DALLAS MAVERICKS BOUNCE BACK AFTER TOUGH START TO OFFSEASON

After Deron Williams (second left) decided to stay with the Brooklyn
Nets, the Mavs had to go to Plan B. (Photo by Mary Altaffer/AP)

All hope seemed lost for the Dallas Mavericks two weeks ago after losing out on Deron Williams and two key members of the 2011 squad that beat the Miami Heat for the NBA Championship.

However by adding OJ Mayo Monday to a solid gathering of acquisitions, the Mavs have turned a possible disaster to a good offseason in that short span.

The 2011-12 NBA season was a tough one for the Mavericks. They went 36-30, endured drama from Lamar Odom not wanting to be there and got swept in the first round by the eventual Western Conference champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

They let five good players from the 2011 team walk and join other teams, including Tyson Chandler—possibly the best center Dallas has had in the Dirk Nowitzki era.

The goal for the Mavericks was simple: be players in the 2012 free agency period and get Dwight Howard and either Deron Williams or Chris Paul.

The Paul hopes ended with his trade to the Los Angeles Clippers before the season and Howard decided to opt-in with the Orlando Magic at the trade deadline, but Williams remained.

After help delivering the franchise's first title, Jason Kidd (right) and
Jason Terry left Dallas this offseason. Kidd went to the Knicks, Terry
went to the Celtics. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Well, until this tweet.

That, losing out on Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers and letting their two veteran guards—Jason Terry and Jason Kidd—sign elsewhere, things looked like it would be similar to the previous season, if not worse.

In May, Nowitzki shared his thoughts about a possible rebuild on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s “Galloway & Co.”

“If we really come out with nobody this summer then maybe they want to rebuild and, obviously, I’m too old for that,” Nowitzki said. “We’ll just have to wait and see what happens on that front. But I still think I got two, three good years left in me and if we get some players in here we can be right back up there and compete.”

Help came on July 11, when Dallas signed former NBA All-Star Chris Kaman—Nowitzki’s frontcourt mate on the German national basketball team. Later that day, the Mavs received Darren Collison and Dahntay Jones from the Indiana Pacers as a part of a sign-and-trade for Ian Mahinmi.

Former No. 3 pick O.J. Mayo averaged 12.6 points per game last year with the Memphis
Grizzlies coming off of the bench. (Photo by Brad Towsend/Dallas Morning News)

Dallas continued to make moves by amnestying Brendan Haywood, claiming Elton Brand off waivers from the Philadelphia 76ers and signing O.J. Mayo to add a scorer to take some pressure off of Nowitzki.

Mayo’s tweet certainly made Dallas fans enjoyed, as his signing completed the turnaround from disaster by not making the big move to satisfaction by improving the team with solid pieces to add youth and depth.

“We think we’ve positioned ourselves so that we have a young nucleus,” Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said. We can keep these guys, let them jell and play together, build around Dirk and have room for hopefully someone to come or to trade or whatever happens.”

With Dallas signing all three of their rookies—Jared Cunningham, Bernard James and Jae Crowder—and bringing back Delonte West, who became a fan favorite in Dallas with his gritty play, the team certainly has repositioned itself to be a tough out in the Western Conference.

While Jared Cunningham (second right) was held out of Summer
League play due to injury, Jae Crowder and Bernard James showed a glimpse
of the future with good play. (Photo by Stephen Chavera/Dallas Mavericks)

While the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers appear to be favorites in the conference, expect the Mavs to compete division crown with the San Antonio Spurs and the Memphis Grizzlies being the main competition, with the rising New Orleans Hornets and retooled Houston Rockets expecting to also make it tough in the always challenging Southwest.

As for the rest, it all depends on how well this team jells.

A KING'S CORONATION: LEBRON JAMES IS FINALLY A CHAMPION

Miami Heat forward LeBron James (center) celebrates winning his first NBA title after a
4-1 series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. (Photo by Steve Mitchell/US Presswire)

Finally, the king can take his rightful throne.

LeBron James waited nine seasons to call himself a champion, but those dreams became reality after the Miami Heat’s series-clinching win in Game 5 of the 2012 NBA Finals Thursday.

“It’s about damn time,” a relieved James said after winning Finals MVP honors shortly after the game.

In James’ two previous trips to the NBA Finals, he came away with losses to the San Antonio Spurs in 2007 and the Dallas Mavericks last year.

While facing added scrutiny after losing to the Mavs and how he handled going to Miami, James stated that the setbacks taught him a valuable lesson.

In James' first year in Miami, the Heat overcame struggles to reach the 2011 NBA Finals.
Yet, they lost to the Dallas Mavericks in six games. (Photo by Robert Duyo/MCT)

“It took me to go all the way to the top and then hit rock bottom, basically, to realize what I needed to do as a professional athlete and as a person,” James said. “The best thing that happened to me last year was us losing in the Finals.”

Heading into this year, James worked on his post play with Hall of Fame center and two-time NBA champion Hakeem Olajuwon. The results paid huge dividends.

He averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds and 6.2 assists en route to his third MVP award and leading the Heat to a 46-20 record.

“He really took being the best player in the league to another level,” Dwyane Wade said. “And he did it all season, man.”

However, LeBron and the Heat still faced their problems in the postseason.

The Indiana Pacers took a 2-1 lead in the Eastern Conference Semifinals thanks to Chris Bosh’s abdominal injury in Game 1 and Wade’s struggles in Game 3.

The Heat would win the next three games to take the series in six.

James won his third NBA MVP during the 2011-12 season, becoming
just the eighth player to do so. (Photo by Wilfredo Lee/AP Photo)

The Boston Celtics jumped out to a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference Finals and James’ performance in the clutch was once again placed in the spotlight.

He would put up an absolute gem in Game 6 of 45 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to spark Miami and take the series in seven games.

It was clear that James took over the reigns as the leader of this team with his play. In the postseason, he averaged 30.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game en route to his first title. The adversity that he faced in each of the last nine years in the NBA and his high school years had finally paid off.

“It was a journey,” James said. “Everything that went along with along with me being a high school prodigy when I was 16 and on the cover of Sports Illustrated to being drafted and having to be the face of a franchise and everything that came along with it. I had to deal with it and I had to learn through it. No one had gone through that journey and I had to learn on my own. I can finally say that I’m a champion.”

With James just reaching his prime at just 27 years old, it is safe to say that he will be in the conversation of winning more titles for quite some time while becoming even better player (scary, right?) than what he already is.

With the first one—and possibly the hardest one—finally out of the way, who knows?

