Author Topic: East is WIDE OPEN  (Read 10918 times)

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Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #15 on: July 25, 2014, 09:54:05 PM »

Offline Al91

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Said this a couple days ago in a similar topic. Thoughts haven't changed.

I'm holding back any excitement as I predict there will be at least one major move left for the Celtics. Harden being traded on the eve of two seasons ago made the whole "anything's possible" all the more real. It's early but my prediction of teams in the playoff hunt this year are as follows:

CHI
CLE
IND
MIA
ATL
WAS
TOR
CHA

Boston is left out. Gotta remember Detroit will also be making that push this year with their off-season acquisitions. Their roster isn't perfect but it's going to thrive off of hot shooters. I'm not sold on Boston's playoff chances yet. And I'd rather not see them in the playoffs only to be fodder for the 1/2 seed.


So no, I don't think the roster as current constructed can compete...realistically compete that is. I expect nearly every team that made playoffs last year to take another step forward except for Miami.
Long-form is far from dead, but please refrain from paragraph-laden posts! Who wants to read that?!

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #16 on: July 25, 2014, 10:45:25 PM »

Offline Tr1boy

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I disagree. Atl like charlotte/new york is not a guarantee to make the playoffs.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #17 on: July 25, 2014, 10:46:36 PM »

Offline Smitty77

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Chicago, cleveland, washington, and charlotte are the only locks in the east... Celtics can easily sneak up to a #6 seed (indy or miami would be #5) and go against a washington team and perhaps sneak into the second round and go against the cavs where it will most likely (not certainly) end

PLEASE explain to me how in the name of all things logical is Charlotte a LOCK and Indy, Miami, and Toronto NOT locks???

Charlotte signed a player that had UNDER a 15 Efficiency Rating for the year which is the threshold for an AVERAGE NBA starter in Lance.  Stephenson has NOT yet arrived and he may NEVER be more than a good role player with the possibility of exploding on the court leading to multiple suspensions.  Then their other GREAT signing was arguably the WORST 2nd pick in the last stinking 10 years, Marvin Williams, all the while LOSING the guy that connected the dots per MJ, McRoberts!!!

Looking forward to a really nice explanation on this.

Smitty77

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #18 on: July 25, 2014, 10:50:42 PM »

Offline Smitty77

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I disagree. Atl like charlotte/new york is not a guarantee to make the playoffs.

Atlanta is getting one of the BEST centers back on the court in Al Horford.  They also signed a very good defensive SG in Thabo Sefolosha and then drafted a solid PF in Adreian Payne.

I think there is virtually NO way that they are not in the playoffs in the top 7 spots.

They should be better than the Hornets!!!!

Smitty77

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #19 on: July 25, 2014, 10:51:14 PM »

Offline Tr1boy

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Locks (no order)
Cavs
Heat
Wiz
Pacers
Bulls
Raps

The last 2 is wide open. And we know the 76ers and bucks have little to no chance

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #20 on: July 25, 2014, 10:57:38 PM »

Offline Aymanelgowainy

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Chicago, cleveland, washington, and charlotte are the only locks in the east... Celtics can easily sneak up to a #6 seed (indy or miami would be #5) and go against a washington team and perhaps sneak into the second round and go against the cavs where it will most likely (not certainly) end

PLEASE explain to me how in the name of all things logical is Charlotte a LOCK and Indy, Miami, and Toronto NOT locks???

Charlotte signed a player that had UNDER a 15 Efficiency Rating for the year which is the threshold for an AVERAGE NBA starter in Lance.  Stephenson has NOT yet arrived and he may NEVER be more than a good role player with the possibility of exploding on the court leading to multiple suspensions.  Then their other GREAT signing was arguably the WORST 2nd pick in the last stinking 10 years, Marvin Williams, all the while LOSING the guy that connected the dots per MJ, McRoberts!!!

Looking forward to a really nice explanation on this.

Smitty77
Efficiency ratings dont mean squat and their team can only go up  from last year with Lance and their rookies... They just have the feeling of a very good basketball team and i feel theyll make great strides this year... Toronto r far from a lock and neither r miami especially if wades knees give up again which i think will happen... Indy r pretty much a lock but i think theyll be severely hurt by lances departure and their bench took another hit when Turner left... If hibbert continues his playoff form they could be facing disaster...
Didnt have time for ur "really nice explanation" but well here u go..

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #21 on: July 25, 2014, 11:16:30 PM »

Offline beklog

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Locks (no order)
Cavs
Heat
Wiz
Pacers
Bulls
Raps

The last 2 is wide open. And we know the 76ers and bucks have little to no chance

I don't see Heat on #2 maybe at the tail end of the playoff seed...
Wade is on decline... unless he brought back his old self together with Granger
Amateurs worry about equipment, professionals worry about money, masters worry about light… I just take pictures…

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #22 on: July 26, 2014, 12:25:12 AM »

Offline BudweiserCeltic

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I don't know why people are so high on Toronto. They played good last season to make the playoffs and what not, but I don't see their "success" carrying over...at least not with the overconfidence people seem to have on them.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #23 on: July 26, 2014, 12:27:09 AM »

Offline Timmio1990

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Chicago, cleveland, washington, and charlotte are the only locks in the east... Celtics can easily sneak up to a #6 seed (indy or miami would be #5) and go against a washington team and perhaps sneak into the second round and go against the cavs where it will most likely (not certainly) end

PLEASE explain to me how in the name of all things logical is Charlotte a LOCK and Indy, Miami, and Toronto NOT locks???

