Europe invades Newark as Western Conference teams look to Euro stars, who's names you probably can't pronounce, to usurp the Dallas Mavericks. by Jeff Laboon
Dallas Mavericks: C-
+ SG Rudy Fernandez (from Portland)
+ Rights to Petteri Koponen (from Portland)
The best draft ever. The coaching staff feels like they are on top of the world because they just won the championship, which means – in theory – that they have no necessary improvements. The Mavs are on a honeymoon that will last until next postseason if not later. The fact is, though, the Mavs needed youth. Rudy Fernandez is 26 years old, but he’s hardly reached his potential during his time in Portland.
Denver drafts Faried 22nd overall. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Denver Nuggets: B+
+ 22nd pick; PF Kenneth Faried, 6’8”, 228 lbs
+ 26th pick; SF Jordan Hamilton, 6’7”, 220 lbs (from Dallas)
+ PG Andre Miller (from Portland)
+ Future 2nd round pick from Portland
+ PF Chukwudiebere Maduabum, 6’9”, 210 lbs (from Los Angeles Lakers)
Let’s be honest, Denver took a sizeable publicity hit this season with the Carmelo Anthony trade because they lost a hometown star in Chauncey Billups. Picking up a former favorite like Andre Miller definitely helps the healing process. Plus, Miller can ball. He’s often overlooked, but he’s carried the Trail Blazers front court to the postseason since joining the franchise. The three draft picks add even more height and youth to a team that hardly lacks in either of those areas.
Golden State Warriors: C+
+ 11th pick; SG Klay Thompson - 6’7”, 205 lbs
+ 44th pick; PG Charles Jenkins - 6’3”, 220 lbs
+ Rights to 39th pick; F/C Jeremy Tyler - 6’10”, 260 lbs (from Charlotte)
New head coach Mark Jackson and the Warriors desperately needed size for the front court considering that both of their starting guards – Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis – are 6’3”. Thompson’s height fits the 3 position perfectly.
Teams of the Eastern Conference look to get bigger in the first NBA draft in the era of the Miami World Order. by Scott Simone
(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
Atlanta Hawks; Grade: B+ + 48th pick; C Keith Benson 6’11” 217 lbs For where the Hawks picked, they got a fairly talented big man with upside. He improved every year in college and will continue to do so while backing up the likes of Al Horford, Etan Thomas, and Zaza Pachulia.
Boston Celtics; Grade: B + 27th Pick; PF JaJuan Johnson 6’10” 220 lbs (acquired from New Jersey for draft rights to Marshon Brooks) + 55th Pick; SG E’Twaun Moore 6’4” 192 lbs + 2014 second-round pick The Celtics needed to fill a gaping hole at their big-man position left by Shaquille O’Neal. Johnson should be able to do just that.
Charlotte Bobcats; Grade: A + 9th pick; PG Kemba Walker 6’1” 184 lbs + 7th pick; PF Bismack Biyombo 6’9” 243 lbs (from Sacramento) + *Also picked up Corey Maggette from Milwaukee The Bobcats had a great draft night. They drafted a proven player, and more importantly, a winner, who can score, distribute, and has a huge heart. They also nabbed another lottery pick in Biyombo who will turn into a dominate big man in the years to come.
Today Shaquille O'Neal announced his retirement from the NBA on Tout, a social media service that sends video in real-time. But enough about Tout.
Shaq played 19 seasons in the league and retires at 39 years old. O'Neal made 15 all-star teams, three NBA Finals MVPs, four NBA Championships, 1993 Rookie of the Year, and 2000 NBA MVP. He finishes ranked 5th all-time in scoring with 28,596 points.
The Orlando Magic drafted Shaq with the first overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He played on the Magic from 1992-96. He signed with the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1996 off-season. After winning three consecutive NBA Championships from 2000-2002, the Lakers lost to the Detroit Pistons in the 2003 finals. The Lakers traded Shaq to Miami the following off-season. He won the 2006 NBA Championship as a member of the Miami Heat. Shaq hopped from team-to-team in his last three seasons, playing one year in Phoenix, Cleveland, and Boston, respectively.
In honor of one of the last true centers in the NBA today, let's enjoy some of his best career moments. Thank you, Shaq.
We thought Carmelo Anthony would make the New York Knicks invincible, but obviously there still have some work to do. Here's what the Knicks need to do to make the next step. by Scott Simone
Growing up, basketball was my life. As such, I was an adamant NBA fan throughout the 90s. I remember those glory days like it was yesterday. And although I grew up a Chicago Bulls fan (how could you go against Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen?), I was well aware of my hometown New York Knicks and all their battles. Whether it was their brawls with the Bulls, Reggie Miller fighting with Spike en route to a killer performance, or Allan Houston’s game-winning floater to beat the Heat, the Knicks were always relevant in New York. Then, something happened (which may or not be a reference to Isiah Thomas) and the Knicks fell to the bottom of the bottom.
And, throughout all that, I was under the delusion that New York was a basketball city, and Knicks fans were the most knowledgeable of the sports-world. But, especially after this year, I’ve come to realize how so very wrong I was about that. First, they called for superstar talent. But they didn’t want to give anything up for that talent. And after the trade, they expected immediate results, failing to realize that it takes time to build team chemistry. Then they say the Knicks need to play defense, while failing to realize Mike D’Antoni does not have that word in his vocabulary. And now that they’ve lost in the playoffs, Knicks fans are calling for all sorts of changes. So let’s take a look at what the Knicks really need to do in the off-season to take them closer to the promised land.
