I was inspired to make this by SunnyD's Nortwest division post. So let's get to it, what do you predict the Atlantic Division standings to look like and why? My predictions for the weakest division in the NBA:1. New Jersey NetsThey still own the division. Kidd/Carter/Jefferson is just too hot to handle, and Krstic is comming along beautifully. They had an excellent draft, Marcus Williams will be great off the bench, and Boone will develope into their starting PF once he gets healthy again. Jason Collins brings defense and energy (I like Collins), Robinson is basically useless but he can still shoot alright, Antoine Wright is a guy to watch out for (I think he will develope into a solid player), Eddie House brings shooting and a lot of energy, and Hassan Adams could be a very nice pickup. He is a more athletic version of Ruben Patterson, be on the lookout for Adams. He could suprise a little. But yeah, at the end of the day, this team still owns the Atlantic.2. Boston CelticsCall it a biast pick, I don't care. I think this team will be better than Philly. Paul Pierce is one of the top 10-15 players in the NBA, Wally is consistant, and the kids are growing and getting some experience. I think this will be a good year for Al Jefferson, and I think Telfair has an oppertunity to break out in Boston, in our running style. But this is a gut feeling because I still think Ainge has a trade or 2 up his sleeve. Telfair and/or Ratliff can be traded Monday, and I think Ainge is going to get something done. I don't know if Pierce would have signed that 3-year extension if he and Ainge didn't truly believe they were going to get him help. Pierce wants to win, and not to mention he and Ainge both keep bringing up getting him more help. A semi-big trade is comming IMO, and I see us comming in 2nd.3. Philadelphia 76ersTwo words: Allen Iverson. As long as he's here this team won't be at the very bottom of the division. C-Webb hasn't been great in Philly, but he hasn't been as bad as some of the fans say either. Iggy will have another summer under his belt, and I think they did a nice job on draft day. Carney is going to contribute right away, and Bobby Jones brings a defensive presence. Also, Dalembert is a very good shot blocker, he just needs to stay out of foul trouble.4. Toronto RaptorsThey are improving a lot, and I like it. They could slide into 3rd if Philly slips as well. Bosh is a star, Ford will help that team more than people think (as much as Villanueva will be missed), Peterson is underrated by NBA fans, Bargnani will always be soft but he can score, Fred Jones was a very nice pickup (he brings athleticism and defense), Joey Graham will have a solid year off the bench, Calderon is a decent young backup, and I really like Pape Sow's energy. Nesterovic is an upgrade over Araujo, and Kris Humphries is better than Loren Woods. Anthony Parker - who knows? But I think they will have a better season than last year, and I think by next year they will be a threat to more teams than you might think. Colangelo is moving this team nowhere but up.5. New York KnicksI have (within the past couple months) stated New York might be a darkhorse team for the playoffs. You know what, they might. But I'm going safe here and keeping them in dead last. They have one of the most talented teams in the NBA, hands down, but they don't know the concept of team basketball. Isiah is the worst GM I have ever witnessed (seriously) and he will be fired after this season, Marbury/Francis could never work, Rose is aging, Curry is overweight and has heart problems, etc. You know the drill. This franchise is a mess and a half. The only players I don't have real problems with are Frye, Crawford, and Lee. I like Malik Rose too, actually, but he's overpaid and he isnt having a good time there. They need to blow this team up, deal Francis, and sit back and let the contracts expire.. then start over in about 4-5 years (when Frye is near his prime, good building block).But again, don't be suprised if something clicks and they sneak into 8th-9th seed. For some reason I see that kind of happening, but I'm playing it safe because that prediction is a long shot, plus Isiah has done nothing this summer except overpay another wing.
Knicks will be BETTER than Raps this year. If they dont get a better record i will wear a RAPTORS sig saying Raptors own Knicks
^Get that sig ready this year. If Brown cant fix it, then Thomas sure wont.I think the raps could slip into if 2nd if they play like they are suppose too. I think the Sixers will fall into 4th, and the Celtics and Raptors will fight for 2nd. And Nets got 1st, and Knicks got last.
