The Denver Nuggets (surprise): I personally believe having Chancey Billups on their roster will most definitely get them out of the first round in the West.
The San Antonio Spurs (disappointment): With Ginobili and Parker out and off their game for a while, it's going to be tough for them to be serious contenders in the West this year. Of course they'll come back, adjust and play well but Pop can only change the look of the team so much. These guys have been relatively predictable in the Playoffs, and it has led to their exit in the last two seasons.
The Phoenix Suns (surprise): There's something about the way these guys have been playing against the NBA's elite teams early this season. Shaq has been playing better this season than at the tail end of last, Steve Nash is virtually automatic as always, Amare seems to have a hunger for offense and no defender can stop him from getting to the table.
The New Orleans Hornets (disappointment): After their strong run last season, many consider them to be in the elite (at least top 5, maybe top 3) in the Western Conference. However, I just haven't seen much from these guys that would put them past half the teams in the West.
The Portland Trailblazers (disappointment): Considering all the people (including myself) who in the off-season saw these guys as having a breakout season, I think the Blazers will disappoint most of us this year with an early exit out of the first round of the playoffs (assuming they make 7th or 8th seed). Look for their real strengths to start making a difference next year, not this year.
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The Atlanta Hawks (surprise): These guys have been playing like a good team. It's teams like this that make me believe the East isn't as weak in contrast to the West as most people believe. With their almost defeat of Boston in the first round last year, they already surprised many. I'm thinking they'll surprise people this year by getting past somebody like Orlando or New York (!) in the first round.
The New York Knicks (surprise): For some fucked up reason these guys are putting together some nice fucking plays. Im very surprised at their level of play, they seem to be jelling well as a team. I believe they're going to thrive off the momentum of becoming a non-terrible Detroit Lions like team and push into the last seed of playoff teams in the East.
The Philadelphia 76ers (disappointment): With the other A.I. sort of struggling and not really playing to his full potential this year, coupled with the addition of Elton Brand, it's going to disappoint many when they don't make the playoffs.
The Miami Heat (surprise): Maybe it isn't a big surprise they'll get into the playoffs this season. It seems having Beasley and a healthy Wade in their roster makes everybody else on the squad remember they're playing in the NBA. And well, Beasley is a beast like everybody thought.
The Detroit Pistons (surprise): I feel with the re-signing of Antonio McDyess in December, the Pistons little shake-up in their franchise will even out real well come the start of 2009. Personally I felt the trade for A.I. wouldn't bear much fruit this year, but part of me thinks that things in Detroit actually will get better as opposed to the same outcome with different players. With back-up guards like Stuckey and Will Bynum (who Kevin Garnett wont forget) to come in behind Allen Iverson and go hard to the basket, its almost a given that Detroit will be putting teams in foul trouble all year and have an easy kick-out option to Prince or Hamilton for an open jump shot. I look at Detroit to actually make it to the Finals this year giving A.I. his first real shot at a championship.
The Boston Celtics (disappointment): Anything less than a repeat is a disappointment (at least in my eyes) for the Celtics. And with my prediction of Detroit making it to the Finals, the Celtics will have to lose to Detroit in the ECF for that to happen
The Cleveland Cavaliers (surprise/disappointment): They'll be surprising in the sense they'll be a great team this year, but disappointing in the sense that they're not going capitalize on their potential this season.
and there it is. Discuss. I will admit my Pistons over Boston prediction is a little homer-ish, but I doubt if anybody would disagree its not a plausible possibility.
The San Antonio Spurs (disappointment): With Ginobili and Parker out and off their game for a while, it's going to be tough for them to be serious contenders in the West this year. Of course they'll come back, adjust and play well but Pop can only change the look of the team so much. These guys have been relatively predictable in the Playoffs, and it has led to their exit in the last two seasons.
The Phoenix Suns (surprise): There's something about the way these guys have been playing against the NBA's elite teams early this season. Shaq has been playing better this season than at the tail end of last, Steve Nash is virtually automatic as always, Amare seems to have a hunger for offense and no defender can stop him from getting to the table.
The New Orleans Hornets (disappointment): After their strong run last season, many consider them to be in the elite (at least top 5, maybe top 3) in the Western Conference. However, I just haven't seen much from these guys that would put them past half the teams in the West.
The Portland Trailblazers (disappointment): Considering all the people (including myself) who in the off-season saw these guys as having a breakout season, I think the Blazers will disappoint most of us this year with an early exit out of the first round of the playoffs (assuming they make 7th or 8th seed). Look for their real strengths to start making a difference next year, not this year.
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The Atlanta Hawks (surprise): These guys have been playing like a good team. It's teams like this that make me believe the East isn't as weak in contrast to the West as most people believe. With their almost defeat of Boston in the first round last year, they already surprised many. I'm thinking they'll surprise people this year by getting past somebody like Orlando or New York (!) in the first round.
The New York Knicks (surprise): For some fucked up reason these guys are putting together some nice fucking plays. Im very surprised at their level of play, they seem to be jelling well as a team. I believe they're going to thrive off the momentum of becoming a non-terrible Detroit Lions like team and push into the last seed of playoff teams in the East.
The Philadelphia 76ers (disappointment): With the other A.I. sort of struggling and not really playing to his full potential this year, coupled with the addition of Elton Brand, it's going to disappoint many when they don't make the playoffs.
The Miami Heat (surprise): Maybe it isn't a big surprise they'll get into the playoffs this season. It seems having Beasley and a healthy Wade in their roster makes everybody else on the squad remember they're playing in the NBA. And well, Beasley is a beast like everybody thought.
The Detroit Pistons (surprise): I feel with the re-signing of Antonio McDyess in December, the Pistons little shake-up in their franchise will even out real well come the start of 2009. Personally I felt the trade for A.I. wouldn't bear much fruit this year, but part of me thinks that things in Detroit actually will get better as opposed to the same outcome with different players. With back-up guards like Stuckey and Will Bynum (who Kevin Garnett wont forget) to come in behind Allen Iverson and go hard to the basket, its almost a given that Detroit will be putting teams in foul trouble all year and have an easy kick-out option to Prince or Hamilton for an open jump shot. I look at Detroit to actually make it to the Finals this year giving A.I. his first real shot at a championship.
The Boston Celtics (disappointment): Anything less than a repeat is a disappointment (at least in my eyes) for the Celtics. And with my prediction of Detroit making it to the Finals, the Celtics will have to lose to Detroit in the ECF for that to happen
The Cleveland Cavaliers (surprise/disappointment): They'll be surprising in the sense they'll be a great team this year, but disappointing in the sense that they're not going capitalize on their potential this season.
and there it is. Discuss. I will admit my Pistons over Boston prediction is a little homer-ish, but I doubt if anybody would disagree its not a plausible possibility.
