EAST:
1. Heat - could reach 60 if it's an 82 game season.
2. Bulls - won't get past Miami without a second scorer - not Luol Deng.
3. Magic - pending: there's a lot of talk surrounding D12.
4. Knicks - circumstantial: dodgy coach + weak front court + STAT's back, Melo's 'bow, Billups entirety. 46 wins in an 82 game season.
5. Hawks - fight for 5 & 6 between these boys and Boston.
6. Celtics
7. Bucks - addition of Stephen Jackson is big. Huge underachievers last year.
8. Washington - Indiana - 76ers. - Look for these teams to be neck and neck all season. Biggest likelihood for 8th as far as I see it, is Philly. Collins is an epic coach.
Don't have a lot of concern for the West, as I don't see us facing any of its teams in the finals.
● Could be a first round exit for us against either the Hawks or Celtics. Ultimately, our lack of depth up front will be our bane once again, along with our baffling substitutions and pressure play debacles.
It'll be a season long [long perhaps not the word of choice] shifting of positions between us, Atlanta and Boston. Either way, we have to take 4th or 5th for a decent chance at the 2nd round. We do not want to face 2nd seed in the first.
If it's a season of around 50 games, I say we win between 28-33. How that will effect the 8 is beyond me.
● Interested to see what will unfold with Orlando. Howard clearly not happy with the mid-season trade. A lot of payroll for little in return. If they lose Howard, they'll replace us in this new decade as the laughing stock of the league.
● Milwaukee could shock a lot of people this year, and could even push for 6th. Bogut, Cpt. Jack and Jennings is a nasty combo. They also have Udrih which will allow for a 5 of:
5. Bogut
4. Gooden
3. Jackson
2. Jennings
1. Udrih
Ilyasova, who can ball, apparently wants to leave the league. Could be a heavy blow to the Bucks.
● Heat to the finals again in an ECF match up with Chicago. Depending on who they're facing, they're a top 3 bet to take the trophy. They should trade Bosh for someone who has a pair.