NBA Preview: Detroit through Memphis in a Nutshell

I'm in a horrific time crunch for two reasons. First, and more importantly, I now have a little more than two days to finish my issue package in my Writing for New Media class, and even after getting interviews and doing good research I still don't know where my focus is, let alone the fact that I am completely baffled with all technological aspects of this class.

The second reason is the fact that the NBA season starts tomorrow, and by my count I have 23 more team entries to do. So much for my promise of 30 teams in 30 days. Fret not, though, loyal fans. I have come up with a solution.

And I'll start with the Pistons.

Detroit Pistons
Burning Question: How will Detroit cope with the loss of Ben Wallace?
Justin's Take: Defensively, Wallace defecting to the Bulls is a huge loss. I know quite a few people out there who believe that the Pistons were an overrated team defensively when he was there, and I guess this year we'll find out. However, offensively Nazr Mohammed will give them a player that opposing teams will actually have to guard. Even without Wallace, I think that the Pistons have the best starting line-up in the East, possibly even in the NBA. Picking up Ronald Murray is a move that I like but John Hollinger of ESPN.com despises. Hollinger thinks Murray has poor shot selection, but I think he's exactly the kind of guy that the Pistons need off the bench. Pencil these guys in for the conference finals, and they may even be playing in June.
Projected Record: 58-24

Golden State Warriors
Burning Question: Will Don Nelson's arrival be enough to revitalize this otherwise stagnant franchise?
Justin's Take: I might have mentioned this before, but I'm a huge Mavericks' fan. Nelson resurrected Dallas and instituted the fun and gun offense, and I'd argue that the Warriors are much more athletic than those Mavs' teams. If Baron Davis can stay healthy, I fully expect him to put up Steve Nash-type numbers in terms of dishing the rock, and he'll be dishing to one of the best finishers in the league in Jason Richardson. Keep an eye on Monta Ellis. There's a logjam in the backcourt, but he will be a special player. All in all, I think having Nelson as the coach gets this team to the playoffs. To get further than that they'll have to play defense, but maybe next year.
Projected Record: 44-38

Houston Rockets
Burning Question: How many games will TMac miss this year, and if he does miss significant time, can the Rockets make the playoffs without him?
Justin's Take: With nothing else to do until basketball season, Slamonline.com has been ranking the top 50 players in the NBA. The list has been quite ambiguous to this point, in terms of some players being ranked much higher than they should have been without substance, but columnist Lang Whitaker (one of my favorite writers around) admits that if he were consistently healthy, Tracy McGrady would have gone much higher. The problem is, he hasn't been completely healthy since he arrived in Houston. When he was healthy last season, the Rockets were a playoff team. When he wasn't, they were a mid-major Division I team. Having Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells will take pressure off of him, and the Rockets may even be OK if McGrady misses 20 games. But, in order the Rockets to make the playoffs, #1 has to be on the court consistently.
Projected Record: 45-37

Indiana Pacers
Burning Question: Can the Pacers somehow get consistent point guard play?
Justin's Take: The answer to the above question is really based upon whether or not we'll see the Jamaal Tinsley of a couple years ago or the injury-plagued one we saw last season. I've always liked his game, and I think if he stays on the court and out of the trainer's room he'll be okay. However, if he has another injury-riddled season the Pacers will sink to the draft lottery. Former Maryland Terp Sarunas Jasikevicius only plays well in the Olympics for Lithuania and in my opinion isn't an NBA caliber point guard. Marquis Daniels was always one of my favorite players on the Mavs and I really, really, really thought he should have seen more time in the Finals guarding Dwyane Wade, but honestly his place is more on the wing, not at point guard. The Pacers are solid everywhere else. Jermaine O'Neal is one of the best fours in the league, and Al Harrington is a great acquisition. Stephen Jackson, while erratic at times, is a tough match-up at the two spot. If the Pacers get any kind of play from the point guard position, they should sneak into the playoffs. But, if there's slippage, there will be a number of parranahs waiting for their demise.
Projected Record: 42-40

