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NBA: NBA 2010 Preview and Forecast

The Battle of the Trio: Miami Heat vs Boston Celtics on opening night
The 2010 NBA season will be opening on Oct. 27 with lots of ifs and buts to answer.  The NBA offseason was like Hollywood with all the teams and superstars making their moves and hypes for this upcoming season.  NBA superstars have new teams to play with, either for the money, playing time or a chance for an NBA ring.  The biggest story of the offseason is the signing of free NBA superstar agents LeBron James and Chris Bosh to play alongside Dwayne Wade in Miami.  Most teams made changes to their lineups by signing other free agents and trading for veteran players.  Coaches and managers either resigned or replaced by their respective teams.

Does Miami win its second championship this year?  The triumvirate of LeBron, Wade and Bosh is one of the greatest NBA combinations of all time based on their individual talents and skills brought to the Heat.  But the big question is whether the Heat will make it this year.  These three NBA superstars are undoubtedly the best in their class.  However, will they be able to play together since Wade and LeBron wants to have the ball in their hands during crunch time.  Bosh is a great complement for the team since his position is very much needed in the Heat's interior.  However, he is not a post up player but rather a face-up kind of player that loves to shoot around the perimeter or drive to the basket.  This is also the kind of game both his other superstar teammates play.  


Miami's Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James out to silence critics
Coach Erik Spoelstra should run down plays that will have complementary results among his players.  If the three of them will sacrifice scoring among themselves and look for opportunities for other teammates to score, this will be a major problem for other teams to contend with.   The Heat management and coaching staff did an excellent job in hiring and signing some of the game's excellent complementary players to support their trio.  Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, and Jamaal Magloire will man their interior.  Juwan Howard and Udonis Haslem  will give Bosh the needed support in their frontline.  Guards Carlos Arroyo, Mario Chalmers and Eddie House will alternate at point guard or off guard off-the-bench with both Wade and LBJ playing at the back court.  Combo guard forward Mike Miller gives the Heat some leverage with his outside shooting.  Unfortunately, an injury sustained during a team's practice will sideline him until January next year.  Newly signed All-Star forward Jerry Stackhouse was signed to give the Heat more stability in the three position.

The Heat creates lots of match up problems specifically with LBJ in the backcourt.    This will give some of his teammates opportunities to look for open spaces in the court for some open jumpers.  The question is how efficient their shooters for that jumper or long threes.  This is where Miller will be missed by the team.  In my opinion, the Heat is not an NBA team but rather an NFL team with very athletic wide receivers and running backs.  

One drawback I see with the team is its ability to distribute the ball.  Lots of kickouts, precision passes,  screens and picks to create fluidity and scoring in the court.  Their big men should also hold their ground against the opposing big men of other teams.  All-Star Dwight Howard was busy playing against Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon in the off season and developed his post-up moves.  It was evident in most of his exhibition games as he toyed around with other teams big men.  This will be a gargantuan challenge for Big Z, Anthony and Magloire to hold their fort against Superman.  Injuries to their superstars also pose a great problem.  Wade was injured in his first exhibition game but the tandem of LBJ and Bosh carried the load for the Heat in a lopsided win.

Lakers with another 3-peat?  Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers overachieved their performances in last season's title run.  He was nursing an injury with his thumb and coping up with a sexual harassment case.  Center Andrew Bynum was not 100% playing his game with a knee injury.  The signing of Ron Artest was also another concern for the Lakers before the 2009 season started because of his on and off the court antics.  Derek Fisher was already in his prime.  However, with all of these distractions the Lakers were able to notch their fifth title in this decade against the Boston Celtics in a Game 7 epic win.  


Kobe Bryant and the LA Lakers gunning for a second 3-peat NBA championship
The Zen master Phil Jackson was brilliant in motivating his troops for another championship win.  Pao Gasol, Lamar Odom, Luke Walton, Jordan Farmar and Shannon Brown were impressive in the regular and post-season games with heads-up basketball.  Gasol silenced his critics with exceptional basketball with an all-around game performance in the NBA Finals.  Odom has turned into a pass-first, shoot-later forward position performance.  Both of them were able to hold their grounds against the big men of other teams.  Walton was superb in his all around gutsy plays.  Brown was explosive in both ends of the court.

During the offseason, Kobe and the Lakers made some drastic roster changes by adding another defensive, no-holds barred player Matt Barnes and veteran Theo Ratliff to man its frontline.  Barnes is a defensive specialist that can guard the point, the two guard, and the three position.  However, his offensive skill is questionable because of his limited production with the Orlando Magic.  Theo Ratliff is an excellent veteran defensive player with a long wingspan with the knack of rejecting shots.  On the offensive end, he will earn some points on putbacks.  The addition of Steve Blake in the backcourt gives the Lakers more scoring options and a hybrid replacement for the departure of Jordan Farmar to the Timberwolves.  Blake is more of the passing type of point guard as compared with Farmar.  He can also play at the two guard position alongside Fisher that will give them a balanced tandem on both defense and offense.  He will also be a great complement to Kobe setting up plays for him or knocking down some threes.

