Ladies and gentlemen, the best sports league is back. Tuesday marks the start of the 2010-2011 NBA season, and I am more giddy with excitement than a teen girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I can't wait for Tuesday. The 2010-2011 NBA campaign has the potential to be one of the greatest, most compelling seasons in league history. Yesterday, I previewed the Eastern conference. Now it's time to shift our focus out West. So with no further ado, here is my preview of each and every team in the Western conference, listed in projected order of finish:
1. Los Angeles Lakers/Head Coach:Phil Jackson
Emotionally, I am in the same position with the Lakers as I am with the Heat. I desperately hope the Lakers fall stunningly short of expectations and have a disastrous season. But I am living in dream land if I honestly think that has a chance of happening. The reality is that this Lakers team is even better than the teams that won the championship the last two seasons. Phil Jackson's squad is loaded, with an excellent shot at a 3-peat.
Any conversation with the Lakers begins with Kobe Bryant. I have been a harsh Kobe critic over the years, but even I must admit that he is the best player in basketball. No player since Michael Jordan has played with a more dominating ferocity on both ends of the floor. Do I still think Kobe is an arrogant, below-average teammate? Yes. But his basketball ability is astonishing. When he is on top of his game, there is no stopping him. But the scary thing about the 2010-2011 Lakers is that they are so much more than just Kobe Bryant. I still question Andrew Bynum's toughness, and I don't yet consider him an elite center, but he is still a major contributor. The more he works with Kareem Abdul-Jabaar, the more he will continue to improve. Pau Gasol is an amazing player, and he does belong in the conversation of the NBA's best big men. Gasol is a dominant scorer, a fearsome defender, and an effortless passer. He is the Robin to Bryant's Batman. Loyal readers know that I love Ron Artest. Artest is one wild and crazy dude, and he has a tendency to be pretty clumsy on the offensive end. But Artest makes up for all of that with his defensive mastery. Artest is a lockdown defender, capable of shutting down any of the league's top scorers. Not to mention his toughness, which is unparallelled. Thus, Artest is a modern-day Dennis Rodman. Lamar Odom is an inconsistent player, but he has seen drastic improvement in the last couple seasons, and he is a significant asset for Phil Jackson's team. Just don't trust Odom at the free throw line with the game on the line. Very few players are as clutch as Derek Fisher. Fisher has an Horry-like ability to knock down huge shots in pressure-packed situations, and he will undoubtedly do just that this season. The offseason acquisition of Matt Barnes is also huge for the Lakers. Barnes is a great shooter and an awesome defender. I'm not as high on Steve Blake, the Lakers' other key offseason pickup.
The only glaring weakness on this team remains Sasha Vujacic, the most overrated player in the NBA. Vujacic is absolutely horrendous, a guy who wanders aimlessly outside the three-point line and hoists brick after brick. The fact that he calls himself The Machine is laughable. Vujacic is my least favorite player in the NBA. Aside from Vujacic, however, the Los Angeles Lakers are a great team that will likely find themselves back in the NBA Finals, with a chance at their third consecutive title. Just the thought of Phil Jackson's third 3-peat of his career is enough to give me stomach indigestion. As I said with the Heat: Boy do I hope I'm wrong about the Lakers.
2. Oklahoma City Thunder/Head Coach: Scott Brooks
The one team in the West that gives Laker haters like myself hope is the Oklahoma City Thunder. Normally, I am wary of young teams that enter the season with gargantuan expectations, but I am buying all the hype with the Thunder, and then some. The Thunder have the ability to knock off the Lakers in the West. They have the ability to hoist the Larry O'Brien trophy when all is said and done. I truly believe that Scott Brooks' team is that good.
