"Hoops Assassin" by The Sportz Assassin

CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL

1-MIAMI HEAT:  Miami is the defending champ and this will be, most likely, Pat Riley's last hurrah [and maybe even Shaq's].  This team has talent....but isn't the most disciplined.  Last year, they really didn't wow anyone during the season but looked like a champion in the playoffs.  Of course, if Dwayne Wade keeps getting those calls....he'll be unstoppable.  The same should happen this year.  They essentially have the exact same roster; that aging roster who played so hard in the postseason to win rings.  Will they have the same hunger??

2-DETROIT PISTONS:  Losing Ben Wallace hurts this team who was known for their defensive intensity.  But this should enable coach Flip Saunders to open up the offense a bit.  They'll play more zone [Flip's favorite] which is both unpopular and necessary for a team that has limited depth.  They key will be how Rasheed Wallace performs this year.  He was a perimeter guy last year but is needed more in the paint.  If he buys in, the Pistons can get back to the Finals. 

3-CLEVELAND CAVALIERS:  Yeah, I'm sold on LeBron.  He has improved immensely in each of his first three seasons and has the tools to carry his team deep into the playoffs.  Last year, he gained that postseason experience that he didn't shy away from.  He seemed to thrive in it.  That hunger and that will combined with an underrated frontcourt can do some damage.  The key will be the backcourt...namely Larry Hughes....and if they can stay healthy and learn to play off LeBron.  It will take career years from everyone to bring a title this season....but it could very well happen. 

NOT QUITE CHAMPIONSHIP MATERIAL

4-CHICAGO BULLS:  I'm not ready to crown their butts yet.  Yeah, they improved slightly with Ben Wallace....but this was already one of the NBA's best defensive teams.  Actually, the move could hurt the Bulls on offense, which, at times, struggled to figure out where it's points were coming from anyways.  Wallace doesn't look to score and is a horrible FT shooter.  That will allow teams to play off of Wallace and make scoring even harder.  Still, they are young and may be more inclined to run the ball a lot...something they can do with their defense creating opportunities.  They are still a year or two off...but the Wallace signing could hinder their ability to add onto their team...or even keep the guys they already have. 

5-NEW JERSEY NETS:  The Nets are essentially made up of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.  That's it.  The frontcourt is lame and the bench is weak.  But if those three are on....anything can happen.  The Nets should navigate thru the Atlantic Division just fine...so they'll get a top four seeding in the playoffs.  But the team has issues at times when Jason Kidd looks like a 50 yr old man;  Vince's head is out of the game;  Jefferson is relied on taking a game over.  None of them are great perimeter shooters....meaning that no one on the team is.  Again, they win the Atlantic and get bounced before the conference finals. 

FILLING THE PLAYOFF BRACKET

6-WASHINGTON WIZARDS:  The Wiz can score at will...and they need to as their defense sucks.  Still, they have one of the sleeper players in the NBA, Gil Arenas, who can take games over at times.  He can also shoot themselves out of games.  Is he another Dwayne Wade or Allen Iverson??  He does have some help, as Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler bring wing scoring.  Too bad they can't score inside...or defend there either.  They will do the typical Wiz thing:  sneak into the playoffs and scare the pants off of whomever they play....but ultimately fizzle out. 

7-INDIANA PACERS:  They have talent...but they have so many more problems.  Jamaal Tinsley can't stay healthy; Stephen Jackson's strip club tussle will linger for a while; and still forcing Jermaine O'Neal to play the center position.  Adding Al Harrington helps their scoring and toughness inside....but this team is in desperate need of a leader. 

|  Add to del.icio.us |  digg this