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?