Who's falling out? Who's being added?

2015 NBA Playoff Teams

EAST
1. Hawks
2. Cavs
3. Bulls
4. Raptors
5. Wizards
6. Bucks
7. Celtics
8. Nets

WEST
1. Warriors
2. Rockets
3. Clippers
4. Blazers
5. Grizzlies
6. Spurs
7. Mavericks
8. Pelicans

EAST: I have the Raptors, Celtics, and Nets in the lotto. And I have the Pacers, Heat, and Bobcats replacing them.

No Knicks though.
http://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2461262&mesg_id=2461262&listing_type=search#2461371

Cenario is okay for me not to have the Knicks playoff bound now?

WEST: I have the Blazers, and Mavericks out of the playoffs.
And the Kings and Thunder replacing them. I almost have the Clippers out and the Suns taking their spot, but I'll give Doc some points.

Barring LMA signing with the Spurs (which could well happen), I didn't see any team adding any NEW pieces that would necessarily make them a more legitimately threaten us. If anything, it's the teams the re-signed their key pieces or will get back players from injury that I'd be concerned about.

Main obstacles to us repeating will be the Cavs, the Thunder, the Grizz, and the Spurs if they get LMA. Pels gonna be good too.

I hope we end up singing David West; haven't seen anything indicating that he's signed yet.

Don't think the Kings are a play off team yet. I got the Suns sliding in instead.

Next year's finals will be a rematch of this years'

They have everything they need to finally get a ring. Their role players are a bazillion times better than before, and they have some size down low that could give you guys problems. If the Spurs get LA, there will be 2 teams that are probably good enough to win a championship that won't make it out of the West.

Bucks win 55 games, Cleveland wins 60+, Hawks come down to earth a bit but are still solid(but not a title team. Bulls will be good, but can't beat a healthy CLE.

At least that's what is rumored at the moment. Reports are he had interest in Golden State, but it's unlikely he ends up there.

I don't fear the Thunder either. I'll take us in a seven-game series.

When y'all ain't have to play anyone healthy this year. I get it, though. I'd be pumping myself up if the Rockets had gotten the chip this year.

But a healthy Thunder, Spurs, and Rockets will present problems. Problems they didn't even have to consider this year. And God forbid someone on your team actually gets injured.

>But a healthy Thunder, Spurs, and Rockets will present
>problems. Problems they didn't even have to consider this
>year. And God forbid someone on your team actually gets
>injured.

Spurs and Thunder are tougher, but we'd beat them in a seven-game series.

Rockets? Are you serious? We stomped the shit out of those clowns all year. Shit, they were healthy during the play-offs, and we still rolled them. You're not going to act like Patrick Fucking Beverley was going to be the difference maker, are you?

Your dude got to go at Jason Terry and Prigioni for a series. Please. Ty Lawson would have helped, much less one of the league's better PG defenders.

And even if the Rockets might not match up well with your team, what exactly has you hyped about playing a healthy Thunder? Iguodala's fadeaway bullshit from last year? The idea of Draymond checking KD? And the new Spurs?

Man, I can't wait for the expectations from that bullshit Disney season to come back down to Earth. Enjoy the ring. I'd talk shit in your position too, especially whenever I'd have little man syndrome about how my team got the easiest path to the chip in recent history.

>Your dude got to go at Jason Terry and Prigioni for a series.
>Please. Ty Lawson would have helped, much less one of the
>league's better PG defenders.

Who, again, Curry taxed during every meeting between the teams this season.

>And even if the Rockets might not match up well with your
>team, what exactly has you hyped about playing a healthy
>Thunder? Iguodala's fadeaway bullshit from last year? The idea
>of Draymond checking KD? And the new Spurs?

Because the best players on the team are young and getting better. Dray should've been DPOY of the year, and Iggy is still an all-league defender. And we're battle-tested.

>Man, I can't wait for the expectations from that bullshit
>Disney season to come back down to Earth. Enjoy the ring. I'd
>talk shit in your position too, especially whenever I'd have
>little man syndrome about how my team got the easiest path to
>the chip in recent history.

Because it's not like we were the best team in the NBA the entire season, and we didn't beat every single team in the league?

Being the best team means you get an easier road the first round. And yes, beating the Rockets in the WCF was pretty easy. But, hey. the Rockets just aren't very good. Like you and I both know.

