If a division in the league has both the mvp of last season and the team with the best record, can it not become a favorite?
At least before the start of this season, the answer is yes.
About the teacher took the mvp last season, but still did not enter the ranks of the league's first-line stars. Neither the new season opener nor the Christmas game has his share. This is the first time since the merger of NBA and ABA in 1976.
And the Utah Jazz took first place in the league last season, but lost to the Clippers without Leonard in the Western Conference semifinals. It seems that it has once again verified 's statement that "they won the regular season championship only because of the injury is not significant" .
And the other trailblazers, Thunder and Timberwolves ?
The boss of Lillard , who has been forced to stay for ten years, almost shouted "Trade Me!", no matter how violent the three-pointer of Lee's guidance, and how brave the lore, he can't let it. This team goes up to the next level.
For the joy of collecting draft picks and giving the balloon stars "returning the sun", Thunder General Manager Presti's biggest wish is probably to hold a draft that belongs to him only.
is a "big dye tank" called the genius rookie of the alliance, Downs, Wiggins, Raven, and now Edwards, , Culver, whoever gets to the Timberwolves Assimilate quickly. I don't know what to win, all kinds of injuries are plagued, "playing well" is a luxury for them.
This is now the Northwest Division of the NBA,Except for the Jazz's Yiqi Juechen, Jokic's lone tree can be supported. The other three teams are messy in the wind, and the entire league is waiting to see their jokes.
1. Utah Jazz
Introduction: Guy (3 years 18 million), Whiteside _span2,400,000 span (1 year) · Butler
sent: Favors
The regular season record is the first. If it can't be honored as the championship, it is likely to become a huge joke. For example, the 73-win Warriors, the Spurs in 2011, and the Mavericks in 2007.
But last year, the Jazz lost to the Clippers who lacked Leonard in the last two games in the Western Conference Finals, but they did not receive much criticism.
because they have done well enough.
They have a very stable starting lineup Conley-Mitchell-Bojan-Onel-Gobert, on the bench Clarkson, Ingles and Favors is also a solid and reliable immediate combat power.
They play the most "magic ball" system in the league. They have the best offensive three-pointers (43.0 times) and number of hits (16.7) in the league. Defending the last three DPOY Gobert blocked the sky in the interior, and the other four stepped on the three-point line to block the opponent's long-range shot. They only allowed their opponents to score 10.9 three-pointers per game, limiting the opponent's shooting percentage (50.4 %) are first in the league.So they are third in offensive efficiency, fourth in defensive efficiency, and first in net efficiency. was the only team that entered the league's top five on offense and defense last season.
The most efficient system, the healthiest team, this is the secret of their offense in the regular season last season.
But this does not mean that they can go far in the playoffs, nor does it mean that they have risen to the level of a championship team.
Together with the 76ers and the Nuggets, they are the only three teams in the league with a center as the cornerstone. But unlike Embiid’s teacher, Gobert played 80% of his role on the court to support the Jazz’s “magic ball” defense system. In the offensive, he still lives by pick-and-rolls and offensive rebounds.
And his defensive influence is too strong to cover up Bo Yang, Conley, Mitchell is not a top personal defense, but also caused a huge hidden danger- he can not leave at all. The Jazz can't play small balls.
So in the Western Conference semifinals, they were thrown crazy by the Clippers with a small lineup of "five outside", Leonard's stand-in Mann played better in front of Gobert It's all awesome.
This is also the current pain point of the Jazz. If you play Gobert, you will face the danger of being shot by the opponent. Without Gobert, their forward defensive strength simply cannot support the small ball lineup.
The Clippers without a thigh can do them, not to mention attacking the wilder Nets and playing the big and most knowledgeable Paul .
So the reinforcement of the Jazz during the offseason is very targeted.
They retained the core team. In order to renew Conley, they even sent away the veteran Favors again, but they immediately recruited Whiteside, the former blocking machine, as a substitute for Gobert.
At the same time, Pascal who introduced the Warriors and veteran Rudy Gay further enhanced the forward strength and gave the team the capital to win Gobert and play small goals when facing a specific team.