Los Angeles Clippers
Burning Question: Are the Clippers ready to take the next step?
Justin's Take: I honestly thought that the Clippers should have beaten the Suns last year in the playoffs, but their guys seemed to wilt under the Game 7 lights. However, pretty much every rotation player is back for another crack at it, plus they picked up the guy who shot them out of the playoffs as a member of Phoenix, Tim Thomas. He'll pretty much take Vladimir Radmonovic's spot in the rotation. People talk about improving teams in the off-seasons by spending zillions of dollars, but I honestly think a year's worth of experience will make this club better. I really don't think that Elton Brand is done improving, plus you have a tremendous backcourt rotation in Sam Cassell, Cuttino Mobley, Corey Maggette, and Shaun Livingston. I don't know if there's a team in the NBA who has four better guards on the same team. Here's my first curveball of the previews: the Clippers will be in the conference finals. Debate.
Projected Record: 53-29

Los Angeles Lakers
Burning question: Did the Lakers do enough in the off-season to stay in the playoffs?
Justin's Take: I said something in my Cleveland preview that I may want to take back. I essentially said that Lebron James should have won the MVP award last year. I would like to take this opportunity to apologize to Kobe "#24" Bryant. Sure, James' put up better all-around numbers, and Bryant will never be mistaken as the best teammate in the world, but he put that team on his shoulders last year and almost carried them to the second round of the playoffs by himself. Here's the thing: as good as Bryant is, if he gets them back to the playoffs this year the media should annoint him as the MVP for the next two seasons. Houston will be improved, as will Golden State, and Memphis did enough to stay ahead of them. Adding Jordan Farmar gives the Lakers a legit point guard, but it almost doesn't matter because Phil Jackson doesn't believe in the term. And, in case you missed my post on first round busts, I'm not sold on Kwame Brown.
Projected Record: 41-41

Memphis Grizzlies
Burning Question: How long will it take Gasol to get back into rhythm coming off of an injury?
Justin's Take: Other than the whole broken-foot thing, Pau Gasol has had a great year. In the past 14 months he has played the best basketball of his life, becoming an upper-echelon player in the NBA while leading his native country Spain to a gold-medal in the FIBA championships. But, as great as those times were, the immediate focus is on Gasol's foot and how quickly it heals. Basically, that will determine how far Memphis goes this season. The early diagnosis was four months , but now doctors are saying that he may be back in early December. If that's the case, I think the Grizz have enough talent to stay above water, especially at the pace that Coach Mike Fratello like to play.
Projected Record: 44-38

NBA Preview: The Denver Nuggets

I am getting extremely slow at putting these up, but I promise that in the next couple of days I will work hard to put myself back on pace. After all, the season starts Oct. 31, so what kind of sense would it make for me to do the Wizards preview on Jan. 12?

Back to the grind with the Denver Nuggets.

Fondest Nugget Memory: My first trip to McDonald's was a great one. Okay, glad I got that out of my system. I guess the best memory I have of Denver was when they upset the Seattle Supersonics in the first round of the 1994 playoffs, becoming the first eight seed to beat a number one. I just picture Dikembe Mutumbo laying on the parquet floor in Key Arena, grasping a basketball while screaming in joy. He may speak seven languages or so, but I bet that picture had a universal translation.

Last Year: There was a ton of optimism in Denver coming into the 2005-2006 season. After all, the Nuggets had the best record after the all-star break in the NBA, and played the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs tougher than any team did in the playoffs. But, thanks to a combination of injuries and poor chemistry, the Nuggets were just like that hot girl in math class who led you on all year long but on the last day of first period in Ms. Roberts' room told you that you were a great friend but that it just wouldn't work out (phew, that felt good). Kenyon Martin (see my post on busts), Nene (I cannot believe he can get away without using a last name; he's not even close to Prince or Ichiro status), Earl Boykins and Marcus Camby all missed significant time, although Camby was undoubtedly all-star caliber when he was on the floor. Carmelo Anthony had to put this team on his back, and in turn had his best season as a pro, scoring at will and yet also shooting at a high percentage. Andre Miller spear-headed the Nuggets run-and-gun attack and quietly put up better all-around numbers than any point guard not named Chris Paul or Steve Nash. Despite utter brilliance from Anthony, Miller, and, in brief stretches, Boykins, they couldn't mask Denver's achilles' heel: lack of outside shooting. How's this for sad: Greg Buckner, primarily known for his hustle and defense, was the Nuggets' "assassin". So, in simple arithmetic, injuries plus poor chemistry plus NO outside shooting whatsoever equaled a first round exit.

