jay dubb
G-League
Kings #10 without Bonzi, good rankings
Link:http://www.dimemag.com/feature.asp?id=2553
NBA Hit List 10.5
Training camps are opening, so we figured it’s a good time to roll out another Hit List, our power rankings for the NBA. Players will be cut between now and when the season opens on Halloween, but for the most part, everyone’s core is in place.
30. Atlanta Hawks – With Speedy Claxton temporarily on the shelf with a broken hand, the Hawks are basically the same team as last year, only with Shelden Williams replacing Al Harrington. Defensively, that’s not a problem. Offensively? Problem.
29. Portland Trail Blazers – While the rest of the League wants to speed things up, the Blazers have committed to slowing it down and running the offense through Zach Randolph.
28. New York Knicks – Was it really all Larry Brown’s fault? New York’s players say they love having Isiah on the bench … but then again, what else are they gonna say?
27. Golden State Warriors – Nellie is the wild card here. Is he really going to play Mike Dunleavy as a power forward/point guard? Is he going to irritate Baron Davis by repeatedly going to the media with his concerns about Baron’s weight? Will everyone outside of J-Rich have to change their style of play to suit Nellie’s gameplan?
26. Toronto Raptors – Is T.J. Ford an upgrade over Mike James? We also want to see how Chris Bosh comes back from a bad showing at the World Championships.
25. Charlotte Bobcats – We’re just waiting to see how all the youngsters mesh: Morrison, Okafor, Felton, May and Co. could be a sleeper.
24. Seattle Supersonics – Chris Wilcox has the big contract; now it’s time for him to prove he deserves it.
23. Philadelphia 76ers – Is this the year Andre Iguodala goes from “Top 10 Plays” staple to an all-around force?
22. Minnesota Timberwolves – It seems like it’s now or never for KG. Does he have the supporting cast to make a run at the playoffs? Randy Foye has Rookie of the Year potential, and Mike James can drop 30 at a moment’s notice.
21. Boston Celtics – They’re deep and talented, but they’re also young and inexperienced. And between Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo, Boston might have the two worst-shooting PGs in the League.
20. Memphis Grizzlies – Pau Gasol is out, Mike Miller is banged up and Damon Stoudamire is recovering from a serious knee injury. Stromile Swift is gonna have to step up and reach his potential, but we’ve been saying that for about five years now.
19. Milwaukee Bucks – We like the frontcourt, we like Michael Redd, and we even like the change-of-pace PG combo of Steve Blake and Mo Williams. But other than that, this is a very thin team as far as depth.
18. Orlando Magic – Darko made big strides at the World Championships … moreso than Dwight Howard.
17. New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets – Is Peja still an elite player? NOK is paying him like one. He could be the guy to make or break the Hornets playoff hopes.
16. Utah Jazz – They got more athletic by picking up Ronnie Brewer, but it’s more important that they get healthier. That means you, Boozer and AK-47.
15. Los Angeles Lakers – Besides Kobe’s new No. 24, the most talked-about change with this team was bringing in Vlad Radmanovic. Jordan Farmar can be a solid PG if Smush falters.
14. Washington Wizards – Gilbert Arenas has another chip on his shoulder, and apparently he’ll have more stamina on top of that. NBA leading scorer this year?
13. Denver Nuggets – Even though they got J.R. Smith to play two-guard, some of the team’s vets have still gone on record saying Denver didn’t address it’s need for a shooter. Isn’t Wesley Person out there somewhere?
12. Indiana Pacers – For as much talent and depth as Indy has up front (J.O., Harrington, Granger, Foster, Shawne Williams, David Harrison), they’re just as shaky and thin in the backcourt.
11. New Jersey Nets – Nenad Krstic got himself good and rested this summer by not playing international ball, so he could be in store for a big year.
