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

by Howard Beck, NBA Senior Writer from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1811204-entering-year-four-john-wall-ready-to-deliver-on-his-promise

          The presence of Paul Pierce in the locker room and on the floor has been all about leadership. We know the departure of Trevor Ariza is missed but having Paul Pierce on your team is not bad in exchange. The Washington Wizards starting line-up consists of John Wall, Bradley Beal, Paul Pierce, Nene, and Marcin Gortat, is a pretty scary team to go against every night. They are an exciting and upcoming team in the Eastern Conference. John Wall has really changed his game and developed a mid-range jumper who can control his quickness and attack the paint at times. He is a better decision maker and thus has the ability to share the ball. In the league today, it is important to have a great point guard because they determine the tempo of the game.

          John Wall is averaging a league-high 10.2 assists along with 17.5 points. Last year, it was his first taste of playoffs and the Wizards managed to pass the first round. They went against a Chicago Bulls team without Derrick Rose but it was the experience that matters. Now that John Wall and his team knows what it's like to be in the playoffs, they will have a better preparation. With Paul Pierce, he understands how to win in the playoffs. Last season, it was very different for him to win with the Brooklyn Nets because it was an injured filled roster where Deron Williams and Brook Lopez were missing a portion of the season. This year, Pierce is surrounded by younger stars who gives him the most chance of winning another ring before he retires. They have the ability to go through to the Eastern Conference Finals this year. That should be their goal. Never aim low.

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 Chicago Bulls had a New Year's Resolution, what would it be?

by Sportabsorb from http://www.sportabsorb.com/2014/07/derrick-rose-dunking-practice/

                                         

          The Chicago Bulls are in a great spot to be in when the playoff arrives. Tied for second place of the Eastern Conference with Toronto Raptors, they will get home court advantage but more importantly they will have Derrick Rose back for the playoffs for the first time since the 2012 playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers. It will be a dream come true for the Bulls fans if Derrick Rose is the starting point guard for the Chicago Bulls. It would be such a remarkable story for the city of Chicago if they can reach the NBA finals because they have all the tools to make a deep run in the playoffs. Head coach, Tom Thibodeau, has done a good job maintaining Rose's minutes. This season, they have a really good chance only if, ONLY IF, the players are healthy. And that is why the Bull's resolution is to have their starting unit and bench unit healthy. Everyone has missed the Derrick Rose that brought the house down with his vicious dunks. He is not the only threat anymore as they have Jimmy Butler, Joakim Noah, and Pau Gasol. Unfortunately, injuries are part of the game and each team has to play through those events. The NBA was never the same when Rose missed the whole 2012-2013 season and I wish him all the best to be ready for the playoffs in April.

What If... the Chicago Bulls stayed healthy all season?

by Tom Loxas from http://www.chicagonow.com/loxas-factor/2013/01/interview-espns-nick-friedell-talks-bulls-derrick-rose-kevin-love-and-the-next-ron-atrest-jimmy-butler/

                                 
          We all know what Derrick Rose is capable of when he is healthy on the floor. So far, he is averaging 18 points, 5 assists and 3 rebounds. He may not be getting the stats before he was injured but that's because the team has so many options. Through 30 games, he has missed 10 games due to either a knee injury or rest. He will be the key if the Chicago Bulls want to win a championship. Joakim Noah is also having a setback after an off-season surgery. He is only averaging 8.6 points and 9.8 rebounds but newly acquired Pau Gasol from the Los Angeles Lakers is averaging almost 17.8 points and 11.4 rebounds which balances the frontcourt. As a veteran player of the NBA, Gasol is turning back time as one of the leaders of the Bulls as the are off to an 19-11 start, good for 4th in the East. The Bulls have all the tools to win a title because they have a good starting unit and bench. But in order for them to make it to the end, head coach, Tom Thibodeau, must make adjustments like Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs. Jimmy Butler, who is leading the league in minutes played, almost 39 minutes per game. If he plays to much minutes in the season, Butler will feel the wear-and-tear in his body. He is young but still needs to be careful. But as Chris Webber quoted, "If it wasn't for the injuries of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler would not have developed into the player he is today. He plays with so much passion on both ends of the floor. He guards the best player on the opposing teams and if the Bulls want to make it far into the playoffs, Derrick Rose and Jimmy Butler needs to stay healthy.

What If... Carmelo Anthony went to the Chicago Bulls?

by diehardspot from http://www.diehardsport.com/nba/hypothetical-trade-sends-derrick-rose-jimmy-butler-carmelo-anthony/

          Would he have taken the pay-cut to go to the Chicago Bulls? No, that's why he returned to the New York Knicks. Some say it's all about the money. Carmelo Anthony tells the media some people aren't ready to play at MSG and he feels no pressure playing there.

          But what if he went to the Chicago Bulls and formed a legit contender for the championship? Starting with head coach Tom Thibodeau, who is defense minded which would allow Anthony's game to evolve. With a starting lineup of Derrick Rose, Jimmy Butler, Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah plus himself, wouldn't they compete with any other team in the league? He decided to stick to the new look Knicks with first year head coach, Derek Fisher. We know Phil Jackson is a great foundation but it's going to take some time before free agents will head to New York. By that time, Carmelo will be over thirty years old and who knows how he will play like unless his mindset is like Kobe Bryant who is having a heck of a year at the age of 36. But going back to Carmelo Anthony as a member of the Bulls, the team has a pretty good bench as well. Leading off with a power forward who can start on most teams, Taj Gibson. As well as Mike Dunleavy, who can shoot the three ball well and a well-rounded defender. Then there's Kirk Hinrich and Arron Brooks who are reliable point guard backing up Derrick Rose anytime he needs a rest or is out due to a minor injury that comes up often. Their draft picks are great with Doug McDermott and Nikola Mirotic. Both are big men with range and potential to contribute in their rookie year. Carmelo Anthony would be thinking on a potential championship this year, instead he's struggling to see his Knicks win on a daily basis.