Extra Point
Sports Magazine
The
K
KICKOFF
-ZONE Our strike zone of the biggest hits and misses in the world of sports
The Knicks:
Michael Vick:
At the start of the preseason Michael Vick told the media he thinks the Philadelphia Eagles had the chance to become a dynasty team. The Eagles are currently 4-9, last in the NFC East, and haven’t played with Vick since Nov. 11.
Hate them or love them, you can no longer ignore them. The Knicks have plastered the 2012 NBA Champions, the Miami Heat, twice. They got out to a 6-0 start, and currently lead the Eastern conference. With Raymond Felton, Carmelo Anthony and the return of Amare Stoudemire, this squad might make a run for the national title. Jeremy Lin who?
Juan Manuel Marquez:
Lionel Messi:
GOOOAALLLL! Lionel Messi broke a 40-year-old German record for the most goals in a year. Messi scored his 86th goal passing the great Gerd Mueller and he is still going
With the sick right handed K.O., Marquez handed Pacquiao a sleeper punch with seconds remaining in the sixth round. This is the first time Marquez undisputedly defeated Pacquiao in his last four
KICKOFF
Prince-Tyson Gulley By: Brett Samuels
The offense has been putting up a lot of big numbers so far this year. What’s it like to be a part of a unit like that? PTG: It’s always good to be part of a unit like that. Last year we didn’t really put up as many yards, and it’s always good to be a part of something that’s new, and so the big numbers being put up is something new. Does the offense’s performance take pressure off the defense? PTG: Yeah and that’s part of what we’re trying to do is take pressure off the defense. Our defense is real good when they’re out there so its good if we can take the pressure off them and give them a break. You rotate between a few different guys in the backfield, so There are a few games on the schedule this year what do you specifically bring that complements the when you have a short week. Does that change the other backs or changes the dynamic of things? way you prepare? PTG: I’m probably more of the shifty back, where as PTG: With a short week we can just watch film and Jerome Smith the film tells us a lot. When we’re out on the field and Adonis[Ameen-Moore] preparing that’s good and all, but when we watch are more of the power backs. It splits it up so the opposing what they’re trying to do and get it the looks and defense doesn’t know what they’re getting, so you got the put it all on film, we don’t really need that much punch in the mouth (with Smith and Ameen-Moore) and time to prepare. then I can come in and do a bunch of moves and get around them. We’re about halfway done with the season so Early in the season you played against Northwestern, USC, what’s your guys’ goal for the second half? and Minnesota. How does a tough non-conference schedule PTG: Finishing it out. No more losses from here on like that prepare you for later in the season? out. The team trying to go all the way undefeated. PTG: I think it prepares us in a big way because we played some good competition and some good defenses and we did Personally you played freshmen year and sopho- good against them. We got the short end of the stick more getting snaps and returning kicks. How has [in those games] but we got better as the weeks that experience helped you take on a bigger role progressed, and the competition we played then is this year? going to help us with the Big East. PTG: The game is kind of slowing down for me. Freshmen year it started off real fast but now I’m starting to understand college football as a whole When you enter conference play, do things change in the and it’s making me a better back. way you prepare for opponents being more familiar with Do you have any thoughts about next year? PTG: We just gotta see what happens next year, I don’t really have any thoughts about next year we just have until next year.
them? PTG: I think when we get to conference play the mentality changes because we’re trying to do it real big in the Big East so I think the mentality changed based off the teams we played before. We played talented teams before so we can really compete against anybody so we’re just trying to take that into Big East play.
KICKOFF
How
well do you know your favori
W
hy do we read about sports? Among other reasons, it is because we are fans of the athletes who play them. But when they aren’t in uniform athletes are fans too. Take this quiz to see how well you know which teams some of the biggest athletes are following (one point per question):
Steve Nash, part owner of new MLS expansion team the Vancouver Whitecaps, is a lifelong fan of which European soccer team? a) Real Madrid b) Tottenham Hotspur c) AC Milan d) Bayern Munich
Will all t fans plea you back who doe favorite N a) Dallas b) North c) Cincin d) Jackso
Score Report: By: Mickey Shaked
u really ite player?
the real Lebron James ase stand up. Taking k to his MySpace days, es the King deem his NFL team? s Cowboys h Carolina Panthers nnati Bengals onville Jaguars
Donovan McNabb is a lifelong fan of which city teams where he grew up? a) Chicago – Bear, Bulls, Cubs, White Sox b) Cleveland – Brown, Cavaliers, Indians c) Denver – Broncos, Nuggets, Rockies d) Philadelphia – Eagles, Phillies, 76ers
5: Congratulations! You are a true fan of sport. Your awareness of athletes’ interests off the field is vast. You know too much. 4: Your knowledge is deep yet features some holes. Study up because practice makes permanent. 3: Let me guess. You played in high school, right? These are the big leagues kid. 2: A casual sports fan, eh? You have a bit more reading to do than just a few glances at ESPN. com.
