jonthefon, sorry I forgot to reply to your comment. Yeah, Dwight and KG is going to be pretty scary for other teams. And Z-Bo to the Warriors gives them a crazy starting line-up. Should be an interesting season for those 2 teams.
blazersrule, thanks for your continued reading of this dynasty. Season previews are shaping up pretty nice, and I'm having a blast writing them. They'll be up within a couple of days, for sure.
(07)Raptors (5-6): Bosh & Bargs - Week 3 Recap Up
79 posts
• Page 2 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
by Clutch on Thu Nov 01, 2007 9:51 am
Damn man! Sooo many goodies:
- "Furious Gomez" - a 6'6" 267lbs Poward Forward, tough as spit, don't want the ball in his hands with the game on the line but he can smash it down in your face - I love this guy already! My vote for RotY;
TOR signs SG Leandro Barbosa for $23.36/4yrs - excellent addition and shoot give your Raptors an added boost as a starter or off the bench;
CHI signs C Nick Collison for $18.37/3yrs - nice add for Chi; bad for Sonics;
LAL signs PF Paul Millsap for $10.85/2yrs - still not enough for crybaby KB24;
HOU signs C Anderson Varejao for $5.22/1yr; great move for added board control and help for Yao especially with Mutombo one yr closer to retiring; almost made this move in my dynasty as well… hmm. wait a minute. Trade deadline is still just over a week away! hmm…
CHA signs SG Jason Terry for $49.91/4yrs - holy frikk! I guess DAL is blowin' it up and rebuilding around Dirk;
CHA signs SG Kelenna Azubuike for $3.57/2yrs - DAMN MJ for stealing 'buike from the Warriors!
LAC/UTA trade - AK47 + Brand will be a nasty frontcourt to deal with out west;
BOS/NOH - CP3 + Green = Baron + J-Rich, part deux;
ORL/MIN - Dwight + KG? wow
Just wow. Not sure they got anyone else though. Couple early fouls to both and that team goes limp real fast;POR/GSW - Randolf a Warrior… something I always wondered about; will be interesting to see how it develops;
Sniff… no more Kukoc. I think that's officially the last of the Championship Bulls. You had a good run, you Wolverine look-a-like you. Happy fishin'!
-
Clutch - ^ Life... currently :\
- Posts: 1770
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 3:13 am
by TheMC5 on Thu Nov 01, 2007 5:48 pm
BD5, I'd love to respond to all your points, but I think the season previews will take care of most of that.
On a side note, I noticed I wrote that New Orleans signed MoPete. That was incorrect. He was actually signed by Orlando.
On a side note, I noticed I wrote that New Orleans signed MoPete. That was incorrect. He was actually signed by Orlando.
- TheMC5
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:53 pm
by TheMC5 on Sat Nov 03, 2007 6:05 am
07-08 SEASON PREVIEW
Players Added: Austin Reilly, Alexsandar Pavlovic, Abraham Maier, Dee Brown
Players Lost: Solomon Jones, Matt Freije, Cedric Bozeman
Head Coach: Mike Woodson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Joe Johnson - 23.8
RPG: Josh Smith - 9.2
APG: Speedy Claxton - 6.3
SPG: Speedy Claxton - 1.80
BPG: Josh Smith - 2.29
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Zaza Pachulia, Lorenzen Wright, Kelvin Cato
PF - Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams, Austin Reilly
SF - Josh Smith, Josh Childress
SG - Joe Johnson, Alexsandar Pavlovic
PG - Abraham Maier, Speedy Claxton, Tyronne Lue, Dee Brown
Outlook: The Hawks continued their slow progression last season, winning 31 games and finishing 11th in the East. This year they've added some more wing depth with Pavlovic, and may have finally solved their point guard woes by drafting rookie Abraham Maier, who figures to start ahead of incumbent Speedy Claxton. With the continued development of their young core, the Hawks could make serious push for the playoffs. However, coach Mike Woodson is on the spot in Atlanta, as both fans and ownership are becoming impatient. If the Hawks stumble out of the gate, Woodson could be the first to go.
Players Added: David West, Desmond Mason, Grant Hill, Stephen Matthews, Vince Luke
Players Lost: Delonte West, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak, Allan Ray, Michael Olowokandi, Theo Ratliff
Head Coach: Doc Rivers
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Paul Pierce - 26.5
RPG: Al Jefferson - 9.8
APG: Delonte West - 6.1
SPG: Paul Pierce - 1.79
BPG: Al Jefferson 2.10
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins
PF - David West, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe
SF - Grant Hill, Desmond Mason, Stephen Matthews, Brian Scalabrine
SG - Paul Pierce, Tony Allen
PG - Sebastian Telfair, Rajon Rondo, Vince Luke
Outlook: To hear Paul Pierce tell it, Boston severely under-achieved last season. The C's were in possession of the 8th seed in the East with 2 games left but lost both games while Detroit won its last 2 to leapfrog Boston and secure the final playoff berth. With a glut of young talent, Boston had basically 2 options available this offseason: either ship out Pierce and start the youth movement in earnest, or deal some of those enticing prospects to build a winning team around Pierce. The C's went with the latter, shipping out Delonte West, Gerald Green, and Wally Szczerbiak for David West and Desmond Mason, and later bringing in Grant Hill. Pierce and the re-vamped Celtics should have little difficulty making the playoffs this year, and much like in Atlanta, if the team stumbles the blame will be placed squarely on coach Doc Rivers.
Players Added: Jason Terry, Jim Jackman, Scott Padgett, Mario Herrera, Kelenna Azubuike, Will Blalock
Players Lost: Matt Carroll, Walter Herrmann, Ryan Hollins, Bernard Robinson, Jake Voskuhl, Alan Anderson
Head Coach: Bernie Bickerstaff
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Gerald Wallace - 20.3
RPG: Emeka Okafor - 11.6
APG: Raymond Felton - 7.1
SPG: Gerald Wallace - 1.96
BPG: Emeka Okafor - 2.49
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezec
PF - Jim Jackman, Sean May, Scott Padgett, Othella Harrington
SF - Gerald Wallace, Adam Morrison, Mario Herrera
SG - Jason Terry, Kelenna Azubuike
PG - Raymond Felton, Brevin Knight, Dan Dickau, Will Blalock
Outlook: Finally free of the expansion salary rules, the Bobcats were, for the first time ever, able to throw wads of cash at any free agent they wanted. They landed Jason Terry. The Jet instantly makes Charlotte an explosive team, and the additions of gunners Azubuike and Padgett simply reinforces the notion that the Cats will be tough to guard this season. Defense continues to be a concern, especially from the bench, but nonetheless Charlotte looks to be vastly improved from years prior. Look for rookie Jim Jackman to make an instant contribution, especially on the boards.
Players Added: Nick Collison, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Kris Kim, Dijon Wagner
Players Lost: PJ Brown, Malik Allen, Adrian Griffin, Andre Barrett, Martynas Andriuskevicius
Head Coach: Scott Skiles
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ben Gordon - 22.4
RPG: Ben Wallace - 9.5
APG: Kirk Hinrich - 5.9
SPG: Kirk Hinrich - 2.06
BPG: Ben Wallace - 2.12
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Ben Wallace, Nick Collison
PF - Andres Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas, Mike Sweetney
SF - Luol Deng, Gonzalo Rodriguez
SG - Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha, Shannon Brown, Kris Kim
PG - Kirk Hinrich, Chris Duhon, Dijon Wagner
Outlook: The Bulls claimed the top seed in the East last year, eventually succumbing to New Jersey in hard fought 7-game series in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Adding backup big man Nick Collison and this year's #1 draft pick, Gonzalo Rodriguez, makes the Bulls instant favorites to win the East, and possibly even advance to the Finals. The sky's the limit for this young, talented group of players.
Players Added: Jake Tsakalidis, Amir Johnson, Dion Harrison, Hugo Merino
Players Lost: Anderson Varejao, Alexsandar Pavlovic, Dwayne Jones, David Wesley, Scot Pollard
Head Coach: Mike Brown
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: LeBron James - 26.7
RPG: Drew Gooden - 10.1
APG: LeBron James - 6.4
SPG: Larry Hughes - 1.95
BPG: Drew Gooden - 1.82
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jake Tsakalidis
PF - Drew Gooden, Donyell Marshall, Amir Johnson
SF - LeBrin James, Viktor Khryapa
SG - Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, Ira Newble
PG - Daniel Gibson, Eric Snow, Dion Harrison, Hugo Merino
Outlook: It's tough to lok at this Cavs team and say they haven't gotten worse. Key rotation players Varejao and Pavlovic have been replaced by rookies and bench warmers. That being said, it's also very difficult to count this team out. LeBron James gives you a chance to win every single night, and if double-double Drew Gooden shows up every night as he did last season, Cleveland could certainly make a repeat trip to the Finals. It's a long shot, but not outside the realm of possibilty.
Players Added: Keith Van Horn, Augustus Hughes, Steve Novak, Jose Sampson, Royal Ivey, Andrew Patel
Players Lost: Jason Terry, Devean George, Maurice Ager, DJ Mbenga, Austin Croshere, Maurice Ager, Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Head Coach: Avery Johnson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 25.7
RPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 9.1
APG: Jason Terry - 6.0
SPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 1.78
BPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 2.24
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Erick Dampier, DaSagana Diop
PF - Dirk Nowitzki, Keith Van Horn, Augustus Hughes
SF - Josh Howard, Steve Novak, Jose Sampson
SG - Jerry Stackhouse, Greg Buckner, Royal Ivey
PG - Devin Harris, Anthony Johnson, Juan Jose Barea, Andrew Patel
Outlook: Faced with the prospect of re-signing both Josh Howard and Jason Terry this off-season, as well as Dirk's deal expiring next summer, enigmatic Mavs owner Mark Cuban showed some formerly lacking fiscal restraint, choosing to let Terry go while hanging on to Howard. Though the decision leaves the Mavs bench quite thin, they still have a starting 5 to rival any in the NBA. Keith Van Horn was brought back for another go round with the team, replacing the disappointing and departed Austin Croshere, who somewhat ironically was tabbed to replace Van Horn. They also brought in sharpshooter Steve Novak to boost the firepower of the reserve unit. Still, one can't shake the feeling that Dallas is a considerably weaker team than in years past, and a repeat trip to the Conference Finals seems unlikely.
Players Added: Brent Alvarez, Rudy Bianchi
Players Lost: Dale Davis, Joe Smith, Reggie Evans, Jamal Sampson
Head Coach: George Karl
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Carmelo Anthony - 28.0
RPG: Marcus Camby - 9.4
APG: Chauncey Billups - 6.5
SPG: Carmelo Anthony - 1.73
BPG: Marcus Camby - 2.13
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Johan Petro
PF - Carmelo Anthony, Brent Alvarez
SF - Tayshaun Prince, Yakhouba Diawara
SG - JR Smith, Fred Jones, Julius Hodge
PG - Chauncey Billups, Earl Boykins, Rudy Bianchi
Outlook: Denver is a team whose prospects are hard to predict. On one hand, it will be the first full season with Prince and Billups on the team, while on the other, George Karl is attempting to implement an entirely new system this season, one quite similar to the Suns. Carmelo has been asked to play power forward so that the team can play its desired up-tempo style, inserting the young, athletic Smith in the starting line-up, and moving the older, injury-prone Kenyon Martin to the bench, where it will be easier to limit his minutes and maximize his effectiveness. So while it looks like a very strong team on paper, and the up-tempo style seems tailor-made for this kind of team, there are still many unknowns surrounding the Nuggets season. Will Carmelo be able to handle the punishment he'll receive in the paint? Will the defense improve enough to keep the team competitive? Will George Karl last the season? Only time will tell.
Players Added: Furious Jayme, Toni Sampson, Kyle Cunningham
Players Lost: Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Will Blalock, Lindsay Hunter, Ronald Dupree
Head Coach: Flip Saunders
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Rip Hamilton - 19.4
RPG: Rasheed Wallace - 9.7
APG: Andre Miller - 7.2
SPG: Andre Miller - 1.59
BPG: Rasheed Wallace - 2.35
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Nene, Nazr Mohammed
PF - Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Furious Jayme
SF - Linas Kleiza, Carlos Delfino, Toni Sampson
SG - Rip Hamilton, Flip Murray
PG - Andre Miller, Kyle Cunningham, Mardy Collins
Outlook: Detroit should be better next season. Last season they secured the 8th playoff seed despite losing Nene for the last month and a half of the season, and fighting through early injuries to Hamilton and, when he was still with the team, Chauncey Billups. Though it does seem obvious that Detroit can no longer be considered among the East's elite, they are still a formidable opponent. Rasheed and Nene form as good a front-court duo as can be found in the league, and Linas Kleiza is a great shooter and one of the league's most underrated players. Rookie PG Kyle Cummingham could be special, but for now the starting spot remains strongly in Miller's grip. Though a top 4 seeding seems unlikely, look for the Pistons to improve on their 8th place finish from last year, provided they can stay healthy.
Players Added: Zach Randolph, Juan Dixon, Kareem Coleman, Jeramie Sheehan
Players Lost: Ike Diogu, Troy Murphy, Anthony Roberson, Keith McLeod, Zarko Cabarkapa, Dijon Wagner
Head Coach: Don Nelson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Jason Richardson - 21.6
RPG: Troy Murphy - 9.4
APG: Baron Davis - 7.9
SPG: Baron Davis - 2.07
BPG: Andris Beidrins - 1.61
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Andris Beidrins, Jeramie Sheehan, Adonal Foyle, Patrick O'Bryant
PF - Zach Randolph, Matt Barnes
SF - Jason Richardson, Mikael Pietrus
SG - Monta Ellis, Mike Dunleavy, Kareem Coleman
PG - Baron Davis, Juan Dixon
Outlook: Excellent, with the usual caveat of "provided everyone stays healthy". This is, however, perhaps more so true of Golden State than any other team. Davis, J-Rich, and Randolph are all legitimate injury concerns, as well as legitimate all-stars. Though the Warriors do have the personnel to mitigate a severe injury to Richardson, this is not true of either Z-Bo or B-Diddy. The Warriors are desperately thin at both PF and PG, and any long-term injury to the aforementioned stars would likely derail Golden State's entire season. Should the team remain healthy, however, a top 4 seed might not be out of the question.
Players Added: Anderson Varejao, Dave Schulze, Damir Markota
Players Lost: Dikembe Mutumbo, Scot Padgett, Steve Novak, John Lucas III, Vassilis Spanoulis
Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Tracy McGrady - 30.2
RPG: Yao Ming - 9.7
APG: Tracy McGrady - 7.6
SPG: Tracy McGrady - 2.32
BPG: Yao Ming - 2.11
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Yao Ming, Anderson Varejao
PF - Juwan Howard, Chuck Hayes
SF - Shane Battier, Bonzi Wells, Dave Schulze, Damir Markota
SG - Tracy McGrady, Bobby Jackson, Kirk Snyder
PG - Luther Head, Rafer Alston
Outlook: Houston was in the midst of a relatively disappointing season prior to acquiring 6th Man of the Year Bobby Jackson a few days before the trade deadline. After that, Houston went on a tear, finishing the season on an 8-game winning streak, and advancing past the 1st round for the 1st time in the Yao-McGrady era. Obviously fairly content with their roster, the Rockets made very few major moves in the off-season. They did sign Sideshow Varejao to replace the aging Mutumbo, and his energy off the bench should be a big boost to Houston this season, but it likely won't be enough to propel them past Dallas or San Antonio, which means probably more of the same from Houston - another 50-win campaign, 5th seed in the West, and a disappointing playoff exit.
