BY PAUL JONES
sportsnet.ca
There will be plenty of attention focused on the Cleveland Cavaliers for a number of reasons as he big "whatever-he's-calling-himself-these-days" has landed in Cleveland.
Shaquille O'Neal says the goal is to win a ring for The King, as in LeBron James.
But there are some interesting stories to watch unfold in other spots as Detroit has a new look and Chicago is looking to get back to the playoffs and out of the first round after an epic battle with Boston last spring.
Indiana and Milwaukee, on the other hand, are just trying to push its way into the post season.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
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Another near miss last season as the Cavs fell short of the NBA finals, losing to Orlando in the Conference Finals. But Cleveland has reloaded this season and is taking dead aim at the title.
James carried the team as far as he could last year, but it became evident very early in the series against Orlando that the Magic had a better team.
The Cavaliers did not stop with the acquisition of O'Neal, but made a few other moves to shore up the roster bringing in former Toronto Raptors Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon. If Leon Powe returns healthy, the Cavs can not only count on more help for LeBron but more depth and experience in the front court as well.
Burning Questions:
Will Shaq clog the court cutting of driving lanes to the hoop for James?
To listen to O'Neal he says this is nothing new for him and he's right. Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade and now LeBron James are all explosive perimeter players. At one point last season James was shooting over 60 per cent in the paint and just under 25 per cent outside of it. But the reality is, if James gets into the lane the results are going to be the same either way. It will be a score via the drive, or a drop off to O'Neal for an easy bucket.
The key will be to have shooters ready on the perimeter as both O'Neal and James will have attention focused on them. Mo Williams was good during the regular season but couldn't make shots when the money was on the line in the conference finals. Enter Anthony Parker who made a living on draw and kick jumpers in Toronto and will be insurance on the perimeter if the Delonte West situation continues to be an issue.
How do you integrate O'Neal into the offence?
It has often been said that sometimes less is more, and this might be the case in Cleveland. Head Coach Mike Brown has actually culled his playbook but is making sure that players understand the second, third and fourth options in any given sequence. It will serve the Cavs better come playoff time when defences lock in and offences fall apart as early options are taken away.
Brown's basketball pedigree is in line with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, where he served as an assistant before taking over in Cleveland. So in the off season Brown and assistant coach Hank Egan, who was is also a former assistant with the Spurs, looked at what was run and what worked when the Spurs had David Robinson and Tim Duncan together in San Antonio. Not just O'Neal, but there is still a matter of the other big men on the roster in Anderson Varejao and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. O'Neal is a willing passer and taking advantage of that fact with the attention he is used to commanding will be a key for the Cavs half court game.
What happens in to LeBron in 2010?
If the goal of any player is to win a title, then The King should not relocate his palace to another city. It will be tougher to win some place else after next year. If James stays put, with O'Neal and Ilgauskas coming off the books they will have some money to spend and there might be a big name player or two that would relish the chance to play with James
LeBron wants to be a global icon, heck, he already is and he is doing it with a home base not in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Paris, London, or any where else. He is in flippin' Cleveland. So you tell me, is a move really necessary? Regardless, Cavs fans will be on pins and needles at the word of any report about next season while the rest of the basketball world awaits next summer to see how it plays out.
How will the Cavs do?
O'Neal came to camp in shape and ready to play which is a good thing for Cleveland. Learning to play with new teammates has to be done quickly since the difference between the projected top three seeds in the east (Cleveland, Orlando, and Boston) is very close. The Cavs couldn't get past Orlando and it will be tougher this year if they have to battle both the Magic and the Celtics before getting to The NBA Finals. Coming together quickly will be the key. They win this division easy but finish second or third overall in the East.
DETROIT PISTONS
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General Manager Joe Dumars took a calculated risk last year when he traded Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson. Dumars knew that if it worked, the Pistons would have a shot at a title, and if it didn't then at least he would have money to spend in free agency. He had to settle for the consolation prize behind door number two and spent his money on Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon.