2012 NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat

SEASON SERIES: series tied 1-1 (home team won both times)
ANALYSIS: After a 23-59 record in their first year in Oklahoma City, the Thunder’s gradual progression from a lottery team to one of the NBA’s elite took another big step with a 4-2 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Things did not come easily as the Thunder became just the 15^th NBA squad to win a best-of-seven while facing an 0-2 hole and going against a Spurs team that won 20 games in a row. A win in these Finals could be the start of a new dynasty in the NBA.

Down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat faced speculation of possible changes if they lost. However, behind LeBron James’ strong performances in Games 6 and 7, Miami won the East for the second year in a row and seek redemption. Things are not out of the woods yet, because those speculations will still loom unless they win here.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Russell Westbrook vs. Mario Chalmers
ADVANTAGE: Russell Westbrook
-Chalmers will have his second tough matchup as he adjusts from Rajon Rondo to a more offensively aggressive point guard in Westbrook. Westbrook is averaging 21.7 points per game this postseason, but his 7.3 assists in the West Finals showcased his abilities to be a combo guard. Chalmers can score when needed though—already notching two 20-point games in the playoffs and his ability to knock down threes—but stopping Westbrook will be a tall task.

SG: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Dwyane Wade
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade
-Sefolosha will have two players to try to stop in this series—LeBron James and his primary opposition in Wade. Wade has this matchup on paper, but has struggled with his shot much recently in the playoffs. In the East Finals, he shot just 44.4 percent from the field—nearly four percentage points off of his career postseason mark of 48.0 percent. Sefolosha kept Kobe Bryant and Tony Parker in check in the last two rounds and if he can force Wade’s struggles to linger, that will put more pressure on James.

SF: Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James
ADVANTAGE: Push
-This is the dream matchup most NBA fans have waited for since the lockout was resolved in November. Two of the NBA’s very best square off for the right to win the first title in what could be many for either player. On one hand, James is on a mission to quiet doubters on whether or not if he can get it done in the game’s biggest moments. None where bigger than in Game 6 when James scored 45 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished five assists to force a Game 7 against the Celtics. On the other hand, the 23-year old Durant is already an accomplished scoring champ—having won the last three titles. His 34 points and 14 rebounds to close out the Spurs in Game 6 was marvelous in getting the Thunder to their first Finals appearance since the move to Oklahoma City. Fans will not be disappointed in this series.

PF: Serge Ibaka vs. Battier/Bosh
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he starts), Ibaka (if Battier starts)
-While the status on whether Bosh starts or continues to come off of the bench is uncertain, the Thunder will have Ibaka at the 4 position ready to redirect Miami’s shots. In all but one playoff game, Ibaka has blocked multiple shots, but his offense is also taking notice. In Game 4 against San Antonio, Ibaka was lights out from the field, hitting all 11 of his shots for a 26-point performance. Battier will mostly be in charge of guarding Durant and to shoot spot-up threes, while Bosh could ease back into his starting role or provide a more reliable scoring option from the bench.

C: Kendrick Perkins vs. Udonis Haslem
ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins
-For the last few games, Haslem started at center for the Heat against Kevin Garnett, but the size advantage against Perkins might be a tough one for Haslem. Perkins will continue to provide defense inside the paint, but his 15 points against the Spurs in Game 4 shows that he can chip in offensively when needed. Haslem had his best game in Game 4 against Boston with 12 points and 17 rebounds, despite a loss. Those two will battle for rebounds all series long.

BENCH: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat
ADVANTAGE: Oklahoma City
-With or without Bosh coming off of the bench, the Thunder will have the advantage here with the Sixth Man of Year winner—James Harden—on their side. In the West Finals, Harden was unconscious from long range, hitting 60.9 percent of his 3-pointers en route to averaging 18.5 points per game. Derek Fisher can still knock down big shots and Nick Collision will provide tough defense in the post. Since coming back from an abdominal strain, Bosh is averaging 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds from the bench. Mike Miller will assist Bosh in bench scoring, but one more of the Heat’s other reserves—James Jones, Joel Anthony or Norris Cole—must step up.

PREDICTION: Thunder in 7

2012 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics


SEASON SERIES: Celtics won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat withstood everything that the Indiana Pacers could throw at them, but turned up the pressure in the last three games to win in six. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were able to take over in the last three games averaging 65.7 points to offset the loss of Chris Bosh. Having Bosh back would certainly help the Heat, but for the meanwhile, James and Wade will need scoring help.


It took a tough seven game series, but the Boston Celtics defeated an up-and-coming Philadelphia 76ers squad who could be special down the road. Making it to its third East Final in five years, this could be the last hurrah for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce together as teammates, but they are ready for one last run at a title. Avery Bradley’s defense will be missed, but Rajon Rondo will look to get timely steals and incorporate everyone on offense.


POSITION SHOWDOWNS
PG: Mario Chalmers vs. Rajon Rondo 
ADVANTAGE: Rajon Rondo (Celtics)
-Rondo is continuing his strong play this season in the playoffs, leading all players in playoff steals (32) and assists per game (12.3). His triple-double against the Sixers (18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists) in Game 7 was his third this postseason and he will look to get everyone involved. Chalmers had his best game in Game 3 against Indiana with 25 points and five assists but Rondo will have the better advantage.


SG: Dwyane Wade vs. Ray Allen 
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade (Heat)
-Both players have had their struggles in the playoffs this year, but Wade is on fire thanks to his recent streak of games. After scoring just five points in Game 3 against Indiana, Wade closed out the last three games with an average of 33.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 40-for-65 from the field. Allen is battling through injuries and a rough shooting stretch, but he showed that he can still be reliable with two 3-pointers in Game 7 against Philadelphia in the fourth quarter.


SF: LeBron James vs. Paul Pierce 
ADVANTAGE: LeBron James (Heat)
-In what should be the best position battle in this series, James will take an edge here in the showdown of future hall-of-famers. Defensively, both James and Pierce performed well this postseason, but how they stop each other will tell everything. The 2011-12 MVP comes into this series averaging 29.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, while Pierce is averaging 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds.


PF: Bosh/Battier vs. Brandon Bass 
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he plays), Bass (if Bosh does not play)
-With Bosh’s status still up in the air for this series, it looks as if Battier will start against Bass at power forward until Bosh returns. Bass has shown that he can step up when needed in the playoffs, thanks to his 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. However, his 27 points and six rebounds sparked Boston in Game 5 against the 76ers. The Heat were able to get by the Pacers without Bosh, but they still missed his post presence. Battier only shot 21.2 percent from the field against Indiana, but he is mostly used for his defense and a needed 3-pointer.


C: Ronny Turiaf vs. Kevin Garnett 
ADVANTAGE: Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
-Sitting at 15-17 at the All-Star break, Doc Rivers made the move to start Garnett at center instead of his normal power forward position. As a result, Garnett and the Celtics finished the season strong and he currently averages 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this postseason. Turiaf would get the start and Joel Anthony gets more minutes, but I do not think either can slow down KG.


BENCH: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
ADVANTAGE: Miami Heat
-Let me preface this by saying that the bench battle in this series may not be pretty, but Miami should have the advantage here especially when Chris Bosh is able to come back and reclaim his starting role. Avery Bradley’s season-ending injury hurts Boston’s bench because there is no scoring punch since Ray Allen starts in place of Bradley. Mickael Pietrus leads the Celtic bench with 3.7 points per game this postseason—a stat that must improve.


PREDICTION: Heat in 6.

2012 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 2-1

ANALYSIS: The San Antonio Spurs have rolled right along the 2012 NBA Playoffs with sweeps of the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers, all while maintaining an 18-game winning streak since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on Apr. 11. The Spurs have had solid contributions from their three key players—Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker—while still being able to manage each of their minutes thanks to a deep bench and other role players.

Making it to consecutive West Finals for the first time since 1978-1980, the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping that last season’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks enables them to grow even more and possibly make the Finals. Oklahoma City only lost one game against the last two teams to put them out of the playoffs en route to this stage. First All-NBA selection Kevin Durant continues to improve his standing as one of the NBA’s elite players, while Russell Westbrook and 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year James Harden are both great players that make this trio as terrific as they are.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Tony Parker vs. Russell Westbrook

ADVANTAGE: Push

-The fellow 2011-12 All-NBA Second Teamers square off in this round with a contrast in styles. Parker likes to get his teammates involved more, while Westbrook is a bit more aggressive with his offensive game. The key in this one will be how one performs defensively and limits the other. Parker torched Oklahoma City for 42 points and nine assists on Feb. 4, but both players played well in their Mar. 16 tilt—a Spurs win.

SG: Danny Green vs. Thabo Sefolosha

ADVANTAGE: Danny Green (Spurs)

-Although these two may have a small impact in this series, it may be one to hardly ignore. Green did not become a starter until Feb. 8, but he has provided 3-point shooting and good defense for San Antonio since then. Sefolosha’s stats are not that impressive, but what does not make the stat sheet—his perimeter defense—is something that helps out the Thunder.

SF: Kawhi Leonard vs. Kevin Durant

ADVANTAGE: Kevin Durant (Thunder)

-Like Green, Leonard is another good defender that San Antonio has. However, this could be his biggest test in this year’s playoffs as he will likely guard Durant. The runner-up to this year’s MVP award is averaging 26.7 points and 8.1 rebounds this postseason while not scoring less than 22 in that stretch. Leonard does one stat going for him, Durant only averaged 22.7 points against San Antonio this season—more than five points below his regular season average.

PF: Tim Duncan vs. Serge Ibaka

ADVANTAGE: Tim Duncan (Spurs)

-Ibaka has been a great shot blocking machine this season, turning away a league-high 241 shots and recording the 10-block plateau three times this season. But what happens when he plays against a rejuvenated Duncan? Duncan looks as if he has really turned back the clock in the playoffs. With the Spurs’ deep bench, rarely being in a closely contested game and the two sweeps, it is beneficial to Duncan, who only averaged 32.0 minutes this postseason but has his lowest defensive rating since 2003.

C: Boris Diaw vs. Kendrick Perkins

ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins (Thunder)

-Diaw has seen it all this year. He started the season with the Charlotte Bobcats, but he signed with the Spurs two days after being waived from Charlotte on Mar. 21. However, I think Perkins’ championship experience wins out here. Mainly a defensive center, Perkins has come through with 14 blocks of his own and 5.9 rebounds per game this postseason.

BENCH: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

ADVANTAGE: San Antonio Spurs

-While Manu Ginobili and James Harden are two of the top sixth men in the NBA right now, the Spurs deep bench might be one of the best in the NBA. Ginobili leads the group with 11.3 points per game this postseason, while players like Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal can provide good scoring off of the bench. Oklahoma City does have Harden averaging 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the playoffs. Derek Fisher’s veteran leadership and Nick Collison’s hard-nosed defense will help the Thunder. Whichever team’s bench performs better, it has a good job of winning the game. 

PREDICTION: Spurs in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Los Angeles Clippers
SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 2-1
PREDICTION: Spurs in 5

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Los Angeles Lakers
SEASON SERIES: Thunder won 2-1.
ANALYSIS: In a rematch of last year’s Western Conference Finals, the Oklahoma City Thunder wasted no time in making quick work of the defending champion Dallas Mavericks with a sweep. 2011-12 MVP runner-up Kevin Durant was instrumental in the series as he set the tone with his Game 1 game-winner. Durant averaged 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds against the Lakers, while James Harden’s 29 points in the series finale allowed the Thunder to get revenge from last postseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers battled through a tough seven-game series with the Denver Nuggets, where they were tested by an athletic, tough team. Kobe Bryant was again has normal self, averaging 29.1 points in the series, while Andrew Bynum had a great time staying out of foul trouble. Bynum tied a playoff high with 10 blocks in Game 1 en route to a triple-double. However, the Lakers showed that they missed Metta World Peace and he rewarded them with 15 points and four steals in Game 7.
PREDICTION: Thunder in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Miami Heat vs. Indiana Pacers

SEASON SERIES: Heat won 3-1.

ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat had little to no problem in dispatching the New York Knicks in five games in the first round. 2011-12 NBA Most Valuable Player LeBron James continued his strong season by averaging 27.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 5.6 assists against the Knicks, while also collecting 11 steals. Not to be outdone, Dwyane Wade had 14 steals and six blocks, while adding 21.0 points per game this postseason.

The Indiana Pacers took the next step in growing after defeating the Dwight Howard-less Orlando Magic in five games. Roy Hibbert was able to take advantage of the Magic’s hole at center by averaging 11.0 points and 10.8 rebounds per game in the series. Most importantly, it was Hibbert’s nine-block performance in Game 1 that set the tone to him having 19 blocks against Orlando. Danny Granger provided the offense that Indiana needed in the series by averaging 21.4 points and 7.0 rebounds per game.

PREDICTION: Heat in 5.