Players Added: Newton Mendez, Eddie Gill
Players Lost: Darrell Armstrong, Rawle Marshall, Josh Powell, Maceo Baston, Orien Greene, Sarunas Jasikevicius
Head Coach: Rick Adelman
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Stephen Jackson - 19.6
RPG: Jermaine O'Neal - 10.3
APG: Jamal Tinsley - 8.2
SPG: Jamal Tinsley - 1.86
BPG: Jermaine O'Neal - 2.44
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jermaine O'Neal, Jeff Foster, David Harrison
PF - Al Harrington, Darius Songaila
SF - Danny Granger, Shawne Williams
SG - Stephen Jackson, Marquis Daniels
PG - Jamal Tinsley, Eddie Gill, Newton Mendez
Outlook: The Pacers missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 1997, but instead of hitting the panic button and blowing up the roster, they simply changed coaches. Rick Adelman is expected to implement a more up-tempo style, while taking advantage of J.O.'s passing ability from the post. Though it will be a struggle for the Pacers to make it back to the post-season, once the team starts to feel comfortable in Adelman's offense, they'll be a tough team to play.
Players Added: Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer, Francisco Elson, Ayeshi Vega, Durand Richter, Sergei Monia
Players Lost: Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, Zarko Rebraca, Aaron Williams, Sam Cassell, James Singleton, Daniel Ewing, Mario Kasun
Head Coach: Lenny Wilkins
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Elton Brand - 21.3
RPG: Elton Brand - 11.2
APG: Shaun Livingston - 8.0
SPG: Shaun Livingston - 2.01
BPG: Elton Brand - 2.63
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Chris Kaman, Francisco Elson
PF - Elton Brand, Paul Davis
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Yaroslav Korolev
SG - Cuttino Mobley, Ronnie Brewer, Sergei Monia
PG - Shaun Livingston, Ayeshi Vega, Durand Richter
Outlook: The Clippers were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA last year. One season removed from the franchise's first playoff berth in years, the Clips fell to a meager 24-58 record, and it became clear that wholesale changes were needed. The first move came early in the 06-07 season when Mike Dunleavy was replaced as head coach by Lenny Wilkens after Dunleavy managed to squeeze only 1 win out of the first 12 games. The move failed to spark the team as was hoped, as LA went 23-47 the rest of the way. Disgruntled swingman Corey Maggette, after years of trade rumors, was finally shipped out, along with Tim Thomas and rookie Lawrence Connors, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer, and rookie point guard Ayeshi Vega. The move instantly upgrades LA's porous defense, and should make them a much better team. However, it will still be an uphill battle for the Clips to make the post-season, as the Pacific division remains arguably the best division in the league.
Players Added: Paul Millsap, Peter Brown, Taylor O'Callaghan
Players Lost: Brian Cook, Aaron McKie, Ronny Turiaf, Chris Mihm, Shammond Williams, Luke Walton
Head Coach: Phil Jackson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Kobe Bryant - 26.6
RPG: Lamar Odom - 10.0
APG: Lamar Odom - 5.4
SPG: Kobe Bryant - 1.99
BPG: Kwame Brown - 1.71
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum
PF - Paul Millsap, Peter Brown
SF - Lamar Odom, Vladimir Radmanovic
SG - Kobe Bryant, Maurice Evans, Taylor O'Callaghan
PG - Smush Parker, Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar
Outlook: Many observers were surprised by the Lakers reluctance to re-sign Luke Walton, but the Lakers seem to be moving toward a more traditional line-up, moving Odom back to his natural position at small forward, and bringing in defensive-minded big man Paul Millsap. It is a questionable strategy considering the Lakers showed a lot of heart in the playoffs, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to the Spurs in the 1st round. But if Kobe can maintain his MVP form this year, the Lakers should once again approach the 50-win mark. Questions still remain at point guard, with the inconsistent Smush Parker backed up by the inexperienced Vujacic and Farmar.
Players Added: Mike Hall, Miguel Vidal, Ivan Dickey
Players Lost: Jake Tsakalidis, Desmond Farmer, Lawrence Roberts
Head Coach: Eddie Jordan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Damon Stoudemire - 21.0
RPG: Pau Gasol - 9.1
APG: Damon Stoudemire - 6.5
SPG: Damon Stoudemire - 1.40
BPG: Pau Gasol - 2.22
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Pau Gasol, Stromile Swift
PF - Hakim Warrick, Brian Cardinal
SF - Mike Miller, Eddie Jones, Mike Hall
SG - Rudy Gay, Tarence Kinsey, Dahntay Jones, Miguel Vidal
PG - Damon Stoudemire, Ivan Dickey, Kyle Lowry
Outlook: The Grizz basically stayed the course this off-season, with the exception of replacing Mike Fratello with former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. No major trades or signings likely means a similar season for Memphis in 07-08. Though Rudy Gay continues to improve, expecting Damon Stoudemire to replicate last season's numbers is quite unrealistic. Mighty Mouse turned back the clock by about a decade last year, posting a career-best 21 points per game. With his declining athleticism and opposing defenses likely keying in on him more this year, Stoudemire could struggle to even best his career average of 14 PPG. Memphis is relying on improvement from within, and I'm not sure if it will be enough.
Players Added: Jamal Sampson, Jens Klein, Vinny Lloyd, Ruslan Denisov
Players Lost: Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Earl Barron, Marcus Vinicius, Chris Quinn, Jason Kapono
Head Coach: Pat Reily
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Dwyane Wade - 24.4
RPG: Shaquille O'Neal - 9.5
APG: Jason Williams - 6.8
SPG: Dwyane Wade - 1.69
BPG: Shaquille O'Neal - 1.94
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Shaquille O'Neal, Jamal Sampson, Michael Doleac
PF - Udonis Haslem, Wayne Simien, Jens Klein
SF - James Posey, Antoine Walker
SG - Dwyane Wade, Dorrell Wright, Vinny Lloyd
PG - Jason Williams, Ruslan Denisov
Outlook: With an aging roster and vastly improved competition in the Southeast division, notably from Orlando and Charlotte, Miami has a tough road ahead of them to claim their 4th consecutive division title. The loss of Alonzo Mourning in particular will hurt this team, as Shaq can't be relied on to play 60+ games. Rookie Ruslan Denisov projects to be a solid pro, but the Heat have simply lost too much depth to be considered as good as in years past. Any injury to a key player, and Miami fans will be in for a long season.
Players Added: C.J. Miles, John Lucas III, Victor Torres, Horace Griffiths
Players Lost: Damir Markota, Charlie Bell, Lynn Greer, Ersan Ilyasova, Steve Blake, Chris McCray
Head Coach: Byron Scott
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Michael Redd - 23.9
RPG: Andrew Bogut - 9.6
APG: Mo Williams - 6.3
SPG: Mo Williams - 1.59
BPG: Andrew Bogut - 2.05
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Andrew Bogut, Brian Skinner, Dan Gadzuric
PF - Charlie Villanueva, Victor Torres
SF - Bobby Simmons, Ruben Patterson, Horace Griffiths, David Noel
SG - Michael Redd, C.J. Miles
PG - Mo Williams, John Lucas III
Outlook: The Bucks are good young team on the rise. Though the bench lacks depth, especially in the back court, there a number of good young pieces on this team. Entering only his 3rd season, Aussie Andrew Bogut is already on the verge of becoming a constant double-double player, both Michael Redd and Mo Williams are just entering their prime, and Charlie V has the potential to be 20 PPG scorer. Charlie's backup, rookie Victor Torres, is a lights out shooter with absolutely unlimited potential, though he'll need to pack some pounds on to his slight 6'11" 201lbs frame. The Bucks still exhibit an aversion to defense, which is something new coach Byron Scott will need to address in order to get this team into playoff contention.
Players Added: Darko Milicic, Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Stanislav Obradovic, Nikolosz Tskitishvilli
Players Lost: Kevin Garnett, Mark Madsen, Justin Reed, Bracey Wright, Vin Baker, Troy Hudson
Head Coach: Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ricky Davis - 21.7
RPG: Kevin Garnett - 12.5
APG: Mike James - 5.1
SPG: Kevin Garnett - 1.67
BPG: Kevin Garnett - 2.20
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Darko Milicic, Stanislav Obradovic, Mark Blount
PF - Eddie Griffin, Craig Smith, Nikolosz Tskitishvilli
SF - Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Marco Jaric
SG - Ricky Davis, Trenton Hassell, Rashad McCants
PG - Randy Foye, Mike James, Carlos Arroyo
Outlook: Minnesota is another team in transition whose two options this off-season were to either surround their superstar Kevin Garnett with more veteran talent, or go all-out with the re-building process. Unlike the Celtics, however, the Timberwolves hand was forced when Garnett, unhappy after 3 consecutive losing seasons, finally demanded a trade out of Minnesota. When it was all said and done, Minnesota positioned themselves nicely for the future, adding young up-and-comers Darko Milicic and Trevor Ariza, sharpshooter Hedo Turkoglu (fresh off a career high 20 PPG), and acquiring 2 1st round picks in next year's draft. The T-Wolves will certainly struggle this season, and probably next, but they've got all the pieces to potentially get the franchise back to respectability.
Players Added: Zoran Planinic, Brooks Young, Paco Martinez
Players Lost: Mikki Moore, Hassan Adams, Cliff Robinson, Eddie House, Jeff McInnis
Head Coach: Lawrence Frank
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Vince Carter - 23.9
RPG: Nenad Kristic - 11.0
APG: Jason Kidd - 7.3
SPG: Jason Kidd - 1.90
BPG: Nenad Kristic - 1.75
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jason Collins, Josh Boone, Mile Ilic
PF - Nenad Kristic, Brooks Young, Paco Martinez
SF - Richard Jefferson, Bostjan Nachbar, Zoran Planinic
SG - Vince Carter, Antoine Wright
PG - Jason Kidd, Marcus Williams
Outlook: The Nets made it to the Conference Finals last season, overachieving in the eyes of many pundits. Nets brass evidently did not share that sentiment, opting to make no big off-season acquisitions, instead relying on continuity and improvement from within. Rookies Brooks Young and Paco Martinez add a much needed toughness to the front court, but the success of the season could rest on 2 other youngsters: Marcus Williams and Antoine Wright. Both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd are at the tail end of their prime, and their minutes will need to be closely monitored to ensure they both remain healthy for the post-season. how effectively Wright and Williams can spell those 2 superstars off the bench will go a long way to determining New Jersey's success.
Players Added: Alonzo Mourning, Devin Brown, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, Jiri Welsch, Emilio Coote, Aleksy Farkas
Players Lost: David West, Desmond Mason, Bob Sura, Linton Johnson, Marc Jackson, Cedric Simmons, Brandon Bass
Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Peja Stojakovic - 21.8
RPG: Tyson Chandler - 11.4
APG: Chris Paul - 8.3
SPG: Chris Paul - 1.81
BPG: Tyson Chandler - 1.93
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Alonzo Mourning, Emilio Coote, Peter John Ramos
PF - Tyson Chandler, Furious Gomez
SF - Peja Stojakovic, Wally Szczerbiak, Jiri Welsch
SG - Devin Brown, Gerald Green, Quincy Douby
PG - Chris Paul, Delonte West, Jannero Pargo, Aleksy Farkas
Outlook: After a very disappointing season, the Hornets completely over-hauled their roster, bringing in 8 new players, most notably Alonzo Mourning, Gerald Green, Delonte West, and Devin Brown. Chris Paul continues to develop into one of the league's premier points, but a playmaker is only as effective as his teammates make him. With Green and Brown running the floor for highlight alley-oops, and Peja and Wally World spotting up at the 3PT line, Paul should have many options this year when it comes to distributing the ball. The Hornets now also boast perhaps the most intimidating front court in basketball with shot blockers Mourning and Chandler teaming up to give opponents nightmares. Rookie Furious Gomez should add some energy and toughness off the bench, and New Orleans should be right in the thick of the playoff race come April.
Players Added: Corey MacKenna, Jeffrey Lyons
Players Lost: Jared Jeffries
Head Coach: Isiah Thomas
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Stephon Marbury - 20.8
RPG: Eddy Curry - 9.5
APG: Stephon Marbury - 7.1
SPG: Stephon Marbury - 1.94
BPG: Eddy Curry - 1.50
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, Jerome James
PF - David Lee, Jason Maxiell, Malik Rose
SF - Quentin Richardson, Renaldo Balkman
SG - Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford, Corey MacKenna, Salim Stoudemire
PG - Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson, Jeffrey Lyons
Outlook: What can you really say about the Knicks? They have a dysfunctional roster, a dysfunctional coach, and a dysfunctional front office. They lost out on the 1st overall pick in the draft, trading it to Chicago in the Eddy Curry deal, which will set them back considerably. With no notable off-season additions, look for another dysfunctional season from the league's most dysfunctional team. Go Knicks!
Players Added: Kevin Garnett, Melvin Ely, Mark Madsen, Morris Peterson, Hassan Adams, Clem Menendez, Erick Cano
Players Lost: Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Darko Milicic, Tony Battie, Bo Outlaw, Travis Diener, Grant Hill
Head Coach: Brian Hill
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Hedo Turkoglu - 20.8
RPG: Dwight Howard - 10.7
APG: Jameer Nelson - 6.9
SPG: Grant Hill - 1.59
BPG: Dwight Howard - 2.32
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Dwight howard, Melvin Ely, Mark Madsen
PF - Kevin Garnett, Erick Cano, James Augustine
SF - Hassan Adams, Keith Bogans
SG - Morris Peterson, J.J. Redick
PG - Jameer Nelson, Keyon Dooling, Clem Menendez
Outlook: When word got out that Kevin Garnett was available, Orlando went all-out trying to acquire the former MVP and future Hall of Famer. Despite trading off nearly half their team to get KG, the Magic are undoubtedly a better team tha they were last year. KG and Dwight give the Magic a front court pairing unrivaled since the days of Tim Duncan-David Robinson in San Antonio. Adding MoPete and sophomore Hassan Adams helps mitigate the loss of so many perimeter players, but back court depth is certainly a concern. Barring a substantial injury to one of the starters, Orlando looks to be the team to beat out East.
Players Added: Randolph Morris, Simon Marhsall, Janho de Conceicao
Players Lost: Alan Henderson, Ivan MacFarlin, Steven Smith
Head Coach: Maurice Cheeks
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Allen Iverson - 22.4
RPG: Samuel Dalembert - 8.8
APG: Allen Iverson - 6.6
SPG: Allen Iverson - 2.22
BPG: Samuel Dalembert - 1.82
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Samuel Dalembert, Steven Hunter
PF - Chris Webber, Randolph Morris, Shavlik Randolph
SF - Kyle Korver, Rodney Carney, Bobby Jones
SG - Andre Igoudala, Willie Green, Janho de Conceicao
PG - Allen Iverson, Simon Marshall, Louis Williams, Kevin Ollie
Outlook: The Sixers need to win now, there is no way around it. Iverson and Webber's best days are behind them, and this team has no one coming up to replace them. Though they somewhat surprisingly won 50 games last year, they will be hard pressed to repeat the feat. Depth remains a major concern, one which becomes all the more vital if Iverson or Webber fall off dramatically. With the improvement of many teams in the East, the smart money is on Philly finishing with approximately a .500 record.
