What is your early 2015-2016 finals prediction

[D.o.s.]

I think Cleveland beats OKC but the world realizes that in order to combat global warming we need to fire Dan Gilbert into the sun before the series is over.

Assuming that doesn't happen, it could be the year the Clippers finally make it out of the West to play Cleveland. Assuming both sides are healthy that would be a pretty spectacular series, actually.

[Evantime34]

Cleveland vs. the Clippers

I think Golden State has some injuries this year (maybe Steph Curry's notoriously frail ankles). The Clippers had the best starters in the league in terms of net rating, but their horrible bench dragged them down, I think their bench is improved enough to not sink their chances this year.

[Tr1boy]

I think OKC's title push will in large part come down to Enes Kanter. To what extent he can improve his defense next season. They need Kanter to become an adequate defender to be a title contender next season. Otherwise, I think his bad defense will cost them another year of missed opportunities.

Does Kanter start with Ibaka . what happens to adams?

[chambers]

Thunder lack the benchpower to make the finals imo

But we have the magic recipe to make the ECF? You ignored the comment about your Rockets theory, so I'll ask again to confirm your logic. Although you do tend to ignore inconvenient questions from time to time so I'm not expecting a reply.

What do you think is more plausible?
OKC with Durant, Ibaka, Westbrook, Adams, Morrow making the finals with a bench of Kanter + Waiters +Collison+ Augustin, McGary,  Roberson,  Novak.
Or
 us making the Eastern  Conference finals?

Maybe your green glasses are a little foggy?

[Tr1boy]

Plus they have a new coach from college. Most have not suceeded in tye nba level. Even genius CBS  needed 1 year of pain and struggles under his belt. Though Donovan adopts a much more talented team from the start

[Tr1boy]

Thunder lack the benchpower to make the finals imo

But we have the magic recipe to make the ECF? You ignored the comment about your Rockets theory, so I'll ask again to confirm your logic. Although you do tend to ignore inconvenient questions from time to time so I'm not expecting a reply.

What do you think is more plausible?
OKC with Durant, Ibaka, Westbrook, Adams, Morrow making the finals with a bench of Kanter + Waiters +Collison+ Augustin, McGary,  Roberson,  Novak.
Or
 us making the Eastern  Conference finals?

Maybe your green glasses are a little foggy?

Consider the fact the west is a much stronger conference.yes imo we have just as good chance making the east finals. Tell me , which team from the east stepped up in the off season?

Celts added strategic missing pieces from last season and 50 wins is not out of the question. Scared of no team from the east except the Cavs

[Tr1boy]

Chambers didnt you state last season this team had almost a zero percent chance to make the playoffs?

Again I ask, outside of the Cavs, which teams from the east are considered that much better than the Celts?

[Who]

I think the Celtics have a shot at the ECF.

The difference between the 2nd-4th seeds in the East and the 5th-8th seeds is pretty small. Any one of those 7 teams has a legit shot at making it to the ECF.

There is no legitimate top teams in the East outside of Cleveland. It is open season for anyone to make a long playoff run next season.

[chambers]

Chambers didnt you state last season this team had almost a zero percent chance to make the playoffs?

Again I ask, outside of the Cavs, which teams from the east are considered that much better than the Celts?

Ask me again? I haven't replied to any questions yet and you proceed to post twice in a row within 5 minutes saying 'Ask me again' ? Was it the green glasses comment?

Considering the changes the Celtics underwent, I'm not sure anyone expected them to make the playoffs after Rondo and Green were traded- and yes I do think we were lucky to make the playoffs. I think the East will be much tougher this year and although we've improved with Johnson and Lee, we are going to be fighting to make the playoffs just as hard as last season.

Teams better than us?

The Cavs
The Hawks
Heat
Wizards

Teams that we have to beat for a playoff spot: only 4 of the following teams will make the playoffs...
Bucks
Pistons
Raptors
Hornets
Pacers
Celtics
Knicks

And they are ALL all better than last year.
You're acting like we're a lock to make the playoffs when that's not even guaranteed, and you're questioning the Thunders bench as a reason as to why they have less chance of making the finals than us?

Now I'll ask you again,  because you've ignored my question regarding your statement that the Rockets can't get past the 2nd round (which they already did last year), and that we somehow have a better chance at making the Conference finals than them. How do you compute this logic?

Do you see the issue here?

[slamtheking]

Chambers didnt you state last season this team had almost a zero percent chance to make the playoffs?

Again I ask, outside of the Cavs, which teams from the east are considered that much better than the Celts?

Try the flipside - what team other than Philly are considered that much inferior to the C's?

answer, no one really.  Every other team in the East, with the exception of Orlando right now, has at least one player that is considered better than anyone on the C's roster. 

