Dwight Howard Trade Talks

So by now you've heard (and read) the latest trade scenario of Dwight Howard to the Atlanta Hawks. Joe Johnson and Al Horford for Dwight wouldn't be that bad a get for Orlando given how young and talented Al Horford is and the fact that Orlando has yet to use their amnesty clause (Could be used on Johnson and his 124m albatross of a contract). Putting that aside, this would be a HUGE get for Atlanta. They have clearly peaked with the team they have currently assembled and it doesn't look like any player on their roster is going to make the leap to "superstar" anytime soon (if at all). Given the talent of Josh Smith (and his friendship with Dwight) and the emergence of Jeff Teague at PG, adding a super-duper-star like Dwight Howard will put them in a position to make a couple smart moves that will result in them being a championship contender. I get that Hawk fans love Horford and that he's young and could continue to develop into a special player, but he will NOT be Dwight Howard at any point and Joe Johnson clearly isn't in the future plans for Atlanta. Dwight is from Atlanta and would be quite content being the reason the Hawks become a relevant title contender once again. If Otis Smith is serious about wanting players and not draft picks for Dwight, I don't see how you are going to get a better package than Horford and Joe Johnson outside of Pau and Andrew Bynum.

For the record I still see him ending up in L.A., but I'm obligated to at least acknowledge the latest "As the Dwight Howard turns" rumors..

Paul Pierce will start

Doc announced that Paul Pierce will start in the game tonight. (Source: ESPN)

This is huge news for the Celtics who are desperate for their 1st win of the season. They are home to a much maligned Detroit squad that cannot seem to get out of their own way. I would be surprised if the C's don't pull it out tonight. Detroit struggles on offense and having to go up against Boston's defense is not the cure for that. Also, with Pierce back on offense, they will have their best pure scorer out there to handle the load on offense. Boston is favored by 10 tonight, I'd say it's a near lock they surpass that and blow Detroit out.

Prediction: 102-81

Is 95m not enough for you?

Derrick Rose expected to sign a deal that will approach 250 million dollars with Adidas in the coming days. It'll be over the course of 10 years (25 per annum) and will essentially be a life-time shoe-deal. (Source: ESPN.com)

Unbelievable. Derrick Rose will be the new face of Adidas going forward to compete with Nike and their arsenal of athletes. On one hand I want to say congratulations and pat D-Rose on the back, but on the other hand, it's hard to congratulate anyone who just made 350 million in a matter of weeks. Kudos on the deal, though, D-Rose. Now you can finally pay back the guy who took your SAT's for you!

Nightly Recap: 12/29/11

Day 5 in the NBA brings us game winners, a battle of undefeated's, and a showdown between two iconic basketball franchises.

Kevin Durant > Vince Carter

I talked about this last night in my rapid reaction, but what a great game that was between OKC and Dallas last night. Kevin Durant goes off for 30 while Dirk goes for 29. The defending champs fall to 0-3 and look to be in real trouble here. OKC on the other hand, looks as legit as people had predicted all season. KD continues to be the front-runner for MVP and despite losing the turnover battle in dramatic fashion in this game (26-12), OKC continues to be the front-runner for the west.

There ain't no D in NYC

New York had every chance to win this game. I won't mention the refs much in this blog, but NY had 41 FT attempts to LA's 22. That is a massive difference and anyone watching the game knows it wasn't because NY was more physical in the low-post. The Lakers shot 82% in the 2nd qtr, 72% in the 1st half and 52% in the game while the Knicks - consistently - shot 32% throughout the game. New York looked frenetic on offense and Amar'e had 23% of his shots blocked. That is a staggering stat. If the Knicks settle down on offense and control the game on that side of the ball, the defense will improve (not into a top 10 defense, but improve enough), and they'll have a chance to make a run. Nice stat I saw on twitter from this game: Knicks haven't beaten the Lakers since Feb of '07.

Undefeated No More

Denver is knocked off the list of undefeated teams, leaving just 6 undefeated teams remaining (would have been 5 if not for KD's ridiculous trey from long-distance). Don't let the final score fool you, though. This game was tied at 98 with just under 6 minutes remaining. Portland closed them out with a nice run by Crawford, Wes Matthews, and Ray Felton. One aspect where Portland outdid Denver consistently was rebounding (out rebounding them 50-30 in the game) I cannot imagine how good the Blazers would be with a healthy Roy and Oden. Batum still has room to grow (lot of Portland writers feel he isn't nearly as good as he could be) and the signing of Kurt Thomas gives Camby a much needed rest at crucial spots in the game without sacrificing too much skill. Jamal Crawford, however, is going to be one of the best additions to any team this off-season. He can flat out change a game when coming off the bench (either extending a lead or closing a deficit with both 2nd units in). Portland looks like it could be merging into a real contender/threat to OKC.

Notes:

• Houston gets their 1st win of the year against division foe San Antonio behind a great effort from their backcourt
• 13 players got minutes for Houston; a trend I'm noticing for a lot of teams; coaches still don't know the rotation they want to go with and are experimenting a ton.
• Dwight Howard scored 16 pts and had 24 rebounds against NJ who continued to score again, shooting 37% for the game and scoring a mere 78 points
• Derrick Rose, who wasn't having all that great a game, was Derrick Rose down the stretch and put away Sacramento on the road.
• Rip Hamilton had his best game in a Chicago uniform, scoring 16 points on 7-15 shooting.
• Noah has had a slow start to the year (only 7 ppg and 7 rpg)
• CJ Wilson had 9 assists in 18 minutes
• Dirk was perfect on his FT's and has now missed only 1 all season (v. Miami in the opening game of the year)

Follow me on Twitter: NickJBurrows

Rapid Reaction: Mavs 102 @ Thunder 104

KD 4 3!

