DC's pre-season Predictions-EAST and WEST

Post #81 » by **count55** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 5:46 pm

mizzoupacers wrote:I think this might be the first preseason predictions piece I've seen from one of the big sports magazines.

Actually, I think Street & Smith published their 2008-2009 preview issue in late March, 1997, but that was one of their later releases.

Post #82 » by **mizzoupacers** » Mon Jul 28, 2008 6:40 pm

I stand corrected. :lol:

I know you are joking, but even so I should probably amend my earlier comment--Thomsen's is the first comprehensive standings prediction I've seen that takes this summer's draft, trades, and free agent signings to date into account.

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #83 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:12 am

Updated to reflect:
Maurice Evans to Atlanta
Renaldo Balkman to Denver
Ricky Davis to L.A. Clippers
Kwame Brown to Detroit

Also... I am still going to use the first post as the updated rosters, but they no longer reflect my projected rankings

EAST
1. Boston Celtics
2. Orlando Magic
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Detroit Pistons
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Chicago Bulls
7. Washington Wizards
8. Indiana Pacers
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Miami Heat
11. Milwaukee Bucks
12. Atlanta Hawks
13. Charlotte Bobcats
14. New York Knicks
15. New Jersey Nets

WEST
1. L.A. Lakers
2. New Orleans Hornets
3. Utah Jazz
4. Houston Rockets
5. Phoenix Suns
6. San Antonio Spurs
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Portland Blazers
9. Sacramento Kings
10. Golden St. Warriors
11. L.A. Clippers
12. Denver Nuggets
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. Memphis Grizzlies
15. Oklahoma City Thunder

cdash · Post #84 » by **cdash** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:41 am

For the most part, I like those lists. I dont think the Kings will be that good out West, and I think the Spurs are still a top 4 team, but those are minor quips.

Not sure I am that high on Orlando in the East though. I love Howard and Turkoglu, and think Battie will help them, but their backcourt still sucks. Detroit is still superior in my book. Also, I dont think the Bulls are a playoff team. Too many questions surrounding them. Rose is going to be a beast, but rookie point guards struggle. Deng and Gordon's futures are still up in the air, they still dont have anyone who really scores in the post. Del Negro has never coached a game in the NBA and will almost certainly have a learning curve...just too many questions for me. I'd flip-flop them and the Raptors. Besides that, I agree with the 16 playoff teams.

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #85 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:30 pm

I think the Kings can finish that wel if they stay healthy. Bibby and Artest had bad chemistry. They can still put the ball in the bucket with martin, millerm , and artest and should be improved defensively with artest and shelden williams

I think Orlando can be that good, dwight howard is better every year and they added mickael pietrus

JarrettJackSG · Post #86 » by **JarrettJackSG** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 2:41 pm

Haha, Bulls over Toronto is wow. I can't believe that.

I mean, talk about bringing back the same team and then jumping so many spots. Rose is good, but not that good.

Post #87 » by **mizzoupacers** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 3:05 pm

I tend to focus more on the East Conference for some reason, :lol:

but at first glance I'm thinking the best team in the West next year is going to be the Hornets. Although it could easily be the Lakers or Spurs instead.

The Jazz are right behind those three. The other team that might have a shot at winning the conference is Dallas, depending on what they do between now and opening night--I'm pretty sure they are going to make a substantial personnel move or two.

Portland might be my #6, but it's hard to gauge how quickly a young team like that will develop.

Phoenix and Houston round out my West playoff teams. Houston is a good team that can't ever keep McGrady and Yao healthy at the same time. Phoenix is heading in the wrong direction, and too many of their key players are getting too old and fragile--Shaq, Nash, and Grant Hill are going to find it harder and harder to hold up for a full NBA season.

Teams that seem most likely to get into the postseason if Houston or Phoenix slips out due to injuries: Clippers, Kings, and Nuggets, in pretty much that order. Baron will make the Clippers a viable team. The Kings weren't that far off a year ago and are now built in large part on young talent that could show improvement over last season. And you can't completely discount a team that has AI and Melo.

I'm convinced that Golden State was all about Baron Davis for the last two years--it was him finally getting healthy, not the trade with us, that was the biggest key to the Warriors' turnaround--I think he was the glue holding them together, and without him things are likely to descend into chaos.

Minnesota, Memphis, and Oklahoma City are just plain bad right now.

1. New Orleans
2. LA Lakers
3. San Antonio
4. Utah
5. Dallas
6. Portland
7. Phoenix
8. Houston
9. LA Clippers
10. Sacramento
11. Denver
12. Golden State
13-15. The rest

Kuq_e_Zi91 · Post #88 » by **Kuq_e_Zi91** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:51 pm

Mizzou, I pretty much agree with everything you said above. Except for a couple spots in the West. I just have a hunch Phoenix is gonna struggle next year. Like you mentioned, Nash and Shaq are aging and falling apart. Then they're looking to trade Barbosa and Diaw. Stoudamire will need to play a huge part if they want to make the playoffs.

