NBA Preview

Here are my predictions for the upcoming NBA Season. There are some teams and players I like, and some I don't. 

I Like:

1) Miami Heat: Anyone who watched the Olympics knows Dwanye Wade is back. When he is healthy, he is one of the top 10 players in the league. Remember, he has won more championships then Lebron James. I see a huge comeback year for him. The heat also have Shawn Marion, a do it all power forward who should compliment Wade nicely. Also, by drafting Micheal Beasley, they have a Carmelo Anthony type forward who can ease some of the scoring load off Wade. Plus, they only have to do better then the Washington Wizards (no Gilbert Arenas till January), Atlanta Hawks (still young team) and the Charlotte Bobcats (the Charlotte Bobcats) to finish second in their division behind the Orlando Magic. I see a big rebound year for the Heat.

2) Portland Trailblazers: This is a huge high risk, high reward pick. On paper, the Trail Blazers are one of the most talented teams in the league. Brandon Roy is an All-Star. LaMarcus Aldridge is an underrated player. They have promising young players like Greg Oden, Nicolas Batum, and Jarryd Bayless. They can run teams out of the gym, yet have a possible defensive force in the middle in Oden. They are a young, talented, athletic team on their good nights. On their bad nights, they are unexperienced, unproven bunch of 1rst and 2nd year players. However, I am not big on the Utah Jazz or Denver Nuggets, and one team allways comes out of no where each year. I think they are this years team.

3) Dwight Howard: This beast is ready for an even bigger season then last year. He can jump out of the gym, dunk on anyone, rebound and block. He averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds, and 2 blocks last season. And that was only his 4th season. He has improved his averages in points, rebounds, and blocks in each of those seasons. I think averages of 26 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 blocks are realistic. 

I Don't Like:

1) Dallas Mavericks: After two years of being bounced in the first round of the playoffs, I don't think the Mav's will even make it that far this year. Jason Kidd barley played in this summers Olympics, forced to the bench by Deron Williams and Chris Paul. Kidd just isn't a premier point guard in the league anymore. After the Mav's made the trade to aquire Kidd last season, they struggled to even make the playoffs. They went on to fire there coach, and bring in Rick Carlise, who has not had much sucess in his most recent stops as a head coach across the league. Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard have not brought them much sucess recently, and they both are getting older, and in Howards case, higher. 

2) Detroit Pistons: Micheal Curry? As head coach? This group was known to give questionable effort on some nights with proven coaches like Larry Brown and Flip Saunders. Micheal Curry has never even been an NBA head coach. While this group does have more veteran leadership then any other team in the league, this same group of players might have run its course. Rasheed Wallace has "final year of his contract- trade bait" written all over him, and Chauncey Billups has Rodney Stucky breathing down his neck. This team has been to the Conference Finals for what seems like 100 years in a row. This year I think they finally fall apart. However, in the East, that will still lead them to the playoffs. But I don't like them at all this year. 

3) Baron Davis and Gilbert Arenas: With Arenas hurt again, and Davis relocating, I don't think this will be a good season for either player. Davis signed on in LA hoping to play with Corey Magette and Elton Brand. Now, with both of them gone, he will be the main focus of every team he plays every night. He also isn't getting any younger, and just got his big money. Also, whens the last time a Clipper had a great season? Gilbert Arenas on the other hand, signed a 113 million doller deal with his team, the Wizards, in the off season. He missed almost all of last season with a knee injury, only to come back for the playoffs and do nothing. Before the ink was even dry on his new contract, he went under the knife again, putting him out until January already. Its a shame to say, but I don't see him ever returning to the same player he was. Especially not this season. 

Heres how I see the standings ending up:

East:

1. Boston

2. Cleveland

3. Orlando

4. Philadelphia

5. Miami

6. Detroit

7. Toronto

8. Washington

West:

1. Los Angeles Lakers

2. New Orleans

3. Portland

4. Phoenix

5. Utah

6. San Antonio

7. Rockets

8. Denver

Playoffs:

Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Boston

Western Conference Finals: Lakers over Hornets

NBA Champion: Los Angeles Lakers

NBA Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant

Regular Season Awards:

MVP: Dwanye Wade

Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan

Rookie of the Year: Micheal Beasley

Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett