NBA Previews: Toronto Raptors 1st Place: Atlantic Division

by James Finneral

Five years back who would have thought the Toronto Raptors could ever be the top team in the Atlantic Division and have the third best record in the Eastern Conference. Since then this team has drastically changed. Toronto has been rebuilding for the past few years and now their team is finally starting to shape up. Now the Raptors have one of the more talented rosters in the league and they are showing no signs of slowing down.

 The key to the Raptor's success starts with their best player, Kyle Lowry. Lowry played excellent this past season as an all around point guard averaging 18 points, 7 assists and 5 rebounds per game. The Raptors did great in the offseason just by re-signing Lowry. As I stated in my past free agents article I believe Lowry is prime for even more of a breakout year and will earn a spot on the East All Star Team. It is convenient for a team when their best player is their point guard because the point guard initiates and runs the offense. Lowry is a great guy the have at that position and they even have a nice backup if he gets injured. The Raptors acquired point guard Greivis Vasquez from the Sacramento Kings last year. Vasquez is an excellent passer and proved that during his season with the New Orleans Hornets in 2012-2013. He will be a great replacement if Lowry goes down and the Raptors will be able to move on.

Along with Lowry many other of the Raptors starters stepped it up last year. DeMar DeRozan finished tenth in the league in scoring last year averaging 23 points to go along with 4 rebounds and 4 assists. These are pretty very impressive statistics especially considering he is shooting guard and few people at his position can put up those type of numbers. DeRozan is very quick and athletic and will continue to fill out the stat sheet this season. At small forward Terrence Ross has been a nice fit for the Raptors. Ross is another great athlete who really benefits the Raptors transition game, but he does not take too much attention away from Lowry and DeRozan. Ross is a reliable guy that can put up 10 points a night and provide some highlight reel plays to get the team pumped up. If he continues to be a nice compliment for the Raptors two stars then Toronto will continue to thrive on the offensive end.

On the defensive end, the Raptors are powered by their two big men, Jonas Valanciunas and Amir Johnson. Valanciunas came on to the scene last year during his second year in the NBA and made a huge difference for the Raptors. He nearly averaged a double-double as well as a block per game this past season. At 6'11, 230 pounds Valanciunas is a large presence in the post and can hang with some of the strongest centers. Amir Johnson is another big man that subtly plays a big role for Toronto. Johnson is 6'9", but he is one of the most athletic power forwards in the business. His vertical leap makes him as dangerous on the glass as a seven footer. Johnson will keep progressing and locking down the power forwards in the Eastern Conference. These quality big guys are nice to have when you already have two talented guards to make plays for them.

The Raptors starting lineup is one of the best in the East and they have a good number of guys that can jump in and give their studs rest. Their back-court can hold their own against anyone in the league and their big men are not to shabby either. This Toronto team is easily good enough to win this division and will finish as one of the top five teams in the Eastern Conference.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Kyle Lowry

SG: DeMar DeRozan

SF: Terrence Ross

PF: Amir Johnson

C: Jonas Valanciunas

 

NBA Previews: New York Knicks 2nd Place: Atlantic Division

by James Finneral

After signing Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire a few years back the New York Knicks believed they could be contenders in the East. After that Stoudemire busted and Carmelo Anthony was pretty much the only reliable player around for New York. You may call me crazy, but with Anthony coming back I believe this team will gel and have one of their best seasons in a while.

You can't think of the Knicks without thinking of Carmelo Anthony. Over the past four years Anthony has become the face of the franchise and one of the top players in the league. Anthony's new contract may make him seem greedy, but in truth it shows his loyalty to the Knicks and how he wants to lead them to a title. With a leader that is happy to be in New York it already helps the Knicks. Anthony knows the Knicks do not have the talent to win a championship this year, but he does have faith that they can take some major steps. Melo should have no struggles putting up the same numbers that he did last year. He is debatably the best scorer in the NBA and his rebounding just seems to be getting better and better. Anthony has never been a big passer, but he provides enough for his team as is and will once again be an all star and the best player on the Knicks.

Of course the Knicks will need more than just Carmelo Anthony to be successful this year. This team has plenty of talent they just need to build chemistry with each other. Lets start with the front-court. Although Amare Stoudimire has been injured often, when he has played he has shown signs of his old self. Stoudemire is a powerhouse who is quick on his feet giving him an advantage against most power forwards. Look for Stoudemire to start the majority of the games and make some major improvements this year. With Tyson Chandler gone the Knicks can play Stoudemire at the center and have Anthony play the power forward forcing rookie Cleanthony Early to start at the small forward. They could also start Andrea Bargnani at center and play Stoudemire at power forward and Anthony at the small forward. The Knicks will have to make these executive decisions, but no matter what, the starting lineup is looking pretty solid.  

