Western Conference Preview

The Western Conference remains as stacked as ever. Just like the East, each team is just one catastrophic injury away from missing out on the playoffs. The San Antonio Spurs virtually retained their entire championship core and re-signed a lot of their key personnel making them the favorites to repeat for the first time in the Duncan era.

‘Minimal’ offseason moves were made for last season’s top eight teams. They intend to compete and hang on to their playoff spots and give themselves a fighting chance to compete for the NBA championship.

Dallas Mavericks

The Mavericks quietly tried to position themselves for another championship run. Dirk Nowitzki’s took a pay cut in order to give Dallas owner Mark Cuban the necessary cap flexibility to try and land one top-tier free agent to pair with Dirk. The Mavs opened the offseason striking a deal to bring back one-time Defensive Player of the Year Tyson Chandler to help anchor the middle as well as adding point guards Raymond Felton and Jameer Nelson.

However, their offseason’s greatest haul is swingman Chandler Parsons whom they’ve signed to a lucrative $46 million 3-year deal from the Houston Rockets. Parsons should provide the Mavs a two-way player who can create and manufacture his own shot but at the same time being an overqualified spot-up shooter to space the floor for Dirk on the high post and driving lanes for Monta Ellis.

Oklahoma City Thunder

Each year, the Thunder seem to be the a team which teases you with their upside and talent. They continue to display their success and stellar play during the earlier parts of the season but come to struggle come playoff time. Kevin Durant last season elevated his game to new heights as he was adjudged MVP of the regular season but after backing out of Team USA this summer, Durant was diagnosed with a Jones fracture and would miss the earlier parts of the season.

Durant’s injury is a major blow to the Thunder’s championship aspirations. Over the years, untimely injuries have held them back from displaying their potential in the same way that coach Scott Brooks has handled his roster (especially Kendrick Perkins and his bench). The Thunder made no dramatic offseason move and their bench continues to remain shallow. This will be another challenging year for Scott Brooks and the team and don’t be shock if he will be gone by the end of the season. 

Houston Rockets

Rockets GM Daryl Morey lost a calculated gamble after he allowed restricted free agent Chandler Parsons to go into free agency one year earlier. In Morey’s defense, he wanted to free the necessary cap room to go after marquee big name free agents such as LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Carmelo Anthony but after Bosh re-signed with the Heat--which ruined-- Morey’s plans of a super team, Parsons then became a Maverick.

The Rockets have two established players in Dwight Howard and James Harden but it remains to be seen if they can both co-exist. Rockets coach Kevin McHale employs a run-and-gun type of offense which limits Howard's touches down low but if the Rockets do figure it out, they will be a tough team to beat. 

Los Angeles Clippers

There are $2 billion why the Clippers have to be a better team. New owner Steve Ballmer has added a new and invigorated sense of passion to this franchise and he hopes that this translates into a better playoff performance.

The Clippers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of last year’s playoffs. The team, after overcoming such emotional fatigue, fell flat in spite of the performance of Blake Griffin. The team has the necessary personnel and tools to win but they can’t seem to elevate their game to a whole ‘nother level.

This season, the Clippers will again heavily rely on the vastly improving game of Griffin and the play of Chris Paul. However, one of the keys for this team to raise their game is if they stay healthy as a unit.

San Antonio Spurs

For a franchise once labeled as old and boring, the Spurs have another opportunity to repeat as back-to-back champions. The Spurs have never repeated as champions and as how things look at the moment, they have a chance this season.

The Spurs retain their championship winning lineup and another year’s worth of championship experience. From the looks of things, only father time can slow the team down. The team has played in the last two NBA Finals carrying one of the older rosters in the league but with Popovich’s uncanny approach, he may opt to sit a lot of his older players especially during back-to-back’s to preserve their legs for the stretch run.

The team should look to run their offense through Tony Parker and last season’s Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard but maybe Pop has one last ace up his sleeve.

Questions and Answers 

Potential sleeper come playoff time? 

I really think the Pelicans have what it takes to make the Playoffs especially if Anthony Davis' game rises to serious heights. If the Pistons have to find a way to make Josh Smith, Greg Monroe, and Andre Drummond work together, the Pelicans have to find a way to mesh the talents of Jrue Holiday, Eric Gordon, and Tyreke Evans. 

Bounce Brothers? 

Personally I feel both Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine are extremely athletic. The word talented still doesn't seem to fit with the two but this is going to be an exciting team over at Minnesota. 

Playoff prediction 

ALL teams that qualified for the post season will make it AGAIN this season. 

Lakers? 

Kobe's going to try to egg his team to another championship but they don't have the tools to win. Kobe's going out firing away. 

NBA Preview: Eastern Conference

Vacation mode is slowly starting to kick in. Those sleepless and anxious school nights are a thing of the past (but I’m still thinking about my grades huhu). I’ve had time to catch-up on sleep after those tireless nights studying. I’ve had ample time getting my butt kicked in 2k15. I’ve also had time to reading all those bookmarked tabs under the ‘Read Later’ tab of my Internet browser.

However, the most exciting thing about this vacation—for a basketball fan such as I—is that I can finally watch NBA games live on TV again especially after another exciting offseason filled with ridiculous moves. 

LeBron James once again dominated the offseason headlines by announcing his return to the Cavs. Not only does he return to his hometown team as a two-time champion but he also returns as a much better basketball player. He’s become a much more efficient scorer, a deadly low-post threat, and still is one of the best passers and defenders in the league. With the addition of Kevin Love, the Cavs boast the best ‘Big 3’ in the league fully capable of taking over the game with their offensive prowess. However, defensively? They’re far from that.

With some extra time on my hands, I’ll be writing three different NBA Previews: one for each conference and the last one with just some predictions. I will really try my best to feature all the teams but I don’t think anyone will read this past 500 words. Oh well...

Let’s get started.

Eastern Conference

The Eastern Conference remains weak as ever. Every contending playoff team is just one catastrophic injury away from seeing their postseason hopes go down the drain (eg. Paul George and the Indiana Pacers). With a lot of teams looking to build on the future and maintain cap flexibility, I have a feeling that six or seven teams that made the playoffs last season will make it again this season with Cleveland getting in the mix and a potential surprise ala-last season’s Phoenix Suns (except that they might make the playoffs).

Chicago Bulls

On paper, the Chicago Bulls are the front-runners to win the East especially with the return of Derrick Rose and the additions of Pau Gasol, and rookies Nikola Mirotic, and Doug McDermott. With almost every integral piece from last season’s playoff team returning, it is only logical to see the Bulls improving. The Bulls possess one of the deeper teams in the league with a solid ten to twelve man rotation. They also possess the best passing frontline (Gasol and Noah) and enough energy guys and two-way players to change the course of the game.

A lot of what the Bulls can do is shouldered around the performance and health of D-Rose. If Rose, God forbid, misses considerable amounts of time this season due to injury, the Bulls will have a hard time winning ballgames because of their lack of scoring options. We can say that defense does win championships but you can’t make it to the championship if you can’t score enough points. The game of basketball is played rather simply, the team who wins is the one who puts the most buckets through the hoop.

Miami Heat

After making the NBA Finals for the last four seasons, cracks begin to appear in the Heat’s armor. LeBron James couldn’t carry a team that lacked the offensive firepower present in the championship-winning teams. Dwyane Wade’s health has been questionable and the Heat’s daunting trapping defense has been a considerably slower due to age.

Pat Riley desperately tried to save the Heat’s playoff hopes by resigning Chris Bosh to a max-five year deal and resigned Dwyane Wade along with the other ‘Heat Lifers’ (Chalmers, Haslem, Andersen) but, just like the Bulls, a lot is anchored upon Wade’s production and how many games he does play.

Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts, and Danny Granger are solid additions to try to replace the production of LeBron but coach Erik Spoelstra has to go back to the drawing board and try to find creative ways to manufacture points with the kinds of players he has at his disposal.

The Heat will still remain a playoff team but not an elite team anymore. It’s really hard to replace the production of the world’s greatest player and especially if your franchise player is constantly in and out of the lineup. 

Washington Wizards

The Wizards took a considerable leap last season after making it to the playoffs. The young backcourt combination of John Wall and Bradley Beal along with the health and the stellar play of both Marcin Gortat and Nene, the Wizards posed both inside and outside threats which gave their opponents difficult decisions to make.

After resigning Marcin Gortat this offseason, the Wizards retained the core of a team which made a surprising second-round appearance in the playoffs. However, after losing Trevor Ariza to free agency, the Wizards bolstered their line-up with the addition of former Finals MVP Paul Pierce who could help manufacture some points for the Wizards especially that Bradley Beal is out with a wrist injury.

