Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, and Cleveland. Oddly enough, all Eastern Conference. I think they are all still up on the page, but just in case:
Team 1: Atlanta Hawks
http://lucasnbablog.blogspot.com/2009/06/atlanta-hawks-team-1.html
Team 2: Boston Celtics
http://lucasnbablog.blogspot.com/2009/06/team-2-boston-celtics.html
Team 3: Charlotte Bobcats
http://lucasnbablog.blogspot.com/2009/06/team-3-charlotte-bobcats.html
Team 4: Chicago Bulls
http://lucasnbablog.blogspot.com/2009/06/team-4-chicago-bulls.html
Team 5: Cleveland Cavaliers
http://lucasnbablog.blogspot.com/2009/06/team-5-cleveland-cavaliers.html
The teams so far. After 5 more articles, I will include a link here as well as to those 5. You can also read any posts by finding it in my archive at the left of the screen.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Team 5: The Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavs were the best regular season team last year, winning 66 games. They went a 2009 Playoff-Best 8-0 through the first two rounds... to be upset by Orlando. Badly. Both of the Cleveland wins were caused directly by Lebron: one was a truly amazing buzzer-beater and the other was a legendary performance in which LeBron scored or assisted on, and no this is not a typo, Cleveland's last THIRTY-FREAKING-TWO(3freaking2) points and shook all doubts that LeBron is King of today's basketball era(unless you are an ignorant Kobe fan).
But the Cavs fell apart in 2 ways: The Guards and the big men. So basically everybody but 'Bron. The Cavs have a better chance of stopping Superman with the recent Shaquille O'Neal Trade(http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/shaq_trade_090625.html) and are considering signing Rasheed Wallace or trading for Zach Randolph. They also slightly need a guard who can still score even when his jumpshot isn't falling. I'm left thinking that a sign and trade for CryptoNate Robison would suit this team perfectly. If they had Robinson, West, James, Randolph, and O'Neal... look out. This lineup can easily challenge the Orland Magic's all-star studded lineup.
Team 4: The Chicago Bulls
They took the defending NBA Champs to 7 games with multiple OT. I feel like adding in James Johnson and Taj Gibson will put them over on Boston. Then you playThe Magic. Who guards Dwight Howard??? Nobody on roster can put up a fight against Dwight. Get out there and get a big man. I feel like with the combo of Joakim Noah, there a=is no post prescence on offense. KEEP BEN GORDON!!!!! He is your best player and go-to guy on offense.
The 2009 NBA Draft In Review
1-Blake Griffin, Future Rookie of The Year, No suprises
2- Hasheem Thabeet, the Grizz opt to go big with the 7-3 Tanzinian
3- James Harden, Thunder grab a backcourt mate for Westbrook early on
4- Tyreke Evans, Kings Pick up a point, suprised they did'nt take Rubio
5- Ricky Rubio, Minnisota's prayers are answered, Rubio slips to the end of the Top 5
6- Johnny Flynn, Another Point for Minni, will go small in the backcourt with two good PGs
7- Stephen Curry,GSW picks up a wing player who wanted NY. Great Shooting PG next to Ellis
8- Jordan Hill, NY almost gets Curry, settles for PF Hill. If they keep Hill, Lee won't be back
9- DeMar DeRozan, Good SG/SF for a dying Raptors team
10- Brandon Jennings, Went to Europe instead of College, not sure what to expect from him
Other Picks of Note:
37-DeJuan Blair, Projected top 20 pick, SA really stole him with a late pick, better the front line
48- Taylor Griffin, Brother of Blake, look for LAC to try to sign him to get them together.
2- Hasheem Thabeet, the Grizz opt to go big with the 7-3 Tanzinian
3- James Harden, Thunder grab a backcourt mate for Westbrook early on
4- Tyreke Evans, Kings Pick up a point, suprised they did'nt take Rubio
5- Ricky Rubio, Minnisota's prayers are answered, Rubio slips to the end of the Top 5
6- Johnny Flynn, Another Point for Minni, will go small in the backcourt with two good PGs
7- Stephen Curry,GSW picks up a wing player who wanted NY. Great Shooting PG next to Ellis
8- Jordan Hill, NY almost gets Curry, settles for PF Hill. If they keep Hill, Lee won't be back
9- DeMar DeRozan, Good SG/SF for a dying Raptors team
10- Brandon Jennings, Went to Europe instead of College, not sure what to expect from him
Other Picks of Note:
37-DeJuan Blair, Projected top 20 pick, SA really stole him with a late pick, better the front line
48- Taylor Griffin, Brother of Blake, look for LAC to try to sign him to get them together.
Team 3: The Charlotte Bobcats
One of the newer franchises in the league, Charlotte has not had much success in the past couple of years. Their inconsistant roster includes one name even I admit to never having heard before: Alexis Ajinca. The Bobcats cannot seem to decide if they want to rebuild or win now. A starting lineup of D.J. Augistine, Raja Bell, Gerald Wallace, Boris Diaw, and Emeka Okafor is not particularly ugly, but its also not a playoff contender without solid bench prescence. Let it suffice to say that players like Nazr Mohammed, Juwan Howard, Sean Singletary, Vladmir Radmonovic, Desagana Diop, and Sean May do not make the cut on a contender's bench. The only unmentioned player so far is Raymond Felton, who is a solid PG for them with D.J. Augistine. However, in the long run, Charlotte will have to chose between Augistine and Felton. They are both young players(entering their 2nd and 3rd years, respectively), and will both reach starting caliber in the future.