Following the firing of Michael Curry, the Pistons have a new head coach in John Kuester who was hired off Mike Brown's bench in Cleveland and was responsible for some of Cleveland's offence. The cynic in me says I could coach the offence by saying, "Give the ball to LeBron and get out of his way." Kuester will get a chance to show if he can coach with his squad in Detroit.
Burning Questions:
Who puts the "D" in Detroit?
In spite of all that went wrong last season with the offensive chemistry blowing up in everyone's face, the Pistons still played relatively good defence. Detroit finished amongst the top 10 in both opponent scoring and opponent field-goal percentage. But where will it come from this year? Personnel has changed and while the team is suited to be a better offence team than last year they have to find a way to guard opponents at the other end.
Big Ben is back in Motown as Ben Wallace has been brought back into the fold. The problem is he isn't the same fierce presence that has a closet full of defensive player of the year awards. Jason Maxiell will be a tough inside defender but the perimeter players must do their part. Tayshaun Prince is always solid while Gordon and Richard Hamilton defend the best athletes every night at the two guard spot. The title and conference final squads of years past had a tough defensive mindset, with a coach that has an offensive slant and wants to play up tempo, this team needs to develop that same attitude.
Can Joe Dumars continue to try to rebuild on the fly?
When a team wins a title or climbs the mountain reaching the finals or conference finals and then starts to rebuild, unless you are one of the elite it's usually a precipitous drop before climbing back to respectability. After six appearances in the conference finals and churning out 50 win seasons with regularity, the Pistons only managed 39 W's and fell last year to the 8th spot but still managed a post season appearance.
This is a younger squad but with a young veteran presence. Rodney Stuckey will run the point and Hamilton's leadership will be a key factor in the teams success. But what happens if things don't come together. Does Joe shuffle the deck again midseason?
Can Stuckey become a distributor?
Like a football team, the most popular guy is always the back up quarterback; particularly when the team is faltering. Not that the Pistons were struggling under Billups, but now that he is gone and the Iverson/Hamilton combo didn't work last year, Stuckey will have to become a young Billups.
He is a scoring guard, like his predecessor but it is the other stats that are important to a point guard that will tell you about his development. Watch closely his assist total, his turnover average and the assist to turnover ration. Some of those numbers will tell you about how he is getting his teammates involved in the offence. Yes, he will be counted on to score but he will also need to develop a feel for the game to involve those that need the ball in the offence at the right time.
How will the Pistons do?
The veterans, if they are not shipped out of town will help the team through the growing pains now that the team has become younger. It says here that if Detroit does not pay attention to the defensive end of the floor and just tries to simply win with offence, it is going to backfire. Detroit finishes third in the division and is in a dogfight for one of the last playoff spots. The playoff run may be over in Motown without the blue collar attitude on defence.
CHICAGO BULLS
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The Bulls had a great run last season that culminated in one of the best first round series ever in NBA history.
After a slow start under rookie head coach Vinnie Del Negro, a midseason deal that brought in Brad Miller and John Salmons helped them get to the playoffs.
Salmons gave them perimeter scoring and Miller was an asset as a good passing big man who could make mid range shots, pulling the opposing big man away from the basket and open driving lanes. Those lanes were often used by Rookie of the Year, Derrick Rose. Luol Deng returns this year and he will be needed as Ben Gordon has taken his "Vinnie Johnson Microwave Act" to Detroit.
Burning Questions:
Can the Bulls recognize and fulfill its potential?
It is the one thing that every player and every team is striving for, consistency. If Chicago can find it this season, they will be a tough. The challenge for the Bulls is having the young players who in key positions step forward. Chicago fans saw a glimpse of what things could be like if the team is consistent. Exhibit A, last season's first round battle with the Celtics. Rose was terrific and even the fleet footed Rajon Rondo had difficulty guarding him. Rose will have a capable back this season as Jannero Pargo will spell him at the point. Pargo is quick and will be able to create with his ability to break down defences with his dribble penetration.
