Bulls, Raptors and Magic should improve. All of them have good young players. If they add some veteran pieces I dont see why they couldnt make the playoffs...
not meaning to be a homer, but i think the celtics should have a better year. They got screwed by injuries, and this is a different team than at the beginning of the year. Ricky was actually holding us down with his selfish and stupid play. Wally's a better fit and a better team player. If we can get a good pg in free agency, namely Sppedy Claxton (Bobby Jackson is the second option), i'm thinking playoffs. If not, then Paul is out the door.Other teams on the rise will be Orlando, Lakers, Rockets, maybe Raptors. it depends on what Colangelo can do this summer. They have a pretty good core with Bosh and CV, they just need a pg and a center and they are set (understatement of the year).nose dive teams include: Nets, Miami (?).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BCB @ May 3 2006, 05:39 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>JR Smith is pretty much off the team at this point, he's been a big problem.</div>Scratch that then, Desmond Mason!Maybe JR can be traded for another guard. Who knows. MLE is also there. James Posey in New Orleans?
I say Orlando just like everyone else. I think we have to say the Hornets as well. They will make the playoffs next year. Bucks and Bulls might improve as well. Maybe not in the rankings due to Cleveland and Detroit being in the same division, but they will play better. Teams in decline: Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. I can see the Spurs declining a little as well. Not to the bottom of the league or anything, but behind the Mavs in the standings. Mavericks are catching up.
I think Miami will decline and Indiana. This is a once in a while season for Miami. Shaq's getting old, and they have chemistry issues. Indiana because they lose Peja.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (pjcolpitts @ May 4 2006, 01:54 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I say Orlando just like everyone else. I think we have to say the Hornets as well. They will make the playoffs next year. Bucks and Bulls might improve as well. Maybe not in the rankings due to Cleveland and Detroit being in the same division, but they will play better. Teams in decline: Miami Heat and Indiana Pacers. I can see the Spurs declining a little as well. Not to the bottom of the league or anything, but behind the Mavs in the standings. Mavericks are catching up.</div> How do the Spurs decline? Tim Duncan will have a fresh start and he still has Tony Parker and Manu Ginobili. The Spurs core in general is in it's prime. How do the Bucks improve? After watching them all year they are an average group, I don't care how young they are I just don't see them winning games and it pisses me off. Stotts is average and they play no defense and we don't have a vocal leader to get things straight when things have gone in the shitter. The Pacers have just gone down the tubes. Jermaine O'Neal isn't really a leader and with Artest gone with nothing in return of value they have nothing. Tinsley just seems like he will never be healthy and the Pacers have lost their defensive toughness and everything that made their home court intimidating. I love Larry Bird and it sucks to see the Pacers like this.
Being the homer that I am, I say the Minnesota Timberwolves will improve and be a top 6 seed in the playoffs next year.
Yeah, the Wolves will do like they always do, draft poorly and add a couple FA's to fill in for 2 years and be an average team.
The Timberwolves have had a few first round busts (William Avery, Ndudi Ebi) but for the most part the team has drafted pretty well in the McHale era (Garnett, Ray Allen/Stephon Marbury, Wally Szczerbiak, Rasho Nesterovic and Rashad McCants).
Don't even take credit for Ray Allen, you got Stephon for 3 years and let him go while Ray had 7 great seasons in Milwaukee.
They drafted Ray Allen but then traded him for Stephon, they still drafted him. And it doesn't matter, Stephon was still a great draft pick but it isn't our fault that Marbury had some ego problems.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Mr Wolf @ May 4 2006, 02:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>They drafted Ray Allen but then traded him for Stephon, they still drafted him. And it doesn't matter, Stephon was still a great draft pick but it isn't our fault that Marbury had some ego problems.</div> Everyone knew he had ego problems coming out of Tech.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (adam_west1321 @ May 3 2006, 09:35 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>orlando definately...dwight is a beast, i think he's the mvp next year</div>whoa. MVP? i don't think so.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ May 4 2006, 02:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>whoa. MVP? i don't think so.</div> I don't care who it is as long as it's not Steve Nash.
If Steve Nash wins a 3rd MVP we are all meeting in the middle of America and you all can tie my rope and give me my final words.
