The Calm Before The Storm: 2013-2014 Season Outlook

The moment has finally arrived. In a few days the NBA season will tip off and its going to be a DOOZY! So many questions need to be answered. Will the Heat pull off the rare three peat? Will Derrick Rose return to MVP form? Will the Clippers additions finally help them get over the hump? Will Andrew Bynum or Greg Oden play more minutes? Who is this seasons Paul George? Which young team will make the leap and push one of the older organizations to the back? All questions will be answered in one way or the other and I can't wait for the process to get started. 

The Dance I will do in celebration of Tuesday!

I decided that since I have jumped in to the deep end of blogging full time, I should put out my season expectations and predictions. Who better than the guy that will try to juggle an infant, college, full time job (which starts at 5 am) and of course awesome husband duty!? No matter the obstacle I have always kept my ear to the ground, nose in a magazine, bookmarks set on my favorite sites and TV tuned in to NBAtv (like it is right now) during the NBA season. All of that combined with my league pass subscription and brewing fan base makes me the ideal person…right? Well at any rate I am going to give it a shot. ENJOY!

Team Predictions:

1. Finals: Miami Heat vs L.A. Clippers: I fully expect the Heat to not only return to the Finals but beat the Clippers in 5 games. I believe that LeBron will enter another world in the post season and force his way in to the top 3 all time conversation. I believe Wade, Bosh and Allen will more than carry their weight while the new additions led by Beasley will deliver major moments. I believe that Chris Paul and Blake Griffin will evolve in to the new Stockton/Malone and rely on their shooters to help them. I see Doc Rivers guiding them through the difficult and deep Western Conference to eventually run into the Juggernaut that is LeBron and Co. Finally I believe that Greg Oden becomes a major factor during the post season which will help to solidify the Heats greatness.

2. The Bulls, Pacers, Nets, Warriors, Spurs, Rockets and Thunder: All of these teams will have superior seasons to the two Finals teams in one way or the next, but they won't have the juice or fight to make it to the finish line. It's no secret that the Heat will probably suffer from some form of fatigue, but the experience and taste of immortality will push them through. The Bulls and Pacers will eventually eliminate one another from the picture in a hard fought playoff series setting one of the teams up for the inevitable dog fight with Miami. The Warriors will push OKC to the max in a battle of two of the games best scorers, but the Thunder will pull it out setting up a match with the Clippers who will beat them in 6.

3. The Wizards, Pistons and Pelicans will be very entertaining this year: Over the last few years the 3 aforementioned teams have been horrible with very little entertainment value. That changes after all 3 had very good off seasons. The Wizards locked up John Wall, drafted Otto Porter and traded for Marcin Gortat. The Pistons added Josh Smith, Brandon Jennings, Chauncey Billups and may have the second coming of Shaq. The Pelicans added one time All Star Jrue Holiday, Tyreke Evans and have the pleasure of witnessing the growth of Anthony Davis. I predict he sneaks in to the All Star game this year, if he remains healthy.

4. The Bobcats will finally win the Lottery: Michael Jordan will finally earn a top pick (by flopping of course) in the draft and grin like the Cheshire Cat when he reveals moments later that Andrew Wiggins will be playing for the Hornets (remember the name changes next season). Phoenix while acquiring several first round picks will draft third because the league can't handle Boston and Philly sucking so the Celtics will pick second.

Player Predictions:

1. I honestly have no idea who will win Rookie of the Year: Too many injuries and not enough preseason data to make a sound decision. Anthony Bennett could potentially finish the season strong, but he is an easy 25 pounds over weight. Trey Burke injured his hand and is out for the foreseeable future. Philly is considering not playing Noel all season. Alex Len is recovering from off season surgery and no one will watch the Suns. McLemore has a shot, but he plays with DeMarcus Cousins and Marcus Thorton meaning there are not enough shots! But if I am forced to pick one because of circumstance and opportunity I am going with Michael Carter Williams. The world is his oyster. The award is practically his to lose.

2. Harrison Barnes will be a Sixth Man of the Year candidate. The "Black Falcon" proved he can hold his own on the NBA level in the post season. He will be a match up nightmare for opposing teams with a lack of wing depth and he is a walking highlight reel. The only way he doesn't get considered is if he starts too many games. He is on his way to becoming the Second Coming of James Harden.

