NBA Preview for each team(Post who you want)

[SkoobyDoo]

I have espn insider and they have done a preview of every team heading into training camp.

I'm not about to post every single team, so just post what team you'd like to see and i'll put it on here.

[Dr. Gonzo]

The Lakers baby!!!

[SkoobyDoo]

Lakers overview: Kobe, Kwame, point guard hold keys
By John Hollinger

Los Angeles Lakers Training Camp
Site: University of Hawaii
Location: Hawaii
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 34-38, 11th in West


Will Phil and Kobe get along? History says maybe.
1. Can Phil and Kobe bury the hatchet ... and not in each other's backs?

The Laker dynasty ended in a cataclysmic explosion nearly two years ago, as Phil Jackson departed with the suspected help of a shove from Kobe Bryant. Having suffered through a miserable 2004-05 season, the Lakers lured Jackson back -- but not before Jackson skewered Bryant in his best-selling book.

While both claim that there won't be any problems, it's hard to believe that these two gargantuan egos can peacefully share the same locker room after what happened in the summer of 2004. Unfortunately for Bryant, Jackson now has the upper hand. With a rich three-year deal in place and his legendary status intact, Jackson will be around for a while.

Bryant, therefore, will have to mend fences with Jackson -- or face the once unthinkable prospect of the Lakers trading him and moving on.

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2. What will they do for a point guard?

Phil Jackson has always been a fan of big guards, but he may be taking things to an extreme this year.

The Lakers don't appear to have a single credible NBA point guard on the roster, and instead will parcel out the ballhandling responsibilities between Bryant and a number of bigger teammates.

The de facto "point guard" appears to be veteran retread Aaron McKie, whom the Lakers pursued as a free agent despite his horrendous season in Philadelphia last season. McKie is a decent ballhandler and defender, but he was the league's least productive perimeter player in terms of scoring last season.

McKie appears to have the job by default, because coming up with other contenders requires a liberal scraping of the barrel. Sasha Vujacic failed to impress as a rookie last season, shooting just 28 percent. However, the slender 6-7 Slovenian does own enough ballhandling skill to run the point and could be McKie's primary backup.

Laron Profit, acquired as a throw-in to the Kwame Brown trade, is another limited scorer who could be forced into action. Vagabonds like Tony Bobbitt and Smush Parker, each 6-4, also could challenge for minutes in what has to be the league's weakest backcourt rotation.

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3. Can Kwame Brown deliver on his promise?

The Lakers took a big gamble in the offseason by trading starting small forward Caron Butler to Washington in a sign-and-trade deal for perennial disappointment Kwame Brown.

The first overall pick in the 2000 draft, Brown has been a colossal disappointment. While he periodically has shown flashes of talent, his career largely has been characterized by lethargy and indifference. He cemented his reputation by missing a practice last spring with a fake illness, earning a suspension from the Wizards.

Brown is 6-11 and athletic, and he has some post moves, so his poor results are a bit of a mystery. It will be up to Jackson to rehabilitate Brown, and it's a new challenge for him. Developing young players has never been his forte as a pro coach, in part because his teams in Chicago and L.A. came pre-built.

However, L.A. gave up a solid starter in order to acquire Brown, so if he can't be a 15-point, nine-rebound type of player, then the deal might be GM Mitch Kupchak's last.

In fact, much of Jackson's success will be predicated on his ability to develop big men. In addition to Brown, Jackson has to teach the pro game to first-round pick Andrew Bynum, who came to the NBA straight from high school.

OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Chucky Atkins, Tierre Brown, Caron Butler, Brian Grant
Players re-signed: Luke Walton
Players added: Kwame Brown, Andrew Bynum, Will Conroy, Aaron McKie, Smush Parker, Laron Profit, Ronny Turiaf, Von Wafer

[corn]

yo post somthin on the sixers!!!

[SkoobyDoo]

76ers overview: Bench needs to show Mo
By John Hollinger

Philadelphia 76ers Training Camp
Site: Duke University
Location: Durham, NC
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 43-39, 7th in East


1. What can they expect from Chris Webber?

Hopefully a full season with the Sixers will help Chris Webber.
The Sixers expected to cruise to a division championship after acquiring Webber from the Kings at the trade deadline, but instead they barely limped into the playoffs. No longer supported by a Sacramento system that played to his strengths while concealing his growing weaknesses, Webber was exposed after the trade as a defensive liability and an increasingly limited offensive performer.

Additionally, he was a terrible fit with coach Jim O'Brien's approach. Webber couldn't trap and rotate to perimeter shooters like O'Brien wanted defensively, and he was lost with Allen Iverson dominating the ball offensively.

