After breaking down the Atlantic Division, it is time to continue with the 2007 – 2008 NBA Previews:
Southeast Division
A Solid Trio
Believe it or not the Atlanta Hawks have talent. Last season, Joe Johnson who has improved his scoring average every season since entering the league in 01-02, stepped his game up a few notches and was elected to his first all-star game. Fellow Hawk, Josh Smith is one of the most exciting players in the league and can be booked for at least one highlight every game. If he could expand his range and develop into more than just a freak athlete, Smith could be a star. The last piece of the trio is Marvin Williams. Entering his third season from North Carolina, the time is now for Williams to make the next step. Being absolutely loaded with talent, Williams needs to show he is more than just a player with potential.
Overall
Despite having young talent, the Hawks are loaded with similar players who play the same positions. If I was making my projections based solely on small forwards, the Hawks would be my favorites, but without a true point guard to run the team and no legitimate post players, the Hawks will still be watching the playoffs from home.
Putting Together a Team
The Charlotte Bobcats are starting to develop an identity. MJ and company have gone out and brought in young players that have had success at the collegiate level. Raymond Felton gives Charlotte a fast point guard to push the tempo, with high flyers Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson on the wings and defensive stalwart Emeka Okafor controlling the paint.
The Bobcats are hoping Adam Morrison and Jared Dudley can provide scoring off the bench, and someone can step in to fill the void at the power forward position, left by the injury to Sean May. Those are major question marks and problems that will linger throughout the season.
Go-To-Guy
Despite making improvements to the lineup and adding a bona fide scorer in Jason Richardson, the Bobcats still lack a star. There is not a go-to-guy at the end of the game, the Bobcats can rely on to take over and make a big shot. In fact, no one on the Bobcats roster is adept at creating scoring opportunities for themselves.
Overall
I like the direction this team is heading. They have athletes on the wings, a fast young point guard and a defensive minded center to protect the basket. With that being said, they still lack any type of bench, and have a huge hole at the power forward position. Look for the Charlotte Bobcats to make strides, but they are not ready for post-season play just yet.
Health
The most important thing for the Heat is the health of their two superstars, Shaq and Wade. If the Heats fearsome duo is not healthy, we can forget about talking about the Heat as contenders. Wade is coming off of shoulder and knee surgery and is out for at least the first few weeks of the season, if not longer. Shaq is clear right now, but you can bet that he’ll miss extended time at some point in the season. Both players need to be healthy and clicking during the latter part of the season, so that the Heat have enough time to gel as a team heading into post season play.
Who is going to step up?
When Wade is back, you know what you are getting. Shaq on the other hand is old and declining. He’s currently an above average Center, but certainly not the dominate force of the past. What the Heat need is someone to step up and play the role as a shut down perimeter defender and 3rd scoring option. The Heat have been involved in a flurry of trade conversations, mainly involving Mike Bibby and Ron Artest, both of whom would help out immensely. Barring a trade, the other option rests on the shoulders of swing man Dorell Wright. Wright, who came to Miami straight from high school has shown flashes of talent, but still hasn’t amounted to anything at the pro level. With Antoine Walker showing up to camp out of shape, and the injury to Wade, Wright has a golden opportunity to display his skills. If he can step it up and alleviate some of the load on Wade’s shoulders, the Heat could once again rise in Miami.
Overall
There are many things that must take place in order for the Miami Heat to advance in the playoffs. We’ve discussed two already; the health of their two superstars and someone stepping up as the 3rd option. There’s more. Miami is going to have to get production out of the point guard position. Last season, the Heat point guards were continuously beaten off the dribble and exposed defensively. The Heat brought in Smush Parker, to go with Jason Williams, but this still has to be considered a concern for Coach Pat Riley.
If all these things can somehow take place, the Heat could make it out of the East. There is no doubt it’s going to be a slow start to the season for Miami, but if they could whether the storm, I have a good feeling.
The Core
In Orlando, the pieces are in place to become legitimate contenders for many years to come. Despite having such a young team the Magic are loaded with talent, led by superstar Dwight Howard. At only 22, Dwight is set to take off this season and become the most dominant big man in the game. The Magic also went out and signed Rashard Lewis to the mix. Lewis will give Orlando a deep threat and versatility on the wing. They overpaid, but he still makes the Magic a much better team. Throw in Jameer Nelson to run the point, Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, and Keyon Dooling to add depth and the Magic could finally be back.