10. Sacramento Kings – With Ron Artest in the fold for the whole season, the Kings can be a title contender.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers – They came very close to making the Eastern Conference finals, but have they improved? LeBron is still LeBron and Larry Hughes is healthy, but the most significant veteran acquisition was an aging David Wesley. One of the rookie guards – Shannon Brown or Daniel Gibson – could play a major role.
8. Houston Rockets – T-Mac and Yao are healthy and Bonzi is on board. Battier will provide D and shooting. But the bench leaves a lot to be desired.
7. Chicago Bulls – Can you find any major holes in this team? Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Nocioni and Sweetney can score. Wallace, P.J., Griffin, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha provide the D. They have youth and experience, athleticism and basketball IQ. Once they develop a solid chemistry, the Bulls can do some damage.
6. Detroit Pistons – The obvious largest issue is how Ben Wallace’s departure affects the team. On the court, Nazr Mohammed, Dale Davis and Antonio McDyess (who has reportedly bulked up over the summer) will try to fill in by committee, plus youngster Jason Maxiell is a beast on the boards despite being just 6-7. Off the court, Chauncey Billups has taken over as the primary leader, a spot he shared with Big Ben in the past.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – At some point, Sam Cassell has to start acting his age, right? But even if that happens this year, Shaun Livingston appears poised for a breakout season.
4. San Antonio Spurs – Glass half-full: this is a veteran team with tons of playoff and championship experience that knows each other like they’re family. Glass half-empty: they’re old.
3. Phoenix Suns – They’re a title contender even without Amare Stoudemire, so if Amare is something close to what he was before the injury, they’ll be a force. And the Suns can afford to preserve Steve Nash for the playoffs now that Marcus Banks is around.
2. Dallas Mavericks – Dirk is locked up contractually, Jason Terry is locked up, and Josh Howard should be locked up soon. There’s no reason Dallas can’t make it back to the Finals.
1. Miami Heat – Wade. Shaq. Rings. Until we’re given reason to believe otherwise, Miami keeps the No. 1 spot.
Link:http://www.dimemag.com/feature.asp?id=2553
NBA Hit List 10.5
Training camps are opening, so we figured it’s a good time to roll out another Hit List, our power rankings for the NBA. Players will be cut between now and when the season opens on Halloween, but for the most part, everyone’s core is in place.
30. Atlanta Hawks – With Speedy Claxton temporarily on the shelf with a broken hand, the Hawks are basically the same team as last year, only with Shelden Williams replacing Al Harrington. Defensively, that’s not a problem. Offensively? Problem.
29. Portland Trail Blazers – While the rest of the League wants to speed things up, the Blazers have committed to slowing it down and running the offense through Zach Randolph.
28. New York Knicks – Was it really all Larry Brown’s fault? New York’s players say they love having Isiah on the bench … but then again, what else are they gonna say?
27. Golden State Warriors – Nellie is the wild card here. Is he really going to play Mike Dunleavy as a power forward/point guard? Is he going to irritate Baron Davis by repeatedly going to the media with his concerns about Baron’s weight? Will everyone outside of J-Rich have to change their style of play to suit Nellie’s gameplan?
26. Toronto Raptors – Is T.J. Ford an upgrade over Mike James? We also want to see how Chris Bosh comes back from a bad showing at the World Championships.
25. Charlotte Bobcats – We’re just waiting to see how all the youngsters mesh: Morrison, Okafor, Felton, May and Co. could be a sleeper.
24. Seattle Supersonics – Chris Wilcox has the big contract; now it’s time for him to prove he deserves it.
23. Philadelphia 76ers – Is this the year Andre Iguodala goes from “Top 10 Plays” staple to an all-around force?
22. Minnesota Timberwolves – It seems like it’s now or never for KG. Does he have the supporting cast to make a run at the playoffs? Randy Foye has Rookie of the Year potential, and Mike James can drop 30 at a moment’s notice.
21. Boston Celtics – They’re deep and talented, but they’re also young and inexperienced. And between Sebastian Telfair and Rajon Rondo, Boston might have the two worst-shooting PGs in the League.
