"What if... there was an mid-season MVP trophy awarded, who would it be for the Atlanta Hawks"?

by Brian Rauf from http://www.chatsports.com/atlanta-hawks/a/What-Does-Al-Horfords-Return-Mean-for-Atlanta-10-64-115

          My candidate be would be Al Horford, no doubt. I know, I know, there's many good players on the team. Jeff Teague is improving as a leader and point guard. Paul Millsap has seemed to be their most consistent player. But to me, Horford has been the man. His footwork and versatility, not just on the defensive end. For a center, he has a great mid-range which few in the league possess.
I know others are going to say, Hey, shouldn't Millsap or Teague be the MVP of the team? Well, what if you take a look at the Hawks with and without Horford? Last season, he played only 29 games and they were 44-38. This year, they have only one less in the win column and it's still not the All-Star break yet. Horford has been the difference maker whether he knows it or not. His stats are not career best but players around him are playing better because of him. Would you agree or is there anyone else on the team you would give it to?

What if... the Toronto Raptors had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Andrew D. Bernstein from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2217072-ranking-the-best-backcourts-in-the-nba-entering-2014-15-season/page/5

          First and foremost, congratulations to Kyle Lowry for being voted as an Eastern All-Star! He has done a great job carrying the load when Demar Derozan was out for a few games.The Raptors are right behind first place, Atlanta Hawks, in the Eastern Conference. Jonas Valanciunas has been putting steady numbers similar to last season. His defensive presence is what's impressive and a much needed asset for the Raptors team. They can make a lot of noise this year in the playoffs because they not just a jump shooting team anymore. All Star, Kyle Lowry, and Demar Derozan, can both penetrate the paint and make jumpers. We know teams live and die by the jumper. In the Raptors case, they are more versatile. They find ways to change their offense because their players are two dimensional. Led by their bench, Lou Williams, Patrick Patterson, and James Johnson, can fill the void for the starters if they are injured. A scoring punch right off the secondary unit, Lou Williams, has looked like he recovered from his injury. With the year he was with the Atlanta Hawks, he was struggling shooting and wasn't comfortable with the offense. Since the arrival in Toronto, he has rejuvenated his career and is a huge part of the offense for the Raptors. But we know the team starts and ends with Kyle Lowry. The Toronto Raptors are an all-around good team and great things are to come especially with general manager, Masai Ujiri.

          The Toronto Raptors have two players who can take over the game in the fourth quarter. Not only do they have a really good chance this year to advance in the playoffs, but the organization is starting to come together with a formidable team.With the Eastern Conference teams, there are really five solid teams who can make the Eastern Conference Finals this year. We have the Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, and Toronto Raptors. There's a really great chance they might even make it to the NBA Finals if they put all their efforts together and believe they are the better team. It's an easier road to the Finals than the Western Conference, that's for sure. Why not dream big?

What if... the Phoenix Suns had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Reuters/File from http://www.christianpost.com/news/la-lakers-trade-rumors-news-2014-eric-bledsoe-trade-would-be-unlikely-126722/

                                         
          The last spot in the Western Conference playoffs is between the New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Phoenix Suns. This will be an on-going battle for the rest of the season. The West is just so deep and the position of the teams in the West will come down to the wire. Much similar to a team like the Atlanta Hawks, the Suns have great players but not superstar players. The Hawks have improved dramatically because of the return of Al Horford. He is the anchor of their defense and without him, there's no rim protector. As long as they play team basketball, they will win games with a record of 37-8, a franchise best.

          Alex Len of the Phoenix Suns, has been a nice addition since being inserted into the starting lineup. He has provided a solid contribution with increased minutes since his rookie season. What he needs to work on is his body because he's going to take a beating if he wants to compete with other centers in the league like Dwight Howard or Marc Gasol. We will see where he progresses from here. But signing the Morris brothers in the offseason, which I thought, was a great decision for the organization. The Suns have enough stability in the forward position and Markieff Morris, at times, can play center if they decide to go with a smaller lineup. Both Markieff and Marcus can shoot the ball as well as handle the ball which is a great skill to have if you're a big man. I think their resolution should be defense. We know what they are capable of scoring but defense wins championship.

          The three-headed monster between Eric Bledsoe, Goran Dragic, and Isiaah Thomas is a match-up nightmare for the league. Just not when they play defense. The Suns score an average of 107.4 points per game, good for 3rd in the league. But that doesn't generate wins as they allow 105.3 points per game. I believe they are one player away from contending for a title. Someone like Jimmy Butler or Draymond Green who can guard Lebron James and Kevin Durant. They could work on their interior defense as well. Until they change from their high octane offense system, they are only trying to get into the playoffs. The West is just too competitive as they are in the 8th seed for now. Don't be surprised if they fall down one or two spots. Can they commit themselves defensively for 48 minutes?

