What If Wednesdays: What if the Chris Paul Trade Went Through?

(Yup, this was a thing. For about two hours.)

As part of our Wednesday lineup, we are going to take a look into the NBA history books and pick out a moment that helped shape the league into what it is today. Or simply something hilarious that happened that I want to relive. Either way, I thought last year's Chris Paul trade to Los Angeles was a fitting place to start. The Los Angeles Lakers I mean, of course.

If you remember, Chris Paul spent all of two plus hours as a member of the Lakers before David Stern ultimately vetoed the idea.(In which he made up by giving Houston the All-Star game and New Orleans the Number one pick.....Oh wait, that was just luck? Sure, David.) The Basketball Jones does a great job in discussing Paul's career with the lakers here. So what if this trade had stuck? What would have happenned last year? How would it have affect this year? Or future years to come?

 Had it gone through, here would have been the major terms of the trade:

Lakers Get: Chris Paul
Hornets Get: Lamar Odom, Luis Scola, Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic
Rockets Get: Pau Gasol

Now without getting into the CBA and the specifics of their individual salaries as to not confuse everyone, here is what everyone's next steps most likely would have been.

The Lakes would probably build around Bynum, Bryant and Paul. While the Howard trade may still happen this summer(Paul and Howard are friends from the 08' Olympic team), the Steve Nash trade this summer definitely doesn't. Where does Steve Nash end up? Probably in New York City playing for the Knicks. With the Lakers obviously not looking for a point guard, Nash probably would have picked the Knicks over the Raptors from his suitors as the best chance to win a title. This of course only occurs if....

Jeremy Lin signs with the Rockets. Do the Rockets go in search for that premier star this summer if they already have Gasol on the roster? You have to assume they would have made a big push to build around Gasol by signing him long term. I will tell you this, watching Lin and Gasol running a pick-n-roll would be pretty exciting, so I wouldn't be surprised if Lin ends up in Houston anyway. If he hadn't however, Nash may have taken Toronto's money to become his country's biggest hero since Wayne Gretzky.(Okay, probably a bit of an overreaction.)

The Hornets meanwhile, probably try to shed the contracts of Scola and Odom. Just like they did when the dealt Paul to the Clippers, they pretty much announced they were in rebuilding mode. While Scola still is and Odom at the time was a solid veteran, paying both of these guys almost $10 million each certaintly doesn't scream rebuilding. This probably would have opened up a host of options for them, with many teams most definitely looking to get a jump at these two players. They most likely keep Martin who would be an expiring deal, and keep Dragic as their new point guard. Keep in mind, This means Dragic might not go to the Suns this year, and Martin isn't available to be traded by the Rockets this past week to the Thunder. Which means, you guessed it, James Harden is probably still a member of the Thunder.(Word is now he probably would have been traded, but it definitely wouldn't have been to Houston if Gasol and Lin were on the books already).

Last but not least, the team not to forget about is the Clippers, who ulimately ended up with Paul. So here is the trade that wouldn't have happenned, but actually did.

Clippers Get: Chris Paul
Hornets Get: Eric Gordon, Chris Kaman, Al-Farouq Aminu, Minnesota's 2012 First Round Draft Pick.

So not only do Gordon and Aminu stay at Clippers probably into this year(Kaman probably leaves as his contract was up; My guess is the Clippers try to stay young), but they keep that pick. That turned into the 10th pick, which would have given the Clippers the first round pick they didn't have this year. Let's say they stay true and take Austin Rivers(they would need a PG), which would leave them with a young nucleus of Rivers, Griffin, Gordon, Aminu, and Jordan. All in all, not too shabby. Not Chris Paul, but not too shabby.

In the end, Stern waived his magic wand, and the Clippers got Paul and made the playoffs for the first time in six years. Also, Lob City was created. But what if it hadn't? Would it have been the Lakers against the Heat instead of the Thunder? Would the Hornets have tanked enough to get Anthony Davis #1? Would the Rockets have kept Gasol? We'll never know, but it's always fun to think about. And that is why we have Wednesday's what if's.

Until next time, your awesome NBA you tube clip.

-Bford

Heat vs Celtics: Pick and Roll defense

(The Miami Heat used a similar type of "attack trap" shown here in last years Finals during last night's game against the Celtics. Besides Rondo driving to the hoop, the Celtics had no answer.)

