Top 5 Players at Each Position from the 2012-2013 NBA Season

Point Guards-

5. Deron Williams- 18.9 PPG, 7.7 AST, 3 REB, 1 STL, 0.4 BLK, .440 FG%

4. Stephen Curry- 22.9 PPG, 6.9 AST, 4 REB, 1.6 STL, 0.2 BLK, .451 FG%

3. Russell Westbrook- 23.2 PPG, 7.4 AST, 5.2 REB, 1.8 STL, 0.3 BLK, .438 FG%

(All-Star, All NBA Second Team)

2. Chris Paul- 16.9 PPG, 9.7 AST, 3.7 REB, 2.4 STL, 0.1 BLK, .473 GF%

(All-Star Starter, All-Star MVP, All NBA First Team, All Defense First Team)

1. Tony Parker- 20.3 PPG, 7.6 AST, 3 REB,  0.8 STL, 0.1 BLK, .522 FG%

(All-Star, All NBA Second Team)

Shooting Guards-

5. Andre Iguodala- 13 PPG, 5.4 AST, 5.3 REB, 1.7 STL, 0.7 BLK, .451 FG%

4. J.R. Smith- 18.1 PPG, 2.7 AST, 5.3 REB, 1.3 STL, 0.3 BLK, .422 FG%

(Sixth Man of the Year)

3. Dwyane Wade- 21.2 PPG, 5.1 APG, 5 REB, 1.9 STL, 0.8 BLK, .521 FG%

(All-Star Starter, Champion)

2. James Harden- 25.9 PPG, 5.8 AST, 4.9 REB, 1.8 STL, 0.5 BLK, .438 FG%

(All-Star)

1. Kobe Bryant- 27.3 PPG, 6 AST, 5.6 REB, 1.4 STL, 0.3 BLK, .463 FG%

(All-Star Starter, All NBA First Team)

Small Forwards-

5. Paul Pierce- 18.6 PPG, 4.8 AST, 6.3 REB, 1.1 STL, 0.4 BLK, .436 FG%

4. Paul George- 17.4 PPG, 4.1 AST, 7.6 REB, 1.8 STL, 0.6 BLK, .419 FG%

(All-Star, Most Improved Player, All Defense First Team)

3. Carmelo Anthony- 28.7 PPG, 2.6 AST, 6.9 REB, 0.8 STL, 0.5 BLK, .449 FG%

(All-Star Starter, All NBA Second Team)

2. Kevin Durant- 28.1 PPG, 4.6 AST, 7.9 REB, 1.4 STL, 1.3 BLK, .510 FG%

(All-Star Starter, All NBA First Team)

1. LeBron James- 26.8 PPG, 7.3 AST, 8 REB, 1.7 STL, 0.9 BLK, .565 FG%

(All-Star Starter, Season MVP, Champion, Finals MVP, All NBA First Team, All Defense First Team)

Power Forwards-

5. Zach Randolph- 15.4 PPG, 1.4 AST, 11.2 REB, 0.8 STL, 0.4 BLK, .460 FG%

(All-Star)

4. LaMarcus Aldridge- 21.1 PPG, 2.6 AST, 9.1 REB, 0.8 STL, 1.2 BLK, .484 FG%

3. Blake Griffin- 18 PPG, 3.7 AST, 8.3 REB, 1.2 STL, 0.6 BLK, .538 FG%

(All-Star Starter, All NBA Second Team)

2. David Lee- 18.5 PPG, 3.5 AST, 11.2 REB, 0.8 STL, 0.3 BLK, .519 FG%

(All-Star)

1. Tim Duncan- 17.8 PPG, 2.7 AST, 9.9 REB, 0.7 STL, 2.7 BLK, .502 FG%

(All-Star, All NBA First Team, All Defense Second Team)

