RealGM

4. Indiana Pacers (2012-13 finish: 3rd)

Why not higher on this list? While the Bulls added Rose and the Nets revamped their roster, the Pacers won't look appreciably different from their 2012-13 squad. Danny Granger's return could help, but he has been in decline for a few seasons now and that was before a balky left knee gave him a lost season in 2012-13.

There are legitimate questions whether Roy Hibbert and Paul George can maintain their breakthrough performances in the playoffs, but the duo is young enough to produce an encore. They'll need it to continue the franchise's upward trend.

-Tom Haberstroh

From a motivational standpoint, I appreciate guys like him who put the Nets and Bulls ahead of us. We might only get the 3rd or 4th seed. But come playoff time, we will be no worse than the 2nd best team in the East.

I love these expert writers. Keeps us "under the radar" so to speak and simply motivates us even more.
Great work (not).

glasket wrote:I love these expert writers. Keeps us "under the radar" so to speak and simply motivates us even more.
Great work (not).

.
I agree they always doubt the pacers never give them a chance really never any national TV games cause they say no one wants to watch the Pacers its just a shame..

Not bad. I like the Pacers to be the underdog anyways.

I've also seen some with us 2nd in East and 3rd overall behind only the Heat and the Spurs.

as for Danny declining before his injury, these are guys who watched very few Pacer games. his stats may have declined but that wasn't because he wasn't playing as well. it was because the team was better and he didn't have to do everything himself.

These commentators are just making the popular prediction; with flawed logic. In general terms its easy to predict a team with future and current stars will be good but much harder to predict potential and growth. A large consensus had the Lakers being better than they were last season but were wrong. While very few predicted the Warriors surge. The Pacers are still considered to have unknowns in the eye of the media bc they don't watch them for 82 games. The Nets have an all-star lineup from 2010-11; so its easy to assume they will be great. But a team like Cleveland could be a better team than the Nets and no one will see that coming.
The East will be a tougher conference this season.
My prediction
Miami
Indiana
Chicago
Cleveland (Irving's and Bynum's health will be huge factors here)
Brooklyn
NYK
Detroit
Washington (Big if is Wall and Nene's health)

It's fair enough I suppose, these guys make a living making rubbish predictions. But frankly, if we made fourth in the East I'd be satisfied. It is the play-offs that matter and we can take all of the teams ranked above us to the wire at least,

Still, I think we will end up second in the conference on the basis of Vogel really putting his stamp on the team now.

I really think people are overestimating both New York teams, I still think a team like the Wizards could turn out to be the surprise package of the season in the East.

I think we can finish anywhere betweeen 1 and 4.

Time to re-rank.

Thinking exactly the same!

Miller4ever wrote:

4. Indiana Pacers (2012-13 finish: 3rd)

...the Pacers won't look appreciably different from their 2012-13 squad.

LOL, they've completely retooled their bench, AND upgraded what was already one of the league's best starting fives.

The Scola trade seals the deal. Now the Copeland pickup makes sense. This team is loaded and I can't wait to see them play.

Heat are thin and Wade's knees aren't getting any better.

Net's are old. Injuries will cost them a couple spots that they cant afford.

Bull's are a real wild card. Fun team. Scrappy, talented.
BUT: to be elite - they must rely on a guy comming off a major surgery to be a top 15 player in the league.
That's tuff.

Pacer's are the best team in the East on paper.
Big! Experience. Not too old. Lot's of talent. Depth to spare. Hungry. Solid coaching. Just no real weaknesses.

1. Pacers.
2. Heat. Last go round... for the primo ME guys. They WILL NOT play through adversity.
3. Nets.Some Nights these guys will SLAY you. Not often enough to overtake. Injuries to oldsters will hurt them.
4. Bulls. Tuffest call. If Rose is Rose the formidable core will outlast the geriatric Net's. Derrick's game is primarily being the quickest, bounciest dude on the floor. He's playin' with the best athletes in the world. God bless him! Hope he get's 90% back.... sometime. It's a freakin' show and he's a good dude. I don't see him bein' a world beater this year.