When Michael Jordan, was the best player in basketball, sports writers would get bored with the pick and take other players from time to time. Karl Malone was the proud beneficiary of said boredom. There starts this justification of whether it is the best player or who is having the best season. Sometimes, the MVP is just the best player. After a hiatus with a "fine" Derrick Rose pick, I think sports writers come back to voting for the actual MVP.
Scoring Leader: Kobe Bryant
What year is this? Kobe cannot possibly be the scoring leader! Well, my answer is who the hell else is going to score for the Lakers. I think Kobe is about 5 games away from seeing enough of Steve Blake, Josh McRoberts, and Metta World Peace shooting the ball. It won't take much before Kobe goes into the mindset, "If I were to pick any person on this team to shoot every possession, it would be me." And this time, Phil Jackson is not there to talk him down from the ledge.
Offensively Bad Team of the Year: Charlotte Bobcats
Like so bad that you just wonder. How, how could you be this bad? Like maybe John Calipari's Kentucky Wildcats could beat you bad. They have been completely mismanaged and got absolutely no value to show for it. They need to have a lot more after loosing Tyson Chandler and Gerard Wallace. The good news is the Anthony Davis lottery goes through Charlotte!
Disappointing Team of the Year: New York Knicks
I love the acquisition of Tyson Chandler. Whoever advised him on where to go, did an excellent job finding a competitor that was in need for his exact skills. I think the Baron Davis move could also pay dividends, though I think it is ludicrous to expect anything more than what the Knicks got last year from now Clipper Chauncey Billups. This team's bench is horrendous. The injury history of the players is high. I haven't like Mike D'Antoni as a coach since he left Steve Nash. They are an injury away from starting....somebody terrible. The expectations for this team just don't match everything it has to offer.
Most Surprising Team: Indiana Pacers, though a later pick may be more surprising
This team is built with solid players who hustle on both ends, know their roles, have high basketball IQs, and continue to improve. The offseason pick up of George Hill and David West may be the most overlooked. I like this team two and three deep across the floor. Listing starter then back-up from across the team: Darren Collison/George Hill, Paul George/Lance Stephenson, Danny Granger/Dahntay Jones, Tyler Hansbrough/David West/Louis Amundson, and Roy Hibbert/Jeff Foster. I just listed 11 guys I wouldn't mind having on the floor. Look for this team to win more than it loses, and to certainly pick up a few wins on nights when the other team is playing a back to back.
Rookie of the Year: Kemba Walker
Yes, the leader of the Offensively Bad Team of the Year will be the Rookie of the Year. This is because he is the whole team as far as I can tell, and it will only take a couple game winners on SportsCenter before everyone notices. I think we are looking at 17.8ppg and 4.6apg by the end of the year with 3 game winners. Sadly, I think the team might only win 15 games, so 20% of those wins will come on Kemba Walker game winners. I think the future could be bright for Walker, I just have no idea when that future will come.
Biggest Non-Trade of the Season: Dwight Howard
Dwight is going to open up in Brooklyn. He will have a handshake with Jay-Z. He will be great with Deron Williams. It will happen via free agency. The will be a 3 seed. They will lose in the conference finals. It will feel like Orlando 2.0.
Biggest Actual Trade of the Season: Steve Nash
To be perfectly frank, I don't know where Nash would go. As much as I hate to say it, I would really like to see him in a Lakers uniform. I think the Lakers should have considered this when they were in the middle of the Paul trades. As far as good teams go with no real point guard, there is no obvious more obvious situation here. The Suns could look at Steve Nash and crummy contracts for either Bynum or Gasol to pair with Gortat.
Western Conference Champs: Portland Trailblazers
WHAT?!? The Trailblazers! You have to be kidding me. Right now, I look over the rosters and I just don't like a lot else out there. If this team gets a year together, they are a very solid team at every position. They have scoring off the bench. They have great defense. They have legitimate low post threat and serious rebounding. If this team can find a defensive groove, I see no reason that they can't pass the old Mavericks, Lakers, and Spurs, while out executing and muscling the Grizzlies, Thunder, and Clippers. It was said here first.
Eastern Conference Champs: Miami Heat
I think we are about to see basketball road kill this season. I hate the Heat in a completely impartial kind of way. I mainly just hate how they have approached everything, but this team is now a defensive stopper with the Greatest Show on Turf offense. I have this sneaking suspicion that we are going to see a Baltimore Ravens defense combined with a Drew Brees offense. And if you were wondering...
NBA Champion: Miami Heat
And it won't be close. Zone Press doesn't like how bought in it is on the Heat this year, but the math is right there. Eventually, the scary NBA Finals gets boring to Lebron and he just decides to take it all out. I think this season could be monster, and there really isn't much that I think will stop it.
No comments:
Post a Comment