Short of that, expect the Raptors to win 50 games in the regular season and lose to a more talented team in the first round of the playoffs. If he takes a Luka-type leap after his rookie season, all bets are off. Ultimately, though, Barnes is the key to the team’s short and long-term outlooks. will allow Nick Nurse to deploy some new lineups. If he has any sort of regression, it limits the team’s ceiling. If Siakam picks up where he left off, it's possible I am underselling him as a talent. His supporters will point to the second half of his season while ignoring how truly terrible he was to start the year. The Raptors need a franchise cornerstone and I’m not sure Pascal Siakam fits the bill. Anunoby appears to be unhappy with his role in Toronto’s system. Sure, Scottie Barnes looks like a homerun pick but he isn’t close to being the player fans project him to be. The Raptors are the darling of NBA twitter but there is at least one writer who isn’t sold. Then again, a hot start is all they need to make fans forget about the drama of the last 12 months. Warren play and, if so, what does he have left in the tank after two years away? Ultimately, there are too many questions that need to be answered before I can commit to calling them a true contender. What is Ben Simmons? Can the Nets survive with Nic Claxton as the starting center? Will T.J. On talent alone, this team should be considered a contender, but does anyone trust them to reach their actual ceiling? How will Kyrie play in what amounts to a contract year? He’s one of the more dynamic guards in the game but will his contract status affect his ability to play within himself? Will Kevin Durant finish the year as a Net or will he sabotage things if he decides the Nets are unlikely to compete for a title? For Boston, Robert Williams’ ability to stay on the court could be what decides how far this team ultimately goes. While losing Danilo Gallinari to an ACL injury is less than ideal, he was unlikely to see many minutes in the postseason. Besides being a good defender, Brogdon’s versatility as both a ball handler and credible off-ball threat make him the ideal fit next to Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. His in-game adjustments and ability to push the right buttons allowed the Celtics to go from a team on the brink of blowing it all up to one that found itself two wins from a title.Ĭeltics fans have every right to be disappointed with how the offseason unfolded because the addition of Malcolm Brogdon may have been the piece to get them over the top. Udoka appeared to be in over his head early in the season but was a huge part of the team’s midseason revival. We have no idea how Ime Udoka’s suspension and likely dismissal from the team will affect the team on the court. If the role players can hit enough open threes and Tyrese Maxey takes another step forward, this could be the year Embiid makes his NBA Finals debut. The Harden/Embiid pick and roll numbers are absurd. James Harden is no longer the player he was 3 years ago, but with this team, he doesn’t have to be. Tucker, Danuel House, De’Anthony Melton, and Montrezl Harrell, he has surrounded James Harden and Joel Embiid with the type of role players that can help them win a championship. Team Overview Tier 1: The Contendersĭaryl Morey absolutely nailed the offseason. With the melodrama of the offseason behind us, let’s take a look at each team and how we expect the division to shake out. The Boston Celtics found themselves in the news for all the wrong reasons while the Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors are hoping that signings on the margin and internal improvement can help take them to the next level. Another, the Brooklyn Nets, had their star player publicly demand that the team choose between him and the team’s coach and GM. One team, the New York Knicks, made the biggest free agent signing of the summer. Top to bottom, the Atlantic division has a case for being the most interesting in the league.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |