Lamar Odom has the potential to really deflate the defending champions by signing with the Miami Heat.  I don't think it will make the Heat serious contenders, but it does give them that veterand presense sorely missed with the young Heat.  Yahoo sports is reporting the vorward is leaning towards signing with the Heat.  No matter where he goes, you have to wonder if Odom was just playing for a contract and will level off this year.  He is seriously concerned about money.  But if he leaves the Lakers, I don't think they have enough to repeat.  Their starting lineup will be Derek Fisher, Kobe Bryant, Ron Artest, Pau Gasol and probably Andrew Bynum.  They don't have great depth.  Walton is a streaky role player, Vujacic had an off year, Shannon Brownis good, but compared to the upstart Nuggets, the revamped Mavericks (who recently signed Drew Gooden to go along with Shawn Marion) the Blazers and the now stacked Spurs, who signed veteran role player Theo Ratliff, the Lakers won't have the depth or overall talent to compete in my estimation.  Even with Odom, I think they will struggle to keep up with the Spurs, who now have a lot of talent and to me are the favorites in the west again.

Jamario Moon has recently been added to the Cavaliers roster.  I don't think that will help the Cavaliers roster.  If you look at the Cavaliers roster, the team consist of a number of quick jumpshooters that feed off of Lebron James.  Moon is a beter defender then the team's swingmen, but the roster lacks the overall talent to seriously compete with the Celtics.  And some people are screaming for Shaquille O'Neal, who had guaranteed a championship, but let's face facts:  O' Neal is old.  He is maybe half of his once dominant offensive form.  The team as presently consisted couldn't stop the Magic with the best record in the NBA.  They were better than the Magic last year and I believe could have beaten the Lakers, but they played around and they lost when they were clearly the favorites.

Meanwhile, the team that scares me the most is the San Antonio Spurs.  If healthy, they have what might be the best coach in the league right now, leading three all-star players who know how to play together.  They have added Richard Jefferson, Antonio McDyess to go alongside a solid bench led by Roger Mason.  They had a great draft as well. The Spurs are stacked and, to me, will present the biggest threat to the Celtics getting another title.

---

Add this page to your favorite Social Bookmarking websites

Comments (0)

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Add Comment