Centers-

5. Al Jefferson- 17.8 PPG, 2.1 AST, 9.2 REB, 1 STL, 1.1 BLK, .494 FG%

4. Brook Lopez- 19.4 PPG, 0.9 AST, 6.9 REB, 0.4 STL, 2.1 BLK, .521 FG%

(All-Star)

3. Joakim Noah- 11.9 PPG, 4 AST, 11.1 REB, 1.2 STL, 2.1 BLK, .481 FG%

(All-Star, All Defense First Team)

2. Marc Gasol- 14.1 PPG, 4 AST, 7.8 REB, 1.7 STL, 1.7 BLK, .494 FG%

(Defensive Player of the Year, All Defense Second Team, All NBA Second Team)

1. Dwight Howard- 17.1 PPG, 1.4 AST, 12.4 REB, 1.1 STL, 2.4 BLK, .578 FG%

(All-Star Starter)

Power Ranking Predictions for the 2013-2014 NBA Season

Power Ranking Predictions for the 2013-2014 NBA Season

1. Miami Heat- The Heat is one of the top-tier teams in the East, and they have something that the other teams don’t. They have chemistry. The core of this team has been together for 3 years now, and know how to play with each other. A lot of the better teams in the East have different players from last year, so they will be dealing with chemistry problems early on in the season. Plus the Heat have the best player in the NBA. They have LeBron James.

2. San Antonio Spurs- The Spurs played great last year, but they play great every year. They have made the playoffs for 16 seasons in a row now. There is no question that they will make the playoffs. The only question is how far will they go? The Spurs were able to get to the Finals last year, and took the Heat to 7 games. They have the best Coach in the NBA with Greg Popovich, and they have a mix of experienced players (Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, Tim Duncan) with young stars (Kwahi Leonard, Tiago Splitter).

3. Los Angeles Clippers- The Clippers played great last year. They had a whole month when they didn’t lose a game. But they fell short in the playoffs. Now they have Doc Rivers, who has a lot of playoff experience. They were also able to re-sign their All-Star MVP Chris Paul, and their swingman Matt Barnes. Then they shocked the NBA community by bringing in sharpshooter J.J. Redick, and defensive small forward Jared Dudley. This team is better than it was last year, and could make it to the Western Conference Finals.

4. Oklahoma City Thunder- The Thunder seem to be getting worse and worse with each passing offseason. This offseason they lost Kevin Martin, and last offseason they lost super star James Harden. They keep losing key pieces to their team. They need to make big moves next offseason. They need to figure out what they are going to do with the aging Kendrick Perkins. But there is some good news. The Thunder has some good young pieces. Reggie Jackson has proven to be a reliable backup point guard, and is getting better with every season. Also in the Orlando Summer League Jeremy Lamb has shown major improvement from last season. The Thunder’s future depends on how well the young pieces of the team develop.

5. Indiana Pacers- The Pacers were a great team this year. They exceeded expectations by taking the Heat to 7 games in Eastern Conference Finals this past season. They have great young players who give the Heat trouble. They have one of the best Centers in the league with Roy Hibdert, a rising super star in Paul George (who recently played in his first NBA All-Star Game), a tough defender and good shooter in David West, and offensive power off the bench with returning star Danny Granger. This team is going to be great next season.

6. Memphis Grizzlies- The Grizzlies have been one of the top teams in the West for many of the past few years. They always play well in the playoffs. This past year they were able to play in the Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs. Even though they were swept 0-4, it was a big accomplishment for them to get that far. They are a great defensive team, but lack some scoring punch from the outside. They recently signed Mike Miller who played with the Heat last year. They can score from the inside with Zach Randolph, and Marc Gasol. They have a good team, but they need to work on their scoring.

7. Chicago Bulls- Derrick Rose is finally returning next season! He took a long time returning from this injury, and for Bulls fans it better be worth it. The 2013-2014 Bulls team is going to be better than the 2011-2012 (last time Derrick Rose played) Bulls team. Joakim Noah is better, Loul Deng is better defensively, Carlos Boozer is a better scorer, and they have a rising star in Jimmy Butler. Jimmy Butler played great defense against LeBron James last year in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. Butler also showed that he can score. This Bulls team is going to be good.