Player to Watch Out For
The player worth keeping a close eye on is Trevor Ariza. At 6’7, 200 lbs Ariza has all the tools to become a special player in this league and could be the difference for the Magic. After playing just one season at UCLA, Ariza started to make a splash in New York before getting traded to Orlando. Now entering his 4th season and with Grant Hill gone, Ariza is in an ideal situation to start elevating his game. Ariza, who’s a super athlete excels when he gets out in transition and could be a great compliment to Rashard Lewis on the wing.
Overall
I’m excited to see how the Magic progress this season. The Magic are tough from top to bottom and have a legit superstar to carry the load inside. Despite having such a young roster, I don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t be a playoff team. A first round exit in the playoffs should still be considered a success for this young squad.
Bringing back the Same Troops
The Washington Wizards are another team that would have benefited from making a few moves in the off-season. After being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in last years playoffs, the Wizards could’ve used a little shakeup. Adding Oleksiy Pecherov, last season’s rookie and bringing in Nick Young in this years draft fails to qualify as a significant upgrade. Additionally, with the uncertainty surrounding Etan Thomas’s health, the Wizards could’ve used another big body down low.
Position Change
There are very few players in the NBA that are as tough to guard as Gilbert Arenas. His range starts with his first step over the half court line and he can get to the basket on anyone. When his entire game is clicking it’s as if you’re playing NBA Jam and you have someone that is “on fire.”
The problem is that Gilbert is not a natural point guard. He wants to score every time the ball is in his hands and when you play the point, the ball is always in your hands. The Wizards offense suffers, as it never looks to be in sync. It’s all one-on-one, with everyone rotating whose turn it is to get a shot up.
The Wizards will never become a serious championship contender until they take Gilbert off the ball. He’s more of a natural 2-guard and this change would lesson his playmaking responsibilities, let him concentrate on scoring, and devote some of his energy on the defensive end.
Overall
The East is getting better and the Wizards are not. The Wizards have a solid lineup of scorers, led by Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Each of them could score 30+ on any given night, but none of them naturally get their teammates going, or play sound on the defensive end. Look for the slide to begin this year, as the Wizards fail to make the playoffs.
Southeast Division
A Solid Trio
Believe it or not the Atlanta Hawks have talent. Last season, Joe Johnson who has improved his scoring average every season since entering the league in 01-02, stepped his game up a few notches and was elected to his first all-star game. Fellow Hawk, Josh Smith is one of the most exciting players in the league and can be booked for at least one highlight every game. If he could expand his range and develop into more than just a freak athlete, Smith could be a star. The last piece of the trio is Marvin Williams. Entering his third season from North Carolina, the time is now for Williams to make the next step. Being absolutely loaded with talent, Williams needs to show he is more than just a player with potential.
Overall
Despite having young talent, the Hawks are loaded with similar players who play the same positions. If I was making my projections based solely on small forwards, the Hawks would be my favorites, but without a true point guard to run the team and no legitimate post players, the Hawks will still be watching the playoffs from home.
Putting Together a Team
The Charlotte Bobcats are starting to develop an identity. MJ and company have gone out and brought in young players that have had success at the collegiate level. Raymond Felton gives Charlotte a fast point guard to push the tempo, with high flyers Gerald Wallace and Jason Richardson on the wings and defensive stalwart Emeka Okafor controlling the paint.
The Bobcats are hoping Adam Morrison and Jared Dudley can provide scoring off the bench, and someone can step in to fill the void at the power forward position, left by the injury to Sean May. Those are major question marks and problems that will linger throughout the season.
Go-To-Guy
Despite making improvements to the lineup and adding a bona fide scorer in Jason Richardson, the Bobcats still lack a star. There is not a go-to-guy at the end of the game, the Bobcats can rely on to take over and make a big shot. In fact, no one on the Bobcats roster is adept at creating scoring opportunities for themselves.
Overall
I like the direction this team is heading. They have athletes on the wings, a fast young point guard and a defensive minded center to protect the basket. With that being said, they still lack any type of bench, and have a huge hole at the power forward position. Look for the Charlotte Bobcats to make strides, but they are not ready for post-season play just yet.
