who will come out of the east I think we can all agree that the lakers will make it out of the western conference this year and will probably win the NBA championship, but who will take the east this year. Naturally I will say that the Pacers will take the East because their team has not gotten worse despite the trade for Scot Pollard and they do not look like they will take a tumble like they did last year. Also Artest has kept himself under control this year, while Reggie Miller showed that he could still score when he dropped 31 on New York. What do you think?
Your right, I think the Pacers will take it. I mean, Reggie is simply unstoppable in clutch, and Jermaine O'Neal is the biggest man in the east. But maybe the Raptors. Think about it. PG, Rose is better than Pacer's starting PG (not sure who it is right now), SG, Alvin and Reggie? I'd take Reggie, by a long shot. SF Artest and Carter, Carter would dominate him. PF Pollard and Donyell, Donyell sure has been playing great lately, and he can shoot, Pollard can't. But then, C is where we get killed, Bosh on Jermaine, Bosh is to skinny, but he is gaining some weight, I'm saying maybe by playoff time he could have a chance. Tell me what you think.
Great post AllBoutDaPacers, it's great to have another friend on the boards. I agree, I think that the Pacers have a great chance of coming out of the east. I think that it will be either them, the nets, or the pistons. The Pacers have been somewhat underacheiving come playoff time, but this year they have a more defensive-minded coach who wont take any nonsense.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sirvincentlamar:</div><div class="quote_post">Your right, I think the Pacers will take it. I mean, Reggie is simply unstoppable in clutch, and Jermaine O'Neal is the biggest man in the east. But maybe the Raptors. Think about it. PG, Rose is better than Pacer's starting PG (not sure who it is right now), SG, Alvin and Reggie? I'd take Reggie, by a long shot. SF Artest and Carter, Carter would dominate him. PF Pollard and Donyell, Donyell sure has been playing great lately, and he can shoot, Pollard can't. But then, C is where we get killed, Bosh on Jermaine, Bosh is to skinny, but he is gaining some weight, I'm saying maybe by playoff time he could have a chance. </div> I agree with you about Jalen Rose being better than whoever the Pacers put out as PG, but disagree with you about the small forward and power forward. Artest will play better when someone challenges him like Carter will. Also, when Bender gets healthy, I don't think that Pollard will make it off of the bench. Marshall has been playing very well lately but I don't believe that he will be too much of a factor come playoff time.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AllBoutDaPacers:</div><div class="quote_post">I agree with you about Jalen Rose being better than whoever the Pacers put out as PG, but disagree with you about the small forward and power forward. Artest will play better when someone challenges him like Carter will. Also, when Bender gets healthy, I don't think that Pollard will make it off of the bench. Marshall has been playing very well lately but I don't believe that he will be too much of a factor come playoff time.</div> Yeah, well no, Carter is gonna dominate Artest, even though Artest is good defensively, actually that would be a good matchup to watch. But still, Marshall I think will continue his good play, maybe average like 18/10 the rest of the way. (Mostly defensive rebounds though) He needs to hustle on the offensive glass.
What makes you so confident that Indiana will not implode at some point? They were the top-seed in the East last season up until the All-Star break, and we're still 7 weeks away from All-Star 2K4 right now.
Raptors taking it? I seriously doubt it. It should be the Nets. Eventhough they lost Zo, I seriously think that they're a better team than last season with the young guys maturing.
Candidatesistons, Nets, Pacers, Sixers Pistons-I dont think they can get to the championship, all teams that are contenders need a superstar.Darko may be that in 3 years but he isnt much yet so i dont think they can make it to the championship. Nets-They did it the last 2 years, why not this year? They have the same core of the team as last year, and with J.Kidd,KMart, and Richard Jefferson on the fastbreak, they will be hard team to beat come playoff time. Pacers- If Jermaine O'Neal does what he did last year in the playoffs (22.8 ppg 17.5 rpg) and his team responds to it, then they are a very likely candidate for the East. Sixers-With the same core as when they went to the Finals 3 years ago, they still contend for the East. AI has GRob as a second scorer, who has picking up the slack lately. Don't count them out, Iverson has the skill and the heart to carry this team back to the Finals.
