Be on the look out for the Raptors and Celtics, both have a good young core and there going to improve. If the Celtics resign Paul Pierce, I can see them being a playoff threat by next season. Raptors have the number 1 pick this year which will help them more, Charlie V, Bosh and most likely Aldridge/Andrea. Thats a strong front court and with some help from the supporting cast there a playoff team.
The Golden State Warriors. Before last season the team was expected to get into the playoffs, and I htink that this year they will make it. I also think that they will make a few offseason moves to get there.
I said this last year but I'll say it again. The Warriors have the talent to be that team that surprises everyone. They need to play hard and intelligently more often and that might take a new coach since they only seemed to play well against Dallas and San Antonio.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Heatfan32 @ Jun 12 2006, 09:33 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Be on the look out for the Raptors and Celtics, both have a good young core and there going to improve. If the Celtics resign Paul Pierce, I can see them being a playoff threat by next season. Raptors have the number 1 pick this year which will help them more, Charlie V, Bosh and most likely Aldridge/Andrea. Thats a strong front court and with some help from the supporting cast there a playoff team.</div>Just a little FYI: Pierce's contract didn't expire this year. 1 more year on his deal. What you are hearing of is a contract extension.But my answer: I would love to say the Celtics, but frankly I can't tell because no moves have been made. That's why I am not answering this yet. I mean this offseason has a hell of a lot of rumors flying around and nothing has happened yet except for the Araujo deal lol. So, ask this again around tranining camp time and I'll throw down a prediction. But right now, let's just wait and see.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Pistonfan11 @ Jun 12 2006, 08:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>The Golden State Warriors. Before last season the team was expected to get into the playoffs, and I htink that this year they will make it. I also think that they will make a few offseason moves to get there.</div>It's too bad they said the same thing last year.But I'm watching out for the Raptors. Make canada proud!
Thats right, the west is gonna be tougher now with the Rockets coming back this season, LA is going to be in the fight for the 8th seed again. I heard somewhere this season was his last year left in his contract, guess that was false. I still think the Celtics can do it, the east is weak enough for them to make it.
Celtics: Personally, I think its a little too early for them. Maybe Jefferson may come out to average 14 and 10, who knows. I just think they need a bit more experience and veterans in order to succeed with that team. Perkins doesnt look prominsing, in my opinion. 35 wins, 11th seed.Magic: Nelson, Howard, and Milicic is going to become a scary trio next year. Milicic is already getting comfortable in Orlando and has shown that he can become a good player. Not to mention he's a very good shot-blocker. Nelson is a scorer at PG and can also get his teamates involved. Howard is a beast. We all know what he can do in the future already. I seriously think he'll be averaging around 20 and 12 next year, as well as being an All-Star. The Magic also can take someone good in the draft to add more young talent. Hill and Turkoglu are veterans that are not going anywhere. 41 wins for them, 8th seed. Raptors: Playoffs? No. 30-40 wins? Yes. My prediction for Toronto next year is that they win 38 games, and they will be 10th seed in the Eastern Conference. I still think Mitchell is a terrible coach, but a duo of Bosh and Villanueva is already looking super good. They also have the first pick in the draft, they might even get someone like Rudy Gay to even add MORE talent to their roster. That'd be scary. Bulls: Rumors are that KG might come to the team. In my opinion they should keep their talent. Hinrich, Gordon, Deng, Duhon, Nocioni, Sweetney, and Chandler (did i forget anyone, lol) are all going to be above-average players in the future. They had an up-and-down season this year, but I think they can really pull through and become a solid team in the playoffs. 47 wins for them, 5th seed for them.I know this isnt really following the topic but I'm just giving predictions to teams on how will they fare next year. Teams that have been mentioned in this topic already.
I know I said that it's too early to tell and stuff and that you can't tell because nobody has made any moves, but if I had to guess:Houston Rockets. If nothing drastic changes with this team (I don't think it will) then they are in line for a very good season if T-Mac can stay healthy and Yao recovers alright. Yao was having an unbefreakinleavable 2nd half of the season this year and improved in a lot of aspects in his game. Howard can still play, and Swift is a good energy guy off the bench. Alston is a decent PG, a good playmaker, and improved his attitude since comming to Houston. Luther Head impressed this year and is a promising young combo guard. I don't know how much longer Mt. Mutombo is going to last, but still plays his heart out when on the floor. Not to mention the 8th spot that can/will get them a solid contributor right away (along the likes of either Marcus Williams, Randy Foye, Ronnie Brewer, Rodney Carney).Also, anyone have any update on Bob Sura? He was great in 04-05 and has always been a good all-around/underrated player. I know he went out with a herniated disc and missed the entire season. I also know this is extremely serious because my mom had a herniated disc about 7 years ago. It took a while to recover and she hurt REALLY bad. I don't know if he will ever be the same player, because this unfortunate injury will slow not only his game down, but his life. But is he going to make a comeback? He is 33 or 34 years old too. Any update?
