With all the great action of football season, along with the World Series beginning tomorrow, it’s easy to forget that the NBA tips off tonight. There are plenty of angles to look at, and I’ll leave those to other people to take on. For me, there are others that are often overlooked, but are still significant. Today, here are five of my reasons I’m excited the season is starting.
ESPN/ABC play-by-play team and TNT Inside the NBA - For me, there’s no better three-man tandem to call an NBA game than Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy. Honestly, it’s really Van Gundy and Jackson that set it off, while Breen provides the balance the games need. You can tell there’s a genuine chemistry there with these dudes. Action Jackson knows the game (even though he says stuff that pisses me off from time-to-time), and Van Gundy brings coaching insight, keeps it 100, and provides comic relief. Think about it; who else can get away with a line like this: “hey, I had to take the SAT to get into college. Who took yours, Mark Jackson?” As for Inside the NBA, as long as Sir Charles, The Jet, and EJ are there, it will remain the best pre-game and post-game show in basketball.
The Return of Gilbert Arenas - Gilbert Arenas has been left for basketball dead by some folks in basketball circles (I use this term loosely; feel free to look in any basketball forums, comment sections, and the like when his name comes up). It reminds me of when Dwayne Wade was left for dead, pre-Olympics, only to come in and play himself into MVP contention. When healthy, Arenas can score with the best of ‘em. He can also play either point or off-guard, and play them well. I’m staying on the Hibachi bandwagon, and once we see him come out of the gate, and sustain it this season, people will rue the day they didn’t do the same.Sink or swim: The Denver Nuggets - Last year, the Denver Nuggets were a fourth-quarter collapse in Game Five away from making the NBA Finals. Granted, the series ended in six games, but it was over once their offense went to hell in that final period, in the Staples Center. The Nuggets are a matchup nightmare for any team; they have point guard play, perimeter scoring, inside play, defense, and a solid bench. So why aren’t people saying they are the favorite to keep the Lakers from making their third consecutive NBA Finals, or keeping the Spurs from returning to the Finals? Your guess is as good as mine…
Deron Williams will FINALLY be an All-Star this year - I’ve written about the lack of respect for Deron Williams by the NBA’s coaches (as evidenced by him never making an All-Star team), as well as my opinion that he is the best point guard in the NBA. There’s no way he can get juiced out of an All-Star spot this year. The game is in Dallas, and, if nothing else, he’ll make it due to that. Of course, he’ll continue to give opposing teams all sorts of fits, and make life easy for his teammates, but it helps the game is in the D in 2010. It’ll be bittersweet, because he’s been deserving of a spot well before then.
The Reloaded Boston Celtics - Some people won’t like what I’m about to say, but if KG doesn’t get hurt last year, the Celtics would have won the championship again, and at the time, I was willing to put two weeks pay on it. When they signed KG and Mr. Shuttlesworth in 2007, I gave this team a three-year window of dominance. They won it in their first year together, and we all saw what happened last year. What we also saw was the emergence of Rajon Rondo as a legit top-ten point guard. They added Rasheed Wallace, who has no problem being a bit player on a championship team, as well as Marquis Daniels and Shelden Williams (honestly, if he doesn’t contribute on the court, that’s cool with me. At least Candace Parker will be at the games, Lawd have mercy) to help bring some punch off the bench. The only thing that will stop this team is injury, just like last year. As a matter of fact, I’m ready to crown ‘em now.
One More From Ed...The Year of 2010 & LeBron - You already know the deal.
WHAT'S YOUR MOST EXCITING STORYLINE IN THIS 2009-2010 NBA SEASON? WHO YOU PICKING TO WIN IT ALL? LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS!
Be easy.
-K. Masenda
http://www.edthesportsfan.com/
Comments
16 Responses to "The NBA Season Starts Today...You Ready?"I think it's funny how ESPN dubbed the Celtics the big four yesterday, including Sheed. How is it that Rondo still gets excluded from that statement after last year. I'm not the biggest Rajon fan but give the little alien some respect.
