[FearTheStacheParticipant]

 Alright, so we all know how bad the eastern conference was last year. However, this year has the potential to be a significantly stronger Eastern conference. You got the Heat, who might come out even stronger with a big free agent signing. The Pacers ended with no momentum, but they are still at least a slightly contending, 45-50 win team. And that is at the very worst. Then, the Wizaards are coming off of a  momentum-building offseason, similar to this year’s Pacers. The Nets will have a whole season without trying to figure out Kidd. Raps will be solid. It looks like Melo is leaving, but then the most realistic option is Chicago, so that’s another contending team. Cavs have another #1 pic, likely embiid. Another possible playoff team. Finally the Celtics might get Love, another potential playoff team. Check it out.

1. Heat                   5. Wizards

2. Pacers                 6. Raptors

3. Bulls w/ Melo     7. Celts w/ Love

4. Nets.                   8. Cavs w/ Embiid

Those are eight quality teams, that would make for an enthralling playoffs in both conferences

 

 

 

 

 

 

[tidhoParticipant]

Probably true, but it looks like baby steps to me.

The Heat, or whatever team LeBron ends up on are contenders.

Pacers need something – may be taking a step back (Turner didn’t work, Stephenson could be gone…).

Wizards are on the rise, and should contend as long as they can keep their own in free agency.

Bulls if healthy.

That’s four really solid teams.  Toronto is pretty good, but I’m not sure what their path to the next level is.  If the Celtics can land Love then maybe they’re in business.  Melo’s destination could be a wildcard, and maybe Cleveland finally gets it together.  The Nests, meh.

The back half of the EC playoff teams still look pretty mediocre to me. 

[tidhoParticipant]

Probably true, but it looks like baby steps to me.

The Heat, or whatever team LeBron ends up on are contenders.

Pacers need something – may be taking a step back (Turner didn’t work, Stephenson could be gone…).

Wizards are on the rise, and should contend as long as they can keep their own in free agency.

Bulls if healthy.

That’s four really solid teams.  Toronto is pretty good, but I’m not sure what their path to the next level is.  If the Celtics can land Love then maybe they’re in business.  Melo’s destination could be a wildcard, and maybe Cleveland finally gets it together.  The Nests, meh.

The back half of the EC playoff teams still look pretty mediocre to me. 

[FutureNBAGMParticipant]

Outside of Indiana and Miami, the East is still worlds away from catching up with the West.

[FutureNBAGMParticipant]

Outside of Indiana and Miami, the East is still worlds away from catching up with the West.

[KawagicParticipant]

Miami and Indiana are the only two good teams in the East.

 

Wizzards??? Wouldn’t make the PO’s in the west, same can be said for Brooklyn,Toronto and Boston. Bulls would be possibly be a 7th or 8th seed. Embid going to Cavs might help but them getting the 8th seed is far fetched. Don’t know how any of those teams are exciting or anywhere close to what the west currently has.

What the NBA really needs is the top 16 teams regardless of conferance to play it out in the PO’s.

[KawagicParticipant]

Miami and Indiana are the only two good teams in the East.

 

Wizzards??? Wouldn’t make the PO’s in the west, same can be said for Brooklyn,Toronto and Boston. Bulls would be possibly be a 7th or 8th seed. Embid going to Cavs might help but them getting the 8th seed is far fetched. Don’t know how any of those teams are exciting or anywhere close to what the west currently has.

What the NBA really needs is the top 16 teams regardless of conferance to play it out in the PO’s.

[tidhoParticipant]

Top 16 team format will never happen because it eliminates conferences.  You can’t do top 16 fairly without  a balanced schedule, and balanced schedules not only create ravel issues, but more importantly cost you TV revenue because teams would play less games in prime time of their local market.

[tidhoParticipant]

Top 16 team format will never happen because it eliminates conferences.  You can’t do top 16 fairly without  a balanced schedule, and balanced schedules not only create ravel issues, but more importantly cost you TV revenue because teams would play less games in prime time of their local market.

[Jester87Participant]

It might be, but it’s too early, there are to many ifs. We still don’t know what will happen in Miami, what Indiana will do and what kind of team they will be. We don’t know how much some of the young teams will improve. Also, the Nets figured things out in the second half of the season, but they’re old and capped out. How good will they be next year?

Not to mention, there were signals to think it was happening the same last year. D-Rose was supposed to be healthy again; Cleveland had a nice young core; the Nets put together a lineup that on paper was scary; the Knicks were coming from a great season; Washington had young players and made some moves to win immediately; Detroit signed one of the top free agents; Milwaukee was somehow trying to win games.

But in the end the Knicks ended up underachieving beyond any expectations; the Cavs stank; D-Rose got injured again; the Bucks had many injuries and were worse than what they expected to be; the Nets started horribly; Detroit’s big frontcourt didn’t work at all. It’s just too early and right now you can argue that some of the worse teams in the West are probably going to be better next year (Phoenix was young and can only get better; New Orleans was destroyed by injuries and the Brow will keep developing; Utah isn’t going to contend for a playoffs spot, but they have young players who will get better and the 5th pick; the Lakers can’t possibly be worse than this; the Kings are in win now mode and will try to make some moves to get better immediately (though that doesn’t necessarily mean they will actually get better).

[Jester87Participant]

It might be, but it’s too early, there are to many ifs. We still don’t know what will happen in Miami, what Indiana will do and what kind of team they will be. We don’t know how much some of the young teams will improve. Also, the Nets figured things out in the second half of the season, but they’re old and capped out. How good will they be next year?

Not to mention, there were signals to think it was happening the same last year. D-Rose was supposed to be healthy again; Cleveland had a nice young core; the Nets put together a lineup that on paper was scary; the Knicks were coming from a great season; Washington had young players and made some moves to win immediately; Detroit signed one of the top free agents; Milwaukee was somehow trying to win games.

But in the end the Knicks ended up underachieving beyond any expectations; the Cavs stank; D-Rose got injured again; the Bucks had many injuries and were worse than what they expected to be; the Nets started horribly; Detroit’s big frontcourt didn’t work at all. It’s just too early and right now you can argue that some of the worse teams in the West are probably going to be better next year (Phoenix was young and can only get better; New Orleans was destroyed by injuries and the Brow will keep developing; Utah isn’t going to contend for a playoffs spot, but they have young players who will get better and the 5th pick; the Lakers can’t possibly be worse than this; the Kings are in win now mode and will try to make some moves to get better immediately (though that doesn’t necessarily mean they will actually get better).

[dannyg219Participant]

Even if the Bulls were healthy this season, I still didn’t see them coming out of the east. Gm was aware of that too, so why not bench him with hopes of improving thru the draft and the flexiblity of cap room for the next season while Rose rest.

They new that charlotte’s pick was theirs this season. After the big Al signing, the east faultering for the draft, and the rise of the pacers. As long as the Heat didn’t win a ring, tho bulls wcwq

[dannyg219Participant]

Even if the Bulls were healthy this season, I still didn’t see them coming out of the east. Gm was aware of that too, so why not bench him with hopes of improving thru the draft and the flexiblity of cap room for the next season while Rose rest.

They new that charlotte’s pick was theirs this season. After the big Al signing, the east faultering for the draft, and the rise of the pacers. As long as the Heat didn’t win a ring, tho bulls wcwq

[Hacker90Participant]

 The top 3 teams in the draft are from the Eastern Conference, as well as 7 of the top 10. 

[Hacker90Participant]

 The top 3 teams in the draft are from the Eastern Conference, as well as 7 of the top 10. 

[Author]

Posts