2021 NBA Finals Preview: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks

                                                (Credit: clutchpoints.com) 

The 2021 NBA Finals begins on Tuesday and will feature a matchup that nobody on earth predicted at the start of the season: Phoenix Suns vs. Milwaukee Bucks. It's been a crazy journey for both of these teams to reach this point. Starting with the Suns, they took out the Lakers, Nuggets, and then Clippers to win the Western Conference crown. The Lakers were hobbled due to Anthony Davis not being at full strength, making them a vulnerable opponent. The Nuggets were without their star Jamal Murray, but they did have 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic on their side. Jokic just wasn't able to do it all on his own in the end. As for the Clippers, Paul George and co. put up a real fight, but the absence of Kawhi Leonard also proved to be too much. 

As for the Bucks, they went through the Heat, Nets, and Hawks. The Heat were led by Jimmy Butler like last year, but they weren't able to recapture the magic they had in the bubble a year ago. The Nets had injury issues of their own with Kyrie Irving and James Harden missing some time. Kevin Durant played incredible basketball, but once again, it's a team sport and one man can't do it all on his own. As for the Hawks, they played really well as a team and had Trae Young not gotten injured, they might have reached the NBA Finals. 

The commonality in both the Western Conference and Eastern Conference brackets is that injuries played a big role in how things turned out. However, that isn't to say that the Suns and Bucks didn't have injury issues of their own. The Suns had to deal with Chris Paul missing action due to COVID protocols and Devin Booker had a busted nose. As for the Bucks, they've been without Giannis Antetokounmpo for the last two games due to a hyperextended knee and while there is no structural damage to his knee, it is unclear when he'll be back. Hopefully for Tuesday's Game 1. 

Ultimately, when looking at this upcoming Suns/Bucks series, a lot hinges on the health of Antetokounmpo. If he's healthy, the Bucks have a real shot to knock off the Suns due to their depth, length, and 3-point shooting. Khris Middleton has been a really nice number two option for them, shooting it well from the perimeter and giving Giannis the help that he needs. On top of that, veteran big man Brook Lopez and veteran guard Jrue Holiday have been playing well. The pieces around Antetokounmpo are definitely there. But he has to be present. 

As for the Suns, they appear to be pretty healthy right now. Paul is back from his COVID hiatus and while having a busted nose isn't fun, Booker hasn't been affected much by it. He also seems to pretty much be back from the injury anyways. Big man Deandre Ayton is getting it done inside (E.g. Valley-oop) and is giving the Suns the interior presence that they need. 

At this point, I do have to give the Suns the edge to win this series. They're the healthier team at the moment and they do have home court advantage. The NBA championship goes through Phoenix and not Milwaukee. Plus, it just feels like it's Chris Paul's time. He's paid his dues and he has the entire Suns team playing really good basketball. Everyone is feeding off his energy and I think everyone is extra fueled by the possibility of helping the great CP3 finally get a ring. 

In regard to how many games this series goes, I think if Giannis is able to go for the entire series, Suns win in 7. If he misses multiple games, then we could be looking at Suns in 5 or 6 games. After seeing such an injury ridden NBA playoffs, it would be nice to at least have an NBA Finals that features the best players of both teams. Hopefully the basketball world gets what they want. 

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Wednesday Windmill: Can either the Milwaukee Bucks or Toronto Raptors take out the Golden State Warriors?

At the moment, the Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors are engaged in an epic series that is tied 2-2. The home team has won every game, which means we're on track for a Game 7 in Milwaukee. While these two teams fight for Eastern Conference supremacy, the Golden State Warriors are relaxing and waiting to see who they'll face in the NBA Finals. Given how dominant the Warriors have been, it's fair to ask whether or not it matters who they'll face. What I want to do in this blog post is quickly breakdown what threat each team poses and what the odds are that they actually take out the Warriors.

Starting with the Bucks, one thing they'll have to their advantage should they reach the NBA Finals is home court advantage (the Raptors will have this as well). Should they win Game 1 of the series, they'll have around 85% odds to win the series and should the series go to a Game 7, they'll have around 80% odds to win. These numbers are based on NBA playoff history as a whole. I wasn't able to find the exact numbers for the NBA Finals. Whatever the exact numbers are, the bottom line is having home court advantage is nice. If you can defend home court in Game 1, history says you'll win. If you host a Game 7 on your home floor, history also says you'll win.

