Raptors win Eastern Conference in 2015-2016

[mcHAPPY]

You're being awfully optimistic I think.

It happens bi-weekly

[Snooch]

I'd bet they are 11th or worse in the East.

Possibly, but I dont think they are done yet, they will add a bit more.

And if Melo is healthy and his head is on right he can win ALOT of games on his own.

Lopez is a very good center, OQuinn is gonna have a good year there, If Afflalo finds his shot and Jose stays healthy that team contends for PLayoffs imo.

Jose
Afflalo
Melo
OQuinn
Lopez

[Mindlessness]

Yup

Ben. Simmons.

[JimiCliff]

The only numbers on that list that look totally wonky to me are Cleveland at 51 and Boston at 47. Although I do think that we're going to begin to see a real decline from Lebron next season...but SI wasn't making their predictions based on anything like that, so it's hard to say how their 51 makes sense.

[JWash]

I'd bet they are 11th or worse in the East.

Agreed. Imo the following teams are just clearcut better than the Knicks:

Cleveland
Atlanta
Chicago
Toronto
Milwaukee
Washington
Boston
Indiana
Miami

That's 9 teams. Then you've basically got them fighting with Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn which imo all have more talent than the Knicks do.

[JWash]

Ha! Not a chance. But nice to see!

Even nicer to see?

27. New York Knicks 28.0
28. Denver Nuggets 29.6
29. Minnesota Timberwolves 23.5
30. Philadelphia 76ers 23.2

[Snooch]

Agreed. Imo the following teams are just clearcut better than the Knicks:

Cleveland
Atlanta
Chicago
Toronto
Milwaukee
Washington
Boston
Indiana
Miami

That's 9 teams. Then you've basically got them fighting with Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn which imo all have more talent than the Knicks do.

8-10 that is what I said.

Boston is questionable, they haven't a talent Like Melo.

Indiana is questionable as well, they are far from a complete team imo, further away than NYK

[JWash]

Imo the only team worse than the Knicks in the east is Philly.

Melo is a bonafide star but he's not gonna carry scrubs to a lot of wins lol. Especially if he's not motivated.

Kobe, who was better than Melo, and had every bit of motivation to prove he could win without Shaq, only won 34 games in 04-05 with much better players (Odom and Butler) by his side.

Hard for guys like Kobe and to a greater extent Melo to carry poor rosters to a lot of wins because their games don't really make their teammates better. Aside from drawing defensive attention. They can be devastatingly awesome on good teams though.

[Snooch]

Imo the only team worse than the Knicks in the east is Philly.

Melo is a bonafide star but he's not gonna carry scrubs to a lot of wins lol. Especially if he's not motivated.

Kobe, who was better than Melo, and had every bit of motivation to prove he could win without Shaq, only won 34 games in 04-05 with much better players (Odom and Butler) by his side.

Hard for guys like Kobe and to a greater extent Melo to carry poor rosters to a lot of wins because their games don't really make their teammates better. Aside from drawing defensive attention. They can be devastatingly awesome on good teams though.

Now I will appologize ahead of this post for mentioning names...

But Again, melo doesnt have "scrubs" he has better talent around him right now than Kobe did, and he is in the east.

Afflalo can defend and shoot, Jose can take care of the ball and shoot, Lopex is an underrated center, and not that long ago alot of posters here where singing the praises of OQuinn, and how good of a pf he can be with minutes.

[Bandit]

Agreed. Imo the following teams are just clearcut better than the Knicks:

Cleveland
Atlanta
Chicago
Toronto
Milwaukee
Washington
Boston
Indiana
Miami

That's 9 teams. Then you've basically got them fighting with Detroit, Orlando, Brooklyn which imo all have more talent than the Knicks do.

I have Detroit and Orlando above the knicks as well. I just can't see them making it work next year with the pieces they have and the system they want to run.

I could totally see a bottom four showing if a few things go against them. I just don't see that squad staying healthy all year

[JWash]

I have Detroit and Orlando above the knicks as well. I just can't see them making it work next year with the pieces they have and the system they want to run.

I could totally see a bottom four showing if a few things go against them. I just don't see that squad staying healthy all year

Yeah like idk they didn't make any significant acquisitions.

Afflalo still has a rep for being a good defender for some reason when he isn't one. He's just a very good jumpshooter (from mid-range, deep mid-range and 3).

Any Raptors fan trying to hype up Calderon must've been in a coma from ~2008-2012. He's a backup level PG. Love the guy but he's not good, plus he's like what 34 now?

Lopez is a solid center but he was on a really, really good Blazers team last year. Idk what his impact will be on a much weaker team.

Their only hope to significantly improve is if Porzingis just turns out to be a high impact rookie right off the bat which is extremely unlikely.

[Just Is]

I have Detroit and Orlando above the knicks as well. I just can't see them making it work next year with the pieces they have and the system they want to run.

I could totally see a bottom four showing if a few things go against them. I just don't see that squad staying healthy all year

I'd add Charlotte above them as well.

[Bandit]

I'd add Charlotte above them as well.

Yea Charlotte could make that cut too, just want to see how their defense holds with the frontcourt they have

[S.R.]

Cavs were 34-13 after the NYK trade last year - that's a 60 win team if they stay healthy all year. I think their results are skewed because Lebron only ended up with 10 WS last season, which doesn't reflect his impact at all. He's peaked at 20 before and last season's 10 is the lowest since his rookie season. Did all that coasting before the trade cost him? Give him his career average of 15 and the Cavs leapfrog the Raps.

[Bonus Jonas]

How crazy would it be if we land the #2 pick.