Monday, October 29, 2012

NBA 2012/13 Season Predictions

Eastern Conference

1 Miami Heat 65-17
2 Boston Celtics 53-29
3 Indiana Pacers 50-32
4 New York Knicks 47-35
5 Chicago Bulls 45-37
6 Brooklyn Nets 44-38
7 Atlanta Hawks 43-39
8 Toronto Raptors 42-40

9 Philadelphia 76ers 40-42
10 Milwaukee Bucks 35-47
11 Washington Wizards 33-49
12 Detroit Pistons 33-49
13 Cleveland Cavaliers 30-52
14 Charlotte Bobcats 19-63
15 Orlando Magic 18-64

Western Conference

1 Oklahoma City Thunder 62-20
2 Los Angeles Lakers 54-28
3 San Antonio Spurs 53-29
4 Los Angeles Clippers 48-34
5 Denver Nuggets 48-34
6 Memphis Grizzlies 47-35
7 Utah Jazz 45-37
8 Minnesota Timberwolves 45-37

9 Dallas Mavericks 43-39
10 Golden State Warriors 38-42
11 Portland Trail Blazers 35-47
12 Phoenix Suns 35-47
13 Sacramento Kings 29-53
14 Houston Rockets 27-53
15 New Orleans Hornets 24-58

MVP - LeBron James
Finals MVP - LeBron James (Heat over Lakers in Six)
Scoring Champ - Kevin Durant
DPOY - Dwight Howard
Rookie - Anthony Davis
Sixth Man - Jason Terry
Most Improved - East, Jeff Green/ West, Kawhi Leonard
Bust Potential - East, Andrew Bynum/ West, Jeremy Lin
Coach - Frank Vogel
Highlight OTY - Blake Griffin dunk
All-NBA First Team - Paul, Rondo, James, Durant, Howard
All-NBA Second Team - Westbrook, Bryant, Anthony, Griffin, Love
All-NBA Third Team - Parker, Williams, Wade, Bosh, Pau
All-Rookie - Lillard, Beal, Kidd-Gilchrist, Davis, Valanciunas

got beef? talk to me @devingray33


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Jonas Valanciunas: Ready to Launch


Jonas Valanciunas lay on the court early in the second half and stared at the ceiling of the Basketball Arena in London, a trail of sweat marking his slide along the baseline, his hands clutching his throat as if he were choking.

It was the end of the seven-footer’s night, the victim of a simultaneous –though inadvertent – elbow to the neck and knee to the groin by Kobe Bryant, another setback in a much-scrutinized Olympic debut for the Raptor prospect.

Rather than saying his prize rookie ‘choked’ in London, Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo sees Valanciunas’ impact on the Games as an indication of what to expect early on, another example of the ‘wait-and-see’ approach Toronto is taking with the 20-year-old though he’s now finally ready to take the court.

“I had a chance to see him play multiple games and he did pick up some quick fouls which put him in a tough situation as far as being able to get back on the court,” said Colangelo at training camp in Halifax. “The coach would insert a veteran player and feel a little bit more comfortable.”

“The bottom line is, you saw what he was capable of doing in spurts [he played the tenth most minutes on the team]… it was energy, it was hustle, it was making plays when he needed to, it was knocking down free throws – a very good trait for a big man of his capabilities – but you can’t look at that one little bit and say that’s who he is as a player.”

Olympic averages of 4.2 points and 4 rebounds, three total blocks, not a single assist, and 13 fouls in 69 minutes of play aren’t numbers that will jump off the stat sheet, but Colangelo reinforces the patient approach.

“I look at the whole body of work and I know that as a 20-year-old to have the kind of energy, the kind of enthusiasm and personality as a seven-footer, it’s a tough package to find, but we found it and we think some good things are going to come of it.”

Fellow countryman and Raptor teammate Linas Kleiza notched a team-high 25 points in that unexpectedly close 99-94 loss to a stacked American squad. He’ll play the role of mentor this season as Valanciunas adjusts to life in the NBA.

“He had a great summer this summer, but this summer was a little different for him because everybody put very high expectations on him and everybody expected him to be that guy right away and he just wasn’t 100 per cent ready to do that,” Kleiza said at Raptors media day at the ACC.

“But the sky is the limit for him. He has everything he needs and I think he’ll be one of the top centres in the NBA in three or four years… He’s got the tools, the physical ability, the offensive talent, it’s just going to take some time.”

The Raptor rookie comes from a basketball-crazed country, whose 1992 bronze medal is still a source of national pride.

Valanciunas has experienced Lithuania’s love of the game first-hand though he doesn’t remember the 1992 games – he was just two-and-a-half months old.

Due to the lockout-shortened season, the fifth overall pick in 2011 was stashed overseas for a year in his comfort zone, playing for his hometown Lietuvos Rytas, the team he grew up rooting for as the tallest kid in his class who chose basketball over dance.

Impatient Toronto fans have already waited a year now for the seven-footer’s post presence, and after he suffered a calf strain working out with the team prior to training camp, they’ve had to wait a little longer.