How impressive is Kevin Durant. He over-pursues Dirk on that final play for the Mavericks allowing Vince to play hero (at least for a few seconds), but rebounds to nail an incredibly tough 3-point shot from well beyond the 3-point line as the game clock expired. He also posted his 4th consecutive 30+ point game and now is averaging 31.7 ppg this year, tops in the NBA.

Vince plays hero

For about 1 minute he was the most hated man in OKC and the most beloved man in Dallas. Then Kevin Durant was Kevin Durant.

Westbrook struggles but comes up big late

Russell Westbrook didn't play all that well. He had 7 turnovers to 4 assists, only got to the stripe 3 times and had a +/- of -5. He did come back late in the final 2 minutes to help OKC come away with their 4th win of the season.

Sloppy OKC; Hot OKC

OKC had 26 turnovers; 6 by KD, 6 by Perk, and 7 by Westbrook, however they shot nearly 60% as a team which allowed them to win despite being out shot 90-63. Let me say that again. After being out shot NINTEY to SIXTY-THREE. Yikes..

Odom Struggles Again

Lamar Odom continues to struggle adjusting to the Dallas Mavericks. Now 14 points 13 rebounds, 2 assists, and a block combined in all three games. He also looks lost on offense on most possessions. This is a big reason as to why Dallas is 0-3 out of the gate. Once he gets his game going, Dallas will start chalking up W's.

The NBA is BACK!

I cannot say this enough. Games like this are why I love the NBA. Highly competitive game, chippy, big shots being made (never forget the 3 by Jason Terry that made that Vince 3 matter), and a fantastic finish. Gotta love the NBA!

FA Signing: Phoenix Suns

The Suns announced the signing of Michael Redd today to a 1-year deal (assuming vet min). The Suns have struggled to score the basketball and Redd will provide instant offense off the bench with his 3 point shot. Given his multiple knee surgeries and the fact that, well, he just didn't play it well before, defense will be an issue. Offense, no defense, sounds like Suns basketball! What a fit!

Nightly Recap: 12/28/11

I was traveling last night so my recap is mainly based off of listening to the radio calls of various games and as such will be short. But here are my overall thoughts from day 4 in the NBA.

Wade for the Win

Wade breaks the hearts of Bobcats fans everywhere with a dribble drive and bank shot for the win. This was the Heats 3rd game in 4 days (2 of which were emotionally draining - Mavs & Celtics), so it was expected that there would be a bit of a let down. But even with that let down, they find a way and get the win. This is going to be a recurring theme for this team. They are loaded.

Norris Cole watch: 2/8 for 5 points and 1 assist off the bench

Ladies and Gentleman, Your 0-3 Boston Celtics

This one is a head-scratcher to me. I get they have played 3 road games in 4 days and that they are coming off an emotionally draining (let down) game vs. the Miami Heat, but this is the New Orleans Hornets. These are the games in a shortened season that you HAVE to win. The Celtics have been getting solid play from their bench in the absence of Pierce, but last night it was also their defense that let them down. They allowed the Hornets starters to shoot 53% from the field including a 21 point effort from Jarrett Jack who has a career 10 ppg average. I'm going to save any "The Celtics are in Trouble" posts for later due to Pierce not being in the lineup, but this is very troubling.

6 for the 6ers

The 76ers had 6 scorers in double figures as they bludgeoned the Phoenix Suns. The final score wasn't even indicative of the game, despite it being a 20 point win. The 76ers were all over Phoenix from the start. It took until 4 min remaining in the 3rd qtr for the Suns to even get 1 point in the 2nd half. Jrue Holiday went down with a knee injury late in the 4th (leading you to question Doug Collins having him in there) but should be fine. Markieff Morris looks like he's going to be starting for the Suns at C in the not too distant future. That kid is a player.

Notes:

• Kyrie Irving bounced back with a nice game for the Cavs in their 1st win of the year; 14 pts 7 asts, 4 rebs on 5-9 shooting.
• Detroit is a mess. I know I mentioned this before, but this team is all over the map. It was nice to see Ben Gordon show that he's still alive, though!
• Brandon Knight had a big game; 29 minutes played, shot 10-13 for 23 points, 6 assists, and only 2 turnovers.
• Why is Nick Young coming off the bench? Seriously, someone give me a good reason that Jordan Crawford should start over him?
• Atlanta may have found their PG of the future with Teague. He's looked just as good as he did in the playoffs last year.
• Pacers are now 2-0 and look impressive; just as I had predicted (had to)
• KD and Westbrook have issues.
• Memphis is the best 0-2 team in the league right now.
• Can Memphis play Oklahoma City every night?! Those two teams always put on a show when they play (think back to last years 7 game series that came down to the wire)
• Lob City was closed for the night
• New York Knicks cannot play defense, also Bibby looked AWFUL in his debut in a NYK uniform
• How happy are Nugget fans that they re-signed Nene?
• I refuse to watch the Jazz play from this point forward

Westbrook vs. Durant

... And FIGHT.

