Welcome to Shake-Up Central (pun absolutely intended). . .
Last year saw another dominant performance by the Cleveland Lebrons as they won this division by a whopping 15 games! But as you might have heard, "The Man Who Could Be King (but will probably choose to be co-King instead)" took his talents or whatever to South Beach and now this division is wide open. Well, except for the Cavs. They're done. Let's get it started with. . .
1. MILWAUKEE BUCKS (LY: 46-36, 2nd in division, 6th in conference, first round exit)
Ok, George. I see your Memphis Grizzlies and raise you a Milwaukee Bucks. . . Fear the DEER!!
This was an average team last year that over-achieved. This year, they take that formula, mix in some herbs and spices, and hopefully avoid blowing up the laboratory.
The Bucks made a couple sneaky additions this off-season. They added NBA whore (no, not you Meg Whitman) Drew Gooden, veteran scoring-only forward Corey Maggette, and utility swing-man Chris Douglas-Roberts. They also re-signed John Salmons who provided the team with a huge punch last year and carried a lot of that offense after Michael Redd's body failed him yet again.
They also get big-man Andrew Bogut back after last season's freak injury and have another year of Brandon Jennings, the point guard sensation from last year. Wait, what? You're saying he only had a couple spectacular games and only an average season? Hmm. I thought everyone was saying he was the second coming of Isaiah Thomas. Guess I was wrong. But even with a bit of improvement, he will continue to be an interesting piece to this bizarre, star-less puzzle.
This pick is more of a lack of confidence in the Bulls (more on this in a second) then a huge amount of confidence in the Bucks, but I do think that Scott Skiles has a productive way of getting what he wants out of his teams and they are a fantastic antithesis (that's two straight posts where that word has been used - you just can't get that type of vocab anywhere else!) to the Miami Cheat in that there isn't a big name to be found on this squad, but they have the potential to get it done!
Prediction: 48-34, 1st in division, 3rd in conference (because of the division champion-top 3 rule), second round exit
2. CHICAGO BULLS (LY: 41-41, 3rd in division, 8th in conference, out in first round)
I think what we have here is a case of Overrateditis (sound it out).
Let's start with their "big" off-season pickup of forward Carlos Boozer. The former Jazz under-achiever signed an $80 million contract with the Bulls after they missed out on the Lebron-Wade-Bosh trio (just like everyone else). . . and then proceeded to trip over some luggage or something and now he's out for two months. Even if he was healthy, Boozer is still a small power forward who has famously disappeared from important games (mostly against the Lakers).
The Bulls continued their efforts of signing every Jazz player from Utah when they also brought in shooting guard Ronnie Brewer and sharp-shooter Kyle Korver. This is of course an addition to the already-present Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, who everyone feels is the greatest thing since sliced bread. This is what I mean by overrated. Rose is another of those point guards of the next generation who forgets from time-to-time that a point guard is supposed to create opportunities for other players and run an offense. Yes, it's fine to be able to create your own shot, and of course you should be a threat to score. But when your priorities as the PG are "drive-shoot-pass" then I'm not as confident in your team-leading abilities.
They have nice pieces in addition to these five. Taj Gibson showed flashes last year (but didn't they have the same thing in Tyrus Thomas?) and Luol Deng is still Luol Deng. Which means very little actually. Deng might be the least intimidating player in the NBA next to Brian Scalabrine (who the Bulls also signed!). I'm just not ready to claim them as the second best team in the East yet just because they signed Boozer and they have Rose and Noah. They'll be a contender, but they're not in the upper echelon just yet.
Prediction: 45-37, 2nd in division, 5th in conference, first round exit
3. INDIANA PACERS (LY: 32-50, 4th in division, 10th in conference, no playoffs)
This is the year.
Each of the last two seasons I have picked the Pacers to finish in the 8th and final playoff spot and both years so far they've come just short (9th in 2008-09, 10th last year). Not this time. They're getting the 8th spot.
The Pacers have a nice young nucleus with UCLA alum Darren Collison (acquired from the Hornets. . . fantasy sleeper alert!), Mike Dunleavy (you know, except for the fact that his dad's genes are inside of him), Roy Hibbert (due for a breakout big-man year), and of course all-star Danny Granger. I like the awkward white guy volume on this team for comedic purposes only (in addition to Dunleavy, they also feature Jeff Foster, Josh McRoberts and Tyler Hansbrough). And in addition to getting their PG of the future in Collison in a trade that sent veteran big-man Troy Murphy out to the Nets, they also got James Posey, who can help show these young guns a thing or two about winning.
C'mon Pacers! Let's stop proving me wrong! I don't ask for much from you. . .
Prediction: 40-42, 3rd in division, 8th in conference, swept by the Cheat in the first round
4. DETROIT PISTONS (LY: 27-55, 5th in division, 12th in conference, no playoffs)
Oh, how the mighty have fallen.
Gone are the days of four all stars. Gone are the days of playoff basketball in Detroit and everyone being able to actually enjoy the "De-troit bas-ket-ball" chant after a turnover. Gone is hope at all for anything good in the Motor City.
This is just an oddly constructed team. There are scorers all over the place in Ben Gordon, Richard Hamilton, and Charlie Villanueva. Their PG, Rodney Stuckey, suffers from the same delusions that Derrick Rose does in that he thinks passing is a bad thing. And then there's the leftovers from their mid 2000s, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Wallace, both of whom are shells of their former selves (Wallace more than Prince, though). You know what, I feel bad. Here Pistons fans. This should make you feel better:
Best. Block. Ever.
But like I said, those days are gone. They have talent, but it's a weird mix that doesn't work and I didn't even mention the fact that they have Tracy McGrady. Yes, THAT Tracy McGrady. Oh, man. . .
Prediction: 32-50, 4th in division, 11th in conference, still no playoffs
5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (LY: 61-21, 1st in division and conference, epic collapse against Boston in round 2)
I really just feel bad. The sports gods clearly hate Cleveland. And I'm not going to pour salt into that gaping wound.
The Cavs are bad. Very bad. I know this. You know this. Cleveland knows this.
End of story.
Prediction: 19-63, last in division, 14th in conference, only important when they play Miami.
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