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Boston (23-2), Cleveland (20-4), and the Los Angeles Lakers (21-3) are clearly the NBA’s top three teams at this point in time. Which, in your opinion, looks to have the best shot at winning the 2009 NBA title?

?MiﮒFi†?™: I still think you have to give the edge to Boston. The defense has not slipped really at all, and they really are starting to become more efficient offensively. Give a lot of credit to Rajon Rondo; he worked really hard on his game these past couple of seasons and it really shows in his performance.

People say Rondo was just there for the ride when the Celtics won last year. You can now argue that he’s one of the best - if not the best point guard - in the Eastern Conference.

KCX: If we look at records, it is easy to say Boston or LA. But, I actually think the Cavs have a great shot this year. LeBron James is playing out of his mind and Cleveland is now one of the best offensive AND defensive teams in the NBA (factors you’ll see in most NBA champions). The Cavaliers are averaging just under a 13 PPG margin of victory, an NBA-best. They have the league’s best defense, allowing 90ppg (lowest total) and a top five offense, which is averaging about 103 PPG (hence the margin of victory, do the math). Not one person in this league can stop LeBron from going to the hoop, and with a cast of midrange shooters and Big Z, they seem to have become a deadly team. Besides, the Lakers and Celtics are the favored ones; when it comes to the Cavs playing them; they have a lot less to lose.

Krenzel: The reigning champion Boston Celtics are still easily the favorite to repeat and win the 2009 NBA title. Outside of losing James Posey, nothing has changed from last year, except for the improvements made by Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins. Rondo has really elevated his game to the next level and has shown that it’s no longer the Big Three in Beantown. Ray Allen is back to playing like himself, even though some believed that his performance in the beginning rounds of the playoffs last year was a sign that he was slowing down. You can’t say enough about Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, as they just continually keep getting the job done. For there to be something other than a Celtics vs. Lakers final, something drastic has to happen, and if it does, expect it to involve either the Cavs or Hornets.

tim: It just has to be Boston. With absolutely no disrespect to the respective squads of Kobe and LeBron, the Celtics just know how to get it done when it matters most. And more importantly, they know how to do it as a team. We all know what “The Big Three” did for them last year was obvious. It provided them with the talent and leadership to get them there. But the fact that they did it as a completely cohesive unit, which made every player on the team important, was outstanding. And while I see wins from the other two, and very good wins at that, I simply do not see that cohesiveness on either squad. LeBron and Kobe put in their work, and the others put in theirs. You do not see the true team component that the Celtics have so perfectly epitomized in the last year and a half. It’s definitely going to be more competitive than it was last year, but if anything, the defending champs just look better than they did last year.

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With the acquisition of Jason Richardson, did Phoenix legitimately improve as a basketball team, or are they simply a sexier club on paper?

?MiﮒFi†?™: Although Richardson is a pretty good scorer in this league, it was never a problem for the Suns to score the ball. Defense was their downfall and I think they lost one of the league’s better perimeter defenders in Raja Bell in the deal.

Not to say that Jason Richardson is a bad defender, he just doesn’t bring the same swagger and toughness on the defensive end. In my opinion, the Suns’ window to win has closed. Porter’s system is failing, and was not appealing to some of the Suns players. I just don’t believe the Suns have the personnel to run that system in the first place.

With Shaq and Nash aging, but still playing well, the Suns may look to try to trade those two and start building again. This team also has to decide whether or not Amare Stoudamire is the player they want as that face in 2010.

KCX: The Phoenix Suns have legitimately improved as a team. First, let me start off by saying that the Suns need to go back to the run-n-gun game. That is how everyone on that team knows how to play basketball to the best of their abilities. J-Rich is a great fast break finisher and with a guard like Steve Nash, Richardson brings the Suns another outside shooting threat. I expect his three-point total to increase much more since Nash now has the options to throw it down low to Amare and Shaq or kick it out to J-Rich. Jared Dudley has a good feel for the game and he should be able to help fill in Diaw’s role playing alongside with Robin Lopez. They will once again be a high-powered offensive team and Barbosa will bring much more energy to their bench. I do think the window has closed for the Suns to win a championship with this team, but they’ve definitely become a much bigger threat with this acquisition.

Krenzel: With aging players such as Steve Nash and Shaq, the Suns had to try and make a move in order to be considered serious contenders in the West. As far as value is concerned, the Suns definitely won in this deal, as Richardson is a big upgrade over Boris Diaw and Raja Bell. Richardson should provide a spark, but the problem remains the same in Phoenix - a lot of offense and no defense. The recipe for success in the playoffs is to play good defense, something that the Suns still can’t do. It makes them better in the regular season but come playoff time, I wouldn’t suggest putting your life savings on the Suns.

tim: Although I believe that they did indeed improve, it will not get them where they want to be, which is playing the Celtics or Cavs in the NBA title. J-Rich has qualities similar to that of Joe Johnson, and will provide some athleticism that was lost after losing Shawn Marion in the Shaquille O’Neal trade. Playing alongside Steve Nash and Shaq will definitely improve Richardson’s level of play over his tenure with the squad, and will definitely improve them offensively.

But what we really need to talk about is the defense. They traded Raja Bell in this deal, who is clearly their best defender. And while Richardson will certainly improve them on the offensive side of the ball, the defense is going to be way down in Phoenix. That is a huge problem too, because they were already a poor defensive team down there. This trade is likely to benefit the Suns in the regular season, but then when they run into a team like the Jazz, Spurs or Lakers? Look out.

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P.J. Carlesimo, Mo Cheeks, Eddie Jordan, Sam Mitchell, Reggie Theus, and Randy Wittman have all bee relieved of their coaching duties just a month and a half into the season. Which of these firings was the most justified?

?MiﮒFi†?™: You could argue that none of these firings were justified; a few of them left me scratching my head. The only one I would consider is Sam Mitchell being let go in Toronto. He had his opportunities, and he didn’t live up to Toronto’s higher expectations for the team. Going into the season it was believed that this was the best team Sam Mitchell had in his five seasons.

He himself even said that and didn’t deliver the results that the city or Brian Colangelo expected.

KCX: Of all the recent firings of coaches, the most justified is Sam Mitchell. NBA.com’s preseason ranking of the Toronto Raptors at 10; and now in week seven, they are ranked at 22. This is the biggest disappointment from a team that I have seen thus far from this current season. Bosh never came out directly and spoke ill of Sam, but last year during the playoff series against Orlando, Bosh made some comments questioning some of the lineup changes that Mitchell had made. This was seen as a slight knock on Mitchell’s strategy. A team with the core of Calderon-Bosh-Bargnani-O’Neal should not be the fourth-worst team in the East. Someone has to take the blame for that, and although I think it is also somewhat Colangelo’s fault, Mitchell has to take most of the heat.

