Power Rankings

[carrao45]

[B]So Far...[B] What are they for next season?
Top 10

[JamStone]

Why?

[IronMexican]

Lakers
C's
Cavs
Magic
Blazers
Rockets
Spurs
Nuggets

The rest is not very good.

[Ditty]

Lakers
C's
Cavs
Magic
Blazers
Rockets
Spurs
Nuggets

The rest is not very good.

if either or ariza and odom leave

Cavs
Spurs
Celtics
Lakers
Magic
Blazers
Nuggets
Rockets
Hornets
Mavs

[iggypop123]

if you havent noticed already there are a bunch of moves being made. free agency still hasnt started. too early

[eisfeld]

Right now Cavs, Magic are the top dogs with the recent trades. If the Magic lose Hedo they'll be a bit behind. Lakers still on the top - if they manage to keep Ariza and Odom those 3 teams are the teams which have to be beaten in the Playoffs.

Spurs and Celtics maybe close behinde those three teams followed by Nuggets, Blazers and Rockets.

[carrao45]

Why?

Because i get bored, and im curious

[carrao45]

if you havent noticed already there are a bunch of moves being made. free agency still hasnt started. too early

Thats why i said SO FAR

[sook]

The orlando magic and the san antonio spurs are the two most promising teams in the NBA as of now.

[holcs50]

umm im going to be biased

lakers (of course expecting odom ariza resign)
spurs (if blair ends up playin well and i think he will lakes and spurs r close)




cavs
houston
magic
nuggs
portland
mavs
who cares? /

[redzero]

The Hornets got their backup point guards. New Orleans Hornets Dynasty, to be quite honest.

Top 10:

Hornets
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder
fodder

[noob cake]

Excuse me people, why the hell are the Nuggets above the Rockets.

The nuggets are so overrated that its not even funny;

[layupdrill]

Theres only five teams that matter

Lakers
Cavs
Celtics
Spurs
Magic

Put them in any order you like..

[TDMVPDPOY]

spurs = fodder

[Shank]

Ian Thomsen of SI.com:

2 predictions for next season

After so many major trades this week, here's an early look at how the conference races are shaping up for next season.
2. The East
15. New Jersey
14. Milwaukee
13. Charlotte
12. Indiana
11. Toronto
10. New York
9. Detroit
8. Chicago
7. Miami
6. Philadelphia
5. Atlanta
4. Washington
3. Boston
2. Orlando
1. Cleveland
A word of caution: The Pistons and Raptors could make moves in July to improve and move back into the playoffs.

1. The West
15. Sacramento
14. Memphis
13. Minnesota
12. L.A. Clippers
11. Phoenix
10. Oklahoma City
9. Utah
8. Golden State
7. Houston
6. New Orleans
5. Dallas
4. Portland
3. Denver
2. San Antonio
1. L.A. Lakers
Can Denver retain or replace its low-priced free agents? When will Tracy McGrady return to the Rockets, and in what kind of shape? And will Utah re-sign or successfully replace its free agents? These questions will be answered in the month ahead.

1. NBA Finals prediction

1. The Cleveland Cavaliers will meet the Los Angeles Lakers less than 12 months from now. Shaq versus Kobe, and Phil may even coach the games in Cleveland. I say Cleveland wins the title ... for now.

[Bukefal]

The orlando magic and the san antonio spurs are the two most promising teams in the NBA as of now.

I think magic will be going downhill next season. Spurs indeed are promising and Cavs.

[jacobdrj]

Right now Cavs, Magic are the top dogs with the recent trades. If the Magic lose Hedo they'll be a bit behind. Lakers still on the top - if they manage to keep Ariza and Odom those 3 teams are the teams which have to be beaten in the Playoffs.

Spurs and Celtics maybe close behinde those three teams followed by Nuggets, Blazers and Rockets.

So basically you are saying everything will pan out exactly the same as last year and absolutely nothing different will likely happen, because teams rarely get significantly worse or significantly better, unless a team is completely dismantled, in which case they can only get worse, ala the '99 Bulls...

Come on now... And I am not directing this solely at you, but seriously, if this type of prediction held, the Celtics and Lakers would have split that last 50 championships 25-25.

[iggypop123]

Excuse me people, why the hell are the Nuggets above the Rockets.