No, but seriously. These two have had issues since day 1. Westbrook clearly sees himself as a superstar in this league and does not like deferring to KD in big moments. You've seen it in plenty of regular season games and most notably you saw it in the playoffs last year. This is a particular problem given the fact that Westbrook handles the ball and has the keys to the offense. He decides whether or not to feed KD in a close game that is a must win. If I'm Sam Presti, I'm looking to get rid of Westbrook if I can get the right deal.

Don't get me wrong, Westbrook is an extremely talented player and may well be the superstar he thinks he is, but that doesn't work with this team. Kevin Durant is the clear leader of this team and Westbrook needs to mature and learn that. If he can't do that, he has to be moved for a PG that can distribute the ball. Rondo obviously comes to mind given:

a) Danny Ainge's incessant need to move him for whatever reason

b) The natural fit that with Boston fading out it's vets, they need a young guy that can score the ball (not Rondo's specialty)

c) Westbrook would be happier in a big market like Boston while Rondo would be able to do what he does best with a team many believe is the favorite in the west. Also, he'd be reunited with his best friend, Perk.

Tonight was another example of where the two couldn't get along, and how fitting that KD still finds a way to win the game vs. a very good Grizzlies team while Westbrook goes 0-13. It's almost poetic...

Nightly Recap: 12/27/11

Day 3 in the NBA has come and gone with the big marquee match-up of the Celtics and the Heat dueling it out in South Beach leading the charge as the first of the TNT double header. Speaking of TNT, why is Shaq whispering all his analysis? He's like an intimidated guy on an interview, it's disappointing to say the least. Anyway, I'm going to be trying new layouts for the recaps so bear with me while I tinker with this.

"I can't believe I'm saying this but if you're Boston you've gotta get the ball out of Norris Cole's hands!" - Steve Kerr

Unbelievable a match-up of this magnitude (for such an early regular season game) with all the stars available, that a rookie that played in the Horizon League for Cleveland State last year would be upstaging Wade, Bron, and Bosh and taking (AND MAKING) the big shots to put Boston away. Given the fact that, yet again, Pierce did not play for Boston, Miami was impressive in jumping out to that lead and then keeping Boston at bay after their late surge. I will say this, going back and looking at Norris Cole in that Mavericks game and again in the Boston game, that kid FEELS like he belongs on the court with all those guys and has an NBA body, those are 2 of the biggest obstacles as a rookie. While you're not going to see him dropping 20 a night, the kid can shoot, has confidence, and can hold his own. I don't see how he's not the starting PG for the Heat going forward. Looks like moving around those 2 picks to get him from the Bulls was a smart move.

As for Boston, I would not panic. They are without Paul Pierce and played the best team in the east on the road. They looked like they were going to be blown out of the building but were able to make a nice comeback. They've had a rough schedule to go along with a tough injury to deal with to start the year. I have all the confidence this team will bounce back and be a factor in the east going forward. Side note: how awesome is it to watch Ray Allen shoot 3-pointers. So pure.

31 and 20 = 17 L's

Kevin Love had another Wilt like game putting up 31 points and 20 rebounds, however missing the last second 3 to tie the game, resulting in the 17th straight loss for this T-Wolves team dating back to last year. This team has far too much talent to lose 17 straight and it boggles my mind they aren't able to steal a win here and there. This team is young and with Rubio, Derrick Williams, Kevin Love, Beasley, and (Hopefully) Wes Johnson, they have a nice young foundation to build on. It'll be interesting to see what happens going forward, but this is a team that could get hot and go on a winning streak.

Other notes:

• Lakers get their first win, avoiding an 0-3 start for the 33rd straight year
• The Nets had their worse loss since '07 (and when the Nets set a record for futility that's bad..)
• Portland is now 2-0 and people really need to pay attention to their starting F's. Aldridge and Wallace are as good and athletic as any 3/4 combo is in this league.
• Jimmer had 10 its on 4-10 shooting (making 1 three) while DeMarcus Cousins put up a nice game with 16/11 (leading the NBA in usage rate)
• The Nets liked what they saw out of Brooks; dude is quick and can get to the stripe (where he shot a stellar 7-8 and lead the Nets in scoring)
• The Hawks bench put up 55 points, the Nets starters put up 24.
• Utah is rebuilding and it's going to be ugly. That is a team that is painful to watch play.
• Paul Milsap needs to go to a contending team, his talents are being wasted in Salt Lake City. He is a stud on both ends of the floor.

Nightly Recap: 12/26/11

After a great debut to the season, the NBA season rolls on with a day 2 slate that featured 12 games with more than a few interesting matchups. It would be interesting to see how the Bulls and Lakers responded to their emotional Christmas Day game (4^th most watched regular season game on ABC in NBA history), both playing on the road. It would be interesting to see if the Grizz would live up to what is undoubtedly the highest expectations they’ve ever had as a franchise vs. the old guard San Antonio Spurs. Also of note, if the defending champion Mavericks would bounce back, and how some of the young and up coming teams (Pacers, Sixers) would do.

