The Balance of Power in the Atlantic Division

Written by Ted Bauer


Continued from page 1

3) New Jersey Nets: You would think, logically, that a team anchored by Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Richard Jefferson --- all of whom have received MVP whispers inrepparttar past four years --- would walk away with this division, right? Not quite. The Nets are as deep as a piece of looseleaf paper, running former Hawks retread Jacque Vaughn behind Kidd, with luminaries such as Rodney Buford, Ron Mercer and Jabari Smith spelling at other positions. To add torepparttar 132889 litany of problems for Jer-Zee, their middle is softer than your average Krispy Kreme selection, currently “anchored” by rookie Nenad Krstic.

4) New York Knicks: It’s hard for me to admit how farrepparttar 132890 Knicks have fallen, considering they wererepparttar 132891 team of my boyhood. Ewing with those arms outstretched, imploring MSG to explode --- ah, fond memories. Now,repparttar 132892 Knicks have a variety of over-priced talent (Stephon Marbury, Jamal Crawford, Allan Houston), some decent emerging talent (Mike Sweetney), and virtually no backups atrepparttar 132893 PG and C slot. Forrepparttar 132894 past three years,repparttar 132895 Knicks have essentially run an offensive set of four guards and one power forward, which does very little outside of private high school basketball inrepparttar 132896 southeast. For sheer talent alone, you have to likerepparttar 132897 Knicks to not bring uprepparttar 132898 rear inrepparttar 132899 Atlantic, but then again, they do have Bruno Sundoy runningrepparttar 132900 paint

5) Toronto Raptors: One problemrepparttar 132901 Raptors don’t have isrepparttar 132902 paint, where superstar-in-waiting Chris Bosh plays alongside inferior Arizona product Loren Woods (we’ll bet you weren’t entirely sure he was inrepparttar 132903 league). Unfortunately for north-of-the-border basketball fans, that’srepparttar 132904 only problemrepparttar 132905 Raptors don’t have. Otherwise, rookie coach Sam Mitchell has lost control ofrepparttar 132906 team while feuding with former street-ball prodigy cum NBA point guard Rafer Alston, Jalen Rose wants out more than a man in Nine West, and fading stars such as Donyell Marshall and Lamond Murray are looking for some final paychecks here (with more tax, mind you). The Raptors are currently fourth inrepparttar 132907 division, but don’t haverepparttar 132908 chemistry orrepparttar 132909 talent to finish anywhere exceptrepparttar 132910 cellar.

Ted Bauer writes for http://www.hoopsavenue.com


Looking for Explosions

Written by Ted Bauer


Continued from page 1

Andre Iguodala, F, Sixers: Iggy has some hops, and with C-Webb in town now to show himrepparttar ropes of being a NBA forward, he might develop ahead ofrepparttar 132888 game. He’s our choice for a breakout star from this class in his sophomore campaign --- it’s certainly a gamble, but Wade’s game this season (while always there) flourished because ofrepparttar 132889 dominance of those (i.e. Shaq) around him. If AI and C-Webb become a major 1-2 punch inrepparttar 132890 generally punchless East, AI2 could be good for 18 points and 8 boards a night.

Josh Smith, F, Hawks: Smith’s sophomore ascent is questionable ---repparttar 132891 Hawks are horrific, and with few sure-fire prospects inrepparttar 132892 2005 Draft, he probably won’t be surrounded with much talent. If he becomesrepparttar 132893 man in Hotlanta --- which seems likely --- he’ll eventually begin drawing double-teams, limiting his possibilities. However, as Smith matures, he could berepparttar 132894 charismatic presence needed to lift Atlanta back into Eastern Conference respectability. He needs to diversify his game beyond his show-stopping dunks, and improve his 15-footer overrepparttar 132895 summer, but watch for this kid to break out a little bit more next year.

J.R. Smith, F, Hornets: Confused? Two Smiths, yet they’re not related. However, their situations are similar --- New Orleans is a floundering franchise, and J.R. has been getting some good minutes down there. With few veterans to learn from, Smith is going to have to grow up alongside some other projects such as Dan Dickau, David West, et al. If he can hitrepparttar 132896 weights this summer and slicerepparttar 132897 lane more, he could be one to watch --- not atrepparttar 132898 caliber of any 2003 guys in their second year, but building towards a decent, mid-level career.

Al Jefferson, F, Celtics: The Celtics are using considerable youth in their run torepparttar 132899 Wacklantic Title. Al Jefferson,repparttar 132900 HS product from Mississippi, might berepparttar 132901 best ofrepparttar 132902 bunch. He’s big, pretty strong, and has plenty of room for improvement --- and a coach, in Doc Rivers, willing to give him that time. Jefferson, though, bears some resemblance to Jermaine O’Neal, and it took him about four seasons to rise up towards superstar level. Bet on Jefferson to break out bigrepparttar 132903 same time that Howard does, providing a potential new big man rivalry onrepparttar 132904 Eastern seaboard.

Ted Bauer writes for http://www.hoopsavenue.com


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