Hi there, remember me?
I’m sorry for the absence everyone but I moved. Yep, I am no longer in the city of New Orleans and I actually couldn’t be happier. It is one of the most God awful cities in the entire world, and I lived in the apartment complex that represents hell. Now living in a much smaller city; things are much slower and a lot less stressful.
Virtually everything is still in boxes and am trying to unpack, but that will come in time. At least I know no longer live in an apartment the size of maybe the back of a garbage truck. I’m in a two bedroom/two bath home with a lot of land and no longer alone. Yay for me!
But enough about my personal life because I don’t want yall knowing that much about me anyway. Still if you’d like to know, just e-mail me and ask. Yet not now because the upcoming NBA season is quickly approaching so we’ve got to let you know every single thing we think about what will happen. So if you could be so kind as to please…
1.) Atlantic Division
Paulie: You want me to do this? Seriously? I’m gonna be honest here, I’ve watched more hockey, hell, I’ve watched more SOCCER in the last few years than I have NBA basketball. But I’ll dig around and do some research and give you my uninformed opinions.
Is it possible to go from second worst team in the league to division winner in a season? If it is, look for Boston to do it. They’ve loaded up for a major 2-3 season push, forgoing youth for a win now mentality. Meanwhile, a little further north, the Knicks will still suck Isaiah Thomas is still a smug prick. Everyone else pretty much held steady in a division that could only be rivaled in badness by the Southeast. So, Boston wins the division by being over .500. The Knicks come in last. Everyone else shuffles in the middle.
Charles Joseph: Paulie…did you just say New York is further north than Boston?
But, like he said, Boston has to be the favorite this year with 3 of the best players in the game. They’ve got a good inside guy, great 3 pt shooter, and pierce can do a little bit of everything. New Jersey should be good again as long as the core 3 stay healthy. The trial is going to hang over most of New York’s season. Philly doesn’t have anyone to carry the load for them. Toronto could be a surprise team. They run the same up tempo style that Phoenix and Dallas employ, and they have very good players all around. Bosh, Bargani, Ford. That said
5. Philly
4. New York Knickerbockers
3. Toronto
2. New Jersey
1. Boston
Danny: Ya know, giving Paulie the benefit of the doubt, looking at a map it’s kinda hard to tell which city is further north. Just sayin’!
God is this a division worth of uselessness. I can’t stand the Nets because I just don’t like Vince Carter and he used to play for Toronto which makes them crappy a result of association. Not to mention they are a city that isn’t even in a real country. Philly just isn’t going to do anything and the Knicks will look good for the first two or three weeks of the season and then fall to pieces like most other New York teams do in other sports. Boston on the other hand is going to jump to the stratosphere with the additions they made. Not to mention that they are playing in a very weak Eastern Conference and I also want to see Big Baby do well in his rookie year.
5.) New York Knicks
4.) Toronto Raptors
3.) Philadelphia 76ers
2.) New Jersey Nets
1.) Boston Celtics
2.) Central Division
Danny: This is a very strong division from top to bottom and really could be strung out until the end of the season. The Baby Bulls have been reborn and could look at a great run this year, perhaps the best one. Thomas, Wallace, Noah, Gordon, Deng, Hinrich…with plenty more to boot. The Pistons will put up a fight but they lost a bit of luster when Ben Wallace took off. The Cavs will suffer a curse thanks to LeBron’s Yankees hat wearing causing him to possibly be gone from Cleveland after this season or next. You heard it hear first.
5.) Milwaukee Bucks
4.) Indiana Pacers
3.) Detroit Pistons
2.) Cleveland Cavs
1.) Chicago Bulls
Paulie: In an Eastern Conference that perennially sucks, the Central is where it seems the most consistency falls. This is the year the young Bulls finally break through though Cleveland is going to be right there with them. The years of being on top will finally get to Detroit and they may even fall to fourth this year behind Milwaukee. And that’s all I really have to say about that.
