2009-2010 NBA Preview

The basketball season is upon us. The NBA tips-off tonight with a double-header on TNT. Even though the league seems to be extremely top heavy this season, this should be one of the more interesting NBA seasons. This is the last season before the loaded 2010 free agent class. This is could be the possible last NBA season with an old CBA(notice how everyone has talked about a possible lockout in the NFL and how everyone forgot that there is a possibility for a lockout in the NBA?) Most of all though there are significant questions surrounding each NBA team coming into the season. And that's how I will preview the season, with a question or questions surrounding every team.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics- Why won't the Celtics give Rondo an extension? How will the Rasheed Wallace coming off the bench experiment work? Is this the swan song for Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen?

New York Knicks- How long until Mike D'Antoni finally loses his sanity? Will the team be presentable to LeBron? How much more weight will Eddy Curry put on? Is it right for the Knicks to tank two seasons in a row in hopes of landing LeBron?

Philadelphia 76ers- Will Elton Brand stay healthy? How well will they adjust to new coach Eddie Jordan's Princeton Offense? How well will Louis Williams adjust to being the team's new point gaurd? And how long until Jrue Holliday is the starting point gaurd?

Toronto Raptors- Will Toronto dump Chris Bosh's expiring contract if the team stinks coming out of the gates? Will they become the first team with an European coach? Will Chris Bosh continue to release these incredibly cool YouTube videos?

New Jersey Nets- How long until they become the Brooklyn Nets? How long until they become the Newark Nets? How long until the Russians invade? Can Jay-Z pull LeBron to the Nets?

Central Division
Chicago Bulls- How will the loss of Ben Gordon affect this team? Can I hate Joakim Noah much more? How high is Derrick Rose's ceiling?

Detroit Pistons- The Pistons do realize Kwame Brown is their starting center with Chris Wilcox as his backup? Why with so much cap room, they decide to give huge contracts to complimentary players like Ben Gordan and Charlie Villanueva?

Cleveland Cavaliers- Is this their year? Will Lebron be playing in Cleveland next season? Will Shaq really make a difference? Have we seen the last of Delonte West? Can the Cavaliers make Cleveland forget about the Browns, Buckeyes, and Indians?

Indiana Pacers- Larry Bird realizes he hasn't been a successful GM for the Pacers? I can't be the only person who feels sorry for Danny Granger?

Milwaukee Bucks- Do the Bucks finally trade Michael Redd? Can Michael Redd and Andrew Bogut stay healthy? If Brandon Jennings is successful, will more high school players leave for Europe?

Southeast Division
Orlando Magic- Will Dwight Howard intimidate the rest of the NBA? How will Vince Carter coexist with Howard? Did anyone else recognize that White Chocolate is back in the NBA? And will White Chocolate produce any highlight reel material like this?

Atlanta Hawks- Will the Hawks become an elite team this year? Will Joe Johnson stick around Atlanta after this season? Please take a moment of silence for Mario West.

Washington Wizards- Is this the most injury prone team in the NBA? Will we eventually see the usual Gilbert Arenas antics? Why is Washington in the Southeast division?

Miami Heat- Dwayne Wade is gone, right? Do they dump Jermaine O'Neal's expiring knees and contract? Will Michael Beasley prove he's mentally ready to play? Will Pat Riley decide to come out of retirement again to coach the Heat?

Charlotte Bobcats- Do you realize Michael Jordan is the President of this team? Neither did I! How long does Larry Brown coach the Bobcats, before either deciding to coach another team or retire? Will this team ever find a go-to scorer?

Western Conference

Dallas Mavericks- How long until another Cuban meltdown? Are the Mavericks talented enough to make it back to the Finals? When will Josh Howard finally play? At 36, can Jason Kidd lead this team to the title?

San Antonio Spurs- I have lost all interest in Eva Longoria, what about you? Will DeJuan Blair be the steal of the draft, like everyone is predicting? Has this team gotten too old? Will this be Tim Duncan's swan song?

