80 Million Dollar Forward Out For a Month

Elton Brand, Philadelphia’s big catch that costed them 80 mil last summer suffered a shoulder injury last night while the Sixers faced the Bucks. The Sixers starting power forward and leading scorer dislocated his shoulder on this fall and was helped out of the game. It’s been determined that Brand won’t need surgery. 

The loss of Brand, who’s been averaging 15.9 points and 9.8 rebounds per game, will open up more opportunities for Philadelphia’s prideful rookie, Marreese Speights. The 6′10” forward has had an impressive outing in his first year, averaging 6.4 points along with 3.8 rebounds. 

The injury will only add to the list of disappointments Philadelphia has been filling since the start of the season. They’re 9-14 start gave Mo Cheeks the boot. But they’re 2-0 under they’re new interim coach, Tony DiLeo.

In other Sixer news, Andre Miller has somehow become the go-to-guy at times for the Sixers. Miller currently averages 15.3 points and 5.9 assists per game. Despite Iguodala’s usual slow start, he’s been averaging 21 points, 8.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists in his last five games. Thad Young is putting up a steady 13 points nightly and Lou Williams is beginning to find a lot more playing time under coach DiLeo.

 

Dated: December 18th, 2008

Philadelphia Sixers (2-3) v. Orlando Magic (2-2)

Caught this one from the start.

• Dwight Howard falls into foul trouble early when he picked up his second personal foul in with less than two minutes into the game.
• Philly’s averaging 19 turnovers per game heading into this contest, their losses are well backed by their careless control over the ball.
• Iguodala’s frustrating start for the season continues, after scoring his only two points in the fourth quarter of last night’s game, he picks up his second foul to sideline him for the the rest of the first quarter.
• Both teams had their sloppy starts, but Orlando collected themselves to a 7-15 lead with 5:43 left in the first quarter.
• Watching Andre Miller go 0-3 in short jumpers and failing to keep up to Jameer Nelson is almost as bad as watching Brand struggling to find the open man when he’s doubled. 
• Rashard Lewis sinks his fifth free throw of the gun to fuel the 7-0 run for the Magic. Lewis has 10.
• Orlando evolves into an unstoppable offensive onslaught. Jameer continues whizzing past Miller, Lewis and Turkoglu are finding their way to the basket and Philadelphia shows no signs of offense. 9-22 Orlando.
• Lou Williams finally checks into the game along with Rush for some offense. Williams should keep up better with Nelson.
• Orlando’s tempo explodes all over Philly, with points off turnovers and three pointers. 16-30 Orlando at the end of the first.
• Second quarter starts, stars are back in for both Philly and Orlando with Iggy and Howard. 
• Despite the 5 straight points from the Sixers, Orlando’s offense remains overpowering for Philadelphia. 
• Brand is paying was a Huge chip on his shoulder after the fat contract signing, and it’s showing. Elton appears to be trying too hard to make a difference to the team but the only difference so far is the Sixers having a post-player doubled.
• Another foul from Dwight Howard, he lags back into the bench. With Brand in, the Sixers’ slim hope of making a push to make this a ball game remains alive. 25-39 Orlando.
• Iguodala is attacking and Rush has sunk both of his two jump shots. Still, Philly’s offense remains hanging by a thread with Brand scorelessly struggling.
• With Howard out, Orlando’s 16-point-lead is cut to six with an 8-0 run by the Sixers. 35-41 Orlando.
• Game continues at a steady pace, Orlando extends their lead to 11 as Andre Miller hit a couple of shots for the Sixers. 43-54 Orlando at half.
• Magic come back into the game beautifully, running their desired plays to develop a 17-point lead. 
• Credit to Stan Van Gundy and the Magic coaching staff, for successfully figuring out the Sixers on both sides of the ball. Most notably on defense. Their doubling of Elton Brand whenever he sees the ball has forced the Sixers to rely on jumpshots they can’t make. 
• Thad Young’s 2/11 shooting forces Cheeks to slide in Kareem Rush for better shots. 
• Orlando Magic’s starting five is completely destroying Philadelphia on both sides of the basketball. 45-66 Orlando.
• Philadelphia continues trying to slide back into the game but Orlando doesn’t allow anything.
• Andre Miller’s jumpshot is the most broken stroke I’ve ever seen. Finally LouWill steps in for him.
• The Magic held a 23 point lead over the Sixers at one point in the third, but Philadelphia somehow cut the lead to 9. Dalembert has done all he could to frustrate Howard and both Young and Iguodala have helped the Sixers make this dull competition a realistic one.
• With Elton Brand out, the Sixers are playing their game from last season, with a more comfortable feel. Thad Young at the 4 spot is proving to be efficient for the Sixers offense. Young leads the bunch with 17 points.
• Nine minutes left in the game, the score is set at 72-80. The Sixers are scoring sparingly throughout the game and are making the most out of the open shots missed by the Magic. 
• Less than a minute left and Orlando leads by 12. The Magic have suffocated Elton Brand to the fullest leaving Philadelphia’s offense with nothing to rely on but bricks, bricks and more bricks. Philadelphia shot 38% from the floor tonight. The Magic appear to be so far ahead Philadelphia after this win. Philadelphia need to do some serious changes to their attack, their spacing is disgusting and it’s shocking they didn’t expect Brand to ever get double-teamed throughout this long season. 
• Both swingmen, Turkoglu and Lewis, tagged 20 points and 8 rebounds for the Magic. Howard scored 14 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks under limited play.
• Andre Iguodala tried too hard tonight for Philadelphia, 16-11-8 but it’s obvious nothing is clicking for this team offensively. Young continues to lead Philadelphia in the scoring department with 19 tonight. 

