Many NBA fans and Sports fans recognize Michael Jeffery Jordan to be the greatest basketball player to ever live. What I want to know is what makes someone the G.O.A.T. Throughout the history of the NBA we've seen some special players grace the NBA hardwood but is MJ really the G.O.A.T? I say he's not. Most people who say MJ is the best simply point out the fact that he won 6 titles and never lost a finals series. Obviously that is very impressive and may never be done again but I'd like to take a look back at the teams he faced.
1990-91 Los Angeles Lakers: The Lakers who were two years removed from the retirement of Kareem Abdul Jabbar went 58-24 in the regular season and finished 2nd in the division. Their former head coach Pat Riley left the team to go coach in New York and was replace by Mike Dunlevey. This would be Magic Johnson's last full season in the NBA. As for their matchup with the Bulls they were severely outmatched and had no way to stop MJ with Magic and Worthy both out of their prime. It's safe to say this wasn't their toughest finals opponent as they finished them off 4 games to 1.
1991-92 Portland TrailBlazers: The Blazers fnished at the top of the Western Conference and were primed to win an NBA title but MJ and Pippen denied them that shot. While the Blazer weren't the worst team to face the Bulls in the finals they sure weren't the best.
1992-93 Phoenix Suns: The Suns led by MVP Charles Barkley were determined to win their franchise's first title ever. but Michael Jordan went on the to have the greatest scoring finals series ever as their was no one who could even check Jordan. The Suns may have been the most complete team to face the Bulls in he final
1995-96 Seattle SuperSonics: The Sonics ran into the Bulls at the wrong time. Jordan came back from retirement and they completed one of the best regular seasons ever. The Sonics could've beaten the Bulls had George Karl put Gary Payton on Jordan, instead the Bulls got off to a 3-0 start before George Karl made the adjustment.
1997 and 1998 Utah Jazz: The Utah Jazz led by Stockton and Malone made the Finals in back to back years but in my opinion they were the team least equipped to beat the Bulls. Their main source of offense were pick and rolls and elbow jump shots from Malone,they never got any offense outside of Malone,Stockton and Hornacek.
I'm not trying to discredit the Bulls but I'm sure if you put these those Bulls teams in the 80's they don't have the same success. Also if you look at the help Jordan had in reaching those 6 championships it's much more than most all time greats. MJ had Pippen,Rodman,Grant,Kerr,Hodges,Paxson and not to forget the greatest coach of all time Phil Jackson. All I'm trying to do is change how we judge players. Judge them by their skills and stats not rings.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
NBA Off-season Power Rankings
With the start of NBA training camps drawing closer I found it appropriate to make a Power Rankings chart. (These are my own opinions so don't get angry if you think your team is too low)
1. Miami Heat: It's only suitable that the defending champs are ranked No.1. They started off the summer by acquiring the NBA's all time leader in 3pt FGs made in Ray Allen and also acquiring another 3pt specialist in Rashard Lewis. Fresh off an Olympic Gold Medal and one of the best seasons in NBA history reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP Lebron James proved his doubters wrong last season and isn't finished just yet. Miami still has two of the NBA's top 10 players(James and Wade),a versatile big man in Chris Bosh and an even better bench. Don't expect this team to skip a beat.
2.Oklahoma City Thunder: After a tough Finals loss to the Heat expect the Thunder to come back next season even stronger than last year. The Thunder boasts the 3 time scoring champ Kevin Durant, One of the most athletic players this league has to offer in Russell Westbrook, reigning 6th Man of the Year James Harden and the ever so imposing shot blocker Serge Ibaka. They potentially got the steal of the draft in the athletic swing man from Baylor Perry Jones III and are also getting backup PG Eric Maynor back who missed most of last season due to a knee injury. The Thunder should be the favorites in the west.
3.Los Angeles Lakers: Just when it looked like the Lakers would fade into obscurity they go out and trade for 2 time MVP Steve Nash and 3 time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard. While on paper the Lakers should be the favorites for the Finals and I would have ranked them higher had it not been for Dwight's back injury. Dwight is expected to miss training camp and maybe the 1st month of the season. Expect early chemistry issuses especially since there are rumors of the Lakers integrating the Princeton Offense.
