NBA Season Thread

[Gary]

Blake Griffin may miss 6 weeks due to Broken Knee Cap

Looks like everyone doing their previews will have to look a little deeper with the Clippers.

[NJTank]

Thats a tough blow, because I think he could of made thema playoff team right away. He has the chance to be another Tim Duncan.

[Saintsfan]

6 weeks doesn't seem long enough for a broken knee cap, even allowing for the fact that it is just a stress fracture??

[Jigga]

God damn you, Gary. I was just about to post The 2009-2010 NBA Season Thread had this great opening and everything...and you ruined it!

Oh well, I'll just post it here anyway.

--------------

Alright, y'all. It's back!

Tonight, the season tips off with the Celtics and their Boston 3 Party taking on the Cavaliers who now have a Big Jester to go along with King James and his court. We also get to see the Clippers, who just lost #1 overall pick Blake Griffin for 2 months, take on their roommates and the reigning champion Lakers as Kobe looks for ring #5. Also on the slate is, Wizards @ Mavs and Rockets @ Blazers. Tomorrow night will bring us the openers for the remainder of the league.

Some of the interesting storylines...

How will the LeBron and Shaq experiment work?

Can the Lakers repeat?

How much unsolicited hate will Kobe get?

Will 'Sheed or Ron-Ron implode their new teams?

Top rooks with Griffin sidelined: Tyreke Evans, Jonny Flynn, DeMar Derozen (since he's a Raptor, it's the obvious answer right)?

How many coaches are going to be fired by Christmas?

Come on, y'all! Let's give the CCSLC's least popular major professional sports league some love!

[OnWis97]

I fear single-digit wins for the T-Wolves. With Jefferson's health in question, Love out for a couple of months and too many point guards with no big-scoring #2, it could be a 10-72 year. Of course a top-three ROY year for Flynn, the ability for him to play with sessions (despite Rambis' belief), a solid Love return, and a healthy Jefferson could lead to...25 wins.

As for the teams that matter:

EAST

Cavs over Magic

WEST

Lakers over Spurs

FINALS

Lakers over Cavs for a 16-2 playoff record.

[BrySmalls]

I look forward to the [enter mediocre team here] either surprising people this year and making a run for the playoffs or playing for a high draft pick because [college all-star or European unknown] will be available in the draft in June.

[DustDevil61]

I'm hoping the Jazz make a good run and that their core stays healthy. They're one good big defensive player away from being a West contender.

[CDixonDesign]

A broken knee cap? Wow, that has GOT to be painful. So much for the push the Clippers are going to make...

How much do you think it hurts his chances at ROY? DeJuan Blair was getting praised by good ol' Skip Bayless this morning on First Take...does this increase his outlook?

[Seadragon76]

I really don't buy the idea of Griffin making the Clippers any better... Remember people. We're talking about the Clippers. They define the word 'underachieve'.

If anything, the Cavs might come out of the East, but don't think for a minute that Orlando or Boston will have something to say here. If you want a darkhorse, look at Atlanta. In case you all forgot, the Hawks actually did decently against King James and his Court in the playoffs last year.

Out West, it's about the Lakers. Bryant, Odom, Artest... This is a strong combo, and if anyone thinks that Artest will attempt to sink the Laker ship, I say nay. If any distraction is going to happen, it'll be Lamar Odom being married to Khloe Kardashian and the paperazzi that'll eventually show up.

There's the clusterfluff that is the Southwest Division (except for Memphis. Godspeed, A.I.) and whoever comes from there could end up being the biggest challenger to the Lakers.

[gingerbreadmann]

[CDixonDesign]

Not sure how much hype it's been but people are saying that the Spurs are going to give the Lakers everything they've got out West...

[TFoA]

I really don't buy the idea of Griffin making the Clippers any better... Remember people. We're talking about the Clippers. They define the word 'underachieve'.

