HOOPSAHOLIC

Smack talk has been apart of every sport forever, but only few people are good at rattling the brains of the opposition. Michael Jordan is notoriously one of the most effective trashtalkers that's ever graced the hardwood floors. MJ was known to get in the head of the opponents on a nightly basis, and even though the GOAT was respected among his peers, he wasn't always liked.  

In a recent interview with Ahmad Rashad, Jordan told Rashad that President Obama was a "Sh%! golfer" and that it would take "all day" to play with the President. You can listen to the interview to the right of this page, but I love the guts that MJ has to take a jab the leader of the free world. 

What happens next is truly even better! Most people thought B.O. would take the high road and give a presidential type response the the MJ criticism, but as Lee Corso would say on College Gameday, "Not so fast." Mr. President shot back at MJ saying that he's never played with MJ, and that he should, "focus on the Bobcats, or Hornets."

Finally, in last nights loss to the Jazz, people immediately overreacted simply because the Jazz are an awful team. How is a team that has three top 10 NBA players, losing to a Jazz squad that's recently overpaid for Derrick Favors, Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks (LOL). Let me also remind everyone that LeBron took over in the final minutes of the loss. He hit a big three point basket, before knocking down three clutch free throws to tie the game. If it weren't for Hayward's incredible buzzer beater then we would all be discussing how LeBron saved the day compared to questioning the Cavs as a team. 

We're only about four games into the 2014-15 NBA season, and I'm over here on my computer making extremely bold statements wayyyyyy too early into the year.. But do I care? Not really, so here we go with why I think James Harden is the early season MVP favorite. 

Let me start off by saying this, the Rockets may have played the easiest four games of any team in the NBA, but that doesn't change the fact that H-Town's team is currently 4-0 and they've been led by a bearded man on a mission. They've beaten the Lakers, Jazz, Celtics and Sixers with Harden averaging 27.8 points per contest. I know the teams they've beaten aren't considered part of the league's elite, but they won all four match-ups by at least eleven points, which shows the Rockets aren't letting the bad teams hang around, and they're beating the teams they should.

The way Harden is dominating these games should be noted because he's doing it in all facets of the game. Not only is he averaging a lot of points, but through four games he's averaged 6.3 rebounds and 6.3 assists. People have given The Beard a lot of criticism in the past due to his lack of defensive effort, in the Rockets game against the Celtics Harden recorded a whopping four steals. Also, Harden's recorded a block in every game so far except for one. He's shown that he's worked on becoming a well-rounded player in the off-season and it's really paying off. 

Like I said earlier, MVP awards aren't handed out in November, so there's a lot that Harden will have to do in order to keep up this MVP style pace. He will have players such as Anthony Davis and LeBron James breathing down his neck as the season goes along, but through four games I don't think there's anyone you could place in front of Harden as the leader in the clubhouse. Isn't it crazy to think that only three years ago Harden won the Sixth Man of the Year award, and now he's in the discussion for League MVP? The Thunder sure could use his playmaking ability right about now.. 

Look out for the Memphis Grizzlies.. They're also 4-0 and both Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph look as good as ever. Don't look now, but they could be one of the top seeds in the West when it's all said and done. 

Two teams that reside on complete opposite ends of the United States, could be the two surprise NBA teams through three games in the 2014-15 season. Both the New York Knicks and Sacramento Kings are 2-1 on the season and have wins against legitimate title contending teams. The two teams each lost on opening night, opening the door for increased criticism on teams that are all too used to hearing the negative feedback. Now with two consecutive wins, the Knicks and Kings have people wondering if they're here to stay. 

Even with Carmelo Anthony returning to this team by re-signing a long-term deal over the summer, not many people thought the Knicks were a top team in the Eastern Conference coming into the season. Those doubts about the Knick's legitimacy were heightened after their blowout loss to the Bulls on opening night, in a game where Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah only needed to play about twenty minutes apiece to sure up a 24-point victory. The Knicks looked stagnant on offense in that loss, and they really didn't seem to have a grasp on the new triangle offense. The next night they shocked the world and spoiled LeBron James' homecoming to Cleveland by beating the Cavs 95-90 led by Melo's 25 points. The Knicks held LeBron to only 17 points on 5-15 shooting with a whopping eight turnovers. Then after a couple of days rest, the Knicks were able to take down Charlotte, beating the Hornets by three points. How they won this game is more important than the fact that they won. Melo looked to really get in a rhythm late, hitting clutch shot after clutch shot down the stretch, finishing with 28 points. Iman Shumpert added 15 points, and hit a three late in the game to tie it up. Amare Stoudemire came off the bench to add 17 points and ten rebounds, showing flashes of his younger self. I know it's early in the season, but Derek Fisher's squad seems to play well under his guidance, and this Knicks team might just be a playoff team after all. 

