Andrew Tie
Yesterday was a good day. Yes, it was Christmas, and that meant presents, but there was something else: the NBA is back. After an offseason that included an ugly lockout dispute and recent roster changes, it's good to getting back to just basketball. There were five games yesterday, and it was just terrific to sit back and watch some NBA basketball again.
New York Knicks 106
Boston Celtics 104
Obviously in order to judge this game fairly, we must remember that Paul Pierce sat out with an injury, and the Celtics's replacement Sasha Pavlovic really has no reason to be starting anywhere. But this was a great game; although it looked like the Knicks were going to keep the Celtics away early on, the Celtics made a comeback in the second half. I was surprised by Brandon Bass who, so far at least, seems like an upgrade over Glen Davis. He had 20 Pts and 11 Reb, his first 20 and 10 game of his career. Of course, Rajon Rondo, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett have done what they have for their entire careers, and that's produce. But the NBA is a star-driven league, and there was simply too much Carmelo Anthony for the Celtics to handle. Anthony finished with 37 Pts and 8 Reb, including some clutch shots at the end of the 4th quarter. I'm wary of the Knicks's ability to go deep into the playoffs this season because of their bench. I'm just not sure the bench has the ability to seriously contend for the Eastern Conference championship. But that's for another time - for now, the Knicks look like a solid team that should easily be a top four seed come playoff time, just as the Celtics should.
Miami Heat 105
Dallas Mavericks 94
Simply put, the Mavericks didn't come out ready to beat the Heat. Obviously the Heat were more motivated considering the Mavericks were celebrating last season's championship at the beginning of the game. But this Mavericks team is completely different from last year's team. Tyson Chandler is gone, meaning Brendan Haywood is the starting center. They've lost guards DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler and JJ Barea. To replace them, they brought in Lamar Odom (who is good), Vince Carter (past his prime) and Delonte West (a decent guard, but West probably won't be any better than Barea). The Heat looked great, though. They played tough defense, created turnovers and got out on the fast break, which is exactly what they want. LeBron James looked like the monster that he is, and Dwyane Wade played just as well. I'm expecting the Heat to win the East and make the finals again. The Mavericks, though; I'm just not sure they'll be able to be a top four seed in the West.
Chicago Bulls 88
Los Angeles Lakers 87
THIS WAS A GREAT GAME, and Derrick Rose showed why he's the reigning MVP. Though it looked like the Lakers were going to win this game, the Bulls kept at it and got the ball in the hands of Rose for their final possession. Though the Bulls look like a little lost without Rose on the court, he's nearly unstoppable when he's playing. Rose, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer all had great games, but that's to be expected. More will be needed from Rip Hamilton in order for the Bulls to challenge the Heat. He finished the game with a dismal 6 Pts and 5 fouls. But as soon as the Bulls got the ball and gave it to Rose, I said to myself, "it's going in." There was just the sense that nothing would stop Rose. While the Lakers did play a good game and probably should have won, I'm still a little worried. Mike Brown is a good coach, but he's no Phil Jackson. And while Kobe Bryant is still there and Pau Gasol, they need some help after shipping off Lamar Odom. Derek Fisher is too old now to compete with elite point guards in the league, and it's a problem when the power forward spot is manned by Josh McRoberts and Troy Murphy. I'm not sure the Lakers will be a top four seed in the West when it's all said and done, but the Bulls will easily be top four in the East.
Oklahoma City Thunder 97
Orlando Magic 89
Dwight Howard didn't have a typical Dwight Howard game. He ended the game with only 11 Pts and 15 Reb, but here was a surprise - Ryan Anderson. He had 25 Pts and 10 Reb, and if he keeps this up, it'll keep the Magic at a high level for this year. But this is all about the Thunder. They looked just like the favorites in the West that they have been projected to be. Kevin Durant had 30 Pts and should be the leading candidate for the scoring champion again this season. Russell Westbrook and James Harden also had great games and should be great complements for Durant. I'm just not sure who in the league or in the West will be able to compete with the energy, talent and chemistry that the Thunder have. They're flashy, but they're also just really good. Durant is a special player and nearly unstoppable. Westbrook is going to be an all-star this year, and Harden would start on most teams other than the Thunder. Expect them to be the top seed in the West. The Magic, however, will make the playoffs, but I can't imagine they'll be a top four seed.
Los Angeles Clippers 105
Golden State Warriors 86
Wow. What a game. During the first half, the game was tight and low scoring. But the Clippers started to open it up in the second half and show why they should be one of the most exciting teams in the league. I'm predicting the Clippers to have their ups and downs just like the Heat did last year, but the Clippers are much more complete than the Heat are; they just don't have the sheer talent that the Heat do. With Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups and Blake Griffin all getting 20+ Pts, they have a "Big 3" that should rival the Celtics and the Heat. I'm expecting Griffin to break out this year and be a serious candidate for MVP, but one main competitor might be Paul. In the 4th quarter, Paul took over the game and made clutch shot after clutch shot. It's funny that on a team with a guy known for big shots in Billups, Paul is the one taking and making those shots. The Warriors looked solid, but they were overmatched by Griffin down low and at the guard spots with Paul and Billups. The Clippers should be a top four seed in the West, and the Warriors might have a chance for a lower seed.
By the way, here are my projections for the playoffs this year.
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Boston Celtics
4. New York Knicks
5. Atlanta Hawks
6. Orlando Magic
7. Indiana Pacers
8. Philadelphia 76ers
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Los Angeles Clippers
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Portland Trail Blazers
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
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