ESPN - Eastern Conference Champions [Archive]

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Ashy Larry

08-24-2010, 12:58 PM

We've already tackled five burning questions (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-Heat-1) surrounding the new-look Heat. Now it's time to focus in on how they'll perform this coming season. Should we crown Miami's three kings the East champs in 2010-11? Or will Boston and Orlando crash this South Beach party?

We asked our 93 panelists (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-EastChamps#) who they thought would prevail and represent the East in the NBA Finals. Here are the results:

2010-11 Forecast: Eastern Conference champions

RANK TEAM VOTES
1 http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/med/mia.gif
Miami Heat (http://espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=mia)
2009-10 record: 47-35
Lost in first round of '09-10 playoffs
Predicted 2010-11 record: 61-21 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-EastStandings)

66 Votes

2 http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/med/orl.gif
Orlando Magic (http://espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=orl)
2009-10 record: 59-23
Lost in East semifinals
Predicted 2010-11 record: 56-26 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-EastStandings)

16 Votes

3 http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/med/bos.gif
Boston Celtics (http://espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=bos)
2009-10 record: 50-32
Lost in NBA Finals
Predicted 2010-11 record: 51-31 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-EastStandings)

10 Votes

4 http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/med/chi.gif
Chicago Bulls (http://espn.go.com/nba/clubhouse?team=chi)
2009-10 record: 41-41
Lost in first round of '09-10 playoffs
Predicted 2010-11 record: 50-32 (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?page=SummerForecast10-EastStandings)

1 Vote

Experts: Eastern Conference champs?

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/mia.gif

Henry Abbott, TrueHoop: The Heat. It's strange to pick an almost entirely new team that has so-so big men and point guards, but it's stranger still to pick against LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.
With Udonis Haslem, Mike Miller, Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley, all indications are this team will be not just talented, quick and athletic but also hardworking, professional and team-centric. That works.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/orl.gif

J.A. Adande, ESPN.com: Orlando Magic. They tried playing the "nobody respects us" card for the past two seasons and maybe it will finally take effect now.
Dwight Howard was a dark horse MVP candidate last season, but now that LeBron is in South Beach, Dwight can no longer be considered the best player in the state of Florida. Take that, plus the humiliating first three games of the Eastern Conference finals, and if Howard and the Magic don't enter 2010-11 in vengeance mode, then they never will.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/mia.gif

Kevin Arnovitz, TrueHoop: Miami. The Heat will start last season's two most efficient players (and arguably the game's two best perimeter defenders) on opposite sides of the floor. That presence should compensate for whatever remaining flaws exist on the roster -- whether it's interior defense or depth.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/mia.gif

John Hollinger, ESPN.com: Miami. The James-Wade-Bosh combo is simply too much for opponents to deal with, even with the limitations of Miami's supporting cast and the lack of an effective deterrent for the likes of Dwight Howard or Shaquille O'Neal.
And remember, the Heat are likely to be very active on the in-season free-agent market -- any bought-out veteran will be making his first call to Miami. As a result, their roster may improve as the season goes on.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/bos.gif

Chris Sheridan, ESPN.com: Celtics. Because they can defeat the Heat in the Eastern Conference finals with their size and their defense. Miami cannot defend the two O'Neals (Jermaine and Shaq) and Kendrick Perkins in the low post. And the Who Is The Alpha Dog question is going to become the Heat's undoing in the deciding game of that series?
Also, the familiarity factor weighs heavily in Boston's favor -- something we all should have relearned while watching the Celtics last spring in the postseason.

http://a.espncdn.com/i/teamlogos/nba/sml/mia.gif

Marc Stein, ESPN.com: Heat. My days on Orlando's bandwagon are a memory after (A) last spring's playoff collapse, (B) Orlando's lack of roster upgrades and (C) Dwight Howard's refusal to play on Team USA this summer when he clearly could have used the go-to-guy reps.
It's a lot harder to pick against Boston -- since the Celts have apparently replaced the Spurs as the team you never want to write off -- but I can't deny Miami. For all the Heat's supposed vulnerabilities defensively or depth-wise, I expect them to create far more problems than they face with two elite finishers (LeBron and Wade) and Bosh as a wild card.

Jt.ONE

08-24-2010, 01:11 PM

if the heat and celtics meet in the ECF it will be hella entertaining.

shaq cockblocking lebron's road to the finals. :lol

Ashy Larry

08-24-2010, 01:20 PM

As long as Howard's post game is straight up garbage, I don't see them getting out of the second round. Boston was able to play him straight up one on one; and this season will be no different especially with the addition of Shaquille. They have Shaquille, Perkins, possibly KG and Fat Baby to throw at him.

Basketballgirl25

08-24-2010, 02:21 PM

Boston will win it again this year, hope Orlando if not Celtics, Heat don't stand a chance, they got no center

Ashy Larry

08-24-2010, 05:37 PM

Boston has a lot of front court depth that could really help them out against the Heat. I just don't see the Magic really doing anything.

himat

08-24-2010, 05:47 PM

Boston will win it again this year, hope Orlando if not Celtics, Heat don't stand a chance, they got no center

:lol I know you don't want the Heat to win. I don't either, but to say they don't stand a chance is foolish.

