'07-'08 Predictions Thread

The offseason has almost come to an end in terms of activity. All the big name free agents have been signed, all the big names look like they're staying with their original teams (ie: Garnett, J. O'Neal, etc.), even the Bucks are starting to reach terms with Yi Jianlian, so barring a blockbuster trade between now and October, I think we can start with the predictions for next season.

<u>Standings</u>

East:

1) Boston - They really transformed into a title contender overnight. I've got to like them to win the title atm. Three reasons: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. I'm trying to think, but in recent memory there hasn't been a better trio in the NBA than that.
2) Detroit - The Pistons didn't really do anything significant to improve this offseason, but they didn't do anything to regress either, and none of their Eastern Conference counterparts did enough in the offseason to surpass them.
3) Cleveland - They're still very much a one-man team, but that one man is arguably the best wing in the NBA. Hopefully this season Shannon Brown will start getting more playing time and will have a breakout year.
4) New Jersey - Provided that they're 100% healthy, no team in the NBA has a better backcourt. Krstic and Magloire is also a very solid, underrated frontcourt, even though it lacks an interior scoring presence.
5) Toronto - In a lot of ways, this is the same team they had last season, but that team was young and yet still good for 47 wins, so there's no reason to believe they can't go for 50 this year.
6) Chicago - They still lack interior scoring, because they decided to go with Mark Madsen II instead of drafting Spencer Hawes, sort of like last season when they went for Stromile Swift II instead of drafting LaMarcus Aldridge. At the end of the day, the nucleus of Hinrich-Gordon-Deng-Wallace will get them into the playoffs, but they're a lowpost scorer away from being a title contender.
7) New York - A frontline of Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry is a lot of offense and not a lot of defense, but it's still heads and shoulders above any frontcourt in the East rights now.
8) Orlando - The Rashard Lewis signing hurts them in the long-term, but it makes them an immediate contender in what's shaping up to be another down year for the East.
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9) Charlotte - This is the year the Bobcats finally <strike>make</strike> miss (Celtics knocking them out ) the playoffs. They're still young, but they're no longer too young to compete. Players like Raymond Felton, Sean May, and Emeka Okafor are starting to come into their primes, not to mention that they added Jason Richardson to their roster for nothing more than the #8 pick this summer.
10) Miami - The Heat really self-destructed this offseason. As if it wasn't enough that Shaq is borderline retired and Wade will be out for the first month or so of the season, they're letting James Posey, Eddie Jones, and Jason Kapono all walk in free agency. Their biggest signing? Smush Parker.
11) Milwaukee - With or without Yi, this team has a legitimate chance of making the playoffs. A lot of people are writing them off though, forgetting that Redd, Simmons, and Villanueva missed large chunks of last season.
12) Washington - The East isn't strong at the top, but it is deep. It's odd for me to see myself ranking Washington so low after essentially retaining the .500 squad they had last season, but the competition they have in the #5-12 area is steep.
13) Atlanta - The Hawks keep moving in the right direction, but Rome wasn't built in a day. They're still young and need an upgrade at the point.
14) Indiana - Jermaine O'Neal and Danny Granger are about as solid of a one-two punch as you'll find out East, but that's about where the talent ends. Any team that's relying on Mike Dunleavy, Jr., Travis Diener, Troy Murphy, and Jeff Foster isn't going to finish very well.
15) Philadelphia - Had all their counterparts not been tanking last season, Philly probably would have wound up with the worst record in the league, and they didn't really improve this summer, rather they added depth to a position they already had a lot of depth at.

West:

1) Dallas - Had it not been for the kryptonite known as the Golden State Warriors, the Mavericks probably would have won it all. The way they dominated the regular season last year was reminiscent of the '96 Chicago Bulls.
2) Phoenix - This pick didn't require much thought. Phoenix is elite, no doubt, but they'll probably still collapse in the postseason again, especially without Kurt Thomas to play Tim Duncan.
3) San Antonio - I guess you can really rank the top three in the West in any order, but at the end of the day, San Antonio will still be the favorites when it counts, in the playoffs.
4) Utah - They made a lot of strange moves this season, like letting go of Dee Brown in favor of Jason Hart and Ronnie Price, but as long as they keep the core of Williams-Kirilenko-Boozer-Okur in tact, they'll be a 50+ win team.
5) Houston - They'd be higher on my list, but I'm not really a fan of the Steve Francis or Mike James acquisitions. Neither one is a winner; they're both shoot-first point guards who are older and lack the explosiveness that made them great scorers early on in their careers.
6) Denver - When Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony started to mesh in April, the Nuggets were just plain dominant, going 9-1 against a schedule that included the likes of Dallas, San Antonio, and Utah. Their lack of a point guard is a huge concern though. Chucky Atkins is a real cancer and can single-handedly lose games by calling his own number every time down the floor. They should have re-signed Blake.
7) Los Angeles Clippers - I was surprised they didn't make the playoffs with the team they had last year. I'm not sure why Brevin Knight wasn't a more valued commodity this offseason, but it looks like the Clippers will land him, and if they do, I think that pushes them over the top.
8) Portland - I'm sure they'll be the trendy pick, but I don't blame people for liking them. If Aldridge is healthy, a high post-low post combo of Aldridge and Oden is just plain scary.
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9) Golden State - They got the better end of the Jason Richardson for Brandan Wright deal, but Wright's still a bit of a project. In a conference as cut-throat as the West, they may not make it this season, but the pieces are in place for them to be a future title contender, just as long as they can retain Beans and Monta.
10) Memphis - They are capable of a lot more than what they showed last season. Down the stretch they started tanking to get Greg Oden, and in the first half of the season, their franchise player Pau Gasol was out, so it's not fair to judge them off of their performance last year. They were a playoff team the year before, and now that both Lowry and Gasol are back, and now that Conley, Jr. and Milicic have been added, they're a legitimate playoff contender once again. My only concern is that they lack depth on the wing, where they only have Tarence Kinsey and Casey Jacobsen off the bench for Miller and Gay.
11) New Orleans - They look great on paper, but Peja Stojakovic is only a shell of his former self, Julian Wright is a ways away from being ready to contribute, and Tyson Chandler still couldn't score ten points in an empty gym. On the bright side though, Morris Peterson is a great fit for their system.
12) Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe Bryant's always been able to lead this team into the playoffs on his own, but the West got considerably tougher this offseason, whereas the only change the Lakers made was replacing a no-defense, shoot-first point guard in Smush Parker with an older no-defense, shoot-first point guard in Derek Fisher.
13) Seattle - The addition of Kevin Durant will go a long way, and Robert Swift is poised to have a breakout season, but they still are overloaded in the frontcourt and lack perimeter shooting. The Ray Allen trade didn't make much sense.
14) Sacramento Kings - Spencer Hawes was a great pick, but then they created a logjam by signing Mikki Moore. This team would have been great three years ago, but Bibby, Abdur-Rahim, and Miller are washed up, and Artest is always a wild card.
15) Minnesota - They've got a great young nucleus, but they're way off from competing in the West. It may be a good thing for the T'Wolves in the long run though, because franchises need to undergo extreme changes to win titles and not just make minor moves here and there. For example, say that because they're so young now, Minnesota finishes in last place and gets the #1 pick. Not only do they now get the top player in the '08 draft, but they just gave all their young players an invaluable experience this season by actually getting a chance at playing. Not to mention that Theo Ratliff's deal will be coming off the books, allowing them to sign one of the big name free agents (like Jermaine O'Neal, Elton Brand, Emeka Okafor, etc.). They're looking at a potential lineup of Foye/Mayo/Brewer/Jefferson/Okafor with Ricky Davis off the bench.

<u>Awards</u>

MVP - LeBron James - My first instinct is to give this one to Kobe Bryant, but the media has shown an obvious bias against him these past few seasons. I'd expect the same sort of bias towards Nash as well, because the media seems hell-bent on keeping him from winning three MVP's.
Runner Up: Tim Duncan

Rookie of the Year - Kevin Durant - It may seem cliche to say it, but it's true, Oden will probably have the bigger impact on his team this season, because his defense will change the very way opponents approach the Blazers offensively, but Durant will put up the better numbers and is more offensively developed, and the Rookie of the Year award has always largely been an offensive player's award.
Runner Up: Greg Oden

Coach of the Year - Marc Iavaroni - I never liked the way the Coach of the Year award was given out. It's highly arbitrary and often just given to the coach whose team improved the most, or the coach whose team has the best record. Iavaroni has a good chance of winning it though, because he's going to completely change the Grizzlies' game plan and speed things up for them offensively, better suiting the styles of players like Rudy Gay, Pau Gasol, and Hakim Warrick.
Runner Up: Avery Johnson

Defensive Player of the Year - Shane Battier - I think the media is starting to warm up to the idea that he's the league's top defender. They've unfairly snubbed him the past few seasons, but now that Houston's under a bigger microscope this season, Battier will probably get more attention from them.
Runner Up: Marcus Camby

Sixth Man of the Year - Adam Morrison - I'm probably very dellusional, but I think he's capable of a lot more than he showed last season and will be able to really shine coming off the bench for Richardson and Wallace this season.
Runner Up: Manu Ginobili

Most Improved Player - Robert Swift - Maybe I'm putting too much faith in the Seattle media, but everything I've read out of there suggests that when he was injured last season, he used the free time to bulk up significantly and will probably take over the starting job for the Sonics at center at some point during the season.
Runner Up: Darko Milicic

<u>All NBA Teams</u>

First Team:

G - Steve Nash
G - Kobe Bryant
F - LeBron James
F - Tim Duncan
C - Yao Ming

Second Team:

G - Dwyane Wade
G - Tracy McGrady
F - Kevin Garnett
F - Dirk Nowitzki
C - Amare Stoudemire

Third Team:

G - Jason Kidd
G - Chauncey Billups
F - Carmelo Anthony
F - Pau Gasol
C - Dwight Howard

Close Calls: Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams, Gilbert Arenas, Chris Paul, Kevin Durant, Vince Carter, Shawn Marion

<u>All-Rookie Teams</u>

First Team:

G - Mike Conley, Jr.
G - Acie Law IV
F - Kevin Durant
F - Al Horford
C - Greg Oden

Second Team:

G - Marco Belinelli
G - Daequan Cook
F - Corey Brewer
F - Brandan Wright
C - Spencer Hawes

Close Calls: Jason Smith, Thaddeus Young, Josh McRoberts, Javaris Crittenton, Al Thornton, Nick Young

 

The standings are based on records, not seeding.
<u>
East Standings

</u>1) Chicago - Young and still improving. No low post threat, but with the Pistons not getting much better, I can see this as a battle for first 'til the end.
2) Detroit - IMO Stuckey and Maxiell are the X factors on whether they get the #1 seed or not. They'll own the Bulls again in the playoffs if they meet.
3) Toronto - They'll battle it out with the Nets until the end. I see Bargs pushing them to 50 wins
4) New Jersey- If they're healthy, they should give the Raptors a good run for the 5th seed.
5) Cleveland- No improvements this off-season. It's unsure if Varajeo is returning, and Z is in decline (though still really effective). Their season depends on how good Gibson does at the point and if Anderson returns.
6) Washington - Healthy, they're a real dangerous offensive team. They could go as high as #3.
7) Boston - I have them in the playoffs because of Jefferson more so than the acquisition of Allen. Big Al is a beast and should put up 18-12 numbers this year, and with a healthy Pierce and Allen they should battle for a playoff spot
8) New York- They're amazing on Paper. Randolph should destroy the competition in the East. They were pushing for a playoff spot last year and should make it into the playoff this year.
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9) Charlotte- Almost there. Their success has a lot to do with Okafor and Wallace's health as well as Felton's improvement. I'm routing for them.
10) Miami- The only reason they are up here is because of Wade. Shaq is bound to miss plenty of games this season, and Wade is as well. When healthy Wade can carry the team, but only so far.
11) Milwaukee - Very talented starting 5, but the bench is weak. They could go as high 5 depending on health and chemistry.
12) Atlanta - A front court of Horford, Smith and Williams should be deadly in the east. Along with JJ they should show some great promise, but inexperience will hold them back
13) Orlando - Adding Rashard gives them a much needed 2nd option. The front court is weak asides from Howard and their PG's are average. Their wing players asides from Ariza are redundant.
14) Indiana - JO has been injured often in the past years and asides from him and Granger (who should have a breakout year) their team is pretty...bad.
15) Philadelphia - They have some nice young talent around Iguodala in Young, Green, Williams, Korver and Carney. Too bad none of them are front court players.

I'll get to the West later. Meanwhile my awards:

MVP - Amare Stoudemire. I see him putting up similar numbers to his first season with Nash, and with a top team, the media will look for someone new to give the MVP to. In the East, the standout player from the top teams would be LeBron, but his team's record will prevent him from getting the award. Bosh will be up there as well.

I shall finish this later.

 

Eastern Conference Seeding

1. Chicago Bulls - This team is young, talented, and hungry. It has a tough defense and a quality perimiter focused offense. The lack of a post scorer continues to hurt the squad but Tyrus Thomas is loaded with potential.
2. Detroit Pistons - Despite the ECF meltdown, this team still has arguebely the best starting lineup in the NBA. They will continue to be dangerous this up-coming season now that they have re-signed Billups. However, re-signing Webber is a must if the Pistons don't want to have to start Nazr Mohammed again.
3. Washington Wizards - When healthy last season they were the best team in the East despite the lack of a backup SG and a solid C. Now this season, Nick Young and Dominic McGuire were both drafted along with the signing of Oleksiy Pecherov. This will help the Wizards depth a great deal, now you also must remember that Navarro will be traded and that will add another piece to Washington's squad. The Wizards offense can not be stopped, especially with Arenas and Butler coming off of injuries ready to get back into action.
4. New Jersey Nets - Despite getting older and having players coming off of injuries, I still see this squad as the best team in the divison. Everyone knows that Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson are near unstopabble when healthy.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers - This team isn't going to be able to rely as heavily on LeBron this season with the Chicago Bulls becoming even better. Remember that last year the Bulls started 3-9, if they didn't have that start Chicago would likely have gotten the second seed.
6. Miami Heat - Wade is out for as much as a month at the beggining of the year, by that time Shaq will probabely already be injured. The start of the season isn't looking pretty for the Heat, now add that to the continued aging of Payton, Mourning, O'neal, and Williams this team could be very shaky next season.
7. Toronto Raptors - This is a very young and talented squad, however not much changed this roster in the off-season. I don't expect the same mid-late season explosion they had last year but htey will certainly make the playoffs with Bargnani, Bosh, and Ford on their squad.
8. Boston Celtics - The addition of Ray Allen and continued decelopement of Al Jefferson should make them a playoff team.
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9. Orlando Magic
10. Philadelphia 76ers
11. New York Knicks
12. Charlotte Bobcats
13. Atlanta Hawks
14. Milwaukee Bucks
15. Indiana Pacers

I'll do the West later.

 

^ What the hell? Miami should be lower in your standings based on your comments.

The Raptors did improve, with the additions of Kapono, Delfino and Baston (upgrades over Peterson, Graham and Sow). However, most of the improvement will come from within, after they've been together for one year, it's a huge benefit, plus individual improvements from Bargnani, Ford and even Bosh.

Don't get so gassed about the Wizards offense, you're not exactly the Phoenix Suns. You can be stopped.

 

<u>East standings:</u>

1. Detriot - You can't go wrong with Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rasheed Wallace. They were somewhat of a disappointment last year in the playoffs, but they are still the team to beat in the East. They had a terrific draft landing Rodney Stuckey and Aaron Affalo. They've got great young talent to go along with their great veteran presence. They will be the best team in the East next season, and they can secure their position if they can get Chris Webber back
2. Chicago - They were one of the top teams in the East last season. If Luol Deng keeps up his great play he started in the playoffs, the Bulls will be very dangerous. They've got tons of great talent who still have not reached their full potential. I'm a little bit worried about their scoring in the post, but the signing of Joe Smith will help tremendously. He was a great player and leader for the Sixers last season. I also look forward to seeing Big Ben in the running for DPOY.
3. New Jersey - When healthy, they've got the potential to be a top team in the league. This team has underachieved last season, although some blame could be put on injures. But this team looks great on paper, and if they can translate that to the real game, they will be dangerous. The trio of Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson, and Vince Carter, to go along with Nenad Kristic and former All-Star Jamaal Maglorie will make the Nets a very interesting team next season.
4. Cleveland - The Cavaliers upsetted the Pistons last season to make the NBA Finals. They were lead by one of the best players in the NBA in Lebron James, and by some spectacular performances by Daniel Gibson. But this team has not really improved much from last season at all, and they still have not resigned Andreson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic (although they will most likely be back). You also have to take in consideration that half of Cleveland's roster are aging, and they will not get any younger. Unless some changes are made, I don't see this team making it back to the Finals.
5. Washington - The injuries to All-Stars Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler killed the Wizards chances of making it far in the playoffs. Fortunately for them, the two will be back next season, and will hopefully stay healthy. The trio of Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antwan Jamison will be exciting, and they may overtake the Cavaliers for the 4th seed. They also did a great job drafting Nick Young, who would have been a lottery pick in a "normal" draft.
6. Toronto - The Raptors were once one of the worst teams in the league. Not anymore. They made the playoffs last season and gave the Nets a run for their money. One of the reasons why the Raptors were eliminated in the playoffs last season was because of their lack of experience. They are a relatively young and inexperienced team so to speak, so with some playoff experience under their belt, I expect them to be hungrier and more determined next season.
7. Miami - The Heat are pretty much done in my opinion. They will need a makeover and add more young pieces to their squad. The roster is old and aging, and is starting to resemble a retirement home. Dwyane Wade's style of play will most likely lead to more injuries next season, and Shaquille O'Neal will always have his annual one month off injury. Jason Kapono, the best three point shooter in the league last season is gone, and it seems like James Posey will be going elsewhere as well. The only additions the Heat have made to this aging roster are through the draft, and Smush Parker. Smush Parker probably shouldn't even be in the league with his attitude and lack of effort. All in all, it's going to be a long season for Miami unless a lot of changes are made
8. Boston - It was pretty much a toss up for me between Boston, Orlando, and New York. But I just can't see a Paul Pierce and Ray Allen duo not making the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conferece. They've also got tons of young talent on the roster, just some names off the top of my head; Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Rajon Rando, Tony Allen, and etc. They'll be an interesting team next season, and I'll look forward to seeing the Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in action.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
9. New York - The addition of Zach Randolph to go along with Eddy Curry in the post will be great offensively. The Knicks shouldn't have any problems scoring the ball next season, but they still seem like a bunch of players put together without any chemistry. The addition of Zach Randolph means the Knicks still can't play any defense. David Lee is a great player, and he'll have a great season, but he won't be enough for the Knicks to make the playoffs. The talent is there, but they'll have to put it all together and play as a unit, which they haven't shown yet.
10. Orlando - Dwight Howard is a beast. Rashard Lewis is extremely overpaid, but he's a decent player. Trevor Ariza seems to be loved in the Magic forum, but I don't really think they have much going for them. They lost Darko Milicic and Travis Diener, and didn't even have a draft pick (they drafted away their first for Milicic who left in free agency). Stan Van Gundy is a big upgrade over Brian Hill, but they'll probably be on the outside looking in.
11. Milwaukee - The Bucks have a pretty decent roster. Their last season was destroyed by injuries. Micheal Redd is a great scorer and he'll be the leader of this Bucks team next season, which won't be going very far. They resigned Mo Williams in the offseason, who was the most sought after point guard in free agency. They also got back Desmond Mason, who is an exciting highflyer, but those moves won't bolt them into the playoffs. They have a better chance of making Yi Jianlian happy than they do making the playoffs.
12. Charlotte - Jason Richardson is a great player. He is exciting and should fill the seats in the arena. The Bobcats also have a great young core, but they're still a couple of pieces away from making any noise. They'll get there, but not this season.
13. Atlanta - The Hawks are still one of the worst teams in the league. They have talent in Joe Johnson and Josh Smith, but nothing else. This will just be another long season for the Hawks, and they will once again be back in the lottey.
14. Philadelphia - The Sixers won't be a very good team next season. The reason why they won all those games after the All-Star break was because of their schedule. Most of the teams they played were below .500, and were tanking for the Greg Oden and Kevin Durant sweepstakes, while the Sixers were stupidly playing their asses off. This team really doesn't have much talent. They're filled with young, inexperienced, and raw talent. The Sixers won't be making any noise next season
15. Indiana - The Pacers trade for Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Troy Murphy still confuses me. Why not trade away Stephen Jackson for some expiring contracts? Jermaine O'Neal, Mike Dunleavy Jr., and Troy Murphy's long contracts will keep the Pacer's payroll above the salary cap for years to come, so don't expect a huge free agency splash from them anytime soon, (unlike the Sixers who will have tons of money next offseason). The Pacers will be horrible next season, and this team seems confused on which direction they are willing to go

I'll finish this later. This was a lot of work. lol

 

<div class="quote_poster">P.A.P. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Don't get so gassed about the Wizards offense, you're not exactly the Phoenix Suns. You can be stopped.</div>

Let the kid dream, he is a Wizards fan afterall.

I'll put my predictions up sometime soon, hopefully later tonight or tomorrow. I haven't the time right now though as I'm about to head out for a bit.

 

<div class="quote_poster">P.A.P. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Don't get so gassed about the Wizards offense, you're not exactly the Phoenix Suns. You can be stopped.</div>


I don't agree with his positioning for 3rd, but it's not our offense where we're flawed. It's pretty much our entire defense and rebounding. The only thing that stopped us in the playoffs the last 2 years were playing efficient defense. We let LeBron James parade on us, even though he got favorable calls during the end. In this year's playoffs, we had guys that lit up like Ilgauskas or Hughes, but we were pretty damn close in every game, but the only thing that hurt us was defense.

I see the Wizards around the 4-5 seed, but they do have a good shot at winning the division now that Wade will miss part of the season. Even if Miami manages, the Wizards should end up 4-5 with guys like McGuire, Young and Pecherov added to our bench.

 

<div class="quote_poster">P.A.P. Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">^ What the hell? Miami should be lower in your standings based on your comments.
</div>

When healthy, the Heat are dynamite. Shaq and Wade together surrounded by solid veterans = W's. Sadly, injuries will hurt the squad as they do every year.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Don't get so gassed about the Wizards offense, you're not exactly the Phoenix Suns. You can be stopped.</div>

When healthy, the Wizards are very difficult to stop. Through December and January, the Wizards had about an 18 game stint where they were scoring 100+ points. Sure we're not the Suns, but there's no denying we have a high powered offense.

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Let the kid dream, he is a Wizards fan afterall.</div>

Yes please

 

<u>EASTERN CONFERENCE:</u>

1. Detroit - The Pistons didn't exactly improve (they might even take a small step back if Webber leaves), but the core is still intact and that's all that matters. They're basically treading water until another Eastern Conference team can step up and take the title away from them, but seeing as no one made that drastic improvement, I think they have one more year at the top.
2. Chicago - They're the most talented and most promising team in the East. Stacked with young prospects, the Bulls didn't exactly address their need for post offense this offseason. But they still can count on internal improvement, solid defense, great chemistry, and a roster that played excellent during the regular season. Whether that translates into post-season success is a whole different issue.
3. Toronto - On paper, it looks like they're coming in with the same exact team (minus Mo-Pete). But, the importance of continuity on a team, cannot be stressed enough. The Raptors will see even more improvement from their young core of Ford-Bosh-Bargnani and won't have to spend the first half of the season adjusting to an entirely new roster. And the Kapono signing (while overpaid) is important, because it opens up the floor even more for Bosh/Ford and allows Garbajosa to come off the bench playing his natural position.
4. New Jersey - They really have a solid starting lineup with the addition of Magloire. The Nets have had the best backcourt in the East for a few years now and this team definitely has the talent to secure home-court in the first round of the playoffs. In the end, the wild-card issue are health (Jefferson, Krstic, Kidd) and desire (Carter, Magloire). But if it all works out, this is a team to watch out for.
5. Cleveland - The Cavs took arguably the easiest path to the NBA finals this year and its hard to project how they'll come out to defend their Eastern Conference title this season. They're a one-man team built around one of the best players in the game. While there are major questions about health and the point guard spot, this team still has a respectable front court and a lot of talented guards (including Daniel Gibson, who will have to follow up an incredible playoffs).
6. New York - Isiah Thomas' strategy still makes absolutely no sense, but it finally looks like he's assembled enough talent to overcome his shortcomings as a GM. The Knicks have a star player at every position, with the addition of Zach Randolph, and create matchup problems every night. The only problem is that they still can't defend, with one of their better defenders probably coming off the bench. Chemistry is also a big question, with so many players that need the ball in their hands to be effective.
7. Orlando - Replacing Brian Hill with Stan Van Gundy is an automatic upgrade in my books and should immediately make this team stronger. Finally, we'll see Dwight Howard as the focal point of the Magic's offense and who knows how it'll impact his development. Rashard Lewis, while ridiculously overpaid, is still an upper-echelon swingman who should open things up for Dwight and Jameer. The only problem is they had to break up a promising young duo in order to get him and who knows who'll start next to Howard this upcoming season.
8. Miami - This team is an absolute mess outside of their two franchise players. But at the end of the day, two players of Wade and O'neal's calibre is still enough to squeeze into a playoff spot. They'll make their annual late-season playoff push, once all this roster starts to focus on the same goal, but at the end of the day this franchise is on the verge of a transition period.
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9. Washington
10. Milwaukee
11. Boston
12. Charlotte
13. Atlanta
14. Philadelphia
15. Indiana