“Obviously we’re still not putting any timetable on anything here, but I think we’ve witnessed here this week that he’s progressed,” said Alex McKechnie, the Raptors director of sports science, while in Halifax.

“You see him progressing, today for example he did a lot of reactive drills and it’s about getting endurance back and getting back in shape so that we can get him back into the mix.”

“No timetable, we’re not going to rush him back. Whenever he’s ready, they’ll let us know,” added head coach Dwane Casey.

When Valanciunas finally hits the court, the wait won’t be over necessarily as hype exceeds ability for the time being.

As McKechnie said, it will likely take three or four years before the young Lithuanian is comfortable enough to excel in the NBA and begins to meet his considerable potential.

“I’m working to get back as soon as possible [this week] I hope so,” an anxious Valanciunas said in Halifax.

“This year is my first year in the NBA and I’m really excited to be here and see what I can do in this league.”

For now, just wait and see.

 For more on the Raptor rookie, watch Centred: The Jonas Valanciunas Story


Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Seeking a Home

NBA training camps open today for all teams, and there are a collection of talented players who have yet to sign a contract or crack a roster.

Limbo-ing freely, these players could change title hopes for some teams, and playoff dreams for others.

Let's look at the most intriguing pieces still on the market,

10. Greg Oden
He's said he plans to take the 2012-13 season off to continue rebahilitation of his knees, and if the former first overall pick can find any of the luck that recently un-retired Brandon Roy, a Blazers teammate, found in his comeback there are certainly some teams that would give him a chance. He'd make a decent backup in Indiana or Miami depending on what he's looking for in a team.

9. Baron Davis
Boom Dizzle is still recovering from a nasty knee injury suffered against Miami in the first round of the 2012 playoffs. The Knicks seem to like Sheed and have loaded up on point guards with Pablo Prigioni, Ray Felton, and Jason Kidd. Davis seems to be staying with the Knicks in a "multifaceted" role, hoping to make a comeback.

8. Mickael Pietrus
The 6-6 wing spent last season with the Celtics and didn't leave much of a mark. He'll contribute to a team that needs an athletic defender to match up with other teams' scorers. He won't be back in Boston and he says he's narrowed his search down to two teams and will sign soon.

7. Gilbert Arenas
Hibachi hasn't been the same player since returning from suspension. He doesn't take the same shots and same risks in clutch situations, and really isn't given the chance either. He averaged just 4.2 points in 17 games with the Grizzlies last season and has since been working out at the Lakers facilities, but there may be no room for him in LA. China seems like an option for the 30-year-old.
Gilbert Arenas leads a sour crew of guys still searching for an NBA club to suit up for in 2012-13

6. Josh Howard
The 32-year-old still has some upside in limited minutes off the bench and he could be looking at New York if Ronnie Brewer has to miss any extended amount of time, but most likely he'll end up as Corey Magette's replacement on the Charlotte Bobcats where he worked out most recently. He'll have more of a chance to make an impact there, in Philly, or if he returns to Utah than he would in NY, and he could provide the most depth and experience as a 'Cat.

5. Michael Redd
The 33-year-old former team USA gold medallist made a nice comeback last season in the land of the setting Suns, averaging 8.2 points per game. He could stay in Phoenix but the team is transitioning and he may as well. He was reportedly close to signing in Minnesota, but changed his mind at the last minute before training camp began. He was also talking to the Wizards and Grizzlies.

4. Tracy McGrady
Last year in 52 games off the Atlanta bench, T-Mac scored 5.3 points, grabbed 3.0 rebounds and handed out 2.1 assists per game as a reserve. He looks like a ninth or tenth man at this point, but if he chose to go to, say, Charlotte he'd be about the eighth or even seventh man. If he wants to go to the Celtics or the Spurs, he'll play about eight minutes a game. It'll be interesting to see which direction the still-32-year-old goes this season.

3. Derek Fisher
Fish isn't exactly an NBA starting point guard at this point of his career, unable to keep up with the speed and quickness of the new PG generation, but there's still plenty the vet can provide. The 38-year-old stepped onto the Thunder last season in time for a solid playoff run as a backup guard, clutch three-point shooter, and coach-like presence. He's been working out in LA during the offseason, so expect him to be a Laker if he doesn't return to OKC.

2. Kenyon Martin
Not a starter any more without the raw athleticism that made him so amazing in the early-2000s, K-Mart has made his own signing difficult by insisting he be paid more than the minimum salary while trying to select only a handful of teams he'd like to play for. He's turned down overseas offers, and the Knicks are bringing in Sheed instead of him. His options are limited but the Nets would make nostalgic sense as the team he began his career with and took to the Finals.

1. Leandro Barbosa
Steve Nash tried to lure the Brazilian blur to LA with him, but after the Lakers signed Jodie Meeks there's not much room for scoring shooting guards off the bench. A return to Phoenix would be intriguing to join a back court of Goran Gragic, Shannon Brown and Kendall Marshall, but he may end up signing for a year somewhere in Brazil. He's the best available talent.