You guys honestly are underestimating this teams talent. We have the best PG in the division, arguably the best SF, depending if Melo plays SF or PF. The best defensive SG(no where near the best overall though). Aside from those 3 positions every team in our division has there holes. Brooklyn has no SF, no PF( don't tell me KG ), Brook Lopez is questionable if healthy he's the best Center in our division , if unhealthy major whole. DWill is not in Rondos league Idc.
Now Knicks,
They made an improvement with Calderon but again no defense there and Calderon is not better then rondo, SG is full of cancers, if JR is on he can be a hassle and Shumperrt healthy is great defensively, but I don't see Avery having a problem with them.
Carmelo again whether he plays SF or PF is the best player in our division unless Rondo plays how I expect him to play( average a DBLDBL and have around 5-6 rebounds per as we'll.)
Center no clue.
Philly, IMO can be a real surprise, there full of youth and not a proven coach so there is always that concern, but MCW can be a problem, and when Embiid and Noel both play, they will have a force of a front court. But again SG is weak, and Thaddeus young doesn't excite me one bit, no floor spacing. Celtics are clearly the better team. Unless Embiid and Noel both are dominant there ROY.
Toronto, I say what happen last year was all hype. Nets stunk up the joint, Knicks were AWFUL and Melo wasn't into it at all. Celtics were tank a palooza as we'll was Philly.
Lowry is not a great PG, he was playing the best he will and I see a decline this year. Derozan is very athletic but not a Go-To-Scorer, and aside from them two and Valenciunus I don't see how there team is much better then ours. Sully > Amir Johnson, Rondo>Lowry, JG> TRoss. AB can compete with Derozan.
I'm laying it on the table and saying the celtics will win the division , might even make a move at the deadline to make the team better with one of our many draft choices and expirings.
Rondo will be too 3 PG this season in every category, AVG 16 PPG, 12 Assist, and 5 rebounds.
Jeff green will average 20 PPG, 3 assists , 4 RE
Avery 10 PPG, 4 assists, 2 RB, 2 steals.
Sully will avg 16 , 3 assist and 10 RBs
Kelly 10ppg, 6 RBs
I saved the X-Factor for the season, not Jeff Green, Marcus smart, he will be an X factor and our 6 man by years end. I've debated whether that would be Kelly or Smart, but I see Kelly playing his way to a starting role by years end.
Smart will be a pest on the defensive end and be the aggressive player we need off te bench.
He will shoot many FT even as a rookie.
Smart will average 12 PPG, 6 assist, and 3 Rebounds and 1.5 steals per.
Will be in the running for ROY and whispers of 6th man and we will make the playoffs.
The rest of the team will file in.
Save this post, I'm not even being a homer, this is what I see from this team.
Green and sully will break out, Rondo will prove he's a top PG and Smart will be a top rookie.