NBA Preseason Picks

[Alex Confer]

Seeing as how we're four days (wow!) away from the start of preseason action, I figured it'd be cool to see some of your picks. Mine are as follows:

EAST SHOCKER (+)
Philadelphia 76ers
I chose this team not out of bias, but out of honest opinion. 43 wins in 2004-2005 with a nimwit at the helms and downright lousy player utilization. Not to mention Jim O'Brien's defensive "scheme" was, well, pretty ugly. Chris Webber is, at present time, the closest to 100% he's been in nearly four seasons. Combine that with a superstar at the helms, an insane athlete at SG, a sharpshooter at SF, and a rising star at C. The bench may be a bit suspect, but if Billy King can pull off another blockbuster somewhere in the season, Philadelphia could be right in it.

EAST SHOCKER (-)
Miami Heat
Too much star power. The Heat will have so many chemistry issues. I don't know how to put it in words, but saying this team is an instant contender is undermining Detroit's long-tenured lineup. We'll talk about those guys later.

WEST SHOCKER (+)
Utah Jazz
Deron Williams to Carlos Boozer ... yummy.

WEST SHOCKER (-)
Los Angeles Lakers
That's just one ugly situation, Phil or no Phil.

NBA FINALS 06 PICK
San Antonio over Detroit in 6 games.

[detroitbasketball]

EAST SHOCKER (+)
New Jersey Nets
I swear to God, this team has some awesome talent. Won't win the division, but they have a shot at upsetting a couple good teams.

EAST SHOCKER (-)
Miami Heat
Agreement with Alex. Not enough balls to go aroud, and by that I mean the kind you shoot.

WEST SHOCKER (+)
Sacrameno Kings
They'll upstage the Suns with a frontcourt of Miller and Reef, along with Stojakovic and Bibby knocking em down from outside. Lethal team, my pick to finish 2nd in the West. They'll push the Spurs to the limit.

WEST SHOCKER (-)
Phoenix Suns
Joe Johnson was so important to their team...they go from having 2 great shooters in Q and JJ to none. Don't expect such a great year again.

NBA FINALS 06 PICK
San Antonio over Detroit in 7 games....deja vu.

[Bibby10]

Dang DB beat me


EAST SHOCKER (+)
Boston Celtics
Gerald Green was the best thing to happen to Boston since uhh... But anyways look at the youth here. And I believe this year's their big year. After coming off a first round dismisal last year, Boston now has experience in Jefferson and Allen, so watch out. I also wouldn't be suprised to see if Ainge brings in another PF or C with experience to sweeten the deal.



EAST SHOCKER (-)
Miami Heat
Same thing. They WON't be as good as last year. Conference finals in doubt.

WEST SHOCKER (+)
Houston Rockets
I was talking to Alex about this a few days ago, but I think Houston can score a better record than San Antonio. Based on previous years the Spurs always seem to have a stumble streak somewhere but come back strong during the playoffs.

WEST SHOCKER (-)
Phoenix Suns
They won't win the best record in the NBA again. Don't get me wrong this will still be a good team. But it might surprise people to see their record down.

NBA FINALS 06 PICK
San Antonio over Indiana in 7 games.

[detroitbasketball]

XD

Bibby, I am completely convinced that you know nothing. San Antonio is one bijillion times deeper than Houston, and depth wns championships. And Indiana in the finals over Detroit and Miami (though they have bad chemistry, they have far more talent than Indy).

Who says Artest is gonna be as good as he was pre-attack?

[Bibby10]

hey DB,

It's a preseason pick. I believe Artest will come back just as strong. And Granger and Jones will only get better.

As for San Antonio, I believe they are 1 bijjilion times better but I think they might go down at some point in the season which will give Houston the edge. People didnt think Phoenix would come away over San Antonio record wise and they had the best talent out there.

[Alex Confer]

Fred Jones sucks major cojones.

[Jami]

EAST SHOCKER (+) - Boston. Good young nucleus..may take awhile to get hot in the beginning, but if everyone plays to their potential they'll be in the top half of the East.

EAST SHOCKER (-) - Not really a shocker, but the Knicks will still suck, no matter who's coaching them. They're just horrible. The league creates a rule to allow them to get rid of Allen Houston, EVEN NAMING THE FREAKING RULE AFTER HIM, and the Knicks don't get rid of him, instead getting rid of the Junkyard Dog. Come on, dudes, at least get rid of Penny Hardaway. Eddy Curry might be their solution down low, but giving Jerome James a huge contract was just plain idiotic. I just want to see how ugly this gets before angry fans burn down MSG.

