Official East Predictions Thread, Let's Go Baby!

[jbk1234]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

[GiannisAnte34]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

[cgf]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

It would be fun for the local team to be good...but I just can't see Chicago avoiding the play-in.

NYK, CLE, and ORL are multiple tiers above the Bulls. Atlanta and Detroit should be as well. Even if Detroit didn't make the move-before-the-final-move that I thought they needed, their non-Cade creation should be better than it was last year with Ivey & Levert replacing Schröder, and with Robinson coming in, they backfilled for a lot of the shooting they lost.

Then we're talking about Indy, Toronto, Milwaukee, and Miami. I'll take the Bulls over Boston and Philly but I think I like each of those first four more than the Bulls, even if they keep Giggity.

[cgf]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

Giannis is still better than Cade, but unlike Milwaukee, Detroit can play defense. The Pistons or Hawks should be favorites for that 4th seed.

[jbk1234]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

Giannis is still better than Cade, but unlike Milwaukee, Detroit can play defense. The Pistons or Hawks should be favorites for that 4th seed.

Giannis and Turner cover a lot of sins on defense, but the Bucks guard play is going to have to be a lot better. Like a lot, lot. They should call the Bulls on Giddey and see if an unprotected 1st plus Kuzma gets a S&T done.

[Wooderson]

I want to see how the Giddey situation resolves before I pick. I have Bulls as a potential top 6 team in the East if they work things out with Giddey. If the Bucks can trade a pick and Kuzma for a real lead guard, they could get into the top 4. The Pistons had a very disappointing offseason. If they're done, than I struggle seeing them getting into the top 4.

I have the Cavs and Knicks as presumptive top 4 seeds, but after that, things get awfully injury dependent.

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

Giannis is still better than Cade, but unlike Milwaukee, Detroit can play defense. The Pistons or Hawks should be favorites for that 4th seed.

The Bucks had a borderline top 10 defense last year and the same defensive rating as the Pistons. How does this equate to Detroit plays defense but the Bucks don't??

Bucks upgraded at C with Turner as Brook wasn't nearly the same defensive player last year. Dame was also their worst defender. It would be a surprise if they are not a good to very good defense next year.

[greekman]

atlanta's acquisitions are overrated. KP ? naw ? the raptors being fully healthy and adding ingram and bowles is a bigger deal. miami adding a powell who was basically given away by the lac for free ain't propelling them to the top half of the conference.

[greekman]

cleveland
ny

detroit
toronto

orlando
atlanta

milwaukee
philadelphia

boston
indiana

chicago
miami

[JujitsuFlip]

cleveland
ny

detroit
toronto

orlando
atlanta

milwaukee
philadelphia

boston
indiana

chicago
miami

I said it earlier but Toronto at 4 is wild. Not saying its impossible but people should be betting this, I'm sure it would pay decent.

[greekman]

cleveland
ny

detroit
toronto

orlando
atlanta

milwaukee
philadelphia

boston
indiana

chicago
miami

I said it earlier but Toronto at 4 is wild. Not saying its impossible but people should be betting this, I'm sure it would pay decent.

not any more wild than original poster putting atlanta at 4 and orlando at 3. ingram, poetl, barnes, rj, quickly are reaching their primes, the bench is deep and bowles is a solid addition to a team that needs more defense

[3ddman23]

cleveland
ny

detroit
toronto

orlando
atlanta

milwaukee
philadelphia

boston
indiana

chicago
miami

I said it earlier but Toronto at 4 is wild. Not saying its impossible but people should be betting this, I'm sure it would pay decent.

not any more wild than original poster putting atlanta at 4 and orlando at 3. ingram, poetl, barnes, rj, quickly are reaching their primes, the bench is deep and bowles is a solid addition to a team that needs more defense

Who is realistically better then the magic at 3. How is that crazy. I agree with you on the hawks though they are being extremely overated.

We have to stop looking at that injury plagued season Orlando had last season like if that's what they are record wise. The magic would have won closer to 50 ganes last season if they didn't have all the injuries. They are clearly the 3rd best team on paper in the east. In what world is that wild?.

You can back Toronto all you want as a top 4 seed but the games need to played and it actually needs to happen and I just don't see it happening. But Orlando being a top 4 team is pretty much a lock if they stay healthy.

[JujitsuFlip]

cleveland
ny

detroit
toronto

orlando
atlanta

milwaukee
philadelphia

boston
indiana

chicago
miami

I said it earlier but Toronto at 4 is wild. Not saying its impossible but people should be betting this, I'm sure it would pay decent.

not any more wild than original poster putting atlanta at 4 and orlando at 3. ingram, poetl, barnes, rj, quickly are reaching their primes, the bench is deep and bowles is a solid addition to a team that needs more defense

Is the bench deep though? It was covered earlier in the thread.

CMB is a rookie
Battle is a sophomore
Walter is a sophomore
Shead is a sophomore
Sandro has only played 2,000 NBA mins
Dick entering year 3

Outside of that, Temple is a dinosaur, so it leaves Agbaji as the sole kind of proven bench piece.