This Year: Sure, the US earned the bronze medal in the FIBA championships, and Chris Broussard will tell you that the Americans have lost their grip on the game and blah, blah,blah. However, whatever you do, don't blame Anthony. He had by far the best tournament out of anyone on that team. If his performance is a preface of things to come this season, then the rest of the league needs to watch out. The Nuggets made two key moves this summer. No. 1, of course, was giving Anthony the max extension. No. 2 was trading for J.R. Smith, which could end up being a brilliant move at best, and at worst they at least have a shooting guard who can shoot. He spent most of last year in Byron Scott's doghouse in New Orleans/Oklahoma City, but the sky is the limit for this kid. In terms of the front-court, it's obvious that Camby is going to miss some games (I say 21 this year sounds about right), but having a healthy Nene will help offset that. The question is what will Martin give them this year, either on the court or through a trade? I'm honestly shocked that he hasn't been traded yet. At least they brought in Joe Smith as an insurance policy.

Player on the Rise: J.R. Smith is turning heads this pre-season for the Nuggets, both in good and bad ways with Coach George Karl. Talent wise, there's no questioning who the starting shooting guard should be on this team. He was in Byron Scott's doghouse for a reason, but in Karl's system he should flourish.


Player on the Decline: With J.R. Smith coming into town, Linas Kleiza having a killer pre-season, and Yakhouba Diawara creating buzz with his defense, where does that leave Julius Hodge? I think Hodge has a future in the NBA somewhere, but Denver is a tough situation for him. The players ahead of him aren't all-stars, but they are all better than he is. Oh, and did I mention they re-signed DerMarr Johnson too?

Justin's Take: Tough to say. At press time there are a ton of unanswered questions, but this team does have talent. Luckily, they're in a weak division and they have enough talent to win the Northwest by accident. Unfortunately for the Nuggets (and fortunately for Dallas/San Antonio fans), winning that division will no longer guarantee them the number three seed. I think this season will be a better version of last season for the Nuggets, with the difference being Smith's impact and Anthony's continued improvement. Other than those two things, expect a fun-and-gun team with injury problems and a first round exit likely.

Projected Record: 46-36

NBA Preview: The Dallas Mavericks

This is going to be without a doubt the toughest preview to write.

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm a big-time Dallas Maverick fan, so theoretically this should take about five minutes to write. I know this team inside and out, having played with this team constantly on NBA Live and watching more than half of their games with my girlfriend/fiancee the previous two seasons. So why the difficulty, you ask?

Well, if I'm going to succeed in the world of sports journalism, I have to learn how to be an objective reporter. For me, writing this blog is going to be like going to therapy and telling my psychiatrist all the things that I like about myself and hate about myself.

Wish me luck...

Fondest Maverick Memory: Everybody accuses me of being a fair-weather fan when it comes to the Mavs. I assure you I'm not (after all, I'm an Oakland Raiders fan, too). The reason I like the Mavs has nothing to do with wins or losses. I fell in love with them sometime during my freshman year at College Park six years ago. It was a couple of seasons after the lockout, and I had become almost disenchanted with the NBA game. Watching an NBA game back then was the most boring thing in the world to do other than twiddling your thumbs. Sure, every now and then there'd be a Kobe or Vince highlight that would make you jump, but for the most part the low scoring games ate away at me. Then, the Mavericks showed up. They were the first team I'd seen in a long time that would run after a made basket. Granted, they were absolutely atrocious defensively, but they played basketball just the way I liked it: up and down with a gunslinger's mentality. And, I also feel I've grown with them. They're definitely a more complete team now, just as I am a more complete person than I was as an 18-year-old.

