Who wins the East next year? Cleveland, Detroit or Miami?

[Mavs<Spurs]

The East seems wide open next year. That seems pretty obvious.

The Pistons must keep Ben Wallace.
I'm a Pistons fan and their starting 5 is the best in the NBA, imo.

However, questions arise:

If they were so motivated by their 05 loss in 7 to Spurs that they came out and won 65? games (to get hca) and still lost in the playoffs, their motivation may be less. Besides as I have noted elsewhere, most of the time, the team with the best regular season record does not win the Finals (in the last 15 or 20 years). So, they may feel that working that hard to get hca wasn't productive. Plus, they have to retain Ben Wallace. On the other hand, some feel that Ben gets too many minutes considering his offensive production. I disagree, but
Also, I blame this on Flip. That much talent, that kind of defense (in 04 and 05) and they have this post season? They must return to the defense that they brought them to the top.

What do the Pistons aim for during the regular season in 07? What will be their focus? They already had hca, so that motivation is gone...


The Heat: Clearly, they have issues. The First is Shaq's age. How long will he be good enough that in combination with Wade and some peripheral parts, the Heat can win it all? His health and his conditioning are issues. Walker and JWill have their own issues as well.
Plus, the Heat weren't a good road team this year, didn't have a good record, didn't defend well (esp against the screen and roll) and can't take care of the basketball.

The Cavs: They need another great player. Larry Hughes turned out not to be the answer. His offensive production was way too low and his jumpshot too inconsistent (also injuries). Varejo and Marshall were awesome!
Z is injured a lot, but can play well.

I have to throw the Nets in there. They kind of fall apart against Miami.
However, Kidd, Jefferson, Carter and Krstic are the best 4 some in the nba, imo. Krstic is a terrific player who will only get better. Kidd still has the same game,

Cavs are probably the favorites.
Pistons can't be discounted.
Heat remain a question mark.
Nets somewhere in the mix, but where?

[Mr.Bottomtooth]

Pistons will make a comeback and it will be them against the Spurs again in the finals.

[MadDog73]

I call the Pistons dead. Worse case scenario, Ben leaves and they implode.

Best case scenario: The get the Best record in the NBA again (how likely is that?), and still end up losing to the Heat, Pacers or Cavs because Flip can't coach in the Playoffs.

Until Flip leaves, I'm calling the Pistons DOA.

[atxrocker]

Pistons will make a comeback and it will be them against the Spurs again in the finals.

there may be many surprises in store next season. i would not be surprised to see neither team make the finals, once again. to answer the original question, i think heat.

[Bob Lanier]

The Cavs? :lmao

I'd pick Miami again, or maybe Chicago.

[ducks]

maybe we might have a better picture of what happens after the fa period

[atxrocker]

yeah, i seriously dont picture cavs coming into the picture at all. but who knows.

[MadDog73]

How about the Pacers? What are their intentions?

[Darrin]

Let me check their economic outlook.

[Dunc]

How about the Pacers? What are their intentions?

I've heard they're going to bust the team up. Probably start over from scratch. If they make the playoffs next year I'd be amazed.

[Dunc]

As for the overall look of the East next year, I think we need to wait and see through the FA period, as Ducks said. If the Pistons can't keep Ben, that changes the picture. If the Cavs pick up a big name, that completely changes the picture. I think the Heat has peaked, though (yeah yeah, easy to say when they reach the Finals). If Shaq declines, it's going to be D-Wade and a bunch of role players. Teams will be able to relentlessly trap him, which they can't do as effectively when the Big Two are on the floor together. And the Nets? Lol.

Of teams outside the big three of the Pistons, Heat, and Cavs, the team I would fear most is the Bulls if they're able to so something with that draft pick and their cap space.

[picnroll]

Bulls have a lot of pieces, cap space and draft picks. They have an good shot at putting together a hell of a team.

[East Coast Babe]

Shaq may not be on the floor, but what about 'Zo? I know he is older too, but he plays almost as well! Even though I want the Mavs to win this, I do admire the man's game!

[dirk4mvp]

I think Net's will take the East by storm next year.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

The Piston will be ready and reloaded just like The Spurs baby.

[Texas_Ranger]

Hawks

[dirk4mvp]

:lol

[sabar]

Yes. Hawks or Bobcats.

[JamStone]

One or two really good moves, and Cleveland will be right there. I still like Detroit's chances in the East. I would not count out Shaq yet, despite his age, and Wade is unbelievable. I would look out for teams like Washington and Milwaukee. I really think they can improve with their young players and make some noise in the post season.

1. Miami
2. Detroit
3. Cleveland
4. Washington
5. New Jersey

[strangeweather]

I think Net's will take the East by storm next year.
Not until they find someone who can really play in the post -- and Krstic doesn't count.

Nothing would surprise me with Milwaukee -- anything from the lottery to the conference finals.

Chicago could be a contender, but my gut feel is that they'll fall a notch short unless they trade 2-3 of their solid players for an all-star.

Washington is pretty good, but I need to see them start playing defense before I'll believe they will go much further.

It could easily be Cleveland, and I won't be surprised to see them in the conference finals. But I think they're a year and a couple of moves away from coming out of the east.

Unless one of these teams finds their missing pieces, it'll be Detroit or Miami again. Every year Shaq gets older, and my gut says Detroit unless they implode from internal conflicts.

[MissAllThat]

Cleveland of course :)

Perhaps not the regular season, but I wouldn't be surprised to at least see them in the ECF next year. Afterall, they were one win away from it this year.

[FreshPrince22]

Pistons will be back. We probably won't have the best record or some blazing start again (learned that lesson), but I'm hopeful that we'll get Ben back, add another piece or two and develop what has already been there talent-wise (Delfino, Maxiell, and maybe Amir along with more Dale Davis) into a good bench. Hopefully we'll be much less reliant on the starting 5 (which seems to be both a blessing and a curse at times). If we can avoid the post-season injury bug, and peak at the right time I don't see why we can't win the whole thing next year.

[REDLION#22]

the pistons wining the east next season???? :lol :rollin :lol :rollin

PUH-LISE!!!!!!!!

They will be lucky to even get out of the 1rst round next season :rolleyes.they were a fluke from 2004 to 2006,the only way they would get past the semis is if someone was injured on the oposing team.sorry pistons should not be in the conversation.IMO the east next year its between cleveland and miami,with miami most likley winning it.

[baseline bum]

Yeah.. in the last 15 years the team with the best record in the league has only won 6 times... the 92, 96, and 97 Bulls, the 99 and 03 Spurs, and the 00 Lakers. Funny... in the 80s it happened 7 out of 10 times, with the exceptions being the 80, 82, and 85 Lakers.

[REDLION#22]

Yeah.. in the last 15 years the team with the best record in the league has only won 6 times... the 92, 96, and 97 Bulls, the 99 and 03 Spurs, and the 00 Lakers. Funny... in the 80s it happened 7 out of 10 times, with the exceptions being the 80, 82, and 85 Lakers.

so that means cleveland could win the east next year.

[ABDENOUR POWER]

the pistons wining the east next season???? :lol :rollin :lol :rollin

PUH-LISE!!!!!!!!

They will be lucky to even get out of the 1rst round next season :rolleyes.they were a fluke from 2004 to 2006,the only way they would get past the semis is if someone was injured on the oposing team.sorry pistons should not be in the conversation.IMO the east next year its between cleveland and miami,with miami most likley winning it.

:lol

[REDLION#22]

^^^^^

typical piston fan response...:rolleyes just jokes,sarcasm...ext,but they never accept a REAL fact about their overrated team.