New Year's Resolutions For All 30 NBA Teams
Just like we did for Halloween, and then again for Thanksgiving, seeing as how we have another holiday on the horizon on Tuesday, it’s time to look at each team and see what their New Years Resolution should be. Some are entering 2019 feeling great, others are hoping a new year means a new look and that things will be better. Some will be making goals that may seem crazy now but who isn’t overly optimistic heading into the new year? We all tell ourselves things will change and they rarely do, but for these teams let’s hope that’s not the case.
Atlanta Hawks
Get back into the top 3 in the race for Zion (or RJ Barrett, whatever you get the point). As of now there are four other teams with a worse winning percentage than the Hawks, and that’s a tough pill to swallow for a team that is actively tanking. Their goal should be stop playing teams so close (by tanking standards) and be more like the Knicks.
Boston Celtics
Consistency, ever heard of it? For a team that’s 12th in offense, 4th in defense, 4th in net rating, yet things still feel off. That’s because for whatever reason in 2018 they have not been able to find legit consistency. One week they look great, the next they seem to forget how to play basketball the second Kyrie comes off the floor. Please, for the love of God, find some consistency in 2019.
Brooklyn Nets
Make the playoffs. Simple as that. As of now the Nets sit just 0.5 games out of the 8 spot, they’re 9-1 over their last 10, and seeing as how they’re doing it without a main piece in Caris LeVert, it’s time to see this team make the top 8. They haven’t made it since the 2014-15 season, but this just might be the year they find a way in.
Charlotte Hornets
This is a tie between making sure to give Kemba the bag, and also to figure out how the hell to win on the road. The Hornets are just 4-10 on the road so far this season which is the fewest road wins of any current playoff team. Find a way to be around .500 on the road in the new year and we could also see their 3 year playoff drought snapped.
Chicago Bulls
Get Baby Dirk more shots. Lauri Markkenen has been awesome since coming back from injury, he’s taking about 15 FGA a night and I’d like to see that number even higher. Who cares about wins at this point, the Bulls are tanking, so I’d like to see his FGA be around 18-20 a night.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Find a trade partner for Kevin Love. I mean why not? They rewarded him with his loyalty by giving him that massive extension, now do him a favor and trade him to a contender and get some pieces for your rebuild.
Dallas Mavericks
Much like CHA, the Mavs goal for 2019 should be to not be the worst road team in the NBA. Just 2-14 on the road so far this season, this is the main reason they are not a playoff team. Oh, and I also wouldn’t hate if they were able to convince Dirk to keep playing because I need Dirk to be playing forever.
Denver Nuggets
Make the Western Conference Finals. They’ve been one of the best teams in the West all year, they have depth, they’ll be getting guys back in 2019, if they want to be considered for real, they have to make the Conference Finals. It’s a lofty goal, sort of like how you’re going to lose all that weight starting Monday, but they should be setting their sights high.
Detroit Pistons
Make the playoffs. Listen this team has enough talent to get this done, so really there’s no excuse. Blake is playing at an All Star/fringe MVP level, Drummond is a walking double double, they have a good coach, there is really no excuse. They’ve made the playoffs just once since the 2008-09 season, so let’s see if they can make that happen.
Golden State Warriors
Try to stay awake until June.
Houston Rockets
Finish top 4 in the West. This is going to be tough because their defense still kinda stinks. Paul being hurt doesn’t help, but they’ve certainly been able to turn around their season as we approach the end of 2018. Show you can get close to the defensive group we saw last year, and they should give themselves a chance. Even with their stretch of better play, they are still 13th in Drtg.
Indiana Pacers
Win a playoff round. In the last 4 seasons, the Pacers either missed the playoffs or they lost in round one. Well they are absolutely legit this season, and it seems like they’ve figured out how to use Myles Turner who has been on fire lately. Now it’s time to see them actually advance in the postseason. They should have a top 4 seed when it all shakes out, so I don’t think this is a crazy expectation for them to at least see the second round.
LA Clippers
Keep everyone healthy. Did you know Gallo has already played 34 games? For a player that has played over 60 games just once in the past 6 seasons, that’s a pretty big deal. He’s having a career year for the Clippers so they need to find a way to keep him healthy.
LA Lakers
Convince the Pelicans to give LeBron what he wants in Anthony Davis before other teams can join the discussion.
Memphis Grizzlies
End the year with a middle of the pack offense. You see the Grizzlies are already elite on one end of the floor. They currently hold the 5th best defense in the league. Their issue is offensively they are pretty bad. Like 26th in the league bad. If they can get to I dunno, like 17th or 16th in the league over the second half of the season, or at least play at that level over the half 40+ games, they’ll not only get back to the playoffs but they’ll be a real tough out.