4.Boston Celtics: Coming off a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Celtics gm Danny Ainge was determined to add youth while also maintaining the strong veteran presence. He started Free Agency by resigning Future Hall of Fame PF/C Kevin Garnett who was coming off an age defying postseason. He then signed veteran 6th man Jason Terry to offset the loss of Ray Allen.Brandon Bass,Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox(Both coming of season ending Heart Surgery)all returned. He also drafted rookies Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph. This team is expected to get out in transition more to suit Rondo's play style. Led by Rajon Rondo,Paul Pierce and KG the Celtics are determined to raise Banner 18.
5.San Antonio Spurs: It seems as if every year I'm saying that the Spurs are "too old" and "they've got nothing left in the tank." Well this year I'm tired of the spurs proving me to be an idiot. The Spurs are coming off a Western Conference Finals collapse against the OKC Thunder in which they led 2 games to 0. For the past decade the Spurs have been the model of consistency while being led by HOF Coach Greg Popovich and future HOFer Tim Duncan. For the past two years the Spurs have been the Western Conference's best team in the regular season but have had little postseason success. Last season they were led by All Star PG Tony Parker. They have had arguably the leagues best bench for the past two seasons and were able to retain most of it. Expect the Spurs to beat Father Time for one more season.
6.Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers end last season by getting swept by the Spurs. They then went into the offseason determined to bolster their bench. They signed former 6th Men of the Year Lamar Odom and Jamal Crawford but lost Mo Williams and Reggie Evans. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both had offseason surgeries but are expected to be ready by training camp. The Clippers are still LA's "JV" team but are one of the best teams out west trying get prove everyone wrong.
7.New York Knicks: For the past season and a half the Knicks have had the talent of a 3 seed but have failed to gel. This year will be the first full season the Melo-Amare duo will have together. Coming off a first round playoff exit the Knicks started Free Agency by abruptly ending the "Linsanity" era because of a "poison pill' contract offered to Lin from the Rockets.They then signed Jason Kidd,Marcus Camby and Raymond Felton. Melo is coming off an amazing summer in which he lit it up in the Summer Olympics in London with Tyson Chandler while Amare spent the summer working out with HOF Center Hakeem"The Dream" Olajuwon. With a full training camps and normal practices expect the Knicks to finally gel and play the type of exciting basketball fans have desperately waited for.
8.Memphis Grizzlies: One year ago the Grizzlies pulled of one of the greatest first round upsets in NBA history when they beat the number 1 seed Spurs. Now they're among the best teams in the west.In 2008 when the Grizzlies traded pau gasol to the lakers for the draft rights to his brother Marc it was considered one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history but now Marc Gasol has blossomed in to one of the best big men in the game. Gasol coming off a silver medal in the Olympics and his first all star selection. The Grizzilies are going to be a top 5 team in the west but I'm concerned by their lack of perimeter shooting now that they have lost OJ Mayo.
9.Indiana Pacers: The Pacers stunned everybody when they ended up with the 3rd best record in the East. They stunned everybody again when they matched Portland's Max offer to Roy Hibbert. Roy Hibbert is essential to their championship aspiration and he is 7'2 which is a rarity in this league but I just don't think he's worth the max. They then traded PG Darren Collison for C Ian Mahinmi and picked up PG DJ Augustin.While they're still a top 4 team in the East don't expect a championship just yet. This is a team that still lacks a go to player and has a long way to go before a championship is headed to Indy.
10.Brooklyn Nets: The Nets made one of the biggest Free Agency acquistions by re-signing All Star PG Deron Williams to a five year deal worth about 100 million. They also acquired veteran all star SG Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks and Resigned Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries. While the Nets may be a very potent team offensively don't expect much defense to be played in Brooklyn.
11.Dallas Mavericks: Just a year ago the Mavericks won the NBA Championship by defeating the now defending champs Miami Heat. Mavs Owner Mark Cuban decided not to resign key members to the championship team in hopes that he would be able to sign either Deron Williams or Dwight Howard. Both Williams and Howard have found new teams not named the Mavericks and it seemed like the Mavs would miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Well Mark Cuban somewhat made up for it by signing Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, OJ Mayo and trading for Darren Collison. While this team is not going to be a championship contender Dirk Nowitizki will keep this team in the hunt for the playoffs.
