The NBA's Pacific division was won by the Los Angeles Lakers last year, as they finished a remarkable 67-15 and dominated the Western Conference en route to winning the title. Their closest competitors in the Pacific were the Portland Trail Blazers, who finished a distant eight games behind. This season should be a very fun one to watch in the Pacific, as Portland and L.A. will battle for the division and ultimately the NBA crown. Portland made some key acquisitions in the off-season in obtaining power forward Shawn Kemp and All-Star forward Dale Davis. Look for the remaining five teams to all battle for the remaining six slots in the Western Conference playoff bracket.
Take it to the bank:
The division will be won by either the Lakers or the Blazers. The Lakers, coming off their first NBA championship in 12 years, are stacked. They have one of the most prolific tandems in NBA history in Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal and with the addition of Isaiah Rider, they look to once again put a stranglehold on the Pacific and the rest of the NBA. The rest of the Pacific will just have to wait until Shaq retires to challenge the Lakers again. The Blazers are the only team that has any hope of stealing the Lakers' spotlight. In the off-season, Portland added two All-Stars to what already was the deepest team in the NBA. The squad now has five one-time NBA All-Stars, including Scottie Pippen and Steve Smith, and two of the most dominant big men in the game in Kemp and Davis. This team of big names will be the only legitimate challenger in the Pacific to the one-two punch of Kobe and Shaq. Still, look for the Lakers to once again take the division and ultimately the NBA crown.
Fearless Predictions:
The new-look Sonics will struggle. The Seattle SuperSonics suffered from a second consecutive mediocre season last year. Under the leadership of superstar point guard Gary Payton, the Sonics got the sixth seed in the Western Conference but stumbled against the pick and roll of the Utah Jazz in the first round as they lost a tough 3-2 series. This year's version of the Sonics will, like usual, place all their hopes in the hands of the "Glove", Gary Payton, an All-Star and Olympic gold medallist. Payton's incredible defense and passing, however, will not help the Sonics up front. Seattle has a big-name frontcourt with two former All-Stars in center Patrick Ewing and forward Vin Baker. However, don't expect much from this overrated duo. Ewing still has a consistent jump shot when he's open but his legs and his ego will ultimately hurt Seattle. Baker is a young, athletic player but his lack of tenacity and well-documented emotional problems will serve as a detriment to this relatively young Sonic team. Look for the Sonics to be a big disappointment and fight for the eighth seed in the playoffs.
Clueless:
How will the young Clippers fare? This year's mystery in the Pacific Division is the Los Angeles Clippers. Arguably the worst professional sports franchise in history, the Clippers are at the cellar of the Pacific nearly every year. Poor draft choices, combined with the burden of sharing a media market with the Lakers, has created a notoriously bad image for the Clipper organization. However, this year it seems conceivable that the Clippers could battle for the last playoff spot. The Clips are a very young team filled with potential. Lamar Odom, last year's rookie sensation from the University of Rhode Island, should be ready to step up and become a star. Michael Olowokandi, in his third season out of the University of Pacific, should get better and use his 7'0 frame to be a powerful inside force for the Clippers. Then there is the big question mark, Darius Miles. Miles was taken as the 3rd overall pick in this years NBA draft straight out of high school. He has been said by some to be second only to Kobe Bryant in terms of talent for someone who bypassed college. His ability to step up in his rookie season is, like the Los Angeles Clippers' season, very much up in the air.
Young guns to be tested:
Darius Miles. The Clippers desperately need the 19-year old guard to step up and play like a proven veteran for them to have any chance at a postseason run.
Mark Jackson. His team, the Golden State Warriors, is one of both veterans and unproven young talent. They will rest much of their hopes on Jackson, a rookie out of Temple University. He is an impressive physical specimen weighing in at 270 pounds and standing at 6'10". Much of Golden State's hopes of being a 500 club will be resting on his burly shoulders.
Old legs to be retested:
Arvydas Sabonis. Sabonis, the Trail Blazers' center, who suffers from chronic back problems, is a vital part of the Blazer team. He provides leadership, excellent passing for a big man, and a flawless outside touch.
Patrick Ewing. While the setting may have changed for Ewing, the hopes that he will graciously take a back seat have not. Just like in New York, where Ewing was expected to let Allan Houston and Latrell Sprewell carry the offense and take care of defense and rebounding, he will have to be a passenger on the Gary Payton express if he and the Sonics want to come flying to the top of the Pacific.
Vlade Divac. Like Sabonis, the Kings' center will have to stay free from injury and continue to complement young stars like Chris Webber with his leadership and unselfish play. If he can do that, Sacramento may have a chance to get over the Game Five hump - in each of the last two years, the Kings have taken a heavily favored opponent to the brink of elimination, only to be sent home early.
Honey, grab the duffel, we're moving:
The off-season was a very busy time for the Pacific, as three teams made trades involving past NBA All-Stars and potential superstars. The Blazers received Davis from the Indiana Pacers for Joe Kliene and Jermaine O'Neal. The move adds a very strong inside presence to a team that was lacking in power down low. Kemp is also a new member of the Blazers, as he was traded from Cleveland in a three-way deal involving the Miami Heat. Miami received power forward Brian Grant from the Blazers, and Cleveland got Chris Gatling and Clarence Weatherspoon. Kemp, who supposedly reported to training camp in the best shape of his life, looks to add even more power to an amazingly deep Portland team.
The Lakers traded former All-Star Glen Rice and Travis Knight to the Knicks in a four-team trade also involving the Sonics and the Phoenix Suns. They received Horace Grant and Greg Foster in return. Grant will give the Lakers a nice complement inside to Shaq, and Foster will provide an emergency backup. The Lakers also acquired former UNLV standout Rider as a free agent. Rider played in Minneapolis, Portland and Atlanta before signing with the Lakers. Rider essentially replaces Rice as a third scoring option for the Lakers. Also involved in that four-team trade was Ewing, who at the age of 38 is going to try to resurrect his career in Seattle. For 15 seasons, Ewing tried to win a ring in New York and will now take his talents, which include outside shooting and rebounding, to the Sonics to try to complement Vin Baker's athleticism up front.
