Oct
30
by Chris Maynard, chris@hoops4thesoul.com
1. Dallas Mavericks: The Dallas Mavericks have proven their abilities in the regular season the last two years. However, the playoffs have been a huge disappointment. Dallas should have swept the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals and was embarrassed by the Golden State Warriors in the first round last year. Naturally, the spotlight is on the leadership skills of star Dirk Nowitzki, who will lead this team to the top spot in the West.
With that said, there’s a feeling that this Dallas team has missed its chance. The Mavs have another great player in Josh Howard and some very nice parts in Jason Terry, Devin Harris and Jerry Stackhouse; meaning that Dallas is good enough to get it done in the regular season. However, Dallas has shown that it can’t finish it off in the playoffs with this core. The Mavs did not make any significant additions in the offseason, as Eddie Jones is nothing much anymore. Brandon Bass has looked good in the preseason for the Mavs, but will that translate to anything when it matters?
Synopsis: This is a make-or-break year for the Nowitzki-led Mavs. Some pundits have the Mavs bouncing back and getting it done in the Finals. Dallas will have another strong year. With that said, there’s not much separation from the Mavs, Spurs and Suns. Dallas will get back to the Western Conference Finals before losing to Phoenix.
2. San Antonio Spurs: The alleged dynasty that has never won back-to-back titles or amazingly even reached the Western Conference Finals the year after all four of its titles in the last nine seasons will attempt to do so this year. If the Spurs take the crown this year, then the franchise can be anointed a dynasty. Four titles in nine years in this day and age of the league does not make a dynasty.
With that said, the Spurs will always be contenders with Tim Duncan and players like Manu Ginobli and Tony Parker able to thrive off of his dominance. The Spurs will be Spurs in the regular season. They’ll play hard and win games and not be too worried about seeding. San Antonio will still finish as a two or three seed, and then gear up for the playoffs.
Synopsis: Gregg Popovich is the best coach in the league, and the Spurs will compete for titles until the end of Duncan’s career. With that said, this team bows out in the second round again, like it’s done every year after winning the title. The Spurs really didn’t improve a less-than-impressive roster and would have been better off keeping the rights to Luis Scola as compared to employing the two-headed monster of dumpy Fabricio Oberto and Francisco Elson.
San Antonio got lucky last year. It’s not happening this year. That is unless the refs continue to let the Spurs do whatever they want on the floor (Robert Horry changing series with cheap shots and Manu Ginobli throwing himself into defenders). Once a likeable franchise, the Spurs are hardly so once David Robinson retired. Duncan is a great player but a crybaby on the floor now. And for some reason, teams let Tony Parker do whatever he wants on the floor. The first team that is physical with this guy throughout a playoff series will limit Parker greatly.
3. Houston Rockets: Houston looks good on paper. The addition of Scola is going to pay big dividends. Scola has been the best player on the Argentine team, which included players like Ginobli and Nocioni. Not to jump on the Scola bandwagon, but the guy does it all. This guy will win the Rookie of the Year.
With Rick Adelman as new Head Coach, the Rockets could be a very fun team to watch. Bonzi Wells has always been one of the more talented players in the league, and nearly propelled the Kings past the Spurs in the first round two years ago with Adelman as his coach. Houston is much deeper this year as well with Mike James and Steve Francis back (even though Francis is already out of the rotation), and a player like Chuck Hayes moving to where he will be more effective, coming off the bench.
Ultimately, this team revolves around Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady and will go where these two superstars take them. The Rockets will need Yao to put this team on his shoulders as McGrady does not have the desire or competitive greatness to lead the Rockets to a title. Does Ming have this inner fire as well? He’s shown flashes but not yet, which will ultimately mean that the Rockets will not go as far as they should.
Synopsis: Scola makes this team much better, and Wells is poised for a bounce back year. McGrady finally gets out of the first round, but the Rockets fall to Dallas in the second round. Houston can pose some problems but doesn’t have what it takes mentally to be a truly elite team, especially with Rafer Alston starting on this team. Ugh!
4. New Orleans Hornets: This team just missed the playoffs last year without Peja Stojakovic, and will get the eighth seed this year with Chris Paul continuing to develop and Tyson Chandler doing the job on the boards. New Orleans had nice additions in Morris Peterson and first-round pick Julian Wright, who has the talent to be a great one but is not dominant enough. Wright still should bring an exciting dimension to this team on the wing and off the bench. David West is a very underrated player in the league, and Stojakovic has one good season left in him.
Synopsis: New Orleans reaches the playoffs but is bounced quickly by Dallas. For this team, making the playoffs is a highly attainable goal that will come to fruition, especially with Kobe pouting all year in La La land.
5. Memphis Grizzlies: Memphis is in the toughest division in basketball and is hoping that Pau Gasol and free-agent signee Darko Milic can eventual become a tough duo down low. In reality, both guys are not tough enough. With that said, the Grizzlies have some tough guys at the point in second-year guard Kyle Lowry and first-round draft pick Mike Conley, who plays the position with a poise beyond his years.
Synopsis: New Head Coach Marc Iavaroni has come in from Phoenix to slowly build up this team that had reached the playoffs three straight years before last season. The Grizzlies have a combination of veterans in Gasol and Mike Miller with youngsters in Conley Jr., Rudy Gay and Lowry. There is talent on this team, but it’s too young and unrefined. And it doesn’t matter at this point in this loaded division.
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1. Dallas Mavericks: The Dallas Mavericks have proven their abilities in the regular season the last two years. However, the playoffs have been a huge disappointment. Dallas should have swept the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals and was embarrassed by the Golden State Warriors in the first round last year. Naturally, the spotlight is on the leadership skills of star Dirk Nowitzki, who will lead this team to the top spot in the West.