Krenzel: Mo Cheeks had to go. The Sixers were a playoff team this year and brought in Elton Brand. Watching some Sixers games, the team just looks lost out there. They don’t have an identity and the team looks unsure who’s the leader, Iggy or Brand. That’s something that coaching needs to help figure out. The Sixers were one of the sexy picks this year and they came out of the gates flat. I’ve never been a big fan of Mo Cheeks and I had no problem with this firing at all.

tim: Those of you who know me via BBW know what my answer is going to be for this, but it’s the correct answer. Randy Wittman, or “Wittless” as I like to call him. While of course it’s true that we struggled with a certain Kevin McHale at the helm as VP of basketball operations, trading away All-Star after All-Star, he still had a team that looked better than they did the previous year. Only problem is they didn’t play any better at all; I’d go as far as to say they played worse, in fact. The wrong people were playing and the right people were sitting on the bench, watching us lose night after night. While I wasn’t expecting a winning season or anything like that, I - and I’m guessing most people - expected some sort of improvement. When you’re the coach and you don’t improve a team whose roster is obviously upgraded from the previous year, it’s time to make a change.

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Which was the most unjustified?

?MiﮒFi†?™: I don’t think its fair to point the finger at Eddie Jordan, as he never had a healthy Wizards squad for a lengthy period of time. It’s difficult to win when you’re missing your starting center and point guard, as well as having Antawn Jamison at about 75%. The other firings, in my opinion, were simply too quick. The Mo Cheeks one is the most surprising to me, as he led the Sixers to the playoffs last season when nobody expected it. I thought did a great job. He’s the victim of a poor start, unfortunately.

KCX: Eddie Jordan. They should fire Ernie Grunfeld for those awful contracts he handed out this off-season. They should fire Gilbert for his comments of tanking. They should fire Andray Blatche and Antonio Daniels for playing way under expectations this season. They should not have fired Eddie Jordan for something that is out of his control. Coaches should be fired if they can’t take a team with talent to the next level. The Wizards are without two of their starters for most of the year; were they supposed to go to the next level? Were they supposed to go to the next level without a deep bench? These are things coaches cannot control and Eddie Jordan is a damn respectable coach. By the way, the new coach of the Wizards is doing a great job. They’re now officially the worst defensive team in the NBA.

Krenzel: Without a doubt, Reggie Theus. The Kings won 39 games last year and many were talking about Theus as one of the up and coming coaches in the NBA. So what happened to get Theus fired? Ron Artest is no longer with the Kings and Kevin Martin’s been sidelined with an injury this season, leading to a 6-18 record. I don’t think Red Auerbach could coach a team with Spencer Hawes as a main option to a .500 record. It’s too bad because Theus is a very good coach and I hope he ends up with a job high in the college ranks. I’d hate to go without mentioning Eddie Jordan, as the only other team to match the Wizards consecutive postseason streak is the Pistons. There’s no Agent Zero or the very underrated Brendan Haywood. However, I wonder if losing in the first round every year could have also played a role in this and that the Wizards are trying to make a move to get them over the hump eventually, even though it’s obviously not going to happen this year.

tim: It has to be the most recent firing, Reggie Theus. The man who was considered to be the dark horse for the Coach of the Year last year gets the boot? And after all the troubles with the players injury and suspension-wise, it’s the coach’s fault? I don’t think so. The team got off to a terrible start, but we cannot forget that at separate times this season the Kings were without Brad Miller and Kevin Martin, their two most important players (outside of possibly John Salmons). This team is a team that is obviously rebuilding, and traded away their most talented player this most recent offseason in Ron Artest. It just doesn’t click. It makes no sense as to why, after considering all this, it’s the Theus’ fault.

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Denver currently stands as the second-best team in the Western Conference at 17-8, and they’ve won 15 of 21 games since the Chauncey Billups deal. Are the Nuggets a legitimate contender?

?MiﮒFi†?™: The Nuggets have been awfully impressive since acquiring Billups, as he added a lot of stability and leadership to the lineup. However, I still see plenty of holes defensively, and a front court that has a bad history of injuries. If the Nuggets have a healthy Kenyon Martin and Nene for most of the season, I see them finishing in one of the top seeds in the West. But I still don’t know if they could beat the Lakers or Celtics in a seven game series. A healthy Spurs team should beat the Nuggets in a playoff series.

KCX: The Denver Nuggets are a good basketball team. With that being said, they are no contenders. Denver is really just on a hot streak right now and it will die down, but for now, take it for what it’s worth. Carmelo is playing out of his mind, Billups is making everything flow, but they do have some weaknesses. Match this team up against the best teams in the West, and what do they lack? A reliable frontcourt. Can K-Mart and Nene last in a series with Gasol and Bynum? Aldridge and Oden? Chandler and West? Sure, they’re playing very well right now, but I question how long their big men can stay healthy. They lack depth in the frontcourt, and if K-Mart or Nene were to go down, this team would take a huge hit. Again, with all this recent success, you have to question how long they will play this well. Remember, this happens to a team every year (Houston’s 22 wins in a row, Portland’s 13-game winning streak), and those teams tend to die out in the playoffs.

Krenzel: This is something I’m still trying to decide. The Nuggets as a team don’t look good on paper but Chauncey Billups has really changed the direction of this franchise. I don’t trust the Nuggets come playoff time, as with the Suns, I tend to distrust teams that don’t (can’t) play defense. Billups is a floor general on the court and it’s showing with the improved play of the Nuggets. The trade has not only helped out the Nuggets as a whole but Carmelo Anthony especially, as now there’s no confusion over who the number one option is in Denver. AI and Melo never had a chance to work out from the beginning, assembling talent together isn’t always the way to win. You need to find pieces that work together and Billups has shown throughout his career that he’s one of the important pieces to the puzzle of winning an NBA championship. He didn’t earn the moniker “Mr. Big Shot” for nothing.

tim: To make a run deep into the playoffs? Absolutely. To make a run at the NBA title? Absolutely not. This Nuggets squad simply cannot match up with the powerhouses of this year’s NBA, consisting of the Lakers, Celtics, and Cavaliers. These three teams are deeper, faster, and much, much better all around basketball-wise. Acquiring Billups is obviously huge for this squad; it gives them a fantastic option in the fourth quarter to take over and win them games. But their biggest problem is this: Billups can’t defend the whole team. While they are playing better defense than I expected them to this year, in no way are they good enough defensively to match up with the teams I already mentioned.

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The Atlanta Hawks have began the season on an absolute tear, as they currently stand as the only undefeated team in the Eastern Conference at 5-0. Granted, Josh Smith is expected to be out of the lineup for 2-4 weeks, but is this team for real? Are they the surprise team of the East this year?

Kevin Cheng: Believe it or not, the Hawks and their seemingly renovated defense is bringing them to a new level. Now, it definitely hurts to not have you’re defensive anchor in Josh Smith for the next 2-4 weeks, but this team has grown up. They’ve beaten many teams that were projected better than them, including handing New Orleans their first loss. Before the season, I’d say Philly was the surprise team, but the Hawks are off to a hot start, and despite a small setback, I see them finishing in the top 5 in the East. Surprise.

