The First, Home Brooklyn Nets Game EVER (I went)

The First, Home Brooklyn Nets Game EVER (I went)
By Rico Bautista

Non Sequitur of the Day :  Caught this gem at the bottom of DA's column on NBA.com yesterday: "I don't like really calling a man 'Fab.'"--Kevin Garnett, explaining to The Associated Press why he gave Celtics rookie Fab Melo the nickname "Melo." Classic Garnett. Also, thanks for just lifting Carmelo Anthony's nickname and giving it to a rookie. Asshole.

     "Where Brooklyn at?? Where Brooklyn at!?" This is the song I choose to blare as I exit the Atlantic Ave-Barclays Center stop, off of the D train. I considered picking a Jay-Z classic, but Hova will always rank just *right* beneath Biggie for me. As I walk out onto the freshly doused streets of a rainy Monday night, I take it all in: the neon blue lights, the crowds, and most notably, the sea of fans wearing freshly purchased Brooklyn Nets memorabilia (tags still attached and all). The novelty of this sight was the merchandise itself. As a Knicks fan, when I've gone to the Garden (there's only ONE "Garden," Simmons--that's MSG, not TD Garden), I've seen Knicks jerseys from ALL eras. Actually, it almost seems that the older and more obscure the jersey, the more credibility you automatically receive as a fan. The Knicks fans wearing Sprewell jerseys get a ton of props. There's probably only one Knicks jersey that will NOT make you any friends at the Garden, but thankfully I haven't seen a Stephon Marbury product since those plastic $15 sneakers in 2007. But Monday night at the Barclay's Center, there were no throw backs. I literally see ONE New Jersey jersey the entire night. My friend Shaun also noticed this and commented, "kind of feels like they've got fake fans, huh?" And I agreed with him. But as the night progressed, I started to rethink this. It didn't all start to click for me until the 4th quarter. Up by 6 with 3:13 left to play, Brooklyn subbed in Gerald "Crash" Wallace (they referred to the "Crash" nickname over the speakers, it was sick--such an appropriate nickname) and Deron Williams came in shortly after. They also did not take Joe Johnson out. I found it slightly curious that they'd risk injuring any of their starters while they already had a slight lead at the end of a preseason game. From a coaching standpoint, it bothered me. But then I thought, "this is the only first home game they will ever play here... wouldn't it be a good omen to win?" After all, sports fans and athletes alike are a superstitious lot. So behind this rationale I could make peace with the decision to leave those starters in. Turns out I was right--according to an article published by The New York Times today regarding last night's game, Joe Johnson said, "Certain things, man, you don't have to say. It's just kind of understood. This is our first time playing in this building--we don't want to take an 'L' the first time in this building." 
     Another surprise soon followed, after Jan Vesely was fouled (Vesely was awful to watch in person by the way--I don't know if he's had a growth spurt since being drafted, but he looked like he was still getting accustomed to his own limbs. Kind of like when a newborn calf struggles to walk after leaving the womb. Sadly, I'm not exaggerating--he was that bad. This will be hard, but imagine a less coordinated Darko Milicic. Drafting him at 6th in 2011, the Wizards passed up on Brandon Knight, Klay Thompson, Kawhi Leonard, Iman Shumpert, and Kenneth Faried... yeesh).  I heard a cheer that I originally recognized as "bullll-shittt! bullll-shittt!" but after awhile I realized it was "Brooook-lynnnn! Brooook-lynnnn!" I wondered, "is that how sports chants start? Is this a one time thing, or is this a sports culture phenomenon being born right in front of me?" With just over a minute left in the game, I waited intently to see if I would hear it again. I didn't have to wait very long. With 0:56.5 left to play, AJ Price and Deron Williams collided for a brief moment, which caused Price to start chirping at D-Will and D-Will gave it right back. This was followed by a double technical foul on both Williams and Price, but if you had heard the crowd's reaction... you would've thought Price took Williams' mother to a nice steak dinner and never called her again. They went APESHIT. Roars of "Brooook-lynnn! Brooook-lynnn!" rose up again, followed by taunts at Price, such as "sit down, clown!" "Price, you suck!" and my personal favorite, "I got yo' whole resume right hea'! You weren't even a top 10 pick!" At this point, the Nets were already ahead by enough for people to start filing out, but no one did. Whether it was because this was the first home game, or perhaps we believed/were hoping for another skirmish, everyone stayed glued to their seats. And when it over, the place emptied out to "Hello Brooklyn"--the 2nd or 3rd Jay-Z song played that night. "Public Service Announcement" was another.

