Post#51 » by jezzerinho » Sun Oct 15, 2023 8:46 am
3 best teams for me are Boston, Milwaukee and Knicks. Solid, well coached teams with talent and vet savvy. Giannis' constant health is not as key to the Bucks future with the arrival of Dame.
Then you have Cleveland. I think they made some great additions by getting shooters/scorers and a possible bargain in Bates. Their game can work in Reg season and now in playoffs too.
You have three vet contenders in Miami, Toronto and Philly. They could join the upper group or all three could be a lot further down the standings than people think. They're a bigger swing group than the young up-and-comers, in terms or range of outcomes.
Up-and-comers are Indiana and Orlando. I don't include Detroit because i believe their young players havent confirmed their potential yet to the degree of Ind and Orl. Either one, or both of these teams could make a big leap up the rankings.
Then you have Chicago, Atlanta and Brooklyn. Lots of vet presence but the whole doesnt equal the sum of their parts. Brooklyn are a bunch of selfish mercenaries, Atlanta are inconsistent, defensively shaky and reliant on Young. A year too soon for Griffin and Bufkin to help solidify them. Chicago are soft in the middle. This group of three don't have the unity and heart to survive the dogfight that this year's EC will be. One might do well, but all three will not.
Then the rest. Detroit, Charlotte, Washington. What needs to be said?
Looking at the list, I think 7th is eminently achievable. Playoffs not impossible though. In a season expected to be a dogfight, hard-playing, unified teams who can pull off close victories will do well. Orlando is certainly that. Our bench Cole, Harris, Ingles, Isaac, Goga/Moe is up there with the best.
7th then.