Season Preview: 2010-2011 NBA Season

 

Mr. James has been studying all summer to prepare for the new NBA season, but has anything really changed?

 

In preparation for the start of the NBA season tonight, why not read some of our season previews from last year?

Nothing much has changed, right? Right?

Even if there have been things that have changed over the summer, most of the information is still good– I’m not changing anything in my Clippers or Lakers preview (or for the Lakers, maybe I’ll just add this on). 

I Told You So

Derek Fisher keeps his wife in check: "get under that rope!" (Image courtesy: Wally Skalij / L.A. Times)

I told you so. You don’t remember? From my season preview of the Los Angeles Lakers that Paints in the Point did before the beginning of the season:

This past season, the Lakers won its fifteenth NBA title, defeating the Orlando Magic in five games. Will the Lakers successfully defend their championship this season? Many experts seem to think so, and I’m inclined to agree. The Lakers have only gotten better, and will advance to the Finals, unless something terrible happens, like a meteor colliding with the Staples Center or something like that.

A meteor didn’t collide with the Staples Center this year (though it might have caused less damage than the riots that ensued in Los Angeles after the Lakers won — read on), and subsequently, the Lakers won another title, their sixteenth.

I reiterated my thoughts that the Lakers would win the NBA Finals in Paints in the Point’s “Season Preview” of the Final Standings, not only picking the Lakers to win, but the only Paints Dude to also to have their opponent correct, the Boston Celtics. (Sidebar: A future post will summarize the predictions we made at the beginning of the season, as well as declare one Paints Dude the best for this season.)

This is not to say that I enjoy the Lakers winning the title. I don’t. I hate the Lakers (as does any person who is remotely sane).

Season Preview: Final Standings

I asked the rest of the Paints Dudes to predict the final standings of each division and conference. I also asked them to predict the Conference and NBA Champions. The “consensus” column is approximately the average of the other opinions, ranked by division. Immediately following are the opinions of where each team will finish in the conference. Below that are our predictions for who will advance to the NBA Finals and our predictions of who will win the championship, as well as the winners of selected year-end awards. Even though this is being posted today, all of these predictions were submitted before the first tip of the first game.

Season Preview: Cleveland Cavaliers

For the Cleveland Cavaliers history does not matter. For a franchise that owns one division title and one Eastern Conference title, there is not much to be said about the team’s history. Sure the Cavs have come close a couple of times, and even with past franchise studs like Austin Carr, Mark Price, and Brad Dougherty, the Cavs have never been within reach of the Championship the City of Cleveland desires.

Season Preview: Denver Nuggets

Fun Fact: These nuggets were fried at a McDonald's in Denver.

History:

Founded as the Denver Rockets in 1968 as a charter member of the American Basketball Association, the Denver Nuggets found modest success, reaching either a tiebreaker or the playoffs every year while they were an ABA team, but this was more likely because of the ABA’s playoff system (eight of eleven teams reached the playoffs each year, and as the league began to contract, eight of ten teams made the playoffs). Of the nine seasons as an ABA franchise, the Rockets/Nuggets (the name changed in the summer of 1974 so as not to compete with the Rockets team name used by Houston) had a winning record in six seasons, and only won three playoff series, reaching the ABA Finals in the last year of the league’s existence. Led by Dan Issel, David Thompson, Bobby Jones, Marvin Webster, and coached by a very young Larry Brown, even after the team moved into the NBA, they were still successful, extending their tiebreaker/playoff streak to twelve.

Season Preview: San Antonio Spurs

Team History:

The Spurs have a long and illustrious history dating back to the ABA, unapologetic Afros, short shorts, and a style of playing basketball built to purely entertain. This is of course in reference to George Gervin and his gorgeous finger roll that has since inspired a new generation of flair, much like Kareem’s sky hook or Dr. J’s gliding through the air.

Season Preview: Dallas Mavericks

A Little History:

Season Preview: Chicago Bulls

Team History:

The Chicago Bulls before Michael Jordan is similar to the history of the world before the introduction of language; we know it was there, but we have no clue what actually happened (except Jerry Sloan, which might make him a cave drawing). Once Jordan hit Chicago, the franchise was transformed from a so-so team into one of the greatest of all time. Jordan, the greatest of all time (don’t try to deny it), led the Bulls to some of the greatest moments in the history of the league.

After some mighty struggles with the Pistons and Celtics in the 1980s, the Bulls brought in the still unproven coach Phil Jackson to coach the young Bulls that had the infamous Jordan and a young up-and-comer Scottie Pippen. The Bulls would go on to win three championships in a row (the first threepeat for Jackson) from the 91-93 seasons. Jordan retired, shocking the world (kind of like Barry Sanders, only a lot bigger) and the Bulls dropped from Champions to near champions with Pippen leading the charge. Jordan came back (the first time) and the Bulls went on to post another threepeat. One of those seasons, the Bulls posted a 70-12 record, the most wins in NBA history.

Season Preview: Indiana Pacers

I’ve never had a favorite NBA team, no true love to cheer for year after year. I once read that “favorite teams are for fascists” and I began to use that as my justification and it was certainly a fitting one as my well worn copy of the Communist Manifesto is rarely too far from my reach. Although, there is a certain emptiness that comes without the true love of a favorite team. That’s not to say I haven’t had a few minor flings here and there though.

Season Preview: Milwaukee Bucks

Surprise, Surprise, the Champ is here today filling in for the Ivy Leaguer who is buried in a myriad of schoolwork. Working on a little short notice, I am going to fill in our faithful readers on the forecast of the Milwaukee Bucks.

A Little History:

Season Preview: Golden State Warriors

Team History:

The Golden State Warriors began as the Philadelphia Warriors, then San Francisco Warriors, and then they were the Golden State Warriors. In their time, they have had hall of fame players come and go, break and hold NBA records, and be the best and one of the worst teams in the NBA. Obviously, they have quite a bit of history to go along with that terrible logo that they sport (what is that, something from The Watchmen?).

Season Preview: Memphis Grizzlies

Team History:

The Grizzlies haven’t always played their home games in Memphis. As some/most of you know, the Grizzlies initially were in the great city of Vancouver. Another notable piece of history for the Grizzlies is that they were the first NBA team to have a website. Other than that, the franchise has been little but a struggling team annually in the draft lottery with a horrific record.