NBA 2008-2009 Season Preview

NBA is my game. I hope there are some guys on here that enjoy the game as much as I do and some people I can learn some stuff from. Last year was a really interesting season as far as gambling because large home favorites seemed to hit a bunch more than normal and line movement plays performed much better than they had in the past. I did a couple team previews over at another site but figured I would bring them over here to see what people thought. The NBA is a crazy league with so many roster changes so I figured trying to get a feel on some teams is a nice way to get the year started. Ill also use this thread to post random information leading into the season that I see over the net. Good luck.


Phoenix Suns

Guards

Steve Nash – Though he is getting older, Steve Nash remains one of the best point guards in the league. His ability to get the ball to shooters in rhythm along with his ability to get the ball to people in the post in good position is unparalleled in the league. The issues with Steve Nash are blatantly obvious on the other hand. Steve Nash cannot play the type of minutes or games that he has the last couple years if the Suns hope to make a run in the playoffs this year. His balky back simply cannot endure the type of pounding that it takes over a 82 games season. Nash has struggled to contain PGs like Tony Parker and Chris Paul (Quick penetrators) and the problem has only gotten worse as these players have evolved their game. Nashs inability to stay in front of his opposition has caused many instances where Amare and Shaq have gotten into early foul trouble. Another thing that the Suns cannot afford. Fading the Suns in spots against teams that can highlight Nash’s flaws on the defensive end is always one worth looking at. In order to remedy this problem, the Suns will need to find a solid back-up PG that can give the Suns ample minutes without becoming a liability themselves.

Goran Dragic – Some people think he will be the next Manu Ginobli, and others think he will become the next Bellinelli. Everything I have seen and heard from the Suns in the papers tends to think he will be the former. The question has been with Dragic whether or not he can hit enough jump-shots that the defenders will have to challenge him. If he cannot hit his jumpers, Dragic will struggle to get by defenders with his inferior foot-speed not allowing himself to create shots for other teammates. This was Dragic’s strength in Europe. He as constantly able to get himself to the basket and dish the ball off with his superior vision and court generalship. Dragic is a major question mark on the defensive end also. After finalizing his deal with the Suns on Tuesday, he is now able to participate in scrimmages. He played decent defense in Europe, but we all know that the players over there do not possess the same off the dribble speed of those in the United States. The jury is out with Dragic. He could be the saving grace for this team in backing up Nash, or he will be another player buried on the bench making god money off his potential.

Leandro Barbosa – This guy needs to make some major changes if he is going to help this Suns team. Barbosa is a below average defender for someone with his size and quickness, and his poor decisions on the offensive end have only hurt the team in getting into their offense and creating good shots for his teammates. Barbosa bought in D’Antonis system more than any other player, and it ended up causing a major regression in his game and overall value to the Suns. Barbosa took too many shots and shot at a very low percentage for a guard. He shies away from contact so he infrequently gets to the line and normally ends up forcing a pass into traffic or taking an off balance jumper. The Suns gave this guy too much money for what he is able to do, so unloading him seems very unlikely. If Barbosa is going to max out under Porter, then he is going to have to focus on playing better defense and making better decisions with the ball. Reigning in Barbosa could be very good for both him and the Suns in the long run.

Sean Singletary – I do not know much of Singletary, as I didn’t watch him play much at Virginia, but I found some interesting things on the internet when I researched him a bit. Singletary entered the draft as a junior, but pulled his name out after he didn’t like where he was projected to go. Once primarily a scorer, Singletary took over many of the PG responsibilities his senior year hoping to round his game for the L. He continued to score quite a bit, and with Renolyds now off Virginia, he boosted his totals to 13th in the nation in assists. Coupled with this though, he also was 13th in the nation in turning the ball over. This is something the Suns cannot afford to add to their team. If he turned it over too much in college, how can we expect him to play point in the league. He was also described as a very quick defender with fast hands, but ad a hard time staying in front of defenders due to his constant gabling in the passing lanes. This guy sounds like a Barbosa knock-off, and unless the Suns can find a way to move Barbosa, I don’t imagine the Suns carrying 4 point guards. I think Singletray’s time is limited before he is moved to the D—League.

