NBA Predictions 2010-2011

By Troy Klongerbo

Western Conference Regular Season Standings

1.      Los Angeles Lakers (62-20)

Starting Lineup -PG: Derek Fisher

                        SG: Kobe Bryant

                        SF: Lamar Odom

                        PF: Pau Gasol

                        C: Andrew Bynum

            Key Bench Players: F Luke Walton, G Shannon Brown, G Sasha Vujacic

This pick is quite obvious; the Lakers are loaded once again. They won the NBA Championship last season and lost practically nothing from last year’s team. They have the second best player in the NBA, perhaps the best leader in the game in Kobe. They are versatile and talented and they know how to win. Win they will.

2.    Oklahoma City Thunder (60-22)

Starting Lineup -PG: Russell Westbrook

                        SG: Thabo Sefolosha

                        SF: Kevin Durant

                        PF: Jeff Green

                        C: Nenad Krstic

            Key Bench Players: C Cole Aldrich, G James Harden

The Oklahoma City Thunder are an extremely impressive team. They have the best young talent in the entire NBA and they are a year removed from their first playoff experience. They have the best player in the NBA (Note: Kobe above) in Kevin Durant and a team loaded with lottery talent. They are deep and they have talent from top to bottom. They have role players, they’re defensively strong and the sky is the limit.

We may be looking at an NBA dynasty in the making and in all places, located in Oklahoma City.

3.    Dallas Mavericks (57-25)

Starting Lineup -PG: Jason Kidd

                        SG: Jason Terry

                        SF: Caron Butler

                        PF: Dirk Nowitzki

                        C: Tyson Chandler

            Key Bench Players: C Brendan Haywood, F Shawn Marion

The Dallas Mavericks, under the Mark Cuban regime, have molded themselves into a perennial Western Conference threat. Again in 2010-2011, the Mavericks will be relevant. They survived a scare when their cornerstone and former MVP hit free agency in July. Mr. Cuban convinced him to stay in the big D and try to make it happen in Dallas. Their roster is improved, they have depth at every position and they have a strong head coach in Rick Carlisle. Maybe they’ll make up for the inept Cowboys. 

4.    Portland Trail Blazers (55-27)

Starting Lineup –PG: Andre Miller

                        SG: Brandon Roy

                        SF: Rudy Fernandez

                        PF: LaMarcus Aldridge

                        C: Marcus Camby

            Key Bench Players: C Greg Oden (cross fingers), F Nicolas Batum

The Portland Trail Blazers, despite some trouble in drafting the right superstars (Michael Jordan and Kevin Durant) have assembled a very good team that has risen to the top of the Western Conference. Andre Miller is a smart veteran of the game and understands his role on this team. Roy is one of the better scorers in the league and has developed into an elite shooting guard. They have the size to compete down low with almost anyone in the league. Let’s hope that Greg Oden’s old and battered body can still withstand the rigors of an NBA season. Wait, he’s only 23? I resorted to an age joke with Greg Oden, I apologize to our thousands of readers.

5.    San Antonio Spurs (52-30)

Starting Lineup -PG: Tony Parker

                        SG: Manu Ginobili

                        SF: Richard Jefferson

                        PF: Tim Duncan

                        C: Antonio McDyess

            Key Bench Players: F Thiago Splitter, F DeJuan Blair, G George Hill

The Spurs are the Spurs. Please the Spurs, they have no chance this year. The Spurs have a certain mojo about themselves, where they never eliminate themselves from competing year in and year out. I liken them to the New England Patriots, coaching and a superstar who leads the troops. They play a notorious ‘boring’ brand of basketball, the same as the Patriots. Both teams won 3 championships in the 2000s (the Spurs 4 including ’99) and the Spurs will be there again this year. I think they have a strong team, but aging. They will be a playoff team, a team that no one wants to face, but that someone will eliminate. 