Brief note on the service/ambiance:

     I missed the entire 3rd quarter waiting online for chicken tenders. Chicken. Tenders. Seriously, how long do chicken tenders take to prepare? These weren't even GOURMET chicken tenders--these were run-of-the-mill/tailgate chicken tenders! I left at the start of halftime to get them. This shit would never happen at the Garden for a preseason game. Playoffs? Possibly. But I'm talking about preseason. PRESEASON.

    
     Moving on... The arena was smaller than I expected considering that the facility cost $1 billion to build, yet I didn't consider this to be a negative. I was in the 13th row so I was relatively close, but even when I walked back through the portal (from my chicken tender fiasco) I noticed having this smaller venue gives everyone a decent view of the action. Moreover, there was a theater-style lighting scheme (similar to what the Lakers use) that focused all of the attention to the court. 

     
     Another notable occurrence: the lack of Knicks jerseys/hats. Even at the Garden, you see a fair share of Boston Celtics fans. They probably make up less than 2% of the crowd, but you still notice the green and white sticking out. Looking around the Barclays Center, there was basically no orange and blue to be found.

Final Thoughts

     A franchise cannot simply build it's identity with a week of Jay-Z concerts, new jersey designs, and an improved roster. Creating a Brooklyn Nets culture is going to take years. And that's what I was witnessing--the first night of Brooklyn Nets' culture being built. It was in the chants, it was in the song choices that the Barclays Center DJ was spinning... it was even in the attitude I got from the employees when I went to buy chicken tenders. 
     I grew up in Fort Greene, Clinton Hill (the sexiest neighborhood in Brooklyn). In Fort Greene, all of the guys dressed like Mos Def and Quest Love, and all of the women emulated Erykah Badu and Jill Scott. It was the funkiest neighborhood that ever existed (it is now being gentrified) and last night, I was allowed to have a taste of it again. Among the fans at the game, Afros were blown out, fresh white Air Force 1's were donned, and everyone looked like that had shopped at either the Fulton Mall or a Jimmy Jazz location at least ONCE in their lives. The whole thing, just felt very... Brooklyn. 

NBA 2012-2013 Preview - Central Division

NBA 2012-2013 Preview - Central Division

NBA 2012-2013 Preview - Central Division

By Rico Bautista

Derp of the Day: My prediction for the Wizards to make the playoffs last week. Up until recently, it was unclear how much of the beginning of the season John Wall would miss, but apparently it will be at least a month until he returns sometime in December. And of course in Wizardsland, when it rains, it pours: Nene is also out with plantar fasciitis--an injury with a recovery time that is impossible to predict. On the upside, Wall being out will allow top rookie Bradley Beal more time on the floor and more opportunities with the ball in his hands. I am going to stick to my guns by saying that they will still make the playoffs at the 8th-seed, but they're definitely going to be looking like a steamy reindeer turd (à la the 2011-2012 Charlotte Bobcats) for the beginning of the season. 

