State of Affairs - Oilers and the Taylor Hall Era

So we're about a handful of games into the 2010-11 NHL season and how are those Oilers doing?

Youth movement is in full-swing and yours truly and ASam talk about the new-look Oilers. How have they done so far? Are we optimistic of pessimistic? Can Taylor Hall handle the Edmontonian, hockey crazy pressure cooker?

Check out the podcast here. Keep in mind the podcast was made before they faced-off against the San Jose Sharks. Turn up your volume and enjoy!

Break Even Point - The Greatness of HUT

EA Sports has done it again!

An integral part of every male Canadian's childhood is the beloved EA Sports NHL series. The 2011 version is back, better and still way too expensive. The usual is there - game play, online, Be a Pro mode, etc. But rather than staying completely status quo, EA has introduced the HUT!

Hockey Ultimate Team -  the nostalgic feature that has brought together fantasy hockey with our childhood.

Break Even Point returns with ASam and yours truly to break down this revolutionary new feature. What's great about it? How could it be better? Did you ever wonder what ever happened to Dominic Pittis?

TURN YOUR VOLUME UP!

A Season for the Ages: 2010-11 NBA Preview

Another NBA season is upon us and it'll will be one to remember. Why? Its inevitable that a lockout will be happening in 2011-12 so you might as well remember as much of this season as possible to get you through those hoop-less months next year. Here's a few reasons:

1) Owners want to cut players salaries by 1/3 and pocket that money for themselves. Can you blame them? Player salaries have gone out of control and the owners want a hard salary cap to swing things back in their favor. I guess it only takes contracts like Eddy Curry's $11 million per season to make them realize this. 

2) Players are telling the owners to go eff themselves. A lot of NBA players grew up in poverty and disadvantaged circumstances and now make more money then they ever dreamed of. And you expect them to just give that up? Its like watching TV in HD on a flatscreen and trying to rip that away and replace it with a TV with bunny ear antennas. 

But regardless of what happens in 12 months from now, this upcoming season will be one to remember. The talent is at an all time high. So many story lines (did you hear what happened in Miami?). So many questions with no answers...yet. 

Will the Lakers 3-peat?

How will the Big 3 in Miami on in its inaugural season together?

Can the Celtics drag Shaq to the Finals for his 5th ring?

Will Kevin Durant supplant LBJ for the MVP?

Will Blake Griffin or John Wall win the ROY?

Will Jay Triano be completely bald by the end of the season from the dreadful upcoming Raptors season?

We'll have our answers soon enough. Here is a divisional preview for the 2010-11 NBA season.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic

Central

Southeast

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest

Pacific

Southwest

My Finals Predictions:

Boston Celtics v. LA Lakers

Lakers in 6

2010-11 NBA Preview - Northwest Division

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

Reasons for Success:

Jumped on this bandwagon after they left the turmoil in Seattle and glad that I did. They have a strong core of young players to build around in Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Jeff Green. Great supporting cast and lots of cap room to keep their stars and tinker with the lineup to push for a championship one day. There are no head-cases and they play so unselfishly. This is how every team in sports should build a contender with longevity.

Causes for Concern:

Coming off his first of many scoring titles, KD is a heavy favorite to dethrone LBJ for MVP honors. OKC pushed the Lakers immensely in their first round matchup last season and are expected to make a quantum leap this year. Too much expectation? KD and Westbrook had long summers playing for USA in the FIBA tournament and may run out of gas. Remember, these guys have never had a long playoff run before.

Prediction: 1st Division 3rd Conference

UTAH JAZZ

Reasons for Success:

After losing Carlos Boozer, the Jazz replaced him (and potentially upgraded) with Al Jefferson. Paul Milsap is slated to be the starting PF and may finally have the breakout season everyone has been waiting for. AK47 is in a contract year and if he can regain his 2005-6 form, this team can challenge for a top 3 spot in the West. Deron Williams will remain the 20-10 threat he always has been. When will Jerry Sloan win Coach of the Year?

Causes for Concern:

Like many other teams, the Jazz had a lot of turnover during the offseason. They lost effective role players in Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer and Wesley Matthews. Al Jefferson is finally out of the Minny and is poised for an allstar-calibre season playing alongside D-Will but he needs to stay healthy.

Prediction: 2nd Division 4th Conference

PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS

Reasons for Success:

This team is littered with talent in all positions. This team is poised for a playoff run with Brandon Roy running the show with LaMarcus Aldridge as his sidekick. Having Marcus Camby for a full season will pay huge dividends and may help the team contend for a top 3 spot in the conference. Breakout seasons from Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews will certainly help that cause.