3. Speaking of James Harden…He alongside Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant will quench the thirst of people (HATERS) tired of seeing LeBron hoist the MVP trophy. While I am sure James will have his annual 26 +, 7 rebound, 7 assist performance, like Jordan in the late 90's voters will look for any reason to give the award to someone else. In that case I am rolling with Chris Paul in a close race with Rose. Paul will earn it for the same reason Jeff Bridges won an Oscar, long over due.

4. Andre Drummond will reign: Andre Drummond will average 3 blocks and 14+ rebounds per game: His ceiling has Hall of Fame potential and as long as he remains healthy the league is in trouble. You can't keep him from rebounding and he will rotate to block shots form the weak side with blinding speed. Opposing teams will be so worried about Smith and Jennings shooting that when they miss, which they will…he will be there to clean up the mess. EVERY TIME!

5. The Mamba Strikes Back: Kobe Bryant will return to action in December and be averaging 20 + by the All Star Break. He will then go on one of those "YOU SAID I WAS NUMBER 25!" rampages and drop 40 + for like 2 weeks straight, culminating in a 70 point out burst against some low lying fruit. Mark your calendar they play Phoenix on March 30th.

6. Blake Griffin will dunk on Dwight Howard: This head on collision is inevitable. Howard feels more confident and is beginning to get a little more spring in his step. Griffin, as he proved against Rudy Gobert during the preseason is ready right now. There will be a slight power outage so we will all be left with imagining the bludgeoning until some cell phone videos emerge on ESPN.

7. Carmelo Anthony might get traded: This is my "Moment that will alter the course of history" Prediction. If Anthony keeps alluding to testing free agency with absolute glee and the Knicks are playing sub par come February (at least 10 games below .500), they will cash in the chips, bite the bullet and trade Melo. Might as well join the Lakers, Celtics and Sixers as bottom feeders that were once the best teams of the 1980's.

8. Those stupid T-Shirt uniforms will end this year. I HATE THOSE THINGS!!!! NUFF SAID!

The Draft Fanatic

Potential Breakout Stars of 2014

So every season a small group of individuals that have been in the league a few years blossom. Many of them have been buried on the roster and have had to work themselves in to the rotation. The players that eventually breakout, but didn't live up to the initial hype. Sometimes it takes a while for certain players to bloom. They may need time to adjust to the new physical demands of the pro game. Whatever the reason, players eventually find their groove and when they do its a great thing. In the past few seasons we have witnessed several players come alive such as Serge Ibaka, Paul George, Greg Monroe and John Wall. This season should be no different especially since many will have the incentive of looming free agency and the chance to earn a big pay day. Take a look at my picks for this years breakout stars.


*Some players have obvious expectations and will not be placed on this list but just know Andre Drummond, DeMarcus Cousins, Bradley Beal, Nick Batum and Anthony Davis will all be insane this season.*


1. Jimmy Butler: The Bulls young swing man announced himself to the basketball world during Rose Gate. He spreads the floor with good shooting, excels in the open court and is a rock on defense. He gave LeBron and Dwayne Wade fits during the 2013 playoffs and gave us a glimpse of what the future holds for the Bulls. He should start from the beginning of the season and if he can continue from where he left off, we are all in for a treat.






2. Klay Thompson: The sharp shooting two guard and tag team partner of the reigning breakout star award (Stephen Curry) is oozing potential. He has the ability to not only be one of the best shooters in the game, but one of the best overall talents in the league. Klay can make the leap by improving his shot creation ability and channeling his lock down defender.



3. John Henson: The NBA's version of Inspector Gadget has arms for days. He can defend 3 positions because of his length and is a monster on the boards. He has added some muscle and his offensive game is expanding. So what is needed to make the leap? He has to average a double double and be a consistent threat for the 10 block, 10 board, 10 point triple double.







4. Enes Kanter: The large human that is Kanter has flashed potential for the last few seasons, but now he will have the opportunity to show he can shoulder the burden. With Al Jefferson and Paul Milsap bolting for fresh starts elsewhere, Kanter can come full circle as a prime time center. He has the skills, the strength and the ability to become a potential all star.







