LOCKOUT settled… Check.
Opening night schedule… Check.
Players in training camp…. Check.
Plenty of considerations ahead of the NBA season…. Absolutely!
With players and owners finally putting their differences to one side and a new CBA in place, the 2011-12 NBA season will finally begin on 25th December.
After a four-month hibernation period, the Dallas Mavericks will raise their championship banner six weeks later than first anticipated after their 4-2 victory over the Miami Heat in last season’s NBA Finals.
Ahead of the impending free agency explosion and busy basketball schedule here are some important questions which need to be posed ahead of the season’s beginning…
Q. How will the 66- game season look?
A. 1. A horrible disfigured mess.
2. Something like we’ve never seen before.
3. Like it’s never been away.
NFL players suffered at the beginning of their season because of shortened training camps, and it is likely that NBA teams who made coaching changes or added several new players could suffer the same troubles. Playing a 66-game schedule with back-to-back-to-backs and four games in five nights on each team’s schedules, NBA fans will certainly get a fix of their action; but will it be a case of quantity of games over quality.
2011-12’s season is a complete unknown but there is little doubt that a return of the NBA on Christmas Day will be a reminder of what we’ve been missing since November.
Likely Conclusion? Many analysts have predicted that the season will be impacted similarly to that of 1999 when the NBA played a reduced schedule of 50 games after starting in February. A 66-game schedule will be a tough for the players but all thoughts of the lockout and its controversies will end as soon as the first points of the season are scored.
Q. Which free agent will have the biggest impact?
A. 1. Shane Battier
2. Baron Davis
3. A player tied to a Chinese contract
With Nene and Marc Gasol choosing to re-sign with their current teams after off-season speculation about their home in 2012, Shane Battier was perhaps the biggest free agent mover, particularly as he landed in Miami on a team which went so close to winning the NBA Championship last season.
The veteran forward gives them leadership, experience and more importantly a defensive presence alongside Udonis Hasslam, which the Heat seemed to lack against the ‘bigs’ of Dallas in the finals.
Baron Davis, amnestied by the Cavs, lands in an excellent situation in New York, but it remains to be seen whether his work ethic and fitness can match his talents. Tyson Chandler, for the same reasons as Battier in Miami, could be an important piece for the Knicks alongside Davis, and helps to make them contenders in the East.
In LA much has been focussed on the trade which brought Chris Paul to the Staples centre but off-season free agency moves for Chancey Billups and Caron Butler on the other end of the floor bring championship experience from Detroit and Dallas to add depth to their roster.
The truth is, with the season almost ready to begin; there was still questions about where several players will land including Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin, all of whom will not be released from their Chinese contracts until March.
Likely Conclusion? Miami are favourites for the title and Battier’s presence whether he’s effective or not, will be highlighted.
Q. Can any team take ‘the next step?’
A. 1. Chicago
2. Oklahoma City
3. Miami
4. LA Clippers
5. Memphis
6. Indiana
To define ‘the next step’ it’s important to consider what is likely to be forward progress for each of the six teams in question.
For Miami, the next step has to be for them to win the title. Chicago and OKC reached the conference finals last season so they will be expected to make the NBA finals, and for the other three teams simple achieving success deep in to the playoffs will probably be characterised as making positive steps forward.
For the Bulls, Thunder and Heat, there is a much higher degree of difficulty to their task where as the Clippers, Grizzlies and Pacers will have time on their side to achieve their ultimate goal.
Likely Conclusion? Miami will return to the NBA finals and claim the title, OKC may meet them there. The Clippers may take time to figure themselves out into anything like a competitive playoff team and Memphis could be pushed by the injury to Zak Randolph. Indiana could be a team that goes deep into the playoffs and exceeds expectations.
Q. Who will claim the NBA MVP?
A. 1. Lebron James
2. Dwight Howard
3. Kevin Durrant
4. An unexpected player thriving in the ideal circumstances of a 66-game season.
Already the owner of a regular season MVP award, Lebron will likely be in the mix once again alongside Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant as players mentioned in connection with their team’s successes. This season could be the time for Kevin Durrant to get recognition for his incredible scoring efforts in OKC, and a high seeding in the Western Conference will likely mean him being picked.
Dwight Howard has yet to win the MVP award, and although statistical efforts show his value to the Magic, they will have to be competitive during what is likely to be his final season if he is to be selected as the winner.
There is also the unknown involved in a shortened schedule that a team could benefit from the special set of circumstances; these candidates could include Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love.
Likely Conclusion? Should the Thunder finish top in the West then Kevin Durrant is 99% likely to become MVP for the first time. If they finish below third seed then D-Rose or Lebron whichever team has a better season will be selected by the league.
