Early Eastern Conference Playoff Teams 2013/14

dasilva1079

Benchwarmer
I don't get how the Bulls are getting ranked so high. Didn't they lose Nate and that Italian shooter guy this offseason. Is Hamilton even playing still? Who is stepping in to fill those spots they lost?

I say Knicks stomp on everybody including the Heat.

Knicks
Pacers
Heat
Nets
Bulls
Detroit
Wizards
Cavs
 

knicksince 93

Rotation player
I don't get how the Bulls are getting ranked so high. Didn't they lose Nate and that Italian shooter guy this offseason. Is Hamilton even playing still? Who is stepping in to fill those spots they lost?

I say Knicks stomp on everybody including the Heat.

Knicks
Pacers
Heat
Nets
Bulls
Detroit
Wizards
Cavs

Nice... if d wade continues to regress its possible. But bosh and lebron alone could easily get 50+ wins

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Kiyaman

Legend
They won't ever gives the knicks credit... remember last year they're rankings were mia, indy, bos, nj, philly, knicks and that we see how that turned out. Yeah a few teams have had misfortunes and it hurt their season last year but so did we and our team won 54 games with complete turmoil caused by injuries. Why? Because the team was solid and that solid team eliminated its weak leaks and got better players.

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The Knicks were lead by a bunch of "Old-Heads" keeping lockerroom-discipline, that's why it was easy to predict the Knicks winning the division title over HC Doc Rivers Boston Celtics in training-camp. Barkley showed ignorance putting the Russian Brooklyn Nets above a veteran Knicks club.

The Larry Bird Indiana Pacers started growing into a winning playoff team the day they got rid of President Donnie Walsh.

The Thib Chicago Bulls became a GELLIN team on offense/defense for two seasons without super-star Rose leading the point and callin all the shots.
 

Paul1355

All Star
Bro you serioulsy think the Celtics wil be 8th????? LOL THey lost their whole team and Rondo wont start the season, Boston will suck and miss playoffs. Cavs at 5? They were terrible last year. Yes they added Anthony Bennet and Bynum but Bynum is no gurantee and no one knows how good Bennet will do. At best they squeak into 8th seed.

1) Heat
2) Pacers
3) Knicks
4) Nets
5) Bulls
6) Pistons
7) Hawks
8) Cavs/Wizards

Heat are clearly #1...Pacers got even better by adding Copeland and Scola to their bench plus getting back a healthy Danny Granger that they can use or just trade to get better....Knicks are 3rd because on paper they are stacked and just have to avoid injury bug, similar to Nets but Nets have older players that can break down quicker at the end of season so I give edge to Knicks plus Knicks have more chemistry.

Bulls are a crap shoot because of Derrick Rose. If Rose returns to pure form the Bulls can be #2 but odds are he will be 3/4 of his old self at best. Knicks and Nets are deeper so Bulls fall to 5th.

6th to 8th is interesting because some teams have changed so much.

I have Detroit at 6. They have improved dramatically adding Jennings and Josh SMith. They have great young players in Drummond and Monroe. And good role players in Stuckey and Jerebko. They can go far this year and impress.

7 I have Hawks because they did lose Smith but add Millsap and Elton Brand. However, Hawks have gotten worse slightly because Smith was so dynamic at times on both ends of the floor.

8 depends on injuries. Both Cavs and Wizards have injury prone players so it is really all up to who is healthy. Raptors were good once Rudy Gay entered the fold but I can't trust Toronto. Wizards were so much better once John Wall was healthy and Cavs got Andrew Bynum who is a question mark and Anthony Bennet who looks to be very good this year. Since Kyrie Irving is better than John Wall I give the edge the Cavs.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Wow! Detroit signing Brandon Jennings put a new light on how the EC teams will b seeded ....
Player/ast-coach Billups will build a run-run 3-guard offense/defense lineup that will give teams problems.
Assistant coach Rasheed Wallace training Drummond & Monroe to GELL on the same-page with Josh Smith.
 

metrocard

Legend
I agree Kiya, Pistons are a team in full potential that can cause damage.

For them, Jennings would need to become a pass first PG and leave his scoring to 13 ppg. They need 8-9 assist from him. Josh Smith, Monroe and Drummond all need to be fed Close/Inside range. I don't trust any of those guys to shoot the jumper.

I believe they need serious shooting depth off the bench and at the 2 position. Not sure if KCP is ready to light it up Stephen Curry style, rookies tend to have bad shooting numbers in their first season and progress from there....then again, OJ Mayo proved that to be false.
 

metrocard

Legend
I don't get how the Bulls are getting ranked so high. Didn't they lose Nate and that Italian shooter guy this offseason. Is Hamilton even playing still? Who is stepping in to fill those spots they lost?

I say Knicks stomp on everybody including the Heat.

Knicks
Pacers
Heat
Nets
Bulls
Detroit
Wizards
Cavs

lol...that is comedy.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
I agree Kiya, Pistons are a team in full potential that can cause damage.

For them, Jennings would need to become a pass first PG and leave his scoring to 13 ppg. They need 8-9 assist from him. Josh Smith, Monroe and Drummond all need to be fed Close/Inside range. I don't trust any of those guys to shoot the jumper.

I believe they need serious shooting depth off the bench and at the 2 position. Not sure if KCP is ready to light it up Stephen Curry style, rookies tend to have bad shooting numbers in their first season and progress from there....then again, OJ Mayo proved that to be false.


Great Point .... Brandon Jennings will b where Billups show his talent as a future HC by making Jennings a top passing-PG the first 50 games of the season, priming Stuckey & raw rookie KCP to relax while the game come to them. In midseason I see Jennings being givin the Green-Light to pass or shoot.
Rashhed Wallace is also a big factor in the Pistons Bigmen staying healthy throughout his workout & nutritional training in a 82 game season.

Rasheed Wallace & Kurt Thomas joined the Knicks in hope of grabbing a future assistant coaching job lastseason.
 

metrocard

Legend
Great Point .... Brandon Jennings will b where Billups show his talent as a future HC by making Jennings a top passing-PG the first 50 games of the season, priming Stuckey & raw rookie KCP to relax while the game come to them. In midseason I see Jennings being givin the Green-Light to pass or shoot.
Rashhed Wallace is also a big factor in the Pistons Bigmen staying healthy throughout his workout & nutritional training in a 82 game season.

Rasheed Wallace & Kurt Thomas joined the Knicks in hope of grabbing a future assistant coaching job lastseason.

San Antonio Spurs just made their coaching staff deeper this off season. They convert good role players into assistant coaches and keep players close to the organization, a well run team that holds a high prestige for their future. Brett Brown just became head coach of the 76ers and he was an assistant coach for the Spurs. So was Jacque Vaughn and Tom Thib and many others.

Detroit did something really great in keeping Billups and Wallace within their franchise. These are the two guys that help made Detroit a powerhouse and one of the few Eastern Conference teams that can beat the West, which was filled with powerhouses.

This is what seperates other franchises from the Knicks. Knicks don't believe in a foundation, just marketing.
 
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