The NBA Season is ready to start on Christmas Day, the last couple of preseason games are being played as I write this up, and it's time for me to cater to every serious NBA fans love of season previews!  The 2011 Geektastic Preview is going to be way too large for one article, so I'm dividing it up into divisions (and even so, it's going to be long, so get a cup of coffee!).  In this article I'm going to preview the Los Angeles Clippers Lob City, Baby!  

Back to the Pacific Division Previews

Note that this article is using the new formula for calculating Wins Produced. If you don't understand the WP metric, see the FAQ.

The 2011-12 Los Angeles Clippers

Lost: bunch of kids and draft picks and shit

Added: Chris FREAKING PAUL

Outlook: My pick to win the Pacific.  Griffin was great last year; sophomores usually get better.  Jordan is also young and getting better. Reggie Evans and Chauncey Billups are both great pickups.

Per48 Comparison of raw stats

As you can see from the numbers, the Clippers have a great backcourt.  The best point guard in the game, together with the capable Chauncey Billups and Mo Williams.  Their frontcourt is also not-too-shabby, with last year's rookie of the year and the steady Jordan, both of whom are likely to improve this year (as a factor of experience, and from all the dunks they get from Chris Freaking Paul).

It really can't be stressed enough how great Reggie Evans has always been.  He's a complete monster on the boards, with a rebounding rate that is right up their with Kevin Love. He also doesn't take bad shots, which is key in a team with as many offensive options as this team has.

With their dominant rebounding and the best point guard in the game, the Clippers are my pick to win the Pacific division, getting the edge over the Lakers.

The NBA Season is ready to start on Christmas Day, the last couple of preseason games are being played as I write this up, and it's time for me to cater to every serious NBA fans love of season previews!  The 2011 Geektastic Preview is going to be way too large for one article, so I'm dividing it up into divisions (and even so, it's going to be long, so get a cup of coffee!).  In this article I'm going to preview the Lakers, who have lost a little of their mojo but are still going to be a very good basketball team capable of winning 45+ games.  

Back to the Pacific Division Previews

Note that this article is using the new formula for calculating Wins Produced. If you don't understand the WP metric, see the FAQ.

Lost: Shannon Brown, Lamar Odom, a Stare-down with David Stern, Kobe's faith in Management, Vanessa Bryant

Added: Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock, Ater Majok, (all rookies), Jason Kapono, Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy

Per48 Comparison of raw stats

At first my instinct was like "They lost Odom for Nothing!  Kobe's getting older!  And he's pissed!  Bynum's missing 5 games before his annual injury happens.  The Lakers are done!"

Then I looked at the roster. Here's something you probably don't believe if you are new to wins produced: Josh McRoberts is really good. And, as it happens, Troy Murphy was always a great player until last year (.212 WP48 in 2009-10), when he was recovering from injury.  He's a great rebounder and very efficient scorer.  Yes, I know he's not a quick defender but his rebounding and shooting make up for it. The Lakers have managed to cheaply cover for the loss of Odom.  The big issue for the Lakers will be the point guard position, where the 73-year old Derek Fisher will get lots of minutes, and whether or not Brown will wisely allocate minutes.  My suspicion is that Brown won't do a good job here; Matt Barnes getting a DNP-CD in the first decision certainly reeks of incompetence.

And then, of course, there are injuries. Kobe's torn a tendon in is shooting hand; that can't be good. And Bynum...well, every time Bynum jumps Lakers fans hold their breath, because he seems to come down badly on knees and ankles a lot.

If there are no injuries, they will fight tooth-and-nail with the Clippers for the #1 spot in the Pacific. I gave the edge to the Clippers because I expect the sophomore improvement from the already-great Griffin, and because I think Reggie Evans was a fantastic pick up for them that puts them over the top.  If Bynum goes down, all bets are off; they'll struggle to get homecourt advantage in the playoffs if that happens.

The NBA Season is ready to start on Christmas Day, the last couple of preseason games are being played as I write this up, and it's time for me to cater to every serious NBA fans love of season previews!  The 2011 Geektastic Preview is going to be way too large for one article, so I'm dividing it up into divisions (and even so, it's going to be long, so get a cup of coffee!).  In this article I'm going to preview the Phoenix Suns.  

Back to the Pacific Division Previews

Note that this article is using the new formula for calculating Wins Produced. If you don't understand the WP metric, see the FAQ.

Lost: Vince Carter, Aaron Brooks, Zabian Dowdell, Gani Lawal, Jason Richardson

Added: Markieff Morris, Shannon Brown, Ronnie Price, Sebastian Telfair

Outlook: Not good.  Steve Nash is still one of those players that keeps a team from being complete bottom dwellers, but the Suns have been trading away or letting go of good players for years, and it's finally catching up to them.

Sigh.  How logn before #FreeSteveNash is trending on twitter? The Suns sort of have a "big three" of Steve Nash, Josh Childress and Macin Gortat (the latter two have, of course, always been under-appreciated), but they don't have a lot of depth and Telfair and Price are both horrible additions. Markieff is, in my opinion, the "good" Morris, a good rebounder and efficient shooter; he'll fit in great with Steve Nash, but he'd have to make a rookie-of-the-year impact to push this team into contention.

I don't know what to think about the Suns.  I'm really torn about whether the Warriors will be better them (if Biedrins and Lee return to form), but I think the Suns will flirt with the 8th seed in the West, but Lopez, like his brother in New Jersey, is simply not the answer under the basket. He doesn't rebound well enough, isn't a very good defender (note the fouls) and isn't a ver efficient shooter either.  What is he good at?  Why do these two brothers get so much respect?

Mostly, I'm just playing the "how bad can any team with Steve Nash on the roster ever really be?" card, and I'm not sure that will be enough to keep them out of the lottery.