New Slogan, New Rules, New Season

Its been a while. Over an entire season to be exact. And while a lot has happened between now and my last entry (an entire NBA lockout anyone?), I'm not looking back. I'm not going to dwell on the wasted months. I won't discuss the unorthodox trades. I'm going to start right here, on day three of the 2011-2012 NBA season.

Things have certainly changed in the league, but not so much on my end. For instance, I still stand by my Chicago Bulls, and believe they have one of the most solid squads around. I still regard Lebron as king, no matter how much hate comes my way for it. And I still think the Celtics, as a whole, are bred with evil.

So let me toss out some new ideas:

The Golden State Warriors will come up 36-30.

Norris Cole will take Rookie of the Year.

Dwight Howard will go to the Dallas Mavericks.

The Miami Heat will win the championship.

Bold statements? Maybe. But hear me out.

Starting with the Warriors, who are now my second favorite team in the league, it should come as no surprise to anyone that they are strong offensively. From sharp shooters like Monta Ellis and Steph Curry to a three-point pro like Dorell Wright, to the recently acquired jack-of-most-trades David Lee, scoring is no problem. The Warriors are fast paced, confident, and simply have raw talent. But when it comes to defense, thats a different story. Or at least it was. The season has just begun (and theres not much sense in mentioning preseason, as it barely existed), but already the boys in yellow look stronger on the other end of the court. And with Mark Jackson stepping in for Keith Smart, one can be assured last season's mistakes won't be repeated. This team wants to make the Playoffs with every bone of each player's body, falling short of the feat last time around. With that drive, Jackson's knowledge, and the already God-given skill...I see no reason why that can't be accomplished.

As for Norris Cole, though I know its not typical for a 20-something pick to win Rookie of the Year, this boy is special. Working for the UIC Flames, I had the privilege to work a few games against Cleveland State, and I can assure you there was never a dull moment. Cole may be cocky. Even sometimes pushing the limits of a "badass". But the star quality is there. And while I almost shed a tear at the Chicago Bulls passing him up on draft night, with time I now see that the Miami Heat is certainly where he belongs. Besides the obvious personality comparison with guys like Lebron James and Dwyane Wade, he actually gets a chance to be worked into their rotation nightly. And already having had a breakout game against the Boston Celtics, where he scored 29 points in 20 minutes, most importantly hitting clutch shots, I put my faith in him fully. Keep your eye on him haters. Cole never takes no for an answer.

Dwight Dwight Dwight. This whole summer, and unfortunately, beyond, has been filled with Dwight Howard rumors. Hes staying. Hes leaving. Hes headed to the Lakers. He wants to be a Net. No one knows whats on his mind, or what will happen. However, if I had to take a guess, I would put my money on both him and Deron Williams, landing in Dallas. The Mavericks may have won the championship last season, but as the team is looking now, theres no chance of that happening again. Tyson Chandler is now a Knick. JJ Barea has found himself in Kris Humphries' hometown of Minnesota. And Deshawn Stevenson is flashing his Abe Lincoln tattoo around New Jersey, soon to be Brooklyn. Lamar Odom, a new addition, still isn't over his old team, the Los Angeles Lakers, dissing him. Shawn Marion is experimenting with Chris Brown-esque hair. And Mark Cuban looks as though hes aged ten years. They need help, and fast, and I could see a bubbly yet focused player like Howard being just the ticket. Dallas has the money. They have the reason. And with it being no secret that Howard and Cuban have exchanged words, I see no cons to this plan. Except of course that Howard would need to subject himself to the people of Texas. But even superstars have to compromise at times. The Nets aren't winning a championship anytime soon. And the Lakers, even with Kobe still ready and willing, are on their way out. The Dallas Mavs are it. Fresh, but experienced.

And last but not least, we have the Miami Heat. Who I will admit, last year I hated more than even Kevin Garnett himself. But with the replay of the "big three" prancing around on stage having faded from my memory, and completely random additions like Mike Bibby having been cut out of the equation, I've come around. I still think Erik Spoelstra lacks talent, only talented players. And I'll probably always be a little bitter that Wade took more than one meeting in Chicago, making it seem as though he had an alternate plan to consider. But having watched them play both against the Dallas Mavericks and the Boston Celtics already, killing it but without the overly aggressive demeanor the team as a whole had running through their blood last year, I'm impressed. Lebron clearly hasn't stopped working on his shots, Wade seems a lot healthier than he has in a while, and bench players like James Jones are really stepping up to the plate. Theres no more "role as a villain" commercials on the air. Not every single game, Heat involved or not, is coupled with an announcer talking about the "big three". The Heat have toned it down, and with that has come more focus on the game itself. Chris Bosh still has a good deal of work to do, streakily performing well, and their problems of consistently holding a lead until the end seem to still be lurking, but overall I don't see a better team in the league. My Chicago Bulls are definitely in close second, but as much as it pains me to admit, I don't think they're quite ready just yet. Rip Hamilton though good, isn't enough, and Derrick Rose still has a little growing up to do. In a year or two, the Bulls will be on top of the world once again, but until then, the Heat will be holding it down. "Not one, not two, not three, not four, not five..."? No. But this year? Absolutely.

The NBA: Big Things Are Coming.