Boston Celtics vs. Philadelphia 76ers
SEASON SERIES: 76ers won 2-1.
ANALYSIS: The Boston Celtics once again made it past the first round for the fifth year in a row after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in six games behind the efforts of their four key players—Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo. Garnett turned back the clock to his Minnesota Timberwolves days by averaging 18.7 points and 10.5 assists per game against the Hawks—including an impressive stat line of 28 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in Game 6. Rondo may have snapped a 28-game streak of double-digit assists in Game 6, but his 11.8 assists per game this postseason was tops in the first round. However, the most impressive thing was his 17 steals in the series—also the most in the first round.


The Philadelphia 76ers became the fifth No. 8 seed to beat a No. 1 after their six-game series win against the Chicago Bulls—their first since 2003. The Sixers gave up 103 and 92 points in Games 1 and 2, respectively, but went back to their early-season defensive roots and allowed 77.8 points per game in the final four games. Jrue Holiday averaged 18.2 points and 5.2 rebounds to give Philadelphia just enough of a scoring punch against the Bulls and Elton Brand provided the defense with 15 blocks.
PREDICTION: Celtics in 6.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: WESTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Utah Jazz
SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The San Antonio Spurs are once again the West’s top seed, but they are vowing not to be on the wrong side of another monumental 1/8 upset like last season. Gregg Popovich continued to manage Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker’s minutes, while giving younger players much valuable playing time. Despite only averaging 32.1 minutes, Parker scored 18.3 points per game and average 7.7 assists.


The Utah Jazz make it back to the playoffs after a one-year absence after making an effective playoff push. Utah finished No. 4 in scoring with 99.7 points per game and part of that is due to their ability to score inside. Al Jefferson scored 19.2 points and had 9.6 rebounds per game this season and Paul Millsap added 16.6 PPG and 8.8 RPG. What could hurt the Jazz is their defense as they allow 99.0 points per game—No. 23 in the NBA. 
PREDICTION: Spurs in 5


Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Dallas Mavericks
SEASON SERIES: Thunder won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Oklahoma City Thunder might be the No. 2 seed in the West, but they are the arguably the conference’s favorites to make it to the NBA Finals. In two bonafide superstars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, the Thunder are one of the more exciting teams in the NBA. Durant won his third straight scoring title with 28.0 points per game and is considered to be in the MVP race.


The Dallas Mavericks looked like a shell of their former selves this season, but as they showed last year that when they get it together, they can win. The defending champions overcame rest, injuries and controversy to sneak into the playoffs as a dangerous No. 7 seed. Dirk Nowitzki put together another good season with 21.6 PPG and 6.8 REB. 
PREDICTION: Mavericks in 6.


Los Angeles Lakers vs. Denver Nuggets
SEASON SERIES: Lakers won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Los Angeles Lakers started slow of the gate, but bounced back to take the Pacific Division crown over their city rivals, the Clippers. While Kobe Bryant continues to show why he is one of the best players in the NBA, the play of Andrew Bynum—for the most part—has been impressive. Bynum averaged 18.7 points and 11.7 rebounds for the Lakers this year and showed that he can be a good center in the NBA.


The Denver Nuggets are a deep and an explosive team as shown by their ability to score. Denver was tops in scoring average with 104.1 points per game and seven different players averaged at least 10 PPG, including midseason acquisition JaVale McGee. Rookie Kenneth Faried had a great showing in his first year, averaging 11.1 points and 8.3 rebounds after taking the starting power forward position for good on Feb. 19.
PREDICTION: Lakers in 7.


Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers
SEASON SERIES: Clippers won 2-1
ANALYSIS: After a strong playoff showing last year, the Memphis Grizzlies are back and better than ever this season by securing the No. 4 seed and homecourt advantage for at least one round in this year’s playoffs. Unable to play in last year’s run, Rudy Gay is back as he led the team with 19.0 points per game. The Grizzlies’ strong inside with Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol will make for a tough out in the playoffs.


The Los Angeles Clippers are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2006 after the best season in franchise history. Having Chris Paul gave the Clippers excitement, hope and leadership. With his 19.8 points and 9.1 assists per game, he made everyone around him better. Blake Griffin was a good beneficiary to Paul joining the Clippers by scoring 20.7 points and having 10.7 rebounds per game along with many thunderous dunks.
PREDICTION: Grizzlies in 7.

2012 NBA PLAYOFFS: EASTERN CONFERENCE QUARTERFINALS

Chicago Bulls vs. Philadelphia 76ers
SEASON SERIES: Bulls won 2-1
ANALYSIS: The Chicago Bulls won the Eastern Conference’s No. 1 seed for the second year in a row despite nagging injuries to reigning Most Valuable Player Derrick Rose. Limited to 39 games, Rose only averaged 21.8 points and 7.9 assists per game but never missed a beat thanks to their stifling defense. The Bulls gave up 88.2 points per game and had a defensive rating—points per 100 possessions—of 98.3, both lower than last season.


The Philadelphia 76ers looked as if they would take a huge leap forward after leading the Atlantic Division for most of the year, but they faded all the way down to the No. 8 seed following a 20-9 start to the season. They started so hot thanks to their defense as it allowed 89.4 points per game and 99.2 per 100 possessions—both good for third in the NBA. However, their 15-24 finish was a cause of not having enough offense. Lou Williams led Philadelphia with 14.9 points per game and Andre Iguodala continued to be a good, all-around player.
PREDICTION: Bulls in 5.


Miami Heat vs. New York Knicks
SEASON SERIES: Heat won 3-0
ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat is a team on a mission after losing in the NBA Finals last year. Miami is again the No. 2 seed in the East, but they are still a juggernaut on both sides of the ball. Leading that charge is LeBron James, who could be the favorite to this year’s MVP award. James averaged 27.1 points, 7.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.9 steals this year as he, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh seek the elusive title that slipped away last year.


The New York Knicks had a crazy season, but then again, what else would you expect from the Big Apple? A coaching change, the rise of an unknown player, two stars still trying to mesh, you name it! But the Knicks have played well as of late—going 18-6 and playing better defense under Mike Woodson. Carmelo Anthony’s 22.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game is good, but he has turned his game up this April by averaging 29.8 points and 7.3 rebounds per game.  
PREDICTION: Heat in 6.


Indiana Pacers vs. Orlando Magic
SEASON SERIES: Magic won 3-1
ANALYSIS: Since taking over midway during the 2010-11 season, Frank Vogel has coached up the Indiana Pacers to a very good young team with much potential. This season, they jumped all the way up to the No. 3 seed in the East, thanks to a solid core of players who stayed healthy for most of the season. Danny Granger had 18.7 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while All-Star Roy Hibbert improved his offensive rebounding and swatted away 128 shots.