Health
The most important thing for the Heat is the health of their two superstars, Shaq and Wade. If the Heats fearsome duo is not healthy, we can forget about talking about the Heat as contenders. Wade is coming off of shoulder and knee surgery and is out for at least the first few weeks of the season, if not longer. Shaq is clear right now, but you can bet that he’ll miss extended time at some point in the season. Both players need to be healthy and clicking during the latter part of the season, so that the Heat have enough time to gel as a team heading into post season play.
Who is going to step up?
When Wade is back, you know what you are getting. Shaq on the other hand is old and declining. He’s currently an above average Center, but certainly not the dominate force of the past. What the Heat need is someone to step up and play the role as a shut down perimeter defender and 3rd scoring option. The Heat have been involved in a flurry of trade conversations, mainly involving Mike Bibby and Ron Artest, both of whom would help out immensely. Barring a trade, the other option rests on the shoulders of swing man Dorell Wright. Wright, who came to Miami straight from high school has shown flashes of talent, but still hasn’t amounted to anything at the pro level. With Antoine Walker showing up to camp out of shape, and the injury to Wade, Wright has a golden opportunity to display his skills. If he can step it up and alleviate some of the load on Wade’s shoulders, the Heat could once again rise in Miami.
Overall
There are many things that must take place in order for the Miami Heat to advance in the playoffs. We’ve discussed two already; the health of their two superstars and someone stepping up as the 3rd option. There’s more. Miami is going to have to get production out of the point guard position. Last season, the Heat point guards were continuously beaten off the dribble and exposed defensively. The Heat brought in Smush Parker, to go with Jason Williams, but this still has to be considered a concern for Coach Pat Riley.
If all these things can somehow take place, the Heat could make it out of the East. There is no doubt it’s going to be a slow start to the season for Miami, but if they could whether the storm, I have a good feeling.
The Core
In Orlando, the pieces are in place to become legitimate contenders for many years to come. Despite having such a young team the Magic are loaded with talent, led by superstar Dwight Howard. At only 22, Dwight is set to take off this season and become the most dominant big man in the game. The Magic also went out and signed Rashard Lewis to the mix. Lewis will give Orlando a deep threat and versatility on the wing. They overpaid, but he still makes the Magic a much better team. Throw in Jameer Nelson to run the point, Hedo Turkoglu, Trevor Ariza, and Keyon Dooling to add depth and the Magic could finally be back.
Player to Watch Out For
The player worth keeping a close eye on is Trevor Ariza. At 6’7, 200 lbs Ariza has all the tools to become a special player in this league and could be the difference for the Magic. After playing just one season at UCLA, Ariza started to make a splash in New York before getting traded to Orlando. Now entering his 4th season and with Grant Hill gone, Ariza is in an ideal situation to start elevating his game. Ariza, who’s a super athlete excels when he gets out in transition and could be a great compliment to Rashard Lewis on the wing.
Overall
I’m excited to see how the Magic progress this season. The Magic are tough from top to bottom and have a legit superstar to carry the load inside. Despite having such a young roster, I don’t see any reason why this shouldn’t be a playoff team. A first round exit in the playoffs should still be considered a success for this young squad.
Bringing back the Same Troops
The Washington Wizards are another team that would have benefited from making a few moves in the off-season. After being swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers in last years playoffs, the Wizards could’ve used a little shakeup. Adding Oleksiy Pecherov, last season’s rookie and bringing in Nick Young in this years draft fails to qualify as a significant upgrade. Additionally, with the uncertainty surrounding Etan Thomas’s health, the Wizards could’ve used another big body down low.
Position Change
There are very few players in the NBA that are as tough to guard as Gilbert Arenas. His range starts with his first step over the half court line and he can get to the basket on anyone. When his entire game is clicking it’s as if you’re playing NBA Jam and you have someone that is “on fire.”
The problem is that Gilbert is not a natural point guard. He wants to score every time the ball is in his hands and when you play the point, the ball is always in your hands. The Wizards offense suffers, as it never looks to be in sync. It’s all one-on-one, with everyone rotating whose turn it is to get a shot up.
The Wizards will never become a serious championship contender until they take Gilbert off the ball. He’s more of a natural 2-guard and this change would lesson his playmaking responsibilities, let him concentrate on scoring, and devote some of his energy on the defensive end.
Overall
The East is getting better and the Wizards are not. The Wizards have a solid lineup of scorers, led by Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler. Each of them could score 30+ on any given night, but none of them naturally get their teammates going, or play sound on the defensive end. Look for the slide to begin this year, as the Wizards fail to make the playoffs.
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