NBA Offseason Power Stinkings (Central Division)

The Central Division could arguably be the all-around most competitive in the NBA, if not for the Pacers.  It's for teams like Indiana that the Power Stinkings were created.  But with them aside, it's easy to predict - or at least fantasize that all others in the division will close out the season with winning records.  The Bucks stand as the favorites, but the Bulls added a couple of quality vets, and it's like who knows what happened to the Cavs last season.  So anything can happen, especially since it seems the Milwaukee failed to really upgrade this offseason.

Since this is the Power Stinkings, we have to start with what looks like the worst team in the division first.  And again, that unflattering honor belongs to:

1.  Indiana Pacers

A decade ago, the Pacers were a contending team with the deepest roster in the league.  Nowadays, they look more confused than the Jazz.  And it says a lot about this braintrust, imo, that they have one of the best centers on their squad but seem unable to trade him.  So it's like are they rebuilding or what?  And then it's also like, who even really cares?

What did say a lot was the Malcolm Brogdon trade.  Ending that disaster of an experiment (and acquiring Haliburton) was supposed to symbolize that the Pacers were now rebuilding.  But maybe not.  So unless they really overachieve, which doesn't seem that likely given the competition, Indiana may be the least-popular team this upcoming season.

2.  Detroit Pistons

There's a couple of reasons I'm leery of the Pistons.  One is that they traded Jerami Grant basically for draft picks, though that move doesn't look so bad now that they got Kemba Walker.  But the way the NBA is these days, I wouldn't be surprised if they try to buy him out.  Everyone is raving about a backcourt consisting of Cunningham - who'll logically get better this season, but to what extent who knows - and Jaden Ivey, an unproven rookie.  I personally don't believe in putting too much faith in rookies, unless maybe it's a Shaq or something.  But how about a backcourt of Cunningham and Walker instead.  How would that fare against others in the NBA?

The Pistons also beefed up downlow with the addition of Nerlens Noel, and Kelly Olynyk is lingering around.  But overall, this looks like a pretty-thin frontline especially, once again, without Grant.

3.  Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs pulled arguably the dumbest trade of last season when they swapped Ricky Rubio for Caris LeVert and then went into an almost immediate freefall.  Well actually, calling it the dumbest may be a bit harsh.  For instance, now they have both LeVert and (a healthy) Rubio.  And sometimes, even some of the wiser braintrusts fall for that 'players are only assets' BS, casting them aside like broken car parts even though their presence may be integral to the team's overall success.  So, you can't be too mad at the Cavs.

Colin Sexton is also back, so now, if he sticks around, Cleveland has the deepest guard core in the NBA, on top of one of the best frontlines.  I'm almost tempted to call them contenders.  So now, it's like just wait and see if the execs dumbout this season also.

4.  Milwaukee Bucks

One of the reasons it doesn't matter that the Bucks didn't make any blockbuster upgrades during the offseason is because they already have a damn good team.  It's one of those situations where the biggest potential threat appears to be health issues (and the Heat).  And the Celtics, who beat them in the Playoffs, have in fact upgraded.  So unless Bobby Portis transforms into an indisputable all-star or Giannis turns it up another notch or two (if even possible), then who knows, the Bulls may prove better. 

5. Chicago Bulls

Putting the Bulls at the bottom of this list doesn't necessarily mean I think they'll fare better than the Bucks.  But at least they upgraded.  Dragic, as I'm sure I said somewhere in this blog before, is like the most-underrated PG of the last decade.  And I still can't understand all of the Drummond hate outside of the fact that it's become trendy to devalue traditional bigs (and that he boned Jennette McCurdy?).

The punchline of The Last Dance is that Jerry Krause and them were absolutely, positively wrong, as the Bulls were not able to promptly rebuild after the departure of Jordan and them.  Instead, it took like a decade to become contenders again, and even that was shortlived.  But now, they're one of the very few teams in the NBA that has been steadily progressing towards contendership throughout the last couple of years, even with Lonzo Ball out until who knows when.  (And then take a look at this, wow).  And that's why I had to put them at the top of this list for now.  But for whatever reason, I'm still hesitant to call the Bulls contenders, maybe because LaVine's playing style is too erratic for my liking.

CONCLUSION

I'm just as excited about the Pistons as the next man, but the Bulls are my sentimental favorites in this division.  But I still think, when you factor in experience and overall depth, the Bucks may be better.  I'm also looking forward to watching the Cavs play, but who knows how long Sexton may be around, and I was kinda hoping that Rubio would go to Golden State instead.  And as for Indiana, well, every year there has to be some team to grace the bottom of the NBA barrel.

1st Round Predictions - Celtics vs. Nets

I had already missed the opportunity to write this post before Game 1, so my plan was to wait until Game 2 and see if the Nets managed to tie it up, thus basically resetting the series.  But now, NBC is reporting something like maybe Ben Simmons will come back once to play in Brooklyn (that's Simmons for you).  That really hasn't changed my prediction though, like it's still more or less the same of what I was thinking before the series began.

One thing that did change my perception a bit was Game 1.  When I wrote previously that the Nets need Simmons, I was focusing more on him running the offense.  But now, it's clear they need him even more on the other end of the floor.

BROOKLYN NETS

Arguably the most-talented 7 seed ever, arguably.

STARTING 5 MAKEUP

SG-SG-SF-SF-C (Shooting Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, Small Forward, Center)

I didn't list Kyrie as a 2guard because in reality, since looking to pass isn't really his thing, he's more of like a short SG.  Also KD can play power forward, but since he's reluctant to post up he's more like small forward.