Kevin Durant is the second-best player in the NBA, and as he continues to improve---a frightening thought for Thunder opponents---Durant is poised to surpass Kobe and become the best basketball player in the world in the very near future. Durant is so good that even if he was hampered with a lowly supporting cast, he would still make the Thunder a threat out West. However, what makes the Oklahoma City Thunder such a potent team is that Durant has a stellar supporting cast around him. Russell Westbrook is a fantastic point guard, and by the end of the season, Westbrook will be mentioned in the same breath as Rondo, Williams, Paul, Nash, and Rose. Jeff Green is a terrific player, and Durant-Westbrook-Green is amongst the best trios in basketball. Furthermore, James Harden will build off his superb rookie season last year and continue to put up big numbers. Serge Ibaka may not be a household name yet, but he will be by season's end. Nick Collison, Morris Peterson,and Nenad Kristic give the Thunder great depth. And don't sleep on Eric Maynor. He has the potential to be a significant contributor this season.
Add all this to the fact that the Thunder have a great coach (Scott Brooks), and one of the best fan bases in all of sports, and they have what it takes to challenge the Lakers in the West. I can't wait to watch this team play.
3. Utah Jazz/Head Coach: Jerry Sloan
In the immediate aftermath of Carlos Boozer's departure to Chicago, I must admit that I was down on the Jazz. Boozer was a hugely important part of Utah's identity, the leading force behind their bruising physicality in the paint. I didn't think there was any way Utah could contend for a championship without Boozer's presence. But then Jazz General Manager Kevin O'Connor came through with two strokes of genius, acquiring Al Jefferson and Raja Bell. Jefferson has spent the majority of his career floundering in the futility of the Timberwolves organization, so he has never received the recognition he deserves for being a dominant big man in the NBA. Jefferson is a great player who will fill the void left by Boozer. Now that Jefferson is playing on a good team with a great coach, he is going to have the best season of his career, and that's saying something. The toughness of Boozer will also be filled by Raja Bell, a tenacious defender who thrives against the league's top scorers. So no Boozer, no problem for Utah.
Let's not forget the most important player on the Jazz, none other than Deron Williams. D-Will is arguably the best point guard in basketball, and his brilliance in Utah has conjured memories of John Stockton in his prime. Williams has plenty of dangerous weapons around him as well. Andrei Kirilenko was the subject of trade rumors in the offseason, but the Jazz were wise in keeping him. AK-47 is a double-double threat each time he steps onto the floor. Mehmet Okur, the big man who also happens to be one of the best pure shooters in the game, returns, as does Paul Milsap, who is a powerful presence down low. The Jazz always have a couple of surprise breakout performances from young players each season, as evidenced by the outstanding play of Sundiata Gaines and Wesley Matthews last season. Both Gaines and Matthews have departed, but don't be shocked if rookies Gordon Hayward and Jeremy Evans pick up where Gaines and Matthews left off.
Jerry Sloan's Jazz teams are always good for 50-plus wins, and this season will be no different. Salt Lake City is a phenomenal basketball city, and the great fans will see playoff basketball yet again.
4. Dallas Mavericks/Head Coach: Rick Carlisle
Much like last season, I anticipate great regular-season success for the Dallas Mavericks. At 7 feet tall, Dirk Nowitzki is the most offensively gifted big man in the NBA, and he is a double-double waiting to happen each night. Caron Butler and Shaun Marion are two veteran forwards with plenty of gas left the tank, and they will turn in excellent seasons. The center combo of Tyson Chandler and Brendan Haywood will be tremendously effective. Say what you want about Jason Kidd's age, but he is still an excellent starting point guard. Should Kidd succumb to age or injury, the Mavs would have more than enough weapons (Jason Terry, Jose Barea, Roddy Beaubois) to suffice. So Rick Carlisle's Mavs will once again be a top-tier team in the regular season.
But when it comes to the playoffs, this team does not lead me to believe that they will be able to overcome their perennial shortcomings. In order to win the West, the Mavs will have to overcome the likes of Los Angeles, Oklahoma City, and Utah, and I just do not see that happening. So while Dallas will again be a symbol of excellence in the regular season, I think that Mark Cuban (whom I love, by the way) will be sporting another dissatisfied scowl come playoff time.
