Atlanta Hawks 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
ATLANTA HAWKS
2009-10 record: 53-29, 3rd place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
Laugh if you must (and yes, you must) at his max contract, but JOE JOHNSON is a rock and the Hawks will continue to run through him . . . Not sure what MIKE BIBBY did last season would count as professional basketball. He’s fading fast . . . JEFF TEAGUE will be given every opportunity to overtake Bibby. It could happen later this year . . . You’ll never see a worse decision-maker than JAMAL CRAWFORD, but he had enough magical (aka lucky) moments to earn some slack . . . JORDAN CRAWFORD (no relation) has unlimited range and he’ll score in bunches, but the lack of athleticism and D will keep him from becoming a full-time player.
FORWARDS
JOSH SMITH isn’t an ideal fit at the 4 and they know it, but Atlanta won’t get equal value for him in a trade. Production-wise, he’ll continue to have a big role on offense and is getting back to blocking some shots . . . All that talent, but MARVIN WILLIAMS seems content being a complimentary part. If the Hawks ever move him, he’d be among the top scorers on most teams . . . MAURICE EVANS will continue to play a minimal role off the bench . . . JOSH POWELL has two more rings than LeBron James. And now he’s on a team that might actually play him more than 10 minutes a night.
CENTERS
AL HORFORD will continue to be a double-double machine and his defense continues to improve each year. . . . You get the feeling that ZAZA PACHULIA is going to be a 15-minutes-per-night player for the rest of his natural life . . . JASON COLLINS: injury-prone insurance policy. That makes sense.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 101.7 points per game (13th in the NBA)
Defense - 97.0 points per game (10th in the NBA)
Boston Celtics 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
BOSTON CELTICS
2009-10 record: 50-32, 4th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
RAJON RONDO is the best passer in the NBA and already close to un-guardable. If he keeps improving his jumper, it’s going to be unfair. . . RAY ALLEN is getting streakier as the years go on. He’s another guy who will get more rest during the regular season . . . NATE ROBINSON is most effective as a cheerleader. He’ll end up getting most of his PT when they face second tier teams . . . VON WAFER gives them another shooter off the bench . . . There wasn’t a better perimeter defender in this draft than AVERY BRADLEY, which is why Tony Allen wasn’t retained . . . MARQUIS DANIELS won’t be more than a token veteran presence off the bench.
FORWARDS
KEVIN GARNETT sometimes looks like a latter day Sam Perkins the way he hobbles around. There’s little doubt he’ll get the most regular-season rest of his career in 2010-11 . . . PAUL PIERCE should be able to handle a relatively heavy workload. He stays on the perimeter and a lot of the fouls he draws are of the French soccer team variety (i.e. dives) . . . GLEN DAVIS has earned a bigger role. It won’t be enough to make him a 15-point scorer, but he will have ample time to creep everyone out with his weird tongue gestures . . . LUKE HARANGODY had become a liability on both ends of the floor by the end of his Notre Dame tenure.
CENTERS
JERMAINE O’NEAL will get the starts and majority of the O’Neal time share . . . SHAQUILLE O’NEAL has reportedly agreed to settle in as a back-up . . . SEMIH ERDEN will essentially be redshirted this year . . . We don’t expect to see KENDRICK PERKINS until February. He’s going to be limited after tearing up his knee last June.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 99.2 points per game (19th in the NBA)
Defense - 95.6 points per game (6th in the NBA)
Charlotte Bobcats 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
CHARLOTTE BOBCATS
2009-10 record: 44-38, 7th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
Remember when STEPHEN JACKSON considered… how to put it nicely… completely freaking insane? Well, now he’s the focal point of Larry Brown’s offense . . . It once looked like SHAUN LIVINGSTON’s knee wasn’t healthy enough to intern at our offices, let alone play in the NBA (by the way, offer still stands, Shaun). Now, he’s the favorite to start at the point. It’s a care-taker role . . . Once-promising, now-infuriating D.J. AUGUSTIN will split time with Livingston . . . Going from the ivory tower that is Duke to the NBA is a big transition, but yikes GERALD HENDERSON . . . Sorry, a MATT CARROLL revival tour will not be happening in Charlotte.