 

 

Dated: November 6th, 2008

Saturday Dimes

Bullets for Saturday, Nov. 1st, 2008

• Behind Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, Atlanta’s rally over Philadelphia was just disrespectful. Johnson supplied the scoring, but Smith touched all bases with his numbers. Smith had 14 points, 11 boards, 3 assists, 3 steals and 2 blocks tonight. This team continues to show to the league that last year wasn’t a fluke, as they slide to 2-0.
• Dalembert and Brand are absorbing the glass for Philadelphia, tonight they combined for 27 total rebounds. But Philly’s recent loss is already bringing concern, especially on the defensive side. 
• Basketball is back in Indiana. A toothless Danny Granger lost his front two teeth tonight but not the game. The Pacers collectively showed up tonight against the Champion Celtics. The final score wasn’t even close at 79-95. 
• In points, Hedo had 21, Lewis hung 26, Howard slammed 29, Pietrus stuck 20 to the face of Sacramento. The Kings dropped to 0-3 in a 103-121 final. Dwight also nabbed 14 boards and 5 blocks.
• Gerald Wallace stat line: 34 points, 3 assists, 9 rebounds and 3 blocks.
• As expected, the Hornets are coasting through their first week in the regular season. Chris Paul hung 24 points and dished 15 assists to drive the Hornets past the Cavaliers.
• LeBron dished out 13 dimes of his own against the Hornets.
• Jason Kidd hauled 9 boards tonight while also having 7 assists and 4 steals. Dirk scored 21 and the Mavs picked up their first win of the season, leaving them at 1-1.
• Derrick Rose appears to of gotten the gist of the NBA speed. Rose scored 26 points and had 6 rebounds to help Chicago get past Memphis tonight. Gooden cleaned the glass with 20 rebounds.
• Calderon scored a career-high 25 points for the Raptors tonight. He’ll be sure to set plenty of new career highs this season in Toronto. Bosh scored 20 points and had 10 rebounds. 
• Carmelo struggled in his season debut, shooting 5/15 for 13 points. He also debuted his ban of the braids. Kobe’s 33 points helped the Lakers get past the Nuggets though.
• A.I.’s numbers are dropping. 13 points and 7 dimes tonight.
• Without Baron Davis and Marcus Camby, the Clippers dropped to 0-3 after losing to Utah. 
• Amare Stoudemire exploded for 23 points and 13 boards and the Blazers weren’t able to hold off the Suns. 
• 3-0 teams: Toronto, LA Lakers, New Orleans and Houston
• Winless teams: Washington, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers, Sacramento and San Antonio (!).

Wednesday Dimes

Bullets for Wednesday, Oct. 30th, 2008

• Kevin Love’s NBA debut: 18 min., 12 points (5/8), 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. Efficiency? check.
• Dalembert lead the league in boards tonight with 17. Chris Bosh scored 27 points behind 4 assists and 11 rebounds, while helping his Raptors win 95-84. Philly’s leading scorer tonight? Lou Williams with 16. So much for Brand’s debut.
• Udonis Haslem, Dwyane Wade, Shawn Marion and rookie, Mario Chalmers all had respectful performances for Miami tonight. Second round pick, Michael Beasley struggled, shooting 4/14 for 9 points. 
• The Knicks swung their uppercut tonight against Miami though, the reckless jacker, Jamal Crawford was on tonight and we all know when he’s on, he’s on. Jamal had 29 points, shooting 9/19. Players such as David Lee, Wilson Chandler, NateRob and Zach Randolph put forth an amazing effort to make D’Antoni a winner in his New York debut.
• Danny Granger is blossoming. 33 points, 5 rebounds. The team isn’t quite there yet, Indy lost 94-100 to Detroit.
• As expected, Phoenix and San Antonio shared a close game tonight. Duncan looked flawless. Parker started off slow, scoring his first points in the second quarter, but both players had 32 points tonight. 
• Shaquille O’Neal went 5-8 from the free-throw line tonight, that hack-a-shaq strategy will never fade. 15 points, 13 boards and 2 blocks for the Big Cactus though. Nashy also proved he hasn’t slipped a step, 13 points and assists.
• Hornets slipped past the Warriors tonight. Without Monta Ellis, both Maggette and Jackson shared most of the scoring, while Biedrins put up 12 points and 14 rebounds.
• CP3’s line- 21 points, 11 assists, 5 rebounds, 3 steals. Oh, and a block. 
• Main concern for Mayo? Shot selection. O.J. shot 5/20 tonight, ouch. Marc Gasol put work tonight though, 12 points, 12 rebounds and 2 blocks.
• Lakers out-rebounded the Clippers 51 to 32. Baron Davis was electric in the first quarter in front of his Grandmama, but the Lakers easily slowed all the Clipper hype down immediately after the first quarter, 117-79.

Toronto v. Philadelphia Dimes

All bullets are influenced by the second half of this exhibition.

