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Who do you think will be 2005 NBA champions? Not who do you want to win.

My predictions:
Champions - Spurs (Brent Barry will be a key role player to complete an inside/outside game and their D is always great)
Finals Runner Up - Pistons (they are intact, could very well win again. Their defense is better than the Spurs but unlike LA last year, Spurs have both O and D rahter than just O)

Overall chances (still just my predictions):
1. Spurs
2. T-Wolves (KG and the Wolves finally got deep. This could be their year IF they can stay healthy)
3. Pistons (I think that if the pistons get to the finals against Minny, they will win. But I like T-Wolves chances of making the finals more and I think they can take Heat or Pacers while still possibly being able to beat Detroit)
4. Pacers (don't see much difference from last year)
5. Miami (1. Shaq 2. Wade 3. Good role players but not enough depth)
6. Houston (If T-Mac remembers Yao first they can do well. Mutombo is your rest? I don't care how old he is, he is 7'2" Deke. PG needs to be resolved)
7. Kings (Lost Divac, not a big deal but I see the Kings window closing with or without him. I still see a solid season -better than Houston's- but chemistry problems don't look good right now and I like Houston's chances more in the playoffs. Kings will just do better against lesser teams)
8. Nuggets (Melo even though I hate him along with Nene, K-Mart, and Camby. This makes a scary front line-up)
9. Utah (I really don't think they have much of a chance at all... yet. I think they will be really good in the next couple of years. I think Kirilenko is the most diverse defensive player in the NBA and he has great off ball movement. I think that within 2-3 years he may very well be an MVP candidate. If things click early this year, I can see them having a very successful season)

The lakers would do it only if they kept shaq, no doubt kobe will be on fire though. Don't think they will make past the semi's.

Houston look good with the addition of T-mac and could be hard to beat.

I also think orlando might prove a surprise package with the additions they have made.

Twolves no question, nobody will be able to stop the Eddie Griffin and KG combo this year.

champions-pistons (they kept all the players that matter and even picked up some help with mcdysse and coleman to improve an already good bench)

runner up- i would say spurs but since myth already said them i;m gonna say rockets just to be different...t-mac and yao could be the new shaq and kobe of the west and even though i've only seen them play in preseason they have still been very impressive

I think the Pistons will repeat- for the same reason a wuta

Runner Up- T-Wolves, or possibly Rockets... i know all three teams have already been said... but thats how i think it will happen.... Spurs could be runner up too...

The Rockets will be the biggest dissapointment of the season. All they have is Yao and Tmac, Tmac can't play D and I don't think he will be willing to pound the ball into Yao as much as Francis did.

I disagree. Francis was horrible at getting the ball to Yao. McGrady (although I'm not a fan of his), wants to be the 2nd man. I'm not a fan of McGrady's D either but that is because he has had coaches that allow him to be lazy. Don't be fooled into thinking that Van Gundy won't run his ass off on the defensive end. And their role players are really good too. An old Mutombo is a step up as a reserve from last years Cato. Jim Jackson is still solid. Juwon Howard is a good addition that was a throw in. And Yao continues to improve at an extreme rate. They made the playoffs last year and they only seemed to get better. The only problem is their lack of a really good PG. But at least it won't be a selfish PG like Francis.

Francis was excellent at getting the ball into Yao, why do you think his scoring numbers went down, because he averaged 2 less shots a game than the previous year because he was getting the ball into Yao. He and Yao were basically best friends and they had a great chemistry. I mean, he's no Jason Kidd when it comes to getting assists , but he's a heck of a lot better at passing the ball than Tmac.




I think the surprise team of the year will be the Magic. Dwight Howard has looked great in the preseason, Stevenson will finally come into his own now that he has a chance to play, Hill looks like he is back in form( dropped 20 the last game), they have an all star PG in Francis, and Turkoglu and Mobley are solid players in their own right. When you add that all up, they seem like a playoff team to me.

