2015/16 Eastern Conference projections

[mcHAPPY]

2nd round playoffs or bust.*


*assumption they make playoffs of course.

[MACK11]

4th seed vs 5th seed upsets are the most common. But yeah if we couldn't win as higher seed what makes people think we will win as a lower seed. Stop fixating on magical second round. ECF should be the goal.

ECF is an unrealistic goal. This team is known to completely shackle up in the playoffs. I'm quite sure there's absolutely no chance they're making it to the ECF

[SkywalkerAC]

The East looks plenty strong these days, but I still have us 2nd.

[SkywalkerAC]

ECF is an unrealistic goal. This team is known to completely shackle up in the playoffs. I'm quite sure there's absolutely no chance they're making it to the ECF

The playoff performance of past Raptor teams has limited predictive power for the upcoming season. Conference finals are difficult for any team to attain, not just us. We have as good a shot as anyone, outside of Cleveland really.

[Bandit]

ECF is an unrealistic goal. This team is known to completely shackle up in the playoffs. I'm quite sure there's absolutely no chance they're making it to the ECF

Yea but we really aren't the team that caves anymore. I like the raps now much more than last couple years in the playoffs. I think we have the personnel to play more traditional and successful style of playoff ball.

that said I'd be happy with a 2nd round, not expecting an ECF showing.

[Cody73]

ECSF or bust for me, fellas.

[MixxAOR]

ECF is an unrealistic goal. This team is known to completely shackle up in the playoffs. I'm quite sure there's absolutely no chance they're making it to the ECF

then the team needs to blown up. But we all know this.

[SkywalkerAC]

Yea but we really aren't the team that caves anymore. I like the raps now much more than last couple years in the playoffs. I think we have the personnel to play more traditional and successful style of playoff ball.

that said I'd be happy with a 2nd round, not expecting an ECF showing.

But ECF should be the goal. Certainly it is for the likes of the Bulls, and the Heat (who didn't even make the playoffs), why not us?

[MACK11]

Yea but we really aren't the team that caves anymore. I like the raps now much more than last couple years in the playoffs. I think we have the personnel to play more traditional and successful style of playoff ball.

that said I'd be happy with a 2nd round, not expecting an ECF showing.

This team has changed a lot but the top 2 options haven't and teams already have the blue print in stopping or slowing down Lowry and DD in the playoffs. For DD just put a taller and longer defender on him and for Lowry you gotta try to get in his head and he'll take himself out of the game basically with silly fouls and Techs

As much as we want to believe that JV or someone else can usurp them as the top 2 option and can actually make an impact in the playoffs it's not gonna happen with Casey still around. He's gonna live and die with Lowry and DD taking the bulk of the scoring opportunities and like we've seen the last 2 playoffs it's not something that's successful.

But they could pull it off playing hero ball with 2nd and 3rd tier players but I'm not as optimistic as some of you guys.

[SkywalkerAC]

The East is all-but-impossible to call right now. The Wizards seem weaker, though their young trio could take another step. The Bulls have a new coach, are getting older, and rely on the health of Rose. The Heat lack depth and contain a lot of wild-card risk in Whiteside and health concern.

We have plenty going for us. We're probably the deepest of the bunch. We have a considerable blend of youth and veteran-continuity. If you project our defense to jump, we should top out as one of the better 2-way teams. Our core seems extremely motivated. Fanbase, league perception, and other intangibles are on the up-and-up. Finally, our talent depth is eminently tradable - Masai has the asset base to make some major moves to get better if he so chooses.

[Demographic Shift]

1. Cleveland (59-23)
2. Chicago (50-32)
3. Atlanta (50-32)
4. Miami (47-35)
5. Washington (46-36)
6. Toronto (44-38)
7. Milwaukee (44-38)
8. Boston (40-42)
9. Indiana (39-43)
10. Charlotte (35-47)
11. Detroit (35-47)
12. Brooklyn (30-52)
13. Orlando (30-52)
14. New York (25-57)
15. Philly (19-63)

Discuss.

Pretty representative overall view on the East.
Raps in 6th is not outrageous. We should be able to take 11 of the 16 games we have against the Sixers, Knicks, Nets and Celtics. If we do that and play just 2 games better than 500 ball against the rest of the league we get to 45-46 wins and maybe get back to our usual landing spot of 4th or 5th.

Not many would say the Lebron's don't win the East.

That ESPN has the spread between 4th and 7th being only 3 wins says its pretty open horse race and not much to choose from between 4 teams.