The NBA playoffs follow a strict formula. Top seeds always seem to meet in the conference finals and championship series. But this year? Not so much. by Scott Simone
The NBA playoffs are in full effect and this year may just be one of the most exciting years of all due to the changing of the guard. No, that’s not a reference to the “Super Teams” like the Miami Heat, but instead to the great, young, and talented teams taking over the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics seemingly dominated the NBA Championship scene for the past three seasons, but with both teams aging rapidly, and teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls maturing into legit championship contenders, the NBA playoffs opened up.
Last night, LeBron James’ former team the Cleveland Cavaliers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 112-57. The 55-point blowout marked the 11th consecutive loss for the Cavs, whose last win came on December 18 in an overtime game against the New York Knicks. James and the Miami Heat, however, are riding a nine game winning streak and James has scored at least 15 points in each of the Heat’s games so far this season.
(James played seven seasons with the Cavs before leaving in free agency.)
James and the Cavs sit on opposite ends of the Eastern Conference standings, which many expected. But it is so hard to not feel for the Cavs in this season. Any hope of sneaking into the playoffs is all but washed away – they are currently 7.5 games behind eighth place in the East – and, with the NBA Draft Lottery, there is no guarantee that the Cavs will have the first overall pick if they finish with the worst record.
But while the Cavs are warranting the media’s sympathy with their lackluster performance, James continues to warrant the nation’s anguish with his mouth. Following the Cavs’ loss last night, James tweeted from his account KingJames, “Crazy. Karma is a b****.. Gets you every time. Its not good to wish bad on anybody. God sees everything!”
Michelle Beadle from ESPN’s Sportsnation offered the best opinion on the matter from her account ESPN_Michelle, “Anyone making mad withdrawals from the karma bank might wanna relax. It DOES hit us all...#bestrongcavs#noideawhentoremainquiet.”
James’ comment comes only weeks after he openly supported contraction, a term feared by small market franchises in all sports. In an interview with ESPN on December 24 he said, “[Contraction] is not my job; I'm a player but that is why it, the league, was so great.” He went on to single out the Minnesota Timberwolves as bad teams with good players.
James is entitled to his opinion on both the Cavs and contraction. That is not the issue here. Where are his handlers in all of this, though? For someone who is already despised by fans all over the world, these comments only make matters worse. Not that it matters, he’ll still sell shoes despite this more outspoken persona he has adopted since joining the Heat.
(Beadle cohosts Sportsnation with Colin Cowherd every weekday at 4 on ESPN2.)
Meanwhile, Michelle Beadle deservingly earned some more fans by speaking out against the self-proclaimed king.
On July 8, LeBron James stood on a stage on live TV and told the world that he would "take his talents to South Beach." Times were good for Cleveland during their seven year relationship with LeBron. The city was always front-and-center in the basketball world and loved their prince. Graned, he never got them any jewelry (do rings come with conference titles?), but the fans knew that it would come someday.
It's been 177 days since the break-up, and Cleveland continues to look at old photos of them with LeBron and to make mix-tapes with songs like "Baby Come Back" by the Players.
The five stages of the Cleveland/LeBron break-up
Stage 1: Denial Early on July 8, rumors started to circulate that LeBron may sign with the Heat, but Cleveland insisted that their hometown hero would not even consider turning his back on Ohio to form a New World Order with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh (who signed just hours before).
Stage 2: Anger The immediate reaction to "The Decision" was ugly. Fans set LeBron jerseys aflame and the Cavs majority owner Dan Gilbert released a scornful open letter (in comic sans font) to Cavs fans, assuring them that the Cavs were good and James was a coward. The giant mural of LeBron outside of the Q was promptly taken down. The Cavs front office also considered accusing the Heat of tampering.
Stage 3: Bargaining The timing of the break-up was just another nail in the proverbial coffin. Cleveland anxiously waited for LeBron to make his announcement and missed out on several possible free agents in the process. Few free agents remained by the time LeBron signed with the Heat. The Cavs rushed to sign anyone and even signed Kyle Lowry to an offer sheet, which the Houston Rockets matched. Stage 4: Depression Then came the release of the new Nike commercial featuring LeBron James called "Rise," which became fodder for parody. "What should we do, LeBron?" became the battle cry of a city without a hero as though Batman left Gotham to die.
Stage 5: Acceptance Cleveland is stuck at stage 4, though, and who can blame them? LeBron broke up with the city on national TV. LeBron was the person who could never break Cleveland's heart. After all, as a native of Akron, he understands the pain Cleveland sports fans know all too well. The city hasn't won a major sports championship since the Browns won the NFL Title in 1964. Until Cleveland wins again in some professional sport, they will be stuck at stage 4.
All eyes go to Cleveland tomorrow night as self-proclaimed "King of Akron" LeBron James returns to the Quicken Loans Arena for the first time as a visitor. by Jeff Laboon
The atmosphere will be hostile and the crowd will be loud. Every Cavs fan circled this date on their calendar: December 2, the day the King returns to his throne. At 7-10, the Cleveland Cavaliers currently hold the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference and sit only 2.5 games behind of the 10-8 Miami Heat.
