NBA 2004-2005 Season Preview

Here are your big stories for the upcoming newKobe or Shaq would go down with an "injury", the
season:Lakers won more with Kobe OUT of the line-up, then
- Kobe Bryant found guilty of rape. Lakers are forcedwhen Shaq was out of the lineup. Much more, as this
to "bend over" for Kobe's manhood and finish withchart from will illustrate
their worst record in 10 yearsPlus/Minus splits for Shaq-Kobe
- Mark Cuban shocks the world as he gives away thePlayer Situation Off48 Def48 Net48 W L
Dallas Mavericks on his show, The Benefactor!Shaq with Kobe 104.0 93.5 +10.5 45 10
Although the show was cancelled before this episodeShaq w/out Kobe 95.0 91.2 +3.8 34 29
was aired, the transfer of ownership is legal andKobe with Shaq 104.0 93.5 +10.5 45 10
binding.Kobe w/out Shaq 94.7 99.3 -4.6 22 36
- Vince Carter traded to Knicks! Unfortunately, tradeLooking forward though, none of that matters as
had to be annulled after Vince fails medical. Afterboth players go into this season surround by a new
years of speculation, doctors confirm that Carterstarting 4.
indeed has no heart.Shaquille and Miami aside, the next biggest story will
Ok, so those may not actually pan out, but here arebe how 5 of the 8 playoff teams from the East may
some that we think will:be below .500. We expect quality basketball to be
- SHAQ catches latino Heat in Miami as the city getshard to come by in the East. Your two other top
playoff feverteams will be Detroit and Indiana. We expect Isiah
- James may be King, but it's Carmelo that findsThomas to make things interesting in New York,
playoff gold for the 2nd year in a rowLebron James to make highlight reels in Cleveland,
- Vince Carter traded Knicks! Team then goes on toand Toronto to be Charlotte's 2nd rival (after New
loss 15 straight and fall out of playoff contention asOrleans) as they will be battling to stay out of the
Vince's heart is called into question. The focus of thiscellar.
year will not be on the top two draft picks, but onThe Sun may set in the West, but we feel that this
(arguably) the top 2 players in the league. Expectteam is on the rise, and ready to take the next step
Kobe and Shaq to dominate national headlines asforward. The Kings, Timberwolves, Lakers and Spurs
each will set out to prove that they were not thewill be hard pressed to keep them out of the top 4
cause of the Lakers collapse in the Final's against thethis year. With the possible exception of Seattle,
Nets. It is a matter of public record that duringevery team should be fun to watch this year.
stretches of the last 2 seasons, that when either