The new season is fast approaching. Soon a whole new storybook of basketball lore will be written before our very eyes. Some of the main characters will be unchanged, while others will become central parts of this story for the very first time.
Rarely does the expected occur when predicting what will unfold in professional sports. Just take a look at the NFL, with the disappointing Chargers, Bears and Saints. Or even MLB with the Mets on the golf course rather than in the clubhouse after a collapse of epic proportions.
Who could have predicted that the Warriors would advance to the second round of the playoffs last spring? Especially when you consider that they had to overtake the Mavericks, the league?s best team throughout a majority of the regular season, in the process?
So rather than try and predict what goes down in the NBA this season, I?ve compiled a list of my ?wishes? for the upcoming eight months of hoops action. Some of my wishes are far-fetched, while others are relatively attainable. What?s life if you can?t dream?
Nothing against Magic fans, or even Rashard Lewis, but I?d love to see Orlando lose fifty games.
I have no personal vendetta against the Magic, but I?m still so sore about the contract GM Otis Smith gave Lewis that I can?t help but hope they fail miserably. I?m actually a huge fan of Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson, but I don?t want Smith to be rewarded for his highly-questionable decision making.
Isiah Thomas is run out of the Big Apple as he?s carried over the George Washington Bridge and thrown into New Jersey by a throng of enraged New Yorkers.
Believe it or not, I wrote this line well before Thomas was engulfed in legal trouble and eventually lost his sexual harassment case involving a former Knicks? intern. Isiah has done little to deserve such a prominent front office/coaching job, especially when counterparts like Danny Ainge are even outshining him.
Kobe will make peace with his Laker teammates and become the consummate team player.
At the beginning of the summer this seemed entirely impossible, but Phil Jackson seems to have calmed Bryant down and a run with Team USA may have done #24 some good. He?ll never be the best teammate in the league, but even a slight improvement would do wonders for Los Angeles. Remember: Not even Michael Jordan was a tremendous teammate during his prime.
Jeff Green overtakes Kevin Durant for the spotlight in Seattle, and ends the season as a top candidate for the Rookie of the Year.
I was a fan of Green?s during his time at Georgetown, but my respect for him grew tremendously after spending time with him in New York during this June?s Draft festivities. He?s truly a humble young man, and deserves all the success that basketball brings his way. In addition to his positive personality, he?s a legitimate talent. His versatility will allow him to do the little things while he gets comfortable with the pro game.
Steve Francis is embraced by Houston fans, and plays a pivotal role in getting the Rockets out of the first round this April.
I wouldn?t call myself a fan of Francis, but I want him to succeed in Houston this season. The Rockets were the perfect fit for him, and he hasn?t been the same since they traded them to Orlando a few seasons ago (although health was a huge factor as well). This time around they won?t be asking him to lead the team, with Yao Ming plenty capable and Tracy McGrady doing some heavy lifting when his back isn?t prohibiting him from doing so.
Deron Williams makes the Western Conference all-star team.
The main reason why I enjoy watching the Utah Jazz is to see Williams lead their offense. He wasn?t nearly as heralded as some of the other members of his draft class, but he?s quietly becoming the best player from the 2005 Draft. Without Deron the Jazz don?t make the Western Conference Finals. And he wasn?t even 100%.
The first, second and three-hundredth time a player argues a call with an official and mentions Tim Donaghy ? he promptly gets tossed.
You know it?s going to happen, and just the thought of it enrages me. There?s no place for that kind of thing in the League this season. It?ll only make things worse, placing a barrier between the players and referees in the process. David Stern should issue a statement, asking zebras to dismiss players if Donaghy?s name is mentioned.
The word ?tank? is never uttered in the months of March or April.
I don?t care how badly a team is playing ? I never want to hear the word ?tank? again. Fans of the Celtics and Grizzles should now know to never wish losses on their team. A few losses here and there may not hurt a franchise at the end of the day, but pulling for your team to fail seems hypocritical. When players start using the ?word? (i.e. Ryan Gomes) things have gone too far?
Reggie Miller changes his mind and laces up his sneakers, for a one-on-one Pay-Per-View battle against Charles Barkley.
I?m sure you all know how I felt about the possibility of seeing Reggie Miller return to the NBA as a member of the Celtics. In fact, just typing his name in the same sentence as ?that team? has given me a small bout of diarrhea. TNT hit ratings gold when they signed Charles Barkley on for their studio show, and adding Miller was a bonus. These friends have good chemistry. I?d pay $29.95 to see them go toe-to-toe.
Baron Davis proves that the Warriors? late season surge wasn?t a fluke, en route to some MVP consideration.
Even though I was rooting for Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs to get the proverbial monkey off their back in the 2007 playoffs, I have to admit watching the underdog Warriors was inspiring. Golden State has yet to give Baron an extension, which might not allow him to remain in the Bay Area very long, but another playoff run could convince Chris Mullin to show Davis the money.
What are you hoping to see this season? Andrew.Perna@RealGM.com