Oct
29
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
1. Chicago Bulls: If the Chicago Bulls are to make the NBA Finals with its current core of Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni, this is going to have to be the year. While the Eastern Conference has gotten considerably tougher, Chicago still has the talent to push through and win the East. The deepest team in the conference, Chicago still lacks that inside scoring threat and go-to guy. The inside threat is likely not on the roster, the go-to guy is going to have to become Gordon or Deng, whom are both due for contract extensions. The likelihood of both players remaining with Chicago in the long term is very unlikely; thus making this probably Gordon’s last year. While Gordon and Deng are restricted agents after this season (meaning that the Bulls can match any offer for them), General Manager John Paxson will likely trade the player who is not in the team’s long-term future. Paxson doesn’t believe in letting his guys go away for nothing, and Gordon apparently and deservedly is looking for a bigger contract than the $10 million per season that Chicago will likely offer him.
In an ideal world, Chicago would be able to lock up both players, but it would be shocking if this is going to happen. Chicago really values Deng, who is only 22 years old as he enters his fourth season. While having his defensive problems, Gordon is one of the most talented scorers in the game. Chicago does not realize what it will lose when Gordon officially leaves the team.
Putting the future aside for a moment, Chicago is a jump shooting team that will need to hits its shots to advance in the playoffs. If the Bulls want to take that next step, Kirk Hinrich will need to become a penetrator rather than a jump shooter. Hinrich is a very effective player in the lane and a surprisingly strong finisher. More importantly, when he breaks down the defense, he allows players like Gordon, Deng and Nocioni to flourish as all are outstanding shooters when getting their feet set. Hinrich will be the key in 2007-2008. If playing with urgency on offense and looking to distribute, Hinrich and the Bulls are going to be damn tough. If settling for the three ball (Hinrich is not a Gordon from three-point land), Chicago will be eliminated, possibly in the second round again.
Down low, the clock is ticking on Ben Wallace, who enters the second year of his four year deal. After adjusting to the Bulls last year, Wallace is poised for a much more consistent season. While he is not the player that he used to be on the Pistons, Wallace is still a crafty defender and outstanding rebounder. While the effort was not always there, Wallace seems more comfortable and will need to return to an All-Star level.
As for the power forward spot, Chicago will try a rotation to fill in for departed veteran P.J. Brown. Chicago signed Joe Smith from Philadelphia, and the cagey veteran should start for the meantime as second-year power forward Tyrus Thomas, an X-factor when playing with intensity, did not develop any semblance of a low-post game this summer. Chicago drafted Joakim Noah from Florida with the ninth pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. Like Thomas, Noah does not have much of an offensive game at this point. However, his basketball IQ is much higher. Noah will make his living getting garbage points, grabbing rebounds and bringing energy. And he’s a great passer who, in the preseason, showed that he could put the ball on the floor from the high post and kick out to open shooters. With all that considered, second-round draft pick Aaron Gray from Pittsburgh was very impressive in the preseason, and looks like a guy who can get into the rotation and contribute with his soft touch and hands.
When healthy, Nocioni can bring the Bulls to another level. Nocioni is also the heart and soul of the team with the defensive toughness that he brings onto the court. Chicago is also expecting big things from second-year Swiss forward Thabo Sefalosha, a tough defender with a developing offensive game. While trying to trade backup point guard Chris Duhon in the offseason, Chicago brought back the former Dukie, who plays great at times and then with his head cut off at other moments.
Synopsis: Anything less than the NBA Finals would be disappointing for a Chicago team that is fun to root for because of its overall selflessness, team attitude and defensive intensity. Along with Hinrich and Head Coach Scott Skiles, Gordon and Deng helped change the culture in Chicago back in 2004-2005, and it would be great to see this team built by Paxson get out of the East. Chicago may not be as talented as other teams in terms of superstars, but they play harder. In today’s NBA, that can bring a team a far way.
2. Detroit Pistons: The Pistons are saying all of the right things after falling apart against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. Temperamental but talented power forward/center Rasheed Wallace says he’s on board with Head Coach Flip Saunders, and the Pistons resigned its glue, point guard Chauncey Billups, this offseason. While Chris Webber left the team, Detroit maintains four of the five starters whom propelled the team to a 2004 NBA Finals victory and a 2005 Finals loss in seven games to the San Antonio Spurs. With Billups, Wallace, Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince, the Pistons will once again be one of the elite teams in the Eastern Conference. The aging Webber will replaced by nuts-and-bolts veteran Antonio McDyess and emerging power forward Jason Maxiell, who can be quite nasty and physical down low.
And while classy General Manager Joe Dumars restocked this bench with an underrated free agent signee in Jarvis Hayes from Washington and solid draft picks in Rodney Stuckey from Eastern Washington and Arron Afflalo from UCLA, the Pistons time has passed with this team. Unfortunately, Detroit has proven to be its worst enemy ever since winning the title in 2004. Turning it on and off when they want to, the Pistons are getting too old to think that they’ll be able to continue to do this. While the Pistons have survived in the second round of the last two playoffs, such an attitude has ultimately cost them in the Eastern Conference Finals. This is the year that the Pistons amazing string of five straight appearances in the Eastern Conference Finals gets snapped.
Synopsis: Detroit will likely be a two or a three seed in the East. Dumars gave this core one more chance when many felt that he should have dealt Rasheed, one of the most talented players to ever play the game, blew his gasket in Game Six against the Cavs. With that said, there are still questions of whether Flip Saunders can get this team to the Finals. The Pistons looked primed to do so early against Chicago in the playoffs last year but once again got lazy and fat on their success. The talent in the East has gotten better, and the Pistons will not be able to get away with this coasting attitude this year. Detroit bows out in the second round this year, no doubt about it.
