As basketball fans we marvel at superstar players and how they lead their respective teams BUT everybody needs a little help from time to time..even MJ did. Id like to identify 5 players that I will be closely watching this season. Each will be entrusted with important roles by their coach and teams. I believe each of these players can make a big difference this year but a lot is resting on their young shoulders. Can they step it up and be that guy who can help take his team to the next level? Nic Batum - Recently excelled at the World Championships with France and we have all seen glimpses on what this guy can bring. If Portland want to step up into the contender category a lot with rely on Nic being a consistent 3rd and sometimes 2nd option on a nightly basis. His defence will also be key to Portland making that leap onto the next level. Lance Stephenson - Last year was a breakout year for Lance and he reminded us why he was so highly thought of as a young player. Indianas trash can potentially be Charlottes treasure. Clifford has built a nice little team in Charlotte but it lacks a true 3rd option and spark player and they think Lance can be that guy. We will see.. Iman Shumpert - Knicks fans were gushing over Iman after his 2012/13 season and play offs and rightly so. Impressive in your face defence and 3 point range had us wondering how good this guy was going to be. What went wrong? Did Chris Smith possess his body? We saw a lack of confidence, some injury woes and a shell of what was expected. A lot will be riding on him this year to get back on track and provide the 3 and D needed for the Knicks to get back to the play offs. I think he can do it. Jrue Holiday - Physically imposing point guard and a 1st time All Star, then sadly an injury derailed things. This year he has the keys back in his hand and he will be needed to transform the Pelicans from up and coming team to legit play-off aspirants. Blessed with a front court you can only dream of, plenty will be needed from Jrue to make all the parts work and also penetrate opposing defenses and get his guys playing as a team. Jonas Valanciunas - Legitimate NBA size and length, check. Talent, big check. Work in progress? Very much so.. Big things are expected from Jonas after a disappointing season. Toronto made the leap to a play off team but Jonas was often found on the bench or in foul trouble due to defensive deficiencies. we saw sprinklings of what he can offer but often he left fans frustrated. If Toronto want to compete in the East this year this guy must step up and be a consistent double double guy and play 35+ mins a night. If you made it this far, thanks for reading. Who are you guys on watch this season? Who will you be watching to see if they can help their teams become better than last season?
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 22:47:40 +0000
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