With one of the toughest schedules to start the new season, the squad from Sacramento were able to sneak away with a 2-1 record in three games after losing to the Warriors opening night, then beating the Trailblazers and Clippers in the Kings' next two games. In the loss to the Warriors, the Kings struggled to get in an offensive rhythm and Demarcus Cousins shot just 4-14 from the field and totaled 20 points off of 18 free throw attempts. The Warriors are a hard team to beat, especially if you can't match them offensively. The Kings then bounced back nicely and defeated a solid Trailblazers team behind 40 points from Rudy Gay. New point guard Darren Collison really seemed to get in a rhythm as well, adding 17 points and eight assists. They followed that win up with another one, in a heated game against the Clippers. Blake Griffin and Ben McLemore almost got into a scuffle after McLemore was called for a flagrant foul on Griffin in the first quarter. The Kings ultimately outscored the Clippers 28-18 in the games' final frame to get the victory. Cousins had his best game of the season with 34 points and 17 rebounds. We've always questioned if this Kings team could make the playoffs with the notoriously immature Cousins leading the way. There's still a long way to go before they make the postseason, but the early season confidence against three Western Conference playoff teams shows that this Kings team has come a long way. Both Cousins and Gay played for team USA at the FIBA World Cup over the summer and that experience is priceless for an NBA player. They're able to learn with the best players on the planet, while being coached by some of the best coaches. I like what I've seen out of this Kings team through three games and I'll be keeping an eye on them to see if it continues. 

Russell Westbrook stormed to the locker room in the second quarter of the Thunder's 93-90 loss to the Clippers on Thursday night, and all OKC fans braced for the worst. The way Westbrook reacted let us all know that something was seriously wrong. The only other time we've seen a reaction quite like that from Russ, was when he injured his knee against the Rockets in the 2013 playoffs. Westbrook even had a verbal exchange with a Clippers fan while walking into the tunnel, letting his frustration spill out for everyone to see. After the game, Scott Brooks informed the media that Westbrook suffered a fracture to his hand and will be evaluated today (Friday). AKA: Westbrook will be out for about a month. 

This leaves OKC in a situation they only imagined in their worst dreams. The Thunder will now need other players to fill the void that's left with two of the top five player in the NBA out with injury. Last night after Westbrook was out, Perry Jones took on most of the scoring load, tallying 32 points. If the Thunder are lucky, they'll get that showing from Jones on a consistent basis. There's no way Jones will average that many points per game, but he'll need to continue the agressiveness while looking for his shot. He's an athletic freak, so if he can assert that into his nightly performance he'll prove himself as a pro player. 

There's a chance that Reggie Jackson will return this weekend from his injury, so that should work in the Thunder's favor moving forward. Jackson is not Westbrook, but he's a viable scoring option. Last season he averaged 13 points and four assists per contest, but he'll be looked upon to carry a heavier load in the short term. The duo of Jackson and Serge Ibaka will need to carry this team if it has any chance of surviving without its two best players. Ibaka missed the game tying three pointer at the buzzer last night, but he's proved to be a legit scoring threat in this league. OKC also played great defense against the Clippers last night, holding them to only 93 points. Their stout D is really what kept them in the game without the scoring punch of Westbrook. 

The Thunder are currently appealing the NBA's rule which only allows 15 players on a roster. Now with eight injured players, the Thunder will need to bring someone in that'll be an extra body who can help get the team through this injury crisis. The question is: How big of a name will the Thunder go after? I personaly think they should try and over pay Ray Allen to come play for his former organization. There's rumors that Allen may eventually sign on with the Cavs, so it'll be interesting to see what the sharp shooter decides. One thing's for sure, the Thunder could use his scoring punch right about now. OKC could use anybodys help right now. Keep an eye on how this team performs in the short term, because if they can stay above water, then this team will be better from this experience in the long-term. 

You pumped? I definitely am! Hoops are back and my night's just got a lot more entertaining. No longer are we waiting and wishing for the season begin because it's finally here.. The dunks, the dimes, Detroit losing and Drake rapping, last night was jammed pack with awesomeness. I caught myself smiling as I posted up on my couch, flipping continuously through the numerous NBA games that were being played. Plenty of thoughts poured through my head, and as I tried to sort through the fog of overreaction I found myself intrigued with what's new. Realistically, everything about this NBA season is new. Every team and player on those teams have a fresh start, a new canvas in which they can make their mark as a professional basketball player. But to add onto that sentiment, there's also new hope. Team's such as the Minnesotta Timberwolves dealt with a brutal offseason where they ultimately traded their franchise player. They now have a clean slate, a young roster with more potential than a 13 year old Justin Beiber. They now have hope, and despite losing to the Grizzlies last night, they fought hard and the young guys showed that they'll be a fun team to watch over the next few years. There's many other examples of that same thing, and the greatest part about it all is that as an NBA fan we get to watch them all unfold.