8. Golden State Warriors- The Warriors made a lot of noise last year in the play offs. They took the Spurs to 6 games in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. The Warriors have a good inside-out combo with Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and David Lee. David Lee, and Andrew Bogut can score inside, while rebounding, and defending the basket very well. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson can shoot and create scoring opportunities for other player. Harrison Barnes can drive in the lane and shoot from mid-range. What more could a coach ask for from this starting five? A defensive stopper who can guard multiple positions? That would be a good guess, and that is what they obtained when they signed Andre Iguodala. Iguodala can shoot well and is a great defensive player. The Warriors also signed key bench player with Toney Douglas and Jermaine O’neal.

9. Brooklyn Nets- The Nets, like the Clippers, made big moves this offseason. The Nets were able to add two future hall-of-famers, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, to their starting line-up. They were also able to add Andrei Kirilenko to their bench. Kirilenko is a great defender who can also score. The Nets also got rid of big contracts between Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Marshon Brooks, and Keith Bogans. The Nets also struck gold in the NBA Draft by drafting Mason Plumlee. Plumlee has a lot of potential, and now that he is learning from Brook Lopez and Kevin Garnett, he will be able to develop the skills he needs. The Nets also hired Jason Kidd as their new head coach. Kidd hasn’t shown that he is a good coach yet. He got a technical foul in his first game as a coach, and he had a record of 0-5 in the Orlando Summer League.

10. Houston Rockets- The Rockets were able to sign one of the best Centers this offseason, Dwight Howard. The 3 time Defensive Player of the Year had a career low season last year with an injured back, yet he still managed to lead the league in rebounding. Omer Asik was second in the league in rebounding. So the Rockets have the best two rebounds in the league on the same team now. They also have super star scorer James Harden, and budding sharpshooter Chandler Parsons. This team is good, all they need to work on is their bench.

11. New York Knicks

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

13. Denver Nuggets

14. Portland Trail Blazers

15. Atlanta Hawks

16. Washington Wizards

17. Cleveland Cavaliers

18. New Orleans Pelicans

19. Dallas Mavericks

20. Detroit Pistons

21. Los Angeles Lakers

22. Milwaukee Bucks

23. Boston Celtics

24. Toronto Raptors

25. Sacramento Kings

26. Charlotte Bobcats

27. Utah Jazz

28. Phoenix Suns

29. Orlando Magic

30. Philadelphia 76’ers

Why Cody Zeller was a good draft pick for the Charlotte Bobcats.

Why Cody Zeller was a good draft pick for the Charlotte Bobcats.

                I know that a lot of Charlotte Bobcat fans were very mad when Cody Zeller was drafted fourth in the 2013 NBA Draft. I recently saw a video where people where at the Bobcats arena and were having a draft day party. As soon as the Bobcats drafted Cody Zeller from Indiana everybody began to boo. The players that were still available at the number four pick were Nerlens Noel, Ben McLemore, and Alex Len to name a few. A lot of people wanted for the Bobcats to draft either Nerlens Noel, Alex Len, or Ben McLemore.

                I do not think that would have been such a good idea. I feel like Cody Zeller was a safe pick. Now I will give reasons on why it is smart for the Bobcats to not sign Nerlens Noel, Alex Len, or Ben McLemore.

1. Nerlens Noel-

                A lot of people thought that Nerlens Noel would be the first pick in this draft, but because he was injured in his only college basketball season that put doubt in a lot of general managers minds. Nerlens Noel is an athletic Center who can run the floor. He can block, and is great at help side defense. But he lacks the skills to score. Most of his points from his lone year at Kentucky came from going after offensive rebounds, and scrapping for points. That is good, because it shows that he hustles, but he may not be strong enough to out hustle some of the Centers in the NBA. Also because of his injury he wouldn’t be able to play until around December. And he could possibly never fully recover from his injury. Nerlens Noel is a good player, but he isn’t worth the risk.

