Three days and counting until the best Christmas present of all time!! No it's not a cabbage patch doll, not a tickle-me-Elmo, no Beanie Babies and not even a Furby. We're getting a giant package filled with a day of jam-packed NBA action. The NBA is back baby, its back! In the immortal words of Steve Buckhantz, 'How do you like that?"
Well Buck, I LOVE IT!
To jump start the season, I've decided to take a different approach to a season preview. I'm getting out ahead of ESPN and all the TV pundits to answer everyone's favorite hypothetical, What if the playoffs started today? Preposterous I know, but nothing about this season is conventional so deal with it.
We'll start with the East and run down the Top Eight Teams, and a few on the-Cusp teams:
1.) Miami - A 66 game season will really help the Heat, not to mention during the offseason they improved their bench. Battier is a solid addition, Haslem is back and healthy and LeBron has a new and improved post game, scary. The X-Factor here, will the Heat rest guys for the playoff run? If so they may swap Chicago for the two spot, but no lower.
2.) Chicago - The Bulls made two solid moves so far, 1.) Signing Rose to an extension and 2.) The signing of Rip Hamilton. Let us not forget that Chicago was a beast of a defensive team last year, but when it came down to crunch time and they needed a basket, they had nothing. They were too easy to stop when Rose was their only option, now they have a knock down scorer with a championship pedigree.
3.) Knicks - So the Knicks were trying to get Chris Paul, amnestied Chauncey Billups, signed Tyson Chandler and Baron Davis. Chandler will help out on defense and allow Amare to focus even less on defending the basket. The big question mark is the point guard spot. May be the New York spotlight will rejuvenate Davis, but can he last? The Knicks aren't a deep team and D'Antoni loves to run his teams in to the ground, but they do have Melo.
4.) Indiana - This is my big surprise team of the season. The Pacers snuck in to the playoffs last year as an 8 seed and gave the Bulls fits. In the offseason they signed David West and looked poised to make the jump to actual contender. I was hesitant to pick the Knicks ahead of the Pacers, but the Pacers lack that superstar. Granger is great, but he's not Melo. Look for the Pacers to hustle hard, play smart and actually try for the entire 66 games.
5.) Boston - Old, decaying, decrepit on life support. Not sold on this Celtics team, plus an injury to KG, Pierce or Allen could be catastrophic. The Celts lost Big Baby to Orlando, Jeff Green is out for the season with heart problems and they really have no depth at all. This could be a really long season for the Celts.
6.) Orlando - The Magic are skating on thin ice, if Dwight does get traded at any point this season, then you can take them out of the 6 spot and put them on the couch for the playoffs.
7.) Atlanta - The Hawks lost Crawford and replaced him with Tracy Magrady. Tisk, Tisk. Also Josh Howard is good trade bait.
8.) Philadelphia - The Sixers made the playoffs last season and have a great young team. If Brand stays healthy, that gives the Sixers a legit post presence and Evan Turner was impressive last season as a rookie.
On the Cusp:
ALERT, ALERT, ALERT....HOMER PICK: 9.) Washington - I was at the first pre-season game and I saw the Wiz take it on the chin, and I know that Nick Young is our best scorer. Man that last part was scary to write. If Wall can improve and Javale McGee finally comes around (Contract year) may be we get in as an eight, but I doubt it.
10.) Bucks - I don't know a lot about the Bucks, but they have a great point guard in Brandon Jennings, sorry. Fear the deer?
I'm dusting off my floppy disk and taking the Oregon Trail over to the West to pick my top 8.
1.) Oklahoma City - Two words for you: Kevin Durant. Remember this shortened season will benefit young legs and the Thunder has a lot of those. The NBA is always dominated by dominant players, good news for the Thunder since they have two, but can Durant and Westbrook co-exist? If they do, this is the best team in the West.
2.) LA Clippers (Not a Typo) - We're currently living in a world that could feature a Miami vs. LA Clippers NBA finals. Go back in a time machine and let someone in the Nineties know that, they would shit themselves. The Clips added Chris Paul (Top Ten Player), Chauncey Billups (Former NBA Champ), Caron Butler (Great Knickname 'Tough Juice') and they re-signed Blake Griffins' buddy De'Andre Jordan. If the team can jell early then they could be scary good. LOB-CITY!!!
3.) Dallas - I'm so confused on how to think about this Mavs team. They relied heavily on the defensive presence of Tyson Chandler and great bench play from the spark plug J.J. Barrea to win a title. Now both are gone, and they replaced them with Odom, Delonte West and Vince Carter. I say downgrade. I like the Odom addition and he's playing with a chip on his shoulder, but rocking the ship too much could be detrimental.
4.) Memphis - Memphis gave us a memorable playoff series with the Thunder last year and even gave us a legit Grievis Vasquez siting. Marc Gasol re-signed and Rudy Gay is back and healthy. I really like this Memphis team and I really want to see them in the playoffs.
5.) San Antonio - The Spurs are old, see Boston Celtics, but they have experience. If the old dogs can hold up for the sprint, they should be rewarded with a first round playoff exit to the Grizzles.
6.) Nuggets - The Melo trade last season gave the Nuggets some good players in return. George Karl is a great coach and this Nuggets team is poised to surprise.
7.) Lakers - Old, disgruntled and injury prone. I just realized that if this scenario is plays out we could have an all LA first round match-up. That would be incredible. The Lakers got robbed by the NBA and if Kobe has any juice left his sole motivation will be destroying everyone in his path.
8.) Portland - This is just a shout out to all the hipsters in Portland, you have a decent basketball team.
On the Cusp: 9.) Suns - Nash, that's about it.
10.) Minnesota - I Kevin Love this team, and they signed J.J. Barrea and finally brought Ricky Rubio over from Spain. This team could surprise and make a push to be a 7 seed; I also love the addition of head coach Rick Adleman.
There it is, all wrapped up nice for you and placed under the tree. What has two thumbs loves the NBA and can't sleep at night due to anticipation of one of the best days of basketball in the history of the world? THIS GUY!!!
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