If you stayed up late last night, you got to watch the second game of the double-header on ESPN which was the Thunder visiting the Trailblazers. What more could a fan want? Even without KD, the matchup featured battles between two elite point guards in Russell Westbrook and Damian Lillard, and two top knotch power-forwards in Serge Ibaka and LaMarcus Aldridge. Westbrook and Aldridge each won their individual duels, but ultimately the Trailblazers proved to be too much on the offensive end for the Thunder to keep up with, winning 106-89. Westbrook completely dominated the first half with 26 points, and getting his total up to 36 points before Scott Brooks sat him down for rest with about 3 minutes left in the third quarter. That was the death token for the Thunder. With Russdiculous on the the sideline, OKC was unable to get in any offensive rhythm.  When Brooks FINALLY inserted Russ back into the lineup in the fourth frame it was already too late. Wes Matthews hit fire, and Lillard woke up from his three quarter nap to put the game away. In the end, this game showed the Thunder will have to find away to get points from someone not named Westbrook. The Thunder only had nine active guys last night, so I expect things to get better in OKC once Reggie Jackson and Jeremy Lamb return from injury in about a week. They just need to keep their heads above water until the reigning MVP returns to save the day. 

The Bulls vs. Knicks game was all the hype of the week, and sure enough New York had to ruin it for everybody losing 104-80. Derek Fisher's team came out flat in his first game as coach, while the triangle offense looked as bad as it ever has. Way too many Knicks players standing around not knowing what to do. To make matters worse, they've announced that Jose Calderon will miss at least two weeks with a strained right calf. So that means more of Shane Larkin and way less productivity in the offense. The only bright spot was when Amare Stoudemire showed flashes of his old self. He only finished with 12 points and 8 rebounds, but he played well especially in the first half. For the Bulls, we saw them dominate through out while showing off their new toys in Mirotic, McDermott and Gasol. All three guys performed well in their Bulls debut, while Derrick Rose looked fine in his return with 13 points five assists. He only played a little over twenty minutes in the contest, so it was a small sample size. His explosiveness is still there, and that's the important thing even though he isn't finishing on all of his shots. Now unfortunately for the Knicks, they have to turn right around and play the other best team in the Eastern Conference, the Cavs. Good luck dudes! 

I caught a little bit of the other top Eastern Conference matchup in the Wizards/Heat game, and a couple of things came to mind. First: Toronto Chris Bosh is back. Bosh looked in his comfort zone as the number one option for the Heat, and his 26 points, 15 rebounds led his team to a 107-95 victory. Secondly: Dwayne Wade still looks like the player he did last year. Listen, Wade's had a great career, but he simply can't carry a team as the number one guy any longer. I think he knows this is now Bosh's team, so hopefully he will play that Robin role as the season continues. Thirdly: Norris Cole? Yes the Heat's long time "little bro" was great last night in the starting role, scoring 23 points. If he can continue his hot hand, the Heat will be better than we all projected this season. 

I'm excited to see how the new look Cavaliers play tonight, and it'll be interesting to watch the Thunder/Clippers matchup to see if OKC can respond in a hostile environment. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter @HoopsaholicBlog

The Cleveland Cavaliers automatically became the favorites to win the NBA Championship when they acquired both LeBron James and Kevin Love over the summer. Those two players alone could compete for a title, but then attach Kyrie Irving to the equation and this team is downright scary. With first year head coach David Blatte running the show, the Cavs will be must-watch television this season, and I can't wait.  

LeBron is simply the best player in all of basketball, and people who argue that clearly have no clue about the sport. The two time NBA champ averaged 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists last season in Miami and now that James is back at home in Cleveland, I expect to see him increase all of those numbers. Last season he was asked to do a lot because of injuries to Dwayne Wade, but now that LeBron is teamed up with Love and Irving, he will be able to facilitate more which will ultimately result in more personal success for The King. LeBron is the ultimate team player, who is loved by his teammates. I'll never bet against the guy and I don't see any scenario where LeBron isn't in the NBA Finals for the fifth straight season. 

So the Cavs get the best player in the game, and the best power-forward as well? That alone shows how crazy the NBA offseason can get. Love is a monster in the post, and the Cavs will love to have the sharp shooting big man on their roster. Last season with the Wolves, Love averaged 26 points, 12.5 rebounds per night. This year he won't asked to do as much, but I think he will thrive now that all of the attention won't be on him. I'm predicting Love to have the best season of his career now that he's in Cleveland.