Last Year: (Throwing objectivity out of the window for a quick second, read this article from NBADraft.net writer Nick Prevenas. I'm glad someone out there agreed with me about last year's NBA Finals). The Mavericks had a great year and seemed to be on the verge of winning it all, coasting to a 2-0 lead over the Miami Heat before performing one of the biggest choke jobs in finals' history. It's sad that despite all of the progress they made last season, they will forever be the team that blew a 2-0 lead in the finals. Everything leading up to the finals, however, was spectacular. They finished with the 3rd best record in the NBA last season, and shocked basketball experts by playing on both ends of the court. Offense was the first thing that came to mind, of course, and the first name that comes to mind offensively is Dirk Nowitzki. He had a career year last year and is as close to a mismatch as there is in the NBA. However, as good as Nowitzki was, Jason Terry was the reason the Mavs got as far as they did. He shot incredibly well from the field all season long and was Dallas' best player at crunch time in the playoffs. Josh Howard took a huge step forward to help offset the overrated loss of Michael Finley. DeSagana Diop was a pleasant surprise, and if it wasn't for his defense against Tim Duncan in overtime of Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs might have got screwed in the finals instead (sorry, objectivity, objectivity). Together he and Erick Dampier formed a tough one-two tandem inside. Jerry Stackhouse would have won 6th Man of the Year if he hadn't missed the first part of the season. All that was missing from this team last season was a championship.

This Year: The entire core group is back for the Mavs, plus they added veteran depth to a team that was already pretty deep. A Devin Harris and Terry back-court will be an impossible match-up for opposing teams to contain, at least offensively. When either of them need a spell, the Mavs have the luxury of bringing newly acquired guards Anthony Johnson and Greg Buckner off the bench. I'd argue that the Mavs second team would make the playoffs in the East. They're going to be just as good as they were last year, if not better.

Player on the Rise: Harris gets the keys to run the team this year after coming off the bench mostly for his first two seasons. Statistically I don't see a huge jump from what he did last year, but I think he will play less erratically than he has in the past. The starting point guard spot is his to lose. I think he's the quickest guard in the NBA.

Player on the Decline: I thought the Mavs had a solid off-season, and that they didn't need to make any major pick-ups. However, signing Devean George was almost pointless. I hope he proves me wrong, but, other than finals experience, I just don't see what he brings to the team. I remember when ESPN reported that he had been signed. I think it was Alex Van Pelt who said, "It must be nice to score six points a game and make two million a year." I hate to say it, but if you put my five-foot-ten-inch frame on the court for 22 minutes a game, I would score six points a game.

Justin's Take: I feel that the Mavs are definitely among the league's elite. Getting back to the finals this year will be tougher, however, as a healthy Phoenix team and a San Antonio team out for redemption stand in the way. That being said, this team won 60 games last year, and I feel like while they didn't do anything drastic, they're definitely better than they were last year. The only obstacle I see is themselves. Anything less than a trip back to the finals would be a disappointment.

Projected Record: 81-1

OK, REAL Projected Record: 62-20

NBA Preview: The Cleveland Cavaliers

This is the preview that Wizards' fans have been looking forward to all summer. Let's get to it...


Fondest Cavalier Memory: Don't laugh... I was actually a big Mark Price fan . I think he was Steve Nash before Steve Nash knew he was Steve Nash. Way before EA Sports' Live series came out, I used to play Tecmo Basketball on Nintendo as a kid. I used to give anyone I would play fits. "The white boy doesn't miss," they would say. It's too bad the Cavs could never get over the hump in real life (some guy named Jordan was always in the way), but I always thought that Price was one of those unsung guys who probably should be in the Hall of Fame. Debate.

