Rank the Conferences

[perks-a-beast]

A lot can change between now and late October, but heres how I would rank the east and west right now.

EAST

1. Cleveland
2. New York
3. Orlando
4. Detroit
5. Philadelphia
6. Atlanta
7. Milwaukee
8. Indiana
9. Toronto
10. Miami
11. Boston
12. Chicago
13. Charlotte
14. Washington
15. Brooklyn

WEST

1. Oklahoma City
2. Houston
3. Denver
4. Minnesota
5. Dallas
6. LA Clippers
7. Golden State
8. LA Lakers
9. Memphis
10. San Antonio
11. New Orleans
12. Portland
13. Sacramento
14. Phoenix
15. Utah

[Phantom255x]

I'm not gonna pretend like I'm an expert on the West so I'll do that later, plus it's very loaded.

East I feel is (assuming health for the most part):

1. Orlando
2. Cleveland
3. New York
4. Detroit
5. Philadelphia
6. Atlanta
7. Milwaukee
8. Indiana
9. Miami
10. Boston
11. Toronto
12. Charlotte
13. Chicago
14. Washington
15. Brooklyn

[Who]

East

1 - Cleveland

2 - New York
3 - Orlando

4 - Milwaukee
5 - Atlanta
6 - Philadelphia

7 - Indiana
8 - Detroit
9 - Toronto
10 - Chicago

11 - Boston (no Horford)
12 - Miami
13 - Charlotte

14 - Brooklyn
15 - Washington

I am having a tough time with Charlotte. I'll need to think about that one some more. I could go with them in 10th place for the final play-in spot.

If Boston gets Horford to come back, I'd raise them to 9th. At a mininum. I would consider putting them ahead of Indy and Detroit.

[Who]

West

1 - OKC
2 - Houston
3 - Denver

4 - Minnesota
5 - Golden State
6 - LA Lakers
7 - LA Clippers
8 - Dallas (due to Kyrie injury)

9 - San Antonio

10 - Memphis
11 - Portland
12 - Sacramento

13 - Phoenix
14 - New Orleans
15 - Utah


Once Kyrie returns, I'd put Dallas in that top tier alongside OKC, HOU and DEN.

Those 10th-12th place teams will fight it out for the final play-in spot.

[Goldstar88]

Celtics starters: White, Simons, Brown, Niang, Garza
Bench: Pritchard, Hauser, Scheierman, Tillman, Queta


Assuming Chicago brings Giddey back, I?d put them ahead of the Celtics. They were almost a .500 team last year. Made the play-in.

Bulls Starters: Giddey, White, Dosunmu, Buzelis, Vucevic
Bench: Jones, Huerter, Okoro, Williams, Collins.

That?s a very solid team, with depth.


Wouldn?t be surprised if Charlotte was better than Boston. More talent, deep bench.

Hornets Starters: Ball, Sexton, Miller, Bridges, Plumlee
Bench: Mann, Dinwiddie, Josh Green, Grant Williams, Salaun, Diabate, Kalkbrenner.


Toronto added Ingram, they have more talent.

Raptors Starters: Quickley, Barrett, Ingram, Barnes, Poeltl.


The Celtics should be really bad this year, especially if JB misses any time. They just don?t have much talent.