Alex Rodriguez wears number 13 to honor 1: I sense a pretender in our his favorite NFL quarterback from the 1980s midst. Take some time to rewho played on his favorite team, which is evaluate your fandom. I expected the… (Hint: This quarterback is considered more. the greatest to never win a Super Bowl.) a) New York Giants 0: I’m not mad, I’m just b) Dallas Cowboys disappointed. c) New England Patriots d) Miami Dolphins
Tom Brady’s favorite baseball team might cause some consternation among his region’s fans. Is it the: a) New York Mets b) New York Yankees c) Detroit Lions d) Baltimore Orioles
L
ockout imbo
As the potential for an NHL season continues to dwindle, many are begining to wonder: Can the NHL afford to lose another season? By: Andrew Miller
I
t was a Cinderella story. The red carpet was rolled onto the ice and the sport’s hallowed trophy was displayed for those celebrating to show off and for those lost to covet.
The eighth seeded Los Angeles Kings capped off their historic playoff run by defeating the cross continent New Jersey Devils in six games. Captain Dustin Brown grabbed the Cup from Gary Bettman and raised all 34 and a half pounds of metal towards the rafters as the LA faithful rejoiced in seeing their team claim its first Stanley Cup. All of that is now a distant memory. Now locker rooms are gathering dust as players picked up their lives and moved to Europe. Leaders of both the NHL and NHLPA consistently express their inability to agree on anything and fans, players, coaches, and GMs alike take a step back and wonder if the league can rebound from yet another lost season if the negotiations do not improve.
Simply put, no. There is no way fans will come back in droves to all of the NHL arenas if the puck is not dropped for the 2012 season. Fans are already furious with the possibility of cancelling more games and it’s only mid-December.
in hockey hot beds will continue to flourish whether there is a season this year or not. Every Canadian team as well as every team from the original six put up an attendance rate of at least a hundred percent last season.
“It is not possible for the league to grow in popularity like it did in 2005. It seems as if all parties besides the owners feel that there must be an NHL season.” Teams such as the Blue Jackets, the Stars, and the Coyotes are already experiencing attendance issues. Averaging just over 13,750 fans per game for a 76.7 percent sell out rate, they are already struggling to stay afloat.
However, this is a league dependent on the small market teams being able to compete and possibly make a run at the Stanley Cup, like the Devils did in 2012. And right now the little guy is suffering.
Don’t get me wrong, some teams
From the last lockout, overall revenue grew 56 percent, a seemingly exceptional number. Also, according to the WR Hambrecht and Co. sports finance group, the average value of an NHL franchise grew $102 million. It is in the fine print where we can find the struggles of the small market team. Since 2006, the NHL’s least valuable franchise, the Phoenix Coyotes, has gained a mere seven million dollars in value, losing eight million dollars in value over the last three years. The easiest way to answer this question is to blame it on the economy, however several other NHL teams are in the same boat while the big boys continue to soar. The Blue Jackets, Islanders, Hurricanes, Panthers, Blues, and Predators also all find themselves
worth under $170 million, which is well below the league average of $282 million. Meanwhile the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NHL’s most valuable team, gained $220 million in value for a grand total of $1 billion. Since the last lockout, the Leafs value grew more than 15 NHL teams are currently worth. This is just one of the many obvious signs of disparity between teams in the NHL. Looking back on how the NHL’s fan base responded to the last lockout, there was no loss of attendance. In fact, more fans turned up to see hockey’s finest take the ice. But this time around there is no overhaul of the system needed.
Back in 2005, the league needed to implement a salary cap and modernize the game. Then the lockout was not necessary, but major adjustments clearly needed to be made. This time around, fans were perfectly happy with the product the NHL produced. From thrilling Winter Classics to record breaking playoff ratings, the world’s best hockey league has only grown better in recent years. It is not possible for the league to grow in popularity like it did in 2005. It seems as if all parties besides the owners feel that there needs to be an NHL season.