The Knicks have made some new additions as well such as general manager Phil Jackson and point guard Jose Calderon. Jackson has gone down as one of the greatest coaches in the history of the game. His wealth of basketball knowledge and charisma towards his players has lead to success year after year. Although he will not be coaching, Jackson can make a huge difference to the Knicks organization. The main thing the Knicks were missing throughout last year was a reliable point guard. Raymond Felton was not their ideal fit and it really effected their team. Adding Jose Calderon was a great move for the Knicks. He is a dual threat point guard, but Calderon is more of a pass first guy which is perfect for the Knicks. He will be able to feed Anthony, Stoudemire and J.R. Smith making the Knicks offense even more deadly. These two gentlemen will play huge roles for the Knicks this year.

With everyone healthy and Calderon joining the team, the Knicks have one of better rosters in the Eastern Conference. This could be the year that this team finally gels and gets back on track. They're not going to win the championship, but the Knicks have enough talent to be one of the last teams in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Jose Calderon 

SG: J.R. Smith

SF: Carmelo Anthony

PF: Amare Stoudemire 

C: Andrea Bargnani  

 

NBA Previews: Brooklyn Nets 3rd Place: Atlantic Division

by James Finneral

After being one of the most hyped teams heading into last season the Nets just ended up being a mediocre team in the NBA. Given that Brook Lopez was out for nearly the entire year, the Nets did not live up to anyones expectations. They were supposed to be a team that could challenge the Miami Heat, but their players did not gel and they now have a worse roster than last year.

Last year was the Nets best chance to make a title run. When they traded for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnet the Nets were not planning for multiple years in the future, they wanted to win the next year. With Pierce gone the Nets certainly lose a quality guy who can provide for the offense. Garnet may have another decent year in him, but the Nets will need to rely on their Big 3 consisting of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez. Johnson might just be the most important of the three. Coming from Atlanta, the Nets knew Johnson was a strong shooting guard who specializes in scoring. Since he has been in Brooklyn, Johnson has been extremely inconsistent. He will score 35 points multiple times during the season but then the next night he will drop less than 10. Johnson is an all star caliber talent, but the Nets will need him to be more consistent to win big games.

Brook Lopez is a huge part of the Brooklyn Nets and is probably their best player. Without him in the lineup the Nets front-court really struggled throughout last year. Now that he is returning the Net's offensive and defensive efficiency will improve greatly. The Net's bench is not that deep, but one player who could be pretty helpful this season is Mason Plumlee. He is coming off a decent rookie season, but he certainly has the skill set to be a solid power forward in the NBA. He is a big strong guy who has a number of post moves. Plumlee should see more time this year and could be a very good guy to give Garnett or Lopez a rest.

The last piece the Nets need to be successful is the efficiency of their point guard, Deron Williams. A few seasons back many experts thought that Williams could be a top of the line point guard. Unfortunately Williams has been prone to injuries and when he has played he was just decent. There's no question Williams can be an all star point guard, but he needs to stay healthy and consistent. With their high powered offense the Nets will need a floor general like Williams to create opportunities for his teammates.

The Nets have a chance to make the playoffs, but with the multiple question marks surrounding their roster its hard to take them as one of the top eight teams. They have a number of players with great talent, but they have yet to live up to expectations. Lets see if this Nets team can get back to the way they were when they had Jason Kidd and Vince Carter.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Deron Williams 

SG: Joe Johnson

SF: Andrei Kirilenko

PF: Kevin Garnett 

C: Brook Lopez

NBA Previews: Philadelphia 76ers 5th Place: Atlantic Division

by James Finneral

After having one of the longest losing streaks of all time, the Philadelphia 76ers somehow did not finish with the worst record in the NBA. They finished with just 19 wins, but they did show some potential. Sixers starting point guard, Michael Carter Williams won Rookie of the Year last year and should be able to continue his production this season. The Sixers have played well in the summer league and hope it transpires in the regular season.