Joakim Noah and his side kick Tyrus Thomas showed that they could be a formidable duo on the front line with rebounding and shot blocking as they display terrific athleticism for players of their respective size.
Will Luol Deng stay healthy and what will he contribute?
The Bulls will be glad to see Deng back in the line up. He is a long athletic wing player that fits perfectly into Chicago's perimeter oriented attack. Deng played in only 49 games last season and he will be needed to replace some of the scoring lost with the departure of Ben Gordon. Deng was part of the group a few seasons ago referred to as the "Baby Bulls" and in a sense, it hasn't changed as Chicago is still depending heavily on some young players but Deng now is a young veteran. Scoring, rebounding and defence are just as important as some of the leadership he is expected to impart.
Where does the inside scoring come from?
Chicago has been lacking a solid inside presence for quite some time but Noah and Thomas are improving. Noah does not have a polished inside game but can be aggressive on the glass finishing as one of the top 15 offensive rebounders in 2008-09. It's all about focus for Thomas as he has all the tools. Learning how to be a pro and play well consistently is something that he must continue to do. Brad Miller's strength is in the high post area but unfortunately for Chicago Aaron Gray was injured early in training camp and will miss the start of the season. The two youngsters Taj Gibson and James Johnson have shown their potential. With all of that, there is still no consistent player that they can throw the ball to on the block for a score.
How will the Bulls do?
It's all about the Bulls coming of age. If the potential is fulfilled they will finish second in the division and have a chance to win a playoff series if they get the right match up. If not this team will resemble the group that was searching for answers before the trade that had the owner ready to write the season off last January. The Bulls are a playoff team finishing in the lower tier of the eastern conference playoff race.
INDIANA PACERS
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It was a near miss for the Pacers last season as a 36-46 record had them miss the playoffs in the ninth spot.
Indiana was a high-scoring outfit and the combination of exciting play and hard work has led fans to reconsider. The rabid Pacer fans had being staying away from Conseco Field House not just because of the team's poor play but constantly being in the news for off court transgressions. Fans are slowly trickling back and everybody loves a winner, so if Jim O'Brien's crew can put up wins and stay off the police blotter things will be good again in Indiana.
Burning Questions:
When does Mike Dunleavy return to the line up?
Nobody knows when Mike Dunleavy will return from the surgery on his right knee. The prevailing thought is some time around the turn of the calendar, but even then it will take some time to work off the rust. Hopefully for the Pacers, some of the team's new additions will have them in a good spot in the standings. Without Dunleavy, Danny Granger will be asked to have another all-star type season and will get ample opportunity to have his hands on the ball in Indiana's up tempo system with T.J. Ford handling the ball on the break.
Can the Pacers improve its defence?
Like many teams looking to work its way up the standings and into the playoffs, the Pacers need to focus on the defensive end. Indiana was one of the highest scoring teams in 2008-09 rolling the scoreboard over on a regular basis posting 105 points per game which was good for fifth overall in the NBA. Ah, but the problem was on the other end where the Pacers yielded 106.2 finishing 26th in points allowed while opponents were allowed to shoot close to 46 per cent.
The attempts to shore up the defence will not be at the expense of the system. You will not hear the words "slow down and set it up" used often in Indiana. O'Brien hopes that the off season acquisition of defensive minded players such as Solomon Jones, Earl Watson and two rookie draft picks Tyler Hansbrough and A.J. Price will help address some of the defensive issues.
The addition of Dahntay Jones should also help on the perimeter as the Pacers lost Marquis Daniels.
Will players stick to assigned roles?
There is a tendency in an up tempo system that players sometimes forget what their respective jobs are within the overall scheme. Yes you have to live with a few bad shots here and there but it should not be something that is happening regularly. After all, that is the trap that the opponent is supposed to fall into when playing your tempo.
