41 Wins? Playoffs?

[BobCatsFoLife]

Can we win 41 games, and if we do, will this get us in the playoffs?

[RichBoy923]

I think that will sneak us in the playoffs. Whether or not we'll get 41 wins, I don't know. Too early to tell.

[Battery]

Very difficult to say now. Injuries always seem to destroy us. But I think if everyone is healthy at the start of the season, we will come out blazing. With a year under LB and Raja and Diaw settled in, I can see us flying around the court, especially on defense. Past years we haven't brought the defensive intensity from day 1.

[fatlever]

next year (my early guesses)
1. cavs - lock
2. celtics - lock
3. magic - lock
4. heat - one wade injury away from worst team in the league
5. bulls - no ben gordon = who knows what impact that will have, still very young
6. pistons - new coach, new offensive minded player, worse defense, losing vets
7. hawks - i still think its smoke and mirrors, bibby? josh smith vs coach? marvin?
8. bobcats - returning top 8 players, added lotto pick, one more year w/ LB, diaw and bell full season
9. sixers - new coach, new system, miller? dalembert? brand?
10. raptors - adding hedo, losing lots of depth, is bosh commited to franchise?
11. wizards - new coach, will arenas be healthy? no depth up front
12. pacers - same team as last year, could surprise people imo.
13. knicks - playing for 2010
14. nets - no vince, no power forward, no chance
15. bucks - no charlie, no jefferson, sessions? last 2 drafts have been suspect, redd and bogut cant stay healthy

just looking at the conf so far this offseason, lots of turmoil, lots of coaching changes, lots of fringe teams losing key players. the bobcats on the other hand, keeping coach, keeping all core players. sure, some of these changing might be perfect for a team, but i think many are going to backfire. i really like our chances this season IF we can keep our core healthy.

[Bowser]

I really hope we get the 7-8 seed and face the Celtics. We always seem to play them tough, unlike the Cavs who seem to massacre us.

[amcoolio]

I think the Hawks will be really bad this season and Joe Johnson will leave.

Not worried about Bucks, Nets, Knicks...clearly tanking next season

Leaves the Raptors - No depth, no defense whatsoever, bad coaching, can't last 82 games. Can't see them winning 40 games...Bosh will shut it down and bolt
Wizards- probably the best choice to go back into playoffs...can't see them not making it, honestly
Sixers - no improvement, same team, if Miller leaves, could be worse. Jrue is clearly a project. Around 38 games
Pistons - I really don't see this team in the playoffs, unless they get a really fabulous coach. They have no frontcourt, backcourt is soft. Stuckey/Gordon is soft as hell. CV is a complete non-factor in games, especially if he starts. I strongly dislike the signings, they should have kept their money for 2010. If they keep Rip, they might get to 37 games. I doubt it.
Bulls - Complete question mark. Tons of holes. Gordon is good for the Bulls but is a worse fit on the Pistons, so the signing did us well. Little depth, little defense. Who is the SF and PF for this team? Tyrus is a bench player. I'm not sold on them, but they could get to 40 games if Rose steps up his game
Heat - I hate their team, they can easily be beat, but they have DWade and will get all the refs respect.
Pacers - comeplete wildcard. could win anywhere from 30-45 games. I have a feeling if they aren't in it by midseason they'll trade some quality players to rebuild around Granger in the offseason.

I actually really like our chances. The Bulls and Pistons both got worse this offseason, unless the Pistons get a really good coach. If we are healthy, we are more cohesive than the Pacers and Sixers. More depth and defense than the Raptors. Hawks will blow unless Teague is really good (he may be...I wanted to draft him). Cavs, Magic, Celts, Wiz are locks. Heat is probably a lock. Charlotte is in the same class as slots 6-10. I like our chances.

Of course, we have to stay healthy.

[Rich4114]

I think the top 3 seeds are the only lock. Miami will probably be around a 4-6 seed as well. But anyone else is a crap shoot. I think the Bulls never valued Ben Gordon enough and they will take a big drop. So will Detroit with the major changes, and no more Sheed. Sheed was the guy who put them over the top IMO. Teams like the Nets and Bucks are completely done, Knicks haven't improved much but may contend for an 8th seed.... Wizards have missed their window of opportunity, Toronto got better with Hedo but it wont' help them enough to do more than contend for an 8th seed.... Sixers will be screwed up a little... Hawks - eh, they still feel like they could just come out and really suck. I like our chances a lot to compete as high as the 4th seed.

1. Cavs - will probably win the East
2. Magic - They still got big time talent, Hedo for Vince is an even exchange
3. Celtics - this year and maybe next then they start to drop off a lot
4. Miami - has more experience and Wade. Plus Beasley will have another year under his belt. Not sure how far they can get with Chalmers as a soph.
5. Bobcats - if this team stays healthy, I think we win over 40 games. We made a playoff run after the easiest part of our schedule and most of our home games were over last year. Plus LB ALWAYS makes the playoffs his 2nd year. Still need one more player to make us a serious threat though. I think right now we're in Atlanta Hawks territory.
6. Hawks - Horford and Joe Johnson are the core, Josh Smith will be traded because of his attitude.
7. Sixers - they'll be alright, but inconsistent
8. Pistons - they've demolished this thing too much, it's all on the young guys - and i'm being generous
9. Pacers - outside looking in, no big improvements
10. Toronto - Hedo helps a lot
11. Knicks - unless they lose lee for nothing
12. Wizards - people think this team might be good again, I think not
13. Bulls - momentum was killed by letting Gordon go for nothing. That was their source of offense. Brad Miller is too old.
14. Nets - the Devin Harris show
15. Bucks - the ummm... Ramon Sessions show?

