2009 NBA WEST PREVIEW With MATT COLE

Western Confrence Preview (Preview Grades)

(EAST TOMORROW)

Lakers (A+) One word most definitely describes this team especially in this conference. REPEAT! (As Western Conference Champs) They have the best player in the game today and dropped that bum Trevor Ariza and scooping Ron Artest. It is a joke in this conference for a team as talented as the Lakers. If the candy shoppe man (Lamar Odom) shows up for half the games they will easily win 60+ games. The best coach in the game today will have this team playing to the top of their game and Kobe Bryant will be responsible for atleast 18 of the wins. Solid post play along with top notch guard play puts the repeat in the Lakers favor.

Clippers (F) Blake Griffin is not helping. You are a 60+ loss team. Have fun with another top 5 pick next year. Eric Gordon is your future but not with Baron “I think I am a shooting guard” Davis as your point guard bitching about every possible thing. TNT will show about 10 of their games and the only thing to be concerned about is the team they are playing against.

Warriors (F) Your two captains are wanting trades… sounds like a dumpster fire to me. Curry should be a help to your team but the talent of your team is a joke for how they play. You have multiple big names and can’t do shit with it. Get a new coach and start planning for next year. Monte Ellis is a 20 point scorer but it won’t be helping at all and with Curry in a shooting slump all preseason is not a good sign. They are the unshaven booze hound executive of the company you work for. So… Drink up and get a good night sleep. Hopefully it lasts the whole season.

Mavericks (B-) We don’t play defense. Jason Kidd just got his AARP card and is still your starting point guard. Josh Howard is only Mr. 1st quarter not Mr. Whole Game. Dirk is Dirk. Yeah, the Mavs are fucked. If you tune into one of their games this season just hope Owner Cuban goes off and freaks out after the first quarter or they won’t be worth watching. They are the old ass man at the YMCA that tries to guard the most athletic person there because they think they play great defense on their 10 year old grandson.

Hornets (B+) CP3 are the real thing people. He has the court vision of Stockton and the scoring ability of a Philly Iverson. David West is their big. Solid big to add that. They have a great coach in Byron Scott and know what they have to do to win. They are finishing 2nd in the West and will happily take that when they lose to the Lakers in the Finals. Posey is their lock down, high socked, 3-point shooting, defender. They are the young kid at the firm who knows their shit but cant put it all in place in front of the boss aka KOBE.

Jazz (B-) In search of someone besides Deron Williams to hold the fucking team together on the court. Off the court they have Jerry Sloan who knows his shit. Carlos Boozer needs to play for another contract now and I don’t think he can because he is a nut job. The B in their grade came from Williams and Sloan and nothing else. They are a good watch because the pick and roll is still amazing even if, and when you know it’s coming.

Trail Blazers (B) Amazing young team. Great point guard with the right bigs. Resigning Aldridge was a key move because he is a young big who has heart and soul of the game of basketball. Roy wil get this team the 3 seed for the playoffs. If Oden can stay healthy then it’s just the start they will need. They love to run, they love to play half court. With their solid defense they can make a deep run but will lose to the more experienced Hornets.

Grizzlies (F) Yikes! 15 wins. A.I. is on the ropes and is doing this for him. Mayo is a condiment not a premier player… YET! The wrong Gasol could be good? Thabeet is overrated and was a wasted pick in a draft that only had one player. Good luck seeing them ever on tv because they are awfully bad. They just don’t have it yet and they may never get it. Such a sad story for so much talent IN COLLEGE.

Thunder (C+) It’s the 3rd grader in the 4th grade class. The talent is there but the maturity isnt. Westbrook is a top 10 guard and Durant just scores so easily and fluidly. Worst name for a basketball team with a bunch of crack skinny players on it. More like pitty pat but not thunder. Maybe Shaun Livingston can finally make a comback after his terrible knee injury. Youtube it and you might be sick. So much talent and they just need a few years together and they can bust ass in this league.

Spurs (A) They are solid to the core. Literally their core of Parker, Manu, and Timmy are there and if healthy they are the best 3-some since the latest FFM porno. Jefferson is such a great pick up since he has finally left the east coast bums of the Nets. He scores and plays D which fits in their system to the T or is it D. Hmmm. Blair will be a great bench guy who can come in and bang. They are well coached and are built to win. They also have done it a little bit too.

Timberwolves (F)-Wasted draft picks. Duke could beat the Wolves. Rubio is somewhere across the ocean bitching out. Flynn is an NBA player and will be the heart of this team. Ellington is another college star who will flop in the league. Lawson was traded so they just burnt picks. It’s a shame from Kevin Garnett to Kevin Love. DAMN. Lucky if they will 20 games. Atleast with the Spanish Splash, Rubio, they might have been fun to watch now it’s like watching paint dry.

Kings (D+) Should be an F but Tyreke Evans talent boosts it. Kevin Martin is top 20. I thought about this roster and couldn’t name a player. Damn shame on me. Talent is a major need. It is so sad that a team that used to be a force now will only win 25 games. Damn.

Nuggets( B-) Big Shot Billups will hold it down again folks. Melo is coming into his own finally and does work on anyone who trys to contain him. They will win 50 games especially in this confrence. The power shifted and it benefits teams like the Nuggets. They do their thing and are well coached. Nene is still overrated and Birdman, nah not weezy’s daddy, but Chris “I do roids, Birdman” Anderson is a nut and I love it!

Suns (C) Steve Nash will do his thing with Amare. They are still weak on the defensive end. Robin Lopez, Watch out for him folks. His hair maybe a distraction but his game is solid. Amare will get traded mid season and they wont get much for him sadly. He’s young and wants out before they bury his career. They need guard help and just score but in the west they will be a deep seed.

Rockets (C) Dear Rockets, Keep T-Mac Healthy and you can maybe win. Love Matt. Scola is a crazy dude who loves the game and plays like it. Yao… Who knows with his size 66 foot. Dukie Battier is a solid defender and can hit the 3. Aaron Brooks is a little tornado and cant be stopped. He blows by you and you can only hand check him. Enough said. Playoff bound.