This division is the Nets to lose. They could lose one of the big three to injuries, and still win it. Boston is second with Pierce and an improving supporting cast, with Delonte West leading the way. The Raptors are third thanks to that TJ Ford deal. The Sixers and Knicks will tie for last place. The Sixers are on the decline, and the Knicks are, well, the Knicks. Isiah is the wild card. If he knows what he is doing, then give them credit, and a few more wins. But I seriously don't think he has a clue of what he is doing.
te] You Americans and your discrimination against Canadians teams. Raptors are a strong pick for second. Ill tell you why in a second. But this is my prediction1. NJ (if Jefferson steps up big) :thumbdn1: 2. Tor. (hopefully INT players will deliver) :boxin: 3. Boston (Pierce is not a strong enough force by himself) :aggressive: 4. Philli (Give it one last go A.I) :beerchug: 5. NY ( Sry knicks fans) :happy0144: Lets start with New Jersey. THE VC trade still burns here in Tor but what the heck. With the recent news about his alleged divorce, VC wont be 100% all season. Face it Kidd is getting old, hes not expired yet, but theres only so much he can do. Hes no Steve Nash. Thomas Jeffferson, you could say he makes the differance. He needs to accompany VC and Kidd in the game, he has made some noise, but not more than id like to see him make. Marcus Williams being a pure point gaurd will see playing time, but hes no Chris Paul. I see major oppurtinities in this guy's career, it wudda suited him to go to a team that needs a starting PG. Now off to Toronto, what can i say, this team has a future.....we have MANY strong developing players who wil definitely step up. If this was a regular raps new season with babcock, or grunwald, i wudnt expect much. But we have so many new players one will have to step up. It's enivatable. Raptors still lack a 5, and unfortunately in my opinion Rasho wont fill that, you cant get everything. On to the Fan favourites. Telfair is expected to come up big. And i think he will. But i think he will end up like Darius Miles who had one great season and slowly faded, more like CHandler and Curry from the Bulls. Pierce as expected will prolly have a breakout year. But like evry year i think these guys will stop short. So many spots to fill on the team, mostly on the bench, and a legit backup for Pierce could be helpful. I see Boston in the Conference Semi Finals 2 - 3 years from now. Not just yet tho, maybe a draft and trade a two will turn this right around. I gotta tell you, ive always loved Iverson. But people pls stop the hype. HE IS EXPIRED. Period. he wont have another breakout year again. im expecting 26 PPG this year. not any more. C webb and iggy got to pick up the slak, if they did like they were paid to...theyd be in the same situation as NJ. With the loss of Salmons i think they pretty much lost therye bench. Like most teams in the Atlantic Division this team needs to be broken apart and fixed again. I do see them back in the late playoffs, and im sure theyll make it soon with new management probably. I would like to see em in the playoffs IMO. LOOK KNICKS FANS, the RAPS WANT THAT 8TH SPOT SO WATCH OUT... xD....Ahh the other fan favourites, these guys relly need a franchise player, Marbury is way overrated. If these make it to playoffs itll be a huge upset for Tor. Most ppl say our record will be 41-41 im thinkin mayb 45-36 if were relly lucky!!! as for the Knicks, 30-51 is my bet. They was relly pushin with those rookies they got last year. They need an impact player and fast. Or they cud jsut rebuild. it worked for cleveland, i herd O.J Mayo will make big impact, y not go for #1 pick???as for the NBA's worst division it has the most potential and the most excitement, upsets, and news for the '06/'07the 5 teams fans' will enjoy this season good luck in the race!!! :yahoo:
I love how people thing Iverson is done considering he put up career numbers in '04-05 and then went out and put up even better numbers in '05-06. Yes, the team may suck and underachieve, but Iverson still has two to three more "elite" years left in him, and then after that I see him averaging about 15-23 ppg along with 7-9 apg.Also, no way in hell Toronto finishes second in the division. I'll give them the third spot at best, but I just have to take a wait and see approach with them.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Aug 25 2006, 10:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I love how people thing Iverson is done considering he put up career numbers in '04-05 and then went out and put up even better numbers in '05-06. Yes, the team may suck and underachieve, but Iverson still has two to three more "elite" years left in him, and then after that I see him averaging about 15-23 ppg along with 7-9 apg.Also, no way in hell Toronto finishes second in the division. I'll give them the third spot at best, but I just have to take a wait and see approach with them.</div>I agree with everything you just said. I am still baffled by the talk of Iverson being on the decline, he is in the middle of his prime.