BIGGEST STRENGTH

Kyrie or KD, depending on who's hotter on any given night.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

Lack of interior presence.  This problem was supposed to be solved when they got Andre Drummond.  But if dude gets into foul trouble, like he did in Game 1, then Claxton doesn't look completely ready yet (despite putting up impressive numbers).  And like, where's LaMarcus Aldridge?

X-FACTOR

As much as I hate to say it, that would be Ben Simmons, if he actually suits up.

KARMA ASSESSMENT

Everyone laughs when you're a superteam(?) that loses.  It's like they want you to succeed and fail at the same time.  But the Nets are due some good karma after the way the Beard bounced on them.

BOSTON CELTICS

The best team of the last decade not to win a Championship, and that's probably not going to change now, especially with Robert Williams hurt, unless maybe they end up making the Finals against the Warriors.

STARTING 5 MAKEUP

PG-SG-SF-PtC-C (Point Guard, Shooting Guard, Small Forward, PointCenter, C)

I listed Al Horford as a PtC because he's versatile and even if starting at the 4 will likely be spending more time at C with Williams out.

BIGGEST STRENGTH

There are certain eras in the NBA where there's so many MVP candidates floating around that you can't show everybody love.  And right now Jayson Tatum, as foreseen by Danny Ainge himself, is one of the best players in the league.

BIGGEST WEAKNESS

I didn't intend to mention Robert Williams so much, but besides needing him against a team like the Nets, the roster looks terribly thin without him.  In fact the Celtics lacked depth even when he was active.

X-FACTOR

I would have to say Al Horford.  He's been underrated like forever, because he's one of those types of players who doesn't put up big numbers unless he has to.  And now is one of those situations, though it's hard to imagine that would have gotten 15 rebounds(!) if Drummond played more minutes.

KARMA ASSESSMENT

At first I thought Marcus Smart, who kinda surprisingly won DPOY, clipped Steph Curry a couple of months back.  And then when Williams went down, I was like 'yeah, karma'.  But now after seeing that Steph/Smart play from a few more angles, I'm not so sure.

Also besides the Warriors, I believe the Celtics have the longest running three-man core in Smart, Tatum and Brown.  That kinda shit matters, and hopefully no one will get injured.

CONCLUSION

The reason Game 1 was so eye-opening is because it showed just how much the Nets backcourt defense sucks.  No one is expecting Seth Curry to make any spectacular plays on D.  And as for Kyrie, his transition defense is lacking, and his D in the post is downright poor.  So when Drummond is also on the bench, it's like they're really exposed.

But then, Simmons is supposed to be like the best defensive guard in the league.  Also, remember that dude is like 6'7".  So just being totally honest, it's hard to imagine the Celtics having won Game 1 if he were playing.

So my prediction is that if the Celtics win Game 2, even if Simmons does come back in Game 3, as rumored, it'd probably be too late.  But if they can win Game 2 without him they can take the series, but they'll still need him to come back against the Celtics eventually.

Trade Talk: The Beard vs. Simmons, Curry & Drummond

Sixers Get	Nets Get
The Beard	Seth Curry
Paul Milsap	Andre Drummond
	Ben Simmons

Dafuck?!  I definitely feel as if the Brooklyn got the best of this one for a number of reasons.

At the top of the list would be Joel Embiid and James Harden incompatibility.  And what I mean by is that their styles are too similar.  Offensively they're more or less the same player but at different heights.

Logically Harden, who plays point, is going to have the ball in his hands more.  The Beard possesses the skillset to score at will and has kinda grown accustomed to dribbling as much as he wants.  So I wonder how that's going to effect Embiid, who himself is a borderline chuck.  I guess what we're looking at, unless the Beard decides to transition more to a spotup shooter, is even more iso from Philly though this time with a more-talented backup(?) to Embiid.

When I first heard of this trade, I didn't know that Curry was included.  I was thinking that Harden would start at the point and Curry the 2, and Maxey would go to back to the bench.  But now it looks like Harden will start at the 2, and Maxey remains at point, which sounds perfect except even if at the 2 I doubt the Beard would really let him run the point anyway.

Meanwhile Brooklyn got Ben Simmons (yikes), Seth Curry (what?!) and Andre Drummond (oh my gosh).  It's like they got an entire team for the Beard.  That's one of the good things about signing a certified superstar, even if he's transient, like you can get a whole team for him in a good trade.  My biggest gripe with the Nets post-Allen has been lack of interior presence.  Well, problem solved.

Then you have Seth Curry who can take on the role of Joe Harris.  And Ben Simmons, aka the superstar who's afraid to shoot, will be perfect around perennial chucks Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.  And this team should be formidable even when Kyrie isn't playing.

It's a shame that we never got to see the Durant-Irving-Beard teamup in the playoffs.  For a second there they were playing so well that even I was about to call them contenders.  But that iteration of the Nets was a doomed experiment from the jump, since all three of them have health issues even besides the vaccination drama.

CONCLUSION

If KD were healthy, I would say the Nets have a chance to take the East.  If he had this type of backup last season, they would have definitely gotten pass the Bucks.

And as for the Sixers, let's hope that the Beard stays healthy, as sitting here picturing what this roster would look like without him ain't exactly pretty.  But I think Milsap's style of play may fit well with the Sixers and perhaps make him more effective than he's been in years.