Reply With Quote
Yep, it's more about effort on the defensive end with LeBron at this point. And I also agree that LeBron has more potential than Wade but they're very close right now.
They have a shot, but the only seed lower than 3 I can think of is Houston in 95. I don't think Indiana will make it past the 2nd round.
Yep, it's more about effort on the defensive end with LeBron at this point. And I also agree that LeBron has more potential than Wade but they're very close right now.
Has there been any other team in the NBA that has suffered more bad breaks than this one?
The Pacers would have and should have been contenders if not for the unfortunate incident in Detroit surrounding Artest and the numerous injuries that have beset players such as Jamaal Tinsley and Jermaine O'Neal the last couple seasons, not to mention the suspensions that caused O'Neal and Stephen Jackson to miss time in '05.
I'm also a believer that they would have taken out Jersey in the 1st round last season if not for Peja's untimely injury. Keep in mind that the Pacers were 0-4 in the four games he missed in that series and 2-0 when he played.
That said, I expect them to be in the playoffs next season, but are a borderline team now that Peja is gone and the question marks surrounding S-Jax and the SF position.
Last edited by NBA Junkie; 07-06-2006 at 10:28 PM.
Here's my top five. I'm basing this on the NBA's current seeding policy (a ridiculous one) where division winners get the top three seeds.
1.Cavaliers
2.Heat
3.Nets
4.Bulls
5.Wizards (barely edge out Pistons)
They changed that policy.
Have they? I must have missed it.
Do you have a link or can you explain how it now works?
If what you're saying is true, this is a welcome change after numerous holes were shot in the seedings from this past year.
I was just looking for a link and couldn't find one, maybe they didn't change it. I could have swore that right before the playoffs started this year they announced that they seeding system would be changed for the 2007 playoffs. I'll keep looking.
I guess I was wrong because it doesn't sound official yet, but I'm pretty sure that is the way that they are going for 2007. Here is a quote and a link to the article that discusses the proposed structure.
Under the new proposal, the top four seeds would be slotted by record among the three division winners and the team with the next-best record. Had that been in place this season, the Spurs still would have been No. 1, but the Mavericks would have been No. 2. And they couldn't have met until the conference finals.
The team with the better record -- regardless of seed -- would also have home-court advantage in a series under the new system.
Stern said it was important to keep rewarding division winners in the new system, which still must be approved by the league's compe ion committee.
"I think if you're going to have a division structure, then give some credibility to that fact," Stern said.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playof...ory?id=2446425
Pistons will definately suprise people at the end of the season. I don't think we'll fly out of the gates, but Flip absolutely has to develop the bench, and considering the way Ben played in the playoffs this past year, Nazr couldn't do much worse. Also add in the fact that Sheed and Rip were hurt in the playoffs yet we still made it to the ECF and lost to the eventual champs... I think we have a shot.
The Pistons #1 priority this offseason was re-signing Ben and #2 was replenishing an already weak bench.
Since Ben is gone and the entire MLE was used to sign Nazr Mohammed, the Pistons failed on both counts. There's no way Bonzi goes there now. They have no choice but to use the bench they already have. Carlos Delfino will play a more defined role, but Tony Delk and Mo Evans are gone and their frontcourt reserves ( Davis, Cato) don't figure to be in the teams long range plans. Their only hope is to find an inexpensive diamond in the rough that will improve their bench.
They'll still be a solid 50 win club. A #1 seed? No way.
It will be a familiar pattern as it is with all Flip Saunders coached clubs. He'll overplay his starters in the regular season and then they'll have nothing left in the tank come playoff time.
If they don't have homecourt in the 1st round next season, they'll be one and done.
It's still early to really get a handle on who the top 5 may be. With that being said, I'll attempt to project and make a few assumptions. My picks may be a little out side the box to some, but I think they're more realistic than the 'media darlings' (Miami, Cleveland and Chicago) that we are currently reading and hearing about.
End of season standings based on win/loss records:
Detroit 56-58 wins--laugh if you want, but they still have more pieces and experience than anyone else ... not to mention something to prove
Jersey 54-56 wins--Jersey got the steal in the draft in Williams. He can immediatly step in as a backup to Kidd ... something that has really held this team back for awhile. Boone also will be a contributor (starter at 4 with Kristic at 5?) giving them the rebound help long needed.
Milwaukee 53-55 winsThe Bucks became legit IMO with the pickup of Villanueva. Paired w/ Bogut, they will be as solid as anyone under the basket. Redd, Simmons, Williams and Bell make for a very nice and effective backcourt.