Excellent. Here in Cincy, the NBA is completely ignored by the newspaper as well as local televison and radio. I almost forgot that tonight's opening night. Thank goodness for cable!
Celtics and Spurs are just too old to make a long playoff run. Look for early exits for both. Cavs and Nuggets are the favorites.
JAG
Cavs and Nuggets favorites? You can't be serious.. There's a team out in LA named the Lakers.. The Cavs still have to worry about Orlando and Boston.. The Nuggets were overachievers last season, they'll definitely sink this season..
- Phil
Ed you're killing me. If KG wouldn't have gotten hurt yadda yadda yadda. People always give Lakers fans shit, but you didn't hear any of that "if Andrew Bynum didn't get hurt" BS after the '07 season from my small camp of Lakers fans (the real ones out in Southern California), we expected to win with the team we had. Let's be real, KG isn't going to be the KG of '07, Ray Ray isn't going to be the Ray Ray of past years and Sheed, as much as I love him, hasn't really been the same since '04. It's just a bunch of old dudes with Rajon Rondo and Marquis Daniels. This is your '10 Champ? You should have saved yesterday's Obituary for the Celtics reign at the top of the NBA.
I'm with you on everything else though. Williams isn't the best in the league, but he sure as hell is an all star. Chuck, the Jet and EJ have the best pre and post game show in all of sports, not just basketball. I'll give you one more to look out for, the return of my boy B. Diddy. He's going to have a beastly season this year. It's too bad ya boy B. Griffin has to sit out six weeks, I was almost excited about this year's Clippers team.
@ J. McFly - I agree witcha on Rondo. He averaged damn near a triple-double, and I sat there and watched those games. He's earn respect, but people won't give it to him. It's wild.
@ JAG - is that because the Bengals are showin' up and showin' out now??? Can't believe you're disrespecting the Spurs like that. I have them coming out of the West.
@ King Phil - Lakers aint makin' three straight Finals appearances, brother. No way. I got the Spurs coming out this year. I still don't know what to make of Denver.
@ Phil - you know I'm tellin' the truth. People didn't say that about Bynum, because he's a bum. We saw what happened last year. He had about as much to do with the Lakers winning the chip as I did. They didn't get tougher at all last season; they got fortunate. They played THE ORLANDO...MAGIC. 'Nuff said on that. I'm with you on The Baron. That's my dude, and I hope he can stay healthy. As for Deron, there's a small group of fans who think he's the best PG in the league. Very, very small, but dude is what that is.
LOL...NBA predictions will be coming at the end of the week.
However...
J. McFly - Just heard on ESPN that Rondo's not resigning with the Celtics, gonna play the market. That's what not being loyal to the best PG you've had since Dennis Johnson.
Phil - Before you crucify me, i didn't write this story Ken did...but, you are right. A "healthy" Bynum hasn't been seen since '07. But at Bynum's best, his impact ain't as big as KG. I do think that LA got a cakewalk to the finals. No Cleveland and no Boston. Just my opinion. LA is still awesome, its all up to Artest and Gasol, not Kobe.
-Ed.
My bad, Ed. It's just every time the Lakers are disrespected on this site, I just assume it's you lol.
The Lakers did beat the same Orlando Magic team that beat those same BOSTON CELTICS and CLEVELAND CAVALIERS last post-season, let's not forget. And the Lakers did go 4-0 against the combination of the same BOSTON CELTICS (with a healthy KG) and CLEVELAND CAVALIERS who everyone who isn't a Lakers fan keeps telling me is better than the Lakers (I'll never understand). I don't understand when crowing the Spurs as Western Conference Champs became the thing to do. I'm not even worried about people with high hopes for the Nuggets, they're done, I put a fork in their collective asses last May with that mental collapse. Pssshh. Yeah, the Spurs got Richard Jefferson, but two of their top four front court guys are 35+. They won't be able to run with the Lakers if they go small, and if the Spurs try to go small, the Lakers have the speed to match up with their size and length and no one really knows how well Manu is going to play yet. They're better, but they're not supplanting the Lakers from the top spot out West.
van gundy is my dude, deron should be an all-star (but no way he's better than Paul, you're crazy), but believe it or not, the thing I most excited about this season is watching some of these rooks.