>Your dude got to go at Jason Terry and Prigioni for a series.
>Please. Ty Lawson would have helped, much less one of the
>league's better PG defenders.
>
>And even if the Rockets might not match up well with your
>team, what exactly has you hyped about playing a healthy
>Thunder? Iguodala's fadeaway bullshit from last year? The idea
>of Draymond checking KD? And the new Spurs?
>
>Man, I can't wait for the expectations from that bullshit
>Disney season to come back down to Earth. Enjoy the ring. I'd
>talk shit in your position too, especially whenever I'd have
>little man syndrome about how my team got the easiest path to
>the chip in recent history.

This post still silly tho lol

I'm not ready for another decade of mediocrity.

We need to keep Bron's minutes down to 37.5 per game because he had something like 12,000 more minutes played than Kobe at the same time next year. Basically, Blatt needs to treat this Cavs team like the Spurs and rest the shit out of everyone. Ky better not play more than 33 minutes a game moving forward period.

Go to an 11 man rotation let Love run the first unit for stretches to rest guys and give our bench players some tick, hopefully make the playoffs, and talk from there.

The Cavs are not a lock to make the eastern conference finals yet anyway.

The Warriors are approaching lockout Spurs status with the disrespect they're receiving. WE NEED TO RESPECT THE NBA CHAMPION OAKLAND WARRIORS.

>EAST
>1. Hawks
Make it again but lower seed for sure.
>2. Cavs
Win the East with No. 1 or 2 seed at worst.
>3. Bulls
Make it again, top-four seed.
>4. Raptors
Make it but lower seed, but of course they might fuck some things up. This one is tentative but hard to see them missing altogether.
>5. Wizards
Make it again for sure, could be a top-three seed but also could have an injury too to sink them some.
>6. Bucks
Make it again for sure, at least running in place and possibly a higher seed. They overachieved last year but should have a legitimately good team this year.
>7. Celtics
I'll say miss this year and the Pacers take their place. Either Indy or the Heat will get Toronto's seed.
>8. Nets
They will miss, especially if Toronto makes it. Miami will take their place and with a higher seed.


>WEST
>1. Warriors
They will make it again, win their division again.
>2. Rockets
They will make it again but with a lower seed. Thinking 48-50 wins.
>3. Clippers
This is another one I feel like it's too early to call but I don't have them missing, just sinking some. It's so easy to fall in the West.
>4. Blazers
They will miss the playoffs and the Thunder will take their spot and their seed.
>5. Grizzlies
They will make it again, no worries, same middling western team (read:pack-leading eastern team) that no one wants to get beat up by i the playoffs.
>6. Spurs
Obviously they will make it, it's always tough to predict seeding with Pop though.
>7. Mavericks
I think they make it and LOL @ the Kings being better than them.
>8. Pelicans
They should make it more comfortably just on improved health alone.

I am interested to see what the Jazz and Suns can put together, but I don't see anyone vulnerable enough to be knocked out by either one. One team I think has a chance to improve considerably is Denver, if only because they were in disarray with injuries, coaching changes, etc last year.

They have a pretty rag tag frontline in the making, could be suspect. I hope PG comes back 100%.

.

4 team race between 60+ win Cavs, spurs dubs and okc.

Cavs gon cruise through east with 66-68 wins home court through finals.

>4 team race between 60+ win Cavs, spurs dubs and okc.
>
>Cavs gon cruise through east with 66-68 wins home court
>through finals.

Injured ass Ky, Love, and tired ass Bron are not winning 60 games next season. Y'all can archive it, write it down, and hang it on your wall. LOL at Cenario's blantant cyse. I just want to make the playoffs.

Under promise and over deliver (c) Charlemagne

60+ isn't out of the question.
I don't see them winning Bulls GOAT numbers but 60, whatever it takes to get #1 seed in the East should be enough.

not nearly as much, but bron's vacation bout to become annual, kyrie will miss some games, they obviously don't need homecourt advantage to run the East, etc. i agree that last year was special "get to know you" circumstances and that their record will be better, but i could see chill mode engaged enough for them to "only" win like 56-58 wins.

If the Cavs are serious about wanting a championship, and the front office willing to bury themselves deep into luxury tax hell seems to infer that is the case, they will need home court advantage to beat who ever comes out the West. Bron may or may not take games off the get rest, but the Cavs as a team should shoot for the best record in the league.

Barring major injury to bron/kyrie i'd put them at a minimum 60 wins.