Also, I don't think the Nuggets will make it. When Camby left, so did their playoff hopes. They will score with the best of them like always, since they had 2 of the top 5 scorers in the League. On defense, teams will rip them apart. Camby was the last line of defense. A front court of K Mart and Nene doesn't scare anybody and in the West front courts are a huge part of winning. I just imagine Bynum and Gasol, Shaq and Amare, Oden and Aldridge or Chandler and West, even Boozer and Okur just having their way with them.

I'm also gonna go out on a limb and say if the Clips can stay healthy, they make the playoffs. I agree with you 100% B Diddy was the reason the Warriors mattered again. Can't deny Monta's emergence but Baron carried them with some big play from Jack. So out West for me, Phoenix and Denver out, Portland and Clips in.

In the East, I think a lot of people under estimate the Wizards. A healthy Wizards team can beat the Cavs. Honestly the Cavs just got lucky. They basically beat the Wizards reserves 2 seasons ago when Butler and Arenas were both out. Last year pretty much same story with Arenas out. They're bringing back the same team hoping they can stay healthy and if they can, I think they're a top 4 team. Let's not forget they beat Boston 3 times last year. Went out West and handled things there too. They can beat anybody when they're healthy because their 3 superstars match up well with a lot of teams in the League.

Sorry for the essay, kind of long for a first post.

Post #89 » by **mizzoupacers** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:12 pm

Mine's longer. :lol:

Welcome to the board, and good to know there's at least one Pacers fan in our nation's capital, well-positioned to influence TPTB on our behalf. :wink:

Kuq_e_Zi91 · Post #90 » by **Kuq_e_Zi91** » Tue Jul 29, 2008 5:25 pm

Thanks. We'll see if I can still write that much after 5000 posts.

I've yet to see another Pacer fan out here. I get some weird looks when I go to the games, being the only 1 in 20,000 with a Pacers jersery on. Everybody is a Wiz fan, and of course you have your Lakers and Celtics fans where ever you go. I'm working on converting some of them though.

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #91 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 7:16 pm

I am not sure if +Baron +Camby -Maggette-Brand is a winning combo for L.A.
Also, I do not like the kings now that Artest is gone

Here is my updated WEST

1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Jazz
4. Rockets
5. Spurs
6. Mavericks
7. Suns
8. Blazers
9. Warriors
10. Nuggets
11. Clippers
12. Kings
13. Timberwolves
14. Grizzlies
15. Oklahoma City

Post #92 » by **mizzoupacers** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 8:05 pm

I'm not sure whether to move Houston up to fourth or down to fourteenth. :lol:

Thank God Artest is not our problem any more.

I agree it probably knocks Sacramento down a little, at least for this season. But long-term, I think it was a good move for the Kings.

1. New Orleans
2. LA Lakers
3. San Antonio
4. Utah
5. Dallas
6. Houston
7. Portland
8. Phoenix
9. LA Clippers
10. Denver
11. Golden State
12. Sacramento
13-15. The rest

cdash · Post #93 » by **cdash** » Thu Jul 31, 2008 11:14 pm

Mine's probably something like this:

Tier 1: Lakers, Hornets, Spurs
Tier 2: Jazz, Rockets
Tier 3: Blazers, Mavs, Suns
Tier 4: Nuggets, Clippers, Warriors
Tier 5: Grizzlies, Kings, Wolves, OKC

Generally, thats the order I would have them in. I like tiers better because I think so little separates the teams in the tiers. One can make a case that the tier 2 teams can be in tier 1 as well.

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #94 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:33 pm

edited to reflect Milwaukee, Oklahome City, Cleveland 3-way deal

ronald murray to hawks

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #95 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 10:22 pm

Now that the season has unfolded how does everyone feel about the predictions i made back in the summer?

I remember I got a lot of hate replies because I didn't pick Toronto to make the playoffs lol...

It looks like my biggest miss was having Phoenix at 3rd in the West

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #96 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 2:06 am

cdash · Post #97 » by **cdash** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:37 am

Dcbaseballer52 wrote:Now that the season has unfolded how does everyone feel about the predictions i made back in the summer?

I remember I got a lot of hate replies because I didn't pick Toronto to make the playoffs lol...

It looks like my biggest miss was having Phoenix at 3rd in the West

Your West was pretty good. Your East isn't so much. You did get hate for having Toronto miss, but you only had them missing as the 9th team out of 8. I think putting Washington in the playoffs and the Cavs 5th was much worse. I don't know my East predictions, but I'm sure they weren't any better.

Dcbaseballer52 · Post #98 » by **Dcbaseballer52** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:57 am

I did not have the Cavs 5th... I had them 3rd lol. In defense of my wizards pick.... none of us knew then that Gilbert Arenas would be out all year so I don't think anyone can fault me for that.

I just think the Raptors thing is funny cuz most people had them at 2-4

chatard5 · Post #99 » by **chatard5** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 8:06 am

I had Toronto 10th. Too bad I didn't make my predictions online and can bump them for everyone to see how smart I am. Shoot, I am going to type everything online now so I can show off my genious.

Post #100 » by **Miller4ever** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 4:26 pm

Still at it, huh? I have to find some clause which allows moderators to ban for purposeful mispellings......

I honestly did the thing where I wished good luck to all the hopeful "we have JO hear us roar" Toronto fans, and didn't say that I thought we would be ahead of them in the standings come March and April.