In particular, my Chester boy Tyreke Evans, my favorite player in the draft Brandon Jennings, not to mention cats like Ty Lawson, Jrue Holiday and Demar Derozan. I'm all about the rooks this year (probably because the Sixers have no hope of really competing for anything but the 2nd round at best).
Regular season doesn't mean anything in the NBA.
People who think the Cavs can beat the Lakers baffle me, I agree with you on that. However, we both know if the Celts played LA in the Finals last year, they woulda got their asses handed to them again. Lets not forget Rondo was much better last postseason than he was in '08, when Doc had to bench him, and use Gollem off the bench. I can't believe you're disrespecting the Spurs like that; unbelievable. Unreal. Until Tim Duncan (a) deteriorates, or (b) decides to retire, the Spurs will always be a favorite; maybe not THE favorite, but certainly a favorite.
Since I lived in Denver, I'll ride for them. Best pure scorer in Melo, a steady PG, and pieces around them.
The West is LaLa's until they prove they can't take it. Spurs will put some resistance but it ain't happenin.
Cavs...in a word...NOPE. Celtics needs too many things to fall their way to get another ring.
The Magic may have majorly or minorly regressed losing Hedo and replacin him with a fading Vince.
East is wide open.
2010 NBA FINALS: LAKERS vs CELTICS!!!
Ed - NBA predictions are coming at the end of the week? You mean after the season has started? You gotta be kiddin' me. Get them in before the 7:30 tipoff or they're useless. lol
JAG
Ken - The Lakers WON 3 straight finals, why can't they make 3 straight appearances? (I'm confused about that one)
JAG - I agree with you about Ed's predictions, can they be considered "predictions" after the season started? I made mine, let's hear yours Ed..
O yea, it should be an exciting year for rookies as Paul said.. With Blake going down, Tyreke Evans may be the ROY..
Hey Ed,
How about if I give you my World Series "prediction" next Thursday? lol
JAG
@ The Kang
Because I don't think the Lakers team is that dominant. I mean, the last teams to make the Finals three years in a row are the 00-02 Lake Show, the 96-98 Bulls, and the 91-93 Bulls. Then again, maybe it says something about the state of the NBA if this Lakers team does pull that off.
@ JAG
Get 'em!
@ Stank-O
East is wide-open, if one of the Big Three get hurt again (KG, Ray-Ray, or The Truth). If not, it's Boston's to lose. Shaq hasn't been worth a shit in a playoff run, since '06 East Finals (and this is coming from a dude who loves The Big Aristotle). It's true, brother. I think Orlando regressed; Vinsanity may be a better player than Hedo, but he aint better for that team.
@ The Rev
Dead-on about the rookies. It should be a fun class to watch.
Kenny: It's not that I have no respect for the Spurs, as I've told you a while ago, I think they're the most respectable organization in all of basketball, and of course they're going to pose a threat, but since the Spurs and the Lakers have been the class of the Western Conference (starting in '99) they have won only ONE playoff series against the Lakers and I don't see that changing this year.
And I honestly believe that last year's Celtics, with or without Garnett, would not have beaten the Lakers. The '08 version of the Celtics was not even close to the same as the '07 version. They got satisfied with their rings; something you never want. They didn't play with nearly the same intensity they did. The Lakers never play with intensity (lol), so I expect them to play the same. Kobe's been working on his game, solid bench, Sasha is bound to hit a shot in a meaningful game sometime soon. I think it's silly thinking about "ifs" just go out and play with the guys you have. "IF" the Lakers don't win it this year, it will be because they didn't play well enough to win it. That's it.
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