My NBA preview: 30 teams, five different objectives (one is not good)

Two days!

That's how close we are to the dawning of another NBA season. And the storylines abound.

Can the Heat three-peat? Can the geriatric Nets stay healthy enough to make their luxury-tax-paying Russian oligarch look smart? Can the 76ers avoid breaking their own record for futility? Can LeBron be any better? Can KD be any better? When will Kobe come back?

The list goes on and on.

But for the sake of simplification — and because this is a blog; not a book or a Bill Simmons blog — I'm going to jump right into my NBA preview by breaking up the teams (listed in the order I think they'll finish in their conference) by their objectives for the season.

It might be the easy way out, but, hey, isn't that what a handful of teams will be doing when they sit their top players come March and April with "back stiffness?"

See below.

Categories

• Playing to win (PW): Teams that are in this thing to win the NBA 'ship in June.
• Playing for the playoffs (PP): Teams that just want to make the postseason, where they won't last long. In many cases, these teams have GMs who won't be around next year if their teams don't qualify for the postseason.
• Playing for Wiggins: Simple. Teams that will be horrible and hope to win out at the draft lottery and get the No. 1 pick to (most likely) select Andrew Wiggins.
• Playing for LeBron: Teams whose prime objective this season will be to make themselves look good enough and appealing enough to attract the world's best player during free agency.
• Shit, I don't know (SIDK): Teams that aren't making much sense with their personnel moves and will be irrelevant for most of the season.

Eastern Conference

1) Miami Heat: Two storylines to watch before the playoffs — can LeBron be even better? And can Greg Oden stay healthy and be a factor. PW

2) Chicago Bulls: Yep, 95 percent of America was wrong. What's new? Derrick Rose knew what was best for him despite the intense criticism, and now he's fully healed. Watch out, East. PW

3) Indiana Pacers: So what's new for the team that came within a game of taking down the mighty Heat? Well, they get back a healthy Danny Granger and swapped Tyler Hansbrough for Luis Scola. I'd call that a productive offseason. PW

4) New Jersey Nets: A couple thoughts — their backcourt of Deron Williams and Joe Johnson is overrated; their frontcourt of old guys KG and Paul Pierce plus Brook Lopez is underrated. PW

5) New York Knicks: They'll finish in the middle of the East and maybe even win a playoff series. That, however, doesn't mean they have a clue what they're doing long-term besides hoping for LeBron. SIDK, PFL

6) Atlanta Hawks: Of all the coaching changes this offseason (quick, name two!), this one is so under-the-radar, I bet most Hawks fans don't know the guy. But Gregg Popovich disciple Mike Budenholzer will keep the team a reach-the-playoffs-and-lose-early-every-year outfit. PP

7) Detroit Pistons: If the Pistons don't make the playoffs after acquiring Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings, Joe Dumars is done as GM. Pressure's on. PP

8) Washington Wizards: The Wizards are in the same boat. The late acquisition of Marcin Gortat should get them to the postseason if they can stay relatively healthy, which was their undoing last season. PP

9) Cleveland Cavaliers: The Cavaliers' main goal under Mike Brown (hey, welcome back!) is for the young nucleus to learn how to play defense and to look good enough to bring back another former Cav next summer... PFL

10) Toronto Raptors: Assuming no move is made involving Rudy "I like to shoot a low percentage" Gay, Toronto — and its awesome fan base — will push for a playoff spot and come up just short. PP

11) Charlotte Bobcats: I'm sorry, but Michael Jordan is as bad at being a GM as he was good/great/legendary at playing. He's terrible (see Jefferson, Al; Gordon, Ben; Zeller, Cody). Charlotte will be just good/bad enough not to make the playoffs OR give itself a decent shot at Wiggins. SIDK

12) Milwaukee Bucks: Milwaukee was smart to rid itself of Brandon Jennings and let Monta Ellis go shoot a lot and play no defense for Dallas. Still, the Bucks aren't attracting any free agents beyond O.J. Mayo and have pieces that don't fit. Maybe a draft pick could help... PFW

13) Boston Celtics: If Rajon Rondo isn't traded and plays a healthy season, combined with Brad Stevens on the sideline, they might not be as bad as they should be. That, of course, isn't what the fan base wants. PFW

14) Orlando Magic: You know what would be fun — Victor Oladipo paired up with a certain college freshman next season. PFW

15) Philadelphia 76ers: No team is more transparent about its goals. GM and analytics guru Sam Hinkie ditched Jrue Holiday, traded for a rookie who's out for the year  (Nerlens Noel) and has a lineup that includes Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner and Spencer Hawes. Yeesh... PFW

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Western Conference

1) L.A. Clippers: This squad could be the paradigm of the "Can a much better coach make a difference?" test, with Doc Rivers taking over for Vinny Del Negro. If Doc can turn DeAndre Jordan into a serviceable free-throw shooter in addition to being a dominant defender, watch out. PW

2) Oklahoma City Thunder: If healthy, this team will be playing in the Western Conference Finals. Its objectives are clear. PW

3) San Antonio Spurs: The Spurs and St. Louis Cardinals are the two most well-run organizations in American professional sports. Don't expect that to change for the Spurs and Kawhi Leonard — the face of the future — this year. PW

4) Golden State Warriors: Their only problem is they've got six guys who should be starting. Harrison Barnes was an effective post-up guy in the playoffs, but he might be stuck on the bench. Expect a potential move during the season. PW

5) Memphis Grizzlies: People are down on the Grizz, saying they had their chance last year (helped by the Westbrook injury), but I love their core, Mike Conley just gets better and stats guru John Hollinger in the GM seat won't make any dumb, rash moves. PW