     Outside of the Indiana Pacers, the Central Division this season will not pose much of a threat to the rest of the league until Derrick Rose rejoins the Chicago Bulls sometime in February. Teams like the Detroit Pistons and the Cleveland Cavaliers are still in the process of building around their Lottery picks of Greg Monroe (Detroit) and Kyrie Irving (Cleveland). However, instead of bringing in veteran players to excel these teams into playoff contenders, both Detroit and Cleveland have taken the longer and more traditional route of letting their young franchise players make mistakes, enduring losing seasons, and bringing in complementary pieces with high draft picks. This approach worked brilliantly with the Oklahoma City Thunder--it took several seasons of losing records to eventually surround Kevin Durant with players like Russell Westbrook (the 4th pick in '08), Serge Ibaka (the 24th pick in '08) and James Harden (the 3rd pick in '09) and even more time for them to become a competitive and cohesive unit. According to http://en.hispanosnba.com/teams/comparison, with an average age of 25.2, the Pistons are the 6th youngest team in the NBA this season, and the Cavaliers at 24.3 are the 3rd youngest--so presumably, it will take a few seasons for these teams to start playing winning basketball. On the other hand, in order to vie for a playoff spot, the Milwaukee Bucks have decided to forego drafting players around Brandon Jennings (who everyone agrees slipped through the cracks at the 10th pick in the 2009 Draft--I will never forgive the Knicks for drafting Jordan Hill ahead of both Jennings AND Eric Gordon). The real question is, will a training camp and full preseason with the newly acquired Monta Ellis position the Bucks to make the playoffs? The short answer is no. Come April, the balanced and well-paced Pacers and the defensively bullish Bulls will be the only Central Divisions reps making it into the postseason... and by then the league should seriously be re-evaluating the Coach of the Year award for guys who may not have the best record, but still get results without their franchise player (read: Tom Thibodeau).

Cleveland Cavaliers (finishes 30-52)

Finishes for 13th in Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 5th in the Central.

     According to ESPN's depth chart, Dion Waiters is listed as the 3rd string shooting guard behind C.J. Miles and Daniel "Boobie" Gibson. As a 'Cuse fan, I'm upset. As a basketball fan, I'm downright offended. Waiters was the 4TH PICK of this last draft class with the intention of creating a one-two punch in an explosive backcourt combo of Waiters and Kyrie Irving. The Cavs are not going to be good this season, so they might as well start their Lottery pick or give him ample playing time because neither C.J. Miles (7-year veteran) nor Daniel Gibson (6-year veteran) are getting any better. To be honest, I feel really bad for Kyrie Irving. He's already one of the more efficient point guards in game and even flirted with 50-40-90 splits in his rookie season (that's 50% FG shooting, 40% 3-point shooting and 90% free throw shooting for you newbies out there--those are Steve Nash-like stats). Aside from his wise shot selection and efficiency, Irving's best quality is his playmaking ability. Unfortunately, though the Cavs have post players and swingmen who can rebound, contest shots, and cause turnovers, none of these guys can put the ball in the hoop from further than 5 feet away (except for Omri Casspi who inexplicably lost his touch after landing on the Cavs. #Clevelandproblems). This leaves Irving little to work with when setting the table, so I expect the Cavaliers to be among the bottom of the barrel in points per game this season. It'll be interesting to see if Irving can become a better defender, as well. Soo who does that leave that the Cavs can count on...? Uhh, lets see...hmm... Daniel Gibson? Nahh, he hasn't been relevant since that run he had against the Pistons in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals (though it was his rookie season)...  Soooo, Luke Walton? Spare me... wow, well this is just a shit-fest. F**k it, I give up, this team is doomed. I hope Irving and Waiters hoist up 50 shots a game between the two of them. Not because it would be entertaining, but just because it's the right thing to do.

Detroit Pistons (finishes 32-50)

Finishes for 11th in Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 4th in the Central.

     I really like Brandon Knight. I watched him light it up at Kentucky and saw him both thrive and struggle during his rookie season last year. That being said, I don't believe his NBA ceiling is as high as Detroit fans hope. Simply put, he's a shooting guard in a point guard's body. Yet, he's not the first of his kind to enter the NBA--Stephen Curry was also a shooting guard in a point guard's body upon entering the NBA. The difference here is that Curry was forced play the point guard position during his junior year at Davidson before entering the draft...and he's just naturally a phenomenal passer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glqszwfzFoA. The secret behind his passing skills is simply that Curry has superior court vision. I am not entirely sure that that is something that can be taught. Though the Pistons will not be winning many games this season, between Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond, Tayshaun Prince, Corey Maggette, (yeah, he's still around), and Charlie Villanueva (he has no eyebrows!! Can't Anthony Davis transplant the middle part of his brow to poor guys like Charlie??), there's more than enough firepower here to get an idea of Knight's ability as a floor general. With Ben Gordon gone, he'll get the chance.  Regardless, the meat and potatoes of this team is going to come from the middle. Greg Monroe just keeps improving. ALL of his numbers are significantly up from his rookie season (http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/4260/greg-monroe) and he only continues to improve. He's already one of the better passing big men in the game. Drafting Andre Drummond was the perfect compliment to Monroe's game, which is somewhat lacking when it comes to blocking shots. Averaging 2.7 blocks per game at UConn, Drummond was drafted with the 9th pick in the 2012 Draft for his ability to alter shots at the rim with his 7'6 wingspan. Drummond and Monroe will make the Pistons' front court a dangerous tandem to compete against in just a few years. 

