Top 5 teams next year

nuckles2k2

Superstar
Mavs will most certainly not be the top team again, they're losing pieces to FA.

I'll say:

Heat
Bulls
Knicks (until we get our 3rd star)
OKC
Mavs/Grizz
 

NY17KNICKS

★Melo Mafia★
1.Knicks
2.Foshan Dralions
3.Harlem Globetrotters
4.My High School Basketball team
5.Washington Generals
Watch out for the Generals though, they're the favorite to land Lebron after his contract expires
 

MeloforMayor

BALL DON'T LIE
Cheat (sadly)
Bulls
Thunder
Lakers
Mavs

We're not there yet. We need a proven center and defense.

I have to agree with you man. Knicks need a lot of improvement to go toe-to-toe with the suddenly monstrous eastern conference.

The Bulls need a SG to complete their team. The HEAT need a center.

IMO, we need to get Dalembert and J-Rich just to impede on Chicago and Miami's progress. :thumbsup:
 

Madhatter9382

Benchwarmer
I'll go with:

OKC
CHI
MI
LAL
DAL

Like stated above, we need a big man and to add defense to our team to be considered top 5...


I'm not sure what to make of the spurs, they did have the best record in the nba last season but they were knocked out right away and are 1 year older.
 

Marek

Benchwarmer
Miami - more of the same
OKC - I predict they'll make that jump next season
Chicago - still badass, but still flawed
Dallas - why not? if Chandler's still there, look out.
Lakers - the clock is ticking, and Mike Brown is a wild card. But it's still the Lakers.

The Grizzlies aren't there yet. If I owned stock in Zach Randolph Inc, I'd be selling NOW while it's at its peak. Never again will he look as good as he did in the 2011 Playoffs. Rudy Gay is coming back, but with my expectations of Randolph sliding, there will be a lot of roles being shuffled around.

I was very, very close to putting the Blazers ahead of the Lakers. We'll see if Felton can excite that offense. I don't think he'll have to speed things up, but rather add smart playmaking and offensive firepower to their natural halfcourt tendencies. But it's a nice option to have him running outlets with Gerald Wallace and Wes Matthews. Portland will be scary.
 

knickscity

Benchwarmer
The Knicks are not a top 5 team next season, arguable if top 5 in the East....... right now, now if CP3 was in orange and blue right now......

Personally, I think Miami, Boston, Chicago, Orlando are better, right now.

Our coach don't believe in defense.

Now my top 5....

1)Chicago....a top 3 defense, whose weakness is Boozers & Noah's health & defense. I think the SG slot is good enough for what they do.

2)OKC...has the most complete team in the NBA, only flaw is lack of vet experience, but talent is vastly making up for that. They are a top 5 efficient offense, combined by a good defense.

3)HEAT...another top 3 defense, despite the perception that they need a center, they just need their top aces to play like it on the big stage. People seem to forget miami was two wins from winning it all with basically 3-4 legit players, and that was with their best player checking out of the series.

4)Dallas deserves this spot although, and I would have put them higher, but I just don't think their defense is championship quality.

5)Lakers....Kobe isn't done...and Mike Brown will have them play a level of defense that will always keep them within shot of winning any game.
 

SSj4Wingzero

All Star
How would the Knicks NOT be a top-5 team in the east? We finished 2 games behind the Hawks when we had huge roster changes mid-season...give us Carmelo and Amar'e and Billups together for an entire year and there's no way we finish any worse than 4th.
 
How would the Knicks NOT be a top-5 team in the east? We finished 2 games behind the Hawks when we had huge roster changes mid-season...give us Carmelo and Amar'e and Billups together for an entire year and there's no way we finish any worse than 4th.
Lol I agree. The Heat and Bulls will still be top 5, Boston and Orlando are falling, and who knows if Crawford will even stay with the Hawks. I don't see any team in the East make a big improvement from last year except for us.
:gony:
 

STAT1

Starter
1. Miami
2. Chicago
3. Lakers
4. Dallas
5. Boston

Unless of course CP3, D12 or Deron get dealt this summer to some other team (doubtful), in which case all bets are off.
 

knickscity

Benchwarmer
We aren't top 5 without defense.

If that doesn't improve, we will still lose games that talent wise we should win.

And no, as of right now we aren't better than Miami, Chicago, Orlando, or Boston.

Atlanta is arguable, but I still think they are 5th, mainly because of their defense.
 

Marek

Benchwarmer
Atlanta is a fake threat. They're always the #4 or #5 seed, but can't get over the hump. Every year, people say they're going to make the jump and be a contender. They're going to make serious noise in the playoffs.