FORWARDS
GERALD WALLACE won’t grab boards like he did pre-Tyrus Thomas last year, but there’s plenty to like about a guy who gives you a bit of everything . . . Even if the Bobcats did try to unload BORIS DIAW, he’s still an underrated NBA player. Considering his unique skill set and the fact he can play some center, he’s assured a major role . . . TYRUS THOMAS and Larry Brown seem to have a mutual man-crush. Even if he doesn’t start, he’ll get major minutes as a sixth man . . . EDUARDO NAJERA is looking at another 15-minutes-per-night role . . . DOMINIC McGUIRE and DERRICK BROWN better get used to being practice players.
CENTERS
If the Bobcats don’t buy him out, ERICK DAMPIER will likely get the nod again. As he’s been at every stop in his career, he’s a part-time player . . . NAZR MOHAMMED was pretty decent during the postseason. He’s bought himself another year or two as a back-up center . . . Oh, the days of DeSAGANA DIOP being on the court during an NBA game are coming to a close.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 95.3 points per game (28th in the NBA)
Defense - 93.8 points per game (1st in the NBA)
Chicago Bulls 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
CHICAGO BULLS
2009-10 record: 41-41, 8th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
It would be nice if he added a jump shot, but DERRICK ROSE is still plenty good. He’ll be handing out more assists with Carlos Boozer and Kyle Korver coming in . . . RONNIE BREWER figures to get the bulk of the minutes alongside Rose because of his ability to defend and run the floor . . . KYLE KORVER’s role will be similar to the one he had in Utah. He’s a three-point specialist who’s too much of a defensive liability to play fulltime . . . KEITH BOGANS is one of a couple veteran defensive specialists on this roster . . . C.J. WATSON is going to miss the wide-open offense he ran in Golden State. He’s a mediocre back-up point guard.
FORWARDS
Don’t count on CARLOS BOOZER rebounding quite like he did in Utah. For the first time, he’ll be sharing the court with an elite glass-eater – Joakim Noah. Boozer is still a double-double threat, but he will miss the first 4-to-6 weeks of the season with a broken hand . . . LUOL DENG will be a No. 3 option in this offense (even though he’s paid like a No. 1). He’s a solid role player, no longer miscast as a star . . . TAJ GIBSON falls down the depth chart and will now be the first big man off the bench. It’s a pretty significant demotion, especially since the Bulls also have to find minutes for Omer Asik . . . JAMES JOHNSON’s goal should be to hang onto a roster spot the next two seasons.
CENTERS
JOAKIM NOAH will lose some rebounds to Carlos Boozer. And even though his foot should be in better shape than it was last year, the Bulls might choose to sit their defensive specialist more often . . . OMER ASIK is basically a poor man’s Noah, an energy big guy. Minutes will be tough to come by . . . KURT THOMAS is more about veteran leadership than on-court production.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 97.5 points per game (24th in the NBA)
Defense - 99.1 points per game (14th in the NBA)
Dallas Mavericks 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
DALLAS MAVERICKS
2009-10 record: 55-27, 2nd place in Western Conference
GUARDS
JASON KIDD is 37, but he’s still going strong and still the only true point guard on the roster . . . Once his foot heals, the RODRIGUE BEAUBOIS bandwagon will reach breakneck speeds. A combo guard in the Leandro Barbosa mold, he’ll start once he’s healthy . . . He’ll still be in the Sixth Man of the Year mix, but JASON TERRY is going to get squeezed out of minutes due to the rise of Beaubois and JET’s disastrous 2010 postseason . . . Ditto for JOSE JUAN BAREA, who’s going to be battling for a consistent rotation spot . . . DOMINIQUE JONES is a nice instant offense guy, but it’s tough to see him grabbing major minutes as a rookie.
FORWARDS
DIRK NOWITZKI is set for another quiet-yet-MVP-caliber season. He averaged 25.0 PPG and 7.7 RPG last year . . . CARON BUTLER is clearly more of a role player in Big D. His minutes and touches will continue to fall from their Washington heights . . . All signs point to SHAWN MARION heading to the bench this fall. Not even running alongside Jason Kidd last season could propel him above mediocrity, but the good news is that Dallas isn’t particularly deep in the frontcourt, and Marion will be used at both forward spots.