12.Minnesota Timberwolves: This ranking hinges on the health of Ricky Rubio who is coming off season ending knee surgery. The Twolves are hungry to return to the playoffs for the 1st time since the Kevin Garnett Era. They signed Brandon Roy who is returning from early retirement and they also signed Andre Kirelenko coming off a stint in the Euroleague. Led by Rebounding Machine Kevin Love the Twolves are primed for a surprise playoff appearence.
13.Philadelphia 76ers: Philly made one of the biggest splashes this summer by acquiring all star center Andrew Bynum in a blockbuster trade. With Andrew Bynum at the helm the direction of this franchise is headed in the right way. The Sixers for the past 2 years have relied on uptempo basketball and elite defense. This year they're going to be more a of a half court team that just traded away it's best defender.Philly will contend in a tough Atlantic Division but don't expect too much from this team.
14:Chicago Bulls: This might be the toughest team to rank just because we don't know when Derrick Rose will return. There have been rumors that he might return in March and there have been rumors that he might not play at all next season. There best option would be to sit Drose out for all of next season and tank it to get a high draft pick. That would be a great except for the fact that Coach Tom Thibodeau would never allow his team to lose on purpose. The Bulls brass have put Thibs in a tough spot by not bringing back that great bench that made this team so successful for the past two regular seasons. This ranking could drastically change by mid November.
15.Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets are a team with unlimited potential after acquiring Andre Iguodala. With that being said I still need to see more from Javale Mcgee. He was very inconsistent last season but improved greatly in his time with Denver. He spent this off-season working with Hakeem Olajuwon. If Mcgee can play like he did in the playoffs next season then the sky is the limit for this George Karl led team.
16.Atlanta Hawks:The Hawks' first big move of Free Agency was ridding themselves of Joe Johnson's ridiculous contract. While they did set themselves up to acquire big time free agents next summer they didn't get much of anything in return. They will now have Horford for the full season and he will look to shoulder a much bigger offensive load than ever before. Horford and Smith will not allow this team to fall short of a playoff spot.
17. Golden State Warriors: The Warriors shocked everyone including their fans when they sent beloved guard Monta Ellis to Milwuakee in return for the often injured center Andrew Bogut. The warriors then proceeded to draft UNC star Harrison Barnes to fill the wing position. If Bogut and Curry can return healthy next year don't be surprised if you see the Warriors in the playoffs.
18.Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks acquired Monta Ellis last year in a trade with the aforementioned Warriors. They have one of the most explosive backcourts in the league with Jennings and Ellis.They were also able to retain Ersan Ilyasova and drafted UNC big man John Henson. Expect a playoff appearence from the explosive Bucks.
19.Toronto Raptors: The Raptors started off Free Agency with a very questionable move by overpaying for Landry Fields. They then traded for Rockets PG Kyle Lowry a move that instantly made them better. Jonas Valanciunas their top draft pick in 2011 is coming from overseas and while he didn't really impress many in the Summer Olympics he still hasn't played in an NBA game so there's always ways to improve. Don't be caught off guard in the Raptors make a surprise appearence in the playoffs.
20.Utah Jazz: While they did make the playoffs last year they didn't get any better except for the acquisition of Mo Williams. The Jazz still have a logjam at the PF position with both Favors and Millsap fighting for minutes. With no major improvements in the offseason for the Jazz I just don't see a playoff berth in the near future for them.
21.Phoenix Suns: Phoenix has had an interesting summer. They traded longtime PG Steve Nash to their division rival and they signed Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Luis Scola while also drafting UNC PG Kendall Marshall. They may have the talent to make the playoffs but expect them to struggle early on and miss out on a playoff berth.
22.Portland Trailblazers: The Trailblazers have had a up and down past couple of years. In 2011 they made the playoffs despite injury problems, Franchise cornerstone Brandon Roy retired and Lamarcus Aldridge blossomed into an All Star Power Forward. They managed to trade Gerald Wallace for the 6th pick in the draft where they drafted scoring machine Damien Lillard. Don't expect a playoff berth for this team but expect them scare a lot of playoff bound teams.