Charlotte signed a player that had UNDER a 15 Efficiency Rating for the year which is the threshold for an AVERAGE NBA starter in Lance.  Stephenson has NOT yet arrived and he may NEVER be more than a good role player with the possibility of exploding on the court leading to multiple suspensions.  Then their other GREAT signing was arguably the WORST 2nd pick in the last stinking 10 years, Marvin Williams, all the while LOSING the guy that connected the dots per MJ, McRoberts!!!

Looking forward to a really nice explanation on this.

Smitty77


The problem with looking at PER as a way if rating players is that it kind of down plays the players contribution on the defensive end a bit and how that player fills a need on a given roster.

One of Charlottes major problems last year was they lacked any outside shooting threats, they have added 2 in the offseason including a guy who can be used as a second play maker/ball handler, plus a solid interior defender who showed in college he has a bit of an outside shot.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #24 on: July 26, 2014, 12:41:40 AM »

Offline loco_91

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I think the East is wide open at the top, as Miami has been toppled and Indy suffered a setback losing Stephenson. Chicago can fill that void if Rose is solid in his return and Mirotic makes a smooth transition. Cleveland can fill the void if they land Love.

But the low playoff seeds that Boston is competing for are mostly stronger than last year. There's a lot of young teams that are improving every year. We can make a little bit of a bigger improvement than most with RR back full-time. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a playoff run is imminent, at best we'll be 7th or 8th seed and get crushed by DRose or Lebron.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #25 on: July 26, 2014, 01:10:01 AM »

Offline Tr1boy

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I think the East is wide open at the top, as Miami has been toppled and Indy suffered a setback losing Stephenson. Chicago can fill that void if Rose is solid in his return and Mirotic makes a smooth transition. Cleveland can fill the void if they land Love.

But the low playoff seeds that Boston is competing for are mostly stronger than last year. There's a lot of young teams that are improving every year. We can make a little bit of a bigger improvement than most with RR back full-time. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a playoff run is imminent, at best we'll be 7th or 8th seed and get crushed by DRose or Lebron.

D rose ? You serious?

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #26 on: July 26, 2014, 01:15:56 AM »

Offline Aymanelgowainy

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I think the East is wide open at the top, as Miami has been toppled and Indy suffered a setback losing Stephenson. Chicago can fill that void if Rose is solid in his return and Mirotic makes a smooth transition. Cleveland can fill the void if they land Love.

But the low playoff seeds that Boston is competing for are mostly stronger than last year. There's a lot of young teams that are improving every year. We can make a little bit of a bigger improvement than most with RR back full-time. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a playoff run is imminent, at best we'll be 7th or 8th seed and get crushed by DRose or Lebron.
Really? Drose? Really?

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #27 on: July 26, 2014, 01:41:43 AM »

Offline More Banners

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Okay, let's look at our playoff prospects for next year as presently constituted.

Neither Philly nor the Knicks are going to win the division.

3-way race with the Nets and Toronto.

Nets have serious problems with a lineup of What's Left of Deron Williams at PG, Iso Joe, and Lopez coming back from a lost season.  If Rondo comes back as good or better shape as Lopez, or sooner, I think we can finish with a better record than the Nets, though they may make the playoffs.  Or not.

So it's us and Toronto, and I can root for us to finish with a better record honestly believing it can happen.

And that's worth a 4th seed.

We may ride Rondo, Bradley, Green, and Bass along with Zeller/Olynyk/Sully to do it, but I'd say we'd have a puncher's chance at winning the division.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #28 on: July 26, 2014, 02:10:41 AM »

Offline Csfan1984

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I think the East is wide open at the top, as Miami has been toppled and Indy suffered a setback losing Stephenson. Chicago can fill that void if Rose is solid in his return and Mirotic makes a smooth transition. Cleveland can fill the void if they land Love.

But the low playoff seeds that Boston is competing for are mostly stronger than last year. There's a lot of young teams that are improving every year. We can make a little bit of a bigger improvement than most with RR back full-time. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a playoff run is imminent, at best we'll be 7th or 8th seed and get crushed by DRose or Lebron.
Rose! 49 games in three years. Guy would be retired if he wasn't still under contract.

Re: East is WIDE OPEN
« Reply #29 on: July 26, 2014, 08:56:12 AM »

Offline loco_91

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I think the East is wide open at the top, as Miami has been toppled and Indy suffered a setback losing Stephenson. Chicago can fill that void if Rose is solid in his return and Mirotic makes a smooth transition. Cleveland can fill the void if they land Love.

But the low playoff seeds that Boston is competing for are mostly stronger than last year. There's a lot of young teams that are improving every year. We can make a little bit of a bigger improvement than most with RR back full-time. But let's not delude ourselves into thinking a playoff run is imminent, at best we'll be 7th or 8th seed and get crushed by DRose or Lebron.
Rose! 49 games in three years. Guy would be retired if he wasn't still under contract.

I really mean the bulls, but "lebron or the bulls" isn't parallel. I think Rose could easily come back and still be really good by the end of next season, he doesn't have to be MVP level for the Bulls to be scary. Especially since they're also getting Mirotic...