Bench production will still be an issue for the Wizards but the improved play of Glen Rice Jr. and Otto Porter could be something they can build on.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs struck gold this summer with LeBron James coming back and nabbing Kevin Love from the Timberwolves even if that means giving up the last two #1 overall picks in Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins. With a new coach and a retooled line-up, don’t expect the Cavs to dominate right off the bat as they try to find their identity as a team.

Questions and Answers

Indiana Pacers?

With Paul George down with possibly season-ending surgery and with Lance Stephenson gone because of free agency, the Indiana Pacers will struggle to find offensive fire power. We can expect their defense to still remain top-notch but don’t expect them to finish where they were last season.

LAAAAANNNCCCEEEE?

Last season, Lance Stephenson made strides last season as a dynamic two-way player. He is great and crafty off the dribble and a dog on defense but his antics and ‘immaturity’ have others asking whether he is ready to take the next step in becoming a great NBA player.

Lance is a talented player but trying to fit in a team who had just made the playoffs last season with two ball-dominant players in Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker, it would be interesting to see if Lance can help the Hornets make the next level.

The Bucks and Jabari?

The Bucks will still stink. Jabari’s going to win Rookie of the Year.

Which team last season will have the least chance of making it this year?

The Hawks because of their current situation or the Pacers because of the lack of scoring.

Will age hamper the Nets?

With Lionel Hollins as their new coach, expect the Nets to carve their identity on the defensive side of the court. A lot is hanging on the shoulders of both Deron Williams and Brook Lopez to produce and lead the team back to the playoffs. Both need to stay healthy for the Nets to have a chance to stay afloat.

How many wins will the Sixers have?

Probably their on the verge of setting an NBA record for least wins. #tanking

Does Rajon Rondo get traded before the trade deadline?

YES.

First Flight: The Ateneo Blue Eagle's Early Season Performance

The Ateneo Blue Eagles First 6.
Photo courtesy of Philip Sison of Fabilioh

This season, the  Ateneo Blue Eagles have surprised many UAAP observers. After today’s 86-75 victory against the UP Fighting Maroons, the team improved its record to 3-0, remaining undefeated atop the league’s standings. For a team supposedly in its ‘rebuilding stage’, with the inclusion of five freshmen rookies on their roster, the team has continued to defy other’s expectations. 

The team is coming off two victories against two of the generally regarded weaker UAAP teams in Adamson and UP. However, we cannot underestimate the Blue Eagles’ impressive victory against the defending champions—De La Salle—last Sunday. 

The Blue Eagles individual talents were on full display. Kiefer Ravena has played with a chip on his shoulder—proving to everybody that he is now the best player in the league with his MVP-type performance and that his play last season was nothing but a thing of the past. Arvin Tolentino, the much talked about and hyped freshman, has played beyond even my expectations as he has displayed his all-around brilliance three games into the season and an early favourite to win Rookie of the Year. Von Pessumal’s outside shooting has been a big boost for the team’s offense, as they now have a legitimate outside shooting threat spacing the floor and coming of screens for the team. The stat-sheet stuffing of both Nico Elorde and Chris Newsome are on full display in every game as they try to contribute whatever is necessary to earn the W. 

Many of us are now believing that the team is back as a legitimate championship contender. We can argue that their record and margin of victory has been impressive (Their wins were by 22, 11, and 11) but the end is still a long way to go and the battle for the championship is only in its early stages. I am not undermining the team’s success but instead hoping that the team can achieve more—and to continually soar higher than the opposition.

The team has had consistent performances from their ‘Fab 5’ (Ravena, Newsome, Pessumal, Elorde, and Tolentino) yet we haven’t seen—nor felt the contribution—of the rest of the team. Thirdy Ravena, through three games, has yet to score but we’re still hopeful that the hype is real. A lot of last season’s rotation players, such as Gwyne Capacio and Vince Tolentino, have yet to hit the ground running and yet we know what they’re capable of. Ponso Gotladera played the game of his life against La Salle but hasn’t achieved the consistency the team needs.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the team is still capable of doing more—magis—than what it has already accomplished. As the team still tries to build its chemistry, after choosing not to play in any offseason tournament, we can only expect more from the team. Who knows come the second round, the team is finally peaking and clicking in all cylinders in terms of execution and player production. The team has surpassed everybody’s expectations with efficient offensive execution (and isolation plays) and its stingy and changing defenses. Maybe what Newsome said earlier in the season is correct—that their unpredictability has been a huge advantage on their side. 

