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September 19, 2008
NBA 2008-9 Predictions: Central Division - Curry flavored Pistons and LeBron gets 'Mo help'
Every year there are a few surprises...up...and down.
The Detroit Pistons didn't surprise many by being the 2nd best team in the East. But 59 wins was a resurgence, and the 2nd highest total for the Pistons in the past 18 years. That may have surprised some.
The Bulls on the other hand, were one of the league's biggest disappointments. A new coach, the top draft pick, and a big hole to climb out of for Luol Deng and crew.
Here's how I see it....
Central Division
Detroit 55-27 (LY=59-23)
The big shake up never occurred. It might not need to. Many said they were in decline and they won 59 games last year. Just missing a superb 60 win season means that the play-offs are their down fall.
Maybe they have been getting too much respect the last few years. Still, the addition of Kwame Brown, the continued development of Rodney Stuckey and Jason Maxiell keeps these guys in the hunt for the title.
Rip and Chauncy Billups aren’t the problem. Rasheed Wallace can’t do it alone around the hoop on either end of the court. Brown can do the things that the Pistons need done defensively. Starting PF is up for grabs, while Curry wants to use McDyess off the bench this year.
What was once considered a complete calm under pressure is now called a blasé approach to the play-offs. Head honcho Joe Dumars says “no more calm approach”. Enter Michael Curry. Can insider Curry get it done? I think so.
Cleveland 49–33 (LY=45-37)
I wrote about their strong showing in the play-offs. Was it deceptive as some think? Hard to tell, but I think they have improved.
Mo Williams gives this team offense it desperately needs. LeBron’s weak outside shooting was exposed against the Celtics, though he is an opponent’s nightmare around the hoop.
Ben Wallace, Andy Verajeo and Zydrunas Ilgauskas patrol the paint as well as most. Resigning Delonte West helps with depth, clutch play and toughness.
Their offense can now be reworked a bit and they will be a more solid contender. With all the attention Lebron James gets, he gets "Mo help" and the rest of the team should finally be able to score more. Will Mo defend? Signs point to yes.
Chicago 33-49 (LY=33-49)
One of last season’s most surprising meltdowns and frown filled locker rooms gets a rookie head coach in Vinny Del Negro, and the #1 pick of the draft in rookie stud, point guard Derrick Rose.
Unfortunately they also retain some bad attitudes in Tyrus Thomas, Kirk Hinrich, and perhaps Larry Hughes. Ben Gordon will probably play for the one year deal. He should take the Bulls offer. There is solid talent here, starting with Luol Deng, but this is a tough group to break in a rookie head coach with. Trade talks linger. This is a tough team to predict.
Milwaukee 32-50 (LY=26-56)
They will finally get a head banger in the dumped Scott Skiles. You might think that alone will get you a certain amount of wins. I’m not in love with that style, but I’m a fan of defensive minded Skiles anyway.
I expect sparks to fly with Charlie Villanueva and Michael Redd conserving energy to play on only one side of the ball.
Luke Ridnour, while not a defender, is in other ways, a Skiles kind of player. Richard Jefferson and a renewed Andrew Bogut round out an interesting starting five. Don’t know what this team will do, but it will be fun finding out.
Could do more than I predicted if Scott actually gets them to defend as a team. They may be a real surprise. But Scott might also be banging his own head....against a wall, by year's end.
Indiana 31-51 (LY=36-46)
With Jermaine O’Neal gone, is it addition by subtraction? Sorry but… nope.
Adding TJ Ford, Jarrett Jack, Roy Hibbert and Rasho Nesterovic, losing O’Neal and banishing Jamal Tinsley changes the offense a bit and they will take awhile to figure it out.
They will be “O’Brien scrappy” but an emerging Danny Granger, Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy, and Ford can’t take this team too far. Hibbert could surprise, though. O"Brien teams always get a 'A' for effort.
Next up: Atlantic Division
Posted by Tom on September 19, 2008 8:58 PM
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