A remote small market team can do this,
is worth RESPECT.
Expected record: 58 wins
2. Denver Nuggets
p Aaron Gordon once won four consecutive victories, killing the Lakers, Eagles, 76ers and other strong teams in a row. The clever Jokic is accompanied by Gordon and Porter, two top forwards who are strong and can shoot well, plus the perimeter-stricken Jamal Murray . The Nuggets have strengthened the last shortcoming of their lineup, in fact, they already have the strength to hit the championship.
However, Murray's cruciate ligament injury was reimbursed for the season, which caused the Nuggets to lose the first outside firepower and pick-and-roll starting point, leaving only about the teacher an offensive engine. So although the teacher appointment in the regular season is still a god-like performance.But in the high-end round of the playoffs, the Suns' targeted defense made it difficult for the teacher to be alone, and was finally taken away 4-0.
Even if the center is strong and versatile, it will be difficult to reach the end without good outside support. What's more, the teacher's defense is really not very good.
And this year's offseason Nuggets, the operation can only be regarded as but not lost. They renewed the contract with Gordon as the long-term bodyguard of the teacher, leaving Will Barton, the "outside jackpot", but they just grabbed Jeff Green's outstanding performance in the Nets last year to enhance the thickness of the striker.
And considering that Murray has to recover at least until March next year, the defender can still only use "Argentine demon" Campazzo and Little Rivers.
If there is no appointment of a teacher, this is a Western team with almost the lowest talent. But with the teacher, it is a strong team that can reach the top three in the West.
This is the power of mvp superstars.
He can start a pick-and-roll on the perimeter like the forwards of this era like James and Leonard, and score the inside with the ball himself, and then score two points with a beautiful soft throw.
can also be like O'Neal at the basket, playing beautiful footsteps like a big dream, and even shooting range beyond the three-point line. Although he didn't reach the extreme, he was really a generalist.
Of course, the most fascinating thing is his unreliable passing. There are not no NBA teams with center as the core, but they can be sorted out as a pure playmaker like Jokic. The team's offense is still historical.
He is not a low axis such as O'Neill, big dream , Duncan ,It's the offensive commander in the true sense of the team, a large "Larry Bird".
I have called so many teachers. In fact, I just want to say that the Nuggets in the new season are still a team that decides everything with teachers. Without Murray, the performance of other players needs him to instigate and initiate.
So with the ability of the teacher, the Nuggets will still be a playoff team next season. But just by asking the teacher, you don't have to think about winning the championship or something.
Expected record: 50 wins
3. Portland Trail Blazers
Cody 10, span 9span, Mike Lemore Nell, Larry Nance Jr., Dennis Smith, Patterson, Marquis Chris
Anthony sent out: Derek Jones, span10span , Hood , Giles, Kanter
Rookie: Greg Brown III (43rd overall)
It looks like the Trail Blazers have a lot of offseason activity,In fact, the real weighty action is to trade former dunk king Derek Jones for Larry Nance who played well in the Cavaliers last season. Then Snell, McCollum and white center Zeller were brought in while Hood, Anthony and Giles were let go.
looks stable, with a slight surplus, , but if this is an operation in which the team boss "forces" reinforcement by applying for a trade, it is very worrying.
The Blazers’ problem is obvious. They have the league’s top killer, Lillard, who can play the league’s efficient offense second only to the Nets, but their defensive efficiency is also the second lowest in the league. This is the king.
Last season they were the worst defensive efficiency of any team that made the playoffs. The staff are neatly arranged. They face the Nuggets without Murray, and they are still being taken care of by the teacher alone. It has already explained the problem.
So the current situation of the Blazers is very embarrassing, they have a top ten superstar in the league. But the advantages (personal firepower) can help them to survive the regular season, but the shortcomings (defense and organization) are also difficult to lead the team further. In fact, Lillard also understands this, so the rumors of his departure this year's offseason are just to send a message to the management: I am like this, but I want to win the championship, so your efforts are needed.