Milwaukee Bucks (finishes 33-49)

Finishes for 10th in Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 3rd in the Central.

     I'm not sure how many teams should be "Fearing the Deer" this season. Aside from the explosive backcourt duo of Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, it kind of looks like the Bucks assembled their entire front court of Samuel Dalembert (age 31), Drew Gooden (age 31), and Mike Dunleavy (age 32) from the NBA Thrift Store ("Where Bargains Happen"). At this point in their careers, all of these players should be backing up younger players who are developing their potential. John Henson was a stud at North Carolina last year and averaged 13.7 PPG, 9.9 RPG, and 2.9 BPG while shooting .500 from the field--why would you not start him over Drew Gooden? Oh, because you're trying to make the playoffs. Well unless Jennings and Ellis average 45 PPG between the two of them (and I wouldn't put it past them), I don't see this happening. The only reason I don't believe in their ability to get the Bucks into the playoffs is because Ellis couldn't do it with Stephen Curry. Sorry to bring him up twice in the same blog, but Curry is every bit the player that Jennings is and probably a better defender. Admittedly, Curry did get banged up a bit, but even during stretches of good health, he and Ellis often got in each other's way. This is because both of these players constantly needed the ball in their hands. Barring Ellis becoming a spot-up shooter in the offseason, who comes off screens and plays a Ray Allen-esque shooting guard style, Jennings and Ellis will continue to face the same problems. The very thing that makes Monta Ellis, Monta Ellis, is his need to dominate the ball and take 25 shots a game. And even with Jennings and Ellis both taking turns shooting the ball, I doubt the rest of the team is going to be inspired to play defense while watching their backcourt putting up shots like they're on the AND1 Tour. For Milwaukee to have any hope of making the playoffs, they'll need to do two things. The first is to give Ersan Ilyasova big minutes. According to ESPN, as a rookie Ilyasova "averaged 14.2 points, 8.9 rebounds and 1.0 3-pointers per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 78.6 percent from the line in 41 starts." Mike Dunleavy will not be giving you that this season. The second thing the Bucks will have to do is get Luc Richard Mbah a Moute healthy again, as fast as possible. He's one of the best lockdown defenders in the league and won't mind watching Jennings and Ellis take circus shots every game. Either way, this team is going to struggle--when facing the Milwaukee Bucks this season, I think most teams' attitude will be "Spear the Deer."

Chicago Bulls (finishes 45-37)

Finishes for 7th in Eastern Conference.
Finishes for 2nd in the Central.