<u>WESTERN CONFERENCE:</u>

1 Phoenix - They always seem to blaze through the regular season and, while I think last year was their perfect opportunity to make it to the Finals, I still think they have enough to grab the first overall seed. Losing Kurt Thomas will hurt them in the playoffs, but not in the regular season.
2. San Antonio - While they're aging, this core is still talented and proven enough to fight with the Suns for the 1st seed until the end. They really only needed to finetune the roster in preparation for a title defense and it will be on the other Western teams to challenge them this season.
3. Houston - Enough can't be said about how much of a steal the Luis Scola trade was. He's an excellent complement to Yao (who I feel is on the verge of a monster season, health permitting) and Butler solidifies arguably the strongest frontcourt in the NBA. I like this roster more the Spurs, but I always give the edge to a team that has experience and chemistry on their side. And I also have reservations about their point guard rotation. Even if Alston is shipped out, they still lack a pure distributor.
4. Utah - It's a shame they couldn't convince Peterson to sign, because he really would've completed that starting lineup and made the Jazz a more well-rounded team. That said, they still have a talented roster and can expect Williams and Boozer to improve even more. Chemistry is a bit of an issue, with some teammates questioning each other's desire at the end of the season, but if they can get everyone on the same page, they'll be just as dangerous as last season.
5. Dallas - After being exposed so badly in the playoffs, you'd think the Mavericks would've come out this offseason exploring all options and hoping to add some offensive firepower so Dirk can't be triple-teamed by teams. Unfortunately, they were rather passive this summer. While I still love their roster, I'm not sure if they'll be able to ignore the stigma attached to last year's playoff bust, with other teams in the West improving like they did.
6. Denver - They're the last of the top-tier teams in the West and I don't see any of the teams below them seriously challenging them for their spot. This team is talented as hell at 4 positions, but the loss of Steve Blake will be tough to overcome and I'm still not sold on an Iverson/Anthony duo having enough to make a serious run in the East.
7. New Orleans/OKC - The key issue will be health, because I feel this roster has enough talent at each position to finally make that push into the playoffs. Adding Mo-Pete and drafting Julian Wright just adds more talent to a team that saw breakout performances by Tyson Chandler last year and Chris Paul and David West the year before.
8. LA Clippers - I'm not sure what the plan for the future will be with the Clippers, but when healthy, they are strong enough to contend for that final playoff spot. They're largely going to benefit from teams like the Lakers and Warriors taking a small step back.
-------------------------
9. Golden State
10. LA Lakers
11. Minnesota
12. Portland
13. Memphis
14. Sacramento
15. Seattle


<u>AWARDS:</u>

MVP: Yao Ming
ROY: Kevin Durant
COY: Byron Scott
DOY: Shane Battier
6MOY: Mike James (if Alston gets shipped out)
MIP: Darko Milicic


<u>ALL-NBA TEAMS:</u>

First Team
G- Steve Nash
G- Dwayne Wade
F- Kobe Bryant
F- Tim Duncan
C- Yao Ming

Second Team:
G- Chauncey Billups
G- Lebron James
F- Carmelo Anthony
F- Chris Bosh
C- Dirk Nowitzki

Third Team:
G- Deron Williams
G- Gilbert Arenas
F- Tracy McGrady
F- Amare Stoudamire
C- Dwight Howard

<u>
ALL-ROOKIE TEAMS</u>

First Team
G- Mike Conley, Jr.
G- Marco Bellinelli
F- Corey Brewer
F- Kevin Durant
C- Greg Oden

Second Team
G- Javaris Crittenton
G- Acie Law IV
F- Jeff Green
F- Al Horford
C- Jason Smith




(I'll add explanations tomorrow)

 

idk about seeding im just going to put the teams i think will be in the playoffs and why, (i copied Chunty's list thats why the teams may be ranked the way they are.

EASTERN CONFERENCE: (baring injury)

1. Detroit- Team Chemistry is still there, did nothing to really improve but where an elite team last year, age is the only thing that can hurt.

2. Chicago- real young team, very talented a little well seasoned after last year, i think they will pick it up in the playoffs.

3. New Jersey- got a better threat downlow, very seasoned team, i think
may be a sleeper, might of beet the cavs last year if it wasn't for Carter's meltdown.

4. Cleveland-another team that did not improve, i can actually see them slipping out of the playoffs with the improvement of some teams if players like Hughes don't step up, or they don't get a legitament PG (i love Gibson but hes a shoot first). But they have Lebron lol

5. New York-huge improvement i feel, Randolph and Curry downlow is a night mare for any team i dont care about the lack of D offense should be very good downlow, they are also pretty deep as well.

6. Toronto- didn't imrpove but still have a good team, Mo-Pete left but not a huge loss, players like Grahm can now step up and they have the best PF in the east with Bosh

7. Miami-I actually am having a hard time seeing them in the playoffs but you can't keep off a team with Shaq (idc about his age he still changes teams game plans) and Wade

8.Washington-I cant believe I almost kept a team with 3 allstars off, I actually think they will be high (and win their division) i dont see who will fall. (should be fun to watch). But again there lack of a Pass first PG hurts my views.
-------------------------

Charlotte(very hard choice)- I just see Jrich having to prove him self and they were only a few games out of it last year, i just have a gut feeling tehy wil actually make it but i can't put them over any of the proven teams. Felton Wallace Jrich and Okafor are a little scary.

Orlando- can see them over Charlotte, but idk i think they need a year to get seasoned with their roster, have Howard and Lewis gel, even though i wounldn't be surprised if they are close Washington in the Division.



Boston- i think they are too young, Ray Allen should have a huge year, as well as Pierce, but is Rondo willing to step up as starting point, and will Jefferson and who ever the other starter dominate down low, i can see them in their but i feel they are 4th in the atlantic behind Toronto, Nj, Ny (no order in particular)

Milwaukee-Don't really see what they did, should be a decent team fighting for 8th with a allstar like Redd and a emerging star in Charlie V but nothing really stands out.

Atlanta-they are getting there. Draft really helped but still too young, Joe Johnson is a great player but needs his Pippen. Give Law time to develop they should be in the playoff picture. If Williams is as good as they say and Smith comes up big (contract year i believe) they may make a run at it, but i really don't see it.

Philadelphia- Very young, made a real nice push at the end of last year, but can't see them doing much with just Iggy and Miller

Indiana- nothing really to improve, i think the Murphy trade hurt them. Should of been in the playoffs last year if not for that complete melt down, but did nothing to improve.


WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1 Phoenix- still great team, like Detriot though only age can hurt but other than Nash no one is that old. And Grant Hill's leadeship shouldn't hurt unless he is used like Jalen Rose

2. San Antonio- Same as Detriot only age can hurt.

3. Houston- I think if they are able to get a better big man (such as Haslem)
they will be very scary. They have the players to trade in Alston and Head. a
team of Yao Tmac Francis Battier Wells and Mike James will be scary.

4. Utah- Don''t think they aquire anyone special but they matured and got expeirence still a talented team with 4 potential allstars.

5. Dallas- Had one of the most dominating seasons, Dirk choked in the playoffs, i can actually see them coming out better than last year, but until Dirk and company hold up the O'Brien trophy there will be doubts.

6. Denver- Iverson Melo should be a great duo. I think they should of went with Knight as their point guard, but they went with Chucky which i feel will hurt them. I think they need to get deeper, but adding Martin will only help i believe. Nene really came up in the playoffs against Duncan, but players like Blake and Smith seemed to disappear.


7. New Orleans/OKC- I felt they were in there last year baring all the injuries. Chanlder worked him self into that contract i felt he was the best aquistion of last season. Paul is a great PG he is only gathering experience. Peja again should only help, along with Mo-Pete. i think they are too young still but have the talent to reach the playoffs.

8. LA Clippers- I just have to much respect for Elton Brand to leave them off. made a push last year after a break out year. Still need a point guard with Livingston's injury and Cassel's age but they are practically the same team that made the playoffs 2 years ago.

-------------------------
Golden State- Came up HUGE last post season. Baron Davis reminded people why he was a early MVP candiate a few years back. Monta should come in his own with Jrich gone. But Jrich takes a lot of their depth away, and my love for Brand is too much lol.

10. LA Lakers- Even with Kobe i don't see them doing anything. Kobe in my opinion is the best offensive player of all time, but his best player is Walton, i don't think Fisher coming in will help that much, and with teams like LAC and GSW and NOH coming into the picture its hard to see them here.

11. Minnesota- Another offseason where Garnett's best help comes in a rookie, can't really see an improvement i think its time to end this chapter and trade Garnett.

12. Portland- HUGE OFFSEASON, ONE OF THE BEST. Really like where this team is headed but they must gel and gain experience.

13. Memphis- I can actually see this team making the playoffs. Very talented have experience, almost same team that made it two years back, but the fact that they were last place, last season hurts them in my views.

14. Sacramento- Very talented team, too much off court trouble. I think if they can work as a team they can make a push, especially with Martin's improvement, but Bibby and Artest had the whoel my team thing last year i think everyone needs to put egos away.

15. Seattle- Too young to do anything, Durant may get beet up this year before he comes into his own. I think he will pull a Melo rookie season. but i dont see them getting too many wins.

MVP: Not sure matters what teams are on top, ima say Arenas though
ROY: Kevin Durant
COY: Rick Adelman
DOY: Tim Duncan
6MOY: Stackhouse (i think its too early though)
MIP: Rajon Rondo (can;t think of anyone else and i hope he coems into his own)

i think AllNba depends on what teams are on top, and i don't want to go into rookies because of their unpredictable amount of playing time.

(Sorry if not well written, i got tired. I will answer questions if something is un clear.)

 

Am I the only one who thinks that going from Peterson to Kopono is a downgrade for the Raptors? I still like the team they've got heading into next season, but they had one of the worst offseasons of any team out there. They would have been off retaining all of their players and signing a back-up post player. I don't like the fact that Rasho plays so many minutes for them, especially over Bargnani, and I don't like the fact that Joey Graham logs the occasional time at power forward. He's got the body to play in the post, but he doesn't have the game. If the Raptors had gone after Jamaal Magloire, they would be a lot better off heading into next season than they are right now.

I like Chutney's pick of Yao for MVP. For whatever reason, I never thought about him, probably because I was just going through last year's top candidates in my minds when I wrote that up. I think he's got a better chance than Dirk has of repeating or Nash getting his third though. I know in the other thread, I said Shaq was the top center in the game, and I still feel that way, but the key there is the word "healthy," and Shaq won't be "healthy" for more than a handful of games this season. If Ming can play 70-82 games, he'll be the top big man in the game, everything considered.

 

EAST STANDINGS:

1. Detroit
2. New Jersey
3. Chicago
4. Boston
5. Cleveland
6. Toronto
7. Washington
8. Miami
--------------------
9. New York
10. Atlanta
11. Orlando
12. Charlotte
13. Milwaukee
14. Indiana
15. Philadelphia

AWARDS:

MVP: LeBron James
ROY: Kevin Durant
COY: Rick Adelman
DOY: Shane Battier
6MOY: Manu Ginobilli
MIP: Delonte West

 

why does everyone have Detroit as #1? they're good but they're not that good man. last time i checked they got beaten by a one-man band. Heat, Chicago and Cleveland are still above Detroit in the East for me. Heat for the fact that D-Wade is probably the best player in the league especially he is a guy who can take over a game by himself better than anyone including Kobe and LeBron, and Detroit still does not have that guy who can take over a game by hisself. Plus so what Heat is aging, that also means EXPERIENCE. when was the last time a young team won a title? Also I think y'all are underrating the Lakers a bit putting them down as number 12. any team with Kobe on it ain't fallin to 12. other than that i pretty much agree with everybody

 

