It’s prediction time, and as I have always liked to say: Predictions are like armpits: Everyone has them, and all of them stink. Take it from a guy who picked Spurs in 7 last season.
Yes, that one missed – but find me a guy who predicted that Gregg Popovich would have an extreme bout of cranial flatulence with the championship within his grasp at the end of Game 6, and then I’ll drop the armpit line. I still can’t get over the size of those brain farts. Even Dwight Howard was impressed.
This week we are rolling out a series of columns from our senior columnists.
Everybody is making 1o predictions, and the idea is to be serious but also to have some fun. At the end of the season, we’ll take a look back and see who was especially sage-like.
For now, let’s get this thing kicked off properly with my top prediction of the 2013-14 season:
1. Pau Gasol will get traded
When you are a rebuilding team, as the Lakers are, and when you are a rebuilding tam that does not have many future No. 1 draft picks (the Lakers owe their second-round pick in 2014 to Milwaukee, their 2015 first-round pick to Phoenix and their 2015 and 2017 second-rounders to Orlando), you have to go out and get new ones. Look at what Boston did: When the Celtics traded Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Nets, they got back three first-rounders plus the right to swap places in an additional first round. Nobody on LA has more trade value than Gasol, who is in the final year of his contract and can be the difference-maker for a championship team. My thought is that the Chicago Bulls will go after him the hardest, because they need him to match up with Indiana (and Miami) and they have the assets to get a deal done (though a third under-the-cap team – like Philly – would be needed to be a facilitator). Chicago has the rights to a future Charlotte Bobcats pick (protected 1-10 in 2014, 1-8 in 2015 and unprotected in 2016).
2. The 76ers will be the worst NBA team of all time
Chevy Vega, a best-seller in 8/74.
They will need to win 10 games to avoid matching the worst 82-game record in NBA history, set by their predecessors in 1972-73. And they do not have a lot to work with outside of Spencer Hawes and Evan Turner (especially when Hawes is the better shooter). Do you know who James Anderson is? He is one of the projected starters for this motley crew. Do you know who Andrew Wiggins is? (You should.) He is the top prize in the ballyhooed draft class of 2014, and Philadelphia will want to lose as much as possible to increase its chances of winning the draft lottery (even though no NBA team with the worst record has won the lottery since Orlando in 2004. For more on bad teams’ chances of winning the Wiggins sweepstakes, check out this column, complete with charts and graphs, by columnist Shlomo Sprung).
3. The Pacers will be atop the East for most of the regular season
No team improved as much in the offseason than the Pacers. (And yes, Nets fans, that includes you. KG, PP and Jet were all nice players – once. But did you see them fall apart last season?) The additions of Luis Scola and Chris Copeland were huge for a team that had zero bench strength last season, yet still took Miami to Game 7 of the conference finals. And when you add Scola’s low-post repertoire to the multi-faceted games of Roy Hibbert and David West, this team can beat you down low better than anyone in the Association. Plus they have Danny Granger back, which makes Lance Stephenson less of a make-or-break commodity. Get out your calendar and circle these dates: Dec. 10; Dec. 18; March 26; and Apr. 11 — those nights bring us Pacers-Heat games. (And if you are a gambler and truly believe in the Pacers, you should check this out.)
4. Adam Silver will be a popular commissioner
The NBA does not do popular commissioners, and the fans in Brooklyn let Silver have it at the start of the second round at the NBA draft. But that was just for fun. Silver is a protegé of David Stern; Silver’s father was actually Stern’s mentor when Easy Dave was a young, aspiring attorney. But he does not carry himself with the type of grumpy “I’m smarter than you” demeanor that Stern relished showing off. Whereas Stern came off as a dictator, Silver comes off more as a head of state – much more diplomatic. And while Stern liked to remind everyone who is boss (he used to terrify young NBA staffers by grilling them in the elevator on their knowledge of the game), Silver is much more cheerful and easygoing. He is patient, not impatient, and wise without coming off as a wise guy. He has already made one long overdue change – going back to a 2-2-1-1-1 format for the NBA Finals – and it says here his next change will be allowing teams to put advertisements on their game jerseys in such a way as to not overwhelm the team name and logo. In other words, small ads. Trust me, this is going to be like a preview of post-Castro Cuba.
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I can believe all of this except #5. Ive been surprised at the burke fan club when he so obviously OBVIOUSLY lacks the physical prerequisites for the NBA, He is simply not close to being enough of an athlete. Dennis Schroder might be ROY….or Kelly Olynyk. Burke wont be austin rivers bad, but he will be bad enough. (Chris, you didnt watch summer league?). I think actually that the surprise team might be boston. Philly is a disgrace. They arent even a good D league team. Coach of the year is brad stevens. Breakout surprise player is miles plumlee……..but break out not a surprise is Jonas Valanciunus. And I have a feeling chicago might lead indiana most of the season. And Jerry….above me on this thread….its called BIG market vs small market.