RaptorFan#1, I have something to say about your comments: :boxin: Vince Carter is getting a divorce, and that's a tough blow for a man. But regardless he's going to still remain one of the best players in the league at his position and he will be an All-Star again. Jason Kidd is no Steve Nash? Why? Because Kidd can play defense? Jason Kidd is just as good as Steve Nash once you break everything down. Kidd is a triple-double king, a leader, and always is on an All-Defensive team. THOMAS JEFFERSON?!?! lol I know you meant Richard. Who said Marcus Williams is Chris Paul? He's a rookie and he's a very good playmaker, nobody has ever compared him to Paul and never will. I don't know where that came from.How about talking about Krstic? Everyone overlooks this kid, and I don't like it. He will be an All-Star caliber center down the road, IMO, and he improved a LOT last year. He is big and pushes his weight around, he has a nice soft touch around the rim, he's a pretty solid rebounder, and he has good work ethic. He causes problems for a lot of centers in the league.Just face it, New Jersey is unarguably the best team in the Atlantic, like it or not. Yes, Toronto has a nice looking future. But the "future isn't now" for the Raptors. They have a lot of young talent and they will improve, but as of this year I don't think they can get passed Boston with Pierce leading the way (with very much arguably a better young future than Toronto), and maybe not get passed Philly. I could see Toronto sneaking into the #3 spot, but nothing more. Telfair is nothing like Darius Miles. Telfair is a good, smart kid with a good head on his shoulders and he works hard. Miles is a guy that gets into numerous arguments with every coach he's ever had, has been caught with drugs, and doesn't work as hard as he should. And when did Miles ever have one good season? Statistically 05-06 was his best season and he got like 13/5 in 40-45 games played. I actually have always kind of liked D-Miles for some reason, but I don't like this comparison at all.Pierce having a breakout year? What are you expecting, 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists per game? Damn, the man averaged 27/7/4 last year and has been an All-Star the past 5 years. His breakout year was in 2000. People have been saying Iverson is expired for the past 3 years, and every year he proves them completely wrong. On this team, I see Iverson with 28-29 ppg, maybe 30. He's still unbelievable, and he could probably play until he's 40 if he wanted to. C-Webb is the one that's declining. And Iggy is never going to develope his offensive abilities with Iverson/C-Webb in front of him. Salmons was alright, but they never had a bench anyway, and he's not THAT good. I still don't think I can see Iverson letting Philly fall any lower than 3rd seed in the Atlantic. Raptors winning 45 games next year? HahahaI'm pretty sure New York lost their rights to their top draft pick in 2007 as well (Curry trade), and OJ Mayo is going to be a senior in high school this year.Damn, that felt like the debate contest lol.
I am still baffled by the Telfair/Miles/Curry/Chandler comparison. I think CelticBalla32 hit it on the head. I think 3 and 4 are debateable. But 1 and 2 are set I think and the Knicks will be last for sure, unless there is some sort of miracle.
^^^^^^^what like Isiah suiting up and hittin the hardwood? lol j/k1. New Jersey: Regardless of what personal matters may arise, the Nets will own the division if they come out with fire and desire. It is true that J Kidd is getting on a bit, and I'm sure his knees ache, buts hesa real pros pro and players like that battle through it. J Rich needs to find his palce, but he should do fine. As for Carter, as much as I might hate the man for playing like crap in the T-dot, once he left he became reborn. But how much longer will he keep the desire to excel if things get off to a rocky start this year?2. Phil: Iverson is not done, and NO WAY is 26 ppg a stat line for a over the hill player. Also, yes Nenad Kristic is very overlooked, and keeps improving. And Andre I..is not bad either.As for C-webb hes way closer to over the hill, but his passing for a big comes in handy too.3.Boston: Pierce ia an exceptinol player and a great scorer, but also players like G Green will be surprising ppl. I still think they are a move or two away myself, but they can very easily slide to third.4. Toronto: Some parts in place, but not enough experence and talent to rise above the fray of the Atlantic...5. New York: ha ha, Don't even ask. I like a lot of the guys on the roster: Curry, Francis, Frye....but they are still just treading water to me for the next couple years and need to unload (cap and certain players) to reload.
