Ok, so I kinda completely stole this idea from Kevin over at Detroit Bad Boys, but we’re bloggers. It’s what we do.
Since the NBA season kicks off tomorrow night, I’ve made my predictions on everything important, and some things not so important around the league.
League MVP: LeBron James. As much as I hate to say it, the dude is amazing. Nobody in the world can guard him. He’s virtually unstoppable when he drives to the basket and his shooting touch is improving every year.
Close cuts: Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant, Brandon Roy
Eastern Conference Champion: Boston Celtics. Yeah, the Cavs got Shaq. Yeah, the Magic are the reigning East champs. I’m still taking Boston. You can’t count out the guy so intense he makes his teammates cry.
Other finalist: Cleveland Cavaliers
Western Conference Champion: San Antonio Spurs. They’re getting old, but I think they have another title run left in them. Tim Duncan is one of the best power forwards of all time and they added Richard Jefferson on the wing. They can either run Jefferson and Manu Ginobli at the 2 and 3 or let Ginobli come off the bench. The offensive firepower is there now, and the defensive intensity never left.
Other finalist: Los Angeles Lakers
Most Improved Player: Brian Scalabrine. Yeah, you remember this award. It always went to the worst player on the team, just because he couldn’t possibly win anything else. I’m not sure if Scalabrine is the worst player in the NBA, but he definitely looks like it. Close cuts: Darko Milicic, half the Clippers’ roster
Coach of the Year: Paul Westphal, Sacramento Kings. 90% of the time this award doesn’t go to the best coach in the league, but instead the dude that just gets lucky and his team has a good year. Westphal, you better win because I put 10 grand on you in Atlantic City.
Close cuts: Eddie Jordan (76ers), Scott Brooks (Thunder)
Rookie of the Year: Henry Rowengartner. Because it just wouldn’t be right any other way. Close cuts: Blake Griffin, Johnny Flynn
6th Man of the Year: Manu Ginobli. The NBA’s Hispanic marketing campaign pretty much tanked when Ricky Rubio decided to go back to Spain, so they’re relying on guys like Gilbert Arenas to fill the void. What does that have to do with this award? Nothing, except Ginobli speaks Spanish or something.
Worst player: See Most Improved Player
Worst coach: Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets. Ok, so the league won’t actually give out this award because whoever wins it will be unemployed by the end of the season anyway. Scott is actually a decent coach and has one of the best players in the League in Chris Paul. The rest of that roster screams lottery pick.
Close cuts: Larry Brown (Bobcats), Jim O’Brien (Pacers)
Best dunk: Blake Griffin dunks on Glen “Big Baby” Davis in the Clippers’ lone visit to Boston. Griffin shatters the glass and leaves dents in the floor while ripping off his uniform to reveal a Superman logo cattle-branded on his chest. Davis cries off to the locker room. Big Baby retires the next day and is later seen singing Broadway hits in the streets of Boston. Either that, or he gets an analyst job with ESPN. Vegas is giving 5-1 odds on the latter.
Pistons’ MVP: Ben Gordon. He might not even start this year, but I think Gordon is going to have as big of an impact as any on how well the Pistons do this season. When he’s on, he can light up any team in the NBA. His success in Detroit will be based on his commitment to improving his defense while still stretching defenses on the offensive end.
Pistons’ Most Improved Player: Chris Wilcox. I don’t want to call a Piston the “worst player” on the team, so I’m making this award legit. I think Wilcox will have a breakout year. He might not light up the stat sheet, but I think he’ll be a key piece to this team by season’s end under the tutelage of Kuester and Ben Wallace.
Pistons’ Record: 42-40. I definitely think this team will improve off of last year’s record. They are more talented and better coached than the 2008 version. However, this team is very young, which could cost them some games. Also, the rest of the Eastern conference is improving as well. That talent could spell danger for the Pistons’ playoff hopes.
End result: 7th seed in the East.
Best Tweet from @CV31: Man, I gotta get one of them little kid’s ‘fros from the crowd. My head gets cold in the winter.
NBA Champion: San Antonio Spurs. Gregg Popovich is the second craziest coach in the NBA (behind fit-for-a-strait-jacket Don Nelson), but the man knows how to win. That, and Antonio McDyess is the classiest player ever to not win a ring. If the Pistons don’t win it all, I’m definitely pulling the Spurs this season.
Also, be sure to check out the best NBA podcast in the business: The Basketball Jones. J.E. Skeets runs Yahoo’s Ball Don’t Lie. He and Tas Melas never fail to entertain, and their basketball commentary is top-notch as well.
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