The Lakers have championship character emanating from Coach Jackson and Kobe.  They know how to play the game either down-the-wire or blown-out games and bring out the best from their team.  Odom, who played for Team USA in the FIBA championship, won the gold in men's basketball and a major stalwart in USA's gold title run at FIBA.  The experience playing alongside some of the talented and skilled NBA players in a world stage gives Odom  the maturity to handle the same situations in the Laker's dugout.  Coach Jackson was able to hold Artest head in its proper place and let him play his antics on the court without disrupting their team's harmony.  Injuries to the Lakers roster makes them very vulnerable to losing.  The Lakers are not a very young team and needs to pace their starters for another long title run to the championships.  

Kobe Bryant is the final piece of the Laker's championship.  He has already, I think, matured in some way to know his true worth as a player - a superstar and a teammate.  The game is not all about scoring tons of points but involving teammates to play hard.  His passion for the game rubs off to his teammate.  In some instances, he is seen giving instructions on defensive alignments from the bench.  That's how passionate he is with the game and winning.  Bryant's ability to share some scoring loads with his teammates made Gasol realized his true worth as a big man.  Gasol was able to show some of offensive repertoire, thanks to Kobe.

Celtics to annex their 18th NBA title. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen are the older version of Miami's young trio of LBJ, Wade, and Bosh.  What sets them apart?  Championship ring, maturity and age.  Yes, age is one of the concerns of Boston Celtics.  Age and injuries I should say.  Talent-wise, the Celtics are one of the most talented teams in both offensive and defensive ends of the court.  However, Father Time has already caught them.  Despite of their age and injuries, the Celtics were able to scare the Kobe and the Lakers in an epic NBA Finals Game 7 duel last season.  


The Ageless Warriors of the Boston Celtics
I don't know if adding another senior statesman will help them in their championship bid.  Future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal was signed in the offseason to augment the Celtics depleted frontline.  However, the Big Shamrock is not the same backboard smashing Shaq we used to know.  Another injury-prone warrior, Jermaine O'Neal shores up the Celtics frontline.  The question is whether he can hold his ground against the young turks of the NBA.  The injury to Kendrick Perkins was a big blow to their championship bid and he is expected to play again on or before the All-Star break.

The Celtics backcourt was augmented with the signing of Delonte West.  But, his personal problems will be a major factor in his efficiency to play Boston's basketball.  Rajon Rondo will still be at the helm of Boston's offense setting up the pace for his teammates. His All-Star performance last year will still be the gauge on his game this upcoming season.  Ray Allen will still be a dead shot from long-range but consistency will be his concern.  He was held to limited points in the NBA Finals Game 7.   

Paul Pierce was given another 4-year contract extension.  He will still be the cornerstone of the Celtics offense.  Pierce will have his hands full again in carrying the scoring cudgels for the Celtics.  Kevin 'The Big Ticket' Garnett will be the heart and soul of Boston Celtics.  Coming from a leg injury, the Big Ticket will be the gauge of Boston's success in this NBA season.  A healthy Garnett will give the team its needed points, defensive presence, and character.  Even if his scoring average dipped below, Garnett's passion and leadership gives the Boston Celtics the intensity and zeal that made them silence their critics in winning their 2008 NBA title.

Fearless NBA Forecast:

NBA Eastern Conference Finals:   Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat  Boston in 7
NBA Western Conference Finals:  Los Angeles Lakers vs Dallas Mavericks  Lakers in 5

NBA 2011 Finals:  Los Angeles Lakers vs Boston Celtics  Boston in 7

NBA MVP Regular Season: Kevin Durant, Oklahoma Thunder
NBA MVP Finals:                 Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

Coach of the Year:   Tom Thibodeau, Chicago Bulls
Rookie of the Year:  Blake Griffin, LA Clippers



NBA Live 2010 - 2011 Season Preview



Watch NBA Live 2010 - 2011 season with last year's runner-up Boston Celtics plays host to the young and aspiring champion Miami Heat in the opening game of the NBA on October 27 at TD Banknorth Garden.  The battle-scarred Celtics troika of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen will lock horns with the explosive youngsters of the Heat - Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh.  However, the Heat will face another obstacle in the ageless warrior future Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal who joined the Celts in their bid for another championship run.  This will be another great game to be written in the history of NBA basketball.   The signing of the Miami trio is the greatest blockbuster move made by the Heat's management.  One for the books of NBA history.      


Defending champion Los Angeles Lakers will face the rejuvenated Houston Rockets with the return of All-Star center Yao Ming from foot injury.  All-Star center Brad Miller joined the Rockets in the off-season to solidify its frontline.   The Lakers have added new faces in the off-season to help Kobe Bryant and company for another 3-peat championship run.  Combo guard Steve Blake and small forward Matt Barnes were signed to help Phil Jackson win another title for the Lakers.

The third NBA game on opening night features Western Conference rivals Phoenix Suns and Portland Trailblazers slug it out with their new lineup.

Watch the opening of NBA Live 2010 - 2011 season!