NBA Preview by Committee Part 1: Rebound

Ah, the blogosphere. How I've missed thee. It's hard to believe that just five short months ago we were meditating our way into a drunken stupor while the Celts were busy finding ways to drop games 6 and 7 to a sporadically efficient Orlando Magic squad. But hey, at least everything turned out well with KG's knee...

And here again is my friend Johnny, back to his old ways of slurping Kevin "Big Win Over New Mexica State" Durant. We get it, he's a good player, but his team is shit and his franchise has some serious karma issues to contend with. And can I take this chance to pose some serious questions: Why does OKC's jersey look like the mesh tanktop they hand out at registration in an outdoor three-on-three tournament? They're paying these guys millions, if not tens of millions of dollars each year and they can't spring for someone to design some better uniforms? Does Durant's agent have any say in this?

As for Durant winning the scoring title this year, I would refer to my dear State Rep and ask you: "On what planet do you spend most of your time?" You're right to call up Kobe and Dirk among those he needs to pass, but that list also includes BronBron and DWade, and I don't see all four of these boys slipping down behind a kid who only recently earned the right to walk though a casino. I could see Durant jumping ahead of Danny Granger (surprised me too) and one or two of the other guys this year, but adding 4-5 pts a night is a pretty incredible feat, even for someone who made it all the way to the second round of the NCAA tournament.

I think the most important aspect related to this prediction, though, is whether or not Durant winning the scoring title is actually good thing for his team this year. Sure, Green knows how to get his points by cleaning up on missed shots, but what does Sefolosha do if he's not asked to be a scorer? He certainly didn't pick up any good habits playing with Derrick Rose and the rest of the underwhelming Chicago cast during the first three years of his career. And most everyone agrees Westbrook is in for a stellar sophomore season, but what happens when he gets winded and (GULP) Shaun Livingston steps on the floor to command the offense? The relative success of the Thunder this season will likely hinge on Scott Brooks' ability to weave together at least a somewhat balanced offensive attack. Otherwise, if/when the Thunder become competitive enough for teams to take them seriously, it won't be difficult for opposing squads to frustrate their one-dimensional offense (see: Lebron James, et. al.)

Bringing things over to the East for a moment, my question posed to you is this: Can Shaq thrive in a supporting role in Cleveland, or will his ego cause him to lash out at Lebron after a few months of playing second fiddle to the new King of Parquet Castle.



I think Shaq ends up starting the fiasco that leads to BronBron saying goodbye to Cleveland. But does that mean we all have to start liking Kobe again?



Yours in nervous anticipation,
Cooter