Philadelphia, PA (My Sportsbook) - With 2004 just around the corner, here are some New Year's resolutions for some coaches, players and teams in the NBA.
BOSTON CELTICS - A return to the glory days of Celtic past.
Current head of basketball operations Danny Ainge will not make anymore trades like the ones he made with Dallas and Cleveland, which saw him ship Antoine Walker to the Mavericks and bring Ricky Davis to Beantown from the Cavaliers.
The former Celtic guard Ainge will remember what it was like when the Celtics were an NBA powerhouse and will acquire the type of character and skilled players that helped Boston win championships.
LARRY BROWN - Not to threaten Detroit management that he is going to quit as its head coach after the Pistons are eliminated in the postseason.
In the two previous seasons, Detroit won consecutive Central Division titles and registered back-to-back 50-win seasons under Rick Carlisle. But Pistons' management decided to fire Carlisle and replace him with Brown, who left the Philadelphia 76ers after six seasons as the team's vice president of basketball operations and head coach.
Season after season, rumors of Brown's departure from Philadelphia surfaced until it became a reality after the 76ers fell in six games to the Pistons in the Eastern Conference semis.
Brown, who signed a lucrative five-year deal with the Pistons, is aware of the fact that he was brought in to get Detroit to the next level. The Pistons will not represent the Eastern Conference in NBA Finals this season and Brown will realize there is more work to do in Detroit than he originally thought and will attack the challenge instead of complaining that maybe he is not the right man for the job.
TIM DUNCAN - Lead the Spurs to their second straight NBA title.
The 27-year-old Duncan is once again playing like an All-Star and San Antonio is performing like the team that defeated the New Jersey Nets in six games in last year's NBA Finals to capture its second championship in five years.
Duncan knows that the Spurs will only go as far as he takes them. He is arguably the best player in the NBA and barring any injuries can win his third championship in his seven seasons in the league.
LEBRON JAMES - Keep giving Cleveland fans a reason to buy a ticket.
The 18-year-old James, who was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, is the real deal. He is an exciting and explosive player. He can handle the rock, pass, rebound, score and even put down some thunderous dunks.
The Cleveland franchise is not quite ready to be a winner, but with James, it is headed in the right direction. Watching James play is worth the price of admission. He is awesome now and is only going to get better.
Cleveland fans are lucky!
INDIANA PACERS - A berth in the NBA Finals.
The Pacers are the cream of the crop in the Eastern Conference. New head coach Rick Carlisle is doing a great job, power forward Jermaine O'Neal is performing like one of the best players in the league and Ron Artest is playing like an All-Star and has kept his temper in check.
Carlisle has the Pacers playing unselfish basketball and O'Neal can carry a team on his back. Indiana is strong in every aspect of the game and will play in the NBA Finals for the second time in the last five seasons.
PAUL PIERCE - To get the Celtics into the playoffs.
Pierce is once again having an awesome year for Boston. With Antoine Walker gone, the Kansas product is the only real scoring threat on the Celtics' roster. Without him, Boston would be in big trouble, and that could be the understatement of the year.
The 26-year-old Pierce will continue to shine and will get the Celtics into the postseason for the third consecutive season.
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS - Re-structure their roster with talented NBA players that have character.
Trouble continues to surface in Portland. Zach Randolph was the latest player to have a brush with the law. The power forward was arrested on December 2nd for driving under the influence of intoxicants. This is just the latest incident of many that have seen Blazers' players in the news in a negative light.
This team has problems and it seems like the only cure is to get rid of the bad seeds. On December 3rd, Portland general manager John Nash dealt talented swingman Bonzi Wells to Memphis for reserve Wesley Person, a conditional first-round pick in the 2004 NBA Draft and cash considerations. Prior to the trade, Wells had been stripped of his team captaincy and suspended for two games by the Blazers after he cursed at head coach Maurice Cheeks.
One gone, how many more to follow? Nash will re-shape the Portland roster and with the help of Cheeks will acquire talented players who will be good citizens and give Blazers' fans a team that they can be proud of.
SCOTT SKILES - To have the patience to endure a lot of losing in Chicago.
"I'm very excited to join the Chicago Bulls organization. It's a challenge that I look forward to and I am eager to get at it," Skiles said after he was officially hired by Chicago on November 28.
Just days after hiring Skiles, Chicago dealt swingman Jalen Rose, who was arguably their best player, and forwards Donyell Marshall and Lonny Baxter to the Toronto Raptors for aging center Antonio Davis and forwards Jerome Williams and Chris Jefferies.
The Bulls have a nice young nucleus with Tyson Chandler and Eddy Curry, but the winning days of yesterday are a distant memory and it is still difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Skiles is going to need that patience to survive in Chicago.
ISIAH THOMAS - Give Knicks' fans a reason to be excited about the future of basketball in New York.
Thomas, who won two NBA championships as a player with Detroit, was introduced on Monday as New York's new team president after Scott Layden was fired. The former part-owner of the Toronto Raptors and head coach of the Indiana Pacers took over a team with salary cap concerns.
The former NBA great will figure out creative ways to open up space on the salary cap and will make trades that will bring in hard-nosed players that are winners. New York fans will be excited when they watch a team with Isiah's stamp on it.
RASHEED WALLACE - No more technical fouls. Just kidding!
