NBA, Minnesota Timberwolves, Team News / Analysis, Player News / Analysis, Charlotte Bobcats, Dallas Mavericks, Detroit Pistons, Indiana Pacers, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Seattle SuperSonics, Sacramento Kings, Oklahoma City Thunder
The NBA season if finally here and I for one couldn't be happier. Last season saw Kobe Bryant winning his first non-Shaq title while LeBron didn't hold up his end of the deal by making the Finals.
This season is looking like it could be one of the best ones in a long time, and thankfully the ref and the league settled their disputes and we as fan won't have to suffer through brutally long and even more poorly officiated games.
Most of this decade the West has been the dominant conference but this season could be one of the most balanced seasons in quite sometime. The Lakers and Spurs are the clear favorites in the West and the Kings and Timberwolves are clearly the worst teams in the conference but the other 10 teams in the conference will make the Western Conference playoff race one of the best in recent memory. I will spotlight a few of those teams now.
The Oklahoma City Thunder will be the breakout team this year in the NBA. The Thunder are led by the best young, pure scorer in the NBA in Kevin Durant. Durant will win his first scoring title this season. Alongside Durant is dynamic second year player Russell Westbrook who while not quite a PG, is perfect for the up and down style the Thunder will play this season. Jeff Green is a very underrated player while the top 5 pick of James Harden will prove to be a great pick. Harden is the ultimate glue guy and will give the Thunder the solid third option behind Durant and Westbrook.
While the Thunder will be the breakout team this year in the NBA, there will be at least one team that will head the other direction or not meet the expectations of their fans and the Portland Trailblazers will be that team. Last year Portland was the "it" team. They havs the young star in Brandon Roy, the emerging star in LaMarcus Aldridge, and a group of really solid young players all excepting their roles. Well that all changed this past summer as they signed the ball dominating Andre Miller. Miller has said that it doesn't bother him backing up Steve Blake to start the year but I seriously doubt that lasts. All it takes is one malcontent on an NBA team for it to go south in a hurry.
Here are my predictions for how the West will play out this regular season:
- Los Angeles Lakers 63-19
- San Antonio Spurs 60-22
- Utah Jazz 52-30
- Dallas Mavericks 50-32
- New Orleans Hornets 49-33
- Denver Nuggets 47-35
- Phoenix Suns 45-37
- Oklahoma City Thunder 42-40
- Los Angeles Clippers 41-41
- Houston Rockets 41-41
- Portland Trailblazers 40-42
- Memphis Grizzles 30-52
- Golden St. Warriors 27-55
- Minnesota Timberwolves 22-60
- Sacramento Kings 16-66
11/5/09 | Chief_aka_James | 3286 respect
Prediction: The Minnesota Fighting Flynn's (Timberwolves) will make the 2009-10 Playoffs.
11/2/09 |
Jubanator14
|
367 respect
And the co-eds in the stands? Mmmmmm......
True.
For pageantry and atmosphere, the college game is tops but if you like watching the best players on the planet play basketball, the NBA is the game.
11/2/09 | BluDevil | 618 respect
Come on now.... is there any environment in the NBA that even compares to the great home courts in the NCAA? Sure, the NBA has better players but there isn't a home court advantage anywhere in the NBA that is the equal of the best NCAA home courts.
And the co-eds in the stands? Mmmmmm......
11/2/09 |
kantwistaye
|
3954 respect
College basketball is good and fun but in terms of excitement, better players, and better play, it doesn't hold a candle to the NBA.
Not to mention, outside of the UNC's of college basketball few teams have 5 guys that you actually need to defend (which is why NBA defense appears to be worse). Again, college basketball doesn't even come close to the NBA. The culture of collegiate basketball may be more enjoyable but when it comes to the product on the court the NBA is beyond question superior.
11/2/09 |
Jubanator14
|
367 respect
That is a common misconception. The NBA has the most athletic and best basketball players in the world playing and night in and night out, you could see something that you've never seen before.
College basketball is good and fun but in terms of excitement, better players, and better play, it doesn't hold a candle to the NBA.
11/2/09 | joncool65 | 7 respect
not even the most exciting form of basketball, I'm waiting for the COLLEGE season to start. ya know, where the players actually care.
