NBA Preview: Beasts In The East (1st of 2 Parts)
Potent threat inside and outside
So who’s going to dominate in the coming NBA 2010 season?
If you’re an NBA aficionado, I’m sure you wish your favorite ballclub ends the season with the championship.
Unfortunately, there can only be one champion after 82 regular season games and16 playoffs victories counting the Finals.
NBA TV has been running some interesting previews on how various teams would fair come the 2010 season, which by the way kicks off this Oct. 28 (Manila time) featuring a blockbuster match up between the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics and the 2007 runner up Cleveland Cavaliers.
Reigning NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers, on the other hand, locks horns with cross-town rival Los Angeles Clippers to test how far the latter has gone in their off-season manpower stock-up.
Anyway, in my mind, I figure that the top three teams expected to dominate the East this season are in this order—Boston, Cleveland and Orlando.
“Old” Big Three Gets Help
I say Boston is a shoo-in to regain homecourt advantage all-over the power packed Eastern Conference after boosting its line up with the off-season blockbuster acquisition of one-time NBA champion
Boston's top acquisition
Rasheed Wallace, a strong low-post operator and a credible three-point threat as well.
The Celtics also injected a speedy forward Marquis Daniel to the line up to ensure fresh legs in time for the Playoffs considering that Boston’s Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are not getting any younger.
Of course, Eddie House is expected to figure prominently in Boston’s rotation to spell Allen and give the Cs a resident outside threat.
No Longer A “Doughnut” Team
For the Cavs, on the other hand, the arrival of long-time NBA superstar center Shaquille O’Neal has given them a legitimate strong big man to complement the slashing-dunking-and-three-point shooting Lebron James.
Finishing with the home court edge all over the league last season following their franchise-best 66-16 win-loss tally, the Cavs were tipped to win their first-ever NBA trophy last season.
But their lack of a legitimate low-post threat was completely exposed when Cleveland succumbed to Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic, 4-2 in their Eastern Conference Finals.
Two more 6’8” forwards in Jamario Moon, along with ex-Boston Leon Powe, bring more depth to the Cavs’ menacing bench.
Moon, who rose to fame as Toronto Raptor before being dealt to Miami last season, is a great open-court player—loves to run, can play defense and adds excitement as well to the Cavs because of his athleticism.
Powe, on the other hand, adds championship experience and physical presence for Cleveland, something Cleveland lacked during the 2009 Playoffs. He could easily be a help to O’Neal in banging bodies inside the paint.
With O’Neal in tow, James can get more help on offense. Throw in Mo Williams, who loves to shoot it from the outside and the Cavs now have a legitimate three-pronged scoring threat.
“Magical Ride” With Carter
Meantime, the Magic didn’t leave any stones unturned in ensuring that the 2010 season would be a “magical year” that would end with a Larry O’Brien trophy to hoist.
Though Orlando eventually lost an inside-outside scoring threat in Hedo Turkoglu to free agency, the Magic managed to get a superb replacement in the presence of veteran Vince Carter.
Carter, who during his younger days, is noted for his high-flying ways, has learned to improve on his outside shooting, a style that easily fits into the Magic because coach Stan Van Gundy’s system includes an offense that rely on three-point shooting.
Bench depth has improved as well for the Magic in the coming 2010 season with the entry of slasher-forward Matt Barnes, athletic power forward Brandon Bass, veteran center Adonal Foyle as well as playmaker Jason Williams, who is coming out of a one-year sabbatical.
These are the NBA’s Beasts In the East. Tomorrow, I’ll come up with my own picks for the Best in the West for 2010.
Photo Source: http://nimg.sulekha.com/Sports/original700/shaquille-o-neal-lebron-james-2009-10-3-12-41-36.jpg
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_42w5-R0zz2g/SlayCbVHadI/AAAAAAAAH0E/D8oCGhluaJ4/s400/Rasheed+Wallace+Boston+Celtics+Press+Conference.jpg
Celtics Look Older &… Wiser Now
Wallace & Garnett--from bitter Eastern Conference rivals to chest-banging teammates. Photo Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-05/21/xinsrc_53205052111288123233563.jpg
For Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge, there’s no better time to reclaim the NBA championship than now.
While other teams look at the future, three, five or seven years down the road, Ainge looks at the NOW word to try to deliver the “goods” that will help bring the Celtics back to their championship level.
However, Ainge is contending with a starting unit that’s basically in their 30s—Ray Allen is 34, Kevin Garnett is 33 while Paul Pierce 32.
Newly acquired forward Rasheed Wallace is already 35.
With players at their 30s, the biggest gamble they took after deciding to shop for a veteran player in the free agent market instead of focusing on young talents is the possibility of getting one or more of their stars injured.
Well, that had happened last season when Garnett injured his knee against the Utah Jazz during the regular season and eventually failed to ride the Boston bus for the entire NBA Playoffs.
The Celtics were taken to a seven-game series against a young Chicago Bulls team led by super rookie Derrick Rose.
Boston was fortunate enough to survive and advance to the second round. But another seven-game series against Orlando drained the Garnett-less Celtics as they eventually surrendered their NBA crown.
Currently, the Celtics appear stronger with the addition lf Wallace, who’ll be coming off the bench for the first time in his colorful NBA career to spell Garnett.
However, bench depth has always been a crucial factor entering the Playoffs. Wide-bodied forward Glen Davis played splendidly during the playoffs for the Cs during Garnett’s absence.
The guard line led by starting point guard Rajon Rondo remains solid. Just wondering how Stephon Marbury can contribute in his first full season with Boston this October.
I think the pieces of the championship puzzle only needs a little tweaking for the Celtics. But it sure is not going to be an easy climb back to respectability and championship for this proud franchise.
Orlando and Cleveland are still there to challenge them, while Chicago, even without Ben Gordon, remains a potent team.
NBA 2010 season come October will be packed with more surprises.
