NBA Preview: Central Division
November 2, 1999
Editor’s note: The Daily continues its NBA preview, today looking at the Central Division of the NBA’s Eastern Conference.
Indiana Pacers
The Pacers figure to take one last shot at the elusive NBA title with this aging group. The core of the team that advanced to the Eastern Conference finals is back again this year.
The backcourt is once again point guard Mark Jackson, and perennial all-star Reggie Miller. Jalen Rose, who proved to be a valuable asset last season, has found his home at small forward. Although Antonio Davis was traded to Toronto, Dale Davis is back to rebound for Indiana.
Rik Smits will be at center as long as he can stay healthy, which is always a question mark with the veteran big man.
Once again, they will be one of the deepest teams in the league, as veterans Travis Best, Chris Mullin, Sam Perkins, and Derrick McKey should all see time.
The Pacers will go as far as Smits and Miller can take them. If they have solid years, Larry Bird’s last season could be a memorable one.
Milwaukee Bucks
The Bucks showed huge improvement last season with coach George Karl, and they have a tremendous blend of youth and experience.
Sam Cassell will be healthy from the start this season, and Ray Allen is an emerging superstar in the backcourt. Forward Glenn Robinson had his best year as a pro last year and is looking for a breakout year.
Robert Traylor will get a chance to play his natural position, power forward, as opposed to center, which he started 43 games at a season ago.
J.R. Reid was brought in and will start at center. Off the bench, veterans Danny Manning, Dale Ellis and Vinny Del Negro will combine with athletic Tim Thomas to give Milwaukee very good depth.
If Karl can make this team gel, it could compete for the conference crown in a league with no overwhelming favorites.
Charlotte Hornets
The Hornets made a mad dash for the playoffs last year and came up just short. Look for them to make it this year, and possibly make some noise once they are there.
Eddie Jones, acquired from the Lakers during last season, fit in great in Charlotte, and point guard David Wesley was one of the NBA’s most improved players a year ago.
Bobby Phills will be the small forward, and he is coming off a good year. Derrick Coleman and former Laker Eldon Campbell will form a very large frontcourt.
Rookie Baron Davis from UCLA could provide a spark off the bench, but depth is not a strength of Charlotte’s.
Atlanta Hawks
The Hawks had a great regular season a year ago, winning 31 of 50 games, but were not a threat in the playoffs. This seems to be the formula for Atlanta for the last five or so years.
This season, they are faced with a lot of questions. Long time star Steve Smith left for Portland, with the Hawks getting Jim Jackson and head case Isaiah Rider in return.
Rider will start in the backcourt along with rookie Jason Terry. LaPhonso Ellis will try to avoid injuries, and Alan Henderson will be back for Atlanta as well. Dikembe Mutombo is once again the man in the middle, while Lorenzen Wright and Jackson will come in off the bench.
Lenny Wilkens, the NBA’s all-time winningest coach, appears to have another team that will be over .500, but not be a threat to the powers that be.
Toronto Raptors
The Raptors will be one of the more exciting teams in the league this year, but whether that excitement will translate into wins could be another question.
They often went with a three guard lineup of Tracy McGrady, shooting guard Doug Christie and high-flying Richard Carter, and look for that trend to continue.
They added some bulk with Antonio Davis. Combine him with Charles Oakley and Kevin Willis, and the Raptors might be able to hang with teams on both ends of the floor.
Sharpshooter Dell Curry will help a lot, and if point guard Alvin Williams can be consistent, Toronto will see the postseason for the first time in the franchise’s history.
Detroit Pistons
The Pistons will have Grant Hill and Christian Laettner to lead the charge this season. It’s too bad they don’t have Clemson on the schedule, though, because it could be a long year.
Lindsey Hunter and Jerry Stackhouse have been very inconsistent, while the team lacks a big man with any presence. They did sign defensive stalwart Michael Curry to a long-term deal, but he won’t give Hill any support offensively.
This could be the first time in four years that Detroit does not make the postseason.
Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cavaliers, traditionally one of the most boring teams in the league, has undergone some changes that should make them more fun to watch.
Brevin Knight and rookie Andre Miller will share time at the point guard, while youngsters Wesley Person and Cedric Henderson will give Shawn Kemp and big man Zydrunas Ilgauskas help.
Also new to the team are Lamond Murray and rookie Trajan Langdon, giving the team good depth in the backcourt.
Still, don’t expect Cleveland to make much noise this season.
Chicago Bulls
But, they will be deafening compared to the Chicago Bulls. Coach Tim Floyd will have a better team this year, but probably not much. Elton Brand was the first pick in the draft, but nobody, including the Bulls, see him as someone to build the franchise around.
Hersey Hawkins and Will Perdue were added to give the team some experience, but this team is still woefully short of talent. Another year in the cellar for Floyd and the Bulls is in store.