6.    Utah Jazz (52-30)

Starting Lineup -PG: Deron Williams

                        SG: Raja Bell

                        SF: Andrei Kirilenko

                        PF: Al Jefferson

                        C: Mehmet Okur

            Key Bench Players: F Gordon Hayward, C Fransisco Elson, F Paul Millsap

The Utah Jazz are another contender in the West, as they have been for the past few seasons. Deron Williams is developing into one of the league’s best point guards and is the leader of the Jazz. The loss of Carlos Boozer will hurt this team, but Boozer has spent time injured leaving him off the court anyways. Big Al will be productive as he was in Minnesota and the Jazz will be happy with their addition. I’m excited to see Gordon Hayward. He is an interesting rookie from Butler and I’m unsure as to the type of career we’ll see from him. I am optimistic because he possesses unique skills and a great demeanor for the game of basketball. He may have a very bright career ahead of him.

7.    Phoenix Suns (50-32)

Starting Lineup -PG: Steve Nash

                        SG: Jason Richardson

                        SF: Grant Hill

                        PF:  Channing Frye

                        C: Robin Lopez

            Key Bench Players: F Hedo Turkoglu, F Hakim Warrick, G Goran Dragic

The Suns are a playoff team once again, but not one built for deep season success. I love Steve Nash, all of his tangible assets along with the intangibles he brings to a team. He truly deserves an NBA Title. The Suns lost one of the best PF in the league when Amar’e flew East, but that loss won’t hurt as bad as it might appear. The Suns signed Hedo Turkoglu, hoping he can find the gear he found in the playoffs for the Magic in their run through the Eastern Conference. This roster is still solid and my optimistic voice is telling me that the absence of the defensive liability in Stoudemire might lead to better team defense. I don’t necessarily see it and the Suns will exit in the first round of the playoffs. Sorry Steve.

8.    Houston Rockets (49-33)

Starting Lineup -PG: Aaron Brooks

                        SG: Kevin Martin

                        SF: Shane Battier

                        PF: Luis Scola

                        C: Yao Ming

            Key Bench Players: C Brad Miller, F Chase Budinger, F Chuck Hayes

I like the Rockets. Aaron Brooks has the upside to be a very good player in this league. As a point guard he has the toughness needed for playoff success. They signed the high scoring guard from Sacramento in Kevin Martin and will add their franchise player from injury. Yao is a major question mark, each and every season. I almost feel as though I watch two different teams when the Rockets have Yao on the floor as opposed to no Yao. This team will eek its way to the postseason, but I can’t imagine them getting past LA.

(Don’t get me wrong, I’ll be cheering for a re-match of the intense series they had two years ago)

9.    Denver Nuggets (47-35)

Starting Lineup -PG: Chauncey Billups

                        SG: Arron Affalo

                        SF: Carmelo Anthony

                        PF: Kenyon Martin

                        C: Nene

            Key Bench Players: F-C Chris Andersen, G J.R. Smith, G Ty Lawson

The Nuggets are an attractive team. They have superstars, tattoos and high powered action. They wear metallic blue jerseys that glisten under the lights. They have interesting personnel and a coach who has sadly struggled with cancer bouts. This team has the makeup, but I don’t think they have the substance to make a run this year. I feel that if this teams gels and becomes a cohesive unit, they can be very good and an absolute playoff team. I project things going differently including Carmelo demanding a ‘trade me or I ain’t playing’ mentality. They team will fall apart and they will miss the playoffs.

10. L.A. Clippers (46-36)

Starting Lineup -PG: Baron Davis

                        SG: Eric Gordon

                        SF: Ryan Gomes

                        PF: Blake Griffin

                        C: Chris Kaman

            Key Bench Players: C DeAndre Jordan, G Eric Bledsoe, G Randy Foye

This Clippers team is getting better. They are making improvements slowly, but surely and they are adding all of the right pieces. Its hard to go against the curse of Donald Sterling, the Clippers’ historically unsuccessful owner, which is why I am not going to. The Clippers will not make the playoffs, but they are heading in the right direction. Blake Griffin is an absolutely fantastic athlete and he will be their cornerstone PF for years ahead. Gordon is a gifted scorer and they are adding young pieces with players like Eric Bledsoe, Al-Farouq Aminu and Willie Warren. It will be interesting to watch this team grow and improve. They are a few years away though.

