Which among the East Top 7 will disappoint the most?

[asero]

There has to be one as this is the NBA.
Last year, almost everyone projected the Hornets to make the playoffs but they cracked in January. Opposite can be said or Portland as they managed to gets their acts together post all-star.

This year, 7 teams are pretty much locked to make the playoffs. As for the sixers, well, we are divided on how their season will go.

So who do you think will disappoint?

[RightToCensor]

Off this list, Charlotte has the best chance of making the lottery.

[TravisScott55]

I think Miami will take a step back.

[Cappy_Smurf]

The Celtics finished 1st last year and pretty much rebuilt their entire team. Anything other than 1st is going to be a disappointment for them, and I think there's a good chance they fail to live up to the hype.

[Drax]

The Celtics finished 1st last year and pretty much rebuilt their entire team. Anything other than 1st is going to be a disappointment for them, and I think there's a good chance they fail to live up to the hype.

Great statement, in two sentences you made the point and counterpoint for why the Cs season is a failure or success. As a Celtics fan this season is a success if one of Tatum, Brown or Smart break out to become a third option or better. I could care less about the seeding rather then the development of our draft picks. Because if they click we have a great core group of guys for years to come.

[Mamba4Goat]

Hate me all you want, but I voted for Cleveland.

[LloydFree]

The Celtics will have a worse Regular season record than last year because of roster turnover and much less depth. I don't see any of the other teams as having gotten worse, so I'd have to say the Celtics.

[BdeRegt]

I picked the Bucks. I think they will make the playoffs but I don't think they are going to jump into the top 4 like most predict or be any threat. I love Giannis but he has flaws and the roster isn't great around him. Jabari's health is a big risk. I still like Boston/CLE/WAS/TOR more.

[chrisab123]

I didn't even have to vote to know that the Celtics were leading this poll. General Board still loathes this one team.

[Lilseb93]

I think Miami will take a step back.

I don't see them being worse than 41-41 (their record last year).

[LookToShoot]

I don't know, doesn't matter anyway. Now that Melo is gone I want the Porzingis super fans to not have anymore excuses. I want to see your guy average 30 pts 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. I want to witness this greatness.

[Gant]

The Celtics will have a worse Regular season record than last year because of roster turnover and much less depth. I don't see any of the other teams as having gotten worse, so I'd have to say the Celtics.

On the Celtics depth:

Last season's starters: Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Amir Johnson, Horford.
Regular minute bench: Smart, Olynyk, Brown, Rozier, Jerebko

Spot players: Green, Zeller

Didn't really play: Young, Mickey, Jackson


This year's guess on starters*: Irving, Brown, Hayward, Morris, Horford
Regular minute bench?*: Smart, Baynes, Tatum, Rozier, Theis, Ojeleye

Spot or nonplayers?: Larkin, Yabusele, Nader

It doesn't look like there's less depth. With expected improvement from Smart and Rozier, and with Tatum probably having a better rookie year than Brown did, their bench actually looks improved.


(* No one knows who will actually start and come off the bench yet.)

[Childs]

I can understand the Raptors. So much depends on our young guys developing right with Wright, Siakam, Poetl.

[Tai]

I'll say this as a Celtics fan; I didn't love the trade, so what I'm assuming is that most of the votes for the Celtics reflect that. That said, I highly doubt they fall outta the top 3 in the conference.

[giberish]

The Celtics will have a worse Regular season record than last year because of roster turnover and much less depth. I don't see any of the other teams as having gotten worse, so I'd have to say the Celtics.

On the Celtics depth:

Last season's starters: Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Amir Johnson, Horford.
Regular minute bench: Smart, Olynyk, Brown, Rozier, Jerebko

Spot players: Green, Zeller

Didn't really play: Young, Mickey, Jackson


This year's guess on starters*: Irving, Brown, Hayward, Morris, Horford
Regular minute bench?*: Smart, Baynes, Tatum, Rozier, Theis, Ojeleye

Spot or nonplayers?: Larkin, Yabusele, Nader

It doesn't look like there's less depth. With expected improvement from Smart and Rozier, and with Tatum probably having a better rookie year than Brown did, their bench actually looks improved.


(* No one knows who will actually start and come off the bench yet.)

Last season Boston had 7 guys capable of starter-quality play: Thomas/Smart/Bradley/Crowder/Olynyk/Amir/Horford. They didn't need that many minutes from the rest.

