East CONF: How many Teams are Ahead of Us?

[Ruhiel]

How many teams do you consider "ahead" of us?

I feel Boston is done due to age and less minutes/production of big 3 and reg. seasons against us.

[#1 pick]

Boston is still ahead of us
Orlando
Miami
Chicago
New York?
That's about it. New Jersey is still behind us. NYK, I am not sure about. I think they could be a very good regular season team.

[Ruhiel]

we regularly beat Boston on minutes alone. They have Garnett playing center at times, and playing less than 30 mpg at that. Ray doesnt play as much, Pierce minutes will be dowm\n. We have more quality players minutes available. Boston's core is pretty weak versus us.

Orlando is solved unless that Harper kid can take Hedo's spot. Titles are won in the paint and Orlando and Boston cant be oveerlooked, might get a higher seed but point is in a 7 game series?

Miami-Chicago
on par: New York?

What about Philadelphia? Milwaukee? Chances are Bogut remains healthy in a shortened season and they have some skilled wing depth now?

[theatlfan]

Clearly ahead of us? Miami and Chicago are fairly clear.
Maybe ahead of us? Boston, Orlando, and New York. Until we see how much of Boston actually declines due to age instead of simply keeping guys fresh for the playoffs; whether ORL just had a bad series, had a team that hadn't gelled, or was just a horrible team makeup; and whether NYK can actually gel while adding depth, we really don't know about any of them. They have the potential to be ahead of us - or they could fall well behind.

I wouldn't place anyone else "ahead of us". Things can change (off season movement, surprise players/rookies, etc), but as of now, no one is clearly ahead of us. PHI is good and improving, but when there are rumors around the star player wanting out and severe questions on the low block, it's hard to put them into any category outside of "Keep an eye on them". MIL keeps the label as well. Jennings took a step back in his SOPH season, can he recapture his rookie form while building on the lessons of his SOPH season? How will Stephen Jackson fold into the mix? They could be very good, but until we see it, I can't think that they're ahead of us yet.

[basics]

1. Heat - Lebron and Bosh have enough talent to be an elite team, but i don't think the Heat will ever win a championship because Wade will start to be on the decline if the lockout ever ends.

2a. Bulls - Hawks showed they can hang with the Bulls, and the Bulls did not get any better in the off season, and Boozer is on a steep decline, and Boozer's contract will hold back Chicago, just like Larry Hughes, Chicago will turn into the Lebron Cavs.

2b. Hawks - Joe, Jamal, and Josh have peaked, Horford and Teague can get better, but not by much, and you love the work that Joe has been putting during the lockout. Hawks window will only be open for two more years.

4. Knicks - Melo and Amare are a great duo, but Amare has health issues, and Billups is done.

5. Magic - Just a bad team that can't play defense and will never be able to win a playoff series.

6. Celtics - As KG goes, so does the Celtics, and I don't think KG will ever play a full season again

7. Wizards - Great young team, Wall and McGee will be the next CP3 and Chandler

8. Sixers - A poor man's version of the Hawks, loaded with talented wing players in Iggy, Turner, Thad, and Louis, but put together, they don't make a good team.

[Ruhiel]

1. Heat - Lebron and Bosh have enough talent to be an elite team, but i don't think the Heat will ever win a championship because Wade will start to be on the decline if the lockout ever ends.

2a. Bulls - Hawks showed they can hang with the Bulls, and the Bulls did not get any better in the off season, and Boozer is on a steep decline, and Boozer's contract will hold back Chicago, just like Larry Hughes, Chicago will turn into the Lebron Cavs.

2b. Hawks - Joe, Jamal, and Josh have peaked, Horford and Teague can get better, but not by much, and you love the work that Joe has been putting during the lockout. Hawks window will only be open for two more years.

4. Knicks - Melo and Amare are a great duo, but Amare has health issues, and Billups is done.

5. Magic - Just a bad team that can't play defense and will never be able to win a playoff series.

6. Celtics - As KG goes, so does the Celtics, and I don't think KG will ever play a full season again

7. Wizards - Great young team, Wall and McGee will be the next CP3 and Chandler

+1

8. Sixers - A poor man's version of the Hawks, loaded with talented wing players in Iggy, Turner, Thad, and Louis, but put together, they don't make a good team.

That's where you're wrong. Last season they blew us out using the Dwight strategy. Josh went for 30. They didnt double.
Lou Williams killed Teague. Marvin would not post up Meeks. Horford vs Brand was a wash.

I just downloaded that game and deleted it the same day. Horrible "team" basketball. Now they got what looks like a solid center in Vucevic. They can start big and play defense to offense with Iggy at the 2. or Small ball with 3 point trailers all around.

Speights and Hawes are two PFs imo but They are deeper than us and Wall is more Dwyane Wade than CP3. Hefinds himself open b4 his teammate.

