New E.C. Standings

[1bhcavsfan]

Shortcut to: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/w ... index.html

I guess we are starting to get some respect!! A couple of days ago some prognosticators were picking us to finish behind the likes of


Det
Orl
Phil
&
Raptors

Just out right disrespectful

[cavsfan_osiris]

My rankings: Based on how the teams stack up against each other, not necessarily regular season record. Also of course I'm assuming everyone stays healthy.

1. Celtics
2. Philly
3. Raptors
4. Cavs
5. Wizards
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Hawks


I don't see Miami as a playoff team. Beasy should be good, but I'm not sold that he will be an efficient scorer. Shawn Marion isn't a good fit there because they have no PG and also have no center C.

It's hard to rank Detroit that low, but they are probably going with more of a youth movement and that means growing pains. They have a new coach who is less experienced and haven't done anything to improve while other teams have.

Same with the Magic. It's hard for me to rank them so low because I like their team a lot, but other teams in the East just did a lot to improve themselves. The East should be much improved.

[B Mac]

The thing is, this team isnt even completely rounded out yet. I fully expect us to get at least one more decent big man to add to the rotation and at some point this year (hopefully sooner than later) we will make another trade with our valuable expiring pieces for that true #2 guy.

LeBron doesnt need a lot of help to get this team deep in the playoffs, but assuming everything goes according to plan he should have not just one (Mo), but two guys (whoever we trade for) who have the ability to take games over for stretches and to let him get some rest in the regular season. Can you imagine LeBron with 2 real offensive weapons at his disposal in the playoffs??? Good God thats a scary thought...

[1bhcavsfan]

I can appreciate you liking Philly due to their acquisitions but Toronto I don't understand? Lets break this down systematically


Celtics - You have to beat the champs, to be the champs, so I have no problems with that.
Philly - This is where the problems begin. Although they have helped themselves immensely , what & how are you basing this jump from 7th -2nd. I know the acquisition of Brand is nice, however lets not forget that he's coming off a Achilles injury for one, & 2nd of all they still don't have any outside shooting & 3rd you can't justify that type of jump without being able to play shut down DEE-FENCE. Now I'm not saying their not a good team, I'm just telling everyone who may look at Philly as that team, remember Champions play close out DEE-FENCE & nobody plays it better than the Cavs & Celtics.

So as I digress allow me to say I like what Philly has done but they're not better than us. We have the ability to play suffocating D, & now with the addition of Mo Will who doesn't have to be the proto-typical point guard that every other team needs. He just has to continue to put up numbers like he has & buy into are defensive system and he will be fine.

Although I've read other boards, and saw all of the detractors or {haters} opining on this trade, saying Mo isn't this or that however numbers don't lie

17pts
6.3 dimes
3.5 boards
1.5 steals
40+ % 3pt

If you ask me to rank those numbers among point-guards I could look anyone in the eye and say he's top 8 or 9 in the league & lets not forget his team has been horrible for the past few yrs. Now fast forward to Oct when ever and put him in the same line-up with LBJ I would tend to believe his game would progress not regress 20-8-3-2. That puts him just outside of the top 5 So Philly is not better but they are very good.

I won't address Toronto no disrespect

[Rise Against]

I have no idea how Indiana is the 8th best team in the East.. And I think Pistons should be ranked a little higher. But hey, I like where he placed us.

[cavsfan_osiris]

You could easily put The Cavs ahead of Toronto. The Raptors have no bench, but the combination of Bosh and JO is going to be tough to handle, if JO stays healthy.

Philly is just too solid if Brand is healthy and returns to form.

The Cavs aren't done making moves yet. I wouldn't be surprised if they end #2 right behind Boston after their next move, but the addition of Mo Williams is huge, but it basically just keeps the Cavs in-line with Philly and Toronto who had already made a big move.

If the Cavs hadn't acquired Mo I would have had them 7 or 8. This team was very unimpressive after the trade last season, basically a .500 type of team. Mo Williams is a huge step in the right direction.

[Hydroponic3385]

One of Toronto's biggest strengths has always been their PG combination. Plus it's not like they've ever been a tought matchup for anyone anyway. They lose Ford and get no draft pick, only to acquire a past his prime, injury prone JO. Sure, the JO/Bosh thing has a chance to work out but...meh, not too concerned.

[Gordon Bombay]

heres my playoff power rankings (per se) because the regular season means nothing

1)boston
2)cleveland
3)detroit
4)orlando
5)phily
6)wash
7)toronto
8)atlanta

9)miami
10)indiana
11)bulls
12)bucks
13)bobcats
14)knicks
15)nets

[NikeAir]

RAptor/Knick fan here and I'm just going to say we are going to be tough to beat with our defensive minded wing players and great scorers in JO and Bosh and a great point guard in Calderon. Our bench is pretty solid too so don't count us out.

[cavsfan_osiris]

RAptor/Knick fan here and I'm just going to say we are going to be tough to beat with our defensive minded wing players and great scorers in JO and Bosh and a great point guard in Calderon. Our bench is pretty solid too so don't count us out.

I was nodding my head in approval until I stumbled across that statement. Could you please explain how the Raptors bench is solid?

Kapono and Bargs are decent, but outside those two who do the raps have off the bench?

[Benedict_Boozer]

The Raps will be a good regular season squad. Their playoff success will hinge on the health of JO. If he can be a defensive and post up presence for them, they will be a tough out.

