Early Top 8 in the East projections.

[HEAT_ME_UP]

As of Today 7-16-2014


1-Bulls
2-Cavs
3-Heat
4-Wiz
5-Raps
6-Indi
7-Hornets
8-Hawks

9- Nets, Magics, Knicks, Milwakee, Detroit are 8-10 caliber teams

[LofJ]

I like how Lance Stephenson is soley responsible for magically changing the Raps previous position in this thread as either out of the Top 4, regardless of how division standings indicate otherwise, or out of the playoffs/8th seed at worst, to magically being a 3rd or 2nd seed again.

Lance, YOU DA REAL MVP

You guys are a lock to get a top 4 seed, the rest of the Atlantic has no shot whatsoever to win your division.

[Def Swami]

Time to re-do this.

1. Bulls
2. Cavs
3. Wizards
4. Raptors
5. Heat
6. Hornets
7. Hawks
8. Pacers

[Detective]

I like how Lance Stephenson is soley responsible for magically changing the Raps previous position in this thread as either out of the Top 4, regardless of how division standings indicate otherwise, or out of the playoffs/8th seed at worst, to magically being a 3rd or 2nd seed again.

Lance, YOU DA REAL MVP

You guys are a lock to get a top 4 seed, the rest of the Atlantic has no shot whatsoever to win your division.

I know dude but brother, you need to read through the whole thread from the start again. It was like Stephen A. Smith created multiple dupe accounts that magically didn't have us in the Top 4 standings, and used some shady backwards logic about this thread being about the Top 8 best teams, not including divisions, despite the OP not stating that specifically.

It was hilarious. 10/10, top tier salty rankings.

[dobrojim]

LOL yes I was referencing Keith Bogans.

In 2011 you had prime Boozer and Deng. They both were playing really well. Now you have a washed up Pau Gasol instead. I don't see how you will match that 62 win team.

And its gonna take that much to get the top seed, because I dont see Indiana dropping off.

59 games of prime no-D Carlos Boozer, and 48 games of Joakim Noah.

Deng was great and Rose wonderful, but I don't see now a team in the east that can pull out 60+ wins. I think maybe 55 would be enough to be the first seed.

The Cavs can be that team if the chemistry works very well.
Indiana maybe can resurrect into a decent 50+ win team, but no Stephenson here, and locker-room problems.

I think Chicago, with Thibs, with a borderline allstar D-Rose, can win 55 games.

The Bulls won 48 games this year, without Rose, Gasol, Mirotic, McDermott.

I'm not quite ready to buy into the CHI hype that seems to be going on in this thread.
I could turn out to be wrong...IDK. Thibs is a seriously good coach, no question.
I like Taj. Pau hasn't done much for several years. I'm not seeing a team that
is going to compete for the #1 seed.

re Rose
This I do know, even though athletically Rose appeared to be largely recovered
last year before getting injured yet again, he was not nearly the same player. To
expect him to be a borderline AllStar next year might be hoping for too much.
Next thing you know somebody will sign Gilbert and their fans will start saying
similar things. (ok, that's a bit of hyperbole)

[LofJ]

I like how Lance Stephenson is soley responsible for magically changing the Raps previous position in this thread as either out of the Top 4, regardless of how division standings indicate otherwise, or out of the playoffs/8th seed at worst, to magically being a 3rd or 2nd seed again.

Lance, YOU DA REAL MVP

You guys are a lock to get a top 4 seed, the rest of the Atlantic has no shot whatsoever to win your division.

I know dude but brother, you need to read through the whole thread from the start again. It was like Stephen A. Smith created multiple dupe accounts that magically didn't have us in the Top 4 standings, and used some shady backwards logic about this thread being about the Top 8 best teams, not including divisions, despite the OP not stating that specifically.

It was hilarious. 10/10, top tier salty rankings.

Seeing as how the standings are determined by divisions you would think that people would understand by now that you have to take that into account, I guess not.

[dobrojim]

3. Knicks- best team in the Atlantic IMO, motivated Melo, new staff, solid role players

By the way, Only one central division team can be a top 3 seed.

Not true as per my previous post

[Detective]

Seeing as how the standings are determined by divisions you would think that people would understand by now that you have to take that into account, I guess not.

Sometimes I read opinions on here, and somehow, the theme music from the NBA Y2K: Death of the League video starts playing in my head. It's like we have a bunch of doomsday draft users on this board, just waiting to destroy the spirit of logical rebuttal and analysis.

Let's listen to that music again, once more. R.I.P RealGM

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jgkd2lFI9X8[/youtube]

[kombayn]

1.) Bulls
2.) Pacers
3.) Cavaliers
4.) Wizards
5.) Heat
6.) Raptors
7.) Hornets
8.) Knicks

[StunnaStan]

DeRozan is the Raptors' highest usage player. How much more of a role do you expect him to have? haha

I mean from a efficiency standpoint. hes already proved hes a capable scorer avg 20 the past 2 years i believe. Now he needs to take up more of a leadership role. getting guys involved and playing alot more efficient. During the brooklyn series, derozon would have cold stretches before picking it up. When he's on, derozon is a tough cover and has the ability to score on back to back possesions. maybe he could put alittle more size on seeing as tho joe johnson wasnt bothered too much by him but for the most part, derozon has the skills needed to be a star in this league which he is. But if he is trying to get to the next level, he needs to get more efficient. hurt dwayne wade this past season was still able to shoot 50% from the field.