The first game of the new NBA season had a lot to talk about. Ray Allen playing his first game with Miami against his old team and performing very well (both on offense and defense) will be a popular story. The Heat going up by double digits when LeBron was healthy then the Celtics coming back when he was in the locker room will also be written about. Many more will talk about how the Heat are unstoppable and there is no way they don’t repeat as champions. After watching the game one thing stood out to me above all else, pick and roll defense. That was the difference in the game, and will tell you all you need to know about the two teams this early in the season.

Schematically how each team defends each other on the pick and roll is radically different. The Heat blitzed every pick and roll, meaning that both defenders involved (the on the ball defender and the defender of the screener) run at the ball to stop his progress. In the Heat’s case they are so aggressive that they actually trap the ball regularly. In the first game of the season this defense caused 15 turnovers and numerous contested shots.

From the description and results of the blitz pick and roll defense you would assume that every team would play this type of defense. The problem with that is not every team can. The Celtics have less speed and quickness than the Heat. The Heat use their speed to get out on the ball and know that they can use it to recover if beaten as well (through help defense). The Celtics would be completely unsuccessful playing the pick and roll as aggressively against the Heat. The Heat would use their superior speed to go right by an aggressive trap from slower Celtics players.

Out of necessity the Celtics went under screens. The screener’s defender is supposed to stop progress until the on the ball defender can recover under the screen and guard the ball. This defense is good in that it has more room for error, both defenders keep the ball in front of them so are more able to react to it (where if the trapping defense is employed but broken two defenders are now behind the play unable to help). The problem with this defense is it leads to open jumpers when the screen defenders give the ball a cushion. In this game the Heat used this cushion to bring the ball closer to the hoop. This caused the other Celtics defenders to help, which create open shots on offense.

To simplify it, the Heat are faster so they ran an attacking defense in which they often dictated the Celtics offense. The Celtics were forced to play a defense in which the Heat dictated their own offense. For the Celtic defense to be great they need to be “on a string” in which the entire defense moves as one, this defense comes from continuity. Continuity is also important in the Heat’s defense but can be masked by unbridled athleticism. The difference in the game is the Heat showed athleticism and continuity on defense where the Celtics didn’t show often enough (pun intended).

-Evan

Getting a Little Homerish...

 (Your editor can't wait to tell his future kids about these three. He just doesn't know how he'll talk about Ray Allen.)

While we look to bring you unbiased NBA news, we will also look to show you why we are such huge fans of the NBA. Our editor, Brian Ford, decided to chime in about tonight's Celts/Heat game, what it means to him, his relationship with Ray Allen, and the city of Boston.

Every Celtics' opener comes with a tradition. Out comes the Larry Bird jersey, put away from the previous spring.  Then I take a look at all 82 games on the schedule, and decide what the Celtics record will be.(For those wondering, I'm thinking 56-26 as long as they stay healthy.)

As I've discuss before, the Celtics are a lifeblood in my life, but also within the city of Boston. As a Boston sports fan, I will be the first to tell you we are assholes. We are irrational, overconfident, over dramatic, and flat out annoying at times. However, all of those qualities come from a loyalty that has been bred into us by past generations. A loyalty where muttering some certain names of athletes gets you the same look at dropping the "F bomb" does. A loyalty where when players come in they are treated as gold; and when they come out, well, they are dragged through the mud. That is why tonight has much more riding on it than in the past. Ray Allen may not factor into the outcome of the game in the way Rajon Rondo, Lebron James or Dwyane Wade do, but he will be on every fans mind.

When the Allen to Miami signing happened, I immediately had two reactions. The logistical NBA fan in me didn't blame him at all. Yes, he didn't make as much money, but now Ray gets to stand in the corner and accept passes from two of the best players in the world all while getting another shot for a title. Not having to play as many minutes or run through as many screens lengthens his career and gives him more stability for him and his family in the future. Plus, who wouldn't want to play with Lebron James? When you are playing pickup, there is always one guy who stands out. Who just makes it fun to play basketball. He scores, but he also gets everyone involved, and makes you play tougher D. Now imagine seeing that opportunity, and getting paid to do it. Oh by the way, you get to do that in Miami beach half the year. Do you really blame Ray?