Grizzlies 82 @ Spurs 95

Old guard proved to have some life left in them vs the young contending Grizzlies. Spurs held Zach Randolph in check, limiting him to just 8 shots (of which he made 3) in 30 min of play. The Spurs utilized a great 3rd qtr (no doubt do in part to Pop making halftime adjustments) to close in on, and overtake the Grizz after their halftime deficit of 44-33. Interesting to note, Pop went with a 10 man rotation which is rare for him. Rudy Gay took the most shots for the Grizz, and as a result had the most points (19). On the other side of the court, Manu was back to being Manu, helping the Spurs make their run and putting the Grizzlies out of their misery and keeping the franchise without an opening day victory since their move from Vancouver in '01 (also didn't help that the Grizz had 24 turnovers to the Spurs 13). Despite Blair getting the start, Tiago Splitter played 33 minutes to DeJuan Blair's 10 minutes at the 5 spot. I fully expect the Grizzlies to be a major player in the west, but the Spurs proved they are also in the conversation.

Lakers 91 Kings 100; Bulls 91 Warriors 99

Lakers and Bulls responded the exact same way to their Christmas day thriller; by scoring 91 points and losing. The Bulls came out flat scoring only 41 points in the first half while the Lakers similarly came out flat scoring a mere 40 points. Bryant looked much more comfortable with that wrist injury, playing 38 minutes of a back-to-back (knowing he had another game the next night) and scoring 29 pts with only 2 turnovers. The Lakers depth continued to be the issue here. With no Bynum they weren't able to overcome a fast & physical Kings squad. Tyreke Evans absolutely exploited Derek Fisher all night long to the tune of 20 pts on 6-13 shooting, while Marcus Thornton showed exactly why the Kings liked him scoring 27 points to go along with 5 boards and 3 dimes. Jimmer's debut was a bit quiet, 6 points on 3-8 shooting in 26 minutes of play (impressive minutes) with 3 assists and 3 turnovers. As for the Warriors/Bulls game - I'll say this, the backcourt of the Warriors is flat out FUN to watch. Monta Ellis and Steph Curry are electric. A combined 17-29 for 47 points, 17 asts, 6 stls, and 9 rebs (total +/- of +11), they imposed their will on D-Rose, Rip, and Brewer. Little surprised Brewer only got 15 minutes in this game while noted defensive flop Korver got 17 (and Rip got 24), but the way the Warriors played defensively (YES, the Warriors, I know, I know!), not so sure it would have mattered. While the Bulls outrebounded the Warriors, the Warriors had 16 steals to the Bulls 3 along with 2 more blocks and 10 less turnovers while attempting 9 more FT's. Clearly the Warriors were committed to a physical defensive game while the Bulls were not. The Bulls are obviously the better team in the long run, but that was a nice showing for the Warriors faithful that Mark Jackson may have this team buying into playing some defense. Also, how the F&$# did Kwame Brown get 23 minutes?! There is no right answer to that question...

76ers 103 Trail Blazers 107 ; Pistons 79 Pacers 91

76ers came out flat (kind of unforgivable given how good a coach Doug Collins is), but rebounded to play head to head on the road with a very good Blazer team. What was interesting to me was Collins choosing to play only an 8 man rotation given such a deep bench to work with. Gerald Wallace played well (as he always does vs. Philly) and Camby got his 10+ rebounds and Portland limited their turnovers while the Sixers were careless with it (especially early on). The Sixers made a nice run, getting within 2 points thanks to an Elton Brand jumper, only to see that balloon to a double digit deficit before Lou Williams single-handedly brought them back and if not for a missed Iggy 3, potentially a win. David West looked good in his debut as a Pacer scoring 11 pts and garnering 12 boards (7 of which were o-rebs, extending possessions) with 2 blocks. This game, however, was an ugly one. Both teams shot under 37% but thanks to a 2-1 edge in o-rebs, the Pacers were able to take more shots in the game, allowing them to take the win. While I am confident in saying the Pacers won't be this bad going forward, I'm not sure we haven't seen the issue that will haunt Detroit all year. They have no identity and a lot of guys who play the same position. It will be interesting to see how Lawrence Frank handles that going forward.

Raptors 104 Cavaliers 96; Rockets 95 Magic 104; Nets 90 Wizards 84; Bucks 95 Bobcats 96; Thunder 104 Timberwolves 100; Nuggets 115 Mavericks 93; Hornets 85 Suns 84

Notes:

• Mavericks came out flat for the 2nd straight game; not a good sign for the defending champs
• Rick Carlisle had 13 people with playing time in the game (10 with significant minutes); that is not good for a team coming off a championship that SHOULD have their rotation set. That shows me he's not comfortable with what he has. Definitely something to keep an eye on.
• Rubio looks like he's gonna be as good as advertised. His court vision is ridiculous. Once he gets a bit older and adjusts to the speed of the game, he will be a perennial all-star
• The Hornets won thanks to Stern veto'ing the Suns last second shot (sorry, had to)
• Kevin Durant scores 30+ for the second straight night - can you say scoring title?
• Kyrie Irving didn't have the debut a 1st overall pick would like: 2-12 shooting for 6 pts, 1-5 from downtown a turnover and 2 fouls. However he did have 7 assists, which is the equivalent to 14 on a team with real basketball players.
• Tristan Thompson could be better than people think; 1 of only 3 Cavs with a positive +/- line and made great use of his 17 minutes, scoring 14 points.
• Kemba Walker: 13 pts, 7 rebs, 3 asts, 7-7 from the stripe. Not too shabby, but DJ Augistin stole the show with 19 pts on 7-16 shooting with 8 asts.
• The Wizards must be sick after blowing that lead to a team like the Nets; Blatche certainly tweeted to that affect.
• Hedo Turkoglu doing his best to make himself not look like a salary dump throw in to the eventual Dwight Howard trade; 23 pts on 10-14 shooting, passing up a few 3 pt shots to drive to the hoop (very unlike him, or any European player for that matter..)
• Kyle Lowry is very good and needs to get more recognition for it.
• Terrence Williams has the fastest hands in the NBA. That man can turn a windmill dunk in .5 seconds.
• If nothing else, Minnesota will be fun to watch this year; Especially with Kevin Love who continues to be a top 10 player in the NBA (yes, seriously). Dude is money and I would take him over Blake Griffen right now in a heart-beat.
• Derrick Williams: 13 pts, 6 rebs, 1 asts, 1 stl, 6-14 shooting. Not a bad debut for the much hyped rookie
• Kris Humphries is more than just Mr. Kardashian: 21 pts and 16 boards amidst a bevy of boo's in the Verizon Center.