CENTERS
BRENDAN HAYWOOD is stepping into the ‘ol Erick Dampier role. He brings the same part-time rebounding and shot-blocking . . . TYSON CHANDLER is a part-time big with plenty to prove heading into free agency . . . We still love you, IAN MAHINMI. But he’s buried just like in San Antonio . . . Either Mahinmi or fellow Frenchman ALEXIS AJINCA is D-League-bound.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 102.0 points per game (11th in the NBA)
Defense - 99.3 points per game (15th in the NBA)
Denver Nuggets 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
DENVER NUGGETS
2009-10 record: 53-29, 4th place in Western Conference
GUARDS
They’ll probably scale CHAUNCEY BILLUPS’ minutes back just a bit this year. The whole team looked pretty wiped out by the time the playoffs rolled around last spring . . . ARRON AFFLALO talked about improving his stamina over the offseason, but he’s still looking at pretty much a straight time-split with J.R. Smith . . . With his refusal to play defense, J.R. SMITH is locked into the gunning sixth man role . . . The emergence of TY LAWSON allows Denver to rest Billups more often. He’s a great change-of-pace (but too small and injury-prone to start) . . . Who woulda thunk it? It’s 2010-11, and ANTHONY CARTER’s still in the NBA.
FORWARDS
Well, contract negotiations aren’t an issue; CARMELO ANTHONY will get whatever deal he wants after the season as long as he has a pulse and four limbs. He’s primed to post huge numbers for Denver again . . . It looks like AL HARRINGTON will step into Kenyon Martin’s old power-forward spot. It will be interesting to see how he fares on a team that needs him to do more dirty work and less chucking . . . There’s no telling what they’ll get, if anything, out of KENYON MARTIN after another major knee injury . . . We’d pay to see SHELDEN WILLIAMS (how does he keep finding work!) and RENALDO BALKMAN in a buddy cop film.
CENTERS
NENÊ should be perfectly healthy going into the year and could deliver career-best numbers as Denver’s only legitimate low-post threat . . . Birdman! CHRIS ANDERSEN couldn’t deliver a second straight year of Defensive Player of the Year-type stats. Hopefully, offseason knee surgery will put some spring back in his step and lead to more blocked shots.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 106.5 points per game (3rd in the NBA)
Defense - 102.4 points per game (20th in the NBA)
Detroit Pistons 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
DETROIT PISTONS
2009-10 record: 27-55, 12th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
RODNEY STUCKEY is the closest thing to a front man on a somewhat dysfunctional team. But even he’s in danger of losing his starting spot if he doesn’t step up . . . He’s on the trading block, but RIP HAMILTON is going to be option 1A in Detroit . . . His Pistons debut did not go well, and it looks like BEN GORDON will be stuck in a sixth-man role he doesn’t want to be in . . . WILL BYNUM was their best point guard last season and should cut into Stuckey’s PT . . . Make no mistake, TRACY McGRADY is a shell of his former self and a part-time player . . . Underrated rookie TERRICO WHITE could emerge as a good sixth man in a few years.
FORWARDS
TAYSHAUN PRINCE’s back problems seem to be resolved. He’s another guy on the trading block until the Pistons find new ownership . . . JONAS JEREBKO should build on a solid rookie year. He’s 6-foot-10 with legit perimeter skills . . . Detroit was disappointed in CHARLIE VILLANUEVA’s conditioning and effort last year. Don’t expect him to overtake Jerebko . . . JASON MAXIELL brings muscle off the bench . . . He’s not physically ready to play full-time minutes, but AUSTIN DAYE may be able to shoot his way to a bigger role . . . CHRIS WILCOX is on the outside of the rotation looking in . . . DaJUAN SUMMERS is a practice player.
CENTERS
BEN WALLACE may be able to retain his starting spot early, but he’s mostly been brought back to bridge the gap for one more year . . . GREG MONROE will overtake Big Ben at some point this year. His lack of athleticism won’t be an issue in Detroit’s half-court offense; he’s a great passer with a high basketball IQ.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 94.0 points per game (29th in the NBA)
Defense - 99.1 points per game (13th in the NBA)
Golden State Warriors 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
2009-10 record: 26-56, 13th place in Western Conference
GUARDS
STEPHEN CURRY will play more of a traditional point guard role this year . . . MONTA ELLIS will still get a ton of touches and a ton of shots. He and Curry will combine to play more minutes than any guard combo in the NBA . . . REGGIE WILLIAMS is on the fringe of the rotation and could earn a time-split with Dorell Wright . . . CHARLIE BELL will likely be the first guard off the bench, though Curry and Ellis don’t sit often . . . JANNERO PARGO can play either guard spot in a pinch.