• 12 boards in the first half solely from Dalembert is great. 8 of them being offensive rebounds is impressive, where was Bosh and O’Neal while he was doing this?
• Iggyhop’s shooting wooes continue, 4/12 shooting with 3 minutes left in the third.
• The Raptors are working beautifully as expected. Suffocating defense and Calderon is generating open looks easily. Their lead once broke to 14 after Calderon hit an open three in the final moments of the third quarter. 
• Through three quarters, Brand’s 12 points and 10 rebounds is acceptable. With the amount of space Jermaine O’Neal is giving him, he’s expected to continue knocking down those shots around the paint.
• The tempo erupts in the beginning of the fourth, with the Sixers on a 7-0 run. This high-tempo could backfire easily against Philadelphia, with the snipers Toronto possess in Kapono, Calderon and Parker.
• Calderon picks up his fifth foul with 8 minutes left in the fourth. If that doesn’t hurt the Raptors, his awkward fall on his forearm and shooting hand is attracting medical attention from the bench.
• Less than five minutes left in this game, Toronto leads 86-75. Philadelphia obviously still needs more time to mesh their roster together. 
• Excluding some of his sloppy offensive and defensive plays, Jermaine O’Neal is playing like he’s been a Raptor for awhile. His 15 points and 8 boards so far aren’t too shabby for his season debut, alongside Bosh’s 27 points and 11 boards.
• Kapono buries the dagger three with a little over 2 minutes left in the game to spoil Philadelphia’s home opener. 
• Jose Calderon shined as toronto’s undisputed leader. Sure, Bosh is their default go-to-guy but Calderon ran this team’s engine from start to finish. Calderon finished with 13 points and 7 assists.
• Elton Brand’s final line: 14 points (5/14), 13 rebounds, 4 turnovers. Nothing insane, but got dirty down low at times to absorb rebounds.
• Williams puts up 16 points in 23 minutes of play, but made 2 out of the 7 three-pointer he took.
• Toronto expressed their colorful ways of attacking for the season. Relying tough on their dangerous perimeter shooting while having more toughness around Bosh with Jermaine O’Neal. Calderon is set to have a career high season this year also.
• Philadelphia unveiled shades of their explosive athleticism and praised fastbreak offense. But their poor perimeter defense killed them in the second half. Their 17 turnovers compared to Toronto’s 9 also draws concern. Andre Miller can’t be blamed, he had zero turnovers and five dimes. 

Division Previews: Atlantic

Atlantic Division

The Overview

The Atlantic Division this season will, for once, be one of the most interesting divisions to follow this season. That is, in gracious thanks to the revamped teams of Philadelphia and Toronto. This division has dealt with it’s respected amount of changes in some rosters due to monster signings by Philadelphia, notable trades and international losses by Toronto, and massive reloading by both New York and New Jersey.

The Ranks

1. Boston Celtics
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. Toronto Raptors
4. New York Knicks
5. New Jersey Nets

 

The Previews

1. The Boston Celtics (66-16)

The 2008 NBA Champions come into the league with a caliber that is ever-so-hard to ignore. Sure, they’ve lost some huge role players in James Posey and P.J. Brown but they still have the main men who gave them the parade. The loss of Posey could prove out to be one of the biggest losses in role-player-history (it’s that serious). Some small additions such as Patrick O’Bryant and Darius Miles aren’t anything major. The loss of Sam Cassell is a plus for the team, even though they desperately lack a point guard. Stubbornly relying on Rondo to carry the load for another season could eventually have it’s backlash unless Rajon put some serious work into his jump shot this off season.. Another year, is both good and bad for Boston, good in the sense players such as Leone Powe and Glen Davis maturing, but bad with the big three becoming a year older. Ray Allen became 33 over the summer, Garnett 32 and Paul Pierce, who turns 31 in October. The fact remains though, these are the Champions and it will take more than perseverance to take them down, ask the Cavaliers.

Finals Odds: 89%

Player Spotlight: Leon Powe

Besides his crisp haircut, Loen Powe has a story behind him that many couldn’t grasp. He grew up in Oakland, with a father that left him when he was only two years old. When he was seven, his house was burnt down, resulting in he and his family to become homeless for years. In high school his mother died before his state championship game. It’s obvious Powe’s life wasn’t the easiest growing up, but he never let it affect his game. In college, Powe attended California University and in his sophomore year he achieved 20.5 pgg. and 10.5 rpg. while leading Cal to a 20-11 record along with a tournament berth. Once getting drafted, he suffered limited playing time for the struggling Celtics during his rookie year. But with Kevin Garnett’s arrival, the club were given a winning atmosphere and confidence. Powe then went on to average 7.4 points and 4.1 rebounds in only 14.4 minutes per game during his second year with Boston. During last year’s finals, Powe was unleashed during Game 2, scoring 27 points and 11 rebounds. With his presence felt, Leon comes into his third year as an efficient back-up power forward with amazing promise. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