23.New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets surprised nobody when they took Anthony Davis with the #1 pick in the draft. They also drafted Austin Rivers with the #10 pick in the draft. With Eric Gordon resigned the Hornets are in the hunt for a playoff berth but it all depends on if Davis can live up to the enormous hype.
24.Cleveland Cavaliers: At the beginning of last season it looked like the Cavs would be in the playoff mix but some late season injuries and inconsistent play inhibited them from fulfilling Dan Gilbert's "championship prophecy". They surprised most people by drafting Syracuse guard Dion Waiters. This team is a year or two away from making the playoffs.
25.Washington Wizards: Last Season the Wizards locker room was a mess. They traded away big man Javale Mcgee for Nene who gives them a veteran presence and leadership,they waived troublesome big man Andray Blatche and They drafted the sharp shooting Florida Guard Bradley Beal. Their success is dependent on the development of former #1 pick John Wall whose development was inhibited by the toxic locker room.
26. Sacramento Kings: The Kings have a lot of talent with Cousins,Evans and Thorton. They drafted Kansas big man Thomas Robinson to pair with Demarcus Cousins. While they do have a lot of talent don't expect this team to even smell the playoffs next season.
27.Houston Rockets: Rockets GM Daryl Morey was in hot pursuit of Dwight Howard and in the process acquired a multitude of draft picks. While they didn't get Howard they still were able to have a very good draft. They also made headlines when they signed the breakout story of the year Jeremy Lin. Houston will be very young and inexperienced so unless Linsanity continues in Houston I don't see this team making the playoffs next year.
28.Detroit Pistons: The Pistons were surprised by the improvement of big man Greg Monroe. They then drafted UCONN center Andre Drummond to pair with Monroe. The Pistons took a gamble on Drummond who has been compared to both Dwight Howard and Kwame Brown. Drummond still has a long way to go before we can really judge the pick so don't be surprised if you see this team drafting in the lottery again next year.
29.Orlando Magic: The "Dwightmare" is over but for Magic fans the Nightmare is just beginning. The Magic traded Center Dwight Howard to the Lakers and in return they got 5 bucks and a large Pizza. All jokes aside the Magic got well below the market value for Dwight Howard when they acquired Aaron Affalo,Al Harrington and Draft Picks. Now their two best players are Glen"Big Baby" Davis and Jameer Nelson. Expect a top 3 draft pick for this team.
30.Charlotte Bobcats: After last year's record in futility was their any surprise who would be last. The Bobcats were stunned when they weren't awarded the #1 pick in the draft. With the #2 pick in the draft they picked Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG is a very talented player but he is ways away from being the difference maker that they need. The Bobcats are once again on pace for another disappointing season.
1. Miami Heat: It's only suitable that the defending champs are ranked No.1. They started off the summer by acquiring the NBA's all time leader in 3pt FGs made in Ray Allen and also acquiring another 3pt specialist in Rashard Lewis. Fresh off an Olympic Gold Medal and one of the best seasons in NBA history reigning NBA MVP and Finals MVP Lebron James proved his doubters wrong last season and isn't finished just yet. Miami still has two of the NBA's top 10 players(James and Wade),a versatile big man in Chris Bosh and an even better bench. Don't expect this team to skip a beat.
2.Oklahoma City Thunder: After a tough Finals loss to the Heat expect the Thunder to come back next season even stronger than last year. The Thunder boasts the 3 time scoring champ Kevin Durant, One of the most athletic players this league has to offer in Russell Westbrook, reigning 6th Man of the Year James Harden and the ever so imposing shot blocker Serge Ibaka. They potentially got the steal of the draft in the athletic swing man from Baylor Perry Jones III and are also getting backup PG Eric Maynor back who missed most of last season due to a knee injury. The Thunder should be the favorites in the west.
3.Los Angeles Lakers: Just when it looked like the Lakers would fade into obscurity they go out and trade for 2 time MVP Steve Nash and 3 time Defensive Player of the Year Dwight Howard. While on paper the Lakers should be the favorites for the Finals and I would have ranked them higher had it not been for Dwight's back injury. Dwight is expected to miss training camp and maybe the 1st month of the season. Expect early chemistry issuses especially since there are rumors of the Lakers integrating the Princeton Offense.