Q. Will the tide turn in LA?
A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe, Kinda
An off-season trade for Chris Paul not only helped the Clippers become a better team but frustrated their building share rivals. The Lakers appear to still be reeling from the league’s rejection of a trade which would have seen the PG ending up at Staples playing for the Lakers.
Improvements off the season to their nucleus of good players on the back of Blake Griffin’s exceptional rookie season gives Clippers fans confidence that they could overturn years of bad luck and finally become the best team in Los Angeles. Predications that the Clippers could win the Championship thanks to the addition of Paul are somewhat lofty but player for player this season, even if the Lakers eventually trade for Dwight Howard, it seems as though the Clips will have the more talented and deeper roster.
Likely conclusion? Both teams will make the playoffs and could end up facing one another. Even with Kobe, the Clippers now seem like a hotter ticket than the Lakers.
Q. Which aging team won’t be able to keep pace?
A. 1. Spurs
2. Celtics
3. Lakers
4. Mavericks
San Antonio with the aging legs of Ginobli, Parker and Duncan managed to finish with the best record in the West last season. Although they were ousted by the Grizzlies it would be hard to see them not making the playoffs with coach Popovic likely to be willing sacrifice the minutes of his three top players for the sake of the team.
The Celtics didn’t get any younger in the off-season, but once again the core of Garnett, Pierce and Allen will guide them into the top eight of the Eastern conference. Doc will have to make a decision about how many games of a back-to-back-to-back it will be necessary for the ‘Big Three’ to play.
Kobe is undoubtedly slowing down in his late-career stage but he will come back with Bynum and Gasol to put behind them the embarrassing sweep suffered against the Mavs last season.
The NBA champs themselves have some issues with age as eight of their current roster, including new signings Vince Carter and Lamar Odom, are 30-somethings. 38-year-old Jason Kidd can only continue at the highest level for so long and defending their title has been made more difficult because of the hectic schedule.
Likely conclusion? All of the teams who have aging rosters will make the playoffs but each team could find themselves eliminated before the conference finals.
Q. Who will win Rookie of the Year?
A. 1. Kyrie Irving
2. Derrick Williams
3. Ricky Rubio
4. Kemba Walker
Number one pick Kyrie Irving will be presented an opportunity to play a major role in the Cavs rebuilding process after a disastrous first season in the post-Lebron era earned them their first lottery pick season since 2003.
Number two pick Williams and 2009’s fifth selection Rubio will work in tandem to help the Timberwolves rise from almost a decade in the wilderness. The young Spanish talent is perhaps the most interesting candidate of all as he bids to become only the second ever rookie of the year to come from foreign shores.
Kemba Walker is something of an underdog having being picked ninth by the Bobcats but the point guard is another player who will be given a chance to start. With Charlotte once again in transition after trading Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, the NCAA Championship MVP will be hoping to help owner Michael Jordan return his team to the playoff picture
Likely conclusion? Rubio has a chance of coming into the league and being a success as many people predicted big things for him before his extended stay in Spain. Irving is rightly the favourite because of his first choice status in Cleveland and also due to his status as a number one overall pick.
Q. Can Lebron finally win one?
A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. He’ll win but there will be an asterisk against it.
Since coming to the NBA in 2003 there has been little doubt that LeBron James was a player headed for stardom. Twice reaching the NBA Finals and coming close on at least three other occasions, it appears that the stars are beginning to align as ‘The King’ seeks to finally win himself a ring.
Part of his reasoning for joining Miami was to compete for titles but after the bold exclamation that they were going to win ‘not four, not five, not six….’ Championships following his “Decision” the degree by which we judge the former Cavaliers forward will be based on silverware and nothing else.
The Heat and their ‘Big Three’ are without doubt the favourites for this season’s title and having been swept aside by Dallas in last season’s finals, they will be expected to not only make a return trip but this time finish the job.
Likely conclusion? Even if the Heat do win the title, there will be some kind of disclaimer in an attempting to tarnish Lebron’s glory. Either he teamed up with Wade and Bosh to do it, or his Championship was won in a shortened season or even that he wasn’t the man or the MVP who won Miami the title.
Q. Will Dwight Howard spend the whole season in Orlando AND what chance of him staying beyond 2012?
A. 1. He’ll still be there all season and sign and extension
2. He’ll leave before the trade deadline
3. He’ll make a Lebron like ‘decision’ to head for a larger market after spending the season frustrated in Orlando.
When Dwight Howard confirmed during the lockout that he was ‘conflicted’ about staying in Orlando, most suspected that this ‘will he stay, will he go decision’ would be taken out of his hands. Howard’s dilemma appears to be staying a hero to the people of the sunshine state or becoming a legend in brighter lights but tarnishing his reputation as a ‘good guy’.