Last Year: After consecutive seasons of second half collapses, the Cavaliers and more importantly (at least in the media's eyes) LeBron James broke through and made the playoffs, earning the fourth seed and pushing the defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons to the brink in an improbable seven game series. James had an MVP-caliber year, and if it weren't for some weird voting, he probably would have won it. And while James gets all the credit for the Cavs' success, he wasn't alone. Zydrunas Ilgauskas played solid in the pivot for them. Sure, you'd like a seven footer to be a better rebounder, but it's okay because Ilgauskas had Drew Gooden emerge as a true dirty work kind of player. I never saw him as that type of player at Kansas University, but he seems to excel at that role in the NBA. Ronald "Flip" Murray, who joined the Pistons in the off-season, was an absolute steal for them at the trade deadline, and he emerged as the team's best guard at playoff time. If you think about it, the Cavs played extremely well last year considering that they got almost nothing out of off-season acquisition Larry Hughes (who was hurt most of the year) and very little out of Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall (who couldn't hit any jumpers).

This Year: You know that James is going to put up video game type numbers, and you figure that Ilgauskas is going to be one of the best centers in the league (almost by default). Past that, there's a lot up in the air. Hughes is starting to--scratch that--has developed a reputation as an injury prone player, and I predict that he'll miss some time again this year. When he is out on the court, however, I think he'll bounce back from a subpar year. Either free-agent pick-up David Wesley or first round draft pick Shannon Brown will step in for much maligned point guard Eric Snow, and either one figures to be an improvement. I also think that Marshall will play much better than he did last season. There seems to be a ton of upside for the Cavs.

Player on the Rise: Apparently Brown looked good in summer league action for the Cavs, showing the versatility to play both guard positions. He was more of a wing player at Michigan State University, but his athleticism is off the charts, and if he can co-exist with Hughes and James, Brown can be the biggest steal of the draft.

Player on the Decline: Man... I loved Luke Jackson's game in college, but the success just hasn't transferred over to the pros. Injuries have had a great deal to do with it, but now he's in a situation where he'll be hard-pressed to find time. Put him at swingman, he's behind James and Marshall. Put him at the two, he's behind Hughes, Brown, and possibly even Jones. It is encouraging to see that he hasn't given up, but I think at this point in his career a change of scenary would be good for him.

Justin's Take: I think the Cavs and the Bulls are fighting for three and four in the conference this year. James has tasted the playoffs, and even though there weren't any huge additions to the team in the off-season (too early to tell with Brown), I think the Cavs will be a little better than they were this season. That still won't mean a trip to the finals, but the conference finals aren't out of the question. Detroit and Miami may have something to say about that, but I think they'll be in the mix. Second round knockout, however, seems more likely.

Projected Record: 51-31

NBA Preview: The Chicago Bulls

"In the Chi, we even rootin' for a garbage team." - rap artist Common

"Be" is a tremendous album, probably one of my top two or three favorite CDs in my massive collection. The album was a hit in 2005, but it's obvious that Common wrote the lyrics prior to the start of the Bulls' 2004-2005 campaign. Either way, it appears as though Common's lyrics are outdated after consecutive playoff appearances in Chicago.

Fondest Bull Memory: Words can't even describe it. MichaelAir23Jordan of youtube.com does a much better job in his four minute Michael Jordan montage. This is nothing against any of the players currently in the NBA or any of the players that will invade the league in the coming seasons, but there will never, ever, EVER be another player better than Jordan.

Last Year: EVER!!! Wait, what was I talking about? Oh yes, last year's Chicago Bulls had to rally in the second half of the season to make the playoffs as the seventh seed, but arguably gave the Miami Heat the toughest series in the East. In my last blog I wrote about the Bobcats and their ability to force turnovers but their inability to stop people. Well, scoring on the Bulls was just about as tough as it is to score on their Windy City football counterpart. Opponents shot 42.6 percent against them, and that figure was the best in the NBA. It started with a stingy defensive back-court in Kirk Hinrich and Chris Duhon, and ended with Tyson Chandler tossing shots back like a college co-ed during spring break and grabbing posession-ending rebounds. Offensively, however, this team struggled due to their dearth of big men who could score. This team depended solely on Hinrich and Ben Gordon attacking off the dribble and hitting jumpers. That alone (okay, Andres Nocioni wasn't bad either) kept them in the Miami series, but it also probably cost them the series, too.