Raja Bell – Once a lockdown defender, Bell has fallen off on that side of the ball the last two seasons. Whether it is him losing his foot-speed or the new hand-checking rules being called tighter, he has not been the player he was 3 or 4 years ago. Raja has also struggled shooting the ball in large stretches the last couple seasons. What was once a consistent outside jump shooter has now turned into a very streaky player that can score in bunches at times, but lacks the consistency. Bell may be more successful in stints that Shaquille is on the court in Porters slower version of his offense. Bell was hurt constantly on the defensive end against opponents that pushed the ball. Raja Bell is in no way a liability, but he is no longer the asset that he once was on the defensive end. Raja could be a valuable aspect for this team if he can stay healthy and can play sound defense. He will also need to hit his jumper more constantly if this team has plans of reaching their ultimate goal.

Forwards

Matt Barnes – I love what Matt Barnes is going to bring to this team. Barnes wont shoot the 36% from 3 point land that he did two seasons ago, but he will bring much more depth to the range the Suns feature at the 3 position. He can and will also play the 2 and 4 when the Suns put certain line-ups on the court. Grant Hill gave the Suns a very nice season last year, but to depend on him staying healthy another season is just something they cannot afford to do. Barnes is great in the passing lane, and will give the Suns the up the court type threat in the running game that made them so dangerous when Shawn Marion was one the team. Shaq did a great job out letting the ball last season, and I trust that Nash will be able to get Barnes numerous chances to finish out on the break. I think Barnes athleticism went much unnoticed the last couple years with all the super freaks that the Warriors featured. I think he will be a very valuable asset on both ends of the court and will do a better job rebounding than the Suns got last season out of this position.

Grant Hill – Grant had a good season for the Suns last year. He stayed healthy and played a large role in terms of the chemistry of this team. He hurt the Suns with his inability to shoot from the perimeter, but we saw much more of the dribble penetration that he once used to make himself as an elite player in the League. Grant will never again be a great defender in one on one situation, but the thing he does so well is play a very quality team defense. With a team like the Suns that have numerous players who do not know nor care to play at the defensive end, a solid team defender that makes the right choices at that end of the court is a very valuable asset. I like the veteran leadership that Grant brings to the team, and barring injuries I expect him to have another productive season out in the valley of the sun.

Boris Diaw – Where to start with this guy? Diaw is not what the Suns need, nor is he what they want to move to in the future. Diaw can have productive games when the ball runs through him, but if he is not the one initiating the offense then he is pretty much worthless. Boris is a bad defender, bad rebounder, and he can’t extend his offensive game past 15 feet. He tends to sit underneath the basket and clog the lane only causing a lack of space for penetration or the big men to operate. At times, Boris can take over the game and be a valuable asset creating offense from the top of the key against bigger defenders. I don’t see this being much of the Suns plans this year, and I expect another season of Diaw and Barbosa trying to “get theirs” off the bench by forcing bad shots in bad situations that eventually lead to break outs on the other end. This guy is one of the most overrated players in the league in my opinion and someone that the Suns should have tried to unload in the off season with Barbosa.

Louis Amundson - Everything I have read about Louis is that he is a hustle guy. With the addition of guys like him and Robin Lopez, the Suns are trying to get a little more physical. I don’t expect to see him much this season, and I think he will be inactive much of the year. He supposedly is athletic and one of the type of players that will give you tough minutes against physical teams. Ive not seen much from him, but I do not expect much at all. If we see much of Amundson, it will mean the Suns have suffered some bad injuries and the season is in trouble.

