EWRFan's Official NBA Preview

[EWRFan]

Yeah..I am no expert but I am a big fan and I decided to make some predictions and comments regarding the teams and what they will do. Feel free to make your own predictions and bash me if you want.

Atlantic Division: Predicted order:

- New York

- Toronto

- Philadelphia

- Boston

- New Jersey

- New York Knicks

This is the team with the most depth in the whole division,but lacks a go to guy(just like NBA.com said). I think Jamal Crawford will turn out to be that go to guy....It was a big mistake for the Bulls to let him go. I think he might take over the starting shooting guard role and will send Houston to the bench. They need Marbury to become more of a passer and less of a scorer and they also need Tim Thomas to step up and deliver for the team to suceed. They also need to keep Kurt Thomas and not trade him as rumored, he is a good rebounder and has a lot of intensity, it will be a big mistake if they trade him.Mike Sweetny will also keep getting better and will soon be a big star and possibly their best player of the bench. Houston also needs to score big time off the bench for the team to win. And they need Vin Baker and Penny to be healthy. I also have a feeling this is Nazr Mohamed's big year in which he will become a worthwhile center.

Keys to win:

-Jamal Crawford becoming a go to guy

- Stephon Marbury becoming more of a passer and less of a scorer(15ppg are ok)

- Tim Thomas and Nazr Mohammed stepping up and delivering

-Healthy Penny and Baker off the bench

-Toronto Raptors

Even with an unhappy Vincesanity, I still think they will make the playoffs and possibly even farther than the first round. Vince is going to get his mind in the game once the season starts and he will be a formidable scoring duo with Jalen Rose. Rafer Alston and Alvin Williams are good enough passers to feed the ball to them. Chris Bosh and Donyell Marshall can and will score inside. I also see Morris Peterson scoring double figures off the bench. The only question mark is on the center position. If Rafael Araujo adapts fast enough to play a solid 20-25 mins a game they will be ok, since Marshall and Bosh can concentrate on being PF's and dominating.Obviosly Marshall,Peterson and Williams will be their key players off the bench because the rest suck.This will mean more minutes for Peterson as he splits between SG and SF off the bench.

Keys to win:

- Vince getting his mind on the game and forming a great scoring duo with Jalen Rose

-How fast can Araujo adapt and become an NBA level Center

- Peterson and Marshall scoring big off the bench

-Philadelphia 76ers

Let's get something straight. The 76ers are my favorite team. But I am realistic and admit they wont see the playoffs and if they do they wont make it far. They have too many holes that need filling.

AI is going to carry this team that's for sure. He needs help and he might get it if Glenn Robinson can stay healthy the whole season and produce. Kenny Thomas is quickly emerging as a top tier power foward and if he repeats last year's numbers, the 76ers have a good chance based on this three players. The problems lay in the rest of the team. The frontcourt is ok. It doest matter who starts or comes off the bench between Marc Jackson,Brian Skinner and Samuel Delambert, they are all solid players and with the addition of Corliss Williamson, the front court is not the problem. The problem is the back court. They dont have a true point guard and probably it will be AI in that role. He is a scorer, not a passer and this might be their downfall.At SG, it will either be Willie Green or Aaron McKie and none of them are particularly good. McKie is a solid player, off the bench, not playing 30 minutes a game...and what else do they have? Sure, they might start Kevin Ollie at PG(HAR HAR) and have AI as the SG...but that is not a good backcourt no matter how you look at it. It will be Iverson and a bunch of good rebounders aganist the rest of the NBA. I hope they prove me wrong....

Keys to win:

- Allen Iverson becoming a better passer.

- Samuel Delambert becoming more of a scoring threat inside.

- Kenny Thomas repeating his performance

- Glenn Robinson staying healthy and Aaron McKie suddenly becoming a good shooting guard.

-Boston Celtics

Boston..they are almost there...but not quite.

You see, Paul Pierce is a legitimate scorer and now has somebody who can dish him the ball big time and also score when the need arises. Gary Payton. He is also one of the best defenders in the league and his experience will do the team good. Plus, Jiri Welsch will become a top shooting guard, I like his playing style and I think he is one of the most underrated players the league has right now. The problem is too many question marks. Will Raef LaFrentz return to his old numbers and become a force in the PF/C positions? Will Mark Blount repeat or surpass last year's numbers?(BTW, I am not to high on this guy like most of the Celtics fathful are...I think he wont be much more than a decent player, not starting material)

Good thing is Ricky Davis is still there and he is a good scorer guaranteed to become their sixth man. He just needs to take better shots. His shot selection,specially with games on the line seems to be sketchy at best. And they dont have anybody else in that bench that can help.Proven guys at least, the rookies might become good players or they might not. Tom Gugliotta is not the old Gogs...he is not going to help much. As soon as the starting five are on the bench, it will be Ricky Davis and a bunch of kids and that doesnt bode well.

Keys to win:

- Payton and Pierce gelling fast and controlling the offense.

- Raef LaFrentz staying injury free and reverting to his old numbers

- Mark Blount becoming the next big thing Celtics executives expect

- Ricky Davis getting some help off the bench from Delonte West and Al Jefferson

New Jersey Nets

How the mighty have fallen. Jason Kidd needs to get back to 100% fast and he also needs to get his mind in the game for this team to at least be competitive. Richard Jefferson is an amazing player and I think he will be evem better in a couple of years when this team finally turns around. Ron Mercer might be a good fit at SG or SF if he pulls out the kind of numbers he had for the Bulls before. I think he can replace Kittles perfectly. But their is no replacement for K-Mart. Unless Alonzo Morninng is able to come back and play like the old Zo, the Nets have no chance in hell. Jason Collins, Aaron Williams..they wont put out K-Mart like numbers. The bench looks solid with Travis Best and Eric Williams looking to fill in as the team's 6th man, but I dont think either will make it that far. They are good role players tough. I think that the Nets will make it back in the next 4 years. That is if they keep Kidd happy and Jefferson develops into a mega star. They also need to get good draft picks and hope for the best.

Keys to win:

- Zo coming back and playing like his old self(doubful)

- Kidd staying happy and healthy.

- Jefferson being able to handle the pressure.

- Mercer becoming a scoring threat and surpassing Kittles numbers.

- Somebody being 1/2 as good as K-Mart in the front court.

Tomorrow I will write my preview for the Central division

[Karizma]

The Celtics have so much potential to blow everyone outta the water IMO, their draft picks were great, and if moulded right, could be what they need off the bench, I'd put them ahead of the Sixers personally.

And Jefferson handling the pressure?When Kidd & K-Mart were out for 10 games, he stepped up big time.I don't see Mercer being any good though.

Raptors have the potential to be that high, or slip back to 4th IMO, Knicks easy winners, with any one of the Sixers, Celtics and Raptors filling the next spot, Nets finish last unless they can pull of a trade or something.

[VinceMcMahonForPresident]

I will act on your behalf and write the Central Division preview:

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