Weird Standings, Which teams would rise/fade after 30 games?

[tamaraw08]

Detroit leading the East, can they keep the top spot? I'm not so sure
Orlando with the addition of Bane at tied at 9th spot, will they climb the standings? Probably.
Bulls at a current .750 win/loss record at 2nd, can they sustain this? I hope so but....
Raptors at 8th spot?

Meanwhile in the tougher West.
Will Dallas stay last in their conference? Not if Ainge could help it?
Can the Lakers hold on to their 2nd best record? Probably not especially after the difficult road trip without Reaves and Lebron.
Surely Clippers would climb from the current 11th spot they are currently in. Probably at 6th after 30 games.
Portland maintaining a 62.5% winning record at 5th spot? I doubt it but they surely look promising.

[tmorgan]

I certainly don’t expect to finish atop the East. 50 wins and HCA in the first round is/was the reasonable goal. 3rd would be nice. I had us 4th behind CLE/NYK/ORL in my pre-season predictions. Waiting to see how Orlando progresses, how the Knicks adapt to a new system, and if Cleveland can stay reasonably healthy.

[BigGargamel]

I expect Cleveland and New York to eventually settle in at the top of the East, but I don't see why Detroit can't finish third.

[zeebneeb]

I predicted the Pistons to finish #1, or #2 in the East, based on just modest jumps by all of their young talent. What has happened is better then even my highest expectations in that regard.

Even with this start, they still don't have Ivey, and are still (seemingly) waiting on Beasley to clear.

So far, so good.

[guynumber45]

Lakers will definitely fall. They lack defensive depth. Ayton will also falter when the pressure rises. They are more like a 5th-6th seed than a true contender.

Unless Lebron can turn into prime Draymond Green at age 40, the Lakers will probably have to wait a year until his contract is off the books so they can start building a team around Luka

[JasonStern]

Blazers aren't staying at #5. But they'll hit the over on the Vegas win total and be in that 7-10 play-in area, which was realistic but unexpected. Really makes you want the team to use some accumulated draft capital to acquire an in his prime talent to add for next season, when the Blazers will have a healthy Dame and Jrue. So I'm pretty sure Blazers fans will just have to listen to some "like what we have" and "trending in the right direction" rhetoric. Which sucks not just as a Blazers fan, but as a Dame and Jrue fan - as these are their last golden years.

[Chuck Everett]

Blazers aren't staying at #5. But they'll hit the over on the Vegas win total and be in that 7-10 play-in area, which was realistic but unexpected. Really makes you want the team to use some accumulated draft capital to acquire an in his prime talent to add for next season, when the Blazers will have a healthy Dame and Jrue. So I'm pretty sure Blazers fans will just have to listen to some "like what we have" and "trending in the right direction" rhetoric. Which sucks not just as a Blazers fan, but as a Dame and Jrue fan - as these are their last golden years.

Too many backcourt injuries right now. Hopefully they can weather the storm, but I agree they should be in the play-in hunt. If Deni or Camara go down though with all these other injuries, no chance.

[Godymas]

Chicago is real
Detroit is real

Milwaukee is fake
Philly is fake

Portland is real

[JRoy]

I worry about PORs outside shooting.

Sharpe is really stinking it up.

[MrGoat]

The Raptors are the most confusing team to me. They're very Jekyll and Hyde. Barnes is actually shooting the lights out this season so far so you'd figure they'd be better than they are. They have a top 10 defense despite somehow allowing that historically putrid Mavs offense to score 139 on them. It's probably not going to still be top 10 after allowing 130 in their loss to Philly tonight.

[MMyhre]

I worry about PORs outside shooting.

Sharpe is really stinking it up.

Reading Blazers fans criticizing other Blazers fans for wanting to draft Coward instead of Hansen, is some collective brain rot copium. He would have been perfect on the Blazers. Yang Hansen is at best, a longshot project that does not have any guarantee to work out whatsoever. Coward is NBA-ready from day one and would add the shooting the Blazers need, with tons of upside in other categories.
Sharpe just can't shoot, he does not seem to have that talent whatsoever. Now add in the non-talent as a playmaker as well, and his ceiling seems to be sub-All Star at best.