     Who doesn't like Derrick Rose? I'm pretty sure if you did a poll of the most likable/genuine superstars in the NBA, Rose would win hands down (though if you've been following the 2012 Presidential Election, you'd know that apparently all polls are no longer reliable). Rose is the player Oklahoma City fans wish Russell Westbrook would be--an incomparably explosive point guard who gets his teammates involved and takes well-advised shots. Though Westbrook draws comparisons to Rose, there really is no player like him in the NBA and Chicago will sorely miss him this season. Thankfully, they're blessed with a man who I believe is currently the best coach in the NBA. Good 'ol Tommy Thibodeau. If you want to know why I think he's best coach, well, just look at the Bulls' roster--its chocked with defensive players, none of which can create their own shot with the exception of Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer (who has been a massive disappointment after signing that FAT contract). And the funny thing is, I'm not entirely sure how many of these "defensive players" were actually considered defensive specialists before Thibodeau got through with them. Joakim Noah is the only one I can think of. I saw Taj Gibson play for USC and I don't recall him being able to defend almost every position with the same ferocity that he does now. The Bench Mob doesn't become the Bench Mob without Thibodeau. To put it another way... consider all that Thibodeau has accomplished with the Bulls... now imagine him coaching the Clippers, or god forbid, the Heat? In that kind of scenario, the "not one, not two, not three..." promise LeBron made of championships actually becomes a viable threat (suck it, Spoelstra). So what's gonna happen with the Bulls this season? Noah, Boozer, Deng, and Gibson are going to bang bodies and throw elbows in the paint for 48 minutes every night, to the point where they pretty much just WEAR DOWN every front court they match up with. Kirk Hinrich will ideally redeem the past few subpar seasons he's had, run the offense, and get burned on defense. Marco Belinelli and Nate Robinson will come off the bench and quickly become fan favorites as the New Bench Mob that hits ridiculous threes and every now and then, Nate gets a dunk that blows the roof off of the United Center. Richard Hamilton, to the dismay of everyone, continues to be Richard Hamilton--but granted, he IS 34 (that's like 45 in NBA years, unless you're Kobe Bryant... Go to Germany, Rip!!). And the most important person to this team, Tom Thibodeau will win Coach of the Year... ok, maybe that's a stretch. 

Indiana Pacers (finishes 49-33)

Finishes for 4th in Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 1st in the Central.

     I just want to start out by giving a shout out to the two New York Natives on the squad, Roy Hibbert from Queens and Lance Stephenson from Brooklyn (brrap! brrap!). I know they won't read this, but they would understand. Indiana does not have an All-Star at any one position (I don't care if Roy Hibbert made the All-Star team last year, he averaged 12.8 PPG, 8.8 RPG, and 2.0 BPG... those aren't All-Star numbers and the blocks per game would be impressive if he wasn't 7'2. The East had no good big men/the actual good ones--is Brook Lopez good?--were injured). But the All-Starless Pacers boast what I believe to be one of the best second string line-ups in the league. D.J. Augustin is a quality back up point guard, Gerald Green is an athletic wing defender who had one of the best in-game dunks I've ever seen (NOT exaggerating, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOzo4pHTZ-M), Tyler Hansbrough is a high energy defender/rebounder with a bit of a midrange game, and Ian Mahinmi can swat shots and miss lay-ups. The X-Factor in this 2nd string is Lance "Born Ready" Stephenson... I really regret the trajectory of Stephenson's career to be honest. Growing up as a Brooklynite, I used to catch the Lincoln High Railsplitters compete on MSG for the Public School Athletic League championships almost every year--they were always a lock. I saw Sebastian Telfair play and I saw him become regarded as the "best Railsplitter to ever play for Lincoln High," even in the wake of Stephon Marbury. Then I saw Stephenson play. Not only was he ranked as one of the top 24 high school players in the nation as a rising sophomore, he also surpassed Telfair's legacy as "the greatest Railsplitter ever." He even had his own online reality show titled "Born Ready"--titled after the nickname that streetball legend Bobbito Garcia knighted him with. I thought the sky was the limit for Stephenson, but I believe he received this fame and attention far too early and it ultimately stifled his growth and derailed his attitude. By the end of his senior year in high school, a player who should've been able to play anywhere in the country, Stephenson found it difficult to find a coach who wanted to work with him and his notorious bag of drama. This resulted in a subpar freshman year at Cincinnati and a late 2nd round drafting in 2010. I have no inside information regarding Stephenson's improvement performance-wise, nor any news of attitude adjustment. But I WILL say, that being the 2nd string shooting guard for a Pacers team that pushed the current NBA Champs to a 6-game series in the playoffs last year, is the most responsibility he's been given since joining the league and I hope he makes the most out of it. Behind the Miami Heat, this might be the most athletic team in the East--George Hill, Paul George, Danny Granger, Gerald Green: all of these guys like to get out and run the open floor, not to mention they're all superior defenders and Granger can fill it up from distance. Combined with a capable passer in Hibbert at center and David West being able to stretch the defense with his jump shot, this team can play both fast paced, as well as the slowed down half court game. The only reason I cannot put them higher than the 4th seed is because I sincerely believe there are better teams in the East, but I would definitely not want to play against these guys in the playoffs. The average age of the Pacers is 25.6 years old--this is exactly the type of team that can wear down veteran teams (Boston and New York, beware) in a seven game series. Believe that.