Houston Rockets- Why is everyone picking this team to go to the playoffs? They do realize Yao and McGrady might not play at all this season?

New Orleans Hornets- Will the Emeka Okafor-New Oreleans marriage end in a messy divorce? How long does Byron Scott keep his job? Could this team possibly trade Chris Paul to save money? Will Peja ever have an injury free season?

Memphis Grizzlies- Will the Iverson experiment be a disaster like predicted? Will the Grizzlies have the worst team assists per game ever? This has to be the worst team in the NBA this season, right?

Northwest Division
Utah Jazz- Will this be the end for Jerry Sloan? Will the Jazz pay Corey Brewer after paying Paul Millsap and Carlos Boozer? Can this team find some intensity and heart?

Portland Trail Blazers- Can Greg Oden stay healthy? Can Oden take the next step at becoming a great NBA player? Why did the Blazers extend LaMarcus Aldridge's contract? Can the Blazers take the next step at becoming an elite NBA team?

Denver Nuggets- Could the Nuggets be the best team in the Western Conference? George Karl is fired at some point in the season, right? Can Billips work his magic again? Are the Nuggets more than a one year wonder?

Minnesota Timberwolves- Why did they draft so many point guards? Or where they smart for taking so many point guards? Could Charles Barkley be a better GM than Wolves GM David Kahn? Will they be the worst team in the NBA?

Oklahoma City Thunder- Can Kevin Durant live up to his crazy expectations? Can Seattle forgive Clay Bennett yet? How good will this young team be this year?

Pacific Division
Los Angles Lakers- Will this team become a train wreck this season? Will we see Ron Artest playing 'Monopoly' on the beach anymore? How will the Odom-Kardashian courtship affect this team? If they divorce (which seems likely, since they married after only dating for a month) will it affect this team? Will Odom have his head on straight? I can go on forever about Lamar Odom. How well Odom plays will dictate how far the Lakers go this season.

Los Angles Clippers- Has Blake Giffin already succumb to the Clippers curse? Is Eric Gordon next to succumb to the Clippers curse? Will this team ever fire Mike Dunleavy? How big of creep is Donald Sterling?

Golden State Warriors- Are the Warriors the most dysfunctional team in the NBA? Will Monta Ellis get along with Stephen Curry? How high is Anthony Randolph's ceiling? Will Don Nelson still be coaching this team at the end of the season?

Phoenix Suns- Is this the end of the line for Steve Nash in Phoenix? Was the Shaq trade addition by subtraction? Is this the same run & gun team? Is Amar'e Stoudemire fully recovered from his detached retina?

Sacramento Kings- Why does God hate me and Sacramento? Why does Andres Nocioni have to infuriate every teammate? Will extra weight help Spencer Hawes? Can Jason Thompson improve from his solid rookie season? Will Tyreke Evans be the answer to the Kings point guard question? When will the NBA finally recognize Kevin Martin as a great player? Will this team move? Will this team finally build an arena in Sacramento? Why do our players have to get hurt on medicine balls? Are you ready for some Brockness?

Predictions that are sure to be wrong: For some reason I'm going to predict who will win the awards in the NBA and who will win the Championship.

MVP: Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic

Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans, Sacramento Kings

Coach of the Year: Jerry Sloan, Utah Jazz

Defensive Player of the Year: Rajon Rondo, Boston Celtics

Sixth Man of the Year: Lamar Odom, Los Angeles Lakers

Most Improved: Greg Oden, Portland Trail Blazers

NBA Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Boston Celtics

NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs

Music that gets me pumped: Roundball Rock used to be the opening theme song for the NBA when NBC owned the coverage. In my opinion it's the greatest sports theme song of all-time. Listening to this song has me ready for the NBA season.

Now excuse me while I go out and buy Bill Simmons new book "The Book of Basketball"