If anyone of the Big 3 has a major injury during the season in New Jersey, expect Boston and Philadelphia to battle for that 1st spot. Both are evenly matched teams, and both teams have young talent. I dont think Boston will get the 1st seed because they dont have veterans on that team to lead the way. Philly has Iverson and Webber leading the way and both of them are veterans who can bring leadership. Also, dont forget about Iggy. The dude could explode with 16-18 ppg this upcoming year and actually become a force on offense. New Jersey will go 3rd in my mind because if either Kidd, Carter, or RJ is injured for at least 75% of the season. They dont have ANY depth behind that trio at all. Krstic is nice but they need more. Williams and Boone are probably going to pressured to bring some production coming out of college with experience.Raptors will finish 4th, and Knicks last. Raptors have a nice core of young talent, but they dont have any veterans to lead them. Ford will be great, though. I can see him getting 15 ppg and 8 apg for the Raps. Knicks have probably one of the most talented teams in the NBA. Yet, without team chemistry, how are they going to succeed? If Larry couldnt pull this team together, then Isiah sure wont. Isiah is a player's coach, which means he's laid back, basically. He's not going to push the Knicks hard enough overall. And if he does, the Knicks still wont respond with their piss-poor attitudes. They need to get rid of some players, Marbury and Francis will never co-exist with one other, and Francis should be the odd man out for Jamal Crawford to get some PT.
That's what I said last year Zards. The Nets would finish second because the big three is injury prone. But then Nenad Kristic emerged. Eddie House has arrived, that should help. I don't expect them to be injured this year though. Carter is injury free since his move, and RJ hasn't slowed down since his one injury. JKidd is the question mark. If he can stay healthy, then NJ is a lock, but if he is injured, then it's up in the air. The can still compete without a big 3, but there will be much more competition.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SunnyD @ Aug 26 2006, 02:30 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>That's what I said last year Zards. The Nets would finish second because the big three is injury prone. But then Nenad Kristic emerged. Eddie House has arrived, that should help. I don't expect them to be injured this year though. Carter is injury free since his move, and RJ hasn't slowed down since his one injury. JKidd is the question mark. If he can stay healthy, then NJ is a lock, but if he is injured, then it's up in the air. The can still compete without a big 3, but there will be much more competition.</div> Nenand Kristic is an emerging force however if there is an injury to their big three, it will have a much larger effect than you seem to believe, and Eddie House will not be able to fill in that void. Not to mention that recently with the events surrounding Vince Carter, he could possibely be leaving the Nets, that would be a major setback for the Nets, they should think about trading him if VC is having these thoguhts. RJ is someone who's not going to stop this year, he's young, he's talented, and he's going to show off this year. Jason Kidd, I think is the most injury prone out of all three, so the Nets are on a thin wire this year, I don't think they finish first, i'm betting the Celtics take the gold with the moves they made, Telfair, West, Wally, Pierce, so talented and coming together this year they should snag the 8th seed, if not this year then next year. The sixers are the sixers, I don't see them above the celtics this year, AI is aging along with Webber who won't be helping as much this year, they will have to rely more on Iggy and I think they need more before they come back into hte playoffs. The Raps, will not be having a huge progress this year, sure they got some nice depth but really they aren't too impressive in their starting line, they will not be 5th to last record again, but wont have any huge progress made. The Knicks, ah the Knicks, now have Eddy Curry and Jeffries, another wasted addition to their backcourt and another player with a huge attitude. The Knicks are such a shame, players like Robinson are getting wasted there, they have the worst record this year, now that Isiah is coaching them.
i hate how everyone says that Pierce doesn't have enough to win by himself. people don't realize that we were hit pretty badly with injuries and a trade that cut the rotation to about 7 for a long while. not to mention, several players will make a big jump, and telfair could break out in a system that fits.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (nba dogmatist @ Aug 27 2006, 12:28 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>i hate how everyone says that Pierce doesn't have enough to win by himself. people don't realize that we were hit pretty badly with injuries and a trade that cut the rotation to about 7 for a long while. not to mention, several players will make a big jump, and telfair could break out in a system that fits.</div>I don't understand that either... but then again I don't understand a lot of things people are saying in this thread, especially things like Iverson is done and the Raptors will be second in the division.
haha, that bias is just oo overboard for me. I think if the sixers can pull it together and put forth some effort on defense, they have a shot at the division title. That team is so talented, it's really a shame that their defensive faults hold them back like that. but that could honestly be said for literally ever team in the division except for New Jewrsey, bc they occasionally buckle down (LMAO!).