Aside from the home court, the Bucks do have perhaps the best player in the game in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is a matchup nightmare for whatever team they face. The Warriors will have a difficult time taking out the Bucks because of Giannis alone. He handles the ball extremely well in transition, can play multiple positions, and is exactly what his nickname bills him to be. He's a freak.

When you add guys like Brook Lopez, Malcolm Brogdon, Eric Bledsoe, Nikola Mirotic, Khris Middleton, and George Hill to the mix, you have a team that's going to be a tough out. This Bucks teams has a lot of depth and that more than anything could make the difference.

As for the Raptors, aside from the home court advantage that I touched on earlier, it all boils down to whether or not Kawhi Leonard can stay healthy. If he's healthy, they got a shot. Especially since they have a solid supporting cast of their own in Kyle Lowry, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, Pascal Siakam, Danny Green, and Fred VanVleet. Leonard is also in discussion for best player in the game and when he gets going, the Raptors should feel like they can beat any team in the league.

I still have my money on the Warriors to win the NBA championship, but it's not going to be easy. They'll have to go on the road and win in very hostile environments to get home court advantage on their side. The best thing they can hope for is that this series goes the distance and that their opponent will be fatigued and a bit banged up from the Eastern Conference Finals.

Now what you're probably hoping for is my prediction for this Bucks-Raptors series. I think it could go either way, but I still have the Bucks pulling it out. They have home court advantage on their side and I have a tough time seeing the Raptors win four straight games. This one is probably going the distance and in a Game 7, you gotta roll with the home team.

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Saturday Slam: Five teams that might make a move at the NBA trade deadline

With the NBA trade deadline approaching on the 23rd of February at 3:00 PM EST, I thought it would be good to provide some sort of breakdown of what to expect. Lots of moves are bound to happen, but there are five teams to keep an eye on.

#1. New York Knicks (23-34): The New York Knicks have been rumored to have Carmelo Anthony on the trading block. I addressed this topic earlier in the season and came to the conclusion that trading Carmelo Anthony would not be a smart decision. That being said, the Knicks rarely make smart decisions, which means that they may trade Carmelo Anthony anyways. The biggest obstacle to making a trade happen is Anthony's $24.6M contract that increases to $26.2M in 2017 and $27.9M in 2018 before he hits free agency in 2019. I have a hard time believing that some team will be willing to take on his contract, but if some general manager really believes adding Anthony will make his franchise a championship contender, then a trade could happen.

#2. Boston Celtics (37-20): The Boston Celtics are another team that has been discussed as a possible team to make a trade before the deadline. If the Celtics weren't 2nd in the Eastern Conference standings, I would say odds are good they make a move to better position themselves for the playoffs, but so long as this nucleus of Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, Jae Crowder, and Avery Bradley delivers like they are, I see no reason for them to make a trade. That being said, if an unbelievable offer presents itself, Danny Ainge very well may roll the dice. 

#3. Sacramento Kings (24-33): The Sacramento Kings remain right in the mix for the #8 spot in the Western Conference playoffs, which makes it hard to figure what they'll do at the trade deadline. There has been discussion of them moving DeMarcus Cousins at the trade deadline as well as Rudy Gay. The Kings have publicly expressed support for DeMarcus Cousins, but if some team is willing to sell the farm to get him, the Kings just may entertain such an offer and make a surprise move at the deadline. As for Rudy Gay, the fact that he tore his Achilles makes him harder to move, but some team may still be interested in his services. He is scheduled to be a go for training camp next season, which ups his value.

It is important to note that DeMarcus Cousins won't be an unrestricted free agent until 2018 while Rudy Gay has a player option on his contract which allows him to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer if he so chooses. If the Kings feel confident that Rudy Gay will exercise his option, then they may be more aggressive in looking to trade him.

#4. Brooklyn Nets (9-47): The Brooklyn Nets are garbage while Brook Lopez continues to put up solid numbers (20.8 points and 5.2 rebounds per game). Brook Lopez hits unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2018, but the Nets might be smart to move him given that his value is high. I would not be the least bit surprised to see Brook Lopez moved before the trade deadline. The Nets are going nowhere and really have no point in having him eat up salary cap space while they continue to spiral downwards into obscurity.