6) Houston Rockets: Prove me wrong, Dwight Howard. Prove that you can be a winner on a team that's not all about you. Prove that you can shoot better than 50 percent on free throws. If you do, you might help James Harden take this team very far. PW

7) Minnesota Timberwolves: Did you know that no team has had a longer playoff drought than Minny? Yeah, I was surprised, too, that 2004 was the last time the T-Wolves — led by a KG character — made the postseason. It's time to return, even if to get swept in the first round. PP

8) Dallas Mavericks: Mark Cuban has publicly said Dirk is ending his career as a Maverick, so there will be no rebuilding. Instead, he'll add pieces like Jose Calderon and Ellis and see what happens. PP

9) L.A. Lakers: I'm only putting them this high because of Kobe "Bean" Bryant, easily the most competitive player in the league. He'll return from that Achilles earlier than anyone expects, hit some game-winners, and make the case for a certain someone joining him and Pau Gasol in the summer (even though he'll be 36). PFL

10) Denver Nuggets: How do you go from a No. 3 seed to a team just fighting for a playoff spot? You lose your Executive of the Year (Masai Ujiri), fire your coach of the year (George Karl), and let your defensive cornerstone (Andre Iguodala) bolt for Golden State. SIDK

11) Portland Trail Blazers: I actually like this team and what they're doing. Unfortunately, with rookie C.J. McCollum out six weeks and living in the crazy-competitive West, they'll end up short of their playoff dream — and end up in the Wiggins sweepstakes. PP (but PFW by happenstance)

12) New Orleans Pelicans: I'm sorry, but any team that puts effort into acquiring Tyreke Evans and believes Eric Gordon will actually be healthy doesn't know what it's doing. It's sad, too, because Anthony Davis is special and Monty Williams knows how to coach. SIDK

13) Sacramento Kings: This team won't necessarily tank. It will just be really bad, especially if Boogie Cousins has more meltdowns. That means lots of lottery balls. PFW

14) Utah Jazz: Similar to the 76ers, if scaled-down a bit, the Jazz have a plan. Their hope is for youngsters Enes Kanter (21), Derrick Favors (22), Gordon Hayward (23) and rookie Trey Burke (20) to grow and improve together. And if a No. 1 picks comes along, well even better. PFW

15) Phoenix Suns: Phoenix has finally come to terms with the the fact it's a really bad basketball team and execs need to stop watching Steve Nash highlight films. Unloading Marcin Gortat was a start. Goran Dragic should be next to go, which would give Eric Bledsoe free reign over a team of nobodies. PFW

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Playoff predictions

EAST: Miami Heat def. Chicago Bulls (7 games) — I really want to take the Bulls and possible MVP Rose. But this will clearly be the Heat's last hurrah with their Big Three, and LeBron will be transcendent in this series.

WEST: L.A. Clippers def. Oklahoma City Thunder (6 games) — Call me crazy, but I think Doc can take a team that got run off the court in the first round in 2012-13 and lead it to the finals. The additions of J.J. Redick and Jared Dudley will help on the offensive end. Jordan will be the ringleader on the other end. And I didn't even mention Chris Paul.

FINALS: Miami def. L.A. (6 games) — Matt Barnes will do all he can to get under LeBron's skin, but James will be too much for the Clippers. Throw in the clutch shooting of Ray Allen and Greg Oden providing that big body to contest Blake Griffin and Jordan, and the Heat will take home their third title in a row.

Of course, the real drama will have played out weeks before when the PFW is decided by ping-pong balls. ENJOY!

For my basketball insights, follow me on Twitter @jakelam2116

The origins of my Detroit Tigers fandom and why the losses sting so much

The hat.

I feel the need to write. I feel compelled to log my thoughts, my emotions — as silly as they may be — here. I'm now maybe 90 minutes removed from another crushing Tigers loss, 1-0 to the Red Sox.

Less than 48 hours ago, my favorite baseball team seemed well on its way to a 2-0 series lead in the ALCS. Not only that, but they would then board a plane for Detroit, where Mr. Scoreless Innings Justin Verlander and 43,000-plus screaming supporters awaited.

Now?

They're down 2-1. They haven't scored a run in 12 innings. Even potential back-to-back MVP Miguel Cabrera couldn't punch a ball into the outfield with runners on the corners and just one out in the bottom of the eighth. And I feel like the streak of the Tigers not winning a World Series since I was a nine-month-old in diapers is going to continue.

That's why I'm down in the dumps. That's why I called my Mom on a Tuesday night to vent. I usually wait until Sunday. And that's why I can't even muster the excitement to begin the third season of one of the best TV shows of all time, Breaking Bad.

Yes, it's that bad.

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For a variety of reasons, I'm not as fanatical as I once was.

I'm two months shy of 30; I've viewed sports through the lens of a journalist since I took newspaper writing for the first time as a junior at Pioneer High School; and, frankly, I'm annoyed by most sports fans, their machismo, and their ignorance (especially in the Internet age).

But there are two teams I remain an ardent supporter of, a pair of teams that I follow closely and, come the end of their seasons, base my schedule around.

Michigan basketball.

Detroit Tigers baseball.

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I spelled out my passion for Michigan hoops in a column I wrote the weekend of their amazing Final Four run last season. And with the upcoming campaign just two weeks away, I'll save my words about the program for down the road.

I'll just say this, because it relates to why the Tigers mean so much to me: I've been invested in Wolverines basketball because of the program's hardships and how low it sunk. Watching its revival under John Beilein has been the most satisfying thing I've ever experienced as a sports fan. Ever.

With Mom at a Tigers-Orioles game in 2011.

My Tigers fandom is similar, but it goes back further.

