Luka’s Corner

It is time again for me to make my prediction for the new NBA season, beginning on Tuesday. Here are my picks for all of the major award-winners:

NBA Champion: Dallas Mavericks

I really believe that this is their year. After disappointing defeats the past two seasons in the Playoffs, they will come back hungry and on a mission. Especially with the team that they have (Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry), they are covered in every position and poised to win their first league championship.

Eastern Conference Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Cavs are the brightest team in the weaker Eastern Conference, with Detroit at the end of their "dynasty" and Chicago is yet to prove they can be on top of the East. I think that LeBron will guide his team to the Finals once again.

Western Conference Champion: Dallas Mavericks

Already explained.

MVP Winner: LeBron James

After four years of disappointment (MVP-wise), I believe that LeBron will up his stats this year and lead his team to the Finals again. Also since I believe that Mike Bibby will come to Cleveland, the two will play well together, with Bibby take some pressure off of LeBron to dominate every single night.

Finals MVP Winner: Dirk Nowitzki

After being upset in the Finals facing Miami, Dirk will come back very strong in his second appearance, guiding his team to the chip.

Scoring Leader (regular season): Gilbert Arenas

Arenas will boost his PPG averages coming back from his knee injury. Especially in a contract year, where he will be motivated to perform, look for averages near 30 PPG for the season.

Defensive POY: Kevin Garnett

I am very impressed with the shape that the Big Ticket is in for the Celtics. He looks ready to go, and that means huge averages in both steals and blocks. Do not forget that he will be guarding big men in the Eastern Conference.

ROY Award: Kevin Durant

Playing on a young Sonics team, Durant will be looked upon to carry the offense, so do not be surprised if the rookie puts up huge numbers.

6th Man Award: Leandro Barbosa

I know he won it last year, but Barbosa is on the same offense and he will be asked to perform at the same high level this year.

Most importantly, we must enjoy the entire season. It looks like this will be one of the most exciting in a long time.

The Pistons of Motown are coming into this season following yet another postseason meltdown. Their Conference Final defeat to the upstart Cavs was their second straight loss in the 3rd round (Miami in 06) and their third straight loss in the Playoffs overall (San Antonio in 05). Despite these losses each year, however, Detroit is one of those teams that we always think will do better next year and go the distance, like they did in 03-04 against LA. On paper, they are the best team in all of basketball, covered in all five positions and with a very deep bench. With Chauncey Billups, Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, Rasheed Wallace, and Chris Webber (if he resigns) as their starters and Antonio McDyess, Jason Maxiell, Ronald Dupree ("Flip" Murray, and Nazr Mohammed as their reserves, the Pistons are simply scary. Not only that, but they have gotten even better in the offseason through the draft.

This summer, the Pistons drafted Rodney Stuckey out of Eastern Washington and Aaron Afflalo out of UCLA at pick #15 and #27, respectively. Stuckey is an explosive guard who can play at either the 1 or 2, making him the Piston of the future. Possessing an extremely quick step, he can get to the basket and finish with ease. His ability to go against bigger guys reminds some of a younger Dwyane Wade but, more recently, he is comparable to Randy Foye on Minnesota. This season, he will have to struggle with Lindsey Hunter and "Flip" Murray for minutes, but if he does get a chance to play, expect him to put some points on the board. Expect around 9.8 PPG for the rookie in 08. Afflalo is a completely different player from the scoring Stuckey. Better known for his lock-down defense in his days for UCLA, Afflalo is one of those guys that does all the little things on the floor. On offense, he is a very gifted shooter who can knock down the three, but he can also drive and run the open floor on occasion. I expect less production from him than from Stuckey, since he will not see many minutes at his comfortable shooting guard position. Not only will he have to go up against Stuckey in practice, but also the likes of "Rip" Hamilton (who averaged 36.8 MPG last season). Do not expect Afflalo to even pass the 5 PPG mark this year.

The Piston starting five is the best all-round roster in NBA, with all five players being able to top 20 points on any given night. Not only do they contribute well in stats, but they also coexist harmoniously. They share the ball well and all five know their role. Billups and Hamilton run the offense and score from outside. Prince is the stopper who scores on the wings. Wallace can shoot from outside and dominate down low and Webber also has a smooth down low game. In the backcourt, the captain Billups had yet another solid season in 07. He ran the Piston offense efficiently, as well as improving in the defense department. Last year, Chauncey put up 17 PPG and 7.2 APG, along with 1.2 SPG (improved from 0.9 in 06). One of the most impressive stats in Billups’ resume comes in the percentages, with the PG shooting 88% from the line. I expect Billups to stay the same stat-wise and continue to lead the Piston attack in the upcoming season. Hamilton is the other piece of backcourt and, in my opinion, is the reason for the Pistons’ season success over the past four years. He consistently drives the offense, usually ending up at the top of the Pistons’ scoring charts. A deadly midrange shooter with good percentages, Hamilton is constantly on the move, trying to find an open space from which he can shoot or penetrate. Whether it be coming off of picks (which gives defenders fits) or just spotting up, "Rip" continues to be one of the best shooters in the league. His stats have stayed almost the same the past couple of seasons and I do not expect them to change, staying around 19.8 PPG with 4 rebounds and 4 assists per game.

The Detroit frontcourt is equally as talented as their backcourt. With Prince, ‘Sheed, and Webber suiting up in blue and red on a nightly basis, it is no wonder that other teams look up to them. Prince, the team’s go-to-defender always defends the other team’s best player (such as LeBron), and usually does a good job. His stats have been almost carbon copies since 05, so expect the same in 08. Both Wallace and Webber, in my opinion, are both rapidly declining in the later years of their NBA journey. Wallace is well known for his steady three-point shooting at the PF position, with 35% three-point shooting last year. I do not expect even his best stat to keep up in 08, unfortunately, so expect around 29% from downtown and around the same stats this year. Webber had a decent year last season, surprising many (including me) who thought that he would just fade away down the stretch. He continued to play well however at the end of the season, finishing the year with averages of around 11-7-3. A strong post player with great moves on the block and above average passing skills for a center, Webber is one of the most skilled post players in the league. However, he is entering his 14th pro season and his play in the Playoffs showed his increasing decline. Next season (considering that he remains a Piston), I project C-Webb’s stats to be somewhere around the 10-6-4 range with percentages of 44% from the floor and 62% from the line.

The Detroit line of reserves is nothing to be looked down upon. Any one of these players, whether it be the crafty McDyess or athletic Murray, can step up on any give night, and I do not expect that to change in 08. These bench players will either make or break the Piston success in the upcoming season, so watch closely how not only the starters are playing, but also the men checking in.

Predicted lineup:

C-Chris Webber, PF-Rasheed Wallace, SF-Tayshaun Prince, SG-Richard Hamilton, PG-Chauncey Billups

6th man-Antonio McDyess, 7th man-Rodney Stuckey, 8th man-Nazr Mohammed

Predicted stat leaders:

Points-Richard Hamilton (19.8 PPG)

Rebounds-Rasheed Wallace (7.4 RPG)

Assists-Chauncey Billups (7.4 APG)

Blocks-Rasheed Wallace (1.5 BPG)

Steals-Chauncey Billups (1.3 SPG)

Final Prediction-The boys from Motown will check into the postseason with a 49-33 record.