With just six awful days until the NBA regular season begins, we take time to look ahead at what the upcoming season holds for us the viewers. First of all, I'd like to address the recent 2007-08 NBA General Managers survey, in which the GM's are polled on their opinions about a number of things. We're only going to cover a few here.



The GM's were asked, "Which player in the NBA would you want taking a shot with the game on the line?" 88.5% of the GM's answered that they would take Kobe Bryant. They took him last year as well. Now, this isn't an attack at Kobe, but in the category of game winning/tying shots, he has the lowest percentage of all time. 92% of GM's thought he was the best shooting guard in the NBA, and you'd be daft to think otherwise, but I just want to illustrate that the GM's do not always know what they're talking about. Take Isiah Thomas for instance-- yeah, that's the mind we're delving into for this information.



For the fourth year in a row, the NBA's General Managers selected the San Antonio Spurs to win the NBA title. They were right two times and wrong two times. Despite the fact that Houston, Phoenix and Denver all got tougher, the Mavs stayed together and the Spurs just got older in the off season, the GM's decided to take the road most travelled and guess that the Spurs will win.


It appears that they don't hope so, though. 73.1% of those polled believe that the Phoenix Suns will be the best team to watch in the NBA, with the Golden State Warriors eating up the majority of the remaining vote. Nash was voted best leader, best passer and best point guard. He was second only to Kobe in the category of players whom opposing coaches needed to adjust the most to. His Suns were second in the poll to take the whole taco.


This writer is one commentator who not only hopes they do win, but honestly thinks that they will. How many teams took four years together to win a title? How about Jordan and Pippen? Kobe and Shaq? Well, Nash is entering his fourth year in Phoenix now, and title hopes are high there. Grant Hill has added a new dimension, with both he and Boris Diaw playing the high post point, teams will no longer be able to just knock Steve Nash out of bounds to beat the Suns.


Marcus Banks has actually been great in the pre-season, along with DJ Strawberry as Steve Nash's little clones. Amare is ready to go without rehab. Boris is skinny again. Bell is healthy and lighter. Barbosa is improved. These Suns are serious. Don't go giving the rings to the old folks in
Texas yet.


Oh, one more stat that upset me. The GM's said that Bruce Bowen was the NBA's best defender and best perimeter defender. No. The guy is filth. I've seen dozens of articles on how great a guy is; neat. That doesn't mean for one second that he's not the dirtiest player in the NBA; actually he definitely is. I dare anyone who doesn't absolutely agree with me to go to youtube.com and search just the name "Bruce Bowen" and find me something positive. I could save you some time right now and tell you that it isn't there, but you wouldn't listen would you? I especially like the one when he knees Nash in the man parts right in front of the Phoenix bench.

Go Suns.


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