The 76ers had plenty of picks in this year's draft, but no more important than the number three overall pick where they selected Joel Embiid from Kansas. Embiid is a 7 foot center with tremendous athleticism, but in the few years he has played, Embiid has been injury prone. He suffered a serious foot injury at the end of the season and will most likely not play for Philadelphia this year. This pick could pay dividends for the Sixers, but it is risky to say the least. The Sixers also selected small forwards Jerami Grant and K.J. McDaniels. McDaniels is more suited to play small forward based on his skill set and could start there if Thaddeus Young ends up playing power forward. Grant on the other hand enjoys to play down low, but he is simply to small to play against power forwards in the NBA. Grant is a tremendous talent, but he needs to either develop a wing player's skill set or simply get bigger to play power forward. The Sixer's draft picks this year are investments for the future not right now.

There are two investments the Sixers made in the 2013 NBA Draft that will really pay off for them this year. Michael Carter-Williams was the best rookie in the league last year and frankly one of the better point guards in the NBA overall. At 6'6" Carter-Williams can see over defenders and it shows as he averaged 6 assists per game last season. The height advantage over defenders also helps Carter-Williams in the scoring and rebounding departments. His jump shot improved immensely since his days at Syracuse and he is also great defensively. Nerlens Noel is another potential star the Sixers drafted in 2013. Noel spent last year sidelined due to his ACL injury in his freshman season at Kentucky. He is an incredible shot blocker whose offensive game is coming along. He was on track to be the number one pick until his injury so the Sixers may have got away with robbery by drafting Noel. Noel has looked solid in summer league play and he does not seem to be bothered by his old injury. Noel can certainly step in and be the starting center and be a great rim protector for Philadelphia. This duo will do some damage and set the tone for the Sixers especially on defense.

Lastly who can forget about this team's leading scorer last year, Thaddeus Young. Young is the starting small forward for the Sixers and there were rumors of him being traded. With Young back, the Sixers have a lot more fire power on offense. He is a big strong guy who overpowers defenders to get easy buckets. In fact Young could potentially play the power forward position and move out to the wing often. Young will need to perform well for the Sixers to improve.

This young Sixers team knows they cannot win a championship for at least a few years, but they have a great foundation that can only move forward. There will be a noticeable difference this season and expect the Sixers to win around ten more games than last year. They probably need another season before they are playoff material, but the Sixers are certainly heading in the right direction.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Michael Carter-Williams 

SG: Jason Richardson

SF: K.J. McDaniels 

PF: Thaddeus Young

C: Nerlens Noel  

NBA Previews: Boston Celtics 4th Place: Atlantic Division

by James Finneral

Being a Celtic fan and a Massachusetts native it is difficult to write this preview. Ever since their championship run in 2007-2008 the Boston Celtics slowly started heading downhill. Their Big 3 was aging and Ray Allen decided to head to Miami in hopes for another ring. Last year they really dropped off after trading Kevin Garnet and the captain, Paul Pierce to the Nets. After being in the bottom five teams in the Eastern Conference it is sad to say that things could still get worse for Boston.

The main reason why the Celtics will most likely not be successful is because their top players are not very thrilled to be in Boston. Rajon Rondo and Jeff Green are quality players in the NBA and have both displayed interest in leaving Boston. They both do not seem confident in The Celtic's ability to go deep in the playoffs and it shows in their play. This is more obvious in Rondo's play. If you compare him when the Big 3 were around to his effort towards the end of this past season coming off his injury you will see a great decline in his performance. Green and Rondo will both have the chance to leave Boston after this year when they become free agents. These two certainly have the ability to lead this team to the playoffs, but they need stop being upset that they do not have the roster of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Lets switch gears from two of the oldest guys on the Celtics to some of the younger players. The Celtics had a solid draft slot with the sixth overall pick, but they did not utilize that pick completely. Boston selected Marcus Smart, a point guard from Oklahoma State. Smart is an excellent young guard and there is no question he has potential, but the pick made no sense for Boston. When a team uses a top ten pick in the draft they are most likely hoping that pick will be a starter for them. That lead to many trade rumors brewing involving Rajon Rondo, but nothing has happened. Both of them could start, but both of them are pretty pure point guards and neither have the size to play shooting guard. It's just astonishing that they would take Smart when they could have drafted Julius Randle and have him right in the starting lineup. James Young is another player the Celtics selected this year. This was actually a smart choice considering that they are weak at the shooting guard position. Young is an excellent shooter, but he is surprisingly a great driver as well. He was a big factor in the Kentucky Wildcat's run to the National Championship game this year. Young brings a nice offensive surge to the team and could be starting on opening night. Things may seem bleak for the Celtics now, but these young guys will bring this team back to life in a matter of years.