The Bulls will be OK but don't see them winning 50 with a new coach, a new system and a 35 year old Pau Gasol. DRose's knees are one sharp cut or one unscheduled hard stop away from letting him down again. Hawks will be 50 win good with Horford in his contract year.

Just can't see Miami getting to 47. Wade is now entering his 13th year in the league and history shows he just can't take the pounding of an 82 game season any more. Neither can Deng in his 12th campaign . Bosh too will be in his 13th year and will be 32 when the playoffs start AND is coming off a pretty serious medical scare from last year. There is no bench to speak of. Yes they have Dragic but he might be the 5th or 6th best PG in the east. (Irving / Teague / DRose / Lowry / Wall / Dragic) See them in the low 40's on wins and this only if Bosh can play at least 75 games. Wade will play around 55 to 60.
***Lots of the CBS/ESPN crew are annointing Winslow as the steal of the draft. He went at the bottom end of the range he was supposed to go in. Somebody saw something. Talent doesn't slide that far without something tangible behind it. Guess we will see. Winslow really doesn't do any one thing really well. See him as another Micheal Kidd Ghilcrist. Solid defender with a LOT of work to do on the offensive end of the ball. He also has to play against the men in the NBA so his size advantage he used well in college will be negated. I'd like to think that Miami and Toronto will swap spots in the standings by year end. Toronto in 3rd and Miami in 6th but with only 42 to 43 wins.

Think Orlando is better than 30 wins but they don't get to 36 wins this year.

Dark horse is Boston if Lee has anything left in the tank. Boston could be 500 or better.

Bucks are a tich high at 44 wins. They might be 41 or 42. They got the turnover machine MCW at the point and have to play the Cavs and Bulls 4 times.

Love to see ESPN nail this one and the Knicks finish 14th ...

[SkywalkerAC]

This team has changed a lot but the top 2 options haven't and teams already have the blue print in stopping or slowing down Lowry and DD in the playoffs. For DD just put a taller and longer defender on him and for Lowry you gotta try to get in his head and he'll take himself out of the game basically with silly fouls and Techs

As much as we want to believe that JV or someone else can usurp them as the top 2 option and can actually make an impact in the playoffs it's not gonna happen with Casey still around. He's gonna live and die with Lowry and DD taking the bulk of the scoring opportunities and like we've seen the last 2 playoffs it's not something that's successful.

But they could pull it off playing hero ball with 2nd and 3rd tier players but I'm not as optimistic as some of you guys.

The team we saw in the playoffs had a broken-down Lowry. He alone makes a huge difference. Add some of the best 2-way depth in the league, and it's a vastly different team.

[Bandit]

But ECF should be the goal. Certainly it is for the likes of the Bulls, and the Heat (who didn't even make the playoffs), why not us?

ECF as the goal sure, I have no problems with that. But a goal and an expectation are not the same thing. Looking at the east, the team we have and the coaching we have; my expectation is that we finish in either a tight 7 game series or the second round.

[Bandit]

This team has changed a lot but the top 2 options haven't and teams already have the blue print in stopping or slowing down Lowry and DD in the playoffs. For DD just put a taller and longer defender on him and for Lowry you gotta try to get in his head and he'll take himself out of the game basically with silly fouls and Techs

As much as we want to believe that JV or someone else can usurp them as the top 2 option and can actually make an impact in the playoffs it's not gonna happen with Casey still around. He's gonna live and die with Lowry and DD taking the bulk of the scoring opportunities and like we've seen the last 2 playoffs it's not something that's successful.

But they could pull it off playing hero ball with 2nd and 3rd tier players but I'm not as optimistic as some of you guys.

I believe with a healthy Lowry and DD playing their style of game (Not hoping for a change on that end from the coaching staff), and with Cojo/Demarre replacing GV/Lou we have a chance at making the second round. The difference i believe will come from an uptick on the defensive end.

With the new additions coming from ball movement offenses, there is the off chance that they know how to get the team involved when our starters have to sit. (open shots on the perimeter and involved big men)

Not expecting a ground shattering change, but without GV and Lou our defense should get significantly better very quickly.

[SkywalkerAC]

ECF as the goal sure, I have no problems with that. But a goal and an expectation are not the same thing. Looking at the east, the team we have and the coaching we have; my expectation is that we finish in either a tight 7 game series or the second round.

Right, but to get to expectation you basically have to cross the 50% probability mark. Cleveland is there, probably at 85%+, leaving about 115% to be divvied between 6+ teams, and I don't see the Hawks or Bulls take a lion's share. My point is that no one, except the Cavs, can expect the ECF.