Match Ups in the East

[coachx]

Here is a look at the top 11 teams in the east, in no order,at your request.

1.) New Jersey Nets

Jason Kidd/ Childs

Kerry Kittles/ Harris

Richard Jefferson/ Rodney Rogers/Slay

Keyon Martin/ Aaron Williams

Mutombo/ Jason Collins

Summary:

The Netsill be better this year than last. Mutombo will start may a fat break with has blocks and rebounding ig he can hold up for another year. Rogers' shootong touch will keep him on the floor though Jefferson should start.

2.) Atlanta Hawks

J.T./ Dickua. E. Davis

D.J./ Glover

Big Dog/ Newbel? FA/ Crawford

Reef/ Hendu

Theo/ Nazr/ Willis? Fa

Good on paper. We all know JT can be a pg when he has scorers around him. Perimeter defense and Theo's fealth are ? marks. Maybe Big Dog will rejuvenatre his school rival, Hendu.

3.)Philadelphia 76ers

Eric Snow/ Salmons

A.I./ McKie

Van Horn/ Buckner/ Monty Williams

Derick Coleman/ Mark Bryant/ Alvin Jones

Todd Machola/ Rezentis/ Dalembert

Alot of knew players. Will Iverson get aslong with them. Will Iverson let anyone shoot other than himself and McKie/ For Brown to be a defensive minded coach there is no real proven shot blocker to lean on like they are used to in Philly. If they don't win this season thing will get ugly here.

4.) Indiana Pacers

Jamaal Tinsley/ Ollie? FA

Reggie Miller/ Mercer/ Fred Jones

Ron ARtest/ Bender

Jermaine O'Niel/ Harrington/ Croshere

Brad Miller/ Foster

Summary:

Good defensive team. Line up is not set. Trying to deal Croshere for anything but preferably a pg. CAn Thomas coach?

5.) Charlotte Hornets

Baron Davis/ Drew

David Wesley/ Courtney Alexander

Jamal Mashburn/ Nalion? FA. Augmon/Bullard

P.J. Brown/ Lynch, Moiso

Elden Cambel/ Magloire/ Traylor? FA

Summary:

Davis is a handful and the team has plenty of interior D and rebounding to carry them through the season. They need Alexander to sacore and Mashburn to be healthy.

6.)Boston Celtis

Toni Delk/ Eric Strickland/ Shamond Williams

Eric Williams

Paul Pierce/ Kendrick Brown/Walter McCarty

Antoio Walker/ Vin Baker

Tony Battie/ Songalia

Summary:

If Pierce does not win games all by himself in the 4th quarter by scorein 20 in the last 10 minutes they may miss the playoffs. Pierce may have to play sg more b/c of lack of ball handlers in the back court. Don't count on Baker. I say there a 7 or 8 seed now but Pierce can cause them to move up. Anderson's leadership and court savy will be missed. They reall need a pg.

7.) Milwaukee Bucks

Sam Cassell/ Alston/ Anthony? UFA

Ray Allen/ Redd? RFA/Murray

Tim THomas/ Toni Kukoc/ Ham? UFA

Anthony Mason/ Marcus Haslip/ Caffey

Pryzibila/ Johnson/ Galdzurich

Summary:

Karl is to good of a coach for them to miss the playoffs again. If Allen can get rid of his tendenitus in his knee he will carry the team. Haslip and Gradzurich will help the low post defense and athleticism. They still have no center. They will go nowhere in the playoffs b/c Cassel and Allen will be fatigued from carrying the team for the entire regular season.

8. Toronto Raptors

Alvin Williams/ Lindsey Hunter

Vince Carter/ Del Curry

Mo Peterson/ Chris Jefferies

Antonio Davis/ Jermaine Williams/ Michael Bradley

Hakeem Olujuwan/ Montross/ Stewart/ N'Diyua

Summary:

Vince can jump higher than Pierce but Carter has yet to prove he has the gutsd and heart to carry a team. Davis will have to play alot of center and at 6'9'' and 34 years old he may show signs of wear this year with the increased burden since Clark is gone and Hakeem is 40.