Miami Heat
Not be terrible at home. At 7-10 currently they are the only team in the top 8 in the East that is below .500 at home. You would think this one would be pretty easy to achieve, and I wanted to set the bar low because the Heat really just need a win.
Milwaukee Bucks
Make the Finals. You want to show you’ve taken a legit step forward? You may have the MVP of the entire league? Make the Finals. The Bucks own the best differential in the NBA, the best net rating, and they have legit depth and high end talent. Time to put it together when it matters.
Minnesota Timberwolves
Make the playoffs in back to back seasons for the first time since 2003-04. As of now they sit 2.5 games out of the final spot so it’s not going to be easy, they have to learn how to play some sort of defense, but that would be my goal. Show Jimmy Butler you didn’t really need him and do something not done since the KG days.
New Orleans Pelicans
It’s a tie between
A). Get enough for Anthony Davis
B). Stop dicking around and win games so that Davis wants to stay.
As of now the Pelicans are 15-20, so you should have some sort of idea of which way I’m leaning.
New York Knicks
Zion. That’s it. That’s the goal for 2019. Or RJ Barrett, whatever. Just one of those two.
Oklahoma City Thunder
Figure out a way to save Russell Westbrook’s shot. The good news is he’s learning how to defer to his teammates more. The bad news is he’s shooting 42%-24%-61%. That’s pretty shitty. In 2019 they need to figure out a way to at least get him to his career averages of 43%-30%-81%.
Orlando Magic
Get a great return for Nikola Vucevic. The Magic already drafted their frontcourt of the future, Vucevic is having an awesome year and is an expiring deal, it’s time to maximize that return. Also it gives us more Mo Bamba which I am ready to see.
Philadelphia Sixers
Make the Conference Finals. You want me to believe that things are different now? That now the Sixers have the firepower to win when it actually matters against actual good teams? Show me. The Sixers are just 2-6 against BOS/TOR/MIL/IND so far this season, so maybe 2019 should start with actually consistently beating those teams.
Phoenix Suns
Stay committed to Devin Booker at point guard. In his last six since coming back from injury and playing that point guard position, he’s been awesome. Averaging 30.7 points, 8 assists, and 5.3 rebounds over that span, maybe the Suns don’t need to trade for a guard because they have their point guard on the roster.
Portland Trail Blazers
Play any sort of defense. The Blazers give up 110 a night, have the 19th ranked defense in the league, and that’s really been their achilles heel over the last few seasons. Offensively they can hang with pretty much anyone, but they often times can’t stop a nosebleed. Finish the season as an above average defensive team and they’ll probably find themselves in top 4 in the West contention.
Sacramento Kings
Make the playoffs. Some might say the Kings season is already a success given how good they’ve looked. Why not take that next step wayyyyy before anyone thought you would and make the playoffs for the first time since 2005-06.
San Antonio Spurs
Get back to being the Spurs. It’s weird to see this team 5-11 on the road, it’s weird to see them with a 6th ranked offense but a 19th ranked defense. They scratched and clawed their way back into playoff contention, so I’d like to see them get back to their SA roots. If this team can have an average defense, they’ll be a tough out for someone come the Spring.
Toronto Raptors
Make the Finals. You have the best record in the NBA, Kawhi is playing at an MVP level, you have the best bench in the NBA, there’s no LeBron boogeyman, it’s time to make the Finals.
Utah Jazz
Improve Donovan Mitchell’s efficiency. While he’s still averaging the same points as last year, Mitchell has taken a step back so far in terms of efficiency. His splits are down to 41/29%, and seeing as how he takes 18 FGA a night, that’s an issue. As a result the Jazz have the 22nd ranked offense in the league, and that’s unfortunate because their defense is still elite. Find a way to get him to improve his shot and they should fight for a playoff spot after making it the past two seasons.
Washington Wizards
Make the playoffs. Is that too aggressive for a team that’s currently 13-22? Maybe. But with a healthy Beal/Wall this team still has talent so why shouldn’t that be their goal? They’re a full 4 games back as it stands today so it’s going to take a massive run, but unless they plan on blowing this team up, their goal for 2019 should be making the top 8.
Some of these are more aggressive than others, but you have to dream big in the new year. Sure most of these teams will just give up after a few weeks like we all do when we make resolutions, but don’t think about that negativity right now. 2019 is going to be a great year for your favorite basketball team, you just have to believe.