Boston will win the Championship this year by replicating what they did last season. They must bring the same hunger they had last season. With a player like Garnett on the team, it’s hard to argue they won’t have the same hunger. Players like Garnett and Pierce laid it all on the floor last year before getting crowned. It’s only been one year for anyone to say there’s nothing left in tank. This roster didn’t undergo any serious changes to put them out of championship talks. The Celtics come into each game knowing they have the best group of players and proved it every time, winning 66 games. They carried the best defensive ranking in the league while having the defensive player of the year in Garnett. Their roster was combined with extensive leadership (Garnett), skill (Pierce), clutch play (Ray Allen), role play (Posey, House), youth (Rondo, Perkins), and veterans (Cassell, Brown). Another year can only mean more time for this untouchable group to become even more comfortable with each other. As long as KG remains on this team, Boston will always be in Finals talk.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Celtics made it hard for most teams to find their true weakness. One of the best ways teams found to attack Boston was to force the young Rajon Rondo to shoot the ball more. Rondo’s shot selections weren’t the best and the guard only made five total three-pointers last season. In the playoffs, Rondo has the third lowest shooting percentage for the team at .407%, the strategy worked for the most part, but no team could get around the talent Boston packed. This season team’s can only hope that Ray Allen’s shooting fails like it did in the post season and Rondo continues to keep up his poor shooting for this team to stay away from the Finals.

 

2. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42)

Stefanski made it clear to Philadelphia that there will be changes in the roster and this summer the 76ers underwent the biggest face lift in the league. The Sixers first nabbed arguably the best free agent in Elton Brand. Then, smartly paid Iguodala and Williams for the future. After that, carefully hand-picked effective role-players, Royal Ivey (defense), Theo Ratliff (size), Kareem Rush (perimeter shooting) and Donyell Marshall (shooting and boards). Their draft pick, Marreese Speights has already gained acceptance in the city of Philly, which is huge. They couldn’t afford to lose Iguodala, for they’ve worked on him since day uno (hence the fat contract). Philadelphia will create problems. Andre Miller must continue his wise-play, Iguodala must improve his shooting and Louis Williams should see much more minutes so that rest will fall into place.

Finals Odds: 73%

Player Spotlight: Louis Williams 

Coming into the league, this cat was given poor comparisons and expectations. Most scouts predicted the high school prospect and to go undrafted after his poor workouts until Philadelphia drafted Williams with the 45th overall pick late in the second round. Young Lou Williams compared himself to Allen Iverson, the Sixers former star at the time. But his first steps in the NBA had no relation to a young Allen Iverson and Philadelphia sent Williams to the NBDL. While playing for the Development League, Williams averaged 26 points and 7 assists in over three games. With Iverson’s days being numbered in Philly in the following season, Williams was brought back up to play for the Sixers. In his sophomore season, he got a hint of more playing time and averaged 4.3 points and 1.8 assists per game why playing under 12 minutes a night. The ‘08 season rolled in and Williams benefitted greatly with a young Philly team that now shared the scoring with Iverson gone. Williams played for the full season, providing electric scoring off the bench. His play caused many fans followers to prefer Williams as the starter over Willie Green, who the Sixers’ starting two-guard. At the end of the season, Louis averaged 11.5 points, 3.2 assists and 1 steal per game, while being the team’s best three point shooter by percentage. Louis Williams’ appreciation and respect was felt and the Sixers resigned for five years, worth 25 million. With things looking up for the franchise, Williams is one of the top players on Philadelphia’s roster with great expectations, his playing time and stats will improve along with his status. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Sixers were the undisputed winners of the 2008 free agency. With a player like Elton Brand on board, Philadelphia’s quest to become a deeper playoff team is becoming a reality. Led by Andre Miller and Iguodala, Philadelphia went into the playoffs under Maurice Cheeks as head coach for the first time. Their success became a surprise to many, with the team not having such great expectations coming into the season. With Billy King finally out as the Sixers GM, new manager, Ed Stefanski made his presence felt immediately by sculpting the roster to a brighter future. The Korver trade will always be argued, with Philly being the worst 3-point shooting team last season. But with Rush and Marshall in the roster, the perimeter should fix the three-point shooting wooes for the most part, while having a future first rounder coming out of the Korver trade. Philadelphia also drafted Maurice Speights, a tenacious power forward that will become resourceful with stud-rookie, Jason Smith gone. Philadelphia is close to become a strong, complete team in the league. While the East still remains open, the Sixers just need to climb over one or two teams before having their glance at the O’brien trophy. Still for the most part, Stefanski fixed the screaming holes on this team and has pleasantly given the league warning shots aiming a Philadelphia’s resurrection to dominance.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

The Eastern Conference still holds its unique tough set of teams that could easily stop Philadelphia in their run for the Finals. The Sixers shouldn’t expect to be exposed as they were last season by the Pistons in the playoffs, but surely teams will find a way to frustrate Iguodala and Brand. The Sixers don’t have a bonafide scorer and attacker along the lines of Bryant, James, or Stoudemire and you best bet teams with such weapons will shove it to Philadelphia’s face when it matters. The Sixers are relying on a set of borderline, hopeful vets to bring home a championship. Just like Boston did, but with better names. No one will match the heart this team carried when they had Iverson, fans will only hope Brand will help bring it back, while trying to sway away from injury-prone criticisms.

