"Experts" aren't sold on Celtics winning the Atlantic

[Snakehead]

Looking at all the picks, does anyone but myself find it really strange that no one thinks anything of Memphis' chances this year?  They lost Battier, but still have TA as that defensive presence and now they will have Gay, who at minimum is their second best player, and they are young and improving just like OKC is.  I don't get it.  I like Memphis chances to win the West qutie a bit.

A lot of people are picking Memphis to finish highly in the West this season.

Losing Darrel Arthur (who was their third big man) really hurts though. They'll have to find someone to take his minutes to contend.

I know people think they will be good but it's just they lost to OKC in the series by one game and they didn't have Gay.  I don't get why not one person picked them and so many picked OKC to win (and two picked the Lakers which have a very inferior team IMO).

The Arthur loss is big but at last I saw they were talking about getting Speights who could be a nice fit for them.  He has never capitalized on his potential but it's still there and Memphis has been able to get great play out of their bigs.

[indeedproceed]

Were gonna know more the day after Christmas but I'm hoping the race isn't even close.

[action781]

Well lord knows the post Melo trade knicks were scary!

(wait they went .500 and then were swept in the playoff?)

I mean I think Chandler is better than Billups, but I don't think its that much of an upgrade.

Well, its not just Chandler.  

It is Melo for the whole year (we have seen many times over how tough it is to integrate guys midseason).  

It is the ripple effect of having a real center who will protect the rim.  They no longer need to have Jarred Jeffries playing crucial minutes.

Fields is also a year older, and ready for more responsibility.

And (this is the part that scares me), if Davis can get his back right, he is a VERY good player, when he is motivated...and he will be very motivated in NY.  

I also think you are underselling them getting swept in the first round last year.  Yes, they got swept, but it was one of the closest sweeps I have ever seen, with multiple games going down to the buzzer...and they played much of the series with Amare out or playing hurt, and with Billups on the sidelines.

If they were healthy, that could have been a very different series...and they are better now.

I agree with a lot of your points.  They have a real center now.  Baron is a very dangerous player when healthy and motivated.  Fields is a very solid role player that will fit in extremely well with that group of players around him.  I think this team is heavily improved going into this season.

[Change]

The good news is the players will settle this on the court, and not by 'experts' with a laptop.

[LooseCannon]

I believe the Celtics win the division, but I can respect people who cite age and the schedule as reasons to pick against Boston.  The fools are the folks who say that it is a slam dunk if there is no major injury or that this team has no chance at all.

This is a team that might win it all because veteran cohesiveness is an advantage in this kind of season or could miss the playoffs if the team is incredibly unlucky with injuries and the dropoff due to age that people have been predicting for a couple of seasons actually occurs.

[vinnie]

This sounds about right to me. Although, I fear the injury bug, which would give the Knicks the edge.

[CelticSooner]

It's definitely going to be closer this season than the past four.

[Snakehead]

This sounds about right to me. Although, I fear the injury bug, which would give the Knicks the edge.

Not that we aren't probably more succeptable, but the Knicks have their concerns there too.  Amar'e has had plenty of recent injury history (and all over his body too) and Chandler has been healthy as of late but not always.

Bill Simmons also brought up a good point recently: D'Anotini might overplay his stars minutes wise because he needs to keep his job.  This is especially conerning for Amar'e.

[guava_wrench]

If you look at that list, the more respected basketball guys vote pretty heavily in our favor.

While we are getting old, Melo, Amare and Baron are definitely not players that compliment one another. Might be a lonely season for Chandler.

[CelticsFanNC]

  I'm not convinced the Celtics will win the division either but the Knicks cant beat Boston in a 7 game series if both teams are relatively healthy.

  A team like the Knickerbockers coached by D'Antoni with Amare and Carmelo is going to look to outscore people and not give nearly as much attention to defense.  That could be very successful in the regular season, especially a regular season as unusual as this one is going to be.  Boston is going to look to save it's legs for the post season which could mean losing some games they should win.

  The post season though is a different beast.   It's about defense and executing in the half court.  HUGE advantage to Boston provided they are relatively healthy.

 They wont have that same kind of advantage over Miami and Chicago though IMO.

[guava_wrench]

Celtics: 17 votes; Knicks: 11 votes; 76ers: 2 votes

Seriously?  The Sixers?

I guess if you think Amar'e and KG are both going to have serious injury issues that could be your prediction. Plus the natural inclination for analysts to be contrarian at times.

You really think there is anything contrarian about picking the Knicks? Pierce will already probably miss the first few games. We wear down every regular season. And some people think Melo is a top player (though I think he is fundamentally flawed. Too skilled to be a complimentary player, but makes too many bad decisions all game long to lead a team to a title).

It will be bizarre to see 2 players who have no clue what a good shot selection is play together when Davis is ready. At least AI knew what moves worked for him.

[fairweatherfan]

Celtics: 17 votes; Knicks: 11 votes; 76ers: 2 votes

Seriously?  The Sixers?

I guess if you think Amar'e and KG are both going to have serious injury issues that could be your prediction. Plus the natural inclination for analysts to be contrarian at times.

You really think there is anything contrarian about picking the Knicks?

I think he's talking about the two guys that picked the Sixers.

Anyway it could be worse - most analysts are firmly on the Clippers bandwagon in the Pacific now.  Which matters as much as this poll does - not at all.

[Meadowlark_Scal]

Well, the knicks may have put together a tough team.....no one on the celts has shown they can stop melo..stoudamire....well he can do some things...he is tough, chandler is a better center than we have, and baron davis is a tricky veteran..with PP already hurting....PP may be that series x factor...well not really but he is hard for them to cover..could work over melo.....at least match him..would need bass to do some tough rebounding.....

[greenpride32]

Despite losing in 5 games, the 76ers played MIA pretty tough in the playoffs last year.  They are definitely a team on the rise and especially if some of their guys blossom.

Also I think the people who picked the 76ers are thinking more along the lines of the Celtics having a great decline more so than the 76ers making a huge leap.  

[j804]

Well, the knicks may have put together a tough team.....no one on the celts has shown they can stop melo..stoudamire....well he can do some things...he is tough, chandler is a better center than we have, and baron davis is a tricky veteran..with PP already hurting....PP may be that series x factor...well not really but he is hard for them to cover..could work over melo.....at least match him..would need bass to do some tough rebounding.....

Would have loved to throw Jeff Green on Melo