I was a diehard as a kid, baseball my first love. We didn't have a TV at our old house on Pontiac Trail in Ann Arbor, so I'd listen to every game on the radio. It didn't matter whether I was in the basement working with Dad on a project, in the driveway washing the old Honda, or in the kitchen helping the parents prepare their annual batch of homemade pesto — the radio was tuned to WJR-760.

Some years, the iconic Ernie Harwell was on the call. Other years, it was Frank Beckman. Harwell was a legend, but I enjoyed whoever delivered the call. I remember one year sending a letter to the Tigers broadcasting team, thanking them for bringing me Tigers games every day.

As long as I had Tigers baseball, my world was complete. I revered the likes of Cecil Fielder, Alan Trammell and Lout Whitaker. I even had a soft spot for Tony Philips. On the rare days when Harwell's or Beckman's smooth voice wasn't quite enough for me, I walked through our large backyard to neighbor Nelly's house. The old, black lady was the nicest person in the world and a huge sports fan. She'd let me in and we'd watch together. I'll never forget my times with Nelly.

Of course, the Tigers stunk. They put together just two winning seasons during my formative years. The season spanning the end of high school and beginning of college, they bottomed out — just barely avoiding MLB infamy with 119 losses in 2003.

As I started studies that August at Albion College an hour west of Ann Arbor, I was as uninterested in the Tigers as I'd been 19 years prior when they won the World Series and I couldn't utter a word to celebrate.


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It was 1:30pm on an October Saturday afternoon in Byron Bay, Australia, and I couldn't believe what I was watching. On a small TV in a small room attached to the hostel, Magglio Ordonez had just sent shivers down my spine and goose bumps all over.

"The Tigers are going to the World Series! Three. Run. Walkoff. Home. Run."

I've since listened to the Dan Dickerson radio call dozens of times. The chills return with each re-run. 

I wanted to celebrate, I wanted to hug everyone in sight, but only a few people at the hostel even knew the rules of baseball. So I joined my spring break pal and Albion classmate Michael for a hike overlooking the Pacific Ocean, thinking about the Tigers 9,182 miles away.

Just days earlier, I had convinced my new friend Cheryl to accompany me at 3:30am to the only bar open within a mile of our Sydney hotel so I could watch Justin Verlander stifle the mighty Yankees in the Division series. 

In the 2006 World Series, all the games were at a saner 12pm in Sydney. 

I wish they hadn't been. All the momentum that the Tigers had from their sweep of the A's? All the positive feelings and optimism? It all disappeared, vanished with each error committed by a Detroit pitcher during the series against the Cardinals. Five games. Five errors.

At the time, I had just gotten into sports blogging. Here are two excerpts from my posts as a college senior studying in Sydney:

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After they lost Game 4, falling behind 3-1 in the Series:

OK,
... there comes a time in one's life when the most important thing happening is 5,000 miles away. That time is now. And it is not easy. I've watched every Tigers' playoff game except two. I've scouted out bars in which to watch the Tigs, I've woken up at 6 in the morning to watch 'em. I scheduled my work week perfectly so I could be off this morning to watch Game 4 of the WS.

And what do they give me? Another throwin' error by a pitcher? More missed opportunities with runners in scoring position? Man, I am dying now. But I'm not giving up on the Tigs. Mark my words: if Verlander finds a way to get the Tigers through Game 5, they WILL WIN THE WORLD SERIES. And I'll watch every remaining game in its entirety. 'Cuz, frankly, watching my team in the WS is far more important than touring some obscure Sydney suburb right now. And what would I usually be doing between 10:30 and 2 anyway? Probably just reading a basketball book (fun fact of my time here: I've already read 4 books for fun and just bought 3 more the other day - Moms would be proud).

Anyway, when you're watching Game 5 tomorrow, don't think you're all alone. I'll be watching, too, rooting on those mercurial Tigs, not giving up hope. After all, it makes me proud to say that two years ago I predicted a Red Sox comeback after that disastrous Game 3 loss. This situation for the Tigers is easier. Three wins in Three nights.

So while I'm attending my first Opera House concert tomorrow and tasting some fine Aussie cuisine, the only indicator of whether it'll be a good weekend is this: will the Tigers win 3 or lose 1?

jake

After the Game 5, series-ending loss

I know I should put it in perspective. I do. I really, really do. After all, I was one of the thousands who picked them to finish fourth in the division, just a dozen victories above the abysmal Royals.

So, as a journalist, I know my job: put it in perspective. But not now. Not yet. Maybe by the end of this column. We'll see.

I can't do it because of the way the Tigers lost in this World Series to the Cardinals. The Cardinals did not win this series. Mark it down. The Tigers lost the series. The Tigers beat themselves. Plain and simple.

You want numbers? You want evidence? I got it. How about five errors by the Tigers' pitching staff - all of them leading to unearned runs for the Cardinals. Even before rook Justin Verlander threw away an easy toss to third last night - costing the Tigers two runs (yes, equaling the final margin of the Cards' victory) - the Tigs had set a record for errors made in a World Series with four.

Ouch. Here, Fernando Rodney can pinpoint a nasty slider on the outside corner, but he can't put the ball near Placido Polanco's glove from 20 feet away in Game 4, costing the Tigers - who actually hit that game - a golden chance to even the series.

Here, Tigers wouldn't have won Game 3 anyway, but Joel Zumaya could have made it interesting for all of us watching at work by throwing to Brandon Inge at third and not five feet out of his reach.

Oh, well, it allowed me to get more work done.

Are you kidding me? The Tigers made Paris Hilton look flawless. I know the cliche's getting old, but it still holds.

Everyone was favoring the Tigers entering the Series; had a feeling that might be a poor harbinger. A team that had been under the microscope all year, doubted by the experts until the eve of the Series, suddenly weighed down by the pressure of people actually pickin you?

It's like your boys expecting you to get the gorgeous girl's number? If it don't happen you're in the dogouse and your confidence is shot. That's what happened to the Tigers.