FORWARDS
The Warriors couldn’t rebound last year, which is why they severely overpaid to bring in DAVID LEE. Lee will play in a similar system to Mike D’Antoni’s in New York, so his rebounding numbers should translate . . . As the team’s best defender, DORELL WRIGHT should play big minutes. He won’t be able to help but post some decent offensive numbers in this up-tempo system . . . They’ll ease him back from his shoulder injury, but BRANDAN WRIGHT still has some upside . . . They wanted to buy out VLAD RADMANOVIC this summer; he’s not in their plans . . . EKPE UDOH won’t make his debut until midseason because of a wrist injury.
CENTERS
ANDRIS BIEDRINS was in Don Nelson’s doghouse before an abdominal injury ended his year. The arrival of double-digit rebounder in Lee makes Beidrins less of a necessity in the lineup; he’ll have to earn his way back . . . Yertle the Turtle (aka DAN GADZURIC) was overrated at UCLA and this may be the last chance to catch Yertle’s brand of comedic basketball at the NBA level.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 108.8 points per game (2nd in the NBA)
Defense - 112.4 points per game (Last in the NBA)
Houston Rockets 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
HOUSTON ROCKETS
2009-10 record: 42-40, 9th place in Western Conference
GUARDS
AARON BROOKS has emerged as a borderline All-Star at the point now that he’s improved his jumper to go along with his ridiculous quickness . . . Even with Yao Ming returning, KEVIN MARTIN will be Houston’s go-to scorer. Even if he doesn’t shoot well, he attacks and gets to the line often enough to be a 20-point scorer . . . He’s good enough to start for most teams, but KYLE LOWRY will continue to back up both guard spots in Houston. . . COURTNEY LEE will be battling for a rotation spot; Houston is rolling the dice that he can thrive in their system . . . CHASE BUDINGER is a defensive liability, but he’ll play a key role as a three-point threat.
FORWARDS
LUIS SCOLA returns to the role of Yao’s sidekick, doing the rebounding and dirty work alongside him . . . With Trevor Ariza gone, SHANE BATTIER steps out of his sixth-man shell and back into the starting lineup. The rock of this roster, expect him to stay there all year . . . PATRICK PATTERSON is NBA-ready as a rebounder and defender with a little bit of offense, but there’s just not many minutes available . . . JORDAN HILL has to pick up his energy level if he’s going to see any time on the floor.
CENTERS
YAO MING is back, but don’t expect his foot to be anywhere near 100 percent. The Rockets will have to hold him back . . . He was great playing for Adelman in Sacramento, and BRAD MILLER should be in close to a time-share situation with Yao.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 102.4 points per game (8th in the NBA)
Defense - 102.7 points per game (21st in the NBA)
Indiana Pacers 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
INDIANA PACERS
2009-10 record: 32-50, 10th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
Indy has their point guard in DARREN COLLISON. He’ a Jim O’Brien type of guy, able to defend and a creator on the offensive end . . . They don’t seem prepared to give up on BRANDON RUSH, but he did little more than stand outside and hoist threes in his first year as a starter . . . How bad has Indy’s player evaluation been? They seemed surprised that DAHNTAY JONES is terrible offensively . . . LANCE STEPHENSON is a below-the-rim player who won’t be able to bulldoze his way to the basket in the NBA . . . A.J. PRICE has a long way to go after breaking his kneecap . . . T.J. FORD has been bothered by a hamstring injury during the preseason.
FORWARDS
DANNY GRANGER seems to coast sometimes. If he starts attacking the basket like he should, look out. He should grab more rebounds with Troy Murphy gone . . . He was still having inner ear issues this summer, so TYLER HANSBROUGH’s role is up in the air. He could claim the starting four spot if he shows some ability to play against length . . . It looks like his balky knee has ended MIKE DUNLEAVY’s days as a starter . . . JAMES POSEY will provide some veteran guidance and corner threes . . . PAUL GEORGE has some upside because of his versatility, but can a guy who lost 37 games in two seasons in the WAC be competitive enough?