With an offseason for the Sixers to work on their game plan and Webber to work on his knee, Philly hopes to see more of the C-Webb of old. Webber is still among the best passing big men in basketball and can pick teams apart from the high post with his court vision. Additionally, his defensive shortcomings won't be laid bare on a nightly basis now that O'Brien has been shown the door in favor of Maurice Cheeks. This just means the pressure is squarely on Webber to prove that he still has some gas left in the tank at age 32.

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2. Can Mo Cheeks make a difference?

Like O'Brien, Cheeks has deep roots in Philly and was a popular choice when the Sixers brought him aboard. But he has his work cut out for him to get Philadelphia back to the postseason.

He has a reputation as a players' coach who doesn't raise his voice much, which will probably work better with Philly's basketball veterans than it did with Portland's criminal justice system veterans. Additionally, he earned the trust of players like Iverson when he was an assistant in Philly, so he'll already have credibility in the locker room.

But if Cheeks is going to succeed, he'll have to develop the younger players, and that's an area where he failed to thrive in Portland. In Portland, Cheeks was much more comfortable with veterans like Damon Stoudamire, Rasheed Wallace and Ruben Patterson, while he struggled to bridle players such as Darius Miles and Zach Randolph.

In Philly, Andre Iguodala, Kyle Korver and Samuel Dalembert aren't the troublemakers that Miles and Randolph were, but Cheeks must get all three to elevate their games in coming seasons. With Iverson and Webber getting up in years and the bench a desolate wasteland, improvement from that trio is Philly's only chance for long-term success.

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3. Is this the worst bench in basketball?

Let's put it this way: Last week's signing of Lee Nailon was a huge upgrade. Yes, it's become that bad.

With the cap-clogging contracts of Webber and Iverson and ownership's insistence on avoiding the luxury tax, it's virtually impossible for Philly to build a decent bench. Free-agent center Steven Hunter was the lone quality addition, but even he could only be acquired by giving away productive big man Marc Jackson to division rival New Jersey.

After Hunter, Nailon is the next best player off the pine. The rest of the roster is awash in CBA lifers and 12th-man types like Kevin Ollie, Michael Bradley, John Salmons and Matt Barnes.

Now for the punch line: Webber and Iverson have missed an average of 26 and 15 games per season, respectively, over the past five years. That means that somebody from among this motley crew will see extended duty in the starting lineup this season.

OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Marc Jackson, Aaron McKie
Players re-signed: Samuel Dalembert, Kyle Korver
Players added: Deng Gai, Steven Hunter, Lee Nailon, Shavlik Randolph, Louis Williams

[bayarearep]

warriors

[SkoobyDoo]

warriors

Baron Davis and Jason Richardson was lighting it up late last year. I think they'll make the playoffs this year. Here's the article:

Warriors overview: Plenty to prove for Davis, Dunleavy
By John Hollinger

Golden State Warriors Training Camp
Site: George Q. Cannon Activites Center
Location: Kahuku, Oahu, HI
Start date: Oct. 3
2004-05 Record: 34-48, 12th in West

1. Will the frontcourt fail the Warriors?

If there's a weakness in the Warriors' deep rotation, it's on the front line. Four players will see the bulk of the minutes, but each has his shortcomings.

Baron Davis will need some Warriors down low.
The best of the group is power forward Troy Murphy, a sweet-shooting lefty who also has a nose for rebounds. Murphy, however, is a major defensive liability because he doesn't move well and isn't a shot-blocker.

That puts added importance on the man next to him, Adonal Foyle. Foyle is Murphy's opposite -- a fantastic defensive player who has trouble making shots from beyond three inches. Both are barely adequate as starters for a team hoping to end a decade-long playoff drought.

That puts pressure on the Warriors' frontcourt of the future, Ike Diogu and Andris Biedrins. Taken with Golden State's past two first-round draft choices, both players hold tantalizing promise.

Diogu has drawn comparisons to Elton Brand for his ability to play around the basket despite being a bit short for the position (6-foot-8). Diogu will be thrown into the fire immediately.

Biedrins, meanwhile, is a 19-year-old Latvian man-child who shot 57.7 percent in limited minutes a year ago. The hope is that he can take over the center spot at some point this season and push Foyle into a more suitable reserve role.

How quickly these two come along will be a major determinant of the Warriors' success.

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2. What do they do with Dunleavy?

Golden State invested a high draft choice in Mike Dunleavy three years ago and has to be commended for committing to his development. But after three years, it's time to wonder whether they might be better off going in a different direction.

His output remains mediocre for a starting NBA small forward, and his defense has always been suspect. Additionally, Dunleavy's shooting as a pro has been less than advertised, so he hasn't stretched defenses as was hoped.

His unimpressive results have made this an important preseason for Dunleavy. The Warriors need to decide whether to offer him a contract extension prior to the start of the season or risk seeing him head into restricted free agency.

