Prediction time: standings and playoffs

[bboycustom92]

1. Heat
2. Celtics
3. Knicks
4. Bulls
5. Nets
6. Pacers
7. 76ers
8. Cavs(if they get bynum)

1. Thunder
2. Lakers
3. Clippers
4. Spurs
5. Memphis
6. Denver
7. Utah
8. Wolves

Heat Cavs= Heat
Celtics 6ers= celtics
Knicks Pacers= Knicks
Bulls Nets= Toss up. I'll say bulls

Bulls Heat= Heat
Celtics Knicks= Knicks.

Knicks Heat= Heat

Thunder Wolves= Thunder
Lakers Jazz= Lakers
Clippers Denver= Clippers
Spurs Memphis= Memphis

Thunder Memphis= Thunder
Lakers Clippers = Lakers

Thunder Lakers= Lakers

Lakers Heat= Toss up. I'll go heat just because they have more chemistry

[groundpilot]

East:

Knicks
Heat
Celtics
Pacers
Nets
Sixers
Bulls
Wizards

First rd:
Knicks beat Wizards 4-0
Heat beat Bulls 4-3
Celtics beat Sixers 4-2
Nets beat Pacers 4-2

2nd rd:
Knicks Beat Nets 4-1
Heat beat Celtics 4-2

Conference finals:
Knicks beat Heat 4-3

West:
Lakers with Nash and D12
Thunder
Spurs
Clippers
Grizzlies
Nuggets
Mavericks
Jazz

first rd:
Lakers beat Jazz 4-0
Thunder beat Mavs 4-1
Spurs beat Nuggets 4-2
Grizz beat Clippers 4-3

2nd rd:
Lakers beat Grizz 4-1
Spurs beat Thunder 4-3

Conference finals:
Lakers beat Spurs 4-1

NBA FINALS:
Knicks beat Lakers 4-3

I know you are a big Knick fan like most of us on this forum, but can you elaborate a little bit why are you so optimistic about our chances? Maybe you know something we dont.
Based on your previous posts i respect your opinion and look forward to your answer

[WeReady]

EAST
1. Miami
2. Boston
3. Indiana
4. New York
5.Brooklyn
6. Chicago
7.Philidephia
8.Washington

West
1. Oklahoma
2.Los Angeles Lakers
3.Los Angeles Clippers
4.San Antonio
5.Memphis Grizzles
6.Denver
7.Dallas
8.Minniesota/Utah

Playoff predictions
East First Round
1.Miami v 8. Washington=Miami
2.Celtics v 7. Philadelphia= Celtics
3. Pacers v 6. Bulls= Bulls (rose will be back by then)
4. New york v Brooklyn= New york (would make for epic 7 game series)

Second round
Miami v Bulls= Miami (6 game series)
New York v Celtics= New York (it will go 7 games)

ECF Round
Miami vs New York= Miami To the finals

West Conference first round
1. Oklahoma vs 8. Minnesota/Utah= Oklahoma (first round sweep or 5 games)
2. Lakers vs 7. Dallas= Lakers (6 game series)
3. Clippers vs 6. Denver= Clippers (7 game series)
4. San Antonio vs 5. Memphis= San Antonio (every sleeps on san antonio every year and they get the job done I'm not doubting this team anymore)

Semi finals
Oklahoma vs San Antonio =Oklahoma
Lakers vs Clippers= Clippers (nash and paul cancel each other out. If dwight is apart of this team then lakers over clippers obviously)

Western Conference finals
Oklahoma vs Clippers= Clippers
Oklahoma vs Lakers (with dwight howard)= Lakers

Finals based on dwight decsion
Lakers vs Miami= Lakers (too many weapons with kobe gasol nash and dwight (o My) easy to exploit that Miami has no interior presence or effective point guard)

[p0nder]

There are many reasons to be highly optimistic about this season from a knicks fan perspective. Most pundit's and experts are placing the knicks in the 7-8 top teams in the league (i.e. 3rd seed in the East). That is based off a perception that the Knicks are the same team last year that ended 7th but have added value at the 1 with Felton and the bench is stronger with the additions of Kidd and Camby.

My perception is that this is not just the same team as last year. Look at Melo and Tyson in USA jersey's and tell me that they are not more fit and focused. Melo in particular took a lot of the criticisms of his game to heart. This included his conditioning and his playoff performance. With a focus on being a better athlete and a better crunch time performer we have essentially bettered ourselves at the 3/4 without having to make a move. I fully expect Melo to play at a Lebron/Kobe level next year and it is essential to our team's success.