Kyrie Irving is the luckiest kid in the world. One day he wants to be traded away from Cleveland, then the next he's on a starting lineup that includes two of the leagues top ten players. Irving will be responsible for running Blatte's new offense, so I'm expecting him to flourish now that he's not the lone ranger in town. LeBron makes players better just by being on the court with them, and I expect Irving to increase his 20 points per game average he had last season while also upping his assist numbers to double digits. I think I could average ten assists as the point guard on a team with James and Love. Trying to stop all three of these elite players will cause problems for many opposing teams. They're just too good. 

Dion Waiters and Anderson Varajao will fill out the rest of the starting lineup, and both players will have a solid role on this team. LeBron has said multiple times that he's thrilled to play with Waiters, who averaged 16 points last season. Waiters isn't the quietest guy in the world, and he made it very vocal that he should start and that him and Irving make up the best back court in basketball. At least he's confident, right? But for real, he'll be open due to the all stars he plays with taking up all of the attention from the defense, so Waiters should have a big year. With Varajao, the Cavs have a reliable center who can rebound and make open layups. Someone should teach Kendrick Perkins how to do that.. But anyways I think Varajao will be a nice piece to this Cavs puzzle because he will play within the system and he's unselfish. 

Cleveland may have the deepest team in the league to go with their already stellar starting five. They will have Tristan Thompson, Mike Miller, and Shawn Marion all coming off the bench. The Cavaliers have a great chance to win multiple championships over the next few years with this core nucleus of players. I don't think this LeBron-led team will take as long to get in a rhythm like the Miami team did his first year in South Beach. I hear Blatte is an incredible coach, so it'll be interesting to see how all of these personalities mesh. 

The Oklahoma City Thunder enter the 2014-15 season with their sights set on one goal, an NBA Championship. The young franchise has been at the brink of winning a title over the last five seasons, but OKC hasn't been able to put on the finishing touches. After losing in the NBA Finals to the Heat three seasons ago, the Thunder suffered injuries to Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka in back to back postseasons to derail all hope of winning that illustrious championship. Now with two seasons left on Kevin Durant's contract, the Thunder are all of the sudden in "desperation mode" to win a title before his contract expires. If KD is still empty handed at that point, who knows what decision he'll make about his future. 

Kevin Durant is the reigning NBA MVP, and no one can argue with the fact that the guy is incredible on and off the court. Last year Durant averaged 32 points, 7.4 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game to lead the Thunder to the second best record in the Western Conference. His shooting ability at his size is truly phenomenal and the guy seems to get better every season while adding a new weapon to his arsenal. Durant is constantly making his teammates better, and you can tell his "Thunder Buddies" love to play with him. Even though he'll miss the first six weeks of the season with a Jones Fracture in his foot, I still expect the superstar to return better than ever and get back on his MVP pace. 

With the Durant injury, point guard Russell Westbrook will take on more of the offensive load for the Thunder. Last year Westbrook averaged 22 points, 5.9 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game in a season slowed down by injury. Westrook is the most athletic player in the NBA, and opposing point guards have nightmares about guarding the monster. In Durant's absence, Westbrook must find away to become a better facilitator and get his teammates involved. Russ is a guy who's confident enough to take on an entire team by himself, but he must realize he can't do that and he must involve the role players if the Thunder have any chance of keeping their head above water during Durant's recovery period. I know Westbrook is capable of doing that, and in my opinion he's the best point guard in the league. He will finally have a team of his own to lead during these next six weeks, and I look forward to seeing how he handles it. 

Serge Ibaka is entering this season with a lot to prove. Last year he was very vocal that he wanted to be an all star and wanted to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, and neither of those things happened. He did averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds. Ibaka is the best rim protector in the business, and with an increased role early in the season I'm expecting the best year of Ibaka's career in 2014-15. He has elite athleticism and can knock down the mid-range jumper with ease. He's even added the corner three-ball to his bag of tricks, so expect Ibaka to average at least 18-19 points this season. 

Reggie Jackson is another guy who has a lot to prove this season as he approaches the end of his contract. He saw the big payday that Eric Bledsoe got, so he's out to make some money this season. Jackson had a stellar season last year for the Thunder averaging 13 points and four assists a night. He stepped in nicely as the sixth man, and really gave a reliable presence for the second unit. He's been known to wave off Durant and Westbrook in the past which has led to frustration from the two super stars. In the end, he's a valuable asset who should have his best season

The Thunder have announced that Steven Adams will be the starting center over Kendrick Perkins, which should give the Thunder more offense at the start of games. Both Andre Roberson and Jeremy Lamb will see some playing time at shooting guard, but I believe Roberson has the advantage right now. He has length and will provide great wing defense. The Thunder also have Nick Collison returning, the veteran will mentor the newest Thunder player, Mitch McGary when the rookie returns from injury since the two have very similar playing styles. Anthony Morrow was also brought in over the offseason to be a sharp shooting bench player, but will also miss time to start the season. Like I said at the beginning, this is a humongous year for the Thunder. The role players will need to take on more responsibility, especially early on in Durant's absence so the Thunder will be in good position to have homecourt advantage in the playoffs. 