What if... the Detroit Pistons had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Gregory Shamus/ Getty Images North America from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/1NVysp9b40w/Indiana+Pacers+v+Detroit+Pistons/57ZcAj-eZVR/Brandon+Jennings

            

          Boy, what a turnaround after my blog about the Detroit Pistons as the most disappointing team so far in the NBA. Let's see the position they were in about a month ago. The Pistons were 5-19 and went on to lose four more games. After the Josh Smith trade, they were on to win seven game straight and here we are today. They just lost to the Atlanta Hawks which is reasonable considering the Hawks are on top of the East. Now the Pistons are 12-24 who are creeping for the 8th seed, Miami Heat. They are just three games back and if the Pistons can make it to the playoffs this season, it was be a great season. Their goal is to get to the playoffs this year and maybe even try to pass the first round.

          The Detroit Pistons should be getting better year by year. With Andre Drummond as their center, he is a great piece to build around. Now that Brandon Jennings and D.J. Augustin is able to handle the ball instead of Josh Smith, they have been playing great team basketball and winning against quality teams such as Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio Spurs, and Dallas Mavericks. The Piston's resolution is to go get a player like Draymond Green who can play the small forward position and make the hustle plays. His defense and second chance opportunities are what's going to make the coach happy and Green is one of those special players who doesn't need plays to have an impact on the game. The future is bright for the Pistons who will be on the rise.

What if... the Atlanta Hawks had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Lauren Moranor from http://www.sportsworldreport.com/articles/18083/20130712/milwaukee-bucks-rumors-jeff-teague-asks-atlanta-hawks-match-offer.htm

                                       
          Surprisingly, the Atlanta Hawks are in a great situation. Who would've thought they would be the second best team on the East with a remarkable 23-8 start. Even though the Hawks are off to a great start, they need a few more adjustments to make it to the next level and call themselves title contenders. They need to find that one player who can make the last shot of the game whether it's Jeff Teague, Al Horford, or Paul Millsap. In order for the Hawks to advance deeper into the playoffs, I believe Teague has the ability to take that one extra step and be that team leader. We all know what Paul Millsap is capable of with his mid-range, post up, and defense tenacity. Kyle Korver is a great teammate to have who can shoot the three and DeMarre Carroll is a player to watch out for. He's the type of player who can defend Lebron James or Kevin Durant. He won't stop them but he will slow them down. Al Horford is coming back from a shoulder injury and should play like the way he did a season ago. Jeff Teague has shown improvements and could be the go-to player for the Atlanta Hawks in a few years.

          The team has a great starting five led by head coach, Mike Budenholzer. Last year, they made it to the playoffs but it was as a eighth seed with just a record of 38-44. This group of players has been meshing for a few years and their chemistry will grow game by game with the return of Al Horford. In order for the Hawks to be a threat, Jeff Teague must make himself a leader how Mike Conley Jr. did for the Memphis Grizzles. It's not going to happen overnight but he will gradually learn. The Atlanta Hawks are in a good spot and their fans should be proud of them.

What If... the 16 teams with the best records went to the playoffs?

by Dan Feldman from http://probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/10/28/anthony-davis-puts-nba-on-quadruple-double-watch/

          It is a very opinionated debate regarding this question. If the playoffs were to start today, there would be ten teams from the West and six teams from the East. Many people have wondered if the 16 best teams should go against one another or eight from each side. TNT analyst and former NBA player, Charles Barkley has said it is unfair for those teams with above .500 from the West to miss the playoffs and teams below .500 from the East to make the playoffs.

          In last year's playoffs, the West was such a powerhouse that the Phoenix Suns, who had a 48-34 record but missed the playoffs. On the other hand, the New York Knicks had a 37-45 record and needed only 2 more wins to make the playoffs. The Atlanta Hawks were the eighth seed of the Eastern Conference. It goes to show the difference between the two conferences. For this year, it seems to be a bit of balance but the West still has the slighter edge. Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans could reach the playoffs if this change was to be made, making his hopes to the playoffs still alive. Should some teams move from the West to the East or should the 16 teams with the best records reach the playoffs?

What If... Josh Smith was the missing piece of the Houston Rockets?

by Bruce Bennett/ Getty Images North America from http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/sKm20-vGweh/Detroit+Pistons+v+Brooklyn+Nets/xaBrP0soNTy/Josh+Smith

          Will the Houston Rockets pass the second round of the competitive Western Conference? Now that Josh Smith is the starting power forward of the Houston Rockets, he will play alongside Dwight Howard, Trevor Ariza, and James Harden. Once Terrence Jones is healthy, he will come off the bench for his defensive presence and rebounding ability. Their bench could use more depth and the point guard position. Patrick Beverley is a great defender but he continues to struggle on offense. With the addition of Josh Smith, will he bring the Rockets over the hump and make them a title contender? We question his leadership when he was with the Atlanta Hawks and Detroit Pistons. Will he adapt to his new role as either the 3rd or 4th option of the team? Josh Smith has to sacrifice more of his game if the Rockets to be a dominant team on a nightly basis. It will take time to find his rhythm shifting from the Eastern Conference to the West. He will have a key role once the playoff comes when he has to defend power forwards like Blake Griffin and Zach Randolph. Can Smith bring the team to the next level? We shall see.