CENTERS
ROY HIBBERT has improved his conditioning and is avoiding foul trouble. He’s not a perfect fit in O’Brien’s system, but it’s at a point where the rest of Indy’s frontcourt is so feeble that they can’t afford not to play him . . . It’s time to get giddy over the return of JEFF FOSTER. He could end up starting a handful of games once Troy Murphy is dealt.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 100.8 points per game (16th in the NBA)
Defense - 103.8 points per game (23rd in the NBA)
Los Angeles Clippers 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
2009-10 record: 29-53, 12th place in Western Conference
GUARDS
BARON DAVIS is back to run the offense again. If he stops heaving ill-advised jumpers, he has a chance to put up big numbers with so much young talent running alongside him . . . He has the talent to be a 20 PPG scorer, it’s just a matter of whether ERIC GORDON gets enough touches alongside Davis to get there . . . RANDY FOYE will be the sixth man, backing up both guard spots. He could end up with fantasy value if Davis gets hurt again . . . ERIC BLEDSOE is a competitor who will work on the defensive end, but he’s pretty much clueless in a half-court offense right now. Don’t expect a big impact from the rookie.
FORWARDS
We’ll finally see BLAKE GRIFFIN’s regular-season debut. His knee should be 100 percent, and he’s a nightly double-double threat . . . Even if three-point specialist RASUAL BUTLER retains his starting job early, it’s only a matter of time before he’s pushed to the bench . . . He’ll be eased into the rotation, but AL-FAROUQ AMINU has the kind of athleticism and versatility to be a valuable glue guy in the starting five . . . RYAN GOMES is a mediocre bench option at both forward spots . . . CRAIG SMITH is a warm body to fill their 12th man role.
CENTERS
The center spot is his alone again, though CHRIS KAMAN will now share the paint with Blake Griffin. He may not be a borderline All-Star again with Griffin taking his rebounds . . . DeANDRE JORDAN is improving. He’s big and explosive enough to be one of the league’s better back-up centers.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 95.7 points per game (27th in the NBA)
Defense - 102.1 points per game (19th in the NBA)
Los Angeles Lakers 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
LOS ANGELES LAKERS
2009-10 record: 57-25, 1st place in Western Conference
GUARDS
KOBE BRYANT is going to need a little more rest during the regular season, as the nagging injuries are piling up. It’ll keep him out of the MVP race . . . He might remain a starter in name, but DEREK FISHER’s role is only going to diminish. He’s mostly been brought back to revive his role as Yoda . . . STEVE BLAKE will play more minutes than Fisher, even if he doesn’t start. His numbers will suffer playing in L.A.’s triangle offense, which doesn’t utilize a traditional point guard . . . SHANNON BROWN will have a slightly smaller role with Blake and Matt Barnes coming in . . . SASHA VUJACIC isn’t getting any closer to the rotation.
FORWARDS
PAU GASOL is pretty much the best No. 2 player in the league. He’ll continue to fill the box score on a nightly basis . . . Ah, crazy ol’ RON ARTEST. At this point, his biggest problem is a tendency to hoist ill-advised threes at the worst time. He’ll be a complimentary player again . . . He’ll return to his sixth-man role as long as Andrew Bynum is healthy, but LAMAR ODOM should still get plenty of playing time off the bench. . . MATT BARNES brings a lot of the same things that Artest does. He won’t get the kind of minutes he got in Orlando . . . LUKE WALTON’s season could be in jeopardy if his back keeps acting up.
CENTERS
ANDREW BYNUM’s knee surgery should have him healthy entering the season. He’s one of the best true centers in the league when he’s not injured, but for now the Lakers clearly have to pace him during the regular season . . . Because Pau Gasol will slide over to the five when Bynum sits, THEO RATLIFF is pretty much just around for his wit and wisdom.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 101.7 points per game (12th in the NBA)
Defense - 97.0 points per game (9th in the NBA)
Memphis Grizzlies 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
2009-10 record: 40-42, 10th place in Western Conference
GUARDS
The ”O.J. MAYO: point guard” experiment was pretty much over before it began. He’ll play the two again, but . . . He’s yet to step up and claim the point, but at age 23 MIKE CONLEY still has time to do it. The Grizzlies added plenty of depth to the backcourt in case he doesn’t . . . TONY ALLEN came to Memphis for a bigger role, and the Grizzlebees are desperate for some defense. Don’t be surprised if he eats into a healthy chunk of Mayo’s minutes . . . GREIVIS VASQUEZ came up with big play after big play at Maryland, but it’s tough to see how he’s going to guard anyone in the NBA.
FORWARDS
The Grizzlies locked up RUDY GAY with a huge deal. Considering how little defense he plays, they figure to give him plenty of chances to put up offensive numbers . . . ZACH RANDOLPH may have turned over a new leaf in Memphis (there’s no need for concern over alleged ties to an Indiana drug bust). He’ll continue to be a 20-10 machine . . . The Grizzlies drafted XAVIER HENRY to provide the three-point shooting they’ve needed, but defense is also an issue for him . . . SAM YOUNG is a serviceable rotation player with low upside . . . DARRELL ARTHUR is buried . . . DeMARRE CARROLL will have to provide a little more than just energy.