#5. Philadelphia 76ers (21-35): The Philadelphia 76ers have a logjam in the front court with Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor. All three are really promising young big men and there's no need to hang on to all three for the long term.  Joel Embiid will almost certainly stay, but it's Okafor and Noel whose names have bubbled up in trade rumors. What the 76ers do at the trade deadline will definitely be something to watch for.

Note: On Thursday, I will post a trade deadline tracker of sorts on here. Definitely check that out to stay on top of what happens at the deadline. 

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Wednesday Windmill: The Brooklyn Nets are a disaster

The Brooklyn Nets, to put it simply, are a disaster. While moving to Brooklyn was supposed to give the Nets franchise a much needed boost, it is has so far only given them a boost in the hip-hop world, which values their Brooklyn image and ties to Jay-Z. While becoming more relevant in the hip-hop world isn't a bad thing for an NBA team, at the end of the day, all that matters in the NBA is whether you win or lose games. As of right now, the Nets are doing a lot more losing than they are winning and that's a problem.

The Nets currently stand at 6-17, having lost 8 of their last 10 games while going an absolutely putrid 1-10 on the road. The only real bright spot on this Nets team besides Brook Lopez (20.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game), is Sean Kilpatrick who is having a very nice season for himself averaging 16.1 points per game on 43.6% shooting from the field and 35.2% shooting from beyond the arc. I remember when Sean Kilpatrick was an undrafted rookie playing for the Golden State Warriors in 2014. The fact that he has gone from being an undrafted rookie to a guy averaging 16.1 points per game in the NBA is certainly worth applauding. So, when I speak ill of the Brooklyn Nets, I by no means want to diminish the great story that is Sean Kilpatrick.

Sadly, outside of Sean Kilpatrick, the Nets have nothing to be excited about. Brook Lopez is a quality centerpiece, but he's been there for a while and watched them deteriorate into the mountain of rubble that they are now. This was a team that once had Joe Johnson and Deron Williams to go along with Brook Lopez. Back then, the Nets were a respectable team that had some people thinking they might reach the Eastern Conference Finals. Now, they are a bottom feeder of the Eastern Conference with no light to guide them out of the dark and gloomy tunnel that they now are dwelling in.

The bottom line for the Brooklyn Nets is that moronic Russian oligarch Mikhail Prokhorov has driven them into the ground and crippled them for seasons to come due to a series of idiotic moves. Trading Derrick Favors for Deron Williams was just the first of several silly moves that set this team back and prevented them from becoming a quality team for the future. Prokhorov rolled the dice and got greedy, hoping to get winning results right away, but all it did was come back to bite him in the rear. Now, he has virtually nobody on his roster to be excited about outside of Sean Kilpatrick and while he's a nice player, he's not a guy who you can build a contending team around. At this point, the only thing that Brooklyn Nets fans can be excited about is the offseason so that they can officially have this abortion of a season put in the rear view mirror. It's a rough season in Brooklyn and what's sad is that it's not going to get any better.

Eastern Conference Playoffs Preview: Atlanta Hawks vs. Brooklyn Nets

     #1 Atlanta Hawks (60-22) vs. #8 Brooklyn Nets (38-44): 

     The Atlanta Hawks won the regular season series 4-0 against the Brooklyn Nets, indicating that this series shouldn't be much of a battle. Despite not having a true "superstar" the Hawks have been tremendously successful due to their unselfish play and remarkable consistency. Jeff Teague, Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and Al Horford, who are the leaders of this Hawks team, have been really consistent all season.

     It's very common for all four of them to play well in the same game even though maybe only one of them has a huge night. What has made this possible is that the Hawks really share the basketball, averaging 25.7 assists per game, which is second in the league behind only the Golden State Warriors. The Hawks all trust each other and as a result find themselves playing some of the best basketball in the league.

     The Nets on the other hand average only 20.9 assists per game, which ranks in the lower-third of the league. The Nets have some bigger names on their roster like Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez, but collectively they are very inconsistent. On some nights those guys play really well and they look like a team that could do some damage in the playoffs. On other nights, they look very erratic and too inconsistent to do any damage.

     The Nets also suffer from the problem of having some pieces that don't quite work well together. Joe Johnson is a guy who really needs the ball in his hands a lot and tends to take a lot of ill-advised shots. Deron Williams as a point guard needs to be touching the ball a lot as well. As for Thaddeus Young and Brook Lopez, these guys too need their touches. The fact that the Nets have a ton of guys who want to be the "go-to option" explains why they rank so poorly in assists. They don't move the ball very well and it gets stuck in somebody else's hand for too long.