2. Alex Len-

                Alex Len has a lot of potential. He is 7”1’ and 255 pounds. He could be one of the best Centers out of this draft class. He can score well and play defense. He isn’t known for blocking the way that Nerlens Noel is, but he can still play solid defense. He also played two years of college basketball at Maryland, giving him more experience over freshmen in this draft. Like Nerlens Noel, Alex Len was injured meaning that he won’t be playing in the summer league. So no one can really see what he can do just yet. He does have the potential to be the best Center out of this draft class, but its best for the Bobcats to not take the risk on him.

3. Ben McLemore-

                Ben McLemore was a phenomenal college basketball player this year with the Kansas Jayhawks. He was great at shooting threes, driving and cutting in the lanes, and dunking! McLemore was known for throwing down some monster dunks. He was also able to defend guards very well. A lot of sports analysist were comparing him to Ray Allen. But Ben McLemore hasn’t lived up to his college hype in the NBA summer league just yet. I know transitioning from the college game to the NBA g me is hard, but a player like McLemore should have done better from the beginning. The Kings lost their summer league opener with McLemore shooting 4 for 23. There was another game where Ben McLemore only had 1 point. But in his past few games he seems to have gotten his shooting stroke back. He seems like a good pick, but the Bobcats don't need him. They already have Gerald Henderson who will be starting at shooting guard for them this season.

4. Why Cody Zeller was the right pick.

                Cody Zeller can run on the open floor. He can score down low on the block, and he can defend well against people his size. He may have trouble starting his NBA career, but most rookies do. He needs to get stronger so that he can defend the bigger Centers in the NBA. Luckily for Cody Zeller since the Bobcats signed free agent Al Jefferson, Zeller won’t have to play the Center position that much. Since Nerlens Noel, and Alex Len have been recovering from injury I haven’t been able see them play at all in the summer league. Since the Bobcats have made bad picks in the past its best for them to take the safest pick. Ben McLemore seems like a good pick for now, but the Bobcats don’t really need a shooting guard. Ben McLemore is averaging 15.8 points, and 5 rebounds in the summer league. Cody Zeller is averaging 16.3 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in the summer league. So it seems like Cody Zeller is the top option out of the players available.

Top 10 NBA Offseason Signings/Trades of the 2013 Offseason

Top 10 NBA Offseason signings/trades of the 2013 Offseason.

10. The Charlotte Bobcats signing Al Jefferson.

            I wasn’t expecting the Bobcats to make any significant signings this offseason, but in the NBA anything can happen. The Bobcats were able to sign a top 5 center in the league to help their weak front court. Some people say that Al Jefferson is weak on defense, but if he is Bismack Biyombo is an ace on defense. If they need some post defense they can play with Bismack Biyombo, while if Kemba Walker or Gerald Henderson can’t hit shots, Al Jefferson can score from the post.

Projected Starting Line-up: Kemba Walker, Gerald Henderson, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Cody Zeller, Al Jefferson.

9. The New York Knicks signing Metta World Peace.

            After the Los Angeles Lakers waived Metta World Peace, the Knicks were able to sign him. World Peace will bring energy and toughness to the Knicks, and that is just what they need. Plus he is still able to play top notch defense. Since he plays the Small Forward position this means that Iman Shumpert gets to play his natural shooting guard position, without having to move down since Carmelo Anthony wants to play the Power Forward position. Even if Metta World Peace doesn’t start, which wouldn’t surprise me, he will add depth to the Knicks which will help them with their injury hobbled team.

Projected Starting Line-up: Raymond Felton, Iman Shumpert, Metta World Peace, Carmelo Anthony, Tyson Chandler.

