October 26, 2006

With Game 4 of the World Series bet, there was a lull in Wednesday’s sporting events. This gives me the chance to sit down and start looking at the upcoming NBA season.

The 2006 NBA season starts on Tuesday and between now and then I’ll go through and play Nostradamus, predicating each division winner, playoff participants and eventual NBA Finals Champion.

Starting with the Atlantic division of the Eastern Conference, where the New Jersey Nets look to be the strongest team. Not only are the Nets the defending division winner, they added very helpful pieces such as rookies Marcus Williams and Josh Boone. Both Boone and Williams can provide immediate help in areas that the Nets need: a backup PG for Jason Kidd, and rebounding help. These additions will help New Jersey’s Big Three of Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter, get some rest during the season and be somewhat rested for the playoffs. Also, it’s important to keep in mind that this is a contract year for Carter, which should produce better play from him.

Besides the Nets, this division looks to be pretty bad. The rest of the teams in this division all have major flaws with them. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers have the blueprint of having one superstar (Paul Pierce and Allen Iverson, respectively) with flawed core players around them. For Pierce he has a shoot first PG in Sebastian Telfair, who plays like his cousin, Stephon Marbury, meaning that the team will lose but Telfair’s stats will be ok. Iverson’s cast, though slightly better than Pierce’s, still too often stands around and watch AI do his thing.

At least those teams don’t have the problems of the New York Knicks. After their worst season in 20 years, Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown is gone. In Brown’s place is General Manager Isiah Thomas will now coach the team. Things aren’t all that rosy for Thomas as owner James Dolan placed a win-or-else mantra on Thomas. Further complicating matters is the Knicks’ roster, which has no less than five guards and no inside presence to speak of. These guards, who include Jalen Rose, Stephon Marbury, and Steve Francis, are notorious for needing the ball to play effectively. To me, this all adds up to another very long season for the Knicks.

The wild card team of this division is the Toronto Raptors. Incoming General Manager Bryan Colangelo is attempting to copy his blueprint he perfected with the Phoenix Suns, adding PG TJ Ford with PF Chris Bosh to become, hopefully, the Eastern Conference’s version of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudemire. In addition to Ford, # 1 Draft Pick Andrea Bargnani, free agent Rasho Nesterovic, and Anthony Parker also join this squad so it’s really a crap shot as to how they’ll finish. Well here is how I think the Atlantic division will turn out:

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

Well that is all for now. Hopefully the weather in St. Louis will cooperate and Game 4 of the World Series will be played. Either way, check back tomorrow as I at least preview the Eastern Conference’s Southeast division. Until then, peace.