Players Added: Gavin Ferguson, Steven Ortiz, Cesar Romero
Players Lost: Leandro Barbosa, Randolph Morris, Sean Marks, Pat Burke, Jumaine Jones
Head Coach: Mike D'Antoni
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Steve Nash - 19.8
RPG: Amare Stoudemire - 9.6
APG: Steve Nash - 6.9
SPG: Shawn Marion - 1.97
BPG: Shawn Marion - 2.38
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Amare Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas
PF - Shawn Marion, Gavin Ferguson
SF - Boris Diaw, Steven Ortiz, Erik Piatkowski
SG - Raja Bell, James Jones, Cesar Romero
PG - Steve Nash, Marcus Banks
Outlook: The Suns finally got over the hump last year, losing only 2 games en route to their first championship behind the leadership of the peerless Steve Nash. The loss of Leandro Barbosa to free agency leaves a hole this team will be hard pressed to fill. Nash is bound to slow down eventually, and this roster has even less depth than in years past. However, the Suns did prove last season that a lack of depth does not seem to be the Achilles heel for them that it would be for many other teams. As long as Steve Nash remains productive, and Amare and Diaw continue to improve, no smart man would bet against this Phoenix team.
Players Added: Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu, Olden Lewis, Gary Webb
Players Lost: Zach Randolph, Juan Dixon, Ime Udoka, Stephen Graham, Melvin Ely
Head Coach: Nate McMillan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Brandon Roy - 20.1
RPG: Zach Randolph - 9.8
APG: Jarrett Jack - 6.5
SPG: Brandon Roy - 1.70
BPG: Jamal Magloire - 1.85
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jamal Magloire, Troy Murphy, Joel Pryzbilla
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Ike Diogu, Raef Lafrentz
SF - Travis Outlaw, Darius Miles, Olden Lewis
SG - Brandon Roy, Martell Webster
PG - Jarrett Jack, Gary Webb, Sergio Rodriguez
Outlook: Shipping out Zach Randolph officially puts the Blazers in re-building mode. They have good young players at every position, and 2 1st rounders in next year's draft. Troy Murphy adds some much needed shooting prowess, and rookie Gary Webb could easily unseat Jarrett Jack as the team's starting PG this season. He has shown incredible passing vision, but needs to work on his defense in order to not be a liability on that end of the court. It is possible that Portland will win even fewer games this season than last, but they are in a much better position for the long-haul, having rid themselves of Z-Bo's outrageous contract and detrimental personality.
Players Added: Helal Seaz, Angel Rubio
Players Lost: Corliss Williamson, Vitaly Potapenko, Maurie Taylor
Head Coahc: Eric Musselman
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ron Artest - 20.0
RPG: Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 9.5
APG: Mike Bibby - 6.0
SPG: Ron Artest - 1.82
BPG: Ron Artest - 1.72
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Brad Miller, Hilton Armstrong, Helal Saez
PF - Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Kenny Thomas
SF - Ron Artest, John Salmons
SG - Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia
PG - Mike Bibby, Angel Rubio, Jason Hart, Ronnie Price
Outlook: Sacramento over-achieved last season. With an aging roster and no significant additions, the Kings will be hard pressed to make the playoffs again this year. Short and sweet, but there isn't much else to say.
Players Added: Alexander Johnson, Toby Aguilar, Alonzo Davies
Players Lost: Francisco Elson, Michael Finley, Matt Bonner, Erik Williams, Jacques Vaughn
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Tim Duncan - 24.5
RPG: Tim Duncan - 11.2
APG: Tony Parker - 6.1
SPG: Bruce Bowen - 1.84
BPG: Tim Duncan - 2.48
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Fabricio Oberto, Jackie Butler
PF - Tim Duncan, Robert Horry, Alexander Johnson
SF - Bruce Bowen, Toby Aguilar
SG - Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry, Alonzo Davies
PG - Tony Parker, Beno Udrih
Outlook: The Spurs were embarrassed in the playoffs, blowing a 3-1 lead to a vastly inferior Lakers squad. Not even Bruce Bowen, the league's premier perimeter defender, could slow Kobe in that series, as he torched the Spurs for better than 30 PPG. That series may have signaled the beginning of the end for the Spurs dominance, as Michael Finley and Francisco Elson both declined to re-sign with the club, leaving them as shallow as a back-yard kiddie pool. Though they certainly cannot be counted out just yet, this is not as intimidating a Spurs team as in the past.
Players Added: Chris Mihm, Laron Profit, Ron William, Rafer Turner
Players Lost: Nick Collison, Mickael Gelabale, Mike Wilks, Kareem Rush
Head Coach: Larry Brown
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ray Allen - 24.7
RPG: Chris Wilcox - 10.7
APG: Luke Ridnour - 7.0
SPG: Ray Allen - 1.88
BPG: Chris Wilcox - 2.10
PRJECTED ROTATION
C - Robert Swift, Chris Mihm, Saer Sene
PF - Chris Wilcox, Danny Fortson
SF - Rashard Lewis, Ron William, Laron Profit
SG - Ray Allen, Damien Wilkins, Desmond Farmer, Rafer Turner
PG - Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson
Outlook: The most significant change the Sonics made in the off-season was to bring in Larry Brown as the new head coach. The hope is that Brown will be able to mold this team into a defense-first squad similar to his championship Pistons team. Whether they have the personnel to play such a style seems iffy, at best, but Brown has never been one to back down from a challenge. Though the early going could be rough for this team, if they can buy into Brown's schemes, chances are they'll be better by season's end than they were last year.
Players Added: Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, Raul Lopez, Lawrence Connors, Brahim Tchami
Players Lost: Andrei Kirilenko, Roger Powell, Paul Millsap, Jarron Collins, Dee Brown, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles
Head Coach: Jerry Sloan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Carlos Boozer - 18.7
RPG: Carlos Boozer - 11.5
APG: Deron Williams - 6.6
SPG: Andrei Kirilenko - 2.01
BPG: Andrei Kirilenko - 2.00
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Mehemt Okur, Rafael Araujo
PF - Carlos Boozer, Tim Thomas
SF - Lawrence Connors, Matt Harpring, Brahim Tchami
SG - Corey Maggette, Gordan Giricek
PG - Deron William, Derek Fisher, Raul Lopez, Brian Chase
Outlook: Though it seemed at first to be a manageable loss, the deflection of Paul Millsap in fact changed Utah's whole off-season strategy. Glaringly thin in the front court, and with a disgruntled star in AK47, it quickly became clear that the Jazz would have to make some moves to remain competitive. To that end, they brought in sharpshooting big man Tim Thomas, the explosive Corey Maggette to fill the whole at shooting guard, and rookie Lawrence Connors, whom many are predicting as an early ROY candidate. Though losing Kirilenko hurts Utah's defense, they now boast among the league's most potent offenses, with at least 7 guys capable of pouring in 20 points on any given night. Rumor has it that this will be Jerry Sloan's last season as head coach, and that he in fact is only sticking around this year to try to work the new additions into the system. Though Utah has been mum as to Sloan's replacement, rumors are rampant that former Jazz great John Stockton may be tabbed to replace Sloan. So far, Stockton has declined to comment on the rumors.
Players Added: Mario Kasun, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Chris Quinn, Marcos Leon, Brett Woods
Players Lost: DeShawn Stevenson, Calvin Booth, Michael Ruffin, James Lang, Donnell Taylor, Roger Mason, Darius Songaila
Head Coach: Paul Silas
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Gilbert Arenas - 24.2
RPG: Antawn Jamison - 9.3
APG: Gilbert Arenas - 8.5
SPG: Gilbert Arenas - 1.78
BPG: Etan Thomas - 1.97
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Etan Thomas, Brendan Haywood, Mario Kasun
PF - Marcos Leon, Brett Woods
SF - Antawn Jamison, Jarvis Hayes
SG - Caron Butler, Sarunas Jasikevicius
PG - Gilbert Arenas, Antonio Daniels, Will Conroy, Chris Quinn
Outlook: This is a new Wizards team. Despite the many roster holdovers from last season, this team has completely different identity. Paul Silas has preached defense first since taking over for Eddie Jordan last year, and he finally has the personnel to do it. Shifting Jamison to his more natural position to open up time for 2nd overall pick Marcos Leon is a move that could pay huge dividends on the defensive end. However, Silas' job is far from secure. If he can't get this team to gel, ownership has made no secret of the fact that they'd explore other options.
Up Next: Raptors season preview
Players Added: Austin Reilly, Alexsandar Pavlovic, Abraham Maier, Dee Brown
Players Lost: Solomon Jones, Matt Freije, Cedric Bozeman
Head Coach: Mike Woodson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Joe Johnson - 23.8
RPG: Josh Smith - 9.2
APG: Speedy Claxton - 6.3
SPG: Speedy Claxton - 1.80
BPG: Josh Smith - 2.29
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Zaza Pachulia, Lorenzen Wright, Kelvin Cato
PF - Marvin Williams, Shelden Williams, Austin Reilly
SF - Josh Smith, Josh Childress
SG - Joe Johnson, Alexsandar Pavlovic
PG - Abraham Maier, Speedy Claxton, Tyronne Lue, Dee Brown
Outlook: The Hawks continued their slow progression last season, winning 31 games and finishing 11th in the East. This year they've added some more wing depth with Pavlovic, and may have finally solved their point guard woes by drafting rookie Abraham Maier, who figures to start ahead of incumbent Speedy Claxton. With the continued development of their young core, the Hawks could make serious push for the playoffs. However, coach Mike Woodson is on the spot in Atlanta, as both fans and ownership are becoming impatient. If the Hawks stumble out of the gate, Woodson could be the first to go.
Players Added: David West, Desmond Mason, Grant Hill, Stephen Matthews, Vince Luke
Players Lost: Delonte West, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak, Allan Ray, Michael Olowokandi, Theo Ratliff
Head Coach: Doc Rivers
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Paul Pierce - 26.5
RPG: Al Jefferson - 9.8
APG: Delonte West - 6.1
SPG: Paul Pierce - 1.79
BPG: Al Jefferson 2.10
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Al Jefferson, Kendrick Perkins
PF - David West, Ryan Gomes, Leon Powe
SF - Grant Hill, Desmond Mason, Stephen Matthews, Brian Scalabrine
SG - Paul Pierce, Tony Allen
PG - Sebastian Telfair, Rajon Rondo, Vince Luke
Outlook: To hear Paul Pierce tell it, Boston severely under-achieved last season. The C's were in possession of the 8th seed in the East with 2 games left but lost both games while Detroit won its last 2 to leapfrog Boston and secure the final playoff berth. With a glut of young talent, Boston had basically 2 options available this offseason: either ship out Pierce and start the youth movement in earnest, or deal some of those enticing prospects to build a winning team around Pierce. The C's went with the latter, shipping out Delonte West, Gerald Green, and Wally Szczerbiak for David West and Desmond Mason, and later bringing in Grant Hill. Pierce and the re-vamped Celtics should have little difficulty making the playoffs this year, and much like in Atlanta, if the team stumbles the blame will be placed squarely on coach Doc Rivers.
Players Added: Jason Terry, Jim Jackman, Scott Padgett, Mario Herrera, Kelenna Azubuike, Will Blalock
Players Lost: Matt Carroll, Walter Herrmann, Ryan Hollins, Bernard Robinson, Jake Voskuhl, Alan Anderson
Head Coach: Bernie Bickerstaff
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Gerald Wallace - 20.3
RPG: Emeka Okafor - 11.6
APG: Raymond Felton - 7.1
SPG: Gerald Wallace - 1.96
BPG: Emeka Okafor - 2.49
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brezec
PF - Jim Jackman, Sean May, Scott Padgett, Othella Harrington
SF - Gerald Wallace, Adam Morrison, Mario Herrera
SG - Jason Terry, Kelenna Azubuike
PG - Raymond Felton, Brevin Knight, Dan Dickau, Will Blalock
Outlook: Finally free of the expansion salary rules, the Bobcats were, for the first time ever, able to throw wads of cash at any free agent they wanted. They landed Jason Terry. The Jet instantly makes Charlotte an explosive team, and the additions of gunners Azubuike and Padgett simply reinforces the notion that the Cats will be tough to guard this season. Defense continues to be a concern, especially from the bench, but nonetheless Charlotte looks to be vastly improved from years prior. Look for rookie Jim Jackman to make an instant contribution, especially on the boards.
Players Added: Nick Collison, Gonzalo Rodriguez, Kris Kim, Dijon Wagner
Players Lost: PJ Brown, Malik Allen, Adrian Griffin, Andre Barrett, Martynas Andriuskevicius
Head Coach: Scott Skiles
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ben Gordon - 22.4
RPG: Ben Wallace - 9.5
APG: Kirk Hinrich - 5.9
SPG: Kirk Hinrich - 2.06
BPG: Ben Wallace - 2.12
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Ben Wallace, Nick Collison
PF - Andres Nocioni, Tyrus Thomas, Mike Sweetney
SF - Luol Deng, Gonzalo Rodriguez
SG - Ben Gordon, Thabo Sefolosha, Shannon Brown, Kris Kim
PG - Kirk Hinrich, Chris Duhon, Dijon Wagner
Outlook: The Bulls claimed the top seed in the East last year, eventually succumbing to New Jersey in hard fought 7-game series in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Adding backup big man Nick Collison and this year's #1 draft pick, Gonzalo Rodriguez, makes the Bulls instant favorites to win the East, and possibly even advance to the Finals. The sky's the limit for this young, talented group of players.
Players Added: Jake Tsakalidis, Amir Johnson, Dion Harrison, Hugo Merino
Players Lost: Anderson Varejao, Alexsandar Pavlovic, Dwayne Jones, David Wesley, Scot Pollard
Head Coach: Mike Brown
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: LeBron James - 26.7
RPG: Drew Gooden - 10.1
APG: LeBron James - 6.4
SPG: Larry Hughes - 1.95
BPG: Drew Gooden - 1.82
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Jake Tsakalidis
PF - Drew Gooden, Donyell Marshall, Amir Johnson
SF - LeBrin James, Viktor Khryapa
SG - Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, Ira Newble
PG - Daniel Gibson, Eric Snow, Dion Harrison, Hugo Merino
Outlook: It's tough to lok at this Cavs team and say they haven't gotten worse. Key rotation players Varejao and Pavlovic have been replaced by rookies and bench warmers. That being said, it's also very difficult to count this team out. LeBron James gives you a chance to win every single night, and if double-double Drew Gooden shows up every night as he did last season, Cleveland could certainly make a repeat trip to the Finals. It's a long shot, but not outside the realm of possibilty.
Players Added: Keith Van Horn, Augustus Hughes, Steve Novak, Jose Sampson, Royal Ivey, Andrew Patel
Players Lost: Jason Terry, Devean George, Maurice Ager, DJ Mbenga, Austin Croshere, Maurice Ager, Pops Mensah-Bonsu
Head Coach: Avery Johnson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 25.7
RPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 9.1
APG: Jason Terry - 6.0
SPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 1.78
BPG: Dirk Nowitzki - 2.24
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Erick Dampier, DaSagana Diop
PF - Dirk Nowitzki, Keith Van Horn, Augustus Hughes
SF - Josh Howard, Steve Novak, Jose Sampson
SG - Jerry Stackhouse, Greg Buckner, Royal Ivey
PG - Devin Harris, Anthony Johnson, Juan Jose Barea, Andrew Patel
Outlook: Faced with the prospect of re-signing both Josh Howard and Jason Terry this off-season, as well as Dirk's deal expiring next summer, enigmatic Mavs owner Mark Cuban showed some formerly lacking fiscal restraint, choosing to let Terry go while hanging on to Howard. Though the decision leaves the Mavs bench quite thin, they still have a starting 5 to rival any in the NBA. Keith Van Horn was brought back for another go round with the team, replacing the disappointing and departed Austin Croshere, who somewhat ironically was tabbed to replace Van Horn. They also brought in sharpshooter Steve Novak to boost the firepower of the reserve unit. Still, one can't shake the feeling that Dallas is a considerably weaker team than in years past, and a repeat trip to the Conference Finals seems unlikely.