It appears that the Magic and their GM Otis Smith are willing to risk losing Howard for nothing at the end of the season, rather than making a move to re-build and allow Dwight to leave. Smith’s strategy is a risky one should Howard decide he wants to move to a team such as LA who are interested in him. In this circumstance the interested party are likely be willing to trade less for his services in March at the trade deadline when they know then can pick up him without losing assets in free agency.
On the court, Howard has cut a frustrated figure ever since the Magic made the finals in 2009 and were unable to build on their progress during either of the following two seasons. Orlando aren’t really in a position to change their personnel much despite shedding themselves of Gilbert Arenas’ cap-sapping contract, they have only added Glen Davis to help Howard feel like the pieces are in place to compete for a title.
Likely Conclusion? The Magic will be forced into panic trading Howard to the Nets or the Lakers mid-season, when the realisation hits that they are unable to provide the big centre with anything like the supporting cast they need to win a title.
Q. Which coaching change will pay the biggest dividends?
A. 1. Rick Adelman
2. Mark Jackson
3. Mike Brown
4. A change not yet made
Of the major changes made in the off-season, the Lakers are the only ‘win now’ team who have made a coaching change. Phil Jackson’s retirement combined with their humiliating sweep out of last season’s playoffs caused LA to make a move for Mike Brown, a more defensive coach with an ability to handle big name players.
In Golden State, Mark Jackson is embarking on his first head coaching role with an inconsistent Warriors team who will be playing a high-tempo offensive game under a coach who wants to try and bring them some defensive discipline. Whether Jackson’s philosophy can be coached into the players remains to be seen.
NBA Veteran Rick Adelman joins the Minnesota Timberwolves hoping to turn his perennial-lottery pick team into playoff contenders. An influx of new players plus some new ideas from their coach may take their time to have an effect.
Likely Conclusion? Of the changes already made in the off-season, Adelman’s T’Wolves will likely be the biggest improvers, due to a combination of new players and fresh ideas. Bad starts for a team like the Heat with Erik Spolstera or Knicks with Mike D’Antoni could mean some impactful changes mid-season.
Opening night schedule… Check.
Players in training camp…. Check.
Plenty of considerations ahead of the NBA season…. Absolutely!
With players and owners finally putting their differences to one side and a new CBA in place, the 2011-12 NBA season will finally begin on 25th December.
After a four-month hibernation period, the Dallas Mavericks will raise their championship banner six weeks later than first anticipated after their 4-2 victory over the Miami Heat in last season’s NBA Finals.
Ahead of the impending free agency explosion and busy basketball schedule here are some important questions which need to be posed ahead of the season’s beginning…
Q. How will the 66- game season look?
A. 1. A horrible disfigured mess.
2. Something like we’ve never seen before.
3. Like it’s never been away.
NFL players suffered at the beginning of their season because of shortened training camps, and it is likely that NBA teams who made coaching changes or added several new players could suffer the same troubles. Playing a 66-game schedule with back-to-back-to-backs and four games in five nights on each team’s schedules, NBA fans will certainly get a fix of their action; but will it be a case of quantity of games over quality.
2011-12’s season is a complete unknown but there is little doubt that a return of the NBA on Christmas Day will be a reminder of what we’ve been missing since November.
Likely Conclusion? Many analysts have predicted that the season will be impacted similarly to that of 1999 when the NBA played a reduced schedule of 50 games after starting in February. A 66-game schedule will be a tough for the players but all thoughts of the lockout and its controversies will end as soon as the first points of the season are scored.
Q. Which free agent will have the biggest impact?
A. 1. Shane Battier
2. Baron Davis
3. A player tied to a Chinese contract
With Nene and Marc Gasol choosing to re-sign with their current teams after off-season speculation about their home in 2012, Shane Battier was perhaps the biggest free agent mover, particularly as he landed in Miami on a team which went so close to winning the NBA Championship last season.
The veteran forward gives them leadership, experience and more importantly a defensive presence alongside Udonis Hasslam, which the Heat seemed to lack against the ‘bigs’ of Dallas in the finals.
Baron Davis, amnestied by the Cavs, lands in an excellent situation in New York, but it remains to be seen whether his work ethic and fitness can match his talents. Tyson Chandler, for the same reasons as Battier in Miami, could be an important piece for the Knicks alongside Davis, and helps to make them contenders in the East.
In LA much has been focussed on the trade which brought Chris Paul to the Staples centre but off-season free agency moves for Chancey Billups and Caron Butler on the other end of the floor bring championship experience from Detroit and Dallas to add depth to their roster.