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Dallas holds a sub-par 2-4 record and their offense looks as stagnant as ever. Will they miss the playoffs?

Kevin Cheng: This team has been disappointing and I guarantee you that you can close the window on the Mavericks winning a championship anytime soon. It’s too soon, though, to say they won’t be making the playoffs. So far, their wins haven’t even looked impressive, but they will eventually learn Carlisle’s system and end up in the playoffs as a 7th or 8th seed, with an early first round exit to go with it.

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Washington is currently the only winless team in the NBA. Should Eddie Jordan be worried about his job?

Kevin Cheng: No, not yet. Washington started out 0-5 last year and although I am a firm believer in the fact that Washington really overpaid for Gilbert Arenas, they could still get themselves back to respectability. Caron Butler understands how to step it up, and he will do so. They’re going to need Arenas back as soon as possible, but as I have been saying all along, this team is overrated and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were only a 7th seed in the East when it’s all said and done.

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The Knicks have shocked the basketball world throughout the first two weeks of the season, as they’ve beaten the likes of Utah, stand at 4-2, and are on a three-game winning streak. Will Mike D’Antoni legitimately push this troubled franchise back into the postseason, or will they come back down to earth within the coming weeks?

Kevin Cheng: They will not make the postseason this year, but they will definitely make it back to respectability. As a Bulls fan, I think D’Antoni made a poor decision to sign with the Knicks so quickly, but he’s proving me wrong about the Knicks. First time they’ve been 2 games over .500 in three years? We’re seeing a young team thrive under this new system and they are doing so with offense and, believe it or not, some defense. This team is inexperienced and will finish just below .500, but hey, that’s more than you can ask for right?

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Finish the following statement: The most disappointing player thus far this season is…

Kevin Cheng: Greg Oden. I know, I know, he’s only played one game. But when it’s all said and done, there are already comparisons of Greg Oden to Sam Bowie. And of course, he looked dominant at times during pre-season, but he also seemed to be behind everyone. He was having some trouble running the floor at times and keeping a consistent pace throughout games. There is so much hype surrounding this big man, but all we’ve seen thus far are injuries dating back to college. Trust me when I say there is no one that wants to see Oden be successful more than me, but so far, all we’ve seen is another talented player who is not living up to hype (13 minutes played in the NBA since being drafted two summers ago).

While there is no shame in starting the season 3-1, or losing to the defending champions in a very close game, the defeat does raise some questions and concerns about just how good this Rockets team is, and what they have to do to make a serious run this post-season. Don’t get me wrong, one loss does not expose all of a team’s weaknesses, and this article may come off as a Rocket fan jumping the gun, but the game did confirm some glaring problems people have had pertaining to the Rockets.

So, based on what we already know about the team’s roster and their performance in the first three regular-season games, here is a list of five things the Rockets must do to improve the team as the season progresses, and my proposed solution:

1) The Rockets need more height. While the Rockets are generally a very good rebounding and defensive team, they simply lack the size necessary to have much success against a team like the Celtics or Los Angeles Lakers. With only one player over 6′9” (bet you can’t guess who that is), the Rockets are an extremely small team when Yao Ming is on the bench. Against the Celtics, the Rockets only were outrebounded by 5 boards for the game, but too often they were manhandled down low. From the 6:35 mark in the 1st quarter (when Yao was called for his 2nd foul) to his return at the 10:42 mark of the 2nd quarter, the Rockets were outrebounded 11-4. To no one’s surprise, the Rockets went from holding a 3 point lead to being down 8 points. If the Rockets are going to seriously contend for an NBA championship, they simply cannot be bullied around in the paint because of their lack of size.

Solution: Sign Dikembe Mutombo. Seems easy enough, right? Well, it is. Mutombo said in an August interview with Click2Houston.com that he wants to postpone a retirement, and wants to return to the Rockets once he gets his offer. Unfortunately, the Rockets will need to clear up a bit of cap space before this can happen. So, we are likely looking at a similar situation as to the Celtics last year signing PJ Brown midway through the season. On the basketball court, Mutombo is still in incredible shape, and is a terrific defensive player down low that will clean the glass and be the leading cheerleader on the bench. Deke, the Rockets need you…

2) The Rockets’ starting point-guard needs to shoot better than 20.9% from the field, and 21.9% from 3 point range. While I am generally a fan of Rafer Alston, and do appreciate his ballhandling ability and defense, he is absolutely a buzz kill in the starting lineup. When you have three guys in Tracy McGrady, Yao MIng and Ron Artest who will attract double teams and suck people into the lane, you need the other two guys to hit their spoon-fed open looks. Luis Scola has done this very well so far this season (and for that matter, last season), but Alston and his career 38.6% shooting pecentage continues to be the achilles heal of the Rockets’ starting lineup.

Solution: Give the Rafer Alston experiment a few more weeks, and if there is no improvement then a change must be in order. I am sure that change would be starting Aaron Brooks, who has dazzled Rockets fans and coaches during the preseason and first few games of the regular season. While Brooks’ size hurts him on the defensive end of the court, his ability to get into the lane and knock down open 3’s, as well as his limitless energy, would work extremely well with the starting lineup of McGrady/Artest/Scola/Yao.

3) The Rockets need to maximize the effectiveness of the “Big 3.” If you have been watching a lot of Rockets basketball this season, and have taken note about how the “Big 3″ plays together…it isn’t very pretty. When they are all out on the court together, they look indecisive, and their talents really don’t feed off one another. This has been a problem in year’s past, as Yao would play his best ball of the season when McGrady missed games, and McGrady would play his best ball when Yao missed games. The reason is because those two players, and now Artest, all need the ball in their hands to be effective. They are not very comfortable moving off ball and ultimately are most effective when they are creating their own shot and are the focal point of the offense.

Solution: I know it goes against what most believe to be common sense, but I feel that Artest should be the Rockets’ sixth man. Having your three man guys being primarily isolation players is a recipe for poor ball movement and offensive chemistry, and that has been seen thus far this season. As a scorer, Artest actually compliments Yao a bit better than McGrady, but McGrady’s passing and ability to initiate the offense is ultimately what has been the engine of the team’s offense the last 4 years. Therefor, have Artest brings his offense and toughness/hustle off the bench and constantly keep the pressure on the opposing defense from opening tip.