[ccbballin]

1. Cavs - Easy pick.
2. Celtics - Experienced veteran stars are always good.
3. Magic - Should be alot easier to defend w/o Hedo
4. Pistons - They'll be good if they can get enough minutes for everybody.
5. Heat - Beasley will be alot better but JOneal will be worse.
6. Hawks - Too much talent to not be in playoffs
7. Wizards - Arenas has a lot to prove this year.

8. Bobcats - I expect them to be better than last year but I think our best chance for the playoffs is for a lot of injuries to happen to other teams.

9. Raptors - Thanks Hedo for going for the cash. Seriously.
10.Knicks - Better than last year but its all about 2010.
11. Bulls - Are they ever going to be done rebuilding?
12. 76ers - Overachieved last year.
13. Pacers - Bird's gonna get fired!
14. Nets- Easy pick
15. Bucks Easy pick

[misterglover]

I think we may be able to get to 41 wins, but I dont think we are gonna make the playoffs....Just look every year the teams around us make moves and we stand still....

1) Boston
2) Cleveland
3) Orlando You can put those 3 in any order you like they are still the top 3 in the East right now

4) Washington - if they are healthy they have tooo much talent to not be in the playoffs and honestly I think the have more talent then any other team in the East outside the top 3 above
5) Atlanta - they keep a young talented core and add a scoring machine off the bench in Crawford
6) Chicago - They lose Gordon but get Deng back and Salmons & Miller for a full season plus they have enough young assets to acquire a allstar at some point during the season
7) Philadelphia - Same as Atlanta good young improving core returns plus they get Brand back
8) Miami - Wade, an improving Beasley & a semi-healthy J O'Neal is good for atleast 8th

Thats how I see the east but I dont see Miami as a lock so that basically leaves Miami, Detroit, Indiana & Charlotte fighting for 1 spot and as much as it pains me to say if we keep the same team we have now IMHO I just dont see us getting in...hope Im wrong but dont think I am...

[freakon0mics]

We will be there battling for the last 2 positions of the playoffs. You have teams with guys coming back; Gilbert and Elton. Then you have wildcard teams in Miami, Chicago, and Detroit who are young but talented. Remember now injuries can play a part in any teams demise or rise in this league so anything can really happen.

[e4Nf6]

This time last year everyone (Bonnell included) was putting out a list of 6-7 teams that were "absolute locks" to make the playoffs in the east. Most of those lists included Washington (who fell apart and missed the playoffs) and Detroit. (who fell apart and SHOULD have missed the playoffs)

And that´s the way it always is. At least, One of these teams will shock us all and fall to pieces, I don´t know which one, but it will happen. All of these teams have serious questions in my mind beyond the top 3, and even with them, I can think of scenarios (mostly injuries) where they fall apart.

Here is my rankings plus falling to pieces scenario rankings

Rank (fall to pieces %)
1. Cleveland (2%) basically James has to go down, not especially likely given his history, but he is human.
2. Orlando (5%) Vince is always hurt and getting older, can Jameer come back 100%?
3. Boston (10%) Verrry old. Not especially deep right now.
4. Miami (15%) Wade is critical for them, and has a history of injuries)
5. Atlanta (10%) I´m told that Josh Smith and the coach don´t get along.
6. Philly (15%) Lots of change, They get Brand back but they were hardly running roughshod over the leage when they DID have him last year.
7. Bobcats (15%) Diaw might lose interest, Crash with his style of play could be the first NBA player to be decapitated on court. (and miss 10 games)
8. Chicago (15%) Gordon was important, The black, and with him the possibility of team imploding turmoil is still there.

I won´t do them all, but you can see that while the chance of an individual team falling apart is low, the chance of all of them making it through safely is low as well.

[Walt Cronkite]

I've said for a while now that we're a lock for the playoffs next season. No reason to change my tune now.

[Edug27]

The playoff teams in the East should look like this:
Cavs
Celtics
Magic
Pistons
Wizards
Hawks
Raptors
Heat

Cavs beat Heat
Celtics beat Raptors
Magic beat Hawks
Wizards beat Pistons

Cavs beat Wizards
Celtics beat Magic in rematch

Celtics beat Cavs in 7

[Walt Cronkite]

We're the second best team in our division, we ought to do fine.

[Benjamin Linus]

I've got the East going something like...

- Boston
- Cleveland
- Orlando
- Chicago
- Miami
- Atlanta
- Philadelphia
- Charlotte
----------------------
- Washington
- Toronto
- Indiana
- Detroit
- New York
- Milwaukee
- New Jersey


Barring injury we will win more games this year. Detroit has completely dropped out of the playoff race IMO so that will leave an extra spot open and for us, Washington, and Toronto to fight for. But they're all soft as hell, we can take them.

[revprodeji]

I hope you do. I want that draft pick (MN)

[Walt Cronkite]

We owe Minnesota a draft pick?

[countryboi]

We owe Minnesota a draft pick?

yea the chicken nuggets traded the pick we owe them to the wolves for lawson....one of the 1000 guards they drafted this year

[BobCatsFoLife]

The playoff teams in the East should look like this:
Cavs
Celtics
Magic
Pistons
Wizards
Hawks
Raptors
Heat

Cavs beat Heat
Celtics beat Raptors
Magic beat Hawks
Wizards beat Pistons

Cavs beat Wizards
Celtics beat Magic in rematch

Celtics beat Cavs in 7

Raptors in the 7th spot? Dude, Seriously?

[SWedd523]

e4Nf6: There was only one guy that predicted we would be a playoff team last year--as an 8th seed.


The Raptors will make the playoffs this year.


1. Cavs
2. Magic
3. Celtics
4. Hawks
5. Wizards
6. Heat
7. Raptors
8. Bobcats