Sep 30 2008
Comeback Kids
There are a couple of teams this upcoming season that are putting a lot on the line, and hoping their injured star will take them to the next level.
Portland is hoping that NBA untested Greg Oden will help them reach the playoffs. The blazers were the wests surprise team last season. They were not expected to do much, but nearly made the playoffs in an overloaded Western Conference. Greg Oden was more than solid in college, and we shall find out soon enough if he can be Portland’s super rookie.
Everyone saw how well D-Wade did this summer in the Olympics, he was electrifying. His bench play was a huge reason USA went undefeated. He displayed hints of the old Wade with his relentless attack of the rim, his too-quick first step, and his uncanny ability to finish in the paint. Aside from the Heat’s well executed draft, they have done little this offseason to supplement Wade’s talent. As good as he is, they will not make it out of the 2nd round, or even the 1st with him alone. Wade is the only tested player who can create his own shot, which is bad news for the Heat. We will see if Michael Beasley is an offense stopper, or if he can still work his magic in the Heat system. Either way, it’s looking unlikely the Heat will make much noise this year.
Gilbert Arenas has been one of my personal favorites over the years, but he was barely played due to knee issues. He just went into surgery again, and is not expected to play until at least January. His frustration is really showing, and he was even fined for refusing to meet the press. This frustration can be good and bad. It shows how eager he is to get back on that court. He feels a sense of guilt because he can only support them by cheering in a suit, and he feels that he let himself down because he knows that he is capable of superior play. But, he made his entry last season prematurely, and it disrupted a rolling Wizards offense. He should be careful not to make the same mistake this season, and come back at full force.
We can’t forget Andre Bynum now, can we? The Lakers were murdered in the paint last year by Boston, and Bynum’s physical presence was sorely missed. Gasol and Odom got pushed bullied in the paint, DJ Mbenga beat by superior footwork, and Turiaf was made to carry most of the burden. Bynum was a double double machine until a partially dislocated knee ended his season. He is a shot blocker who is also a good position defender, and his hands are bigger than a 10 year olds. Speaking of the Lakers, I should also mention Trevor Ariza. He did play a little in the end, but was not really in the rotation. He should make a bigger contribution this year and play solid defense for these Lakers.
Those are the biggest injured players I can think of right now that can change the franchise’s fate. We shall see how things go, the NBA is starting to be exciting again.
