By Kevin Sawyer
Orlando Magic
Record: 8-3
Projected: 60-22
Are they for real: No
Orlando will certainly make the playoffs, and Mickael Pietrus has been a revelation, but other signs do not point to a 60 win run. First, Dwight Howard has a habit of posting absurd numbers for about 30 games (4 bpg!), and then returning to Earth. Hedo Turkoglu is shooting 38% in a desperate attempt to replicate last year’s output.
But the biggest problem is their bench. Injuries will happen, and the dropoff is so steep at every position that any sustained injury could easily result in a stretch of sub-.500 ball. Given that Pietrus fouls a lot, which makes it difficult for him to stay on the court I wonder how this team will get through February and March. That said, this team could be a real threat come playoff time.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Record: 9-2
Projected: 67-15
Are they for real: Unfortunately, yes.
If you were expecting a LeBron let down, you’d look to the first 10-20 games. He has a habit of finishing strong, which is scary when you consider how ridiculously good he has been so far. The Mo Williams experiment is working swimmingly, giving LeBron a competent backcourt for the first time in his career. Varejao arrived in better shape, and even Big Ben is showing signs of life.
In short, Cleveland is looking like the team to beat this year, from either conference.
New York Knicks
Record: 6-5
Projected: 45-37
Are they for real?: Kinda
Uptempo style aside, there is another important reason to respect Mike D’Antoni. He gives the best players the most minutes. It seems so simple, but so many coaches let their ego, their doghouse, and Eric Snow get in the way of putting the best players on the court. D’Antoni quickly realized that Randolph and Curry couldn’t co-exist, and rightly opted for the more talented Randolph. He already has a solid eight-man rotation, with enough depth to survive an injury or two.
With the talent he has, a .500 season should earn Mike D’Antoni coach of the year in a landslide. It’s still the Knicks, but Donnie Walsh seems well on the way to turning things around here.
ON THE FLIP SIDE…
Minnesota Timberwolves
Record: 1-8
Projected: 9-73
Are they really this bad?: No
The playoff prognostications for this young team were overblown, but there is some talent here. Mike Miller has been absurdly under-utilized, and Kevin Love should improve as the season progresses. Frankly, the coaching staff is going to have to shore up this rotation, and find ways to get Miller more touches.
If Rashad McCants continues to hock 4 threes a game (with a 19% success rate), its time to pull the plug. The time to pull the plug on Corey Brewer was about 10 minutes before they drafted him. He is a bust. Randy Foye probably deserves one full season to see if he is the right fit. But Love, Miller and Jefferson are enough to win more games than this, and Craig Smith tends to improve as he sheds weight during the season.
Los Angeles Clippers
Record: 1-9
Projected: 8-74
Are they really this bad?: Of course they are.
Some sportswriters actually looked at this roster and thought the Clippers might reclaim a playoff spot. Those sportswriters should be unemployed right in the face. Gee, Baron Davis reverted to his former three-point jacking self after signing a big contract? Go figure. Camby and Kaman aren’t a good pairing? Whodathunkit?
Al Thornton has failed to make the leap, which is understandable given that 77-year-old rookies never make leaps. Oh, and they spent a lottery pick on Eric “Corey Brewer” Gordon. That about says it all. On a higher note, Ricky Davis can’t possibly be THIS bad. If he turns it around, this team might just scratch 15 wins.
There is room for the Corey Brewers of the world in the NBA but not on awful teams. He would be much better suited to being 7th or 8th man on a good team playing spot defense. 82games has Brewer with the second best Roland Rating of any player playing regular minutes on the T-Wolves and the team is +0.5 with him on court. He’s just horrid offensively and on a team full of horrid offensive players he stands out. But he’s not in the league for his offense (unlike McCants). There are a lot of teams in the East that would love to have 20 minutes worth of Corey Brewer on the Paul Pierces and LeBron James of the world. He’s look sweet on an offensive minded second unit for a good team.
Uh, aren’t the Lakers clearly looking like the team to beat, or at least high in the running?
I know we beat them, but still, they’ve looked scary good otherwise.
eric roundface gordon is probably their best player tat this point, actually.
camby just does not give a shit anymore. at all.
“Uh, aren’t the Lakers clearly looking like the team to beat, or at least high in the running?
I know we beat them, but still, they’ve looked scary good otherwise.”
They are the cream of the Western Conference, certainly. I feel like they are fragile. I could see multiple injuries to their core taking them down a notch. Maybe not. It’s tough to argue with their results.
Orlando Magic = Soft.
