NBA.com has a poll on its main page to the tune of "which nba team that didnt make the playoffs this season, has the best chance of earning a spot next year?". Boston is on the list....Orlando is on the list....NEW YORK!!11!! IS ON THE LIST! but no raptors Personally i like our chance, but what do you think? Are the Raptors a serious threat for a playoff last year or do you think NBA.com is right not to put them in the possible choices.
Ya i was looking for us and we were no where to be found on the list. But for some reason it didnt surprise me.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">NBA.com has a poll on its main page to the tune of "which nba team that didnt make the playoffs this season, has the best chance of earning a spot next year?". Boston is on the list....Orlando is on the list....NEW YORK!!11!! IS ON THE LIST! but no raptors Personally i like our chance, but what do you think? Are the Raptors a serious threat for a playoff last year or do you think NBA.com is right not to put them in the possible choices.</div> orlando and boston both got greater upside than toronto in playoff chances this coming season NYK i am not sure why it's there but again they always are "in the picture" toronto won't make playoffs this coming year two seasons later at earliest why? because depth gets you in toron has nothing about that
Eh, you guys still got an "other". I say they have a better chance than some of the teams on there, it just depends on their offseason. They have to keep James, they have to draft good, capable players (not projects). Maybe sign a couple small free agents. I wouldn't be surprised if they turn out to be next year's '05 Bulls.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Boston is on the list....Orlando is on the list....NEW YORK!!11!! IS ON THE LIST! </div> New York always get the most attention. But NY is NY, i'm not surprised. They might have a shot if they can get rid of Isiah, or Stephon, or Steve. If Colangelo can pull out something great for next season, why not? Playoffs sounds good.
You never know with NY. Isiah could just go crazy at any time and sign-and-trade for every big-name free agent on the market. Too unpredictable to leave off the poll. I personally prefer it this way. Our team's young and I don't think they're ready to have lofty expectations put on them yet. Let them develop and gain some chemistry first.
Meh, I'm not surprised that we didn't make the poll. I think alot of the times the American media forget about Toronto. Anyhoo, it really depends on what BC does this offseason. If he follows through on his promises, then this will almost be an entirely new look team next season. If he struggles to find those crucial voids that need to be filled (PG & C), then we could up for another season of rebuilding and underacheiving.
Why are you suprised about Orlando? With Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard, they almost made the playoffs this year. No doubt they will be in next season.
i agree 100% they ahve some cap but they have t get their talent from the draft they need a veteren free agent PG and a center from the draft but i am thinking Brandon roy (he has defence ) and offence or lamarcus aldridge they can be the best shooters in the world but if they do not have defence they will be pinned to the bench with 3 fouls after 8 minutes and what good is the offence mark my words Brandon roy will be rookie of the year [red]edited out spam - 44[/red]
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Swish15:</div><div class="quote_post">Why are you suprised about Orlando? With Jameer Nelson and Dwight Howard, they almost made the playoffs this year. No doubt they will be in next season.</div> Exactly! Orlando was one of the most exciting teams to watch towards the end of the season. That winning streak they went on included victories over Dallas, Detroit, and the Spurs! Watch out for Magic in the playoffs next year.