Charles Joseph: Detroit is like San Antonio. No one gives them the credit they’ve earned over the last few years. They may actually be better this year than in the past. They still have a solid starting group with Billups, Hamilton, Prince, and Sheed, and they added some good young guys this year for depth off the bench. The fighting LeBrons will basically mirror last year’s regular season, Indiana won’t do anything noteworthy until they get out from under the “are we gonna trade O’Neal or not†umbrella. Milwaukee should be a fun team to watch, but it won’t show up in wins, and Chicago is getting built up to be super human cause the city needs something to cheer them up after the cubs.
5. Milwaukee
4. Indiana
3. Chicago
2. Lebron
1. Detroit
3.) Southeast Division
Charles Joseph: See…Danny…when I sent you guys the hockey PTP, I put the teams in the header so you guys would know who to talk about.
Well ladies and gentlemen, You’ll be pleased to find that they’ve put me on a word limit, so no novels from me. Southeast division eh…Well, Atlanta has been stockpiling talent for awhile, Orlando added a big free agent, Washington was very good last year when healthy, Charlotte is climbing toward respectability, and Miami is nearing the retirement condominium.
5. Charlotte – Rest of the division is too good.
4. Miami – Wade out for awhile, old team
3. Atlanta – A great draft and good talent.
2. Washington – If they stay healthy.
1. Orlando – Howard is a beast on the inside, and Lewis gives them an outside threat.
Danny: This is a bit of a crap division to be quite honest with you and I don’t see much coming from it…wait, hold on a second. Put the teams in the header? Have you folks noticed how we here at PTP know random sports? Fun isn’t it? And CJ also lies, we put him on no word limit; he just petered himself out talking about hockey.
Orlando is going to be a good team this year with Dwight Howard being a beast as usual under the boards.
5.) Charlotte Bobcats
4.) Atlanta Hawks – not ready yet
3.) Miami Heat – Getting old fast
2.) Washington Wizards – always seem to screw it up somehow
1.) Orlando Magic
Paulie: The poor, poor Bobcats. Another year, another injury list a mile long. They’re already down Sean May and Adam Morrison for the year. They’re treating Okafor like a rented mule. It’s starting to look again like they’re just kinda happy having a team down in Charlotte but can’t really do anything with it. Atlanta, from their recent draft history, would seem to be leading the league in Forwards. The Heat lead the league in guys over 30. Orlando leads the league in guys 6’10†or taller. And Washington leads the league in former ACC players on the roster. For that reason, I’m calling for the Wizards to finally do something this year. Because I’m an ACC homer like that.
4.) Southwest Division
Paulie: This will probably remain the toughest division in the NBA with three teams what would have won any other division, save the Pacific, last season. The Mavericks dominate the regular season and should continue to do so, they may even be better with Mark Cuban being distracted by trying to purchase the Chicago Cubs. The Spurs, coming off yet another title win, look to actually challenge for the division title but they really are only getting older. Sometimes I think I may be the only fan Tim Duncan has besides his mother, but I can’t help it, I like the guy. The KC/OKC/New Orleans Hornets can kiss my ass. Damn ship jumping mo fos. We only sold out every home game you ever had in Charlotte, sorry that wasn’t enough for you. I hope you get stuck playing in Bismark, ND in front of crowds of about 15. Bitter? Me? You would be too if you used to have a good team and now get stuck with a Bobcats team dead set on drafting every player UNC ships out.
Charles Joseph: Hey. Bismark isn’t that bad of a town. Well…ok, it kind of is. It’s just so damn flat, and windy, and cold. Uh, yeah. Mavericks are stacked once again, San Antonio didn’t really do much to a championship team, Hornets can now “take their ball, and go home,†and I’m sure that’s a nice feeling for them. Houston added a ton of point guards to try and get T-Mac and Yao past round 1. And Memphis is going to surprise a lot of people this year. They have talent.
5. Houston
4. Hornets
3. San Antonio
2. Memphis
1. Dallas
Danny: Ahhh my favorite division and only because my Hornets play in it. Another interesting story is that as soon as the Hornets were an expansion team in Charlotte in 1988, they were my favorite team. I always wanted an NBA franchise to come to my hometown of New Orleans and low and behold, the Hornets arrived. Odd, but anyway.
