Post by Benwallacedetroit3 on Oct 6, 2005 18:57:03 GMT -5
Aaron Reilly
Central Division Predictions – NBA
The deepest division in the league may produce four different playoff teams in the upcoming year. The two time Eastern Conference Champs Detroit Pistons, the hungry Pacers, Baby Bulls, and Cleveland can all make some noise this year. Even the Bucks have a legit shot to do something with their new additions.
Central Division
Teams – Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavs, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls
1. Indiana Pacers (58-24 Predicted Records)
The Pacers look to rebound after a crazy 2004/05 where the team lost players to injuries and brawling. The Pacers bring back the best “offseason pickup” of the year in Ron Artest. Artest is one of the top 10 players in the league when sane. He is the best on-ball defender and can easily put up 20 a game. Pair Artest up with Jermaine O’Neal and that is one of the best combinations in the league. The question about this team is the loss of their leader Reggie Miller. It is going to be up to O’Neal to take his role and lead this team to the championship. Stephen Jackson will have to take over Miller’s scoring from the outside. The Pacers also picked up European legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. Jasikevicius came over from Europe after leading Maccabi Tel-Aviv to a Euroleague Title. Danny Granger will also join the Pacer bench giving Artest and Jackson breaks. This team is on a mission this year after the strict penalty handed down to them from David Stern. I see this team rolling over teams much like they did two years ago on their way to a Central Division crown.
2. Detroit Pistons (54-28)
The Detroit Pistons return roughly the same team that was a quarter and bad officiating (still bitter about this) away from winning back to back championships. The Pistons bring the best and most versatile starting five in the league and have now added key parts to their bench. Flip Saunders comes into the Pistons organization as the anti-Larry Brown. Instead of having his mind set on one way of playing Saunders likes to adjust. One thing he will bring to the Pistons is a new zone defense. The best defensive team in the league will now play a zone and after one day of practice Saunders said that this team is better then any other team at the zone defense he had in Minny. Saunders will also change up the rotation. Larry Brown used only seven players in the playoffs last year and it cost them in game 7 when Tayshaun Prince had to match up with Tim Duncan in the crucial minutes of the 3rd quarter. Saunders plans on using guys like Antonio McDyess, Lindsay Hunter, Maurice Evans, Carlos Arroyo, Carlos Delfino, and yes Darko Milicic. This year will be a make or break year for Milicic, he now has no more excuses of Larry Brown coaching this team. Saunders is known for developing young 7 footers (see Kevin Garnett) and making them into stars. I believe Detroit will go on to the championship but it is going to take some time to adjust to the coaching of Saunders, new zone defense, and a playbook twice the size of Larry Brown’s. Look for Billups and Ben Wallace to represent the Pistons in the all-star game this season also.
3. Cleveland Cavilers (47-35)
New GM Danny Ferry did an amazing job this offseason by surrounding perhaps the best player in the league with a great supporting cast. His first duty was going out and signing shooting guard Larry Hughes. Hughes brings in a great defender who can penetrate and create his own shots and will fit nicely with LeBron. Ferry then went out and got two spot up shooters to set up once those two drive. Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall give the Cavs two of the best three point shooters in basketball. Marshall is a monster in every statistic and will help Big Z down low with rebounds. LeBron James, not much needs to be said about this guy but LeBron is going to be an MVP candidate this year. The bench is a weak point for the Cavs right now. Either Drew Gooden or Donyell Marshall will be coming off the bench while the other start, Eric Snow is the next best option off the bench. New coach Mike Brown comes into a great situation and has a chance to lead this team deep into the playoffs.
4. Chicago Bulls (41-41)
The Baby Bulls had a real nice run last year but injuries to Luol Deng and Eddy Curry really hurt their chances of beating the Wizards last year. Rookie Ben Gordon won 6th man of the year and should be a nice fit in the Bulls offense this year. Tyson Chandler is quickly developing into a young Ben Wallace and is just a terror on the boards. The young Bulls come with a number of young players but the loss of Eddy Curry leaves this team without a legit inside option and that is going to wind up haunting them. Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, and Andres Nocconi are a very formidable trio but Chandler and newly acquired Michael Sweetney won’t do it just yet for the Bulls. The bench though is deep and has Chris Duhon, Luol Deng, and Darius Songalia to come on and give this team spurts when needed. Until they get that inside option back I cannot see this team surpassing any of the teams in this division except Milwaukee.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (37-45)
Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of Michael Redd. Being a left handed shooter myself I like watching Redd stroke 3’s with that nice lefty form. But a max deal? The Bucks who did not want to lose Redd for nothing had to do this but Redd is nowhere close to being worth max dollars. Except for his exceptional shooting Michael Redd shows no signs of defense and he will never lead his team to a championship. On the bright side the Bucks did land the #1 pick and decided to go with the safe route and drafted Utah center Andrew Bogut. Bogut will give them an immediate impact at a position that is so weak in the NBA today. The Bucks also signed Bobby Simmons to a deal to help give this team more depth in their backcourt. If TJ Ford can come back and play like he used to, a combination of Ford, Simmons, Redd, and Mason will remind me a lot of the Phoenix Suns teams minus Amare. Their bench though is a little suspect, the frontcourt depth is also weak with former #1 pick Joe Smith starting at the power forward. The Bucks may make it in by the skin of their teeth but I see more ping pong balls in this team’s future.
Western Conference will come in the near future.