Causes for Concern:

Everyone starts off the season healthy, but how long will that last? Greg Oden is being Greg Oden. What is the over/under on when the Trailblazers give up/get rid of this bust? 2 seasons? Sidenote: How did Matthews get a $34million contract when he averaged less than 10 points last season?

Prediction: 3rd Division 7th Conference

DENVER NUGGETS

Reasons for Success:

They still have Melo as of now and he is one of the best scorers in the game today. If they manage to keep him until the trade deadline they may be in position to lock down a playoff spot.

Causes for Concern:

The Carmelo saga may take a turn for the worst at any given moment. If Melo decides to mentally check out than it jeopardizes the season and the value they can get in return via trade. The frontcourt has already been hit with long-term injuries in Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen. Throw in the fact that K-Mart and JR Smith are already bitching about getting new contracts and you cannot help it but to see this team being blown up and start from scratch.

Prediction: 4th Division 8th Conference

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

Reasons for Success:

The key to the team has been handed to Kevin Love to lead this team back to respectability. Underachiever Michael Beasley was brought in and if he reaches his potential that warranted him being picked 2nd overall then they may have a foundation to build on.

Causes for Concern:

They have no point guard and their supposed franchise PG is chilling in Barcelona after a dreadful showing at the FIBA tournament this summer. They essentially replaced Al Jefferson's double-double production with Darko Milicic. David Kahn is the new Isiah Thomas.

Prediction: 5th Division 15th Conference

2010-11 NBA Preview - Southeast Division

MIAMI HEAT

Reasons for Success:
When you add the like of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Jamaal Magloire (okay, maybe not) you cannot help but be overly optimistic about this team's chances of winning a title. Dwyane Wade is still the leader of this team and oddsmakers have already put this team ahead of the two-time defending champs. In addition to the Big 3, they have surrounded them with some decent role players in Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and Eddie House. They will sell out every arena they go to this season, play a high-octane brand of basketball and take a few shots at their critics along the way.

Causes for Concern:
ALOT OF HYPE! Some experts believe they can break the 72-win season of the '95 Bulls with LeBron averaging a triple-double along the way. It'll be interesting to see how the Big 3 play together. Three former alpha dogs are going to be sharing the spotlight and who exactly will be taking the last shot? The frontcourt of the Heat is a area of concern especially against teams such as the Lakers, Magic and Celtics. And of course, injuries. Bosh and Wade have had their history of injuries and one major injury can put this team into the middle of the pack as opposed to ahead of the pack in the East.

Prediction: 1st Division 1st Conference

ORLANDO MAGIC

Reasons for Success:
Dwight Howard is still the best centre in the league and is an absolute brute force in the middle. He is a matchup nightmare for most teams and will do everything he can to take this team back to the finals. There are a few players on the team who have something to prove. Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis are coming off sub-par seasons and will look to rebound and regain their allstar forms. If they do, watch out.

Causes for Concern:
If Dwight Howard stays status quo from last season, so will the Magic. He has been criticized for not taking over games when a superstar should and being passive rather than aggressive. The East has gotten a lot better over the summer and he will need to elevate his game to another level for this team to reach the Finals.

Prediction: 2nd Division 3rd Conference

ATLANTA HAWKS

Reasons for Success:
The nucleus was kept intact with a new coach behind the bench to help this team advance further in the playoffs. They have a young frontcourt of Josh Smith and Al Horford who will be the centerpieces of this team for years to come. Joe Johnson was resigned and will be looked upon to lead this team past the first round of the playoffs.

Causes for Concern:
Reigning 6th-man of the Year Jamal Crawford is already sulking about not getting a contract extension. Its probably because their leader, Joe Johnson, was resigned to massive 6 year $119million contract... yikes! Depth is also an issue for this team. Their bench is thin on all fronts and will need to be addressed at some point in the season to make a run in the playoffs. Look for Jeff Teague to supplant Mike Bibby for the starting PG at some point.

Prediction: 3rd Division 5th Conference

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Reasons for Success:
Like I always say, playing like crap for a whole 82 game season is okay if you take advantage of the draft. And the Wizards have done that by taking Allen Iverson 2.0 with the 1st overall pick in John Wall. He is the new face of the franchise, an absolute super athlete that will no doubt contend for the Rookie of the Year honors. Gilbert Arenas is back and his career can only go up after last season (unless he visited T.I for a firesale on AK47s). They have promising young talents in Andrays Blatche and JaVale McGee.  They added great pieces in offseason in Kirk Hinrich and Yi Jianlian and rebound season from them along with Josh Howard and Al Thornton could bring this franchise back to being respectable.