They might be willing to let him go since Dunleavy is blocking promising prospect Mickael Pietrus from getting minutes. While Pietrus lacks Dunleavy's feel for the game, he is both a better outside shooter and light years ahead on the defensive end.

As a result, Dunleavy will need to show he's worthy of a long-term commitment, or he could find himself losing his starting job and being dangled as trade bait.

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3. Which Baron Davis are they getting?

Baron Davis electrified the Bay Area basketball scene once he arrived in a trade from New Orleans, helping the Warriors to a winning record down the stretch that boosted hopes for a playoff run this season.

He is perhaps the most athletic point guard in basketball, with the leaping ability to dunk over centers and enough jets to easily break down opponents off the dribble. He's also a tough defender, a gamer who plays hurt, and a big guard who can brutalize smaller players in the post.

Here's the bad news: Two major weaknesses offset those strengths -- injuries and shot selection.

Before Davis became a terror with the Warriors, he'd missed half the season with the Hornets due to an ongoing string of knee and back problems. Those don't figure to improve as he gets older.

Additionally, Davis has often hamstrung his teams offensively because of his love affair with the 3-pointer. He's only a 32.9 percent career marksman, but that didn't stop him from launching nearly eight a game last season.

Warriors coach Mike Montgomery can't do anything about the injuries, but he'll need to convince Davis to ditch the long ball. Otherwise, Davis' bombs will undermine what otherwise could be a potent offensive attack.

OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Nikoloz Tskitishvili
Players re-signed: None
Players added: Ike Diogu, Monta Ellis, Aaron Miles, Chris Taft

[krazzylaoboi]

Portland Trail Blazerz

[BlueCadillaC167]

Whas Craccin with the New York Kniccs?

[SkoobyDoo]

Blazers overview: Telfair's time to shine -- and find a J
By John Hollinger

Portland Trail Blazers Training Camp
Site: Linfield College
Location: McMinnville, OR
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 27-55, 13th in West


1. How do they find minutes for all their wing players?

Portland is teeming with young talent at shooting guard and small forward, but it might be too much of a good thing.

Nate McMillan has a lot of young talent to work with.
Three first-round draft picks from the past two years -- Martell Webster, Viktor Khryapa and Sergei Monia -- play on the wings, but the Blazers already were overloaded. Travis Outlaw, just 20 years old, looks to be a breakout player this season, while incumbent small forward Darius Miles is still only 24. Meanwhile, productive reserves like Ruben Patterson and free-agent additions Juan Dixon and Charles Smith also will expect to get minutes.

Thus, one of new coach Nate McMillan's first challenges is shaking out this playing time situation. The most obvious solution is a trade. Miles didn't endear himself with his tirade against then-coach Maurice Cheeks last season, while Patterson is a free agent after the season and doesn't figure into the team's rebuilding plans.

Until a deal is made, McMillan is likely to focus on getting minutes for the three most promising members of the group: Miles, Webster and Outlaw. Then he can get Patterson and Khryapa minutes behind Zach Randolph at power forward, give Dixon time at the point behind Sebastian Telfair, and spot Monia 5-10 minutes at small forward behind his "big three."

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2. Is Sebastian Telfair a legit starter?

Portland let veteran guards Damon Stoudamire and Nick Van Exel leave in the offseason, placing a huge bet on the development of Telfair in his sophomore NBA season.

As a rookie, Telfair showed immense promise. He has a lightning-quick first step, sees the floor extremely well, and can pressure the basketball defensively. Unfortunately, his near-total lack of a jump shot made him relatively easy to defend. Plus, because defenders were sagging off him so far, he frequently turned the ball over driving into crowds in the lane.

The Blazers will need his shot to get more consistent in Year 2. That would not only set up his splendid off-the-dribble game and cut his appalling turnover numbers, but also discourage opponents from leaving Telfair to double-team Randolph in the post.

If Telfair struggles, the Blazers don't have much of a Plan B. Dixon can play the point in stretches but it's not his natural position, and first-round draft pick Jarrett Jack is limited offensively.

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3. Is the Jail Blazer era finally over?

When general manager John Nash took over three years ago, his mandate was to cleanse the locker room, ditch the bad contracts and rebuild around a young nucleus.

Two out of three ain't bad.

Although Nash is stuck with a few terrible contracts -- including some of his own doing (Theo Ratliff and arguably Randolph and Miles) -- the Blazers have an exciting young group to rebuild around and should be a force within a couple of seasons.

However, Blazer Mania is unlikely to take hold until the players can stay off the police blotter and out of trouble. Last season was an improvement in that respect, although there were a few setbacks -- most notably Qyntel Woods' pit bull enterprise and Miles' tirade against Cheeks.