My surprise teams for the West are Golden State and New Orleans, and my surprise teams for the East are Boston, Orlando, and Toronto (these teams are listed in no particular order).Golden State has the talent, and are definitely capable of being an playoff team as shown by their run after acquiring Baron Davis at the trade deadline of the 2004-2005 season. If Mike Montgomery can get them to play that way (if he is even there this season), they will surely make the playoffs. However, that is a BIG if, as seen by their play this past season.New Orleans suprised everybody this season with their play, given everything that occured with Katrina, etc. Byron Scott was my coach of the year until the Hornets started fading after the All-Star Break. With Chris Paul running the show with a year of experience under his belt (like he needed it anyway, right), along with the additions they will make with their two draft picks (12 and 15) -- whether it be via the draft or by trading one of them for some players -- they will definitely improve. Also, they might have JR Smith next year, or move him for another pick or package him for a better player. However, I'm not sure what Scott's contract situation is at this point in time.Whatever I wanted to point out for Boston, Orlando and Toronto has already been said, so I don't need to waste anybody's time and repeat it again.
If Houston is healthy they should make it. They have a good team over there and when they had Tmac and Yao healthy they did a good job. I don't think Golden State has much of a chance in the West next year though. I doubt they'll go from a bad team to a playoff team in that conference even though they should be better.The Celtics should also make the playoffs. They are in a very weak division in a very weak conference and that team has plenty of young talent to make it. All those young players will be even better next year and Pierce is great.
Look out for the Bobcats also. The have to good point guards in Brevin Knight and Raymound Felton. Which is a good combo because one is a expirienced veteran and the other is young and still finding his way around the NBA. They have a decent scorer in Kareem Rush. They have a defensive athletic freak in Gerald Wallace who can do it all. They have promising young big men who are coming back after sitting out basically the whole season in Emeka Okafor and Sean May. And also they have the #3 pick in which they could get a better scorer like Gay or Morrison.I think they will be like the Magic this year and just fall short of the playoffs.
I dont understand the draft talk with Aldridge for the raptors, right now they have two very good PFs, who are both very undersized to play center and without the skills to play SF. How can drafting Aldrige help them? I think they will most likely or should take Rudy Gay, since they are very weak at SG, although I think Ronnie Brewer will end up being much better.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (PrimeTime @ Jun 12 2006, 11:16 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I dont understand the draft talk with Aldridge for the raptors, right now they have two very good PFs, who are both very undersized to play center and without the skills to play SF. How can drafting Aldrige help them? I think they will most likely or should take Rudy Gay, since they are very weak at SG, although I think Ronnie Brewer will end up being much better.</div>A center is more important to them right now, they are harder to find and they have lots of options in the draft. A swingmen is easier to find, they can always sign a player like Peja from free agency to spread the floor with his three point shooting. I think there gonna take Andrea, he seems like the best choice for them right now IMO.
The Raptors don't have the defense to do it. They are too young. I don't see any team suprising anyone because you have to wait and see what happens during the offseason.
The point of the thread is to make a prediction, no one knows who will break out or not. The Raptors aren't to far away from the playoffs, there just a few good acquisitons away from being a threat. I don't think they'll make it by next year but in the upcoming years they should be good.
A couple of people picked Orlando on here, and i don't think they will be a surprise, because everyone is expecting the Magic to be in next year. I know that i am expecting them to make the Playoffs after that late season push this year, and with the maturing of their players. I think a team that is going to surprise and do good next year will be the Atlanta Hawks. If the Hawks can get a point guard to set up and run the offense, this team will be a competitive team with Johnson moving back to the two guard spot, and Smith getting better on the wing. They will be young, and have some growing pains, but i expect to see major strides in the developement of this team next year if they adress that point guard spot. If they do not do anything about it, then forget i said this.
The Hawks have such a history of losing I just don't see it happening. They don't have much of a talented squad either, Joe Johnson, Al Harrington(might leave the team) and the young talent in Josh Smith and Josh Childress. They need a good center and a good point guard, if they can get those two then they just might be a team.
I'm not going to say that they will finish the year in the playoffs, or even with a winning record. I do think we will see a nice improvement from their 26-56 mark this year, and that team will be a pleasant surprise. I am looking on the positive side of things, and saying that they will upgrade in atleast the point guard position this year.I think the Hawks have more talent than people give them credit for, it's young talent, but it's talent. There are the players you mentioned in JJ, Smith, and Childress. There is also Salim Stoudemire, he showed last year he can be a nice shooting spark off the bench for the Hawks, and i expect that to continue this next season. Marvin Williams has alot of talent, and i think we will see that start to come to the surface this upcoming year. Zaza is going to continue to be a decent big man, nothing special, but nothing to hurt the Hawks either.