This Year: The biggest acquisition in the off-season for the Bulls was Ben Wallace, and the jury is still out on whether or not this was a positive move. On the surface, the answer is a resounding yes. Wallace is an opposing center's nightmare, because he doesn't even care about scoring. He's there to shut you down, make you feel impotent, and send you home crying to your groupies. But, I see him as only a more aggressive, harder-working, more cut version of Chandler with even less offensive game. Thus, the Bulls still lack a scoring punch, mainly on the interior. Drafting Tyrus Thomas was a step in the right direction, but he is rawer than Monday night (wrestling, that is). Chicago Tribune writer Sam Smith thinks the Bulls should trade for Clippers' swingman Corey Maggette, and while I can see him doing quite well in Chicago, he doesn't fit their primary need: a low post scorer. Hey! I've got a better one: what about Zach Randolph? That'd be a steal for the Bulls. But, even if they don't make any moves, they're still in good position for a high finish in the East. They're loaded with young talent ( I haven't even mentioned Luol Deng or Thabo Sefolosha yet), and the addition of P.J. Brown gives them vital leadership in the front-court.

Player on the Rise: I think we have a tie. The Arlington Heights Daily Herald, a Chicago based publication, reported that Deng had beaten out Nocioni for the starting small forward slot. It honestly doesn't matter which of them start, because they are both obviously going to play heavy minutes. Deng is a versatile swingman who is just starting to come into his own, and Nocioni showed me a great deal in both the playoffs against Miami and in the FIBA Basketball Championships for Argentina. It's a luxury to have both of these guys on the same team for two reasons: 1) match-up problems and, 2) trade bait.

Player on the Decline: Brown has one, maybe two more years left in him. He'll play some good minutes but expect him to lose time at the expense of Deng, Nocioni, Thomas and even Mike Sweetney if the Bulls keep him around.

Justin's Take: I definitely think this will be a playoff team. How high they finish is up in the air, but I tend to be on the more positive side of the fence with the Bulls. An already stingy defense gets better, plus the offensive core group of Hinrich, Gordon, Nocioni and Deng have two years of playoff experience under their belts. Second round? Yes. Conference finals? Possibly. Finals? Hopefully the Bulls have Zach Randolph's agent on speed dial.

Projected Record: 53-29

NBA Preview: Charlotte Bobcats

Through crazy circumstances, I haven't exactly lived up to my promise of a team per day. In fact, my profile package due for this class was a total disaster, and I'm still trying to get over that. The package had promise, but unfortunately I am computer retarded. So, I have the article, the pictures, and the audio, and it's almost a week since the deadline passed and I haven't been able to figure it out. I'll have to document that project as a loss and move on to the next one.

So yeah, sorry I haven't been able to post these, but I'm going to try to re-dedicate myself to previewing all the teams for all three of you who read this.

Today we have the Charlotte Bobcats.

Fondest Bobcat Memory: I've seen like one game in their first two seasons, so I guess this question is irrelevant regarding the Bobcats. But, I do have plenty of Adam Morrison memories, especially since he's been on TV a ton more than the Bobcats themselves. The image of him crying against UCLA with 1.3 seconds left in the game showed me a lot about Morrison's character. Yes, some criticize him about crying while the outcome of the game was still very much up in the air, but I think it speaks volumes about his love for the game. I can't remember the last player I saw cry in a game, and I certainly can't remember the last time someone made a commercial about it.