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert, who infamously said "I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE" in an open letter to fans following "The Decision," banned all anti-James shirts from the Q for Thursday's game. Extra security will also be on hand to protect James.
(The burning of 23.)
Gilbert and Cleveland didn't want LeBron to leave. The city and ownership tried its best to make LeBron feel wanted including an extremely corny song titled "Please Stay LeBron." The Cavs front office even courted Tom Izzo to please James. But, as we know now, these efforts were not enough. The immediate fallout of James' decision was rather gruesome. Some fans downplayed James' legacy and abilities, claiming that he quit on the team during the postseason, while others made mocking Photoshops. Some fans even burned Cavs jerseys and shirt bearing James' name and set fire to James' effigies. The Great Lakes Brewing Company made a bitter tasting beer called "Quitness" in honor of James to be sold on a first come-first serve basis.
But the dust has settled. One hundred and seventy-seven days separate "The Decision" and LeBron's return to the Q. The Cavs even changed their logo and court in this time. But CavFanatics haven't forgotten and they probably won't forget until the Cavs make a championship run. Until that day, these regular season home games against James and the Heat will serve as a reminder of what could have been.
(The hero returns as the villain Thursday night at 8pm on TNT.)
Yes, the crowd will serenade the "Chosen One" with a chorus of boos as he steps onto the court that he made famous to play in front of his hometown and every miss or turnover by James will be met with mocking applause and bitter laughs. This will be the most important game the Cavs play in the first half of this season. CavsFanatics will feel the sting of their hero's decision with every Heat playoff appearance and prime-time game.
Nothing can bring James back, but a win tomorrow night can momentarily ease the pain.
The Houston Rockets only 4-10? The Cavs near .500? New Orleans with the best record in the NBA? It's still way early in the season to judge, but every team has played at least 11 games so far this season, so it's time for the first installment of EP's NBA Power Rankings.
So how do we compile our power rankings? We have a handy formula that takes into account overall record, record against teams above .500, record against teams below .500, win percentage in games decided by less than 3 points, and win percentage in games decided by 10 or more points. The highest point total possible is 3, and the lowest a team can be is 0. The Spurs lead the way for the debut rankings with 2.73.
The Portland Trailblazers announced last night that center Greg Oden, 22, will undergo season-ending microfracture surgery on his left knee. The surgery will take place Friday. Oden last played December 5, 2009 against the Houston Rockets.
The Blazers drafted the center from Ohio State with the first overall pick in 2007. He missed the 2007-08 season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his right knee. He played 61 games in 2008-09 and seemed poised to show NBA fans why the Blazers took him ahead of Kevin Durant in the 2009-10 season. He started in the Blazers first 21 games that season before sustaining a left knee injury against Houston.
The surgery is especially troubling for Oden, who did not get a contract-extension with the Blazers last month before the extension deadline. Oden will have restricted free agent status this month, which means that he open to offers from all 30 teams, but the Blazers have the right to match any offer he receives.
Erik Spoelstra has the world on his shoulders. Spoelstra, 40, has the job everyone wants, but it’s the job that no one knows how to do successfully. In his third season as head coach of the Miami Heat, Spoelstra seemingly hit the lottery this summer when general manager Pat Riley signed premier free agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh to join superstar Dwayne Wade. But the Heat sit at 6-4 with only one win against a 2010 playoff team. The team that many thought would run through the NBA has failed to do so, and Spoelstra is the easy scapegoat.
(Spoelstra is 96-78 as head coach of the Heat.)
With only two years as head coach under his belt, Spoelstra does not have much of a track record under his belt, but he has experienced some success. Spoelstra became the first Filipino-American to become a head coach in any US professional sport. In his first year as head coach, Spoelstra led the Heat to a 28-win improvement from their 15-win season in 2007-08. The fifth-seeded Heat lost in the first round to the Atlanta Hawks.
Last season, Spoelstra guided the Heat to late-season surge as the team won 12 of their last 15. But the momentum did not carry over into the playoffs and the Heat lost to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions, the Boston Celtics, in the first round.
(This is Spoelstra's third season as head coach, but his 16th season with the Heat.)
As long as Miami loses, though, Spoelstra’s job security will continue to come into question. The reason dates back to the 2005 off-season when then-head coach Stan Van Gundy resigned despite the Heat falling a game short of reaching the NBA Finals (both Shaquille O’Neal and Wade were injured for the game). Many speculated that Riley, who immediately took over as head coach, forced Van Gundy out–a rumor which Van Gundy refuted.
Unless Spoelstra can find the right mix or combination of James, Wade, and Bosh, the speculation will continue.
How the NBA created a developmental system in the blink of an eye. by Jeff Laboon
The Utah Jazz trailed the Cleveland Cavaliers with 5.6 seconds left in the game. With star point guard Deron Williams in the locker room, Jazz coach Jerry Sloan sent out rookie Sundiata Gaines for the final play of the game. Gaines rotated to just outside the three-point line and waited for the pass from teammate Ronny Price.