This year Boston looks to have 5: Irving/Smart/Hayward/Morris/Horford. After that I'm not sure that they've got anyone who would be as good as Olynyk.

Rozier and Baynes are very meh, Brown was quite poor overall last year so he'd need to improve a lot, and Tatum - like all very young rookies - is at best likely to be interesting but bad. Expecting high drafted young players too be good quickly is a common mistake - even the guys who hit usually take a few years to transition to being good. If Irving/Hayward/Horford have health issues Boston could have real problems.

[chrisab123]

I'll say this as a Celtics fan; I didn't love the trade, so what I'm assuming is that most of the votes for the Celtics reflect that. That said, I highly doubt they fall outta the top 3 in the conference.

It's got nothing to do with that. Celtics could have the Warriors roster and people would still pick them 4th or 5th in the East. It's just a big anti Boston board.

[Duke4life831]

The Celtics will have a worse Regular season record than last year because of roster turnover and much less depth. I don't see any of the other teams as having gotten worse, so I'd have to say the Celtics.

On the Celtics depth:

Last season's starters: Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Amir Johnson, Horford.
Regular minute bench: Smart, Olynyk, Brown, Rozier, Jerebko

Spot players: Green, Zeller

Didn't really play: Young, Mickey, Jackson


This year's guess on starters*: Irving, Brown, Hayward, Morris, Horford
Regular minute bench?*: Smart, Baynes, Tatum, Rozier, Theis, Ojeleye

Spot or nonplayers?: Larkin, Yabusele, Nader

It doesn't look like there's less depth. With expected improvement from Smart and Rozier, and with Tatum probably having a better rookie year than Brown did, their bench actually looks improved.


(* No one knows who will actually start and come off the bench yet.)

Boston is going to be in trouble if Semi is in the rotation this year.

[chrisab123]

The Celtics will have a worse Regular season record than last year because of roster turnover and much less depth. I don't see any of the other teams as having gotten worse, so I'd have to say the Celtics.

On the Celtics depth:

Last season's starters: Thomas, Bradley, Crowder, Amir Johnson, Horford.
Regular minute bench: Smart, Olynyk, Brown, Rozier, Jerebko

Spot players: Green, Zeller

Didn't really play: Young, Mickey, Jackson


This year's guess on starters*: Irving, Brown, Hayward, Morris, Horford
Regular minute bench?*: Smart, Baynes, Tatum, Rozier, Theis, Ojeleye

Spot or nonplayers?: Larkin, Yabusele, Nader

It doesn't look like there's less depth. With expected improvement from Smart and Rozier, and with Tatum probably having a better rookie year than Brown did, their bench actually looks improved.


(* No one knows who will actually start and come off the bench yet.)

Last season Boston had 7 guys capable of starter-quality play: Thomas/Smart/Bradley/Crowder/Olynyk/Amir/Horford. They didn't need that many minutes from the rest.

This year Boston looks to have 5: Irving/Smart/Hayward/Morris/Horford. After that I'm not sure that they've got anyone who would be as good as Olynyk.

Rozier and Baynes are very meh, Brown was quite poor overall last year so he'd need to improve a lot, and Tatum - like all very young rookies - is at best likely to be interesting but bad. Expecting high drafted young players too be good quickly is a common mistake - even the guys who hit usually take a few years to transition to being good. If Irving/Hayward/Horford have health issues Boston could have real problems.

Couldn't you say that about any team contending for a title? If Love LeBron Russ Harden Leonard KD Steph have injury problems they're in trouble too. I don't know what games you were watching with Brown. But he was by all accounts pretty solid for a rookie. Unless we're measuring success for a rookie by ppg still. Marshawn Brooks would still be in the league if that was the case.

[The_Hater]

There has to be one as this is the NBA.
Last year, almost everyone projected the Hornets to make the playoffs but they cracked in January. Opposite can be said or Portland as they managed to gets their acts together post all-star.

This year, 7 teams are pretty much locked to make the playoffs. As for the sixers, well, we are divided on how their season will go.

So who do you think will disappoint?

Vegas and many people including myself have Philadelphia in the top 7, not Charlotte. So based on the list presented I'll say.....Charlotte.

[Bertrob]

Hornets will realize Dwight isn't a difference maker anymore