Category: Fantasy Basketball (Page 216 of 274)

      2008 NBA Team-by-Team Preview

      October 27, 2008 /

      Ron Artest is a Rocket, Jermaine O’Neal is a Raptor and Mo Williams is a Cavalier. Richard Jefferson is a Buck and Corey Maggette is a Warrior. Baron Davis signed up to play with Elton Brand in L.A., but Brand bolted for Philly to play with AI2 instead. And Andrew Bynum is back from injury, trying to figure out how to co-exist with Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. There, you’re all caught up on most of the big summer news from the NBA.

      Want more? We’ve got you covered. Our team-by-team preview breaks down each franchise’s offseason movement and outlook, along with a player (or situation) to keep your eye on. We also ask “The Big Question” that is haunting each team as it enters the season.

      For the last two weeks, We’ve been previewing each team from #30 to #1, posting three team previews per business day, starting with the league’s bottom feeders – we’re looking at you, Thunder – and finishing up with the cream of the crop. So who will be #1? The Lakers? The Celtics? Or will there be a surprise at the top of our preseason power rankings?

      Click here to see the entire preview.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Reggie Miller breaks down the Eastern Conference

      October 27, 2008 /

      TNT NBA analyst (and former Pacer) Reggie Miller broke down the Eastern Conference in a conference call that the network held to promote the launch of the season.

      Boston Celtics: “James Posey (leaving the Celtics and) going to the (New Orleans) Hornets (as a free agent) is my only question mark with the Celtics. Who is going to be the guy coming off the bench to supply all that energy, that defense and take the big shots for the team?”

      Philadelphia 76ers: (Head coach) Mo Cheeks got (free agent) Elton Brand and they re-signed Andre Iguodala. Now they have a player (Brand) in the closing moments who you can throw the ball down (to), command a double team, get fouled, make free throws and can make big plays.”

      Toronto Raptors: “(The Raptors have) the twin towers in Chris Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal. The only question mark is ‘how many games will Jermaine be healthy for?’”

      New Jersey Nets: “(The Nets) have a brand new team. Gone are Jason Kidd (Mavericks) and Richard Jefferson (Bucks). Is Vince (Carter) finally going to be able to lead (the Nets) on his own?”

      New York Knicks: “(New head coach) Mike D’Antoni isn’t afraid to run. There is drama with Stephon (Marbury), is he going to start or come off the bench? How are Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph going to fit into this system?”

      Cleveland Cavaliers: “My MVP pick this year is LeBron James. I think he is ready to take the next step. Watching the Olympics this summer, you can see the maturation process of LeBron. Picking up Mo Williams (from the Bucks) was huge.”

      Detroit Pistons: “The act that (new head coach) Michael Curry has to follow after (former Pistons head coaches) Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown and Flip Saunders is tough. Is it going to be too much pressure? If Rasheed Wallace shows up, then the Pistons could make a seventh trip back to the (Eastern) Conference Finals.”

      Milwaukee Bucks: “(The Bucks) went out and got (new head coach) Scott Skiles and traded for Richard Jefferson (from the Nets) and Andrew Bogut signs a big deal. They are one of my sleeper teams in the East (Conference) to make the playoffs.”

      Indiana Pacers: “The Pacers are one of my sleeper teams in the East (Conference) to make the playoffs. They’ve got a brand new team with nine new faces. I think it was a breakout year for Mike Dunleavy and Danny Granger is an up-and-coming young player.”

      Chicago Bulls: “(The big question) is if Derrick Rose is ready to lead (the team) as the number one pick (in the 2008 NBA draft). All eyes are going to be on first-year (head) coach Vinny Del Negro.”

      Orlando Magic: “(The Magic) are my second best team in the East (Conference). ‘Superman’ (Dwight Howard) is ready to lead. They’ve got Tony Battie coming back and he is going to take a lot of pressure off of Dwight down low.”

      Atlanta Hawks: “Was the (2008) playoff run a fluke taking the Celtics to seven games (in the first round)? Josh Childress went to Greece (as a free agent) and there are already grumblings that Mike Woodson and Josh Smith are at odds with one another.”

      Charlotte Bobcats: “I heard (new Bobcats head coach) Larry Brown wants to trade everyone except Jared Dudley. So things are right on cue for Charlotte and Larry Brown.”

      Washington Wizards: “(Injured) Brendan Haywood is out three to five months. Gilbert (Arenas) could be back as early as December or January. They are saying that Antawn Jamison could be ready at the start of the year but they’ve got too many starters out. I don’t think they’ll make the playoffs.”

      Miami Heat: “The Erik Spoelstra era begins in Miami. Michael Beasley, who everyone thought should have been the number one pick (in the 2008 NBA Draft), will have all eyes on him. If they get a healthy Dwyane Wade, we saw what dividends that paid for the U.S. Olympic team in Beijing.”