Players Added: Brent Alvarez, Rudy Bianchi
Players Lost: Dale Davis, Joe Smith, Reggie Evans, Jamal Sampson
Head Coach: George Karl
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Carmelo Anthony - 28.0
RPG: Marcus Camby - 9.4
APG: Chauncey Billups - 6.5
SPG: Carmelo Anthony - 1.73
BPG: Marcus Camby - 2.13
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, Johan Petro
PF - Carmelo Anthony, Brent Alvarez
SF - Tayshaun Prince, Yakhouba Diawara
SG - JR Smith, Fred Jones, Julius Hodge
PG - Chauncey Billups, Earl Boykins, Rudy Bianchi
Outlook: Denver is a team whose prospects are hard to predict. On one hand, it will be the first full season with Prince and Billups on the team, while on the other, George Karl is attempting to implement an entirely new system this season, one quite similar to the Suns. Carmelo has been asked to play power forward so that the team can play its desired up-tempo style, inserting the young, athletic Smith in the starting line-up, and moving the older, injury-prone Kenyon Martin to the bench, where it will be easier to limit his minutes and maximize his effectiveness. So while it looks like a very strong team on paper, and the up-tempo style seems tailor-made for this kind of team, there are still many unknowns surrounding the Nuggets season. Will Carmelo be able to handle the punishment he'll receive in the paint? Will the defense improve enough to keep the team competitive? Will George Karl last the season? Only time will tell.
Players Added: Furious Jayme, Toni Sampson, Kyle Cunningham
Players Lost: Jason Maxiell, Amir Johnson, Will Blalock, Lindsay Hunter, Ronald Dupree
Head Coach: Flip Saunders
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Rip Hamilton - 19.4
RPG: Rasheed Wallace - 9.7
APG: Andre Miller - 7.2
SPG: Andre Miller - 1.59
BPG: Rasheed Wallace - 2.35
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Nene, Nazr Mohammed
PF - Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, Furious Jayme
SF - Linas Kleiza, Carlos Delfino, Toni Sampson
SG - Rip Hamilton, Flip Murray
PG - Andre Miller, Kyle Cunningham, Mardy Collins
Outlook: Detroit should be better next season. Last season they secured the 8th playoff seed despite losing Nene for the last month and a half of the season, and fighting through early injuries to Hamilton and, when he was still with the team, Chauncey Billups. Though it does seem obvious that Detroit can no longer be considered among the East's elite, they are still a formidable opponent. Rasheed and Nene form as good a front-court duo as can be found in the league, and Linas Kleiza is a great shooter and one of the league's most underrated players. Rookie PG Kyle Cummingham could be special, but for now the starting spot remains strongly in Miller's grip. Though a top 4 seeding seems unlikely, look for the Pistons to improve on their 8th place finish from last year, provided they can stay healthy.
Players Added: Zach Randolph, Juan Dixon, Kareem Coleman, Jeramie Sheehan
Players Lost: Ike Diogu, Troy Murphy, Anthony Roberson, Keith McLeod, Zarko Cabarkapa, Dijon Wagner
Head Coach: Don Nelson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Jason Richardson - 21.6
RPG: Troy Murphy - 9.4
APG: Baron Davis - 7.9
SPG: Baron Davis - 2.07
BPG: Andris Beidrins - 1.61
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Andris Beidrins, Jeramie Sheehan, Adonal Foyle, Patrick O'Bryant
PF - Zach Randolph, Matt Barnes
SF - Jason Richardson, Mikael Pietrus
SG - Monta Ellis, Mike Dunleavy, Kareem Coleman
PG - Baron Davis, Juan Dixon
Outlook: Excellent, with the usual caveat of "provided everyone stays healthy". This is, however, perhaps more so true of Golden State than any other team. Davis, J-Rich, and Randolph are all legitimate injury concerns, as well as legitimate all-stars. Though the Warriors do have the personnel to mitigate a severe injury to Richardson, this is not true of either Z-Bo or B-Diddy. The Warriors are desperately thin at both PF and PG, and any long-term injury to the aforementioned stars would likely derail Golden State's entire season. Should the team remain healthy, however, a top 4 seed might not be out of the question.
Players Added: Anderson Varejao, Dave Schulze, Damir Markota
Players Lost: Dikembe Mutumbo, Scot Padgett, Steve Novak, John Lucas III, Vassilis Spanoulis
Head Coach: Jeff Van Gundy
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Tracy McGrady - 30.2
RPG: Yao Ming - 9.7
APG: Tracy McGrady - 7.6
SPG: Tracy McGrady - 2.32
BPG: Yao Ming - 2.11
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Yao Ming, Anderson Varejao
PF - Juwan Howard, Chuck Hayes
SF - Shane Battier, Bonzi Wells, Dave Schulze, Damir Markota
SG - Tracy McGrady, Bobby Jackson, Kirk Snyder
PG - Luther Head, Rafer Alston
Outlook: Houston was in the midst of a relatively disappointing season prior to acquiring 6th Man of the Year Bobby Jackson a few days before the trade deadline. After that, Houston went on a tear, finishing the season on an 8-game winning streak, and advancing past the 1st round for the 1st time in the Yao-McGrady era. Obviously fairly content with their roster, the Rockets made very few major moves in the off-season. They did sign Sideshow Varejao to replace the aging Mutumbo, and his energy off the bench should be a big boost to Houston this season, but it likely won't be enough to propel them past Dallas or San Antonio, which means probably more of the same from Houston - another 50-win campaign, 5th seed in the West, and a disappointing playoff exit.
Players Added: Newton Mendez, Eddie Gill
Players Lost: Darrell Armstrong, Rawle Marshall, Josh Powell, Maceo Baston, Orien Greene, Sarunas Jasikevicius
Head Coach: Rick Adelman
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Stephen Jackson - 19.6
RPG: Jermaine O'Neal - 10.3
APG: Jamal Tinsley - 8.2
SPG: Jamal Tinsley - 1.86
BPG: Jermaine O'Neal - 2.44
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jermaine O'Neal, Jeff Foster, David Harrison
PF - Al Harrington, Darius Songaila
SF - Danny Granger, Shawne Williams
SG - Stephen Jackson, Marquis Daniels
PG - Jamal Tinsley, Eddie Gill, Newton Mendez
Outlook: The Pacers missed the playoffs for the 1st time since 1997, but instead of hitting the panic button and blowing up the roster, they simply changed coaches. Rick Adelman is expected to implement a more up-tempo style, while taking advantage of J.O.'s passing ability from the post. Though it will be a struggle for the Pacers to make it back to the post-season, once the team starts to feel comfortable in Adelman's offense, they'll be a tough team to play.
Players Added: Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer, Francisco Elson, Ayeshi Vega, Durand Richter, Sergei Monia
Players Lost: Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, Zarko Rebraca, Aaron Williams, Sam Cassell, James Singleton, Daniel Ewing, Mario Kasun
Head Coach: Lenny Wilkins
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Elton Brand - 21.3
RPG: Elton Brand - 11.2
APG: Shaun Livingston - 8.0
SPG: Shaun Livingston - 2.01
BPG: Elton Brand - 2.63
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Chris Kaman, Francisco Elson
PF - Elton Brand, Paul Davis
SF - Andrei Kirilenko, Yaroslav Korolev
SG - Cuttino Mobley, Ronnie Brewer, Sergei Monia
PG - Shaun Livingston, Ayeshi Vega, Durand Richter
Outlook: The Clippers were one of the most disappointing teams in the NBA last year. One season removed from the franchise's first playoff berth in years, the Clips fell to a meager 24-58 record, and it became clear that wholesale changes were needed. The first move came early in the 06-07 season when Mike Dunleavy was replaced as head coach by Lenny Wilkens after Dunleavy managed to squeeze only 1 win out of the first 12 games. The move failed to spark the team as was hoped, as LA went 23-47 the rest of the way. Disgruntled swingman Corey Maggette, after years of trade rumors, was finally shipped out, along with Tim Thomas and rookie Lawrence Connors, to the Utah Jazz in exchange for Andrei Kirilenko, Ronnie Brewer, and rookie point guard Ayeshi Vega. The move instantly upgrades LA's porous defense, and should make them a much better team. However, it will still be an uphill battle for the Clips to make the post-season, as the Pacific division remains arguably the best division in the league.
Players Added: Paul Millsap, Peter Brown, Taylor O'Callaghan
Players Lost: Brian Cook, Aaron McKie, Ronny Turiaf, Chris Mihm, Shammond Williams, Luke Walton
Head Coach: Phil Jackson
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Kobe Bryant - 26.6
RPG: Lamar Odom - 10.0
APG: Lamar Odom - 5.4
SPG: Kobe Bryant - 1.99
BPG: Kwame Brown - 1.71
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum
PF - Paul Millsap, Peter Brown
SF - Lamar Odom, Vladimir Radmanovic
SG - Kobe Bryant, Maurice Evans, Taylor O'Callaghan
PG - Smush Parker, Sasha Vujacic, Jordan Farmar
Outlook: Many observers were surprised by the Lakers reluctance to re-sign Luke Walton, but the Lakers seem to be moving toward a more traditional line-up, moving Odom back to his natural position at small forward, and bringing in defensive-minded big man Paul Millsap. It is a questionable strategy considering the Lakers showed a lot of heart in the playoffs, overcoming a 3-1 series deficit to the Spurs in the 1st round. But if Kobe can maintain his MVP form this year, the Lakers should once again approach the 50-win mark. Questions still remain at point guard, with the inconsistent Smush Parker backed up by the inexperienced Vujacic and Farmar.
Players Added: Mike Hall, Miguel Vidal, Ivan Dickey
Players Lost: Jake Tsakalidis, Desmond Farmer, Lawrence Roberts
Head Coach: Eddie Jordan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Damon Stoudemire - 21.0
RPG: Pau Gasol - 9.1
APG: Damon Stoudemire - 6.5
SPG: Damon Stoudemire - 1.40
BPG: Pau Gasol - 2.22
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Pau Gasol, Stromile Swift
PF - Hakim Warrick, Brian Cardinal
SF - Mike Miller, Eddie Jones, Mike Hall
SG - Rudy Gay, Tarence Kinsey, Dahntay Jones, Miguel Vidal
PG - Damon Stoudemire, Ivan Dickey, Kyle Lowry
Outlook: The Grizz basically stayed the course this off-season, with the exception of replacing Mike Fratello with former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. No major trades or signings likely means a similar season for Memphis in 07-08. Though Rudy Gay continues to improve, expecting Damon Stoudemire to replicate last season's numbers is quite unrealistic. Mighty Mouse turned back the clock by about a decade last year, posting a career-best 21 points per game. With his declining athleticism and opposing defenses likely keying in on him more this year, Stoudemire could struggle to even best his career average of 14 PPG. Memphis is relying on improvement from within, and I'm not sure if it will be enough.
Players Added: Jamal Sampson, Jens Klein, Vinny Lloyd, Ruslan Denisov
Players Lost: Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton, Earl Barron, Marcus Vinicius, Chris Quinn, Jason Kapono
Head Coach: Pat Reily
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Dwyane Wade - 24.4
RPG: Shaquille O'Neal - 9.5
APG: Jason Williams - 6.8
SPG: Dwyane Wade - 1.69
BPG: Shaquille O'Neal - 1.94
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Shaquille O'Neal, Jamal Sampson, Michael Doleac
PF - Udonis Haslem, Wayne Simien, Jens Klein
SF - James Posey, Antoine Walker
SG - Dwyane Wade, Dorrell Wright, Vinny Lloyd
PG - Jason Williams, Ruslan Denisov
Outlook: With an aging roster and vastly improved competition in the Southeast division, notably from Orlando and Charlotte, Miami has a tough road ahead of them to claim their 4th consecutive division title. The loss of Alonzo Mourning in particular will hurt this team, as Shaq can't be relied on to play 60+ games. Rookie Ruslan Denisov projects to be a solid pro, but the Heat have simply lost too much depth to be considered as good as in years past. Any injury to a key player, and Miami fans will be in for a long season.
Players Added: C.J. Miles, John Lucas III, Victor Torres, Horace Griffiths
Players Lost: Damir Markota, Charlie Bell, Lynn Greer, Ersan Ilyasova, Steve Blake, Chris McCray
Head Coach: Byron Scott
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Michael Redd - 23.9
RPG: Andrew Bogut - 9.6
APG: Mo Williams - 6.3
SPG: Mo Williams - 1.59
BPG: Andrew Bogut - 2.05
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Andrew Bogut, Brian Skinner, Dan Gadzuric
PF - Charlie Villanueva, Victor Torres
SF - Bobby Simmons, Ruben Patterson, Horace Griffiths, David Noel
SG - Michael Redd, C.J. Miles
PG - Mo Williams, John Lucas III
Outlook: The Bucks are good young team on the rise. Though the bench lacks depth, especially in the back court, there a number of good young pieces on this team. Entering only his 3rd season, Aussie Andrew Bogut is already on the verge of becoming a constant double-double player, both Michael Redd and Mo Williams are just entering their prime, and Charlie V has the potential to be 20 PPG scorer. Charlie's backup, rookie Victor Torres, is a lights out shooter with absolutely unlimited potential, though he'll need to pack some pounds on to his slight 6'11" 201lbs frame. The Bucks still exhibit an aversion to defense, which is something new coach Byron Scott will need to address in order to get this team into playoff contention.
Players Added: Darko Milicic, Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Stanislav Obradovic, Nikolosz Tskitishvilli
Players Lost: Kevin Garnett, Mark Madsen, Justin Reed, Bracey Wright, Vin Baker, Troy Hudson
Head Coach: Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ricky Davis - 21.7
RPG: Kevin Garnett - 12.5
APG: Mike James - 5.1
SPG: Kevin Garnett - 1.67
BPG: Kevin Garnett - 2.20
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Darko Milicic, Stanislav Obradovic, Mark Blount
PF - Eddie Griffin, Craig Smith, Nikolosz Tskitishvilli
SF - Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Marco Jaric
SG - Ricky Davis, Trenton Hassell, Rashad McCants
PG - Randy Foye, Mike James, Carlos Arroyo
Outlook: Minnesota is another team in transition whose two options this off-season were to either surround their superstar Kevin Garnett with more veteran talent, or go all-out with the re-building process. Unlike the Celtics, however, the Timberwolves hand was forced when Garnett, unhappy after 3 consecutive losing seasons, finally demanded a trade out of Minnesota. When it was all said and done, Minnesota positioned themselves nicely for the future, adding young up-and-comers Darko Milicic and Trevor Ariza, sharpshooter Hedo Turkoglu (fresh off a career high 20 PPG), and acquiring 2 1st round picks in next year's draft. The T-Wolves will certainly struggle this season, and probably next, but they've got all the pieces to potentially get the franchise back to respectability.
Players Added: Zoran Planinic, Brooks Young, Paco Martinez
Players Lost: Mikki Moore, Hassan Adams, Cliff Robinson, Eddie House, Jeff McInnis
Head Coach: Lawrence Frank
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Vince Carter - 23.9
RPG: Nenad Kristic - 11.0
APG: Jason Kidd - 7.3
SPG: Jason Kidd - 1.90
BPG: Nenad Kristic - 1.75
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jason Collins, Josh Boone, Mile Ilic
PF - Nenad Kristic, Brooks Young, Paco Martinez
SF - Richard Jefferson, Bostjan Nachbar, Zoran Planinic
SG - Vince Carter, Antoine Wright
PG - Jason Kidd, Marcus Williams
Outlook: The Nets made it to the Conference Finals last season, overachieving in the eyes of many pundits. Nets brass evidently did not share that sentiment, opting to make no big off-season acquisitions, instead relying on continuity and improvement from within. Rookies Brooks Young and Paco Martinez add a much needed toughness to the front court, but the success of the season could rest on 2 other youngsters: Marcus Williams and Antoine Wright. Both Vince Carter and Jason Kidd are at the tail end of their prime, and their minutes will need to be closely monitored to ensure they both remain healthy for the post-season. how effectively Wright and Williams can spell those 2 superstars off the bench will go a long way to determining New Jersey's success.