The truth is, with the season almost ready to begin; there was still questions about where several players will land including Wilson Chandler, J.R. Smith and Kenyon Martin, all of whom will not be released from their Chinese contracts until March.
Likely Conclusion? Miami are favourites for the title and Battier’s presence whether he’s effective or not, will be highlighted.
Q. Can any team take ‘the next step?’
A. 1. Chicago
2. Oklahoma City
3. Miami
4. LA Clippers
5. Memphis
6. Indiana
To define ‘the next step’ it’s important to consider what is likely to be forward progress for each of the six teams in question.
For Miami, the next step has to be for them to win the title. Chicago and OKC reached the conference finals last season so they will be expected to make the NBA finals, and for the other three teams simple achieving success deep in to the playoffs will probably be characterised as making positive steps forward.
For the Bulls, Thunder and Heat, there is a much higher degree of difficulty to their task where as the Clippers, Grizzlies and Pacers will have time on their side to achieve their ultimate goal.
Likely Conclusion? Miami will return to the NBA finals and claim the title, OKC may meet them there. The Clippers may take time to figure themselves out into anything like a competitive playoff team and Memphis could be pushed by the injury to Zak Randolph. Indiana could be a team that goes deep into the playoffs and exceeds expectations.
Q. Who will claim the NBA MVP?
A. 1. Lebron James
2. Dwight Howard
3. Kevin Durrant
4. An unexpected player thriving in the ideal circumstances of a 66-game season.
Already the owner of a regular season MVP award, Lebron will likely be in the mix once again alongside Derrick Rose and Kobe Bryant as players mentioned in connection with their team’s successes. This season could be the time for Kevin Durrant to get recognition for his incredible scoring efforts in OKC, and a high seeding in the Western Conference will likely mean him being picked.
Dwight Howard has yet to win the MVP award, and although statistical efforts show his value to the Magic, they will have to be competitive during what is likely to be his final season if he is to be selected as the winner.
There is also the unknown involved in a shortened schedule that a team could benefit from the special set of circumstances; these candidates could include Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love.
Likely Conclusion? Should the Thunder finish top in the West then Kevin Durrant is 99% likely to become MVP for the first time. If they finish below third seed then D-Rose or Lebron whichever team has a better season will be selected by the league.
Q. Will the tide turn in LA?
A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. Maybe, Kinda
An off-season trade for Chris Paul not only helped the Clippers become a better team but frustrated their building share rivals. The Lakers appear to still be reeling from the league’s rejection of a trade which would have seen the PG ending up at Staples playing for the Lakers.
Improvements off the season to their nucleus of good players on the back of Blake Griffin’s exceptional rookie season gives Clippers fans confidence that they could overturn years of bad luck and finally become the best team in Los Angeles. Predications that the Clippers could win the Championship thanks to the addition of Paul are somewhat lofty but player for player this season, even if the Lakers eventually trade for Dwight Howard, it seems as though the Clips will have the more talented and deeper roster.
Likely conclusion? Both teams will make the playoffs and could end up facing one another. Even with Kobe, the Clippers now seem like a hotter ticket than the Lakers.
Q. Which aging team won’t be able to keep pace?
A. 1. Spurs
2. Celtics
3. Lakers
4. Mavericks
San Antonio with the aging legs of Ginobli, Parker and Duncan managed to finish with the best record in the West last season. Although they were ousted by the Grizzlies it would be hard to see them not making the playoffs with coach Popovic likely to be willing sacrifice the minutes of his three top players for the sake of the team.
The Celtics didn’t get any younger in the off-season, but once again the core of Garnett, Pierce and Allen will guide them into the top eight of the Eastern conference. Doc will have to make a decision about how many games of a back-to-back-to-back it will be necessary for the ‘Big Three’ to play.
Kobe is undoubtedly slowing down in his late-career stage but he will come back with Bynum and Gasol to put behind them the embarrassing sweep suffered against the Mavs last season.
The NBA champs themselves have some issues with age as eight of their current roster, including new signings Vince Carter and Lamar Odom, are 30-somethings. 38-year-old Jason Kidd can only continue at the highest level for so long and defending their title has been made more difficult because of the hectic schedule.
Likely conclusion? All of the teams who have aging rosters will make the playoffs but each team could find themselves eliminated before the conference finals.
Q. Who will win Rookie of the Year?
A. 1. Kyrie Irving
2. Derrick Williams
3. Ricky Rubio
4. Kemba Walker
Number one pick Kyrie Irving will be presented an opportunity to play a major role in the Cavs rebuilding process after a disastrous first season in the post-Lebron era earned them their first lottery pick season since 2003.
