NBA Round Table: 1st Week Edition

Alright NBA fans it is finally here, the NBA round table where we predict what is going to happen over the next 8 months. By we I mean my short notice assembled team of panelists, Chris, Nic, Keith, Peggy, Patrick and Myself. Now some of you might be saying, "Why do we care what these chumps have to say about the NBA season?" Well, lets just say that Chris and Nic have as much or more basketball playing experience than the so-called experts on ESPN (Marc Stein, John Hollinger, Chad Ford, etc.), and Patrick, Peggy, Keith and I have far more. So hopefully you like that reason, if not, too bad. So here we go:

Question: What will the Jazz record be for the year?

Chris: 56 wins. Both Portland and Denver won 54 last year and I figure a healthy jazz squad would've put up 2 more W's than them.

Nic: If the big 3 stay healthy (Deron, Memo, and Boozer) They will go 62-20. If
Carlos or Memo goes down for more than 10 games combined, they will be
around low fifties in wins. If Deron goes down, they will be lucky to win
41.

Peggy: Jazz will be over .500 because they have someone that is great like Deron. I say 57 wins.

Keith: 51 games....Jazz have been injury plagued 2 straight years...basketball gods won't be so cruel this year. when healthy jazz have a deep bench and the bench will finish the year in the top three in the NBA for scoring caring the jazz to 51 victories

Patrick: 55, but that is only with a healthy Jazz team. And hoping that the big men in the league (ie Oden, Nene) don't destroy us.

Kyle: I went with 58 wins in my "Maiden post" and I can't go back on that, despite what happened last night. Deron is too good and too many players need to play well for contract reasons.

Question: Which team will be the surprise (in a good way) of the NBA
year? Disappointment? Why?

Chris: Clippers, if Blake Griffin and Baron Davis play at least 60 games together. Cavs pretty much have to at least go to the finals or it will be a disappointment.

Nic: Surprise: LA Clippers. They have some good young players in place and the
run away ROY, Blake Griffin (If he can get healthy). By surprise, I mean
they will have a winning record and will be in contention for a playoff
spot, but for the Clippers, that's as good as a championship!
Disappointment: Houston Rockets. They lost Artest, Yao is out for the year
and Tracy McGrady is Part Time at best. They will be trying to grab that 8th
spot with the Clippers

Peggy: Don't know about the surprise, but suspect the Jazz will be the disappointment cause they have Boozer on the team.

Keith: Tie for surprise- Washington wizards and Charlotte Bobcats biggest disappointment- the dallas mavericks. Dallas is overrated lacks strong coaching and will struggle to score off the bench.

Patrick: Surprise - Toronto Rapters, Andrea Bargnani looks really good early. Disappointment - Portland, they don't have what it takes to win in the west consistently.

Kyle: This years surprise team is going to be the Washington Wizards. Agent Zero looked fantastic opening night. Disappointment, the Dallas Mavericks, everyone raved about their bench pick ups but I see Mark Cuban being arrested for assaulting Drew Gooden by the end of the year because he has been stealing paychecks.

Question: Which team will win the Atlantic Division?

All Panelists agree that Boston will run away with this one.

Question: Which team will win the Central Division?

Everyone said Cleveland, except Peggy who said this: they all suck, but probably Chicago. Judging from the 1st two games for the Cavs she might be onto something.

Question: Which team will win the Southeast Division?

Again this one was close to unanimous for Orlando, Peggy did go out on a limb and go with the Miami Heat, Dwayne Wade is really good.

Question: Which team will win the Southwest Division?

Unanimous for San Antonio, as much as it pains most Jazz fans, they are scary good.

Question: Which team will win the Pacific Division?

No Brainer, LA Lakers. We wont expound so that perhaps we wont make any of a few readers throw up in their mouths a little bit.

Question: Which team will win the Northwest Division?

Nic: Utah Jazz

Chris: Utah Jazz

Peggy: Denver Nuggets

Keith: Utah Jazz

Patrick: Denver Nuggets (even though the fan in me wanted to pick the Jazz)

Kyle: Denver Nuggets, Carmelo is really close to being unstoppable, and Nene is too much for our beloved Jazz.

Question: Who will win 6th man of the year? Why?

Nic: Rudy Fernandez. I hate to say it, but the man has a lot of talent and will
get a lot of playing time in the young Blazers organization.

Chris: Manu Ginobli because he's an All Star who should be a starter, coming off the bench.

Peggy: Ginobili came off the bench last night then maybe him? I hate San Antonio and most of their players, but that damn guy can outright play!

Keith: Lamar Odom....he will come off bench when Gasol is healthy

Patrick: Lamar Odom, he is a starter coming off the bench.

