ESPN predicts Celtics to finish #12 in the East.

[rondoallaturca]

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9559931/2013-summer-forecast-east-standings

Obviously, the common caveats apply: it's only August, this is ESPN we're talking about, etc. However, the panel consists of a whopping 215 members of the media, so this might serve as a useful tool in measuring what non-C's loyalists have to say about the team's success this season.

[Birdman]

about right

[LarBrd33]

bit optimistic if you ask me.  29 games is pushing it.  They must assume Rondo is playing most of the season.

[CelticsFan9]

I have them at 11th right now in my own personal rankings, but they could finish as high as 7th and as low as 13th.

Lots of uncertainty in the middle of the East this coming year.

[Lucky17]

Three sub-.500 teams making the playoffs in the East? Wow.

[billysan]

We can finish anywhere. As the OP stated, it is way too early to make a prediction. What if Lebron or Carmelo goes down with injury? Does anyone seriously put either the Knicks or Heat the top of the east without them?

What if Olynyk breaks out like Dirk? It's just too early. I think any sensible reporter makes predictions after pre-season games and at the end of training camp. When there are actual facts and game film to analyze.

[Tr1boy]

I'll take these predictions to be as good as mock drafts. Pretty much not accurate at all.

If this were the 2007-2008 celts team, i'd have no problem saying 12th or below is right , in matter of fact i did predict that team was going to be bad.

But this celtics team is different. Better bench than last year, Green about to explode, AB contract year, sullinger near double digit rebounding #s and Olynyk competing for ROY award.  Plus i have faith in ainge taking a chance on Stevens. We will make the playoffs or at least be close to making it this year

[rondoallaturca]

The complete Eastern standings prediction has been released, and personally I think it's actually pretty spot-on. Behind MIA, they seem to have CHI/IND/BKN in their own tier, NY a step below, and then ATL/WAS/CLE/DET as the likely candidates to fill out the playoff race - although for me, I would add TOR into that mix as well. It's pretty reasonable to expect MIL/BOS/CHA/ORL/PHI as having basically no chance at the postseason though, with MIL/BOS being the best teams of that last tier.

[chambers]

I'll take these predictions to be as good as mock drafts. Pretty much not accurate at all.

If this were the 2007-2008 celts team, i'd have no problem saying 12th or below is right , in matter of fact i did predict that team was going to be bad.

But this celtics team is different. Better bench than last year, Green about to explode, AB contract year, sullinger near double digit rebounding #s and Olynyk competing for ROY award.  Plus i have faith in ainge taking a chance on Stevens. We will make the playoffs or at least be close to making it this year

Completely and utterly delusional.
2008 worse than 12th? With 2 All Stars AND an NBA MVP candidate?
And this years team better than last years?
We have no shooters and no interior defense or rim protection, our best player is a point guard who can't shoot and we're *hoping* that Jeff Green has a breakout year, even though he'll be guarded by the best forwards in the world all season-not playing with Pierce or subbing in and out for Pierce.

Prepare to be disgusted how badly this team defends and scores, particulalry against teams with two bigs in the paint. Ie...

Hibbert/West
Noah/Boozer
Kg/Lopez
Bynum/Thompson/Verajao
Smith/Monroe
Hibbert/West
Millsap/Horford
Sanders/Ilyasova

Nene/Singleton on the Wizards will be a tough ask for sullinger.
That's the East.
What about the West ?
If we had shooters to play small ball we'd have a shot at 35 games.
But no Pirrce, Terry or KG to spread the floor leaves us helpless when we double team any bigs inside.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

The complete Eastern standings prediction has been released, and personally I think it's actually pretty spot-on. Behind MIA, they seem to have CHI/IND/BKN in their own tier, NY a step below, and then ATL/WAS/CLE/DET as the likely candidates to fill out the playoff race - although for me, I would add TOR into that mix as well. It's pretty reasonable to expect MIL/BOS/CHA/ORL/PHI as having basically no chance at the postseason though, with MIL/BOS being the best teams of that last tier.

As others have said, everything's hypothetical at this point, and I think it's especially premature to start declaring the Wiz or the Cavs or the Pistons as playoff teams. Lots of young, untested talent on those teams.

[Neurotic Guy]

bit optimistic if you ask me.  29 games is pushing it.  They must assume Rondo is playing most of the season.

Hope you are correct as a 8th, 9th, 10th seed all feel useless to me.  If the C's surprise, I hope they surprise big (that would mean that JG, KO JS and Fab/Fev have all shocked the world). 

I think this C's team will look great from time to time and terrible from time to time.  The win-meter will lean toward which happens with greater frequency. 

[SparzWizard]

I have them finishing at 10th seed.

Miss playoffs.

[rondoallaturca]

As others have said, everything's hypothetical at this point, and I think it's especially premature to start declaring the Wiz or the Cavs or the Pistons as playoff teams. Lots of young, untested talent on those teams.

It's a bit unfair to lead into your statement by saying that EVERYTHING is hypothetical, only to then specifically isolate teams with young talent. It'll also be hard to gauge teams that have added/subtracted pieces, too.

I mean, don't get me wrong. I agree with what what you're saying, and I even said in my OP that it's only August and it's far too early to accurately predict anything; even then, it's still impossible to take into account injuries and the likes. Thus, we work with what we have, and for now there's not much more than premature judgments for both new teams and older ones.

[LooseCannon]

I'd love to see how different the results would be if you polled a bunch of high-profile statheads.

[jambr380]

I'll take these predictions to be as good as mock drafts. Pretty much not accurate at all.

If this were the 2007-2008 celts team, i'd have no problem saying 12th or below is right , in matter of fact i did predict that team was going to be bad.

But this celtics team is different. Better bench than last year, Green about to explode, AB contract year, sullinger near double digit rebounding #s and Olynyk competing for ROY award.  Plus i have faith in ainge taking a chance on Stevens. We will make the playoffs or at least be close to making it this year

Completely and utterly delusional.
2008 worse than 12th? With 2 All Stars AND an NBA MVP candidate?

I have to assume he meant 06-07, not 07-08. We were widely regarded as a top 2 team going into 07-08. No one in the world had us rated lower than top 3 in the east that year, nevermind top 12.