4) If Yao is to be the #1 option, Rick Adelman needs to design a system in which he can counter fronting defenses. Much discussion over the past summer was that the Rockets are now Yao’s team, and that he, not McGrady or Artest, will have to be the leader for this Rockets’ team if they are to go anywhere in the post season. While it is certainly a very valid statement to say the Rockets’ big man, who happens to be their most efficient scorer, should take leadership of the team and be the focal point. In an ideal world, it is a no-brainer. Unfortunately, stats don’t always translate to how a certain system works. As we saw against the Utah Jazz in the 2007 playoffs, and last night against the Celtics, if Yao is fronted, then he is almost a detriment offensively. Without much athletic ability, and without the Shaquille O’Neal mindset, a team that utilizes the front technique (basically the defender putting his entire body in the passing lane to the postup player) force Yao to move to the perimeter, where he is far less efficient and effective. With Yao being the focal point, it also makes for teammates forcing the ball into Yao and getting the TO, which happenned quite often against the Celtics. When your focal point can’t get the ball in effective positions, and clogs up the paint because he can’t be effective outside of 12ft, that is a major problem.

Solution: Adelman has to watch tapes of how Jeff Van Gundy used Yao. As bad of an offensive coach Van Gundy was, he did have two primary principles of how to use Yao; A) Never, ever bring Yao out of the low post unless it is to set a pick for McGrady, and B) When defenses front Yao, set a downpick for Yao on one block, have Yao cut to the other block, and swing the ball on the perimeter and get the ball to Yao just as he’s reaching the second block. That is how you beat fronting defenses, and it is something Adelman simply hasn’t figured out. Adelman must adapt a system to combat the fronting defenses.

5) Transition defense needs to improve. With McGrady still not healthy, and Shane Battier hurt, the Rockets’ transition defense has been horrific to start the year. While Artest is a tremendous defender, he doesn’t have the team-defensive awareness that Battier has, and where as on a loose ball Artest will go for the steal, Battier will tread back defensively and take the charge and discourage a fast break oppertunity. McGrady’s inability to catch up with guards leaking out on the fastbreak has been a huge problem so far. There has been countless times already this season where his man has gotten the easy transition dunk because McGrady couldn’t get back on defense. For a team that prides itself on defense, and its offense is predicated on a slowed down tempo, this is a crippling weakness at this point.

Solution: Very simple, T-Mac needs to get healthy and Battier needs to get back on the court.

Overall, Rockets fans should be encouraged about how the team looks thus far, and the potential they have to do some serious damage come May and June. But, the team is not perfect, and with many new pieces still trying to gell, there are going to be some growing pains early on. It may not hinder them from starting the season with a terrific record, or it could mean a similar start to last year (15-17). Who knows. What is a fact is that they still have a ways to go before they can seriously contend for a championship. Luckily for them, they have the talent, coaching and most importantly TIME to get it all together.

Much less than impressive.

A phrase to sum up the Magic to this point in the season. Sure they are on a two game winning streak, and sure they are 2-2 so far. That’s just not good enough right now. While they have won the last couple games, the Magic have yet to look truly good this year. The Magic have yet to put an entire game together that resembles their consistently great play last season. They have shown flashes and have played great for stretches and even quarters, but they haven’t put it together for an entire forty-eight minutes to date. There are a lot of reasons why our team has not looked as good as last year yet, but all of it centers around one common theme. It all boils down to good old fashioned selfishness.

Some things point to this selfishness this year, and it becomes plain as day to see. As a team last year, the Magic averaged 20.8 assists per game, on their way to an Eastern Conference leading 104.5 points per game. Turn it around to this year, and the Magic look much worse. Averaging just 96.5 points per game, the Magic have passed for just 16.5 assists per game through four games. That is an 8 point drop off from last season’s scoring, but a four assist drop off from last season shows why the scoring drop off has taken place. It is amazing and startling that the Magic have had such a turn for the worse offensively, due to everyone wanting to be the grinch that scores the basket.

It can easily be seen when watching, and it starts with last years most improved player, Hedo Turkoglu. There are stretches where he thinks he is the only player on the court. Driving to the basket just to put up a terrible shot over two sometimes even three hands waving around in his face. Last year he would have passed in these situations, well…not so much this year. This year Hedo has looked for his own shot, and it has helped to make our offense look much worse. When he has been looking to set others up this season, the Magic have played their best ball, plain and simple. Evidenced by the start of the third quarter in the game against the Bulls, the Magic came out and stormed off to a 17 point lead. In the first 6 minutes of the quarter alone, Hedo had three assists, and was looking to keep the passing alive. Unfortunately it didn’t keep up. After a trip to the bench, Hedo came back in looking for his shot. As he continued to want to score himself, the Bulls slowly but surely started coming back. Just one example of the selfishness that we have been experiencing from the reigning Most Improved Player award winner this year, and it’s something that can’t continue.

The newcomers play into the equation as well. Pietrus looks to score a majority of the time when he touches the ball. Be it through driving to the hoop or shooting the three, Pietrus has not shown a desire to play team defense. He doesn’t swing the ball around the perimeter when the defense is trying to rotate. And, he doesn’t pass the ball when he drives to the basket very often. Along with him, newcomer Anthony Johnson has not shown to be the kind of point guard we expected. Johnson, who was hyped at the beginning of the season to be the true backup point guard that we haven’t had in recent, has not proven to be that type of point guard. He has constantly looked for his own shot and constantly over dribbled. In fact, the offense as a whole has looked pretty bad when Nelson leaves the court and Johnson comes back onto the court.

When you combine some of the newcomers with Turkoglu’s ball hogging nature this year, it is easy to see why the Magic are selfish. Looking at the points per game difference from last season, we also see the impact that selfishness is having on the Magic team. If the players could put away their egotistical desire to be the center of attention and pass for the good of the team, the Magic would be a much better team. Last season was a testament to that philosophy . Unfortunately, to date, this Orlando team has just been selfishly unmagical.

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Denver has sent Allen Iverson to Detroit in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb. What do you think of this deal from Detroit’s point of view?

BigMo763: I absolutely love the acquisition of Allen Iverson for the Detroit Pistons. Iverson isn’t the same player he was in his prime in Philadelphia, but his numbers last season (26 points and 7 assists – both of which would be team-highs for the Pistons) show he can still get the job done better than a lot of players in this league. He may very well be that number one option and go-to guy the Pistons have been lacking in recent years. Despite his age, he still has the ability to get hot and completely take over the game (see Denver’s comeback win against the Clippers a few nights ago). Detroit needed a shot in the arm, and Joe Dumars delivered. Iverson is one of the feistiest players in the league, and is right there with Kevin Garnett in terms of his will and desire to win a championship. He knows his window to win a title is closing, and add to that the fact that he is in a contract year, the Pistons may just have struck the jackpot. Iverson has something to prove, and when he has that desire burnt into his head he will do anything and everything in his power to get the job done. He will be playing with the most talented team he has ever played with, and with Detroit’s solid defenders right there beside him he will be able to wreak havoc on defense by playing the passing lanes.

Long term, the move clears up major cap space for Detroit at the end of the season with both Iverson’s and Rasheed Wallace’s expiring contracts. They are projected to have around $22 million in cap space at the end of the season. With a guy like Carlos Boozer available this summer, and superstars like LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Kobe Bryant available next summer, the Pistons are poised to be a major player in free agency. Not only that, but with Iverson possibly leaving at the end of the season, Joe Dumars will hand the point guard duties to promising youngster Rodney Stuckey. The future looks very bright for Detroit.