CENTERS
MARC GASOL is a borderline All-Star, with a great blend of size and skill. He’ll continue to play full-time minutes in the middle . . . There’s no reason to soil yourselves over HASHEEM THABEET’s rookie year. He’s a long-term project who still has a ways to go offensively. He’s clearly a back-up for now, but he can rebound and block shots at an NBA level.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 102.5 points per game (7th in the NBA)
Defense - 104.0 points per game (24th in the NBA)
Milwaukee Bucks 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
MILWAUKEE BUCKS
2009-10 record: 46-36, 6th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
BRANDON JENNINGS wore down last year, but he should be better prepared for year two. He’ll be more of a distributor with the Bucks adding so many scorers . . . JOHN SALMONS is their best scorer, but there’s no telling how many shots he’ll get with ballhog Corey Maggette playing on the opposite wing . . . Skiles has a more viable alternative to Jennings with KEYON DOOLING backing him up . . . CHRIS DOUGLAS-ROBERTS is going to miss Jersey. He’ll have a tough time finding PT . . . MICHAEL REDD won’t be back before midseason. He’ll be a shadow of his former self, and the Bucks are uninterested in playing him.
FORWARDS
COREY MAGGETTE has been a tunnel-vision scorer at every stop in his career . . . We’re not sure what the Bucks see in DREW GOODEN, but the way they’re paying him they’ll have to give him a starting spot . . . When they need defense, LUC RICHARD MBAH A MOUTE will be in the lineup . . . CARLOS DELFINO provides a little more offense off the bench . . . He’s raw, but LARRY SANDERS has a chance to develop into a solid starter with his combination of size, skill and athleticism . . . ERSAN ILYASOVA is in danger of being buried on the bench if he doesn’t play well early . . . JON BROCKMAN will occasionally provide rebounding muscle.
CENTERS
ANDREW BOGUT will probably be rusty after shattering his arm last April. He would have lost shots playing alongside Corey Maggette and John Salmons for a full season. The Bucks also have more than Dan Gadzuric to back him up, as Drew Gooden and Jon Brockman can both play the five spot in a pinch.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 97.7 points per game (22nd in the NBA)
Defense - 96.0 points per game (7th in the NBA)
Miami Heat 2010-11 Outlook
By: StatFox
MIAMI HEAT
2009-10 record: 47-35, 5th place in Eastern Conference
GUARDS
There’s little doubt that DWYANE WADE won’t get as many touches playing alongside LeBron James. He’ll still put up plenty of numbers . . . He might end up coming off the bench, but Miami will find enough minutes for MIKE MILLER. They don’t need a true point guard, but they do need Miller’s three-point shooting and basketball IQ . . . The Heat would love to see MARIO CHALMERS step up and claim the point guard spot, but he’s been shaky over his first two seasons . . . CARLOS ARROYO is Plan B at the point. If he can regain his three-point touch, he’d be a better fit . . . EDDIE HOUSE will do some part-time gunning.
FORWARDS
The plan is for LEBRON JAMES to sacrifice scoring and be this team’s Magic Johnson. We’ll see how it works out. Wade needs to dominate the ball too, so it’s tough to imagine LeBron averaging double-digit assists . . . Of the Big Three, CHRIS BOSH figures to lose the most field-goal attempts. LeBron and Wade will take more shots and possibly even grab more rebounds than Bosh . . . UDONIS HASLEM will probably spend a lot of time at center, serving as the muscle alongside Bosh. His role won’t be different than it’s been . . . JUWAN HOWARD will be a second-unit glue guy; most nights he’ll be a cheerleader . . . JAMES JONES will be a seldom-used three-point specialist.
CENTERS
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS doesn’t have much left in the tank; Miami will use Udonis Haslem more often than they use Big Z . . . JOEL ANTHONY’s not much on offense, but he can bang and defend . . . If all else fails, they can turn to JAMAAL MAGLOIRE to take up space . . . Even if there were minutes for him, DEXTER PITTMAN can’t go much longer than 15 minutes a night.
2009-10 TEAM STATISTICS
Offense – 96.5 points per game (25th in the NBA)
Defense - 94.2 points per game (2nd in the NBA)