The San Antonio Spurs are the definition of basketball excellence, and they showed us that last season when they made the Heat look like a JV team while on the way to an NBA Championship. Head coach Greg Popovich is widely considered the best in the business, and his no-nonsense approach to this team is the reason this franchise has been so successful since the late nineties. For years people have waited for the Spurs to fall off into irrelevancy, but it hasn't happened. San Antonio continues to get better every season and I fully expect that to happen again this year as they attempt to defend the franchises fifth NBA Title. 

The Spurs franchise owes most of the team's success to the "Big Fundamental". Tim Duncan is the best power-forward to ever play the game of basketball, and last season he averaged 15 points and 9.7 rebounds in his 16th year as a pro. He's a team player who's reputation shines brighter than his incredible nightly stat line. He's shown he knows how to win in any era, and has even taken a back seat to do so. Duncan has taken less money on more than one occasion to prove he's all about winning over money. What more could you want out of the face of your franchise? He continues to get older, but I still believe he's a force in this league and I won't expect anything else until I'm shown otherwise. 

Duncan's wing-man for most of his run has been point guard Tony Parker. The Frenchman is one of the more elusive guards in the game and is an excellent facilitator for this Spurs offense. Last season Parker averaged 16.7 points and 5.7 assists while leading the Spurs to the best record in the NBA. He's the motor for this Spurs team and when he's in a rhythm, it's tough to slow Parker down. Parker is always in the all-star discussion so I assume that will continue this season even though the league is filled with great point guards.  

To call Duncan and Parker the "Dominant Duo" would be doing an injustice to Manu Ginobli. Those three players have been the backbone to this team for years now, and Ginobli seems to have a little bit left in his tank for another run. Last year he averaged 12.3 points to go along with 4.3 assists, which are both low compared to his career averages. It's no secret that Ginobli has been dealing with numerous injuries over the last few years, and the Argentinian has cut back on his minutes played. Popovich will find the right way to use the shooting guard, and I believe he will still be a viable scoring punch off the bench for this Spurs team. 

Remember when the Spurs traded George Hill to the Pacers for a draft pick? Well that pick turned out to be Kawhi Leonard, and it's safe to say the Spurs won that trade. Leonard was the NBA Finals MVP after averaging 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game during the regular season. He's a soft spoken assassin who can lock down any offensive player you put in front of him. As long as you can pass and defend, you'll fit in perfectly on a Greg Popovich team. Leonard will miss some time due to injury, but he should return and have the best year of his young career. 

The Spurs could go either way when choosing a starting center. Pop has both Boris Diaw and Tiago Splitter to choose from, and either player could start on most teams in the league. The Spurs also have a nice mixture of role players that will play a part in the team's success. Danny Green will start at shooting guard and will be the knock down shooter for this team. Last year Green shot 41.5% from behind the arc, and he isn't the only shooter on the roster. The Spurs also have Marco Belinelli coming off the bench who can knock down the money ball at a high rate. Players such as Patty Mills and Kyle Anderson will also fill in nicely as bench players. The bench gets a lot of love from Pop, with no one from last years team averaging more than 30 minutes per game. Pop trusts his roster from the starters on down. The Spurs will once again be one of the league's elite, and in no way would I be surprised if they won back to back titles. 

The Chicago Bulls have one of the most historic franchises in all of basketball, remember that guy named Michael Jordan? He was pretty good at hoops. Anyways, the Bulls will be without MJ, but they have a roster filled with talent and one of the best coaches in the league in Tom Thibodeau. With LeBron in the first year of a new system in Cleveland, the Eastern Conference is wide open and the Bulls are looking to make it back to the NBA Finals. 

The return of Derrick Rose.. doesn't that sound way too familiar? Just last season Rose was supposed to make that hyped return, but those plans were derailed early into the season when Rose yet again suffered a knee injury. Now with another year of rest under his belt, the former league MVP will try to get back on track. For his career, Rose has averaged 21 points per game to go along with 6.8 assists and 3.8 rebounds. The Bulls have desperately missed Rose these last couple of years, and many believe they are title contenders with him running the offense. After a great preseason showing I expect to see the old Derrick Rose back this season. 

Despite not having Rose, the Bulls did have the Defensive Player of the Year on their roster last season in Joakim Noah. He "beasted" on teams the entire year, averaging 12.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and five assists. He could be the best center in the league while still being a great passer, which forms a dominant duo at the point guard and center positions for the Bulls. This Chicago team will go as far as these two guys take them. 