Anaheim Ducks winger Bobby Ryan agrees, telling the Orange County Register, “We can’t afford to lose this year because the sport can’t.” One fan posted a photo of himself at an NBA game, holding a sign that read, “Look what you made us do.” Although this poked fun at the NBA, some fans will spend their money elsewhere on different sports and will never turn back. The NHL would suffer a tremendous blow if the 2012-2013 season is lost. If the two sides cannot reach an agreement soon, we may have already seen the peak of the National Hockey League.
‘Tis the Season for Trading Before the ball even hit the court, signaling the start of the NBA season, major moves with title implications shook the league.
By: Kristina Callahan James Harden says goodbye to his brothers In arguably the most unexpected trade of the NBA season thus far, James Harden packed his bags in Oklahoma City and ventured to his new home, Houston. The Sixth Man of the Year couldn’t agree to a contract with the Thunder. So, in a move felt around the NBA, he was traded to the Rockets. With the trade, the guard agreed to a five-year, $80 million contract extension. “We have him for this year and five more, so six years,” Houston coach Kevin McHale said. “Our goal is to do a good enough job as a staff that we win, make the playoffs, develop the young guys and that we never, ever, ever come to camp again with 13 new guys.” The trade was a shock heard around the NBA. Miami Heat guard, Lebron James was surprised at the trade but thinks both teams got a fair deal. “I think we all know that James Harden was a big part of their team,” James said. “He was a big part of why they made it to the Finals. They got a couple pieces back that are really good as well. But we don’t know how it changes their team until they actually get out there.”
In return for Harden, the Thunder acquired guards Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb along with two future first-round picks, and a secondround pick in the deal. The small-market Thunder have already signed Kevin Durant, Serge Ibaka and Russell Westbrook to long-term deals. Harden wanted a long-term deal and big salary like his teammates but that was something that OKC wasn’t willing to offer. Harden leaves behind OKC teammates, Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, whom he
considered brothers. But he didn’t seem to miss them during his first two games with his new team. The guy known for his wild-attimes facial hair had an impressive game line of 37 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists in his Rockets debut. The former Arizona State Sun Devil followed that performance by scoring 45 points the next night. The 23-year-old is averaging 25 points per game this season, quite a jump from the 17 he averaged with the Thunder. There’s no question that the Thunder may miss Harden down the road.
The Lakers have some new stars shining in Hollywood The Los Angeles Lakers decided to bring some excitement to the NBA during a usually quiet July. The Lakers acquired both Steve Nash from the Phoenix Suns and the highly sought after center, Dwight Howard, from the Orlando Magic. Nash and the Suns parted ways after eight years and no NBA Final appearances. The two-time MVP brings 16 years of experience and talent to the backcourt, alongside Kobe Bryant. But this has already raised some eyebrows.
The Lakers began the season with three straight losses and in the first two games Nash only averaged 7 points and 4 assists compared to Kobe’s 25 points. Nash hasn’t had to play alongside a superstar like Bryant since sharing possessions with Dirk Nowitzki, which is not so coincidentally the last time he averaged less than 9 assists per game. After months and months of hearing potential trade destinations and Dwight Howard in the same sentence, the two were finally put to rest. It took four teams, 12 players, five draft picks and countless
months of speculation for the center to finally find his new home with the Los Angeles Lakers. “It’s kind of unreal,” Howard said. “It finally happened. It’s here. Just walking around upstairs and driving here ... I’m really a part of the Lakers. It hasn’t really hit me yet. I’m just happy to be here and I’m going to make the best out of it.” Howard just hopes that he can see his picture hanging on the wall after the Lakers win their 17th NBA title. We’ll have to wait until June to see if his dream becomes a reality.
Andre Iguodala leaves behind instability Eight years is a long time, ask Andre Iguodala. After spending eight years with the Sixers, the shooting guard is transitioning to a new home in Denver, Colorado. Many analysts have Denver as a title contender with the addition of Iguodala. After winning gold in London and tasting a title, the former Arizona Wildcat and his new team just want to keep getting better. “We’re going to be scary. We’re just trying to stay silent right now; keep working, keep grinding,” Iguodala said.
