Is the East wide open now?

[CelticsElite]

At the moment where would you put us next season?

1. Bucks (-brogdon)
2. Sixers  (+horford, -butler,  -reddick)
3. Celtics? (+kemba, +kanter, -kyrie, -horford)
4. Pacers (+brogdon)
5. Nets (+kyrie, +jordan, -russell)
6. Magic
7. Pistons (+rose)
8. Raptors?

-bucks and 76ers clearly the top 2 in the conference.

-i think kembas fit will energize the C's into multiple long win streaks, something we lacked last year. Celtics will probably be somewhere between 3rd seed and 6th seed . Depending on if kanter shows up and if he is one of the top bigs in the east

-I like brogdons fit with the pacers. He shares the ball so he should fit very well with oladipo.

-Without KD, the nets just feel like a lower tier playoff team..
-d rose with Griffin in Detroit could be interesting as well. 2 redemption stories

[gouki88]

I think we'll be fighting for 3rd with Indiana. They've made other good additions (Warren) but have also lost Bogdanovic.

However, if Hayward returns to All-Star form and the Jays can kick it up then I think we're right there with Philly and Milwaukee, assuming our gameplan is fine.

[footey]

I think Raptors will be better than that. Even when they sat Kawhi last season the win a high percentage of the games. I think they’ll duke it out with Boston and Indy for 3rd spot. Those guys just won a championship and showed a lot of heart.

[Somebody]

My predictions:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Raptors
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Nets

Top 5 teams all have a shot to win the East.

[gouki88]

My predictions:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Raptors
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Nets

Top 5 teams all have a shot to win the East.

You think the Raps have a chance to win the East? With no All-Star starter caliber player?

[ausbacker]

If our young brigade develops as we hope they can (Tatum, Brown, Timelord), Hayward recaptures his Utah form, Kemba's chemistry with the team works, and Brad learns from his 2018/2019 coaching mistakes, the Celtics could be anything.

[Somebody]

My predictions:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Raptors
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Nets

Top 5 teams all have a shot to win the East.

You think the Raps have a chance to win the East? With no All-Star starter caliber player?

Siakam is an All-Star caliber player? Their chances are low, but if Siakam improves slightly by being more seasoned as a main offensive option (he was still a bit green last season when he had the ball, experience can do a lot for him) the Raptors could conceivably build around him with a solid supporting cast of Lowry/Van Vleet/OG (he still has a lot of potential imo, was sidelined by injuries this season but was excellent last season)/Ibaka/Gasol.

[gouki88]

My predictions:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Raptors
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Nets

Top 5 teams all have a shot to win the East.

You think the Raps have a chance to win the East? With no All-Star starter caliber player?

Siakam is an All-Star caliber player? Their chances are low, but if Siakam improves slightly by being more seasoned as a main offensive option (he was still a bit green last season when he had the ball, experience can do a lot for him) the Raptors could conceivably build around him with a solid supporting cast of Lowry/Van Vleet/OG (he still has a lot of potential imo, was sidelined by injuries this season but was excellent last season)/Ibaka/Gasol.

All-Star starter. I don't think it's realistic to envision him ever developing to that level, and they've lost arguably the best player in the league as well as a good 3&D guard. I don't see him turning into some 25/7 guy at 25, but maybe.

I also don't really see Anunoby as anything to write home about. 7PPG with really bad shooting and little playmaking. I just don't see how they have the star power to compete.

[kiwiceltic]

You're pretty close with those projections. I think the Sixers may end up with the 1 seed, purely because the Bucks rely so much on Giannis.

I think the C's end up battling the Pacers & Nets for the 3rd seed. I think we'll see a similar situation to this season, where the 3-5 seeds are only separated by a few wins.