Players Added: Alonzo Mourning, Devin Brown, Gerald Green, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, Jiri Welsch, Emilio Coote, Aleksy Farkas
Players Lost: David West, Desmond Mason, Bob Sura, Linton Johnson, Marc Jackson, Cedric Simmons, Brandon Bass
Head Coach: Stan Van Gundy
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Peja Stojakovic - 21.8
RPG: Tyson Chandler - 11.4
APG: Chris Paul - 8.3
SPG: Chris Paul - 1.81
BPG: Tyson Chandler - 1.93
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Alonzo Mourning, Emilio Coote, Peter John Ramos
PF - Tyson Chandler, Furious Gomez
SF - Peja Stojakovic, Wally Szczerbiak, Jiri Welsch
SG - Devin Brown, Gerald Green, Quincy Douby
PG - Chris Paul, Delonte West, Jannero Pargo, Aleksy Farkas
Outlook: After a very disappointing season, the Hornets completely over-hauled their roster, bringing in 8 new players, most notably Alonzo Mourning, Gerald Green, Delonte West, and Devin Brown. Chris Paul continues to develop into one of the league's premier points, but a playmaker is only as effective as his teammates make him. With Green and Brown running the floor for highlight alley-oops, and Peja and Wally World spotting up at the 3PT line, Paul should have many options this year when it comes to distributing the ball. The Hornets now also boast perhaps the most intimidating front court in basketball with shot blockers Mourning and Chandler teaming up to give opponents nightmares. Rookie Furious Gomez should add some energy and toughness off the bench, and New Orleans should be right in the thick of the playoff race come April.
Players Added: Corey MacKenna, Jeffrey Lyons
Players Lost: Jared Jeffries
Head Coach: Isiah Thomas
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Stephon Marbury - 20.8
RPG: Eddy Curry - 9.5
APG: Stephon Marbury - 7.1
SPG: Stephon Marbury - 1.94
BPG: Eddy Curry - 1.50
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Eddy Curry, Channing Frye, Jerome James
PF - David Lee, Jason Maxiell, Malik Rose
SF - Quentin Richardson, Renaldo Balkman
SG - Steve Francis, Jamal Crawford, Corey MacKenna, Salim Stoudemire
PG - Stephon Marbury, Nate Robinson, Jeffrey Lyons
Outlook: What can you really say about the Knicks? They have a dysfunctional roster, a dysfunctional coach, and a dysfunctional front office. They lost out on the 1st overall pick in the draft, trading it to Chicago in the Eddy Curry deal, which will set them back considerably. With no notable off-season additions, look for another dysfunctional season from the league's most dysfunctional team. Go Knicks!
Players Added: Kevin Garnett, Melvin Ely, Mark Madsen, Morris Peterson, Hassan Adams, Clem Menendez, Erick Cano
Players Lost: Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, Carlos Arroyo, Darko Milicic, Tony Battie, Bo Outlaw, Travis Diener, Grant Hill
Head Coach: Brian Hill
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Hedo Turkoglu - 20.8
RPG: Dwight Howard - 10.7
APG: Jameer Nelson - 6.9
SPG: Grant Hill - 1.59
BPG: Dwight Howard - 2.32
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Dwight howard, Melvin Ely, Mark Madsen
PF - Kevin Garnett, Erick Cano, James Augustine
SF - Hassan Adams, Keith Bogans
SG - Morris Peterson, J.J. Redick
PG - Jameer Nelson, Keyon Dooling, Clem Menendez
Outlook: When word got out that Kevin Garnett was available, Orlando went all-out trying to acquire the former MVP and future Hall of Famer. Despite trading off nearly half their team to get KG, the Magic are undoubtedly a better team tha they were last year. KG and Dwight give the Magic a front court pairing unrivaled since the days of Tim Duncan-David Robinson in San Antonio. Adding MoPete and sophomore Hassan Adams helps mitigate the loss of so many perimeter players, but back court depth is certainly a concern. Barring a substantial injury to one of the starters, Orlando looks to be the team to beat out East.
Players Added: Randolph Morris, Simon Marhsall, Janho de Conceicao
Players Lost: Alan Henderson, Ivan MacFarlin, Steven Smith
Head Coach: Maurice Cheeks
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Allen Iverson - 22.4
RPG: Samuel Dalembert - 8.8
APG: Allen Iverson - 6.6
SPG: Allen Iverson - 2.22
BPG: Samuel Dalembert - 1.82
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Samuel Dalembert, Steven Hunter
PF - Chris Webber, Randolph Morris, Shavlik Randolph
SF - Kyle Korver, Rodney Carney, Bobby Jones
SG - Andre Igoudala, Willie Green, Janho de Conceicao
PG - Allen Iverson, Simon Marshall, Louis Williams, Kevin Ollie
Outlook: The Sixers need to win now, there is no way around it. Iverson and Webber's best days are behind them, and this team has no one coming up to replace them. Though they somewhat surprisingly won 50 games last year, they will be hard pressed to repeat the feat. Depth remains a major concern, one which becomes all the more vital if Iverson or Webber fall off dramatically. With the improvement of many teams in the East, the smart money is on Philly finishing with approximately a .500 record.
Players Added: Gavin Ferguson, Steven Ortiz, Cesar Romero
Players Lost: Leandro Barbosa, Randolph Morris, Sean Marks, Pat Burke, Jumaine Jones
Head Coach: Mike D'Antoni
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Steve Nash - 19.8
RPG: Amare Stoudemire - 9.6
APG: Steve Nash - 6.9
SPG: Shawn Marion - 1.97
BPG: Shawn Marion - 2.38
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Amare Stoudemire, Kurt Thomas
PF - Shawn Marion, Gavin Ferguson
SF - Boris Diaw, Steven Ortiz, Erik Piatkowski
SG - Raja Bell, James Jones, Cesar Romero
PG - Steve Nash, Marcus Banks
Outlook: The Suns finally got over the hump last year, losing only 2 games en route to their first championship behind the leadership of the peerless Steve Nash. The loss of Leandro Barbosa to free agency leaves a hole this team will be hard pressed to fill. Nash is bound to slow down eventually, and this roster has even less depth than in years past. However, the Suns did prove last season that a lack of depth does not seem to be the Achilles heel for them that it would be for many other teams. As long as Steve Nash remains productive, and Amare and Diaw continue to improve, no smart man would bet against this Phoenix team.
Players Added: Troy Murphy, Ike Diogu, Olden Lewis, Gary Webb
Players Lost: Zach Randolph, Juan Dixon, Ime Udoka, Stephen Graham, Melvin Ely
Head Coach: Nate McMillan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Brandon Roy - 20.1
RPG: Zach Randolph - 9.8
APG: Jarrett Jack - 6.5
SPG: Brandon Roy - 1.70
BPG: Jamal Magloire - 1.85
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Jamal Magloire, Troy Murphy, Joel Pryzbilla
PF - LaMarcus Aldridge, Ike Diogu, Raef Lafrentz
SF - Travis Outlaw, Darius Miles, Olden Lewis
SG - Brandon Roy, Martell Webster
PG - Jarrett Jack, Gary Webb, Sergio Rodriguez
Outlook: Shipping out Zach Randolph officially puts the Blazers in re-building mode. They have good young players at every position, and 2 1st rounders in next year's draft. Troy Murphy adds some much needed shooting prowess, and rookie Gary Webb could easily unseat Jarrett Jack as the team's starting PG this season. He has shown incredible passing vision, but needs to work on his defense in order to not be a liability on that end of the court. It is possible that Portland will win even fewer games this season than last, but they are in a much better position for the long-haul, having rid themselves of Z-Bo's outrageous contract and detrimental personality.
Players Added: Helal Seaz, Angel Rubio
Players Lost: Corliss Williamson, Vitaly Potapenko, Maurie Taylor
Head Coahc: Eric Musselman
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ron Artest - 20.0
RPG: Shareef Abdur-Rahim - 9.5
APG: Mike Bibby - 6.0
SPG: Ron Artest - 1.82
BPG: Ron Artest - 1.72
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Brad Miller, Hilton Armstrong, Helal Saez
PF - Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Kenny Thomas
SF - Ron Artest, John Salmons
SG - Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia
PG - Mike Bibby, Angel Rubio, Jason Hart, Ronnie Price
Outlook: Sacramento over-achieved last season. With an aging roster and no significant additions, the Kings will be hard pressed to make the playoffs again this year. Short and sweet, but there isn't much else to say.
Players Added: Alexander Johnson, Toby Aguilar, Alonzo Davies
Players Lost: Francisco Elson, Michael Finley, Matt Bonner, Erik Williams, Jacques Vaughn
Head Coach: Gregg Popovich
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Tim Duncan - 24.5
RPG: Tim Duncan - 11.2
APG: Tony Parker - 6.1
SPG: Bruce Bowen - 1.84
BPG: Tim Duncan - 2.48
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Fabricio Oberto, Jackie Butler
PF - Tim Duncan, Robert Horry, Alexander Johnson
SF - Bruce Bowen, Toby Aguilar
SG - Manu Ginobili, Brent Barry, Alonzo Davies
PG - Tony Parker, Beno Udrih
Outlook: The Spurs were embarrassed in the playoffs, blowing a 3-1 lead to a vastly inferior Lakers squad. Not even Bruce Bowen, the league's premier perimeter defender, could slow Kobe in that series, as he torched the Spurs for better than 30 PPG. That series may have signaled the beginning of the end for the Spurs dominance, as Michael Finley and Francisco Elson both declined to re-sign with the club, leaving them as shallow as a back-yard kiddie pool. Though they certainly cannot be counted out just yet, this is not as intimidating a Spurs team as in the past.
Players Added: Chris Mihm, Laron Profit, Ron William, Rafer Turner
Players Lost: Nick Collison, Mickael Gelabale, Mike Wilks, Kareem Rush
Head Coach: Larry Brown
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Ray Allen - 24.7
RPG: Chris Wilcox - 10.7
APG: Luke Ridnour - 7.0
SPG: Ray Allen - 1.88
BPG: Chris Wilcox - 2.10
PRJECTED ROTATION
C - Robert Swift, Chris Mihm, Saer Sene
PF - Chris Wilcox, Danny Fortson
SF - Rashard Lewis, Ron William, Laron Profit
SG - Ray Allen, Damien Wilkins, Desmond Farmer, Rafer Turner
PG - Luke Ridnour, Earl Watson
Outlook: The most significant change the Sonics made in the off-season was to bring in Larry Brown as the new head coach. The hope is that Brown will be able to mold this team into a defense-first squad similar to his championship Pistons team. Whether they have the personnel to play such a style seems iffy, at best, but Brown has never been one to back down from a challenge. Though the early going could be rough for this team, if they can buy into Brown's schemes, chances are they'll be better by season's end than they were last year.
Players Added: Corey Maggette, Tim Thomas, Raul Lopez, Lawrence Connors, Brahim Tchami
Players Lost: Andrei Kirilenko, Roger Powell, Paul Millsap, Jarron Collins, Dee Brown, Ronnie Brewer, C.J. Miles
Head Coach: Jerry Sloan
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Carlos Boozer - 18.7
RPG: Carlos Boozer - 11.5
APG: Deron Williams - 6.6
SPG: Andrei Kirilenko - 2.01
BPG: Andrei Kirilenko - 2.00
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Mehemt Okur, Rafael Araujo
PF - Carlos Boozer, Tim Thomas
SF - Lawrence Connors, Matt Harpring, Brahim Tchami
SG - Corey Maggette, Gordan Giricek
PG - Deron William, Derek Fisher, Raul Lopez, Brian Chase
Outlook: Though it seemed at first to be a manageable loss, the deflection of Paul Millsap in fact changed Utah's whole off-season strategy. Glaringly thin in the front court, and with a disgruntled star in AK47, it quickly became clear that the Jazz would have to make some moves to remain competitive. To that end, they brought in sharpshooting big man Tim Thomas, the explosive Corey Maggette to fill the whole at shooting guard, and rookie Lawrence Connors, whom many are predicting as an early ROY candidate. Though losing Kirilenko hurts Utah's defense, they now boast among the league's most potent offenses, with at least 7 guys capable of pouring in 20 points on any given night. Rumor has it that this will be Jerry Sloan's last season as head coach, and that he in fact is only sticking around this year to try to work the new additions into the system. Though Utah has been mum as to Sloan's replacement, rumors are rampant that former Jazz great John Stockton may be tabbed to replace Sloan. So far, Stockton has declined to comment on the rumors.
Players Added: Mario Kasun, Sarunas Jasikevicius, Chris Quinn, Marcos Leon, Brett Woods
Players Lost: DeShawn Stevenson, Calvin Booth, Michael Ruffin, James Lang, Donnell Taylor, Roger Mason, Darius Songaila
Head Coach: Paul Silas
06-07 STATS LEADERS
PPG: Gilbert Arenas - 24.2
RPG: Antawn Jamison - 9.3
APG: Gilbert Arenas - 8.5
SPG: Gilbert Arenas - 1.78
BPG: Etan Thomas - 1.97
PROJECTED ROTATION
C - Etan Thomas, Brendan Haywood, Mario Kasun
PF - Marcos Leon, Brett Woods
SF - Antawn Jamison, Jarvis Hayes
SG - Caron Butler, Sarunas Jasikevicius
PG - Gilbert Arenas, Antonio Daniels, Will Conroy, Chris Quinn
Outlook: This is a new Wizards team. Despite the many roster holdovers from last season, this team has completely different identity. Paul Silas has preached defense first since taking over for Eddie Jordan last year, and he finally has the personnel to do it. Shifting Jamison to his more natural position to open up time for 2nd overall pick Marcos Leon is a move that could pay huge dividends on the defensive end. However, Silas' job is far from secure. If he can't get this team to gel, ownership has made no secret of the fact that they'd explore other options.
Up Next: Raptors season preview
Last edited by TheMC5 on Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:11 am, edited 2 times in total.
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by Marquis on Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:03 am
This was impressive preview 
Some of my thoughts:
Bobcats looks pretty good with the addition of Terry, playoffs are realistic goal. On the other note, it's a pity that Dallas let him go.
I really like Kleiza at the Pistons starting 5.
Clippers has a nice team after that AK-Magette trade. They will probably have better season this year.
Hornets had really good offseason. I predict them top5 position in the Western Conference.
Dwight Howard + Kevin Garnett = Insane. Plus adding Morris Peterson was good move by Magic improving SG position.
Some of my thoughts:
Bobcats looks pretty good with the addition of Terry, playoffs are realistic goal. On the other note, it's a pity that Dallas let him go.
I really like Kleiza at the Pistons starting 5.
Clippers has a nice team after that AK-Magette trade. They will probably have better season this year.
Hornets had really good offseason. I predict them top5 position in the Western Conference.
Dwight Howard + Kevin Garnett = Insane. Plus adding Morris Peterson was good move by Magic improving SG position.
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by TheMC5 on Sat Nov 03, 2007 7:15 am
Marquis, thanks man. I had a blast writing those.
Bobcats are looking pretty good, but a lot of their fortunes rest on rookie Jim Jackman, which is a little risky.
Pistons look really solid, and Kleiza is one of the most underrated players in the NBA.
Clippers could be a handful, that's for sure. How is anyone going to get a shot off in the paint against them with Brand, Kaman and AK47 clogging the lane?
Hornets look really good, too. Mourning and Chandler is a deadly big man combo.
Dwight and KG, however, is an even more deadly big man combo. They really could be the top team in the East when it's all said and done.
Thanks again for taking the time to read it. I really appreciate it.