JamStone

08-24-2010, 05:49 PM

himat

08-24-2010, 05:49 PM

Boston has a lot of front court depth that could really help them out against the Heat. I just don't see the Magic really doing anything.

Yep. Dwight is one of my favorite players too but I have to admit that the Magic did nothing to improve.

If the rumors for VC+some fillers for CP3 fell through than they could make it back to the Finals.

As long as VC is there go to guy (which is BS because the only reason this happens is because Vince is a whiny bi***) they won't do better than last year.

The reason Orlando beat the Cavs 2 years ago was because Rashard Lewis got the ball consistently on offense. He was the main reason they won, not Dwight. Rashard never touched the ball with Vince Chucker on the court.

JamStone

08-24-2010, 05:54 PM

Actually, the reason the Magic beat the Cavs in 2009 is because Mike Brown kept defending Hedo Turkoglu with Delonte West or Mo Williams.

himat

08-24-2010, 05:58 PM

Actually, the reason the Magic beat the Cavs in 2009 is because Mike Brown kept defending Hedo Turkoglu with Delonte West or Mo Williams.

Good point. But if Orlando has Vince that year I bet you Mike Brown gets away with that tactic.

My point was that Vince kept the ball from other important players on the team. Hell, JJ Redick outplayed him every playoff game and got less minutes than him.

Basketballgirl25

08-24-2010, 06:26 PM

Actually, the reason the Magic beat the Cavs in 2009 is because Mike Brown kept defending Hedo Turkoglu with Delonte West or Mo Williams.

and because Magic had Dwight Howard, Cavs had a worse center:toast

Ashy Larry

08-24-2010, 06:44 PM

Actually, the reason the Magic beat the Cavs in 2009 is because Mike Brown kept defending Hedo Turkoglu with Delonte West or Mo Williams.

how often does a coach who's won 66 and 61 games (easily could have been more) in back-to-back seasons get canned?

Crazy how those teams didn't even make it to the finals.

Ashy Larry

08-24-2010, 06:45 PM

Look for Riles to come from the front office as soon as the Heat trail after one quarter ....

SomeCallMeTim

08-24-2010, 07:17 PM

how often does a coach who's won 66 and 61 games (easily could have been more) in back-to-back seasons get canned?

Crazy how those teams didn't even make it to the finals.

Paul Westphal posted records of 62-20 (and a Finals berth), 56-26, and 59-23 in his first 3 seasons as NBA coach, all in Phoenix.

He got canned after a 14-19 start in 1995.

I remember that being quite surprising at the time, too. Remember, this was in the era before coaches got fired for a 4-game losing streak, or sneezing at the wrong time

Expectations can be a real burden.

Chillen

08-24-2010, 10:39 PM

Flo-Rida

08-24-2010, 11:48 PM

Boston will win it again this year, hope Orlando if not Celtics, Heat don't stand a chance, they got no center

Real shit delete yourself off these boards ?

mindcrime

08-25-2010, 03:45 PM

if the heat and celtics meet in the ECF it will be hella entertaining.

shaq cockblocking lebron's road to the finals. :lol

And then cockblocking Kobe for his 6th. :toast

duhoh

08-25-2010, 04:02 PM

and because Magic had Dwight Howard, Cavs had a worse center:toast

so, is bynum better than howard?

Mike-in-brazil

08-26-2010, 02:24 PM

Let's just have a Lakers/Heat NBA finals in October and be done with it. LOL.

just kidding. Heat have to prove they are worthy of beating Boston or Orlando.

Chicago will be very good and a top 4 team in the East.

yes sir!!! keep telling folks watch out for those solid young players man...their determination and hunger reminds of the 04-05 pistons

I like these bulls

Killakobe81

08-26-2010, 02:55 PM

Boston needs the Pacers to buyout James Posey so they can pick him up. Their wing depth isn't that great with Marquis Daniels and Von Wafer and losing Tony Allen. Posey might be old now and not nearly as good, but he's still a tough SOB who will get his hands dirty against both LeBron and Wade.

agreed. would be a great pickup. I forgot the C's got Wafer ...another JR smith level headcase ...but the kid can score. A posey/wafer bench for the wings is not bad ...

Ashy Larry

08-26-2010, 09:25 PM

Eastern Conference final four should be .........

1. Heat
4. Bulls

2. Celtics
3. Magic

Heat will have the easiest road to the finals.

Cane

08-26-2010, 09:49 PM

Magic's ranked too high and has too many votes. They're a weak minded group from the top-down: SVG, Dwight, Vince, Lewis, etc. They did play like they were the best team in the league for the 2nd half of the season but they're not much different from the LeBron Cavs in that regard since both teams are a nightmare in the regular season but not so much in the playoffs when facing other contenders.

Ashy Larry

08-26-2010, 10:35 PM

kamikazi_player

08-27-2010, 12:18 AM

Hard to judge a Heat team when we haven't seen them play a single game yet. Difficult to predict if they win the Eastern Conference.

picc84

08-27-2010, 10:32 AM

Magic will play like gangbusters reg season to make up for that ECF debacle. Celtics will cruise again with their retirement home.

1. Heat
2. Magic
3. Bulls
4. Celtics
5. Bucks
6. Hawks

Ashy Larry

08-27-2010, 10:55 AM

Hawks are the biggest waste of talent I've ever seen ........

Larry Drew is going to blow his fuckin' brains out