WEST SHOCKER (+) - Utah's a popular pick, but I still think Deron Williams is overrated...maybe that's just my personal disdain for him, though. I'm going balls out and picking the Hornets, who'll rally around the Gulf Coast situation and post a surprisingly good record in the West. Chris Paul is the next GREAT PG in the NBA. Now all they have to do is fix those horrid colors they have.

WEST SHOCKER (-) - I don't know if I have a good reason for picking them, but for some reason I think the Nuggets are in for a down year. No real reason for it, but I just think they could be a team that ends up with a worse record than last season. They really didn't do anything in the offseason to help their team (I don't even remember their draft picks and I don't remember hearing them adding any free agents). If they would've added Mike Finley, it would be a different story, but they don't really have a solid outside shooter.

On a side note, the Bucks will be horrible. Just God-awful. Terry Stotts is the worst coach ever. Bobby Simmons is overpaid. Michael Redd is definitely overpaid. They'll still have no post game, and Andrew Bogut will foul out by the third quarter because all he did in college was hack and get away with it. If he had played in the Big Ten, he wouldn't have been any better than Paul Davis or James Augustine.

[bravest]

EAST SHOCKER (+)
Philadelphia 76ers
I like to think that I think even more of this team than their biggest fan, Alex, because I'm having them making the Finals, only to lose to the all-powerful San Antonio Spurs. Not only is Iverson and the rest of the team back on the prowl, a new and re-improved Chris Webber is out with something to prove. Depth...

EAST SHOCKER (-)
Boston Celtics
A lot of people have them ticketed them to take the East, but I'm poised to believe that their nucleus is too young to compete right now. As difficult as it is to predict a bust, I'm going with these guys, mainly on gut instinct.

WEST SHOCKER (+)
Los Angeles Clippers
A few minor (yet key) signings this offseason might end up benifitting the other team from Los Angeles. There's no reason to believe that their chemistry hasn't improved.

WEST SHOCKER (-)
Los Angeles Lakers

That's just one ugly situation, Phil or no Phil.

NBA FINALS 06 PICK
San Antonio over Philadelphia in 6 games.

[Alex Confer]

I wouldn't go so far as to say the Sixers are NBA Finals caliber AT THIS POINT, but like I said; one more big, unexpected move could do the trick.

[sep]

East Shocker (+)
Cleveland Cavs have now got all the pieces in place to make a realistic shot at the Finals.

East Shocker (-)
Washington Wizards, no playoffs for them this year, as I see it. The loss of Hughes is to vital to the team.

West Shocker (+)
Golden State Warriors, they may suck this year. But I like the pieces they have in place to compete in the future.

West Shocker (-)
Seattle, started out real strong last season. I dont see that happening this year. They'll make the playoffs no doubt, but a quick first round exit may be the result.

NBA Finals Pick
Miami over San Antonio in 6

[McGahee]

EAST SHOCKER (+)
Philadelphia 76ers
My Biased Pick... seriously though, Iverson is the best player in the game right now, assuming you don't try and compare him to Duncan or Amare or other big men. They improved their front court with Hunter, the young guys are only getting better (Daly, Iggy, and Korver), and a chance my boy Johny "Fishstick" Salmons gets to start (long story). Iverson will win the MVP, and Korver, if he sits, has an outside chance for 6th man. If Webber stays healthy, this team has Eastern Conference Finals written all over it. The Finals are a stretch but I wouldn't put it past the smallest guy with the biggest heart...
(Runner Up- Indiana Pacers- They get over the Pistons hump)

EAST SHOCKER (-)
Miami Heat
I think we all agree here. Sure, this team still might even win their division, but this seems like a 2003(?)Lakers team with too much star power to do anything against the Pistons and the Pacers of the NBA.
(Runner Up- Boston Celtics- Toine's gone and people are going to miss Payton's grreat play in the post)

WEST SHOCKER (+)
Los Angeles Clippers
Livingston/Cassell and Mobley make for a great backcourt, offensively anyways. Elton Brand is a Top 10 player, and when the Clips start winning, everyone will realize that. If Kaman doesn't act like Chris Bosh and get burned by every big men coming his way, a playoff berth will be there.
(Runner Up: Utah Jazz- Great front court and I like Deron Williams)

