CNN/SI writers size up the top 4 teams so far in each conference

[HawkItus]

5. How do you see the top four teams in each conference right now?

Ian Thomsen: Here's how I think it will go during the regular season. In the West: Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Mavericks. Maybe I'm assuming too much to think that Duncan and Ginobili will be healthy next season, but if so, the Lakers and Spurs will distance themselves from the rest of the conference. In the East: Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, Atlanta. The Celtics will sacrifice a few wins in hopes of pacing their veterans for the playoffs. The Cavs will be the team to beat in the East.

Jack McCallum: In the East, Boston is the cream of the crop, with the healthy-Garnett caveat. How can you not like Cleveland teaming Shaq with LeBron? I hated what Orlando did, but then again, I've never been a Vince Carter fan. I can't see the Magic getting back to the Finals and may battle Atlanta and a rejuvenated Detroit to hang on to fourth. In the West, the Lakers are definitely still the team to beat, and the Spurs' offseason moves (landing Jefferson and McDyess) put them back in the hunt. I see Utah, Portland and Denver battling for third and fourth ahead of sinking Houston and still-trying-to-figure-it-out Dallas.

Chris Mannix: If we're predicting regular-season records, in the East it's Cleveland (should be a monster regular-season team), Boston (the Celtics still need one more wing player to win back their title), Washington (adding Miller and Foye to the backcourt and Saunders on the bench makes the Wizards a scary offensive team) and Orlando (Carter can still play pick-and-roll but he's not as complete a player as Turkoglu). Boston my pick to come out of the conference. In the West, it's the Lakers (with a small-but-growing fear in the back of my head that Artest might prove to be a distraction), Spurs (not that Popovich cares about the regular season), Nuggets (bringing back the same core) and Trail Blazers (any offseason addition will only make a talented young team stronger). I see San Antonio emerging from a bloody conference playoffs.

Steve Aschburner: In the East, Boston, Cleveland, Orlando and either Chicago or Washington are my preseason top seeds. The Wizards have the best chance of installing a completely new culture, while getting a boost from injured regulars Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood. Atlanta just seems very Peter Pan-ish, determined never to grow up. In the West, I see Lakers, San Antonio, Dallas and Utah, at least while waiting for the Millsap-to-Portland and Carlos Boozer-to-someplace speculation to sort itself out.

Scott Howard-Cooper: East: Celtics, Cavaliers, Magic, Bulls. While signing Wallace is filled with positives, the real issue in Boston isn't the move the Celtics made. It's the move they didn't make. How is Rajon Rondo feeling about being on a team that has questions about his approach, and how will he do in the face of the trade rumors that will inevitably come next season unless the C's start 19-1? West: Lakers, Spurs, Nuggets, Trail Blazers. The defending champs put themselves in position to be even better next season by signing Artest. L.A. needs to keep Odom to make that an absolute statement, but that deal should get done. The Nuggets accomplished their No. 1 summer goal by re-signing Chris Andersen and added desired depth at point guard by trading into the first round to get Lawson. Now let's see how the Linas Kleiza free agency plays out.

[gsuteke]

I ask myself when people will begin to take the Hawks seriously on occasion.

The answer, atleast one more year.

[capstone21]

I ask myself when people will begin to take the Hawks seriously on occasion.

The answer, atleast one more year.

its nice to get some love for once. I think Wash added some talent but they are going to be the worst defensive team in the NBA. ... and a rejuvenated Detroit? I think Detroit is going to be terrible next year as they have now become the second worst defensive team (however the offeseason is not done yet and I have a feeling Dumars has something else up his sleeve).

[Theeyo]

Again we are slept on... I kinda like it though

[hawksrule9]

We just never get any credit. Oh well. As long as we get 1 or 2 ESPN games and we do our thing in the season and show everyone yet again that we are not a team to overlook! I predict us fighting for a 3 spot this year. Our bench will be the factor. Resign Marv, Flip, and Snag Childress and Anderson.

[Admin]

Peter Pan-ish? Ouch! And the worst part is that I'm not sure I can argue with it all that much right now.

[MaceCase]

I find it odd that despite the fact Washington has had that same core for what seems like the past 5 years yet they've never once won as many games as we did last year. This is the same team that some of these guys expect to overtake us next season?

[jy23]

We gets NO respect but its cool, thats expected. I'm just shocked at who they put above us, the Wizards and the Pistons!!!!!! REALLY???????????