 

3. Toronto Raptors (41-41)

This flexible bunch has done it’s best to extend opposing defenses after the departure of Vince Carter. This season, it’s no different when it comes to that factor, but over the off-season the Raptors underwent tremendous change. Shortly known for their expansion in international talent that opened the perimeter, the Raptors lost a handful of their international weapons in Carlos Delfino and Jose Garbajosa. T.J. Ford finally got beat out of his job in Toronto by Jose Calderon, as expected. Thanks to Calderon, trading away a young Ford for Jermaine O’Neal wasn’t anything but great for the team. The overall look of the roster still remains physically weak and lacking any toughness. The bulkiest player for Toronto is Nathan Jawai, a 280 pound rookie center from Australia that probably won’t see many minutes. The line-up seems electric for Toronto regardless of their lack of toughness. With Calderon leading the crew, Bargnani extending the floor, an encouraging amount of role players and the O’Neal-Bosh tandem down low, Toronto is guarunteed to have a better season than last year.

Finals Odds: 63%

Players Spotlight: Jose Calderon

Calderon carries a special swagger and intelligence to his game that remains unmatched. Former Raptor’s point guard, T.J. Ford, found out the hard way. When Ford was traded away it was clear that Calderon, a Spaniard sensation, out-balled Ford out of his starting spot, which landed him in Indiana. After playing magnificently in Europe, Calderon made the shift to the NBA by signing with Toronto. His rookie season proved to be well solid, critics claimed his poor shooting was a mental factor, for he shot well in Europe. His second season saw great progress, being capped off by averaging 13 points and 5.3 assists per game in the playoffs. Last season, Calderon’s potential was unleashed. The crafty playmaker averaged 11.2 points and 8.3 assists per game under 56 starts out of the 82 games he participated in. Calderon couldn’t be in a better position this season, as he’s expected to play alongside Bargnani, Bosh and Jermaine O’Neal.

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Raptors possess one of the most unique offenses in the league. Their offensive attack is sometimes unmatched, as they contain a lengthy set of players that can also shoot the ball well from distance. It was said they needed another big man down low, who better than 6-time All-Star, Jermaine O’Neal. It’s been nearly two year’s since O’Neal convinced watchers that he’s an elite power forward. But everyone knows what big-time trades can do to star players, hence Shaq and Garnett. Sure, O’Neal isn’t on the same caliber, but with Bosh, Bargnani and Calderon on his side, the chances are immense. Toronto is one of the best perimeter teams in the league, with 2-time defending 3-point champion, Jason Kapono and Anthony Parker. Bosh continues to extend his game yearly, Bargnani has been said to be getting stronger and Calderon is just getting started. They could apply pressure to the best teams the Eastern Conference has to offer, leaving them to an easy ticket to the Finals.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

It has yet to be proven whether they have the mental toughness they lacked last season. Teams such as the Pistons and Celtics can easily muscle this squad to create turnovers. Still, with tall, skinny post players in Bosh and O’Neal, Toronto can only hope to not run into big time centers like Dwight Howard, Amare Stoudemire (with Shaq!), and Garnett. Toughness is the biggest factor that holds this team back from a cham.pionship, and the problem is many teams carry that factor.

 

4. New York Knicks (23-59)

A team that’s currently in the process of Obama-like change. After the hiring of former Sun’s coach, Mike D’Antoni, along with the firing of Isiah Thomas, the 08-09 season came in too soon for New York, Stephon Marbury, Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford sadly remain on the roster. Different faces come into the picture to accompany the Mike D’Antoni leadership with Chris Duhon, Danilo Gallinari, Patrick Ewing Jr., and Anthony Roberson. Renaldo Balkman, one of the few true players for New York now plays for Denver. Thankfully, the Knicks bright light, David Lee still remains on the roster. It’s only a matter of time before more player swapping occurs, resulting in an unbearable mess for the Knicks’ upcoming season.

Finals Odds: 21%

Player Spotlight: David Lee

If you follow a good portion of basketball, you know who David Lee is. The 6′9” power forward from the Knicks is one of the most efficient players off the bench. Lee is a graduate of Florida University, having played three great years in college, Lee was drafted in 2005 by the New York Knicks. Lee began his pro career as a small forward, starting 14 games all season. While averaging 16.9 minutes a game, Lee averaged 5.1 points and 4.5 rebounds per game in his rookie season. In his second season, his fan base grew quickly. David saw more playing time at 29.8 minutes a game, while putting up an impressive 10.7 points and 10.4 rebounds per game. Many New Yorkers craved for Lee to have a more specific role for the team, after starting less games than his previous season. David became one of the most productive and hard-working players in the Knicks’ line-up, which was surrounded by players with fat contracts while lacking motivation. Lee finally gained more playing time the following season, starting 29 games. Opponents have become aware of Lee’s huge role in the Knicks offense and around the glass. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

With a new coach in Mike D’Antoni, the Knicks will look to change the team’s mind-set. The Knicks will look to be led by newcomer point guard, Chris Duhon. In hopes that Duhon’s game will explode and players like Zach Randolph and Eddie Curry can get it together in the front court, the Knicks will to surprise the league. With a couple of different shifts in the roster, Crwaford’s loose cannon should hopefully contain itself to sensible shot selections. Wilson Chandler is also a baller for NY that can make some noise. Behind all the money, New York’s line-up does have solid talent could create a substantial amount of wins.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Facing the fact that it’s the Knicks we’re talking about, this franchise hasn’t seen a playoff birth since the ‘03-’04 season. With all the changes, this is still the same heartless team it was last season. Relying on players like Zach Randolph, Eddy Curry, Jamal Crawford and quite possibly a selfish Stephon Marbury, isn’t going to get this team anywhere different than last season. There’s still a boatload of changes that this team needs to undergo before even thinking about a championship.