Is their bench deep or just potetinally deep, due to potetinal? Pun intended lol

[GiannisAnte34]

Toronto at 4 is a joke. They’ll be lucky to be 8th

[Rainman66]

Is the bench deep though? It was covered earlier in the thread.

CMB is a rookie
Battle is a sophomore
Walter is a sophomore
Shead is a sophomore
Sandro has only played 2,000 NBA mins
Dick entering year 3

Outside of that, Temple is a dinosaur, so it leaves Agbaji as the sole kind of proven bench piece.

Is their bench deep or just potetinally deep, due to potetinal? Pun intended lol

Thats a bench thanks for posting will be hell for east even longer then.
Somehow atl jumps into "contender/contention" for acquiring Naw/Kp and Kennard And Toronto gets Brandon Ingram and its oh those guys are gonna be the same 11 or at best 10 seed
Yea right

[kg01]

Is the bench deep though? It was covered earlier in the thread.

CMB is a rookie
Battle is a sophomore
Walter is a sophomore
Shead is a sophomore
Sandro has only played 2,000 NBA mins
Dick entering year 3

Outside of that, Temple is a dinosaur, so it leaves Agbaji as the sole kind of proven bench piece.

Is their bench deep or just potetinally deep, due to potetinal? Pun intended lol

Thats a bench thanks for posting will be hell for east even longer then.
Somehow atl jumps into "contender/contention" for acquiring Naw/Kp and Kennard And Toronto gets Brandon Ingram and its oh those guys are gonna be the same 11 or at best 10 seed
Yea right

Wait, people are thinking Toronto's bench depth is a factor in them being a top-4(ish) team? Eh, ok.

Their problem is at the top. They don't have a #1.

[DaGawd]

the raptors team is such a random mash up of player… definitely doesn’t scream 4th seed even in the east

[JujitsuFlip]

Is the bench deep though? It was covered earlier in the thread.

CMB is a rookie
Battle is a sophomore
Walter is a sophomore
Shead is a sophomore
Sandro has only played 2,000 NBA mins
Dick entering year 3

Outside of that, Temple is a dinosaur, so it leaves Agbaji as the sole kind of proven bench piece.

Is their bench deep or just potetinally deep, due to potetinal? Pun intended lol

Thats a bench thanks for posting will be hell for east even longer then.
Somehow atl jumps into "contender/contention" for acquiring Naw/Kp and Kennard And Toronto gets Brandon Ingram and its oh those guys are gonna be the same 11 or at best 10 seed
Yea right

Raps just seem so unproven.

Again, i don't have a horse in the race but I'm with dagawd, idk if their roster is screaming HCA.

[cgf]

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

Giannis is still better than Cade, but unlike Milwaukee, Detroit can play defense. The Pistons or Hawks should be favorites for that 4th seed.

Giannis and Turner cover a lot of sins on defense, but the Bucks guard play is going to have to be a lot better. Like a lot, lot. They should call the Bulls on Giddey and see if an unprotected 1st plus Kuzma gets a S&T done.

I’m not as high on Giddey as some and think he’s an awkward fit with Giannis because he’s so slow and wants the ball, but even if you’re high on him & his fit with Giannis, he’s not helping their perimeter defense

[cgf]

Assuming full health for all teams, it’s gotta be Orlando and Milwaukee rounding out the top 4 IMO

Indy losing their MVP and a + starter, gotta assume their bench depth won’t be enough to stabilize in the top 4

Boston way too many starters and bench contributions missing this year

I’d be shocked if Detroit, Miami, Toronto, or Chicago threatened a top 4 seeding

I could see Atlanta being the biggest threat to this top 4

Giannis is still better than Cade, but unlike Milwaukee, Detroit can play defense. The Pistons or Hawks should be favorites for that 4th seed.

The Bucks had a borderline top 10 defense last year and the same defensive rating as the Pistons. How does this equate to Detroit plays defense but the Bucks don't??

Bucks upgraded at C with Turner as Brook wasn't nearly the same defensive player last year. Dame was also their worst defender. It would be a surprise if they are not a good to very good defense next year.

Time will tell, but there’s a reason why I was hoping we’d get you guys in round one instead of Detroit, you just don’t have the perimeter defenders to slow down Mikal, much less Brunson. And Turner…who struggled to stay on the court late in games against us in the ECF…isn’t inspiring much fear in me, regardless of how washed Lopez was.

Detroit’s defense was barely top 10 on the year, but after they got it together, their defense was elite for a significant stretch of the season and there was nothing gimmicky about it. Which is why they were able to raise themselves to another level in the playoffs.

[cgf]

atlanta's acquisitions are overrated. KP ? naw ? the raptors being fully healthy and adding ingram and bowles is a bigger deal. miami adding a powell who was basically given away by the lac for free ain't propelling them to the top half of the conference.

If you’re playing the healthy card for Toronto, then you have to play it for Atlanta. And even before their additions, when healthy Atlanta was a good team who raised their level against good teams very well…they just fell apart without Jalen Johnson.