Robin Lopez – On draft night, this guy was the goofy other brother that everyone thought had no offensive game. He was going to be the guy that did all the dirty things that nobody else would and was going to help the Suns on the boards when players like Shaq and Amare were tired or in foul trouble. I still expect him to do those things, but Lopez is much more than what meets the eye. The Suns became enamored with this kid when they interviewed before the draft. They asked what he would bring to their team, and he went off on a 10 minute stagnant about how he would help them defend the pick and roll. This is something that has haunted the Suns for years, and just the knowledge this kid had about their team knocked the Suns off their feet. In summer league, Lopez showed exactly why the Suns drafted him. He was giving them tough minutes and really doing a nice job defending both on the interior and the exterior. He has shown much more offense than was ever expected off him also. He could give the Suns a bunch of energy off the bench, and I expect him to remind a lot of people of Anderson Varejo by the middle of the season. This kid is going to bring a physical presence to the Suns inside, and in a couple years will be known as the better Lopez. I like this kid, and I cant wait to see him get out there and leave it all on the floor.

Alando Tucker – If he gets the chance, Tucker will put up points for the Suns. Built in the Michael Finley mold all the way back to the school they came from, Tucker has the ability to put up points. He is not a great defender by any means, but Suns assistants said he was making major progress in the offseason and D-league to where he might find some time on the court this year. While his game lacks the range that most 3s now possess in the league, Tuckers strength and court savy have allowed him to get to the bucket and to get himself to the line. I don’t expect to get much contribution out of him this year, but I do expect him to get some minutes. Tucker will play a larger role in years to come, and Porter will want to see what he has with his young players. Especially with a Suns team that has played so many minutes over the last 5 seasons under D’Antonis strange system.

STAT - Amare put up an amazing season last year on the offensive end. He did just about anything and everything that people could ask from him. He shot well from the field, crashed the boards, and shot extremely well from the line. It would be pointless to discuss anything about him offensively, because since the big man came over Amare was the single most dominating player in the league at the offensive end. The issues with Amare have always been at the other end of the court. His lack of interest, poor court knowledge, and getting himself in foul trouble has haunted Amare for his entire professional career. Amare claims that he is finally 100% from micro fracture surgery, and that is just a scary thought to anyone that tried to defend him last year. Recently, the Arizona Republic did and article on him where he discussed his desire to be better at the defensive end of the court. Below is some of that article….

He is talking about and working on his defense. He declares his passion for the game to be at an all-time high, bringing him to the court morning and night most weekdays. He is raving about his new coach, Terry Porter, and teammates.

He is worry-free about his surgically repaired knees. And his good effort has extended off the court, having just returned from a week in Sierra Leone to be part of a project to rehabilitate water wells that he helped fund.

'I feel fit and fierce,' he said. 'My health is tremendous. I have no worries about extra work. Before, I never wanted to overwork. I always wanted to do more, but I was coming back from injuries. I can do whatever I want on the court without second-guessing now.'"

If this is true, the NBA better watch out for which might be the most dominant player in the entire League. Yes, that includes EVERYBODY.

Center

Shaq – Shaq was a great addition to the Suns roster last season. What he brought to the team was a fierce interior presence that opened this up for Amare. He brought the outlet pass to a new level for the Suns helping to trigger the fast break. With the addition of Barnes, this will be an even more impressive part of the Suns arsenal this season. Shaq not only brought his big body to Phoenix, but he brought a new attitude. No longer were the Suns going to be pushed around by opponents. He has added much to the team that will not be seen on stat sheets. Shaq knows his time is coming to an end, and I hope that helps him come to camp in shape this year. If Shaq comes in shape and can stay healthy, the Suns will be a factor in the West this year. If he doesn’t, the future looks grim for this team.


Suns Keys To Success

1) Health
2) Adapting to Terry Porter
3) Porter adapting to his roster
4) Back-up Point guard
5) Health

If all the right things happen for this Suns team, they could be a very dangerous team come the summer. If things don’t happen the right way for them, it could be a long season. The Suns are in need of an energy boost from a new coach and also need the stars to align for them to have a healthy season. If this all happens, the Suns will be playing in June.