Eights years in Philly brought little stability or consistency. In those eight years with the 76ers, Iguodala saw six head coaches come and go. When he was drafted in 2004, George Karl took over the Nuggets and hasn’t finished below 2nd in the Northwest Conference. This is something that he is looking forward to. Iguodala said, “I’ve just been through so much as far as variables. I’ve never had stability as far as coaches. I’ve always had a different coach, a different GM or a different key player every year.” iguodala knows plenty about impressing a new coach. “I still
think I have to show [Karl] some things that he doesn’t know that I can do yet. It’s kind of like I have to try all over again, but that’s been the story of my career, though. So many different coaches, it’s like you’ve got to prove yourself again,” Iguodala said.
What Lies Ahead? What do all these teams have in common? They all have unforeseen and unpredictable futures. It’s only the beginning of the season. Nobody knows if these trades were the right ones just yet. That will have to wait until June when only one team remains— victorious.
O Canada
Natalie Mastracci, a Syracuse University women’s rower, brought home a silver medal for her native Canada during the 2012 London Olympic Games. Q: What was it like representing your country in the Olympics? A: It’s unimaginable, you can prepare yourself as much as you want to go to the Olympics, to achieve this or race really fast, but nothing ever really prepares you for the machine that’s behind the Olympics, the whole global movement, the global experience, being with people from all around the world, having people all around the world watch and care about what you’re doing. It’s amazing and very humbling to be a part of.
I was walking around the streets of Toronto people would say ‘hey are you that rower girl?’ Other than that I’m pretty much anonymous. And I kind of like it that way, it’s really nice; you can go back to your normal life.
Q: At what moment did it hit you that you had won an Olympic medal? A: It was pretty clear that America had won and we had gotten second. It was only a silver, but after you race so many times you kind of understand how close you are if you are out in front. I knew I got second. But I didn’t really realize I was at the Olympics at that time. It felt like any other world championship race, until I crossed the finish line. I think the second after I crossed the finish line I thought to myself I just got an Olympic silver medal.
Q: Where is your medal now? A: I carry it around in my purse with me because I worked so hard to get it. I mean, where is the safest place to keep it other than 10 feet away from you?
Q: Did winning the Olympic medal make you a Canadian celebrity? A: Us Canadian rowers—we’re kept pretty humble—so we’re not huge names. Like some people knew me in my town, and sometimes when
Q: What has it been like being back in Syracuse this year? A: It’s been nice in general to come back here to Syracuse and see everyone and to give back to the community that helped develop me.
Q: What part of the Olympic experience meant the most to you?
A: What meant the most to me was to officially be a part of the community that the women I have been training with have been apart of. I only started rowing five years ago, but they’ve been rowing for like 20 years. They were all like 33 years old and here I am this little 23 year old who thought, oh I can be on that team. I felt sort of indoctrinated into their world, it was an honor.
Dear Santa, Please continue to send me EP so I can keep reading
Punt AND
Grunt Sincerely, Loyal EP Reader
Dear Loyal EP Reader, You’ve been a good sport this year. Here’s an early gift for you.
In this issue... • NFL: First-Half Suprises in the NFL • Preservation of the Endangered Nittany Lion • Once Upon A Time: Early NBA Playoff Prediction
NFL First-Half Suprises in the NFL By Micky Shaked
AP Photo/Andrew Luck As the NFL season slides into the back nine, team storylines begin to flesh themselves out. The cream rises to the top—Atlanta, San Francisco, Chicago. The yeast festers at the bottom—Kansas City, Jacksonville, Cleveland. And the carbonation jumps around in the middle—Miami, Detroit, San Diego. While none of the aforementioned teams is in a very surprising spot, the league has thrown us a few curveballs: the Colts, Seahawks, Eagles and Jets. Two teams led by rookie quarterbacks and two others loaded with talent. First, the good kind of surprise. Both Indianapolis (5-3) and Seattle (5-4) find themselves in the thick, nay the driver’s seat, of wild card races in their respective conferences. Andrew Luck and Russell Wilson, despite kicking off their careers with vastly different expectations, are both exceeding what was imagined possible of them so soon. Wilson has used every inch of his 5’11” frame to score wins over Dallas, Green Bay, New England and Minnesota. He’s certainly had help from a Marshawn Lynch in perpetual beast mode and a shutdown defense giving up 17 points per game. Unheralded players in each group are performing at a high level: second-year corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner are locking down the secondary; rookie linebacker Bobby Wagner is a top-ten tackler;
