The Way Early Pre Season Predictions Thread... who finishes where in the Eastern Conference

[JawsGT]

1.CLE
2.TOR
3.ATL
4.BOS
5.DET
6.IND
7.CHA
8.CHI
9.ORL
10.WAS
11.NYK
12.MIA
13.MIL
14.PHI
15.BKN

3 through 13 gonna be tight. The conference looks tougher than it's been in awhile. ORL could surprise, and I'm not at all confidant in my last two playoff picks. Could be anyone really.

[LJ2]

Because the Celtics are this years darlings....

Last year it was the Heat... who were the darlings despite having not one but two important injury prone players in Wade and Deng. They exacerbated that risk with the additional risk of having a third important player coming back from a very serious medical concern (Bosh). Just dismissed it as not gunna happen. Yet these same clucks who are anointing Boston this year as the can't miss favourites said the same things last year about the Heat only to see that fearless prediction of Miami not only easily finishing 2nd but perhaps challenging Lebron for the conference title despite the high risks of injury and downtime to three key players do a Hindenburg and go up in flames.

Bostons risk is pretty high this year in that Horford, in and of himself ,won't put the team on his back and carry them to the finals. He has NEVER done it before. Why and how does that all change this particular year.

Crackheads.

Pissing off Canadians gets ESPN more clicks than making Americans happy. That is the only reason for that projection I can think of.

[psrs1]

Im usually the one that starts this thread

1. Raptors (61-21)
2. Cavaliers (59-23)
3. Celtics (54-28)
4. Pacers (51-31)
5. Hawks (47-35)
6. Pistons (45-37)
7. Hornets (42-40)
8. Knicks (41-41)
_____________________________

Anymore inside info?

[psrs1]

1. Cleveland 63-19
2. Boston 53-29
3. Toronto 51-31
4. Atlanta 47-34
5. Indiana 45-37
6. Detroit 44-38
7. Washington 43-39
8. Charlotte 43-39

[DanH]

1. Cleveland 63-19
2. Boston 53-29
3. Toronto 51-31
4. Atlanta 47-34
5. Indiana 45-37
6. Detroit 44-38
7. Washington 43-39
8. Charlotte 43-39

Boo this man!

Why are you so high on BOS, or more specifically, so low on the Raps?

[psrs1]

Boo this man!

Why are you so high on BOS, or more specifically, so low on the Raps?

Not low on Raps but to quote MU " it's tougher to do it again". I expect us to beat Celtics in second round. I expect a few more losses in those close games. Also expect DC to rest KL and DD more prior to playoffs taking into account the choose to participate in Olympics as good citizens. We will still be good.

[koncept]

1. Cleveland - hangover doesn't matter when you're this talented
2. Toronto - continuity, chemistry and internal growth, there's no more doubt where we belong.
3. Indiana - PG is a superstar and the supporting cast looks good

4. Boston - Acquisitions and growth but not enough to keep up with the top tier

5. Atlanta - Trending down

6. Heat - all depends on bosh and co but 5th seed at their best. Younger talent will take a step forward

7. MIL - Greek freak, Parker and Middleton put together solid year behind a great coach. Eek into the playoffs.

8. NYK - originally had DET but New York has a stroke of luck and remains healthy enough to pull in.

[Demographic Shift]

Celtics' Isaiah Thomas says he ranks among the NBA's elite point guards...
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ce...-point-guards/

Its just going to be so much fun to see the Leprechauns fall well short of their and the espn/cbs media types projections this year...

[draps]

Celtics' Isaiah Thomas says he ranks among the NBA's elite point guards...
http://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/ce...-point-guards/

Its just going to be so much fun to see the Leprechauns fall well short of their and the espn/cbs media types projections this year...

When jv and sullinger each grab 15 boards against them.

[MACK11]

When jv and sullinger each grab 15 boards against them.

That's one thing nobody factors in. Boston will get destroyed on the glass. They weren't a good rebounding team last year and they replaced there best rebounder in Sully with a bad rebounder in Horford

[Demographic Shift]

That's one thing nobody factors in. Boston will get destroyed on the glass. They weren't a good rebounding team last year and they replaced there best rebounder in Sully with a bad rebounder in Horford

Yep...but letting grimy little facts like that and that they ranked 28th in three point percentage and didn't address that either gets in the way of the hype....

[Demographic Shift]

Anyone got any views on the over/under of Christmas who team turmoil is this year in the east ?
Taking bets on:

• Bulls (with Rondo & Wade & Butler) combined with a lot of rookies who won't be able to avoid the shrapnel and a coach who lost last years locker room still walking the sidelines.

• Whiz (have to love Wall and his hate on the floor comments about Beal... I mean.. who says that ? Really)

[Maury]

Anyone got any views on the over/under of Christmas who team turmoil is this year in the east ?
Taking bets on:

• Bulls (with Rondo & Wade & Butler) combined with a lot of rookies who won't be able to avoid the shrapnel and a coach who lost last years locker room still walking the sidelines.

• Whiz (have to love Wall and his hate on the floor comments about Beal... I mean.. who says that ? Really)

Whiz are gonna suck even tho John Wall is a top 5 point guard in the game, probably top 2-3 defensively. I don't like Bradley Beal's arrogance and he is way too injury prone for the contact he got.

I think the Bulls can be decent, with a range of maybe 40-45 wins. Jimmy Butler is a top 5 two way player and probably the best 2 guard in the league. Robin Lopez is a serviceable centre in this league. As bad as they might be offensively, they can be really good defensively if Hoiberg can get control of that locker room. With Dwade there he will have more respect.

[slaw]

Anyone got any views on the over/under of Christmas who team turmoil is this year in the east ?
Taking bets on:

• Bulls (with Rondo & Wade & Butler) combined with a lot of rookies who won't be able to avoid the shrapnel and a coach who lost last years locker room still walking the sidelines.

• Whiz (have to love Wall and his hate on the floor comments about Beal... I mean.. who says that ? Really)

The Knicks would be the most obvious one from where I sit. That mix of players in the NY media spotlight - if things go sideways early on (and that's a real possibility) there will be an airing of dirty laundry in the press on a daily basis.

The other team might be Orlando. Massive pressure there to make the playoffs and they appear to be on outside looking in at the moment. A dark horse might be Milwaukee. How long will Kidd want to stay there is things go off the rails again this year? Could be some drama there.

[92TillInfinity]

Agree with most of the OPs rankings. I think Chicago is going to make some noise though. Too much talent on that team not to at least make the playoffs.