Whenever the new year comes around, you always hear the “New Year, New Me” slogan that no one believes. The gym is always packed come early January and every one is all of a sudden a vegetarian entering the new year. So in spirit of the annual New Year’s resolutions with 2016 just a few days away, I will be giving my opinion on what each NBA team should have as their resolution to improve in 2016.
Toronto Raptors
Health means everything for this Toronto team. Jonas Valanciunas and DeMarre Carroll have been out with injuries early on this season and these are two crucial guys from their starting lineup that they need going forward. Consistency is also another thing that they want to build on in the upcoming year. They’ve been playing up and down this season, losing to teams that they should be beating. Seeding means everything in the playoffs and they can’t take bad losses to bad teams that could lead them into a tough match up in the playoffs.
Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics need a huge improvement on the offensive end. With so much reliance on Isaiah Thomas providing scoring, they could use another piece to compliment Thomas on the offensive end. Another player that can create for themselves would deem them well and put them where they want to be offensively.
Boston has a stifling defense which is why they currently hold the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference, but without an offense, I’m not sure how long that placement will last with teams like Detroit and Washington on their coattails.
New York Knicks
The Knicks should continue to build. I honestly believe they are just a few pieces away from being able to make an impact in the Eastern Conference. They can sneak in as an eighth seed this season if they can consistently play at a high level. But it’s important that Carmelo Anthony remains healthy and Kristaps Porzingis continues to grow as they look to gain some new pieces during the offseason. Time is dwindling for Anthony, so it’s best they get him for all he’s worth before it’s too late.
Brooklyn Nets
Chalk it up. Going into 2016, its best the Brooklyn Nets just chalk it up and realize that they aren’t going to be good for sometime unless they’re able to pull off a miracle. Joe Johnson is a shell of himself and Brook Lopez can’t do it all alone. They need help, and with the lack of draft picks in the upcoming draft, they will have to look to free agency and the trade market to get things done.
Philadelphia 76ers
Going forward, Philadelphia should reduce the price of their games and give the fans what they deserve. Plain and simple. They suck, and fans shouldn’t have to pay an arm and a leg to pay to watch this team. In regards to on the court, with new faces in management, they should decide what their focus will be going forward. This team needs some veteran leadership as well as better talent on the perimeter. A dilemma of minutes will rise in the future because of the big men depth in Joel Embiid, Nerlens Noel, and Jahlil Okafor. There’s a lot of pressure on the Philadelphia 76ers staff to make some crucial decisions and turn things around.
If you want anymore insight in regards to the Atlantic Division, feel free to listen to The Atlantic Files provided by Alex Fischbein.
