Speaking of the dazzling purple and gold, the Lakers had an eventful summer. Not only did they acquire Howard, they also added all-star point guard Steve Nash to the mix. With Kobe Byant and Nash in the backcourt and a strong front court consisting of Howard, Gasol, and World Peace, I would expect to see these guys going deep into the playoffs. The Lakers also acquired Chris Duhon, Antawan Jamison, and Jodie Meeks; which gives them one of the deepest benches in the Western Conference.
One player really stood out this summer. Recently (un)retired shooting guard Brandon Roy. Roy has
had a roller coaster-type career, which abruptly ended last year when he announced his retirement
due to his unstable degenerative knees. The 28 year-old all-star decided that he would give the NBA
another shot and announced a comeback for the 2012-2013 season. This announcement sparked life
into many teams, in need of a strong backcourt. The two teams that were fighting harder than any
other were the Portland Trail Blazers (Roy's previous team) and the new-look Minnesota
Timberwolves. The outcome was quite a surprise, as Roy decided to sign a two-year $10.4 million
contract. This may seem like a significant amount for a player whose future is undecided, but if he
can stay healthy, Roy could lead this team to a playoff birth and, possibly, beyond.
Ray Allen left Boston with a farewell and a title under his belt. Now he is off to South Beach to
pursue another with the defending champions Miami Heat. What does this mean for Boston? Well,
more cap space and now a chance for Jason Terry to step up his role to the starter position and help
contribute to the old-age Leprechauns. The Celtics may be old, but with Kevin Garnett coming back
to play another year (or two), Paul Pierce sticking to his guns, and Rajon Rondo possibly being the
best point guard in the NBA, the C's are going to be a handful for most teams in the league, assuming
they stay heathy. With the re-signing of the the explosive Jeff Green and the acquisition of the up-
and-coming Courtney Lee, the bench of the Celtics has more than a substantial amount of depth and
will be an asset if the Celtics hope for a lengthy playoff run.
These were the main events of the summer. For more one the free agent market and player
acquisitions, please go to http://espn.go.com/nba/.
Though the playoffs are still close to five months away, here are my predictions as to what the first
round will look like:
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers- No team with Kobe Bryant is going to be out of the playoff race. With Dwight Howard and Steve Nash by Bryant's side, the Lakers will be a handful for any team.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder are younger than the other top teams in the west, but just as talented. A roster made up of three Olympians, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden,
the Thunder are more than capable of winning an NBA championship as each of their stars continuesto improve.
3. Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers will follow up one of their better seasons with an even better one. The high flying duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul is enough to keep the Clippers in the playoff race, but they have created a solid supporting cast to back them up. With the re-signing of Chauncey Billups, and the addition of Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, and Jamal Crawford, the Clippers will find themselves near the top of the Western Conference.
4. San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs are the exact opposite of the Thunder. They are made up of older players mostly past their prime. Despite this, the Spurs are coming off of a fantastic season in which they, even as the underdog at the beginning, found themselves at the top of the Western Conference.
5. Denver Nuggets- A rebuilding year that featured dealing the face of the franchise, Carmelo Anthony, to the New York Knicks, ended well for the Nuggets as they obtained 50 wins and made it to the first round of the playoffs. They’ve made some smart moves since then, dealing Nene to the Wizards for Javale Mcgee. In addition, the Nuggets played a largely unknown role in the trade that saw Dwight Howard land in Los Angeles and were able to add a solid player in Andre Iguodola.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves – Had Ricky Rubio not been injured, the Minnesota Timberwolves would have been in the playoff race all the way until the end last season. With Rubio set to come back sometime towards the end of the calendar year, the Timberwolves will have him towards the end of the season, the time when they need him most. With the addition of a very defensively proficient Andrei Kirilenko and an improving Brandon Roy, the Timberwolves have filled some of the major voids that they had last year. That combined with the guaranteed dominance of Kevin Love means the Timberwolves are in great shape for a playoff run.
7. Memphis Grizzlies- Coming off a solid season ending with a playoff appearance, the Grizzlies will once again find themselves in the postseason. Although they will only be a seven seed, whoever faces them in the first round will need to watch out or they will find themselves being upset. Zach Randolph is playing some of the best basketball of his career and with Rudy Gay finally emerging as a real threat, the Grizzlies are a dangerous team for any opponent. The Grizzlies suffered a setback with the loss of O.J Mayo, but will still be a solid team regardless.
8. Golden State Warriors – Even playing in their first year without Monta Ellis, the Warriors will still have a good shot at making the post season. The acquisition of Jarrett Jack from the Hornets means that Stephen Curry will be able to do what he does best, score the ball. There isn’t a basketball fan that doesn’t know the scoring potential of Stephen Curry. In his college days at Davidson he averaged 28.6 points a game and led the nation in scoring. Since he’ll be able to play as a scorer rather than a passer, he can do what he is best at and will be much more efficient as a result. As long as Curry stays healthy and role players such as Andrew Bogut and Richard Jefferson do what they’re supposed to, the Warriors will make a run at the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat- The defending champs are just getting stronger and more experienced by the day. Now thirsting for another title, they will do anything to obtain the honor again. With the addition of shooting guard Ray Allen, the Heat have a veteran who knows the ropes and can buckle down and hit a big shot in pressure situations.