The acquisition of Pau Gasol through free agency in the off season could be the move that puts this Chicago team over the hump. Gasol is a proven player in this league who averaged 17.4 points and 9.7 rebounds last season. He brings a great skill set for a big-man and his veteran leadership will strengthen the chemistry of this previously fragile Bulls team. Gasol has always been a team first guy that teammates love, so I don't see that changing now that he's with the Bulls. 

The Bulls selected the best scorer in the '14 draft class in Doug McDermott. You don't have to be a basketball junkie to know that McDermott can light it up from anywhere on the court. He has a deadly three-point shot while he's also able to bring it in and score off of the dribble. He probably won't start right away with veteran Mike Dunleavy ahead of him on the depth chart, but I do see McDermott getting his opportunities to shine under Thibodeau's guidance. 

The Bulls could have the most depth in the entire NBA this upcoming season. They will start Jimmy Butler at shooting guard, who had a great season last year averaging 13 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. Off the bench they will have players such as McDermott, Taj Gibson, Tony Snell and Nikola Mirotic who can come in to bring energy and points. I definitely believe this team is for real, and we should see them at least in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

The Clippers are loving life as the most popular team in Los Angeles, and this season they want to add a banner of their own to the rafters in Staples Center. With Doc Rivers entering his second year as head coach of the Clippers, a title is a realistic goal, especially with a roster that's loaded with talent. Now that the Donald Sterling debacle is in the rear view mirror, the Clippers are ready to roll. 

Most every NBA expert has said for years that Chris Paul is the best point guard in all of basketball and he's a top five player in the league. CP3 backs all that talk up with his play, last season averaging 19 points, eleven assists and four rebounds. The dude is a facilitator, maybe the best the game has ever seen. Last season in the playoffs he was outplayed by Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook, so it'll be interesting to see if Paul used that as motivation in the off season to come back better than ever. With KD missing time with injury, and LeBron trying to fit into a new system, the MVP race is wide open. Don't be surprised to see CP3 take an early lead in that race especially if the Clippers start out hot. 

Last season Blake Griffin had the best season of his young NBA career. Griffin finished third overall in MVP voting behind only KD and King James after averaging 24 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists. He showed the basketball world that he's more than just an incredible dunk machine, and that he can lead a team even without CP3, who was dealing with various injuries throughout the season. Griffin has drastically improved his mid-range game, something that was lacking early in his career. I expect him to continue his improvement and become the best power-forward in the game. 

Last season under Doc Rivers, Deandre Jordan showed us all why the Clippers held onto the big man despite his atrocious free-throw shooting. Jordan averaged a double-double scoring 10.4 points a night while hauling in 13.6 rebounds. He's an elite shot blocker due to his size and athleticism, and people clear the lane when they know the big man is going in for a dunk. Jordan and Griffin seem to have a chemistry unlike any other post-combo in the league, so I expect to see even more things out of the duo in 2014-15. 

The shooting guard position will be a fun spot to keep an eye on this year. JJ Redick will be the starter once again at the position after averaging 15 points in 35 games played last season. He's been a knock down shooter his entire basketball career and the Clippers know they can rely on his shot on a nightly basis. Jamal Crawford will once again come off the bench as one of the more explosive second unit scorers in league history. Last season he won the Sixth Man of the Year award after averaging 18.6 points per night. This guy is the king of the four-point play, where you get fouled while still making the three-pointer. The Clippers feed off of the energy he brings off the bench and I think that will continue this season. 

The Clippers will have other valuable role players such as Matt Barnes, Glen Davis and Spencer Hawes that will be vital contributors to the team's success. I think this franchise continues to make steps, and I have them finishing third in the West, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them come out of the conference and make it to the Finals once June comes around. 

Did anyone expect the Trailblazers to have the season they had last year? Well... I actually predicted them to make the playoffs going into last season as my sleeper team, but I didn't think it would happen like it did. The Blazers looked great under head coach Terry Stotts, and this year it'll be interesting to see how Portland performs now that people expect them to be good. 

LaMarcus Aldridge showed us all last season why he should be considered one of the best big men in the entire league. He averaged 23 points and eleven rebounds per game to spring this Blazers team into relevancy. His back to the basket game along with his ability to knock down the mid-randge jumper is what makes Aldridge so skilled and dangerous. He causes matchup problems for teams becasue he can get away from the basket and really stretch the floor. I think Aldridge will build on the year he had last season and average even more points. He's actually one of my favorite players to watch in all of the NBA despite being a Longhorn.  

Aldridge will have the help of his point guard Damian Lillard to help lead this Blazers team on a long playoff run. Lillard averaged 20 points and six assists per game last year in his breakout season in which he made his first all-star game. Lillard is a playmaker, willing his team to more than win last year. He's very athletic for a point guard and can knock down the three-ball efficiently. Last season he knocked the Rockets out of the playoffs on an incredible buzzer beating shot. The swag this dude has is truly through the roof, and If I were a Blazer fan I'd be thrilled to have Lillard running the show. 