The Orlando Magic finished with the No. 6 seed in the East, but they had to suffer through a “Dwightmare” to get to it. While Dwight Howard was a bit of a distraction off of the court, he played well on the court. However, he will miss the playoffs due to his back. However, Ryan Anderson will pick up the slack left behind by Howard. Anderson improved his game this season by averaging 16.1 points and 7.7 rebounds per game, while being a great 3-point shooter in the process.
PREDICTION: Pacers in 5.


Boston Celtics vs. Atlanta Hawks
SEASON SERIES: Celtics won 2-1
ANALYSIS: Nearly left for dead at the All-Star break, the Boston Celtics staved off a rebuilding phase at the trading deadline to win their fifth consecutive Atlantic Division title. Boston continues to have the experience in its terrific trio of Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, but it is Rajon Rondo who continues to progress as one of the NBA’s elite point guards. During his current 23-game streak with at least 10 assists, Rondo is averaging 13.8 dimes, 9.8 points and 1.9 steals per game.


The Atlanta Hawks are back yet again in the playoffs and they will have home-court advantage in this series. The Hawks allowed the sixth fewest points this season (93.2 PPG) and will be looking to advance into the second round for the fourth straight year. To do so, Atlanta will look to the complete game of Josh Smith, who averaged 18.8 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game.
PREDICTION: Celtics in 6.

LINSANITY TAKES OVER NEW YORK AND THE NBA

Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin has become an overnight sensation and just
might be New York's answer at the 1. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

Linsanity has taken over New York and it has NBA fans Linsane in the membrane!

New York Knicks point guard Jeremy Lin has recently become an overnight sensation following a week that saw him win Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors.

“I don’t know what’s going on in New York right now,” Knicks power forward Amar’e Stoudemire said on MSG Network after Lin’s game-winner Feb. 14 against the Toronto Raptors.

What is going on is that Lin has been what the Knicks needed to run the point guard position and it shows during a six-game winning streak that put New York back in the playoff hunt.

Following Lin’s performance off the bench against the New Jersey Nets on Feb. 4—25 points and seven assists—New York Mark D’Antoni decided to give the Harvard alum a shot.

Some (including myself) saw this as a desperate attempt to save D’Antoni’s job because the Knicks tried this in 16 previous games with Iman Shumpert, while waiting for Baron Davis to get healthy.

Lin responded by averaging 27.3 points and 8.3 assists per game and a 51.3 percentage from the field as a starter during the week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 12.

However, his highlight performance came on Feb. 10 against the Lakers when he scored 38 points and dished seven assists and earned the respect of Kobe Bryant.

Lin spent the 2010-11 season with the Golden State
Warriors, but was released by the team after the NBA lockout.

“Players don’t usually come out of nowhere,” Bryant said. “If you can go back and take a look, his skill level was probably there from the beginning. But no one ever noticed.”

Lin’s road to NBA stardom has been tough.

As a senior at Palo Alto High School, he won a state title and averaged 15.1 points, 7.1 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.0 steals. Yet, he chose Harvard because Stanford and UCLA did not guarantee a spot on the team.

After putting up good numbers and leading the Crimson near the NCAA Tournament for first time since 1946, he went undrafted in the 2010 NBA Draft but was invited to the Dallas Mavericks’ mini-camp. However, he chose the Golden State Warriors after they offered him a two-year deal.

“We thought when we offered him the one year guaranteed, we felt like he was ours,” Mavericks general manager Donnie Nelson said. “But, like I said, there’s no place like home.”

Lin saw limited playing time with the Warriors, but with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis, it would be very little and they released him. Same for the Houston Rockets, who needed the roster space for Samuel Dalembert.

The Knicks even came close to parting ways with Lin before his performance with the Nets according to Marc Stein.

Now the question turns to how does he jell with Stoudmire and Carmelo Anthony?

With Carmelo Anthony (7) coming back into the mix, the Knicks are
hopeful he and Lin can mesh. (Photo by Nathanial S. Butler/NBAE)

 “I know there’s questions about, ‘Can I fit in?’ and stuff like that, but this is like a dream come true to me,” Anthony said. “It takes some pressure off of me. I don’t have to play point guard. I don’t have to try to get Amar’e 20 points, try to get this guy 20 points, me try to go out there and get 25-30 points a night, play defense, rebound do the whole thing.”

Plus it can only help the team get better and help Lin settle in.

However, the most important thing is that there is a buzz again in New York City about the Knicks—which is always good for the NBA’s biggest market and a premier franchise in the league.

BLAKE GRIFFIN'S DUNK ON KENDRICK PERKINS...AND OTHER POSTER DUNKS!

It's okay Kendrick Perkins, you can come out of the embarrassment of getting dunked on by Los Angeles Clipper forward Blake Griffin.


A day after LeBron James jumped over John Lucas III, Griffin one-upped him and possibly turned in the dunk of the year by making Perkins even madder than he already is. But how does this dunk stack up to others?


I'll give you a few examples of vicious dunks throughout the times. (In no particular order).

BLAKE CREATES THE TERM MOZGOV'ED

In a game against the New York Knicks during the 2010-11 season, Blake Griffin opened everyone's eyes after violating then-Knick center Timofey Mozgov. In my opinion, I think this dunk is more jaw-dropping than the Perkins dunk because of HOW Griffin dunked.

TIM-BER!!

There are so many facial dunks that LeBron James has served up in his career, just ask Damon Jones and Delonte West. However, James' dunk on Tim Duncan was more impressive to me because he made a seven-footer and a future hall-of-famer stumble.

"CRASH" AND BURN

I really love Gerald Wallace and the way that he approaches the game by playing hard and leaving it all out on the court. However, then-Hornet rookie Marcus Thornton completely turned poor Crash into a poster.

KOBE WELCOMES DWIGHT TO THE ASSOCIATION

Before Kobe Bryant wore No. 24, he wore No. 8. Before Dwight Howard was a perennial lock for Defensive Player of the year, he was a young star in the making. Not saying that this dunk changed things but...

LIKE TAKING "KANDI" FROM A BABY

What's more impressive: Amar'e Stoudemire's dunk on Michael Olowokandi OR Stephon Marbury's reaction? The answer: Yes.

DUNKS ARE BIGGER IN TEXAS

Poor Shawn Bradley. He has been put on so many a poster during his career. However, when Tracy McGrady dunked on him in Game 2 of the 2005 Western Conference Quarters between the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks, Bradley left the game at the end of the season.

