1. Miami
2. Boston
3. Chicago
4. Orlando
5. Milwauke
Don't sleep on the Bucks, they will be tough this year, possibly even #4.
Good points by you and others on the Bucks being a sleeper, I could definitely see it. If Atlanta drops off like that... that team has to be a huge dissapointment. Maybe they start making some changes and we can land Josh Smith.. (a guy can dream)
Anyways, I am surprised people think Chicago will be that much better. I think they improved certainly but they will not win more regular season games than Orlando. Orlando will win more than us I believe, just like they did last year when we were in "coast mode". They are a team that can dominate throughout the regular season and especially against scrub teams with their shooting and Dwight Howard dominating inside. The team didn't get better really, but their young guys should be a year better and I don't see why Chicago would knock them off.
Chicago hardly made it into the playoffs last year. I think people forget that a little bit.
I see your point, but I think many teams will be more focused on the regular season in the east this year, especially the celtics, after the change in landscape that occured this summer. I think the Bulls will benefit the most from this because they improved the most after miami yet are flying well under the radar. They improved their 2 biggest weaknesses by getting an all-star PF and two solid wings, one that can shoot the three. I also have a strong feeling that they will land Rudy Fernandez and he will excel next to Rose. Yes, they barely made the playoffs last year, but they have a very tough defense, a top 5 pg, a great defensive big man, and now an all-star PF and some good wings, but most importantly, coach Thibs! The Bulls will be tough.
I see us getting up for the games against our big opponenets, other contenders in the West or East, but mostly it should be similarly a coasting regular season. I think a healthier KG and our dpeth in the front court will make us a better team than last year though and we will win more games. I think the Bulls and Bucks will be up for the regular season, Miami will certainly be more than anyone will, and while they don't have the drive quite, Orlando is built to be a great regular season team with the matchup problems they give and dominance of Howard over teams without legit inside presences.
Thibs I kind of forgot about, as far as how much better he could make them. Certainly a better defensive team. Boozer will make them that much better of a rebounding team, and they were already a good one, but I am not scared of Boozer against us, he has continually struggled against size and KG will shut him down I believe. He should struggle with Howard out there too. Hopefully Rose doesn't make some crazy leap and play consistently like he did against the Cavs in that series... yikes. He supposedly has been improving his 3ptt shot, I hope that is an exageration.
The new wings are solid. I like Brewer a lot but he doesn't bring the shooting this team really needs. He is a very good defender though and I'm sure Thibs will love him. Korver can shoot of course but is lacking at most everything else. Rudy would be very good for them because he can shoot and be great with Rose in the open court and cutting to the rim, but I'm still holding out for him being a Celt next year. (Does Chicago have the assets to land him? It would cost at least a 1st rounder).
And they still have Deng of course, who is a good player, if overpaid and somewhat underachieving. But he should be good with them again this year.
So yes, improved certainly and I see why, but I like our matchup against them a lot, with the added frontcourt depth we got and I don't see them being a good shooting team. So they're better, but I still think Orlando is a better team and has a bettter record in the regular season.
Topic: Name your top five Eastern conference teams (Read 7988 times)