Evan Turner was another acquisition the Celtics made over the offseason. After being traded from the 76ers to the Pacers Turner played behind Paul George and did not see very much time. However do not underestimate Turner. He is an excellent player who was doing very well with Philadelphia early on in the season averaging 17 points and 6 rebounds. Turner can make a huge difference for the Celtics if he performs to his capabilities.

The Celtics certainly have some decisions to make revolving around their starting lineup, but they will figure something out. The Celtics will not go downhill in the standings because they are a worse team, but the teams in the Eastern Conference have made some significant improvements and the Celtics are just subtly rebuilding. I hope they can prove me wrong, but it will be difficult for them to make the playoffs in this tough Eastern Conference.


Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Rajon Rondo

SG: Evan Turner

SF: Jeff Green

PF: Brandon Bass

C: Kelly Olynyk

NBA Previews: San Antonio Spurs 1st Place: Southwest Division

by James Finneral

It is hard to expect anything, but greatness from a team with as much success as the San Antonio Spurs have had in the past decade. This past year's NBA Champions just seem to be one of the top teams each and every year. The Spurs program has developed so many prospects and formed a team with amazing chemistry that finds ways to win.

Although the players have been great, a large amount of the credit for the Spurs success has the be given to their head coach, Greg Popovich. Aside from his kind attitude towards the media and his glowing personality, Popovich has proven to be more than just a decent coach. All of his players seem to enjoy him and he has developed many prospects from over seas such as Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tiago Splitter. If the Spurs do not live up to expectations this year it will be because of the players not Popovich.

Of course no one can forget about the roster of players that gave this franchise a championship last year and in 2007. The Spur's Big 3 for years included Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. All those guys, especially Duncan and Ginobili are climbing up in the age department and do not have too many years left in the league. This year Manu Ginobili was notably worse and sometimes did not even start, but luckily someone new stepped up. Kawhi Leonard arose from the shadows and really improved his game averaging 12 points and 6 rebounds in the regular season and being a huge asset for the team in the championship series against the Heat. Leonard can not only score and provide incredible dunks, but he is also great on the defensive end and is up for any challenge. Leonard is one of the younger guys on the team and the Spurs should try and keep him around as long as possible.

Many people think the Spurs will take it all again and they certainly have the pieces to do so, but there are so many teams with as much if not more talent that are younger and more athletic. The Spurs will win a handful of big games during the regular season, but do not be surprised to see some signs of weakness against younger teams. The Spurs will take their division, but will not make it out of the Western Conference as a whole.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Tony Parker

SG: Danny Green

SF: Kawhi Leonard

PF: Tim Duncan

C: Tiago Splitter

NBA Previews: Houston Rockets 2nd Place: Southwest Division

by James Finneral

Just one season after Chandler Parsons "recruited" Dwight Howard to come to Houston, Parsons felt undervalued by the franchise and is now no longer a member of the team. Although losing 16 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists a night seems rough, the Rockets have nothing to worry about this upcoming season.

The reason the Rockets should have nothing to fear is because after losing Parsons they acquired Washington small forward, Trevor Ariza. Ariza is coming off a pretty productive season where he averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds. Ariza is a pure scorer who can put up thirty with ease on any given night.

This offseason the Rockets also lost Jeremy Lin in a trade with the Lakers to make cap room for their number one target, Chris Bosh. Obviously Bosh never ended up signing with the Rockets and Houston natives are now worrying about who can fill the point guard slot. Some people may disagree, but rookie Nick Johnson is totally capable of bringing up the ball and fitting into the offense. Johnson has already proven to be a pretty fierce competitor in summer league play and is deserving of the starting job. All he really needs to do is be a facilitator for the Rockets considering they already have three solid scoring options in James Harden, Dwight Howard and Ariza.

This year for Houston all eyes will remain on their two leaders and all stars, James Harden and Dwight Howard. After being traded from Oklahoma City, Harden has been an absolute stud and has proven to be one of the premier scorers in the league. Harden is not too flashy, but has an arsenal of smooth moves to beat defenders to go along with his knock down jump shot. Howard on the other hand scores his points by just flat out overpowering defenders in the post. At 6'11", 265 pounds most big men struggle to defend Howard and even box him out. Howard is right in his prime and should be able to continue his dominant play this year.