With a 6'6 guard covering him, Gaines launched a prayer as he fell to the ground and slid in front of the Jazz's bench. Those 1.2 seconds after the shot stood frozen in time as the EnergySolutions Arena crowd waited in anticipation. The shot fell as the buzzer sounded.
This is Sundiata Gaines, hero.
Six days earlier, Gaines signed a 10-day contract with the Jazz. After playing 14 games in the NBA-Developmental League with the Idaho Stampede, Gaines, 24-years-old, caught the attention of the Jazz's front office with his 23.9 points and 6.9 assists per game.
This is Sundiata Gaines, minor leaguer.
(Gaines played 14 games with the Idado Stampede.)
He signed two 10-day contracts in January 2010 with the Jazz before the franchise signed him for the rest of the season.
This is Sundiata Gaines, NBA player.
(Gaines played 32 games with the Jazz last season.)
As of January 5, 2010, the date of Gaines' call-up, 66 NBA players (excluding Gaines) had some experience in the NBA Developmental League, or the NBA D-League. A record number 63 players with D-League experience have made the opening night rosters for the past two seasons (not combined, but 63 each year). NBA teams made a total of 40 call-ups during the 2009-10 season.
This season, every franchise but the Los Angeles Clippers had at least one D-League player on its opening night roster. Three teams, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, and the Minnesota Timberwolves even had four players, or one third of the roster.
This is Sundiata Gaines, product.
(Gaines played four years at Georgia from 2004-2008 and joined the D-League in 2009.)
NBA Commissioner David Stern announced the creation of the National Basketball Developmental League, now known as the National Basketball Association Developmental League, in 2001. The league was designed to be an in-between for players who either did not want to go to college or were simply not ready to play in the NBA. The first player to be called-up from the D-league was Chris Anderson, who signed a contract with the Denver Nuggets on November 21, 2001.
The league started with eight teams for its inaugural season in 2001-02. After contracting to six in 2003-04, the league has since expanded to 16, and more teams are on the way. The Los Angeles D-Fenders, owned by the Los Angeles Lakers, are currently inactive, but the franchise is expected to return for the 2011-12 season. Other cities in both the United States and Canada are being discussed as possible sites for a D-League team, including Harlem, NY and Honolulu, Hawaii.
(D-League map.)
D-League alums do not just round out the roster, either. Several players have become regular contributors. Matt Barnes of the Los Angeles Lakers played 50 games (a full season) during the 2002-03 season for the now-defunct Fayetteville Patriots of the D-League. At the time, Barnes seemed like a career bench player. The Memphis Grizzlies drafted Barnes in the second round of the 2002 NBA Draft before trading him to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Months later, the Cavs cut Barnes, who then spent the rest of the season in the D-League. In January 2004, Barnes signed a 10-day contract with the Los Angeles Clippers and was later signed for the rest of the season. Now an NBA regular, Barnes started 98 games in the last two seasons and averaged 20.8 minutes per game in the Lakers' first eight games this season. Two D-League players have even been selected in the NBA Draft.
Like an NBA roster, a D-League roster is composed of 12 players. Of the 12, 10 are considered D-League players and at least two are players assigned from NBA rosters. The 10 D-League players are compiled from former players (meaning players from last season's roster), local players, and at least one tryout player. The teams are filled in an eight-team serpentine draft.
(Matt Barnes is a fellow D-League alum.)
The D-League's continued growth is only a sign of the future of this minor league. Last season, D-League attendance reached over 1 million, a 6.6 percent increase from the previous season, and average game attendance was just under 3,000.
The D-League signed a national TV contract with Versus in January 2010. This season, Versus will air 11 regular season games, including the D-League Showcase, and six playoff games, including the finals.
At the very least, the D-League is sports at its core. It is just a group of guys looking for an opportunity to make a living doing what they love to do. While some get the call quickly, like Gaines, others wait much longer for theirs, and others return to the D-League after their opportunity passes.
The Jazz did not resign Gaines after the 2009-10 season. He has a tryout with the Minnesota Timberwolves tonight before their game against the Sacramento Kings.
This is Sundiata Gaines, still with something to prove.
The 2010 first overall pick makes professional his Madison Square Garden debut tonight as the Washington Wizards (1-2) play the New York Knicks (2-2). Wall averaged 23.7 points and 10.3 assists in his first three career games with the Wizards.
Before the Wizards home opener Tuesday, Wall electrified the crowd and his teammates with his rendition of the "dougie" dance.
Despite his killer moves, Wall has already started to get some hate, namely from ESPN's Colin Cowherd. Cowherd said on his radio show, "He’s going to end up on the Iverson, Francis, Starbury, great stats, nine all-star teams, but never play with good smart players and an elite head coach. He’s gonna drive people nuts." Cowherd has earned a lot of flack for the comment already - which is not unwarranted considering Wall has played only three professional games - but it is certainly a direction a young player's career can go. Iverson - Turkey. Marbury - China. Francis - early retirement. All of these point guards had a similar style, but did not always work well with others. An entertaining guard like Wall can quickly wander onto this path.
In what seems to be a new feature of EP Sports Mag, we have yet another parody of the LeBron James "Rise" commercial.
This time, though, it is far less tongue-in-cheek. Here is the city of Cleveland's response.