The last four games in the first round won’t be easy as the Blue Eagles will be facing NU, FEU, UST, and UE (in that order). These kind of difficult games are breeding grounds for champions. In order for the team to ascend back to the top, they will need to go through adversity, for them to build their character. Maybe the next couple of games may create a dent in the chiselled armour of the team but whoever said something worth having comes easy?

Built Versus Bought

If last season’s seven-game series was not enough, the basketball gods have intervened with all the other team’s championship aspirations and have given us, the fans, another opportunity to watch two of the league’s best teams slug it out again for the Larry O’Brien trophy.

This series is filled with polarising match-ups, intriguing yet sophisticated offensive systems, and different unique personalities. But ultimately, it is focused on unfinished business and glorious championship aspirations. The Spurs were 28 seconds away from wrapping up in what would be the fifth and the most elusive championship in the Duncan-Popovich era—potentially paving the way for the Big Fundamental to hang his sneakers up for good—until Ray Allen happened.

Allen’s back breaking triple off a missed three from LeBron single-handedly kept The King’s legacy intact. A loss in last season’s Finals would implode on LeBron’s career—giving him a 1-3 (win-loss) record in the Finals and put into question his status as one of the greatest to ever play the game. It would also put his ‘Decision’ in a bad light as “not one, not two, not three…” would just become one (you could add an asterisk into that because of the lockout shortened season).

A year removed from one of the better NBA Finals in recent memory, the personalities are roughly the same but only magnified. The Spurs collection of young talent: Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, and Danny Green, have had a year to assimilate themselves more into Greg Popovich’s system. Boris Diaw’s impressive play down the stretch in the Western Conference Finals provides the Spurs with the flexibility to either play big or go small. The Heat are coming into the series for the first time as underdogs; with Dwyane Wade’s ailing knees and their inconsistent bench play looking shaky as even in their pursuit for a third straight ring. With Shane Battier’s decline and Mike Miller’s departure, the Heat are searching for their important floor spacer and tough interior defender forcing coach Spo to search high and low for the right combination.

We are lucky to witness the NBA’s two top teams in peak form in the Finals. Both teams run creative motion sets with the Spurs relying on more ball movement and quick passing compared to the Heat which at times rely on James and Wade’s individual brilliance to manufacture points. Both teams also possess excellent outside threats which could swing the game to either team. Both teams also are excellent defensive teams with the Spurs relying more on sound, fundamental, yet unique defensive patterns compared to Miami’s vaunted (now a less vaunted) trapping defense.

This series’ unpredictability is due to the fact that both teams are evenly matched, well coached, and both having huge implications on a series win. A fifth championship would only further cement Tim Duncan’s status as the greatest power forward to ever play this game and celebrate the Spurs prolonged length of success. It will also put Duncan in a position to win a championship in three different decades which is something unheard of.

Miami with a series win would put them in consideration as one of the greatest dynasties the league has ever seen. Four straight appearances in the Finals and a three-peat would establish a new dynasty in South Beach.

Despite both team’s similarities, it is also a series which highlights the differences between both teams in their journey, composition, and demeanour leading up to the Built versus Bought tagline. The Spurs are the league’s model franchise. With timely losing seasons in the pre-Duncan era, they were able to secure timely #1 overall selections ten years apart (Robinson 1987 and Duncan 1997). With the proper front office personnel behind team owner Peter Holt, Popovich and company have built a basketball machine through the draft, timely and smart free agent signings, and through a unique mix of international talent.

The Heat on the other hand were once Dwyane Wade’s team and by landing three of the top four free agents in 2010, they’ve wrecked havoc since with their small ball line-ups, excellent outside shooting, and trapping defensive schemes especially after their loss to Dallas in the 2011 Finals.  Once regarded as the villains of this league, the Heat have turned themselves into battle-tested champions. Their team has evolved through the years as LeBron’s game has continued to expand as well as Coach Spo’s creativity to create schemes to maximize his personnel.

I care not to make any prediction. Despite Miami and LeBron being both my current favorite team and player respectively, I have a soft spot for the Spurs. This was the first team I fell in love with and I was able to witness Duncan’s two MVP seasons which were absolutely magical before I pledged allegiance to Tracy McGrady and his scoring prowess. Somewhere inside me is pulling for Duncan to win and to leave with a title just like The Admiral did in 2003. It’s a surreal feeling to exit as a champion and a winner.

Let’s just sit back, relax, and enjoy what the NBA Finals has to offer. It might be a while before we witness something as magical as this.