[Daprob89Participant]

1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magics
4. Hawks
5. Raptors
6. Sixers
7. Bulls
8. Wizards/ Heat/ Pistons*

[QHaynes20]

here’s mine

1.Celtics
2.Magic
3.Cavs
4.Raptors
5.Wizards
6.Hawks
7.Pistons
8.Sixers

[Lemons4LifeParticipant]

I would put the Heat & Wizards in instead of Raptors and Sixers. With Arenas coming back, then Butler and Jamison Washington could be making a big run also picking up Foye and Miller. The Heat arguably had the real MVP last season that carried his team to the playoffs. So, maybe Beasley will help more. I’m sure Chalmers is getting better too.

[JNixonParticipant]

1.Celtics
2.Magic
3.Cavs
4. Wizards
5.Hawks
6.Raptors
7.Bulls
8. 76ers

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Not bad…. I think the Pistons, 76ers, & Heat will battle for the last spot. I see the Wizards up there around the 5th seed probably. I have a feeling Detroit is going to get the 8th seed. Detroit might surprise though & get a higher seed. I think the Bulls are in for sure.

[QHaynes20]

I gotta see the Bulls next season before calling them a playoff team. Rose is the centerpiece but the East got a little more tougher and there best addition was a couple rookies….

[From_Downtown_33Participant]

1. Celtics
2. Magic
3. Cavs
4. Wizards
5. Raptors
6. Hawks
7. Bulls
8. Heat

[JNixonParticipant]

Derrick Rose will get them to the playoffs, and look at for James Johnson next yr and in the future, he’s a matchup nightmare.

[Daprob89Participant]

Trust me i like the wizards but…..

They have too many guards which is not a problem in the east until playoff time and their kinda like the eastern conference version of the rockets wit injuries and all

[QHaynes20]

not counting them out but I gotta see them. Plus i dont know who on my list i can take out for them.

[KiD MaGiC973Participant]

the top four is going to be the same 4 teams

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Bulls are better than 76ers I think. You have to worry about Williams & Jrue running that team even if it is a Princeton style offense.

[QHaynes20]

Yea but then the 76ers had a better record then the Bulls last season…without Elton Brand for much of the year

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Yeah but the Bulls have a bigger lineup this season plus Deng is back. Losing Andre Miller hurts them, having Brand back isn’t that much of a factor to me.

[Daprob89Participant]

I think the bulls will surprise a lot of ppl, and wit Gordon out the way i expect Rose to have 20+ season while dishing out around 7apg and Salmons is another guy the could have a break out season numbers wise

[QHaynes20]

How? You add 2 rookies and Pargo. I like Luol Deng (Duke fan) and John Salmons but there good not great and Rose is still not a elite playmaker, he’s not the greatest defender and is not as fast as we think on Defense although he is a rook and has time to improve that.

I just feel the Sixers may add a Tinsley or a Sessions and if they do, I feel there better then the Bulls and if they dont add another PG and Brand is healthy…they are still better then the Bulls IMO

[gatorheelsParticipant]

I think the 76ers record last season with Elton Brand was 13-16 so they improved when he got hurt. Andre Miller was their 2nd leading scorer & first in assist for them last season. So overall I have to think that Philly is going to take a pretty big step back.

[aj81Participant]

1 cleveland
2 boston
3 orlando
4 philly
5 wahington
6 atlanta
7 detroit
8 chicago

[QHaynes20]

Yea but the Sixers have started off slow for the past 3 seasons and always got better near the end of the year

[JNixonParticipant]

Well, Brand coming back will be a factor, he helps. I mean who is Philly’s low post scorer? Brand makes them better if he is anywhere near 100% next year. And Lou Williams is going to score very well next year, and be a decent enough passer to get it done.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Look at it this way the Bulls played really well towards the end of the season. Salmons & Miller only played like the last 30 games or so for the Bulls. Plus moving Salmons to SG gives them better length. He is just as good as Gordon anyway. Also Rose, Tyrus, & Noah should all improve at least a little.

Pargo, Deng, James Johnson, Taj Gibson > Gordon

[QHaynes20]

I think they will miss Gordon ALOT. To me, he is the biggest Free agent loss for a team. I dont know who’s shooting late for the Bulls and if you watched that Boston-Chicago series, Rose did his thing but it was Gordon taking alot of those shots.