Clearly, the loss of LeBron James is going to sting for quite some time. Neither the Cleveland Indians nor the Cleveland Browns appear to be close to contention anytime soon, but the Cavaliers were one of the NBA's best. Now, they are a shell of their former selves.
Cavs fans expected James to bring his "hometown" (well, Akron is close enough to Cleveland) the championship they have been longing for, but he left them angry (some would say bitter) and title-less.
While battling for a rebound, Jermaine O’Neal of the Boston Celtics pushes New York Knicks’ center Timofey Mozgov and the officials whistle O’Neal for a loose ball foul. O’Neal tries to plead his case to the official. Technical foul.
As the players wait around for the Knicks to shoot, Kevin Garnett chats up an official. Technical foul.
But Garnett continues, so the ref ejects him much to the pleasure of the Madison Square Garden crowd. At least it was only preseason.
This scene is just one of many so far this season. League officials instructed referees to call more technical fouls on players arguing over calls and non-calls in an attempt to increase respect in the league.
Some specific actions that will warrant a technical foul call include punching the air, waving off an official, running to an official, any sign of shock or disagreement, and sarcastic gestures directed towards refs. The result of a technical foul, also called a “T” or a “tech,” is a free throw and possession for the opposing team.
According to league officials, though, these rule changes are tailored to please fans. Stu Jackson, vice president of basketball operations for the NBA, told the Associated Press in September, “Our fan research shows that people think NBA players complain too much and they do so much more than players in other leagues,” says Jackson.
(The list of offenders consists of some the league's elite.)
The league has a structured penalty for each technical foul. The first five technical fouls committed cost $2,000 each. Fouls six to ten come with a $3,000 fine each. Numbers 11 to 15 result in a $4,000 fine and a warning letter to the player after his 12th technical. The 16th technical results in a $5,000 fine and a one game suspension. Each additional foul costs $5,000 and each two additional fouls costs $5,000 plus a one game suspension. Ejections cost $2,000 plus the fine for the previous ejection. So the third ejection, for example, will cost $6,000; the eighth will cost $16,000; etc.
Not surprisingly, T’s have increased greatly from past seasons. Jason Williams (ORL), Zyndrunas Ilgauskas (MIA), and Andre Miller (POR) lead the league in technical fouls with two each. Dallas Mavericks forward Tyson Chandler is the only player to be called for a technical this season only to have it rescinded by the League Office.
(Tyson Chandler is credited with two T's this season, but his first was rescinded following the game.)
This is not the first time the league proposed this initiative. During the 2006-07 season, the league instructed referees to call more T’s, but the players’ association filed a labor claim against the league.
The reaction has obviously been mixed among players. Michael Beasley of the Minnesota Timberwolves told the AP that he thinks players need to “shut up and play basketball,” but he does think that fans enjoy watching emotional players.
(For better or worse, get used to this scene.)
In the first week of this initiative, it is clear that players need to contain their immediate reactions or they will receive a technical. In some cases, players need to use common sense – i.e. do not try to cuss out a ref – but in others cases, players need to hold back on their instinctive reactions – i.e. not waving their hands in shock after a questionable call.
Needless to say, this is only a developing story in this young season.
Portland Trail Blazers (2-0) vs. New York Knickerbockers (1-1), 7:30pm, MSG
The Madison Square Garden debut of Amar'e Stoudemire in a Knicks' uniform will be electric. Stoudemire scored 27 points and brought in 8 rebounds in the Knicks' 105-101 loss to the Boston Celtics.
The Blazers won six of the last seven meetings against the Knicks. Guard Brandon Roy leads the Blazers' offense. The 2006/07 Rookie of the Year registered a double-double (22 points and 10 rebounds) in Portland's win against the Los Angeles Clippers Wednesday.
Probable Starters (POR): C Marcus Camby, PF LaMarcus Aldridge, SF Nicolas Batum, SG Brandon Roy, PG Andre Miller
Probable Starters (NYK): C Timofey Mozgov, PF Amar'e Stoudemire, SF Danilo Gallinari, SG Landry Fields, PG Raymond Felton
Player to watch: LaMarcus Aldridge (PF, POR) Aldridge scored 19 points and 10 rebounds against the Clippers Wednesday. The fourth year forward has the pleasure of matching up with Amar'e Stoudemire tonight. Oh fun.
Prediction: Sorry, Amar'e. The MSG crowd will be crazy, but the Blazers are simply better. Take Portland.
Los Angeles Lakers (1-0) vs. Phoenix Suns (1-1), 10:30pm, ESPN
The second half of ESPN's double-header features the defending champions on the road against the Phoenix Suns. The Lakers edged out a close victory in their season opener against the Houston Rockets. Point guard Steve Blake hit a three-pointer with 18 seconds left to give the Lakers the lead and ultimately, the win. The Suns are fresh off a 16 point win against Utah Thursday night.
LA won the season-series last year 3-1. The Lakers lead the all-time series, 125-88.