[HMFFL]

Boston is an interesting situation. I think it's in the best interest of the team if the entire season gets cancelled due to the lockout. Depending on the new CBA, Boston could possibly pursue Dwight Howard outright, and not have to worry about the cap. If the unions agree and some of the season is played, I believe Jeff Green will get locked into a long-term extension, and other signings will handicap Boston from signing or acquiring a star for the future.

Boston still has better shooters and I give them the edge. Now, if Jeff Teague plays like he did during the postseason, and does what's expected from him, I believe we won't be "as worried" about Boston.

[Ruhiel]

What better shooters? Here's what came up for boston's depth chart:
Power Forwards
1. K. Garnett
2. J. Green
3. J. Johnson
Centers
1. J. O'Neal
2. K. Garnett
Small Forwards
1. P. Pierce
2. J. Green
Guards
1. R. Rondo
2. R. Allen

3. A. Bradley
4. E. Moore
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/teams/depth-chart/BOS

They might benefit from a locked-out season because minutes and health were just not there for KG to dominate. Maybe a year off helps. We swept Boston with Joe iirc. But here's my list:

Heat
Bulls
Hawks-Knicks(Draft)-Sixers(Draft)-Pacers(FA's)

[HMFFL]

What better shooters? Here's what came up for boston's depth chart

I think Boston is a better shooting team as long as they have Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. Kevin Garnett is almost automatic with his J and that's not the case with Josh Smith. Who do we have that can even contend with Ray Allen's as a shooter?

They might benefit from a locked-out season because minutes and health were just not there for KG to dominate. Maybe a year off helps. We swept Boston with Joe iirc.

It's safe to assume Kevin Garnett does what he can to improve his health, but his body is breaking down, and no matter how much rest he gets, the wear and tear from the past is still going to be there. If the entire season gets cancelled, Boston desperately needs someone who can anchor the team for the future, and Dwight Howard fills the biggest need for them.

Miami
Boston - A better shooting Rajon Rondo once the lockout ends.
Chicago - Have the advantage in almost every aspect of the game.
Orlando - Depends on Gilbert Arenas.

[Geaux_Hawks]

As far as starters go, I would say the Hawks can match up well with anybody and challenge them, but the obviously more talented teams are Miami and Chicago to an extent. 3-7 is up in the air IMO. NJ could be emerging, while Boston, NY, and Atlanta have the same similar problems, and Orlando have even worse problems.

-New Jersey will be strong since they have money for FA's.
-Boston is without a center and the "Big 3" gain yet another year of miles on their careers, so they need a better bench.
-Atlanta needs to add some size at center and some scoring off the bench.
-New York needs size as well and more depth.
-Orlando needs a better constructed roster, a competent 2nd option(Arenas?!), and a back up center.

I think guys like Redd & McGrady can help off the bench, and Reggie Williams would be a nice 6th man/shooter.

The Hawks essentially need to get bigger as does everybody does. A guy like Aaron Gray or Hamed Haddadi IMO can provide some good spot starts against big centers. Yi wouldn't be bad off the bench as a 4.

Assuming the Hawks improve the bench and Teague emerges, I could see them back in that 3rd seed. NJ could shake a lot up if they use their money wisely, Boston has a lot of miles, but also have the Big 3 still, NY is about as equal as the Hawks, and Orlando is one dimensional.

1. Chicago
2. Miami
3a.Hawks
3b.Nets
5a.Knicks
5b.Celtics
7. Magic
8. Sixers

3-7 can go either way though. Indiana, Washington, and Milwaukee are wild card's.

[Superiorblogman]

Hard to say, even though I think Larry Drew messed the team up in many ways last year we have been fairly consistent and most of the teams in the East that could be considered ahead of us have shown little to know consistency other than Boston. We beat Orlando in a series but I am still not sure we are ahead of them and we lost to Chicago in a series but I am still not sure they are ahead of us. If Rose does not have a MVP season next year are they still ahead of us? If Chauncey Billups is healthy and Mr. Big Shot next year are the Knicks ahead of us?

I say the East looks like this.

1 Heat
2A.Bulls
2B.Celtics
2C.Hawks
2D.Knicks
6.Orlando
Philly
Milwaukee
Indiana
New Jersey

4 teams fighting for 2 spots at the bottom.

On the other hand, get us a real deal C and we could move up to 2A easily.

[ATL Boy]

Miami and Chicago, right now the 2 best in the East by far. I think we match up with Boston evenly due to the age liability the Celtics have. And in my opinion we're matched up with Orlando evenly as well because the Magic will be distracted and in disarray because of the Dwight rumors and controversy, but if Dwight leaves (which I hope happens) the Magic fall out of the playoff picture all together. So in my opinion the Hawks can be the number 3, 4, or 5 seed this year.