     The only guy on the Nets who the Hawks should really worry about is Brook Lopez, the Nets' starting center. Lopez has averaged 17.2 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. He is a very talented center offensively and a guy who can give a lot of teams trouble due to his size (7'0, 260 lbs.). The Nets have to make him a priority and hope he can have some big games inside. If they can really get him going, they might be able to scare the Hawks a bit.

     However, I don't think any dosage of Brook Lopez will solve the Nets' problems of being too inconsistent. The Nets are still going to be up and down during this entire series and assuming the Hawks maintain their consistent play, that will ultimately make the difference. I expect the Hawks to win this series in four games.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

Daily Dunks: 4/6-4/12

                                                   (Credit: Andy Melton. Click here for source). 

      Here is my Daily Dunks page for April 6, 2015 through April 12, 2015. Throughout the week this page will be updated with news and scores from across the NBA until a Daily Dunks page is created for the following week.

Monday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Spurs power forward Tim Duncan has passed Paul Pierce to become #15 on the NBA's all-time scoring list.

#2. Nate Robinson's knee is doing ok. He is expected to strike a new deal with the Clippers (Click here for details).

#3. John Calipari, Dikembe Mutumbo, and others have been elected to the 2015 Basketball Hall of Fame (Click here for the full list).

#4. Brook Lopez and James Harden won player of the week honors (Click here for details).

#5. The Celtics waived forward Shavlik Randolph and signed guard Chris Babb to a multi-year deal (Click here for details).

#6. Suns point guard Brandon Knight is likely done for the season due to a bone bruise in his heel (Click here for details).

#7. Kings forward Carl Landry got a one-game suspension for the leaving the bench during an altercation with the Jazz (Click here for details).

#8. Hawks power forward Paul Millsap (shoulder sprain) won't play Tuesday or Wednesday (Click here for details).

#9. Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard scored 36 points.

#10. Nets center Brook Lopez scored 32 points and grabbed 9 rebounds.

Monday's NBA Final Scores: 

Nets 106  Trail Blazers 96.

Monday's NCAA National Championship: 

Duke 68 Wisconsin 63.

Tuesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Timberwolves signed forward Arinze Onuaku for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#2. Kings forward Rudy Gay dropped 33 points on the Timberwolves in his return from a concussion. However, he is still experiencing headaches, so he won't play on Wednesday against the Jazz (Click here for details).

#3. Pistons center Greg Monroe is returning on Wednesday to face the Celtics after practicing on Monday (Click here for details).

#4. Pelicans small forward Tyreke Evans hit the game-winning free throws to defeat the Warriors after a phantom foul call on Andre Iguodala. The Pelicans now have the #8 seed in the West with the Thunder's loss (Click here for a video).

#5. Spurs point guard Tony Parker is dealing with tightness in his right Achilles (Click here for details).

#6. The Kings may shut down DeMarcus Cousins for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#7. Clippers shooting guard Jamal Crawford (calf) returned on Tuesday. He played 19 minutes.

#8. Many NBA executives expect Brook Lopez to opt out of his contract this summer (Click here for details).

#9. 76ers guard Isaiah Canaan is done for the season with a strained foot (Click here for details).

#10.  Point guard Jorge Gutierrez signed a multi-year deal with the Bucks (Click here for details).

Tuesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Pelicans 103 Warriors 100. Kings 116 Timberwolves 111. Hawks 96 Suns 69. Heat 105 Hornets 100. Spurs 113 Thunder 88. Clippers 105 Lakers 100.

Tuesday's D-League playoff scores: 

Mad Ants 104 Red Claws 103. Jam 117 Spurs 79. Mad Ants and Jam lead their series' 1-0.

Wednesday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Bulls point guard Derrick Rose returned. He played 19 minutes and scored 9 points.

#2. The Mavericks hope to have Chandler Parsons back before the playoffs (Click here for details).

#3. Mikhail Prokhorov says he isn't looking to sell the Nets (Click here for details).

#4. Pacers small forward Chris Copeland, his former fiancé, and another woman were stabbed outside of a NYC night club. Thabo Sefolosha and Pero Antic of the Hawks were arrested for obstruction of justice and quarreling with some police officers (Click here for details).

