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New York Knicks Preview: Carmelo Anthony, Derrick Rose & Hopeless Championship Dreams
The New York Knicks are one of the most manic-depressive franchises in all of sports, not just the NBA. Adding Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah has brought more flair and expectations for a team that’s a work in progress, hoping it helps Carmelo Anthony ease up a little bit, while rising star Kristaps Porzingis delivers what’s expected of him.
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New Orleans Pelicans Preview: Anthony Davis Hoping for Some Help
The closer we get to the beginning of the 2016-2017 NBA Season, it seems more and more likely that the New Orleans Pelicans are going to make Anthony Davis displeased at some point with the kind of teams being built around him, as once again it looks like the talent around him isn’t going to be enough in the changing, but still incredibly difficult Western conference.
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Minnesota Timberwolves Preview: Living Up to the Hype This Time
Winning 29 games last season, a 13-win improvement, was enough for the Minnesota Timberwolves to decide that they have a good enough team, and all it needs is a bit more experience and getting older to become a formidable power in the Western conference. That seemed to be the way they approached the 2016 offseason, relying on Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins to simply be better next season.
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Milwaukee Bucks Season Preview: Giannis Antetokounmpo Embodiment of Length & Youth Approach
The Milwaukee Bucks peaked too soon, and then disappointed. This year, ownership won’t be as forgiving on Jason Kidd if he fails to the take them into the playoffs, this time going with Giannis Antetokounmpo as his point-forward man from the get go, hoping that Jabari Parker turns into the star scorer they all think he can do on a consistent level.
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Miami Heat Season Preview: From “Almost Contenders” to “Decent at Best”
What an offseason for the Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade leaves, Chris Bosh might be retiring, Hassan Whiteside is staying, Pat Riley tries to make it all look good, and it all happened with Kevin Durant slipping through their fingers.
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Memphis Grizzlies Season Preview: Maintaining Relative Success
The Memphis Grizzlies seem to operate with patience and thoughtfulness set apart from the rest of the NBA. Something of a bubble, in which they can afford to retain their best players like Mike Conley and Marc Gasol, but remain unable to draw in the best of free agents.
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Los Angeles Lakers Season Preview: Rising From the Ashes Worshiping One Player
Ding dong, the witch is retired, to paraphrase a song from a famous movie. Kobe Bryant is gone, off in retirement, and the Los Angeles Lakers are finally free to rebuild and start improving, with Luke Walton overseeing the project from the sidelines, and the young core of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle will try to put the most illustrious NBA franchise back where it’s used to being.
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Los Angeles Clippers Season Preview: Chris Paul & Blake Griffin Leaving Without a Title Run
If the Los Angeles Clippers don’t break the barrier of the conference semifinal, it’s going to be the end of their time with Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and Doc Rivers. Not all three will leave, but the current faces of the franchise won’t be a trio anymore.
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Indiana Pacers Season Preview: Paul George as the Centerpiece of Grand Ambition
The Indiana Pacers have made the playoffs in five of the last six seasons, including two conference finals. They were built to win a championship and got sidetracked. With Paul George healthy again, a new head coach in Nate McMillan and interesting additions like Jeff Teague and Al Jefferson, Larry Bird is trying to get them back in a position to win a championship.
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Houston Rockets Season Preview: Mike D’Antoni, Changing James Harden, Saving Daryl Morey
Going through something of an overhaul this summer, the Houston Rockets have a new head coach in Mike D’Antoni, bringing in a very different basketball philosophy to what the team’s star, James Harden, has gotten used to. Daryl Morey, from his position, can’t afford another season like last year. At some point, his job will be on the line too.