I'll go with the East. This year, the top 8 teams in the East are going to be: 1. Toronto (if they re-sign Bonner, then just give us the rings via mail right now) 2. Miami 3. Detroit 4. Boston 5. Cleveland 6. New Jersey 7. New York 8. Atlanta West: 1. San Antonio 2. Phoenix 3. Houston 4. Dallas 5. Lakers 6. Sacramento 7. Memphis 8. Utah
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting MAKEOUTCITY:</div><div class="quote_post">I'll go with the East. This year, the top 8 teams in the East are going to be: 1. Toronto (if they re-sign Bonner, then just give us the rings via mail right now) 2. Miami 3. Detroit 4. Boston 5. Cleveland 6. New Jersey 7. New York 8. Atlanta West: 1. San Antonio 2. Phoenix 3. Houston 4. Dallas 5. Lakers 6. Sacramento 7. Memphis 8. Utah</div> I really, REALLY hope your being sarcastic.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Bobcats:</div><div class="quote_post">I really, REALLY hope your being sarcastic.</div> ye i don't really see the raps making the post-season this year...for the next 2-3 years will be their rebuilding process...which is practically like how it is every year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Showtyme:</div><div class="quote_post">Take a look at my ranking of the top 8 teams of both conferences. East 1. Miami Heat 2. New Jersey Nets 3. Indiana Pacers 4. Detroit Pistons 5. Cleveland Cavaliers 6. Washington Wizards 7. New York Knicks 8. Chicago Bulls West 1. San Antonio Spurs 2. Houston Rockets 3. Denver Nuggets 4. Dallas Mavericks 5. Phoenix Suns 6. Seattle Sonics 7. Los Angeles Lakers 8. Sacramento Kings Top eight teams in the league 1. Miami Heat 2. San Antonio Spurs 3. New Jersey Nets 4. Denver Nuggets 5. Indiana Pacers 6. Detroit Pistons 7. Dallas Mavericks 8. Phoenix Suns I think it's going to be a close race, but see, I have the East and West even up until 5 and 6 where I have the Pistons and Pacers... It could go either way! Although the Western Conference still has the upper hand, if they continue trends like the T-Wolves and Lakers going from contenders to posers, and follow in the footsteps of GM's like Jerry West who's sole determination in life is to totally dismantle a playoff callibre team, then in a matter of a year or two, you'll see a huge trend of an Eastern Conference teams bringing home championships.</div> Phoenix Suns 5th in the West? The Suns beat Dallas in the playoofs last year without JJ and Dallas is losing Finley. Not to mention Amare Stoudemire will be greatly improved next year in all aspects of his game. The Suns have gotten deeper, better on defense, they no longer have problems on the boards, etc. Also when the JJ deal goes through the Suns will likely pick up Michael Finley to replace JJ. I still see the Suns as a top 3 team (I know many will disagree). The Suns have signed Raja Bell, Traded for Kurt Thomas, will likely sign Michael Finley, and add a key backup Center (Steven Hunter, Reggie Evans?). Also here is what Robert Sarver (Suns owner) said about Amare Stoudemire. http://www.nba.com/suns/news/sarver_xtra_050804.html(Also explains the whole JJ saga) "Gambo: Do you feel comfortable in the back-up plan that you guys have put together in case you do lose Joe Johnson, as far as putting a competitive team on the court and trying to win a championship next year? Sarver: Absolutely. I think we?re going to have a great team and I think we?re going to have a good run, not just next year, but for the next three or four or five years. The biggest way we?re going to get better, and the biggest way we?re going to be able to win a championship is Amar? Stoudemire. And the more he grows and the more he develops, the more that helps us. Ash: Last question before we let you go? when this saga is all said and done, is that Amar? thing your main goal, to get that thing finished, lock him up? Sarver: Absolutely. Ash: Because you know some fans are now scared that Amar? may not? Sarver: No, no, no, no. I?ve had plenty of conversations with Amar?. Amar? loves playing in front of Phoenix. He likes the team. He likes where we?re at. He recognizes the value of playing with Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. I think Amar? is happy. Amar? is doing two-a-day workouts on his own right now. Amar? is coming out with fire next year. That man is on a mission and that mission is to win a title. He?s going to get us there with or without Joe Johnson". Welcome Showtyme it will be a pleasure posting with you.