Teams I look forward to watching the most in 2011-12

With the lockout behind us, there are clearly some lingering issues that players, owners, and the commissioner still need to hash out.  But we shall put that all that aside as a fantastic NBA season with a plethora of great storylines is about to kick off this glorious Christmas Day.  There’s a whole lot to look forward to, and so I just wanted to take a mere glimpse of what we’ll be seeing for the next 6 months.  I’ll make my predictions as the season goes on, but for now I only want to share a few reasons why basketball fans should pay special attention to this particular season.  With the holidays coming right around the corner, I have listed the teams I look forward to watching the most in order of increasing intrigue, in countdown form.  Now, by no means is the following list a set of predictions as to who I think will win the championship; these teams are all ranked by my personal intrigue only.

5.  Dallas Mavericks

Yes, they are losing some key free agents (Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea, Caron Butler), but take a look at all the newcomers filling in for them:  Lamar Odom, Vince Carter, Delonte West, Sean Williams, and Brandan Wright.  None of these guys would be considered All-Stars (yes – even you, Vince), but they should all equip Dallas with one of the better second units of the league.   While Chandler, Barea, and Butler were all integral members of the team, I do believe Mark Cuban and company have done a good job with filling those voids.  Also, remember that Butler sat out the final 53 games of the season due to injury and did not play at all during the Mavs’ championship run.  How they fill Chandler and Barea’s vacancies will be challenging, but doable.  Dallas still has plenty of size with their influx of forwards (Odom, Williams, Wright), and young speedy point guard Roddy Beaubois (who was also injured last year) is more than capable of filling Barea’s shoes.  I know everyone is dismissing Dallas as a title contender, but I still think they’re going to be a very, very tough team to beat four times in a seven-game series.

Don't think for a second that Dallas won't be contending for a title come June

 Shawn Marion and Jason Terry think that the Mavs haven’t gotten the respect they deserve after securing the franchise’s first championship – especially after upsetting the heavy-favorite Miami Heat in last year’s Finals.  I think they’re right, and that they will prove critics wrong.  Again.

4.  Chicago Bulls

The first thing to mention when talking about the Bulls this year is none other than Derrick Rose.  The reigning MVP is primed to avenge last year’s playoff shortcomings.  Now, after signing his super hefty five-year $90M extension with the Bulls, Rose is bound to put together another stellar season.  Right now, I consider him a top-10 player.  By season’s end, he may very well jump to my top 5. 

Expect Rip's synergy with D-Rose to be just as good -
if not better - as it was with Chauncey Billups in Detroit

One of the most underrated transactions of the offseason is the signing of Rip Hamilton.  He is definitely getting up there in age, but I think this change of jerseys (especially with a contender) will rejuvenate his career.  Whenever you get someone to replace Keith Bogans in your starting lineup, you know things are good.  Anyway, like his former teammate Chauncey Billups will do for his new team, Rip will provide some instant offense and veteran leadership to the still-young Bulls squad.  As a scoring two-guard with decent play making skills, he will take a lot of pressure off D-Rose on offense.  I also listened to Chris Webber talk about his days in Detroit (when he played with both Billups and Hamilton), and how impressed he was with Rip’s willingness to help out his then-backcourt teammate Billups.  C-Webb cited specific examples of how well they worked together; when Rip noticed Chauncey was tired, Rip always offered to check Chauncey’s man on the following possession.  I fully expect him to provide D-Rose with the same level of support.  Furthermore, with the addition of Rip, you get someone with the ability to consistently make clutch free throws – something they clearly could have used in last year’s collapse to Miami in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Hopefully Noah (left) and Boozer (right)
spend more time on the court than the sidelines

Even without Hamilton, AND with both Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah ailing through most of last season, this team STILL won 61 games.  That’s incredible, and that’s exactly why Tom Thibodeau was Coach of the Year and Rose was awarded the MVP trophy.  If they don’t win 60+ games again this year, then that would be a disappointment.  And I anticipate another epic show down with Miami in late May.

3. Los Angeles Lakers

This team has gone through arguably the most tumultuous off-season in the NBA.  With Phil Jackson retiring, the Chris Paul trade falling through (resulting in a fall-out with Lamar Odom), and Dwight Howard trade talks going nowhere, GM Mitch Kupchak and his club know they are going to take a few steps back this year.  We know Kobe is pissed, and that he just injured his wrist in the pre-season.  New head coach Mike Brown is being asked to fill the un-fillable shoes of the Zen Master.  The hiring of Brown itself was a bit of a weird story also; remember the whole debacle with Kobe, where Kobe felt he should have been consulted with their head coach hiring?  How about Metta World Peace (don’t even get me started on how I feel about that name change) and his new role coming off the bench?  We know Lamar Odom was irreconcilably upset by the near trade for CP3, but how about Pau Gasol?  Is he truly over almost being traded?  With all the potential drama, this year's Lakers might have enough drama to rival that of their soap opera season, otherwise known as their 2003-04 season. 

