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Cleveland always gets doubted, some were saying they would miss the playoffs last year. They dont look good, but they rebound, defend, shoot well from 3, and have the best player. I think theyre 3rd best also.

DowJones wrote:Cleveland, at worst, is 3rd in the East. Ask the Boston Celtics who the best team they faced in the NBA Playoffs was. James Posey said it was Cleveland and during the mid-point of the Detroit series both Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett mentioned in 1 way or another that they were just happy not to be playing Cleveland.

The Cavs defend, rebound, and they have LeBron.

Atlanta gave the Celtics a bigger scare then Detroit and Boston did. By that logic, Atlanta will be better then Detroit and LA?

I don't see it. They have LeBron and not much else. Unless they make a big move I see much of the same. 45-48 wins, 2nd round exit with an outside chance at an ECF appearance.

Atlanta didn't give us a bigger scare, they couldn't even compete in Boston they lost by 18+ in all four of those games they just played well at home. Cleveland is the 2nd best team in the East IMO.

Lebron was hurt for 2 weeks where they went winless..and they had plenty of other injuries to Z, Gibson and holdouts with Varejao and Pavlovic. Oh and Atlanta got blown out by Boston every game by 25-30, that series was not as competitive as people think ..

KyleCleric wrote:West –
1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Utah Jazz
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Los Angeles Lakers
6. Houston Rockets
7. Phoenix Suns
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Dallas Mavericks
11. Minnesota Timberwolves
12. Golden State Warriors
13. Sacramento Kings
14. Seattle Supersonics
15. Los Angeles Clippers

Memphis 8 and Minny 11, while the Warriors are 12? seriusly?

KyleCleric wrote:West –
1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Utah Jazz
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Los Angeles Lakers
6. Houston Rockets
7. Phoenix Suns
8. Memphis Grizzlies
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Dallas Mavericks
11. Minnesota Timberwolves
12. Golden State Warriors
13. Sacramento Kings
14. Seattle Supersonics
15. Los Angeles Clippers

Memphis at #8 and Clippers at the very bottom of the west? We weren't even at the bottom of the west with Brand out practically the entire season.

I can't wait for the next season. The west should be super competitive. If only there were two western conferences..

East
1-Boston(They are the Champs)
2.Orlando(By record they will be 2nd but no one fears them yet, D.Howard needs help)
3.Cleveland(Lebron is hungry and alot of players are in contract year)
4.Detriot(The mighty start to fall)
5.Toranto(If O'neal stays healthy watchout east)
6.Miami(Guess what, We tanked last year lol, We really were a 500 team and now we got better)
7.Atlanta(Still to young but watch for them)
8a.Philly(Was it a fluke or are they for real, no sure yet)
8b.Wash(Only if they resign Gilbert and Antwain)

LOL@the Miami Heat being a top 3 team in the East!

Wade/Marion/Beasley=Gawds.
No need for a talented bench, a starting PG, or a legitimate C!

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/mia/roster

The Cool Kids wrote:I can't wait for the next season. The west should be super competitive. If only there were two western conferences..

The east won the title i think? Last 5 years? Sorry......To be the best you got to beat the best
Pistons,Spurs,Heat,Spurs,Celtics

Lebron is getting better. His team is coming together. Even though a few of the big men are aging, I think they team overall will be better. They're #2 in the East.

Miami is too cheap to round out its bench properly (if it weren't, they'd still have Posey). And Wade doesn't stay healthy. And Beasley is undersized and will run into a rookie wall. I don't see the base case as them leapfrogging any of Boston (duh), Cleveland, Toronto, Orlando, or a non-blown-up Detroit.

West
1. Lakers
2. Hornets
3. Spurs
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Suns
7. Mavericks
8.Blazers
9. Nuggets
10. Warriors
11. Clippers
12. Kings
13. Timberwolves
14. Sonics
15. Grizzlies

East
1. Celtics
2. Magic
3. Pistons
4. Cavaliers
5. Raptors
6. Wizards
7. Bulls
8. Heat
9. Hawks
10. Bucks
11. Sixers
12. Bobcats
13. Knicks
14. Nets
15. Pacers

bove310 wrote:Atlanta didn't give us a bigger scare, they couldn't even compete in Boston they lost by 18+ in all four of those games they just played well at home. Cleveland is the 2nd best team in the East IMO.

Are you seriously? Thats the first time I've heard that a 7 game series wasnt a scare..
I guess you can say that Boston just played well at home too

Atlanta gave Boston a bit of a scare, but they had no chance of winning any game at home. Cleveland at least had a real good shot. Detroit also beat Boston at Boston, so you knew there was a chance that they could win as well. L.A......well, they were just too soft.