Kyle: I am going with Rasheed Wallace, mainly because the media is so east coast bias, bunch of jerks.

Question: Who will win Defensive player of the year? Why?

Nic: Kevin Garnett. He has taken a more defensive role and has left most the
scoring up to Pierce, Rondo, and Allen although he will still average 15 pts
per game. He has Sheed to help him out down low along with Kendrick Perkins.
He will average 12 rebounds and 3 blocks and 1.5 steals per game.

Chris: Lebron James. He knows he needs to be a lockdown defender in order to be considered the best ever.

Peggy: ? (I believe Peggy put this because she cares very little for defense)

Keith: LeBron James will be defensive player of the year.

Patrick: Dwight Howard, just makes the most sense.

Kyle: I am going with Dwight Howard, have you seen his arms??!?

Question: Who will win coach of the year? Why?

Nic: Jerry Sloan will finally get the credit he deserves. He will lead a team
that is picked to finish in the middle of the pack to 2nd seed in the West.

Chris: Vinny Del Negro, that team looks like they could have a solid year and maybe surprise some people.

Peggy: ?? (apparently she doesn't think you need coaches either)

Keith: Larry Brown will when coach of the year.

Patrick: Jay Triano of the Raptors.

Kyle: I am going to go with Popovich in San Antonio. They are going to exceed the already high expectations.

Question: Who will win MVP? Why?

Nic: Kobe Bryant. He will lead the league in scoring and the Lakers will be the
best team in the NBA.

Chris: Lebron James. He will be even better this year than last year.

Peggy: Probably Duncan (Gag reflex)

Keith: LeBron James will win MVP

Patrick: Lebron James, all hail the King.

Kyle: I don't think the voters are tired of Lebron, so he will get another one.

Question: Who will win the Western Conference?

Nic: LA Lakers

Chris: LA Lakers

Peggy: LA LAkers

Keith: Lakers win the western conference.

Patrick: San Antonio Spurs, I don't like the Lakers as much as everyone else.

Kyle: San Antonio Spurs, I am tempted to put Denver here, but I will go with the experienced Spurs and a healthy roster.

Question: Who will win the Eastern Conference?

Nic: Boston Celtics

Chris: Boston Celtics

Peggy: Boston Celtics

Keith: Cleveland Cavaliers

Patrick: Orlando Magic

Kyle: I want to say Cleveland, but I am going Orlando as well, too many options.

Question: Who will be NBA champions?

Nic: LA Lakers

Chris: Boston

Peggy: Stupid Lakers

Keith: Lakers (Please let me be wrong)

Patrick: Orlando will take the step this year

Kyle: San Antonio, if Pops gets there it is over.

Question: Is Deron Williams an All-Star this year?

The answer was emphatically "Yes" and Nic added "If he is not I am filing a grievance with the league." Patrick added "That is a dumb question" (He's probably right)

Question: Does Paul Millsap live up to his contract?

Nic: It was a pretty hefty contract, but I don't think it was undue. Paul has
pretty much reached the peak of his ability, so look for him to have a year
somewhere in between the last 2.

Chris: Um....no. I hate to say it, but I'm not sure is a starting PF in this league. Especially not on the Jazz where so much is demanded from that position

Peggy: Yes.

Keith: Millsap will prove worthy of his contract

Patrick: I think he will make a difference for the Jazz so yes he will live up to it.

Kyle: I don't think Paul is skilled enough to make people happy around here. At least offensively right now. (Or when it comes to outlet passes that get stolen and then stopping the guy who stole it from yamming on his head)

Question: Is Carlos Boozer traded during the season? If so where?

Nic: He will be traded to whoever is doing worse. Chicago or Miami

Chris: No. I think he is going to play out of his mind this season and the Jazz are willing to ride that wave into the playoffs

Peggy: Hope so, don't care where Siberia, maybe.

Keith: If the Jazz struggle but Boozer is healthy Jazz will trade him, Charlotte, toronto or Miami

Patrick: He wont get traded.

Kyle: I tend to think that he wont be traded, but not for lack of trying, no one wants him.

Question: Predict what game Carlos Boozer will get hurt? And what will
the injury be?

Nic: 2nd game. Knee injury.

Chris: Game 82 of the regular season.

Peggy: Game 17, ankle.

Ketih: Carlos will not get injured this year

Patrick: He wont because he can't afford it.

Kyle: Does game 1 with an ego injury count? No. Well I say game 54 right after the trade deadline has passed, with a broken nail.

That is it for our NBA Roundtable! Thanks to everyone for participating. We would love to hear what the readers think, give us a comment and feel free to debate with us all you want. Just try to keep it friendly for everyone (except Laker fans).