Bobcats are looking pretty good, but a lot of their fortunes rest on rookie Jim Jackman, which is a little risky.
Pistons look really solid, and Kleiza is one of the most underrated players in the NBA.
Clippers could be a handful, that's for sure. How is anyone going to get a shot off in the paint against them with Brand, Kaman and AK47 clogging the lane?
Hornets look really good, too. Mourning and Chandler is a deadly big man combo.
Dwight and KG, however, is an even more deadly big man combo. They really could be the top team in the East when it's all said and done.
Thanks again for taking the time to read it. I really appreciate it.
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by Clutch on Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:03 am
most excellent read! (Y)(Y)
love the season setup with just a few notes:
FURIOUS GOMEZ should win RotY based on name alone;
contrary to you early outlook forecast, Rockets will be the team to beat out west and do some major damage deep into the playoffs now that TMAC's gotten a taste past the first round (it's too bad Mutombo's gone though
)
anyway, this might get double or triple posted as i already hit 'submit' a few times and had my computer hang...
but the previews are that good they warrant a double-post of praise!
(Y)(Y)
love the season setup with just a few notes:
FURIOUS GOMEZ should win RotY based on name alone;
contrary to you early outlook forecast, Rockets will be the team to beat out west and do some major damage deep into the playoffs now that TMAC's gotten a taste past the first round (it's too bad Mutombo's gone though
)
anyway, this might get double or triple posted as i already hit 'submit' a few times and had my computer hang...
but the previews are that good they warrant a double-post of praise!
-
Clutch - ^ Life... currently :\
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by TheMC5 on Sat Nov 03, 2007 8:17 am
Thanks, BD5. I'll be sure to keep you posted on any and all Furious Gomez action this season. Unfortunately, with Chandler ahead of him on the depth chart, it will be a challenge for Furious to win ROY. But I'll be sure to play (as opposed to sim) any games against the hornets this season, just so you can get a little taste of the Furious action.
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by Its_asdf on Sun Nov 04, 2007 6:06 am
Bah, I wrote up a pretty lengthy post only to have it deleted by that stupid forum error. Damn this forum!
Anyway, I really like the previews and all of the transactions. It is a lot of info to digest, and to be honest I haven't read most of it, but I'm really looking forward to reading all of it (when Andrew finally fixes up the place and perhaps the forum will stop getting those retarded error messages).
I've always enjoyed your dynasties because you're not only observing/tampering with your own team, but with all other 29 teams as well. It's something I'll always be fond of, because quite honestly, I'm a lazy bastard.
Anyway, I really like the previews and all of the transactions. It is a lot of info to digest, and to be honest I haven't read most of it, but I'm really looking forward to reading all of it (when Andrew finally fixes up the place and perhaps the forum will stop getting those retarded error messages).
I've always enjoyed your dynasties because you're not only observing/tampering with your own team, but with all other 29 teams as well. It's something I'll always be fond of, because quite honestly, I'm a lazy bastard.
-
Its_asdf - I'm kind of a big deal.
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by TheMC5 on Mon Nov 05, 2007 3:10 pm
Thanks, ASDF (what does that stand for, anyway?). I don't actually expect people to read everything in the thread. A lot of that stuff is there so that I have a record of it for future reference. And the main reason I kind of control all 30 teams is to keep myself interested in the dynasty. I wish I didn't have to, but EA is not very good with things like player trades. I mean, I can't tell you how many times I've seen a trade go down, only to have it reversed the next season (i.e. Dallas trading Jason Terry for Caron Butler, and then trading Butler back to Washington next season for Terry).
Anyway, I'm glad you're digging it. Actual games and whatnot should be up sometime next week.
Anyway, I'm glad you're digging it. Actual games and whatnot should be up sometime next week.
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by TheMC5 on Sat Nov 10, 2007 6:52 pm
Well, it turns out I should have done the Raptors preview along with all the others, because I don't really have any great ideas for it. So, I'm just going to slightly expand the current format to make it kind of similar to nba.com's season previews.
Players Lost: Morris Peterson, Pape Sow, PJ Tucker, Darrick Martin
Players Added: Leandro Barbosa, Ivan Medina, Hakeem Stevens
Head Coach: Sam Mitchell (4th season as Raptors coach)
CURRENT ROSTER
CENTERS
Andrea Bargnani (#7 - 78 Overall)
Height: 7'0" - Weight: 252 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: 1 - Born: Rome, Italy - School: N/A - Drafted: 1st overall in 2006 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 78 GP | 34 GS | 8.3 PPG | 7.1 RPG | 1.6 ORPG | 3.7 APG | 0.63 SPG | 1.22 BPG | 1.55 TPG | 3.74 FPG | 31.7 MPG | .430 FG% | .384 3PT% | .720 FT%
Strengths: Great shooter; Good ball handler for his size; Good foot speed; Solid shot blocker
Weaknesses: Needs to get stronger to pound inside; Man on man defense needs to improve; Needs to be more assertive on offense
Rasho Nesterovic (#12 - 68 Overall)
Height: 7'0" - Weight: 255 lbs - Age: 31 - Years Pro: 9 - Born: Ljubljana, Slovenia - School: N/A - Drafted: 17th overall in 1998 by Minnesota
06-07 STATS: 76 GP | 47 GS | 2.2 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 1.8 ORPG | 0.7 APG | 0.70 SPG | 0.96 BPG | 1.47 TPG | 2.96 FPG | 23.8 MPG | .472 FG% | .000 3PT% | .631 FT%
Strengths: Solid man/team defender; Competent shot blocker; Strong on the glass
Weaknesses: Lacks athleticism; Tires quickly; Inconsistent offensive game
POWER FORWARDS
Chris Bosh (#4 - 92 Overall)
Height: 6'10" - Weight: 238 lbs - Age: 23 - Years Pro: 4 - Born: Dallas, Texas - School: Georgia Tech - Drafted: 4th overall in 2003 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 82 GS | 21.1 PPG | 10.5 RPG | 2.9 ORPG | 2.0 APG | 1.40 SPG | 2.00 BPG | 1.78 TPG | 3.23 FPG | 36.4 MPG | .521 FG% | .213 3PT% | .770 FT%
Strengths: Excellent quickness; Good at drawing fouls; Very good help defender; Excels in clutch situations
Weaknesses: Needs to bulk up; Must bring his foul rate down
Ivan Medina (#5 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 221 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: Rookie - Born: El Rosario, Mexico - School: Georgia Tech - Drafted: 19th overall in 2007 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: N/A
Strengths: Money out to 20 feet, with the ability to hit the occasional 3; Solid speed
Weaknesses: Not a good rebounder; Needs to improve his basketball IQ; Zero low-post offense
Eduardo Najera (#21 - 70 Overall)
Height: 6'8" - Weight: 233 lbs - Age: 31 - Years Pro: 7 - Born: Meoqui, Mexico - School: Oklahoma - Drafted: 38th overall in 2000 by Houston
06-07 STATS: 66 GP | 0 GS | 3.2 PPG | 3.6 RPG | 1.0 ORPG | 0.8 APG | 0.59 SPG | 0.48 BPG | 0.86 TPG | 1.80 FPG | 14.2 MPG | .390 FG% | .188 3PT% | .623 FT%
Strengths: Hustles on every shift; Underrated defender; Smart player
Weaknesses: Lacks the strength to guard bigger 4's and the speed to guard most 3's; Very inconsistent offensively
Kris Humphries (#43 - 64 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 235 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Hopkins, Minnesota - School: Minnesota - Drafted: 10th overall in 2004 by Cleveland
06-07 STATS: 2 GP | 0 GS | 0 PPG | 1.5 RPG | 0.5 ORPG | 0 APG | 0 SPG | 0 BPG | 0.50 TPG | 1.00 FPG | 5.5 MPG | .000 FG% | .000 3PT% | .000 FT%
Strengths: Good strength; Nose for rebounds and loose balls
Weaknesses: No offensive game whatsoever
SMALL FORWARDS
Jorge Garbajosa (#15 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 245 lbs - Age: 29 - Years Pro: 1 - Born: Madrid, Spain - School: N/A - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 32 GS | 8.6 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 0.9 ORPG | 2.8 APG | 0.93 SPG | 0.45 BPG | 1.24 TPG | 1.63 FPG | 23.0 MPG | .438 FG% | .360 3PT% | .828 FT%
Strengths: Smart player; Solid jump shot; Good awareness on defense
Weaknesses: Lacks quickness; Not a great rebounder
Joey Graham (#14 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'7" - Weight: 225 lbs - Age: 25 - Years Pro: 2 - Born: Wilmington, Delaware - School: Oklahoma State - Drafted: 16th overall in 2005 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 43 GS | 6.2 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 1.2 ORPG | 2.5 APG | 0.79 SPG | 0.63 BPG | 1.48 TPG | 2.07 FPG | 21.7 MPG | .463 FG% | .349 3PT% | .865 FT%
Strengths: Extremely athletic; Can finish strong at the basket; Boundless energy
Weaknesses: Inconsistent from game to game; Shaky jumper; Sometimes caught falling asleep on defense
Hakeem Stevens (#22 - 65 Overall)
Height: 6'8" - Weight: 235 lbs - Age: 19 - Years Pro: Rookie - Born: Towson, Maryland - School: Temple - Drafted: 49th overall in 2007 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: N/A
Strengths: Freakish athlete; Good size for the NBA
Weaknesses: Very raw offensively; Struggles with the concept of team defense
SHOOTING GUARDS
Anthony Parker (#18 - 76 Overall)
Height: 6'6" - Weight: 211 lbs - Age: 32 - Years Pro: 6 - Born: Naperville, Illinois - School: Bradley - Drafted: 21st overall in 1997 by New Jersey
06-07 STATS: 80 GP | 39 GS | 14.4 PPG | 2.5 RPG | 1.1 ORPG | 3.2 APG | 1.08 SPG | 0.25 BPG | 1.87 TPG | 1.95 FPG | 26.8 MPG | .429 FG% | .368 3PT% | .844 FT%
Strengths: Very good shooter; Great team defender; Not afraid to take big shots
Weaknesses: Not particularly adept at driving to the basket; Can be beaten by quicker guards
Leandro Barbosa (#10 - 75 Overall)
Height: 6'3" - Weight: 188 lbs - Age: 25 - Years Pro: 4 - Born: Sao Paulo, Brazil - School: N/A - Drafted: 28th overall in 2003 by San Antonio
06-07 STATS: 80 GP | 7 GS | 8.5 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 0.6 ORPG | 3.1 APG | 0.56 SPG | 0.21 BPG | 0.83 TPG | 1.53 FPG | 17.8 MPG | .432 FG% | .418 3PT% | .760 FT%
Strengths: Amazing speed and quickness; Much improved shooter; Not afraid to draw contact at the hoop
Weaknesses: Needs to work on shot selection; Must learn how to play under control on defense
Quinton Ross (#13 - 65 Overall)
Height: 6'6" - Weight: 186 lbs - Age: 26 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Dallas, Texas - School: SMU - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 70 GP | 1 GS | 1.0 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 0.4 ORPG | 0.5 APG | 0.41 SPG | 0.14 BPG | 0.61 TPG | 0.50 FPG | 8.7 MPG | .344 FG% | .000 3PT% | .738 FT%
Strengths: Very good perimeter defender; Quick hands cause a lot of turnovers for the opposition
Weaknesses: No offensive game to speak of; Too slight to bang with stronger guards
POINT GUARDS
T.J. Ford (#11 - 78 Overall)
Height: 6'0" - Weight: 163 lbs - Age: 24 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Houston, Texas - School: Texas - Drafted: 8th overall in 2003 by Milwaukee
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 77 GS | 15.6 PPG | 2.9 RPG | 1.2 ORPG | 6.1 APG | 1.23 SPG | 0.37 BPG | 1.39 TPG | 1.74 FPG | 29.5 MPG | .406 FG% | .458 3PT% | .788 FT%
Strengths: Amazing speed and quickness; Sees the court well; Much improved 3PT shot
Weaknesses: Sometimes plays at half-pace on defense; Needs to develop better shot selection
Jose Calderon (#8 - 71 Overall)
Height: 6'3" - Weight: 211 lbs - Age: 24 - Years Pro: 2 - Born: Villanueva Serena, Spain - School: N/A - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 77 GP | 5 GS | 9.9 PPG | 1.8 RPG | 0.7 ORPG | 4.0 APG | 0.71 SPG | 0.22 BPG | 1.19 TPG | 1.34 FPG | 20.7 MPG | .432 FG% | .231 3PT% | .801 FT%
Strengths: Flawless midrange game; Adept at setting up teammates
Weaknesses: Not overly fast; Inconsistent from beyond the arc
TEAM STRENGTHS
The Raptors are a very good shooting team. The players are all unselfish, and as a result there is usually good ball movement on offense. They are one of the toughest teams to guard, due to the mismatches Bargnani, and now Barbosa, can create. Barbosa's addition should also make Toronto a very good transition/fast break team, with Rasho being the only player who can't get up and down the court in a hurry. The youth of the core players all but guarantees overall improvement. This is also a great free throw shooting team, as all rotation players except Rasho and Najera should be over 75% from the stripe this season.
TEAM WEAKNESSES
Defense continues to be a concern. Though both Bosh and Bargs look to be improved help defenders from last year, they are not good enough to consistently erase defensive mistakes on the perimeter. Rebounding, especially on the offensive end, needs to improve. Beyond CB4, Toronto has no one capable of really taking over the game.
MAN ON THE SPOT: Andrea Bargnani
Though it may seem unfair to put so much pressure on a second year player, Il Mago was drafted #1 with high expectations. Though he did show a better than anticipated all-round game last season, he also looked tentative on offense. For a guy brought in to be a big time scorer, that is a bit of a concern. He needs to remedy that this year if he hopes to keep the starting center job, which is his to loose. He doesn't need to explode for 20 PPG, but if he can get up to 14-15 PPG while improving his FG%, it will go a long way to helping the Raps secure a playoff spot. If he falls into the sophomore slump, the Raptors could struggle to win games.
OUTLOOK: There is really no reason to think this team will be worse that last year. MoPete was replaced by the younger, much more explosive Barbosa, rookie Ivan Medina looks like he could be a steal drafted at #19, and Toronto lost no other significant rotation players. On the whole this team is much deeper and more versatile. If the young guys like Bargnani, Ford, and Bosh continue to get better, the Raptors could be really scary in a year or two. Look for another return trip to the post-season, possibly as a top 4 seed. Let's just hope they can win a game in the playoffs.
