2012 NBA Preview: Western Conference

The NBA season kicks off its revised and shortened 66-game season with five games on Christmas Day. This NBA season should be interesting due to the short and tight schedule. Teams playing on back-to-back nights will be a common occurrence, and each team will have one stretch in the season where they play three nights in a row (something that hasn’t occured since the shortened 1999 season). There will be times this season where the games are sloppy and ugly (due to the rushed season and tight schedule). We could also see a higher amount of injuries and also many older superstars getting a night off. This year will be unpredictable BUT the NBA is back and some of us didn’t think we’d have a season this year at all.

Here is Part 2 of our NBA preview: Western Conference, NBA Finals & Awards

For Part 1: Eastern Conference click HERE

(Teams shown in order of prediction)

Northwest Division:

1. Oklahoma City Thunder: The Thunder are the overwhelming favorite to win the Northwest and it’s not close. Not only did they not lose any player of importance, their young and talented roster is a year older and more experienced. Kevin Durant could be on track for an MVP season and Russell Westbrook is one of the best point guards in the NBA. Throw in a slimmed-down Kendrick Perkins (who could have a huge year) the exciting athletic Serge Ibaka, and one of the NBA’s best players coming off the bench – James Harden – and you’ve got a team capable of winning it all. The Thunder won in the off-season by keeping their young and deep roster fully in tact and should benefit in this shorter season.

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Posted by:

Justin Burkhardt

2012 NBA Preview: Eastern Conference

The NBA season kicks off its revised and shortened 66-game season with five games on Christmas Day. This NBA season should be interesting due to the short and tight schedule. Teams playing on back-to-back nights will be a common occurrence, and each team will have one stretch in the season where they play three nights in a row (something that hasn’t occured since the shortened 1999 season). There will be times this season where the games are sloppy and ugly (due to the rushed season and tight schedule). We could also see a higher amount of injuries and also many older superstars getting a night off. This year will be unpredictable BUT the NBA is back and some of us didn’t think we’d have a season this year at all. So without further ado, here is part 1 of the NBA Preview – here, we look at the Eastern Conference.

Hit the jump for my prediction…

Posted by:

Justin Burkhardt

[30 Questions] The NBA is Back!

In case you were living under a rock the past few days, the NBA players and owners tentatively agreed to a deal – which means the NBA is back! While the league and the players’ association are still negotiating secondary issues and the players’ union still needs to reform and put the new CBA to a vote among union members, this deal is unlikely to fall apart. So this means a 66-game NBA season will begin with a triple header on Christmas Day. Also, I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait to hear Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal together on TNT this season.  Until then, here are 30 questions I personally want to know for each NBA team this season.

Atlanta Hawks: How do the Hawks stay competitive after paying Joe Johnson $119 million, when no one outside of the organization believes he is worth even close to that?

Boston Celtics:  Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen are not only old and also in their last year of their contracts, but do they have one more championship push in them before they “rebuild”?

Jump for the complete list and to add your questions>>

Posted by:

Justin Burkhardt

NBA Season Appears Doubtful

With the owner’s desires for balance, and the players’ wishes to keep the salary cap structure of the league together, two years of bargaining deals could amount to nothing. The league and players have been constantly negotiating possible agreements for two years now, only to result in the players taking their chances in the courtroom.

Yes, you read it correctly: the players union is prepared to file an antitrust action against the NBA, according to union executive director Billy Hunter. The 2011 winter NBA season is looking pretty grim at this point.

According to CBS, Hunter also spoke of the “nuclear winter” by saying “players were not prepared to agree to Stern’s ultimatum to accept the current proposal or face a worse one, saying they thought it was ‘extremely unfair.’”

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April

2011 College Basketball Preview

It’s that time of year again, and with the NBA locked out, NCAA men’s basketball looks to be in store for a big season. Though some games have already been played, tomorrow (11/15) is the unofficial tip-off of the NCAA basketball season, as the ESPN networks will broadcast 24 hours straight of live college games (schedule here). This year’s season could have some of the best overall talent in quite awhile as quite a few NCAA basketball stars chose to return to school this year instead of entering the NBA Draft, due to the possible lockout. Here is our preview of the upcoming season with NCAA tournament contenders and sleepers from the various conferences.
Peek inside for the FULL PREVIEW!

Posted by:

Justin Burkhardt