Beyond that, Ray had been tossed around as the third(even fourth if you include Rondo) star in Boston. He was constantly on the trading block in the past couple years, and even was told by Doc Rivers that he was traded to Memphis for O.J. Mayo before the deal ultimately fell through. If your employer told you time and time again their were more important pieces, and you were expendable, would you want to stay there? Or would you go to a new flashy company whose office is on the beach and just won a bunch of awards? It's pretty tough to pass up.

I walked away from the signing feeling okay, and felt even better after reading his Globe passage. I felt EVEN better after the Terry and Lee signings and still do. (In my mind, the Celtics are a better basketball team than last year. As I spoke about in the preseason rankings, Terry is a more dynamic option on offense, and Lee is a better defender. While Ray brought alot, those two together bring more.) So where did Ray start to go sour on me? When I rewatched game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals from last year.

I know, I know. Who watches a painful memory like that over again? But I had to see for myself if it was going to be different this year. And I realized, it is. Ray couldn't get open in some big stretches in the fourth, and Rondo was forced to pound the ball. The more the shot clock winds down, the better the Heat get, as you are forced to take on some of the fastest defenders in the world one-on-one. Anyone not named Rajon Rondo last year on the Celtics had the ability to do it in Game 7(either because of talent or health), and the Celtics wilted. With guys like Terry, Lee and Jeff Green, plus a healthy Pierce, our offense looks better.

So why did I get mad? Because Ray punked out. The best quality of an athlete is wanting to become better. And alot of times to become better, you have the beat the best. The Miami Heat are the best. So while Rondo, KG, Pierce(and even Terry, who has taken on such a Boston mantra that it's almost too much, but I love it anyway) stewed about the losses in Game 6 and 7, Ray thought about switching sides. Ultimately, it was easier for him to join the winner than to beat the winner. That's why Boston fans are mad. For the same reason people hated Lebron for joining the Heat, Celtic's fans have turned on Ray. How could he join the champs, the team that just knocked us out for the 2nd straight year, after you spent the past five years building basketball in Boston again. You were the first piece in that 2007 draft. You convinced Garnett to come play here. You won your first and only title here. You made the Celtics relevant within the NBA and within Boston again. So why walk away from that?

Ray's legacy will be tarnished in Boston. Over time, we'll forgive. People have already started to forgive Johnny Damon, and it's not as if Ray was on a Tom Brady or Paul Pierce type level with fans. But this year is going to hurt. It's going to hurt to see him where the black and red of the Heat, and it's definitely going to hurt when he hit threes in the Garden and it's just a subdued "Ray Allen" instead of "RAAAYYYYY AALLEEEEENNN FOR THREEE!". Two days before the signing, I bought a plaque commemorating Ray's record breaking three pointer. It was one of my favorite Celtics moment's of the past decade, and he did it against the Lakers' no less. I figured "this will be good karma, he'll stay." I haven't thrown away that plaque, but it's not hung up either. I honestly don't know what to do with it. And to be honest, Ray's actions this year might make the decision for me.

So yes Ray, I get it. It made sense for you to go to Miami. You'll have a blast, lengthen your career, and have a better chance at a title. I don't think you made the wrong decision for yourself. Just know that I won't be making the wrong decision for myself when I "BOO" tonight every time you touch the ball. Because you'll never receive the loyalty down in Miami that you would have received here in Boston.


Make sure to follow @picknpopdiaries during tonight's games, and until next time an amazing NBA YouTube clip:

-Bford

Fantasy Pickups for the Week of 11/4

One of the biggest parts of Fantasy bball for those who play a weekly match up format is the Sunday games. It is when owners usually wait to make their weekly pickups to grab a couple wins late is stats categories. As part of Fantasy Tuesday, we will give you a guy from every team playing who should be available in most leagues, and can help you out on Sunday. Here are some solid pickups for games on November 4th.

 

Philadelphia at New York-

Knicks-

 

 

Jason Kidd- Kidd should not be in your everyday lineup. But for a player at his age, he can still pass the ball effectively. He could be a good pickup if you are in need of assists, as well as FT shooting if he does get to the line.

76ers-

 

 

Kwame Brown- Again, just like Kidd, Kwame Brown should DEFINITELY not be on in your starting rotation. But with Bynum ailing, the Sixers are going to have to look for inside scoring and rebounds somewhere. Brown could help with REBS, PTS, and FG%.