Causes for Concern:
The player formerly known as Agent Zero has to repair his image, regain his allstar form and take a backseat to Wall. He will be the catalyst for success or failure for this team again and it waits to be seen if he makes it to the end of the season in Washington. The turnover on the team was significant as well so chemistry will be issue from the get-go. Bottom line, talents is there, it's a matter of managing them.

Prediction: 4th Division  9th Conference

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

Reasons for Success:
They have excellent utility players in Stephen Jackson, Tyrus Thomas and Boris Diaw who give you a little bit of everything. Michael Jordan become the majority owner so having his name in the forefront will increase the credibility of the franchise.

Causes for Concern:
The offense will have to go through Jackson as he will have to play point-forward as their lack a true point guard. They let Raymond Felton walk out the door and replaced him with the doorknob known as DJ Augustin. The center position is porous at best as it is up for grabs between jobbers Nazr Mohammad, DeSagana Diop and Kwame Brown. As well, MJ himself has had a horrible track record as a decision-maker since his days in Washington. He obviosuly has something to prove... c'mon, why else would Kwame still have a job!

Prediction: 5th Division 10th Conference

2010-11 NBA Preview - Southwest Division

DALLAS MAVERICKS

Reasons for Success:
The had a long summer to regroup after the first round exit to the Spurs. Dirk Nowitzki will put on another allstar-calibre season with Jason Kidd running the team to another 50+win season. Caron Butler is playing for a contract and is slated to be the starting SF with Shawn Marion joining Jason Terry on the second unit. The tantum of Brendan Haywood and Tyson Chandler will give the Mavs flexibility to playing various styles. Having both Butler and Haywood for a full season will greatly improve the team chemistry that was evidently lost during the playoffs. This team has the most depth in the league is deeper than the team that made it to the Finals in 2006. There is optimism surrounding younger players such as Roddy Beaubois and rookie Dominique Jones to playing a larger role this season.

Causes for Concern:
The go-to players are all over the age of 30 and the window is quickly closing on their opportunity to win a title. Getting to the playoffs is not the issue - it's whether they can make a run and dethrone the Lakers. Mavs want to reduce Dirk's minutes to save him for the playoffs but with no adequate backup, the plan may be on the back-burner as the season progresses.

Prediction: 1st Division 2nd Conference

SAN ANTONIO SPURS

Reasons for Success:
Last postseason showed the Spurs still have something left in the tank. Tim Duncan is still one of the best PF in the game and as long as he's playing, the Spurs will have a chance to win. The team has a great mix of youth and veteran presence. George Hill and DeJuan Blair showed a lot of promise last season and may be poised for bigger roles this year. Rookie Tiago Splitter will have a large role on this team after several seasons overseas. Tony Parker is in a contract year and will try to regain his allstar form to justify a getting the big bucks.

Causes for Concern:
With the play of Hill, Blair and the other younger players on this roster, you have to wonder when it is time to start turning the team over to the new breed. Richard Jefferson was strangely resigned in the offseason after a dreadful first season with the Spurs. The Spurs need him to play to his potential to contend with the other top teams.

Prediction: 2nd Division 5th Conference

HOUSTON ROCKETS

Reasons for Success:
They have an effective backcourt in Aaron Brooks and Kevin Martin that will put up a lot points on most nights. Yao Ming returns after taking a year off to recover from foot surgery. Brad Miller was brought in as insurance if Yao is to stumble along the way. The team also have a cupboard full of assets after the Tracy McGrady deal. Armed with several first round picks, this team could make a midseason move that can propel them higher in the standings.

Causes for Concern:
Yao is expected to be limited to only 24 minutes a game which could hinder his effectiveness. It's disappointing to see a promising career that is bound to be cut short. Luis Scola is a great player but having him to take on the offensive load on the front court and clean up the boards on a nightly basis may be too much to ask for.

Prediction: 3rd Division 6th Conference

NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

Reasons for Success:
Chris Paul, arguably the best PG in the league, is back for a full season. They traded for Trevor Ariza to bring a versatile guard-forward into the mix and finally moving Peja to the bench on a permanent basis. Both David West and Emeka Okafor are bound to benefit from having Paul for a full season.

Causes for Concern:
CP3 wanted out this summer and management had to do huge damage control to keep their franchise player happy. If things don't go well, his request may resurface which will turn into a season-long soap opera. To make it worse, they shipped out Darren Collison and have no backup plan if they're forced to trade CP3. Smells like a recipe for disaster.