They lost this series; Cards didn't win. Yes, the record books will show the Cards winning their 10th World Series, second all time to those Yanks. But those who actually watched the five games will know that the Cards were dealt a great dose of serendipity.

From their friends, the Tigers.

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My first Tigers playoff game: ALDS Game 3, 2011.

I'm older now (obvious statement of this column). I like to think I'm wiser, with better perspective than a college kid. But with heavier expectations comes greater disappointment. That magical '06 season made every long-suffering Tigers fan believe that a World Series was not just possible, but imminent. 

I haven't followed the team more closely than I did when they were terrible (although the Internet and the Twitter age help with that, especially living 500 miles from Detroit), but I've expected more. As the payroll's increased and the prognosticators have picked the Tigers, each lost season has been tougher to take. 

If this series ends the way it's heading, the number of seasons without a World Series will equal my age. I know that means nothing to Cubs and Indians fans — or Cleveland fans of any sport from my generation, for that matter — but we all live in our personal sports fandom bubbles. 

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Why do I root so hard? Why do I insist on wearing my torn-to-shreds Tigers hat that I bought at a mall in Philly 15 years ago and won't give up until they win a World Series? Why do I wake up neighbors with my yells of exasperation? 

It's simple, really. When you've never experienced something but have come so close to it, when you feel like it's not far from your fingertips, it's the most tantalizing. That's how last year's run to the national championship game felt for Michigan. And that's why I follow, so closely, each pitch thrown by or swung at (or, more likely, through) by the Tigers.

If and when that championship happens, things will change for me. I'm certain of that. I'll still be a Tigers fan, of course. I'll still watch the occasional regular season game. I'll still join Dad for our annual drive to Detroit, where we park in the abandoned old theater for $6 and walk a few blocks to the ballpark. Those traditions will never change. 

But life as a fan is different when you've tasted the pinnacle of your team's success. I don't think that can be denied.

I used to be a huge Michigan football fan. But then the Wolverines won the national title in 1997, and my interest has slowly waned (note: my overall separation from football over the past year due to all the research that's come out regarding concussions and CTE has also contributed). 

I was a gigantic Pistons fan, and I still follow the team somewhat closely. But no championship could create as much joy for me as the 2004 beatdown of the high and mighty Lakers provided. 

Those teams reached the summits of their sports while I was a fan. I no longer care nearly as much. I watch more through my usual viewing glasses — objectively, as a sports journalist. 

The Tigers and the basketball Wolverines have not gained that summit of success. They've both come from extremely low points to the precipice of championship status. And that makes each crushing loss just sting more.

Tomorrow night, I'll grab the ragged hat again and hope for a different result and a tied series. I'll probably try some reverse jinxing with Facebook posts and Twitter updates (it can work!). 

Whatever the final score, I'll call it a night knowing that the day when my fandom wanes will be when the last game of the season is a win.

Go Tigers!

— Jake

Andy Murray thrives under the pressure of a nation, wins historic Wimbledon

We talk often about pressure in sports. The "great ones" thrive under pressure, others wilt. 

But what about when a single man, fair or not, must carry the pressure of a country on his shoulders? How does one person handle such a burden?

For the past eight Wimbledon championships, Andy Murray has played on the grass courts not so much for himself — although it is, technically, an individual sport — but for Great Britain.

With each passing year, Murray inched closer to winning the country's first title on Centre Court since Fred Perry — wearing pants — last accomplished the feat in 1936. And as Murray rose in the tennis rankings and then, last year, came agonizingly close — losing to Roger Federer in the finale, before winning his first Grand Slam at the U.S. Open — the weight increased.

That's why I chuckled but also found it appropriate for ESPN to ask, during its coverage of Sunday's final between Murray and Novak Djokovic, if a win by the Scot would mean more to him or Great Britain.

Great question.

Of course, Murray was the one tasked with defeating the world's No. 1 player to achieve the feat. And after three brilliant sets of scrambling all over the court, hitting running forehands and blasting 130-mph serves, the 26-year-old did just that.

Andy Murray def. Novak Djokovic 6-4, 7-5, 6-4.

In the late afternoon glow, Murray was able, for the first time, to talk candidly about the journey to Sunday's historic moment.

"It's hard, it's really hard," Murray said during his press conference about 30 minutes after Djokovic's backhand found the net on match point. "For the last four or five years, it's been very tough, very stressful, a lot of pressure.

"The few days before the tournament are really difficult as well, and the last two days are not easy. It's just kind of everywhere you go. It's so hard to avoid everything ... it's been very very difficult."

Imagine being in your mid-20s and feeling that millions of people are staking out their hopes on you winning a championship ... for them? It sounds silly, but it's an accurate portrayal of what Murray faced.

Now, the man can relax. Right?

"I think now it'll become easier," Murray said. "I hope it will, I hope it will."

If there's anything I've learned from watching hours upon hours of Grand Slam tennis during this golden age of the men's game, it's that the sport's greats separate themselves from the rest of the pack mentally. Physically, they're all about equal. They all crush the ball, all blast serves, all can volley at the net (well, at least most of them).

But when it comes to winning the big points, or coming back from down a break, or, hell, from down two sets to love, only a quartet of players over the past decade have proven they can survive.

Roger Federer, 17 major titles.

Rafael Nadal, 12 major titles.

Novak Djokovic, 6 major titles.

And Andy Murray, 2 major titles — including the most impressive of them all. 

"I think I've persevered," Murray said. "That's really been the story of my career probably. ... Every year I always improve a little bit." 

This is the pinnacle. Don't get me wrong — Murray will win more majors, potentially several. He and Djokovic, and Nadal when healthy, will have many more slugfests. But none of them will be more trying and tiring than this one for Murray.