5. Portland Trail Blazers/Head Coach: Nate McMillan
The offseason firing of G.M. Kevin Pritchard was one of the most egregious front office decisions in NBA history. Pritchard may have whiffed in his selection of Greg Oden over Kevin Durant in the Draft, but he was one of the best G.M.'s in the league, the master architect behind the resurgence of the Blazers franchise. That horrific decision aside, though, the Blazers have much to be excited about in the 2010-2011 campaign.
As long as the Blazers have the great Brandon Roy, they will be a force to be reckoned with. Roy is a star, and he will only continue to get better. Surrounding Roy is a nice collection of very talented players: Wesley Matthews, the superb young guard who will be out to prove to the world that he is worthy of the enormous contract that was awarded to him in the offseason; Andre Miller, the veteran guard who brings great savvy and leadership; LaMarcus Aldridge, the skilled forward who should continue to make immense strides of improvement. Under the guidance of Nate McMillan, one of the best coaches of the league, the Blazers should win 50 games relatively easily.
However, this team is still not equipped for playoff success. Aside from the 6-11 Aldridge, all of the aforementioned players are small guards. The Blazers lack a strong big man, so the frontcourt is virtually punchless. Granted, Portland does have the veteran shot-blocker Marcus Camby, but something tells me that Camby will start to really show the effects of age this season. Joel Pryzbilla had a breakout season last year, but he is recovering from a major knee injury. The Blazers just signed Fabricio Oberto, a good player, but not a difference-maker. And don't get me started on Greg Oden. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Oden is a nice guy, but he has been an astonishing flop in the NBA. Oden starts the year injured, yet again. What a shock.
I don't mean to come across as too pessimistic. After all, the Blazers are still a fun team to watch, and they are a lock for the playoffs. But my guess is that another first-round playoff exit is in their future.
6. Memphis Grizzlies/Head Coah: Lionel Hollins
This may be too wildly optimistic an assessment, but I think the Grizzlies are poised to make a significant rise in the Western conference this season. Last year, Coach Lionel Hollins and company impressed me with their scrappy, resilient play. With an extra year of maturity and experience under their belt, I have the Grizzlies penciled in as the 6-seed in the West. That would be a remarkable achievement for a franchise that has lived in complete futility since the departure of Pau Gasol.
Speaking of Gasol, let's start the discussion of the Memphis roster with Pau's brother Marc. Marc will always live in his brother's shadow, and that is a shame, because Marc Gasol is a pretty damn good player in his own right. My guess is that he will merit All-Star consideration this season. Rudy Gay and Zach Randolph are also poised for big seasons. I am especially intrigued to see how Randolph fares this season. In past years, Randolph had a knack for having long stretches of complacency on the court. Last year, though, Randolph brought awesome energy every night, delivering the best season of his career. My bet is that Randolph picks up where he left off. If that is the case, the Grizzlies will have a fearsome frontcourt with Gasol and Randolph. I also love the addition of veteran Tony Allen. Tony Allen was a crucial part of the Celtics bench the last few years, and he will be a nice spark off the bench for Lionel Hollins' team.
The only glaring weakness for the Grizzlies is Hasheem Thabeet. Thabeet has had the same struggles in the NBA that plagued him during his time at UConn. Thabeet is an outstanding defensive player, but he is incredibly clumsy at the offensive end, and that makes him a major liability for the Grizzlies. Still, I anticipate big things for the Memphis Grizzlies in 2010-2011.
7. San Antonio Spurs/Head Coach: Gregg Popovich
The Spurs enter 2010-2011 with the same key personnel that shaped their championship teams of 2003, 2005, and 2007. They enter the 2010-2011 campaign with the best coach in the NBA (Gregg Popovich). So what's not to like? Well, in a word, age. Unlike the Boston Celtics, the Spurs do not give off the vibe that they have another championship run left in the tank.