Prediction: 4th Division 9th Conference

MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

Reasons for Success:
Zach Randolph emerged as a team-player for the first time in his career and was rewarded with his first allstar berth. The team has a bunch of young, athletic players in Rudy Gay, OJ Mayo and Marc Gasol to run with for years to come. Quality season from Hasheem Thabeet and rookie Xavier Henry will help this team contend for a playoff spot.

Causes for Concern:
Is it just me or is nobody else buying the whole "Zach Randolph is an unselfish team-player now"facade. Sure, he's yearly double-double threat but this guy has butchered the Trailblazers, Knicks, and Clippers before joining the Griz. His true character will emerge this season and will cripple the team. Think I'm wrong? Well, check this out... ARE YOU SERIOUS? But don't get me wrong, this guy should definitely be on your fantasy team.

Prediction: 5th Division 12th Conference

2010-11 NBA Preview - Pacific Division

LA LAKERS

Reasons for Success:
Several reasons to be motivated to win back-to-back-to-back championships. Phil Jackson aims for his 4th 3-peat in his coaching career. Kobe aims for his 6th ring to tie MJ. And the Lakers are actually considered the underdogs to the new Miami Heat. That does not sit well with Black Mamba. They've reloaded in the offseason to counter the Heat with the additions of Matt Barnes, Steve Blake and Theo Ratliff. Add in the psychotic nature of Ron Artest and this team will be making noise in May one way or another.

Causes for Concern:
Andrew Bynum's health is already a question mark heading into the season. He will need to be healthy for the playoffs. Both times Lakers have won he was been the starting center and he was on the shelf for their loss to the Celtics in 2008. Do you see the correlation?

Prediction: 1st Division 1st Conference

PHOENIX SUNS

Reasons for Success:
When you have future Hall of Famer Steve Nash running the show, you will always have a chance to win.

Causes for Concern:
They let Amare Stoudamire go and replaced him with the like of Channing Fry and Hakim Warrick. They traded for the enigmatic Hedo Turkoglu and brought in Josh Childress from the Greek sabbatical. I cannot help it but to feel bad for Steve Nash. Barring a trade, he'll never play in the Finals.

Prediction: 2nd Division 10th Conference

LA CLIPPERS

Reasons for Success:
Blake Griffin looks like the lead contender for Rookie of the Year. In the the preseason, he has dominated the competition and looks like the franchise power forward that went 1st overall in 2009. Eric Gordon had an amazing summer at the FIBA World Championships and hopefully he can bring that experience to this coming season. Chris Kaman is coming off his first allstar season and the combination of him and Griffin could form a lethal frontcourt. Baron Davis is back and his beard is thicker and sweatier than ever.

Causes for Concern:
With Mike Dunleavy finally out of the front office, the team is finally headed in a competent direction. We will see whether or not this team can finally put it together.

Prediction: 3rd Division 11th Conference

GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

Reasons for Success:
Stephan Curry had an incredible rookie season and the combination of him and Monta Ellis creates an exciting backcourt. Throw in the likes of David Lee and you have the perfect personnel for Nellie-Ball!

Causes for Concern:
Nellie-Ball is over! Don Nelson was let go and defense remains a huge issue with this team. Although watching a team averaging 120+ points a night is entertaining, it usually does not result in wins as past seasons show.

Prediction: 4th Division 13th Conference

SACRAMENTO KINGS

Reasons for Concern:
They are starting to build their core of players to build for the future. Tyreke Evans emerged as a the Rookie of the Year and his performance will hopefully put Beno Udrih on the bench permanently. They have a great collection of young big men in Carl Landry, Jason Thompson, Samuel Dalembert and rookie DeMarcus Cousins.

Causes for Concern:
This team is in rebuilding mode. They are headed in the right direction and there is no need to make any drastic moves to speed up the process. With that said, they will have trouble beating out the better teams in the West and will end up in the lottery to collect another piece to their puzzle. Watch out for this team in the next few years.

Prediction: 5th Division 14th Conference

2010-11 NBA Preview - Atlantic Division

BOSTON CELTICS

Reasons for Success:
The proved everyone wrong last season by reaching Game 7 of the Finals and if it weren't for an injury to Kendrick Perkins, this team may have have their second title in three seasons. With the activity in Miami, Boston reloaded their frontcourt and brought in the O'Neils - Shaq and Jermaine. The Big 3 return along with Rajon Rondo running the show (when will writer expand it to the Big 4? Is it not blatantly obvious that Rondo is the best player on this team now?). The supporting cast may be the best in the league with Big Baby Davis, Nate Robinson, Delonte West and Jermaine O'Neil providing the spark off the bench.