[thescout5]

We gets NO respect but its cool, thats expected. I'm just shocked at who they put above us, the Wizards and the Pistons!!!!!! REALLY???????????

Looks like the national media isn't taking the Hawks seriously maybe because they got blown out vs Cleveland. I guess either the glass is half full or empty even among Hawk fans. This 3rd year should tell us alot if the Hawks are serious about winning in the playoffs.

Edited July 13, 2009 by thescout5

[mattlanta]

Again we are slept on... I kinda like it though

Same here. It feels better being the underdog going into games against the top teams of the league.

[jy23]

Looks like the national media isn't taking the Hawks seriously maybe because they got blown out vs Cleveland. I guess either the glass is half full or empty even among Hawk fans. This 3rd year should tell us alot if the Hawks are serious about winning in the playoffs.

So much of the team was hurt during that seriesand we were dead tired! If thats what they're going on then ok, go right ahead!

[LordOfNYork]

So much of the team was hurt during that seriesand we were dead tired! If thats what they're going on then ok, go right ahead!

Haha that's weak! Dead tired c'mon hawks fan don't use that. You just played a better team in cleveland that year that's all. And wow dude had the wizards up there?! But Hawks fan shouldn't be upset....4th or 5th seed seems pretty accurate. What's the fuss?

[jy23]

Haha that's weak! Dead tired c'mon hawks fan don't use that. You just played a better team in cleveland that year that's all. And wow dude had the wizards up there?! But Hawks fan shouldn't be upset....4th or 5th seed seems pretty accurate. What's the fuss?

I wasn't saying that we should have won that series, I never thought that we would but my point was that if they are basing their thoughts on where we are as a team on what happened against cleveland then they're OFF!!! We're a better team than what we showed in that series and being hurt and wore out because of a coach who will only play an 8 man rotation has SOMETHING to do with that.

[LordOfNYork]

I wasn't saying that we should have won that series, I never thought that we would but my point was that if they are basing their thoughts on where we are as a team on what happened against cleveland then they're OFF!!! We're a better team than what we showed in that series and being hurt and wore out because of a coach who will only play an 8 man rotation has SOMETHING to do with that.

I concur...The coach will have to step his game up. Maybe he should go the Cleveland route...Mike Brown doesn't coach, he lets his assistants draw up plays. It's funny seeing them in huddles and Brown is walking around

[DrReality]

The way we played in the playoffs did not cause reason to increase our respect. Sneaking past the Heat and then the Cavs?

[TheDude]

Peter Pan?...someone needs to get that on a bulletin quick.

[thescout5]

I hope the Hawks learned an important lesson in last years playoffs and that is you get respect in the league when you win in the playoffs. The Hawks barely beat Miami and we can use the excuse the Hawks were injured but whose to say the Hawks instead of getting beat by 20 points probably would have got beat by 10 points. A loss is a loss and the Hawks players and Woody need to change their game plan to close the gap. I mean don't be so predicable on offense,rebound, block shots, and play solid defense. Even if healthy don't think the Hawks had a big man that could match up with Cleveland's bigs. True the Hawks were tired becaue Woody played them to many minutes in the season.

Hawks got Crawford to help JJ, Teague should relieve Bibby we need some big men now and ZaZa isn't enough. Anderson probably is to soft,yes woud be nice to have him but give me a big that can rebound and block some shots. It's time for this team to grow up and realize the so called potential everyone keeps saying. That word POTENTIAL is the most often over used word in society. You are what you are so only hard work and talent will get you far in this league.

[Deeman]

Did you see how the T.N.T guys clowned our offense vs Cleveland? We sucked so badly against the Cavs that people don't take this team seriously.

[HawksBalla]

I don't think the Bulls make it past the Hawks, Heat, Pistons, and Wizards if Arenas is healthy. Gordon was a huge part of their offense, like what losing JJ would be for us. And it also looks like they arent getting Boozer.

[thefloydian]

Haha that's weak! Dead tired c'mon hawks fan don't use that. You just played a better team in cleveland that year that's all. And wow dude had the wizards up there?! But Hawks fan shouldn't be upset....4th or 5th seed seems pretty accurate. What's the fuss?

The point is the team was hurt. No one's saying we would have beaten Cleveland, but it wouldn't have been as ugly if the team was healthy.