Blatt gon still be coaching the reg season like its the playoffs lol and they gon be much deeper this year especially in the middle

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<---- 5....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dlgiritpmfo

=======================================

how much real parity was there last year? i would say there were at most five real contenders and there will be about that many next year.

i think the western conference playoff picture will be just as jumbled and the east will get a little better/tighter. cavs may run away with the top seed, after that there are a lot of teams with similar levels of talent

I would say there was at least 5 contenders out west. Despite GS regular season dominance, many folks were counting them out.
I had GS, San An, Clips, Hou, Mem and OKC was 1 game away from Contender status.

In the east you had Cleveland and even though no one expected a chip from them, ATL still dominated the regular season.

Barring any other huge moves, I think the top 4 this year are head and shoulders above everyone elsee

>I would say there was at least 5 contenders out west. Despite
>GS regular season dominance, many folks were counting them
>out.
>I had GS, San An, Clips, Hou, Mem and OKC was 1 game away from
>Contender status.

OKC as a contender with the 8th seed? No. I know Houston reached the WCF but that was their max, never in my mind did I entertain them as a real contender. SA, GS and the Clips I will agree with. Memphis at one point I really thought could do it, but that point was much earlier in the season.

>In the east you had Cleveland and even though no one expected
>a chip from them, ATL still dominated the regular season.

What does that second statement matter? Cleveland was the only contender, I will be generous and give one of Memphis, Houston and maybe Chicago in the East but not all three.

>Barring any other huge moves, I think the top 4 this year are
>head and shoulders above everyone elsee

I think San Antonio, GS, OKC and Cleveland could win, fairly similar to last year, really. The supporting group behind them could be just as strong, no reason to think the other teams will fall off hard really, though the Clippers may have gotten knocked down pretty soundly.

America and the NBA mad, mExico's happy.

Boards shut down when one of them loses.

Cavs and Spurs.....Spurs win it in 7...

But I got the Bulls pulling pass the Cavs if they are somehow able to swing a deal for Carmelo (we can def. help FEEL rebuild with picks and talent). And I can see OKC beating GS and SA if Durant's foot is right.

But that's a BIG if....

Nah...just a reality check that the Bulls can no longer depend on Rose alone to be a consistent go to player. At this point after three knee surgeries its time for the Bulls to get serious about finding a more limited role for Rose while adding the scoring punch we truly need....

help.

I'm not sure you can have D-Rose and him not be the focal point though. He'll need a big Come to Jesus moment for that to happen. I doubt he'd take a backseat to anybody. It might be a thing of moving forward without him completely.

I also don't think you could slot Melo in a SF with everyone on the team as is and it to work smoothly.

The Bulls got a good team. That's why I thought they would roll the Cavs. If everybody is healthy, I still think they can come out of the East. Just not so sure if getting everyone healthy is possible.

Just trying to find a way for the Bulls to compete....This is an arms race....Why do you think the Cavs r targeting Joe Johnson when they already have three All-star calibar guys on their team? U think they just window dressing?....lol

No...ALL the contending teams are trying to get better....

The proof was there for everyone to see in the playoffs...Pau old. Rose can't be depended on to be the no. 1 option. Noah is great on defense but has issues attacking the basket given his own physical issues. The Bulls main issue, especially in that Cavs series, was scoring: enter Melo....The Knicks want to rebuild. And they can't do it without trading Melo to a situation of his liking...The Bulls have the picks, talent and contracts to get it done.

I think shitting on Carmelo has become the way too easy, lazy thing to do. Put that dude on the Bulls and he instantly makes us 1st tier contenders because he gives us the two things we need: diverse scoring/another consistent go-to presence especially in Da Mayor's more up and down, free flowing offense post Thibs. When you see teams like the Spurs getting someone like an LMA to improve their team there is no such thing as having too many options.

If the Bulls r serious we make that Melo move (or another option to give us a true scoring punch beyond just hitting open jumpers and being "gritty"....). Because as is, this team is not getting past the Cavs, the Warriors or the Spurs....

players on top of players and think it all works out for the best.

Rose might not be that at that level any more. You add Melo and then what? Rose is the 4th best player on the team. That won't work.

>Rose might not be that at that level any more. You add Melo
>and then what? Rose is the 4th best player on the team. That
>won't work.

I'm gonna start calling u Professor Xtreme on some ol' Marvel Comics shit....lol

But on the real, Rose works very well if he's not asked to be MVP Rose....I saw enough of him in the playoffs to still be impressed...We not talking about someone who was drained of all his talents and should be riding the bench....lol....

If u don't think the Bulls can't make s serious charge at that trophy with Rose being the 4th best player (wtf...lol) then I don't know what to tell u..Rose's problem is simply staying on the floor. And adding Melo would help Rose and the Bulls in a myriad of ways....

