Who Do You Pick As Atlantic Division Champs?

[samjones]

Favorable schedule ahead in next 7 games. Grizzlies, Cavaliers, Bucks, Bucks, Nuggets, Knicks, Nets ahead in next seven games, four at home and three on the road. The Grizzlies, minus Gasol, are at .500, and the Nuggets, at 7-6, have a winning record. The rest are way below .500. Celtics could be close to the division lead when  Olynyk returns, and Rondo's return seeming closer every day. The Atlantic Division is so bad, and the Eastern Conference is so weak,the Celtics could be out of the lottery, and even Division champions. Who do you favor as the Atlantic Division champion this year (leaving out trades that we cannot predict at this point)?

[beklog]

Based from reports Chandler will be back 4-6weeks from his injury this month.. so sometime Dec he'll be back

I expect DWill and Lopez to be back next month too

Knicks and Nets will be back to the top of Atlantic as soon as these guys are healthy

[TwinTower14]

both the Nets and Knicks will make the playoffs and one of them will win the division going away....

[samjones]

With the exception of losing Sullinger, or Rondo long-term for a second time, it seems that the depth of the Celtics could be very valuable. They are the best equipped to handle short-term injuries because so many players are interchangeable without the overall play of the team dipping radically. Over the course of a long season, they may be best equipped in the Atlantic to sustain a steady level of adequate play ... not at the level of the Pacers or Spurs or Thunder, but competitive with most of the weak Eastern conference teams. Not many teams can go 9 deep with rotation players who have been starters (Rondo, Crawford, Bradley, Lee, Green, Wallace, Sullinger, Bass, Humphries), plus Olynyk and Faverani, plus Pressey for nights when the team is flat.

[Fafnir]

Knicks and Nets are such bad tire fires that Toronto probably holds onto the division at this point, though I don't feel strongly about that.

[Rhyso]

This could use a poll 

The nets "should" pull it together enough to win the conference, because the Knicks look nothing like last years team. Heck if Rondo comes back in December and Olynyk starts hitting his jumper, i wouldn't be surprised if we are in the mix around Feb.

[PhoSita]

Knicks and Nets are such bad tire fires that Toronto probably holds onto the division at this point, though I don't feel strongly about that.

I still think one of the two New York teams will bounce back and at least give Toronto a run for its money.

That said, it's not as if Toronto being a decent team is a fluke.  Their starting five was one of the best five-man units last season.  Dropping Bargnani was a positive move.  I expect the Raptors to finish with at least 40 wins, which might be enough.


The harder question may be whether the Celtics or Sixers finish last.

[Fafnir]

Knicks and Nets are such bad tire fires that Toronto probably holds onto the division at this point, though I don't feel strongly about that.

I still think one of the two New York teams will bounce back and at least give Toronto a run for its money.

That said, it's not as if Toronto being a decent team is a fluke.  Their starting five was one of the best five-man units last season.  Dropping Bargnani was a positive move.  I expect the Raptors to finish with at least 40 wins, which might be enough.


The harder question may be whether the Celtics or Sixers finish last.

Yeah I figure one of the two at least will make the Raptors work for it.

I think the 76ers finish last barring major roster movement I don't anticipate. Rondo's eventual return (even if its rather late in the season) and providing of quality PG play should ensure that.

[PhoSita]

Knicks and Nets are such bad tire fires that Toronto probably holds onto the division at this point, though I don't feel strongly about that.

I still think one of the two New York teams will bounce back and at least give Toronto a run for its money.

That said, it's not as if Toronto being a decent team is a fluke.  Their starting five was one of the best five-man units last season.  Dropping Bargnani was a positive move.  I expect the Raptors to finish with at least 40 wins, which might be enough.


The harder question may be whether the Celtics or Sixers finish last.

Yeah I figure one of the two at least will make the Raptors work for it.

I think the 76ers finish last barring major roster movement I don't anticipate. Rondo's eventual return (even if its rather late in the season) and providing of quality PG play should ensure that.

I'm not sure that Rondo's return will make a large difference overall, just because Rondo is going to take time to get back to where he was pre-injury and the team is going to have to adjust to his style of play.  It's not going to be a seamless transition.  Plus, I expect Danny to unload one or two of the veteran players currently helping the team win. 

[Celtics18]

The Celtics.

[gpap]

The Celtics.

EXACTLY!!

The more games the Celtics win and the more games the Knicks and Nets lose and the more bad the Atlantic Division looks,  the more appalled I get that Celtics fans would pick our team to finish behind the rest of the scrubs in our division.

Granted, there's a good chance either the Knicks or Nets turn it around, but winning this division is completely doable.

And the Raptors?…..really??

If that's who's standing in the way of us winning the division, then we don't deserve a good draft pick on principle alone.

[2short]

The Celtics don't have the talent level to win unless they are hitting outside shots AND not turning the ball over.  If they get their defensive play to where it should be, get rondo back, cut down on turnovers and hit the shots they can win the division.  I still expect a deal for a true center this year.

[2short]

 
so maybe the celtics don't win it
I'm going with Knicks

[SparzWizard]

Toronto Raptors.

[snively]

Toronto Raptors.

They would seem to have a good chance.  Some capable talent there with Lowry and Gay, a lot of quickness and athleticism all around.