If anything, the Cavs might come out of the East, but don't think for a minute that Orlando or Boston will have something to say here. If you want a darkhorse, look at Atlanta. In case you all forgot, the Hawks actually did decently against King James and his Court in the playoffs last year.

Out West, it's about the Lakers. Bryant, Odom, Artest... This is a strong combo, and if anyone thinks that Artest will attempt to sink the Laker ship, I say nay. If any distraction is going to happen, it'll be Lamar Odom being married to Khloe Kardashian and the paperazzi that'll eventually show up.

There's the clusterfluff that is the Southwest Division (except for Memphis. Godspeed, A.I.) and whoever comes from there could end up being the biggest challenger to the Lakers.

• The Clippers are cursed. That's all that needs to be said about that.
  
• What playoffs were you watching last year? LeBron basically ran roughshod over the Hawks in that sweep last year. Although the Hawks have gotten better by just keeping the core together & letting them grow, plus some solid veteran FAs, I still think that they're only the 4th best team in the East at best. Maybe they'll do some crazy things in the playoffs, but that's all I'm hoping for. I don't expect the Hawks to break into the Top 3 of the East...yet.
  
• I will be shocked if the Lakers don't get the 1 seed out west. They're the defending champs, everybody's coming back, & fixed arguably their only weak point by adding Artest. The one bonafide Kobe Stopper in the NBA now plays WITH Kobe. I'll say it again: I will be SHOCKED if the Lakers don't go back-to-back, let alone get back to the Finals.
  
• The Spurs are going to win that division. Houston's gonna start feeling the loss of Yao, & McGrady WILL get hurt and be out for extended periods of time. That series against the Lakers was a good story, but idk if they can extend that through 82 games.
  

Here are my preseason Top-8 rankings in each conference:

EAST

1 - Cavs (As long as LeBron has that supporting cast and is in Cleveland, they will ALWAYS be a title threat.)

2 - Magic (A very close second. People forget so quickly that these are the returning Eastern Conference Champs. They will be an offensive juggernaut this year with the addition of Vince Carter & Dwight Howard still in the post doing whatever the hell he wants.)

3 - Celtics (This is honestly the make-or-break year for them. If they don't win the title this year, they will be too old to do it in the future. A lot of it depends on The Big 3's health. If KG doesn't return to his old form, they aren't going to go very far in the playoffs.)

4 - Hawks (The core got better & they will finally have a deep bench. I still don't think that it'll be enough to go far in the playoffs because the defense will be suspect & the coaching is still terrible.)

5 - Wizards (If they stay healthy, they could be dangerous. If not, they will be only a little better than last year. I'm betting on them staying healthy.)

6 - Bulls (Could easily be flip-flopped with the Wizards. I just don't have much faith in some of their starters & bench. They will be fun to watch, but not enough to do much during playoff time.)

7 - Raptors (Will shoot lights-out. Unfortunately, they've had that claim for a few years now and it's barely gotten them out of the first round of the playoffs at times. Will be better than last year, but not saying too much.)

8 - Heat (Dwyane Wade can't carry this team all season, someone else will HAVE to step up.)

Fighting for the 8 spot: Sixers, Pistons, Bobcats, Pacers

Waiting for the Draft: Knicks, Bucks, Nets

WEST

1 - Lakers (Too good. Like LeBron in the East, LA still has Kobe in his prime and a great supporting cast. As long as they have that, they will almost always be the favorites to win the 'ship.)

2 - Spurs (Like the Celtics, this is THE year for them. It's either championship now or rebuilding time in the future for the Spurs. They loaded up during the offseason as if to say that it really is now or never. They will be the solid second in the West, & if they meet up with the Lakers in the WCF, I will give them a very good chance of winning.)

3 - Nuggets (JR Smith is key here. If he can play consistently instead of being streaky like he normally is, they will be one of the top teams in the West. If not, they'll be looking up at the Lakers and Spurs all season.)

4 - Blazers (I still think that this team could really give the Lakers fits during the season and possibly in a playoff matchup. There isn't another team in the west that matches up better with LA. The problem with them is how can they handle everybody other than the Lakers.)

