What will Dallas do for an encore? How will the young Miami trio finally play right to win it all? Will Derrick Rose repeat as MVP? Are the Celtics and the Lakers too old to contend? Does the Thunder have what it takes to win it all? Is Melo and Amar'e enough for a Knick renaissance? And is the Clippers the newest big thing in Hollywood? We look forward to the 2011-12 NBA season.
We now preview the Eastern Conference Atlantic Division.
Boston Celtics
56-26 (3rd in East, lost to Heat in 2nd round 4-1)
Are the Celtics too old and fragile? Those are the questions they need to answer in a shortened 66-game season, in which 3 straight games and less off-days would take its toll on the Celtics' aging legs. The Celtics were known as strong starters, and the 2010-11 season was no exception. However the Kendrick Perkins trade and injuries somehow affected the Celtics, and by the time they faced a more energized Miami team, they looked lost and out of synch. This year, no such strong starts is possible because of the shortened season, and aside from Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, no one else is capable of playing big for Boston. Now with Jeff Green out with a heart ailment, they need Marquis Daniels and Sasha Pavlovic to play big roles. Brandon Bass is a great upgrade over Glen Davis, and Greg Stiemsma was a defensive revelation in the preseason, though Jermaine O'Neal will remain the starting center. Avery Bradley and Jajuan Johnson, kindly step up now there's no Delonte West to back Rondo up.
New Jersey Nets
24-58 (12th in East, missed playoffs)
This is the Nets' final season in New Jersey, and if they want to leave the Garden State with a bang, all they need is to add a couple of big pieces to contend. For now Dwight Howard is in Orlando, but the Nets remain open with the possibility of acquiring him. Deron Williams is now the Nets' leading man, but one star alone is not enough to win. Potential star in the making Brook Lopez will start the year with a broken foot, which isn't good news for the Nets. Aside from Deron, the Nets have three more Williamses: Jordan, Shawne and Shelden, the latter two jumping from the Knicks. Shelden and Shawne however is expected to play big roles, as well as perimeter machine Anthony Morrow. Jordan Farmar will again provide big minutes off the bench at point guard, but they need Kris Humphries to focus on basketball rather than showbiz. They added Mehmet Okur to temporarily take Lopez's spot, but then again a history of injuries may make him liable once Howard jumps in (hopefully).
New York Knicks
42-40 (6th in East, lost to Celtics in 1st round 4-0)
The 'Melo-Amar'e era officially commenced in February 2011. But now they'll have a full season to turn the Knicks around. Anthony and Stoudemire are now tasked to lead the Knicks back to prominence, something not seen since Patrick Ewing roamed the Garden paint. They added Tyson Chandler, a defensive game-changer, as well as Mike Bibby. But Toney Douglas is expected to nail the starting point guard spot with Bibby backing up. And Iman Shumpert is getting rave reviews with his pre-season performance, and the Knicks fans hope Shumpert will sustain that in the regular season. Landry Fields need to revert back to the pre-Melo trade revelation of last season. A full season of 'Melo and Amar'e should provide the Knicks some hope.
Philadelphia 76ers
41-41 (7th in East, lost to Heat in 1st round 4-1)
A slow start, then a strong finish. That's how to describe the 76ers' 2010-11 season, returning to the playoffs for the third time in four years. They played well in a loss to the Heat in the playoffs. Andre Iguodala remain the lead general, but now they need bigger roles from Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes and Thaddeus Young. Jodie Meeks was a playoff revelation, and needs to sustain that this season. They may lack in a big name player, but Doug Collins' squad played hard. Still, playing hard and tough alone doesn't translate in a deeper playoff run.
Toronto Raptors
22-60 (14th in East, missed playoffs)
It was a disastrous season after Chris Bosh bolted from Toronto to Miami. Now that they added Dwayne Casey to be their coach, could this be a fresh start for the Raptors? Andrea Bargnani is a not a center, and he looked lost at the five last season. So they need Aaron Gray, Jamaal Magloire and rookie Solomon Alabi to fort the paint, and Bargnani to fort the perimeter. Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa need to pass more, and DeMar DeRozan needs to improve his shooting rather than dunking on people. This Toronto team may reach the playoffs in the foreseeable future, so this is a rebuilding season for them.
We'll preview the Central Division on our next post.
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