 

 

Minnesota at Toronto-

Timberwolves-

Juan Barea- Barea is not a starter in the NBA, and even with Ricky Rubio's injury you are more likely to see Luke Ridnour starting at the point. Barea could see starter like minutes however in Rubio's absence, and feels the stat sheet with PTS, ASTS, STLS and even the occasional 5-7 REB game as well, which is great from guards. If you are looking for some cheap stats, he could be a good play.

Toronto-

Landry Fields- Landry Fields seems to be fighting for a starting spot with Terrence Ross at shooting guard, but it seems as though Fields is going to win out. Picking up Fields now if he is available could prove worthy. While he may not be a great NBA player for what Toronto is looking for, it looks like he could be a good fantasy player. He will get more shots than he did in NYC, and could even play some time at the three with a small Toronto roster. Expect his numbers to go up in alot of areas, but be careful as his FG % could hurt you.

Phoenix at Orlando-

Suns-

Kendall Marshall- With the Steve Nash era over in Phoenix, scoring and assists are going to have to come from somewhere. Marshall seems to be playing above the rookie status that he is, and has shown a calm presence with the ball in both summer league and the preseason. While Sebastian Telfair looks the have some of the handle on the backup PG spot, Marshall has much higher upside and could get some strong minutes against a slower Orlando team.

Magic-

J.J. Redick- It is said every year, but Redick is a fantasy stud off the bench. He is obviously well known for getting 3PTS up, but has a great FG% as well. Besides that, Redick isn't the best one-on-one defender, but takes alot of chances and can get you a few steals if you need them. Also, with the loss of Howard expect a few more shots to go Redick's way to get the offense going.


Atlanta at Oklahoma City-

Hawks-

Kyle Korver- Korver has the same type of fantasy reasoning as Redick. He is a bigtime shooter, and a not so bigtime defender but can get misleading stats on that side of the ball. The difference between Redick and Korver is that it seems Korver will be the start for the Hawks at the three. With only DeShawn Stevenson playing behind him on the depth chart, Korver could see alot of time on the court, which could mean alot of 3PT's for you on Sunday. Beyond that, the Hawks will look to stretch the floor against OKC to try to avoid Sege Ibaka in the paint.

Thunder-

Thabo Sefolosha- Sefolosha is by no means a prolific scorer, and isn't going to be looked at to fill the void in scoring that James Harden left behind. While he shouldn't be an everyday start, putting Sefolosha in against weak backcourts could lead you to getting high steal totals. With guys like Anthony Morrow, Devin Harris, and Lou Williams(who all pound the ball alot and could be susceptible to steals) he can help you in a category tough to gain traction. This is much more of a reach than the past, but if you are down 1 or 2 steals heading into Sunday, he could be a good play to push you over the top.

Detroit at LA Lakers-

Pistons-

Corey Maggette- On any other Sunday, I would say pick up Andre Drummond to get some solid REB, BLK, and FG% numbers. However, against the Lakers' frontcourt, I don't see that happenning. Corey Maggette won't get you alot of stat categories, but he does love to shoot the basketball. If this thing gets out of hand early, Maggette could see alot of garbage time, and therefore pick up alot of garbage stats.

Lakers-

Jodie Meeks- Meeks left Philadelphia for a chance to play with an instant contender and to learn behind Kobe Bryant. With Kobe's foot ailing him early on, this could be a game where we see Bryant take a seat or play limited minutes. The Pistons aren't much of a challenge, and there is no reason to risk Kobe in a blowout. If this game starts to get out of hand, or even if it doesn't, Meeks could see some starter like minutes on Sunday that would give you bumps in stats all around.

Good Luck in all your week 1 matchups, and until next time, an Amazing NBA youtube clip.

(I had no choice but to put this up with the start of the Celtics season just hours away.)

 

Our Newest Blogger Evan makes his debut to the blog!

We are excited to introduce Evan to the blog as another writer who will be bringing you NBA news. Evan will be writing about all things, but will especially give us insight come NBA draft time as well as discussing the contracts and new collective bargaining agreements. To start things off, Evan has given us some quick thoughts coming into the season. You can follow evan at @EvanTime. Once we start our podcasting within the next month, expect to see Evan as a visitor as well.

Evan's Random Thoughts/Predictions coming into the NBA season:

1. This is going to be one of the most competitive seasons in recent memory. Only Orlando and Charlotte look like sure fire doormats (although the Bobcats will be greatly improved from last year).

