NBA Collision Caucus
Now that the NBA season is finally underway with no more lockouts and work-stoppages. The Sports Collision writers got together and broke down every playoff team, league MVP, conference finals and of course crowned our own NBA Champion. Additionally, friend of the Collision and writer for The Sports Cartel, Tony Bosma joins us to contribute the NBA Collision Caucus.
Let’s get it started…
What are Your Playoff Teams from the West? (1-8 seeds)
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What are Your Playoff Teams from the East? (1-8 seeds)
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Who Will Be This Year’s Surprise Team?
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Indiana |
Charlotte |
Indiana |
L.A. Clippers |
Indiana |
| Indiana looks like a team doing it the right way. They’ve accuired young talent without overpaying for flash. The addition of David West is huge and even Paul George grew 2 inches and gained 10lbs of muscle in the offseason. What’s in the water in Indiana? — Honorable Mention for Cleveland Cav’s. They’re not making the playoffs, but look for them to start being competetive this year. | Charlotte will get things done with Kemba Walker and make a surprise run in the playoffs. | The Pacers did a tremendous job in the postseason last year (especially Tyler Hansborough) and they return a very toung core. By adding depth (David West) they are a dangerous team in the East. | You can say this doesn’t count, but it is The Clippers. I don’t think it matters who is on their team. Saying they will make the playoffs and have a better record than their crosstown rivals is a surprise. | NBA fans shouldn’t be surprised by this if they look through the talent on the roster, but the team has been irrelevant for so long, not many have noticed the resurgence of this well-structured squad. |
Who Will Be This Year’s Disappointing Team?
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Orlando |
New York |
Boston |
Toronto |
Cleveland |
| We saw this story last year. The Dwight Howard saga will kill this team. I don’t have faith in the Orlando front office to make the moves that Denver pulled off. With Brooke Lopez breaking his foot, don’t look for Orlando to get anything of value back. DH12 probably ends in L.A. for Bynum. Sounds good on paper, but Bynum is always hurt. | New York will be very disappointing. They will lose in the 1st round of the playoffs and waste all that high priced talent. | The Celts have already pissed off their star point guard (Rondo) by involving him in offseason trade talks, while the “Big Three” are looking for retirement homes. There is no way Boston’s lineup will survive the rough schedule. | They made a ton of moves. It is too bad they will finish the year with only empty boxes to show for it. | If you can consider the Cleveland Cavaliers a disappointment, then that’s your team. However, it’s hard to be upset over a team winning 10-15 games when you have little expectations for them to even reach that level. |
Who is your League MVP?
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Kevin Durant |
Kevin Durant |
Kevin Durant |
LeBron James |
LeBron James |
| Every year an argument can be made for Kobe Bryant or LeBron James. LeBron is the best athlete and could be the best player in the game, Kobe is the best finisher. The expectations for Derrick Rose will be higher this year and because LBJ already has 2, the voters won’t give it to him this year. KD is a phenomenal scorer and if he leads his team to the #1 seed in the West he’ll snag his first MVP. | He is the best player in the NBA and will finally get his just due. | The league’s returning top scorer continues hisimprovement as a legitimate superstar. He and the Thunder are hungry and
play a favorable 66-game schedule on young legs. |
The man will be on a mission, and he will be rested. SCARY!!! | LeBron James |
What Teams do you Have in the Conference Finals?
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Thunder vs. Grizz & Heat vs. Bulls |
Thunder vs. Mavs & Heat vs. Bulls |
Thunder vs. Mavs & Heat vs. Bulls |
Thunder vs. Mavs & Heat vs. Bulls |
Thunder vs. Mavs & Heat vs. Bulls |
| A young and talented team in Memphis get’s their star player back who missed all of the playoffs last year. The Grizz will be scary and push the Thunder to 7 games. In the end there is just too much Durantula as they advance to the Finals. — In the East, this is the year that Chicago gets back to the Finals. Miami is installing a new offense and Boozer finally steps up to be the player he should’ve been last year. | Miami takes the East in 6 while the Thunder beat Dallas in 5. | The defending NBA champs lost Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea but added Lamar Odom. Anytime adding a versatile player pisses off Kobe Bryant, you know it’s a good move. While in the East, the MoHeatos return in year 2 having added more pieces around the James, Wade, and Bosh (particularly Shane Battier), while the Bulls added a veteran shooter (Rip Hamilton). | Despite all of the moves made in the offseason, nobody got better than the four best teams from last year. Therefore, rematch city. |
Who is the NBA Champion?
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Bulls over Thunder |
Thunder over Heat |
Heat over Thunder |
Heat over Mavericks |
Heat over Thunder |
| In probably the youngest NBA Finals ever, Chicago’s Derrick Rose will finally lead his team to a championship with help from Carlos Boozer and Rip Hamilton. The bigger question is whether or not Adidas spins off a subsidary with Derrick Rose’s shoes that causes riots in the streets. | Miami takes the East in 6 while the Thunder beat Dallas in 5. | The lockout may have been the best outcome for the Thunder and Heat. With the grueling schedule laid out by the league, younger legs will prevail. The presence of Battier and added toughness defensively tip the scales in the Heat’s favor. Miami wins in Game 7. | Dallas made a lot of additions but also lost some key parts, while the big three have had a year to get to know one another and they will be ready to bring the first of their 2, 3, 5, or is it 7 championships to South Beach. | Heat in 6 |