Clippers

I think the Clippers will be a very improved team this season. Not only have they improved in a lot of ways, but they have players that are now playing with a chip on their shoulders. The Clippers have done a good job in sureing up the things about their teams that caused them to struggle recently. The have also added to some of their strengths and are now one of the more interesting teams in the entire league in my opinon. The Clippers are a team that will challenge teams like Denver and Golden St for a spot in the bottom half of the conference and I think will be a team that can get into the playoffs if they are able to stay healthy.

The two things about winning in the NBA are solid point guard play and the ability to rebound. A solid interior defense and players that are capable to hit outside shots are the other two key components in the NBA in my eyes. The Clippers have made themselves into a team that can do all of this. Toss in a couple other things, and this team is one that is prime to make a nice move in the Western Conference this year. They struggled with injuries last year, so players that made drastic improvements were lost in a team that basically played with no leader and no idenitiy all year long. The team now has its leader in the Mad Baron, and are filled with verteran leadership all over the floor.

Starting in the back-court, the Clippers have done a nice job in sureing up what is quickly becoming the most important spot on the entire floor. Baron Davis, if healthy, is an absolute beast when it comes to putting points up on the board and being able to get to the basket to help create shots for his teammates. With both Kaman and Camby very good on the offensive glass with good hands, I expect Barons penetration to open things up for those guys. Both are very good finishers around the basket, and I expect both of them to have improved offesive seasons. The back-up will be Jason Hart considering the retirement of Jason Williams. Hart has always been an above average defender and has always done a nice job in limiting his turnovers. He should do an adequate job in getting the ball to the scoers that this team has filled themselves up with over the last couple years.

Eric Gorden is a scorer. Al Thorton is a scorer. Ricky Davis is an idiot, but he is a scorer. This team shouldnt have issues getting the ball in the basket, and when Kaman is out resting, the will have a very talented group of guys running up and down the court along with Camby. The thing that I find so interesting about this team is their ability to play two totally different styles of basketball. This could be a double edged sword, because they could get confused and never find a true identity for their team. If things work out, they could be team that could cause major issues for other teams with their ability.

The Clippers will rebound this season. Kaman, Skinner, and Camby are all very good on the glass. Also, Baron is a good rebounding guard to help out along with swing men like Davis and Thorton. This should counter the lack of rebounding they will get from guys like Gorden and Mobley at the 2 spot. The interior defense will be much improved also. Skinner is an athletic high-energy player that has always been known for his ability to play solid defense in the paint. Camby is one of the best in the league at stopping penetration and blocking shots also. If DeAndre Jordan can play himself into some playing time, he is also an explosive 7-footer that can get himself up and down the floor. In the right situation, Jordan could become a contributor for this team down the strech as the older players begin to fade.

One hole I see with this team is going to be their poor perimeter defense. They just dont have any guys that are willing to do the job, and the loss of Ross is going to hurt them much more than they will realize. Other than Hart, there is a very poor defensive team out on the court at the one, two, and three spot. I think Thorton has the ability to be a solid defender, and I also hope that Gorden will take some pride in his defense at this level. He is very under-sized as a 2-guard, but his long arms and strong body could make him a solid defensive player.

With Mobley, Novak, and **deep breath** Tim Thomas this team also will have the ability to strech the floor. Both players can knock down jump-shots in their sleep, and with the new additons at the point, I expect both of them to get more open looks. Guys like Brevin Knight were never able to create shots for them. Knight might have some gaudy assist numbers, but most of them came on simple swing passes that resulted in forced jumpers that went in.

The have solid point play, they rebound, they hit jumpers, and they have a defensive stopper. The Clippers have the ability to be a very suprising team in the Western Conference this year. Other than health and the devleopment of their younger players, the issues with the Clippers come from the front office. With an owner that rides his coach constantly, the Clippers could fall victim to a power struggle between what is on the court and what the front office wants on the court. I would assume with the signing of Davis for big money that everyone is on the win-now page.