2. While this rookie class does not scream superstar, it will prove to be one of the deepest as far as producing rotation players.

3. After years of being a consistently down division the Atlantic becomes the best in basketball.

4. Without James Harden, Russell Westbrook will take even more ill-advised shots and it will hurt the Thunder.

5. Houston will be a playoff team, after trading for Josh Smith before the deadline.

6. Al Jefferson and/or Paul Milsap will be traded after Derrick Favors emerges as a dependable starter, making at least one of them expendable.

7. The second team in the Atlantic division will not come from the state of New York. Philadelphia will ride defense and size to the four seed. Philly fans will somehow still find a reason to boo the Sixers.

8. The Lakers will trick some poor team into strengthening their bench via a trade where they don’t give up anything of value (some things never change).

9. Lebron James will play more power forward than he ever has before and take a beating in the post because of it.

10. Teams with elite size will be the Achilles heel of the Heat.

11. Derrick Rose will come back quicker and with less restrictions than any player with a similar injury before him (or maybe I was just tricked by that awesome Addidas commercial).

12. Brooklyn will hurt because of their lack of rebounding and defense. I will hear Kris Humphries be booed and continue to be shocked by the overlap between NBA fans and Keeping up with the Kardashian fans.

13. Dallas will be selling off assets in an effort to become a free agent player next offseason.

14. The new flopping rule will take more than a year to change the game but will be the first step in removing flopping from the game. Manu Ginobili will end up operating at a loss for the year.

15. MVP: Lebron

16. MIP: Jeff Green

17. Rookie of the Year: MKG

18. Coach of the Year: Tom Thibideaux

19. East Standings: 1. Miami 2. Boston 3. Indiana 4. Philadelphia 5. Chicago 6. New York 7. Brooklyn 8.Washington.

20. Yes, you read that correctly Washington will be the last playoff team John Wall will flourish with dependable veterans around him.

21. West Standings: 1. LA Lakers 2. Oklahoma City 3. San Antonio 4. LA Clippers 5. Denver 6. Minnesota 7. Memphis 8. Houston.

22. Sacramento will trade Tyreke Evans for a point guard who will at least entertain the idea of passing the ball.

23. A lot of teams will be sellers, come trade deadline time in an effort to avoid the punitive tax in the new collective bargaining agreement. Fans will enjoy hearing billionaires complain about losing money.

24. Paul George will become the undisputed best player on the Pacers.

25. The Raptors will be greatly improved, and all five of their fans will have renewed hope.

26. The New York Knicks will either be portrayed as the best team in the league or completely awful with no in-between. Knicks fans will continue to be insufferable.

27. Andrew Bogut will finally be healthy. Warriors fans will boo the owner anyway.

28. NBA players will tweet numerous stupid comments that they will be fined for. All of them will be entertaining.

29. Phoenix will not be good. Gortat will suffer greatly from the loss of Steve Nash.

30. Tobias Harris will be one of the better players in the league no one has heard of.

 

Look forward to some Fantasy talk later today, but until then here is an awesome NBA youtube clip!

 

 

(Oh Javale, you slay me.)

Preseason Power Rankings: 10-1

It is time to finish off the Power Rankings for the beginning of the season with teams 10-1. This will also count for the Week 1 rankings, which will run on Monday starting next week. One note, my previous power rankings did not take into consideration the James Harden to Houston trade, but these rankings do. It did drop the Thunder a spot in our mind.

10. Philadelphia 76ers

 

 

Last Year: 35-31(3^rd in Atlantic Division)
Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can Andrew Bynum be the franchise player Philadelphia is expecting him to be?

-The Sixers come into the year with a new roster and a redifined image. They are through being the doormat of the Atlantic, but are still coming into this year with a lot of questions. While we have them ranked high, they will only stay this high if Andrew Bynum can stay on the court. Recent news says that might already be a struggle. We also didn't like that within Free Agency they essentially let go of Lou Williams(their top scorer last year) and Elton Brand(many said he was the unofficial leader of the team behind Andre Iguodala) for Nick Young and Kwame Brown. Another nice subplot is to see how Evan Turner will take over as the athletic combo player now that AI is in Denver.

9. Brooklyn Nets

 

 

Last Year: 22-44 (5th in Atlantic Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Are the Nets the new kings of New York?

