NBA: Predictions for the Eastern Conference RS

[myhc]

1. Bulls
2. Cavs
3. Pacers
4. Wizards
5. Heat
6. Raptors
7. Hawks
8. Hornets

[ElNono]

The East is a fair amount deeper than they were last year. They still only have two le contenders, and their top le contender is probably worse--but overall the conference has more talent.

I don't see it. IIRC, the only relatively notable talent that moved from the West is Pau. You could tell me that because the conference is so awful, rooks will have a bigger impact, and I could buy that (this is a conference where the record of the #3 team wouldn't have made the playoffs in the West).

[Arcadian]

east....what a conference. Even worse now without a powerhouse like the 2012-13 Heat.

[hooperflash]

Damn forgot about Atlanta.

How could you forget about #TeamSpursEast?

[TDMVPDPOY]

charlotte i think will be higher then 8th seed if aljeff is healthy

[Splits]

1. Pacers
2. Raptors
3. Wizards
4. Cavs
5. Bulls
6. Hawks
7. nets
8. Knicks

[UNCLE-DREW]

some people seriously think miami won't be in the playoffs ?


goddamn some people should lay the crackpipe down

[~O~]

Miami will make the playoffs. If they don't, they probably were worse than anyone thought without LeBron.

[Splits]

I'm predicting Wade will have a Kobe/Rose year, he's breaking down. That leaves them Bosh, Deng and a bunch of has-beens/never-beens and Napier

[JoeTait75]

east....what a conference. Even worse now without a powerhouse like the 2012-13 Heat.

The East doesn't have any great teams but IMO it's deeper than it has been in a while. IMO there are at least three, maybe four teams with legitimate hopes of winning the conference le. So the East race will at least be more interesting than it has been the last few years.

[Cry Havoc]

1. 55-27 Cavs. LeBron alone is enough to get this done. He's got a decent team around him. But they'd be a 6 seed out West at best.
2. 54-28 Bulls. They finished in the top 3 last year in the East. Now they have Rose and Gasol. If that's not worth 5+ wins in a horrible conference, nothing is. I actually see them contending all year for the #1 seed. If they didn't have to worry about Rose's health, I could see them winning 57-58 games -- again, because of a cataclysmicly weak East.
3. 51-31 Wizards. Continuing to improve with some experience. Don't think they have the extra gear to make the big leap into serious contender status though, but I wouldn't want to play them in the playoffs this year out East.
4. 48-34 Hawks. Bud's magic will start to make men out of these boys. Just gotta stay healthy.
5. 48-34 Pacers. The falloff begins. Indiana needs to trade and revamp RIGHT NOW. George will be a monster this year, especially in the first half before the cold reality of being on a team full of headcases sets in.
6. 46-36 Raptors. I feel like they played way over their heads last year. Still a solid team doe.
7. 44-38 Brooklyn. It's hard to put them this low after their run in the 2nd half of last year, but they ain't getting any younger.
8. 42-40 Charlotte. YES! There will be no sub .500 clubs making the playoffs in the East this year. Because there aren't enough good teams to get consistent wins throughout the season.

Miami won't make it, as DWade spends most of the season on the bench with injuries.

[AaronY]

Cavs-Heat playoff series is a definite possibility and would be fun to watch for the story lines if not the play (Heat would get blown out obv)

[Floyd Pacquiao]

Cavs
Heat
Bulls
Pacers
Wizards
Hornets
Hawks
Raptors

[Floyd Pacquiao]

The heat are gonna surprise people

[jimbo]

I don't see it. IIRC, the only relatively notable talent that moved from the West is Pau. You could tell me that because the conference is so awful, rooks will have a bigger impact, and I could buy that (this is a conference where the record of the #3 team wouldn't have made the playoffs in the West).

I think they get better from just playing basketball another year. Most of the middling teams in the East playoffs were young. Wizards/Hawks/Raptors, and even the Pacers I guess.

Wizards get Paul Pierce.

Hawks get Horford back.

Bulls get some good rookies, Rose and Pau.

Pacers get worse.

Raptors: ????, haven't really followed them.

Pistons get a real coach.

Bobcats I guess get Lance, lose McBob.

Heat/Cavs split off into two playoff teams rather than one.

So I don't know how much better it'll be from #2 seed onward, but it still looks better than last year. Not a foregone conclusion about the ECF winner.

[jimbo]

there's still no one better than regular season - ECF Miami, but I think the Cavs could be better than Finals Miami if Blatt is a studly coach. They match up better with the Spurs than the Head did with the Thunder IMO. (And the Cavs worse than the Thunder)

[kobe4life]

1.Pacers
2.Hornets
3.Wizards
4.Bulls
5.Heat
6.Raptors
7.Cavs
8.Hawks

[Cry Havoc]

The heat are gonna surprise people

If Wade's healthy, they could be a top 3 seed. If not, then what? Bosh has been increasingly ineffective. With LeBron gone, they have very little ability to stretch defenses. Any smart team will just pack the paint and watch them flail to run an offense.

[RsxPiimp]

1.Pacers
2.Hornets
3.Wizards
4.Bulls
5.Heat
6.Raptors
7.Cavs
8.Hawks

Best post of your trolling career so far