Read more of what Hoops 4 the Soul thinks of the Detroit Pistons.
3. Cleveland Cavaliers: After reaching the NBA Finals last season and stinking up the joint in four straight losses to the San Antonio Spurs, the Cavs are in trouble this year. Not only has the East gotten better and in-division rivals like the Bulls and Pistons improved, the Cavaliers have taken a major step back. Cleveland has failed to resign two key cogs to its title team in starting shooting guard Sasha Pavlovic and flopping big man Anderson Vareajo. To make things worse, the Cavs have not replaced these two players, making superstar Lebron James very unhappy. James has already said that the team is worse than last year, and Cleveland’s low-balling may be setting the stage for James’ departure in 2010-2011. Besides James, the Cavs are getting old with center Zydrunas Ilguaskas, backup power forward Donyell Marshall and point guard Eric Snow on their last legs.
With that said, Cleveland will still make the playoffs this year because of James, who showed in the Finals that while he may be one of the most talented and physically gifted players in the league, he has a long way to go in terms of being competitively great. Cleveland will not be a two-seed in the East like last year however; rather, the Cavs could very well be anywhere from a five to a seven seed, and be gone by the first round.
Synopsis: For an underwhelming team that reached the Finals last year, this season is off to an ominous note. If it wasn’t for the Kobe Bryant saga in Los Angeles, the Cavs would be getting more attention. Could James eventually become as disgruntled as Bryant in Cleveland? That’s a story line that Cavs fans should unfortunately be following this season.
Read more of what Hoops 4 the Soul thinks of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
4. Milwaukee Bucks: Milwaukee is actually looking relatively deep this season, especially from the one through the three spots on the court. The Bucks retained point guard Maurice Williams and backup firestarter Charlie Bell, both of whom were pursued hard by the Miami Heat. Milwaukee, of course, has one of the best shooters and pure scorers in the game in shooting guard Michael Redd, and a nice competition at the small forward spot with Desmond Mason, who returns to the team that he started with after several seasons with the New Orleans Hornets, and Bobby Simmons.
Under new Head Coach Larry Krystowiak, the Bucks will have to develop more of a defensive presence to have any shot of grabbing the seventh or eighth spot in the playoffs. While all eyes will be on rookie forward Yi Jianlian of China, Milwaukee shouldn’t expect too much consistency from the talented import. Rather, the Bucks should look to third-year center Andrew Bogut, the first-overall pick of the 2005 NBA Draft, if this team is going to meet in the playoffs. Bogut is a solid passer but needs to get more touches down low and boost his scoring average to around 16-17 points per game. Milwaukee has Charlie Villaneuva slotted in the starting power forward spot. Villaneuva, would be a great third option down low off the bench, and is more of a jump shooter. Milwaukee’s depth up front leaves a lot to be desired with players like Dan Gadzuric, Michael Ruffin and Jake Voskhul.
Synopsis: If Milwaukee sacrifices some its scoring for defense, Bogut develops and Yi becomes a consistent player in the second half of the season, the Bucks could slip into the playoffs. Sadly for Milwaukee fans, the Bucks are going to fall a bit short this year. With that said, the future is looking brighter in Milwaukee.
Read what Hoops 4 the Soul thinks about the Milwaukee Bucks.
5. Indiana Pacers: My oh my, the Pacers used to be one of the stronger teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, this is a franchise still hungover from the disastrous stints of Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. While both knuckleheads are gone, the Pacers are in rebuilding mode and would be best to trade power forward Jermaine O’Neal while he still has some trade value and before his knees officially go out on him.
General Manager Larry Bird has struggled with the Pacers and brought in a respected coach in Jim O’Brien to try and restore some respectability to what was once a proud franchise but is now more akin to the Portland Trail Blazers of the East with all of their recent discipline problems. Sadly, O’Brien is working with a bunch of players who once had great potential but are known for their inconsistency, from Mike Dunleavy Jr. to Troy Murphy to Jamaal Tinsley to Marquise Daniels. It’s hard to imagine Indiana reaching the playoffs, especially being in the tough Central Division.
Synopsis: Trade Jermaine O’Neal, who’s been a loyal soldier but needs a change of scenery. O’Neal could be a big-time player on a contender, and the Pacers should be able to get something decent in return for him. However, the longer Bird waits, the less appealing O’Neal will be to teams. While not O’Neal’s fault, he is unfortunately a symbol of previous talented Indiana teams that fell apart and punched out fans with the unsteady Artest and Jackson. Indiana needs to move in a new direction in what figures to be a tough season anyways with O’Neal. Bird’s neck could be on the line if he doesn’t change the look of this team.
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1. Chicago Bulls: If the Chicago Bulls are to make the NBA Finals with its current core of Ben Wallace, Ben Gordon, Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich and Andres Nocioni, this is going to have to be the year. While the Eastern Conference has gotten considerably tougher, Chicago still has the talent to push through and win the East. The deepest team in the conference, Chicago still lacks that inside scoring threat and go-to guy. The inside threat is likely not on the roster, the go-to guy is going to have to become Gordon or Deng, whom are both due for contract extensions. The likelihood of both players remaining with Chicago in the long term is very unlikely; thus making this probably Gordon’s last year. While Gordon and Deng are restricted agents after this season (meaning that the Bulls can match any offer for them), General Manager John Paxson will likely trade the player who is not in the team’s long-term future. Paxson doesn’t believe in letting his guys go away for nothing, and Gordon apparently and deservedly is looking for a bigger contract than the $10 million per season that Chicago will likely offer him.
