The NBA season is right around the corner. Really, it’s under a week away and before you know it, you’ll be watching TNT and hearing Wiz Khalifa play through your television speakers as he performs for NBA on TNT. Wiz is kicking off the much anticipated 2016-17 campaign with a performance in Cleveland as a prelude to the Cleveland Cavaliers opening their season against the New York Knicks.
But before Wiz raps over ‘See you Again’, before the J.R. Smith does something hilarious while accepting his NBA Championship ring and even before Kevin Durant makes his debut for the Golden State Warriors, we have to give you some sort of preview. Right?
Yes, KD left for the Warriors. Russell Westbrook extended his contract. Al Horford went north to the Boston Celtics. Dwight Howard went home to the Atlanta Hawks and Dwyane Wade followed suit, going home to the Chicago Bulls. Kevin Garnett retired. Tim Duncan retired. Kobe Bryant retired. And that’s just all the major stuff that happened in just the last six months.
Beyond that, the top overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft has a broken foot, the Chicago Bulls are trying to acquire every guard who doesn’t like shooting well and the Mavericks made the most out of KD’s decision by scooping up Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes. It’s been a crazy few months, so the 2016-17 NBA preview might look a tad strange.
(Note: The team voted on the final standings for each conference. All over/unders are courtesy of Westgate Las Vegas super book preseason odds)
2016-17 NBA Preview
Conference standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers (o/u: 56.5)
2. Boston Celtics (o/u: 51.5)
3. Toronto Raptors (o/u: 49.5)
4. Indiana Pacers (o/u: 43.5)
5. Detroit Pistons (o/u: 45.5)
6. Charlotte Hornets (o/u: 39.5)
7. Atlanta Hawks (o/u: 43.5)
8. New York Knicks (o/u: 38.5)
9. Washington Wizards (o/u: 42.5)
10. Chicago Bulls (o/u: 38.5)
11. Milwaukee Bucks (o/u: 39.5)
12. Miami Heat (o/u: 36.5)
13. Orlando Magic (o/u: 36.5)
14. Philadelphia 76ers (o/u: 27.5)
15. Brooklyn Nets (o/u: 20.5)
Rob Lopez wants you to believe in the Indiana Pacers. Not a whole lot but just enough.
Paul George. That’s all most think about when it comes to the Indiana Pacers. PG-13 is the star of the organization and he isn’t shy in accepting that role. While some teams might have an eye on George’s future with the Pacers, as his squad is currently built, we could be looking a big step in the right direction. Or a possible fall to reality and the “PG-13 to the Celtics” rumors might start up.
They did give up George Hill but acquired Jeff Teague in the process, a man who also returns home to Indiana. On top of that, they also acquired Thaddeus Young, signed Al Jefferson and Indy is betting on the future of second-year big man Myles Turner. It’s really time for Thad Young to see some success in the NBA. He’s been to the playoffs before but he’s also been on some really bad teams with the Brooklyn Nets and Minnesota Timberwolves. It’s time for a Thad Young resurgence.
Their starting lineup, featuring George, Teague, Young, Turner and Monta Ellis, could contend as one of the better starting lineups in the NBA. On top of that, their bench is solid with Jefferson as a change-of-pace, inside scoring threat. Not to mention they still have veterans in C.J. Miles, Aaron Brooks and Rodney Stuckey who are going to be viewed as good options in a reserve role.
In my opinion, the fourth seed might be a tad high but that’s a good place to put their ceiling. Their floor could out of the playoffs because if Larry Bird’s up-tempo idea under new coach Nate McMillan ends up not panning out, this team could also be in a bad place come April.
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors (o/u: 66.5)
2. Los Angeles Clippers (o/u: 53.5)
3. San Antonio Spurs (o/u: 56.5)
4. Utah Jazz (o/u: 47.5)
5. Memphis Grizzlies (o/u: 43.5)
6. Portland Trail Blazers (o/u: 46.5)
7. Houston Rockets (o/u: 41.5)
8. Oklahoma City Thunder (o/u: 45.5)
9. Minnesota Timberwolves (o/u: 41.5)
10. Dallas Mavericks (o/u: 39.5)
11. New Orleans Pelicans (o/u: 36.5)
12. Denver Nuggets (o/u: 34.5)
13. Sacramento Kings (o/u: 32.5)
14. Los Angeles Lakers (o/u: 24.5)
15. Phoenix Suns (o/u: 26.5)
J.D. Shaw has high hopes for the Utah Jazz.
The team to watch this season has to be the Utah Jazz. As several other writers have already stated, Utah could have its most successful season in recent memory during the upcoming campaign.
Sporting one of the league’s top frontcourts with Gordon Hayward, Derrick Favors, and Rudy Gobert, along with acquiring the likes of George Hill, Joe Johnson and Boris Diaw over the summer, this Jazz team has the tools to be a top-4 team in the Western Conference.
Mix those players in with a Rodney Hood, Alec Burks, healthy Dante Exum and the respectable coaching from Quin Snyder and his staff, and Utah could very well perform a lot better than most people expected… But whether or not they can stay healthy will largely decide if this happens. An injury to Gordon Hayward to start the season isn’t a good way to get things going.