and veteran linemen Chris Clemons and Brandon Mebane have ten sacks and seven batted passes between them. Despite early season bumps against Arizona and St. Louis, Seattle controls its own destiny. They play in one of the league’s toughest stadiums and with remaining games against the Jets, Dolphins, Cardinals, Bills, and Rams, the Seahawks should finish no worse than 10-6. The consensus feature story of the year is unfolding in Indianapolis, where a team in its second year of rebuilding has found strength in coach Chuck Pagano’s battle with leukemia. Indy is tied for the AFC wild card lead despite the presence of a lead running back and a minus-4 point per game differential. Andrew Luck and Reggie Wayne have willed this team to nail biting wins over the Vikings, Packers, Browns, Titans, and Dolphins -- more than double their victory total from last season. The road ahead is tough. The Colts have yet to play New England, Detroit, and Houston (twice). Besides winning potential soft games against Jacksonville, Buffalo, Tennessee and Kansas City, Indy will have to win at least one or two of those underdog games if they want to see the postseason. Regardless of how their 2012 shakes out, the Colts have caught a lot of people off guard with their ability to win close games against tough opponents. On to the lumps of coal. The City of Brotherly Love likely holds little affection for the dream team Eagles (3-5). Andy Reid’s status as the longest-tenured head coach in the NFL is at Alex Trebec levels of jeopardy. Michael Vick, the front man for Philly’s failures on the field, gets a larger share of the blame than he deserves; proven in their matchup against New Orleans. A horrendously ineffective Saints defense embarrassed the Eagles’ offensive line, which now leads the league in peeling its quarterback off the ground. If Reid gets the ax, he will have ironically run himself out of town partially for not giving LeSean McCoy the touches he needs as a top five running back. To be sure, Philly plays in the toughest division in all of football and has one of the toughest schedules to boot. But how do you explain narrow victories over Baltimore and the Giants each followed by a stinker against Arizona and a four-game losing streak respectively? The road ahead is bleak; a blow-up is imminent. And then there’s the J-E-T-S Jets Jets Jets, who can’t seem to do the things they need to in order to run with the elite teams. New York does suffer from one of the toughest schedules around, losing to Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Houston, New England, and Miami. But leaning on the schedule as an excuse separates the pretenders and contenders. Rex Ryan has struggled to use his twoheaded Sanchez-Tebow attack appropriately, yet the starting quarterback media carousel continues to spin. Losing Darrelle Revis would hurt any team’s chances, but again, excuses are for those that need them. For this sinking ship to right itself Shonn Greene has to stop playing peek-aboo and the star-studded defense needs to find its Revisless identity as the schedule begins to soften.
CFB
Preservation of the Endangered Nittany Lion By Matt Rose
On October 9, sixty-eight year-old Jerry Sandusky was sentenced to a minimum of thirty years in prison, effectively a death sentence for him—and hopefully the closing of a tragic and embarrassing chapter in Penn State history. While there are still appeals to be filed, compensations to be paid, and verdicts to be handed down, the man at the center of arguably the most heinous crimes in the history of sports is behind bars. Meanwhile, in the town of State College, Pennsylvania, the community is trying to piece back together a tradition unlike any other in America. In State College, football is everything. The town is a shell of its true self in the spring and summer, but in the fall and early winter, crowds flock in on the weekends to view the spectacle of the most storied collegiate football programs. The fallout of the Sandusky scandal placed the football program and the community on the brink of extinction. Many feared Penn State would cripple, similar to SMU when it received the “Death Penalty” before the 1987 season; however, the early prognosis is astounding—if not inspiring. AP Photo/ Nittany Lion leading When Penn State opened the season against Ohio, 97,186 fans stormed Beaver a cheer at a football game Stadium to support the student athletes, the school, and the victims. The turnout was nearly a thousand person increase from the 2011 season opener. Through four home games this season, Penn State has averaged 96,376 fans. The average attendance from 2009-2011 was 104,223 fans; however, each year the average dropped by 3,000 people (101,427 in 2011). Thus, the trend indicates the average should be approximately 98,000 fans, indicating only a 1.7% decrease in sales in 2012. Fans are still turning out for games, and Penn State is winning. After a 0-2 start, the Nittany Lions have rallied off four straight wins. Crowds have remained consistent, granted smaller than previous years. Despite losing nearly two-dozen rostered players, Head Coach Bill O’Brien has largely kept his talented 2013 recruiting class in tact. Make no mistake, Penn State does not have an easy road ahead, but if the results of the 2012 season are any indication, the program will continue to flourish. Maybe the Penn State football program grew too powerful, or maybe a select few abused their power and placed football ahead of the safety of adolescents. Regardless, the NCAA’s sanctions forced Penn State to refocus on academics. Those most responsible are facing the consequences, but the innocent are forced to shoulder much of the blame. The disgusting actions of one sick man and a few individuals who made unfathomable decisions have embarrassed the student athletes, faculty, alumni, parents, and all with ties to Penn State. While it is important to always keep the victims in mind, it is time for closure. Let the community persevere. Allow the athletes to continue to pursue their dreams. Leave the students and faculty out of the discussion. And most importantly, associate Penn State with academics, forgiveness, and change, not Jerry Sandusky, or AP Photo/Penn State students at this season’s football game against Temple in State College Joe Paterno.