Francis's shots went down 2 per game because of Yao, but he was still not getting it to him enough. You fear McGrady will not be as good at getting him the ball, but I beg to differ. McGrady has never wanted to be the #1 option. He feels blessed to be able to dish off to Yao. Plus defenders collapse more on his offense so he will be able draw more doubles and pass to Yao. Plus, it won't even be purely his job. Tyronn Lue, although not as good as Francis, is less selfish and will do his best to get Yao the ball as much as possible (Lue/McGrady will be less selfish than Francis/Mobley). Francis saw himself as option #1, and Yao as #2. Yao should have been #1 all along.

Subtracted:
Francis
Cato
Mobley
A. Griffin
Piatkowski
Mike Wilks

Added:
McGrady
J. Howard
Lue
Mutombo
Ryan Bowen
Bob Sura
C. Ward
Reese Gaines

I think the added players will fair better than the subtracted once did, plus Yao improving and McGrady being disciplined by JVG.



I agree that Orlando will surprise people. However, I think that they will be better, but not a playoff team (although in the east, who knows). Howard and Jameer will be good for the future and will fair well this season, but they will not be enough to carry Orlando as rookies. If, and I don't care what people say, IF Grant Hill can stay healthy then maybe the playoffs are possible but I don't see him lasting. Even if he doesn't have to quit the season, I see him still being on/off.

My prediction is the nuggets in the finals, at leasts that's what i hope... nuggets are going to be really sick this year, i think they're going to be dominant in the west, nuggets are my team this year (along with lakers, as always)...i'm keeping hope alive, Kobe will still be able to do some damage, especially with the trial past, he can finally concentrate on the game he was meant to play.

Denver < dominant, Lakers < playoffs

Agreed. Denver will be a 4/5 seed at best. And maybe they will get out of the first round. But in no way would I call them dominant.

Lakers could be a 6th seed at best but I predict them to be 7-9 seed and fighting to make the playoffs.

Pistons all the way!!

what about players...who do you guys think will surpise people and become impack players..here are some players who i think are gonna take there game to a whole other level

kirk hinrick-bulls
nick collison (if he stays healthy)-seattle
luke ridnour-seattle
pau gasol-memphis (he's already an impact player but he's so underrated i threw him in there)
carlos delfino-detriot

Well for my prediction it's Pistons over Spurs. My suprise player is Eddy Curry who from reports has finally gotten his fat ass in shape and should be the best center in the east behind Shaq. Also I think Mike Dunleavy is going to have a big season.

My suprise team is the Warriors, I hated the moves they made with overpaying Fisher and Foyle, but this is going to be a tough poor man pistons defense. They wont make the playofffs, because the west is so deep but they'll be in the running for the 8 spot.

dunleavy is a good pick...i cant beleived i forget to put him on my list...i watched him at duke...he seems to be getting better year by year and has alot of potential...the bulls can suprise alot of people....i dont think there gonna make the playoffs but they can be a 500 team....phoenix is my surpise team

i disagree about curry but i like that you picked him...its a ballsy pick but thats what people said to me about detriot last year and look how that turned out

Everywhere I look all I hear about Dunleavy is that he hasn't worked hard enough and hasn't gotten any better since he's gotten into the league, and from what I've see I don't think he has either. I think he's a good role player but won't be anything more than a starter on an ok Warriors team. I agree that Curry will have a breakout season, he's finally starting to put everything together if the last half of the season last year was any indication. One more player I think will have a breakout season is Deshawn Stevenson for the Magic. He's finally got a jumpshot to go with his hops and he will get a lot more playing time this year.

since the season is already half overi figured we can go over our predictions

kirk hinrick-leads the bulls in points and because of his play the bulls are finally back to respectability and in the playoff hunt and my most proud pick

nick collison-didnt pan out.....well he can still be an impact player if he gets the PT but seattle is full of PFs and Cs so we'll just say i was wrong for this year

luke ridnour-leads the team in assists and is proving he can run with the best of them

pau gasol-this one dont count...he was already the best player on the team

carlos defino...another pcik that didnt pan out but this time due to injuries..hopefully i wasnt completely wrong about him

Eddy Curry is having a nice season but not a great one that I expected.

Mike Dunleavy is having an okay season, nothing great.

Surprise team Warriors.

The only one of mine that was REALLY off was T-Wolves and the fact that nobody would have guessed that the Suns would be so great this year. Plus I don't have Seattle or Dallas on there.