Last Year: People will be quick to call a 26-56 injury-prone season miserable, but I'll focus on the positives. They led the league in steals and turnovers forced, which tells me that while they weren't stingy on defense (they did give up 101 points per game), they never gave their opponents a night off. Plus, take into account that their best player, Emeka Okafor, played in only 26 games and you can see that this Bobcat team wasn't in top form last year. Gerald Wallace showed everybody that he is on the cusp of being a superstar, despite the fact that he missed significant time as well. Brevin Knight produced solid numbers from the point guard slot, but more importantly Raymond Felton showed people why he is the point guard of the future. He outperformed 2005 draft classmate Deron Williams, whom I thought was severely overrated anyway. If only rookie teammate Sean May got a chance to show the same promise before he got hurt. Did I mention that this team had a ton of injuries?

This Year: The Bobcats' win total is headed in the right direction, as long as they can keep their best players on the court. If Okafor and Wallace especially stay healthy, this team has a chance to be 10 games better than last year. I like Morrison the player, but as for him being a good addition for this team, I'm not quite sold. ESPN's John Hollinger agrees with me. I mean, he plays the same position as Gerald Wallace, and don't try to sell me on the fact that he can play the two guard position. I think it would be interesting to see him and Joe Naimath in a foot race. Not Joe Naimath in his prime; Joe Naimath today. But, regardless of what position Morrison plays, he will score quite a bit this year. With another year of experience, I look for Raymond Felton to emerge as one of the East's top point guards this year.

Player on the Rise: I'm not even going to repeat myself. I'm extremely high on Raymond Felton. (By the way, I've heard this expression and have found myself using this expression very often. Do journalists mean this literally?).

Player on the Decline: Tough category for this team, because I think almost everybody on this roster has some upside. I'm reserving judgement on May, because honestly we just haven't seen enough of him. Unfortunately, the player who fits this spot is Knight. I expect his minutes to drop drastically with the development of Felton, and in crunch time I feel like he's going to be the odd man out in the rotation (I figure Bernie Bickerstaff will go against my reccommendations and use Wallace and Morrison at the same time in tough situations). Plus, Knight isn't getting any younger.

Justin's Take: I did an exercise in my head the other day and thought about the best eight teams in the Eastern Conference. I'm sure they won't hold to form, but unfortunately I can't see Charlotte leap-frogging any of the teams on the waiting list, teams like the Celtics, the 76ers, and the Magic. However, I do think they'll be in it until March, and then during the off-season they may spend a little bit of money and break into the top eight.

Projected Record: 36-46

NBA Preview: The Boston Celtics

Stop No. 2 out of 29 brings us to Beantown, home of Larry Legend and Red Auerbach. Let's open up my crystal ball (which some of you already say I should take back to the store I got it from because it's defective).

Fondest Celtic Memory: Most people would insert their most poignant Larry Bird memory in this slot, but I'll admit it: Bird was a tad bit before my time. I remember him during the twilight of his career, and he was still damn good then, but most of my memories of him are highlights on those NBA Finals shows on ESPN. My favorite memory actually came from the first game of the Rick Pitino era, when the Celtics played the Bulls to open up the '97-'98 season (Michael Jordan's "last" season). The young Celtics supposedly had no chance going in, and it showed early on as the Chi-town raced to an early 20 point lead. But, a budding star named Antoine Walker and a promising point guard named Chauncey Billups saved the day, leading the Celtics to an improbable (especially against MJ) come from behind victory. I had seen comebacks before, but that game taught me that hustle and heart can overcome talent anyday.
God, that was really cliche. Sorry.

Last Year: Paul Pierce had his best year as a pro, but even he couldn't make up for the Hawks' lack of post presence. Delonte West had a surprisingly effective year playing out of position but producing in almost every statistical category, and when Wally Szczerbiak came over from the T'Wolves he put points on the board. But, after a promising rookie year, Al Jefferson took a couple steps in the wrong direction and actually lost his starting spot to Ryan Gomes. This team lacked in toughness and probably only won as many games as they did through talent on the perimeter. It's never good when your leading rebounder only grabs seven a game... and it's your starting swingman.

