The NBA season starts tomorrow so it’s only right that I come out with the incomprehensive 2015 NBA Preview. This has be one of the best NBA off-seasons in years and the landscape has changed more drastically than Renee Zellweger’s (too soon?). How do I think the NBA season will shake out during the season? Let’s take a look.
- Advertisement -
East:
- Chicago
- Cleveland
- Washington
- Charlotte
- Atlanta
- Toronto
- Miami
- Brooklyn
Best team in the East: Right now, it feels like the Chicago Bulls. The Cavs are stocked but they seem more like a work in progress with some major flaws (interior defense and defense at the point of attack). The Bulls have a major flaw in that they don’t know whether Derrick Rose’s granny ligaments will hold up but the way he looked in the offseason, you can’t help but be optimistic. They have size, a great defense, shooting, and ways to attack the paint on offense.
- Advertisement -
Worst team in the East: Ahahahahahahahahahahahaaha. C’mon, it has to be the Philadelphia 76ers. This is a team that is looking for different ways to redefine terrible. Have you seen their roster? I would advise against looking at it. It’s the leading cause for ripping your eyeballs out of your sockets in America.
Most underrated offseason pickup: To me, this goes to Paul Pierce signing with the Wiz. This is the team that is most ready to make the jump. They are going to miss Ariza’s athleticism and defense but I feel like the Wiz are a team that needs the fact that Pierce has been there before.
- Advertisement -
Biggest offseason loss that’s not Lebron James: Paul George, duh. I’m still traumatized from knowing that legs can do that.
Most interesting player in the East (from a purely basketball perspective): I think Al Horford and Brook Lopez deserve some love here but I think it’s clearly Dwyane Wade. This is a player that the Miami Heat gave a lot of days off to and he still looked tired at the end of the playoffs. He plays like he’s aged 20 years since 2011. However, he’s still paid and there are people that still perceive him to be a superstar caliber player. Miami’s playoff hopes hinge on him playing like one.
Most interesting player in the East (from an off the court perspective): That’s got to be Lance Stephenson, right? The guy seems like he’s on the Dennis Rodman and Metta World Peace path of enlightment.
West:
- San Antonio
- Golden State
- LA Clippers
- Dallas
- Oklahoma City
- Houston
- Memphis
- Portland
Best team in the West: Duh, it’s the Spurs. They didn’t lose anything during the offseason (except for Boris Diaw who seems to have lost any motivation to keep weight off) and they added an interesting piece in rookie Kyle Anderson who seems like a Boris Diaw clone. They still have Duncan, Parker, and Obi Wan Ginobilli and Kawhi is playing well enough to make that a Big 4. Oh, yeah. They also have the best coach in the NBA.
Worst team in the West: Other than Gordon Hayward and watching & hoping Dante Exum develops into a baller, is there any reason to watch the Utah Jazz?
Most underrated offseason pickup in the West: Shaun Livingston was one of the most important players on the Nets last year and he signs a deal with the Warriors to be a nice cog to a team that looks like it’s on the up and up. This looks like a dangerous team right now.
Biggest offseason loss in the West: Chandler Parsons leaving the Rockets for the Mavericks. However, Harden and Howard have a feeling of “meh” over this whole situation while they are hanging out and being cool with each other while isolating the rest of their teammates.
Most interesting player in the West (from a purely basketball perspective): It’s going to be super interesting to watch how Russell Westbrook plays and how the team stays afloat while Kevin Durant is out for the first few weeks of the season.
Most interesting player in the west (from an off the court perspective): IMO, it’s Tim Duncan. We’ve had 18 years to know everything there is to know about this guy but his life seems more secretive than information from the Pentagon. If this season is his farewell tour, can the guy just open up a bit and let us in to his lives and celebrate every ounce of his awesomeness?
NBA Finals prediction:
The Spurs over the Bulls. The more things change, the more they stay the same. While ever team revamped, the Spurs brought the band back together. They are just too good, too deep, and too well coached. The Bulls are starting to look like the Spurs East but the Spurs just may prove to be too much on their quest for a first back to back championship in the franchise’s history.