NBA 2012-2013 Preview - Southeast Division

NBA 2012-2013 Preview - Southeast Division

By Rico Bautista

     I'm starting with the Southeast Division in this Preview series because it is arguably the easiest of the divisions to predict. Obviously Miami will finish with the best record in this division and, barring Dan Gilbert hiring an Albanian hitman to break LeBron's legs, the Heat will probably finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference (though my money is on Oklahoma City for best in the league). But that also kind of makes them no fun to talk about. On the other hand, Orlando will probably finish with the worst record in the Eastern Conference and the NBA due to Dwight Howard's departure. But at least their incredible downward spiral kind of makes them fun to talk about.

Miami Heat (finishes 62-20)

**Finishes for 2nd in Wins in the NBA.

Finishes for 1st in the Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 1st in the Southeast.

    

     Not much to say about this team except that they not only got better with the additions of Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, but they also still have members on their roster with tremendous upside. Norris Cole surprised everyone last year with his high energy and ability to run the Heat's uptempo style as a rookie. He needs only to improve his shot selection and perimeter defense before seeing more minutes backing up Mario Chalmers...also being able to hit an open 3 every now and then never hurt. However, the one player I have my eye on--and any scouters from other teams should have their whispering eyes on (so they don't get violently shafted)--is Jarvis Varnado. Though only 6'9, Varnado sports an Anthony Davis-like 7'4 wingspan that allowed him to break Shaquille O'Neal's single season SEC block record with 170 blocks. Varnado, along with NBA Legend David Robinson, is the only other college player to finish with 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 blocks... plus, come on, he went to Mississippi State! A university known for the professional success of its undergraduate body (http://www.brobible.com/girls/article/meet-taylor-corley-the-missississippi-state-cheerleader-who-took-her-clothe). Though he has received little to no attention in his pro career, Varnado's natural defensive abilities and lack for needing offensive touches, make him the perfect potential upgrade from a very mediocre defensive center in Joel Anthony. The 6'9 Anthony averaged 1.3 blocks/game last season--the same as Dwayne Wade...who is 6'4...and a perimeter player...and played on a bum knee. Any coach failing to see Varnado as the obvious choice to phase out Joel Anthony would probably be more useful as a videographer than as a head coach...wait, what was Spolestra's first job with Miami again?

Atlanta Hawks (finishes 39-43... thanks to teams like the Toronto Raptors)

Finishes for 9th in the Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 3rd in the Southeast.

     The Atlanta Hawks have not won a title in 54 years...and it looks like they'll have to wait a little bit longer. In fact, after not missing the playoffs for the past half decade, missing them this season will be the first of many signs to GM Danny Ferry that like the rest of the league, you need an alliance of superstars to win these days...and the Al Horford/Josh Smith tandem doesn't cut it. Josh Smith (aka the poor man's LeBron) would be ideal as a team's third best player--he would fit in perfectly at Golden State, Philadelphia, Milwaukee, or New Orleans for example. But unfortunately for the Hawks, Joe Johnson's level of play dipped after signing his max-contract and the Al Horford Project never became the 20 and 10 guy we all thought he was going to be (this past season Horford averaged 12.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game...all of these numbers down from his previous All-Star season of 15.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 3.5 assists). Having Josh Smith and Al Horford as the leaders of your team is like having chrome rims and a fly paint job on a car that leaks gasoline--yes they're unique and valuable talents, but it is impossible to maximize their potential with the ragtag supporting cast they've been given. When it comes down to it, they don't even really compliment each other--Al Horford is a F/C that with his gifted shooting touch and average at-the-rim defense, really should be playing the PF position. Josh Smith is a PF/SF that with his lack of shooting touch and incredible at the rim finishing, really should be playing the PF position. Notice the cloggage? The silver lining this season is that both of these guys are running with the best point guard they've had yet to play with in their pro careers. I'm talking about a fast point guard... a scorer... and a defensive liability. Yes, they'll be playing with none other than Devin Harris. Fans of the 2012-13 Hawks will see plenty of amazing fast break alley-oops from Harris to Smith, as well as Smith's own impressive litany of dunks, blocks, and chest-thumping. They will see the occasional scoring outburst from offensive-aficionado Lou Williams coming off the bench. They will see plenty of 3s from sharpshooters Kyle Korver and Anthony Morrow, as well as the always entertaining spectacle of Zaza Pachulia getting into faux-fights and generally pretending to be a tough guy. They will even see former D-Leaguer Ivan "the Terrible" Johnson getting after it defensively...but he will be the only one. Because thats what this team is--Josh Smith, Al Horford, and a bunch of realllllly good bench players. Believe that.

