2008 New Orleans Hornets Season Preview & NBA Predictions
October 8, 2008
The New Orleans Hornets turned some heads last season and were accused of sneaking up on everybody. The Hornets weren’t surprised, knowing that if they were healthy they would bust through the door. With Chris Paul and David West forming one of the most dynamic one-two punches in the league, the Hornets will only be satisfied with an NBA Championship. Keep reading to find out if we think this is the year that New Orleans rises to the elite level and gets a title. Head over to BetUS to bet...
2008 Memphis Grizzlies NBA Preview & Season Predictions
October 8, 2008
The Memphis Grizzlies are one of the youngest teams in the league, with 8 core contributors 23 and under. The Grizzlies have a lot of talent, and certainly were not the most maligned team last season. Marc Iavaroni went 22-60 last season, but was left dangling most of the off season before being retained with Kevin O’Neill on the bench, as somewhat of a defensive coordinator. The Grizzlies have had back-to-back 22-win seasons following 3 straight playoff sweeps, so it will be interesting to...
2008 Houston Rockets NBA Preview & Season Predictions
October 8, 2008
A lot has to be said for Rick Adelman and the direction he has taken this Houston Rockets team since replacing Jeff Van Gundy. He has incorporated his motion offense, which emphasizes ball movement and spot-up shooting from beyond the arc. He also got the Rockets to play defense, which resulted in Houston allowing the 4th fewest points in the NBA and lead the NBA in rebounding last season. Keep reading to find out if we think the Rockets will continue to improve on last year’s 55-27 record...
2008 Dallas Mavericks Predictions & Season Preview
October 8, 2008
Avery Johnson was the fall guy at the end of last season for the continued woes of the Dallas Mavericks. Rick Carlisle will take his place at the coaching helm this season. The Mavericks seem to still be reeling from a painful loss to D-Wade and the Miami Heat in the 2006 finals. In 2007, a 67-win season saw the Mavericks at the top of the west again, only to be ousted from the playoffs by 8-seed Golden State, who was the first 8-seed to beat a 1-seed in NBA history in a seven game series. In...
2008 Washington Wizards Preview & NBA Season Predictions
October 7, 2008
The Wizards have made the playoffs for 4 years in a row now, but with little to show for it. The Wizards have been hurt by injuries to their stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, and last year for the 3rd straight year they were beaten by LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the first-round of the playoffs. Coach Eddie Jordan still seems to have the players buying what he is selling, but making the playoffs is no longer enough; the Wizards need to actually advance in the playoffs. Keep...
2008 Orlando Magic NBA Preview & Season Predictions
October 7, 2008
Orlando is coming off their best season in 12 years. The Magic won 52 games last season, won a playoff series against Toronto, and picked up some valuable lessons in their second round loss to the Detroit Pistons. The Magic and Coach Stan Van Gundy love the 3-point shot. Orlando led the NBA last season in 3-pointers made, set an NBA record by making at least five 3-pointers in all 82 games, had 45 games where they made at least 10 3-pointers, and their total of 801 3-pointers made was second...
2008 Miami Heat Season Preview & NBA Predictions
October 7, 2008
Erik Spoelstra, a disciple of the former coach, takes over for Pat Riley this season. Shaquille O’Neal is no longer a member of the heat either. Spoelstra says the emphasis will be on defense, and the system will be much like Riley’s. The Heat were awful on offense and defense last season, but that isn’t to say that the Heat are not talented. Keep reading to find out whether we think Erik Spoelstra and the talented Heat roster will turn things around in Miami this season. If you’re...
2008 Charlotte Bobcats NBA Predictions & Season Preview
October 7, 2008
Michael Jordan brought in fellow North Carolina standout and Dean Smith Disciple Larry Brown to help turn the Charlotte Bobcats into a winning team. Larry Brown’s last coaching job was in New York, where despite Brown’s claims that he was a bad coach and did a bad job, the Knicks’ players didn’t buy into Brown’s system and griped to Isiah Thomas. Other than the Knicks, Brown has taken every team he’s coached to the postseason. To find out if we think Larry Brown will lead the Bobcats...
2008 Atlanta Hawks NBA Predictions & Season Preview
October 7, 2008
The Hawks finally ended the NBA’s longest playoff drought last season, and took Boston to 7 games in the playoffs, but fell to the more experienced and more physical team. The Hawks’ general manager, Billy Knight, stepped down after the season ended and the Hawks brought in veteran NBA Executive Rick Sund. The big task this season for Sund was holding the pieces together as the Hawks didn’t have any draft picks, but already had plenty of young talent. Read on to find out whether we think...
2008-09 Milwaukee Bucks Predictions & Preview
September 30, 2008
The Milwaukee Bucks finished with the third-worst record in the Eastern Conference posting a 26-56 record. Since then, they fired Larry Krystkowiak and hired Scott Skiles and done a major overall to their lineup. Many of their losses last season can be improved by improvement in three areas according to Skiles: better defense, better offensive execution and ball movement, and improved mental toughness. Keep reading to find out if we think Scott Skiles can turn around this woeful Eastern conference...