#5. Suns forwards Marcus Morris and Markieff Morris are under investigation for assault (Click here for details).

#6. The Knicks signed guard Ricky Ledo for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#7.The Nuggets claimed forward Shavlik Randolph off waivers from the Celtics (Click here for details).

#8. Rockets center Donatas Motiejunas (back) is done for the season (Click here for details).

#9. Report: Vlade Divac is now the #1 decision making guy in the Kings' organization (Click here for details).

#10. The Cavaliers have clinched their first Central Division title since 2010.

Wednesday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 110 Pelicans 74. Jazz 103 Kings 91. Trail Blazers 116 Timberwolves 91. Magic 105 Bulls 103. Wizards 119 76ers 90. Raptors 92 Hornets 74. Celtics 113 Pistons 103. Hawks 114 Nets 111. Pacers 102 Knicks 86. Cavaliers 104 Bucks 99. Spurs 110 Rockets 98. Nuggets 119 Lakers 101. Mavericks 107 Suns 104.

Wednesday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Charge 119 Skyforce 93. Warriors 105 Blue 98.

Thursday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor has officially declared for the NBA draft (Click here for details).

#2. Hawks guard Thabo Sefolosha is out for the season after breaking his ankle in an altercation with a cop (Click here for details).

#3. Bucks head coach Jason Kidd decided not to play Giannis Antetokounmpo for reasons unknown (Click here for details).

#4. Gerald Green and Jeff Hornacek aren't getting along in Phoenix (Click here for details).

#5. A whole bunch of Kentucky guys leave for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#6. Rockets center Donatas Motiejunas has undergone back surgery. His season is over (Click here for details).

#7. Bulls shooting guard Jimmy Butler is dealing with a left calf injury. He didn't play on Thursday (Click here for details).

#8. Knicks head coach Derek Fisher thinks his team can win 63 games next season (Click here for details).

#9. Matt Barnes says Lakers management is why free agents don't come to join the Lakers (Click here for details).

#10. Warriors point guard Stephen Curry had 45 points and 9 assists. Also, he broke the NBA's record for most three-point shots made in a season, a record previously held by himself.

Thursday's NBA Final Scores: 

Warriors 116 Trail Blazers 105. Bulls 89 Heat 78.

Friday's NBA Daily Dunks: 

#1. The Nuggets signed guard Jamaal Franklin for the rest of the season (Click here for details).

#2. The Kings have signed point guard David Stockton to a multi-year deal (Click here for details).

#3. Rockets guard James Harden is campaigning for MVP (Click here for details).

#4. Allen Iverson used to spend tons of money at strip clubs (Click here for details).

#5. Trail Blazers shooting guard Arron Afflalo is out 1-2 weeks with a shoulder strain (Click here for details).

#6. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday returned from his leg fracture on Friday. He played 16 minutes and is on minutes restrictions (Click here for details).

#7. The NBAPA is investigating whether or not Thabo Sefolosha is the victim of police brutality (Click here for details).

#8. Report: Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah will have their minutes restrictions lifted in the playoffs (Click here for details).

#9. The Grizzlies-Jazz game ended in a very controversial fashion (Click here for details).

#10. The Charlotte Hornets have been eliminated from playoff contention.

Friday's NBA Final Scores: 

Grizzlies 89 Jazz 88. Lakers 106 Timberwolves 98. Raptors 101 Magic 99. Hawks 104 Hornets 80. Celtics 99 Cavaliers 90. Pacers 107 Pistons 103. Nets 117 Wizards 80. Bucks 99 Knicks 91. Pelicans 90 Suns 75. Spurs 104 Rockets 103. Thunder 116 Kings 103. Mavericks 144 Nuggets 143 (2OT).

Friday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Warriors 109 Blue 97. Warriors win series 2-0.

Saturday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio will undergo left ankle surgery. He is out indefinitely (Click here for details).

#2. The Clippers signed guard Lester Hudson to a multi-year deal (Click here for details).

#3. Grizzlies point guard Mike Conley has a sprained foot. His injury could linger into the playoffs (Click here for details).

#4. Magic GM Rob Hennigan is determined to re-sign Tobias Harris (Click here for details).

#5. According to Frank Isola of the NY Daily News, Greg Monroe to the Knicks is essentially a done deal (Click here for details).

