate. The Celtics are loaded up front, so those older, bigger bodies won't have to get beat up as much (Kevin Garnett should be salivating). Delonte West was also a great pickup, the guy is a starter in this league and hasn't reached his prime yet. He's had some off court issues...Ok, a lot of off court issues, but he's surrounded by a really tight, veteran team now that has seen it all. I see Ray Allen becoming a great mentor for him and maybe he'll begin to pass the torch a little as well. Also, I think they got a potential STUD in Avery Bradley. He looks like he could contribute right away and could possibly be a star in the future.
The Celtics didn't lose much either. They'll miss Tony Allen's surprisingly effective defense on the wing (and really nothing else from Allen, because outside of the defense he, well, sucked) but I think West will be effective against the smaller players and maybe Marquis Daniels will improve defensively in this system with his athletic ability... Yeah, probably not. Rasheed Wallace played admirably in the Finals but I think the two O'Neals are a big upgrade if they can stay healthy. They still have Paul Pierce (who has at least two elite seasons left in him), Kevin Garnett, Rajon Rondo (who continues to become a true star), Ray Allen and Kendrick Perkins (proved essential to the Celtics in the Lakers series). I don't think they will miss Tony Allen or Rasheed Wallace all that much. With more depth this season in the post, there should be less injury problems as well. Boston looks better to me this year than last.
Players I LOVE:
Kevin Garnett: Supposedly, he is in ridiculously good shape this offseason and looks a step quicker than last. His knees aren't what they used to be but I think with the added depth and news of the great shape he is said to be in, I think he can outplay people's expectations this season.
Delonte West: He can shoot, pass, play decent defense and rebounds well for his size. West fits in perfectly for the Celtics and I think the Celtics are the perfect team to get West on track this season. Also he can play the point when needed and looks to take a lot of minutes from Nate Robinson (not exactly a bad thing).
Players I HATE:
Glen Davis: Big Baby, indeed. This guy looks like he could be cancerous in the locker room. There will be less minutes for him this year, because there are better players in front of him. He doesn't bring enough to the table to be the first or second big man off the bench, Boston is just too deep and Davis has attitude problems. What a fitting nickname, he's going to cry like a big baby all season.
Marquis Daniels: He should be a big part of the rotation but he's extremely injury prone. Oh yeah, and he kind of sucks.
NEW JERSEY NETS: This team is bad but keep your chin up Nets' fans, you're better than last year. Also, you guys get to move to Brooklyn in a couple years. The future looks bright, honestly; motivated/deep pocketed owner, good coach in Avery Johnson and nice looking frontcourt of the future with draft pick Derrick Favors and Brook Lopez. But if you're expecting big things this season you are, well, stupid.
There are some nice new pieces outside of Favors (who does look special) in Anthony Morrow (can score like nobody's business), Troy Murphy (great rebounder and shooter; can't do anything else effectively though, especially defend) and Travis Outlaw (their big off season signing, but as pathetic as that sounds he can actually ball). These guys are nice pieces, but they don't exactly look like guys on a contender. They are more like guys you'd expect to see on a roster competing for the 8th seed in the East. However, they won't even be that good this year.
Devin Harris, with Lopez, is the best it gets for the Nets. These are guys who could steal a spot on an All-Star team, but they might be the 3rd best option on a true contender at best. That isn't exactly something to be excited about. They're more Lamar Odom than Kobe or Pau. Which isn't a bad thing, Lamar is good, but he ain't leading a team deep in the playoffs. The Nets need a stud and if they actually have one in Favors, his "studliness" (made that word up; do something about it) will not be evident for at least a couple years. Sorry Mikhail Prokorov, you're team still sucks (right now).
Players I LOVE:
Derrick Favors: I don't think he's the second coming of Kevin Garnett, but I think he can be close if all goes right in his career. This year will be very valuable for him as he can build his confidence playing under the radar and gaining more polish to his game.
Terrence Williams: Hasn't really lived up to his potential thus far, but looked much improved in summer league and looks much more confident. He even is looking to take more of a leadership role. Plus at 6'6" he has point guard skills. Me likey.
Players I HATE:
Travis Outlaw: Just because he makes $7 million. Aren't the Nets just as bad with him as they would be without him? Now they still suck and they have $7 million less in flexibility.
Brook Lopez: Horrible summer. He had mono I hear but he still looked really sluggish and out of shape on top of that. Plus, in the first preseason game he had trouble dominating a guy who was a half foot shorter. I think Brook has a bad season but will rebound the following year.
NEW YORK KNICKS: Oh you poor bastards! You miss out on LeBron, Wade and Bosh, so you saddle up with Amare Stoudemire (for the same or more money as the Miami guys are making!) Gosh, that has to sting. Amare is only as good as Steve Nash wants him to be and Ray Felton ain't Steve Nash. Amare will put up numbers for you guys, but who in the hell is going to defend in the post? Stoudemire is to defense what Eddy Curry is to skinny. Ha ha, and by the way the Knicks happen to still have Eddy Curry! If New York wants to get back in the discussion with Los Angeles and Boston, they're going to need a lot more than Amare Stoudemire.