4.Boston Celtics: Coming off a heartbreaking loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals Celtics gm Danny Ainge was determined to add youth while also maintaining the strong veteran presence. He started Free Agency by resigning Future Hall of Fame PF/C Kevin Garnett who was coming off an age defying postseason. He then signed veteran 6th man Jason Terry to offset the loss of Ray Allen.Brandon Bass,Jeff Green and Chris Wilcox(Both coming of season ending Heart Surgery)all returned. He also drafted rookies Jared Sullinger, Fab Melo and Kris Joseph. This team is expected to get out in transition more to suit Rondo's play style. Led by Rajon Rondo,Paul Pierce and KG the Celtics are determined to raise Banner 18.
5.San Antonio Spurs: It seems as if every year I'm saying that the Spurs are "too old" and "they've got nothing left in the tank." Well this year I'm tired of the spurs proving me to be an idiot. The Spurs are coming off a Western Conference Finals collapse against the OKC Thunder in which they led 2 games to 0. For the past decade the Spurs have been the model of consistency while being led by HOF Coach Greg Popovich and future HOFer Tim Duncan. For the past two years the Spurs have been the Western Conference's best team in the regular season but have had little postseason success. Last season they were led by All Star PG Tony Parker. They have had arguably the leagues best bench for the past two seasons and were able to retain most of it. Expect the Spurs to beat Father Time for one more season.
6.Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers end last season by getting swept by the Spurs. They then went into the offseason determined to bolster their bench. They signed former 6th Men of the Year Lamar Odom and Jamal Crawford but lost Mo Williams and Reggie Evans. Chris Paul and Blake Griffin both had offseason surgeries but are expected to be ready by training camp. The Clippers are still LA's "JV" team but are one of the best teams out west trying get prove everyone wrong.
7.New York Knicks: For the past season and a half the Knicks have had the talent of a 3 seed but have failed to gel. This year will be the first full season the Melo-Amare duo will have together. Coming off a first round playoff exit the Knicks started Free Agency by abruptly ending the "Linsanity" era because of a "poison pill' contract offered to Lin from the Rockets.They then signed Jason Kidd,Marcus Camby and Raymond Felton. Melo is coming off an amazing summer in which he lit it up in the Summer Olympics in London with Tyson Chandler while Amare spent the summer working out with HOF Center Hakeem"The Dream" Olajuwon. With a full training camps and normal practices expect the Knicks to finally gel and play the type of exciting basketball fans have desperately waited for.
8.Memphis Grizzlies: One year ago the Grizzlies pulled of one of the greatest first round upsets in NBA history when they beat the number 1 seed Spurs. Now they're among the best teams in the west.In 2008 when the Grizzlies traded pau gasol to the lakers for the draft rights to his brother Marc it was considered one of the most lopsided trades in NBA history but now Marc Gasol has blossomed in to one of the best big men in the game. Gasol coming off a silver medal in the Olympics and his first all star selection. The Grizzilies are going to be a top 5 team in the west but I'm concerned by their lack of perimeter shooting now that they have lost OJ Mayo.
9.Indiana Pacers: The Pacers stunned everybody when they ended up with the 3rd best record in the East. They stunned everybody again when they matched Portland's Max offer to Roy Hibbert. Roy Hibbert is essential to their championship aspiration and he is 7'2 which is a rarity in this league but I just don't think he's worth the max. They then traded PG Darren Collison for C Ian Mahinmi and picked up PG DJ Augustin.While they're still a top 4 team in the East don't expect a championship just yet. This is a team that still lacks a go to player and has a long way to go before a championship is headed to Indy.
10.Brooklyn Nets: The Nets made one of the biggest Free Agency acquistions by re-signing All Star PG Deron Williams to a five year deal worth about 100 million. They also acquired veteran all star SG Joe Johnson from the Atlanta Hawks and Resigned Brook Lopez and Kris Humphries. While the Nets may be a very potent team offensively don't expect much defense to be played in Brooklyn.
11.Dallas Mavericks: Just a year ago the Mavericks won the NBA Championship by defeating the now defending champs Miami Heat. Mavs Owner Mark Cuban decided not to resign key members to the championship team in hopes that he would be able to sign either Deron Williams or Dwight Howard. Both Williams and Howard have found new teams not named the Mavericks and it seemed like the Mavs would miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. Well Mark Cuban somewhat made up for it by signing Chris Kaman, Elton Brand, OJ Mayo and trading for Darren Collison. While this team is not going to be a championship contender Dirk Nowitizki will keep this team in the hunt for the playoffs.
