Right Now, Project the Eastern Conference

[Moranis]

Indiana was the 4 seed last year.  They have added Tyreke, O’Quinn, and McDermott while removing Al Jefferson and Lance Stephenson from their rotation.  That’s a real upgrade, and I fully expect them in the 2-4 seed range.

Nitpicking but they were the 5 seed, their Game 7 was in Cleveland.

Thanks for the nitpick.  I thought I should look it up, but then relied on my memory (a mistake to do on 3 hours of sleep).

That said, Cleveland isn’t going to be the 4 seed this year.

Definitely not. I just feel like the Pacers overachieved a bit with the roster they had last year (to their credit), and their regression to the mean will mostly be negated by their improved rotation.  I think a competently coached Bucks team should be better than them, at least in the regular season.

That was absolutely my thinking.  Their projected wins were only 45 last year (still would have been the 5 seed, but 3 less than they actually got).  They also had pretty solid health.  And frankly, I think they really overachieved last year.  Now maybe they get huge bumps, but they won 48 last year and I projected them from 47-52 this year.  That seems about right for a team that overachieved though did improve. 

and not that I think it changes much, but when I started the thread O'Quinn hadn't actually been announced.

[celticsclay]

I don't really disagree with anything anybody has put here but will say philly has the highest variability of any team in my mind. They were a lot closer to a 46-47 win team last year that benefitted immensely from having their schedule skewed to play all the tanking teams in the last 6 weeks of the season. That being said if fultz gives them something this year and Simmons even adds a half jumpshot they could be quite a bit better. I think Indiana and Washington could both surprise

[Birdman]

1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Indiana
4. Philadelphia
5. Milwaukee
6. Washington
7. Cleveland
8. Miami
9. Detroit
10. Orlando
11. Brooklyn
12. Charlotte
13. New York
14. Atlanta
9.

[Who]

I see that everyone has the Hornets in the 7 to 9 spots.  How?  How did they get better?  They lost Howard (Now they do NOT have a true center unless you count Mosgov!!!) and they drafted wisely (Shai) and then proceeded to trade him for Miles Bridges, and SG that cannot dribble and the does not have much lift on his shot.

Did I miss HOW they improved?

Thanks,

Smitty77

I don't think Dwight Howard helped Charlotte at all last year. They looked just as good with Cody Zeller or Kaminsky on the floor instead of him. They have Hernangomez from NY too. I don't think they will miss Dwight Howard at all.

Dwight was clearly more talented than those guys but he never seemed to fit in there. Never had good chemistry with his teammates. They didn't function that well with him despite Howard putting up good individual stat lines.

I don't expect Charlotte to improve next year but I don't see them falling down the standings either. Same same, just different.

[Hawkeye199]

Here is my prediction
remember Cleveland doesn't have their pick outside of the top 10 so they have an incentive to tank.
I think they trade Love at some point

I am also assuming that Orlando signs Isaiah thomas.

I'm not a fan of Miami right now especially with how terrible Hassan Whiteside has been. I have faith in Dwayne Casey as a coach. SOmething to consider is Detroit never had a full season of blake griffin so their record should be better.

1. Boston
2. Toronto
3. Philly
4. Indiana
5. Milwaukee
6. Washington
7. Detroit
8. Miami
9. Charlotte
10. Brooklyn
11. Orlando
12. New York
13. Chicago
14. Cleveland
15. Atlanta

[Smitty77]

I see that everyone has the Hornets in the 7 to 9 spots.  How?  How did they get better?  They lost Howard (Now they do NOT have a true center unless you count Mosgov!!!) and they drafted wisely (Shai) and then proceeded to trade him for Miles Bridges, and SG that cannot dribble and the does not have much lift on his shot.

Did I miss HOW they improved?

Thanks,

Smitty77

I don't think Dwight Howard helped Charlotte at all last year. They looked just as good with Cody Zeller or Kaminsky on the floor instead of him. They have Hernangomez from NY too. I don't think they will miss Dwight Howard at all.

Dwight was clearly more talented than those guys but he never seemed to fit in there. Never had good chemistry with his teammates. They didn't function that well with him despite Howard putting up good individual stat lines.

I don't expect Charlotte to improve next year but I don't see them falling down the standings either. Same same, just different.

I live about 45 minutes from their arena, and that smoke they sold after trading Howard was just that, smoke.  I NEVER saw friction between he and his teammates, and all the games (virtually) are on local TV.  The centers you mentioned are SOFT as Charmin!!!  I call Kaminsky "Frank the Charmin Tank!!"

Smitty77

[CelticsElite]

I see that everyone has the Hornets in the 7 to 9 spots.  How?  How did they get better?  They lost Howard (Now they do NOT have a true center unless you count Mosgov!!!) and they drafted wisely (Shai) and then proceeded to trade him for Miles Bridges, and SG that cannot dribble and the does not have much lift on his shot.

Did I miss HOW they improved?

Thanks,

Smitty77

tp

They did not improve and have been panicking trying to see if they should trade kemba and tank or build around him. They have the foundation of a terribly managed team

They should have kept Jeremy lin when they had the chance

[mr. dee]

I have Indiana ahead of the Raptors. They were on upward trajectory and now just added more talent. Raptors have reached their peak and may no longer be the same without Dwayne Casey.

[Birdman]

Indiana has the making of the being best team in East if everything fall together for them...they have same team as last year and added Tyreke Evans, Kyle O'Quinn and the rookie Holiday

[jambr380]

1) Boston
2) Philly
3) Toronto
4) Washington
5) Milwaukee
6) Indiana
7) Miami
8 ) Detroit
-------------
9) Charlotte
10) Brooklyn
11) Chicago
12) Orlando
13) Cleveland
14) New York
15) Atlanta

Of course, Indiana looks like an outlier on my list. It's not that I think they will be demonstrably worse, just that I think Washington and Milwaukee will get their acts together. I didn't put much thought into my non-playoff teams rankings - not trying to make any statements there.

[CelticsElite]

Celtics
Raptors
76ers
Pacers
Wizards
Bucks
Pistons
Heat

Magic (with IT they will come close to making playoffs)
Nets (will surprise and improve again)
Hornets (no dwight, will take step back(
Cavs (no lebron)
Knicks (kp will be out for possibly whole season)
Hawks (bad team)

[TheisTheisBaby]

Boston
.
.
.
.
.
Toronto
.
.
Philly
.
.
.
everyone else and it doesn't matter the order since nobody is beating us. 

[hwangjini_1]

Boston
.
.
.
.
.
Toronto
.
.
Philly
.
.
.
everyone else and it doesn't matter the order since nobody is beating us.

beat me to it. tp. yep, this is the future season.

[nickagneta]

1. Boston Celtics

2-15. Don't care.

What I do care about:

Western Conference

1-14. Don't care

15. Sacramento

[tazzmaniac]

1. Boston Celtics

2-16. Don't care.

What I do care about:

Western Conference

1-15. Don't care

16. Sacramento

Unless you know of an ultra stealth expansion, there are only 15 teams in each conference.