Probable Starters (LAL): C Pau Gasol, PF Lamar Odom, SF Ron Artest, SG Kobe Bryant, PG Derek Fisher
Probable Starters (PHX): C Robin Lopez, PF Hedo Turkoglu, SF Grant Hill, SG Jason Richardson, PG Steve Nash
Who to watch: Hakim Warrick (F-PHX) Warrick scored 18 points in the Suns' win against the Jazz Thursday. The Suns acquired Warrick, a member of the 2003 National Championship team, in an off-season sign-and-trade with the Chicago Bulls.
Prediction: The Suns looked red hot in their first win of the season and made short work of a talented Jazz squad. Take the Suns at home.
Orlando Magic (1-0) vs. Miami Heat (1-1), 8pm, ESPN
The NWO hosts the Orlando Magic in the first match-up of the season between these Southeast Division foes. In their first game of the regular season, the Magic ran through the Washington Wizards, 112-83. Dwight Howard led the way with 23 points and 10 boards. The Magic out-rebounded the Wizards 53-25. Disgusting.
This advantage is exactly what the Heat fear. NBA fans get to see how an inside tandem of Udonis Haslem and Chris Bosh fair against Dwight Howard.
Probable Starters (ORL): C Dwight Howard, PF Rashard Lewis, SF Quentin Richardson, SG Vince Carter, PG Jameer Nelson
Probably Starters (MIA): C Joel Anthony, PF Chris Bosh, SF LeBron James, SG Dwayne Wade, PG Carlos Arroyo
Who to watch: James Jones The forward hit six three-pointers and scored 20 points off the bench in Miami's win Wednesday against Philadelphia.
Prediction: This will be the first home game for the NWO, so expect a win in front of an electric crowd.
Let's cut the foreplay and get right into EP's 2010/11 Eastern Conference Preview.
1. The New World Order/Miami Heat General manager Pat Riley had a coup this off-season with the signings of SF LeBron James and PF Chris Bosh. The Heat were already dangerous with Dwayne Wade but now they are scary. And, after about 3 months, the arguments against the NWO have finally become trite and stupid:
1.The Heat have depth. Pretty good depth actually. The team has Carlos Arroyo, Eddie House, Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem, Zyndrunas Ilgauskas, and Dexter Pittman coming off the bench.
2.Mario Chalmers is not the best point guard in the league, but he will certainly not hold the Heat back. Chalmers’ numbers should skyrocket with so many prolific scorers.
3.Chris Bosh is an undersized center. That is why he will play power forward and Udonis Haslem will come off the bench.
(LeBron, Wade, and Bosh join the NWO.)
2. Orlando Magic Whatever improvements the Magic made will pale in comparison to the NWO’s off-season, but Orlando did pick up PG Chris Duhon to back up Jameer Nelson and retained SG JJ Redick. The depth is still there. With nightly double-double threat Dwight Howard, the Magic should be one of the NWO’s biggest threats in the league.
3. Boston Celtics The defending Eastern Conference champions are still in a league of their own in the Atlantic Division. The Celtics added depth with Delonte West and centers Jermaine O’Neal and Shaquille O’Neal. The "big shamrock" is getting far too much media attention since joining the Celtics, but he is certainly an upgrade over Rasheed Wallace.
The Celtics may have picked up the steal of the 2010 NBA Draft in SG Avery Bradley from Texas. ESPNU ranked Bradley first overall in their 2009 high school rankings. Though Bradley struggled in his first and only season at Texas, he has all of the tools to be a premier shooting guard in the league, or at least a solid number two for Paul Pierce.
(Pierce with the right hand.)
4. Chicago Bulls After two consecutive seasons of first round playoff exits, the Bulls look to finally break through to the next round. The addition of PF Carlos Boozer this offseason may just push the Bulls to that next level. Boozer and Joakim Noah will make a dominant duo in the paint.The biggest weak spot for this team is shooting guard. Ronnie Brewer is struggling with the system, so he may be bumped by Keith Bogans for the first few weeks of the season. Regardless, the Bulls still have PG Derrick Rose, who led all point guards with 20.8 points per game last season.
5. Milwaukee Bucks Fear the Deer. No seriously. The Bucks pushed the Atlanta Hawks to seven games in last season’s playoffs and will look to prove that it was not a mistake. Center Andrew Bogut dominated the position last season and showed why the Bucks picked him first overall in 2005. An elbow injury, though, shortened his season and kept him out of the playoffs. Newly acquired PF Drew Gooden should help in the paint until Bogut returns to form. Plus, the Bucks always have injury-prone/sharpshooter Michael Redd chilling on the bench just in case.
(The rookie Jennings had a 55 point game last season against Golden State.)
6. Atlanta Hawks If last season’s postseason was any indication, the Hawks are years away from the finals. The Hawks struggled with the Milwaukee Bucks in the first round–despite an injury to Bucks’ center Andrew Bogut–and were swept in epic proportions by the Magic in the second round. The Hawks only improvement this off-season is age. Atlanta will be one year older and hopefully a little wiser. They will still be one of the East’s elite teams, but that doesn’t get you far past the first round.
7. New York Knicks The New York Knicks made lemons out of lemonade this offseason. The signings of Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton and acquisitions of Ronny Turiaf, Kelenna Azubuike, and Anthony Rudolph saved the offseason for the franchise that built their entire payroll assuming that LeBron James or Dwayne Wade would come.Sadly, Knick fans now assume that the team will acquire Carmelo Anthony and/or Chris Paul. We aren’t shooting down the prospect here at EP, but we are thankful that the Knicks started to build a starting lineup that can compete.