Boston 52-54 wins--This is based upon the belief that Iverson becomes a Celtic. If he doesn't, the Celts are back to .500 basketball and fall off my list, with the Cavs being in my 5 spot.
Miami 50-52 wins / Orlando 50-52 wins (tied)Miami will start out slow. Wade may get all the free throws he wants, but Shaq will be an overweight elephant. Will they still have Zo? GP? They'll be a contender at the end of the year, but I don't expect them to run through the league in the regular season.
Orlando was one of the strongest and biggest suprise teams at the end of last year w/ wins vs Miami, the Spurs, Pistons, the Mavs and Cavs. Darko and Howard will be solid w/ rotational help from Battie. Red , while I don't like him, will be a nice addition. He and Jameer Nelson may strullgle defensively, but they'll funnel their assignments into the 'twin towers'.
The sexy picks of Cleveland and Chicago are more fluff than substance to me. Both teams will get close to the 50 win level, but will each struggle.
Cleveland has an aging Big Z who will be 32 yrs old. His numbers took a slight dip this year and I expect that to be more noticable next year. Eric Snow is what 33? Damon Jones is what? Oh yeah, a scrub! Their draft pick, Brown from MSU may get some play ... but not much. He's not the best ball handler, nor would you call him a playmaker. Gooden will be nothing more than a role player. Bron' will definetly win you some games. He took a step forward as the year went on, putting the team on his shoulders at the end of games ... even if needs a blind ref and a 'travel' to get to the hole. This was one area of his game that was lacking. Will be become even more of a 3 point shooter this year? or will he take what the officials appear to be giving ... freedom for athletic wing players that can penetrate. Expect him to battle Wade for most free throws taken this year. They'll be a good team. They'll be in the playoffs, and maybe even advance, but Bron' still needs help, and the Cavs didn't get him much in the offseason (notice he hasn't re-signed yet!)
Chicago will be an improved team ... but remember they only won 41 games last year. The addition of Ben can get them 10 more wins. They still have Hinrich and Gordon along w/ Nocioni and Deng. Nice pieces no doubt. They will be awesome defensively. But their problem will be scoring. As much as Ben wants the ball, he will not help in this regard. He also doesn't have a Rasheed Wallace playing along side him. PJ Brown (too old ... 37 yrs old?)and Tyrus Thomas (too young) are not the answer. They will struggle early and often to find their groove and chemistry. But once they all figure out how to play together, they'll be a tough team in the playoffs. I also expect nearly every team to utilize a Hack-a-Ben next year. Chicago was ranked 17th in FG% ... and they just got worse! Also, how will Ben deal with the big market scrutiny? The city will be expecting 60 million worth of impact. They will be a fun team to watch next year. I want to see hoe Skiles and Ben get along ... But I think they're still a year off from really making serious noise.
You definitely get points for being bold!
I still can't believe so many of you really think the Cavs and Bulls will be a top 5 team...
Why do you find that so hard? The east blows. This past season it was Detroit,Miami,Jersey,Clevland,and Washington. You cant see Chicago jumping over the Wiz? Now what I do find funny is how everybody thinks the Pistons are just gonna fall apart.
You're right, of course. I guess it's not that I can't, see them in the the top 5 ... but being THE top of the 5. I just can't see either one of them being top 3, and yet most people seem to have at least one of them in the top 3.
As for everyone thinking the Pistons are just going to dissapear, I love it. Let them keep thinking that. The Pistons thrive on that stuff!
You could make a case that the T'wolves have had more:
Sealy, Joe Smith up, Terrel Brandon injury, rags to riches to rags story ... etc etc.
Don't forget the Marbury trade in 1999 where he forced his way out of Minnesota when it looked as though he and KG were on the verge of becoming a great duo. Of course, looking at Marbury's track record in hindsight, I shouldn't have been surprised at the time.
The Terrell Brandon injury was actually a blessing in disguise. We were able to get Sprewell in return and despite the bad ending, it finally got the Wolves to the WCF in 2004. As solid a point guard as he was, Brandon never took an NBA team out of the 1st round of the playoffs in his career. He got to the ECF with Cleveland in 1992, but was backing-up Mark Price at the time. In addition to Minnesota he also failed to get Cleveland and Milwaukee to the second round as a starter.
What's really pathetic about Brandon is that he actually had more trade value as an injured player than he did when he was healthy.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