NBA Opening Day

We're halfway through the first day of the 2011-2012 NBA season and what a day it's been so far. The Knicks and Celtics delivered a Christmas Day classic, needing all 48 minutes to decide who would leave the newly rejuvenated garden the winner. Granted the Celtics were missing their captain and best scorer, Paul Pierce, but the Knicks looked fairly impressive in the 1st half moving out to a big lead and more importantly, impressive in the 2nd half rebounding from a rough stretch that saw the Celtics turn a 17 point deficit into a 7 point lead. The game was extremely chippy right from the start. Daniels and Anthony were physical throughout and Tyson Chandler looked like he was told the entire Celtics squad ran train on his mother prior to the game. Fittingly it ended with a skirmish and (unfortunately) Kevin Garnett choking Bill Walker and likely receiving a suspension for it. Couple observations from that game:

1. Toney Douglas shot far too much for a PG that has Melo, Amare, and Chandler on his team

2. Rondo looks incredible; he could be poised for an even bigger season than we expected

3. The Celtics look like they have a real find with Brandon Bass. Could be one of Ainge's sneaky good moves.

4. MSG is back

5. The Knicks aren't as good defensively as I had predicted; could be due to lack of playing time together, could just be that D'Antoni isn't a DEF guy.

The Heat came out on fire. LeBron and Wade outclassed the Mavericks from the opening tip and dominated them throughout the first 3 (at one point late in the 3rd, LeBron and Wade had outscored the Mavericks just by themselves alone). They turned it on defensively keeping Dirk in check all game (was 2-9 late in the 3rd). I don't take much from the 4th qtr as the Heat clearly took their foot off the gas and coasted to the finish. Probably a smart move considering the compact season and needing to get guys rest (even if they were on the court, not going full out will help). The Heat scored 30+ points in each of the first 3 qtrs (scoring 8 in the 4th). Hard to take much from this game as it's just ONE game, but the Heat sure did look good and their defense stifled a VERY solid offensive ball club in Dallas. Couple observations from this game:

1. LeBron James proved he is an MVP; 37 points on 19 attempts is incredibly efficient basketball. Throw in the 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks and only TWO turnovers despite how much he handled the rock; stud.

2. The Heat are far better rebounders than they were last year; 51 boards in this game, 14 from Haslem. They have great position under the hoop and everyone is hustling on the offensive glass (15 orebs).

3. Brian Cardinal had the best +/- on the Mavericks. Just saying'

4. Norris Cole looks like he could develop into a nice backup PG

5. Jason Kidd looks old out there

The Lakers / Bulls are locked in a tight one (Thanks, Marv Albert!) with only 7 points separating the two at half. Kobe's wrist looks to be bothering him, but he is adjusting. He started out with 6 points & 4 turnovers, then managed 8 points & 1 turnover from that point on. Devin Ebanks looks like he could be a real find for this team, playing extremely well in transition. Both teams are shooting over 50% at half, the difference being how well the Bulls are shooting from downtown. The Lakers can't seem to cover the perimeter defensively, and that could prove to be the difference in the game if Mike Brown doesn't make adjustments for the 2nd half. Few things to note from this game so far:

1. Devin Ebanks looks like a nice player for the Lakers

2. Derrick Rose is just so much fun to watch. 10 points on 4-5 shooting with 4 dimes at halftime. Solid numbers while keeping his teammates involved. Great shot selection.

3. I wonder if Ronnie Brewer should start and bring Rip off the bench, at least to start the season out. He's familiar with Rose and Rip could really boost that teams 2nd unit.

4. In reality, it's Kobe, Pau, and nobody else. Those 2 are going to have to put up big numbers in the 2nd half if the Lakeshow hope to pull this one out.

FA Signing: Boston Celtics

Mickael Pietrus is expected to join the Celtics within the next 24 hours. This is likely a reaction to Pierce's injury, but this signing will pay off big time if they can convince him to sign for the minimum. Pietrus can play the 2 or the 3 (will play 3 on this Celtics team) and can guard both of those positions as well. He'll stretch the floor for them and he'll provide them with whatever minutes they need to fill. When Pierce is back healthy, he'll be getting the minutes that Jeff Green WOULD have gotten. Also, remember that despite his journeymen status, Mickael is only 29 (turns 30 in February), and has relatively fresh legs. He has proven that he can be a factor in the playoffs (See: Magic's '09 run, specifically the 12 ppg he put up versus this very Celtics team). He's a guy who routinely averages 20 mpg and will be asked to do so again this year for this Celtics team. If the signing goes through as planned, this is one of the better signings of this off-season.