The Rockets lost some quality players this offseason, but nothing they cannot replace.With scoring options all around the floor Houston will have no problem sticking with the high powered offenses around the NBA, but they need to crack down on the defensive end to pull out victories. This is easily a playoff caliber team that fans should not underestimate.  

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Nick Johnson 

SG: James Harden 

SF: Trevor Ariza 

PF: Terrence Jones 

C: Dwight Howard 

NBA Previews: Memphis Grizzlies 3rd Place: Southwest Division

by James Finneral

It is essential for a team to keep together their star players so those players can develop chemistry with each other, which helps out the team as a whole. The clearest example was with the Miami Heat who could not win a title the first year the Big 3 were assembled due to lack of chemistry between their three stars. Although they might not have the same talent as the Heat's old team, the Memphis Grizzlies have been able to keep their key players and are beginning to build around them.

The three players who can lead this Grizzlies team to success are Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Mike Conley. Zach Randolph has been with Grizzlies for quite a few years now and has become the face of the franchise. He is a double-double machine and brings veteran leadership to the floor which all teams need. Look for Randolph to be productive again, but his years of being a competitive big man in the league are numbered. This year the Grizzlies will depend heavily on the productiveness of their center, Marc Gasol. Gasol has spent all his career in Memphis and has been a consistent player who can put up a double-double on any given night. He needs to keep this up for the Grizzlies to be a competitor in the West. With only one reliable guard in Mike Conley, Memphis has had to depend on their front-court. The Grizzlies will need Gasol to be a nice compliment to Randolph down low so they can dominate their opponents. If the big men can do their jobs the weight then shifts on to the shoulders of the guards for the Grizzlies.

In an effort to give Mike Conley someone to play aside, the Grizzlies drafted shooting guard Jordan Adams out of UCLA. Adams is already a pretty polished guard who can score from inside and out. The Grizzlies have high expectations for Adams and hope that he can be the missing piece that they need to have a strong back-court. Another player the Grizzlies hope will develop is big man Jarnell Stokes out of Tennessee. Stokes has been impressive in the summer league posting some double-doubles against some tough competition inside. If Stokes lives up to his potential the Grizzlies will be set in the front-court for a very long time.

This Grizzlies team has plenty left in the tank and at worst will be a seven seed in the Western Conference Playoffs. If Adams can complete the back-court for Memphis the Grizzlies will surprise some people and be one of the top teams in the West.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Mike Conley 

SG: Jordan Adams

SF: Tayshaun Prince 

PF: Zach Randolph 

C: Marc Gasol
                                                                                                                                                               

NBA Previews: New Orleans Pelicans 5th Place: Southwest Division

by James Finneral

The New Orleans Pelicans are a young and talented team with a lot of potential. Despite their great talent the Pelicans have not been able to produce a winning season since Chris Paul was a resident in New Orleans.

The Pelicans do have a component that all playoff caliber teams must have and that's a proven star that can lead the team to victory. That star's name is Anthony Davis. Davis has played just two years in the NBA after being selected as the number one overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. After a noteworthy rookie year Davis stepped it up big time in 2013-2014 averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds and nearly 3 blocks per game. At this point in his career Davis has already made a stacked Western Conference All Star team and is regarded as one of the top power forwards in the game. The Pelicans know that Davis will do his fair share of work for the team, but everyone else has to step up for them to be successful.

Potential Starting Lineup:

PG: Jrue Holliday 

SG: Eric Gordon

SF: Tyreke Evans

PF: Ryan Anderson

C: Anthony Davis

This is a well balanced starting five, but it is not etched in stone quite yet. After acquiring Omar Asik from the Houston Rockets, the Pelicans now have the ability to play Anthony Davis as their power forward. With Ryan Anderson in the starting lineup Davis must play center. Although Asik will balance the starting five even more, Anderson has proven to be a nice compliment to Davis. Anderson is an efficient scorer and rebounder and the Pelicans can certainly stick with him in the starting lineup. As young as their starting lineup is, their bench is even younger consisting of a few rookies such as Russ Smith and Patric Young as well as other young players in Jeff Whitey and Austin Rivers. These players will be decent coming off the bench, but they will only improve as the years move on.

The Pelicans have enough talent to compete against the top teams in the league, but they have to come together or they will not accomplish anything. This team will keep inching closer and closer to a playoff spot, but being stuck in a tough division as well as a tough conference will make the road for the Pelicans very difficult.