October 21, 2010
Hoops season is upon us and ESPN The Magazine has teamed up with Marvel’s artists to produce 30 “variant covers” illustrating each NBA team and its 2010-2011 outlook for the season. Want to know which teams ESPN’s experts picked?
| Chris Broussard | Ric Bucher | John Hollinger | Jalen Rose | |
| NBA Champ: | Heat | Lakers | Heat | Lakers |
| Runner-Up: | Lakers | Celtics | Lakers | Celtics |
| Right Track: | Bucks | Thunder | Bucks | Bucks |
| Wrong Track: | Raptors | Trail Blazers | Suns | Timberwolves |
| MVP: | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Kevin Durant, Thunder | LeBron James, Heat | Dwight Howard, Magic |
| MIP: | Michael Beasley, Timberwolves | Anthony Randolph, Knicks | Anthony Randolph, Knicks | Ramon Sessions, Cavaliers |
| Rookie of the Year: | John Wall, Wizards | Blake Griffin, Clippers | Blake Griffin, Clippers | John Wall, Wizards |
| Bust: | Evan Turner, 76ers | Evan Turner, 76ers | Ekpe Udoh, Warriors | Evan Turner, 76ers |
Also in the NBA preview, writer Chris Broussard discusses how LeBron James and Chris Bosh’s decision to join Dwyane Wade in Miami could alter the course of the league in the future, allowing for more star-built squads. And… In his first column for The Mag, “Player X”—an anonymous NBA star—writes about how players secretly applauded LeBron’s choice to call the shots this offseason, mainly because it was a welcome change from the usual owner-player dynamic.
NBA Deep-Dive:
This is a Staph Infection
And it’s the secret scourge of locker rooms everywhere. By Ric Bucher
“It will take the death of someone young and high-profile for us to take it as seriously as we should. We haven’t had our Rock Hudson yet,” Grant Hill, Phoenix Suns.
“I Want To Take On Everybody”
Softie. Goofball. Fortunate Son. Chicago center Joakim Noah has made critics eat those words—and the Bulls a team to watch. By Molly Knight
The Art of the Entry Pass
Moving the pill form perimeter to post takes more than a simple toss down low. By Chris Palmer
Next Level: NBA
Shocking discovery! Preseason results matter. (At least in hoops.). By Peter Keating
An Extended Timeout
How citizens of the NBA, from league employees to front office officials, are prepping for the impending lockout. By Ric Bucher
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