Our 2nd superstar, STAT had an off year last year after hurting his back and having weight issues he was not looking comfortable out there. However we had no one to run the point and STAT is a finisher, not a play maker. STAT also took the criticism hard. Evidenced in his reply to a fan on twitter. He was emotional and fired up about it. He knows he needs to perform at a higher level and is working his ASS off in the gym and soon with The Dream. Couple this with the fact that Felton is back and STAT had a terrific year with Felt at the point. Both were all-star caliber at that time and STAT was even in MVP discussion. If we see THAT STAT back, we are dominant at the 4/5, especially against teams like the Heat who have size issues. Word is that STAT has been working on his mobility and defense. Should he come in as a better 2 way player then we are looking at one of the most stacked front court combo's since Duncan/Robinson and perhaps ever when you consider the next part of the BIG 3...

Tyson Chandler - DPOY and all around dominant force on the court. He routinely intimidates Dwight "i'm superman" Howard. The guy is pure defensive effort and smarts. He quarterbacks the defensive effort with tenacity and intelligence, getting Melo and STAT to increase their defensive effort just by chirping in their ear and pointing out ways to improve. He protects the rim like it was his wife, never allowing players an easy shot or lay-up. Couple this with the fact that he is playing with the best of the best in the Olympics and I expect that he will improve his offensive game this year to give us a great 2-way Center. No center since Ewing has given us this kind of effort and ability (and that includes Cambyman)

Bringing me to my next point; The additions to our bench: Kidd and Camby. These are two of the most savvy and intense vets out there. They give complete effort and know what it takes to win. In Kidd we have a player who knows how to play with Tyson Chandler and improve his offensive game. Not to mention it's another guy with a ring on the team, that experience in the playoffs is HUGE. Where a guy like Shump might get jitters, Kidd will be a ROCK who can come in at the 1 or 2 and give us solid minutes.

Camby will be able to adequately provide minutes to rest Tyson who took a beating last year. Allowing Tyson/STAT/Melo those minutes to rest is huge as we could not rely on Jorts to do that. Camby will help in the area of rebounding and defense, providing mentor-ship to our Big 3. I am especially excited about the potential of the lineups we will see him included in as he has an adequate offensive game and jump shot to boot. Couple him with Melo at the 4, Novak and JR and Kidd/Felton and you have great floor spacing and deep ball threats at every position, for one example.

The real Wild card here is Felton. The guy is hoping to eb the starting guard for the knicks and he just can't do tha if he doesn't come with the intensity and conditioning that he had the first time around. His speed was one of his assets as a D'antoni PG but putting on weight, even if you lose it, often affects your overall speed. However if Felton comes back focused and determined to "shut everyone's mouths up" and we see a player that at least plays to his 2010-11 potential we have a new "diamond in the rough" that will have us all asking "Lin - who?"


When you look at the competition that is also a great year for the Knicks fan base. Yes, Miami has added in Ray Allen, but ray is not the player he used to be. Add to this that the Heat are coming off a championship and some of that hunger in Lebron may be sated. There are also questions about Bosh's health and ability to continue to play at that level as an undersized big man. Some championship hangover perhaps? It hit Dallas last year in a big way.

Pacers have not improved, the Celtics have gotten worse, The 6ers are worse, the bulls are hurting. No team in the east outside of Miami can compete with us.

In the west with Nash and potentially D12 in LAL colors there is reason to believe that they could dominate like the Lakers did with Shaq and Kobe. However Kobe is not the same player he was, Dwight is not the same player Shaq was and Nash will have a lot on his shoulders. OKC will be hungry but can they keep the team together, can they improve it? I don't see how. The Spurs are good but they need to improve their defense, I don't see that happening unless they make a move for a defensive big man (hard to find). Out side of those teams i'm not worried about them getting to the finals. Clippers are overrated and will have to worry about the health of Griffin's legs. Grizz are only as good as they were last year and extra years and wear and tear on big men like Zach Randolph are showing their signs.

Outside of the Lakers i'm not concerned with the West.

So there ya have it, my reasoning's on why you should be ECSTATIC about this Knicks team.

Oh and as a small P.S. Shumpert should be ready in the new year and will add a dimension of athleticism and defense for us at the 2 spot. He is a top-rated defensive player and has lots of potential on the offensive end. Add him into the mix and we have Depth, Defense, Scoring, Size, Hustle and Heart. All seemingly the right mix for a championship squad.

[groundpilot]

Agree with most of your points. I would add that this team respects their coach and will play hard for him.
The only thing that bothers me is Stat. He is a big Xfactor. Is he going to be effective alongside Melo and Tyson? We will see, but there are a lot of reasons for optimism.

[Crazy⑧s]

Knicks finish probably 6th in East and lose in First Round. Book it.

Don't you think it's all getting a little over the top now, OBM?