Still, of the Jail Blazer generation, only Miles, Randolph and Patterson remain. And they make for tepid Jail Blazers compared to the Isaiah Riders and Bonzi Wellses of the past. Patterson largely seems to have reformed his ways and is gone after this season anyway, while Randolph has been incident-free for nearly two years.

Thus, while the locker room can't quite be declared cancer-free, the patient is improving rapidly.

OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Derek Anderson, Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Damon Stoudamire, Nick Van Exel, Richie Frahm
Players re-signed: None
Players added: Steve Blake, Juan Dixon, Jarrett Jack, Charles Smith, Martell Webster


Knicks overview: Marbury on the move?
By John Hollinger

New York Knicks Training Camp
Site: College of Charleston
Location: Charleston, SC
Start date: October 3
2004-05 Record: 33-49, T-11th in East


1. What can Brown do?

If this is Larry Brown's dream job, I'd hate to see what his nightmare job is like.

Oh yeah. Here's a match made in heaven.
Thanks to years of mismanagement by Scott Layden and Isiah Thomas, New York has become a dumping ground for the overpaid and overrated. Moreover, the Knicks' one truly talented player, Stephon Marbury, clashed with Brown while the two were leading the U.S. to bronze medal glory at the 2004 Olympics. Beyond "Starbury" lie players with $100 million worth of bad contracts, seemingly all of whom play power forward.

Nonetheless, there is some latitude for Brown to work his magic. Historically, Brown's teams have improved at the defensive end much more than at the offensive end during his tenure. That would be a welcome development at the Garden, since the Knicks' defenders barely seemed to care on many nights. Players like Jamal Crawford and Tim Thomas may provide more resistance now that they know their previously lackluster efforts won't be tolerated.

The question is, how much can the Knicks really improve even with such a renowned coach on the sideline? Even Brown's Clippers teams had more talent than this one, and that's assuming that first-round draft picks Nate Robinson and Channing Frye can make an immediate contribution. It will take a heroic effort just to keep this team out of the lottery.

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2. Can't anyone here play center?

The Knicks have been desperately searching for a warm body to man the middle ever since they traded Patrick Ewing, and this year should be no exception. Thomas tried in vain to fill the void by using his first-round draft pick and all his free-agent money on centers, yet he still may come up short.

With the draft pick, he selected Arizona big man Frye, who certainly has skills -- he can shoot the ball, finish around the rim and block shots. But the question is whether he's physical enough to play center in the pros. He was overmatched in the Knicks' summer league games, which resulted in a torrent of fouls.

While it's questionable that Frye could be the solution, it's all but certain that Jerome James won't be. Thomas inexplicably awarded James a five-year, $30 million deal over the summer after a season in which James had nearly as many fouls as points, and despite standing at 7-foot-2, had one of the worst rebound rates at his position. Further, James' constant loafing and poor conditioning should make him a permanent fixture in Brown's doghouse.

That left Thomas to make the desperate and risky move of grossly overpaying Chicago's Eddy Curry to be the team's new center. While Curry is undoubtedly talented, his heart problems are enough of a risk that insurers run screaming in the other direction, and his sloppy conditioning and work habits should make him and James fast friends. Or fast-food friends, anyway. For all the millions New York is paying its big men, the Knicks better hope that at least one can fill the position competently.

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3. Where will Marbury play?

The stars do not appear to be aligning for Steph. He and Brown are not on the same page regarding a point guard's responsibilities, because Brown has always preferred his point guards to be passers rather than scorers. Rumors of Brown being interested in pursuing Eric Snow (apparently Mark Jackson and Haywoode Workman were unavailable) can't be music to Marbury's ears either.

The most-discussed solution for Brown is to move Marbury to the off-guard spot, much as Brown did with Allen Iverson in Philadelphia. The benefits are clear enough: Marbury wouldn't drive Brown crazy by dominating the ball, and Marbury is so strong that he could probably handle the position defensively.

But there are clear drawbacks as well. For starters, Marbury isn't accustomed to playing off the ball and isn't a great catch-and-shoot guy. But the biggest problem is finding somebody else to play the point. Robinson is a shoot-first type and becoming a full-time starter as a rookie may be biting off more than he can chew. A trade is a more likely possibility, but New York's ownership seems to be growing weary of all the bad contracts they've taken on. Thus, Steph and Larry may have to learn to live with each other.

OFFSEASON PLAYER MOVEMENT
Players lost: Jermaine Jackson, Michael Sweetney, Bruno Sundov, Kurt Thomas, Tim Thomas, Jerome Williams
Players re-signed: None
Players added: Eddy Curry, Antonio Davis, Channing Frye, Jerome James, David Lee, Quentin Richardson, Nate Robinson