8. Charlotte Bobcats The Bobcats reached the playoffs for the first time in franchise history last season, but how will they follow it up? Raymond Felton will be missed, but DJ Augustin should prove to be a solid replacement once he becomes comfortable in the starting role. Small forward Gerald Wallace led Charlotte with 10 rebounds per game. EP doesn’t know if that speaks to Wallace’s skill or Charlotte’s weaknesses at PF and C.
(Get to know Gerald Wallace...who don't do the computer like that.)
9. Indiana Pacers The Pacers are another team that can benefit greatly from a weak division. The team picked acquired Darren Collison from New Orleans over the off-season. Collison should be an upgrade from Earl Watson, who got most of the starts at point guard for Indiana. You can’t have a Pacers preview without SF Danny Granger, who seems to be one of the most overlooked superstars in the league. Granger was eighth in points per game last season and should be healthy for the season opener.
10. Detroit Pistons The Pistons have so much talent, but it just doesn’t matter. Frankly, EP wishes someone would explain why the team signed SG Ben Gorden and PF Charlie Villanueva last offseason considering that the two started 33 games between them. Granted the two had their injuries last season, but they also make more than $17 million per year combined. That’s a lot of money sitting on the bench. The Pistons will live and die by their performances this season. Breakout years by Gordon and Villanueva can push the Pistons to the playoffs in a weak Central Division.
(A healthy Tracy McGrady could lead to huge things in Detroit.)
11. Cleveland Cavaliers Oh, how the mighty have fallen. The Cavs will be without LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Delonte West, and Zyndrunas Ilgauskas. Byron Scott has a huge challenge in front of him, but at least the team still has Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison. 12. Washington Wizards Gilbert Arenas is back. EP just wishes he would be a little quieter. OK, maybe not. The Wizards fined Arenas $50,000 two weeks ago when he admitted that he faked an injury to get teammate Nick Young more playing time in a preseason game. It will be exciting to see Arenas interact with 2010 first overall draft pick John Wall. The Wizards will be missing C Brendan Haywood greatly, though. It will be a rough year in the paint for the Wizards.
(Classic Gilbert Arenas commercial for Adidas.) 13. Philadelphia 76ers Two steps forward and one step back. The trade of Samuel Dalembert to the Sacramento Kings for young center Spencer Hawes and small forward Andres Nocioni should help the Sixers in the long-run (if Hawes pans out), but in the meantime, the team loses a rebounding machine. Second overall draft pick Evan Turner should put pressure on Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young early in the season and may just take the job away from Young if he gets enough minutes.
14. Toronto Raptors At least the Cavaliers got something for LeBron James, even if it was just a bunch of draft picks. The Raptors got nothing. We mean nothing. Rough times for a Toronto fan. The Raptors hoped that the acquisition of Hedo Turkoglu last season would push them over the top in their weak division, but Turkoglu could not live up to his insane contract and the Raptors traded him to the Suns for Leandro Barbosa.
At least the Raptors have DeMar DeRozan. The 21-year-old SG from USC finished second to Nate Robinson in the 2010 Sprite Slam Dunk Competition and should get more minutes in his sophomore campaign. 15. New Jersey Nets It’s easy to make jokes at New Jersey Nets’ owner Mikkhail Prokhorov and his claim that the Nets will win a championship within five years. Sure, the Nets roster is bare, but he wanted to make noise. If he didn’t show that he was committed to winning now, how would the Nets have signed anybody this off-season?
That being said, the Nets really didn’t sign anybody this off-season. The 12-70 team picked up Jordan Farmar, Ben Uzoh, Travis Outlaw, and Troy Murphy in addition to drafting the very talented Derrick Favors from Georgia Tech. With a healthy Devin Harris running point and an older Ben Lopez in the paint, the Nets will be better. A championship in five years? Maybe not. But a playoff appearance? Possible.
The wait is over. Meaningful professional basketball games will be played this Tuesday. The winner of the Western Conference has won the last two NBA Championships - the Lakers in both years. Once again, all eyes in the West will be on the LA Lakers, the three-time defending Western Conference champions. Here is the West as EP sees it.
1. Los Angeles Lakers The defending champions improved over the offseason, adding Steve Blake to back-up for PG Derek Fisher, who looked tired at times during the playoffs last season. The Lakers also added bad boy and former Kobe enemy Matt Barnes.
But how much is left in the tank? The Lakers have played a total of 313 games in the past three seasons en route to three Western Conference Titles and two NBA Championships. Eventually these minutes have to take their toll.
(This commercial is reason enough to root for the Lakers' Lamar Odom.)
2. Dallas Mavericks Dallas is the biggest threat to the Lakers’ fourth consecutive Western Conference title. The Mavericks’ roster has very few holes, but the Mavs consistently underperform in the postseason. The second seeded Mavs lost in the first round to the San Antonio Spurs last postseason, but their deep bench may finally help the Mavs live up to expectations.
3. Portland Trailblazers The Blazers finished in a three-way tie for the sixth seed last season, but were eliminated in the first round with star SG Brandon Roy injured. The Blazers strengthened their biggest weakness last year with a mid-season trade for C Marcus Camby to replace the oft-injured Greg Oden. The Blazers, if healthy, can be deadly in the West.