11. New Orleans Hornets (44-38)

Starting Lineup -PG: Chris Paul

                        SG: Trevor Ariza

                        SF: Peja Stojacovic

                        PF: David Lee

                        C: Emeka Okafor

            Key Bench Players: F Joe Alexander, G Jerryd Bayless

I like Chris Paul almost as much as I like Steve Nash. He is a great player. It is just a sorry sight to see this roster around him. Chris Paul makes players around him look great. Trevor Ariza is a multitalented player and they have some other strong additions. They will miss Darren Collison’s spark that he presented off the bench. There isn’t much here to be excited about. Next year’s lottery maybe?

12. Memphis Grizzlies (38-44)

Starting Lineup -PG: Mike Conley Jr.

                        SG: O.J. Mayo

                        SF: Rudy Gay

                        PF: Zach Randolph

                        C: Marc Gasol

            Key Bench Players: C Hasheem Thabeet, G Greveis Vasquez, G Xavier Henry, G Acie Law

The team in Memphis is in the process of being a threat in the West, the same way that the Thunder are. They are young, with talent. Thabeet has not produced thus far in his career and he will never fulfill the expectations laid on him for being the number 2 overall pick. It would best serve him to become a defensive force and rebounder, only then do I believe he can be effective at this level. He will never be a scorer. Mayo and Gay are evolving into great players in the league. They are now put into leadership roles with the young players on the team, which I feel will lead them again to the lottery. But they are not far away.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves (30-52)

Starting Lineup -PG: Jonny Flynn

                        SG: Wayne Ellington

                        SF: Wesley Johnson

                        PF: Kevin Love

                        C: Darko Milicic

            Key Bench Players: F Michael Beasley, F Corey Brewer

The Wolves will not be good this season. They are another very young team that seem to have a lot of potential. As a fan, I speak with a hopeful tone, but this is not a simple task. The Wolves are years away from playoff berths, but they are establishing talent. Kevin Love is the base of the team, a centerpiece I look forward to watching lead this team. It will be interesting to see how Michael Beasley blends into his second team. He doesn’t know what position he wants to play or what type of player he wants to be, but his athleticism is undeniable. I think the Wolves will increase last year’s win total when Flynn plays smarter and more under control. I think he will. But it will be worth 30 wins – tops. I’m a fan so I’ll give them 30.

14. Sacramento Kings (25-57)

Starting Lineup -PG: Luther Head

                        SG: Tyreke Evans

                        SF: Carl Landry

                        PF: Jason Thompson

                        C: DeMarcus Cousins

            Key Bench Players: C Samuel Dalembert, F Omri Casspi, G Beno Udruh

The Sacramento Kings are building a respectable team. Evans and Cousins could be a dangerous duo for years to come. The Calipari products are young, talented and ready to take over the Western Conference. Casspi surprised many players and experts around the league with his scoring early last season. Jason Thompson still has the talent to be a leading rebounder in the league annually. The Kings are slowly, but surely, building a reputable franchise. Note: Slowly, but surely.

15. Golden State Warriors (25-57)

Starting Lineup -PG: Monta Ellis

                        SG: Stephen Curry

                        SF: Lou Amundson

                        PF: David Lee

                        C: Andris Biedrins

            Key Bench Players: F Vladimir Radmonivic, F Brenden Wright, G Charlie Bell

The Golden State Warriors will have a very difficult season. They have a multitude of issues across their team, many of them start with their play on the defensive side of the court. The Warriors have never made an attempt to play a defensive brand of basketball. They have a team of players who don’t share the ball, centered around G Monta Ellis. Monta is a fantastic scorer, but a horrible defender and even more so, a horrid sharer of the ball. Stephen Curry has the chance to be a great scorer on this team, but he will need to develop an all around game to improve the future of this team. David Lee is heading out west to join this Warriors team, something many fantasy owners love to see. But fans of the Golden State won’t love to see the win totals here.