Division Overview
Last year, the Pacific division had a down year – the only team to advance to the post season were the Lakers. Showing complete dominance, the Lakers have finished at the top of the pile in the past four seasons. The Clips, Warriors and Kings have all had their fair share of struggles in recent years. The Kings and Clips have finished under .500 in the past five seasons. The Warriors last playoff appearance was in 2006, when Baron Davis led the team to an exciting upset victory over the number one seeded Mavericks.
Needless to say, this division needs an injection of excitement. Looking forward to the 2011-12 season it seems like they’ll get the medicine they need in the form of two new players – the best point guard in the league and a scoring machine from BYU. Chris Paul arrived in L.A. – to the Lakers Clippers, and Jimmermania is about to take off in Sacramento.
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Also, the exciting duo of Curry and Ellis are drawing attention to the Warriors. And the Suns, well at least they still have Steve Nash. Drama is building in the Pacific division and it boils down to a few key questions. Who will win the battle of L.A.? How will Jimmer’s NCAA success translate to the NBA? Are the aging Lakers still championship contenders? How many lobs will Paul throw to Blake Griffin?
Next Page: The Setting Suns
Phoenix Suns (2010 record: 40-42)
It’s almost fitting that the Suns play in the arid desert of Arizona. The roster is dried up and lacking quality players. In an unfortunate turn of events, their best young player, Aaron Brooks, signed a contract with a Chinese team one day before the lockout ended. He will not be allowed to return to the NBA until he finishes out the season in China. To nobody’s surprise, the Suns used the amnesty clause to waive the under-performing and overpaid Vince Carter. They managed to nab the high flying Shannon Brown to provide backcourt depth. And they re-signed Grant Hill to the tune of $6.5 million in order to keep Steve Nash happy and sane.
Key Players: Without question, the most important player on this team is Steve Nash. Sans Nash this team is better suited for the D-League than the NBA. Gortat will play an increased role in the success of this team. His defense is solid, but can he get it going offensively? Frye’s development as a player is also key. His versatility as a big man who can shoot the trey makes him a valuable asset; but he’ll need to do more than just shoot treys in order for the Suns to improve. Frye needs to develop his inside game (dismal 43% FG percentage) and rebounding.
Season Outlook: Things aren’t looking good in Phoenix. Where will they get their scoring from? Nash is in his 15th season and he won’t be able to carry this team like he has in the past. With Aaron Brooks in China until March, scoring in the backcourt looks to be a problem for the Suns. Outside of Nash, Dudley and Frye will be expected to carry most of the scoring load which doesn’t look like a recipe for success. Barring a significant makeover to their roster, I expect the Suns to finish last in the Pacific division.
Next Page: Three Young Kings
Sacramento Kings (2010 record: 24-58)
In the off-season the Kings retained shooting guard Marcus Thornton and signed forward Chuck Hayes. The addition of the defensive-minded Hayes gives the Kings at least one defender in the front court. Jimmermania is the talk of the town in Sacramento. The prolific college scorer was drafted 10th overall by the Kings. In addition to a young nucleus of Evans and Cousins, the Kings hope that Jimmer will be able to score in bunches like he was able to in the NCAA.
Key Players: The hope of the King’s franchise lies on the shoulders of Tyreke Evans. After a successful rookie campaign, his sophomore year was a sour disappointment. He will need to stay healthy and play well in order for the Kings to have any measure of success. Reportedly, big man DeMarcus Cousins showed up to camp sleeker and slimmer. There is no doubt that Cousins has the potential to be a solid power forward. Cousins showed flashes of potential in his rookie year but he also had trouble controlling his temper. He has a chance to be a key contributor if he can keep his attitude in check. Jimmer’s story will be one of boom or bust. No doubt he will have many eyes following him to see if he’ll be as successful in the NBA as he was in college. However the story ends, it’ll sure be an interesting narrative to follow.
Season outlook: Will they contend for a playoff spot? No. But, this young team can definitely improve from last year (they finished last in the division). The development of Evans and Cousins will be key to the King’s rebuilding efforts.
Next Page: The NBA’s Most Fanatic Fans
Golden State Warriors (2010 record: 36-46)
Why would anybody in their right mind sign Kwame Brown? After failing to land Tyson Chandler, the Golden State Warriors signed Kwame in order to shore up the center position. Starting center Andris Biedrins manages to get worse with each passing season and backup Udoh has yet to develop. The Warriors might use the amnesty clause to waive Biedrins sometime in the near future which opens the door for Kwame Brown. The Warrior’s front office is lucky that they have the most fanatic fans in the league who continue to support the team despite numerous bone-headed moves by the front office.