Jeff Foster has made his mark in the NBA by rebounding and second year player Roy Hibbert will be counted on in the middle for his defence. Troy Murphy is another solid rebounder with the ability to step out and make jump shots to stretch the defence.
How will the Pacers do?
Indiana desperately want to make the playoffs this season but they have a smaller margin for error without Dunleavy. Their season will be aided by having a better road record as only the Wizards had fewer road wins in the east. Call them fourth in the division as they will once again be on the sideline when the post season starts.
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
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The Milwaukee Bucks' season was ravaged by injuries in 2008-09. Two of the Bucks top players spent a good portion of the season in civilian clothing as Andrew Bogut played in only 36 games and Michael Redd was in the line up for only 33 games. In spite of missing his two star players and a devastating early season schedule that saw the Bucks play more back to backs in November and December than some squads played all season, head coach Scott Skiles managed to squeeze 34 wins out of his team.
Change was in the air in the off season as Milwaukee declined to match an offer sheet for Ramon Sessions and Richard Jefferson was traded to San Antonio. Two of the pieces that were sent back, Fabricio Oberto and Bruce Bowen were disposed of quickly while the lone survivor was Kurt Thomas. A veteran presence with a defensive and rebounding mind set, Thomas, is a Skiles type player. The question is will Thomas be around after the trade deadline if the Bucks are out of contention. He could bring in more assets if he is shipped to a contender.
Burning Questions:
How long will it take the team to adapt to Skiles style of play?
The challenge for Milwaukee is that while the roster does have some talent, it is made up of role players that are not familiar with carrying the spotlight regularly. That means that Skiles will, as he always does, put a premium on defence and at the offensive end, good ball movement. If he is able to get his point across, and he usually does at some juncture, regardless of where he has coached, the team becomes a cohesive unit and starts to surprise opponents.
The problem in Milwaukee is there are a number of key pieces that are young and inexperienced. They Bucks are counting on the development of first round draft pick Brandon Jennings and it is not uncommon to see rookies take some time to feel comfortable with the NBA game. Another player to watch is Joe Alexander. The youngster struggled in his rookie season as he couldn't get on the floor and didn't produce when he did. Milwaukee will need to see better play from him.
What kind of play will the Bucks get at the point?
Sessions is gone and he did a good job for the Bucks last season. Luke Ridnour is back but he is not the kind of guard that produces well in a half court game consistently. His stature is problematic defensively but, if you mix in a bit of running and let him play up tempo he can be more effective.
Roko Ukic was obtained in a trade from Toronto and he showed flashes last season but lacked consistency. The young Croatian does have potential but the Raptors did not have the patience to wait for him to realize it and it may take some time for his skill to show in Milwaukee as well.
The majority of the minutes and the answer that Milwaukee is looking at the point for its future is Jennings. Since he could not come straight from high school too the NBA he played last season in Europe and it proved to be an eye opener for the youngster. It exposed him to what it was like to be playing with people that have the same ability level and added experience. Bottom line is Jennings developmental timetable will be directly related to the team's progress.
How quickly can the Bucks develop good chemistry?
With Scott Skiles teams, its not a matter of if but when they develop good chemistry. He is a demanding coach and holds players accountable particularly at the defensive end. There are some veteran stalwarts returning to the line up like Charlie Bell and Carlos Delfino returns from Europe. Dan Gadzurich is an active big man and Francisco Elson is long and can defend quick power forwards on the perimeter. Luc Richard Mbah A Moute surprised observers last year early in the season with his solid play. With Bogut and Redd back, it's up to Skiles and the team to try and put it together to be competitive.
How will the Bucks do?
Although the Bucks improved its win total in 2008-09, the team will be at or near the bottom of the division. At present, the talent level is not one that says playoffs, but don't underestimate how hard Skiles will coerce his team to play within the system.
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Poll
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Which team will win the Central Division?