WEST SHOCKER (-)
Denver Nuggets
A lot of people are predicting a division win. I say they don't even make the playoffs. Melo plays D like Big Dog, K Mart didn't have the "big" year people expected him to have, and nobody was really brought in to help. Andre Miller is still one of the best, but Melo needs some defense and K Mart needs to breakout to make up for it.
(Runner Up: Houston Rockets- Another 1st Round Exit for ya T Mac)

NBA FINALS 06 PICK
San Antonio over Indiana Pacers in 5

And DB, I understand you have that natural bias, but not that it means much, but Artest still did practice with the team last year, so it's not like he's gonna completely suck. And plus, Indy's been getting killed by Detroit for too long. They'll pull an Eagles and finally get over the hump.

[Jami]

To quote Bill Simmons of ESPN.com:

"The Arizona Cardinals are a lot like the Clippers: every year they're great, and then the season starts."

I don't see the Clips doing better with Bobby Simmons, but that's just me. Sam Cassell is overrated and will do more damage in the Clips locker room than help on the court.

[Keeper]

East Shocker (+)
Bucks. Bogut averages a double-double.
Well, it is a preseason prediction.
Bobcats. Not neccesarily on the court, but in the bank

East Shocker (-)
Hornets. They're worse than you can imagine

West Shocker (+)
Seriously, my favorite asian and his Rockets will actually not fail.

West Shocker (-)
Lakers. Bynum isn't ready, and Turiaf isn't with them. Phil quites again after realizing that Kobe isn't all that great.

NBA Finals Pick
Suns over Pacers in 5

[McGahee]

Uh, the Bucks are in the East, and the Hornets are in the west. GEOGRAPHY'D

[detroitbasketball]

The Hornets can't be a horrible surprise. Everyone knows that they might not reach 15 wins.

[Keeper]

Hey man, head injuries are a pain to deal with.

[altony2179]

If Your NOT picking the Miami Heat out of the East, you gotta be crazy (Some of you compare them to the 2003 Lakers team, but for one thing, this ain't the 2003 Lakers and Pat Riley won't tolerate nonsense)....... Only Indiana will come close to them......Detroit is due for a pitfall without Larry Brown..... New Jersey's a trendy pick, but they are a horrendous defensive team.... all the rest of the East isn't worth mentioning.......

The West is a little more muddled.... San Antonio is my pick but it very well be Minnesota (with rook McCants... who will start)..... or Dallas (just call it a hunch)..... or Houston (they still need more shooters... not scorers....). Teams like Phoenix (no shot without Joe Johnson-he was the glue on that team), Lakers (With Phil & Kobe they'll make the playoffs, that's about it), Sacramento (No Defense), Memphis (Not hungry enough) they'll be there but they won't come out of the West...

I think it will be Miami-San Antonio Finals..... the Heat in a hard fought seven game series......

[O-S-U Oregon St fite fite fite]

I will say this
EAST
1. heat
2. pistons
3. Pacers
4. heat
5. Baby Bulls
6. Celtics
7. Cleveland
8. Knicks


West
1. Spurs
2. Suns
3. Rockets
4. Mavs
5. T'Wolves
6. Kings
7. Sonics
8 Lakers


There are my standings by record, Now the Heat arer easily the east chaps Cutting through the east like a hot knife through butter.
Now the west is intresting. The Spurs are loaded. But so are the rockets they will run and gun like the suns who will also beat you but now they have some defense with kurt thomas the big problem is they lost their two best shooters. The Mavs got worst, I will take the spurs in the west

So a Spurs Heat finals. Well the spurs will have to start finley to score with the heat, so bowen off the bench, Shaq and wade are the best combo i the league but they are facing ginobli and Duncan a poor man version of themselves. Duncan never plays great against shaq its always duncans role players but Wade will shut down ginobli and ginonli can guard wade Huge Advantage to the heat who in 5 games

So there you go My preseason picks Heat are your NBA Champs
Awards; MVP D wade
ROY- Marvin Williams
Def. KG
6th Man- Finley

[McGahee]

lol no way are the Heat making the finals. And why would SA start Finley against the Heat. They would rather have Bowen score 5 points and have a Heat player score a dozen less points than have Finley score 20 and the guy he's covering score 25...

[sep]

Come on I knew the Heat were talented, but making the eastern conference playoffs as the #1 and #4 seed, come on Beavs2aBowlin06 thats a bit much.