Teams to Watch Out For... That No One is Talking About

With all the talk about the new "Big Three" in Miami, a lot of people have forgotten that the Celtics, Heat, and Lakers are not the only teams in the NBA. It was just last season that most would say that the Magic and Cavaliers were the only Championship worthy teams in the East. Naturally, now the Heat are the "only" team in the league that can bring down the Lakers, since they now have King James and co. However, LeBron still does not have a ring, and he won't at the end of this season either because the Celtics, Lakers, and several other teams definitely could be garnering some attention of their own come the start of next season.

Utah Jazz
This Jazz team was already very good with superstar point guard Deron Williams and sharp-shooting center Mehmet Okur, so adding our old pal Big Al Jefferson to their frontcourt will make them that much more dangerous. They also have one of the best backup big men in the league with Paul Millsap, and just a very long and tall team in general that could very well rake in blocks and rebounds this season. Williams will continue his high level of play, and his assists will go up this year with so many options to dish the ball out to, including their newest addition at the two spot, Raja Bell. Depth is also a non-issue for this team since Kirilenko and C.J. Miles are both very good small forwards for their lineup, the latter of which really stepped up in the playoffs. They also have a solid backup to Williams with Ronnie Price, and a rookie forward to watch out for in Butler's Gordon Hayward. The kid plays better when he's an underdog.

Memphis Grizzlies
This team has been quietly improving under the radar for a few years now, and this could be the year they make a significant playoff run. Rudy Gay is not just a kid anymore, and his stellar play for Team USA in the FIBA games right now could very well be a sign that he will be bringing his high-energy dunks and blocks, as well as his improved shot, to lead the Grizzlies to a solid season while they are overlooked. Also, O.J. Mayo is going to keep getting better, and their array of young, decent, and still improving big men will make them capable of sticking with other starting 4s and 5s around the league. Zach Randolph will not be their main big man this year, instead look for the break out of someone such as Hamed Haddadi, the gigantic 7'3 Hasheem Thabeet, or Pau's younger brother Marc Gasol. Being surrounded by players that are flourishing this year, point guard Mike Conley might also finally not only be able to play well, but do so consistently. This team could very well be tough to play against, and will have a very capable defense that could get tons of blocks and steals. Their addition of Tony Allen also confirms the Grizzlies' defensive mindset, and the offensive production will follow closely behind.

Chicago Bulls
Since he was playing for Florida in college, I've always just hated something about Joakim Noah. When I watch him play, I get frustrated when he scores, when he celebrates, and can't help but say out loud "man, I hate that guy." However, there's no denying that Noah has improved dramatically, and solidified himself as a dominant big man, whether it be at the 4 or 5 spot, in the NBA. He consistently plays well both on offense and defense, and has become a better overall player each year while he and Derrick Rose make up one of the best point guard-center combos in the East. These guys play with high energy and tend to score with slam dunks and flashy cuts to the hoop, and that is exactly how the Bulls offense is going to operate next season. All under the passing and cutting of Derrick Rose, guys like Noah, Luol Deng, and Ronnie Brewer will find ample opportunity to throw it down and draw fouls. All the while, their newest big man, Carlos Boozer, will be gobbling up rebounds and likely be working well with Noah in the paint to help contribute to a ton of inside scoring for the Bulls this season. Chicago will absolutely not be relying on the three, but will have the ability to knock some down when opponents are least expecting it with sharp shooters such as Rose, Keith Bogans, Kyle Korver, and backup point guard C.J. Watson. They will dominate opponents inside, and though their three point game will not be feared, they will utilize it when necessary. The Heat (and Celtics) are not the only teams in the East that made moves this offseason, and the Bulls will truly be a force to be reckoned with.

Oklahoma City Thunder
They played very well in the playoffs last year, are stacked with up and coming stars, and Kevin Durant was the league's leading scorer. The Thunder play very well together, are young, quick, energetic, and when they rally behind Durant and Russell Westbrook they can completely demoralize a team with their offensive onslaughts. Jeff Green will likely keep improving this season, and we may see an expanded role from James Harden, and this young energetic team will be fun to watch. While their offense may be as dangerous as any team in the league, their defense is not very strong, mainly because of their lack of big men. Rookie Cole Aldrich could end up being their best big man this season other than Jeff Green, who is hardly a big man. Centers such as Byron Mullens and Nenad Krstic just are not enough to get it done against playoff-worthy teams. It will be interesting to watch if the Thunder can find a way to overcome this one issue, because with their high flyers and incredible ability to score from all angles, this team will be good no matter what... solving their problem in the paint is the difference between them making the playoffs, and them succeeding in the playoffs.