Mark, you wrote: “The problem is never finndig an idea, it’s finndig the time and money to work on an idea.”My spin on this is that “time” is not such an issue (just think of the time people waste on nonsense), and the reality is that making a film now has never been cheaper. My last film cost $500. In my opinion, the biggest factor that keeps people from making an animated film is a lack of passion, something totally needed to see you through the mundane tasks and hard work needed to get through to completion.
It’s a relief to find someone who can explain things so well
Wow! That’s a really neat answer!
I’m shocked that I found this info so easily.
Okay I’m convinced. Let’s put it to action.
Okay I’m convinced. Let’s put it to action.
That’s 2 clever by half and 2×2 clever 4 me. Thanks!
That’s way more clever than I was expecting. Thanks!
You’ve got it in one. Couldn’t have put it better.
That’s not just logic. That’s really sensible.
You know what, I’m very much inclined to agree.
That’s 2 clever by half and 2×2 clever 4 me. Thanks!
Didn’t know the forum rules allowed such brilliant posts.
That’s a smart way of thinking about it.
Whoever edits and publishes these articles really knows what they’re doing.
Now I’m like, well duh! Truly thankful for your help.
That’s the smart thinking we could all benefit from.
TYVM you’ve solved all my problems
You’re on top of the game. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate you taking to time to contribute That’s very helpful.
It’s like you’re on a mission to save me time and money!
How about a top 10 list for how to increase circulation and comments.
I can make 2 suggestions:
1. Put beards on photos of all the younger commentators, so they don’t look like they are still in High School.
2. Have a November special where you pay everyone who makes a comment, $1 per comment.
I am willing to exclude my name.
The playing with HOFers anurmegt is a bogus defense. Bird played with like 6 Hall Of Famers throughout his career. Magic played with like 4 Kareem, Bob McAdoo, James Worthy, Jamal Wilkes (should get in).Kobe played with Shaq, has a Hall of Fame coach and is playing in a but lesser talented league.My point is: Don’t praise Kobe for the low-caliber of his team then rip guys in the past for the caliber of their team.You either get it done when you play or you don’t. And Kobe bitches way too much, demands trades every year and rips his squads until he gets his way.Nothing great about that.
That’s an ingenious way of thinking about it.
Thought it wouldn’t to give it a shot. I was right.
That’s a genuinely impressive answer.
That’s really shrewd! Good to see the logic set out so well.
Tip top stuff. I’ll expect more now.
That’s an expert answer to an interesting question
You’re a real deep thinker. Thanks for sharing.
You’ve really impressed me with that answer!
This does look promising. I’ll keep coming back for more.
I have little doubt that the Heat won’t have the best record in the East, but if Indiana is so good, then why didn’t the major Networks have the sense to put more of their games on TV, instead of Maxing out on the Lakers and Knicks (besides the Heat) and almost on the Bulls?
Non of the 15 Pacer games will be on ABC – most involve the 4 teams mentioned above.
Correction: None of the 15 games on ABC include the Pacers (or Nets for that matter).
Hahah The one conclusion I’m drnwaig from all this is that “American Police Force” is a scam of epic proportions. If, in fact, there is some larger entity driving this company from behind the scenes, it appears (at least to this observer) that they are an utterly incompetent, motley crew of bumbling con artists that may (at best) inspire an interesting screenplay along the lines of a low-budget “Ocean’s 11”….except with a very ugly cast. Felix Barbour,,, PrisonPlanet!
Yo, that’s what’s up truthfully.
If you’re reading this, you’re all set, pardner!
That’s a genuinely impressive answer.
I told my grandmother how you helped. She said, “bake them a cake!”
That’s a mold-breaker. Great thinking!
That’s not just logic. That’s really sensible.
A good many valuables you’ve given me.
So that’s the case? Quite a revelation that is.
Posted on Tot timpul se vor gasi deceurcarsti care sa faca bani din orice, de la exportul de evrei sau germani la exportul de dioxid de carbon. Al Gore e unul dintre ei, nimic de zis. Eu altceva nu inteleg, si anume legatura dintre frigul de afara si lipsa incalzirii globale Adica eu inteleg sa acuzi impostura, oricunde ar fi ea, de la Elena Udrea la BOlteanu si la multi altii de teapa lor (na, ca nu scap de astia nici aici), dar nu inteleg sa neg existenta unui fenomen.
(étant donné que le commentaire sur mon blog était en français, je vais partir du principe que tu le parles! =D)Porter une de ses propres création aux Grammys!!! Ca a l'air tellement excitant et un peu stressant, non?! =) En tout cas félicitations et tient nous au courant.
Das mit dem ungestylt und dann Leute treffen die einen nur gestylt kennen hatte ich letztens auch und dann immer so viele auf einmal -.-;)
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Julia Mariani comentou em 18 de agosto de 2011 às 20:39. julia, amei tudo…. mais eu gostaria de saber qual é a marca e qual o “tamanho” do seu bob liss…. beijoo
Alright alright alright that’s exactly what I needed!