Monday, October 30, 2006

NBA Preseason Power Rankings [David Stefanini]

If you are expecting to see power rankings with the prediction of Heat and Mavs again, you are reading the wrong post. I am personally tired of people writing year after year, expecting to see a rematch of the Finals, whether it be Football, Basketball, or Baseball. How many people had the White Sox in the series this year? Yeah I thought so. Onto the rankings:
EASTERN CONFERENCE:
1) Nets - VC is in a contract year NBA you have been warned first by me....
2) Cavs - The king (LeBron) is coming to claim the throne.
3) Pistons - Losing Ben Wallace hurts, but won't be devastating.
4) Bulls - Gaining Ben Wallace doesn't bring a title, but will improve every aspect of the game.
5) Heat - THIS LOW? Yes, the hunger will not be there, and neither will Shaq's feet.
6) Wizards - Not much defense, but Arenas, Jamison, and Butler can produce offense.
7) Pacers - Adding Al Harrington will help, look for Jermaine O'Neal to return to All-star form.
8) Raptors - SLEEPER!!!! Not many have them in the playoffs, Chris Bosh will take them there.
9) 76ers - Iverson will keep them in the playoff hunt, everyone else will keep them out.
10) Magic - Dwight Howard is a star, unfortunetly no one else is.
11) Celtics - They have potential to make the playoffs, I don't see that happening til next year.
12) Bobcats - My new fav. team due to the ownership of Jordan, other than that, nothing new.
13) Bucks - Moving Bogut to center will hurt this team and cost them alot in the long run.
14) Hawks - Marvin Williams breaking his hand ruins any chance this team ever had.
15) Knicks - Just send them to the ACC, they still won't win 20 games.

Nets over Cavs in the conference championship.

WESTERN CONFERENCE:
1) Suns - Welcome back Amare, the missing piece is finally in place.
2) Mavs - Devean George brings championship experience, Nowitzki brings everything else.
3) Spurs - Great team balance will lead to another high seed in the playoffs.
4) Lakers - SLEEPER! With the best player in the league this team is primed to move to the top.
5) Rockets - TMac is back and healthy. Skip to my Lou runs the point. I smell playoffs.
6) Nuggets - Kenyon and Melo will lead this team back to the playoffs.
7) Clippers - Not many upgrades, not much improvement.
8) Hornets - Chris Paul should have been an All-Star last year. He will be one this year.
9) Jazz - Adding Derek Fisher will help, but it won't take them to the playoffs.
10) Kings - Artest is a great ball player no matter what he does off the court. No playoffs though.
11) Warriors - They added Keith McLeod, enough said.
12) Grizzles - OVERRATED! No Pau Gasol, and Stromile Swift as center, good luck.
13) T'Wolves - After Garnett there is no one. TRADE GARNETT! TRADE GARNETT!
14) Trail Blazers - Great potential, but stop with the drugs.
15) SuperSonics - Great potential, but I say that every year.

Suns over Lakers... thats right the Lakers. You can't stop Kobe, and with every one else developing this team is scary. To bad they will run into the Suns.

Nets over Suns in the Finals. Why? Steve Nash is good, but Jason Kidd is better. Steve Nash made Smush Parker look like a young Gary Payton. In other words, Steve Nash has NO defense. Jason Kidd is the perfect point guard. With Vince Carter in a contract year, and Richard Jefferson developing this team has all the pieces they need.