Kevin Cheng: The Pistons have previously run a pass orientated offense, which values taking care of the ball. Evidence of this can be seen in Billups consistently finishing with a stellar assist/t.o. ratio. I do not want to take anything away from Allen Iverson, as the man has a career 7+ apg average, but he is not a pure point guard like Billups, and does not protect the ball nearly as well. However, the Pistons do have a new coach in Michael Curry, and having not yet seen them play, I can’t say for certain that they are running the same style offense. Iverson is a player that likes isolation plays as well as the pick and roll. I could see this to be a very good fit if this isolation-style offense is in the playbook, and the thought of a pick and roll/pick and pop with Sheed may work out. Overall, I don’t think this is as good of a trade as some Detroit fans think but it certainly does open up their future with AI and Sheed’s expiring contracts. This frees up quite a bit of cap for the future and you can expect Curry to slowly bring Stuckey into the starting PG position.

Luke Dan: From Detroit’s point of view, I am not so sure about it. Sure Iverson is still a top NBA player, but you lose a true point guard in Billups and a great sixth man in McDyess. I am not sure if Iverson/Wallace/Hamilton can coexist with all the shots they require, but with Iverson this late in his career just wanted a ring, I wouldn’t be surprised if he turns into more of a passer.

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How about from Denver’s point of view?

BigMo763: I really don’t know. First they made the move to clear cap space by trading reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Camby to the Clippers for the option to swap second round picks, and now they trade Iverson’s $20 million expiring contract for Chauncey Billups. Billups still has three years remaining on his deal, so financially I don’t really understand the move especially with Kenyon Martin’s contract still on the books. The Nuggets are banking on Billups being able to facilitate the offense by feeding Anthony and JR Smith, but what a lot of people fail to admit is that Billups has been slowly declining these past few seasons. He’s lost a step defensively, but he can shoot the ball which is a great asset for an aging guard to have… but long term I think this move will hurt Denver. The addition of Billups doesn’t make them a contender in the West, and it may not even push them into the playoffs. They are still very limited in making additions to their team – they can only work with trades and the draft, and of course the MLE. He’ll have an impact in the win-loss column, but at the end of the day I don’t see them making the playoffs, and they have no financial flexibility.

Kevin Cheng: The trade immediately makes Denver much better on defense, especially on the perimeter where they were horrible, and also gives them great stability and production at the point position. With Melo getting steady play from the 1 and a guy who will get him the ball and not just jack up shots, Denver improves a great deal. I never looked at Denver as being legitimate with a back court that averaged 6 ft tall. Now you have a 6′3 Billups to pair with 6′6″ J.R. Smith. It’s time to turn J.R. Smith loose. He was better than A.I. or Carmelo down the stretch and in the playoffs last year. With two legit outside shooters on the floor with Carmelo watch his game blossom. I don’t think they will keep McDyess (a real shame; he is one the quality guys in the NBA)
One quick note about this, if the league lets McDyess go back to the Pistons it will enrage M. Cuban and most GM’s in the league. Not to mention it will create credibility issues after the league refused to let the Mavs and Nets do the same thing w/ Stackhouse last year. Everybody knows that McDyess said he would only play in Detroit. You can’t trade a player away if there is an understanding between the teams that the he will be given a buy-out so he can resign with the original team (30 days or not). If this situation goes down the league will look at it and I doubt they will allow it especially with the recent wave of credibility issues.

Luke Dan: I love this deal from Denver’s point of view. They get a true point guard in Chauncey Billups, a banger down low in Antonio McDyess, and then a nice prospect in Cheikh Samb. With Iverson most likely going to go anyways, it is nice to get some good players from him. JR Smith is finally going to get the start and I think this starting lineup is finally complete with solid players top to bottom and a bench full of hustlers. I can see this Nuggets team making a playoff push and getting the 7th or 8th seed.

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Hypothetically, let’s say that Greg Oden unfortunately has an injury-plagued year, where he appears in just about half of Portland’s games. Can the Trail Blazers still make the playoffs under those circumstances?

BigMo763: They will definitely be in contention for that eighth seed, even without Oden. Look at what they were able to do last year. They posted a big winning streak early in the season and were in playoff contention for about a third of the season before they ran out of gas. LaMarcus Aldridge looks like a beast so far, and has added a back-to-the-basket game to his arsenal. Brandon Roy is a perennial All-Star. Travis Outlaw has improved his shooting, defense, and rebounding. And throw in their three other talented rookies (besides Oden) – Jerryd Bayless, Nicolas Batum, and Rudy Fernandez – and this team has the ability to make the playoffs without Greg Oden. Golden State is going to be without Monta Ellis for at least 30 games because of his suspension, and they have a big question mark at the point. Denver traded away Camby to the Clippers this season, and although their team defense looks to be vastly improved this season, I still question whether they will be able to keep it up the entire season. The Clippers have injury problems with Baron Davis and Marcus Camby, but if healthy they can also make a run at that eighth seed. But I believe this Blazers team, even without Greg Oden, will grab the eighth seed out West.

Kevin Cheng: As long as Portland is without Greg Oden and they are playing in the west, they will NOT make the playoffs this year. The Blazers are a very young team and people expect them to eventually become a dynasty. However, I think there is too much pressure being put on the team to perform at a highly competitive level. Oden is no doubt a monster, and will probably be big time player in the NBA, but give him a few seasons to develop. Kobe would probably not be Kobe if he started Day 1 with all the pressure Oden has had.

As for the Rudy Fernandez hype, he is still very much unproven. He clearly has the ability to find open players and shoot the three pointer (although he needs to adjust to the NBA 3-point line) he needs to bulk up because right now he nowhere near a good defender and his opponents are going to destroy him on one-on-one matchups (especially post-up point guards like Billups). This is something he needs to work on before he’s going to start taking 25+ minutes a game. Unfortunately, my lifetime friend Jerryd Bayless won’t be playing much early on, but hopefully he will be able to prove himself some playing time later into the season.
This team is just too young and too inexperienced to make the playoffs. They’re going to have some chemistry issues with the addition of some of these new key players. Of course, this all changes if Oden plays this year because; well, he is just that good.

Luke Dan: I believe so. Even without Greg Oden this team still has Brandon Roy, a rising star who can become a face of the NBA, and LaMarcus Aldridge who looked really good last year and I think he can take the step forward this season. I don’t think they will make the playoffs if Oden has an injury-filled season, but I think they have the ability to make it if they are able to get on a run.

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San Antonio has kicked off the season with back-to-back losses, coming against Phoenix and Portland. It certainly is early, and perhaps too early to draw conclusions, but is this a sign of regression?

