By Kellex
Utah Jazz
Coach: Jerry Sloan
Projected Finish: 57-25
Projected Starters
C – Mehmut Okur (14.5 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 0.4 bpg)
PF – Carlos Boozer (21.1 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 0.5 bpg)
SF – Andrei Kirilenko (11.0 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 4.0 apg)
SG – Ronnie Brewer (12.0 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.8 apg)
PG – Deron Williams (18.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 10.5 apg)
Key Reserves
F- Paul Milsap (8.1 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.0 apg)
F- C.J. Miles (5.0 ppg, 1.3 rpg, 0.9 apg)
Analysis
Deron Williams will start the season on the injured list, but should be back after the first two or three regular season games. They have two Team USA members in Boozer and Williams, plus the always dangerous Andrei Kirilenko. Amazingly Jerry Sloan’s message never gets old, even though he is the longest tenured coach in the Association.
Portland Trail Blazers
Coach: Nate McMillan
Projected Finish: 50-32
Projected Starters
C – Greg Oden (DNP injury)
PF – LaMarcus Aldridge (17.8 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
SF –Travis Outlaw (13.3 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 1.3 apg)
SG –Brandon Roy (19.1 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 5.8 apg)
PG – Steve Blake (8.5 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.1 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Jerryd Bayless (Rookie)
C- Joel Przybilla ( 4.8 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
Analysis
They were the “feel good” story of the first half of last season, before fading down the stretch and missing the playoffs. A healthy Greg Oden, along with rookies Bayless, Sergio Rodriguez, and Nicolas Batum should give the Blazers a much better end result this season.
Denver Nuggets
Coach: George Karl
Projected Finish: 48-34
Projected Starters
C – Nene (5.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 0.3 bpg)
PF – Kenyon Martin (12.4 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg)
SF – Carmelo Anthony (25.7 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 3.4 apg)
SG – Allen Iverson (26.4 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 7.1 apg)
PG – Anthony Carter (7.8 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 5.5 apg)
Key Reserves
F/G – Linas Kleiza (11.1 ppg, 4.2 rpg. 1.2 apg)
G- J.R. Smith (12.3 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.7 apg)
Analysis
The Denver Nuggets are a team that may be heading on the downward slope of the NBA mountain. This team has some major issues. When times are going good, you can not find a better teammate than A.I. However when things turn sour, Iverson’s attitude usually does also. Nene is recovering from cancer, K-Mart has had an attitude since playing for Bobby Huggins. Carmelo looked like he would end up in another city, at the beginning of the Summer. Team management assured Anthony, and his agent no move would be made this season. Unlike Utah’s Jerry Sloan, George Karl’s message does get lost after a few seasons. Milwaukee, and Seattle can attest to that.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Coach: P.J. Carlesimo
Projected Finish: 24-58
Projected Starters
C – Nick Collison (9.8 ppg, 9.4 rpg, 0.8bpg)
PF – Chris Wilcox (13.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.6 bpg)
SF – Jeff Green (10.5 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.5 apg)
SG – Kevin Durant (20.3 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 2.4 apg)
PG – Earl Watson (10.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 6.8 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Russell Westbrook (Rookie)
F/C- Johan Petro (6.0 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 0.6 bpg)
Analysis
Could somebody please tell David Stern OKC is not in the Northwest? “The Team Formerly Known As The Seattle SuperSonics” have a lot of young talent on their roster. However it will take some time for them to become a cohesive unit. P.J. Carlesimo may not be the right coach to take this group to the next level.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Coach: Randy Wittman
Projected Finish: 22-60
Projected Starters
C – Al Jefferson (21.0 ppg, 11.1 rpg, 1.5 bpg)
PF – Kevin Love (Rookie)
SF – Ryan Gomes (12.6 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
SG – Mike Miller (16.4 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 3.4 apg)
PG – Randy Foye (13.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.2 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Sebastain Telfair (9.3 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 5.9 apg)
G/F-Corey Brewer (5.8 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 1.4 apg)
Analysis
Anoter team where the individual pieces are greater than the combined sum. There is talent on the T-Wolves roster, as they head into year two of the post Garnett era. Love will bust his tail, Miller is a talent, but again this is a long term project not an over night success story. Randy Wittman, is one of the nicest guys you could ever meet, but he is not a head coach. He would have problems leading people out of a phone booth.
