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Oklahoma City Thunder – Kevin Durant Needs to Score More Than Ever
Scoring 36 points in 24 minutes isn’t something we’re going to see from Kevin Durant or anyone else in this NBA season, but it does serve as an example of just how much the Oklahoma City Thunder are going to rely on him, especially while Russell Westbrook is out.
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Miami Heat – LeBron James Shines Even When Losing
Because preseason losses don’t really matter, the most talked about moment of the Miami Heat being defeated for the first time on the exhibition circuit was LeBron James showing his dunking form for the first time since the long summer break with two back to back slams.
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When Both the Los Angeles Lakers & Boston Celtics Don’t Make the Playoffs
It’s rare to see both the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics entering a low period at the same time, but the 2013-2014 NBA season will probably be the first time in 20 years when both teams fail to make the playoffs together.
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Houston Rockets – The Jeremy Lin & James Harden Experience
Despite Dwight Howard being the most recognized name and face on the Houston Rockets, it’s not going to be about him all the time, as the team played in Taiwan, the latest stop on their preseason tour, it was the backcourt’s turn, James Harden and especially Jeremy Lin due to the crowd’s demand, that made all the difference.
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Miami Heat – LeBron James Coming Along Nicely
The preseason for the Miami is about achieving quite a few goals, all of them being met quite well so far. LeBron James is finding his shape slowly, sometimes by giving up on scoring completely; Dwyane Wade is looking lighter and fitter than he has in a very long time; Chris Bosh shows once again that he hasn’t lost the ability to look like a star; and Michael Beasely proving just what a valuable addition he can become.
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Houston Rockets – Jeremy Lin Shouldn’t Come Off the Bench
Only preseason, so sights like Jeremy Lin coming off the bench for the Houston Rockets shouldn’t be taken too seriously. However, if the Daryl Morey and Kevin McHale’s of the world plan on making this new Dwight Howard project work, they better not leave James Harden with Patrick Beverley when things become a bit more serious.
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NBA Preseason – Biggest Starting Position Battles Left
Most teams and head coaches already know what their starting lineup is going to be next season, with training camp and preseason giving a chance for fringe players to make the roster and for rotations and minute distributions to be determined. However, some teams, like the Houston Rockets, Golden State Warriors and Detroit Pistons still need to figure out a position or two.
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Boston Celtics Rumors – Rajon Rondo Isn’t Going Anywhere
A popular opinion around the NBA is that at some point this season or maybe the next one, the Boston Celtics are going to take the next step in their rebuilding process and trade Rajon Rondo. However, the often criticized point guard (for various reasons) doesn’t see it that way.
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New York Knicks – Preseason Wins Over Celtics Count Too
No one takes preseason games too seriously, but for the New York Knicks, beating the Boston Celtics and especially seeing their big rivals looking so hopeless going into the new season is quite cheerful site to kick of the preseason with.
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Dallas Mavericks – Dirk Nowitzki Needs a Better Team
Are the Dallas Mavericks good enough to find themselves back in the playoffs? If Dirk Nowitzki is healthy for the entire season, it might almost be enough, but in the loaded Western conference, even the additional help from Monta Ellis, Shawn Marion, Jae Crowder, DeJuan Blair and others might not be enough.