-We may have them ranked a little high, but honestly anything Jay-Z gets his hands on turns to gold. While this is obviously an opinion that has no basketball relevance whatsoever, this team needed a change in identity badly. Joe Johnson and Deron Williams easily become one of the top 5 guard combos in the game, but they will have to learn to share the ball the right way, as both look to score first. This team also needs to improve defensively badly, as they won't be able to outscore everyone in the East, especially the Pacers, Celtics and Heat.

8. Indiana Pacers

Last Year: 42-24 (2nd in Central Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Are the Pacers good enough to make the next jump into the East’s elite?

-A number of teams got better in the East, but unfortunately it look like the Pacers stayed put. While they made sure to keep Roy Hibbert, his asking price may have been a little too high for a player who comes with injury risk. Paul George is going to have to prove he is worth all of the buzz he has been getting, and Danny Granger needs to prove he is an all-star or the Pacers may need to lok elsewhere for a prolific scorer. The Pacers look like they are starting to become the next Atlanta Hawks, and that is not a good thing. This team is still good enough however to contend for a top 3 seed in the East.

7. Denver Nuggets

Last Year: 38-28 (2nd in Northwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Is the most athletic team in the league one of the best?

-The Nuggets will be in our opinion, the most exciting team to watch this season. Andre Iguodala finally is in the open court offense which he thrives in, and he gives them yet another great defender. This team is going to frustrate many NBA offenses with their ability to cover ground on the defensive end of the ball. It wouldn’t be a surprise to anyone if they led the league in fast break points as well. The question surrounding the Nuggets is who takes the last shot? Many people would say Galinari, but he will need to prove that he can take a defender one-on-one on a consistent basis to make the Denver fans feel safe.

6. Los Angeles Clippers

Last Year: 40-26 (2nd in Pacific Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Are they more than just a middle of the pack playoff team?

 -With the Clippers developing into a legitimate West contender, the battle for LA is back and should be exciting. Chris Paul is still the best point guard in the game, and Blake Griffin has claimed to have improved his outside shooting and post defense(time will tell if this is true). While these two stars should push the Clippers into the playoffs, two questions remain. Did they pick up too many pieces, and who becomes the third scorer? Grant Hill, Matt Barnes, Lamar Odom, Jamal Crawford, Chauncey Billups, and Caron Butler are all veterans who expect minutes. While Chauncey and Caron are slated as the starters right now, where does Vinny Del Negro(a coach already being questioned) find the time and right situations to play all these guys? Also, is Chauncey healthy enough to be the 3^rd scorer? If the veterans can mesh, this team could be scary but if not, watch out for drama in LA.


5. San Antonio Spurs

 

 

Last Year: 50-16(1st in Southwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Is this finally the year the Spurs drop off?

 -Every year people count the Spurs out, and every year they prove they are still worthy of mentioning. They ran into a buzzsaw OKC offense last year in games 3-6 of the Western Conference Finals, and probably feel as though they simply had a string of bad luck. A full season of Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson on the roster makes this team better, but they will need a huge leap from second year player Kwahi Leonard as well. With no major additions in the offseason, are the Spurs good enough to hang with the Lakers and Thunder? And could they compete against a younger, more athletic Denver squad? While the West’s old guard is as steady as ever, teams have caught up and may be passing by. 

4. Boston Celtics

 

 

Last Year: 39-27 (1st in Atlantic Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Are the Celtics the one team that can beat the Heat?

 -While is our mind’s the Celtics are always number one, the 4^th spot seems like an appropriate position with three teams left. The loss of Ray Allen has been the storyline of the offseason, however picking up Jason Terry and Courtney Lee has seemed to offset that loss. In many ways, Terry will be a better fit with a point guard like Rajon Rondo who looks to get players the ball in positions where they can then make a move themselves. Speaking of Rondo, the Celtics will go as far as he takes them. An MVP season is needed from Rondo to help the aging Celtics catch the Heat, and to gain that title his shooting is going to need to improve. Teams have to be afraid of his shot in the playoffs, or else the Celtics could find themselves going home one round too early once again.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder

 

 

Last Year: 47-19 (1st in Northwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Who are the Thunder now that they have traded Harden?

