The 2015/16 Eastern Conference Predictions Thread

[BS10]

I think you guys are underrating the Pistons, they're gonna have a great season with the backcourt of Jennings + Jackson. I bet their backcourt is going to be better than ours. Pistons are going to surprise a lot of people. But we'll have to wait and see.

I'll be a little less than optimistic than some of you about the Raptor's regular season and say they win 45. Instead of beating teams by our offensive firepower we beat them by our defensive prowess. We still can't beat the elite teams but we put up a better fight. Overall, we defend teams better and we run better offensive plays that'll get us better shots. However, when we're in a close game situation and in trouble during the 4th quarter we try to rely on our "star" players and they fail to bail us out over and over again. We make the playoffs, once more but Casey is still stubborn and screws us into a first round exit. That to me is our 2015-16 in a nutshell.

[KeonClark]

There's always one or two big surprises in each conference where someone is like 15-20 wins higher or lower then predicted

[e_wheazhy_]

1) Cleveland
2) Miami
3)Toronto
4) Washington
5) Atlanta
6) Milwaukee
7) Boston
8) Detroit

Casey finally got his guys. His finally doesn't have to come up with a system to hide his players well maybe just JV now. Dd contract year will be his best yet. Lowry I think will have a lessened role so he doesn't go into the playoffs broken down. This year is make or break for JV. Defense/Offense is being totally changed to accommodate him. Contract year for JV. If doesn't become an all star this year I don't think he ever will.

50 wins
Third straight Atlantic Division title
Get pass the first round
Casey/DD resigned!

What? You say he's doesn't have to change his system and then later say the offense/defense (effectively the system) is being changed to accommodate him?

Huh?


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[psrs1]

I think you guys are underrating the Pistons, they're gonna have a great season with the backcourt of Jennings + Jackson. I bet their backcourt is going to be better than ours. Pistons are going to surprise a lot of people. But we'll have to wait and see.

I'll be a little less than optimistic than some of you about the Raptor's regular season and say they win 45. Instead of beating teams by our offensive firepower we beat them by our defensive prowess. We still can't beat the elite teams but we put up a better fight. Overall, we defend teams better and we run better offensive plays that'll get us better shots. However, when we're in a close game situation and in trouble during the 4th quarter we try to rely on our "star" players and they fail to bail us out over and over again. We make the playoffs, once more but Casey is still stubborn and screws us into a first round exit. That to me is our 2015-16 in a nutshell.

In agreement. It always comes back to DC.

[Demographic Shift]

The Way Too Early Eastern Conference Projections

As I said way to early.. but its a pretty lazy Sunday afternoon and I broke 90 today... Breaking it up into tiers..So here goes.

Top Tier / Team to Beat

Cavs. The best team money can buy. They still have LeBron and he is still in his prime. What they need to happen to be lead dog in the east is to stay healthy all year. The come to Jesus moment would be any type of an injury to LBJ.

In the Mix / Could be there if everything goes Right. This is in no particular order

Hawks Horford is in a contract year. They have two, count em two really good PG in Schroeder and Teague. Millsap is a pros pro. Slowing them down is the one that got away.... Demarre Carroll.
Whiz Wall and Beal are that good. Gortat is more than adequate in the middle. Porter could build on his playoff coming out party. Jared Dudley adds another solid scorer and a steadying influence in the room. These guys stay healthy and they can challenge for #1 seed.

The Missouri Tier - Show me please. This is in no particular order

Bulls. The band is back intact. However they have a new coach, a new system, new assistant coaches. What isn't new is Derrick Roses knees, Taj Gibsons knees and Joakim Noah's knee. Everyone is also one year older. Jimmy Butler is an ascendant star but is the band good enough ?
Raps. If you believe defense wins in the playoffs then this years edition of the Dino's looks good. We fixed the SF slot and got stronger in the backcourt in a guards league. To challenge the top dog we need to see that next step from the bigs, an especially big step is required from one ice fishing Lithuanian who has to find a consistent 10 to 12 foot jumper. JV has to dump the pump fake and borrow the Nike slogan. Just do it baby. Bizmak has to provide interior rebounding and defense. If the bigs advance so will the Drakes.
Bucks. They get a bona fide inside scoring with their FA coup Greg Monroe. They have some crazy length and athleticism with Giannas and Parker and Henson. Achilles heel is the guards with MCW and GV. MCW is a turnover machine and can't shoot that well. GV will help but he didn't get any faster in a green uni than he was in Raps red. They will be better than last year but jury is still out.

The Overhyped Tier. Just not buying what they are selling. This is in no particular order

Heat. Dragic is good but he is now 30. He likes the night life. He is in South Beach. Bosh is an all star and will be a HOF'er. He also has had blood clots on his lungs. Dwayne Wade is like your windshield with that small crack in it that at any time could just shatter. Winslow is a great get but he is a rook. Rooks don't help that much. They have no bench to speak of. Whats there is old. So please please please lets stop with the jaurernaut from south florida stuff.
Celtics For all the hype and bluster out of ESPN and CBS Danny Ainge really did squat this offseason. Got shut out at the draft. Pretty much got shut out in FA. The band is pretty much back as is with no real impact players coming on stream. They have a good coach. Probably good for a couple of wins that they really shouldn't get. But thats all. In the fight for a 7-8 playoff seed and thats it. Saint Danny better do better than what he did this year at the draft table next year and inking some FA's or there will be some "splaining to do"