Jefferson said it well. Here's a quote: <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">"Everybody knows what is going to happen in the end," Jefferson said. "You will have to come through New Jersey. We don't have to send any more messages. We have been sending messages the last two years. Everyone knows that until we are out, there is not going to be another Eastern Conference champion."</div> Link to Brad Parks' article
He could'nt of said it any better. I say the Nets are going to take it once again. Tell me who's going to stop them in the East?
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting TimFlem:</div><div class="quote_post">He could'nt of said any better. I say the Nets are going to take it once again. Tell me who's going to stop them in the East?</div> Raptors have stopped them every game this season. Did you guys forget about New Orleans?? They are second in the East and I think they could beat the Nets anytime if Baron Davis stays healthy and Mashburn comes back.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sirvincentlamar:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah, well no, Carter is gonna dominate Artest</div> Not only is that very biased but a statement you should never make.Artest is one of the best defenders in the league and basically stops every guard he goes up against.Vince Carter is having an average year.He is not playing like the guy everyone saw 3 years ago....So don't make statements like you have in your quote. As for the question it will be the same old teams again fighting for a spot in the finals Nets,Pistons,Pacers,Sixers and Hornets (Although I'm not yet convinced again them yet) They always break down in the playoffs like the Pacers.They have yet to win a 7 game series. Celtics are my darkhorse.Don't ever count out a team that has Paul Pierce.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AirJordan:</div><div class="quote_post">Raptors have stopped them every game this season. Did you guys forget about New Orleans?? They are second in the East and I think they could beat the Nets anytime if Baron Davis stays healthy and Mashburn comes back.</div> There's my man, everyone has forgotten about Baron Davis and New Orleans. Look what they have. Baron Davis will kill JT or Kenny Anderson. David Wesley and Reggie are both cut-offs. Jamal Mashburn will be a handful on offense for Artest. PJ Brown is one of the best defensive rebounders in the league and can effectively contain Jermaine O' Neal. Jamal Magloire will overpower Jeff Foster. Look for New Orleans to have their best performance in their swansong in the East. I expect them to go to the Finals this year.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting AirJordan:</div><div class="quote_post">Did you guys forget about New Orleans?? They are second in the East and I think they could beat the Nets anytime if Baron Davis stays healthy and Mashburn comes back.</div> When is Mashburn coming back? The Hornets have been brilliant so far, IMO. Mash would make them scary.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Not only is that very biased but a statement you should never make.Artest is one of the best defenders in the league and basically stops every guard he goes up against.Vince Carter is having an average year.He is not playing like the guy everyone saw 3 years ago....So don't make statements like you have in your quote. </div> Well maybe Carter isn't who he was 3 years ago, but still, watch him when he gets on a roll, and in the 4th quarter. He's made like 4 buzzer beaters to win this year, and yeah, he's getting to confident in his jump shot, he still can drive, he just had to remember to, and I still stick by my statement, Carter will dominate Artest.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting sirvincentlamar:</div><div class="quote_post">Well maybe Carter isn't who he was 3 years ago, but still, watch him when he gets on a roll, and in the 4th quarter. He's made like 4 buzzer beaters to win this year, and yeah, he's getting to confident in his jump shot, he still can drive, he just had to remember to, and I still stick by my statement, Carter will dominate Artest.</div> If Kobe,T-mac,Iverson can't dominate Artest how the hell is Vince Carter suppose to? You are showing no respect for the defensive demon know as Ron Artest. VC is suppose to be some superstar but this year he is not even as good as Michael Redd.
The Hornets have a pretty good shot at it, but if they don't make it this season their window has passed for the next several years, as they will be realigned into the Western Conference. I personally would like to seem them take the East this year as they've been highly under-looked for the past few years, even though when healthy, they can hold their own against the best Eastern teams.
Nets will do it again. They're already starting to find form - come playoff time they're the team that has been there before, twice. I don't think anyone has a right to say they will beat the Nets in the East at the moment, and I doubt they will come finals times. Should be interesting to watch though.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting franchise3:</div><div class="quote_post">PJ Brown is one of the best defensive rebounders in the league and can effectively contain Jermaine O' Neal.</div> What do defensive rebounds have to do with defense? JO will own PJ Brown, it is silly to say otherwise.
