The SLAM NBA Preview: NBA Champs
The Champs is here…but where are they from?
By now we’ve been through all six divisions (which you can check out here: Atlantic, Southeast, Central, Northwest, Southwest, Pacific), and now it’s time to settle on our NBA Champs. I wrote much longer about all this in the current issue of SLAM on newsstands now, but for now, let’s go through the contender pretenders…
• Chicago — Honestly, I wasn’t even thinking the Bulls belonged in this conversation a month ago, but they looked good in the preseason and looked amazing against the Heat. My issue with the Bulls is the same issue I have with the Suns, which is that when things slow down during the postseason I’m not sure if they have enough low-post scoring to get by. They also don’t have as much postseason experience as a lot of these other teams.
• Detroit — Second-best team in the East, I think. But there’s already a lot of grumbling coming from up there, and I find it hard to believe Big Ben was the only guy holding a grudge against Flip Saunders. Which reminds me, last season I picked against the Pistons because I didn’t think Flip was much of a postseason coach. Nothing’s happened since then to change my mind.
• Phoenix — See Chicago.
• Miami — The Heat look horrible, just horrible last night, but I’m not worried about them. They’ll coast through the regular season, get into the playoffs and turn it on. I think it’ll work in the East, and they’ll make the Finals. But…
• San Antonio — You guys know how much I respect the Spurs and everything they do, but I saw enough of Jackie Butler last season with the Knicks to understand that the two-headed Elson/Butler monster won’t strike fear in many Western Conference hearts. I do think they could make a run, though, but everyone is going to have to be healthy, and that’s no small order.
Which leaves the champs…
The Dallas Mavericks — I have a gut feeling about the Mavs, so I’m going with it. They made the Finals last year, where they got their butts handed to them by the Heat, and my thought is that they learn from that, they adjust, they make it back and win it all.
And if not Mark Cuban buys them all fake rings, anyway.
23 Responses to “The SLAM NBA Preview: NBA Champs”
Nov.1 at 6:22 pm
Brian says:
Lang - I apologize for all the angry and hostile thoughts I had towards you last year regarding the Piston’s. You were 100% correct about Lil’ Flip. I can’t beleive some of the stuff he says. Bernie Lomax could do a better job. F’ me!
Nov.1 at 6:39 pm
Dallas J. says:
Yea Lang. THATS what I’m talkin about. Believe baby.
Nov.1 at 7:30 pm
abelp says:
simmons picked the spurs just thought u should know
Nov.1 at 11:23 pm
Noah Doucette says:
I just watched the pistons get their asses handed to them by the bucks. which is disappointing cause im a piston fan. but s’ok cause charlie V got 14 n 11 plus 3 stls and he’s one of my faves.
Nov.2 at 1:28 am
Clay says:
man shaq should have retired after they (meaning d-wade) won the chip. 7 ponts???? WTF?
big ben is good… but he aint that good. the pistons might go ok with nazr mohammed
Nov.2 at 10:07 am
JG says:
I’d love to see Dirk get one, but my gut is telling me the Spurs this year. I’d like to see the Celtics get one (I’m a lifelong, DIEHARD boston fan, and Pierce is my favorite player), but that’s EXTREME wishfull thinking. The Bobcats will threepeat before the Celts win one.
Nov.2 at 10:30 am
Elvis says:
The Bulls are going to win it this year. They have depth and are only going to get better as the season progresses
Nov.2 at 2:20 pm
sheed33 says:
why should it be a problem for the spurs having 4 guys down low helping timmy (oberto, elson, butler, horry) while having a ton of experienced quality wing players and the quickest point god in the nba? I just don’t see for a contributing player to be this essential. they have to come together and the better players have to show the contributers how to win.
Nov.2 at 3:43 pm
sheed33 says:
why should it be a problem for the spurs having 4 guys down low helping timmy (oberto, elson, butler, horry) while having a ton of experienced quality wing players and the quickest point god in the nba? I just don’t see for a contributing player to be this essential. they have to come together and the better players have to show the contributers how to win.
Nov.2 at 5:02 pm
Darksaber says:
Dallas will be hard to beat. I’ve followed (literally) Dirk’s off seasons for the last 4 years, and he just adds a touch of something to his repetoire every year. And not being able to get Germany into top 8 at the worlds this summer, AFTER losing the finals is sure to piss him off. He’s gonna play with a chip on his shoulder, worse than the one from last season when everyone (yeah, da media) wrote about him turning into a jerk for berating JT in the series against Phoenix. League, you have been warned
Nov.4 at 2:17 am
Aaron says:
I still don’t think Dirk is going to be able to go through 82 games and then the playoffs after playing at the world championships. He looked tired in the finals and this season it’s going to be worse
Nov.12 at 1:14 am
spurfan#1 says:
Dallas winning the chip? Nah… It’ll be San Antonio they went to 7 games with Dallas and then Manu had to go messing it up and missing the shot when Duncan was wide open, so San Antonio will not make that mistake again. As for Chicago they won’t get farther than the semi finals.
Nov.14 at 11:46 am
myles says:
dallas is a good team but i think the will not go back to the finals beacause the suns are to good now they got amare back and he is going to get better later in the year so i think they might not make it to the finals
Nov.18 at 9:05 pm
BETCATS says:
Bobcats champs by 2099 like Sheed i will guarntee it.
Nov.20 at 1:16 pm
matt garza says:
heat will defend their title
Jan.18 at 1:01 pm
Lil. Y says:
Suns will win the title this year. They will.
Jan.18 at 1:24 pm
James says:
That’s what Phoenix and the Lakers do. They get all the praise and hype during the regular season, but come playoff time they lose all their juice and suffer to superior teams like Dallas and San Antonio. Face it Steve, you may win all the season MVPs you want, but not Finals MVPs. You’re way out of your league.
Feb.6 at 1:57 am
chookgirl24 says:
Steve Nash is the most: awesome, kool, hot, fast player in da nba! and the suns r so gunna win this yr!
steve nash im ur biggest and hottest fan!
Feb.15 at 2:44 pm
Elvis says:
One word….Repeat
Feb.16 at 12:59 am
jessica says:
man KOBE BRYANT should win mvp!! He’s the best! dirk SUCKS big time!!!
Apr.15 at 12:33 am
K9 says:
oh yeah jessica well koke and dirk both suck. the real MVP is Steve Nash. kobe isn’t going to win the lakers a trophy even if hell its self froze over.
Apr.15 at 12:36 am
K9 says:
shut up! so what if i spelled kobe wrong! he still isn’t going to win MVP!
Jul.25 at 11:34 pm
cat says:
GO SPURS