BigMo763: It is way too early to label the Spurs, but they are the oldest team in the league and will take a step back this season. You can’t expect the veterans to be able to go through a grueling 82-game schedule without bumps and bruises, and the loss of Ginobili makes it even tougher on them. San Antonio will do what they typically do in the regular season – start out the season slowly, turn it on, then go through a little rough patch, and then after the All-Star break they will turn it on as they gear up for the playoffs. I still think they will win 50-53 games, but I don’t view them as being a serious contender to come out of the West this year mainly because of their age. With all that being said, if Ginobili is healthy and well-rested come playoff time, it wouldn’t surprise me if they did make a run.

Kevin Cheng: San Antonio is not necessarily in regression. The west is definitely stronger than it was when the spurs were on the top of the NBA. Even though TP and TD are looking like their normal selves putting up big numbers, there is no doubt the ultimate downfall of this team is the health of Manu Ginobili. They may be 0-2, but if anyone knows how to turn it up towards the end of the season its Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs. I don’t care what people say, you cannot overlook the San Antonio Spurs. Say this team makes the playoffs and is a 7th seed. Regardless of who they are playing, one would have to say they could easily upset their opponent. Look for Manu to come back and the Spurs to go back to form.

One thing that needs to change, however, is for Popovich to lose the stash. My goodness that thing is disgusting. I’ll give him until December (since it is No-shave November).

Luke Dan: Not at all. San Antonio is a playoff team and they are missing Ginobili. They can barely make the playoffs with the 8th seed and I would still not count them out and say that they are slowing down. They will be fine.

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What is the most intriguing matchup to look for in Week 2?

BigMo763: The most intriguing match-up? When the Celtics go to Houston to play the Rockets on Tuesday night (on NBATV). The Celtics were the team that ended the Rockets’ huge win streak last year. Plus with the addition of Ron Artest, a lot of experts think McGrady, Yao and Artest are the second best “Big Three” in the league behind Garnett, Pierce and Allen. This will definitely be a fun game to watch with a lot of intriguing match-ups. Garnett against Yao, Artest defending Pierce and/or Allen, and the possibility of witnessing an offensive duel between Pierce and McGrady. I can’t wait!

Also check out Denver vs. Golden State on ESPN Wednesday night. They might put up 300 points.

Kevin Cheng: Winner: Tues, Nov 04 – Boston @ Houston – 8:30 PM ET. Boston who had three double-digit losses last year already has one this year. This is going to be a test for both teams. Boston needs to prove they are still just as dominant as they were one year ago against a very talented Houston team. Speculation shows Houston having the pieces they need to make their championship run and this is the biggest test they have yet.

Runner Up: Wed, Nov 05 – Detroit @ Toronto – 7:00 PM ET. Allen Iverson, pending the trade, will be in uniform and there couldn’t be a better matchup. Toronto has been very strong this year with Bosh clearly playing much better alongside a solid player like Jermaine O’Neal. How is the Pistons’ chemistry going to look? What is Curry going to do with the lineup? There are all good questions to follow throughout the game.

Honorable Mentions: Tues, Nov 04 – Dallas @ San Antonio – 8:30 PM ET; Sun, Nov 09 – Houston @ L.A. Lakers – 9:30 PM ET.

Luke Dan: The Boston Celtics going down to Texas to face the Houston Rockets. I want to see these two teams coined to have a “Big Three” face each other. Three good matchups with Artest/Pierce, Ming/Garnett, and McGrady/Allen (kind of pushing it, I know). I am hoping for a good one here.

The Detroit Pistons have acquired nine-time NBA All-Star guard Allen Iverson from Denver in exchange for Denver native Chauncey Billups, former Nugget Antonio McDyess, and Cheikh Samb.

Iverson stands as the NBA’s third leading point-per-game man at 27.7 PPG, to go along with 6.3 assists, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.3 steals per contest throughout his 13-year career. In 135 games for Denver from 2006-2008, “The Answer” put up 25.6 points, three rebounds, 7.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game.

Another bonus to this deal for Detroit, beyond the fact that they are getting their first legitimate number one scoring option since Jerry Stackhouse is that Iverson’s $21.94 million contract expires at season’s end. This gives Joe Dumars the flexibility to either re-sign the former league MVP this summer, if things work out, or let him walk and begin a rebuilding process.

Three-time All-Star Chauncey Billups has spent time with five teams throughout his 12-year career, where he’s held accumulative per-game averages of 14.8 points, 5.5 assists, and 2.9 rebounds. From 1998-2000, Billups appeared in 58 games for the Nuggets, averaging 12.7 PPG and 3.7 APG.

Antonio McDyess also spent four seasons with Denver from 1998-2002, and even produced two 20-10 (20+ points, 10+ rebounds per game) years within that time. However, the current buzz is that the 34-year-old forward is expected to be waived by the Nuggets shortly.

Billups is under contract through 2011, and possesses a team option clause for an additional season, while McDyess’ deal runs through the 09-10 season.

After an understandably flat start, the Celtics took control in the second half and went on to win the season opener 90-85. Paul Pierce led all scorers with 27 on 10-19 shooting while LeBron James tallied 21 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for Cleveland.

A pair of highly touted rookies made their NBA debuts on Tuesday night, as well. Derrick Rose helped lead the Bulls to a 108-95 victory over Scott Skiles’ Milwaukee Bucks, as the former Memphis Tiger put up 11 points, nine assists, four rebounds, and three steals in his initial outing. Michael Redd was the night’s highest scorer with 30 points, but that wasn’t enough for the new-look Bucks to pull out the W.

The number one pick of the 2007 NBA Draft, Greg Oden, also made his debut. Unfortunately, it didn’t go quite as peachy as he would have liked. Oden played 13 minutes in the first half, in which he pulled down five rebounds and blocked a shot, but did not see the floor in the second half on account of a sprained right foot he obtained after locking feet with Lakers guard Derek Fisher. X-Rays came back negative, but the seven footer is scheduled to undergo an MRI some time today.

To worsen Oden’s night, the Trail Blazers shot just 34.5% from the field against the Lakers in the game and ended up losing in blowout fashion, 96-76. Kobe Bryant led LA with 23 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists while Pau Gasol chipped in an efficient 15 points and seven boards. Travis Outlaw, who started at small forward in place of the injured Martell Webster, led the Trail Blazers with 18 points, followed by 16 off the bench from rookie guard Rudy Fernandez.

The 2008-2009 NBA season resumes action tonight as 12 games are on tap, highlighted by a double-header on ESPN. Game one will consist of a 2008 first round rematch between Phoenix and San Antonio at 8:00 pm ET, followed by a Los Angeles battle of the Lakers and Clippers at the Staples Center at 10:30.

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Fact or Fiction: Miami will more than double last season’s 15-win total and reinstate themselves back into the playoff picture.

Dustin Chapman: Fiction.