11/2/09 |
kantwistaye
|
3954 respect
Well, in defense of hockey fans, there isn't a better sport live.
11/2/09 | picturethis
Come on now. How can anyone actually think hockey is more exciting than basketball?
10/28/09 | BluDevil | 618 respect
Thugs? You wanna talk thugs? When is the last time you saw something like this in a basketball game?
Now that is thuggish behavior if I ever saw it. In hoops, when there is a fight there are fines and suspensions. In hockey, when there is a fight it is cheered and is "part of the game". And apparently there are times when one guy tries to murder another guy by bashing him in the head with a stick.
So I totally disagree when basketball players are "thugs" and somehow hockey players are held up as model citizens. What a laugh!
10/28/09 | BluDevil | 618 respect
Yeah, nothing better than watching a sport that has no true playoff and a mythical champion.
10/27/09 |
Pat
|
4510 respect
They might want to figure out how to win at home, first. Just saying.
10/27/09 | BluDevil | 618 respect
I think Portland is much better than 11th in the west and I think the suns are top 5, finishing ahead of both Dallas and New Orleans. But great write up here, I'm sooooooo glad the NBA is getting started. NCAA is just around the corner too!
10/27/09 | johnshirey54 | 162 respect
I agree for the most part, but switch the Spurs and the Nuggets in the West. Call me a homer but I think the Magic beat a 70+ win Celtics team in the Eastern Conference finals, 4-3.
10/27/09 | beerstudk | 1538 respect
Portland going back to sub .500..... are you crazy?!? They're easily the best team in the Northwest Division and should be seeded anywhere from 3 to 5 in the Western Conference. And if Andre Miller becomes a problem he'll be gone. They'll either give him away like they did with Rasheed Wallace/Bonzi Wells/Rueben Patterson/Damon Stoudamire or just buy out his contract like they did with Steve Francis
The Blazers should win 50+ games this season!!!
10/27/09 | abac89 | 691 respect
Portland 40-42 and 11th in the west umm you are really underestimating them especially since they were 4th last year and they added Andre Miller to an already deep squad
10/27/09 | Heyhey1970 | 194 respect
I like Denver to be a couple of spots higher, but everytime I get too excited about any George Karl coached team, they don't meet expectations.
10/27/09 | drn0iswatr | 731 respect
I think the OKC Thunder will be dangerous - Kevin Durant is the man. I also think that you are spot on about your analysis overall. Great job as always Nick!
10/27/09 | mk_donley | 2554 respect
Cleveland Cavaliers.......NBA Champions.......enough said.
10/27/09 |
Jubanator14
|
367 respect
Football and Basketball are different types of exciting. For night in and night out, continuous action, basketball is the best. Football can be exciting, but there is a lot of down time also.
I like football but basketball, for my money, is more exciting for the entire game than football.
10/27/09 | Diablorain | 4136 respect
can't believe you have Oklahoma at the 8 spot over Portland and Houston...that is bold right there..and i see the Piston winning more then 30 games
10/27/09 |
Jubanator14
|
367 respect
I have my Golden State Warriors winning the Pacific.
I think Houston's loss of Yao and T-Mac leaves them as a team full of role players and the Clippers missing Blake for the better part of the first half of the year, opens the door for the young Thunder to sneak into the playoffs.
Plus, why make predictions if you make boring ones that everyone else is making.
10/27/09 |
Pat
|
4510 respect
Huh? Football started 7 weeks ago? I'm confused...
10/27/09 |
kantwistaye
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3954 respect
I still think too many people are sleeping on the Magic. They're definitely better than the Cavs and could potentially be just as good as the Celtics. I think the Cavs will have a great regular season, but they'll regret trading for the Big Mistake when they get pick n' rolled to death in the playoffs.
10/27/09 | HotSportChic
Well I hope Lebron make moves with Shaq and now that he has the help of the Big guy this will prove or disprove my theory Ive been sayin all along Is Lebron all hype this is the test people!!!!
10/27/09 | HotSportChic
OH Yeah Lovin it Ive been so bored without Basketball
10/27/09 | grahamjohn36
yea u right bout dat. lebron should of came harder or got his team more involved so dey could of went 2 da finals 2 play kkobe and dem lakers