I believe Melo would not only limit both Rose's and Jimmy Buckets' minutes (no more 38-40 plus back to back games), but it will give more space to our other players to operate beyond the robotic offense Thibs had us playing....

Just look at it as a domino effect....And yeah...Melo is that good.....

he found out he had dyslexia.

Rose isn't the type of player that can be the 4th best player on the Bulls.

You add Melo. Then Melo, Pau, and Jimmy are all better than Derrick Rose right now. And all will be counted on more than Rose. Rose isn't the type that falls into the background and take 6 or 7 shots. That's not him.

Basketball is more complicated than adding Player X to a team and watch it all work. It's not fantasy basketball.

>he found out he had dyslexia.


uh huh....


>Rose isn't the type of player that can be the 4th best player
>on the Bulls.

Again...this is an off the wall statement....

>You add Melo. Then Melo, Pau, and Jimmy are all better than
>Derrick Rose right now. And all will be counted on more than
>Rose. Rose isn't the type that falls into the background and
>take 6 or 7 shots. That's not him.


Pau is not better than Rose...

And Jimmy and Rose r about the same level and when Rose is healthy it's no longer a wash. Beyond that, Rose wants to win. We know this from how many times he's come back after terrible injuries.....He's not sabotaging the team. He's not on some my way or the highway shit like Rondo (no diss). U put Melo on that team Rose will gladly pass the ball to dude....

We talking about someone who passed the rock to Ben Gordon and Keith Bogans.....

Let's not make dude out to be some surly asshole who hates sharing the ball...U give Rose the players, he will pass the ball....

And you can't count on him to be better than those 3.

I don't know what else to tell you.

So now you're expecting Rose to change up the way he's played his whole career now and be a distributor?

Okay Murph. I understand there's nothing to see here.

>And you can't count on him to be better than those 3.
>
>I don't know what else to tell you.
>
>So now you're expecting Rose to change up the way he's played
>his whole career now and be a distributor?
>
>Okay Murph. I understand there's nothing to see here.


Pau had his best season since like forever...So now that he surprises everyone he is suddenly better than Rose...lol....Man...come one dog.....U talking to someone who has talked about trading Rose. So basically I know that dude is not the same MVP Rose...

My gripe with u is your thinking that Rose never averaged 8 assists before...Or that Rose didn't come into the league as a distributor first, shoot second player who had to be forced by Thibs to take a shit load of shots...

The only thing that has me worried about Rose is his health not whether he could function on a team with a scoring savant like Melo....Again, I don't know anyone on this board who thinks an injury riddled Rose couldn't pass the rock more to a MVP caliber player like Melo or to a breakout two-way player like Jimmy except u.....lol

U give Rose the options he will pass the rock. The only thing people should be worried about is if he can stay healthy for an entire season....That's what the debate should be about....Not his ability to pass the ball...

Whether it was Pau's best season since whenever, it still doesn't change that it happened, it's his most recent season, and right now he's better than Rose.

It's not a diss. Pau is a HOF player and NBA Champion.

Rose was never known as a distributor. He still doesn't see the floor well or create for his teammates. Has never averaged 8 apg. And averages less assists in the playoffs.

So stop with all of that.

That's not his game.

And that those stars aren't better than the Bulls stars.

And if you talking past All Stars like Rose/Noah, CAvs are trying to add their own past Stars like iso Joe.

How are teams supposed to compete with the best player in the game plus his all star help Kyrie/Love without loading up themselves?

>And that those stars aren't better than the Bulls stars.
>
>And if you talking past All Stars like Rose/Noah, CAvs are
>trying to add their own past Stars like iso Joe.
>
>How are teams supposed to compete with the best player in the
>game plus his all star help Kyrie/Love without loading up
>themselves?


It's that agenda-itis. But at least Billy can have a normal debate; at least dude can be swayed with level headed facts....There are niggas on this board whose only purpose is to be on some Uber Troll shit....lol....Dem fools need Jesus....

he been saying the same thing for years. they best player wasn't good enough at any time. that's the hard truth.

Before it was the Heat. Then the Celtics. Eventually you gotta cut your losses and move in a different direction.

1. U lying.

2. Stick with your Zeke-fueled Holy War against the Knicks....

2. and you have been ever since you thought old ass ben wallace was saving y'all.

>2. and you have been ever since you thought old ass ben
>wallace was saving y'all.



