Which one of the big 3 is most vulnerable?

[Crank]

They all are vulnerable because its simply very difficult to play at the level that each one of these teams have played at at one time or another over the past 3 seasons .

Orl- they picked up VC but he hasnt been motivated in years and had his own big three and couldnt get it done even in the watered down east . He is certainly more proven than Hedo but Hedo also didnt care whether or not he got 10 shots or 20 shots . Also Hedo was the defacto pg on that most of the time and there is no way aIl want VC with the ball at the top of the key with 20 seconds on the clock .It will either be a big splash or a total blow up with him.

Boston is just old and while they will try and squeeze every drop out of the big three that they can these guys have basically gotten fed and are gonna ride the one title off into the sunset .

Clevland just go so slow that I dont even know what to say really. They should just let Shaq sit out the regular season and show up for the playoffs Shaq in the lane equals more jumpshots for Lebron and the rest of the league thanks Shaq. The Cavs just dont have that #2 guy on the perimeter .

[HawksBalla]

I think too many people are sleeping on Cleveland.

1. I don't think Shaq will clog the lane anymore then what Z does. Z can't move, and while Shaq is thicker he is also more handy around the basket. Plus most nights I don't think shaq will play more then 28 minutes.

2. Shaq is in a contract year for maybe the last contract of his career. He has something to play for.

3. Lebron is in a contract year.

4. Lebron has potential to score more. His jumper will continue to improve. He will also continue to get all the calls.

5. They will have Mo Williams, West, and Gibson bombing wide-open threes thanks to Lebron AND Shaq.

There is no way Lebron's team falls to the fourth seed (or lower). Plus, the league will make sure that the Cavs are a factor this year.

[jy23]

I think too many people are sleeping on Cleveland.

1. I don't think Shaq will clog the lane anymore then what Z does. Z can't move, and while Shaq is thicker he is also more handy around the basket. Plus most nights I don't think shaq will play more then 28 minutes.

2. Shaq is in a contract year for maybe the last contract of his career. He has something to play for.

3. Lebron is in a contract year.

4. Lebron has potential to score more. His jumper will continue to improve. He will also continue to get all the calls.

5. They will have Mo Williams, West, and Gibson bombing wide-open threes thanks to Lebron AND Shaq.

There is no way Lebron's team falls to the fourth seed (or lower). Plus, the league will make sure that the Cavs are a factor this year.

Z played out of the paint alot because of his ability to hit the jumper and because of that he drew the defense out as well. Shaq isn't going to float anywhere, and if he did who's going to follow him?

[MaceCase]

Z played out of the paint alot because of his ability to hit the jumper and because of that he drew the defense out as well. Shaq isn't going to float anywhere, and if he did who's going to follow him?

I too am a little skeptical about Shaq clogging the lane. When he played with DWade, a player not known for his jumper at the time, Wade was still able to have high inside scoring numbers. I don't think Shaq's presensce on the court will affect Lebron they way most people think it will but I think Shaq's presence in the locker room is where he will make or break the team.

[Crank]

I too am a little skeptical about Shaq clogging the lane. When he played with DWade, a player not known for his jumper at the time, Wade was still able to have high inside scoring numbers. I don't think Shaq's presensce on the court will affect Lebron they way most people think it will but I think Shaq's presence in the locker room is where he will make or break the team.

Shaqs presence will change things because when the Cavs ran that screen and roll teams would play Big Z for that jump shot and Big Ben and Varejao for crashing the boards . Teams are gonna collapse hard now and just concede the outside shots and after how Mo Wiliams fell apart Im not sure he will even be the same player .

I think people are overlooking the fact that the Cavs who last year some say went overboard with their celebrating throughout the season basically got slapped in the mouth by the Magic and they folded .

Having Lebron always makes them a threat but if its a lame duck team this year with them not knowing whether Lebron will be back and they get off to a slow start that team could very easily fall completely apart and weve seen how Lebron handles adversity he could pack it in midseason.

This is where we find out what type of player Lebron really is .

[tremor]

Exactly.

Turk is insanely overrated... The guy was CRAP for almost half the season last year (shot under 40% until January), and was, at best mediocre for most of his career. The dude had one, ONE, good year in the league. Carter is better at every facet of the game except maybe defense, where he is equally as bad as Turk. But the most important thing by far is that Carter finally gives them someone who can create for himself at any time. The one thing Orlando lacked was a go to guy at the end of game situations, and they now have that in Carter. Orlando is gonna be awesome next year, and will easily run away with our division. If Howard improves his offensive game even a little bit, than Orlando will be back in the Finals easily. The number one seed in the east will be down to Cleveland and Orlando. Boston's age will catch up with them big time. That is my prediction.

I agree with you both. Remember also that Nelson was having All-Star season before injury.

Boston's vulnerability is health. With healthy Garnett they're contenders. Without him Hawks have a shot in playoffs thanks to good matchups but in RS we're still behind.

Cleveland's problem might be team chemistry after PO exit. But they won 66 games last season and they got better in off season.

Repeating last season success will be really hard.