Key Players: Stephen Curry continues to develop into one of the best young point guards in the league. Alongside the explosive Ellis and defensive stopper Wright, the Warriors have an above average starting backcourt. While the starting backcourt is strong, they lack depth. If Curry or Ellis go down for an extended period of time the Warriors will be in trouble. It’ll be interesting to see if rookie Klay Thompson gets some time – he was quite the scorer in college and no slouch on defense. David Lee is a force in the post and the Warriors will lean heavily on his ability. He’s the team’s only true post player who can score in the paint consistently.
Season Outlook: The Warriors have too many defensive deficiencies to finish above .500. But, Curry and Ellis will provide plenty of excitement for Bay Area fans. The biggest storyline in Warriorland this year will be if Curry will improve enough to make it to the All Star roster.
Next Page: The Usurpers of Lob City
Los Angeles Clippers (2010 record: 32-50)
The basketball gods must be smiling on “the other team in L.A.” Last season Blake Griffin ushered in a new era for the Clippers. He made the Clippers watchable. This season Chris Paul joins Blake Griffin in newly dubbed “Lob City” to form one of the most intimidating tandems in the NBA. He instantly makes the Clippers playoff contenders.
Often viewed as one of the worst managed teams in the NBA, the Clippers management is seemingly making all the right moves this off-season. First they picked up the talented slasher Caron Butler in free agency. Then they matched DeAndre Jordan’s offer by the Warriors and signed him for four years and $43 million. In addition they picked up the savvy veteran point guard Chauncey Billups after he was waived by the Knicks. Things are looking up for a franchise which has consistently been one of the bottom feeders of the NBA.
Key Players: All eyes will be on Chris Paul and Blake Griffin. There’s no reason that this duo shouldn’t make ESPN’s top 10 highlights every night. Jordan will also get his fair share of high-flying alley-oops. With the depature of Kaman, the sole duties of center will rest on DeAndre Jordan. He’s a talented player with an expansive wingspan, but he’ll need to continue to improve and show that he has what it takes to bump shoulders with the NBA’s best.
Ever the consummate professional, Billups is a welcome addition to any roster. He could share the backcourt with Paul or provide backup if Paul’s knees give out. Butler returns to L.A. for the second time and he’s not the same man he was when he left the Lakers seven years ago. After blowing up as a star in Washington he hobbled his way through two injury-filled years in Dallas. If he can stay healthy he could be a valuable piece for the Clips.
Season Outlook: Anything less than the playoffs will be viewed as an disappointment for the Clippers. With this line-up, they could very well challenge the Lakers for control of the Pacific division.
Next Page: Fading Monarchy
Los Angeles Lakers (2010 record: 57-25)
The Lakers had a tough off-season. After their proposed trade for Chris Paul was axed two times they gave up and made a push for Howard. In the process they gave up reigning sixth man of the year, Lamar Odom, for a $9 million trade exception. This looks like it could be a misstep for Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers front office. All of this drama has overshadowed the fact that the Lakers have a new head coach in town and thus a new system. Supposedly Coach Brown will implement an aggressive defense which could be a good change for the ever-soft Lakers. Barnes and World Peace should benefit greatly from the new style. Perhaps Bynum could develop a mean streak.
Key Players: Due to the lockout, Bryant rested for the first time in decades. A healthy Bryant is always a good thing and I’m sure all of us hope he stays that way. Doctors can repair bad knees, but they still haven’t found a cure for age. Fisher and Bryant are both entering their 15th season and this is certainly cause for concern. The backcourt looks old and slow so if the rookies Morris and Goudelock can show something on defense, they could get playing time. After a terrible post-season, Gasol looks to return to form. He has shown that he can play well as long as he doesn’t have to play extended minutes. Thus, Bynum will need to stay healthy for at least 85% of the shortened season. The Lakers lack frontcourt depth, so Bynum’s health will be absolutely key. Off the bench, Kapono could provide some much needed three point shooting which last years Lakers sorely lacked.
Season Outlook: New coach, trade fails and the departure of Odom add up to a very disappointing off season. One would hope that the Lakers can put their woes behind them and prove that they are still title contenders. The shortened season will benefit the aging squad, but the triple headers could be cause for some concern. The playoffs are certainly in the picture for the Lakers, but don’t be surprised if they finish second in the division behind the Clippers.
2011-12 Division Projection
1. Los Angeles Clippers *playoffs
2. Los Angeles Lakers *playoffs
3. Golden State Warriors
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Phoenix Suns