This Weeks Intriguing Matchups
One game does not a season make just as the Miami Heat proved last week after losing their opener in Boston.
They could not have played a tougher team to start the season especially when you consider D Wade had missed basically all of the preseason. Still, they were not disgraced, won the very next night and then put a strangle hold on the Orlando Heat in first home opportunity.
The Heat will still be without sharpshooter Mike Miller, who may not been seen until January, but things should get much easier for the South Beach Boys.
They open up with a very poor road team last year in the Minnesota Timberwolves and then a couple of days later entertain the New Jersey Nets at home with Jersey in a back-to-back flying in from Orlando.
It will be a work in progress for the Heat but the cornerstone pieces are there and once they get some reps together, the victories should come in bunches.
It figures to be a very taxing week for the Knicks. Friday night they host the young Wizards for D. C. but could be feeling the effects of facing the Chicago Bulls 24 hours earlier.
Toronto also could be feeling jet lag this week because in a 4-day span they will be totally tested playing in Utah, against the Lakers in LaLa land and then catching the resilient Blazers in a back to back.
Before very long, the schedule will start to tell all of us who are the pretenders and who are the contenders this year so let’s get a dose of predictions.
Starting with the Atlantic in the Eastern Divisions, it’s Boston’s to lose. Rajon Rondo has been nothing short of sensational so far and although he is jump shot challenged, if he just continues to distribute the ball, the Celts will roll.
The Knicks and Nets should fight it out to complete the exacta in the division.
The Central is anybody’s to capture but the lean is toward Chicago, with Milwaukee holding off Indiana.
Two of the strongest teams in the league are in the Southeast and it should be a dogfight between the Heat and the Magic. Atlanta will win its share but they were really exposed in the playoffs last year.
They don’t call it the Wild Wild West for nothing and the cream will rise to the top eventually.
here are no patsies in the Southwest Division but the old-school San Antonio Spurs should come out on top. It could be the same old story with Dallas as they’ll win a ton of games but in all likelihood fizzle when it comes to the spring.
In Houston it’s all about the health of Yao Ming while the other lean is toward the New Orleans Hornets over Memphis because of the better point guard in Chris Paul.
Oklahoma City will take another giant step toward a title with the best record in the Northwest division with the Nuggets the most likely to fall in rankings just because of the uncertainty of the status of Carmelo Anthony.
Utah will miss Carlos Boozer so Portland will be the third team in that division with Minnesota sputtering.
The Pacific is the home of the 2-time NBA champion Lakers as Coach Jackson shoots for his 4th title threepeat.
If they get and stay healthy they should get their chance to face Boston or Miami for the crown. As for the rest of the Coast Division, Phoenix looks poised for a major slip as three up and comers, the Clippers, Sacramento and the ultra explosive Warriors vie for the second spot in the division. Golden State may be the team because they can score in a flash.
As the curtain comes down in late June and the champagne is popped, the Zen Master and Kobe will be holding the hardware.