The Bobcats need a starting C, a backup C, a backup SF, and a Backup SG. They are trying to develop the young French Center Alexis Ajinca(an NBA player I don't know? Let me fix that within 30 seconds), and will bet with him for a backup C. They recentley drafted Gerald Henderson, who will be backup/starting SG, and Derrick Brown, who can back up for Wallace at SF. So whats left? A Starting Center. This Bobcats team needs a big name here to draw some national attention. Options? Well there are only a few star bigs in the league, so they may have to wait for next year. These are players that will draw national media and such. LaMarcus Aldridge, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Andrew Bynum, Marcus Camby, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, Al Horford, Dwight Howard, Chris Kaman, David Lee, Shaq, Lamar Odom, Zach Randolph, Amar'e Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace, and Yao Ming. When you figure the Bobcats need post scoring and defense, the list narrows from 18 to 14. Players that would actually sign on with Charlotte: from 14 right on down to 6. Who can the Bobcats get? Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Andrew Bynum, Al Horford, Chris Kaman, and David Lee. Cut out those too small to play center: Boozer, Brand, Bynum, Horford, and Kaman are left. Brand is on a new contract with the 76er's. Bynum and Horford are mid contract with the Hawks and the Lakers. So it's Boozer and Kaman. Boozer is a free agent, Kaman is on the trading block. One of these two players on the Bobcats=Playoff Contention.
The Bobcats need a starting C, a backup C, a backup SF, and a Backup SG. They are trying to develop the young French Center Alexis Ajinca(an NBA player I don't know? Let me fix that within 30 seconds), and will bet with him for a backup C. They recentley drafted Gerald Henderson, who will be backup/starting SG, and Derrick Brown, who can back up for Wallace at SF. So whats left? A Starting Center. This Bobcats team needs a big name here to draw some national attention. Options? Well there are only a few star bigs in the league, so they may have to wait for next year. These are players that will draw national media and such. LaMarcus Aldridge, Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Andrew Bynum, Marcus Camby, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Pau Gasol, Al Horford, Dwight Howard, Chris Kaman, David Lee, Shaq, Lamar Odom, Zach Randolph, Amar'e Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace, and Yao Ming. When you figure the Bobcats need post scoring and defense, the list narrows from 18 to 14. Players that would actually sign on with Charlotte: from 14 right on down to 6. Who can the Bobcats get? Carlos Boozer, Elton Brand, Andrew Bynum, Al Horford, Chris Kaman, and David Lee. Cut out those too small to play center: Boozer, Brand, Bynum, Horford, and Kaman are left. Brand is on a new contract with the 76er's. Bynum and Horford are mid contract with the Hawks and the Lakers. So it's Boozer and Kaman. Boozer is a free agent, Kaman is on the trading block. One of these two players on the Bobcats=Playoff Contention.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Team 2: Boston Celtics
The 2008 NBA Championsfound themselves in a fix this year, missing Star PF Kevin Garnett to injury for their entire playoff run, which lasted two rounds and 14 games. They went from 32-0 to 32-1 in a series that starts with Boston having a 3-2 lead. The Celtics offered the Pistons a trade involving Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen, Rodney Stuckey, Richard 'Rip' Hamilton, and Tayshaun Prince. This would not espescially help the Celtics, who would have a lineup that would be: Rodney Stuckey; PG, Richard Hamilton; SG, Paul Pierce; SF, Kevin Garnett; PF, Kendrick Perkins; C, with a 6th man in Tayshaun Price. But in this "Point-Guard driven league", Boston might need to make some moves for a star PG as opposed to a average one in Rodney Stuckey.
Atlanta Hawks: Team 1
I promised 30 teams in 30 days, so here goes:
After a first round victory over the Miami Heat in 7 games, the Hawks were the second team to be swept by Cleveland. The Hawks need to add a good defender at SF, like Ron Artest, who is a free agent this summer. They had no answer for LeBron in the second round. Also, if they get over the hump on Cleveland, the Hawks have good matchups in Orlando, with the smaller PF in Josh Smith. However, they also need a bigger C to defend Dwight Howard. A Horford may be able to hold his own, but Zaza? Please.
After a first round victory over the Miami Heat in 7 games, the Hawks were the second team to be swept by Cleveland. The Hawks need to add a good defender at SF, like Ron Artest, who is a free agent this summer. They had no answer for LeBron in the second round. Also, if they get over the hump on Cleveland, the Hawks have good matchups in Orlando, with the smaller PF in Josh Smith. However, they also need a bigger C to defend Dwight Howard. A Horford may be able to hold his own, but Zaza? Please.
30 Teams, 30 Days
Over the next 30 days, I will be posting 30 articles about each of the NBA teams. I will review each team's season, analyze their roster, and predict how successful they might be next season.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)