I think the East looks like:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Pacers
4. Celtics
5. Nets
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Heat

And as a bonus... My best guess of how the West shapes up:

1. Clippers
2. Rockets
3. Jazz
4. Nuggets
5. Lakers
6. Blazers
7. Warriors
8. Spurs

[Who]

I think Raptors will be better than that. Even when they sat Kawhi last season the win a high percentage of the games. I think they’ll duke it out with Boston and Indy for 3rd spot. Those guys just won a championship and showed a lot of heart.

Yeah, me too. Although Danny Green is a big loss for them also. The Raptors defense is what carried them last year. Not only did they lose Kawhi but they lost Green too. Their two top wing defenders.

Siakam, Lowry and Marc Gasol is a good trio to build around. Three team orientated players who make people around them better.

[Somebody]

My predictions:

1. Sixers
2. Bucks
3. Celtics
4. Pacers
5. Raptors
6. Pistons
7. Magic
8. Nets

Top 5 teams all have a shot to win the East.

You think the Raps have a chance to win the East? With no All-Star starter caliber player?

Siakam is an All-Star caliber player? Their chances are low, but if Siakam improves slightly by being more seasoned as a main offensive option (he was still a bit green last season when he had the ball, experience can do a lot for him) the Raptors could conceivably build around him with a solid supporting cast of Lowry/Van Vleet/OG (he still has a lot of potential imo, was sidelined by injuries this season but was excellent last season)/Ibaka/Gasol.

All-Star starter. I don't think it's realistic to envision him ever developing to that level, and they've lost arguably the best player in the league as well as a good 3&D guard. I don't see him turning into some 25/7 guy at 25, but maybe.

I also don't really see Anunoby as anything to write home about. 7PPG with really bad shooting and little playmaking. I just don't see how they have the star power to compete.

With how weak the PF spot is in the East, it'd pretty easy for him to be an All-Star starter imo. And OG was hampered by injuries this season, would put more stock into his performance in the LeBronto massacre tbh. But yeah they do lack star power.

[Moranis]

Tier 1 - 55+ wins

Milwaukee, Philadelphia


Tier 2 - upper 40's to low 50's wins

Indiana, Boston, Toronto, Brooklyn


Tier 3 - low to mid 40's wins

Miami, Orlando, Detroit, Atlanta


Tier 4 - 30's for wins

New York, Washington


Tier 5 - the dregs

Chicago, Cleveland, Charlotte

[tazzmaniac]

I expect the Sixer to do a lot of load management with Embiid and Horford so I doubt they'll finish 1st in the regular season.  Pacers probably won't get Oladipo back until December or January. 

1. Bucks
2. Celtics
3. Sixers
4. Raptors
5. Pacers
6. Nets
7. Magic
8. Heat

In the playoffs, the Bucks and Sixers will be the clear top 2. 

[JBcat]

I think Raptors will be better than that. Even when they sat Kawhi last season the win a high percentage of the games. I think they’ll duke it out with Boston and Indy for 3rd spot. Those guys just won a championship and showed a lot of heart.

Yeah, me too. Although Danny Green is a big loss for them also. The Raptors defense is what carried them last year. Not only did they lose Kawhi but they lost Green too. Their two top wing defenders.

Siakam, Lowry and Marc Gasol is a good trio to build around. Three team orientated players who make people around them better.

Yeah but you have to look at Gasol’s 34 and Lowry’s age 33.  Stepping up here and there in games Kawhi missed is different than doing it for a whole season.  Gasol and Conley with JJJ couldn’t do much in Memphis before being traded away, and I don’t see it that much different with Gasol, Lowry, and Siakam. 

[TheSundanceKid]

Sixers and Bucks are way out in front for me. I think the Bucks are a better team thoughz can't see Sixers winning the series.

Next tier is the Celtics, Nets (this year, next year they'll be top tier favourites), Pacers, Raptors. People shouldn't sleep on the Raptors, they still have an excellent team even with their losses. The Pacers will be sneaky good again with Brogdon replacing Bogdanovic. I think we have a good regular season and maybe pip the others but we'll see.

Next tier doesn't really matter as they'll only be fodder..