I wanna see Rose do that this season- thus, i gotta see them play

[Daprob89Participant]

Deng a hoe he stay injured and he settles too much for the jump shot, and he never bangs inside… Rose on the other hand attacks maybe 70 percent of the time( which is a bullshit stat by the way) but you see where im gettin at and that allows him to create for teammates or get it done from the line

[BasketballGuru24Participant]

1) Boston
2) Cleveland
3) orlando
4) Atlanta
5) Toronto
6) Washington
7) Detroit
8) 76ers

Miami will not make the playoffs unless they get someone. With the same team they have, the playoffs are a dream

[CLYDE-frazier10Participant]

heat will make it cuz of flash
1)Boston
2)Orlando
3)Cleavland
4)Atlanta
5)Washington
6)Toronto
7)dertoit
8)heat

[OhmilantaParticipant]

1. cavs
2. celtics
3. magic
4. wizards
5. raptors
6. hawks
7. heat
8. bulls

bulls sixers and pacers will battle for the last spot

[R-Dot-13Participant]

Celtics
Magic
Cavs
Wizards
Hawks
Raptors
Heat
Sixers/Pacers

[McWinningParticipant]

1. Magics- i really like their offseason they have done everything right.
2. Celtics- i would put them first but i dont think they will stay completely healthy.
3. Cavs- decent offseason but they havent added studs like the Magic, and Celtics have.
4. Hawks- a good offseason for them i think Crawford can be a good 6th man.
5. Wizards- they are loaded and should go fourth but injuries could be a problem.
6. Bullls- losing Gordan hurts but a healthy Deng could be a star.
7. Heat- still think Oneal can come back and be solid, and i think their young players will keep growing.
8. Pacers/Sixers/ Raptors- pretty close between them.
overrall i think the East is becoming stronger and it will become tougher to make the playoffs.

[QHaynes20]

The Raptors are better then the Heat and Bulls IMO

[McWinningParticipant]

if they sign Kleiza i would put them higher but right now their bench is reaLLY WEAK.

[QHaynes20]

Not really. You have Jack, Bellineli, Wright, Evans and Rasho off the bench. Pretty solid to me. The Heat have no bench at all and the Bulls gotta show me they can win close games without Gordon.

[McWinningParticipant]

the Heat have Wade who makes up for their awful bench. but the Raptors dont have a legit backup big which is huge if you want to make the playoffs.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Man the Bulls have a roster loaded with guys that have played in clutch bigtime games throughout their career….Deng, Tyrus, Noah, & Rose have all stepped up when the pressure is on. Salmons, Hinirch, Miller have experience. Bulls don’t need Gordon…undersized combo guard…he wasn’t that important. I have never seen so many people not picking the Bulls to make the playoffs. Wake up people…Bulls will make the postseason.

Yeah the Raptors bench is pretty solid.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Raptors would beat the Heat pretty easy in a 7 game series I think.

[QHaynes20]

No it’s not, it’s the regular season man. The Raptors can cause Matchup problems from positons 3-5. They will be a top 5 seed.

Wade cannot do it all. I think this season, if he sees he have to do everything, he will leave. Also, think about it, Washington Toronto and Detroit got better…that can knock them out.

[McWinningParticipant]

in 7 game series it comes down to the last shot and i would take Wade over Turkoglo anyday.

[QHaynes20]

Gator…None of those guys were clutch in the NBA…College is way different. They may have made a couple shots in the 4th but the Offense ran through Gordon in the 4th…

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Pressure is pressure regardless of the level….either you can step up in the clutch or you can’t. Those players can take big shots & will. Salmons made a lot of clutch plays in the playoffs in the 4th quarter…so did Tyrus & Noah.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

birdzilla- The games won’t even be that close between those two teams lol. Last shots won’t matter. Raptors have the better starting 5 & are deeper.

[QHaynes20]

But the offense ran through Gordon. You can take big shots but I’ve seen this Bulls team, Gordon will be a big loss. Deng is coming back but I wanna see him 100% and ready. Salmons is good not great and got his shots because he was NEVER a main importance on a team. He was never relied on. I NEVER WANT TYRUS THOMAS SHOOTING. Noah, eh he made 1 dunk I gotta see more, he also is not a big offensive threat and Rose…we will see.

People have the same questions as I do about the Bulls. You lost Gordon, add a couple rookies and a guy who could not find a NBA job last season and we expect you to be….better? Funny, Noone who has the Bulls higher then 6th in the playoffs…pretty stagnant to me.