[JujitsuFlip]

Chicago is real

I think they need to find some defense, long term. Currently sitting 17th in defensive rating, in the young season.

[Mr Peanut]

Pistons probably won't remain the #1 seed (I see the Cavs there), but will be near the top. They've already had a reasonable amount of injury trouble to key guys but still continue to roll through. I find it humorous when people assume NY will come out ahead - there's a large faction of fans that realize if Detroit was fully healthy in last season's playoffs, as well as getting the correct foul call at the end of the game 4, that they likely would've won the series. And so far this season it looks like Cade/Duren/Ausar/Stew/Holland have all taken another step forward.

Chicago will drop but wouldn't be surprised to see them in the 6th seed range. Orlando should improve.

[JujitsuFlip]

there's a large faction of fans that realize if Detroit was fully healthy in last season's playoffs, as well as getting the correct foul call at the end of the game 4, that they likely would've won the series.

This is hook, line, and sinker of a jb lead team. Every year there is some "what if" in the post season of what the outcome could've been.

[zeebneeb]

there's a large faction of fans that realize if Detroit was fully healthy in last season's playoffs, as well as getting the correct foul call at the end of the game 4, that they likely would've won the series.

This is hook, line, and sinker of a jb lead team. Every year there is some "what if" in the post season of what the outcome could've been.

Man, 2nd round exit last season, again for the Cavs.

Cannot blame JB for that one, although I think your going to somehow try.

[JujitsuFlip]

there's a large faction of fans that realize if Detroit was fully healthy in last season's playoffs, as well as getting the correct foul call at the end of the game 4, that they likely would've won the series.

This is hook, line, and sinker of a jb lead team. Every year there is some "what if" in the post season of what the outcome could've been.

Man, 2nd round exit last season, again for the Cavs.

Cannot blame JB for that one, although I think your going to somehow try.

No I'm very aware and vocal health is the Cavs hurdle. jb just didn't help the situation with his playing in the mudd offense and at times head scratching rotations.

2022: Allen missed game 1 with a broken finger and played one handed game 2. Sexton out both games. Rubio out both games. Dean Wade out both games.

2023: Danny Green missed game 1. Mitchell played with a hurt groin.

2024: Allen played 3.5 games of round 1 before having his ribs broken and missing the final 3 games and all of the 2nd round. Wade missed the entire 1st round series and missed the first 2 games of the 2nd round. Mitchell played with a hurt calf before finally having to miss the final 2 games of the 2nd round. LeVert missed the final game of the 2nd round. Rubio retired.

2025: Garland missed the final 2 games of the 1st round and the first 2 games of the 2nd round with turf toe. Mobley injured at the end of game 1 in the 2nd round and missed game 2. Hunter exited game 1 in the 2nd round after being shoved while airborne and missed game 2. Mitchell missed the 2nd half of game 4 (ankle) in the 2nd round. Merrill missed the final game of the 2nd round.

[NyKnicks1714]

Detroit leading the East, can they keep the top spot?

No

Orlando with the addition of Bane at tied at 9th spot, will they climb the standings?

Yes

Bulls at a current .750 win/loss record at 2nd, can they sustain this?

No

Raptors at 8th spot?

Yeah maybe, sounds about right

Will Dallas stay last in their conference?

If AD can avoid missing serious time, no

Can the Lakers hold on to their 2nd best record?

No

Surely Clippers would climb from the current 11th spot they are currently in.

They will

Portland maintaining a 62.5% winning record at 5th spot?

Of course not

[PlatinumState]

Bulls will drop for sure. Ditto for Philly and San Antonio. I expect Orlando to rise

[Blame Rasho]

I predicted the Pistons to finish #1, or #2 in the East, based on just modest jumps by all of their young talent. What has happened is better then even my highest expectations in that regard.

Even with this start, they still don't have Ivey, and are still (seemingly) waiting on Beasley to clear.

So far, so good.

I expect Detroit to have home court in the first round and win a playoff off series. It been a ugly stretch for them for several years and wish them the best.

[giberish]

For the most part I'd expect these teams to move somewhat back towards preseason expectations, though not completely (except for Toronto who is about where preseason expectations were - do you think they're surprisingly good or surprisingly bad?)