8. The Cavaliers Signing Andrew Bynum.

            The Cavaliers have a good collection of young talent that looks like it is developing in the right direction. Now they have added an All-Star Center who is coming off of an injury. If Andrew Bynum is never as good as he was, then the Cavaliers didn’t lose much. They signed him to a low contract, and it was at least worth a try. The Cavaliers were also able to sign other good free agents including Jarrett Jack, and Earl Clark. The Cavaliers have a chance to make the playoffs this year.

Projected Started Line-up: Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Anthony Bennett, Tristan Thompson, Andrew Bynum.

7. The Brooklyn Nets Signing Andreai Kirilenko.

            Once the Nets obtained Paul Piece and Kevin Garnett they looked like a good team, but they were missing something. They were missing above average bench players. Now they have Adreai Kirilenko who is a great defensive player, and is able to score on offense as well. Andreai Kirilenko is in the running to get sixth man of the year. Plus he will help the Nets get to the NBA Finals.

Projected Starting Line-up: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Brook Lopez.

6. The Indiana Pacers Re-Signing David West.

            When free agency began it was a no brainer for the Pacers to bring back David West. He was tough on defense and was one of the biggest reasons why the Pacers took the Heat to 7 games in the Easter Conference Finals in 2013. He is able to score when Paul George can’t which will really help a team without that many offense weapons.

Projected Starting Line-up: George Hill, Lance Stephenson, Paul George, David West, Roy Hibbert.

5. The Golden State Warriors signing Andre Iguodala.

            The Warriors played great this year. No one expected them to be as good as they actually were. Now they added a great defensive player who can defend multiple positions. He also adds depth to the shooting guard and small forward positions. Now Harrison Barnes will be able to come off of the bench and add some scoring punch to the bench. The Warriors were also able to sign other significant free agents such as Jermaine O’neal, and Toney Douglas.

Projected Starting Line-up: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Igoudala, David Lee, Andrew Bogut.

4. The Los Angeles Clippers Receiving J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley.

            At the beginning of the offseason the Clippers had options of moves to involve Eric Bledsoe in. A lot of teams wanted the point guard who had a breakout year, and the Clippers were planning on using him as bait to get something in return. And they did just that. They traded away Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, and were able to get J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley. With Redick the Clippers are able to solve their problem of who the starting shooting guard is. And they were able to replace Caron Butler with a younger player of equal value, Jared Dudley. With the clippers getting these two players, Re-Signing Chris Paul, and Hiring Doc Rivers as head coach, they are contending for a championship.

Projected Starting Line-up: Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley, Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan.

3. The Houston Rockets Singing Dwight Howard.

            The Rockets made one of the biggest moves this offseason by signing All-Star Center Dwight Howard. The Rockets already had a good defensive center, and now they have another, who can also score. The only problem that comes out of this is how it will affect the chemistry of the team? Dwight Howard is going to a team that already has a crowded front court with a lot of inexperienced players needing playing time. Last year Dwight Howard went to the star studded Lakers who looked like contenders, but they weren’t able to mesh together. So I’m not going to say that the Rockets are contenders yet, but they look like a good team on paper.

Projected Starting Line-up: Jeremy Lin, James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Omer Asik, Dwight Howard.

2. The Los Angeles Clippers Re-Signing Chris Paul.

            Chris Paul is arguably the best Point Guard in the NBA. There are only few that could compete with him for that title (Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, Derrick Rose, and Rajon Rondo). The Clippers ran their offense through him last year, and now with additional signings, they will be contending for a title.

Projected Starting Line-up: Chris Paul, J.J. Redick, Jared Dudley, Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan.

1. The Brooklyn Nets Receiving Paul Piece and Kevin Garnett.

            The Brooklyn Nets started off the NBA offseason right on draft night. They were able to get rid of hefty contracts from Kris Humphries, and Gerald Wallace. Gerald Wallace’s skills were declining as the years went on. Plus the Nets were able to add two future hall of famers to their team, making them a contender. With a star studded starting line-up the Nets look like they will be able to compete with the Miami Heat, and the Indiana Pacers.

Projected Starting Line-up: Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Brook Lopez.