Predictions

[vincecarter4pres]

Oh and who's your lock 3 seed?

If you're saying the Pacers, Knix and Nets will battle for the 4, I guess you're inferring 1 through 3 is locked up?

Or you're saying they'll be fighting for say 3 and 4, with the odd team out getting 5?

Cause Heat and the Celtics at the 1 and 2 seed I'm fine with, but I'm struggling to come up with your lock 3 seed if you don't have us, the Pacers or Knix at 3.

Please don't tell me the Magic!

[BadMofoPimp]

Sorry, in my opinion, the Bulls should still get the 3rd spot even with Rose missing 2/3rd of the season.

[SteveNets15]

Sorry, in my opinion, the Bulls should still get the 3rd spot even with Rose missing 2/3rd of the season.

I can't give them the 3rd seed without Rose for most of the season.They also lost a good backup center and pg.I'll give them the respect by giving them a playoff spot but i'm not sure if they'll even make it.Rose could end up missing the entire season if they start off bad.

[N Ireland Nets]

Brooklyn and Celtics to contest the 2nd seed with Pacers and Knicks contesting the 4th spot.

1. Heat
2. Nets
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Knicks
6. Bulls
7. Hawks
8. Sixers

I think Wizards, Cavs and Raptors will be much improved. The Wizards will be dangerous with the veterans they have added. Irving is a legit stud and will lead the Cavs to wins on his own. Raptors are on of the most interesting teams in the East with some real talent added to the roster.

The East is going to be really interesting this season.

[drejeronfire]

Why are people so high on the Hawks?

I honestly think they're going to be atrocious this year. Josh Smith has talent but with nobody to reign him in he's going to shoot the Hawks out of more games than he'll keep them in.

The Hawks have decent pieces but no leader, who is going to step up and lead that team in scoring on a nightly basis?

I'm just not seeing it...

[SteveNets15]

Yea I don't about ATL either but i'll give them a bottom 3 seed in the East for now.

[drejeronfire]

Toronto is a team I really like to be honest. They will have their problems defensively but they have a decent core:

PG: Kyle Lowry
SG: Demar Derozan
SF: Landry Fields
PF: Ed Davis
C: Andrea Bargnani

Other notable players:
PG: Jose Calderon
C: Jonas Valanciunas
SG / SF: Terrence Ross

(Starting lineup could differ from what I posted but I would imagine that's the lineup the Raptors start with until Valanciunas and Ross prove themselves)

[Vinsanity678]

People overrate the **** out of the Pacers because they had a decent series against the Heat. And that was only because of Bosh's injury.

The Pacers do not have any superstar players. We have 1-2. Depending on how well you rate JJ.

The Celtics will not have regular season success. The Bulls will not fare well without Rose. And LOL at the Knicks.

I see the east playing out this way

1. Heat
2. Nets
3. Pacers
4. Celtics
5. Sixers
6. Knicks
7. Pistons
8. Hawks

[Rollydog]

This team could be anything. We don't know. We could win 40 or 60 depending on how things play out. Ideally we're like the 04-07 Pistons, which dominated without a true superstar (tho Deron is probably closer than anyone else)

Their line was Billups, Rip, Prince, and Wallaces with a decent guys off the bench like Dyess and Delfino (who Watson, Brooks, Tele can match IMO).

[vincecarter4pres]

Sorry, in my opinion, the Bulls should still get the 3rd spot even with Rose missing 2/3rd of the season.

Why?

Out of respect lol?

This is prediction and projection, not jail rules so we don't get shanked for talking greezy bout the big bad 1 seed lifers.

They have lost their top 8 in the league superstar til at least March, lost a lot of their depth, signed has been's and knuckleheads and their core are solid but immensely overrated role players who are incredibly injury prone.

Their role players are high level and so perfect to surround a top player with or to catch that one time lightening in a bottle without their star and leader and truck on just like they did last year, but another year of that with all the subtractions they've made, all the likely inevitable games missed, they're not going to play like that again at a 50 something win clip.

It will probably take 40 to 43 wins to snag the 8 seed next year and that's right about their high mark without Rose for all but 10 to 20 games.

Think about it, even if Rose comes back the first week of March, he isn't going to be better then 70 or 80 percent and is a player that lean's sumo wrestler heavy on his athleticism.