The wing players on this Blazer team will be the ultimate difference maker on this season. Both Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum have proven they're great pro players, and both fit into the system Stotts is running in Portland. Matthews averaged 16 points per game last season while Batum averaged 13. They are both better than average defenders who can cause mismatches due to their long length (especially Batum). They'll both be asked to knock down open shots more than ever now that Lillard and Aldridge are two of the league's elite, so I think the success of the team will depend on how role players such as Matthews and Batum perform. Both CJ McCollum and Dorell Wright will also have some responsibility in that category as well, but to a lesser extent since they'll be coming off of the bench. 

Robin Lopez will once again be the starting center for the Trailblazers after averaging eleven points and 8.5 rebounds last season. Robin isn't as good as his brother Brook, but he's definitely a starting center in this league. The Blazers also brought in Chris Kaman in the offseason to bring depth to the position. Kaman has never been known to stuff a stat sheet, but he's a respectable NBA veteran who will be useful if Lopez goes down with an injury. Both Meyers Leonard and Thomas Robinson should get playing time at the post as well. 

I have the Blazers finishing in fourth place in the Western Conference, giving them home court for the first round of the playoffs. The bench for this team looks to be a little suspect, but I ultimately think they have one of the better starting lineups in all of basketball. I think that strength alone will take them a long way barring any type of serious injury. 

After an offseason of change and Kevin Love trade rumors, the Golden State Warriors go into the 2014 season with a lot of optimism as they try to take the next step as a franchise. The Warriors were bounced out the playoffs by the Clippers last season in the first round which resulted in the firing of Mark Jackson and the hiring of Steve Kerr. Now with a roster LOADED with talent, Kerr will need to figure out a way to get this Warriors team to the NBA Finals. 

Steph Curry is one of the best shooters in NBA history, and will be asked to lead this Warriors team from the point guard position. Last year, Curry was voted a starter for the West in the all-star game after averaging 24 points, 8.5 assists and four rebounds to go along with his 42% three-point percentage. He's proven every season that he's more than just a one-dimensional player like many thought he'd be coming out of Davidson. I don't think he's the best point guard in the Western conference, but I do believe he's a top-5 talent. I expect him to give opposing teams nightmares once again and lead the league in three-point makes. 

Curry's "Splash Brother", Klay Thompson is also one of the best shooters in the league, which gives the Warriors one of the best guard duos in all of the league. Thompson averaged 18 points last season while shooting 41.7% from behind the arc. There were rumors that Thompson would get packaged up in a deal for Kevin Love over the summer, but ultimately the Warriors decided Thompson was too valuable of a piece to give up. Last season Mark Jackson believed Thompson was not only a great shooter, but the best wing-defender on the team as well. If he continue his lights-out shooting touch and great defense, then Thompson could end up with a spot in his first all-star game. 

The Warriors want to see a lot more out of Andre Iguodala this season after a mediocre first year in Golden State. Iguodala averaged nine points to go along with five rebounds and four assists per game, but he really struggled to fit into this offensive juggernaut. I think with a new coach in Kerr, the Warriors will find a way to best utilize the athleticism of Iguodala. He's also considered one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, so the duo of Iguodala and Thompson will be a tough matchup for opposing teams. 

If both David Lee and Andrew Bogut can stay healthy this season, the Warriors will have dominant big-men to go along with their potent shooters. Lee averaged 18 points and nine rebounds last year while battling through various injuries. He's always been known as a double-double guy, but he will need to step up his defense, a part of Lee's game that's always been criticized. Where Lee lacks on the defensive side of the ball, Bogut makes up for it. Bogut's one of the better rim protectors in the league and averaged seven points and ten rebounds last season. This duo will clog the lane and bolster the already stout Warriors defense that finished fourth in the league last year in defensive efficiency. 

Along with a stellar starting five, the Warriors will have a fairly deep bench. Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston should all contribute heavily to the teams success while Green and Barnes might find opportunities to start if Lee and Iguodala get off to a slow start. Ultimately I have the Warriors finishing fifth in the West. That ranking may seem pretty low, but with so many great teams making up the conference I don't see the Warriors finishing much higher. 

It wasn't too long ago when the Wizards were the laughing stock of the NBA. The curse of Kwame Brown haunted this team, and going into last year no one believed the Wizards would make a lot of noise. Suprisingly enough, Washington made it to the playoffs, and actually made it to the second round before getting bounced. This season, expectations are held high in the nation's captial, and Randy Wittman's squad will look to improve on the positive season last year. 