It’s very possible that Miami reclaims playoff status, but as of right now, I like Atlanta and potentially still Washington - although they are a bubble team - to fill the final two playoff spots in the East. Miami has a marvelous trio, but their interior weakness concerns me, even more so than their unstable point guard situation. In addition to that, you’re looking at a very unproven and fairly thin bench, especially until James Jones returns to action after New Year’s. There is no excuse for failing to at least double last season’s win total, however.

Nitro1118: Fact.

I could go on and on about the addition of All-Star Shawn Marion, the drafting of arguably the best rookie of the 2008-2009 class in Michael Beasley and other fellow rookie Mario Chalmers, the return of a healthy Udonis Haslem, the addition of the sharp-shooting James Jones, or adding Shaun Livingston via free agency. All very promising changes to last year’s D-League level talent pool that was the Miami Heat.

But, how far the Heat go rides on the return of Dwyane Wade. With his knee and shoulder looking healthy as ever during the 2008 Olympics, and a hunger for redemption after last year’s pitiful campaign, one of the NBA’s top 5 players is looking primed to have a monster season and keep his team in the playoff hunt.

valo35: Fact.

Playing in a less than stellar division, getting a healthy Wade, the potential rookie of the year Michael Beasley, and having Shawn Marion for an entire camp and preseason will get this team back on track and into the playoff picture.

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Fact or Fiction: After a complete roster tune-up, the LA Clippers will earn their first playoff berth since 2005.

Dustin Chapman: Fiction.

The new-look Clippers should be right there in the hunt as a top nine or ten Western Conference club, but do I believe that they are going to surpass the likes of a Dallas or healthy Portland for a low playoff seed? No. This is a team with nine new faces and a back-of-the-mind concern for injury. Give it another year or so.

Nitro1118: Fact.

Everyone is riding high on the Portland Blazers, and probably for good reason; they have arguably the NBA’s best young core and have added one of the league’s brightest young players in Greg Oden. However, I do feel that the Clippers, assuming good health, are going to be the better team during the 2008-2009 season. Last season, despite losing Elton Brand to injury and winning only 23 games, had a few very bright silver linings. The first being the emergence of Chris Kaman, who saw a huge jump in points, rebounds, blocks and FG %. The second being rookie Al Thornton quickly acclimating himself to the NBA game and being quite productive.

Now they have added a true #1 option in Baron Davis, who is one of the NBA’s best PG’s and is the kind of player that can carry a team to a low seed in the playoffs. The Clippers supplemented that signing with the trade for Marcus Camby, who is the NBA’s best shot blocker and an elite rebounder, with a fairly underrated offensive arsenal. To top it off, they added Eric Gordon via the draft and Ricky Davis through free agency.

All of these additions, mixed with the continuing development of Kaman and Thornton, will equal an 8th seed in the playoffs.

valo35: Fiction.

They will be in the running for the final spot, but the Trail Blazers ultimately will play better defense, be coached better, and make it over them.

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Fact or Fiction: Greg Oden will stay healthy and win the Rookie of the Year award.

Dustin Chapman: Fiction.

Greg Oden winning Rookie of the Year honors certainly wouldn’t send rays of shock through anyone’s body, including mine, but I look for this year’s ROY race to be similar to last. There could be two guys at the very top of the list, almost like a two-way race. Last year, it was Kevin Durant and Al Horford. Many, including myself, argued that Horford was the deserving candidate as he was a more complete player on a better team, but he fell short in votes because of Durant’s sexy numbers. If this year’s rookie battle is anything similar to my visions, it’ll fall in the same mold as last season with a potential playoff catalyst in Greg Oden falling second to the stat-stuffing Michael Beasley.

Then again, it has become fairly evident that the NBA lacks consistency in many areas, including award results. You never know.

Nitro1118: Fact AND Fiction.

While I do feel Oden is going to stay relatively healthy this year and have a very nice season, this year’s Rookie of the Year award will go to OJ Mayo. This is not necessarily to say that Mayo will be the better, or more important player of the two, but Mayo will have the kind of offensive responsibility and be in the kind of up-tempo system that will allow him to really show his entire arsenal and allow him to be the most productive rookie of the 2008-2009 class. Oden will have a big impact and be in the running much like Al Horford was last year, but Mayo’s stats and highlight plays will ultimately win him the award much like it did for Kevin Durant.

valo35: Fiction.

Greg Oden will stay healthy, but will not win the Rookie of the Year award. Michael Beasley being a scorer and playing next to Wade will win him the award.

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Fact or Fiction: Detroit’s streak of Eastern Conference Finals appearances, which currently stands at six years and running, will finally come to a close.

Dustin Chapman: Fact.

This is the year the Detroit Pistons officially begin to fall off. There’s a new kid in town by the name of LeBron James, who has knocked off Detroit once before, and he’s got himself a formidable perimeter sidekick to help fuel the fire. Barring significant injury, I think it’s safe to look for a Boston-Cleveland Eastern Conference Finals.

Ultimately, I believe that the 2009 Pistons will struggle inside and finally suffer with the fact that they do not have a single guy to play Paul Pierce to the opposition’s LeBron James in pivotal games (hell, that comment may turn out to be both figurative and literal when it’s all said and done). Detroit won’t go quietly as long as Rasheed Wallace has a vote, but they will go.

Nitro1118: Fact.

The core group that has been anchoring the Detroit Pistons for the last 5 years is not getting any younger, and the East is getting better and better. As it is, I simply do not see Detroit getting past the Celtics or Cavaliers in the playoffs. I’d also say it is a decent bet that the Sixers could jump ahead of them in the East this year with the addition of Elton Brand, and the Raptors could also be a very tough out if Jermaine O’Neal can stay healthy. The Orlando Magic are also going nowhere and should also improve as Dwight Howard does. Pistons fans seem to be very high on Amir Johnson (despite proving absolutely nothing thus far in his NBA career), and Rodney Stuckey is sure to improve, but I simply do not see that being enough to get them past the inevitable matchup with the Celtics, Cavaliers or Sixers in the 2nd round.

valo35: Fact.

Cleveland will get the third seed, meet Detroit in the second round and dispose of them.

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Fact or Fiction: The Boston Celtics will repeat at champions.

Dustin Chapman: Fact.

You know, it’s funny how everybody’s preseason predictions and write-ups are turning out as of late. Why? Because they are identical to last year’s.

“The Big Three look great, but Boston doesn’t have a good enough bench.” “(Player A) and (Player B) are too young to take on a large role on a team like this.” “The Celtics don’t have enough behind their stars.”

Let’s also not forget that the Celtics had just six returning players to last year’s roster; only three of which actually ended up as key rotation players in the postseason. They had to establish a new rotation with a new cast of players, a new attitude, and a new style of play. Everybody said that they couldn’t and wouldn’t, but at the end of the day, they did.