<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Am I the only one who thinks that going from Peterson to Kopono is a downgrade for the Raptors? I still like the team they've got heading into next season, but they had one of the worst offseasons of any team out there. </div>

Morris Petersons contribution to the Raptors playoff run last year was very small. In past years, Mo Pete would be a solid starting swing man who could generally score the ball. However, this year Peterson found himself on the bench behind Anthony Parker scoring nearly half of what he was last season. Carlos Delfino, a solid player with some hustle, and Jason Kapono, a top notch role-player who will knock down most of the shots given to him in the offense, should be more than enough to make up for the loss of Peterson's reserve role.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Voodoo Child Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Am I the only one who thinks that going from Peterson to Kopono is a downgrade for the Raptors? I still like the team they've got heading into next season, but they had one of the worst offseasons of any team out there. They would have been off retaining all of their players and signing a back-up post player. I don't like the fact that Rasho plays so many minutes for them, especially over Bargnani, and I don't like the fact that Joey Graham logs the occasional time at power forward. He's got the body to play in the post, but he doesn't have the game. If the Raptors had gone after Jamaal Magloire, they would be a lot better off heading into next season than they are right now.</div>

Kapono's an upgrade because Mo wasn't much of a factor last year. He wasn't really on Sam's good side and had an up and down year as a result. His defense also regressed. Remember the game where Mo hit that big three against the Wizards? I believe that was his only minute in the game, before or after overtime. With Kapono signing big money, he's expected to be in the rotation and playing consistent minutes.

Rasho's not bad. Yeah he gets paid alot, but he brings a nice presence down low, and I rather have him that Magloire. Bargnani will also likely be starting at the C so Rasho's minutes will be cut down as a result.

Joey Graham sucks. I would trade him for a bag of peanuts. Humphries, the most selfish offensive player ever, figures to get backup minutes at the 4 with Garbo.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Voodoo Child:</div><div class="quote_post">Am I the only one who thinks that going from Peterson to Kopono is a downgrade for the Raptors? I still like the team they've got heading into next season, but they had one of the worst offseasons of any team out there. They would have been off retaining all of their players and signing a back-up post player. I don't like the fact that Rasho plays so many minutes for them, especially over Bargnani, and I don't like the fact that Joey Graham logs the occasional time at power forward. He's got the body to play in the post, but he doesn't have the game. If the Raptors had gone after Jamaal Magloire, they would be a lot better off heading into next season than they are right now.</div>
Just comparing the two players individually, you'd be right. But Peterson was in Mitchell's doghouse for most of the regular season (unfairly, IMO) and really didn't contribute much to this team. Kapono's overpaid, but he brings consistent 3 pt. shooting to this team and I don't think the importance of strong 3 pt. shooting for a Sam Mitchell-coached team can be stressed enough. Our offense essentially is built of Chris Bosh iso's and PG pick-and-roll sequences. If we don't have the long range threat to spread the floor, our offense becomes stagnant (think the first half of the NJ series).

All indications from Colangelo seem to suggest that Bargnani will be starting over Rasho this season. I've heard good things about Bargnani's offseason so far, so I'm optimistic about how that'll work out. I agree that Rasho shouldn't be starting on this team anymore, but he is valuable for his defense and rebounding when the team has to play a slower pace. Interior defense and rebounding are still this team's biggest weaknesses though.

All in all, though I don't see any Eastern team as deep as the Raptors. We have two solid options at every position (Ford/Calderon, Parker/Delfino, Kapono/Graham, Bosh/Garbajosa, Bargnani/Nesterovic) and I think the fact that this roster has a full season under its belt will do a lot for our chemistry (people forget we spent most of the first half adjusting to 9 new players).

 

Why do some of you guys have Orlando missing the playoffs? I mean seriously, we lost Darko Milicic, a bench player who was used wrong anyway last year, and added Rashard Lewis, a scorer on the wing that we desperately needed. Not to mention we fired the worst coach in the league, Brian Hill, and brought in someone a thousand times better in Stan Van Gundy. Sure we overpaid Shard but I still consider us a playoff team and definitely a contender and in two-three years. The only other player we lost was Travis Diener who was on the inactive list for most of the season anyway because we have so many guards. If we were able to make the playoffs last year without starting Darko and barely playing him, I think the having the same roster plus Rashard Lewis will make us a five or six seed. Just my two cents.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Swish Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">Why do some of you guys have Orlando missing the playoffs? I mean seriously, we lost Darko Milicic, a bench player who was used wrong anyway last year, and added Rashard Lewis, a scorer on the wing that we desperately needed. Not to mention we fired the worst coach in the league, Brian Hill, and brought in someone a thousand times better in Stan Van Gundy. Sure we overpaid Shard but I still consider us a playoff team and definitely a contender and in two-three years. The only other player we lost was Travis Diener who was on the inactive list for most of the season anyway because we have so many guards. If we were able to make the playoffs last year without starting Darko and barely playing him, I think the having the same roster plus Rashard Lewis will make us a five or six seed. Just my two cents.</div>

This is just my opinion, but I don't think you guys are better than Detriot, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland, Washington, Miami, and Boston...

 

<div class="quote_poster">Brian Wrote</div><div class="quote_post">This is just my opinion, but I don't think you guys are better than Detriot, Chicago, New Jersey, Cleveland, Washington, Miami, and Boston...</div>

That's seven teams. We'd still make the playoffs along with those other teams. I think Orlando has the potential to be better than all of those teams except Detroit and possibly Chicago.