      I agree with most of what Miller says here. Here are my playoff picks for the East:

      1. Boston
      2. Philadelphia
      3. Detroit
      4. Orlando
      5. Miami
      6. Cleveland
      7. Toronto
      8. Milwaukee
      ————–
      9. Chicago
      10. Washington

      Fantasy Basketball, Fantasy Football, NBA

      2008 NBA Preview: #1 Los Angeles Lakers

      October 27, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The Lakers re-signed Sasha Vujacic and signed Chinese guard Sun Yue. They probably overspent on Vujacic (three years, $15 million) but had to compete with European teams for his services. Vujacic had a great year shooting the ball, but didn’t play particularly well in the Finals, especially on defense.
      Keep Your Eye On: Lamar Odom
      It’s not clear how Odom is going to fit in with Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum on the Laker front line. It’s going to be tough for Kobe Bryant to find any room to drive when the three big men are on the court at the same time, so the most likely scenario has Odom or Bynum coming off the bench. It’s going to take some time Bynum and Gasol to get used to playing with each other, and if Odom is the one coming off the bench, he’ll have to adjust to a sixth man role. The good news is that if things aren’t working by the trade deadline, they can probably unload Odom for a good player that is a better fit.
      The Big Question: Is Bynum’s return enough to get the Lakers over the hump?
      Conventional wisdom states that if you take a team that lost in the Finals the previous season and add an up-and-coming seven-foot center to the rotation, then the team will inevitably be better. While that’s certainly a distinct possibility, there’s no guarantee that Bynum will jive with the rest of the rotation. Just because the Lakers are better on paper, it doesn’t mean that they’ll be able to once again run the gauntlet that is the Western Conference playoffs. A lot of things had to go right for the Lakers to make the Finals last year, and a lot of things have to go right for them to make a second straight trip.
      Outlook: Despite some training camp kinks that need to be worked out, there is no team in the league with more talent top to bottom. They also have one of the best coaches in the league, so the Lakers are the odds-on favorite to with the title, and rightfully so. Still, there are a number of roadblocks they’ll have to overcome. First, Phil Jackson must find a way to use Gasol, Bynum and Odom to the best of their abilities without limiting what Kobe can do on the drive. Second, Kobe must stay healthy, which means the problem he has with his shooting hand can’t bother him too much and those knees have to stay relatively pain-free. And lastly, they must show better toughness if they meet the Celtics again in the Finals. Bynum brings a lot to the table, but he’s not going to make this team tough by himself. The Celtics were hungrier than the Lakers last season, but now the roles are reversed. If Jackson can get Odom, Bynum and Gasol to play together well, or if the Lakers can trade Odom for a better fit, they should make it to the Finals again. There is just too much talent here; they should be able to figure it out.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      2008 NBA Preview: #2 Boston Celtics

      October 27, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The Celtics were unable to re-sign James Posey, who ended up signing with the Hornets. GM Danny Ainge did re-sign Tony Allen, Eddie House, and Sam Cassell, while also signing Darius Miles and Patrick O’Bryant. Out of the draft, the team ended up with shooting guard JR Giddens and small forward Bill Walker.
      Keep Your Eye On: The bench
      Even more than last season, Boston is going to need a regular lift from its bench. With Posey gone, someone will have to pick up his defensive-mindedness and shooting touch. The bench projects to be very young, but with youth comes energy, and the Celtics will need it this season.
      The Big Question: Now that the Big Three won a title, will they be as focused?
      Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen came to Boston with one thing in mind – a NBA championship. Paul Pierce set aside his ego for the same reason. Throughout that season, the Celtics were focused on a singular goal, but now that they have their rings, will they be able to bring that same intensity every night? Hunger can really bolster a team’s success, and Boston will somehow have to manufacture that hunger this season. That’s a tough thing to do.
      Outlook: The C’s are still the class of the East, but will face a bigger test within the conference given the improvements that the Sixers and the Heat have made, along with the continued maturity of the Magic and the Cavs. James Posey was so crucial to the team’s playoff success that one wonders if the team will be overcome that loss and stay as focused as they were last season. They are the odds-on favorites to win the East, but it’s shaping up to be a very interesting season in Beantown.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      2008 NBA Preview: #3 New Orleans Hornets

      October 27, 2008 /

      Offseason Movement: The Hornets #1 job this offseason was to lock up Chris Paul, and they managed to sign the superstar point guard to a deal that runs through 2013. GM Jeff Bower poached James Posey from the Celtics in a move that will bolster the team’s bench. He also signed Devin Brown to give the team some depth at guard.
      Keep Your Eye On: The Hornets’ wings
      In Chris Paul, David West and Tyson Chandler, New Orleans has three of the top players in the league at their respective positions. (Chandler isn’t an offensive force, but he’s a terrific shot blocker and rebounder and his contract is a bargain at the center position.) The key to the Hornets success might be the play at off guard and small forward, which are currently manned by Morris Peterson and Peja Stojakovic, respectively. Both players are 31 and have shown signs of decline. Neither player is a defensive force, so if their shots aren’t falling, there’s really no reason for them to be on the floor. Julian Wright is an up-and-coming small forward who played very well in limited minutes last season and James Posey was signed for his championship experience, tough defense and clutch shooting. Devin Brown will also play a factor.
      The Big Question: Can the Paul/West combo lead these Hornets to the Finals?
      Both Paul (23) and West (28) are in their primes so the championship window is wide open. They nearly upended the Spurs in last year’s playoffs and have added a valuable piece (Posey) to their championship puzzle. The Hornets need good shooting from their wings to give Paul and West the space to operate. Whomever is on the floor in crunch time needs to be able to knock down shots because inevitably the Hornets’ season will depend on it.
      Outlook: With Paul locked up for five years and West locked up for the next three, the Hornets are clearly in their championship sweet spot. But it seems like the team is one player away from being a serious title contender. Stojakovic was supposed to be that guy, but his defensive limitations and suspect shooting in the clutch may make the Hornets regret signing that huge contract two summers ago (if they aren’t already regretting it). Don’t be surprised if Posey gets a lot of crunch time minutes. If he can perform like he did with the Celtics last season, the Hornets have a good shot of getting out of the West.

      Fantasy Basketball, NBA

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