As Kevin Garnett put it on the night of June 17, 2008: “What can you say now?” Sure, Boston’s bench roles may now come more by committee than simply having the luxury throwing a single player like James Posey out there to complete multiple tasks at once, but this team didn’t go anywhere. “The Big Three” are still intact, youngsters like Rondo and Powe are still growing by the day, and 08-09 wild card Tony Allen has a real opportunity to reestablish himself as one of the top supporting guards in the NBA. The Boston Celtics are “on top of the world” until proven otherwise.

Nitro1118: Fiction.

While the Celtics are still without a doubt the best team in the Eastern Conference, the loss of James Posey will be critical. He provided them with top-notch perimeter defense and a dead-on 3pt shot that will be sorely missed. Another player that played well for the Celtics during the playoffs that will also be absent from their roster this year is PJ Brown, who gave them another big man with a good midrange jump shot and solid rebounding.

But, the primary reason the Celtics will not repeat is the improvement of the Lakers via Andrew Bynum, who gives them the toughness down low on both ends of the court that was ultimately the primary reason the Lakers lost in the 2008 Finals. Add onto that Trevor Ariza and another year of chemistry, and I do not see how the Celtics can beat the Lakers without Posey or Brown. Along with the Lakers, the Hornets and Rockets could also give the Celtics a fit with their new additions.

Repeating is one of the hardest tasks in the NBA, and with seemingly the entire NBA improving this year (specifically the elite teams of he West), I just do not see another championship for the Celtics this year.

valo35: Fiction.

Losing Posey takes away their most versatile defensive player, as well as their best bench option.

*Note: Some changes were made following the completion of my “30 Teams In 30 Days” feature, hence the slight differences in some teams’ records.

The 2008-2009 NBA season will officially kick off on Tuesday night, as the defending champion Boston Celtics will host LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers at 8:00 pm ET on TNT.

Record: 43-39
Eastern Conference Seed: 5
Playoff Results: Lost to CLE in Eastern Conference Quarterfinals (4-2)

Summer Of 2008

Key Additions: JaVale McGee (via draft), Juan Dixon (via free agency), Dee Brown (via free agency).

Key Losses: Roger Mason (via free agency).

To highlight the summer, Washington made sure a couple of the team’s stars were locked up and taken care of financially. In early July, forward Antawn Jamison - who was one of five players to average 20+ points and 10+ rebounds per game last season - signed a four-year extension with the Wizards worth $50 million.

Jamison’s brand new deal is certainly on the pricey side, but wait… there’s more. Plenty more.

Just under two weeks later, Gilbert Arenas inked a six-year, $100 million deal with the club. Yup, a $100 million deal. And to think, he reportedly left $16 million on the table.

I wonder if all that leftover cash could feed Latrell Sprewell’s family.

At any point, the Wizards were also forced to replace free agent guard Roger Mason, who signed a two-year deal with San Antonio. To fill that void, the team brought back former Wizard Juan Dixon, who was drafted 17th overall by Washington in 2002. In 176 games for the Wizards from 2002-2005, the trigger-happy 6’3’’ guard held an accumulative scoring average of 8.2 PPG on a sub-.400 shooting clip.

Washington also brought in high-upside center JaVale McGee with the 18th overall pick in June’s draft. The super-long and athletic seven footer averaged 14.1 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks per game as a sophomore at Nevada last season. He’s currently very raw and has quite a way to go, but as far as raw talent and upside is concerned, he’s certainly an intriguing prospect to keep your eye on.

Due to Brendan Haywood’s preseason injury, McGee might even get thrown into the fire sooner than the coaching staff had originally thought.

Depth Chart

Biggest Strength

Offensive Threats: There aren’t many teams in the NBA that have a trio as offensively talented as Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison. Each of the three are proven All-Star caliber, 20+ point players, and they can abuse defenses with their ability to put up numbers in a hurry.

When healthy, the Wizards possess one of the most highly-powered offenses the league has to offer, and it’s led by one of the most lethal assassins in “Agent Zero.”

Biggest Weakness

Health: Sure, the Wizards are a very good club when healthy. The problem is that they are rarely ever healthy as a collective unit. Whether it’s Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas (who recently recovered from open-heart surgery), etc., the Wizards seem to be plagued by the injury bug on an annual basis.

This season is no different, as Arenas, Jamison, Haywood, and Nick Young have already missed time. Jamison and Young are back in action after missing minimal preseason action, but that unfortunately cannot be said for the others. Arenas is said to be sidelined until December in order to recover from minor knee surgery performed last month, while Haywood will be out of the lineup for a whopping period of 4-6 months after tearing a ligament in his right wrist.

So right off the bat, Washington already has their leading scorer out for one to two months, and the only legitimate defensive presence (and starting center) sidelined for the majority, if not all of, the season.

Some things just aren’t mean to be, I guess.

X-Factor

Gilbert Arenas: 28 PPG, 4 RPG, 6 APG, 2 SPG, and 2-3 threes per game.

It’s completely unfair to ask a player who has not played in an NBA game for over a year’s time to come in and produce like his old self as soon as he returns in December, but that’s what Gilbert Arenas is going to have to do in order for the Wizards to compete.

Initially, it’s easy to say “ehh, he can’t pull that off,” but Gilbert Arenas’ work ethic is freakish. Let’s at least give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being, and hold the belief that it is at least possible.

If not, however, then the DC faithful are in for another long season.

What to Expect In 2008-2009

I originally had Washington pegged for 43 regular season wins and the seventh Eastern Conference seed. However, those predictions were made well before the injury to Haywood, who I believe is a much bigger piece to Washington’s puzzle than his statistics show.

Therefore, I’m going to hold off on my Wizards record prediction until I put together a complete standings and awards piece, which should be out in the coming days.

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Previous Entries:

30 Teams In 30 Days: Atlanta Hawks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Boston Celtics
30 Teams In 30 Days: Charlotte Bobcats
30 Teams In 30 Days: Chicago Bulls
30 Teams In 30 Days: Cleveland Cavaliers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Dallas Mavericks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Denver Nuggets
30 Teams In 30 Days: Detroit Pistons
30 Teams In 30 Days: Golden State Warriors
30 Teams In 30 Days: Houston Rockets
30 Teams In 30 Days: Indiana Pacers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Clippers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Los Angeles Lakers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Memphis Grizzlies
30 Teams In 30 Days: Miami Heat
30 Teams In 30 Days: Milwaukee Bucks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Minnesota Timberwolves
30 Teams In 30 Days: New Jersey Nets
30 Teams In 30 Days: New Orleans Hornets
30 Teams In 30 Days: New York Knicks
30 Teams In 30 Days: Oklahoma City Thunder
30 Teams In 30 Days: Orlando Magic
30 Teams In 30 Days: Philadelphia 76ers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Phoenix Suns
30 Teams In 30 Days: Portland Trail Blazers
30 Teams In 30 Days: Sacramento Kings
30 Teams In 30 Days: San Antonio Spurs
30 Teams In 30 Days: Toronto Raptors
30 Teams In 30 Days: Utah Jazz

Coming Soon: Full Standings & Award Predictions