Orlando Magic (finishes 17-65)

**Finishes last in the NBA in Wins.

Finishes for 15th in the Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 5th in the Southeast.

     Last season's Orlando Magic will be remembered for the infamous "Dwightmare" that their former superstar center caused with his media frenzy in an attempt to be traded. And now that he has followed in the footsteps of his predecessor, the great Shaquille O'Neal, the only speculation surrounding this season's Orlando Magic is the question of who will lead them in scoring...and rebounding...and blocked shots? If the lower back injury he sustained at the end of this past season is any indication, it is clear that Dwight Howard single-handedly carried the Magic for the 8 seasons he played there. Having said that, one would think that in exchange for most dominant center in the league, Orlando got their money's worth, right? Well, Howard went to the Lakers...sooo the Magic must've gotten Pau Gasol, one of the most skilled post players around, right? Ok, maybe they dropped the ball on that one. Well, how about Andrew Bynum, the second best center in the league with even more size than Howard? Oops, shat the bed there too... So who did they get? That's right: Arron Afflalo and Al Harrington! Here's a little NBA secret I'd like to share--similar to Vladmir Radmanovich, the team that gets Al Harrington in a trade is the losing party 99.99999% of the time. As a Knicks fan, I have experienced the pain of watching Al Harrington jack up ill-advised 3 after 3 (while virtually scratching his ass on defense) firsthand. And Afflalo? One of the best perimeter defenders in the league, as well as a trustworthy 3-point marksman... but he just can't get it done alone.
     Sorry, Orlando fans, but this season is a wash for the Magic. I would just keep my fingers crossed that GM Rob Hennigan advises the team to tank in an effort to land Jabari Parker in the 2013 draft class (assuming that Parker decides to forego Mormon mission and that the Charlotte Bobcats don't finish with a poorer record than the Magic). Oh, and if you've never seen Jabari Parker play, this dude can hoop (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwDWBfIWDy0. ). But hey, on the upside for all you NBA fantasy players out there--with Howard gone, Glen "Big Baby" Davis should grab a decent amount of boards...not because he's an elite rebounder, but because I honestly don't know who else in Orlando is going to hit the glass. It sure as hell won't be Al Harrington.

Washington Wizards (finishes 42-40)

Finishes for 8th in the Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 2nd in the Southeast.

