Will we make the playoffs?

I think the locks are Boston, Orlando, and Detroit.

The three teams I don't think will be factors are New Jersey, Indiana, and New York.

There seem to be 12 teams that could feasibly make the playoffs in the East.

Trying to cut through this all, I think it'll probably shake up:

1. Orlando Magic
2. Boston Celtics
3. Detroit Pistons
4. Chicago Bulls
5. Miami Heat (Wade will miss too much of the season for them to be too much higher)
6. Milwaukee Bucks
7. Cleveland Cavs
8. Charlotte Bobcats
------------------------
9. Toronto Raptors
10. Washington Wizards
11. Philadelphia 76ers
12. Atlanta Hawks
13. New Jersey Nets
14. Indiana Pacers
15. New York Knicks

But it isn't too difficult to see us dropping out of the playoffs.

 

Orlando over Boston? Or is that an error in your part.



Chicago has a pretty good chance just like the Nets have. I think the locks are Celtics, Pistons, Magic and Raptors.

 

Excuse me, but that makes absolutely positively no sense. O'Neal injury or not, the Raptors are making the playoffs. Philly's making the playoffs. Atlanta's probably making the playoffs. Milwaukee isn't, Bulls aren't, Heat won't, and Bobcats?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 27 2008, 08:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Orlando over Boston? Or is that an error in your part.



Chicago has a pretty good chance just like the Nets have. I think the locks are Celtics, Pistons, Magic and Raptors.</div>

I think Boston is going to conserve more during the regular season, kind of like the Spurs, and I think Ray Allen will decline a bit next year.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BG7 Lavigne @ Jun 27 2008, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (CelticKing @ Jun 27 2008, 08:28 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Orlando over Boston? Or is that an error in your part.



Chicago has a pretty good chance just like the Nets have. I think the locks are Celtics, Pistons, Magic and Raptors.</div>

I think Boston is going to conserve more during the regular season, kind of like the Spurs, and I think Ray Allen will decline a bit next year.
</div>

Ok, that makes sense. Thanks for clearing that up.


I still think they'll try their hardest to keep the number 1 spot for the whole season, since they know how precious home court advantage is during playoffs. (they got that lesson this time around)

 

Why do people think Raptors are going to be good next year? They cut one Garbajosa, one of the guys that helped them achieve that 47 win season a few years ago. They got worse from the trade. TJ Ford was a 12 pt 6 ast point guard, that isn't easy to replace. Calderon is solid, but not the playmaker Ford is. Jermaine O'neal is terrible. The guy shot 48.9 TS% last year, and that isn't an outlier, since he shot 50.0 TS% the season before. The guy missed an average of 31 games the past 4 seasons.

Philly and Atlanta aren't that good imo. They were able to sneak in last year because the Bulls and Nets disappointed and underachieved. Bulls should bounce back, which could take one of those spots away, and I doubt Nets are in contention, unless Yi breaks out, which after watching him in Milwaukee all year, I doubt.

Washington seems legit, but they always barely scrape in at around .500.

I have Orlando, Detroit, and Boston as my locks, and Cleveland too as long as Lebron doesn't get injured.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jun 27 2008, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. Orlando
4. Toronto
5. Cleveland
6. Philadelphia
7. Atlanta
8. Washington

Maybe make it:
Nets
Bulls

NOTE: Assuming no trades.</div>

I like this better than BG7's. I think Philly and Cleveland will be better than Toronto, or even. But I still see Cleveland as the 4th seed.

 

If O'Neal's health holds up (that is, he plays more than 60 games on both legs)

1) Boston
2) Detroit
3) Orlando
4) Cleveland
5) Philadelphia
6) Washington
7) Miami
8) Toronto

If Detroit trades any of their starters, Orlando moves into #2 and Cleveland into #3.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BG7 Lavigne @ Jun 28 2008, 12:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Why do people think Raptors are going to be good next year? They cut one Garbajosa, one of the guys that helped them achieve that 47 win season a few years ago. They got worse from the trade. TJ Ford was a 12 pt 6 ast point guard, that isn't easy to replace. Calderon is solid, but not the playmaker Ford is. Jermaine O'neal is terrible. The guy shot 48.9 TS% last year, and that isn't an outlier, since he shot 50.0 TS% the season before. The guy missed an average of 31 games the past 4 seasons.</div>

Calderon is actually the better pure point guard. He distributes the ball better and runs the team better. However Ford would be a better scorer than Calderon. Both aren't very good defensively.

When JO was healthy he was a beast. The jury is still out on whether he'll be healthy and play in the post. He doesn't like all the banging since it gets him injured.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Denny Crane @ Jun 27 2008, 09:53 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I think Cleveland's record will decline because they have Ben Wallace for a full year.</div>
Agreed hahaha