Golden State Warriors
New jerseys are just one improvement to this Warriors team this offseason. The other one is David Lee. Steph Curry and Monta Ellis are a very dynamic combination of guards, and as Curry matures in his sophomore season, this team could potentially be very dangerous with the ability to score from anywhere. Center Andris Biedrins has had his ups and downs in his career, but now playing alongside David Lee in the paint, this season will definitely be and up for him. Lee was one of the biggest names in free agency this offseason, and going from a dismal Knicks team to this talented but previously unsuccessful Warriors team could be a great fit. With backup big man Brandan Wright, I think that the Warriors will be strong in the paint in both the blocks and rebounds department, and will force teams to beat them from outside. Meanwhile, they have some serious scoring ability not only down low with Lee and Biedrins, but from outside with Steph Curry and Charlie Bell. Also contributing with some slashing moves to the hoop will be Monta Ellis and newly acquired Rodney Carney. I am also interested to see how their rookies develop, as big man Ekpe Udoh could become a great backup big man in working with the veterans already there, and Taiwanese guard Jeremy Lin from Harvard just keeps on surprising people with his ability to contribute and high level of play. This team won't be going to the finals this year, but don't be surprised if they turn some heads on their way to the playoffs for the first time since 2007. If they play their cards right, Golden State could have a bright, bright future centered around Stephen Curry.

September Poll

I've talked a lot recently about the Celtics' bench, and how their second unit is as good or better than many starting lineups around the NBA. With the addition of Shaquille O'Neal, and most recently the return of Delonte West, their bench becomes even more versatile and dangerous, and will be feared by backup players around the league. I predicted in my Breaking Down the Bench segments that Shaq could take the 6th Man award this year in his first season coming off the bench, but other members of the Celtics could very well break out this year and upset Shaq for the award, or maybe even work themselves into Boston's starting lineup... especially with the Big Three getting older, and potential injuries to the veterans lurking around every corner. With that being said, the September Poll has been released, so vote for which Celtic you think will be the biggest asset and most important player off the bench next season... other than Luke Harangody of course.

Delonte West: Pros and Cons

When the Celtics were losing massive amounts of games and having some major malfunctions before completing the trades that brought in Ray and KG, Delonte West was one of the few bright spots in their sub-par lineup. However, sub-par is exactly what they were, and that makes it hard to judge whether Delonte’s contributions to the team were really all that valuable or not, since regardless of his play, the Celtics could not win games. I definitely would not say that West is the worst of the remaining free agents that the C’s could’ve picked up, but due to his small size and off-the-court issues, he is not necessarily the perfect fit for this team either. Regardless, welcome Delonte West back to Boston, and be ready for all the positive things, and the potential baggage, that he may be bringing with him.

The Pros
For starters, he is another very solid backup player to add to the very solid Boston bench. He will be soaking up the minutes when Rondo or Ray Allen need to rest, and will help relieve some of the pressure off of Avery Bradley to really step up in his rookie season as a primary backup guard. Don’t be fooled, Bradley will still be around, and will still be quietly improving and stepping into his role as a future face of this team along with Rajon Rondo. Also, Delonte shoots right around .373 from deep over his career, and can typically stick with his man on defense, as well as use his quick hands to smack the ball loose a couple times a game. He can really be a solid player when his head is in the game, with the ability to score when you may least expect it and find open teammates for assists, which is an incredibly useful asset in a star-studded lineup like Boston’s. His last year on the Celtics was his highest scoring season, and look for him to pick up right where he left off when he got traded to Seattle.

The Cons
He is short. In my Breaking Down the Bench segments, I talked about how good Boston’s backups are with players like Shaq, Baby Davis, Big Nate, and an up and coming Avery Bradley… but a backup small forward was what they were truly lacking. By adding Delonte, who is a useful point guard and shooting guard, the Celtics are still greatly relying on Marquis Daniels to have a good season as Pierce’s backup. Delonte is a good player and I liked him a lot when he was a Celtic, but right now he just does not seem like the right guy to add to the roster when they already are stacked with guards and big men. Also, the guy is a bit crazy, getting caught speeding on a motorcycle with a guitar case filled with guns. I hope that the Celtics’ organization can help him to be very useful to them both on the court, as well as out of trouble when he’s off the court.

Overall, I would say that Delonte West is worth adding… but not necessarily at this moment for this particular Celtics’ team. They needed a bigger guy that could slash and shoot, like a Rudy Fernandez or Wilson Chandler type. Their offseason has been successful so far, but with this acquisition of Delonte West, I would not feel that the team was complete without adding or trading for a backup small forward at some point. However, that isn’t going to stop me from busting out my old Delonte West jersey, and it will be interesting seeing him subbing in and out for the guy they originally traded him for. Oh yeah, and did I mention he’s hooking up with LeBron’s mom?