This team will look for John Wall to lead the way on this Wizards squad. He's become one of the top point guards in the leauge while having the swag to go along with it. The former number one pick out of Kentucky averaged 19 points and nine assists last year, and I don't think he's anywhere close to his ceiling. Wall is very athletic at his position and has done an awesome job of finding his teammates in recent years. I expect even bigger things from Wall this season. 

Wall's wing-man this season will be Bradley Beal. The two guards make up arguably the best back court in the league, and the two score first players have no problem lighting up a score board. Last year Beal averaged 17 points and shot 40% from behind the arc. This year, Beal will miss the first six weeks of the season with a wrist injury, but when he returns I expect his scoring average to increase from what it was last season. His ability to shoot spreads the floor for the Wizards and allows Wall to drive and kick or dump it down to the big men in the post. 

Washington will have two very good post players on the block who will be matchup problems for other teams. Both Marcin Gortat and Nene are both scoring threats while both are great rebounders as well. Gortat averaged 19 points and ten rebounds last season while Nene averaged 14 points and 5.5 rebounds. They bring bulk and toughness to this lineup, and both of them fit in nicely in Wittman's offense. 

The addition of Paul Pierce in the offseason should pay off big time for the Wizards. They brought him in to fill the void Trevor Ariza left when he bounced for Houston, and Pierce should fit in nicely. He will bring veteran leadership to a young Washington team that needs some guidance. Pierce isn't the scorer he once was, but he can still get the job done on a nightly basis. His professionalism will rub off on players such as Wall and Beal which will pay dividends in the long run, not just while Pierce is on roster. 

I project the Wizards to finish third in the Eastern Conference and will have home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Washington may get off to a slow start because of the Beal injury, but ultimately I see them coming together and making another playoff run. This isn't a team I would want to play when May rolls around. 

The Raptors sure did surprise a lot of people last season. There were rumors before the year started that Toronto wanted to "tank" its way to the worst record in the league in order to draft Canadian superstar Andrew Wiggins. Instead, the Raptors did the unthinkable: they actually won. They finished the year with a 48-34 record, and were one of the few bright spots in the Eastern Conference. They were in the top-10 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, and like Drake told us all.. we weren't ready for the "North Uprising". 

Kyle Lowry emerged as one of the prolific all around point guards last season, averaging 18 points to go along with 7.4 assists and five rebounds. In my opinion, Lowry was the key reason to the surprising success of the Raptors, and will be moving forward. The dude can hoop, it's as simple as that. People have criticized his attitude in the past, but under Dwayne Casey's guidance, Lowry seems to have finally found a home in the NBA. If he can continue that this season, I expect him to make an all-star appearance. 

One Raptor who did make an appearance at the all-star game last year was Demar DeRozan after averaging 23 points to go with his four rebounds and four assists per game. He's one of the more athletic wing players in the league who knows how to put someone on a poster. People have argued over the summer which back-court duo is the best in the league, and I think the tandem of DeRozan and Lowrey should be in the discussion. If those two guys can improve on what they did last year, Toronto could jump even higher than what I ranked them.

Remember that dude who was a lottery pick a few years ago..? I think his name is Jonas Valanciunas. But in all seriousness, Valanciunas played well last season after a sub-par year before. He averaged 11.3 points per game and hauled in 8.8 rebounds to lead Raptors post players in only 28 minutes a night. Dwayne Casey really wants Valanciunas to become a better rim protector, and Casey believes he should aim to be the best in the league. Most of the time when you think of a high draft pick you'd expect them to be one of the best players on the team. In this instance, Valanciunas doesn't have to be that guy with players like Lowry and DeRozan around him.  Valanciunas will continue to improve and I think we will see a great season and career out of the big man. 

Both Terrence Ross and Amir Johnson will fill out the rest of the starting lineup for the Raptors. Many experts believe this will be the breakout year for Ross as he builds off a season last year where he averaged eleven points and shot 40% from three-point range. He was the eighth overall pick in 2012, so the Raptors hope he will continue that improvement. Starting at power-forward, Johnson is a good post player that is known as the "glue guy" on this Toronto team. He's always hustling for loose balls and giving everything he's got, which is why the second round draft pick has had a successful ten-year career in the NBA. Last season he averaged 10.4 points and 6.6 rebounds and if he can continue that production into this season the Raptors will be in good shape. 

The key bench players for the Raptors should be both Greivis Vasquez and Lou Williams. Vasquez has proven over his career that he's a reliable contributor at the point-guard position and he will be a solid backup to Lowry. Williams had a down year last season coming off of a knee surgery, but before that Williams was considered one of the more electrifying bench scorers in the league. The Raptors have a lot of solid pieces and if they continue to mesh well together, I expect them to be one of the better teams in the East this season. I project them to finish fourth in their conference and will have home court advantage in the playoffs.