U got a bad habit of mixing up Bulls fans. I was barely posting on OK Sports when that Wallace trade went down....Nobody in their right mind thought Ben Gordon and Wallace was leading us to anything....

Listen....u wanna get at me on this Bulls shit have your facts straight...Go ahead. But stop making shit up....Not a good look....

Now throw me another tired ass "You Mad" so we can get back to having a sensible exchange, nigga. Because right now I feel like I'm going back and forth with a mentally deranged cat who smears his own shit on the wall....

y'all wasn't reasonable when lu was killing himself to help y'all

We don't believe u, u need more people....

U just like to bitch, gripe and moan....lol....Wouldn't be entertaining if u wasn't on your Dr. Doom.....

hope y'all face miami in the playoffs. and i hope booz sign wit 'em.

>hope y'all face miami in the playoffs. and i hope booz sign
>wit 'em.



Like I said....That "Y'all" shit doesn't work....Not every Bulls fan was on it like that...How many times have YOU and ME discussed how Deng made himself into a damn good player?...How he learned how to shoot that 3 an expanded his game...Or how the Bulls damn near killed him on that misdiagnosis....?

The only thing u r on solid ground on with me is my strong dislike for Boozer....That's it...But never had beef with Dunny....Never had beef with Deng....Or any other Dukie for that matter....

If you got issues with Bulls fans call 'em out by name, my dude...Instead of hiding behind that "Y'all!!!!" bullshit....All this Troll Origin shit ain't really needed to get your point across....

only time you had anything to say is when i response to crazy with crazy.

FOH, "brother" murph.

y'all SORRY. and gonna be 4th in the division. GOOD!

>only time you had anything to say is when i response to crazy
>with crazy.


Nigga....U r crazy....lol...Like for reals....

Stay up, my dude...

And he's not THAT young. Picks? I guess they have that Sactown pick from the Hickson/Cleveland deal, but I think that's protected pretty nicely (top 10 until 2017, then turns into second rounder). Not sure they have anything other than cap relief, but the salaries would still have to match since Chicago is bringing in the higher salary.

I don't see how that deal happens.

Taj (9) + Kirk (4) + Doug (2.5) or Niko (5.5)...preferably Doug = 15.5 (Doug) or 18.5 (Niko)

We'd need to add 2-3 draft picks (our first and sac's top 10 protected and maybe a 2nd rounder in 2017) involve a 3rd team looking for an asset or resign Nazr at a rate that puts us close enough to do it on our own (able to be shed).

It's doable, if Phil would rock with it. Melo has a no trade clause so if he chose Chicago and Phil wanted to move him, that'd be the scenario on how it works.

window closed as hell. noah regressing. pau old. rose is...post 2012 rose.

you still be talkin.

>window closed as hell. noah regressing. pau old. rose
>is...post 2012 rose.
>
>you still be talkin.

Yo...who pissed on u this morning, dog?....lol

And I said the same exact thing in the post above....Bulls window is closing...Hence, just like the Cavs trying to get Iso Joe, the Bulls gotta make moves...

U like that homeless dude that screams at people for no fucking reason.....Like for reals...Turn that shit down, my dude....I'm pretty sure u can make your point without repeating the same shit I've been saying for months now...

....its a toss up between boston, knicks and philly

And Detroit while you're at it. Not sure if you're counting Indiana as BAD, but they're better than those three too. Brad Stevens is good, but he's not better than talent.

by good i mean over .500

Cle, Tor, Atl, Wash, Miami, Mil, Chi*

I don't think indy is a .500 team as currently constructed

*Rose knee

more than likely not, but I go into each season waiting to see. Call me what you will but I cannot say ephatically that we aren't making the playoffs. (Not proclaiming wer will either lol) We will be better than last year (not saying much) but for the 1st time in a long while I am seeing upside. We are trending better. I see more than 17 wins hahaha no lottery tank.

Phil is trying to fix 15 years of mismanagement. Giving him time.

>Phil is trying to fix 15 years of mismanagement. Giving him time.

Starting this offseason, everybody under contract points to him. Especially wack ass calderon. We woulda been better off letting Chandler walk or trading him for an actual asset.

Everyone feel gave a multi year contract to this offseason, he'll be trying to trade in 2016.

because he is rebuilding and finding his pieces. I been with this team over 30 years.I understand all of the agendas, all the rhetoric and etc. I am patient because I have to be. No choice. So can I condemn him this early, no. Am I bothered by some of the short contracts, heck naw.