     Now here's a fun team. Here's an unpredictable team. A dangerous team. Here's a team that on any given night can beat any other team in the league, or simply beat themselves. This season, the Washington Wizards will sink or swim depending on the performance of one man, and one man alone. Of course, I am talking about John Wall. Okay, so maybe I'm exaggerating and it isn't all on his shoulders... but I will say that if the Wizards struggle this season, the former number 1 pick of the 2010 Draft will be the first person critics aim their columns towards (myself included). This is for two reasons: 1) For some unfair reason, there is this culture in the NBA that gives Lottery picks an unofficial three year window to "figure it out." "Figuring it out" refers to the adjustment period it takes for players to become acclimated the faster pace, grueling schedule, and the more athletic players of the NBA. And for what is now a point guard-dominated league, the learning curve is even shorter. Last year's Rookie of the Year, Kyrie Irving, is already regarded by many NBA analysts and experts as a more mature and efficient point guard than Wall. 2) This season, Wall is surrounded by the best supporting cast he's had to date. Emeka Okafor, Trevor Ariza, and Nene are all proven scorers (even more so when playing with point guards of a high basketball I.Q.) who also get after it defensively. They're not the flashiest front court, but for a point guard of Wall's caliber they should sufficiently compliment his open court style of play and win some games. The biggest questions for Wall this season is if he can effectively run a half-court offense with this ensemble and, of course, if he's gained anymore mastery of the long ball in the off season (Wall shot an abysmal 0.071% from 3 last season... holy shit).
     Despite the fact that Washington fans anticipate more wins out of their team this season, there are still no false expectations for the Wizards to suddenly become an elite team in the Eastern Conference--the fact that I'm predicting them to finish with a winning record is farfetched to begin with. Wall's likely starting backcourt partner, Bradley Beal, is entering his rookie year and with that territory comes a wide margin for error. Also, everybody watch out for AJ Price!! Okay, so not really, but he was one of my buddy's favorite UConn players a few years ago (you're welcome, Smeen) and will probably be one of the better perimeter defenders you'll see backing up Wall this season... But more importantly, if the expectations of the Wizards aren't too high and aren't too low, where exactly should they finish? With this cast the Wizards should be able to vie for the 8th seeded playoff spot in the Eastern Conference (followed by a prompt sweep from the Miami Heat). However, I say "should" because the Milwaukee Bucks will also be gunning for that same playoff spot and boast an equally-as-talented roster.

Charlotte Bobcats (finishes 20-62)

Finishes for 14th in the Eastern Conference.

Finishes for 4th in the Southeast.

     This team was born to play defense...but not much else. Unlike last season, the Bobcats won't finish with the worst record in the league, but they sure as hell aren't getting into the playoffs this season either. It really is a shame when you take a look at all of the defensive specialists this team has assembled--they sport two of the league's better shot-blockers in Bismack Biyombo and Tyrus Thomas, and with the 2nd pick in the 2012 Draft they chose Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, whose lock down defense and slashing ability many have compared to Scottie Pippen's. Brendan Haywood is also a serviceable big body who can troll the paint, but also leaves much to be desired on offense. Thomas and Biyombo are not particularly polished on the offensive end either, so that leaves the lion's share of the scoring burden to fall on the rookie Kidd-Gilchrist and Charlotte's backcourt. Now according to ESPN's depth chart, Ramon Sessions is projected to be the starting point guard this season, but after last season's fiasco of watching him disappear in the Lakers' offense and inability to guard anybody, I just don't see how you couldn't give the starting job to Kemba Walker. I mean, come on--Sessions couldn't get his shit together playing with Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum for Christ's sake! Then again, Walker may be kept as a reserve to provide instant offense off of the bench, which the Bobcats desperately need. However, his playmaking ability, quickness, and confidence with the ball are all qualities Sessions does not bring to the table. I would expect Walker to stay on the floor in late game situations and perhaps play more minutes than Sessions, but unless he's made great strides in the offseason Walker will not be a huge deciding factor in games.
     The only player on this team who has proven capable of averaging 20+ points is Ben Gordon, but unfortunately he hasn't been that Ben Gordon since his days with Chicago. Talent-wise, this Charlotte team is comparable to last year's Detroit team, which Gordon (12.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists/game in '11-'12) all but disappeared on, so it will be interesting to see how relevant or irrelevant he makes himself this season. Moreover, Gerald Henderson, who is projected to back Gordon up, is coming off his best statistical season in nearly every category (15.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists/game in '11-'12).  Additionally, Henderson at 6'5, 215 lbs. is more versatile at defending the league's larger guards and small forwards than Gordon at 6'3, 200 lbs. can handle. But... speaking bluntly, whether you start Henderson or Gordon, Walker or Sessions, at the end of the day, this team isn't going to win many games. Believe that. The most any Bobcats fan can hope is that the coaches play the younger duo of Henderson and Walker so that they gain experience and just maybe Charlotte gets lucky in the next Lottery. Better luck next year 'Cats...your new jerseys are kinda fresh by the way, if that's any consolation.