[McWinningParticipant]

i still dont think Devean George can stay healthy. and besides Jack i dont think their bench is very good.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

Tyrus isn’t that bad of a shooter. He settles for jumpshots too often but that doesn’t mean he can’t shoot. He hit a bunch of clutch shots in one of the playoff games against the Celtics in the 4th quarter & OT which is one of the main reasons they won that game. Rose is a stud too & can step up if he has too. There is not a dropoff from starting Gordon at SG to now starting Salmons there. Like I have said before Gordon took a TON of bad shots late in games that nobody talks about.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

birdzilla- Raptors don’t have the best bench in the league by any means but they are significantly better than what the Heat is working with. Wade cannot beat a smart balanced team like the Raptors. Toronto has a pretty tall team too Hedo 6’10” Bosh 6’10” Bargnani 7’0″ Belinelli 6’5″ Calderon 6’3″

[R-Dot-13Participant]

Who will start belinelli or derozan?

i think Marco should, but derozan will.

[gatorheelsParticipant]

I think Belinelli will but who knows

[KevinDurantRocksParticipant]

1. Magic (Lewis does more this year with Hedo gone and even though his lost presence is felt not Vince will put one more solid year on the board). Just dont know if Lewis is staying a pf or sf
2.Cleveland (Shaq will hurt James in the season more then help but Shaq does help Mo williams and west with open shots).
3. Celtics (Garnett comes back healthy the could beat out both Cleveland and Magic).
4. Wizards (If Gilbert is atleast 85% back at his best and Foye fits in this team is deadly from the outside but inside)?
5. Toronto (Defense)?
6.76ers (If Brand meshes watch out but still think there out of playoffs early)
7. Heat (Beasley is key in the difference between last year and this year).
8. Chicago (Its easy to say that the Bulls will individually be better but i think teams like Heat, Toronto,Wizards get higher spots then them just because they will be able to outscore Chicago. Still see them super competitive in the playoffs but do i see them being big in the regular season…)

[KevinDurantRocksParticipant]

Forgot Hawks they will do good probably better then 76ers

[twotrill25Participant]

1.Cavs
2.Magic
3.Celtics
4.Raptors
5.Hawks
6.Wizards
7.Bulls
8.76ers

[Toronto16Participant]

Wow I think Washington is being badly overrated here. Even when they were healthy (which is rare) they still are a at the most a 45 win team. They added Randy Foye and Mike Miller, decent moves but not exactly world shakers.

The Bulls now, losing Ben Gordan is really gonna hurt them. He was their best clutch scorer, and now a lot of pressure will be on Derrick Rose.

The Raptors will be much improved, yes their interior defense is weak, but they have a deeper bench.

As of now, my picks would be:

1. Orlando
2. Cleveland
3. Boston
4. Atlanta
5. Toronto
6. Miami
7. Washington
8. Chicago

It’s tough leaving out the Pistons, epescially now with Gordan and Villianueva. The Sixers will badly miss Andre Miller, and with Jrue Holiday running the point…. yea.

[QHaynes20]

Pistons and Sixers are better then the Bulls

[Toronto16Participant]

Well I think the Piston are gonna have trouble, especially not having any decent big men, (Kwame Brown and Ben Wallace?) And losing Andre Miller is gonna hurt the Sixers more than people would expect, because Lou Williams to me is not a real point, and Jrue Holiday sucks.

[QHaynes20]

Jrue Holiday is a rookie, I’m tired of hearing that. If Jrue Holiday becomes good, y’all would be blowing him. He has not played a game yet…get a grip!

Pistons have better wing players and The Sixers have better overall players then the Bulls

[JNixonParticipant]

Remember when you said the 76ers werent gonna make the playoffs? Oh how things change….

[JNixonParticipant]

Remember when you said the 76ers werent gonna make the playoffs? Oh how things change….

[QHaynes20]

Yes I did say that. To be Honest, I never looked at the 76ers Roster. They have solid depth at every other position and Eddie Jordan runs the Princeton O, no real need for a PG. Also, he wants to run so with Lou Williams at PG they will be running alot. Good enough for a playoff seed.

[JNixonParticipant]

I knew you’d come around lol

[butidonthavemoney]

1. Boston

2. Cleveland

3. Orlando

4. Washington

5. Atlanta

6. Miami

7. Chicago

8. Philadelphia

[Author]

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