 

5. New Jersey Nets (34-48)

Another team with a completely different look heading into the season. But this look is for the future, not for this season. Richard Jefferson, DeSagna Diop, Kristic, Nachbar and Marcus Williams are all gone, is Carter next? Most likely. The Nets have brought in plenty of young size throughout the off-season in Brook Lopez and Yi Jianlian. Their future is marked with abundant questions regarding their path towards a true leader. This will be another season to forget about for New Jersey, but the future for the Nets will be nothing less than epic.

Finals Odds: 19%

Player Spotlight: Devin Harris

Harris came into the league after making a name for himself in college. At the University of Wisconsin, Devin worked his way to become a freshmen starter. His game then emerged during his sophomore year, and in his junior year, Harris’ game took Wisconsin to the Sweet 16. Before getting eliminated by Kentucky, Harris’ amazing skill shined on the big stage. With his great defensive-mindset, quick first step, court vision and uncanny ability to dunk the ball with authority, Devin Harris was drafted fifth overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. In his first set of years for the Mavericks, Harris adapted to the team’s up-tempo offense, while being a combo guard. When he was traded to New Jersey last season, Harris’ role became completely different. Devin ushered his way into the starting line-up in New Jersey as the Nets braced themselves to have Harris become their floor general for years to come. Harris’ stats reached their highest when playing with New Jersey, averaging 15.4 points and 6.5 assists per game. With Marcus Williams recently being traded away in July, Harris’ position as the team’s prime point guard became solidified. 

Why they will be NBA Champions.

The Nets are a team that have completely swapped their image. Trading away the team’s former leading scorer, Richard Jefferson, makes Vince Carter the scoring veteran. If he remains a Net, Carter will be surrounded by many different unique talents, most notably Yi Jianlian. The struggling Nets last season were against the grain after losing Jason Kidd, but defeated Cleveland 3 out of their 4 match ups and put up close games against the Lakers and Celtics. Harris, Jianlian and Carter would have to mesh together to produce reliable scoring and defense to get deep into the season.

Why they won’t be NBA Champions.

Lets face it, the time isn’t quite there yet for New Jersey. Unless Carter explodes to become the player he was four years ago, this team’s history. There’s just too much skill in their division for this team to even hope for a playoff berth. This team just needs more time and maybe some sort of King.

Brand New

It’s official. After seven years, the Philadelphia 76ers are once again a force to be recognized. The words, “Elton Brand” will flood the streets of Philadelphia for the rest of this summer until tip-off, when the packed Wachovia Center will be speechless until Brand nets his first bucket as a Sixer. This is it. The Sixers front office and Ed Stefanski strike gold in a move to force the organization to shine a light on what was once a poorly faithful bunch of ballers. After the departure of Philadelphia’s complete heart, Allen Iverson, the Sixers bring home a prime superstar ball player in Elton Brand.

Elton Brand is the forgotten superstar, more so, one of the most slept-on 20-10 guys the League has. Elton Brand’s exposure has been stabbed with his humble personality along with his dreary team, the Clippers. The 2-time All Star finally helped make some noise for the Clippers back in the 2006 playoffs, when they were one win away from advancing to the Conference Finals. Even after that, Brand was dealt the respect and attention he well deserved after many seasons. His NBA career began during Chicago’s rebuilding era. The 98-99 Bulls were then a team struggling to find wins with a record of 13-37 during NBA’s lockout season.

The horrible record landed Chicago the number one draft pick in the 1999 Draft, where they picked Brand. Brand quickly averaged 20.1 points per game, 10 rebounds per game and 1.6 blocks per game in 80 games as a rookie, earning himself the Co-Rookie of the Year award. Playing alongside aging players such as Toni Kukoc, Hersey Hawkins, Randy Brown and a 20-year-old Ron Artest, the Bulls stunk a 17-65 record. The following season brought forth the same results, a 15-67 record with Brand freakishly averaging the same amount of points, blocks and rebounds while bringing his assists per game up from 1.9 to 3.2. Elton was then traded to the Clippers in 2001 for Brian Skinner and Tyson Chandler. His arrival in the L.A. Clippers was apprehended as one of the three fan-favorite baller trio’s consisting of Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles. The Clippers blossomed with quality players to accompany Brand such as Corey Maggette, Andre Miller and Lamar Odom but the groups never stirred together to form as a playoff contender. While averaging impressive stats, Brand was cursed with overwhelmingly mediocure seasons with the Clippers for five seasons. In 2006, after the Clippers got eliminated from the playoffs after a valiant effort, Brand was set to take his team farther the following season, but failed to do so after missing the playoffs. Elton Brand’s 07-08 season became a disappointment for the power forward, after he suffered a critical Achilles injury he was sidelined for a total of 74 games. Brand showed great signs of recovery for the Clippers late in the season and played solid in a few games to give Clippers fans a positive energy for the following season if he came back the following season. The word “if” stemmed from the fact that Brand was to become an unrestricted free agent in the off season, allowing him to opt out of his contact with the Clippers. The front office for the Clippers made the big moves to attract Brand to come back, drafting shining rookies, Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan. Clips weren’t done yet, to promise a bigger chance at being a true contender in the West, the Clippers signed Baron Davis, making it nearly impossible for Elton Brand to turn down his future with the L.A. Clippers.