[Detective]

DeRozan is the Raptors' highest usage player. How much more of a role do you expect him to have? haha

I mean from a efficiency standpoint. hes already proved hes a capable scorer avg 20 the past 2 years i believe. Now he needs to take up more of a leadership role. getting guys involved and playing alot more efficient. During the brooklyn series, derozon would have cold stretches before picking it up. When he's on, derozon is a tough cover and has the ability to score on back to back possesions. maybe he could put alittle more size on seeing as tho joe johnson wasnt bothered too much by him but for the most part, derozon has the skills needed to be a star in this league which he is. But if he is trying to get to the next level, he needs to get more efficient. hurt dwayne wade this past season was still able to shoot 50% from the field.

Apparently he is cool with a reduction in minutes, in order to give the bench dude's more burn, and stay fresher in the process at the same time:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/489136198602866688[/tweet]

[dobrojim]

Both Indy and MIA (duh) suffered significant losses to their rosters,
possibly significant enough to miss playoffs. Cavs got WAY better (duh).
Bulls? Maybe (better), not convinced but could be wrong.
Wizards (my team, beware homerism) probably stayed even roster
wise or might have gotten better even though losing Ariza wasn't helpful.
They clearly have a LOT more depth than last year when for the first 2/3rds
of the season their bench was just awful. They now have a bench that
includes Miller (1), RiceJr (2) (he's playing VERY well in SL although
I freely admit that isn't necessarily very predictive), A SF rotation
that includes PP, Porter (also playing well in SL) and Webster (by midseason
if not sooner assuming no further complications) but their bench bigs are
WAY better with a full season of Gooden and now Humphries.
Both Wall and Beal figure to be better after playoff experience.
Hornets should be clearly better. Raptors may improve some or be
no worse than the same which was pretty good. Not feeling the love
for either BRK or NY. ATL will probably be quite solid again with
Horford back. DET may surprise.

no ranking...too many variables to predict

[NBAfan3024]

So how much do Pacers drop down?

[StunnaStan]

DeRozan is the Raptors' highest usage player. How much more of a role do you expect him to have? haha

I mean from a efficiency standpoint. hes already proved hes a capable scorer avg 20 the past 2 years i believe. Now he needs to take up more of a leadership role. getting guys involved and playing alot more efficient. During the brooklyn series, derozon would have cold stretches before picking it up. When he's on, derozon is a tough cover and has the ability to score on back to back possesions. maybe he could put alittle more size on seeing as tho joe johnson wasnt bothered too much by him but for the most part, derozon has the skills needed to be a star in this league which he is. But if he is trying to get to the next level, he needs to get more efficient. hurt dwayne wade this past season was still able to shoot 50% from the field.

Apparently he is cool with a reduction in minutes, in order to give the bench dude's more burn, and stay fresher in the process at the same time:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/WolstatSun/status/489136198602866688[/tweet]

Interesting. If he plays fewer minutes he can play harder for the time that he is in. Who is derozons backup at sg right now tho? As a raptors fan, do you think derozon playing fewer min would help? Btw im a nuggets fans but i support toronto and milwalkee.

[Detective]

Interesting. If he plays fewer minutes he can play harder for the time that he is in. Who is derozons backup at sg right now tho? As a raptors fan, do you think derozon playing fewer min would help? Btw im a nuggets fans but i support toronto and milwalkee.

His primary backup is Lou Williams, and Vasquez also plays end of game minutes at the 2 spot, with Lowry, as part of a very effective double PG line-up.

I think it's a great idea actually, as he got some ridiculous burn last year. Fresh legs are always a good thing. Especially prior to the playoffs. Him and Lowry didn't get any rest until literally the last game of the regular season last year.

[dobrojim]

So how much do Pacers drop down?

I can't see them finishing in the top half (1-4). Hibbert is a real wild card
for them. Which Hibbert will we see or maybe better put, how much of
one vs the other.

Who's gonna score for them other than PG? West will score some. But
almost no one else.

[Camboflage]

Bulls
Raptors
Cavs
Pacers
Heat
Wizards
Hornets
Hawks

[Benedict_Boozer]

I think the Bulls have a slight edge on the rest of the conference given the strength of their front-line but Rose is a wild-card. IF he can stay healthy and regain his past form I think they are a clear #1. But that's a big IF.

Outside of that I really think it's wide open among the Cavs/Pacers/Heat/Wiz/Raps with Charlotte and ATL right there knocking on the door.

[superLuigi21]

The Bulls are getting hilariously overrated. Even if they do get Rose back, they do not have the talent that their team had in 2011.

And no way does Rose magically transform into an MVP type player so quickly. They are not gonna be a 1 seed.

And I don't get why everyone is underrating the Pacers. They were still the 2nd best team in the East last year and nearly won 60 games.

As far as everyone saying the Nets will miss the playoffs, because we let Paul Pierce leave. LOL.

Lol without Pierce and Livingston you guys wouldn't be in the second round and you lost them both.

LOL remind me what Livingston did in the first round again?

Pierce is like our 3rd or 4th best player. You guys live in a dream world.

The underestimation of the nets is hilarious. We won't start as poorly as last year because less hype = less pressure, plus we added a veteran coach that doesn't need to learn on the fly. But the most important part is we still have a very talented core (JJ, Deron, Brook, KG) and solid role players (AK47, plumlee, jack, mirza, alan anderson). Talent wins in this league. Yea the East got a little deeper this offseason but not many surefire locks after the bulls and cavs. i'll take our chances.

[Tuff Gong]

1. Chicago
2. Cleveland
3. Washington
4. Toronto
5. Miami
6. Charlotte
7. Atlanta
8. Indiana