Memphis does have talent CJ, you are right. But they aren’t going to do anything with it again like they haven’t for the past four years. The Rockets are going to somehow manage to suck again as usual too. As always it’s going to be the Spurs (ugh) and Mavs duking it out to win the division which bores me because the Spurs are as dull as they come and I’m tired of the Mavs. If the Hornets can somehow stay healthy, then they make the playoffs easily. Injuries have plagued them for years and here’s hoping they can keep it together. Tyson Chandler has turned into a beast under the boards and with Julian Wright, Hilton Armstrong, and David West there with him, they should be rebounding machines. Chris Paul leads a backcourt with Bobby Jackson, Jannero Pargo, and Peja (if he can stay healthy) that is as good as any around.
And thank God the stupid Oklahoma City/New Orleans Hornets title is gone now. Be bitter Paulie…be bitter.
5.) Memphis Grizzlies
4.) Houston Rockets
3.) New Orleans Hornets
2.) San Antonio Spurs
1.) Dallas Mavericks
5.) Northwest Division
Charles Joseph: Where the hell did I put that damn noose? Portland was bad last year and traded away their best player and lost the number 1 draft pick to injury, Denver will have a full preseason with Melo and AI, Utah seems to have the AK47 stuff behind them, and Seattle picked up some Durant guy in the draft but traded away any veteran help he could have used. I think that covers all the teams.
4. Seattle – No help for Durant.
3. Portland – No help for…anybody.
2. Utah – Everyone will forget how good they are…again.
1. Denver – A.I. and Melo should be better.
Danny: Ya notice how CJ is a Minnesota somewhat native and forgets all about the Timberwolves? I guess he doesn’t think they are going to be much of shit either this year considering KG is gone. This division as a whole isn’t looking that hot except for Denver and Utah, but as I’ve said before…who really cares about the Nuggets and Jazz? The poor Blazers are frickin cursed I tell you, CURSED!
Weird fact though…the Jazz were once in New Orleans years and years ago. The Timberwolves almost were moved to New Orleans back in the mid to late nineties. Finally the Hornets came down, but still…its useless knowledge I know.
5.) Minnesota Timberwolves
4.) Portland TrailBlazers
3.) Seattle Sonics – are they still Super?
2.) Denver Nuggets – J.R. Smith continues to be a thorn in everyone’s side no matter where he goes.
1.) Utah Jazz
Paulie: The Timberwolves are dead to him. DEAD. TO. HIM. Or something. Seattle is doing their best to try and move the team, so they’re trying to suck. Like in Major League. But they don’t have Tom Berringer, Charlie Sheen, and Wesley Snipes to lead them to unexpected glory. Portland is cursed. That team is just sure fired cursed. It was bad enough when they took Oden and all I could think of was Sam Bowie all over again. But then he went and had surgery, that you KNOW he knew he was gonna have to have, and well… yeah… cursed. I’m still waiting for either A.I. or Mello to realize that they can’t BOTH take 30 shots a game and only make 10 of them. And Utah is just kinda… there. But they’ll also just kinda… win this division.
6.) Pacific Division
Paulie: One of the most closely contested races for second place in the league. Unless Kobe actually gets traded then Golden State and the Clippers will fight it out to be Phoenix’s bride’s maid. I don’t know why there’s always these trade rumors for Kobe, no one is ever going to be able to give the Lakers enough back to compensate for him. So he’ll continue to be an overrated scum bag on a team that used to be full of them.
Charles Joseph: The most excitement out of this division will be the Kobe story all year until he’s traded or kills someone for asking him about a trade for the 10 millionth time. Phoenix will have this wrapped up by Christmas. Clippers will go no where without Brand. Golden State is overrated, they have Stephen Jackson as a team captain. I don’t see that ending well. Sac Town is also just sitting around waiting to send Bibby to another team. Bad division 2-5.
5. Sacramento
4. LA
3. Golden State
2. LA
1. Phoenix
Yes…I did that on purpose.
Danny: Kobe could be traded before opening day and I think he will end up a Knick. That’s just my opinion though. Not that it matters because any team that gets him will trade away so much of its current talent that it will totally make the team in a rebuilding year automatically. Golden State has vastly improve but if Baron Davis has anything else left to injure, then it’ll happen somehow.