But impossible is a word that is stretched and bent in the world of sports. Tuesday afternoon when the word came in that Philadelphia has traded away a young Rodney Carney, along with Calvin Booth and a draft pick to Minnesota for a draft pick and most importantly, some cap room, it was apparent that Philadelphia had Brand in its cross hairs. But nothing was assuring until Brand accepted the 5-year deal, worth 82 million, leaving the Clippers with their jaws dropped.

There will be plenty of new Sixers fans, haters, predictions and wonders now that Brand is in the Sixers’ front line. His presence was something the team of Philadelphia fell absent to for many years, with many years being the Charles Barkley years (Sorry, Coleman and Mutombo don’t count). Guards, excluding the Bryant and LeBron tier, will think twice about taking the ball into Philly’s big men. The move sits Reggie Evans back in the bench, where he belongs. Evan’s spark off the bench, along with Lou Williams’ scoring will give Cheeks the comfort to flex his minutes. We also can’t forget the young rookie, Marreese Speights a 6′10”, 250 pound low-post banger. Philadelphia’s starting line-up looks relatively talented as it may be, Andre Miller, Willie Green, Andre Iguodala, Elton Brand and Samuel Dalembert. The Sixers are finally a legit playoff contender for a set of years to come. They could easily become a title contender with another move or two done by the Sixers’ front office, but that’s to be seen.

Philadelphia’s chase for Atlanta’s Josh Smith will regretfully be dimmed due to this big move. It’s not good to count anything out yet, but only to be realistic. Josh Smith’s explosiveness will be the biggest thing missed by Philadelphia that the young power forward offered. With Elton Brand, the Sixers have a better power forward who has his own set of moves down low, a good rebound sense and who owns a much better jump shot. Brand is an undersized power forward that uses his wide body to become one of the best rebounders, he has great defensive play that produces blocks and a variety of contested shots for his opponent. Elton has easily become a 20 and 10 player for many seasons, in Philadelphia it will only expand. Brand will share his ground with Samuel Dalembert, who has a complete opposite make-up, being lengthy and slim but who’s also become a fiend for boards and blocks in this league. When it comes to the post-season, Philadelphia saw their star Iguoodala struggle when they needed him the most. They will now have another player to turn to with Brand when the big games come around, Brand put up 25 ppg., 10rpg. and 4 apg.

The city of Philadelphia and all its fans now have another reason to cheer for their 76ers this season. Being blessed with talented, humble players that are on the team to get the job done and get back into the NBA Finals after being carried there five years ago by a lonesome killer. The Sixers have an ultimate mix of youth and veterans in their line-up for the set of years to come. The Brand deal put the final stamp on the reality that their Allen Iverson is really gone. The Sixers have one of the four active players that average 20 and 10 in the league. Brand will face all the lights in his first year in Philadelphia, the Sixers have a tendency to bring home a big name during their downward spiral of their career, from Glenn Robinson to Chris Webber. Brand is still just 29 and has plenty left in his tank to pour some glory for Philadelphia before it’s too late. This is the breaking point for Brand, when it comes to being recognized as a reliable leader, with the ultimate help from another pioneer with former teammate Andre Miller, Brand and the Sixers could take the East by storm if Stefanski continues to play the cards right.

The fastbreak finishes by Iguodala, defense by Dalembert and Brand and the zip passes by Miller could be the complete remedy Philadelphia needs to make them a higher seed in the playoffs after being 7th last season. Betting on another move by Stefanski can be classified as an act of selfishness. But it’s completely understandable with Willie Green filling the starting two guard spot. GM, Ed Stefanski has proved to be one of the smarter managers the city of Philadelphia heavily needed and we are beginning to see why. It only to wonder what would’ve Stefanski would’ve done before Billy King lost his mind and threw away Iverson. But that’s the past, the future is labeled “Brand New” with the trio of Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala and Andre Miller leading the Philadelphia 76ers’ circuit.

Philly Bound?

Word all over the press has it, the Philadelphia 76ers and Elton Brand are set to have a 5-year, 82 Mil deal that brings Brand to Philadelphia. After shipping swingman, Rodney Carney, Calvin Booth and a future first round pick to Minnesota for a second round draft pick and some cap room, Philadelphia has made it evident that they’re set to bring home the big man. The deal is still not official until Wednesday, when players may begin signing contacts. It is not a complete fact that Brand is going to Philly, with other teams still swarming the big forward. Many would have enjoyed Josh Smith’s explosiveness in the Philadelphia fastbreak, but it has become a tough task for Philly to handle with Atlanta keeping a keen eye on Smith. A source has said that Brand’s odds are “70-30,” leaning towards Philadelphia. Stefanski and the Sixers are expected to aim at Josh Smith if Brand turns down the offer. The final word on who goes where could told starting tomorrow.

It appears the Orlando Magic have bagged 25-year-old, Mickael Pietrus in a 4-year deal worth 24 million. Mickael shared the guard/forward duties for Golden State for five years, averaging 8.6 pgg in 21 minutes per game. The 6′6” swingman should see plenty of more minutes when heading to Orlando.

Mickael Pietrus was targeted by the Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat and the Detroit Pistons. He averaged 7.2 points and 3.7 rebounds last season with the Warriors. Pietrus’ perimeter shooting is one of the finest in the league, the move will allow the Orlando to spread the floor even more for center, Dwight Howard.

