Hoops

Your top 5 players to watch 10/11

- Hedo Turkolglu at Raptors: Without a player like Howard on his team, I don't think Hedo's number's will be as good this year. Should be interesting...

- Vince Carter at Orlando: Could be a magical signing with the focus on Howard in the paint. With the defensive focus elsewhere, Carter may well just shine

- Ron Artest at Lakers: I think he is the key to the whether the Lakers go back to back. In any case, could still could be fun to watch ;)

- Memphis Grizzlies: With Iverson and Randolph leading a pack of young and talented players, these two senior players could make or break the team

- The Aussies: Bogut at the Bucks should get more chances to score nthis season. Andersen will also be needed to score for the Rockets. Hope to god Patty once fit gets a chance, and that Jawai gets traded to a team that could actually see a need to use him from time to time and thus get a chance to play. That just ain't going to happen at Dallas. And fingers crossed that Nevill gets signed by the Cav's...and if he is, by mid next year he could have an NBA championship ring as well...

Questions for the upcoming season:

-How many mins will Jennings get a game considering the Bucks have Charlie Bell and Luke Ridnour who are much more experienced?

-Johnny Flynn..What can he do? He is a versatile point guard with great skill and the athleticism to match. Would have been extremely interesting to see what would have happened if Rubio did come across to Minnesota..Talk about competetion for the starting PG Spot.

-Can the Lakers repeat? Did they do the right thing by acquiring Artest. Personally, I think Ariza was a perfect role player for them..They didn't need another scorer like Artest..Last year Kobe, Gasol,Bynum,Fisher and Odom were the scorers and they averaged 106.9 points per game (3rd in the league). Artest might upset the Lakers offence, simply because the likes of Gasol, Bynum, Fisher, Kobe and Odom have been exposed to the triangle offense for a few years, so Ron Ron will take a while to adjust accordingly.

-Was sending Hedo to Toronto a good or bad move by the Magic? Secondly, is this Redick's year to proof the doubters wrong..Magic are a good shooting team with the likes of Morris Almond,JJ Redick, Rashard Lewis,Matt Barnes, Ryan Anderson and Pietrus.

-What can Aaron Brooks do this season? All-Star selection anybody. People have commented on his height, but he showed last season that his sheer speed, heart and shooting ability nullify that. With Brooks, Scola, Ariza and Andersen they look alright, but certainly not as deep compared with if they had T-Mac and Yao plus Artest. Im going to say it now the Rockets got screwed on that trade. It might have worked out if T-Mac and Yao were healthy and fit, but there's a worry that without Artest there too much pressure will be on the likes of Brooks, Scola and Ariza to get it going. They don't go very deep--Players like Brian Cook, Joey Dorsey, Chuck Hayes, Carl Landry, Kyle Lowry, Will Conroy and Chase Budinger are mere role players who shouldn't have too much impact. They need t-mac and Yao back asap.

TC LOL on the Clippers. I too am scratching my head wondering just how the Braves Curse will manage to unravel them this season! They have a lot of top notch talent and good veteran savvy now: Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin both sure-fire stars. Al Thornton real solid player. DeAndre Jordan massive potential. Baron Davis and Camby both still good vets. Kaman, very solid centre, only concern is injuries.

I like your call on Blair, Budinger and Beaubois too. All are looking like steals where they were drafted, especially Blair if his knees do hold up!

Hi Quagmire,
Not so bullish on Hibbert and the Pacers as you are, though I don't think he, or they, will be terrible.

I agree, Anderson is looking like a really nice throw in for the Magic.

He hasn't started well in the preseason, but there is no reason why Vince can't be even more effective running the pick and roll than Hedo was. I think he'll do well, but hopefully not well enough to knock off my Celtics. Happily for me, the Celtics remain one of the best pick and roll defensive teams in the league, so if anyone can deal with that they can!

I really worry about how the Griz will come together this season. On paper they have really started to get some nice pieces together, but I fear Iverson and Randolph will hamper OJ, Conley and Gay more than help them to become better pros.

Andersen has had a really nice start to the season with Houston. Hoping Bogut can get healthy and stay that way this year. He really needs to turn things around before too many people write him off and he gets dumped (unfairly IMO) in the Kwame/ Kandiman well of shame.

Mills is looking like he will be waived by the Blazers in the next couple of weeks and will therefore be a free agent. Might be tough to get a gig on a team this season, but I hope he can find a good situation on one of the D League teams and tear it up so he gets picked up next off season.

For me, I'm really looking forward to see Durant and his buddies develop down in OKC. They are primed for big things if Presti lands another high draft pick and can sign someone like Bosh in 2010.

I like the way Lopez has developed for New Jersey. They have a nice nucleus there now with Harris and guys like Lee and Douglas-Roberts. All they gotta do is land Lebron... LOL

I'd like to see if Anthony Morrow can be consistent with decent minutes this season because he can be an absolutely explosive scorer at times.

I'm hoping Rondo continues to develop his shooting and becomes more consistent this season. I think, outside of KG's health, Rondo maybe the Celtics biggest x-factor for another title run this year.

I'll be interested to see if Channing Frye can resurrect his career with the Suns by becoming the bail out option for the Nash-Stoudemire pick and roll.

Hoping that the Bucks hit a home run with Jennings and he helps get Bogut a lot of easy baskets.

Also would like to see Jefferson and Love have a great season together and establish themselves as one of the best frontlines in the game.

It would be nice to see Oden start to realise his potential as well and for Portland to take it up to the Lakers in the West.