LISTER BLISTER

Alton Lister...meet Shawn Kemp. And the Power of Reign.

GOING TO WAR WITH AN AK-47

After becoming the second team to upset a No. 1 seed, the Golden State Warriors found themselves down 2-0 to the Utah Jazz in the 2007 Western Conference Semis. But Baron Davis would not allow the Warriors to go down without making some noise.

SCOTTIE!

The Chicago Bulls and the New York Knicks gave us the best NBA rivalry in the 90s with so many playoff wars. In the 1994 East Semis you could still see and feel the animosity after Scottie Pippen scaled Patrick Ewing and talked trash to the fallen Ewing and Spike Lee.

THE DURANTULA STRIKES!

In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, Kevin Durant and Dirk Nowitzki both reached the 40-point mark, but Dallas won behind Dirk's classic shooting performance. In Game 2, Durant went strong on Brendan Haywood and posterized him.

CHARGING BULL

Yet, four days before, Taj Gibson had the statement dunk of the 2011 Playoffs with his dunk on Dwyane Wade in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Gibson would follow that up with the parting shot to give the Bulls a 1-0 lead in the series.

ROCK-A-BYE BABY

In the 1982-83 season, the Philadelphia 76ers were flat out dominant with a 65-17 record. One of those wins came in this game when Julius Erving dunked on Michael Cooper. The Sixers would win NBA title, only losing one game in the playoffs.

JUMPED THE WEIS

Le dunk de la mort. That French phrase is translated to "The Dunk of Death" and this dunk in the 2000 Summer Olympics by USA's Vince Carter over France's Frederic Weis did exactly that to Weis' NBA chances. Weis—who was taken by the New York Knicks in the 1999 NBA Draft at No. 15—never played in the NBA.

Feel free to share one that I may have missed!

2011-12 NBA SEASON PREVIEW

It has been a long time coming, but the NBA is back!

This short preseason has brought forth a lot of changes, such as Tyson Chandler leaving the world champion Dallas Mavericks for the New York Knicks.

However, some changes were controversial, as former New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul winds up being traded to Los Angeles’ “second” NBA team—the Clippers—after commissioner David Stern blocked a trade sending him to the Lakers.

With a 66-game schedule and every team playing a back-to-back-to-back at a point during the season, teams will have to survive and limit the injuries if they any hope of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy this June.

In this preview, my friend and fellow aspiring journalist Robert Brown (you can follow him on Twitter @UptownBobby and he writes for KevinNottingham.com) sized up the Eastern Conference while I focused on the West. We both gave our predictions of the awards too.

Eastern Conference

A somber LeBron James (left) and Dwyane Wade did not win the Finals in their
first year together, but could happier times be ahead for the Heat? (Photo by CBS Sports)

Since the new decade, the Eastern conference stands a bittersweet 0-2(or 0-1 depending on how you start counting your decades) in the NBA Finals. With much of the league’s top talent in the Eastern Conference, the scales of winning titles will have to sway in the favor of the East. The Big 3 in Miami looks faster, the big 4 in Boston look older, and the Big 1 in Orlando looks confused. Thanks to a shorter schedule and free agency, the East is the most competitive it’s been in years. 

Here’s the breakdown: 

Atlantic Division

Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire (1) and Celtics forward Kevin Garnett will battle
for Atlantic supremacy. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics (56-26 in 2010-2011) 

The Celtics are depleted bench wise. With little action done during this offseason, the Celtics are going to need a lot of minutes from ‘’The Big 4’’, and a lot of growing up from rookies JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore. The unfortunate loss of Jeff Green is going to be felt this season and Boston also needs some size up front. Brandon Bass should be a solid upgrade from Glen ‘’Big Baby’’ Davis at the Power Forward position, but that still isn’t enough size up front to compete with Chicago’s Noah and Boozer, New York’s Chandler and Stoudemire and Miami’s faster , younger front court of Bosh and Joel Anthony.

Overall The Celtics still have a talented group of veterans that have enough to get them into the playoffs. Once the Celtics make the playoffs, they have the moxy to make it past the first round and possibly contend for the Eastern conference title if certain teams knock each other out first.

New York Knicks (42-40)

 The Knicks made the biggest free agent acquisition this season in the Eastern Conference by signing Tyson Chandler. Chandler’s presence takes pressure off Amare Stoudemire and allows him to be a pure Power Forward and give him someone that can carry some of the load of rebounding and interior defense. With a depleted back court, more of the offensive load is going to be on Carmelo Anthony this year and a possible scoring title could be in the future  for Melo if free acquisitions Mike Bibby and Baron Davis can get him the ball.

Overall The Knicks are going to be much better than last year. If Baron Davis recovers from his back injury successfully and plays to his potential, the Knicks could arguably be the best team in the East. The biggest question is can Mike D’antoni get the Knicks to play defense? On paper, the Knicks will make the playoffs, but we shouldn’t expect another first round exit this year.

Philadelphia 76ers (41-41)

The Sixers did a great job of re-signing free agent Thaddeus Young. Paired with Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus will have another solid season and could possibly be an All-Star reserve if he plays to expectations. Two guard Evan Turner will come back with a bigger role in the offense and swing man Andre Iguodala will give them a reliable 15-20 ppg if he isn’t traded before midseason.

Overall Many people didn’t expect the Sixers to make the playoffs last year, and no one expected them to steal a couple of games from Miami during the playoffs. Also, Philly can get better before the trade deadline by trading Iguodala and/or Elton Brand for another piece that could push them into contenders. Doug Collins is a great coach that will mold this young team into something special. Expect another playoff appearance from the 76’ers this year.

New Jersey Nets (24-58)

Losing Brook Lopez to injury for the beginning of the season is going to hinder any chance the Nets have of wanting to improve from last year’s record. Deron Williams is the key centerpiece of the team, but with a roster that’s still rebuilding after they traded most of it for Williams, the Nets have too many holes and not enough cap space to do too much of anything. Re-signing free agent Kris Humphries was a solid move, and Anthony Morrow is still a great 3 point shooter that can spread the floor.

Overall With most of the Nets season surrounding around Deron Williams contract extension and Dwight Howard trade speculation, there isn’t much to expect from New Jersey than another subpar season and maybe an All-Star appearance from Deron Williams. 

Toronto Raptors (22-60)

  With new coach Dwane Casey coming in, expect the Raptors to be a better defensive team than years before. DeMar DeRozan is going to have be their primary offensive option alongside 7 foot Andrea Bargnani. Could Dwane mold sharpshooter Bargnani into the next Dirk Nowitzki?

