2014-2015 NBA Season Preview 20 Questions
Here are some thoughts leading into the new season. (In no particular order.)
1. This is the first season in many years where we don't need to ask about the health of Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden. Neither are currently in the league. I could see someone taking a flyer on Bynum towards the end of the regular season, but I think Oden is done. He's having some legal woes, and doesn't seem to be worth the headache; not that Bynum is. The question is: will the two injury-prone talents now be Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose? Obviously the repercussions of these two are infinitely higher than the other two knuckleheads. (More so for Rose and the Bulls than Kobe and the Lakers at this point.)
2. What's Cleveland going to look like? Is it too good to be true? Or will LeBron be able to pull it all together? That team wasn't exactly a harmonious place last year.
3. How will the "grandpa" Spurs hold up? Popovich is the minutes-monitoring master, and last year was the perfect example.
4. In relation to number 3, how good exactly is Kawhi Leonard? Is he a future All-NBA guy? Or just a really overqualified defensive specialist? If he is "that good" will he ever be able to show it in limited minutes? Does it even matter if the Spurs are winning championships? (I'll answer that last one, "no.")
5. I'm a Laker fan, but I'm not delusional. Most Laker fans are delusional. How do we convince them that the Lakers aren't going to make the playoffs? Even with a healthy Kobe (possible) and Nash (99.9% impossible at this point), the West is too good. If they were in the East, it could be in the realm of possibility. Still, they are one big injury away from cellar.
6. Does Paul George come back this year? He is making significant progress. But seriously, the Pacers are going to suck. I predict they won't make the playoffs, so there is absolutely no reason for PG-13 to even attempt a come back this season.
7. What's Wade got left in the tank? Is he going to be fully exposed this season, or will he be more motivated than he has been since LeBron showed up?
8. What the hell is going to happen with the Knicks? My hatred for the Knicks roster is well documented in one of my most popular posts, but they do have the right type of leaders in place. But is this lineup of morons beyond help?
9. When is Rondo getting traded? And to where?
10. The Houston Rockets lost some serious rotation players in the off-season, coupled with the lack of leadership of Harden and Howard, are the Rockets potentially on the outside looking in? Is it reasonable that they are fighting for the 8th seed?
11. Anthony Davis has gotten more hype over the summer than anyone not named LeBron. Will he live up to the hype of being a MVP-candidate?
12. What type of antics will Lance Stephenson and J.R. Smith be up to? Will J.R. still have a job in two years? (My guess is no.)
13. Will Andrew Wiggins make the Cavaliers regret trading him/Should Jabari have went number one instead?
14. It's put up or shut up time for Kevin Love. Will he shine on the biggest possible stage?
15. Kenneth Faried was arguably the best player in FIBA this summer. Will he keep that momentum going? (I love the Manimal!)
16. Are the Suns really going to play Isiah Thomas, Eric Bledsoe, and Goran Dragic all together?
17. Are the Clippers going to finally get to the Western Conference Finals? CP3 isn't getting any younger.
18. Will the Brooklyn Nets finally implode? It looked that way at the beginning of last year, but they somehow pulled it together to make the playoffs.
19. Can the Wizards and Raptors keep ascending? They both have the right pieces, and are in the East; anything is possible.
20. With Durant out at least 2 months, what will this do to Westbrook's ego/shot selection when Durant returns? Will the Thunder remain competitive during that time, or struggle without the reigning MVP?
1. This is the first season in many years where we don't need to ask about the health of Andrew Bynum and Greg Oden. Neither are currently in the league. I could see someone taking a flyer on Bynum towards the end of the regular season, but I think Oden is done. He's having some legal woes, and doesn't seem to be worth the headache; not that Bynum is. The question is: will the two injury-prone talents now be Kobe Bryant and Derrick Rose? Obviously the repercussions of these two are infinitely higher than the other two knuckleheads. (More so for Rose and the Bulls than Kobe and the Lakers at this point.)
2. What's Cleveland going to look like? Is it too good to be true? Or will LeBron be able to pull it all together? That team wasn't exactly a harmonious place last year.
3. How will the "grandpa" Spurs hold up? Popovich is the minutes-monitoring master, and last year was the perfect example.
 |
| Could we be seeing a Spurs victory parade for the 6th time? |
5. I'm a Laker fan, but I'm not delusional. Most Laker fans are delusional. How do we convince them that the Lakers aren't going to make the playoffs? Even with a healthy Kobe (possible) and Nash (99.9% impossible at this point), the West is too good. If they were in the East, it could be in the realm of possibility. Still, they are one big injury away from cellar.
6. Does Paul George come back this year? He is making significant progress. But seriously, the Pacers are going to suck. I predict they won't make the playoffs, so there is absolutely no reason for PG-13 to even attempt a come back this season.
7. What's Wade got left in the tank? Is he going to be fully exposed this season, or will he be more motivated than he has been since LeBron showed up?8. What the hell is going to happen with the Knicks? My hatred for the Knicks roster is well documented in one of my most popular posts, but they do have the right type of leaders in place. But is this lineup of morons beyond help?
9. When is Rondo getting traded? And to where?
10. The Houston Rockets lost some serious rotation players in the off-season, coupled with the lack of leadership of Harden and Howard, are the Rockets potentially on the outside looking in? Is it reasonable that they are fighting for the 8th seed?
11. Anthony Davis has gotten more hype over the summer than anyone not named LeBron. Will he live up to the hype of being a MVP-candidate?
 |
| Rough year in store for Harden and Co.? |
13. Will Andrew Wiggins make the Cavaliers regret trading him/Should Jabari have went number one instead?
14. It's put up or shut up time for Kevin Love. Will he shine on the biggest possible stage?
15. Kenneth Faried was arguably the best player in FIBA this summer. Will he keep that momentum going? (I love the Manimal!)
16. Are the Suns really going to play Isiah Thomas, Eric Bledsoe, and Goran Dragic all together?
17. Are the Clippers going to finally get to the Western Conference Finals? CP3 isn't getting any younger.
18. Will the Brooklyn Nets finally implode? It looked that way at the beginning of last year, but they somehow pulled it together to make the playoffs. 19. Can the Wizards and Raptors keep ascending? They both have the right pieces, and are in the East; anything is possible.
20. With Durant out at least 2 months, what will this do to Westbrook's ego/shot selection when Durant returns? Will the Thunder remain competitive during that time, or struggle without the reigning MVP?
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