It was a straight set victory, but it felt like a five-setter, the champion said. He looked out of the second set, down 4-1, but won six of seven games to gain all the momentum. Then he took the first two games of the third set and was up 0-30 on Djokovic's serve.

A double break coming? An easy final set?

Puh-lease. There was no chance this was going to end that way. When you're playing for something so big, so momentous, you have to earn every point, and that's what Djokovic forced Murray to do — the Serb winning four straight games.

In the final games — during yet another comeback — Murray showed off an incredible ability to chase down Djokovic's drop shots and hit topspin-heavy forehands down the line. He stole two points that the Djoker seemingly controlled to tie the set 4-4 and then break to get within a game of history.

And this is the part of the story that, minutes after it was finished, Murray could barely remember. He is human, after all. 

“I have no idea what happened," Murray said of the last point. "I can’t even remember."

Well, it took awhile for him to reach it. At first, it seemed he would cruise through the final game. With Murray up 40-0 and the crowd silently going delirious, Djokovic, who's OK in pressure situations too, dug deep and saved three match points. He then gained three break points — all saved by Murray.

Who the heck knows what would have happened had he gotten the break. Sure, Murray entered Sunday 76-0 when leading a match two sets to none, but the combination of the pressure and playing Djokovic could have yielded a different result.

But Murray didn't let the game slip away. Even if his mind was all over the place, as he admitted afterward.

"I worked so hard in that last game. It's the hardest few points I've had to play in my life."

"How that last game went was my head was almost everywhere."

"The last 30 minutes have been a bit of a blur."

"Toughest game I've played in my career. Ever."

Murray's feelings about one game sum it all up. The journey. The expectations. The weight.

Toughest. Accomplishment. Ever.

On Centre Court afterward, Murray was asked what he thought the millions of fans — inside Centre Court, where tickets were going for $15,000; strewn all about the grounds of Wimbledon; back in his hometown; and throughout the Kingdom — must have been going through during the match.

To which he, impeccably, replied:

"Imagine playing it."

Yes, Andy, that's all anyone but yourself can do. Well done, Wimbledon champion. 

2013 NBA Draft Diary: A major letdown by my idol Joe D.

I had begun the night wearing the Dumars jersey.

It wasn't even a contest.

Never before Thursday night had I been close to as excited about an NBA Draft as I was about the version set to take place at Barclays Center. 

Why? Since become a "hoops junkie" in the mid-2000s, Michigan basketball had never brought to draft night a projected first-round selection. On Thursday, two Wolverines were expected to have their names called among the first 30 picks.

Not only that, but one, Trey Burke, arguably the greatest player in Michigan history, the kid who hit THE SHOT, the sophomore who took us on that ride to the national title game, the 6-footer who made the block that wasn't (but was), the consensus national player of the year ... yeah, that kid had a chance to go in the top few picks.

Or fall — crazy enough — to the home-state, downtrodden Detroit Pistons. 

One guy isn't going to save a franchise with cracks throughout its foundation, but the best point guard in the draft who is an extremely high character and intangibles guy and a proven leader is a good place to start.

Needless to say, I was pumped up for the night, for Burke, for Tim Hardaway Jr., and for that slight possibility of the Pistons becoming relevant to me again.

Well, here's what happened (from my end of things). Times are approximate:

6:12pm
After sneaking out of my work happy hour early and racing home on my bike, I open my dresser and pull out my ugly, late-90s Joe Dumars jersey. Remember when the Pistons had that dragon logo for a couple years? Yeah, that's when I had purchased the jersey of my favorite player from the '90s. Tonight, I am wearing it for good luck. I head over to my man Sam's house for the NBA Draft Party.

7:14pm
The anticipation is building. For the evening, the fellas have a few $1 bets — nothing serious; we're amateurs. The first one: Project the draft's top five, with points assigned for each pick from 5 to 1. My picks 1) Alex Len; 2) Victor Oladipo; 3) Anthony Bennett; 4) Nerlens Noel; 5) Ben McLemore.

7:40pm
Shocker!! The two Sams, Jeff and I are all in disbelief, as the comical, sassy Stern — always delighted to elicit boos from the Draft crowd, man, I'm gonna miss the Commish, announces, "With the first pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Cleveland Cavaliers select ... ... ... Anthony Bennett..." The camera cuts to the face of Noel, the projected No. 1. Pure disbelief. Shocker!

7:56pm
Another stunner!! We all know Michael Jordan is very capable and proven when it comes to making odd choices, so are we really surprised he took Cody Zeller with both Noel and Len available at No. 4? Yep, we still are. This draft is flat-out nuts. I start to think about who might be available in the No. 8 slot for the Pistons.

8:08pm
I have one of the Sam's shoot a picture of me in my Joe D. jersey and I post it on Instagram with the caption: "Draft Night! #BadDecisions." (I'm hoping to reverse jinx Dumars, the Pistons GM, into not making a bad decision.) On Facebook, I am more positive with the caption, "Do the right thing, Joe D."

8:19pm
The stage is set! As I predicted after the Zeller pick, the draft's two most highly touted big men (Len and Noel) went to Phoenix and New Orleans, respectively, followed by the super talented but questionable Ben McLemore to Sacramento (poor situation for a guy who needs veteran nurturing). This leaves the Pistons on the clock ... and Burke, patiently waiting inside the Barclays Center, available.

Why is Burke the obvious, right choice for Dumars in this situation?

As I outlined in a post before the draft, Burke:

1) Has a very similar skillset and body — with a little bit of muscle gain — to Chris Paul, the best point guard in the NBA. 

2) Was the best pick-and-roll player in all of college basketball last year.

3) Is a proven winner, big-game performer, and leader.

