BasslineSpin.com
NBA Preview 2006-07 By Bobby Gerould –
October 28, 2006. Rocklin, CA.
Everybody
does it. Well almost everybody. IT is NBA season predictions. I do it too
although I am the first to admit that in today’s cyber age or any age –
predicting the future is a pointless act. None of us know. Last year – the
Hornets shocked the NBA prognosticators with a great start. The year before
that – it was Phoenix jumping from 29 to 55 wins. Injuries happen that could
never have been foreseen. Trades will occur that shake things up. On this web
space we take pride in independent thought in our areas of expertise. I don’t
pretend to know football or country music but I do obsess over basketball. I
don’t put much emphasis on preseason won-loss records, and I won’t be
regurgitating the same bogus theories that many in the, monkey-see monkey-do,
mainstream, spit up. Please respect these thoughts with regard to the season
that begins in three days.
The Jump
Injuries
already will impact the opening month of the season. Memphis and Atlanta will
hurt the most with wounds to Pau Gasol, and Marvin Williams respectively. Teams
who see Atlanta twice in November are Orlando, and Toronto. Dallas is lucky to
see Memphis twice in the opening month. ...Whenever someone tells you it is
important to get off to a good start – they are stating the obvious. The truth
is – you want to be ‘good’ always – not just at the start. A win in April
counts for one win just as the season opener does.
The first
games tip off on Halloween evening. At 5 PM (local – California) Chicago visits
Miami on TNT. The nightcap is Phoenix @ the Lakers. The following night is
actually tons more fun when 26 teams hit the courts. We highly recommend the
NBA League Pass television package that allows access to every game.
Halftime
The NBA
All-Star weekend is in Las Vegas this season. Our preseason selections for
All-Star status are:
|
East: |
West: |
|
Lebron
James |
Steve
Nash |
|
Dwyane
Wade |
Chris
Paul |
|
Allen
Iverson |
Tony
Parker |
|
Chauncey Billups |
Kobe
Bryant |
|
Paul
Pierce |
Carmelo
Anthony |
|
Vince
Carter |
Dirk
Nowitzki |
|
Chris
Bosh |
Shawn
Marion |
|
Shaquille
O’Neal |
Kevin
Garnett |
|
Dwight
Howard |
Elton
Brand |
|
Jermaine
O’Neal |
Tim
Duncan |
|
Gilbert
Arenas |
Yao Ming |
|
Richard Jefferson |
Tracy
McGrady |
End of regulation
The final
order as far as the NBA Playoffs are concerned is especially difficult this
season. There are only a handful of “locks” on both ends of the win-loss
spectrum. I feel confident that Portland, and New York are not playoff teams. I
believe that Miami, Denver, Houston, Utah, and Phoenix are the best bets to
make the playoffs. That leaves 23 teams to fight for eleven remaining spots.
Narrowing
it down further – I think safe bets to be IN also include Dallas, the Clippers,
and Cleveland. …The astute reader will notice by now that I haven’t mentioned
San Antonio. Maybe it was just for effect. I am no fan of their backup point
guard situation with Jacque Vaughn in charge at post time. But even I am not
too far gone to say the Spurs won’t make the playoffs. They are IN. If you are
scoring at home – there is room for only more Western team. The candidates are
Minnesota, Seattle, the Lakers, the Warriors and the Kings. So I just
eliminated Memphis, and New Orleans. I’ll take the Lakers to make the eighth
spot in the West mostly because Kobe is too good.
In the East
we have named Miami, and Cleveland as IN – and only New York as OUT. Next, it’s
safe to add Chicago, and New Jersey. I also like the improving Orlando Magic.
Detroit could slip a bit but not too much. They are IN. That’s six teams in as
we get down to Charlotte, Philly, Indiana, Milwaukee, Washington, and Boston
fighting for the last two spots. I guess I just eliminated Toronto, and
Atlanta. This one is tough. I’ll take Indiana, and Charlotte to be IN. I like
the fact that Gerald Wallace is emerging, and that Sean May is healthy for the
Bobcats. Charlotte has several talented players in Brevin Knight, Ray Felton,
Emeka Okafor, and Adam Morrison. Most folks have Washington solidly in the
playoffs. I like their starters but their depth is suspect to me. They could
easily be in though.
MVP: Dwyane Wade
Rookie of the Year: Brandon Roy
All-NBA First Team: Steve Nash, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James,
Kevin Garnett, Yao Ming
Most Improved Player: Jameer Nelson.
Coach of the Year: Jerry Sloan
Overtime
The NBA
Playoffs are a half year away. This long range forecast shows