Overall The Raptors will be fun to watch, and with Casey at coach they’ll show improvement, but make no mistake, this team is rebuilding. Maybe a year or two from now we’ll be able to talk about the Raptors being more competitive.

Divison Winner: New York Knicks

Central division

Bulls guard Derrick Rose (right) won the MVP last year, but he has his sights on an NBA title.

Chicago Bulls (62-20)

 With Derrick Rose being this team’s rock the sky is the limit. Last year, Rose carried the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals with little to no help. The key to the Bulls jumping over South Beach into the Finals is Carlos Boozer. If Boozer can play to his All-Star potential, the Bulls may be the team to beat in the East. Signing Rip Hamilton will get more points on the board and insert a veteran into the Bulls lineup that can bring a sense of leadership to a young team.

Overall Last year was a surprise year for the Bulls. No one expected Rose nor that team to be so good that fast. Now, it’s NBA Finals appearance or bust. This team has enough talent to bring Chicago its first title since 1998.

Indiana Pacers  (37-45)

Much like the 76’ers, the Pacers are a great young team with a 2^nd year coach (Frank Vogel) that has improved in the offseason from last year. With Darren Collision being the starting PG, expect the offense to grow even more now that he’s the primary facilitator. Free agent signing David West is going to add much needed locker room leadership to a young team that needs it.

Overall  The Pacers are a dangerous team if things translate on paper onto the floor. Roy Hibbert will develop and acquisitions George Hill and young players like A.J. Price, Paul George , and Tyler Hansbrough will get plenty of playing time. The Pacers are looking to be at least a 5 or 6 seed come playoff time.

Milwaukee Bucks (35-47) 

 Brandon Jennings had a lukewarm season last year that was plagued with injuries and a team that was last in scoring last year (91.9 points per game). With the signing of Mike Dunleavy and new comer Stephen Jackson, there are bright spots on the team that can mold into playoff hopes.

Overall Milwaukee can do some great things this year if they can remain healthy. A 66 game season should favor a young group with veteran pieces. Jennings is the key, though. If he can take the leap that many experts imagined him taking last year, than Milwaukee is a playoff team. A first round series would be enough to keep Scott Skiles a job.

Detroit Pistons  (30-52)

 Lawerence Frank is a good coach, but rebuilding is never fun. The Pistons have great  young pieces in Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey veteran leadership from Tayshun Prince. And with Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon being overpaid, they still can contribute offensively.

Overall Lawerence Frank will have a job in trying to please everyone in his rotation. Expect Brandon Knight and Kyle Singler to contribute immediately. If things work for the better, Detroit could sneak into the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63)

The ghost of LeBron James isn’t lingering as much now that new #1 draft pick Kyrie Irving is in town. This team is far from being complete, but they do have great young players that will develop and possibly become household names. Expect a huge season for rookie Tristan Thompson.

Overall  The Cavaliers won’t be very good, but they are going in the right direction as far as rebuilding goes. They’ll be in the draft lottery again building around Irving.

Division winner: Chicago Bulls

Southeast Division

Could Magic center Dwight Howard go "up, up, and away" from Orlando or does he stay?

Miami Heat  (58-24)

 Chirs Bosh is the man that will push Miami through the season. Bosh spent this off season bulking up and from this Preseason has played with an edge. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will do what they do best and create offense and everything else for the Miami Heat. Veteran Udonis Haslem returns to start the season healthy this year and will give Miami toughness up front. Shane Battier will give Miami a much needed boost off the bench and can knock down the occasional clutch 3 pointer.

Overall  The Miami Heat are good enough to start the season off 20-0. The back-to-backs during this shortened season will benefit Miami more than any other team in the Eastern conference. I honestly can’t see Miami losing more than 10-15 games all season. This is definitely the season that will put the Heat in the record books, title or not.

Orlando Magic (52-30)

  The season all depends on Dwight Howard being traded or not. If he stays, the Magic are pretty much bringing the same team back from last year that got put out the first round of the playoffs. If he goes, maybe the Magic can start the rebuilding period early and build around the draft. It all depends on how the Magic start off the season before Magic G.M. Otis Smith pulls the trigger on a deal for Dwight.

Overall  Orlando overpaid for Turkoglu and Jason Richardson, but they’re back on the team and if they contribute accordingly, Orlando could make some noise during the postseason.

Atlanta Hawks  (44-38)

Swingman Jamal Crawford is now in Portland and that means that the Hawks offense is less explosive than previous seasons. Al Horford  came into his own last year under center with career highs in scoring (15.3) and field goal percentage (55.7%) .  If Joe Johnson can play at an All Star level and Josh Smith show gradual improvement the Hawks can be a threat first round and send another favorite home.

Overall  Joe Johnson has to play like he’s getting paid; elite. Atlanta needs  to make it to the Eastern conference Finals or else G.M. Rick Sund  may have no other choice but to blow the team up and rebuild.

Charlotte Bobcats (34-48)

Kemba Walker will be the draw and face of the franchise. Pairing him with a shooter and scorer like Gerald Henderson will make for a good backcourt, but no big men will be the Achilles heel of the Bobcats.

Overall  The Bobcats are post season material, but they have players that are fun to watch. Kemba Walker will probably be a runaway candidate for Rookie of the year.

Washington Wizards (23-59)

John Wall is expected by experts to make the ‘’leap’’ this year that will make him a superstar caliber point guard.  Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee give him a big, talented front court that could be the East’s version of The Clippers ‘’Lob City’’. Nick Young is also the team’s best overall scorer.

Overall  The Wizards will improve their record from last year, but there’s still a sense of rebuilding in D.C. John Wall will definitely be a player to watch this year.

Southeast Division winner: Miami Heat

Eastern Conference Playoff prediction:

     1.       Miami

     2.       Chicago

     3.       New York Knicks

     4.       Indiana Pacers

     5.       Orlando Magic

     6.       Boston Celtics

     7.       Philadelphia 76’ers

     8.       Milwaukee Bucks

     Eastern Conference Finals : Miami vs. Chicago

     Winner: Heat. 

WESTERN CONFERENCE


SOUTHWEST DIVISION

The Dallas Mavericks retooled a bit this offseason but (from L to R) Vince, JET, Matrix,
Dirk, Kidd and LO hope to make another title run. (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images)

Dallas Mavericks (57-25)

As you can tell by this brilliant rendition of “We Are The Champions” by 2011 NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks are the defending NBA champions. They also had their share of roster turnover after losing Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea and Caron Butler while making Brendan Haywood a starter and adding Vince Carter and Lamar Odom a roster already with Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd. Dallas is primed at another championship run with Nowitzki being the star and many good pieces around him.