However, they are still the San Antonio Spurs, perennially overlooked and disrespected, so it would be foolish to count them out of the equation in the West. Tim Duncan still carries himself with stunning efficiency night in and night out. Duncan is one of the greatest players to ever play the game, and while he is nearing the end of his career, he is still good for 20 points and 10 rebounds per game. I am not sure if Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli can match his excellence this season, though. Parker is still a solid starting point guard, but in the age of the young point guard, I have a feeling that Parker's prime has passed him by. Manu Ginobli is still a greatly entertaining player (even if he flops way too much for my liking), but in the last few years he has been more prone to injury, and that is not a good omen. Richard Jefferson is an excellent player, but does he have what it takes to propel the Spurs back atop the West? I don't think so. And while I have tremendous respect for Antonio McDyess, his career is in its final days. The one player that could single-handedly carry the Spurs back to elite status, however, is DeJuan Blair. Fresh off a stellar rookie campaign, Blair will only get better this season.
The Spurs will continue to carry themselves with class and professionalism, and I think they will make the playoffs as a 7-seed. But I fear that the time of San Antonio contending for championships has come to an end.
8. Golden State Warriors/Head Coach: Keith Smart
What?! Am I insane?! In the words of Jim Mora: Playoffs?! For this Warriors team?! Ladies and gentlemen, I am not insane. I am just a diehard Warriors fan brimming with dreamy optimism. My biases aside, however, am I really that farfetched in thinking that the W's can make the playoffs? Think about it: Golden State has one of the best young duos in baketball with Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis. Last year, Monta Ellis professed dissatisfaction with playing alongside Curry, but all signs during the offseason seem to have pointed to the blossoming of real chemistry between the two. And that is a beautiful thing for Warriors fans. Furthermore, the Warriors have a legitimate All-Star in David Lee. I've always been a Lee admirer, and the kinetic energy that he brought to the Knicks will translate well to the high-octane Golden State system. Andris Biedrins is coming off a down year, but if he stays healthy this season, he will return to being a rebounding, shot-blocking machine. Reggie Williams is an underrated player who will make a name for himself this season. Dorell Wright has been a beast this offseason, and he will continue his productivity in the regular season. And while both start the season injured, Ekpe Udoh and Lou Amundson bring some much-needed defensive presence to a team that has long suffered in that regard. Playoffs, my friends, is not out of the realm of possibility.
Even if I am just a wildly optimistic fan, and even if my dreams of playoffs do not come to fruition, there is still plenty of reason to be excited in the Bay Area. This is the start of an exciting new era for Warriors basketball. With all due respect to the great Don Nelson, it was time for a coaching change. Nellie seemed tired and disillusioned last season, and new coach Keith Smart (absolutely the right man for the job) brings a fresh jolt of energy. Meanwhile, the disastrous ownership of Chris Cohan has come to an end, and new owners Peter Gruber and Joe Lacob seem to be fiercely committed to presenting a winning product on the basketball court. And did I mention the stylish new unis? Gotta love it.
Am I biased? Yes. But don't be shocked if the Warriors do indeed make the playoffs.
9. Denver Nuggets/Head Coach: George Karl
On paper, this is still an incredibly dangerous team. But the vibe is all wrong is Denver right now. In other words, the Carmelo Anthony trade rumors will sap any chance the Nuggets may have of contending in the West.
Count me among those who question why the Nuggets are so eager to trade Carmelo Anthony. Melo is one of the five best players in the NBA (Kobe, Durant, Wade, LeBron, Carmelo), and he is especially dominant on the offensive end. With a healthy and motivated Melo, the Nuggets could make serious noise in the West. But Anthony's mind seems to be elsewhere right now. Don't be surprised if Carmelo is in a Knicks uniform by December.
Still, even without a motivated Melo, the Nuggets have the pieces to challenge for one of the final playoff spots in the West. Chauncey Billups is nearing retirement, but he is still a superb point guard, a true leader on the court. Ty Lawson, the fastest player in the NBA, is also one of the most exciting. He will continue to blossom into one of the game's best young players. J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, and Nene return, as does the wildly entertaining Chris "Birdman" Andersen, so the Nuggets will still be a force to be reckoned with. Not to mention the fact that the great George Karl is one of the league's best coaches. But something tells me that the Nuggets will be hampered with chemistry problems all season long, weighed down by the Carmelo trade rumors. My guess is that they will miss the playoffs, just barely.