#6. The Suns signed guard Jerel McNeal through the 2015-16 season (Click here for details).

#7. The Kings are shutting down DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay for the season (Click here for details).

#8. Lakers guard Jeremy Lin is dealing with knee soreness (Click here for details).

#9. Tarik Black may or may not be back with the Lakers next season (Click here for details).

#10. 76ers head coach Brett Brown expects Joel Embiid to play Summer League (Click here for details).

Saturday's NBA Final Scores: 

Clippers 94 Grizzlies 86.  Jazz 111 Trail Blazers 105. Warriors 110 Timberwolves 101. Knicks 80 Magic 79. Raptors 107 Heat 104. Bulls 114 76ers 107.

Saturday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Spurs 98 Jam 86. Series tied 1-1. Mad Ants 121 Red Claws 111. Mad Ants win series 2-0.

Sunday's Daily Dunks: 

#1. Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook picked up his 16th technical foul. The league rescinded it, which means he won't be suspended for Monday's game (Click here for details).

#2. The Pacers and Nets are tied for 8 in the Eastern Conference and the Pelicans and Thunder are tied for 8 in the Western Conference. The Pelicans and Nets have the tiebreakers.

#3. The Spurs have now jumped up to the #2 seed, Grizzlies fall to the #5 seed. Spurs up by just half a game.

#4. The Bucks clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

#5. Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky wins the John R. Wooden Award (Click here for details).

#6. Ohio State freshman guard D'Angelo Russell will declare for the NBA Draft (Click here for details).

#7. Rockets shooting guard James Harden scored 30 points.

#8. Nuggets power forward Kenneth Faried scored 30 points and had 7 rebounds.

#9. Spurs power forward Tim Duncan had 22 points and 10 rebounds on Sunday.

#10. Bucks guard O.J. Mayo had 17 points off the bench on Sunday.

Sunday's NBA Final Scores: 

Celtics 117 Cavaliers 78 *. Bucks 96 Nets 73. Pistons 116 Hornets 77. Nuggets 122 Kings 111. Pacers 116 Thunder 104. Wizards 108 Hawks 99. Rockets 121 Pelicans 114. Spurs 107 Suns 91. Mavericks 120 Lakers 106. *LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and J.R. Smith rested for the Cavaliers.

Sunday's D-League Playoff Scores: 

Spurs 90 Jam 88: Final. Spurs forward Jonathan Simmons had 28 points. Spurs win series 2-1.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord for NBA news 

2014-15 Atlantic Division Preview

The NBA season is just around the corner, which means that it's time for me to start doing my previews for each division. I am starting with the Atlantic Division, home to the Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Philadelphia 76ers. I will preview each team in order of where I think they will finish in the division with their projected win total in brackets.

                                         
                                              Toronto Raptors (53)

Under the guidance of their brilliant general manager Masai Ujiri, the Raptors had one of the best seasons in franchise history last year with a 48-34 record. Losing in 7 games to the Nets in the first round of the playoffs was a tough way to go out, but the Raptors established themselves as a team that is going to be competitive for many seasons to come.

Their major offseason move was re-signing their start point guard Kyle Lowry to a 4 year, $48M deal. This move is key because it greatly ups the odds of DeMar DeRozan and Jonas Valanciunas staying with the Raptors for the long-term. DeRozan made his first all-star team last season, averaging 22.7 points and 4.0 assists per game, establishing himself as one of the best young swingmen in the NBA.

As for Jonas Valanciunas, he is entering his third NBA season after averaging 11.3 points and 8.8 rebounds per game last season. He still has a lot of work to do, but he too is emerging into one of the best young players at his position. If the Raptors can keep Lowry, DeRozan, and Valanciunas together, they could be contending for championships in the near future.

Their most surprising move of the offseason was drafting Bruno Caboclo in the first round of this year's draft. This move shocked everybody and created quite a stir on draft night. Caboclo is a small forward out of Brazil who has tremendous upside but is considered to be very raw in his development. He might be the most important piece the Raptors have in that he could be what puts them over the top in a few seasons. If he develops into an elite small forward in the NBA, the Raptors will really be cooking with gas. Watching how Caboclo develops in his first NBA season will definitely be an interesting thing to monitor throughout the season since he still remains largely a mystery and an enigma.