Players Lost: Morris Peterson, Pape Sow, PJ Tucker, Darrick Martin
Players Added: Leandro Barbosa, Ivan Medina, Hakeem Stevens
Head Coach: Sam Mitchell (4th season as Raptors coach)
CURRENT ROSTER
CENTERS
Andrea Bargnani (#7 - 78 Overall)
Height: 7'0" - Weight: 252 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: 1 - Born: Rome, Italy - School: N/A - Drafted: 1st overall in 2006 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 78 GP | 34 GS | 8.3 PPG | 7.1 RPG | 1.6 ORPG | 3.7 APG | 0.63 SPG | 1.22 BPG | 1.55 TPG | 3.74 FPG | 31.7 MPG | .430 FG% | .384 3PT% | .720 FT%
Strengths: Great shooter; Good ball handler for his size; Good foot speed; Solid shot blocker
Weaknesses: Needs to get stronger to pound inside; Man on man defense needs to improve; Needs to be more assertive on offense
Rasho Nesterovic (#12 - 68 Overall)
Height: 7'0" - Weight: 255 lbs - Age: 31 - Years Pro: 9 - Born: Ljubljana, Slovenia - School: N/A - Drafted: 17th overall in 1998 by Minnesota
06-07 STATS: 76 GP | 47 GS | 2.2 PPG | 6.1 RPG | 1.8 ORPG | 0.7 APG | 0.70 SPG | 0.96 BPG | 1.47 TPG | 2.96 FPG | 23.8 MPG | .472 FG% | .000 3PT% | .631 FT%
Strengths: Solid man/team defender; Competent shot blocker; Strong on the glass
Weaknesses: Lacks athleticism; Tires quickly; Inconsistent offensive game
POWER FORWARDS
Chris Bosh (#4 - 92 Overall)
Height: 6'10" - Weight: 238 lbs - Age: 23 - Years Pro: 4 - Born: Dallas, Texas - School: Georgia Tech - Drafted: 4th overall in 2003 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 82 GS | 21.1 PPG | 10.5 RPG | 2.9 ORPG | 2.0 APG | 1.40 SPG | 2.00 BPG | 1.78 TPG | 3.23 FPG | 36.4 MPG | .521 FG% | .213 3PT% | .770 FT%
Strengths: Excellent quickness; Good at drawing fouls; Very good help defender; Excels in clutch situations
Weaknesses: Needs to bulk up; Must bring his foul rate down
Ivan Medina (#5 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 221 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: Rookie - Born: El Rosario, Mexico - School: Georgia Tech - Drafted: 19th overall in 2007 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: N/A
Strengths: Money out to 20 feet, with the ability to hit the occasional 3; Solid speed
Weaknesses: Not a good rebounder; Needs to improve his basketball IQ; Zero low-post offense
Eduardo Najera (#21 - 70 Overall)
Height: 6'8" - Weight: 233 lbs - Age: 31 - Years Pro: 7 - Born: Meoqui, Mexico - School: Oklahoma - Drafted: 38th overall in 2000 by Houston
06-07 STATS: 66 GP | 0 GS | 3.2 PPG | 3.6 RPG | 1.0 ORPG | 0.8 APG | 0.59 SPG | 0.48 BPG | 0.86 TPG | 1.80 FPG | 14.2 MPG | .390 FG% | .188 3PT% | .623 FT%
Strengths: Hustles on every shift; Underrated defender; Smart player
Weaknesses: Lacks the strength to guard bigger 4's and the speed to guard most 3's; Very inconsistent offensively
Kris Humphries (#43 - 64 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 235 lbs - Age: 22 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Hopkins, Minnesota - School: Minnesota - Drafted: 10th overall in 2004 by Cleveland
06-07 STATS: 2 GP | 0 GS | 0 PPG | 1.5 RPG | 0.5 ORPG | 0 APG | 0 SPG | 0 BPG | 0.50 TPG | 1.00 FPG | 5.5 MPG | .000 FG% | .000 3PT% | .000 FT%
Strengths: Good strength; Nose for rebounds and loose balls
Weaknesses: No offensive game whatsoever
SMALL FORWARDS
Jorge Garbajosa (#15 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'9" - Weight: 245 lbs - Age: 29 - Years Pro: 1 - Born: Madrid, Spain - School: N/A - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 32 GS | 8.6 PPG | 4.0 RPG | 0.9 ORPG | 2.8 APG | 0.93 SPG | 0.45 BPG | 1.24 TPG | 1.63 FPG | 23.0 MPG | .438 FG% | .360 3PT% | .828 FT%
Strengths: Smart player; Solid jump shot; Good awareness on defense
Weaknesses: Lacks quickness; Not a great rebounder
Joey Graham (#14 - 73 Overall)
Height: 6'7" - Weight: 225 lbs - Age: 25 - Years Pro: 2 - Born: Wilmington, Delaware - School: Oklahoma State - Drafted: 16th overall in 2005 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 43 GS | 6.2 PPG | 4.3 RPG | 1.2 ORPG | 2.5 APG | 0.79 SPG | 0.63 BPG | 1.48 TPG | 2.07 FPG | 21.7 MPG | .463 FG% | .349 3PT% | .865 FT%
Strengths: Extremely athletic; Can finish strong at the basket; Boundless energy
Weaknesses: Inconsistent from game to game; Shaky jumper; Sometimes caught falling asleep on defense
Hakeem Stevens (#22 - 65 Overall)
Height: 6'8" - Weight: 235 lbs - Age: 19 - Years Pro: Rookie - Born: Towson, Maryland - School: Temple - Drafted: 49th overall in 2007 by Toronto
06-07 STATS: N/A
Strengths: Freakish athlete; Good size for the NBA
Weaknesses: Very raw offensively; Struggles with the concept of team defense
SHOOTING GUARDS
Anthony Parker (#18 - 76 Overall)
Height: 6'6" - Weight: 211 lbs - Age: 32 - Years Pro: 6 - Born: Naperville, Illinois - School: Bradley - Drafted: 21st overall in 1997 by New Jersey
06-07 STATS: 80 GP | 39 GS | 14.4 PPG | 2.5 RPG | 1.1 ORPG | 3.2 APG | 1.08 SPG | 0.25 BPG | 1.87 TPG | 1.95 FPG | 26.8 MPG | .429 FG% | .368 3PT% | .844 FT%
Strengths: Very good shooter; Great team defender; Not afraid to take big shots
Weaknesses: Not particularly adept at driving to the basket; Can be beaten by quicker guards
Leandro Barbosa (#10 - 75 Overall)
Height: 6'3" - Weight: 188 lbs - Age: 25 - Years Pro: 4 - Born: Sao Paulo, Brazil - School: N/A - Drafted: 28th overall in 2003 by San Antonio
06-07 STATS: 80 GP | 7 GS | 8.5 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 0.6 ORPG | 3.1 APG | 0.56 SPG | 0.21 BPG | 0.83 TPG | 1.53 FPG | 17.8 MPG | .432 FG% | .418 3PT% | .760 FT%
Strengths: Amazing speed and quickness; Much improved shooter; Not afraid to draw contact at the hoop
Weaknesses: Needs to work on shot selection; Must learn how to play under control on defense
Quinton Ross (#13 - 65 Overall)
Height: 6'6" - Weight: 186 lbs - Age: 26 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Dallas, Texas - School: SMU - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 70 GP | 1 GS | 1.0 PPG | 1.3 RPG | 0.4 ORPG | 0.5 APG | 0.41 SPG | 0.14 BPG | 0.61 TPG | 0.50 FPG | 8.7 MPG | .344 FG% | .000 3PT% | .738 FT%
Strengths: Very good perimeter defender; Quick hands cause a lot of turnovers for the opposition
Weaknesses: No offensive game to speak of; Too slight to bang with stronger guards
POINT GUARDS
T.J. Ford (#11 - 78 Overall)
Height: 6'0" - Weight: 163 lbs - Age: 24 - Years Pro: 3 - Born: Houston, Texas - School: Texas - Drafted: 8th overall in 2003 by Milwaukee
06-07 STATS: 82 GP | 77 GS | 15.6 PPG | 2.9 RPG | 1.2 ORPG | 6.1 APG | 1.23 SPG | 0.37 BPG | 1.39 TPG | 1.74 FPG | 29.5 MPG | .406 FG% | .458 3PT% | .788 FT%
Strengths: Amazing speed and quickness; Sees the court well; Much improved 3PT shot
Weaknesses: Sometimes plays at half-pace on defense; Needs to develop better shot selection
Jose Calderon (#8 - 71 Overall)
Height: 6'3" - Weight: 211 lbs - Age: 24 - Years Pro: 2 - Born: Villanueva Serena, Spain - School: N/A - Drafted: N/A
06-07 STATS: 77 GP | 5 GS | 9.9 PPG | 1.8 RPG | 0.7 ORPG | 4.0 APG | 0.71 SPG | 0.22 BPG | 1.19 TPG | 1.34 FPG | 20.7 MPG | .432 FG% | .231 3PT% | .801 FT%
Strengths: Flawless midrange game; Adept at setting up teammates
Weaknesses: Not overly fast; Inconsistent from beyond the arc
TEAM STRENGTHS
The Raptors are a very good shooting team. The players are all unselfish, and as a result there is usually good ball movement on offense. They are one of the toughest teams to guard, due to the mismatches Bargnani, and now Barbosa, can create. Barbosa's addition should also make Toronto a very good transition/fast break team, with Rasho being the only player who can't get up and down the court in a hurry. The youth of the core players all but guarantees overall improvement. This is also a great free throw shooting team, as all rotation players except Rasho and Najera should be over 75% from the stripe this season.
TEAM WEAKNESSES
Defense continues to be a concern. Though both Bosh and Bargs look to be improved help defenders from last year, they are not good enough to consistently erase defensive mistakes on the perimeter. Rebounding, especially on the offensive end, needs to improve. Beyond CB4, Toronto has no one capable of really taking over the game.
MAN ON THE SPOT: Andrea Bargnani
Though it may seem unfair to put so much pressure on a second year player, Il Mago was drafted #1 with high expectations. Though he did show a better than anticipated all-round game last season, he also looked tentative on offense. For a guy brought in to be a big time scorer, that is a bit of a concern. He needs to remedy that this year if he hopes to keep the starting center job, which is his to loose. He doesn't need to explode for 20 PPG, but if he can get up to 14-15 PPG while improving his FG%, it will go a long way to helping the Raps secure a playoff spot. If he falls into the sophomore slump, the Raptors could struggle to win games.
OUTLOOK: There is really no reason to think this team will be worse that last year. MoPete was replaced by the younger, much more explosive Barbosa, rookie Ivan Medina looks like he could be a steal drafted at #19, and Toronto lost no other significant rotation players. On the whole this team is much deeper and more versatile. If the young guys like Bargnani, Ford, and Bosh continue to get better, the Raptors could be really scary in a year or two. Look for another return trip to the post-season, possibly as a top 4 seed. Let's just hope they can win a game in the playoffs.
- TheMC5
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:53 pm
by Clutch on Tue Nov 13, 2007 6:18 am
haven't commented on this probably due to site chugginess when i first read it but... man!
your Raptors look SOLID - on paper anyway; i'm not saying you're one of the Elites yet but you're at least competitive and can give any team a run for the money on any given night
Barbosa/Ross - I like these two a lot. I hope you can exploit certain matchups like whenever you face a tough SG and weaker PG, maybe run Barbosa at point and have Ross lockdown on the SG since defense is his strength and Barbosa's speed could give you the advantage; plus he already runs point for PHO from time to time
you're pretty covered on all fronts with a deep, versatile team so it'll be challenging but fun; all the pieces are there and your anchor, Bosh, can compete with the best of them; can't wait see this get off the ground
your Raptors look SOLID - on paper anyway; i'm not saying you're one of the Elites yet but you're at least competitive and can give any team a run for the money on any given night
Barbosa/Ross - I like these two a lot. I hope you can exploit certain matchups like whenever you face a tough SG and weaker PG, maybe run Barbosa at point and have Ross lockdown on the SG since defense is his strength and Barbosa's speed could give you the advantage; plus he already runs point for PHO from time to time
you're pretty covered on all fronts with a deep, versatile team so it'll be challenging but fun; all the pieces are there and your anchor, Bosh, can compete with the best of them; can't wait see this get off the ground
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Clutch - ^ Life... currently :\
- Posts: 1770
- Joined: Sat May 26, 2007 3:13 am
by Marquis on Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:54 am
^^ I agree with Clutch (BoomDizzle?) on almost all thoughts. I like Ross too 
It was great trade for you, when you gave away Mario Kasun (I skiped this somehow).
Medina has pretty good overall as a rookie, who was drafted 19th, I agree that he might be the steal of this draft class.
Looking forward for the games.
It was great trade for you, when you gave away Mario Kasun (I skiped this somehow).
Medina has pretty good overall as a rookie, who was drafted 19th, I agree that he might be the steal of this draft class.
Looking forward for the games.
- Marquis
- Posts: 1894
- Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:11 pm
- Location: Lithuania
by TheMC5 on Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:40 am
Thanks guys.
Clutch (almost typed BD5), I think you're right on point with your evaluation of the team. Versatility is probably our strongest suit, which means I should be able to matchup pretty well with almost any team in the league. Ross will definitely see some floor time when the matchup is right, and Barbosa will see some spot minutes at the point.
Marquis, I'm pretty stoked on Medina. His stroke his beautiful, but he's definitely got an aversion to banging down low in the paint, even more so than Bargnani.
As for recaps, it'll be similar to my Pacers dynasty, but with a few key changes. I'm actually working on the 1st week recap as I type this, so hopefully I'll have it up by the end of the day.
Cheers, guys, and thanks for reading.
Clutch (almost typed BD5), I think you're right on point with your evaluation of the team. Versatility is probably our strongest suit, which means I should be able to matchup pretty well with almost any team in the league. Ross will definitely see some floor time when the matchup is right, and Barbosa will see some spot minutes at the point.
Marquis, I'm pretty stoked on Medina. His stroke his beautiful, but he's definitely got an aversion to banging down low in the paint, even more so than Bargnani.
As for recaps, it'll be similar to my Pacers dynasty, but with a few key changes. I'm actually working on the 1st week recap as I type this, so hopefully I'll have it up by the end of the day.
Cheers, guys, and thanks for reading.
- TheMC5
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:53 pm
by TheMC5 on Tue Nov 13, 2007 8:54 am
Snarky, Barbosa will only be getting spot minutes at the point when the matchup allows it. And at least to start the season he'll be coming off the bench. Instant offense, and whatnot. I agree, though, he was superb addition. I lucked out really hard that Phoenix didn't re-sign him, and that all he was asking for was the MLE.
- TheMC5
- Posts: 875
- Joined: Mon Jan 29, 2007 7:53 pm
by WhoElseCouldItB on Tue Nov 13, 2007 5:11 pm
wow this looks great! looks like a decent raptor roster with Bosh of course leading... good luck TheMC5
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WhoElseCouldItB - Posts: 140
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- Location: CALIFORNIA
by TheMC5 on Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:10 pm
kobe4mvp, WhoElseCouldItB, thanks a lot. Always like getting some new readers. I hope you guys dig the weekly recaps, which are up right now.
WEEK 1 RECAP
OCT. 28: NBA OPENING NIGHT - KG DEBUTS IN ORLANDO
Suns get rings, begin title defense - Garnett's Magic debut - Jason Terry's 1st game as a Bobcat
GAME SCORES
MEMPHIS 94 - PHOENIX 80
NEW JERSEY 100 - CHARLOTTE 112
PHILADELPHIA 93 - INDIANA 94
CHICAGO 90 - MIAMI 76
CLEVELAND 72 - ORLANDO 91
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 29: RAPTORS SEASON OPENER
Barbosa brings game north of the border - New look Nuggets take on the Ming dynasty - Z-Bo's G-Dub debut - AK47 in LA - Hill & Pierce begin quest for banner #17 - Maggette in the land of Mormons
GAME SCORES
MEMPHIS 77 - PORTLAND 94
HOUSTON 100 - DENVER 113
SAN ANTONIO 117 - MINNESOTA 81
NEW ORLEANS 79 - GOLDEN STATE 87
SEATTLE 98 - LA CLIPPERS 101
UTAH 106 - SACRAMENTO 90
DETROIT 83 - ATLANTA 114
BOSTON 90 - WASHINGTON 92
NEW YORK 86 - CHARLOTTE 110
DALLAS 100 - LA LAKERS 83
NBA TV RAPTORS GAME OF THE WEEK
Raptors (0-0) @ Pacers (0-0)
BOXSCORE
TORONTO 96 - INDIANA 81
Note: I decided on this recap style after I played the first 3 weeks of the season, so for those games, the full shot chart may not be available. After 3 weeks, this will have both teams shot charts from the whole game, not just the 4th quarter.