[vincecarter4pres]

Why are people so high on the Hawks?

I honestly think they're going to be atrocious this year. Josh Smith has talent but with nobody to reign him in he's going to shoot the Hawks out of more games than he'll keep them in.

The Hawks have decent pieces but no leader, who is going to step up and lead that team in scoring on a nightly basis?

I'm just not seeing it...

One of the main reasons I can see them missing the playoffs, other then they have no one at the 3 or really the 2, is that Smith or/and Horford maybe moved at the deadline and they're not going to be so good where they have a big lead built up by then.

They also have a lot of duplicate combo guards running the point including an epic chucker in Lou Williams, a signing which was a complete head scratcher.


I agree about the leader point though, it's a good one.


You do have to think they have a roster that's screaming for a big time shakeup trade though and an early trade at that, not a deadline one. Whether that trade is a complete blowup or just a talent for talent type swap waits to be seen though.


Also, me personally, I see them as the 7 or 8 seed even if they make it mainly off talent and front court depth.

[elcanis]

personally, i believe that after the #1 seed, the east is WIDE open. after the heat, there are questions with every team. the nets can realistically be anywhere in 2-8.

i predicted 3 assuming that every team maintains full health throughout the season (unlikely, but saying that a team may not do well because of an injury risk is foolish because anyone can get injured).

[drejeronfire]

Why are people so high on the Hawks?

I honestly think they're going to be atrocious this year. Josh Smith has talent but with nobody to reign him in he's going to shoot the Hawks out of more games than he'll keep them in.

The Hawks have decent pieces but no leader, who is going to step up and lead that team in scoring on a nightly basis?

I'm just not seeing it...

One of the main reasons I can see them missing the playoffs, other then they have no one at the 3 or really the 2, is that Smith or/and Horford maybe moved at the deadline and they're not going to be so good where they have a big lead built up by then.

They also have a lot of duplicate combo guards running the point including an epic chucker in Lou Williams, a signing which was a complete head scratcher.


I agree about the leader point though, it's a good one.


You do have to think they have a roster that's screaming for a big time shakeup trade though and an early trade at that, not a deadline one. Whether that trade is a complete blowup or just a talent for talent type swap waits to be seen though.


Also, me personally, I see them as the 7 or 8 seed even if they make it mainly off talent and front court depth.

I don't know... Look at their wings:

- Anthony Morrow
- Louis Williams
- Kyle Korver
- John Jenkins
- Deshawn Stevension

In the right system a number of those guys have value, but as starters alongside one another... It's just not going to cut it.

If the Hawks make a move to upgrade at SG / SF I think they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs (his value is !@#$ but maybe they could flip Devin Harris again?), but their roster reminds me too much of the **** the Nets threw out these last few years...

[SteveNets15]

Why are people so high on the Hawks?

I honestly think they're going to be atrocious this year. Josh Smith has talent but with nobody to reign him in he's going to shoot the Hawks out of more games than he'll keep them in.

The Hawks have decent pieces but no leader, who is going to step up and lead that team in scoring on a nightly basis?

I'm just not seeing it...

One of the main reasons I can see them missing the playoffs, other then they have no one at the 3 or really the 2, is that Smith or/and Horford maybe moved at the deadline and they're not going to be so good where they have a big lead built up by then.

They also have a lot of duplicate combo guards running the point including an epic chucker in Lou Williams, a signing which was a complete head scratcher.


I agree about the leader point though, it's a good one.


You do have to think they have a roster that's screaming for a big time shakeup trade though and an early trade at that, not a deadline one. Whether that trade is a complete blowup or just a talent for talent type swap waits to be seen though.


Also, me personally, I see them as the 7 or 8 seed even if they make it mainly off talent and front court depth.

I don't know... Look at their wings:

- Anthony Morrow
- Louis Williams
- Kyle Korver
- John Jenkins
- Deshawn Stevension

In the right system a number of those guys have value, but as starters alongside one another... It's just not going to cut it.

If the Hawks make a move to upgrade at SG / SF I think they have a legitimate shot at making the playoffs (his value is !@#$ but maybe they could flip Devin Harris again?), but their roster reminds me too much of the **** the Nets threw out these last few years...

Yea i was just thinking how much of a difference it made when we lost VC.Just the attention that a player like VC or JJ draws has a huge effect on the whole team.