The 2015/16 Eastern Conference Predictions Thread

[Snooch]

Well if Splitter's going to play the 2 AND the 5, I don't see how they don't take the first seed.

lol, typo, supposed to be thabo.

[psrs1]

With playoff seeding going to W/L record I wonder if the NBA will reduce the number on intra-division games from 4 to 3 and could play all conference teams 3 times each. 3 times 14 conference and 30 non-conference =72 games. You could portentously play another 10 games out of conference that would further balance schedule for overall league. Only 5 out conference teams would play twice everyone else three times. This would hurt Raptors but overall balance of league schedule would be improved

[DanH]

Not likely. Costs increase doing that.

[JWash]

I just think it's so lame that the NBA doesn't have any divisional rivalries.

Reducing the number of divisional games and making it not matter whether you win the division just makes that even worse. One of the best things about MLB and NFL are the divisional rivalries.

[Hotshot]

1. Cleveland ( if healthy watch out, another finals appearance )
2. Milwaukee ( All arms and good D this team is going to the top)
3. Toronto ( Better D, less ISO, less selfishness and better more reliable bench )
4. Chicago ( same team with the same injury
issues likely to resurface, new coach won't make them better over what Thibs done)
5. Atlanta (Last season everything went right, I don't think they will be as good)
6. Washington ( More dangerous in playoffs then the season)
7. Orlando ( Young guys are hungry and finally ready to step up in the weak east to get into the playoffs
8. Miami ( talented enough to get here if healthy, otherwise Charlotte or Boston will make them pay)

[CalgaryRapsFan]

I just think it's so lame that the NBA doesn't have any divisional rivalries.

Reducing the number of divisional games and making it not matter whether you win the division just makes that even worse. One of the best things about MLB and NFL are the divisional rivalries.

It's good and bad. The rivalries are great, but quite often good teams are 'punished' by playing in strong divisions, while a bad team in a terrible division waltzes into the playoffs by racking up wins against inferior competition, thanks to the unbalanced schedule.

[SkywalkerAC]

1. Cleveland ( if healthy watch out, another finals appearance )
2. Milwaukee ( All arms and good D this team is going to the top)
3. Toronto ( Better D, less ISO, less selfishness and better more reliable bench )
4. Chicago ( same team with the same injury
issues likely to resurface, new coach won't make them better over what Thibs done)
5. Atlanta (Last season everything went right, I don't think they will be as good)
6. Washington ( More dangerous in playoffs then the season)
7. Orlando ( Young guys are hungry and finally ready to step up in the weak east to get into the playoffs
8. Miami ( talented enough to get here if healthy, otherwise Charlotte or Boston will make them pay)

The East is getting stronger. I like your upping of the Bucks. Chicago is overrated, they couldn't make ground on us until the very end of the season. I've written off the Hawks prematurely many times in the past, but their offseason doesn't excite me the way ours does - reinforced by taking Carroll away from them. The Magic are still so young as to be a total wildcard when MJ has gone the veteran route in Charlotte. If Wade can find some health, the Heat could be higher; if he can't, Winslow might fill in anyway.

[MACK11]

We're gonna get 49 wins again, I can feel it!

[tDotted]

We're gonna get 49 wins again, I can feel it!

We'll win at least 51

[psrs1]

Not likely. Costs increase doing that.

True. But there are a lot if proponents of 1-16 making playoffs regardless if conference. In that scenario you would need to look at ways to balance the schedule.

[Day One]

I'm going to go ahead and be on the positive side and say that we will win 57 games. Im really excited for this season it is a very interesting team MU has assembled

[Abbas]

If im not mistaken Mack11 called it last year and got 49 wins correct.

but this year im feeling it lol. I say we win 52

Cavs (59-23)
Hawks (54-28)
Raptors (52-30)
Heat (49-33)
Bucks (48-34)
Wizards (46-36)
Bulls (45-37)
Pacers (41-41)

Boston
Pistons
Orlando
Hornets
NYK
Brooklyn
Philly

East is going to be much tougher however still no way near the West

[DanH]

True. But there are a lot if proponents of 1-16 making playoffs regardless if conference. In that scenario you would need to look at ways to balance the schedule.

Yah, but at a certain point the cost reality runs up against the ideal.

I don't think we will ever see 1-16 ranking, nor conference-balanced schedules. Certainly not in the foreseeable future.

[Chr1s1anL]

Solid 50 just to keep the record breaking streak going!

[007]

I predicted 51 wins last year and I'm going to predict it once again.