GAME RECAP
The Raptors looked tentative during their 1st half of ball in the 07-08 season. Down by 2 at the half, only the strong play of TJ Ford was keeping Toronto in it. Ford had 7 assists in the opening 2 quarters, effortlessly setting up teammates for easy looks off aggressive drives to the paint.
"I knew we were kinda out of sync there in the 1st half," said TJ after the game. "I just tried to stay aggressive, and as the point guard, I know it falls on me to make sure my teammates are getting good looks and the offense is moving. So that's what I tried to do."
When the Raptors took the floor in the 3rd, it looked like an entirely different team. Barbosa and Bargnani combined for 17 3rd quarter points on 8/10 shooting, pacing Toronto to a 31 point quarter. Barbosa looked particularly effective, slicing and dicing around any defender Indiana threw at him. The defining play of the game, however, came courtesy of Ford and Bosh. With the Raptors holding a 10 point lead, their first double-digit lead of the game, Ford drove the lane, and tossed up a picture perfect alley-oop pass for Bosh, who streaking in down the right side of the floor. The play completely took the fans out of the game, and established momentum that Toronto never relinquished.
The 4th quarter was largely a formality, as Toronto entered the frame nursing a 16-point cushion. The starters rested for the bulk of the quarter, and the only player who did not see the floor was rookie Ivan Medina. Of the players who did play, only Quinton Ross failed to get on the score sheet. Chris Bosh quietly had a monster game, finishing with 27 points, 12 boards, and 5 steals. Indiana never really made a push in the 2nd half of the game, and thus the result was never really in doubt.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Chris Bosh
HIGHLIGHTS Note: Props to Clutch for letting me sort of cop his pic template.
Bosh throws down 2 monster jams
Barbosa nails his 1st shot as a Raptor with the defense draped all over him; Bargnani blows by for the dunk
Despite a strong defensive presence and some clutch shooting from JO, Indiana was never in the game in the 2nd half
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 30: GARNETT'S MAGIC NOT ENOUGH AS NEW JERSEY TOPPLES ORLANDO
Magic remain winless - Phoenix downs new-look Jazz - Bulls win 2nd in a row over Heat
GAME SCORES
PHILADELPHIA 97 - MILWAUKEE 85
CLEVELAND 97 - ATLANTA 92
NEW JERSEY 89 - ORLANDO 88
CHICAGO 101 - MIAMI 99
UTAH 89 - PHOENIX 103
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 31: J-SMOOVE AND HAWKS DOWN RAPTORS AS BOSH STRUGGLES
Raptors fall to 1-1 - Wizards rookie Leon grabs 13 boards - Nowitzki scores 32 as Mavs squeeze by against Nugs
GAME SCORES
DETROIT 114 - WASHINGTON 108
NEW ORLEANS 107 - LA CLIPPERS 87
SAN ANTONIO 98 - PORTLAND 80
SEATTLE 114 - SACRAMENTO 102
BOSTON 86 - CHARLOTTE 83
DALLAS 95 - DENVER 92
MEMPHIS 111 - MINNESOTA 86
RAPTORS GAME RECAP
TORONTO 93 - ATLANTA 98
Following a decisive opening win over the Pacers, Toronto floundered against the up-and-coming Hawks. Chris Bosh struggled, scoring only 11 points on 5-16 shooting, turning the ball over 4 times, and picking up 5 personal fouls. Anthony Parker kept the Raptors in it, scoring 22 points in 24 minutes on 8-13 shooting, 3-4 from downtown. Bargnani added a career-high 10 assists, routinely feeding Parker for open jumpers off assertive drives to the paint. But in the end, it was just too much Josh Smith, and too many free throws for Atlanta. The Hawks got to the line 33 times, converting on 30 of their freebies.
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 1: MAGIC REMAIN WINLESS IN NIGHT OF MASSIVE BLOWOUTS
James bests Wade in Cavs-Heat match up - Simmons scores 29 in win - Kidd goes crazy
GAME SCORES
HOUSTON 81 - PHOENIX 95
CLEVELAND 102 - MIAMI 85
NEW YORK 97 - MILWAUKEE 112
BOSTON 96 - ORLANDO 79
CHICAGO 106 - CHARLOTTE 77
SEATTLE 111 - GOLDEN STATE 103
UTAH 86 - LA LAKERS 96
NEW JERSEY 117 - INDIANA 87
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 2: RAPTORS LOSE 2ND IN A ROW TO PREVIOUSLY WINLESS HEAT
Bosh struggles yet again in loss - T'Wolves win 1st of season - Clippers and Magic continue slide - Head & T-Mac combine for 67
GAME SCORES
NEW ORLEANS 95 - MINNESOTA 109
MEMPHIS 107 - LA CLIPPERS 103
HOUSTON 109 - PORTLAND 89
SAN ANTONIO 110 - DENVER 92
DALLAS 115 - SACRAMENTO 96
NEW JERSEY 86 - ATLANTA 83
DETROIT 117 - ORLANDO 82
RAPTORS GAME RECAP
TORONTO 87 - MIAMI 91
Toronto loses their 2nd consecutive game to the erstwhile winless Miami Heat. No player topped the 20 point mark in the contest. Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 18, leading 5 Heat players in double-figures. Toronto also had 5 scorers in double-digits, paced by TJ Ford's 15. It was 3-point shooting that cost the Raptors this game. The team went 4-17, or 23.5%, from beyond the arc. Toronto's bench was also a point of concern, with all bench players combining for 11-32 shooting. It was a disappointing loss in a game that was the Raptors for the taking, against an opponent they should have been able to outclass.
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 3: CHICAGO DESTROY CHARLOTTE TO REMAIN UNBEATEN
Ben Gordon drops 41 points in win - Kobe not far behind with 40 - 3 Celtics top 20 point mark in victory
GAME SCORES
NEW ORLEANS 74 - GOLDEN STATE 79
BOSTON 105 - MILWAUKEE 104
NEW YORK 104 - INDIANA 121
SEATTLE 84 - LA LAKERS 109
CHICAGO 102 - CHARLOTTE 76
UTAH 108 - PHOENIX 98
DAILY STATS LEADERS
RAPTORS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andrea Bargnani (12.7 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 4.3 APG | 0.7 SPG | 1.7 BPG | .517 FG% | .250 3PT% | .857 FT%)
Il Mago is off to a solid start to his sophomore season. His averages over the week were far from overwhelming, but he has been the only Raptor to play well in every game thus far. And he's found ways to contribute when his shot isn't falling. He handed out a career-high 10 dimes in the 2nd game of the year, he's rebounded the ball well, and he's been playing solid defense and blocking shots. Bargnani is almost player of the week by default, since every other Raptor played their way out of contention.
Note: I realize the players look ridiculous in the Daily Leaders pics. I really don't know why I didn't bother to crop them at the shoulders, so that it doesn't look like they've had their arms amputated. But I didn't have the patience to re-do them all, so I'll just change it up for next week's recap. Still, feel free to make any jokes you desire about amputees dropping 41 points in an NBA game.
Up Next: Weekly transactions.
WEEK 1 RECAP
OCT. 28: NBA OPENING NIGHT - KG DEBUTS IN ORLANDO
Suns get rings, begin title defense - Garnett's Magic debut - Jason Terry's 1st game as a Bobcat
GAME SCORES
MEMPHIS 94 - PHOENIX 80
NEW JERSEY 100 - CHARLOTTE 112
PHILADELPHIA 93 - INDIANA 94
CHICAGO 90 - MIAMI 76
CLEVELAND 72 - ORLANDO 91
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 29: RAPTORS SEASON OPENER
Barbosa brings game north of the border - New look Nuggets take on the Ming dynasty - Z-Bo's G-Dub debut - AK47 in LA - Hill & Pierce begin quest for banner #17 - Maggette in the land of Mormons
GAME SCORES
MEMPHIS 77 - PORTLAND 94
HOUSTON 100 - DENVER 113
SAN ANTONIO 117 - MINNESOTA 81
NEW ORLEANS 79 - GOLDEN STATE 87
SEATTLE 98 - LA CLIPPERS 101
UTAH 106 - SACRAMENTO 90
DETROIT 83 - ATLANTA 114
BOSTON 90 - WASHINGTON 92
NEW YORK 86 - CHARLOTTE 110
DALLAS 100 - LA LAKERS 83
NBA TV RAPTORS GAME OF THE WEEK
Raptors (0-0) @ Pacers (0-0)
BOXSCORE
TORONTO 96 - INDIANA 81
Note: I decided on this recap style after I played the first 3 weeks of the season, so for those games, the full shot chart may not be available. After 3 weeks, this will have both teams shot charts from the whole game, not just the 4th quarter.
GAME RECAP
The Raptors looked tentative during their 1st half of ball in the 07-08 season. Down by 2 at the half, only the strong play of TJ Ford was keeping Toronto in it. Ford had 7 assists in the opening 2 quarters, effortlessly setting up teammates for easy looks off aggressive drives to the paint.
"I knew we were kinda out of sync there in the 1st half," said TJ after the game. "I just tried to stay aggressive, and as the point guard, I know it falls on me to make sure my teammates are getting good looks and the offense is moving. So that's what I tried to do."
When the Raptors took the floor in the 3rd, it looked like an entirely different team. Barbosa and Bargnani combined for 17 3rd quarter points on 8/10 shooting, pacing Toronto to a 31 point quarter. Barbosa looked particularly effective, slicing and dicing around any defender Indiana threw at him. The defining play of the game, however, came courtesy of Ford and Bosh. With the Raptors holding a 10 point lead, their first double-digit lead of the game, Ford drove the lane, and tossed up a picture perfect alley-oop pass for Bosh, who streaking in down the right side of the floor. The play completely took the fans out of the game, and established momentum that Toronto never relinquished.
The 4th quarter was largely a formality, as Toronto entered the frame nursing a 16-point cushion. The starters rested for the bulk of the quarter, and the only player who did not see the floor was rookie Ivan Medina. Of the players who did play, only Quinton Ross failed to get on the score sheet. Chris Bosh quietly had a monster game, finishing with 27 points, 12 boards, and 5 steals. Indiana never really made a push in the 2nd half of the game, and thus the result was never really in doubt.
PLAYER OF THE GAME: Chris Bosh
HIGHLIGHTS Note: Props to Clutch for letting me sort of cop his pic template.
Bosh throws down 2 monster jams
Barbosa nails his 1st shot as a Raptor with the defense draped all over him; Bargnani blows by for the dunk
Despite a strong defensive presence and some clutch shooting from JO, Indiana was never in the game in the 2nd half
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 30: GARNETT'S MAGIC NOT ENOUGH AS NEW JERSEY TOPPLES ORLANDO
Magic remain winless - Phoenix downs new-look Jazz - Bulls win 2nd in a row over Heat
GAME SCORES
PHILADELPHIA 97 - MILWAUKEE 85
CLEVELAND 97 - ATLANTA 92
NEW JERSEY 89 - ORLANDO 88
CHICAGO 101 - MIAMI 99
UTAH 89 - PHOENIX 103
DAILY STATS LEADERS
OCT. 31: J-SMOOVE AND HAWKS DOWN RAPTORS AS BOSH STRUGGLES
Raptors fall to 1-1 - Wizards rookie Leon grabs 13 boards - Nowitzki scores 32 as Mavs squeeze by against Nugs
GAME SCORES
DETROIT 114 - WASHINGTON 108
NEW ORLEANS 107 - LA CLIPPERS 87
SAN ANTONIO 98 - PORTLAND 80
SEATTLE 114 - SACRAMENTO 102
BOSTON 86 - CHARLOTTE 83
DALLAS 95 - DENVER 92
MEMPHIS 111 - MINNESOTA 86
RAPTORS GAME RECAP
TORONTO 93 - ATLANTA 98
Following a decisive opening win over the Pacers, Toronto floundered against the up-and-coming Hawks. Chris Bosh struggled, scoring only 11 points on 5-16 shooting, turning the ball over 4 times, and picking up 5 personal fouls. Anthony Parker kept the Raptors in it, scoring 22 points in 24 minutes on 8-13 shooting, 3-4 from downtown. Bargnani added a career-high 10 assists, routinely feeding Parker for open jumpers off assertive drives to the paint. But in the end, it was just too much Josh Smith, and too many free throws for Atlanta. The Hawks got to the line 33 times, converting on 30 of their freebies.
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 1: MAGIC REMAIN WINLESS IN NIGHT OF MASSIVE BLOWOUTS
James bests Wade in Cavs-Heat match up - Simmons scores 29 in win - Kidd goes crazy
GAME SCORES
HOUSTON 81 - PHOENIX 95
CLEVELAND 102 - MIAMI 85
NEW YORK 97 - MILWAUKEE 112
BOSTON 96 - ORLANDO 79
CHICAGO 106 - CHARLOTTE 77
SEATTLE 111 - GOLDEN STATE 103
UTAH 86 - LA LAKERS 96
NEW JERSEY 117 - INDIANA 87
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 2: RAPTORS LOSE 2ND IN A ROW TO PREVIOUSLY WINLESS HEAT
Bosh struggles yet again in loss - T'Wolves win 1st of season - Clippers and Magic continue slide - Head & T-Mac combine for 67
GAME SCORES
NEW ORLEANS 95 - MINNESOTA 109
MEMPHIS 107 - LA CLIPPERS 103
HOUSTON 109 - PORTLAND 89
SAN ANTONIO 110 - DENVER 92
DALLAS 115 - SACRAMENTO 96
NEW JERSEY 86 - ATLANTA 83
DETROIT 117 - ORLANDO 82
RAPTORS GAME RECAP
TORONTO 87 - MIAMI 91
Toronto loses their 2nd consecutive game to the erstwhile winless Miami Heat. No player topped the 20 point mark in the contest. Dwyane Wade scored a game-high 18, leading 5 Heat players in double-figures. Toronto also had 5 scorers in double-digits, paced by TJ Ford's 15. It was 3-point shooting that cost the Raptors this game. The team went 4-17, or 23.5%, from beyond the arc. Toronto's bench was also a point of concern, with all bench players combining for 11-32 shooting. It was a disappointing loss in a game that was the Raptors for the taking, against an opponent they should have been able to outclass.
DAILY STATS LEADERS
NOV. 3: CHICAGO DESTROY CHARLOTTE TO REMAIN UNBEATEN
Ben Gordon drops 41 points in win - Kobe not far behind with 40 - 3 Celtics top 20 point mark in victory
GAME SCORES
NEW ORLEANS 74 - GOLDEN STATE 79
BOSTON 105 - MILWAUKEE 104
NEW YORK 104 - INDIANA 121
SEATTLE 84 - LA LAKERS 109
CHICAGO 102 - CHARLOTTE 76
UTAH 108 - PHOENIX 98
DAILY STATS LEADERS
RAPTORS PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Andrea Bargnani (12.7 PPG | 7.3 RPG | 4.3 APG | 0.7 SPG | 1.7 BPG | .517 FG% | .250 3PT% | .857 FT%)
Il Mago is off to a solid start to his sophomore season. His averages over the week were far from overwhelming, but he has been the only Raptor to play well in every game thus far. And he's found ways to contribute when his shot isn't falling. He handed out a career-high 10 dimes in the 2nd game of the year, he's rebounded the ball well, and he's been playing solid defense and blocking shots. Bargnani is almost player of the week by default, since every other Raptor played their way out of contention.
Note: I realize the players look ridiculous in the Daily Leaders pics. I really don't know why I didn't bother to crop them at the shoulders, so that it doesn't look like they've had their arms amputated. But I didn't have the patience to re-do them all, so I'll just change it up for next week's recap. Still, feel free to make any jokes you desire about amputees dropping 41 points in an NBA game.
Up Next: Weekly transactions.
Last edited by TheMC5 on Wed Dec 19, 2007 4:57 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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