5 - Jazz (If Booozer & Okur stay healthy, they could be a dangerous team. Not a top team, but still a very dangerous one. D.Wil will still be a statistical monster for these guys.)

6 - Mavs (They'll get off to a typical slow start, only to turn it on later and wonder why they couldn't do that all season.IMO it won't matter, I don't see them going far in the playoffs. If they couldn't do it with a 66-win team, what makes you think that they can do it with a squad that's considerably weaker than that one?)

7 - Hornets (I'm not really sold on them. Yeah, CP3 is still CP3, but the rest of the team isn't as good as they've been in past years even with Okafor coming over. I don't think that they'll be able to keep pace in the Southwest, but they will do enough to get into the playoffs.)

8 - Suns (They'll make the playoffs this year because they'll play their style all season. Still, they're more like Suns-lite than the Suns that we knew and loved.)

Fighting for the 8 Spot: Rockets, Thunder, Clippers, Warriors

Waiting for the Draft: T-Wolves, Grizzlies, Kings

I think that David Stern is going to have his wet dream of a Lakers/Cavs finals come true this year. The only way that I think the Cavs won't make it to the Finals this year is if the wheels just completely come off both on and off the court. Same with the Lakers, they may have some craziness with the whole "Odom married a reality TV star" thing, but I don't think that it's going to be enough of a distraction to hurt them too much. So yeah, Lakers-Cavs in the finals...Lakers in 6. Then the fun REALLY begins with the 2010 FA Period, which will more-than-likely shake up in the league.

[Epiphanic]

Evidence that the NBA on NBC may be the greatest sports theme of all time.

[Jigga]

Then the fun REALLY begins with the 2010 FA Period, which will more-than-likely shake up in the league.

That's the white elephant in the room that will eventually consume every bit of air and space in said room until it suffocates everyone.

[TFoA]

Then the fun REALLY begins with the 2010 FA Period, which will more-than-likely shake up in the league.

That's the white elephant in the room that will eventually consume every bit of air and space in said room until it suffocates everyone.

Watch, if the Cavs don't play like they did last year, "LEBRON TO NYCCCCC!!!!111!!!" talk will basically own the NBA headlines & PittsburghSucks will no doubt give us up-to-the-minute updates on what LeBron's third cousin twice removed thinks about where LeBron will go.

Also, I said something about a lot of people forgetting that the Magic are the defending EC champs and still a VERY good team. Apparently ESPN forgot about that as well, as they forgot to include them in a poll asking fans who they think will win the NBA title this season.

[Jigga]

To be fair though, Orlando lost their best player (as well as swapped out two other starters). At the end of the day, only two teams will have a shot of winning a title...the two in the Finals. So until Orlando makes it back to the Finals, I don't give them a shot, sorry. Call me a naysayer if you want.

NAY!

[Saintsfan]

I think losing Rafer Alston is a big loss for the Magic. I think he was a pretty key figure in there run last year. Not convinced Vince Carter entirely makes up for that.

Not that Carter isn't a better player than Alston night in night out, but I just am not convinced by him as a fit for the Magic. They are clearly in the elite 8 or so teams in the league though, and any one of those could win through at the end of the day.

[Drew22]

Jigga, are you implying Turkoglu was the Magic's best player? There is no way it's anyone but Dwight Howard.

[crashcarson15]

Jigga, are you implying Turkoglu was the Magic's best player? There is no way it's anyone but Dwight Howard.

Yes he is. And his statement was correct. Sans Turkoglu, the Magic probably get swept by the Cavs.

Oh and Rise Up!

[MDC]

Oh god I am so excited for this. Easily my favorite association in the world is the NBA. My personal favorite to watch and follow of all major sports. I get more frustrated with the Bears in the NFL, but my heart is with the Bulls, probably moreso than the cubs, bears, and blackhawks, and sky. (psh.....wnba). cant wait to get this started!!!!

back NBA basketball, we missed you