The Great Unwashed. Woulda- Coulda - Shouda. This is in no particular order

Indy. Paul George is back. No one else is. Even with Monta Ellis its going to be a tough year for Larry Legends crew.
Nets. They finally unloaded Derron Williams. Only a bit longer to wait on JJ for that albatross deal to go away. Lopez is back and will make them respectable but the turnover has started with a lot of young guys. And just when you think BIlly Knight isn't as big a doofus as he shows.. he signs Primo Pasta.
Pistons Stan got a winner in the draft with Stanley Johnston but he is a rookie. Drummond is now on his own without Monroe and Reggie Jackson gets to run the show. Better than last year but still some pieces away.
Magic. New coach and a lot of talented players. To bad they ALL seem to be on the wing. Guards are great but struggle to shoot the 3. Potential scoring machine in Hezjona but potential is just that. Have to see it a few times to say its real.
Knicks Carmelo is back. Don't know if I am bragging or apologizing. Another long year in Gotham but they are going to field a better team than last years bag of excrement.
Charlotte. Got Nick Batum. Wish we did. Unfortuately for the Hornets they still have Walker, Kidd Ghilcrist and an aging Al Jefferson. Two kids who look exactly the same in Kaminsky and Zeller. More of the same from last year.

Continuing to Suck Large. This is in no particular order

Sixers . As long as Sam Hinkie is GM in Philly the Sixers will continue to suck. Embiid is out for another year. Saric is stuck in Europe. Noel is good but not great. Their first overall pick Okafor would rather be anyplace else. But the future is bright in year 4 of the tank. Its looking bad now and its going to be ugly when the good burghers of Philly realize they have been swindled by Hinkie.

[3inthekeon]

B]Sixers [/B]. As long as Sam Hinkie is GM in Philly the Sixers will continue to suck. Embiid is out for another year. Saric is stuck in Europe. Noel is good but not great. Their first overall pick Okafor would rather be anyplace else. But the future is bright in year 5 of the tank. Its looking bad now and its going to be ugly when the good burghers of Philly realize they have been swindled by Hinkie.

I guess if you live in Philly, it may feel like year 5, but this will only be year 3 of Hinkie's tank.

[Wild-ling#1]

As I said way to early.. but its a pretty lazy Sunday afternoon and I broke 90 today... Breaking it up into tiers..So here goes.

Top Tier / Team to Beat ....

Thanks for this. I'll be very interested to see how others (who have a better overall understanding of all this than I have) respond.

[Demographic Shift]

I guess if you live in Philly, it may feel like year 5, but this will only be year 3 of Hinkie's tank.

OK..not 5 years... but for sure entering the 4th year of the tank...
It must seem like a lifetime if your a season ticket holder.

Season Win Loss PO Performance
2014-15 Philadelphia 18 - 64 .220 4th Atlantic Division - - DNQ
2013-14 Philadelphia 19 - 63 .232 5th Atlantic Division - - DNQ
2012-13 Philadelphia 34 - 48 .415 4th Atlantic Division - - DNQ

[3inthekeon]

Tanking is trying to lose. Philly was actually trying to win in 2012-13, they just weren't good at winning. This will be 3rd year of tank, 4th year of losing.

[Demographic Shift]

Tanking is trying to lose. Philly was actually trying to win in 2012-13, they just weren't good at winning. This will be 3rd year of tank, 4th year of losing.

Its semantics re tanking and not being good at winning. They sucked three years ago, they suck now and they are going to suck for the forseeable future. So far Hinkies ponzi scheme has got them Greg Oden 2.0 in Embiid, a guy stuck in Europe who isnt learning your system and isnt learning the NBA game, a potentially petulant assmuppet in Okafor if he wants out.

Noel is a keeper but needs a pantload of help.

I just can't wait for the reaction when after 6 years of sucking Philly fields a team that goes 43 and 39 and Hinkie declares victory.

[TheWaterboy]

Aside: Yeah, the Nets got Primo Pasta, but they got him at the vet minimum, and even if they wind up playing him as their starting 4 due to injury or weird coaching, the Nets have Lopez at the 5, which will go a long way towards covering up his deficiencies. It's not going to put the Nets over the top by any stretch of the imagination, but it's actually a pretty good move for the nets in terms of treading water salary cap wise.

[BobLoblaw]

Its semantics re tanking and not being good at winning. They sucked three years ago, they suck now and they are going to suck for the forseeable future. So far Hinkies ponzi scheme has got them Greg Oden 2.0 in Embiid, a guy stuck in Europe who isnt learning your system and isnt learning the NBA game, a potentially petulant assmuppet in Okafor if he wants out.

Noel is a keeper but needs a pantload of help.

I just can't wait for the reaction when after 6 years of sucking Philly fields a team that goes 43 and 39 and Hinkie declares victory.

Ponzi wasn't around three years ago, that's the year when they were trying to win with Bynum. When they failed, they hired Hinkie to clean up the mess.

By the way, I think he's been very good, if we are judging by improvement in talent and assets, instead of just losses over two years.

Situation A, Philly two years ago when they hired Hinkie: your team's stars are Jrue Holiday and Thad Young, and your own 1st round pick next year is traded to Orlando.

Situation B, now: your team has Nerlens Noel, Embiid, Okafor, Saric in Europe and a shit load of picks, including next year's Lakers, Miami, future Sacramento picks.

[Partfoop]

I think the Hawks are a touch better than suggested if only because a (healthy) Sefolosha will fill Carroll's void defensively - but they're still not the real deal. I also think the Magic and Bucks will both win games in the playoffs. They won't go to the conference finals, but the Bucks, especially, seem like the young, energetic and promising team the Bulls were just a few years ago (minus the MVP).

I like your logic across the board; it'll be exciting to see how close your projections turn out to be.

[Snooch]

You are underselling the HEat, they are better than Us, at least in playoff basketball

[JWash]

To me Miami, Washington, Atlanta, Toronto, Chicago are all in the same tier and could all land anywhere from the 2 to 6 seeds.