10. Phoenix Suns/Head Coach: Alvin Gentry
This low ranking is in no way a reflection of the great Steve Nash. As he showed in last year's postseason, Nash is as prolific as ever. He truly is an ageless wonder, a magnificent point guard who plays the game with remarkable grace. Rather, this low ranking is a reflection on the departure of Amare Stoudamire. Amare has been the subject of seemingly constant trade rumors the last couple seasons in Phoenix, and I have never understood why the Suns were so eager to dispose of him. Stoudamire was a hugely important part of the Suns' success over the years. This year, the Suns will realize that they took Amare's talents for granted. He will be sorely missed, so much so that I think the Suns will be on the outside looking in come playoff time, only one year after they pushed the Lakers to seven games in the Western Conference Finals.
Nonetheless, Alvin Gentry's team still has the talent to contend for a playoff spot. In addition to the great Nash, expect big things this year from Goran Dragic. Dragic' explosive play in last year's playoffs, more specifically his dominant performance in Game 3 of the West semis against San Antonio, marked his arrival as a legitimate force in this league. When Nash needs a rest, Dragic is more than capable of carrying the load at point guard. Jason Richardson, one of my favorite players, returns, as does Grant Hill, Channing Frye, Robin Lopez, and Jared Dudley. I am particularly interested in watching the developments of Lopez and Dudley this season. Dudley may look unathletic, but he is a fantastic player who plays with fiery swagger. Lopez had a coming out party on the national stage during last year's playoffs, and it will be fascinating to see if he continues that strong play this year. Channing Frye, however, is mediocre at best. His horrific play in last year's Conference Finals against the Lakers was a frighteneing sight. Suns fans can only hope that he improves in the 2010-2011 campaign.
The Suns have major talent, but ultimately, the loss of Amare Stoudamire will be too significant to overcome.
11. Houston Rockets/Head Coach: Rick Adelman
The good news: The return of Yao Ming, the most offensively gifted center in basketball; the continued development of Aaron Brooks, a player who is always a delight to watch; the return of Shane Battier, a defensive mastermind who is capable of shutting down the likes of Kobe and Durant; the return of Coach Rick Adelman, one of the league's best.
The bad news: The tenuous state of Yao's helath: Will he be able to stay healthy for a full season? The attitude of Kevin Martin, who has expressed his dissatisfaction in the offseason regarding his perceived lack of sufficient playing time; the tenuous state of Brad Miller's health.
If everything goes swimmingly for the Rockets, then they are capable of being a top-tier team in the West. But that is one giant if. I hope I'm wrong, because I love Yao, but I would be surprised if he can stay spry and healthy for the entire season. And if Yao does succumb to injury, the Rockets will become a far less dangerous team. Another issue working against the Rockets is the immense depth of the Western Conference.
I could be completely wrong here. The Rockets could make the playoffs with relative ease. Heck, they could even make a deep run into the playoffs if all goes right. But in sports, very rarely does everything go as planned for any team. My bet is that the Rockets stay in the playoff hunt up until February, only to fade in the stretch run.
12. Los Angeles Clippers/Head Coach: Vinny Del Negro
After his stellar preseason, all signs point to Blake Griffin being an absolute star in the NBA. After missing all of last season due to injury, Griffin is the clear favorite to be Rookie of the Year this season. Playing alongside Griffin is Eric Gordon, a superb young player who proved with his play for Team USA over the summer that he himself has what it takes to reach star status in the NBA. So this is the year for the Clippers to finally assert themselves as a relevant, playoff-caliber force in the West, right? Not so fast, my friends.