I also love that everyone is going to have their eyes on the Lakers this season. Teams come in town and get these two back to back all the time. The Clippers are going to get looked past in a lot of games at home this season, and I think they have the rebounding and poing guard play to win some tough games late.

::dance::

Oh and....Baron is coming home.

Awesome post man!

Ill print these out and give them a read.

thanks again.

::handshake::

::clap::

Welcome ICC and thanks for posting this!

Looking forward to that Sixers preview.

Were gonna be real nice this season.

No problem TimBob. ::handshake::

I dont think I will be able to get a preview on every team, but I was definitly planning on doing one on the 76ers. I was going to do one on them and other teams that have gone through some changes with their players or coaches. I figured to give out some information on teams that changed would be a valuable tool for people when the season starts.

What ever you post, it will be a big help.

I seen you post at wagerline (I think that was you) a couple years back. Then you went on a forum with a guy named countspatula and those guys. You were very consistant from what I remember.

Yeah, I went over to a site named CappersCircle with those guys about 2 years ago. Things went bad because the site was becoming a tout promotional site and I didnt like the way things went down. Count is a pretty good dude, but I didnt appreciate the way he started to run his board. Recently, I have been over at therxforum. I saw on there today about this web-site and decided I would check it out. As far as capping, I have some things I am good at and others that I am not. I do best in basketball and boxing, and have gotten better in baseball this season than I was before. I recently had a great week to end the season where I rode the Brewers for about 5 straight games and they all came in for me. Im on them again today and it looks like I should have taken the money they made me and gone on my way. Baseball and football are really a struggle for me. I put the time in to research games, but there is something I am obviously missing because consistant winning has avoided me in those sports.

Philly Sixers

This is one of the more intriguing teams coming into the 2008-2009 NBA Season. They have added a legit All-Star in Elton Brand and have added some other valuable pieces that have flown under the national radar. With the talent this team has and the top-tier coach leading them, I see no reason why this team does anything but have an excellent season.

The conversation begin with Elton Brand. Elton is a wonderful player that gives the 76ers what they have needed most since Allen Iverson left town. They now have a player to give the ball in crunch time when the game is on the line to get the big basket for them. Im not taking anything away from Iggy, but his offensive game hasnt devloped from the perimeter the way that most Philly fans have wanted. His jumpshot still goes away from strechs that left the 76ers without many scoring options. With Brand, they have a player that will not only produce in clutch situations, but they also acquired a guy that has had very good post-seasons in his career. Brand torched the Suns in the playoffs when a part of the Clippers and almost won the series himself streching his team into a long 7 game series against a team that had them very overmatched.

The conversation in the NBA also is one that now revolves around the PG. With the emeregence of this position over the last 5 years, teams simply cannot compete unless they have a very solid guy running the offense. The Sixers have that in Andre Miller. One of the more undderrated players in the game, Miller supplies his team with great floor generalship and his savy is one that keep his team in the game by producing good shots and getting his team in the offensive flow. I couldnt say enough for the things that Miller does for his team. Only turning the ball over 2.5 times a game is very good for a PG that handles the ball as much as Andre Miller does. His effect is not only on himself, but with the young Philly players like Young his impact is in his ability to keep a calm presence on the court. His mentorship of Louis Williams will play a major role in his development.

With the addition of Brand, I expect players like Iggy, Green, and Dalembert to imporve dramatically. Its sort of the domino effect you saw last year when the Celtics added Kevin Garnett to their team. Willie Green is an explosive scorer that is capable of taking over a game at anytime. However, one of Willies major problems was that the offense would go in large droughts and he would be forced to take shots that were of a very low percentage. This can be seen in his shooting % of 42% which is much to low for a player like Willie that can score from anywhere on the court. With the double teams on Brand in the post, Green will be able to get more open looks and be able to utilize his shooting ability.

