Who is the Biggest Threat to Boston in the East? (Feb. Edition)

[Birdman]

Ourselves first, got to stay healthy & got to get the killer instinct out

Cavs: won 16 out of last 17 games, scary good

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out..Brunson top 10 player

Magic: our kryptonite every year

Heat: alway shows up during playoffs

Pacers: Siakim fitting nicely there

76ers: no Embiid, no chance

Bucks: still dangerous with Lillard & Giannis

So I’m going with Cavs over Knicks cause of Knicks lack of center position

[aefgogreen]

The Heat make me very nervous

[celticinorlando]

The Cavs.

They have guards that can get anywhere and a star in Mitchell.

I do not foresee a magical run for the Heat this year. I think they will end up the 7 seed and have to get through the 2 seed and then probably the 3 seed before the ECF. Plus that is a flawed team and roster.

[scaryjerry]

Ourselves first, got to stay healthy & got to get the killer instinct out

Cavs: won 16 out of last 17 games, scary good

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out..Brunson top 10 player

Magic: our kryptonite every year

Heat: alway shows up during playoffs

Pacers: Siakim fitting nicely there

76ers: no Embiid, no chance

Bucks: still dangerous with Lillard & Giannis

So I’m going with Cavs over Knicks cause of Knicks lack of center position

The magic are our kryptonite? Look I know we struggled with them last regular season but the magic haven’t won a playoff series since 2010…pretty sure the Heat are our kryptonite, they’ve beat us 2 times in the playoffs recently and another series we barely won in 7. Until proven otherwise, it’s the Heat.

[celticinorlando]

Probably the biggest threat in the East is Boston themselves and their own heads.

[Vermont Green]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

[Who]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

I got Haliburton top of the pile. Then Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson in the next tier. Then Lillard, Maxey and Trae Young in a third tier.

I am unsure where to rank Maxey in this third tier. Should he be top or bottom? He looked top when Embiid was around and he has looked bottom of the pile without Embiid.

I do have Haliburton in my top 10 players in the league. As I do Steph Curry. I am not sold on Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson as top 10. I probably have them outside that (10-20). They have an argument for top 10 but not sure.

[Moranis]

It is still the Bucks.  Giannis is still the best player in the series and Lillard can still go off at any time and drop 50. 

[liam]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

I got Haliburton top of the pile. Then Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson in the next tier. Then Lillard, Maxey and Trae Young in a third tier.

I am unsure where to rank Maxey in this third tier. Should he be top or bottom? He looked top when Embiid was around and he has looked bottom of the pile without Embiid.

I do have Haliburton in my top 10 players in the league. As I do Steph Curry. I am not sold on Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson as top 10. I probably have them outside that (10-20). They have an argument for top 10 but not sure.

I like Halliburton and think he's a good young player but he hasn't played any games yet with any real pressure or meaning. He's playing with house money. Mitchell hasn't stepped up in the biggest moments. That's why I'd have to go with Brunson of the three. He's playing on a big stage in Madison Square Garden and has played big in the playoffs. I think Halliburton turns out to be the best of the three but it remains to be seen.

[Moranis]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

I got Haliburton top of the pile. Then Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson in the next tier. Then Lillard, Maxey and Trae Young in a third tier.

I am unsure where to rank Maxey in this third tier. Should he be top or bottom? He looked top when Embiid was around and he has looked bottom of the pile without Embiid.

I do have Haliburton in my top 10 players in the league. As I do Steph Curry. I am not sold on Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson as top 10. I probably have them outside that (10-20). They have an argument for top 10 but not sure.

I like Halliburton and think he's a good young player but he hasn't played any games yet with any real pressure or meaning. He's playing with house money. Mitchell hasn't stepped up in the biggest moments. That's why I'd have to go with Brunson of the three. He's playing on a big stage in Madison Square Garden and has played big in the playoffs. I think Halliburton turns out to be the best of the three but it remains to be seen.

Mitchell didn't play well last year in the playoffs, but Mitchell absolutely had some massive playoff performances when he was in Utah.  Almost single handedly beat the Grizzlies and then was the best player on the floor against the Clippers with George and Kawhi (for 2/3 the games). I mean that game 6 they lost, Mitchell went for 39/9/9

[liam]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

I got Haliburton top of the pile. Then Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson in the next tier. Then Lillard, Maxey and Trae Young in a third tier.

I am unsure where to rank Maxey in this third tier. Should he be top or bottom? He looked top when Embiid was around and he has looked bottom of the pile without Embiid.