Their offseason wasn't a complete wash though. I do believe Amare is a notch above David Lee (neither can defend, Amare is an offensive savant, but Lee is by far a better rebounder) and I like what New York got for Lee. I love Kelenna Azubuike and Anthony Randolph in Mike D'Antoni's system and I think Ronny Turiaf is a vastly underrated energy/glue guy. Raymond Felton > whatever the Knicks have had at the point guard position in recent years. But... again... WHO'S PLAYING DEFENSE? Donnie Walsh should see that while D'Antoni's system is fun and high scoring, it's only effective when a really athletic, fast, defensive minded big man is in the mix. There isn't anything CLOSE to that on this Knicks roster. Put it this way, Eddy Curry could lose 100 pounds but he'd still have to learn how to play defense just to qualify. This roster is fun and will sell tickets but it stinks.
They'll improve on 29 wins from last year, but they are still barely competing for the 8th seed in the East. While contending for a playoff spot sounds nice, the East after the 6th seed is putrid and will be absolutely destroyed in the first round by the likes of Boston, Orlando and Miami. Maybe stop focusing on getting Carmelo who makes you worse defensively and try putting together an actual team instead of something that looks nice on a marquee. They are lucky they play in arguably the worst division in basketball.
Players I LOVE:
Ronny Turiaf: The only guy on this roster that can probably play defense in the post while being able to run on offense.
Raymond Felton: He is a major upgrade at the point guard spot and I think he will look good running some exciting fast breaks for the Knicks. Felton has always been underrated and in the wrong system in my eyes.
Players I HATE:
The Knicks roster for the most part: Instead of talking about who I hate individually, I figured I'd save time by just making it pretty much all inclusive. I hate the way this Knick team is constructed after they mortgaged their future in hopes of acquiring LeBron, Wade or Bosh.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS: Yuck. I'm so depressed already talking about this division and now it gets worse. The 76ers are GOD AWFUL. To save my sanity...Let's just say these guys are abysmal, fix ourselves a drink and move on. A couple points though:
- Evan Turner looked shell shocked in Summer League. You know, the guy who was supposed to be the MOST NBA ready in the Draft. He also talks like Kermit the Frog. Nobody with a Kermit voice has ever been successful outside of...well...Kermit.
- Andre Iquodala is a really good player, but he can't be Philly's go to guy. He's a stud as a second or third banana on a good team, but not a number one on a monstrosity. Can we end this experiment?
- The big men are Elton Brand's corpse and Mareese Speights. I'd vomit if I were a 76er fan.
- Jrue Holiday looks like he could be a player in this league, maybe even a really good one; but the 76ers SUCK!
- This team has no identity whatsoever, no solid big men (if you say Spencer Hawes I'll choke you Sprewell style), no go to scorer and absolutely nothing to look forward to. Doug Collins has his work cut out for him.
Demar Derozan and Sonny Weems (always liked his game) looked great and exciting in Summer League. Ed Davis looks like he could be a good player but he has a way to go. Bargnani is a talented offensive guy, but he's also a center who doesn't defend, block shots or rebound. If you're going to have a center like Bargnani you better have a power forward who is willing to defend and rebound and Davis isn't going to be that guy for a while. There is no hope for this squad this season. It honestly looks like a team the Raptors would've assembled in 1995 (you know, an expansion team!).
Players I LOVE:
Chris Bosh: Oops. That was insensitive.
Sonny Weems & Demar Derozan: I think these guys can be solid NBA players and they are talented and athletic as the day is long. It's encouraging to see these guys play together and compete to make each other better. Not much else the Raptors can hang their hats on.
Players I HATE:
Amir Johnson: This guy stinks. He's past the upside point of his career. He has athletic ability in bunches but plays like the third center on a lottery team.
Marcus Banks: The, arguably, worst team in basketball wouldn't be complete without Marcus Banks. I mean, this team is the Marcus Banks of the NBA. It works so well, it makes me nauseous.
ATLANTIC DIVISION AT A GLANCE: The Boston Celtics. Honestly, there isn't much else to talk about in this division for this season. The Nets are bad. The Knicks are bad. The 76ers are putrid. The Raptors are expansion team bad (doesn't get much worse). Honestly, the Celtics could realistically win this division by 20 games. It's really sad that a once proud franchise (the Knicks), two teams that played in the Finals in the past decade (the Nets and the 76ers) and a team that looked like it could be a perennial force just 4 years ago (the Raptors) are all now completely irrelevant for the upcoming season unless they're part of a miraculous trade. Boston will coast in this division and it should be a boring year in the Atlantic Division. Pity.
Order of Finish:
1. Boston Celtics
2. New York Knicks
3. New Jersey Nets
4. Philadelphia 76ers
5. Toronto Raptors
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