9. Orlando Magic

Darrell Armstrong/ Jaque Vaughn/ Sasser

Tracey McGrady/

Mike Miller/ Grant Hill/ Humphrey

Pat Garrity/ Hunter

Oyediji/ DeClerce

Summary:

McGrady may be the best player in the league but he has no supporting cast. Grant Hill cannot be counted on and Armstrong has the lost the speed and quickness that made him effective, he is no longer the "?energizer bunny." Their worst problem is the lack of a low post presence. But McGrady is good enough to win 40 games by himself.

10.) NY Knicks

Charlie Ward/ Eisley/ Williams

Allan Houston/ Shannon Anderson

Latrell Sprewell/ Weatherspoon

Antonio McDeysse. Harrington

Matt Doleac/ Thomas/ Knight

Three past allstars who are all past their prime. Can M

11. Detroit Pistons

Billups/ Atkins

Stackhouse./ Barry

Curry/ White/ Prince

Wallace/ Williamson

Robinson/ Rebracca

Tough bleu coollar team. Stackhouse is still one of the hardest people to guard which opens stuff up for the rest of the team offensively but they won;t sneak up on anyone this year. Very well coached.

The east is very tight. I did not mention the Wizards or the

Heatb/c I don't think they can beat out these other teams.

The Heat can't score and the Wizards can't defend.

Thoughts?????

[BlackHawkDown]

Good Post, but I have some questions.

Orlando and Detroit dont make the Playoffs????

Grant Hill not in the Orlando starting lineup??

We don't sign Haslim???

Vin Baker doesn't start at Center for the Celtics???

Philly 3rd in the East ???? WTF.

Karl too good a coach for the Bucks to miss the playoffs??? The same team and idiot coach that missed the playoffs last season and then traded big dog to us for nothing??? WTF. I HATE Karl but everyonr has a right to their opinion.

Personally I think Orlando is going to shop M. Miller hard for front court help. If DJ sucks, and Grant Hill is great, by mid season we make the Nazr/Miller deal happen. Indiana has to move some of their swing players they have too many gaurds and forwards tat could start anywhere else. Just look at their roster nobody other than LAC has as much talent. I think the East is catching up with the West.

[TrentL2]

Philly 3rd in the East? More like 6th, IMO.

I don't think the Pistons are out of the playoffs, but they won't win the Central this year.

I doubt that Grant Hill will ever be the same player he was 4 years ago. He can still be quite good, though. Just imagine how bad Orlando would be if T-Mac goes down with injury? That would be ugly.

My prediction:

East 1-3 (not necessary in this order):

Nets (better than last year)

Hornets (50 wins possibility)

Celtics (weakened, but still capable)

4-6:

Pacers (deep, deep squad with improved Tinsley)

Hawks (winning season ahead)

Sixers (42 wins, 1st round exit)

7-9:

Pistons (they could do better if everything clicks)

Magic (are they really committed winning now?)

Bucks (can Tim Thomas improve? I'm not sure)

The rest: Miami could sneak in, if they can score consistently. Knicks are improved, if McDyess actually plays... but I count them out, because I'm a devout Knick-hater. Chicago will be in playoffs in 2004.

[Guest]

1)In the east I think you will see Rogers play more 4 and Harris

play the 6th man swingman role alot like MJ/Alexander/Hedo play.

2)Philly lacks depth and has a really unproven bench.But maybe

Brown can get alot out of them.

3)Hornets have the best allround team in the east.Davis/Wesley/CA/

Nailon/Mash are scorers and Brown/Campbell/JM/Augmon are defenders

and rebounders.

4)Baker will start at center or he will start at PF and Walker will

start at SF with Battie starting at center.It's hard to say this,but

maybe they lost some chemstry trading Kenny Anderson?IF so strange

saying that.lol

5)The Bucks need a backup PG and lots of unproven talent up front

coming off the bench and Joel has yet to do anything.

6)Raptors....3 words.....The Bench sucks.Teams like Indy/Hornets/us

NJ/Detroit have deeper benches.

7)Magic-Other than the 2 and 3 the team lacks talent

8)Knicks need a PG/C and more productive bench.