-Two days ago, I had the Thunder listed at the two spot. For a team who has improved every year, and simply went cold in the Finals, it seemed like the right spot. However, with less than 24 hours passed since the Harden trade, I had no choice but to drop them to three. While it became obvious that the Thunder wanted to no part in paying Harden max money, the idea of this trade does not seem to make sense for a team who could win a title now. While Kevin Martin is a functional NBA guard, and will be a great scorer off the bench, he has neither the talent nor future that Harden gave. Beyond that, one of the Thunder’s main attractions was their team unity, in which Harden played a major role. It will be interesting to see how the team reacts to this, and whether they can use the money they saved to grab another free agent for another title run. Kevin Durant is still Kevin Durant, and should compete for the scoring title yet again. But now especially with Harden gone, Russell Westbrook needs to become a top 10 NBA player for the Thunder to win a title.

2. Los Angeles Lakers

 

 

Last Year: 41-25 (1st in Pacific Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Are the new Lakers good enough to bring the title back to LA?

-While I originally had them at three, it makes perfect sense to have them as the best team in the West at two now. The additions of Steve Nash and Dwight Howard instantly make the Lakers scary good, and Pao Gasol at the four spot makes him one of the, if not the best power forward in the game today. The Lakers success will come down to how well the four stars can blend. If Kobe allows Nash and Pao to run the pick and roll as the main part of the offense, and let him be the star when it breaks down the Lakers can go places. However, if Kobe tries to play hero ball and takes as many shots as he has taken in the past this team could get stuck not having enough basketballs to pass around. Even with troubles, it would be shocking to not see them in the West finals at the minimum.  

1. Miami Heat

 

 

Last Year: 46-20 1st in Southeast

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can Lebron get even better?

-The Champs proved that the lack of a true center is not needed to win a title in the new, athletic up-tempo NBA.  While the Heat are easily the best team in the league on paper and on the court, there are holes. If Ray Allen, Shane Battier and Mike Miller struggle to stay healthy or finally start to fall off in their latter years, this team will have to lean on Lebron anymore. And while he proved in both games six and seven of the Eastern Conference Finals, The NBA Finals, and in the Olympics that this is no issue, the Heat could be one injury away from being in serious trouble. When it comes down to brass tax, Lebron and Wade are pretty much unbeatable when healthy, and Chris Bosh has happily taken on the Robin role to Batman “A” and Batman “B”. Unless someone can figure out how to stop the freight train, or an injury occurs, the Heat are the heavy favor to be lifting hardware again come June.

Until Next time, an awesome NBA youtube clip.

-Bford

Preseason Power Rankings: Teams 19-11

Continuing on with the Preseason rankings, here are teams 19-11.

 

19. Golden State Warriors

 

 

Last Year: 23-43(4^th in the Pacific Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can this new nucleus do what the old one couldn’t?

-For some reason, the Golden State Warriors are everyone’s dark horse to make the playoffs in the West. News Flash: Stephen Curry is not a franchise NBA player. In his career, he has averaged 17PPG, 5APG, and 1SPG. While these numbers are good, he does not scratch the surface of most all-star teams, and simply has not shown the will to carry a team like he did in his Davidson years. Until he changes, the Warriors cannot make the next jump to the next level with a supporting cast of Andrew Bogut who has played in 74 of 148 possible games and David Lee, who has also shown to be good but not great. Unless all three of these players stay healthy (which has been extremely difficult to do) and have career years, the Warriors will be locking up another late lottery pick.

 

18. Milwaukee Bucks

 

 

Last Year: 31-35(3^rd in the Central Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Is the Monta Ellis/Brandon Jennings backcourt an elite one?

-The answer to the question above lies solely on what the two players will be playing for. If they are playing for the Bucks, where Monta will get himself to the free throw line more and take smarter shots while Jennings shares the ball then this team has a great chance to succeed. If Jennings and Ellis are playing for themselves; considering both are in a contract year, then I think this team could be in trouble. While the signing of Samuel Dalembert and the resigning of Ilyasova were good moves, Jennings’s and Ellis’ play will have to become less selfish for this team to go anywhere.

 

17. Minnesota Timberwolves

 

 

Last Year: 26-40(5^th in the Northwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can the T-Wolves hold off through the injuries of Love and Rubio long enough to make a playoff run?