Memphis Grizzlies (46-36)

The young and energetic Memphis Grizzlies and the ever-reliable San Antonio Spurs look to challenge the Mavs for the Southwest Division crown as both teams head in different directions. The Grizzlies had an improbable run to Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals behind the powerful frontcourt of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol while Rudy Gay was sidelined with a shoulder injury last February. With Randolph and Gasol secured to newer contract and Gay healthy, could Memphis take another leap forward?

San Antonio Spurs (61-21)

The team Memphis upset in the first round—San Antonio—had the No. 1 seed in the West last season, but could not keep up with the Grizzlies power inside. The Spurs’ core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are getting up there in age but they may still have enough for another go at the title. Look for Gregg Popovich to monitor their minutes closely, but their role players must step up.

Houston Rockets (43-39)

The Houston Rockets have had winning records the last two years, but wound up No. 9 in the West each time. What is even more impressive is that they have played tough with non-household names like Luis Scola and Kevin Martin as Yao Ming battled injuries. Yao retired in the offseason and Kevin McHale takes over for Rick Adelman as head coach.

New Orleans Hornets (46-36)

The New Orleans Hornets will not be an immediate force in the West, thanks to David Stern nixing the Chris Paul trade that involved the Rockets and Lakers, but they can be young and entertaining. Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman are good pickups that can help the team in the long run, but for now they must jell together and hope for the best. At least New Orleans is likely to have two lottery picks, thanks to the Clippers trading Minnesota’s pick to the Hornets.

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Dallas Mavericks

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Russell Westbrook (left) and Kevin Durant hope to make the next step this season and make the NBA Finals.
(Photo from XXLMag.com)

Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27)

The Oklahoma City Thunder has gone from a lottery team to a serious title contender in a short span of three years thanks to its two budding stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals despite at times it seemed that the two stars were not on the same page during the playoffs. If those two, along with Serge Ibaka and James Harden, can tune out the distractions, we could have ourselves the makings of a multiple champion someday.

Portland Trail Blazers (48-34)

Another year, another battle with injuries. With LaMarcus Aldridge missing the preseason with a heart ailment, Greg Oden out for an indefinite amount of time and Brandon Roy being forced to retire, you would think that Portland can catch a break. With that said, the Blazers are still a tough and dangerous team with Aldridge now leading the team. If he, Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum can weather the storm, Portland will once again be a team no one wants to play in the playoffs.

Denver Nuggets (50-32)

Last season, the Denver Nuggets dealt Carmelo Anthony and played so much better after the “Melo-drama”. This season, the Nuggets have been hit hard due to three key players—Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith—having to stay overseas until March. Denver did resign Nene after he flirted with leaving the team and all five of their projected starters averaged double-digits. The addition of those three playing elsewhere can only help down the stretch right?

Utah Jazz (39-43)

From out of nowhere, the Utah Jazz traded away Deron Williams to the Nets at the trading deadline while Jerry Sloan stepped down as coach. Yes, change does happen in Utah. But for Williams, the Jazz got Devin Harris and Derrick Favors in the deal and they have a chance to perform well in the first full year with the team. Utah will compete for the No. 8 seed but they still need someone to step up at small forward.

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65)

Minnesota will not sniff the playoffs this year, but they will be fun to watch with an abundance of youth and a good coach in Rick Adelman. Kevin Love is a rebounding machine but all eyes with be on Ricky Rubio—who will finally play for the Wolves. Rubio had seven assists in 24 minutes in the preseason against the Bucks on Dec. 17 and it could be a sign of things to come. The No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft—Derrick Williams—will be a good addition to the team, expect him to push Michael Beasley for playing time.

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Oklahoma City Thunder

PACIFIC DIVISION

Kobe Bryant (24) and the Lakers run L.A. but their little brother hit a
huge growth spurt when Chris Paul got traded to the Clippers. (Photo by AP)

Los Angeles Clippers (32-50)

For the first time in…well ever, the Los Angeles are being talked about as a division champion and the possibility to make a playoff run to possibly the conference finals. This is what acquiring one of the best point guards in the NBA can do for a team. Chris Paul will have a field day lobbing up alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan as this team will be very athletic. The only thing that concerns me is with Chauncey Billups moving to the two guard, how will he defend the bigger shooting guards?

Los Angeles Lakers (57-25)

Across the hallway of the Staples Center, the Lakers lost out on Paul, Kobe Bryant lost his best friend on the court (Lamar Odom) and off (his former wife Vanessa), and Mike Brown is the new head coach. The Lakers were embarrassed by the Clippers in the preseason, but they should be ready once the season begins. If they can successfully pry Dwight Howard from Orlando, the Lakers will give Kobe some extra help he needs. If not, they are still a playoff team, but with a closing window.

Phoenix Suns (40-42)

The sun may be setting on some of the Phoenix players, but they sure are not playing like it. Steve Nash is still playing great at the point, while Grant Hill is still producing whenever needed. They must improve defensively as they surrendered 105.9 points per game—second-worst in the NBA. The Suns must also find a backup for Nash until Aaron Brooks is eligible to come back from China in March. Either Ronnie Price or Sebastian Telfair must step up.

Golden State Warriors (36-46)

Mark Jackson will make his coaching debut with the Warriors this season and he inherits one of the more exciting guard duos in the league. Both Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis can score plenty of points, but Ellis has been the subject of trade talk while Curry rolled his ankle during the preseason and might be hampered by it. On the frontcourt David Lee returns with hopes that he is healthy but can Andris Biedrins play well and hold off Kwame Brown?

Sacramento Kings (24-58)

It is Jimmer time in Sacramento! The Kings have a good collection of young talent that needs to mature but can be special if they do. Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette are three players who score well, while DeMarcus Cousins might be immature at times but he can be a force when things are good. One question remains—Will the team stay in Sacramento for good or will they move to Anaheim?

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Los Angeles Clippers

Western Conference Playoff Prediction

1. Oklahoma City

2. Dallas

3. L.A. Clippers

4. L.A. Lakers

5. Memphis

6. Portland

7. San Antonio

8. Houston

Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City vs. Dallas

West Champion: Oklahoma City

AWARD PREDICTIONS

MVP: Chris Paul, Clippers (Rob); Kevin Durant, Thunder (LaMar)

Rookie of the Year: Kemba Walker, Bobcats (Rob); Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves (LaMar)

Scoring Title: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks (Rob & Lamar)