6 Teams that will make some noise next season
With the NBA 6 days away we will look at the 6 teams that will make a significant impact in the 2016/17 season:
Boston Celtics: With the addition of big agent signing Al Horford and first round pick Jaylen Brown have added some much needed firepower. The perimeter dynamos of Isaiah Thomas, Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder will continue attack, play D and makes 3’s. Brad Stevens is a very creative coach and he will look to build on their first round playoff loss last season. With the East looking average except for Cleveland there will be an opportunity to move up to the second seed.
Utah Jazz: Now we know that Gordon Hayward has a hand injury that will likely keep him out for 6-8 weeks but there have some depth to keep them afloat while he is out. With return of Dante Exum and Alec Burk and the perimeter additions of Joe Johnson and George Hill they can improve upon last season’s record with added offensive weapons. Rudy Gobert will be manning the paint again this season where he is one of the most effective big men at defending the paint.
Minnesota Timberwolves: The young pups are ready to take the next step. Well that’s what I think anyway. The King Karls-Town in the middle and the majestic Andrew Wiggins and Zach Lavine on the wings this new big 3 (wishful thinking!) can really make things interesting. They will need to prove they can improve in two areas: 3pt shooting and team defence. The Ricky Rubio and Kris Dunn point guard situation may be something to look at as they may move Rubio at some point to make way for the new PG.
Pacers: With trading away George Hill and adding Jeff Teague and Thaddeus Young they have made a move towards a more all offensive outfit. The all star Paul George may look to even further his standing as one of the best players in the NBA. With Al Jefferson coming off the bench they also have a post presence against second units. Look at for the development of Myles Turner to make another jump and as a potential corner with his mix of shot blocking and jump shooting. The Pacer will likely average 100+ points per game but their defence will likely take a hit.
New York Knicks: This may be a surprise for some but I really believe in the Knicks and what they can do. I know this has a lot to do with the wealth and freedom of Derrick Rose. If the Derrick Rose can play at 60-70% of his MVP then watch out it could get really scary for the rest of the league. But that’s a big if though. With Joakim Noah also coming off an shoulder injury having your point guard and center possible missing time is a red flag. BUT they have a great starting five the includes Carmelo Anthony and Kristap Porzingis look for them to be a very difficult to defend. Jeff Hornacek will look to implement a more fast paced offensive system that will include components of the famed Triange. Despite about what’s been said I believe the Knicks have a good bench with Brandon Jennings, Kyle O’Quinn, Sasha Vujacic and 27 year old rookie Mindaugas Kuzminskas can really surprise people this season.
Houston Rockets: This may come to a surprise with the defection of Dwight Howard to the Atlanta Hawks one thing is for sure the Rockets will be very hard to stop. Mike D’Antoni idea to shift to the point guard look for the James Harden to average more than 9 assist a game. Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon will bring even more explosiveness to their offence. Trevor Ariza and Patrick Beverley will continue to bring some tenacity and toughness to the team. Nene and Clint Capel with try to equal what Howard contributed last season. If they can keep teams honest they will move up to this season. If that happens then look to Harden to be a strong MVP candidate.
Phoenix Suns: Now! This is a bit of a reach but you never know. Let’s start with the surprise play of the rookie Devin Booker last season. He was able to bring an unique mix of shooting, ball handling and defence that gave the franchise loads of hope for the future. Devin is averaging 20 PPG in the preseason so look for him to continue that trend in the new season. Eric Bledsoe will look to bounce with a healthy season and help push the pace. Dragan Bender and Marquese Chriss have looked good so far but they are rookies so you never know what to expect. Alex Len will look to establish himself as one of they better skill two way big in the NBA. Jared Dudley will bring veteran leadership and 3 pt shooting.
So it will be interesting upcoming season with the Cavaliers and Warriors very likely to return to the NBA finals to face off for the third straight time but it’s a long season as they say a lot of things can change between now and June.
By
Ade
Contributor
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