I am cool (so far) with the moves made and I will wait to watch the summer league/preseason for chemistry and to see what we have. This is Derek Fisher time. He has a roster to work with. Let's just see.

next season when he's trying to sign superstars he'll be trying to get rid of Lopez 14million a year deal

At this point, PG and perimeter play is a questionmark. If the guards perform anywhere close to almost-average... maybe.
25-30 range isn't too crazy at this point... and 30 wins in the East -MIGHT- get one sniffing top 10.

n/m

if Philly somehow gets into the playoffs with that roster?

I'm just declaring AssetLyfe the GOAT

but my picks for the bottom rung = Celtics, HEAT

we're not getting 20 wins better in one year. i'd be thrilled if we got 11 wins better. hence #30Quest

Incidentally, that's why I consider the Knicks a longshot as well. Carmelo's all-time best win shares is 10.7. Robin Lopez's is 9.5, Affalo's is 6.2. If they hit those career highs again, that's an additional 23.5 wins (because Melo gave them 2.9 win shares last year, he'd "only" add 7.8 wins).

Add those 23.5 to the 17 wins the Knicks got last year and you've got 40.5 wins, which rounded up would've put the Knicks in a tie for the 6 seed.

Now, look, obvious limits to this type of analysis. It could be that lopez and afflalo mesh really with last year's guys and help elevate their win shares, that last year's guys placed in more appropriate roles will play better, that Fish will improve in year 2, etc.

However, I don't find any of that nearly as compelling as the argument that, uh, it's not realistic to expect 3 guys to hit their career highs in win shares in the same season while two of them are still getting used to the Knicks program.

just to guess, i'd set the Knicks over/under at 35 wins, and i don't think that will be enough.

>Incidentally, that's why I consider the Knicks a longshot as well. Carmelo's all-time best win shares is 10.7. Robin Lopez's is 9.5, Affalo's is 6.2. If they hit those career highs again, that's an additional 23.5 wins (because Melo gave them 2.9 win shares last year, he'd "only" add 7.8 wins).

Add those 23.5 to the 17 wins the Knicks got last year and you've got 40.5 wins, which rounded up would've put the Knicks in a tie for the 6 seed.

Sadly, its the most reasonable 'knicks making the playoffs argument' i've heard so far.

esp. if you're giving dat zingus the minutes he needs to develop.

EAST
1. Cavs
2. Hawks
3. Bulls
4. Raptors
5. Wizards
6. Bucks
7. Celtics
8. HEAT (Bosh Agenda off Pause)

WEST
1. Warriors
2. OKC
3. Spurs
4. Rockets
5. Grizzlies
6. Mavericks
7. Clippers
8. Pelicans

Had the Kings in there but not quite yet

2015 NBA Playoff Teams

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

WEST
1. Warriors
2. Spurs
3. Thunder
4. Rockets
5. Grizzlies
6. Mavericks
7. Clippers
8. Pelicans

It'll be more of the same out west. Differ between 1-8 will be like three games. In the east the top 4 are miles ahead of the rest. I can see bron coasting for about 30 games and them turning it on in the playoffs.


----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

did the clips acquire a center or something?

They upgraded the bench, and still have two All-Stars and Doc Rivers.


----------------------------
Same as it ever was!

We miiiiiiiiiiiiight scrape the 7 or 8 spot. I really just wanna make the Playoffs and win one game...that's about the best possible way for Kobe to go out, because a sweep would be all bad.

IF we stay healthy, which hasn't happened in nearly five years, this could be the case. But yea.

West:

1. Warriors
2. Thunder
3. Spurs
4. Rockets
5. Grizzlies
6. Pelicans
7. Clippers
8. Mavericks

Those last couple of spots seem sort of up like PHX could make a move to get them, especially with Bledsoe entering his prime, but I have faith the Mavs will be able to scrounge together 25 minutes of reasonable point play out of Lin, Harris, and whichever other joke they scoop up to initiate some sort of offense.

East

1. Cavaliers
2. Hawks
3. Bucks
4. Bulls
5. Wizards
6. Heat
7. Pacers
8. Magic

But honestly, this could look completely different. Celts could make a move and hop back in here, Heat could collapse with injury and a Whiteside-midnight-return-to-pumpkindom, Pistons could be more than the sum of their parts like pretty much every SVG team ever outside of last year's. And the Pacers and Heat just might suck. Pretty confident the Raps will be garbage, though.

>1. Cavaliers
2. Hawks
3. Bucks
4. Bulls
5. Wizards
6. Heat
7. Pacers
8. Magic

cant get any lower as a division winner.