5. Tobias Harris: Speaking of potential, Tobias Harris became a popular League Pass option once he was traded to the Magic. He is built in the mold of Carmelo Anthony, with a Paul George like ability to rebound and score. Skies the limit for the Canadian swing man, especially since Al Harrington is no longer on the roster and he has the green light.



6. Eric Bledsoe: The muscle bound Point Guard has a new team and a new role, Starting PG. He will start in the back court in a crowded Western Conference. He will have his hands full, but with his experience and a first class education from the School of Chris Paul he should be able to hold his own.







7. Kawhi Leonard: Focused and sturdy like his mentor Tim Duncan, the man of few words came on strong during the 2013 playoffs. His steady play, lock down defense and ability to finish at the rim should earn him a larger role. With more responsibility, he will certainly earn more attention and more spotlight. Welcome to fame and fortune Mr. Leonard.







8. J.J. Redick: While Redick has been a household name for quite some time, it has taken a while for him to earn himself a consistent starting role. Well that will change this season, since he was brought in for one reason, to play next to Chris Paul and draw attention away from Blake Griffin. He will capitalize on this opportunity and become a fixture on ESPN.



9. Derrick Favors: Mr. Favors has been waiting his turn and like his running mate mentioned above he will have a chance to make good on his new opportunity. Of the two players (Kanter the other) Favors is more talented and has more natural ability. He should rival the top Power Forwards in the West this season and challenge for Most Improved Player. His story is the perfect tale of the perfect storm.






10. *Michael Beasley*: Last but certainly not least the
enigmatic Michael Beasley has a chance to redeem himself for all of his failures. He is arguably the closest thing to a MAJOR BUST, without an injury in recent memory. The interesting thing is there is still a chance to turn that around. He is still young enough, talented enough and possibly hungry enough to turn it all around. His combination of skill set and size is rivaled by few on the planet, but his motivation is questionable. Playing alongside the big 3, in the house that Pat Riley built during the chase for a 3 peat should do more than motivate him. He can position himself for a 6th man of the year bid if he plays his cards right. We will see.


The Draft Fanatic

A Rose Blooms in Chicago...Again.

Tonight marks the return of Derrick Rose to the NBA. As a basketball fan I have waited patiently for the return of one of the games best and most exciting players. During the 2011/2012 playoffs, the city of Chicago watched as their former Rookie of the Year and MVP fell to the ground in pain. Many believed he would be able to return after the 2013 All Star break, however as the season continued it became more clear that Rose had other plans.

In today's ego first world of professional sports, most professional athletes would've have forced the effort and caved in to the outside urges to play. Rose, who lets be honest is cut from a different mold ignored the critics and stayed away. He sat silently on the bench as his team fought hard against the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of playoffs and was clearly agitated that he couldn't contribute during their second round exit against the Miami Heat.

So after a summer full of skepticism, cool commercials, tweets and anticipation Rose will return. The world has waited patiently and many believe his return marks the only chance of a team possibly dethroning the Champs. After all, before his injury Rose's Bulls routinely gave Miami fits. They pushed them in the playoffs during his last full season and they were expected (had he returned) along with the Pacers to provide the biggest threat to the Heat.

Rose is as much a necessity to the Bulls as Kobe Bryant is to the Lakers and Dirk Nowitzki is to the Mavericks. Like those two future Hall of Famers, Rose has played his entire career for the same team, but he has one up on them, he is from the city. He is the savior of the Bulls organization and first true superstar in the post Jordan era. He is the dream superstar in the Post Iverson NBA, because he doesn't need 20 shots to get 20 points and he is all about the team. His explosive ability makes him lethal in transition and feared in the half court. The hope is that, the injury has not taken away from that. If players like RGIII and Adrian Peterson have made full recoveries, it's safe to assume Rose who had longer to recover will be business as usual.

The league is a better place with all of the superstars healthy and playing. The NBA is more enjoyable and less predictable. So here's hoping that Rose will be back to dunking on people with that stone demeanor of his, while leading his team deep into the playoffs and reclaiming his spot as a top 5 player in the game.

The Draft Fanatic.