Of course they are not for real, they didn’t address any of their needs. They did not go out and get a point guard. They got Pietrus but if you seriously ask yourself the question “Can we win a championship with Pietrus as our starting 2G?” Can you seriously say “yes.” T
hey did not pick up a power forward so that D-Howard could get some help, or a center so D-Howard could move back to the power forward. They won’t beat us in 7 games, and they definately won’t beat Cleveland or Boston in 7 either.
Clippers started 0-6 (they’ve since gone 2-3) with a schedule of: 2 against Utah, 2 against the Lake show, 1 against Houston (w/their big 3) and 1 against Denver. Our first six were against: Indiana, NJ, Washington, Charlotte, Toronto, Boston. That’s different. If I accept the conclusion that Minnesota isn’t this bad, I refuse to believe the Clippers are. Baron is currently on pace to have his poorest season since his rookie year. I don’t expect that to continue.
Al Thornton, drafted 14th overall (one pick before Stuck), is averaging 15.5 points a game, 4.7 boards, .9 blocks, and he’s shooting 45.4% from the field and 41.2% from 3 this season. What else should he be doing? What leap is he supposed to make? Does he need to get 20 and 7 like Caron Butler to make the leap? I don’t understand.
No secret that I’ve watched a lot of Eric Gordon. Admittedly, I haven’t watched a lot of Corey Brewer (especially since Florida), but I don’t see any similarities between the two. I’d hope that you’re trying to say they’re the same because Gordon is a bust. While I don’t agree with that at all, that makes a lot more sense to me than their games being similar.
Still think Cleveland is for real?
Mo Williams is certainly an upgrade, but has he ever done anything in the playoffs?
Big Ben looks lost in Cleveland. Here’s to hoping that Cleveland buys him out and he signs for the veteran minimum with Detroit.
“Does he need to get 20 and 7 like Caron Butler to make the leap? I don’t understand. ”
He registered a big game after I wrote this piece. Still, four rebounds, one assist and 45% shooting from the SF position are not at all impressive. If being the 29th best SF in the league constitutes some sort of leap, then I guess he’s made the leap. Picking him before Rodney Stuckey was absolutely stupid.
“No secret that I’ve watched a lot of Eric Gordon. Admittedly, I haven’t watched a lot of Corey Brewer (especially since Florida), but I don’t see any similarities between the two.”
Lottery busts. That’s the similarity.
Speaking of bad, Clips just traded for Zach Randolph giving up Cutino and T. Thomas. I agree with above post that Camby doesn’t look like he gives a shit. So now I guess he comes off the bench…unless there’s truth to the rumors looking to trade Kaman. Of course, Zach never, ever been a defensive guy and with Baron, this team might be a lock to go “over” every game if one is betting.
Kevin, you’ve deemed Gordon a bust after 11 games as the third SG on the depth chart. With no Mobley, Ricky Davis is working hard to hand over starting duties to Gordon. Davis will fall far behind the emerging Gordon in the next 20 or so games.
And Al Thornton is really good. That’s just the fact. Drafting one good player (Thornton) before another (Stuckey) isn’t an “absolutely stupid” decision. Get used to Thornton putting up “good games” like his 20 and 7 and over 50% outing last night. He just put up 22 and 8 on 50% shooting tonight in Philly. He was the high-scorer for either team tonight. I don’t know why you have it in for him, but the guy is absolutely for real.
Since I know you have an unfavorable predisposition toward those two I’m not gonna go any further. In the interest of accuracy’s sake, if you have League Pass, watch some of their games with an open mind. It feels to me like you’re just taking PER as the ultimate barometer.
Eric Gordon = Jamal Crawford without the loud mouth and me-first attitude.
he’s a tweener
kevin s.,
You label a guy a bust after 11 games? I mean, I don’t like Gordon all that much… I think he was overhyped but you honestly think he’s a bust?
Thornton sucks too? I was actually pissed when Thornton was picked ahead of Detroit’s slot in the draft. I would’ve liked to see Thornton at least get a look in Motown.
I like that Clipper lineup now, at least the starting 5. I’d leave Camby at the 5, Zbo at the 4, Thornton 3, Gordon 2 and Baron at the 1.
I don’t know Camby’s contract status but I think a deal that would put Herrmann and Amir for Camby if somehow the Clippers dont get in the playoff race… I’d do it… but then again, I’m a Pistons’ homer
Maybe it’s early to call him a bust, but I can see why people are down on Gordon. He couldn’t shoot in the summer league and he’s not shooting now. Some guys you give the benefit of the doubt because they just look like an NBA player, but he’s short for a SG and a bit stocky for a PG.
By no means does his early struggles or body type rule out his chances of developing into an All-Star, but by the same token, I can’t fault anyone for looking at him and saying, “I don’t see it yet.”
I am curious about how Gordon will turn out. Predictions about him were rather contentious, if I recall.