I also expect large things from Andre Igoudala this season. He has been forced to carry the brunt of the load since Allen left town, and his numbers have indicated it. Now he has another offensive force to help him so Iggy wont be forced to do as many things as he did the last couple seasons. He wont face the same sort of defensive attention, therefor, I expect him to be able to penetrate more and not have to settle for as many jumpshots as he has done in the last couple seasons. I think Andre will benefit most from the addition from Brand. He will be able to expend more energy on the defensive end too because he wont have to exert as much energy carrying this team on offense. This will not only keep him fresher into the postseason (which he looked exhausted in shooting 33%) but it will also allow him to play less minutes throughout the season. If the Sixers are going to go as far as they would like in June, Iggy cant be as worn down as he was last season.

Samuel Dalembert is one of my favorite players in the league. His offensive game has improved dramatically, and he is quickly becoming one of the more dominant paint players in the entire Eastern Conference. Dalembert took huge strides last year as a player. He averaged a double-double for the season and blocked 2.5 shots per game. These numbers are very impressive for him, but the thing about Dalembert that has impressed me so much is his willingness to work hard and be coached. This can be seen in simple things such as his free throw % over his career. He was a terrible shooter from the line his first three seasons, but through hard work has gotten himself over 70% the last 3 seasons. He is an energetic big body that works his ass off on the defensive end. Dalembert will be the perfect compliment to a guy like Brand. Brand is not as aggresive on the defensive glass, but his constant double teams and help will open up things for Dalembert. Dalembert might toss in his awkward hook shot from time to time, but he will never be a very polished offensive player. What he does best though is attacking the offensive glass and cleaning up the mess. With the attention on Brand, this will only open up more oppurtunities for Dalembert to make his presence known.

The thing that makes this 76ers team so dangerous is their ability to play multiple styles. In my write-up about the Clippers, I discuss that they need to find themselves an indentity. If not, they will struggle to really get into a flow as of what they want to do as a team. Philly (as a compliment to Mo Cheeks) was able to do that last year. They played a slower tempo with their starters, and then they turned up the volume when the back-ups came in. This is what turned the 76ers season around last year. Players like Thaddeus Young and Louis Williams brought a ton of energy off the bench and were able to run other teams tired starters or second teams right off the floor. I expect to see similar things for this 2nd team this year. They are young, athletic, and they work on the defensive end. Because of their solid coaching and veterans, players like Young and Williams have learned very quickly since coming into the league. Im not saying the days of Louis Williams tossing up crazy shots are over, but Im saying that I dont expect to see them as much. Part of what makes Williams effective is his aggresiveness on the floor, and I dont think Cheeks would want to take that away from him. Along with thes young guns comes the addition of Speights. A long athletc PF that can get up and down the court in a hurry and will beat just about anyone off the floor in rebounding and block shot situations. Speights very well could be one of the effective rookies we see this year coming out of the middle of the first round, but he is still very raw. His progression and mental ability will effect how much he is used this season.

Players like Royal Ivey and Reggie Evans will also be productive for the 76ers this year. Both guys do all the things that nobody else wants to do. These are very valuable assets for a team over the course of the year, because as injuries come you will always need guys to fill specific roles. Thats exactly what Ivey and Evans do. Ivey is a hard-nosed defender on the perimeter that can guard both the PG and SG whereas Evans is jsut a physical presence on the inside that provides both rebounding and solid defense.

The thing about this Philly team is that they are a well-rounded, well coached team that is young and getting better. With bringing in Brand there has been a level of pressure taken off each other member in the team. It should also be noted that Cheeks is quickly becoming one of the best coaches in the League. I expect this team to be very good this season.

Love the Sixers preview man.

Thanks again for the posts.

No problem, I really enjoy doing them. Every team I do I realize some sort of change with the roster or something about how the team did last year. If anyone has a team they are unfamiliar with, I would be happy to review them. Just let me know.

::thumbsup::

Since I have begun capping NBA PreSeason games, I wont have time to do anymore previews. I wanted to let you guys know that the good people over at deadspin.com are doing a 30 teams in 30 days preview. I think this guy doing the work is pretty good. Just and fyi.