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 Central Division.
Chicago Bulls
62-20 (1st in East, lost to Heat in East Finals 4-1)
Derrick Rose is the MVP, and he proved it. The Bulls won 62 games thanks to him, but he got bottled up by Miami's three-headed monster in the playoffs. If the Bulls were to sustain that momentum, Rose needed help. Luol Deng is a terrific player, but his star remains in the blooming mode. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah were inside threats, but they hardly played together. Omer Asik was a terrific backup to Noah, but once he fell injured in the Miami series, it affected the Bulls' rotation at center. With Kurt Thomas now in Portland, Taj Gibson needs to play a bigger role as Boozer's backup. Richard Hamilton is a great replacement for the defensively liable Keith Bogans, but Ronnie Brewer needs to spread his wings more. And C.J. Watson and Kyle Korver, better supply that offense more off the bench. This Bulls team may not finish 66-0, but Tom Thibodeau has the wit to put the Bulls back on top of the East.
Cleveland Cavaliers
19-63 (15th in East, missed playoffs)
A 26-game losing streak rekindled thoughts of the Cavaliers surpassing the 1973 76ers as the worst NBA team, ever. They did avoid becoming the worst team in NBA history, but 19 wins remain worse by any standard. There's hope for the future, though. Dan Gilbert's son provided the lucky charm that gave them the top pick of the draft and selected Kyrie Irving. Irving may not be LeBron, but he's still a highly-touted prospect, though his only season in Duke was riddled with injuries. The Cavs still have Anderson Varejao, but he needs to bounce back quickly from an injury-riddled 2011 season. The rest of the roster, however, is still a questioned bunch of castoffs, unproven youngsters and fading veterans. For now, this is a rebuilding season for the Cavaliers, but Irving and 4th pick Tristan Thompson will provide hope for the future.
Detroit Pistons
30-52 (11th in East, missed playoffs)
John Kuester is finally gone. Good news. The bad news is that this is still a rebuilding season for the Pistons. Tom Gores has taken the ownership reins from the Davidsons, and fans are hopeful for the fresh start. Richard Hamilton, who provided more of the negative publicity last season, is now gone, leaving the returning Tayshaun Prince as the longest-tenured Piston since front office boss Joe Dumars. Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon need to prove their worth as the big-money signees of 2009. Rookie Brandon Knight and youngsters Jonas Jerebko, Greg Monroe and Austin Daye have to grow up fast. While Ben Wallace and Jason Maxiell continue to provide veteran muscle, this Pistons team is still a long shot from the playoffs, but the future is there. Lawrence Frank, good luck on the rebuilding year.
Indiana Pacers
37-45 (8th in East, lost to Bulls in 1st round 4-1)
The Pacers may have lost in five games to the Bulls, but they gave them a hard time winning. Frank Vogel led a turnaround that resulted in a new contract. Danny Granger remains the cornerstone, but the Pacers were given a boost with the addition of David West. The question is, how will his surgically repaired knee hold up in a 66-game season? Tyler Hansbrough broke loose when Vogel took over, and will be expected to back up West. Darren Collison and A.J. Price have yet to prove they're capable point guards, and even though they added George Hill, the guard corps remain a question. Paul George was last year's rookie revelation, and they need him to mature fast as the season goes on. Roy Hibbert, you need to assert even more in the paint. This Pacers team remains on the bubble between making and missing the playoffs, so at least 33 wins may be a possibility for this bunch.
Milwaukee Bucks
35-47 (9th in East, missed playoffs)
The Bucks lost 11 more games than the season prior, due to a slew of injuries and inconsistent offensive production. Andrew Bogut wasn't 100%, while Brandon Jennings' production slumped due to injuries. Now adding Stephen Jackson to the mix, the Bucks hope their offensive deficiencies were a thing of the past. Still, adding a player with a history of inconsistent play would provide more problems than solutions. Just hope Carlos Delfino will play consistently outside, Luc Mbah a Moute crash the boards frequently, and Beno Udrih to get more involved offensively. And Jon Brockman and Drew Gooden, be more assertive off the boards and turn garbage into gold. Like the Pacers, the Bucks remain on the bubble between making and missing the playoffs, so a possible 30-32 wins will be a possibility for this bunch.
We'll preview the Northwest Division on our next post.
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