Overall, the Raptors have a really talented squad that should once again win the Atlantic Division. The trio of Lowry, DeRozan, and Valanciunas will continue to get better and perhaps Caboclo surprises people and ends up being a solid contributor in his rookie season. They still don't have enough to contend for a championship, but that doesn't mean they aren't worth keeping an eye on. With the Eastern Conference so wide open, the Raptors could possibly find themselves in the Eastern Conference Finals.

                                             
                                                Brooklyn Nets (47)

The Brooklyn Nets are one of the most bizarre teams in the NBA. They have some fantastically talented players, but they can't seem to figure out how to make it all fit. Deron Williams is showing signs of age with all the injuries he's had, but he still remains one of the better point guards in the NBA; Joe Johnson is one of the most offensively potent shooting guards in the NBA; and Brook Lopez might be the best center in the NBA when healthy. Yet despite having those talented players on their team, the Nets still find ways to fall short.

Losing Brook Lopez for the season definitely hurt them last year, but even with him I doubt they would have gotten past the Miami Heat. The Nets almost seem to have an identity crisis in that they really aren't super good at anything. They just range from being "ok" to "good" at everything. That's a problem that Lionel Hollins, their new head coach will have to fix. He'll have to find a way to get his team an identity. In order for a team to be successful they need to have an identity or something to pride themselves on. E.g. Defense, rebounding, or scoring.

More specifically, the Nets need to figure out whose team it is. Is it Deron Williams' team? Is it Joe Johnson's team? Is it Brook Lopez's team? I personally think it should be Brook Lopez's team with him as the focal point of the offense. He's their best overall player and the player who is most valuable to them because so few teams have quality big men.

Before going down for the season, Lopez was having a career year, averaging 20.7 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. The team had to reformulate their identity with him out of the picture for the vast bulk of the season and I think that really hurt the development of the team since Lopez has to be their guy. If the Nets want to be successful this season, they have to make sure that Brook Lopez is the featured player. Otherwise, they'll continue to stay where they are at, which is a mid-pack Eastern Conference team that goes nowhere.

                                                 

                                                      New York Knicks (41) 

Let me cut to the chase: This team sucks. I think Carmelo Anthony is fantastic, but the rest of the team is garbage. Amar'e Stoudemire is washed up and merely a shell of his former self, Andrea Bargnani is a decent offensive player who can't play any defense, J.R. Smith just screws around and takes wild threes, and Iman Shumpert has regressed each season he's played in the NBA.

As for Phil Jackson and his puppet head coach Derek Fisher, nothing can smell more like manufactured hype than this duo. These guys won rings in Los Angeles, but that was over five years ago in a city that is more than 2,000 miles away. This time around there is no Kobe Bryant or Shaquille O'Neal to save them, which is why they aren't going to ever win another championship together. They seem to only be interested in reuniting with each other and having a jolly good time in the Big Apple at the expense of the Knicks and their fans.

Tim Hardaway, Jr. is the only other guy on this team that I like. He's a talented 6'6 shooting guard who could be a star for them in the future, but as for this season he'll still be going through growing pains. He's really the only guy worth paying attention to in that he might be a piece the Knicks can use in the future to help them win games. As for the rest of team outside of Carmelo Anthony, they can all go play in the Chinese Basketball Association for all I care.

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                                                       Boston Celtics (32) 

The Celtics are in full-blown rebuilding mode right now. Rajon Rondo, who is their star point guard appears to be on his way out, which leaves small forward Jeff Green as the only other viable weapon on the team. Green averaged 16.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game last season, which was his best season to date. He'll continue to get better and might even become an all-star one day. But beyond that, the team has nobody to help them win games this season.

Their rookie point guard Marcus Smart, third year power forward Jared Sullinger, and second year center Kelly Olynyk might form a nice trio to go around Jeff Green in a few years, but for right now they have a lot of growing pains to go through.The one good thing that I will say about the Celtics is that they have a quality head coach in Brad Stevens and management that can be trusted. Unlike the Knicks, who are run by a bunch of baboons, the Celtics have quality guys in their front office, which is why I like them to be better than the Knicks down the road.

However, at the present moment, the Celtics have a team that will struggle to win games. Even if Rajon Rondo hangs around the whole year, they still will only have Rondo and Green as viable go-to options. Everybody else is either past their prime like Gerald Wallace or still in the very early stages of their NBA development.

