No question the strongest East in years

[richboy]

I count potentially 8 teams in the East with realistic expectations to win 50 games.

Boston
Detroit
Orlando
Toronto
Cleveland
Phili
Miami
Washington

You also have the Cats with a new coach, Milwaukee adding RJ. Chicago adding Derrick Rose. Indiana also could be better. This is potentially the best I've seen the East in years.

[TruSkool]

no way the heat is gona win 50 games this year...40-45 is ideal for them...

celtics
pistons
76ers
magic
cavs
wizards

these are the only 6 teams that have potential to win 50 games, cavs being a borderline team.

[realball]

no way the heat is gona win 50 games this year...40-45 is ideal for them...

celtics
pistons
76ers
magic
cavs
wizards

these are the only 6 teams that have potential to win 50 games, cavs being a borderline team.

I doubt even that's possible for them... is Riley still coaching the Heat?

I'd say the Raptors have a chance too, and the Bobcats are a MLE PF away.

[GameTime_3]

Celtics-Pistons,Sixers,Magic and Heat,Cavs need to make acouple of moves to hit that. Wiz are the same crap as last year, oh wait they jut paid Agent-Zero games played, 111 million, that will sure motivate him to play harder.

[Ming Kong!]

The East has definitely got much better in the last few weeks, but aside of the Warriors and Clippers who were lottery teams a month ago anyways, the west hasn't exactly gotten worse either. Philly has just become a team that could be a force next year though. I'd definitely put them in the top 3 now. Man isn't crazy how many of great franchises are looking good now a days? To think that two years ago Iverson wanted the hell out, and now they are great (atleast on paper).

[wilt]

Don´t you hear that every summer ?

Seriously, you can´t expect 8 west teams to win 50 (which was hapening at this forum recently) and 8 east teams to do that.

[Forest]

To be pessimistic. On paper it looks like the east has improved. But first we have to see if Jermaine O'neal is even good anymore and can he actually stay on the floor. Secondly how is Elton Brand gonna come back from injury? And Elton Brand hasn't exactly done much other than put up stats on lottery teams the majority of his career. He had one great year. Really, Elton Brand will fight just to make the all star team in the east and people act as if philly just landed a superstar or something.

[richboy]

no way the heat is gona win 50 games this year...40-45 is ideal for them...

celtics
pistons
76ers
magic
cavs
wizards

these are the only 6 teams that have potential to win 50 games, cavs being a borderline team.

I think Miami has a shot. I like the pickup of James Jones too. IMO if Beasley is a 20 10 guy his rookie year and Wade plays to what we know he can they definitely can win 50. Remember Wade at his best is as good as Lebron and Kobe. Beasley and Marion will probably be a lot better than whoever Lebron has as a number 2 and 3. I think 50 wins is very possible for Miami.

Don´t you hear that every summer ?

Seriously, you can´t expect 8 west teams to win 50 (which was hapening at this forum recently) and 8 east teams to do that.

I don't say it every summer. I bash the East every year. This is the first time I see some real potential to make the playoffs a little interesting. There a few teams in the West that win 50 games because they beat up on the East so much. We may not have 8 teams in the West challenging 50 wins next year.

[DrunkOnMystery]

I think Miami has a shot. I like the pickup of James Jones too. IMO if Beasley is a 20 10 guy his rookie year and Wade plays to what we know he can they definitely can win 50. Remember Wade at his best is as good as Lebron and Kobe. Beasley and Marion will probably be a lot better than whoever Lebron has as a number 2 and 3. I think 50 wins is very possible for Miami.

The bolded part of the above quote is the precise moment in time where you lost any and all credibility you could ever have in any conceivable future in any conceivable universe.

[The Main Event]

To be pessimistic. On paper it looks like the east has improved. But first we have to see if Jermaine O'neal is even good anymore and can he actually stay on the floor. Secondly how is Elton Brand gonna come back from injury? And Elton Brand hasn't exactly done much other than put up stats on lottery teams the majority of his career. He had one great year. Really, Elton Brand will fight just to make the all star team in the east and people act as if philly just landed a superstar or something.

The guy is a 2 time allstar and is a rebounding machine. He has put up career numbers of 20/10 and 2 blocks a game. I think any team would be happy to get a player like him, injury concerns and all.

[celticfan42487]

Brand isn't really an injury concern.

And whats the diffrence between this year and last year when the Celtics got Ray Allen and Garnett?

So far Phil has got Brand and... well we need another star to come over.

CLE isn't done dealing imo with over 20 million in expirings although the market is drying up.

[ropjhk]

The NBA as a whole is getting a talent infusion with Oden, Brand, O'Neal, Wade, Beasley and Rose all expected to make new contributions because they are either rookies or coming back from injury.

I expect the East to be more competitive, but the West will still probably win more games overall.

[Malinhion]

I count potentially 8 teams in the East with realistic expectations to win 50 games.

Boston - lock for 50 wins
Detroit - Probably 50 wins, but we'll have to see what moves they make
Orlando - possible, but I see them just under unless they get a solid FA
Toronto - JO won't be healthy long enough to sustain a 50-win pace
Cleveland - they don't have the pieces, LeBron will save his energy and get another 3-4 seed
Phili - they were gelling well but will need to learn to play with Brand, just under 50
Miami - doubtful with Beasley in his rookie season
Washington - possible, but I think they will be just under the 50-win mark

You also have to remember that stronger teams all around equates to more parity. These teams have to win against someone, and they all play each other four times a year.

I count three, maybe four 50-win squads in the East, but I think that's pushing it. Besides the locks I think Orlando, Philly, and Washington will be pushing that mark.

[Farm Raid]

I think you're going semi-homer here when you count Miami as being able to win 50 after an off-year (which came after winning 44 games and being in the playoffs) with a Top 2 draft pick and don't count Chicago, also after an off-year (which came after winning 49 games and being in the playoffs) with the top draft pick.

Ya know?

[Forest]

To be pessimistic. On paper it looks like the east has improved. But first we have to see if Jermaine O'neal is even good anymore and can he actually stay on the floor. Secondly how is Elton Brand gonna come back from injury? And Elton Brand hasn't exactly done much other than put up stats on lottery teams the majority of his career. He had one great year. Really, Elton Brand will fight just to make the all star team in the east and people act as if philly just landed a superstar or something.

The guy is a 2 time allstar and is a rebounding machine. He has put up career numbers of 20/10 and 2 blocks a game. I think any team would be happy to get a player like him, injury concerns and all.

I was just being pessimisitic. He isn't a huge injury concern but the possibility is out there. He just missed an entire season.

[CircleCitysportsfan]

The Pacers still have a few years before they can seriously compete. They need to rid themselves for Jamal Tinsley and Troy Murphy's contracts. Dunleavy, if he can keep up what he did last year is almost worth his contract. Once those two dead weights are gone if they can add a top 20 player with that money along with 2 more top 15 picks, they should be ready to compete in 2-3 yrs.

[HarlemHeat37]

East fans are so cute..

[legacyinthemakin89c]

I still don't by the Brand move. They have no real outside shooting threat. Throw a zone at them and they are done. The only teams with realistic shots at 50 games in the east are the Celtics, Pistons, Wizards and Cavs. O'Neal hasn't played that great in 2 years, Calderon will be getting acclimated to playing 35 minutes a night and they have nothing decent on the wings.

[candy for lunch]

East fans are so cute..

I know. Maybe this year all their playoff teams will have winning records!

...

It's sure fun to dream sometimes

[celticfan42487]

Magic won 52 games last year and improved with Pietrus getting added to the team. The parity shoudl be off-seted by that signing and they should be able to pull out 50 wins IMO.