Boston Celtics
Coach: Doc Rivers
Projected Finish: 60-22
Projected Starters
C – Kendrick Perkins (6.6 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5bpg)
PF – Kevin Garnett (18.8 ppg, 9.2 rpg, 1.2bpg)
SF – Paul Pierce (19.6 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4.5 apg)
SG – Ray Allen (17.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 3.1 apg)
PG – Rajon Rondo (10.6 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 5.1 apg)
Key Reserves
G-Eddie House (7.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 1.9 apg)
F-Leon Powe (7.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 0.3 bpg)
Analysis
The reigning NBA Champs are still the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. They will miss the defense and clutch shooting of James Posey, who signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Hornets. Boston is helping that rookie swing man Bill Walker can help fill the void that Posey’s absence has created.
Philadelphia 76ers
Coach: Mo Cheeks
Projected Finish: 52-30
Projected Starters
C –Samuel Dalembert (10.5 ppg, 10.4 rpg, 2.3 bpg)
PF – Elton Brand (17.6 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 1.9 bpg)
SF –Thaddeus Young (8.2 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 0.8 apg)
SG –Andre Iguodala (19.9 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 4.8 apg)
PG – Andre Miller (17.0 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 6.9 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Louis Williams ( 11.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg, 3.2 apg)
C- Theo Ratliff ( 4.3 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 1.4 bpg)
Analysis
The acquisition of forward Elton Brand, has made the Sixers the hot pick in the East for the upcoming season. Questions on center Samuel Dalembert’s health remain an issue, as he has a shoulder strain which has bothered him all preseason. Theo Ratliff is incredibly happy to be back in Philadelphia, but what does he have left in the tank? The Sixers challenged the Detroit Pistons big time in the first round of the Eastern Conference Finals. The addition of Brand now puts them in elite staus in the Eastern Conference.
Toronto Raptors
Coach: Sam Mitchell
Projected Finish: 48-34
Projected Starters
C – Jermaine O’Neal (13.6 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.1 bpg)
PF – Chris Bosh (22.3 ppg, 8.7 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
SF – Jamario Moon (8.5 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 1.2 apg)
SG – Anthony Parker (12.5 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.2 apg)
PG – Jose Calderon (11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 8.3 apg)
Key Reserves
C/F- Andrea Bargnani (10.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg. 0.5 bpg)
F- Kris Humphries (5.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 0.4 bpg)
Analysis
The Raptors decided that Jose Calderon, would be their team’s starting point guard, so T.J. Ford proved to be expendable. In a trade that should help both teams Toronto traded Ford to the Indiana Pacers for disgruntled big man Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal should be part of a very strong front court alongside Chris Bosh. Calderon, and Anthony Parker, make up for one of the better back courts in the Association. With Bargnani coming off the bench Sam Mitchell has instant offense coming off the bench.
New Jersey Nets
Coach: Lawrence Frank
Projected Finish: 30-52
Projected Starters
C – Josh Boone (8.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
PF – Yi Jianlian (8.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.9 bpg)
SF – Bobby Simmons (7.6 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 1.1 apg)
SG – Vince Carter (21.3 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 5.1 apg)
PG – Derin Harris (10.0 ppg, 2.2 rpg, 3.7 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Keyon Dooling (8.1 ppg, 1.4 rpg, 1.8 apg)
F/C- Stromile Swift (6.1 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 1.0 bpg)
Analysis
The New Jersey Nets remind me of one of my favorite bits from the Late Great George Carlin. He talked about discovering something in your refrigerator that you could not identify. Is it meat or is it cake? It’s meat-cake! The Nets are not a contending team, nor really a rebuilding team, they are meat-cake. It will be a long cold winter at the Izod Center.
New York Knicks
Coach: Mike D’Antoni
Projected Finish: 27-55
Projected Starters
C – Zach Randolph (17.6 ppg, 10.3 rpg, 0.2 bpg)
PF – David Lee (10.8 ppg, 8.9 rpg, 0.4 bpg)
SF – Quentin Richardson (8.1 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 1.8 apg)
SG – Chris Duhon (5.8 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 4.0 apg)
PG – Jamal Crawford (20.6 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 5.0 apg)
Key Reserves
G- Nate Robinson (12.7 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 2.9 apg)
G- Stephon Marbury (13.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 4.7 apg)
Analysis
The good news is the New York Knicks may have already bottomed out. The bad news is it may take eons for this team to reach sea level. The “Zeke Era” is over in Gotham but it is going to take Team President Donnie Walsh, and new head coach Mike D’Antoni, lots of time and lots of effort to make the Knicks respectable again. Starting lineup is still in flux, Marbury could end up being the starter at point. If you look at the Knicks as individual players, there is talent on the roster. But when it is combined they become one of the most dysfunctional families in the Association.