Eastern Conference Preview

1. Miami Heat (51-15)

The Heat enter the season as the most talented team in the eastern conference and arguably the most talented team in the NBA. With LeBron/Wade/Bosh having a year of playing together under their belt and adding Battier to a much better than you think supporting cast, this team should rile off 50+ wins, only losing when they take nights off to rest.

2. Chicago Bulls (49-17)

Derrick Rose. This team is built for the regular season and very easily could surpass the 50 win total and be a 1 seed over the Heat. They HAVE to get a better season out of Boozer, he’s just too good a ball-player to put up back-to-back seasons like what he did last year. Adding Rip Hamilton fills a massive void and allows Rose’s dribble drives to have a SG waiting for a 15-foot kick-out shot. The question is, will Rose allow other players on his team to shine. The one critique I have with him is trying to be a too high-volume shooter and not deferring to his cast (could be a reason why Boozer underperformed). Regardless, this team will shine btwn Christmas and June.

3. New York Knicks (45-21)

Am I the only one who thinks that adding Baron Davis will be huge? That dude WANTS to play for a contender with great crowds; Knicks are contenders and play at MSG. Once healthy, he will lead an offense loaded with Melo and Amar’e. Everybody knows what kind of offensive numbers this team will put up. With Chandler locking down the paint, this team will be much better defensively than they were last year. Landry Fields is a capable defender on the perimeter and Toney Douglas is an above average defender at PG. This team is poised for a big run in 2011-2012 and can make some real waves in the playoffs as well.

4. Boston Celtics (43-23)

The only team in the NBA with 4 all-stars and I have them 2^nd in their own DIVISION? This team is paper-thin and very injury prone with their age. Jermaine O’Neal is good to get hurt for a few weeks and Pierce is already going to miss some games to start the year. This team is one injury to Rondo or KG away from potentially an 8^th seed or even missing post-season play. This team will be extremely challenged given the compact-season and back-to-back-to-back’s that will be thrown there way. They also have a stretch in April where they play 12 games in 20 days that could be a huge issue for this team. However, if they are healthy come June and make it through the season unscathed, this team could be quite dangerous.

5. Philadelphia 76ers (39-27)

This team will surprise a lot of people who aren’t paying attention. They are young, they are deep, and they stay healthy. They return their entire core and according to people involved, Elton Brand looks great in camp and looks to build on his rebound season of last year. Jrue Holiday, at a mere 21 years of age, looks like he could take a step further towards being an elite PG this year. This team plays tough defense for its head coach and while likely end in the top 5, certainly top 10. The 76ers have the strongest bench of any team in the NBA and their second unit (which will be called on a lot given a compact season) will possess a significant advantage over other teams second units. Given their lack of interior toughness (Spencer Hawes is softer than tissue paper), they won’t have a chance to threaten any of the real contenders, but they should have an excellent regular season.

6. Indiana Pacers (39-27)

This is one of my favorite teams to watch this year. I talked about them in my previous post in regards to their potential for a breakout year. The David West signing is a sneaky good signing that will give them some stability at the 4 with Roy and Jeff Foster rotating in the 5. Darren Collison is a name I expect a lot of people to start to know as the year goes along. Danny Granger, if he can return to his ’09-’10 form, can be a 20+ ppg scorer and they have some depth with Hansborough/West, Foster/Hibbert, and Collison/George Hill. Paul George is poised for a HUGE sophomore campaign and given the fact that the 3-pt shot is something that improves in players 2^nd year, he could be real dangerous at the 2 spot for them with his size.

7. Orlando Magic (35-31)

I don’t see this team finishing with Dwight Howard and even with him I think they are going to struggle. I know most “experts” have predicted them in the top 4, but I just don’t see it. They aren’t deep, Howard is unhappy, they are weak at the 4, and Hedo has seen his scoring efficiency decrease rapidly in the prior few years. This team will struggle with elite teams that run and gun them (think Knicks) and they are absolutely screwed when Dwight is traded as Daniel Orton (essentially a rookie) will be taking over at center. I love Ryan Anderson and JJ Reddick but both need to basically be wide open to be effective players so they are neutralized if this team struggles. I expect a weak season out of Orlando and depending on when Dwight gets traded, they may miss out completely on the playoffs.

8. Atlanta Hawks (33-33)

They lost their best bench player and Kirk Hinrich is going to miss a bunch of the season. They are going to take a step back. Tracy McGrady is not at all what Jamal Crawford was for them. Josh Smith does look explosive in pre-season and Joe Johnson has to have a somewhat bounce back year after last years disappointing numbers. A lot of what this team is depends on if Jeff Teague can continue to be as good as what he showed in the playoffs last year. This team has the potential to win 40+ games and vie for a 4/5 seed, but I just don’t see how they are going to stack up in a condensed season where you need to go to your bench a lot. AKA Tracy McGrady is going to be a big part of this team. Not good news if you’re a Hawks fan.