C's will be fighting for that last playoff spot.  If they get that far, personally I don't think they will, they will have most likely Cleveland in the first round again.  C's aren't getting by them.  Even if by some stroke of luck they don't face Cleveland in the 1st round, any other team they're likely to be facing will have a player who is an all-star capable of closing out a game for their team.

[Tr1boy]

Chambers didnt you state last season this team had almost a zero percent chance to make the playoffs?

Again I ask, outside of the Cavs, which teams from the east are considered that much better than the Celts?

Ask me again? I haven't replied to any questions yet and you proceed to post twice in a row within 5 minutes saying 'Ask me again' ? Was it the green glasses comment?

Considering the changes the Celtics underwent, I'm not sure anyone expected them to make the playoffs after Rondo and Green were traded- and yes I do think we were lucky to make the playoffs. I think the East will be much tougher this year and although we've improved with Johnson and Lee, we are going to be fighting to make the playoffs just as hard as last season.

Teams better than us?

The Cavs
The Hawks
Heat
Wizards

Teams that we have to beat for a playoff spot: only 4 of the following teams will make the playoffs...
Bucks
Pistons
Raptors
Hornets
Pacers
Celtics
Knicks

And they are ALL all better than last year.
You're acting like we're a lock to make the playoffs when that's not even guaranteed, and you're questioning the Thunders bench as a reason as to why they have less chance of making the finals than us?

Now I'll ask you again,  because you've ignored my question regarding your statement that the Rockets can't get past the 2nd round (which they already did last year), and that we somehow have a better chance at making the Conference finals than them. How do you compute this logic?

Do you see the issue here?

Rockets  regardless of my error , will never get past the west to the finals or be able to win. Dhoward and harden dont have "it" to get past smarter teams.

As for your east analysis , it is poor.   What did the pacers do exacgly? What did the Heat do?? You think Winslow is going to put them over the top. History indicates Bosh and Wade will be injured half the season. 

Yoh putting the knicks in the same category as the celts is an insult. So what if they got a couple of decent players in Lopez and Afflalo? They havent gelled.  Who is their pg? Unless you think Grant is a legit player already

Like i have stated, celts have nobody to be scared of in the east. We won 40 last season and will beat that record this season.   Our team D was one of the best in the east in the 2nd half in case you forgot

[D.o.s.]

I think the Celtics have a shot at the ECF.

The difference between the 2nd-4th seeds in the East and the 5th-8th seeds is pretty small. Any one of those 7 teams has a legit shot at making it to the ECF.

There is no legitimate top teams in the East outside of Cleveland. It is open season for anyone to make a long playoff run next season.

Gotta politely disagree on a gut level -- we're not as good as that 2002 squad and the East, while still weak, is probably more competitive overall.

[Tr1boy]

I think the Celtics have a shot at the ECF.

The difference between the 2nd-4th seeds in the East and the 5th-8th seeds is pretty small. Any one of those 7 teams has a legit shot at making it to the ECF.

There is no legitimate top teams in the East outside of Cleveland. It is open season for anyone to make a long playoff run next season.

Gotta politely disagree on a gut level -- we're not as good as that 2002 squad and the East, while still weak, is probably more competitive overall.

List me what some teams from the east did this offseason.

Did Bulls add anyone? 

Chambers seems to think teams like Pacers are better adding three rookies and PG will be back to his old self. 

Heat will 100 percent healthy and winslow makes a difference

By staying put and adding rookies teams dont become much better than the prior season unless the rookie is Towns , Wiggins etc.

Celts on the other hand filled some crucial holes in the lineup.

[Donoghus]

Personally, I'd pump the brakes on Celtics conference finals talk but that's just me. 

This team is still a couple of players away from making the leap into the upper echelon of the East.  I certainly think a roster shakeup could come before the trade deadline but I don't see this roster, as currently constructed, making the conference finals.  Guys like Smart, Sullinger, Crowder, etc... would need to make serious progress.

[Who]

I don't think this Celtics team is much better than average ... but I also do not think anyone else in the East outside of Cleveland is that far above average either.

I think 7 of the top 8 teams in the league are all out in the West. I think the next couple of spots are debatable between the top teams in the East and the bottom seed playoff hopefuls in the West. 

I think there are a few teams in the East who are better teams than Boston is and do have a better chance than Boston of making the ECF but those teams are not so much better than Boston that it is out of the question that Boston could make the ECF. Same goes for the other low seeds in the East who also have shot at making at the ECF due to the lack of quality at the top of the East.

So say 7 teams competing for 2nd ECF spot. One in seven chance. 14%. Some teams marginally higher than that 14% and some marginally lower. All within close enough distance of one another to knock each other out. I wouldn't put anybody over the 20% threshold. I am not sure I'd put anyone under 10% chance of ECF appearance either. It's wide open.