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Laker_fan:</div><div class="quote_post">That order is messed up. The list should go like this: 1. San Antonio Spurs 2. Detroit Pistons 3. Miami Heat 4. Phoenix Suns 5. Indiana Pacers 6. Dallas Mavericks 7. New Jersey Nets 8. Denver Nuggets I still don't agree with the Nuggest being the 8th best in the league. They should be replaced by the Sonics.</div> Don't agree with that list either, here's mine: 1. San Antonio Spurs 2. Detroit Pistons 3. Miami Heat 4. Phoenix Suns 5. Indiana Pacers 6. Houston Rockets 7. Dallas Mavericks 8. Denver Nuggets Seattle isn't in the top 8 anymore because they lost a relatively big (pun intended) piece in Jerome James and a solid spark off-the-bench in Antonio Daniels. Even though they still have Ray Ray, he's not enough to crack the top 8. Edit: Let me expand on my list since I have some time on my hands. 1. San Antonio Spurs - Tim Duncan. Defending Champions. No further explanations needed. 2. Detroit Pistons - Still my favorite to come out of the east because there are just too many question marks surrounding the influx of star players coming into Miami. They might have lost Larry Brown but the players themselves are still a close-knit group and their defense is still top notch in the East. 3. Miami Heat - They're a close 3rd simply for the reason that we have no idea yet on how well Walker and J-Will can fit in their system. They're both reputable head-case players but if they can get their priorities straight, they would be my close 2nd favorite (after the Spurs) to win the NBA ring next year. 4. Phoenix Suns - The MAN trio (Marion, Amare, Nash) are still the most exciting and athletic group in the NBA. Yeah they might've lost Joe and Q, but with Kurt coming in at C, giving them another inside presence to worry about, Amare can go back to his natural PF spot where he will wreck more havoc. What really scary is Amare averaged 26ppg, 9rpg, 1spg and 1.6bpg this year - can't wait to see how his statline will look like next year. Also I'm excited to see what Dijon Thompson (UCLA alumni, I go to UCLA so I got to see him play quite a bit) can bring to the table. I see Dijon as a poor man's Joe Johnson right now, who knows what he can do in a few years. 5. Indiana Pacers - Reggie retired but they still have a nice starting lineup featuring Jamaal Tinsley (very underrated), Stephen Jackson (solid), Ron Artest (one of the best all-around player in the league), Jermaine O'Neal (2nd best F/C in the East, with Big Ben coming close at 3rd), and Jeff Foster (A solid role player that recognizes his role in the team and rebounds well - he was ranked 8th in offensive rebounds last season while playing only 26.1 mpg). 6. Houston Rockets - Took Dallas to 7 games and even though they're still a year or 2 from being a legit championship contending team, a frontcourt of Yao, Swift and Tmac makes them a dark horse in the playoffs. Dawson (Houston's GM) made some impressive trades in midseason that ended up pushing the Rockets up in the playoff rankings. 7. Dallas Mavericks - Lost a big core in Finley and I don't see them advancing past 1st round this year even with the improvement of Devin Harris and Josh Howard. They still have a very deep team however. 8. Denver Nuggets - Not too much happened here in terms of trades but they got a nice pick in Julius Hodge and that only made Denver that much stronger.
[East 1. Miami Heat 2. New Jersey Nets 3. Indiana Pacers 4. Detroit Pistons 5. Cleveland Cavaliers 6. Washington Wizards 7. New York Knicks 8. Chicago Bulls ] Detroit Miami Chicago Indiana Cleveland New Jersey Washington New York
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dakeem1:</div><div class="quote_post">Man, I gotta say taht New Jersey is the most overrated team in the NBA right now.</div> i agree. that whole team is basically vince carter now. jason kidd hasn't been the same since his injury..not to mention his on/off wanting to move out of new jersey. jefferson is a mediocre player...this team is not going to be in the top 5...i dont know why ppl keep putting them #2, #3...THEYRE NOT!!!
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting playmaker31:</div><div class="quote_post">Detroit loses their coach and Miami makes a blockbuster and Detroit is still ahead? Phoenix won't be as good either I'd put Denver or Houston ahead of them maybe even Indiana who is better than Detroit.</div> I don't care what type of trade the Heat made. They still need to prove they are better then Detroit. Detroit still have Billups, Hamilton, Prince, B Wallace and R Wallace as their starters so I don't see why they should lose out to the Heat. They way they hustle for their victories will still be present.