-If these rankings were made two weeks ago, the Wolves would be up in the 13-15 range. The loss of Love for even a few games hurts this team a great deal, never mind 6-8 weeks. Minnesota was already playing the “tread water” card while they waited Rubio’s turn, but the loss of their two best players will be tough to come back from if they struggle early. The Brandon Roy and Andrei Kirilenko signings are now as important as ever, as these two past All-Star caliber players need to drive this train until their current stars return.

 

16. Atlanta Hawks

 

 

Last Year: 40-26(2^nd in the Southeast Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Is Josh Smith a career Hawk, or is he another player headed out the door?

-The Hawks may be the hardest team to predict after their offseason. Joe Johnson was their most prolific scorer in almost a decade, and seeing him go definitely hurts their offense. But at the same time, Lou Williams and Devin Harris aren’t awful consolation prizes at all, especially at a combined $13.5 million. With a healthy Al Horford back, the Hawks have the chance to contend once again for a playoff spot if Josh Smith plays up his talent level. Because he is in a contract year, that should happen but if the Hawks start to slide don’t be surprised if Smith is on the trading block.

 

15. Utah Jazz

 

 

Last Year: 36-30(3^rd in the Northwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Which big men stay, and which go?

-The Jazz have four big men for three spots. Derrick Favors and Enes Kanter are the future, along with Gordon Hayward and which point guard they decide to finally replace Deron Williams with. Paul Millsap and Al Jefferson are the two players in question, and it will be up to the front office to decide who stays and who goes. Until this gets solved it could cause a lot of stress on the team, but they could also be a dark horse with proven veterans like Mo Williams and Randy Foye joining the backcourt.

 

14. Dallas Mavericks

 

 

Last Year: 36-30(3^rd in the Southwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Is this the end for Dirk?

-The Mavericks went from NBA Champions to just another team in one very quick season. Dirk went from looking like the best player in the league to a forward who looked three or four years past his prime. While you could account that to him simply celebrating and not expecting the lockout the end, his knee surgery this year doesn’t seem like it is going to help the getting back in shape case. While this team is loaded with veterans once again, and has also added some young pieces in Darren Collison and O.J. Mayo they look to be another team who will only go as far as their crippled star will take them.

 

13. New York Knicks

 

 

Last Year: 36-30(2^nd in the Atlantic Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can the oldest team in league history succeed around its two superstars?

-Obviously the storyline above encompasses A TON of material. Carmelo and Amare retain their “superstar” tags of this team now that Jeremy Lin is gone. They replaced Jeremy Lin with two years older, two years slower, and two years heavier Ray Felton, and a 39 year old Jason Kid. Oddly enough Jason Kidd is only the second oldest player on his team, as Kurt Thomas starts this year at the spry age of 40. I am going to write a lot more about the Knicks this year so I will keep this short. While Carmelo and Amare will produce, this experiment could either send a team into a deep playoff run or be a laughing stock.

 

12. Memphis Grizzlies

Last Year: 41-25(2^nd in the Southwest Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can Rudy Gay, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph fit into the same system?

-It is no secret; the Grizzlies are good. They have a ton of talent, and can score in bunches when needed. However, with only so much space on the offensive side of the floor, many think that there isn’t enough room for the Grizzlies’ three superstars. In the playoffs against the Clippers you Gay take a turn, then Randolph take a run, then Gasol take a turn. But to have one succeed, the other two had to back off to make it work. What good is three superstars if they cannot coexist? If they can figure out a way this team could be deadly in the West, as they are one of the few teams who matchup with the Lakers.  If they don’t however, it might be time to move one of these pieces for someone who does fit.

 

11. Chicago Bulls

 

 

Last Year: 50-16(1^st in the Central Division)

Hot 2012-2013 Storyline: Can the Bulls survive a tough offseason and an injured superstar?

-A healthy Derrick Rose puts this team in the top six or seven teams in the league. It has to be mentioned though that this team had an awful offseason. Gone are key bench players Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and Omer Asik. Who replaced them? Marco Belinelli, Nazr Mohammad, and Vladimir Radmanovic. A test I always love to give a team’s offseason is the trading card test. Would you trade your old player’s cards for your new players? Unless you are into last names with three or more syllables, the Bulls bench got a lot worse. And with Rose’s injury, the Bulls are going to have to hope this subpar bench can put up some great numbers to keep them in position come playoff time.

 

 

Tune in tomorrow for spots 10-1, but until then an awesome NBA YouTube Video.

 

 

 

-BFord