Central Division Predictions – NBA
The deepest division in the league may produce four different playoff teams in the upcoming year. The two time Eastern Conference Champs Detroit Pistons, the hungry Pacers, Baby Bulls, and Cleveland can all make some noise this year. Even the Bucks have a legit shot to do something with their new additions.
Central Division
Teams – Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavs, Indiana Pacers, Milwaukee Bucks, Chicago Bulls
1. Indiana Pacers (58-24 Predicted Records)
The Pacers look to rebound after a crazy 2004/05 where the team lost players to injuries and brawling. The Pacers bring back the best “offseason pickup” of the year in Ron Artest. Artest is one of the top 10 players in the league when sane. He is the best on-ball defender and can easily put up 20 a game. Pair Artest up with Jermaine O’Neal and that is one of the best combinations in the league. The question about this team is the loss of their leader Reggie Miller. It is going to be up to O’Neal to take his role and lead this team to the championship. Stephen Jackson will have to take over Miller’s scoring from the outside. The Pacers also picked up European legend Sarunas Jasikevicius. Jasikevicius came over from Europe after leading Maccabi Tel-Aviv to a Euroleague Title. Danny Granger will also join the Pacer bench giving Artest and Jackson breaks. This team is on a mission this year after the strict penalty handed down to them from David Stern. I see this team rolling over teams much like they did two years ago on their way to a Central Division crown.
2. Detroit Pistons (54-28)
The Detroit Pistons return roughly the same team that was a quarter and bad officiating (still bitter about this) away from winning back to back championships. The Pistons bring the best and most versatile starting five in the league and have now added key parts to their bench. Flip Saunders comes into the Pistons organization as the anti-Larry Brown. Instead of having his mind set on one way of playing Saunders likes to adjust. One thing he will bring to the Pistons is a new zone defense. The best defensive team in the league will now play a zone and after one day of practice Saunders said that this team is better then any other team at the zone defense he had in Minny. Saunders will also change up the rotation. Larry Brown used only seven players in the playoffs last year and it cost them in game 7 when Tayshaun Prince had to match up with Tim Duncan in the crucial minutes of the 3rd quarter. Saunders plans on using guys like Antonio McDyess, Lindsay Hunter, Maurice Evans, Carlos Arroyo, Carlos Delfino, and yes Darko Milicic. This year will be a make or break year for Milicic, he now has no more excuses of Larry Brown coaching this team. Saunders is known for developing young 7 footers (see Kevin Garnett) and making them into stars. I believe Detroit will go on to the championship but it is going to take some time to adjust to the coaching of Saunders, new zone defense, and a playbook twice the size of Larry Brown’s. Look for Billups and Ben Wallace to represent the Pistons in the all-star game this season also.
3. Cleveland Cavilers (47-35)
New GM Danny Ferry did an amazing job this offseason by surrounding perhaps the best player in the league with a great supporting cast. His first duty was going out and signing shooting guard Larry Hughes. Hughes brings in a great defender who can penetrate and create his own shots and will fit nicely with LeBron. Ferry then went out and got two spot up shooters to set up once those two drive. Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall give the Cavs two of the best three point shooters in basketball. Marshall is a monster in every statistic and will help Big Z down low with rebounds. LeBron James, not much needs to be said about this guy but LeBron is going to be an MVP candidate this year. The bench is a weak point for the Cavs right now. Either Drew Gooden or Donyell Marshall will be coming off the bench while the other start, Eric Snow is the next best option off the bench. New coach Mike Brown comes into a great situation and has a chance to lead this team deep into the playoffs.
4. Chicago Bulls (41-41)
The Baby Bulls had a real nice run last year but injuries to Luol Deng and Eddy Curry really hurt their chances of beating the Wizards last year. Rookie Ben Gordon won 6th man of the year and should be a nice fit in the Bulls offense this year. Tyson Chandler is quickly developing into a young Ben Wallace and is just a terror on the boards. The young Bulls come with a number of young players but the loss of Eddy Curry leaves this team without a legit inside option and that is going to wind up haunting them. Kirk Hinrich, Ben Gordon, and Andres Nocconi are a very formidable trio but Chandler and newly acquired Michael Sweetney won’t do it just yet for the Bulls. The bench though is deep and has Chris Duhon, Luol Deng, and Darius Songalia to come on and give this team spurts when needed. Until they get that inside option back I cannot see this team surpassing any of the teams in this division except Milwaukee.
5. Milwaukee Bucks (37-45)
Let me start off by saying I am a big fan of Michael Redd. Being a left handed shooter myself I like watching Redd stroke 3’s with that nice lefty form. But a max deal? The Bucks who did not want to lose Redd for nothing had to do this but Redd is nowhere close to being worth max dollars. Except for his exceptional shooting Michael Redd shows no signs of defense and he will never lead his team to a championship. On the bright side the Bucks did land the #1 pick and decided to go with the safe route and drafted Utah center Andrew Bogut. Bogut will give them an immediate impact at a position that is so weak in the NBA today. The Bucks also signed Bobby Simmons to a deal to help give this team more depth in their backcourt. If TJ Ford can come back and play like he used to, a combination of Ford, Simmons, Redd, and Mason will remind me a lot of the Phoenix Suns teams minus Amare. Their bench though is a little suspect, the frontcourt depth is also weak with former #1 pick Joe Smith starting at the power forward. The Bucks may make it in by the skin of their teeth but I see more ping pong balls in this team’s future.
Western Conference will come in the near future.