Aside from Griffin and Gordon, the roster is riddled with question marks. When fully healthy and motivated, Baron Davis can be an elite player, but when was the last time B.D. was fully healthy and motivated? The answer: The 2007 "We Believe" Warriors team, where Davis was the heart and soul of Don Nelson's team. Since then, Baron has been incessantly erratic. He will undoubtedly have nights this season where he wows the crowd with magnificent play. But for every one of those nights, there will be a game in which Baron plays in a lazy, sleepy daze. If the Clippers are to make the playoffs, they are going to need a little more consistency. Chris Kaman can fill up a stat sheet, but I'm sorry: His stunning lack of athleticism has got to catch up with him at some point, and my guess is that he will start feeling the ill-effects of that this season. The Clips have two wily veterans in Rasual Butler and Jarron Collins, but they are unlikely to have much of an impact this season.
There is no doubt that the future is bright for the Clippers. Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon alone are worth the price of admission night in and night out. And the departure of the clueless Mike Dunleavy, replaced by Vinny Del Negro, ensures that the Clippers will be a far better-coached team in 2010-2011. The Clips, though, are a year or two removed from returning to the playoffs.
13. Sacramento Kings/Head Coach: Paul Westphal
There is a lot to like with Sacramento. Reigning Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans is brilliant, and there is no chance of him experiencing any sort of sophomore slump. In fact, I expect Evans to be even better in 2010-2011. Young Omri Casspi has great promise, and in the future Kings fans can expect the Evans-Casspi duo to conjure memories of the Mike Bibby-Chris Webber duo that defined the great Kings teams of the early 2000's. Rookie DeMarcus Cousins may be an immature headcase, but he has enormous talent, and he will have a stellar rookie campaign. But for all of their talent, Sacramento is still an extremely raw work in progress. In two or three years, the Kings will be dangerous contenders in the West. This season, though, more growing pains await.
14. New Orleans Hornets/Head Coach: Monty Williams
It is a shame that Chris Paul, a sensational star who will go down as one of the greatest point guards to ever play the game, is playing for a franchise that features the most woefully ignorant front office in the NBA. First, Hornets' management traded away Tyson Chandler just when the CP3-Chandler duo was blossoming into one of the best tandems in the league. Then, Hornets' management inexplicably fired Byron Scott, a brilliant coach who was fired after a 3-6 start. Firing a great coach just because of a 3-6 start has to be considered one of the most egregious knee-jerk reactions by a front office in NBA history. And now, the geniuses running the Hornets franchise seem to have every intention of trading Chris Paul. Un-freaking-believable.
The futility of the front office has cast a gloomy shadow over the team, but that is not the sole reason why the 2010-2011 campaign will be a disappointing one for New Orleans. The mediocre roster will be the main deterrent for the Hornets this season. CP3 does not have much to work with. Trevor Ariza benefited from playing on an incredibly deep Lakers team two seasons ago, but with few weapons around him, Ariza is a merely decent player who doesn't make much of a difference. The same can be said for Emeka Okafor, a good player who is nonethless a perennial underachiever in the NBA. David West is a shell of the player he once was, the terrific wingman who helped lead the Hornets to the Western Conference Semi-Finals in 2008. So is Peja Stojakovic, a once-flawless shooter who has declined in recent years.
I like the addition of Jerryd Bayless, and he will become the starting point guard should Paul depart. I also like new coach Monty Williams. But it will be a rough year for basketball in the Big Easy.
15. Minnesota Timberwolves/Head Coach: Kurt Rambis
When Michael Beasley, a player who has been a shocking underachiever in the NBA, was acquired by Minnesota, one of the first things he said was that the T'Wolves are the team to beat this season. No word yet on whether Beasley is still suffering the effects of the concussion.
The truth is that this is the worst team in the West, perhaps even the worst team in the NBA. Aside from the terrific Kevin Love, and the tremendous potential of rookie Wes Johnson, who do the T'Wolves have? Jonny Flynn? Kosta Koufos? Sebastian Telfair? Darko Milicic?! Kurt Rambis is a good coach, but my goodness, this is one lousy team.
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