The Season at a Glance
A weekly look at the who, what, when, where and how of the NBA
Posted: Tuesday February 02, 1999 07:20 PM
The Games to Watch | Storylines
The Bandwagon | All-NBA Watch |The Rookie Watch | Ask the Glance
Five Fearless Predictions
By Dan Shanoff, CNN/SI
Check back every week for "The NBA at a Glance."
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CNN/SI's Top 10
NBA Power Ratings
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WEST |
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1. Rockets |
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2. Lakers |
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3. Spurs |
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4. Jazz |
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5. Sonics |
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EAST
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1. Pacers |
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2. Knicks |
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3. Nets |
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4. Hawks |
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5. Heat |
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A few predictions to start the season:
The Pacers will set the alltime NBA record for regular-season winning
percentage. Last year's Eastern Conference finalist is loaded with the same
cast -- plus '97 first-round pick Austin Croshere (back from season-long
injury); smooth, experienced Sam Perkins (free agent); and prep-to-pros rookie
Al Harrington ('98 draft). Throw in the fact that the team has been practicing
together informally (in name only) since October and the '96 Bulls' record .878
winning percentage (72-10) is in serious jeopardy. The Pacers will run
through the 50-game season 44-6, an 88-percent rate. If nothing else, Reggie
Miller and Co. will have that over MJ. But expect a whole lot of bogus
whining that the record should be "asterisked" (a verb exclusive to
sports) due to the shortened
season.
Chicago will be bad -- but not record-breaking bad. To best the NBA
record for worst winning percentage (.110, held by the '72-73 76ers in a 9-73
season), one woeful franchise will have to go 5-45. Wouldn't it be ironic if the
once-proud Bulls -- owners of the record for single-season winning percentage --
set the mark? It would be enough to make Michael Jordan ask to remove his jersey
from the United Center rafters. The Unmentiona-Bulls -- a roster of cast-offs
and salary-cap devices -- will contend with the Worst of the West, the Clippers,
for the NBA's most pathetic record this season, but there's too many X-factors
around the rest of the league to ensure a new record for failure. We'll say
the Bulls will win 8 and the Clips
10.
Milwaukee's Ray Allen will pick up His Airness' legacy. Kobe Bryant is a
dynamic dunker, Grant Hill a marvelous marketer and Vince Carter loaded with
potential. But Allen -- forgive us -- has got the game , both off the
court with his pleasant personality and movie-star appeal and on the floor with
a smooth shot and the hops to take the ball to the basket with flair. Though he
averaged 19.5 ppg, 4.9 rpg and 4.3 apg last season, the third-year shooting
guard could use an improvement in shooting percentage (42.8%). By aggressively
assuming the focal point of the Bucks' offense -- à la early Jordan --
his game will
soar.
Latrell Sprewell will lead the Knicks in scoring -- and to the Atlantic
Division title. Spree may not win a coach or media popularity poll, but the
wiry shooting guard popped off for 27 in his New York debut, showing little
signs of rust from a year-long layoff. He will reestablish himself as a 20-plus
ppg scorer and defensive standout. His new teammate, Patrick Ewing, coming off a
major wrist injury and a tumultuous offseason as union president, didn't look
nearly as good in the exhibition opener, scoring nine. Ewing must relegate
himself to a role as third offensive option (behind Sprewell and Allan
Houston) and reaffirm his defensive and rebounding aggressiveness; if that
happens, the Knicks will reclaim the division
title.
Houston will defeat Indiana 4-3 to win the NBA championship. The Pacers
are awesome, but the Rockets -- led by '99 league MVP Scottie Pippen -- have two
Finals veterans in Olajuwon and Pip, plus Charles Barkley, who wants a ring so
badly he'll do anything. An unlikely hero will emerge during the playoffs to
shore up Houston's suspect backcourt -- blessed rookie Bryce Drew, perhaps?
-- and the Rockets will walk away with the last title of the century and the
team's third of the
decade.
| Games to Watch |
New York at
Orlando
Friday, Feb. 5, 8 p.m. ET,
TNT
Why you should care: Spree on national TV. Need we say more? O.K.: Penny
Hardaway is supposedly injury-free and better than
ever.
Matchup to watch: Magic C Isaac Austin vs. Knicks C Patrick
Ewing
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Houston at L.A.
Lakers
Friday, Feb. 5, 10:30 p.m. ET,
TNT
Why you should care: Two leading contenders for the West title square
off. The Lakers wanted Scottie Pippen badly, but the Rockets got him. Watch for
shallow point-guard play for both
teams.
Matchup to watch: Rockets C Hakeem Olajuwon vs. Lakers C
Shaquille
O'Neal
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L.A. Lakers at San
Antonio
Monday, Feb. 8, 8 p.m. ET,
TBS
Why you should care: More early-season jockeying between West contenders.
Has Bulls refugee Steve Kerr solved the Spurs' outside-shooting woes?
Matchup to watch: Lakers PF Robert Horry vs. Spurs PF Tim
Duncan
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| Storylines We'll Be Following |
On Your Mark, Get Set ...:
Throw out the first month of the regular
season. For all but a few teams, it will be an extension of training camp.
Translation: ugly play and frequent injuries. After that, look for a mad dash
among two dozen teams for 16 playoff slots. If anything, the lockout has created
a compelling regular season, as opposed to the lurching from November to March
in previous
years.
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Kobe or Not Kobe:
New contract or no, the Lakers' third-year guard has to
show that he can play at least one position solidly, as opposed to two positions
fairly. Where does he fit in? He doesn't have the point-guard mentality of Derek
Fisher, nor the refined game of SG Eddie Jones. A pricey backup -- and a looming
headache for L.A. coach Del
Harris.
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| The Bandwagon: Scoring-Title Edition |
| Ray Allen |  | If Big Dog gives up the
ball.
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| Penny Hardaway | | Playing PG, but now healthy, should be able to
score at
will.
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| Allen Iverson | | Only backcourt-mate Larry Hughes will stifle
his
average. |
| Antoine Walker | | Up-tempo game and versatile
skills. |
| Shaquille O'Neal |  | Kobe's development means less shots for
Shaq. |
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| All-NBA Watch |
| In a short season, every game counts as players vie for All-NBA Status. With no All-Star game, "All-NBA" takes on greater meaning. Each week, we'll be handicapping the race for first-team honors. | | CNN/SI's Preseason All-NBA: |
F Tim Duncan, San Antonio
F Karl Malone, Utah
G Gary Payton, Seattle
G Penny Hardaway, Orlando
C Shaquille O'Neal, Los Angeles
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| On the Bubble: Shareef Abdur-Rahim , Vancouver; Ray Allen , Milwaukee; Kevin Garnett , Minnesota; Allen Iverson , Philadelphia; Mitch Richmond , Washington; Antonie Walker , Boston |
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| The Rookie Watch |
| Unexpected rookie development adds intrigue to an already fascinating short season. Each week, we'll put the spotlight on first-year players and see which lottery picks were worth it, which weren't and which are emerging from the sleeper ranks. | | CNN/SI's Preseason All-Rookie Team: |
G Vince Carter, Toronto
G Larry Hughes, Philadelphia
G Bonzi Wells, Portland
F Antawn Jamison, Golden State
F Raef LaFrentz, Denver
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This year's Tim Duncan: Still waiting
This years' El Busto: Michael Olowokandi, L.A. Clippers |
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Ask the
Glance
Got a question or comment about the NBA season? Send your mail to
the Glance, and each week we'll pick a few CNN/SI user responses and post 'em
here.
CNN/SI NBA Week at a Glance is released weekly throughout the season.
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