2009 NBA Preview-Who Will Win It All?/21 Random Predictions

Finally, the 2009 NBA Season starts tonight. But, the question remains...who's going to win it all? Which of the 5 major contenders made the right moves to get to the promised land? Also, as always with our previews, 21 random predictions for the upcoming season that you'll only find at RSS!

NBA Championship Predictions

Y2: For me, there are only 4 true contenders. The Magic, while making a good impression last year, took a step back by getting rid of Hedo Turkoglu for Vince Carter. Despite Dwight Howard's emerging superstardom, Orlando's out as a contender. So that leaves us with two teams in each conference. In the West, you've got to go with the Lakers over the Spurs. While Ron Artest is a powderkeg waiting to explode, they still have the most talented, deepest team in the league. They will be able to withstand the annual Andrew Bynum injury and outlast the Spurs to reach the NBA Finals. In the East, both the Cavs and Celtics will be desperate to make it back to the NBA Finals. The Celtics know their championship window is closing, while the Cavs know they have to make it to appease King James and finally deliver a title to Cleveland. It will be an epic battle, but the Celtics will be able to better adjust to their offseason improvements and will be led by KG back to the Finals. So in the Finals, it will be a near repeat of two years ago...the C's defense will smother Kobe and will outtough the Lakers to win the title in 6 games. PICK-Celtics over Lakers in 6

Y1: I couldn't agree with Yoder2 more, there are 4 contenders: Cleveland, Boston, LA, and San Antonio. Despite their great preseason, I don't see Orlando being able to duplicate last year's success with a dose of vinsanity. However... I'm going in a different direction. In the West, yes, Ron Artest is a powderkeg... and Richard Jefferson is plainly a better addition for San Antonio. Duncan and Ginobili have to have one good run left in them. If those two stay healthy, a roster of Duncan, Manu, Parker, R-Jeff, Finley, Mason is good enough to battle LA. The difference for SAS though will be Pitt rookie DaJuan Blair. He'll eat Gasol and Bynum for lunch just like he did Hasheem Thabeet at UConn. Out East, it will be an epic battle, but the Cavs will lean on their past experience and last year's disappointment to get past the C's. Mo Williams will up his game in June and Shaq will be the inside presence necessary to get through the playoffs. In the Finals, LBJ gets his revenge on the Spurs as he sweeps the MVP, Finals MVP, and the championship. PICK-Cavs over Spurs in 7

21 Random Predictions for the Upcoming Season

(1) The injury sustained by Blake Griffin is not the start of some Clipper Curse, but it will be enough to derail the Clips' faint playoff hopes.

(2) Griffin's injuries will be enough to lose his sure Rookie of the Year Award to a dark horse candidate, like Tyreke Evans in Sacremento.

(3) As much as I love Charles Barkley, he will once again say or do something stupid to get himself removed from TNT for a brief period of time.

(4) A full out battle will ensue between Mark Cuban and Russian Mark Cuban for the title of Most Ridiculous Ways an Owner can Spend Their Money, as long as Russian Mark Cuban doesn't start hosting his own talk radio show.

(5) For one week in January, NBA starting 5's will have one spot taken by a WNBA player, as decreed by President Obama, under scrutiny for his own, "all-male" pickup games.

(6) The Coach of the Year will NOT be Mike Brown of the Cavs, it will be his assistant, LeBron James.

(7) Due to the recent success of Shaq Vs., Shaquille O'Neal will start at QB for the Browns regular season finale...and still complete more passes than Derek Anderson.

(8) The persistent campaign to get Bill Simmons elected as GM of an NBA team will lead to a shocking announcement, the GM of the new WNBA Tulsa Shock...the Sports Guy!

(9) Pau Gasol, seeking to impress new tough-guy teammate Ron Artest, will set the record for awkward chest-thumping and unintimidating screeching during the regular season.

(10) Greg Oden will play more games this season than Blake Griffin, and still not get as many rebounds.

(11) After a slow start, Scott Skiles will be the first head coach fired during the season, and be thankful for Milwaukee putting him out of his misery.

(12) Kobe Bryant, motivated by being placed below LeBron James in our Athletes of the Decade list, will beat out James and Brandon Roy for NBA MVP.

(13) Joe Dumars reign as the smartest GM in the league will end after his team

fails to even make the playoffs.

(14) By the end of the All-Star Break, fans, players, and coaches alike will be begging for the replacement referees to come back. This will be especially true after veteran official Dick Bavetta falls asleep during a late December Grizzlies-T'Wolves game.

(15) Expect an epic trade deadline as the elite teams bolster their ammo and the bad teams, especially in big markets, get ready for 2010.

(16) Expect to hear "2010" more often this season than "2009." Especially about that one guy, what's his name again?

(17) The highlight of the Knicks' regular season will be a Catholic priest storming the court to intervene when Mike D'Anoni is ejected from a game. So, a priest, a rabbi, and Spike Lee walk into a bar...

(18) Much like the NFL, the gap between the elite and the awful teams will never seem larger.

(19) Mike Breen, Mark Jackson, and Jeff Van Gundy will continue to be the best A team for announcing in any sport...of course, Joe Buck is half of two of their contenders, so maybe it's not that big an achievement.

(20) At least one of the Top 5 teams (Celtics, Cavs, Magic, Lakers, Spurs), will not make the Conference Finals...tough prediction, right?c v

(21) This will be the most thrilling regular season since the days of Bird, Magic, and Jordan...put it in the book, just don't expect Bird's Pacers or Jordan's Bobcats to contribute much.

That does it for our 3 part NBA Preview of the 2009 season. Make sure you keep coming back to RSS throughout the season for our unique view of the Association. Also, tune in tomorrow as we return with a World Series Preview, and the return of the Decade Series right around the corner. Until then, it's bye for now!