By Charles F. Gardner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel –
Here are 10 things to watch in the NBA:
1.) The Real 82
Players, coaches and general managers endured a strange 66-game season caused by the lockout. Now it’s the real deal, 82 games and the regular NBA marathon. Who will shine and who will surprise?
2.) Laker Land Drama
Add Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to the Los Angeles Lakers, and you get? That’s the multi-million dollar question soon to be answered. The Lakers went 0-8 in the preseason and never batted an eye. It’s clear the Lakers want back in the championship mix as Kobe Bryant nears the end of his career.
3.) Hey, Mr Commish
David Stern announced he will retire in February 2014, so this will be his last full season in charge. He has presided over a resurgence in popularity for the league — thanks, Michael Jordan, Kobe and LeBron James — and helped the NBA become a global game.
4.) Fixing the Flop?
Stern wants to stop the flop, but video review is the measure the league has chosen. That means flops will be penalized after the fact, following painstaking review in league offices in New York. It’s sure to cause some controversy. The key is to penalize the real floppers and not players trying to legitimately take charges.
5.) Brooklyn Rising
The Nets are New York’s own, playing in the modern Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Owner Mikhail Prokhorov has thrown down the challenge to the Knicks, and the rivalry is certain to get hotter. The Nets whiffed on acquiring Dwight Howard and are hoping shooting guard Joe Johnson can combine with Deron Williams to turn around the franchise.
6.) Ray Ray in Miami
Hey, don’t forget the defending league champion Heat. James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will welcome future Hall of Famer Ray Allen to South Beach. Sorry, KG. Allen’s time in Boston was done and he knew it.
7.) Rookies Reckoning
A talented crop of rookies formed the 2012 draft class, beginning with No. 1 pick Anthony Davis, who went to New Orleans. But the race for the rookie of the year award appears wide open. Worth watching are Bradley Beal in Washington, Damian Lillard in Portland, Harrison Barnes with Golden State, Andre Drummond with Detroit and John Henson with the Bucks.
8.) Sleepers Alert
Don’t sleep on these teams: Denver and Memphis in the West, Philadelphia and Toronto in the East. The Bucks could be in this category, too, if all goes right. George Karl’s Nuggets have a balanced lineup and a go-go point guard with Ty Lawson. The Grizzlies have an underrated point guard in Mike Conley and size inside. The 76ers will go as far as Andrew Bynum can take them, a scary thought given his injury history. But coach Doug Collins usually works wonders. Toronto has more depth at point guard with the addition of Kyle Lowry and a big man to bang inside in Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas.
9.) A Rose Still Blooming
Derrick Rose will miss much of the 2012-’13 season after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the playoffs last season. But he is determined to come back at some point this season. In the meantime the Bulls will rely on Kirk Hinrich and Nate Robinson. Hinrich should fit in neatly with the veteran Bulls including Joakim Noah, Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer.
10.) Coaches on Hot Seat
The Bucks’ Scott Skiles is feeling the heat to produce a winner as he enters the last year of his contract. Avery Johnson may not have a long leash if the Nets struggle. In the West, the Clippers’ Vinny Del Negro will be in trouble if his team falls far behind the Lakers in the LA publicity chase (and the standings). Mark Jackson also needs his Golden State Warriors to step forward.