12.Minnesota Timberwolves: This ranking hinges on the health of Ricky Rubio who is coming off season ending knee surgery. The Twolves are hungry to return to the playoffs for the 1st time since the Kevin Garnett Era. They signed Brandon Roy who is returning from early retirement and they also signed Andre Kirelenko coming off a stint in the Euroleague. Led by Rebounding Machine Kevin Love the Twolves are primed for a surprise playoff appearence.
13.Philadelphia 76ers: Philly made one of the biggest splashes this summer by acquiring all star center Andrew Bynum in a blockbuster trade. With Andrew Bynum at the helm the direction of this franchise is headed in the right way. The Sixers for the past 2 years have relied on uptempo basketball and elite defense. This year they're going to be more a of a half court team that just traded away it's best defender.Philly will contend in a tough Atlantic Division but don't expect too much from this team.
14:Chicago Bulls: This might be the toughest team to rank just because we don't know when Derrick Rose will return. There have been rumors that he might return in March and there have been rumors that he might not play at all next season. There best option would be to sit Drose out for all of next season and tank it to get a high draft pick. That would be a great except for the fact that Coach Tom Thibodeau would never allow his team to lose on purpose. The Bulls brass have put Thibs in a tough spot by not bringing back that great bench that made this team so successful for the past two regular seasons. This ranking could drastically change by mid November.
15.Denver Nuggets: The Nuggets are a team with unlimited potential after acquiring Andre Iguodala. With that being said I still need to see more from Javale Mcgee. He was very inconsistent last season but improved greatly in his time with Denver. He spent this off-season working with Hakeem Olajuwon. If Mcgee can play like he did in the playoffs next season then the sky is the limit for this George Karl led team.
16.Atlanta Hawks:The Hawks' first big move of Free Agency was ridding themselves of Joe Johnson's ridiculous contract. While they did set themselves up to acquire big time free agents next summer they didn't get much of anything in return. They will now have Horford for the full season and he will look to shoulder a much bigger offensive load than ever before. Horford and Smith will not allow this team to fall short of a playoff spot.
17. Golden State Warriors: The Warriors shocked everyone including their fans when they sent beloved guard Monta Ellis to Milwuakee in return for the often injured center Andrew Bogut. The warriors then proceeded to draft UNC star Harrison Barnes to fill the wing position. If Bogut and Curry can return healthy next year don't be surprised if you see the Warriors in the playoffs.
18.Milwaukee Bucks: The Bucks acquired Monta Ellis last year in a trade with the aforementioned Warriors. They have one of the most explosive backcourts in the league with Jennings and Ellis.They were also able to retain Ersan Ilyasova and drafted UNC big man John Henson. Expect a playoff appearence from the explosive Bucks.
19.Toronto Raptors: The Raptors started off Free Agency with a very questionable move by overpaying for Landry Fields. They then traded for Rockets PG Kyle Lowry a move that instantly made them better. Jonas Valanciunas their top draft pick in 2011 is coming from overseas and while he didn't really impress many in the Summer Olympics he still hasn't played in an NBA game so there's always ways to improve. Don't be caught off guard in the Raptors make a surprise appearence in the playoffs.
20.Utah Jazz: While they did make the playoffs last year they didn't get any better except for the acquisition of Mo Williams. The Jazz still have a logjam at the PF position with both Favors and Millsap fighting for minutes. With no major improvements in the offseason for the Jazz I just don't see a playoff berth in the near future for them.
21.Phoenix Suns: Phoenix has had an interesting summer. They traded longtime PG Steve Nash to their division rival and they signed Goran Dragic, Michael Beasley and Luis Scola while also drafting UNC PG Kendall Marshall. They may have the talent to make the playoffs but expect them to struggle early on and miss out on a playoff berth.
22.Portland Trailblazers: The Trailblazers have had a up and down past couple of years. In 2011 they made the playoffs despite injury problems, Franchise cornerstone Brandon Roy retired and Lamarcus Aldridge blossomed into an All Star Power Forward. They managed to trade Gerald Wallace for the 6th pick in the draft where they drafted scoring machine Damien Lillard. Don't expect a playoff berth for this team but expect them scare a lot of playoff bound teams.
