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6th through 8th Seed Will Be Competitive This Year

BusBoyIsBack

By BusBoyIsBack
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BusBoyIsBack Newbie

BusBoyIsBack

Posted
Posted

Boston Celtics

Detroit Pistons

Orlando Magic

Toronto Raptors

Cleveland Cavaliers

These 5 teams barring injury look like locks on paper:

The Final 3 spots will be fought for between:

(Last year contenders)

Washington Wizards

Philadelphia 76ers

Atlanta Hawks

(Vastly upgraded)

Milwaukee Bucks

Miami Heat

(Long shot)

Indiana Pacers

New Jersey Nets

Chicago Bulls

(Don't waste your Vegas Money)

Charlotte Bobcats

New York Knicks

If Miami and Milwaukee play as well as they look on paper things could get mighty tight.

It's imperative that our young players show improvement from this year to last. More specficially showing the type of intensity they showed in that playoff series.

I think this may be a year where .500 won't make the playoffs even in the East.

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Admin Newbie

Admin

Posted
Posted

I think that both Indiana and Chicago will be better than Miami and Milwaukee. It's still early in the offseason so things could change but that's how I see it now.

I see it as:

    Group 1

    [*] Boston

    [*] Detroit

    [*] Orlando

    [*] Cleveland

    Group 2

    [*] Toronto (ONLY if JO stays healthy)

    [*] Atlanta

    [*] Washington

    [*] Philly

    [*] Chicago

    [*] Indiana

    Group 3

    [*] Nets

    [*] Miami

    [*] Milwaukee

    [*] Bobcats

    [*] Knicks

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TheDude Newbie

TheDude

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i wouldnt count out the bobcats honestly...they have two players coming back from season long injury, and they've got larry brown there...they've got pieces..they just have to put them together...now if they get rid of wallace, then i think they take a step back to develop.

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Diesel Grand Master

Diesel

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Quote:

as of now, top 10 in east is:

1. Celtics

2. Pistons

3. Magic

4. Raptors

5. Cavs

6. Bulls

7. Bucks

8. Hawks

9. Nets

10. Heat

You're joking right? You don't think that the heat with Wade, Marion, and Beasley are any good?

Moreover, the Bucks?

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pound4pound Newbie

pound4pound

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Posted

Do you think that Chicago's problem was point guard play last year? They have nobody inside to keep all those shooters honest. Now Rose will be able to help - especially because he will get by his man and cause trouble - but there still is no low post presence. With all those Big Guys they drafted from NY's picks - they still have no one that can put their back to the basket.

There really is a consistent trend to winning NBA Basketball - in this order:

A team commitment to defense - 82 games a year

An inside presence that commands a double team

3 or more knock down shooters on the floor

A mismatch with the offensive play setter (size or speed)

Veteran Leadership

It is about contesting every shot - and taking uncontested shots. very simple.

Take a look at your Group 1 - I think you can say that only Boston, Detroit, and Orlando have all 5 of these traits. I think Orlando is the team to beat next year really - I just love how the run the offense through Turkoglu

Group 2 - Toronto is going to realize how much they miss TJ Ford beause he was the only mismatch at the point of attack. Calderon is a great ball handler and shooter - but can't really get by his man.

Now take a look at the Atlanta Hawks:

Do we have a team commitment to defense? I think you can say that Josh and Al do on the inside but we get torched - I mean scalding hot torched from the outside because we switch on pick and rolls - we don't will ourselves through picks and we get bombed from outside becuase of it.

Do we have an inside presence that demands a double team? While Al and Josh both have a back to the basket game - neither one of them are effecient and successful enough at it to demand the attention of two defenders. Therefore no open shooter to swing the ball to.

Do we have three or more knock down shooters on the floor at the same time? Joe and Bibby fit that bill. Marvin does to - except his range is limited. You have to be able to swing the ball from one side to the other - while demanding defensive attention when you touch it to be successful in this leauge. That is the only way you can consistenly get an uncontested shot.

DO the Hawks have a mismatch with the offensive play setter. Our offense is run through Joe and he more times than not is bigger than his defender. He can't get past him but he can back him down or create enough space to get a good look - therefore demands a double from most opponents.

DO the Hawks have Veteran Leadership? I question the leadership skills of both Joe and Bibby. Joe wants to lead by example and too often the team has taken his personality of passiveness on. Mike Bibby has enough moxy to take a shot at the end of the game and seams to be rather vocal at times. He certainly was vocal about the Boston crowd and backed it up with nothing. I will look for Bibby to DEMAND the ball from Josh and Al when they get a board next season instead of them both dribbling right past him.

Can Al or Josh develop inside games to demand a double team. Josh is working with Hakeem again but he is also working with Calvin Murphy. Let's be honest - Josh does his best work facing the basket and taking his man off the dribble. Al has the will and strength to be successful but I don't know if he has the fluidity. He was just too mechanical when backing his guy down that resulted most times with some sort of fall away shot. He also happens to have a VERY GOOD 10 to 12 foot jumper - that will probably be the way he scores the majority of his points outside of putbacks next year.

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TruJerz Newbie

TruJerz

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sorry Diesel but im not a believer in the Heat..i can be wrong but I dont think Beasley will get them into the playoffs this year..they only won 15 games last yr and I just dont see Beasley getting them all the way to the playoffs and if he does, it would be at the 8th seed at most. but its still early in the offseason and like I said, i could be wrong. as of now, philly and wizards didnt do anything to improve in the draft...but things could change with FAs and trades so we'll see

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EazyRoc Rising Star

EazyRoc

Posted
Posted

Quote:

as of now, top 10 in east is:

1. Celtics

2. Pistons

3. Magic

4. Raptors

5. Cavs

6. Bulls

7. Bucks

8. Hawks

9. Nets

10. Heat

1. Celtics

2. Pistons

3. Magic

4. Cavs

5. Raptors

6. Wizards

7. Sixers

8. Hawks

9. Bucks

10. Heat

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EazyRoc Rising Star

EazyRoc

Posted
Posted

Quote:

Quote:

(Long shot)

Indiana Pacers

New Jersey Nets

Chicago Bulls

(Don't waste your Vegas Money)

Charlotte Bobcats

New York Knicks

I'll respectfully disagree, although I'm curious what you think the roster will be.

The Bobcats have a better chance at making the playoffs than the Nets or Bulls.

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