Number two pick Williams and 2009’s fifth selection Rubio will work in tandem to help the Timberwolves rise from almost a decade in the wilderness. The young Spanish talent is perhaps the most interesting candidate of all as he bids to become only the second ever rookie of the year to come from foreign shores.
Kemba Walker is something of an underdog having being picked ninth by the Bobcats but the point guard is another player who will be given a chance to start. With Charlotte once again in transition after trading Stephen Jackson and Gerald Wallace, the NCAA Championship MVP will be hoping to help owner Michael Jordan return his team to the playoff picture
Likely conclusion? Rubio has a chance of coming into the league and being a success as many people predicted big things for him before his extended stay in Spain. Irving is rightly the favourite because of his first choice status in Cleveland and also due to his status as a number one overall pick.
Q. Can Lebron finally win one?
A. 1. Yes
2. No
3. He’ll win but there will be an asterisk against it.
Since coming to the NBA in 2003 there has been little doubt that LeBron James was a player headed for stardom. Twice reaching the NBA Finals and coming close on at least three other occasions, it appears that the stars are beginning to align as ‘The King’ seeks to finally win himself a ring.
Part of his reasoning for joining Miami was to compete for titles but after the bold exclamation that they were going to win ‘not four, not five, not six….’ Championships following his “Decision” the degree by which we judge the former Cavaliers forward will be based on silverware and nothing else.
The Heat and their ‘Big Three’ are without doubt the favourites for this season’s title and having been swept aside by Dallas in last season’s finals, they will be expected to not only make a return trip but this time finish the job.
Likely conclusion? Even if the Heat do win the title, there will be some kind of disclaimer in an attempting to tarnish Lebron’s glory. Either he teamed up with Wade and Bosh to do it, or his Championship was won in a shortened season or even that he wasn’t the man or the MVP who won Miami the title.
Q. Will Dwight Howard spend the whole season in Orlando AND what chance of him staying beyond 2012?
A. 1. He’ll still be there all season and sign and extension
2. He’ll leave before the trade deadline
3. He’ll make a Lebron like ‘decision’ to head for a larger market after spending the season frustrated in Orlando.
When Dwight Howard confirmed during the lockout that he was ‘conflicted’ about staying in Orlando, most suspected that this ‘will he stay, will he go decision’ would be taken out of his hands. Howard’s dilemma appears to be staying a hero to the people of the sunshine state or becoming a legend in brighter lights but tarnishing his reputation as a ‘good guy’.
It appears that the Magic and their GM Otis Smith are willing to risk losing Howard for nothing at the end of the season, rather than making a move to re-build and allow Dwight to leave. Smith’s strategy is a risky one should Howard decide he wants to move to a team such as LA who are interested in him. In this circumstance the interested party are likely be willing to trade less for his services in March at the trade deadline when they know then can pick up him without losing assets in free agency.
On the court, Howard has cut a frustrated figure ever since the Magic made the finals in 2009 and were unable to build on their progress during either of the following two seasons. Orlando aren’t really in a position to change their personnel much despite shedding themselves of Gilbert Arenas’ cap-sapping contract, they have only added Glen Davis to help Howard feel like the pieces are in place to compete for a title.
Likely Conclusion? The Magic will be forced into panic trading Howard to the Nets or the Lakers mid-season, when the realisation hits that they are unable to provide the big centre with anything like the supporting cast they need to win a title.
Q. Which coaching change will pay the biggest dividends?
A. 1. Rick Adelman
2. Mark Jackson
3. Mike Brown
4. A change not yet made
Of the major changes made in the off-season, the Lakers are the only ‘win now’ team who have made a coaching change. Phil Jackson’s retirement combined with their humiliating sweep out of last season’s playoffs caused LA to make a move for Mike Brown, a more defensive coach with an ability to handle big name players.
In Golden State, Mark Jackson is embarking on his first head coaching role with an inconsistent Warriors team who will be playing a high-tempo offensive game under a coach who wants to try and bring them some defensive discipline. Whether Jackson’s philosophy can be coached into the players remains to be seen.
NBA Veteran Rick Adelman joins the Minnesota Timberwolves hoping to turn his perennial-lottery pick team into playoff contenders. An influx of new players plus some new ideas from their coach may take their time to have an effect.
Likely Conclusion? Of the changes already made in the off-season, Adelman’s T’Wolves will likely be the biggest improvers, due to a combination of new players and fresh ideas. Bad starts for a team like the Heat with Erik Spolstera or Knicks with Mike D’Antoni could mean some impactful changes mid-season.