As the 2011-2012 NBA season rapidly and finally approaches, it’s time to look at the divisions around the league that could prove the strongest in this shortened season. The southwestern division is definitely one to watch. Consisting of five teams, it is home to the current NBA champion Dallas Mavericks. The division also consists of the regular season Western Conference champs the San Antonio Spurs, the Houston Rockets, the Memphis Grizzlies, and the New Orleans Hornets.
The southwestern division during the 2010-2011 season was one of the strongest, with no team finishing under .500.
Now it’s time to break down each team in the division and see where they will end up this season.
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San Antonio Spurs (61-21)
The Spurs were the talks of last season, at first drafting James Anderson from Oklahoma State at number 20, being the highest draft pick for San Antonio in over a decade since the draft of Tim Duncan in 1997. Coach Gregg Popovich had a strong team to work with, including veteran Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, Richard Jefferson, DeJuan Blair and Tony Parker, the Spurs frequent starting five. They had a very promising season, being not only the dominant force in the west but also the league.
Although the addition of 26-year-old forward Tiago Splitter may have been a boost, age may have been a factor once the playoffs approached. The Spurs were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Memphis Grizzlies. The series ended 4-2, and Zach Randolph and his more tenacious Grizz were able to top the team that seemed to be the championship favorites.
In order to improve to this current season, the Spurs need to be able to continue their game play and win streaks into the playoffs, and possibly pick up a few younger faces, as 35-year-old Tim Duncan is past his prime, and probably cannot be the key player to rely on in crunch time moments anymore in San Antonio. An over .500 record is expected, but with the number of new signings and shifts around the rest of the division and the league as a whole, another 61-21 season seems improbable in San Antonio.
An increase in close games, especially close losses, is expected, as age is proving to be a key factor for Tim Duncan and the dwindling Spurs. There’s a prediction of a 44-22 season, which is still fabulous, but not the same buzz that they brought to the NBA last season. Expect the Spurs to finish right behind the Mavericks in the division, at a close second.
Dallas Mavericks (57-25)
Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd finally won owner Mark Cuban a trophy for the first time since he purchased the Mavericks in 2000, and gave the Mavericks their first championship in franchise history. The Mavericks play was unstoppable in league play and especially during the playoffs, as they were able to shut down the favored Miami Heat in a six game series, keeping LeBron James from his first ring.
While Dallas has lost JJ Barea to Minnesota, DeShawn Stevenson to free agency, Rudy Fernandez and Corey Brewer to Denver, and Tyson Chandler to the Knicks, the additions of Lamar Odom, Delonte West and Vince Carter will give them extra strength to defend their title. While many see the spectacular play in Dallas as a one season run, the Mavericks entering the 2011-12 season are still one of the top contenders in the west, as well as in the whole NBA.
The additions of Odom and Carter will add size to the roster, making Dallas the team to beat. The prediction for Dallas is another great league and playoff run, with around a 48-18 record, and another decent run in the playoffs. Expect the Mavericks to finish first in the division.
Next Page: The Lower Half of the Southwest Division
New Orleans Hornets (46-36)
With the loss of Chris Paul to the Clippers, the Hornets are losing their key player entering the season, and hoping to start anew with an abundance of fresh signings. Finishing over .500 last season, the Hornets gave the Lakers some scares, but were eventually forced out of the first round of the playoffs in a six game series.
With the Clippers shipping over Kaman, Aminu, and young high-scoring guard Eric Gordon, the Hornets definitely have a lot to work with. Aminu is still young, being a first round draft pick from last season, and still has a lot to prove, especially with a new squad that needs to prove themselves to their city and the league as a whole.
Then again, the three were not able to boost the Clippers over a 32-50 record, which is always hard to swallow. The prediction for the refurbished Hornets is probably an under .500 season performance, probably finishing at around 28-38 this season. Expect the Hornets to have to take time to rebuild and rediscover themselves as a team and an organization, finishing last in the division.
Memphis Grizzlies (46-36)
The Grizzlies have finally made an imprint on the league since the departure of Pau Gasol to the Lakers in 2008, pushing themselves to a positive league finish and post-season birth. The Memphis Grizzlies had an impressive playoff run, knocking out the Spurs in the first round with some outstanding play from Zach Randolph, Marc Gasol and Shane Battier. It was the first time in five years that Memphis had made a post-season appearance, and many records were broken. Not only did they win their first playoff games, but they won their first playoff series in franchise history when they beat San Antonio in six games, making it the fourth time in NBA history for an eighth seed to knock out a first seed.
Although they were knocked out in the second round to Kevin Durant’s Thunder, it took a seven game series to finally push the Grizzlies away from their Cinderella story ending. With Marc Gasol and Hamed Haddadi rejoining after free agency, Shane Battier is the only casualty as he signed a contract with the Miami Heat.
The Grizzlies still have a lot to prove, but seeing their strength and impressive team charisma throughout the last season, they are definitely ones to watch, and may even survive more than two rounds of the playoffs. It should be another positive season, finishing around 37-29.
Expect the Grizzlies to make a huge improvement this season, finishing behind the San Antonio Spurs at third in the division.
Houston Rockets (43-39)
The Rockets are still trying to overcome the loss of big man Yao Ming due to forced retirement from repetitive injuries to both his foot and ankle. Within the past few seasons there have been a lot of new players coming and going, including Shane Battier, Aaron Brooks, and Trevor Ariza. Ariza, who was signed to replace Metta World Peace after the Lakers 2009 Championship, was shipped to New Orleans after one season in Houston in a four-team, five-player trade.
Their current roster includes key players like Kevin Martin, Luis Scola, Kyle Lowry, and Hasheem Thabeet. While having a young bench that includes Goran Dragic, Chase Buddinger and numerous other players below the age of 25, it’s definitely a time of rebuilding and growth for the Rockets. Although they finished last year with a winning record, they failed to reach the playoffs for the second season in a row.
Under new head coach Kevin McHale, Rockets fans can only hope that some of their younger players will begin to help the starters out, finally making bigger impacts versus veteran opponents. As the southwest division may be the all-around strongest in the league, the Rockets finished last season at the bottom of the table. Whether the players take this as incentive to work harder and improve will be told in time. As of now it’s possible to still see them finishing with a positive season, probably finishing around 34-32.
Expect the Rockets to continue trying to find themselves this season, finishing fourth in the division.