Then what happens? Nothing. Been the same old story for like 4 years now.
I will always be a doubter of this Hawks squad.

So I can see the Knicks getting to the 5th seed in the East. Maybe even #4 if Orlando falls apart. I just don't see them being any better than that until some fundamental changes are made; particularly, defensive post presence. That alone could make them top 5 NBA, but only if it comes with a better overall emphasis on defense.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
How would the Knicks NOT be a top-5 team in the east? We finished 2 games behind the Hawks when we had huge roster changes mid-season...give us Carmelo and Amar'e and Billups together for an entire year and there's no way we finish any worse than 4th.


We still have the Dantoni-brothers on our coaching-staff.....
Dantoni & Billups are oil & water.....Billups made sure rookie
PG-Ty Lawson received decent playingtime minutes running
the point in Denver for two seasons. The first time TD received
decent playintime minutes running the point in 2 seasons was
when Billups became a Knicks.
Recall....Billups was publically verbal on Detroit headcoach Larry
Brown losing the FINALS by using the "Starters" above 40 minutes
in the series vs the Spurs. That is Dantoni's dum coaching philosophy too.

Heat (East)
Thunder (West)
Lakers
Celtics
Spurs
 

LJ4ptplay

Starter
Yes, we need more defense to be a contender. Just getting a defensive big does not make us a contender, a TRUE contender. We also need depth. We have none. Billups (or CP3), Melo and Amare + a bunch of minimum salary players (defensive or not) is not enough. So look for us to be a 4th seed (maybe 3rd seed) 2nd round playoff exit for many years to come unless both of these issues are addressed.
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Miami - more of the same
OKC - I predict they'll make that jump next season
Chicago - still badass, but still flawed
Dallas - why not? if Chandler's still there, look out.
Lakers - the clock is ticking, and Mike Brown is a wild card. But it's still the Lakers.

The Grizzlies aren't there yet. If I owned stock in Zach Randolph Inc, I'd be selling NOW while it's at its peak. Never again will he look as good as he did in the 2011 Playoffs. Rudy Gay is coming back, but with my expectations of Randolph sliding, there will be a lot of roles being shuffled around.

I was very, very close to putting the Blazers ahead of the Lakers. We'll see if Felton can excite that offense. I don't think he'll have to speed things up, but rather add smart playmaking and offensive firepower to their natural halfcourt tendencies. But it's a nice option to have him running outlets with Gerald Wallace and Wes Matthews. Portland will be scary.


Good points....I had put the Portland Blazers 4th seeded above Mavs (Butler injury still healing) with Blazers having a full season of Gerald Wallace, but when they traded Andre Miller creativity for a noncreative PG-Felton I had to drop the Blazers to put the hungry-Grizz or Mavs as the 4th/5th seeded west team.
The Bulls top winning record lastseason was all good their team-chemistry is better than the Magic/ Hawks/ Knicks, but still lack the high potential of the Heat & Celtics jellin-chemistry. Bulls are a 3rd seeded team in the East untill they can find the right starting SG to blend with PG-Rose.

Heat (East) #1
Thunder (West) #1
Lakers #2 (last-chance)
Celtics #2 (last-chance)
Spurs #3 (Parker/Ginobli/Duncan/ and coach Pop strategy)
 

Kiyaman

Legend
Yes, we need more defense to be a contender. Just getting a defensive big does not make us a contender, a TRUE contender. We also need depth. We have none. Billups (or CP3), Melo and Amare + a bunch of minimum salary players (defensive or not) is not enough. So look for us to be a 4th seed (maybe 3rd seed) 2nd round playoff exit for many years to come unless both of these issues are addressed.


:agreed:
Another good point......the Heat's dynamic, the Celtics chemistry,
and the Bulls defensive-animation has the 1, 2, and 3 seeds lock-down
in the East.

Amare & Melo will give the Knicks a winning regular season with an
above 500 record.....the Knicks Postseason wins will all depend on how
well the Knicks team follow PG-Chuancy Billups (player/coach) leadership.
:smokin: :gony: :smokin:
 

Marek

Benchwarmer
but when they traded Andre Miller creativity for a noncreative PG-Felton I had to drop the Blazers to put the hungry-Grizz or Mavs as the 4th/5th seeded west team.

I strongly disagree with you on Miller/Felton.

Miller may be a smarter playmaker, but that advantage is dulled more and more by his age and slowing body. Felton is no slouch as a distributor, and has the firepower to contribute on offense himself. Getting Felton was a HUGE coup for the Trailblazers.
 
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