The nuggets are so overrated that its not even funny;

yao is out indefinitely and if tmac stay he is likely out for the first month

[Kai]

yao is out indefinitely and if tmac stay he is likely out for the first month

Yao being out indefinitely isn't really a concern for me (well not too much). The reason it's and issue is because this injury was only supposed to last for a couple weeks, but it hasn't healed. He'll be fine by the time training camp comes around in 3-4 months or so.

[layupdrill]

Ian Thomsen of SI.com:

2 predictions for next season

After so many major trades this week, here's an early look at how the conference races are shaping up for next season.
2. The East
15. New Jersey
14. Milwaukee
13. Charlotte
12. Indiana
11. Toronto
10. New York
9. Detroit
8. Chicago
7. Miami
6. Philadelphia
5. Atlanta
4. Washington
3. Boston
2. Orlando
1. Cleveland
A word of caution: The Pistons and Raptors could make moves in July to improve and move back into the playoffs.

1. The West
15. Sacramento
14. Memphis
13. Minnesota
12. L.A. Clippers
11. Phoenix
10. Oklahoma City
9. Utah
8. Golden State
7. Houston
6. New Orleans
5. Dallas
4. Portland
3. Denver
2. San Antonio
1. L.A. Lakers
Can Denver retain or replace its low-priced free agents? When will Tracy McGrady return to the Rockets, and in what kind of shape? And will Utah re-sign or successfully replace its free agents? These questions will be answered in the month ahead.

1. NBA Finals prediction

1. The Cleveland Cavaliers will meet the Los Angeles Lakers less than 12 months from now. Shaq versus Kobe, and Phil may even coach the games in Cleveland. I say Cleveland wins the title ... for now.

This guy really thinks Shaq will be the difference maker for the Cavs?
:downspin:

[TimDunkem]

Tim would shut Shaq down, and Blair could work on any of their other weak ass bigs.

[TheManFromAcme]

Tim would shut Shaq down, and Blair could work on any of their other weak ass bigs.

Your right about Tim. You have yet to determine how Blair is going to work out.

[TimDunkem]

If a guy with his length and strength can't handle Varejao or JJ Hickson in the post then he can't handle anyone.

[TheNextGen]

38 a year old Shaq wont make a difference at all. His positives will come with negatives and the Cavs will end up the same as last year.

[crc21209]

Only one BIG problem about Shaq when playing the Magic...he SUCKS at guarding the pick & roll, which is what the Magic killed the Cavs with.

[Shank]

Tim would shut Shaq down, and Blair could work on any of their other weak ass bigs.

Holy shit. Will you fucksticks relax on Dejuan Blair? It's getting to the point where the rest of us want the poor guy's spine to collapse on the practice court just so everyone will shut the fuck up about the apparent 2nd coming.

[Tully365]

I'm not a Celtics fan, but I think they are being seriously under-rated here. They took Orlando to 7 games without their best player. Imagine if the Celts had Garnett and Orlando was missing Howard.... would that series go to 7? I don't think so. With the emergence of Rondo as a potential all-star, the Celts are still one of the most dangerous teams around.

[DUNCANownsKOBE2]

This guy really thinks Shaq will be the difference maker for the Cavs?
:downspin:


Seriously, what kind of a tool moron thinks a 4 time champion, HOF top 10 scorer of all time can be a difference maker?

[KSeal]

I'm not a Celtics fan, but I think they are being seriously under-rated here. They took Orlando to 7 games without their best player. Imagine if the Celts had Garnett and Orlando was missing Howard.... would that series go to 7? I don't think so. With the emergence of Rondo as a potential all-star, the Celts are still one of the most dangerous teams around.

They're too old, one of their big three will break down at some point in the year or Allen and Rondo will get traded. They also have no bench especially with Powe all Blair like with no ACL's anymore and he's a FA with Davis. Celtics will finish third in the east and be out in the second round.

[DrHouse]

The Lakers are on top until someone beats them. They are the champs.

[Shank]

The Lakers are on top until someone beats them. They are the champs.

But does your team have Dejuan Blair? Didn't think so. You lose.

[ulosturedge]

All this talk is extremely premature. How about we all wait for the free agent signings and wait and see which rookies/sophmores actually make the cut and which ones end up busts.