The year of the NBA free agent has created several new matchups on the hardwood you don't want to miss. Writer Larry Josephson circles seven of them on the 2010-11 NBA calendar, along with hypothetical odds provided by Bodog.com oddsmaker Richard Gardner.
Oct. 26: Miami Heat at Boston Celtics (+1)
Sensory overload at the TD Garden, where a black guy with an Irish name starts to close out his career against the team everyone outside the 305 area code is learning to dislike.
The Celtics will have plenty of time to prepare for this one, and how Boston sets its defensive rotations could determine how other teams try to defend the trio of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, plus their teammates, whose primary jobs will be to dig in on defense and stay the hell out of the way on offense.
Assuming Boston comes out of the exhibition season with its core not already dinged up, the Celtics should have an edge at center (Shaquille and Jermaine ONeal over Zdrunas Ilgauskas) and point guard (Rajon Rondo over Rafer Alston and Chris Chalmers). Boston’s chances accelerate if the Heat Three decide that an opening night show is more important than getting the season off with a victory.
Dec. 2: Miami Heat at Cleveland Cavaliers (+9.5)
Can you feel the hate boiling even now? D-Wade will get a good idea what it will be like playing Tonto to LeBron’s Lone Ranger. If James is PO’d by the criticism he got after his made-for-TV Decision Prime Time Special, this is where he gets to unload. Cavs fans will be merciless, at least until the Heat put the game out of reach – say, by the first TV commercial in the second quarter.
Since Miami plays the night before in Detroit, James won’t be in town long enough to mend many fences, so it will be interesting to see what he has to say after the Heat go to something like 18-2 and the Cavs are 4-16.
Jan. 30: Boston Celtics at Los Angeles Lakers (-6.5)
Celtics fans are a bit miffed that the Lakers are still given the best chance to stop the Heat steamroller, when Boston had L.A. nailed to the wall and lost Game 7 by only four points last June. C’est la vie.
It was right around late January last season when the Celtics gave up any chance at homecourt edge against anyone of note and decided to let its guns get healthy and rested for a playoff run, and you wonder if the Lakers will go belly button to the wall to keep home court edge in the West this season.
This could be Shaq’s final game in L.A. (against the Lakers, anyway; Boston plays at the Clippers in late February), and the Big Whatever would like to at least not embarrass himself. Kobe Bryant, no doubt, would not have a problem with that.
Dec. 25: Oklahoma City Thunder at Denver Nuggets (-2)
TV has this one circled, and with good reason. After nearly pushing the Lakers to a seventh playoff game last season (did it ever occur to them to put a body on Pau Gasol?), the Thunder will be the value choice in the West for futures players. They run, they jump, they play hard wire to wire and Kevin Durant is becoming as close to unguardable as he was at Texas.
Denver is always a fun team and pretty much a lock to win between 50 and 55 games before running out of petrol in the playoffs. Will Carmelo Anthony play hard this season or try to just avoid injury as he gets ready for free agency and a chance to join Amare Stoudemire in New York?
Dec. 25: Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers (-2.5)
TV ratings in this one will provide the NBA with all the reason it needs to not push things too far on competitive balance. You really want Milwaukee at Memphis after opening presents under the tree?
This will be a nice test for the Three Amigos, especially Bosh the Lesser, who will have to deal with Los Angeles’ size. It’s not likely the Lakers will let him shoot uncontested 15-footers.
March 12 and 23: Los Angeles Clippers vs. Washington Wizards (-4.5)
These teams play two games 11 days apart (starting March 12 on the East Coast) and it could be a couple of fun battles pitting last year’s No. 1 draft pick (Blake Griffin) and this year’s No. 1 (John Wall).
Both teams are expecting to take major forward leaps this year after combining for 109 losses last season. The Wizards, in particular, should be a fun read as Gilbert Arenas tries to keep his nose clean and at the same time adjust to the fact that the rook will have the rock on 100 percent of Washington’s offensive sets.
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