9. Milwaukee Bucks (31-35)

One of the best defensive teams in the eastern conference with just no offense. A healthy Bogut and a bounce back year from Brandon Jennings could help them out a lot, but they are thin and considering Shuan Livingston is backing up Jennings, a Jennings injury may be enough to injury Livingston as well leaving them with no point guard. I’m a bigger fan of most than Delfino who will be there wing player, but his lack of athleticism really limits the impact he can have on games. If his shot is on, he can be dangerous, but a bad day shooting the ball basically eliminates him from the game. Stephen Jackson is a headcase who is lobbying for a new contract and will certainly let that impact his game, leaving them with limited production from the off-guard. If things bounce right for them, they could sneak into the playoffs, but I don’t see it. They will definitely look like a playoff team some nights, however, leaving a lot of people scratching their head.

10. Detroit Pistons (27-39)

What a mess this team is. I would love to go out on a limb and predict them to make the playoffs, but they are just a collection of a lot of the same talent. Rodney Stucky isn’t a true PG, and they lack interior toughness (unless you count the corpse of Ben Wallace who YES is still there..) Monroe could be poised for a big season, but I’m not sure that it doesn’t go in vein considering the play of the rest of the team. I think they will win more games than people think purely because of their depth. Other than that, they are going to be frustrating to watch if you’re a Piston fan.

11. Washington Wizards (23-43)

Here’s another team I would have loved to place higher given the breakout ability of John Wall, but I just can’t do it given the lack of depth all around him. Outside of McGee and Nick Young, there are no real NBA quality starters. Blatche never developed and the rest of that team would all be bench players for any other team. It’s going to take a ginormous effort from Wall to get this team to 33 wins (8^th seed range) and given the fact they had no training camp/limited pre-season, I don’t see it. They are destined for another lottery pick.

12. New Jersey Nets (21-45)

No Brook Lopez to start the season = a rough season for NJ. They could get off to a VERY poor start despite giving up a 2^nd round pick in 2050 to get Okur. D-Will’s attitude will determine how well they tread water until Lopez’s return, but given that he’s got no help around him, it may not matter. I still think they end up getting Howard and winning some games in March and April before the season ends; garnering them some wins, but they will not be in the hunt for anything. If they don’t get Howard, they could be the worst team in basketball come the seasons end.

13. Charlotte Bobcats (14-52)

Kemba Walker is about the only reason you will want to watch this team play. Tyrus Thomas had probably the best per-minute year of any Bobcat last season but still only managed 21 mpg (credit: Hollinger). If they get him some minutes and Walker turns into a ROY candidate, they could put together a few wins given the potential for Gerald Henderson to become a solid wing scorer, but they are likely destined for an awful season and a lottery pick. This team will focus their season on figuring out what young talent they can build with and try and figure out the future direction of this team.

14. Toronto Raptors (14-52)

15. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-57)

I don’t think even I can stand to watch these two teams play. DeMar DeRozan could be worth watching and may become the leading scorer for the Raptors if Bargnani doesn’t take those honors, but these two teams are largely unwatchable. Kyrie Irving can’t expect to do much given who he’ll be passing to and that if he plays even remotely well, he will see double teams at no risk of leaving anyone open that can hit a shot. Toronto has a couple nice young guys with DeRozan and Ed Davis, but Davis isn’t ready for primetime yet given the fact that he looks like he eats 1 yogurt a day and nothing else. Cleveland has just about nobody on their roster that will be there in 3 years outside of Irving and Tristan Thompson. If they’re smart, they’ll move Varejao to a team that needs a tough scrappy interior defender (See: Philly) for a young player or pick (Which Philly has a ton of).

Week 16 Picks

With Week 16 upon us, I’ve chosen a few key games to talk about and given my predictions (ATS) for the rest.

Oakland @ Kansas City (-1.5)

Hard to believe that Kansas City is involved in a game that matters for them in week 16 given their season, but it’s true. With their upset of the year win last week over the Green Bay Packers, they are full of confidence and believe they can beat anyone. That is a dangerous thing to go against in the NFL. The last time these two played, it was a 28-0 shutout up in Oakland in Carson Palmers first game as a Raider (where he combined with Kyle Boller to throw for a franchise single-game high of 6 interceptions *insert Colin Cowherd birthday wazoo sound here*). Carson has clearly gotten better and this will be a much different game than that was. Also, KC had Matt Cassell and Jackie Battle was still in the pan stage of his ‘flash in the pan’. Denarius Moore has had a game back to get back into the flow of things and is a great weapon when healthy (no really, he is). Bush is a tough back to bring down and KC could experience a let down game here for sure. Tamba Hali is quietly having a great season and could pose some real issues to the Oakland offensive line, but the Raiders are clearly committed to running the ball with Bush and it was shown last week that you can run on KC (Grant ran for 66 yds on 12 carries) which will slow down that pass rush. I’ll take Oakland to win comfortably in the upset here.

Oakland: 27

Kansas City: 13

NY Giants @ NY Jets (-3)

This is a true road test for the New York Football Giants. No?.. No?.. Ok fine. This is absolutely a huge game for both teams, though. The Jets have far outplayed the Giants when it comes to Met Life stadium with a 6-1 record at home (only loss to New England) while the Giants have a mediocre 3-4 record (only 3 home wins coming v. Buffalo, Miami, and St. Louis). It makes sense given the conditions there and the styles of each football team. The teams are fairly evenly matched and have both been playing to the level of their competition throughout this season. Usually in that case you take the “more desperate” team and the team with the better QB. Both of those would be the NYG given the elimination possibilities and Eli’s play this year, however, I still think the New York Jets come out with a close win. Look for a big game from Dustin Keller here.

