Southeast Division Preview
By Scott Rickenbach
Leading up the NBA season we will take a quick look at each team. A good way to do that is to look at their number of wins last season and compare it to what odds makers are projecting for them for this season. We continue our preview with the Southeast Division.
Team (2008-09 Wins/ 2009-10 Projected Wins)
Atlanta Hawks (47/44.5) – The Hawks picked up Jamal Crawford and they also re-signed Josh Smith. That said, a projected decrease in wins for this team (albeit small) is a bit of a surprise. What is the odds maker seeing here? First off, Joe Johnson did not agree to a four year extension this summer. Will this effect team chemistry at all? Also, patience could grow thin with coach Mike Woodson if the Hawks struggle early in the season. Keep in mind, he’s in the last year of his contract. The biggest issue of all for the Hawks could be the injury bug. Smith, Al Horford, and Marvin Williams all missed time last season and if they prove injury-prone again we all know what happened to the Wizards last season when they got killed by injuries. Horford is undersized for a center, Smith needs to do more on the defensive end consistently, and Williams has been particularly injury prone.
Charlotte Bobcats (35/37.5) – Slight increase is projected here but we’re not so sure about that. The Southeast will be even more competitive this season with the Wizards projected to be much improved. That said, the Bobcats could be left with the short end of the stick and bringing up the rear in this division. Being unable to get many divisional wins would be a killer to the Bobcats overall record. Just how much can coach Larry Brown get out of this bunch. Emeka Okafor is out with Tyson Chandler in and this could be a concern since Chandler is not as physical as Okafor. The other projected frontcourt starters are Boris Diaw and Gerard Wallace which means the Bobcats are going to “go small” up front. Chandler is coming off of a surgically repaired left ankle too.
Miami Heat (43/40) – Small dropoff projected here and why not? The additions this off-season were Quentin Richardson and Carlos Arroyo! Of course Dwyane Wade is an amazing player and guard Mario Chalmers has complemented him well. However, while Udonis Haslem is solid with his defense and rebounding up front, the overall front court situation is a concern. How much can be expected from Jermaine O’Neal and Michael Beasley this season? Once again it’s “all about Wade” in Miami.
Orlando Magic (59/57.5) – Small drop-off projected here by the oddsmaker but it could it be even bigger? Hedo Turkoglu was a key player on this team and he is out and Vince Carter is in. The way Turkoglu was so clutch late in games for the Magic it’s hard to see the value in this trade-off for Orlando. Carter is just not the same player he once was. That means even more will be asked of Dwight Howard and Superman has proven that he can become a mitigated factor when he’s simply asked to do too much. The Magic are again expected to be the class of this division but don’t be surprised if the gap is narrowed. The Magic lost Courtney Lee, Rafer Alston, and Tony Battie in addition to Turkoglu. Also, All-Star Rashard Lewis is missing the first ten games of the season due to a suspension. We have a feeling chemistry could be a little “off” in Orlando this season!
Washington Wizards (19/41.5) – Well you can see the major improvement here and it should come as no surprise. Washington was simply ravaged by injuries last season and now, this season, they are ready to regroup and make a huge run. Note that the core group of Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler is intact. Also note that Brendan Haywood is in a contract year and should be poised for a huge season as a result. He’s certainly hungry for it after missing most of last season! Look for guys like Mike Miller, Randy Foye, and Fabricio Oberto to prove to be solid pick-ups as well as they are role players that should be productive as needed. With all the returning starters (after dealing with injuries) that means some productive Wizards will now be coming off the bench and that means the reserves/depth for Washington will also be a strength. Washington is definitely a team to look out for in the 2009-10 season!