4) Oh, and really wants to play for the Pistons and is not one to shy away from any challenge. 

The Pistons, meanwhile, have holes on the wing but also moved Brandon Knight — their point guard draft pick of two years ago — to the wing for the last portion of this past season. So how confident are they in the 6-foot-3 Kentucky product to lead them back to the playoffs? 

Especially when the best point guard prospect — not to mention a guy who will fill many of those empty seats at The Palace of Auburn Hills — is available. 

I wait with baited breath. Social media is blowing up for me like it hasn't since the NCAA Tournament. For the first time since that last Pistons Eastern Conference Finals appearance in 2008, friends back home are genuinely excited.

The posts go like this:

"They gotta take him. Right? Right? Right?"

"Gotta take Burke? ... Gotta. Right?"

"Burke???"

For the first time since the NCAA Tournament, I got goosebumps. As someone who watched 90 percent of Burke's Michigan games, I am well aware of what the Columbus, Ohio, native is capable of and how his game will translate to the next level. I have watched his Grantland NBA Job Interview video and become even more convinced.

The clock hits zero. The pick is in. The Commish approaches the lectern.

8:24pm
"With the eighth pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, the Detroit Pistons select Kant..."

What? 

Why?

How?

I don't need to hear the full name, just the "K" instead of the "T." Dumars has done the unthinkable. Dumars has outthought himself. Later, he will explain, "This isn't a popularity contest." Well, no S%@t! The GM, my favorite player, the man who brought that amazing 2004 championship to the Motor City, who had been forgiven for so long for that Darko pick and then — to a lesser extent — for those horrible Ben Gordon and Charlie V. signings, has done this.

It isn't about the guy he has drafted. From what I've seen and read, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is a knockdown shooter who brings size and defense to the shooting guard position — although you can't omit the fact that he played on a dismal Georgia team in an attrocious SEC last year. 

But forget that. KCP might end up a decent or even good pro. He might be the shooting guard the Pistons have been lacking since the Rip Hamilton days. Who knows. Time will tell. 

He's no Trey Burke, though. He's no leader. He's no backbone of a team.

Who's going to "lead" the Pistons back to the playoffs and then deep into the postseason? Brandon Knight? Greg Monroe?

Please.

8:31pm
I'm lying on the hardwood floor of Sam's bachelor pad, the juice sucked out of me. There's still plenty of drama in the room. Our "How many top 10 picks will thank God?" in their Shane Battier interview bet is coming down to the wire. So is our "Last guy left in the Green Room" bet. 

But bets can only momentarily take my mind off what just occurred.

"What an absolute disgrace, Pistons," my fingers type on Facebook. I instantly garner four "likes." Friends quickly start posting that they're done with the team, done with Dumars. I, for one, haven't paid much attention to the franchise since moving to D.C. in 2009. After all, I've got the Wizards to follow. One can only pay attention to so many lowly NBA teams. 

I was ready to buy the NBA package for the upcoming season, to become fully engrossed in Pistons basketball again. Now, forget it. 

8:38pm
I take off the Dumars jersey, which is quickly donned by my late-arriving friend, Don. He can have it, for all I care. I slip on a 76ers Stackhouse jersey. Now there's a team that knows how to draft, having turned the No. 11 pick into Noel, Michael Carter-Williams and a 2014 first-round pick from New Orleans — all for just Jrue Holiday.

8:48pm
Twitter is alive with NBA news — it also ruins the drama of watching the draft — and I quickly learn that Minnesota's No. 9 pick of Burke was for Utah, which gave up the No. 14 and 21 picks for their point guard of the future. I feel better that Burke's heading to a good situation in Salt Lake City where he'll be the guy from Day 1 and have pieces around him in Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap.

Still, Dumars' decision burns. 

9:40pm
It's official, I learn from Twitter. I'll be rooting for the Utah Jazz and New York Knicks next season (yes, the Knicks who have taken Michigan's other prospect, Tim Hardaway Jr., with the 24th pick). I love the beaming smile of coach John Beilein, who has soaked in every minute of his career's first two first-round draft choices. He's in Brooklyn and he's having the night of his life. 

It's a great night for Michigan basketball, which is not to be overlooked. It's been an incredible past few months, and an amazing journey the past few years, from a program in the dumps to one now considered elite. Another great recruiting class is coming in, Michigan is primed for another run at titles next year, and Beilein is doing everything the right way.

If only he could have been in Joe D's ear. Problem is, Beilein isn't the type of guy to incessantly talk about his guys. He's not Calipari. Or even John Thompson III. He'll let Burke's play and Burke's interviews — same for THJ — do the talking. 

12:07am
I walk in the door, back home, finally, from a long night of draft coverage. I've just received this text from Don: "Pistons take Siva, adding salt to the wound." I shake my head, smirking. Oh, what a night. The Pistons have just wrapped up the 2013 NBA Draft by selecting Louisville's Peyton Siva, the point guard that beat Burke in the national title game (and also had his layup attempt smothered by Burke late in that game, although it was ridiculously called a foul).

It's time for bed. The Bill Simmons-Doc Rivers feud has given me something to momentarily take the focus off Joe D.'s decision. But it won't take much over the coming weeks, months and years to remind me of this draft. 

I'll be watching a lot more Utah basketball than Detroit basketball in the near future. 

I guess I'll have to buy a Jazz jersey, too. 

2013 NBA Draft preview: My top guys, my busts

 Well, this is fun.

In the handful of years that I've closely followed the NBA, I can't remember the order of picks being so murky within 24 hours of showtime.

Cleveland hasn't made any indications about whom they'll take with the No. 1 pick. Or even if they'll keep the pick (they already failed to land Kevin Love through a trade, reportedly). Apparently, they're torn between two injured big men — Nerlens Noel (Achiles, out until at least December) and Alex Len (stress fracture, out four months).