Gasol's presence has catapulted the Lakers to title-contender
status since the day he wore purple and gold

This is a team with many distractions, no doubt.  BUT, let’s not blow the Lakers’ troubles out of proportion.  Since they still have Gasol and an occasionally-healthy Andrew Bynum anchoring the middle, they’re still going to be a top-4 team in the Western Conference.  With Dallas losing Tyson Chandler, the West is still up for grabs.  Add some depth to the Lakers' bench, and they’re still a title contender. Also, in my opinion, the fallout of the CP3 trade was a blessing in disguise.  Losing Gasol would have been devastating to this team - just look at their record in games without him over the last three seasons.  I don't know the exact number in terms of record, but the Lakers have won about 80% of games with Gasol in the lineup since he was traded to the team in  February 2008.  He was heavily criticized for his struggles in last year's playoffs (just like he was vs. the Celtics in the 2008 NBA Finals), but people should not be so quick to dismiss his enormous impact on the team.  If it weren't for him, Kobe would never have won a Finals MVP (BTW, I still don't think he deserved MVP honors in 2010 after their Finals re-match against Boston, seeing how he went 6-24 from the field in Game 7 - but I digress).  

2.  Miami Heat

From now on, Shane Battier (left) will only have
to guard LeBron (right) in practice

Like them or not, this is still going to be one of the most touted teams to watch.  Thankfully, they won't be under nearly as much scrutiny - strictly in terms of media attention - as they were last year.  Their expectations will be higher, but I don't think TV producers will be as gung-ho about covering all the gory behind-the-scenes details about their season UNLESS they struggle coming out of the gates.

Still, let's not take the two-headed monster combo of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for granted.  Even with a team ranked higher on my particular list that may be potentially more exciting than them, you will still be seeing plenty of highlights every night between these two highlight-generating juggernauts.  Also, this team still won't have a shortage of 2011-12 headlines:  Can LeBron rebound from his complete meltdown in last year's NBA Finals, and his huge hit to his public image?  Can D-Wade stay healthy all year, particularly in the playoffs when his team needs him the most?  Can Chris Bosh get more comfortable in his third-wheel role?  Also, will the acquisition of Shane Battier be enough for this team to get over the championship hurdle?

Until very late into this extended offseason, Miami was once again expected to be the center of attention this season.  But I think we finally found a team that will generate much more interest:

1.  LA Clippers

Saw this coming, didn't you?  In one fell swoop, the Clippers suddenly became one of the deepest and most exciting teams in the league.  There's so much to look forward to:  Chris Paul calling the shots on offense, Blake Griffin's chest at rim level at all times during any given game, he and DeAndre Jordan (whom, by the way, are THE most athletic 4-5 combo in the league) being on the receiving end of 10 alley-oops per game; what is there NOT to like?  

The team is also loaded with quality veterans; even before acquiring CP3 AND Chauncey Billups - both of which are proven elite floor generals; over time, the team acquired several quality players with great experience. What does that give you?  An starting lineup of CP3, Billups, Caron Butler, Griffin, and Jordan with Mo Williams, Ryan Gomes, Randy Foye, and Reggie Evans coming off the bench.  Ladies and gents, there are not many teams with that kind of combination of firepower and veteran experience in their rotation.

With several talented stars forming the league's newest potential powerhouse,
the "other" LA team suddenly isn't such an afterthought anymore

Now don't get me wrong - this team has had its fair share of great young players; the Clippers, despite being one of the worst franchises in the history of sports, have always managed to put together a decent collection of talent.  But for the first time ever (with the exception of the 2005-06 season with Sam Cassell and Elton Brand), they may have finally have constructed a well-balanced team capable of overcoming the team's losing culture <knock on wood!>.  And that is what makes the Clippers the most intriguing team of all in 2011-12.

Keep in mind that I only mentioned five of the teams I personally look forward to watching the most.  There are many, many other teams and players with very intriguing storylines – and I haven't even mentioned Dwight Howard's situation with the Magic yet (an ongoing story that deserves a standalone post in the near future). This all the more reason to forgive and forget the debauchery that was the NBA Lockout, and to enjoy what this season will have in store for us. 

Fellow basketball fanatics, here’s to sitting on the couch during all of Christmas Day and reveling in the glory of the greatest gift we could have gotten this year.  Cheers!