You seem to have so many funny and insightful things to say, but I have to wonder what motivates this kind of sh i t.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I'm astounded that so many people have Boston as the 2 seed. I see this as their year of declination. They still have the talent to pull off 2nd, but their success is circumstantial.

[NY17KNICKS]

Don't you think it's all getting a little over the top now, OBM?

You seem to have so many funny and insightful things to say, but I have to wonder what motivates this kind of sh i t.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I'm astounded that so many people have Boston as the 2 seed. I see this as their year of declination. They still have the talent to pull off 2nd, but their success is circumstantial.

I just think they'll off some sh*t they shouldn't

[Crazy⑧s]

I just think they'll off some sh*t they shouldn't

Eh? Sorry, I'm not sure what that means.

[kinein]

Knicks will stomp Celtics or Indiana - and meet Heat in East. Conf. Finals.

Melo and Amare will have a blast with new roster. Novak - lights out, finally a real contract, job security and financial stability. Jr will have a blast BOMBiNG on teams and pulling off youtube worthy dunks. Fun all around for entire team.

[orangeblobman]

Don't you think it's all getting a little over the top now, OBM?

You seem to have so many funny and insightful things to say, but I have to wonder what motivates this kind of sh i t.

＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿

I'm astounded that so many people have Boston as the 2 seed. I see this as their year of declination. They still have the talent to pull off 2nd, but their success is circumstantial.

What motivates it is a passionate love for the Knicks, and the anger that comes from Jimmy Dolan ****ting on my dreams.

At the same time, I agree, I'll try to offer more depth to my posts and maybe some more diversity of ideas.

Still, I don't see the Knicks finishing above 6th in the East. We got: Miami, Indiana, Brooklyn, Boston, that's four right there. I don't know D-Rose's injury situation, but even without D-Rose, you got Thibs in Chicago and that's going to be a solid team either way. If you have D-Rose returning at some point during the season, they're easily going to finish ahead of us.

Realistically, best case is a 5 seed, worst case being an 8. I think we're a lock for the playoffs, but I don't think we have a chance at homecourt.

And when you get to the playoffs, I don't trust this guy Woodson at all. His record is pretty bad, and that's not even considering Melo's terrible playoffs history.

Bottom line, I'm not optimistic, and this sentiment is a reflection of the current state of the Knicks; it's not something I'm wishing on them.

[groundpilot]

Bottom line is you are a knick hater. GTFO of this forum

[NY17KNICKS]

Eh? Sorry, I'm not sure what that means.

I..I dont know lol

[Crazy⑧s]

Realistically, best case is a 5 seed, worst case being an 8. I think we're a lock for the playoffs, but I don't think we have a chance at homecourt.

You've got to back your version of realism though, OBM. Elaborate on your best and worse case scenario. Can't just throw out what seems more like an assumption than a reason. I know you reeled off the teams you think are better, but I haven't seen you explain what makes the Knicks comparatively so much worse than Indy, the Nyets and Boston.

Knicks, Smelld!cks, Gacers and fishNets is definitely gonna be a race, but certainly not one I'd label the Knicks as underdogs in.

I..I dont know lol

Honesty: the best policy.

[AmareForPresident]

I'm astounded that so many people have Boston as the 2 seed. I see this as their year of declination. They still have the talent to pull off 2nd, but their success is circumstantial.

Idk bro, I dislike the Celtics but I have to admit Danny Ainge made some pretty impressive moves this offseason. First by drafting Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, both players that I think will be able to contribute from the start. Then he resigned Garnett, Bass, and Wilcox. And with Ray Allen gone, Avery Bradley will be the starting SG and this will be his time to shine. Not too mention they signed Jason Terry who might not be as young as he used to but he can still put up points in a hurry and will only play better with Rondo. I think the signing that will help them the most will be acquiring Courtney Lee, dude is a beast and will only get better with their roster. The most underrated move this offseason imo. Plus it looks like they'll be getting Jeff Green back as well.

[fender0577]

Idk bro, I dislike the Celtics but I have to admit Danny Ainge made some pretty impressive moves this offseason. First by drafting Jared Sullinger and Fab Melo, both players that I think will be able to contribute from the start. Then he resigned Garnett, Bass, and Wilcox. And with Ray Allen gone, Avery Bradley will be the starting SG and this will be his time to shine. Not too mention they signed Jason Terry who might not be as young as he used to but he can still put up points in a hurry and will only play better with Rondo. I think the signing that will help them the most will be acquiring Courtney Lee, dude is a beast and will only get better with their roster. The most underrated move this offseason imo. Plus it looks like they'll be getting Jeff Green back as well.

Yeah, why didn't we make a push at him, or did we, i haven't been paying to much attention lately, due to it being nice outside.But why in the hell didn't we go hard for this dude, he plays great defense, and he could have started, keep JR coming of the bench, where i fell he's best suited.