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Aug 27 2006, 01:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't understand that either... but then again I don't understand a lot of things people are saying in this thread, especially things like Iverson is done and the Raptors will be second in the division.</div> I don't think anyone said anything about Raptors being second in division, if they did it was prolly CB4, and I missed it. About Iverson, I made a comment about this, although I don't think he's done, he's aging and falling behind. He's not as tough as he was before, I don't think he's as unstopabble as two years ago, and his name is sure the decrease with all the rising stars and the fact that the Sixers don't even seem to be a big contender for the late playoff seeds anymore. I think he'll still put up All-Star numbers just worse than before.
1. Nets...three all-stars on this team, easily best starting lineup in the division, but do have a weak bench and as stated before, if Kidd, Carter, or Jefferson get hurt, they can run into some trouble and possibly lose this spot.2. Celtics...should only improve, they have Pierce one of the more underrated superstars in the league, and loads of young talent with a ton of pitential, someone is bound to break out this year.3. 76ers...can't put them any lower with AI on this team, but I don't see them improving too much, unless maybe Iggy or Dalembert have a breakout season.4. Raptors...have an up and coming superstar and Colangelo is doing a great job so far re-building this team, but they have a lot of question marks, and I have to see how this team gels.5. Knicks...Isiah can't make this team any worse, could he? Lots of talent here, but no absolutely no chemistry. Also, with their terrible cap situation I don't see them going any where for a long time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (GArenas @ Aug 27 2006, 12:38 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>I don't think anyone said anything about Raptors being second in division, if they did it was prolly CB4, and I missed it. About Iverson, I made a comment about this, although I don't think he's done, he's aging and falling behind. He's not as tough as he was before, I don't think he's as unstopabble as two years ago, and his name is sure the decrease with all the rising stars and the fact that the Sixers don't even seem to be a big contender for the late playoff seeds anymore. I think he'll still put up All-Star numbers just worse than before.</div>Iverson isn't as tough as before... I guess you're right, considering he's missed only 17 games the past two years. He definitely isn't as unstoppable as he was two years ago, considering he put up better numbers last year than he did two years ago.I mean, seriously... people doubted this guy two years ago after he missed 34 games in 03-04 with a knee injury, and everybody said he's starting to slow down and isn't tough anymore. What happens? He comes back and has the two best years of his career... but hey, I guess that means he's slowing down. What do I know...The man will be playing at an elite level for the next two to three years, then drop off to about 20 points a night and turn into more of a set-up man than he is now. I can honestly see him playing till he's 38 years old, but obviously he won't be unstoppable after the age of 34 or 35.Also, as dogma said, if the Sixers can somehow improve defensively, they'll make the playoffs. They were one of the best offensive teams in the league last year, so scoring the ball isn't the problem. Their problem was defense, and if Mr. Cheeks can somehow get it through his head that this team needs to focus on defense first, then we will surprise a lot of people.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (BigMo763 @ Aug 27 2006, 01:51 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Iverson isn't as tough as before... I guess you're right, considering he's missed only 17 games the past two years. He definitely isn't as unstoppable as he was two years ago, considering he put up better numbers last year than he did two years ago.I mean, seriously... people doubted this guy two years ago after he missed 34 games in 03-04 with a knee injury, and everybody said he's starting to slow down and isn't tough anymore. What happens? He comes back and has the two best years of his career... but hey, I guess that means he's slowing down. What do I know...The man will be playing at an elite level for the next two to three years, then drop off to about 20 points a night and turn into more of a set-up man than he is now. I can honestly see him playing till he's 38 years old, but obviously he won't be unstoppable after the age of 34 or 35.Also, as dogma said, if the Sixers can somehow improve defensively, they'll make the playoffs. They were one of the best offensive teams in the league last year, so scoring the ball isn't the problem. Their problem was defense, and if Mr. Cheeks can somehow get it through his head that this team needs to focus on defense first, then we will surprise a lot of people.</div> He's putting up better numbers this year, becuase his team isn't helping him out as much. Just watch him play, don't only look at the stats you'll see how he's slowed down, not greatly as I said in my post but he isn't as strong. Big Mo that is the problem with so many teams in the league today, defense, if they improve it, they could shoot at a playoff spot.