NBA Once Upon A Time: Early NBA Playoff Predictions By Kyle Basedow
B
reak up the Knicks. You read it correctly. Break up the Knicks. After their first four games, the Knicks were 4-0 and the only remaining undefeated team left in the NBA. That’s not allowed. They have to follow the script. While you’re at it, trade James Harden. The reigning NBA Sixth Man of the Year isn’t allowed to have 106 points through the first three games with his new team. Also, replay all of the Los Angeles Laker games with a new coach. A team with Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, and Dwight Howard in the starting five shouldn’t be 1-4, but 5-0. All the NBA “experts” wish that these situations would stop there so they could count their losses and recover what’s left of their preseason predictions they were oh so sure about. The only constant so far this season that these experts can rest their laurels on is the Miami Heat, minus the Knicks game. The Heat have continued their winning ways and look like the NBA’s most complete and durable team. This flipped script has pretty much demolished the professional writers’ preseason predictions so without further ado, here are my playoff predictions based off the season thus far.
NBA Western Conference 1. Oklahoma City Thunder- Best team in the West and Kevin Durant will once again win the scoring title and quite possibly the MVP.
AP Photo/ Knicks vs Celtics 2012 preseaon
NBA Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat- Easily the most dominant team in the Eastern Conference. They have the most complete team in the NBA and are still the heavy favorites to win the NBA Championship. 2. New York Knicks- I don’t want to put the Knicks here because of their age but they have been way too dominant for me not to put them at number two. They’ve played well so far but let’s hope they don’t blow a tire (or Carmelo tires of defense) halfway through the season.
2. San Antonio Spurs- You can never count this team 3. Atlanta Hawks- I put the Hawks here because the division that they play in is out. They are the most complete team in the West, so weak, with the exception of the Heat. They will go as Josh Smith goes. not to mention the most consistent. Age is the only 4. Milwaukee Bucks- A big risk but I think that without the Bulls they can question here. make it into the playoffs AND win the division if Monta Ellis stays healthy. 3. Los Angeles Lakers- This team is good. Really good. I think that halfway through the season they 5. Brooklyn Nets- Not the team that everyone thought they were going to be pull it together and run full speed into the playoffs. but they aren’t half bad. Certainly better than last year and will continue to improve as the season goes on. 4. Los Angeles Clippers- Possibly the best bench in the league. Jamal Crawford will continue to play like 6. Boston Celtics- Old and young, the Celtics will either sprint into the playoffs or limp in but either way, they’ll get there. a starter and will win NBA Sixth Man of the Year. 7. Indiana Pacers- With Danny Granger out for three months, the Pacers lost 5. Memphis Grizzlies- Marc Gasol and Zach Rantheir shot at winning their division. Still, I think that they’ll recover just in time dolph will rule the paint for years to come and the and make the playoffs. Grizzlies will become a mainstay in the playoffs. 8. Philadelphia 76ers- Definition of a bubble team but once Andrew Bynum 6. Portland Trail Blazers- With Damian Lillard lead- gets back it’s a whole new ball game. ing the Rookie of the Year conversation, they can make a strong push for the playoffs. 7. Denver Nuggets- George Karl and Andre Iguodala will lead this team to an above average season and the playoffs. 8. Houston Rockets- Jeremy Lin. James Harden. Omer Asik. One of the strongest 8th seeds ever.