                                                    Philadelphia 76ers (25)

The Philadelphia 76ers are garbage, but they are garbage with a game plan. The plan is to be bad right now so that they can be good in the future. The 76ers so far have tanked really well, drafting talented players who can't help them win games right away. Probably the most important thing to look for when watching the 76ers this season is how their point guard Michael Carter-Williams does in his second season and also how their rookie center Nerlens Noel does after sitting out all of last season with a torn ACL.

If Carter-Williams and Noel can prove to be an effective duo, then the 76ers should feel good about their tanking strategy. I personally expect both of those guys to play really well, but that doesn't mean the 76ers will win a lot of games. It'll be another long year in Philly, but hopefully one in which they feel like progress is being made towards building a team that can be a force in the East.

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord 

Are The Brooklyn Nets Contenders Out East?

                                                 image from dukaspr.com

The Brooklyn Nets pulled off one of the biggest trades of the off-season which netted in them getting Paul Pierce, Jason Terry, and Kevin Garnett from the Boston Celtics. The Nets starting five now has Deron Williams at point guard, Joe Johnson at shooting guard, Paul Pierce at small forward, Kevin Garnett at power forward, and Brook Lopez at center. Jason Terry will come off the bench.  Gerald Wallace, who started for the team last season at small forward was traded to the Celtics as part of the deal (note: to see complete details of the trade, click here).

The Nets certainly seem to have a team that can do some serious damage in the Eastern Conference. Deron Williams is one of the best point guards in the NBA despite having a down season last year and we all know that Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez are both one of the better players at their positions. But obviously, the Nets realized that they were lacking something last season that Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry can bring to the table. The focus of my article is to identify what the Nets think that something is, and whether or not Pierce, Garnett, and Terry can do enough to get the Nets over the hump. 

Last season, the Nets appeared to be one of the better teams in the NBA, and everybody figured that they would easily beat the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs due to all the injuries on the Bulls. However, things didn't exactly go according to plan, and before they knew it, the Nets found themselves eliminated from the playoffs at the hands of a Chicago Bulls team that was plagued with injury. 

While everybody was praising the Chicago Bulls for playing with so much heart and soul, the Brooklyn Nets at the same time found themselves to be the subject of much deserved ridicule and utter embarrassment. This was a team that was supposed to contend for a title and there they were instead eliminated from the playoffs at the hands of a sickly team hit with a plague similar to the Bubonic plague that swept across Europe in the middle ages. The Nets were rightfully being called soft as a result.

What the addition of Garnett, Pierce, and Terry does for the Nets is potentially fix their softness by adding gritty veteran toughness. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Jason Terry all have championship rings, and all three are guys who wouldn't back down to a rabid hyena if it was snarling in their face. Kevin Garnett is the toughest of them all and it shows on the court. Brook Lopez may be a good offensive center, but he protects the rim worse than my 16 year old golden retriever protects my house. A burglar with a flame thrower could walk into my house and my dog wouldn't utter a peep. Likewise, Brook Lopez couldn't protect the rim if his life depended on it.  Bulls point guard Nate Robinson had no fear flying at the rim with reckless abandon against the Nets in the playoffs, and he is a little squirt standing at 5'9. Kevin Garnett will take care of the rim protecting problem, and players of all sizes will think twice about going inside with Garnett prowling the paint. 

As for Paul Pierce and Jason Terry, their scoring will certainly be of assistance to the Nets, but it's more their intangible veteran presence that will help this team. They will help give their teammates confidence in crunch time and help them stay mentally strong in tough situations. They will have a strong presence in the locker room and command respect. They won't let their teammates deflect their problems on others, and will instead teach them to own their own mistakes. This is an effect similar to what Doc Rivers will bring to the Clippers as head coach. 

While these three guys may serve as guides similar to Virgil in Dante's Inferno, they won't be able to completely mold their teammates into winners. Deron Williams still has to be the leader of this team if they want to win a championship, and whether or not he can be a great leader is yet to be seen. In addition, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez will have to toughen up as well and learn to buckle down in crunch time. If the Nets rely too much on Garnett, Pierce, and Terry to carry the load, they will fail miserably. But if they open themselves up to improvement under their wise council, then they just might have what it takes to dethrone the Heat. 

---Ben Parker: follow me on twitter @nba_lord