1) Pistons - defending NBA champions will roll through the east 2) Heat - Shaq. Nuff said 3) Knicks - Best team in the weakest division in the NBA 4) Pacers - 2nd best to the Pistons 5)Raptors - Vince and Bosh lead Raps to big comeback year 6)Magic - Franchise and Mobley prove that they shoud never have been traded 7)Sixers - A.I. and A.I. will take Philly to the playoffs. 8)Wizards - Gilbert and Jamison bring the Wiz back to respectability
1) Pacers 2) Heat 3) Sixers 4) Pistons 5) Raptors 6) Wizards 7) Knicks 8) Magic 8) Bucks 8) Cavs (TIE, whoever wins the season seriess) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 11) Nets 12) Celtics 13) Bulls 14) Hawks 15) Bobcats For 3rd it is between the Sixers, Raptors and Knicks, whoever comes out on top, I don't see Boston making a big push, but I think it will be between the Sixers and Raptors, they'll have very close records. I only saw 2 people have the Raptors, 2 years out and they suddenly haven't made the playoffs in a while, like we're Golden State or something. Everyone still thinks these Kenyonless Nets will be 3rd in the East or were these posted before they lost him?
Wow, Anybody that puts the Heat or Pacers over the Pistons are just sick in the head. Anyways.. 1. Pistons (Repeat) 2. Pacers 3. Heat
The Pacers always have a good season run, the Pistons and Pacers can't be 1 and 2, the division winners are 1,2,3, and the Pistons and Pacers are in the same division, so one has to be 1 and the other 4. I think the Pacers will have their season run again, pushing the Pistons down to 4th, but you're the one that's sick in the head having the Pistons and Pacers 1 and 2 which is impossible.
I'm going by seeds so top 3 are division winners. 1. Pistons 2. Heat 3. Nets 4. Pacers 5. Knicks 6. Wizards 7. Cavs 8. Bucks
Ok, now that I look and see my seedings are messed up because of the new division layout, here's my new one. 1. Pistons 2. Heat 3. Nets 4. Pacers 5. Bucks 6. Knicks 7. Cavs 8. Bulls
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Moo2K4:</div><div class="quote_post">Wizards and playoffs just don't go well in the same sentence together. I mean, they have a lot of young talent in Brown, Arenas, Blake, Dixon, and Jeffries, but, I seriously doubt they make the playoffs. Unless they make a huge turnaround from last year, it won't happen. Plus, Jamison, to me, wasn't a very good addition to the team. Sure, he can score, rebound, and stretch the defense with his shooting ability, but, he's not a great overall player. He's not a great passer and he's a terrible defender for the most part. Granted I believe he will be one of their top scorers, probably #2 next to Arenas, but, I don't believe he will make that much of an impact.</div> Your wrong, Jamison will make one hell of an impact. Did you see the Wizards when Stackhouse, Arenas, and Hughes were together for the 10 or so games...they were a playoff team and Jamison is better than Stack, if we can stay healthy we will be a 5-7 seed. Kwame improved greatly last year in consistency and light it up from December to about March, He has put on more muscle and added more moves to his arsenal, Arenas has deddicated himself to the pg spot and is learning the offense more, Hughes is so underrated he makes the offense flow...Jamison can score inside and out, the only concern with him is his D..I htink we will be the 5 or 6 seed...book it
You guys realize the Pistons and Pacers are in the same division, thus meaning they both cant finish top 3. 1. Miami Heat 2. Detroit Pistons 3. New York Knicks 4. Indiana Pacers 5. Toronto Raptors 6. Orlando Magic 7. Philadelphia 76ers 8. New Jersey Nets But im very likely very much off. I think the NBA season is going to be real exciting next year, almost everyone in the East (Much like the West) has a legit shot at the playoffs. No other sport can say that.
With Nets losing Kenyon Martin the east has got even more predictable. After the Pistons, Pacers and Heat the rest of the east stands no chance whats so ever. Thats who It's going to come down to again next season. Reason I even add Miami in the list at all is because they have Shaq and he can make an impact on any franchise. However they won't beat the Pistons or Pacers, not enough talent or depth around the big fella to win more than 1 or 2 games in a series.
I only can name the top 4 so far. The East is not done with changes, until then, here's the top 4 seeds. 1. Detroit Pistons After dominating last year and winning a championship, I think the Pistons have finnally got a dynasty and will keep getting the top seed over and over again. Their lineup is great. They have Darko maybe as a sixth man, and thier coach, Larry Brown, is looking for more things to come. Expect his team to have the best record in the NBA and win the championship once again. 2. Indiana Pacers They were good this year, and will be good again this year. With having almost the same lineup and bench from last season, it will be a mirror image from last year, but being only 2nd in the Eastern Conference this season. With Jamaal Tinsley at the point, Reggie Miller staying at the 2, Ron Artest being again a defensive threat at the SF position, Jermaine O'Neal being the team's MVP and doing anything he can on the court, and finnally Jeff Foster being down low, the Pacers will be a great team again, getting the 2nd best record in the NBA and trying to get that title! 3. New Jersey Nets Even though the just lost Kenyon Martin and he was one of the only ways to help Jason Kidd out, the Nets will figure something out to get back to a high seed in the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. Having the team's MVP Jason Kidd without Martin makes him get way more scoring oppurtunities. Kidd will average around 20 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds in the season, but will take a tough time to make the playoffs. But getting more scoring oppurtunities with Kittles at the SG spot, Lucious Harris at the 3, maybe Brian Scalabrine at the PF spot, and if he stays healthy enough, Alonzo Mourning can have a great influence on this team. It will take some hard work, but the Nets will come down and successfully come down with a great playoff spot. 4. Miami Heat After getting Shaq, and losing 3 starters, the Heat won't have enough time to rebuild. They already have Dwyane Wade in the PG position, some mystery at the 2 and 3 spots, Samaki Walker in the PF spot and of course, Mr. O'Neal at center. Since losing Odom, Alston, Grant, and Butler, Miami would of needed them to get into a higher seed, possibly a 2 or 3. But since now it's Shaq's team, expect them to roll.