2. Boston Celtics- With a mixture of young and old on the team, the C's have a perfect balance to contend with any team in the league. With the re-signing of explosive forward Jeff Green and the acquisitions of veteran guard Jason Terry and young guard Courtney Lee, the Celtics are locked and loaded on the quest of another title.
3. Indiana Pacers- The team with the most returning player, Indiana has what it takes to make a run in the playoffs. Coach Vogel now knows what it takes to make it to the playoffs and what he needs to do to succeed. If they stay healthy, Indian is one of the strongest teams in the league led by underrated forward, Danny Granger, whom is looking for a strong start and a healthy season to lead his team to a much deserved high seed.
4. Philadelphia 76ers- The Sixers are young and small, but with Andrew Bynum now on the team, they have much potential, Yes, the loss of all star forward Andre Igouadala could sting a bit, but Jason Richardson will take his place and show the team he is serious about helping them contend with the other powerhouses in the league.
5. Chicago Bulls- Yes, the Bulls are playing without Derrick Rose for a good portion of the season, but they have proved in the past that other players can step up and carry this team when they are called upon. Joakim Noah is open about how he hates to lose, so will he prove to the rest of the NBA that he can revamp his team after an early departure from the postseason? Yes, he can because he is one of the hardest working players in the league and with Luol Deng by his side, the Windy City is ready to give other teams a run for their money.
6. New York Knicks- This may be the last time the Knicks will make the playoffs. They have been a disappointment to most of us since they acquired Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire because they have not lived up to their expectations. With the addition of world class point guard Jason Kidd to give the youngsters some help, they could make the fifth seed, but this is do or die because after this, coach Mike Woodson will be looking to rebuild.
7. Atlanta Hawks- The Hawks lost a key component in their lineup when Joe Johnson left. Since Al Horford is back and in prime conditions, Josh Smith is trying to keep his team pumped for each game, and Jeff Teague is one of the biggest surprises, the Hawks may have a couple of spurts left in them.
8. Brooklyn Nets- The Nets have a new home, a new look, and a new lineup. One that consists of all stars Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. Both have been in the playoffs and both have lost in the playoffs, so they will be playing with a chip on their shoulders. The Nets have a decent front court with Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez, and Gerald Wallace, all who have a history of season-ending injuries, but if they can stay healthy, they can make it to the postseason.
had a roller coaster-type career, which abruptly ended last year when he announced his retirement
due to his unstable degenerative knees. The 28 year-old all-star decided that he would give the NBA
another shot and announced a comeback for the 2012-2013 season. This announcement sparked life
into many teams, in need of a strong backcourt. The two teams that were fighting harder than any
other were the Portland Trail Blazers (Roy's previous team) and the new-look Minnesota
Timberwolves. The outcome was quite a surprise, as Roy decided to sign a two-year $10.4 million
contract. This may seem like a significant amount for a player whose future is undecided, but if he
can stay healthy, Roy could lead this team to a playoff birth and, possibly, beyond.
Ray Allen left Boston with a farewell and a title under his belt. Now he is off to South Beach to
pursue another with the defending champions Miami Heat. What does this mean for Boston? Well,
more cap space and now a chance for Jason Terry to step up his role to the starter position and help
contribute to the old-age Leprechauns. The Celtics may be old, but with Kevin Garnett coming back
to play another year (or two), Paul Pierce sticking to his guns, and Rajon Rondo possibly being the
best point guard in the NBA, the C's are going to be a handful for most teams in the league, assuming
they stay heathy. With the re-signing of the the explosive Jeff Green and the acquisition of the up-
and-coming Courtney Lee, the bench of the Celtics has more than a substantial amount of depth and
will be an asset if the Celtics hope for a lengthy playoff run.
These were the main events of the summer. For more one the free agent market and player
acquisitions, please go to http://espn.go.com/nba/.
Though the playoffs are still close to five months away, here are my predictions as to what the first
round will look like:
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers- No team with Kobe Bryant is going to be out of the playoff race. With Dwight Howard and Steve Nash by Bryant's side, the Lakers will be a handful for any team.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder are younger than the other top teams in the west, but just as talented. A roster made up of three Olympians, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden,
the Thunder are more than capable of winning an NBA championship as each of their stars continuesto improve.
3. Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers will follow up one of their better seasons with an even better one. The high flying duo of Blake Griffin and Chris Paul is enough to keep the Clippers in the playoff race, but they have created a solid supporting cast to back them up. With the re-signing of Chauncey Billups, and the addition of Lamar Odom, Grant Hill, and Jamal Crawford, the Clippers will find themselves near the top of the Western Conference.
