NBA 2009-10 SEASON PREVIEW

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Los Angeles Lakers (1st)

Key Additions - Ron Artest (Hou)

Key losses - Trevor Ariza (Hou)

Prediction - 67 - 15

Kobe can really take it easy this year. He ist still capable of 30 points a game, but why bother? He has all the parts around him to just oversee and steer the team back to the finals - and then look to take over only in the playoffs in those moments where necessary.

Ron Artest's dark past will be put behind him this year. Not only playing with his best buddy Lamar, but also under Zen master Phil Jackson. Offensively I don't think he is a good a fit as Trevor Ariza but he will definetly give the Lakers that defense touch they need to make up for softies - Odom and Gasol. Look for him to guard the likes of Ginobli, Nowitzki, James or Pierce when push comes to shove in May and June.

Andrew Bynum - Is he the 2nd biggest big man in the game? Well maybe, maybe not. Defensively he is a presence but is still foul prone. Against the likes of a Dwight Howard he will struggle to stay on the floor, but he will eat the likes of Perkins and Shaquille for breakfast. Duncan v Bynum, Kobe v Ginobli, Artest v Jefferson. Some tasty matchups.

But the key for the lakers is at the point guard position. Derek Fisher - a great clutch shooter will have trouble against the quicker point guards - Rondo and Parker immediatly come to mind. Their defficiencies at guard ar my biggest concerns for the Lakers this year. Jordan Farmar has not developed as Jerry Buss would have hoped, now competing with Shannon Brown for the back-up minutes when they would have hoped he'd be startnig by now.

Pau Gasol has really suprised me. Last year he showed more moxy than I've seen from the Spaniard than anytime previous. In short - this team is still a bit soft and unpredictable. Gasol and Bryant give them the offensive touch while Artest and Bryant are the densive leaders. Asides from that the Lakers are very unpredicatble. If Sasha Vujacic can play as he did in 2007, Lamar Odom can bring it at least 2 out of 3 games then the Lakers will be unstoppable.

My biggest problem with the Lakers - behind Kobe I just don't rate anyone better than the entire Celtics starting 5. Andew Bynum is getting there.

San Antonio Spurs (2nd)

Key additions - Richard Jefferson (Mil), Antonio McDyess (Det)

Key Losses - Fabricio Oberto (Was), Kurt Thomas, Drew Gooden (Dal)

Prediction - 60 -22

The Spurs could be back in the NBA Finals. I would personally love to see a Spurs Celtics Final. it has a nice ring to it don't you think? When you look at what this team has done, you understand why they are the bane of the Lakers. They would have been great with a healthy big three (Ginobliii!!!, Parker and Timmy) -and their returning cast of the ever improving back-up slashing combo guard in 2nd year man George Hill and Roger Mason. If he continue to provide the outside shot - to make up for Finley's declining skill the Spurs would be back to face the Lakers in the W.C Finals.

But what do they do? Go out and get Richard Jefferson and Antonio Mcdyess. These two should slot straight into the starting lineup with Duncan, Parker and Mason. Then you have Ginobli and Hill off the bench at guard. The only question marks lie in an aging front court. Behind Duncan and McDyess you have Theo Ratliff (not as good as Dikembo Mutombo in his decling years at the Rockets), and a younger less athletic version of Robert Horry in Matt 'The Red Rocket' Bonner.

But this is now Tony Parker Lengoria's team. He is the 2nd best point guard in the game behind Chris Paul, make no mistake about it. If it comes to a Lakers Spurs Western Conference Finals the Lakers Phil Jackson's hair will turn an even whiter white wondering how in the hell can they stop this guy breaking down their defense?

Dallas Mavericks (3rd)

Key Additions - Shawn Marion (Tor), Drew Gooden (S.A), Quinton Ross, Tim Thomas
Key Losses - Devean George, Jerry Stackhouse.

Prediction - 58 - 24

Finally. Shawn Marion has gone to the one place he can succeed. Maybe one of two - the other being the Hornets. The Mavs are the perfect fit for Marion's game. And how he can play at 3 which is what he wanted back with the Suns. When Howard is back from Injury look for Nowitzki, Marion, Howard, Terry and Kidd to be there go to offensive lineup in key situations.

And secondly the Mavs have Drew 'The Goods' Gooden. Big deal you say? Well it means a lot to the Mavs becasue finally they hae a Centre who can actually score a basket. His game has matured and he should start at centre. Mark Cuban can't wait for Erik Dampier's contract to expire.

But the biggest reason why the Mavs are a threat? Dirk's hair. he finally looks like an arrogant S.O.B. with a serious attitude. Love him or hate him he is the most unique power forward the leauge has ever seen. This team has depth and shooters. All they need is slashers - Josh Howard and Quinton Ross. If one of them can return to pre-injury status then the Mavs are set to challenge the Spurs or the Lakers.

In short - they are the Orlando of the Eastern Conference - a clear 3 but probably a step behind the top two teams.

Portland Trailblazers (4th)

Key Additions - Andre Miller (Phi)

Key Losses - Jarret Jack (Tor)

Prediction - 57 - 25

I love this team. They could finish as high as 2nd in the western conference if Andre Miller can provide the sort of veteran leadership this team needs. Brandon Roy is an absolute superstar - one of the top 5 players in the game at the moment (James, Bryant, Wade, Anthony, Roy - in that order - maybe Roy 4th over Anthony.)

Hopefully Go-den will develop enough to stay on the floor rewading the Blazers for once again picking a centre with their top pick (remember Sam Bowie ahead of Michael Jordan?).