Injured big men!! Exciting!!

Well, no.

Bottom line: Any smart team won't risk a high pick on either guy. Plus, there's the fact that Noel's a 209-pound center (!!). I think Len might be a decent pro, but he's not a No. 1 pick and he won't have the most successful career of guys in this draft.

As a basketball junkie and someone who watched a ton of college hoops (including every Michigan game), let me make the case for my top prospects:

1) Trey Burke, Michigan
The Chris Paul comparison is legitimate. Burke is the same size, has a longer wingspan, is a great shooter, a solid defender, and was the best pick-and-roll player in the nation last year. The pick-and-roll is kind of important in the NBA. But his intangibles are just as important. From closely following his two years at Michigan, I know that he's a fierce competitor, a guy who won't let his team lose, a leader, and a player who lives with a chip on his shoulder. Burke will write down the guys drafted ahead of him and make sure he outperforms them on the court and in the weight room, where he'll continue to get stronger to mold himself after the point guard he compares himself to most.

2) Victor Oladipo, Indiana
If you don't know about Oladipo's athleticism, just watch his missed dunk against Michigan in February. It was the most epic missed dunk of all time. We know this: Oladipo will bring a swagger and immense competitiveness to his team. He'll also play great defense. I can't wait to see him getting in Dwyane Wade's grill. He could become a really good pro if he can become consistent offensively (something he struggled with late this past season).

3) Otto Porter, Georgetown
They're calling him the complete package, but I wonder about the soft-spoken forward. For instance, if he ends up on a bad team (say, Orlando), how much will he assert himself offensively? In this way, he's probably a bit similar to Kawhi Leonard, who's been blessed with a great situation in San Antonio and thrived there as his role has grown. We do know this: Porter won't cause any drama, will play hard on both ends, and will work hard to get better. That's saying something.

4) C.J. McCollum, Lehigh
I LOVE McCollum. Yes, he played in the Patriot League. As a frequent visitor to Bender Arena on American's campus, I can attest to how awful the league is. But then there's the gem game McCollum had against Duke in that epic 2012 NCAA Tournament upset. And there's the greatest Grantland NBA Draft Interview of them all, in which McCollum was spewing NBA knowledge on Bill Simmons and Jalen Rose. The guy knows the game, he knows players' tendencies, and he's got swagger. I would love to have him on my team. Um, Pistons...

OK, bust time...

1) Ben McLemore, Kansas
Listen, McLemore is a good kid. But he's not smart, and he's going to be in over his head in this league. This is a kid who disappeared from games as a freshman on a team of upperclassmen. In the NBA, he'll be on a team with players 2, 3, 6, 8, 13 years older than him! Obviously, he's very talented and has a pure shot, but unless he ends up on a San Antonio or Miami with veteran mentors (not happening), he's going to struggle adjusting to NBA life.

2) Michael Carter-Williams, Syracuse
The guy can't shoot. The guy turned the ball over, as a tall point guard, on over 20 of his offensive possessions. And some consider him a better point guard prospect than Burke? Preposterous! Height can only take you so far. And although he has 5 inches on Burke, his wingspan is only 2 inches longer.

3) Shabazz Muhammed
Stay away from Shabazz. Period. Here's a guy who could have cleared the air before draft night, admitting he made mistakes during his freshman year (and only year) at UCLA. Instead, he doesn't seem to understand he was in the wrong (and never corrected his father's age scam). He's also one-dimensional — just a scorer. Spending a lottery pick on a low-character guy who doesn't prioritize defense and rebounding is foolish

A few others I like
1) Shane Larkin, Miami: Excelled as PG in one of the top leagues. Great pick-and-roll player.
2) Tim Hardaway Jr., Michigan: Yes, I'm biased. But NBA strong, picture-perfect shot, good rebounder.
3) Gorgui Dieng, Louisville: National champion. Great shot blocker. Will be very solid role guy.

Tomorrow night will be unpredictable from start to finish. And no books will be written on most of these guys for a few years. There's no superstar here, either. But that won't diminish the excitement or the drama of the night.

And don't sleep on Burke. Just ask anyone who played Michigan this year.

Michigan basketball: Oh, what a journey it has been!

As I sit here this Sunday morning still wearing my long-sleeved maize Michigan basketball shirt, which is dirtier than an Elijah Johnson closed-fist to the groin, I'm at a loss for words.

How can I explain the journey? How can I come to grips with the fact — the fantastic fact — that the Michigan basketball team, the team I care about most deeply, is playing for a national championship tomorrow night in Atlanta?

It's been 20 years since this occurred, and we all know — and try, in vain, to forget — what transpired in the Wolverines' last national championship game. But my overall memory of that 1993 team and, heck, of the Fab Five pales deeply in comparison with how I'll remember this team.

I was 9 years old in 1993. My family didn't even have a TV in our house. If I wanted to watch the games, I walked through our backyard garden and joined our neighbor Nelly, a woman in her 90s who shared with me a passion for sports.

The night of the championship, my Dad took me and a couple friends to Crisler Arena (now named Crisler Center). I vaguely recall the din, the place packed to the brim, the cheerleaders, how loud it was until, well, you know. I clearly remember the drive back home down, feeling devastated and hearing the blaring siren of a fire truck that was, no doubt, on its way to extinguish the heatbreak.

Those magical Fab Five years were special, but for me, they have nothing on this era of Michigan basketball. My memories from this Michigan team — regardless of tomorrow's outcome — and the journey that has led to this point will live on forever in the large sports fan compartment of my brain. 

I will never forget:

• The red-hot start to the season and the handful of times I'd yell out to no one in particular (or, more likely, post on Facebook): "I love this team!"