4. San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs are the exact opposite of the Thunder. They are made up of older players mostly past their prime. Despite this, the Spurs are coming off of a fantastic season in which they, even as the underdog at the beginning, found themselves at the top of the Western Conference.
5. Denver Nuggets- A rebuilding year that featured dealing the face of the franchise, Carmelo Anthony, to the New York Knicks, ended well for the Nuggets as they obtained 50 wins and made it to the first round of the playoffs. They’ve made some smart moves since then, dealing Nene to the Wizards for Javale Mcgee. In addition, the Nuggets played a largely unknown role in the trade that saw Dwight Howard land in Los Angeles and were able to add a solid player in Andre Iguodola.
6. Minnesota Timberwolves – Had Ricky Rubio not been injured, the Minnesota Timberwolves would have been in the playoff race all the way until the end last season. With Rubio set to come back sometime towards the end of the calendar year, the Timberwolves will have him towards the end of the season, the time when they need him most. With the addition of a very defensively proficient Andrei Kirilenko and an improving Brandon Roy, the Timberwolves have filled some of the major voids that they had last year. That combined with the guaranteed dominance of Kevin Love means the Timberwolves are in great shape for a playoff run.
7. Memphis Grizzlies- Coming off a solid season ending with a playoff appearance, the Grizzlies will once again find themselves in the postseason. Although they will only be a seven seed, whoever faces them in the first round will need to watch out or they will find themselves being upset. Zach Randolph is playing some of the best basketball of his career and with Rudy Gay finally emerging as a real threat, the Grizzlies are a dangerous team for any opponent. The Grizzlies suffered a setback with the loss of O.J Mayo, but will still be a solid team regardless.
8. Golden State Warriors – Even playing in their first year without Monta Ellis, the Warriors will still have a good shot at making the post season. The acquisition of Jarrett Jack from the Hornets means that Stephen Curry will be able to do what he does best, score the ball. There isn’t a basketball fan that doesn’t know the scoring potential of Stephen Curry. In his college days at Davidson he averaged 28.6 points a game and led the nation in scoring. Since he’ll be able to play as a scorer rather than a passer, he can do what he is best at and will be much more efficient as a result. As long as Curry stays healthy and role players such as Andrew Bogut and Richard Jefferson do what they’re supposed to, the Warriors will make a run at the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat- The defending champs are just getting stronger and more experienced by the day. Now thirsting for another title, they will do anything to obtain the honor again. With the addition of shooting guard Ray Allen, the Heat have a veteran who knows the ropes and can buckle down and hit a big shot in pressure situations.
2. Boston Celtics- With a mixture of young and old on the team, the C's have a perfect balance to contend with any team in the league. With the re-signing of explosive forward Jeff Green and the acquisitions of veteran guard Jason Terry and young guard Courtney Lee, the Celtics are locked and loaded on the quest of another title.
3. Indiana Pacers- The team with the most returning player, Indiana has what it takes to make a run in the playoffs. Coach Vogel now knows what it takes to make it to the playoffs and what he needs to do to succeed. If they stay healthy, Indian is one of the strongest teams in the league led by underrated forward, Danny Granger, whom is looking for a strong start and a healthy season to lead his team to a much deserved high seed.
4. Philadelphia 76ers- The Sixers are young and small, but with Andrew Bynum now on the team, they have much potential, Yes, the loss of all star forward Andre Igouadala could sting a bit, but Jason Richardson will take his place and show the team he is serious about helping them contend with the other powerhouses in the league.
5. Chicago Bulls- Yes, the Bulls are playing without Derrick Rose for a good portion of the season, but they have proved in the past that other players can step up and carry this team when they are called upon. Joakim Noah is open about how he hates to lose, so will he prove to the rest of the NBA that he can revamp his team after an early departure from the postseason? Yes, he can because he is one of the hardest working players in the league and with Luol Deng by his side, the Windy City is ready to give other teams a run for their money.
6. New York Knicks- This may be the last time the Knicks will make the playoffs. They have been a disappointment to most of us since they acquired Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire because they have not lived up to their expectations. With the addition of world class point guard Jason Kidd to give the youngsters some help, they could make the fifth seed, but this is do or die because after this, coach Mike Woodson will be looking to rebuild.
7. Atlanta Hawks- The Hawks lost a key component in their lineup when Joe Johnson left. Since Al Horford is back and in prime conditions, Josh Smith is trying to keep his team pumped for each game, and Jeff Teague is one of the biggest surprises, the Hawks may have a couple of spurts left in them.
8. Brooklyn Nets- The Nets have a new home, a new look, and a new lineup. One that consists of all stars Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. Both have been in the playoffs and both have lost in the playoffs, so they will be playing with a chip on their shoulders. The Nets have a decent front court with Kris Humphries, Brook Lopez, and Gerald Wallace, all who have a history of season-ending injuries, but if they can stay healthy, they can make it to the postseason.