Causes for Concern:
If last season was a fluke, it won't happen again. Teams will not let their guards down against the C's this time around and there will be no sneaking up on anyone. The team is another year older and the window is slowly closing on many of these former allstars. KG will need to regain his form and Perkins needs to return healthy and be a defensive disrupter in the middle. Can Shaq finally win that 5th title?

Prediction: 1st Division 2nd Conference

NEW YORK KNICKS

Reasons for Success:
The Knickerbockers have finally added players who can run Mike Dantoni's run-and-gun system. Amare Stoudamire was brought in along with Raymond Felton to run the SSOL offence. They have guys who can run in Anthony Randolph and Wilson Chandler along with Danillo Gallinari launching 3s. The on-court personnel finally makes sense.

Causes for Concern:
If Eddy Curry, in any shape or form, steps on the court.

Prediction: 2nd Division 7th Conference

NEW JERSEY NETS

Reasons for Success:
It can't get any worse than last season. After flirting with the wrong side of history, the Nets have reason for optimism. They have promising young talents in Devin Harris, Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors. And they have their new Russian billionaire owner to party at the 40/40 with Jay-Z.

Causes for Concern:
They striked-out in the free agent market and missed out on getting John Wall in the draft. Not exactly the best outcomes to market a team that plans on moving to Brooklyn in the near future. The weak division will help them increase their win total from last year but they will struggle overall.

Prediction: 3rd Division  11th Conference


PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

Reasons for Success:
They have a promising backcourt in Iguodala, Holiday, Louis Williams and rookie Evan Turner.

Causes for Concern:
The dead corpse known as Elton Brand

Prediction: 4th Division  13th Conference

TORONTO RAPTORS

Reasons for Success:
None.

Causes for Concern:
Everything.

Prediction: 5th Division  15th Conference

2010-11 NBA Preview - Central Division

CHICAGO BULLS

Reasons for Success:
They finally addressed their biggest need over the last half decade and added Carlos Boozer to establish a low-post threat. Derrick Rose will become the best point guard in the league within the next few years and Joakim Noah is the new generation's version of Dennis Rodman sans craziness. They also added great role players in Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. New head coach Tom Thibodeau brings a winning attitude from Boston. And let's not forget the Prince of Wow Luol Deng!

Causes for Concern:
They are still a relatively young team and may be a year or two away from beating out the other powerhouses of the East.

Prediction: 1st Division 4th Conference

MILWAUKEE BUCKS


Reasons for Success:
Came out of nowhere last season to make the playoffs and turn some heads. Brandon Jennings will need to follow up his amazing rookie season to help this team reach the playoffs again. Andrew Bogut is back from his horrific arm injury. They have added Drew Gooden as insurance for Bogut and brought in free-throw extraordinaire Corey Maggette to round out the roster. The "Fear the Deer" moniker is spreading like the flu!

Causes for Concern:
Early indications show that Bogut will be experiencing significant pain in his recovering arm and losing him at any point will be a huge blow to the team.

Prediction: 2nd Division 6th Conference

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Reasons for Success:
This sports city has been kicked in the groin multiple times even before LeBron decided to take his talents to south beach. They still have decent players in Mo Williams, Antwan Jamison, Anderson Varajeo and JJ Hickson. They hired Byron Scott to rally the troops and move forward to build a new chapter in its history. For this team to be successful they will really have to embody the cliche, "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts."

Causes for Concern:
After losing a player like LeBron, one cannot blame this team/city to go into deep depression. Mo Williams already has a head start.

Prediction: 3rd Division 8th Conference

DETROIT PISTONS

Reasons for Success:
Veteran presence of Hamilton, Prince and Wallace will help guide the youth movement in the Motorcity. Rebound years from Charlie V and Ben Gordan will go a long way to justifying those contract given to them two summers ago.

Causes for Concern:
Gone are the days of the Bad Boy Pistons and Defensive Juggernauts. This team needs to carve out a new identity and a changing of the guard may be needed for that to happen.

Prediction: 4th Division 11th Conference

INDIANA PACERS

Reasons for Success:
They finally realized TJ Ford is garbage and brought in a Darren Collison from New Orleans after his breakout season. The emergence of Roy Hibbert will give the team an inside presence that is vacant with Troy Murphy leaving town. Danny Granger is an all-around allstar who needs to stay healthy for this team to improve.

Causes for Concern:
With the East getting better, they will struggle to reach .500. Larry Bird is another example of a great player turned atrocious manager.

Prediction: 5th Division 14th Conference