This Year: My friend Hakeem said it best. "This team is hard to get a read on because they have so many young guys." I agree, to a point. Speaking of points in smooth transition, embattled point guard Sebastian Telfair makes his way over from Portland, giving the Celts a true playmaker but, unfortunately, another young player. Depending on which journalist you ask, Telfair is either a good pick-up or "just another 5'11" point guard", according to ESPN columnist Bill Simmons. So, there are alot of question marks on this team. But, they do have Paul Pierce, and he'll get them 20 wins by himself. He might have to.

Player on the Rise: Gomes looked really good during the second half of the year, and even though he's a tweener at 6'7", he's a grinder like Mike McDermott (sorry, too much poker lately). I think his overall upside is limited (compared to the other kids on this roster), but I expect to see a jump in production for him this season.

Player on the Decline: I wonder if we're ever going to figure out how good Kendrick Perkins is. To me, him and Jefferson are the keys to this team, but at least I've seen flashes of Jefferson's potential. On a team devoid of big men, Perkins HAS to give them some presence.

Justin's Take: I can't tell where this team is headed. Telfair helps I think, but he's not going to get them over the hump. This team does have potential, but the clock is ticking on that potential. With the exception of West, none of the younger guys have panned out the way Danny Ainge thought they would. Maybe this is the year they blossom. If not, hey, they'll have another mid-first round pick to try and develop.

Projected Record: 37-45

NBA Preview: The Atlanta Hawks

This blog is actually part of a semester long project in which the minimum is 15 blogs entries, or, for those no longer in school, one blog entry per week.

I am about to smash that number in the next nine days.

Inspired by friend/former basketball teammate/journalist Colin "hapless Washington fan" Donohue, I'm going to do an NBA preview for every team. Effective writer that he is, Donohue likes to sum up every team in one sentence. My verbiage simply won't allow me to do that.

So, without further ado (and this hopes to be the format for the next 29 days), here is my preview of the Atlanta Hawks.

Fondest Hawk Memory: Back in the day (and I say "back in the day" very loosely because I'm only 24), TBS used to broadcast Hawks' games. I got to see a game almost every other night during the season. It was either them or the Wiz... er, Bullets, and the Bullets were awful back then. The Hawks had a squad that was always pretty good, but they could never get over the hump. To this day, I still call steals "Mookies" in homage to Hawks legendary point guard Mookie Blaylock.

Last year: For a team that went 26-56, they were fun to watch. Joe Johnson made Team USA for a reason,and Josh Smith was a highlight a minute (even though his performance in the slam dunk contest was questionable). What slowed this team down last year were two things. First and foremost, they couldn't stop anybody, and that's half the battle right there. Also, and I'm being nice when I say this, Tyronn Lue was the worst starting point guard in the league, so they were lacking leadership qualities at the most important position. GM Billy Knight could have fixed this problem, but he passed on Chris Paul in last year's draft. I know I'm just repeating what every other sportswriter in the world said, but it's true. And as for the guy they took over Chris Paul? With former Hawk Al Harrington starting over him, Marvin Williams only started seven games.

This year: In fairness, these guys were young last year. They're young this year, but, Capatin Obvious statement of the day, they're a year older. They drafted some help inside with Shelden Williams, who I'm not sold on but he's definitely a defensive improvement and at the very least provides a winning attitude. They signed a point guard who will certainly be an upgrade in Speedy Claxton, but, of course, he'll be out five to six weeks . Even still, there's definitely a reason to be optimistic in A-town.

Player on the rise: Marvelous Marvin, as I've heard Dickey V call him countless times as a collegiate athlete, apparently made people remember who he was this past summer. He didn't have to, but he played on the Hawks summer league roster and destroyed the competition. Now that Harrington's gone, Williams is in prime position to blossom this year.

Player on the decline: Tyronn Lue will go from the worst starting point guard in the league to a mediocre back-up point guard who may lose minutes to Royal Ivey this year.

Justin's Take: This team is headed in the right direction. They're the kind of team that you'd want to start Dynasty Mode with on NBA Live: youth with upside, and a great deal of tradeable commodities that could turn your franchise around. Of course, in Live and in life, it's not a one year job.

Projected Record: 34-48