In my opinion Toronto has a better chance next year than Boston and Orlando. We didnt perform as good as them this year, but we lost like 11 games by 3 points or less and we played 10 games+ without Bosh. And besides, with our pick + all our cap space i think we've got an edge for next season. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the draft and who we get in free agency. But we've got 14million in free cap space this year, Orlando has 1 million, Boston is 4million over the cap. If you look at the rosters there's no reason the Raps cant overtake both of them this coming season...even without the better pick and the players we could pick up this offseason. Should be interesting
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting hohoyoyoyo:</div><div class="quote_post">orlando and boston both got greater upside than toronto in playoff chances this coming season NYK i am not sure why it's there but again they always are "in the picture" toronto won't make playoffs this coming year two seasons later at earliest why? because depth gets you in toron has nothing about that</div> boston? orlando yes...but boston? why are you so convinced boston is going to make the playoffs? what is boston's upside? they didnt even come close this year, and the way ainge is running things, i dont see them making any significant changes that will get them in next season...im trying to figure out what looks so great in boston? pierce couldnt possibly have a better year then the one he had this year...what i think is gonna happen, is the celts are going to tank another season, and at some time pierce will be dealt i might be speaking form a biased place here, but it looks to me the raps are 1 or 2 moves away from making the playoffs...we got one of the best gm's in the league going into an off-season and a draft, plus probably the best cap situation in the league. all we need is for BC to make the right moves, and raps should improve by at LEAST enough to get into the playoffs. remember...sub .500 teams make it in the east.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dj_premium_plus:</div><div class="quote_post">boston? orlando yes...but boston? why are you so convinced boston is going to make the playoffs? what is boston's upside? they didnt even come close this year, and the way ainge is running things, i dont see them making any significant changes that will get them in next season...im trying to figure out what looks so great in boston? pierce couldnt possibly have a better year then the one he had this year...what i think is gonna happen, is the celts are going to tank another season, and at some time pierce will be dealt</div> The problem with Boston as I see it is not Ainge, who's work I have become a huge fan of. I don't think that Doc Rivers is a particularly good coach. Pierce just had the best season of his life and had virtually no system. I just think that the C's have a lot of tallent and that it's not utillized properly. Bosh is good but Pierce is still a superstar, Bosh is still just a star.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting 02civic:</div><div class="quote_post">In my opinion Toronto has a better chance next year than Boston and Orlando. We didnt perform as good as them this year, but we lost like 11 games by 3 points or less and we played 10 games+ without Bosh. And besides, with our pick + all our cap space i think we've got an edge for next season. We'll have to wait and see what happens with the draft and who we get in free agency. But we've got 14million in free cap space this year, Orlando has 1 million, Boston is 4million over the cap. If you look at the rosters there's no reason the Raps cant overtake both of them this coming season...even without the better pick and the players we could pick up this offseason. Should be interesting</div> I disagree, i think orlando has a bigger chance because they actually showed something last year, they were making a push at the end of the year, had that started earlier they would have made it. the raptors really didn't show much signs and for next year its still speculation.
Orlando has less cap space, but far more depth and talent. They are ahead of us, as far as making the playoffs. I don't think this team will make a huge jump in wins next year (unless we pull off something crazy). We will improve, but it will be more of a gradual process, IMO.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting dj_premium_plus:</div><div class="quote_post">boston? orlando yes...but boston? why are you so convinced boston is going to make the playoffs? what is boston's upside? they didnt even come close this year, and the way ainge is running things, i dont see them making any significant changes that will get them in next season...im trying to figure out what looks so great in boston? pierce couldnt possibly have a better year then the one he had this year...what i think is gonna happen, is the celts are going to tank another season, and at some time pierce will be dealt i might be speaking form a biased place here, but it looks to me the raps are 1 or 2 moves away from making the playoffs...we got one of the best gm's in the league going into an off-season and a draft, plus probably the best cap situation in the league. all we need is for BC to make the right moves, and raps should improve by at LEAST enough to get into the playoffs. remember...sub .500 teams make it in the east.</div> The problem is that the same argument can easily be made for Boston. Boston has Pierce, they themselves are a move or 2 away from making the playoffs. They also have a lot of young guys that should get better: Perkins, Delonte, Greene, Green (showed a little something at the end of the year), Gomes, so it's not like they have a lack of developing talent.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">The problem is that the same argument can easily be made for Boston. Boston has Pierce, they themselves are a move or 2 away from making the playoffs. They also have a lot of young guys that should get better: Perkins, Delonte, Greene, Green (showed a little something at the end of the year), Gomes, so it's not like they have a lack of developing talent.</div> sure...i agree. what i was debating is that boston was said to have "way more of an upside then toronto". i dont see that. they seem to be in a similar situation as toronto, except, not the same kind of cap relief we have. boston are a move or two away from making the playoffs...so are the raps. i dont see them as having way more of an upside
I think Boston is closer for this coming season, but the season after that, the Raptors should be set to start constantly making the playoffs or at least be very close in the running.
As of now, the Celts and Magic both have a brighter future for next compared to the Raps. The Magic were very good down the stretch last year, similar to the Warriors last year, and with the addition of a wingplayer in this years draft, plus a lil tweaking for their bench, they should be ready to make the playoffs. The Celts have a bonafide superstar, coupled with young talent at all posistions to go with a good 2nd option in Wally. But if BC can pull off his magic like he did in PHX with his drafting and FA signings/trades, then we should make a run with these teams.