Money Talks

Wash Wizards to strike Gilbert Arenas with a 6-year $126 Mil deal.

126 Mil? Yikes. Agent Zero will be seeing nothing but a bunch of zero’s behind that “$126.” The deadly free agent from the Wizards dealt his way to stay in Washington for a fat deal, while successfully keeping Jamison in the bunch for four years, worth $50 Million. After the deal Jamison received a text message from Gil saying he’s “confident” that he’ll return to Washington. Sad news for Philadelphia fans, since it was rumored that Philadelphia was ready to offer Jamison $11 million in the salary cap space they had available for the following season.

Baron Davis to stay in Cali for five more years, worth $65 mil.

The homegrown point guard out of LA has reached a verbal agreement with the Los Angeles Clippers to sign the five year contract. This couldn’t be a sexier team for BDiddy to express his skills. The Clips ended up in last place in their division, with a record of 23-59. Behind such point guards as Dan Dickau and Brevin Knight after letting go of Cassell, the Clippers were due for a prime point guard. While difficult, if the Clippers manage to keep both Brand and Maggette, expect a tight race for the 8th playoff spot for the Clippers next season.

Philly still on hold regarding Free Agency, add two players to Summer League team.

After losing their chances at Jamison and possibly Brand soon. It appears Philadelphia might be aiming at Jose Calderon, Josh Childress, Josh Smith or Corey Maggette. To be more resourceful, it is expected that Philadelphia will meet with Josh Smith today, Wednesday, to try and haul in the 6′9” forward. Even though the Hawks already expressed the fact that they’ll match any offer, it will be difficult for Atlanta to do while trying to keep Childress and facing Philly’s 11 million cap space to fight for Smith. Regarding the summer league team, it has already been said Philadelphia will add Pat Carrol. The other player added was Arizona guard, Jawann McClellan. Here’s a nifty clip of McClellan ripping the court. (Don’t get too excited though, it’s only a pickup game.)

Mavs sign Gerald Green in first day of Free Agency

After going from Slam Dunk champ to being cut from the Houston Rockets, Gerald Green’s NBA hopes remain alive after agreeing to a 1-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks. The 22-year-old swingman, was the 2007 NBA Slam Dunk Champion. After being traded from the T’Wolves to the Rockets, Houston let go of Green. Gerald has averaged 8.1 ppg and 2.2 rpg. throughout his whole career. He only played one game for Houston for four minutes and scored 6 points. Green’s career has been marked with lack of intensity. His skill will be tested in Dallas’ high-octane offense this season for a year.

Philly’s time?

Out of all the teams shopping in the free agency this off season, the Philadelphia 76ers are one of the top teams to make the push to bring home a big name. Other teams include Memphis and possibly the Clippers, depending on what Brand and Maggette do. With that said, let me cruise through the news Philadelphia has been spreading this summer.

It’s already been said, Sixers GM, Ed Stefanski won’t be afraid to pursue a big-time free agent this summer. The Sixers lack depth in a shooting guard and most importantly, a power forward. The players Philly could have their scope on include, Josh Smith, Brand or Maggette. Now that Jamison is off the market, the Sixers will focus harder on bringing home a big-time forward to the team before it’s too late.

Sixers did not make qualifying offers to Shavlik Randolph, Kevin Ollie, Louis Amundson and Herbert Hill leaving them as unrestricted free agents. The Sixers did, however make qualifying offers to Louis Williams and Andre Iguodala. The Sixers could really have around $20 million in cap space if they were to waive both Iguodala and Williams, but most likely they will end up keeping both studs, leaving them at around 11-12 mil in cap space for free agency this off season.

One player that’s apparently becoming the Sixers prime target is Josh Smith. Smith, who’s coming off a strong season of 17.2 points, 8.2 boards, 1.5 steals, 2.8 blocks, leaves teams drooling. It is really unlikely that Atlanta will be able to come into terms with both Josh Smith and Josh Childress to prevent other teams from giving each of them an offer sheet, so Philadelphia is well alive in this hunt for Josh Smith.

Stefanski’s only clue to who the Sixers are really going after are simply quoted as “Somebody good.” His statement doesn’t help much, considering there are also rumors of Philadelphia possibly aiming at bringing Andris Biedrins.

Other statements related towards the Sixers pursuit during the free agency by Stefanski include, “We’re trying to build like Detroit, meaning we’re not looking to have that one superstar, but we want to have a lot of good players on the floor together.”

Another important factor that remains in Philadelphia’s roster is the absence the team’s overall shooting ability. Stefanski responded, “Detroit is doing it with a different style than us, because our style is to be athletic and push the ball. I know (coach) Mo Cheeks wants me to get him a shooter because he asked me the other day if I could get him one or two. I want to, but we’re really looking for people who are athletic and long and defensive-minded. That’s our first priority.”

This doesn’t mean Philadelphia has completely cancelled out their possibilities of having another Korver-esque shooter. Recently, reports indicate that Philadelphia has invited sharpshooter, Pat Carroll to join the Sixers summer league team in Las Vegas.

With all this news, there’s nothing Philadelphia fans can do but stay tuned to what Philadelphia will be doing this off season. One thing for sure, Philadelphia’s roster will be significantly different compared to last year’s.