5.) Sacramento Kings
4.) Los Angeles Lakers
3.) Golden State Warriors
2.) Los Angeles Clippers
1.) Phoenix Suns
7.) MVP
Danny: Many people could go out on an obvious limb here and say that Kobe Bryant is going to take it but he isn’t. It’s going to be the man that finally leads his team to a championship and that’s Steve Nash. The little white bastard is one of the greatest point guards in history and will continue to show his greatness with players like Stoudemire, Marion, Diaw, Barbosa, and now adding Grant Hill to the mix (if he can stay healthy). Had he stayed in Dallas, the Mavs would be multiple time champions right now. Nash wins it for the third time in four years.
Paulie: Hmmm… hrmm… damn, I really don’t want it to be Steve Nash. There’s this dude in my town. Looks just like Nash. Always running. Every time I see him (which is like three times a day) He’s running. All over town. Freaks me out. No one should run that much. And Steve Nash shouldn’t win any more MVPs. But I don’t want Kobe to get it either. But I’m picking Phoenix to win it all. So I’m gonna go with… Tim Duncan. Cause I like him.
Charles Joseph: Well…who can I pick that is completely off the wall that no one else is even thinking of? I’ll keep it somewhat on the wall, and say Chris Bosh, if he can stay healthy, which is a pretty big if. But if he stays healthy, he’ll put up KG/D Howard type numbers.
8.) Rookie Of The Year
Charles Joseph: Acie Law IV. He’s my favorite rookie anyway.
Danny: You don’t have to be on a winning team in the NBA to win awards like you usually do in football so I’m going to go with Kevin Durant of the Sonics. I think that Greg Oden would walk away with it if he wasn’t out for the year and I also think that Julian Wright of the Hornets is going to surprise some people, but Durant is going to take it now that Oden is out.
Paulie: If the Clippers know what they’re doing, the Rookie of the Year is going to be Al Thornton. That man can just flat out ball. He carried Florida State on his shoulders for four years and he only got better every year. Read my lips, Al Thornton is a beast.
Sorry, Al, I think I just cursed you.
9.) Finals Prediction
Paulie: This is the year of the Suns. They’re winning this year. Wrap it up. Put a bow on it. Don’t even play the season. Cause I’m right. The East will send either Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, or Boston to be the sacrificial lambs. I’ll say Chicago because it’ll be something new and different in a league that doesn’t really have a lot that’s new and/or different.
Phoenix over Chicago in 5.
Charles Joseph: I really hope that KG wins it. Not Boston. Just KG. This will be their best chance, they win over…oh hell, let’s say Denver.
Danny: The Suns are loaded and will overcome the Mavs and Spurs to hit the Finals this year. Boston is going to do a lot more then anyone thinks with the new team, but they won’t get to the Finals just yet. It will be like the days of old watching Jordan Vs. Bird with the Bulls and Celtics making it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Only it won’t be Jordan and Bird and these teams aren’t nearly as good. But they’re still good in a weak Eastern Conference.
For my Finals prediction, I say Suns over the Bulls in six.
Like movies, then head over to The DVD Lounge where there are a lot of good people watching a lot of crap so you don’t have to. And for a person who has over 1300 DVDs and watches every movie imaginable, Travis really finds some things that even I have never heard of.
Popcorn Junkies is a place you really need to go check out as well because there are great people like John, Lauren, Michaelangelo, Kubryk, and more bringing you news and movie reviews at all hours of the night and day.
Paulie’s Power Poll! Can’t get enough Paulie? Want to see him spout off about something he actually knows about? Read it, he does it every week (promise from now on). And he really really needs the fans.
I’m going to pimp myself here since I do a damn lot on this site. So I urge you to check out Kid Nation every Wednesday night because it is a highly enjoyable reality show. If you don’t think so, check out my episode six recap.
We are done people!
Go here in the forums and you know what to do. Didn’t I sound all cool there like eighties answering machines? You know what to do…*BEEP*
Hope you didn’t miss us too much, and if you did…oh well. I was moving! What’d you want me to do? But we are going to be back on a weekly basis again and with a regular format since no new sports are starting up anytime soon. Well, college basketball is almost upon us but I think I’ll save that special for March Madness since I doubt Paulie would have much to say.
What? It’s the truth.