Orlando doesn't scare me in the playoffs but they will also put up alot of regular season wins. Same with Philly. Detroit is Detroit.

Until we strengthen the frontcourt a bit more I'm hesitant to say we will finish better than 4th in the regular season....but in a playoff series, I would take us against every team but Boston. To leapfrog Boston we need to make another move IMO.

So I would say regular season standings will finish like this:

1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. Philly
4. Cavs
5. Magic
6. Raps
7. Wiz
8. Hawks (this is a wildcard, a couple teams could get this spot)

That is actually pretty difficult. There is alot of parity in the East outside of Boston

[Hydroponic3385]

I agree, it's very tough to do this. There's obviously still a number of moves to come for many of these teams before or during the season, and injuries always play a big part. Here's my shot:

1. Boston
--Can't give the #1 spot to anyone else.
2. Detroit
--Year after year people have said they'd slip up. While they may very well this year, they deserve the #2 for now until proven otherwise.
3. Cleveland
--Mo does a lot more for our team than his numbers will show. Lebron has a lot less ball-handling and clutch play-making pressure.
4. Philadelphia
--Great starting lineup, some very solid bench players.
5. Orlando (4th in playoff seeding)
--Great team with Dwight, Turk, etc., but I feel the top 4 are all better.
6. Washington
--If injuries aren't a big concern this year, I think they'll finish 5-7. Perpetual 1st round and out team, though.
7. Toronto
--JO is a great addition, but his health is a concern and Toronto no longer has their great PG duo. Weak bench as well.
8. Miami
--Wade looks spectacular. They need a solid addition or 2 still, but watch out for any team Dwayne is on.

9. Atlanta
--They still have tons of talent (Smith, Johnson, Horford, Williams, etc.), but I can see them falling much lower even.
10. Charlotte
--Charlotte has a solid team, and if anyone can finally lead them to any sort of relevance, it may be Brown.
11. Milwaukee
--Can't decide if they're an 8 seed, or near the bottom of the East. Redd/Bogut/RJeff is definitely nice, but I don't see this team meshing well with Skiles.
12. Indiana
--These guys may surprise people, if they can gel quickly enough after a major overhaul of players. Indiana was almost a playoff team last year...Ford, Jack, Nesterovic, Hibbert, Rush replacing Diogu and JO can only be good.
13. Chicago
--They have a small chance to make a playoff push, but I feel the Gordon situation + rookie coach + rookie leader + Gooden/Hughes as their "vets" means this team won't make it.
14. New York
--LOLZ.
15. New Jersey
--Should be interesting seeing who makes their rotation, who gets traded, etc. Other than that, nothing interesting will happen to this organization til they move to BK and pick up a major player (which will not be LBJ, sorry).

[NikeAir]

RAptor/Knick fan here and I'm just going to say we are going to be tough to beat with our defensive minded wing players and great scorers in JO and Bosh and a great point guard in Calderon. Our bench is pretty solid too so don't count us out.

I was nodding my head in approval until I stumbled across that statement. Could you please explain how the Raptors bench is solid?

Kapono and Bargs are decent, but outside those two who do the raps have off the bench?

We are going to keep a tight rotation and the only bench player that are going to get used are Kapono/Moon depends who starts, Bargnani, and our Euro prospect Ukic. The bench isn't going to be a issue since we aren't going ot look to our depth as before because it confused our (Please Use More Appropriate Word) coach Sam Mitchel and we are relying more on our starters.

BTW LOL at you guyd for placing the CAVS at the number 2 and 3 spots as they are obviously going to be a team taking a spot between 4-6

[L&H_05]

RAptor/Knick fan here and I'm just going to say we are going to be tough to beat with our defensive minded wing players and great scorers in JO and Bosh and a great point guard in Calderon. Our bench is pretty solid too so don't count us out.

I was nodding my head in approval until I stumbled across that statement. Could you please explain how the Raptors bench is solid?

Kapono and Bargs are decent, but outside those two who do the raps have off the bench?

We are going to keep a tight rotation and the only bench player that are going to get used are Kapono/Moon depends who starts, Bargnani, and our Euro prospect Ukic. The bench isn't going to be a issue since we aren't going ot look to our depth as before because it confused our (Please Use More Appropriate Word) coach Sam Mitchel and we are relying more on our starters.

BTW LOL at you guyd for placing the CAVS at the number 2 and 3 spots as they are obviously going to be a team taking a spot between 4-6

There's not a team outside of Boston, and Detroit (arguably) better than the Cavs...

Please prove otherwise...

[NikeAir]

^Your sucess depends on James offense no? Well with Mo getting the ball a lot I expect it to get worse because his offense is no where close to Lebrons

[Gordon Bombay]

^Your sucess depends on James offense no? Well with Mo getting the ball a lot I expect it to get worse because his offense is no where close to Lebrons

[TheOUTLAW]

Anyone that thinks that the Cavs success is dependent on James offense does not know enough to debate with. Fact is, LeBron has always gotten his shots, it's the other guys that were the problem. So if you think that LeBron is just not going to shoot, I'd understand your logic but as is it appears kinda silly. Heck, Mo even shot at a higher percentage than LeBron so that doesn't even fit with your analysis (or whatever that was). Fact is, the Cavs success is dependent on their defense anyway. I truly hope that you aren't contending that the Raps have leapfrogged the Cavs because I just don't see that as having happened unless there are alot of injuries to the team.