• Being surprised when Nik Stauskas missed a 3-pointer, because he was so, so money when open, and watching the viral video of him making 45 of 50.

• The evolution of Glenn Robinson III from a terrible alley-oop finisher into one of the best in the country. He couldn't finish an 'oop for the first two months of the season!

• The heartbreak of the Trey Burke miss at Ohio State, the Ben Brust shot at Wisconsin, and, of course, the final 50 seconds in the Big Ten finale against Indiana. 

• And, of course, the Burke 30-footer against Kansas on the Night I Received More Texts Than Ever Before.

But even more than the specific memories or numbers, I will remember this season for two things:

1) The realization that Michigan was once again a top-notch program in the country.

2) Following a coaching staff and players who are impossible not to like.

Way back in November, I was asked by a sportswriter friend to dig into my Michigan basketball memories and pick out A) The low point of the past several years of watching the team, the point when I wondered, 'Are they ever going to get back to being a consistent winning program?'; and B) The game or moment when I knew the Wolverines were headed in the right direction toward a season like this one and postseason like we're experiencing.

This is what I wrote in my response way back in late November:

I'd say the low moment that sticks out is March 3, 2007. It was Tommy Amaker's sixth year, and he had still failed to reach the NCAA Tournament, but a win against No. 1 Ohio State would almost definitely push Michigan over the top. Amaker was coaching for his job. The team was coming off back-to-back wins, including over Michigan State. As you can see from this link (http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/recaps/030307aaa.html), Michigan was up 6 with 4 minutes left but couldn't score again. It was a crushing loss for a fan base that had been waiting for that watershed moment to put the past 10 years in their rearview mirror. Instead, the loss meant another NIT invitation, and Amaker was gone slightly after that. No one knew where the program was going.

As far as knowing when the Wolverines were back, I felt good about the Beilein hire from the start, which was only boosted by the 2009 NCAA Tournament appearance, but I'd say the end of the 2011 season was that time. The 2010 team had been a huge disappointment, which had only been compounded by the losses of Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims.Then the 2011 team started 1-6 in the Big Ten and people were calling for Beilein's head (not I, but many fans). The run that team went on was incredible, starting with the win at Michigan State (I remember sitting in a bar watching that, just waiting ... waiting for the Spartans to take over the game; it was incredible, and was Michigan's first win over the Spartans in football OR basketball in 1,181 days — watch this video at thte 5:44 mark:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=laTDALJlA7k) They won 8 of their last 11 games, demolished Tennessee, then you know how close they came to beating Duke in the second round. Even though they lost that game, I knew when the season concluded that Michigan was back and Beilein had the program going in the right direction.

The journey has been a long one. First there were Amaker's six years of cleaning up the mess that was left behind, but failing to develop players or make the tournament once. I liked the Beilein hire, and just making the 2009 tournament was a huge accomplishment for the program. But the disappointment of 2010 left many people, myself included, wondering where things wer headed. 

The magical run in 2011, while it ended a lot earlier than this year's, was special in its own right. I remember sitting on the edge of my friend's love seat in North Carolina taking in the Wolverines' second-round game against Duke. When Darius Morris' runner in the lane clanked off the back rim, yes, I was disappointed — a team so tantalizingly close to a huge upset, a season over — but I was also giddy with excitement. Right then, I knew Michigan was on its way. I drove the 5 hours home, back to D.C., that Sunday afternoon with a smile on my face.

And now, a mere two years later, Michigan is a game away from the national championship, and I couldn't feel better about rooting for a coaching staff and group of kids. 

How was it possible that national POY Trey Burke had one of his worst offensive games of the season against Syracuse last night, and yet the Wolverines held on? Because this team is about so much more than its leader. Everyone likes each other. Everyone trusts each other. So it was no surprise to Burke, Beielin or anyone when freshman string bean Caris Lavert came out of his offensive funk — he hadn't made a 3-pointer since Feb. 24 — to knock down a pair of triples over the Syracuse zone. And when Burke's backup, Spike Albrecht, did the same, it was just another guy stepping in (Albrecht, by the way, has been near-flawless the entire tournament).

And who didn't feel great for Jordan Morgan, the upperclassman who has lost all his minutes to freshman sensation Mitch McGary, but hasn't whined, hasn't said a single negative thing, and in the waning moments Saturday night at the Georgia Dome slid over — in time, I must add — to take a legitimate charge on Brandon Triche and save the season.

It was only appropriate that it was Morgan who caught Lavert's pass on Michigan's final possession and threw down a barely-above-the-rim, yet game-sealing dunk. 

Back in February, when Michigan had hit perhaps the low point of its season after blowing a 15-point lead at last-place Penn State (an argument could also be made for the blowout loss at Michigan State as hitting rock bottom), Wolverines' walk-ons Corey Person (graduate student) and Josh Bartelstein (senior) called a team-only meeting at Pizza House to let all the players air their grievances. Anyone who's been in a work environment where everyone likes each other can attest to the fact that it's not easy to be critical of each others, but that's what the Wolverines did that evening. 

Thanks to the leadership of two guys who only see the hardwood during warm-ups. 

I want to save some words for after tomorrow night, but  let me close out this series of ruminations with this:

Regardless of what happens next year, or three years from now, with the blue-chip recruits that are coming in and Michigan now in the spotlight, this year's team as well as the teams from the past two years — and the indelible contributions of base-layer-building Zach Novak and Stu Douglass — will also have the most special place in my Michigan basketball heart. 

The leadership of Novak and Douglass laid the foundation for success back when everyone in Ann Arbor was counting down the days until football season. Now Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr. and the rest of the Wolverines have taken us on that magical first season of great success.

The wins will still be sweet in the coming years, but just not quite as memorable and fulfilling as these ones.

Go Blue!