But the operation of the management is difficult to say:
① Fired the who led the team for nine years, Stotts, and invited the previous fmvp and 2004 Clippers assistant. Billups.Stotts has proven to be really unable to bring the Blazers' defense, and the offensive midfielder double shot + Nurkic 's offensive triangle has increasingly become Lillard's personal offensive show. He should have left long ago.
②Please leave all Anthony, Kanter, and Hood who are stronger offensively than defensively. Nance, Snell, and Zeller are at least much better than those uncles in defensive willingness and physical ability.
③ Attracted Dennis Smith "Tip Award", another small guard who is less than 1m 9 in height, and Chris, who was slightly open in the Warriors last year.
But these operations are really limited to Lillard, and they are not worthy of guidance. Therefore, they change their playing style, and it is impossible to bring qualitative changes to the Blazers.
On the basis of not moving Lillard, any transaction without McCollum's involvement is a stalemate. It depends on when the Blazers make up their minds.
Lillard: Shall I go?
Expected record: 45 wins
IV. Oklahoma City Thunder
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strongs15 strong
strongs15 strong 9 , Horford
rookies: John Kiddy (No. 6), Trey Mann (No. 18), Earle (No. 32)
Look at the operations of the Thunder in the offseason,You only need to care about the fact that they have won a few big contracts and a few draft picks.
Paul, Schroder , and Horford last year all regained their worth here, and then they were sent away for draft picks. But this year's Kamba Walker was cut shortly after the trade and went to the Knicks by himself, just because they had too many outsiders.
Then they helped the Jazz eat up Favors' ten million contract, and the price was a restricted first-round signing (2024).
So the Thunder are still holding 15 first-round picks and 16 second-round picks in the next six years. If you work hard, it is estimated that you can open a draft for the Thunder.
But now the Thunder are slowly being backlashed by the picks. After all, there are so many opportunities for the team. Every year a large number of rookies enter means that the training cycle of newcomers is shortened, and it is difficult to have enough time and opportunities for them. A slight negligence means that their hard-earned draft picks are in vain.
For example, in this year's draft, the Thunder, who couldn't bear it, handed over Shen Jing, who was selected with the 16th overall pick in the first round, to the Rockets in exchange for the 2022 and 24 first-round picks. And Shen Jing's talent and strength in the Rockets are enough for them to break his thigh.
Now the Thunder holds a number of potential rookies such as Beazley, Alexander, Bokushevsky, Maleton, etc., but the only one who has played out is Alexander, or from George_ Span10span came from that big deal. On the contrary, their own draft results in the past few years have not been considered fruitful, and it is difficult for the newcomers to get enough opportunities in this heavily involved Thunder.
Thunder, which has the most draft picks, is now increasingly becoming a "graveyard for rookies."
Expected record: 25 wins
V. Minnesota Timberwolves
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strong_span_strong_span_strong16. Give out: Rubio, Culver, Hernandez
Rookie: Bormaro
Every year before the start of the Timberwolves will give people a kind of "maybe they will be this year" illusion.Last year's champion Edwards has shown enough talent, and there are two All-Stars Russell and Downs. This year, I sent away the old guard Rubio and the newcomer Culver, who had been out of training, in exchange for the horizontal and hard Beverly, which is expected to inject some masculinity into this group of muddy young people.
Last time they found a hunk Butler (2017-18), somehow they made the playoffs. But Butler is an All-Star player after all. Beverly is at most a "mad dog". His defense is not as good as when he was young. Offensively, except for a fixed three-pointer, he can also be ignored. That's it. Can the "catfish" arouse the enterprising spirit of Downs and Russell? Suspense!
The only suspense is whether they will eventually become Ben Simmons’s receivers. After all, he is friends with Towns and Russell, and his defensive and offensive and defensive conversion abilities are in the normal range. The race is still quite good.
Regardless of whether Russell was added to the trade in the end, at least the combination of Towns + Edwards + Simmons is enough for many people to fantasize for a while, but only to the end, what should be done or what.
Expected record: 22 wins
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