New York Jets: 27

New York Giants: 24

Philadelphia @ Dallas (-2.5)

Dallas is scared. Or at least Jerry Jones is. Philadelphia absolutely dismantled them up at Lincoln Financial in their meeting on Oct. 30^th. LeSean McCoy ran all over the Cowboys to the tune of 185 yards and 2 scores. It should also be noted that Vick had one of his best games of the season (QB rating of 129.9) and that was despite Ware having a huge impact (11 tackles, 4 sacks). It should also be noted the Cowboys had Demarco Murray as well. That being said, the Cowboys are as good an offense as anyone when they are on, and with Miles, Dez, and Laurent all healthy, that could be often. The Eagles defense has been OK this season, but Asomugha hasn’t had the impact Philadelphia fans thought he would and Asante is a bit banged up, which could create some issues for the Eagles on the defensive side of the ball. On the fast track of Cowboy Stadium, this game looks like it’s going to be a high-scoring affair where the team with the ball last wins. I think that team with the ball last will be the Eagles and they’ll take a win in Big D setting up a showdown between themselves and the Giants in New York in the final week of the regular season, while the Eagles continue clinging on hope of a playoff berth.

Philadelphia Eagles: 35

Dallas Cowboys: 31

Chicago @ Green Bay (-13.5)

Green Bay is coming off a loss where they were out-couched, out-played, and out-classed. While Rodgers may have said he was happy for Romeo, any Packer fan knows that Rodgers does not take losing lightly. He is pissed off. And it hasn’t helped that the media has completely jumped off the bandwagon putting into question if the Packers can even GET to a Superbowl whereas a week ago they were 19-0, best team ever. Bulaga is out for this game as is Greg Jennings. Both are huge losses for this offense. With Clifton back in practice Wednesday, it’ll be interesting to see if he can play allowing Newhouse to move to RT and most importantly keeping EDS off the field as a starter. Packers look to get back RB J. Starks and ILB D. Bishop which are both big additions. On the other end, Chicago is going to be starting Luke McCown (I guess based off his great game v. the Jets in wk 2 when he was on Jax – seriously look at his numbers, his QB rating was 1.8 and no that wasn’t a typo). With no Forte and Marion Barber falling out of favor with Lovie Smith (not quite sure why, it’s obviously God’s fault he ran out of bounds and fumbled. TEEEBOOOWWW), they are going to turn to Kahlil Bell. Johnny Knox is on IR with a devastating neck injury and Roy Williams still hasn’t found his hands (God bless him for trying, though). Hester is banged up with an ankle injury and Chicago is floundering losing 4 straight. This is a huge rivalry game, though and they always find a way to play the Packers tough regardless of who is under center. Unfortunately, given the Packers need to win to clinch home field throughout (unless somehow San Fran loses @ Seattle), with a pissed off Rodgers motivating his team, with McCarthy basically admitting he was out-couched and now having something to prove, and all the injuries to the Chicago Bears – and of course the fact that it’s a primetime game in Lambeau on Christmas with all eyes watching – the Packers will come out on fire to prove they are the real deal. I think this could get ugly early. Chicago will get a garbage score late but Pack win big. Also, look for Matt Flynn to play in the 4^th qtr with the lead well in hand.

Green Bay Packers: 41

Chicago Bears: 17

Atlanta @ New Orleans (-6.5)

Atlanta is playing as well as anyone and still has an outside shot at the division crown. If they were to win the next 2 games and NO loses the next 2 games, Atlanta takes the NFC South and the 3 seed. Julio Jones and Roddy White are as hot as any 2 WR are for a team right now. Jones, specifically, is flat out dominating cornerbacks with his rare size/speed combo. He is starting to look a lot like Terrell Owens to me. Turner, all the while, has not looked that great. It’s scary to think what Atlanta can do in the playoffs if Turner gets going and starts to play well. His YPC have been below 3.5 in his last 4 games, 2 of which have come vs. terrible run defenses. New Orleans has been on fire, and they haven’t lost since October. How this team lost a game to each St. Louis and Tampa Bay is beyond me. Their passing defense is very suspect, but they can stop the run and they can out-score teams with ease. They are not a good road team, however and that could spell doom for them in the playoffs will they could have to go on the road in the divisional and (if they get there) championship round. This one is at home, though, and I expect them to win and cover here.

Atlanta Falcons: 28

New Orleans Saints: 38

For the remaining games: (remember the picks are ATS, not outright winners)

Houston @ Indianapolis (+6.5): Indianapolis

Denver @ Buffalo (+3): Denver

Jacksonville @ Tennessee (-7.5): Jacksonville

Arizona @ Cincinnati (-4.5): Arizona

Miami @ New England (-10): Miami

Cleveland @ Baltimore (-13.5): Baltimore

Minnesota @ Washington (-6.5): Minnesota

Tampa Bay @ Carolina (-7.5): Tampa Bay

St. Louis @ Pittsburgh (NO LINE): Pittsburgh

San Diego @ Detroit (-2.5): San Diego

San Francisco @ Seattle (+2.5): San Francisco