(Brandon Roy with some mid-air improv.)
4. Houston Rockets Looking at the Rockets’ roster, it’s hard to believe that they missed the playoffs by eight games last year. With C Yao Ming back in a limited role, the Rockets should make a serious case the NBA Championship this season. The backcourt tandem of Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin are reason enough to fear the Rockets.
5. Utah Jazz The Jazz did lose leading rebounder Carlos Boozer in the offseason, but the Minnesota Timberwolves pretty much gave them PF Al Jefferson. Jefferson is no Boozer, but he is certainly a capable replacement. If you need any reason to watch the Jazz, look no further than PG Deron Williams. Williams has one of the dirtiest crossovers in the league. He is simply a sight to see. 6. San Antonio Spurs Age is what hurt the Spurs in the regular season, but experience is what got them to the second round of the playoffs. With PG Tony Parker and SG Manu Ginobili healthy, the Spurs should be back to their dominant form.
DeJuan Blair may be the steal of the 2009 draft. The Spurs drafted the 6’8 forward without ACLs 37th overall, but he started 25 games last season and he is making a strong case for joining the regular rotation.
(DeJuan Blair with destruction at the 2010 Rookie/Sophomore Game.)
7. Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets have the same core that led them to the Western Conference Finals in 2008. Assuming Carmelo Anthony remains on the team, the Nuggets will certainly be a contender in the West. The performance of PF Al Harrington will be crucial for the Nuggets’ success with Kenyon Martin out until about January. The biggest concern for the Nuggets will be if Melo resigns in the offseason.
8. Phoenix Suns Despite the loss of PF Amar’e Stoudemire to the New York Knicks, the Suns actually improved this offseason. The addition of Hedo Turkoglu provides a talented backup for injury-prone SF Grant Hill. After a down season in Toronto, Turkoglu hopes to return to form in the desert.
The additions of Josh Childress and Hakim Warrick bring some younger legs to the Suns. It will be interesting to see if how Childress performs at first after spending the last two seasons playing in Greece.
(Hedo Turkoglu had a trouble season in Toronto, but this is no excuse for this terrible interview.)
9. Oklahoma City Thunder If the Heat are everybody’s villain, then the Thunder are everybody’s heroes. This summer has been a total love fest for Thunder forward Kevin Durant and rightfully so. Durant averaged 30.1 points per game last season and almost led the Thunder to a first round upset of the Los Angeles Lakers.
Durant along with PG Russell Westbrook, SG Thabo Sefolosha, and PF Jeff Green started all 82 games last season. Center will be the Thunder’s biggest obstacle to contention. Nenad Krstic is simply not on the same level as Andrew Bynum, Nene, or Brandon Haywood. 10. Memphis Grizzlies The resigning of Rudy Gay is undoubtedly one of the best moves of the off-season. Gay averaged 19.6 points per game and 1.48 steals per game, fifth in the league most for his position. Forward Zach Randolph averaged a double-double last season. The Grizzlies finished 40-42, a 16 game improvement from the 2008-09 season. Look for the Grizzlies to be in the playoff race until the very end.
(Rudy Gay deserves more attention.)
11. New Orleans Hornets The second biggest acquisition this season is definitely Chris Paul. OK, so Paul did not really go anywhere, but he only played 45 games last season. A healthy Paul is reason enough to fear the Hornets, who finished 37-45 last season. Despite an off-season trade for SF Trevor Ariza, the Hornets need a consistent Emeka Okafor to make the playoffs.
12. Los Angeles Clippers Few teams match the Clippers’ off-season improvement. The perennial losers added two rookies to aid starting PG Baron Davis in Eric Bledsoe and Jon Scheyer, backup SG Randy Foye to pressure starter Eric Gordon, starting SF Randy Gomes, returning PF Blake Griffin, and first round pick Willie Warren.
Even with the substantial improvements, the Clippers will still be on the outside looking in this May.
13. Golden State Warriors The acquisition of David Lee could put the Warriors over the top. In New York, Lee was always forced to play an undersized center, but with Andris Biedrins at center for Golden State, Lee can stick to his roots as a power forward.
(Monta Ellis: fooled you!)
14. Sacramento Kings Led by 2009/10 T-Mobile Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, the Kings have a long road ahead. The Kings traded Andres Nocioni and Spencer Hawes to Philadelphia for C Samuel Dalembert shortly after drafting DeMarcus Cousins fifth overall in the 2010 NBA Draft. This season will be an uphill battle for the Kings with no true starting small forward and a possible controversy at center between Dalembert and Cousins.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves The Wolves finished 29th last season and this year's team does not look much better. The team is filled with young talent, including PF Kevin Love, PG Jonny Flynn, SG Corey Brewer, SG Wes Johnson, and PF Michael Beasley, but head coach Kurt Rambis needs to figure out how this core group translate on the court. The offseason trade of Al Jefferson for Kosta Koufos and two first round picks helps Minnesota down the line, but definitely not this season.
(Minnesota point guard Jonny Flynn looks to continue his success in his sophomore season.)
Check back tomorrow for EP's Eastern Conference Preview.