23.New Orleans Hornets: The Hornets surprised nobody when they took Anthony Davis with the #1 pick in the draft. They also drafted Austin Rivers with the #10 pick in the draft. With Eric Gordon resigned the Hornets are in the hunt for a playoff berth but it all depends on if Davis can live up to the enormous hype.
24.Cleveland Cavaliers: At the beginning of last season it looked like the Cavs would be in the playoff mix but some late season injuries and inconsistent play inhibited them from fulfilling Dan Gilbert's "championship prophecy". They surprised most people by drafting Syracuse guard Dion Waiters. This team is a year or two away from making the playoffs.
25.Washington Wizards: Last Season the Wizards locker room was a mess. They traded away big man Javale Mcgee for Nene who gives them a veteran presence and leadership,they waived troublesome big man Andray Blatche and They drafted the sharp shooting Florida Guard Bradley Beal. Their success is dependent on the development of former #1 pick John Wall whose development was inhibited by the toxic locker room.
26. Sacramento Kings: The Kings have a lot of talent with Cousins,Evans and Thorton. They drafted Kansas big man Thomas Robinson to pair with Demarcus Cousins. While they do have a lot of talent don't expect this team to even smell the playoffs next season.
27.Houston Rockets: Rockets GM Daryl Morey was in hot pursuit of Dwight Howard and in the process acquired a multitude of draft picks. While they didn't get Howard they still were able to have a very good draft. They also made headlines when they signed the breakout story of the year Jeremy Lin. Houston will be very young and inexperienced so unless Linsanity continues in Houston I don't see this team making the playoffs next year.
28.Detroit Pistons: The Pistons were surprised by the improvement of big man Greg Monroe. They then drafted UCONN center Andre Drummond to pair with Monroe. The Pistons took a gamble on Drummond who has been compared to both Dwight Howard and Kwame Brown. Drummond still has a long way to go before we can really judge the pick so don't be surprised if you see this team drafting in the lottery again next year.
29.Orlando Magic: The "Dwightmare" is over but for Magic fans the Nightmare is just beginning. The Magic traded Center Dwight Howard to the Lakers and in return they got 5 bucks and a large Pizza. All jokes aside the Magic got well below the market value for Dwight Howard when they acquired Aaron Affalo,Al Harrington and Draft Picks. Now their two best players are Glen"Big Baby" Davis and Jameer Nelson. Expect a top 3 draft pick for this team.
30.Charlotte Bobcats: After last year's record in futility was their any surprise who would be last. The Bobcats were stunned when they weren't awarded the #1 pick in the draft. With the #2 pick in the draft they picked Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. MKG is a very talented player but he is ways away from being the difference maker that they need. The Bobcats are once again on pace for another disappointing season.
Saturday, August 25, 2012
Preseason Injury Problems
As the preseason begins to wind down and coaches begin to trim down their rosters, I am beginning to notice a similar occurrence in most of the games. Football is a violent sport and people are bound to get injured but is it really worth it for your star players to get hurt in a meaningless preseason game? In a game between the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles, the Patriots head coach Bill Belichick decided to rest his star players while Eagles head coach Andy Reid decided to play his starters in what would be a dress rehearsal for them. Early in the 1st quarter injury-prone Eagles' QB Michael Vick dropped back to pass, started to scramble and was hit in the ribs by Patriots' LB Jermaine Cunningham.. Vick was very slow to get up and walked to the sidelines then eventually was led to the locker room. It was then discovered that he bruised his ribs. Vick wasn't the only star player to get hurt in the preseason, The Dallas Cowboys' All-Pro Tight End Jason Witten had his spleen lacerated on a play where was hit by Raiders LB Rolando Mcclain. Tennessee Titans' Punt Returner/Wide Receiver fractured his tibia while returning a punt. The Steelers' Rookie Offensive Lineman David Decastro recently injured his leg and may be out for an extended period of time. What I'm trying to say while preseason is necessary to see who is cut out for the NFL and who isn't I don't think it's necessary to play your star players in a game that holds not implications toward the regular season.
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