They have a great 4 in Lemarcus Aldridge and his carbon copy Travis Outlaw off the bench.

I really like their young nucleus of Oden, Aldridge, Outlaw and Roy. With some leadership by Andre Miller and Steve Blake you have a team that can only go up the Western Conference standings.

Who is Brandon Roy? Watch a Blazers game and find out. He is an absolute gun.

Denver (5th)

Key Additions -

Key Losses -

Prediction - 56-26

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Dallas, Portland and Denver are a bit of a lottery and these 3 teams make the Western Conference the tougher conference.

The Nuggets. Great team, but I just don't see enough parts here. Billups is still effective and Anthony's game has matured to a stage where he is a clear top 5 league baller. But what else do they have?

Well let's look at this for a second. Kenyon Martin - not the New Jersey version of years gone but a player who has come back from injury to be a more than useful player. Sure he lacks his former explosiveness but he can still get up their to do some McNasty's.

My big key's for this team are the continued development of J.R Smith and rookie Ty lawson. Billups is one of the great leaders in modern basketball and Lawson is privlieged to be learning from Mr Big Shot. When billups is ready to hang up the sneakers Ty Lawson will be ready to step right in and lead the team.

Smith's commmitment to his development is the big question mark. He hasn't seen a shot that he doesn't like and while needing to show restraint, which will come with maturity, he is one of the freakiest scorers in basketball.

If Smith and Lawson develop then these three will be formidable nucleus in the two thousand and teen's.

Phoenix (6th)

Key Additions - Channing Frye (Por)

Key Losses - Shaquille O'neal (Cle), Matt Barnes (Orl)

Prediction - 52-30

Amare Stoudamire is back and that's all that needs to be said. He's the most dynamic forward/centre in the game and with maturity will eventually win a championship. But he has not shown sign of maturity yet, hopefully captaincy will bring about a better locker room mentality for 'STAT'.

Channing Frye is a great pickup for the Suns. He will more than adueqately replace the loss of Shaq and Matt Barnes. Frye is exactly the type of player the Suns need to compliment Stoudamire. This may be Steve Nash's and Grant Hill's last effective seasons as pros.

But if Steve Nash can deliver the ball to Stoudamire as he did when the Suns were white hot a few years back - you can't understimate this team. I just don't see where they are going to get all their points from. Hopefully Barbosa can explode off the bench.

This team needs to score at least 110 a game. Stoudamire - 30, Nash - 15, Frye - 12, Barbosa -18, Hill - 10, Richardson - 18 are the PPG averages the team will need.. I can't see them doing this on a consistent basis in the playoffs. Go Suns! Prove me wrong. Drink that Vitamin Water Steve.

New Orleans (7th)

Key Additions - Emaka Okafor (Cha), Darius Songalia (Was)

Key Losses - Tysun Chandler (Cha)

Prediction - 52-30

These are the Utah Jazz of the new millenium. A great two man game in CP3 and West - each reliant on each other to work, and a few decent shooters. They do have a decent pivot as opposed to Greg Ostertag, but defensively this team is not the Stockton-Malone led Jazz of the late 90's.

Posey is Morris - the defensive player who will get crossed up on the final play to see the shooting guard hit a jumper over him.

Morris Peterson is no Jeff Hornacek. And where's their Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley? Peja is done. He'll still hit for a couple of 3's a game, but gone are his days of 18 PPG, similar to Toni Kukoc in his declining days at the Bucks five years ago

Chris Paul must be wondering what the head office is doing. Sure Okafor is a good centre but is that all we can do to improve the team? Darius Songalia. hmmmm. In short - CP3 will be looking to punch out of Bourbon street for good when his contract expires.

Utah Jazz (8th)

Key Additions -

Key Losses -

Prediction - 49-33

Jerry Sloan's window is closing. Carlos Boozer needs to be moved. Andre Kirilenko needs to be kept happy. Deron Williams is decent - but seems to have plateaud somewhat. He really needs to take his game to another level to keep up with co 2006 draftee CP3.

He does have better parts around him than CP3. Some great finishers and a much better inside cast - despite their first line forward being a bit behind David West.

Carlos Boozer has Brett Favre'd the team. All he needs to do now is retire a couple of times. His will he won't he play for the Jazz has put him offside with the organisation and needs to be moved.

While he was injured last season Paul Milsap stepped up nicely, affording the Jazz to trade Boozer away from a two-guard or swingman. If they decide that Milsap just isn't ready they still have him off the bench.

Look for a Blake Griffin, Milsap and Williams threesome down the road with say an Andrew Bogut at the centre. That's a lineup that could work. Haha.

Los Angeles

San Antonio

Dallas

Portland

Denver

Phoenix

New Orleans

Utah

The Lakers are the champions until proven otherwise, but their road will be much more difficult this year. Tougher than the East anyway where it drops off pretty quickly after the top three. This time around the Spurs are back and are a much tougher 2nd seed than the Denver Nuggets (who nearly outplayed the Lakers - if it wasn't for a pair of dodgy inbound passes which cost them a couple of games). The Mavericks are going all out, loading up their team to ride the Nowizki gravey train, Portland are on the rise with an unclear ceiling at this point. Then we have Denver who are pretty much unchanged from last year.

The Suns, Hornets and Jazz are the unkowns. All three possess awesome point guard - power forward combos - with questions surrounding the remainder of their casts.

Sorry Houston but no go for you this year. Watch out for the Clippers who should be re-focused this year after their disappointing 2008-09 campaign