I do have Haliburton in my top 10 players in the league. As I do Steph Curry. I am not sold on Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson as top 10. I probably have them outside that (10-20). They have an argument for top 10 but not sure.

I like Halliburton and think he's a good young player but he hasn't played any games yet with any real pressure or meaning. He's playing with house money. Mitchell hasn't stepped up in the biggest moments. That's why I'd have to go with Brunson of the three. He's playing on a big stage in Madison Square Garden and has played big in the playoffs. I think Halliburton turns out to be the best of the three but it remains to be seen.

Mitchell didn't play well last year in the playoffs, but Mitchell absolutely had some massive playoff performances when he was in Utah.  Almost single handedly beat the Grizzlies and then was the best player on the floor against the Clippers with George and Kawhi (for 2/3 the games). I mean that game 6 they lost, Mitchell went for 39/9/9

Mitchell remains a one way player same as Halliburton so far. Brunson plays both sides even though he's undersized.

[green_bballers13]

The Bucks. Giannis and Lillard can catch on fire at any moment. There's a chance they both become top 5 players in the league at the same time. No other team in the East can say that, including Boston.

The Celtics are the biggest threat, but Milwaukee's potential is closest because of those two players.

[SparzWizard]

Got the Knicks showing up in the ECF.

But won't surprise me if the Bucks power their way through and get out of their funk. Giannis still the best player in the world and Dame's time is still there. Defenses have to step up against that team's offensive prowess.

[Moranis]

Knicks: made 2 great trades to help the bench out.  Brunson top 10 player

The Knicks are hard peg in my mind as a group and I am still not sure where Brunson should rank.  For example, consider these top East guards (in alphabetical order):

Brunson
Haliburton
Lillard
Maxey
Mitchell
Young

How do you rank these against each other?  And perhaps more importantly, how do you rank them against someone like Curry who can from the guard position, lead at team to actual title contention?  I honestly am still not sure how to rank Brunson.  His play in NYK has far exceeded anything I expected.

I think Mitchell is better for sure, and maybe Lillard.  Not sure about Halliburton and Maxey.  Young is really good too (albeit really undersized).  Can the Celtics (with White and Holiday) take advantage of the smaller guards?  Brunson, Lillard, and Maxey are all listed at 6'-2".  Mitchell 6'-3".  Young 6'-1" (Young looks smaller than that).

I do agree that adding Anunoby and Bogdanovic are nice additions but it is the top end of the Knicks that I wonder about.

I got Haliburton top of the pile. Then Donovan Mitchell and Jalen Brunson in the next tier. Then Lillard, Maxey and Trae Young in a third tier.

I am unsure where to rank Maxey in this third tier. Should he be top or bottom? He looked top when Embiid was around and he has looked bottom of the pile without Embiid.

I do have Haliburton in my top 10 players in the league. As I do Steph Curry. I am not sold on Donovan Mitchell or Jalen Brunson as top 10. I probably have them outside that (10-20). They have an argument for top 10 but not sure.

I like Halliburton and think he's a good young player but he hasn't played any games yet with any real pressure or meaning. He's playing with house money. Mitchell hasn't stepped up in the biggest moments. That's why I'd have to go with Brunson of the three. He's playing on a big stage in Madison Square Garden and has played big in the playoffs. I think Halliburton turns out to be the best of the three but it remains to be seen.

Mitchell didn't play well last year in the playoffs, but Mitchell absolutely had some massive playoff performances when he was in Utah.  Almost single handedly beat the Grizzlies and then was the best player on the floor against the Clippers with George and Kawhi (for 2/3 the games). I mean that game 6 they lost, Mitchell went for 39/9/9

Mitchell remains a one way player same as Halliburton so far. Brunson plays both sides even though he's undersized.

That is an entirely different argument though.  You said Mitchell hasn't stepped up in the biggest moments, and that just isn't true. 

[Phantom255x]

Seeding is also going to determine a lot in the East. Like if MIL finishes 2 or 3, we wouldn't face them until the ECF at minimum. But if they are 4-5, we could play them in the 2nd round. Those scenarios exist for almost all the East teams too. How the bracket shapes out and what the specific matchups are.

Still a lot TBD, especially the order of 2-7 in the East. Also who the 7 and 8 seeds are based on the play-in. I'm very confident still the C's have the 1 seed locked up, it'd need a pretty bad collapse to lose it