One of Shemps Kids wrote:

Secret Lover14 wrote:Houston only #9?!

The west is so competitive and its so hard to get excited about a team that did nothing most of the year and had to rely on a 22 game win streak to make it to the playoffs. If that win streak was 10 games instead of 21 or 22, would they have even made the playoffs last year? And realistically, how many teams each year even get 10 game winning streaks? 2? 3?

So you're telling me that if the Rockets had a 10 game win streak only they were guaranteed to lose the next 12 games? Your whole post isn't even logical.

Then you have Portland #5 when they also won 13 games in a row(or some number close to that).

So basically, the LA Lakers that won 33 games in a row had to "rely" on that streak to get to the #1 seed, and if they only had a 10 game win streak(which according to you, means they lose 23 games automatically) they would not have been the favorites to win the title.

East.
1. Boston
2. Detroit
3. Cleveland
4. Chicago
5. Orlando
6. Toronto
7. Washington
8. Atlanta
9. Philadelphia
10. Milwaukee
11. Miami
12. Charlotte
13. New Jersey
14. Indiana
15. New York

West.
1. New Orleans
2. Lakers
3. Utah
4. San Antonio
5. Phoenix
6. Houston
7. Portland
8. Golden State
9. Dallas
10. Denver
11. Sacramento
12. Minnesota
13. Clippers
14. Seattle
15. Memphis

shawngoat23 wrote:My list isn't based on how teams did last year, but how I expect them to do this year, given the rosters that they currently have. It's not very conventional, so I expect some fans to flame me, but I'll indicate right here that I'll ignore everyone that calls me a "hater" or "idiot".

East
1. Celtics
2. Heat
3. Pistons
4. Cavaliers
5. Magic
6. Raptors
7. Bulls
8. Wizards
9. Hawks
10. Sixers
11. Bucks
12. Bobcats
13. Knicks
14. Nets
15. Pacers

West
1. Lakers
2. Jazz
3. Spurs
4. Hornets
5. Rockets
6. Blazers
7. Mavericks
8. Warriors
9. Nuggets
10. Suns
11. Clippers
12. Kings
13. Timberwolves
14. Sonics
15. Grizzlies

You're a homer... for sure.

East:

1. Boston 64-18 Same team except a little older
2. Detroit 58-24 Same team except a little older
3. Orlando 56-26 Youth improving, same roster so far
4. Chicago 52-30 (If Gordon/Deng re-sign) They turn it around this year. Addition of Rose, maturation of young players.
5. Cleveland 46-36 Same old, same old.
6. Toronto 44-38 Addition of O'Neal helps a little bit not a lot
7. Heat 42-40 Wade + Marion + Beasley, can't go wrong with that
8. Hawks 38-44 (if Iguodala stays) Maturation of Young and other rookies will keep them in the mix
9. Wizards 36-46 Constant injury problems, no upgrades from last season
10. 76ers 35-47 (if Iguodala stays) Still missing something...
11. Bucks 31-51 Addition of Jefferson will help a little bit
12. Bobcats 30-52
13. Indiana 28-54 No stars really, just a few mediocre to decent players.
14. New York 22-60 They still suck
15. Nets 17-65 Awful this year, but bright future ahead

West:

1. LA Lakers 59-23 Kobe + Odem + Gasols + Bynum
2. Rockets 58-24 (if Yao is healthy) Scola is gonna be great next year if T-Mac/Yao are playing they're a force
3. Hornets 56-26 Still a solid team in the west
4. Jazz 55-27 Youthful team continuing to improve
5. Blazers 53-29 Their roster is stacked, they contend in the playoffs this season.
6. Spurs 52-30 Age is really catching up with them
7. Suns 50-32 See above
8. Warriors 48-34 (if Ellis re-signs) Young team still on the rise
9. Clippers 45-37 (if Brand stays) Highly underrated bunch with a lot of good young guys
10. Mavericks 44-38 Their day has passed them, that Jason Kidd trade killed their franchise
11. Nuggets 44-38 Camby/Iverson are getting very old, and they play no defense.
12. Sonics 35-47 Durant will avg over 25 PPG, Green matures, and Westbrook provides perimeter D
13. Kings 34-48 Terrible draft choice, and not much else going in Sac-Town
14. Timberwolves 30-52 Love + Miller helps, but they still have no one over 7 feet and Brewer is awful
15. Grizzlies 27-59 This team will get owned by the West this year, but they will be very good in a couple years.

pr0wler wrote:East:

1. Boston 64-18 Same team except a little older
2. Detroit 58-24 Same team except a little older
3. Orlando 56-26 Youth improving, same roster so far
4. Chicago 52-30 (If Gordon/Deng re-sign) They turn it around this year. Addition of Rose, maturation of young players.
5. Cleveland 46-36 Same old, same old.
6. Toronto 44-38 Addition of O'Neal helps a little bit not a lot
7. Heat 42-40 Wade + Marion + Beasley, can't go wrong with that
8. Hawks 38-44 (if Iguodala stays) Maturation of Young and other rookies will keep them in the mix
9. Wizards 36-46 Constant injury problems, no upgrades from last season
10. 76ers 35-47 (if Iguodala stays) Still missing something...
11. Bucks 31-51 Addition of Jefferson will help a little bit
12. Bobcats 30-52
13. Indiana 28-54 No stars really, just a few mediocre to decent players.
14. New York 22-60 They still suck
15. Nets 17-65 Awful this year, but bright future ahead

West:

1. LA Lakers 59-23 Kobe + Odem + Gasols + Bynum
2. Rockets 58-24 (if Yao is healthy) Scola is gonna be great next year if T-Mac/Yao are playing they're a force
3. Hornets 56-26 Still a solid team in the west
4. Jazz 55-27 Youthful team continuing to improve
5. Blazers 53-29 Their roster is stacked, they contend in the playoffs this season.
6. Spurs 52-30 Age is really catching up with them
7. Suns 50-32 See above
8. Warriors 48-34 (if Ellis re-signs) Young team still on the rise
9. Clippers 45-37 (if Brand stays) Highly underrated bunch with a lot of good young guys
10. Mavericks 44-38 Their day has passed them, that Jason Kidd trade killed their franchise
11. Nuggets 44-38 Camby/Iverson are getting very old, and they play no defense.
12. Sonics 35-47 Durant will avg over 25 PPG, Green matures, and Westbrook provides perimeter D
13. Kings 34-48 Terrible draft choice, and not much else going in Sac-Town
14. Timberwolves 30-52 Love + Miller helps, but they still have no one over 7 feet and Brewer is awful
15. Grizzlies 27-59 This team will get owned by the West this year, but they will be very good in a couple years.

Jazz vs Blazers in the first round? I'll take it. (Jazz fan)

fivas14 wrote:

pr0wler wrote:East:

1. Boston 64-18 Same team except a little older
2. Detroit 58-24 Same team except a little older
3. Orlando 56-26 Youth improving, same roster so far
4. Chicago 52-30 (If Gordon/Deng re-sign) They turn it around this year. Addition of Rose, maturation of young players.
5. Cleveland 46-36 Same old, same old.
6. Toronto 44-38 Addition of O'Neal helps a little bit not a lot
7. Heat 42-40 Wade + Marion + Beasley, can't go wrong with that
8. Hawks 38-44 (if Iguodala stays) Maturation of Young and other rookies will keep them in the mix
9. Wizards 36-46 Constant injury problems, no upgrades from last season
10. 76ers 35-47 (if Iguodala stays) Still missing something...
11. Bucks 31-51 Addition of Jefferson will help a little bit
12. Bobcats 30-52
13. Indiana 28-54 No stars really, just a few mediocre to decent players.
14. New York 22-60 They still suck
15. Nets 17-65 Awful this year, but bright future ahead

West:

1. LA Lakers 59-23 Kobe + Odem + Gasols + Bynum
2. Rockets 58-24 (if Yao is healthy) Scola is gonna be great next year if T-Mac/Yao are playing they're a force
3. Hornets 56-26 Still a solid team in the west
4. Jazz 55-27 Youthful team continuing to improve
5. Blazers 53-29 Their roster is stacked, they contend in the playoffs this season.
6. Spurs 52-30 Age is really catching up with them
7. Suns 50-32 See above
8. Warriors 48-34 (if Ellis re-signs) Young team still on the rise
9. Clippers 45-37 (if Brand stays) Highly underrated bunch with a lot of good young guys
10. Mavericks 44-38 Their day has passed them, that Jason Kidd trade killed their franchise
11. Nuggets 44-38 Camby/Iverson are getting very old, and they play no defense.
12. Sonics 35-47 Durant will avg over 25 PPG, Green matures, and Westbrook provides perimeter D
13. Kings 34-48 Terrible draft choice, and not much else going in Sac-Town
14. Timberwolves 30-52 Love + Miller helps, but they still have no one over 7 feet and Brewer is awful
15. Grizzlies 27-59 This team will get owned by the West this year, but they will be very good in a couple years.

Jazz vs Blazers in the first round? I'll take it. (Jazz fan)

So will I (Blazer fan)

We went 3-1 against you guys, and one of those games Roy only played 7 minutes. Now we're adding Oden, Fernandez, and Bayless...yeah not worried too much about that matchup. (The game they beat us, to end the 13 game streak, they out "physicalled" us, but that will be harder to do next year with
in the middle.