20. Memphis Grizzlies – Pau Gasol is out, Mike Miller is banged up and Damon Stoudamire is recovering from a serious knee injury. Stromile Swift is gonna have to step up and reach his potential, but we’ve been saying that for about five years now.
19. Milwaukee Bucks – We like the frontcourt, we like Michael Redd, and we even like the change-of-pace PG combo of Steve Blake and Mo Williams. But other than that, this is a very thin team as far as depth.
18. Orlando Magic – Darko made big strides at the World Championships … moreso than Dwight Howard.
17. New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets – Is Peja still an elite player? NOK is paying him like one. He could be the guy to make or break the Hornets playoff hopes.
16. Utah Jazz – They got more athletic by picking up Ronnie Brewer, but it’s more important that they get healthier. That means you, Boozer and AK-47.
15. Los Angeles Lakers – Besides Kobe’s new No. 24, the most talked-about change with this team was bringing in Vlad Radmanovic. Jordan Farmar can be a solid PG if Smush falters.
14. Washington Wizards – Gilbert Arenas has another chip on his shoulder, and apparently he’ll have more stamina on top of that. NBA leading scorer this year?
13. Denver Nuggets – Even though they got J.R. Smith to play two-guard, some of the team’s vets have still gone on record saying Denver didn’t address it’s need for a shooter. Isn’t Wesley Person out there somewhere?
12. Indiana Pacers – For as much talent and depth as Indy has up front (J.O., Harrington, Granger, Foster, Shawne Williams, David Harrison), they’re just as shaky and thin in the backcourt.
11. New Jersey Nets – Nenad Krstic got himself good and rested this summer by not playing international ball, so he could be in store for a big year.
10. Sacramento Kings – With Ron Artest in the fold for the whole season, the Kings can be a title contender.
9. Cleveland Cavaliers – They came very close to making the Eastern Conference finals, but have they improved? LeBron is still LeBron and Larry Hughes is healthy, but the most significant veteran acquisition was an aging David Wesley. One of the rookie guards – Shannon Brown or Daniel Gibson – could play a major role.
8. Houston Rockets – T-Mac and Yao are healthy and Bonzi is on board. Battier will provide D and shooting. But the bench leaves a lot to be desired.
7. Chicago Bulls – Can you find any major holes in this team? Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Nocioni and Sweetney can score. Wallace, P.J., Griffin, Tyrus Thomas and Thabo Sefolosha provide the D. They have youth and experience, athleticism and basketball IQ. Once they develop a solid chemistry, the Bulls can do some damage.
6. Detroit Pistons – The obvious largest issue is how Ben Wallace’s departure affects the team. On the court, Nazr Mohammed, Dale Davis and Antonio McDyess (who has reportedly bulked up over the summer) will try to fill in by committee, plus youngster Jason Maxiell is a beast on the boards despite being just 6-7. Off the court, Chauncey Billups has taken over as the primary leader, a spot he shared with Big Ben in the past.
5. Los Angeles Clippers – At some point, Sam Cassell has to start acting his age, right? But even if that happens this year, Shaun Livingston appears poised for a breakout season.
4. San Antonio Spurs – Glass half-full: this is a veteran team with tons of playoff and championship experience that knows each other like they’re family. Glass half-empty: they’re old.
3. Phoenix Suns – They’re a title contender even without Amare Stoudemire, so if Amare is something close to what he was before the injury, they’ll be a force. And the Suns can afford to preserve Steve Nash for the playoffs now that Marcus Banks is around.
2. Dallas Mavericks – Dirk is locked up contractually, Jason Terry is locked up, and Josh Howard should be locked up soon. There’s no reason Dallas can’t make it back to the Finals.
1. Miami Heat – Wade. Shaq. Rings. Until we’re given reason to believe otherwise, Miami keeps the No. 1 spot.
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