1. Indiana--I think reggie will comeback for one more shot, but for this short story--the additions of Ron Artest and Danny Granger are going to be *nasty*

2. Detoit--change of coach, but they still have the GM who put this together and a compentent coach who can just steer. they added ben wallace jr in Maxiell and a very under rated SG in Al Acer--a much needed infusion, they also drafted johnson who will be a stud

If they are able to incorporate maxiell and Darko in with what they have and they need to add a back up PG--im sure they will--its a better squad then last year--the coach just poickets 5mm and puts on the cruise control


3 Miami--this contract they give Shaq is nothing less than insanity it may work for 2 years but then they are on the hook for 3 after at 1/2 the cap. Shaq is going to start heading down the wrong path this year--father time is catching him, but he is still a big enough presence to keep the Heat in the chase for 2 more years IF he stays healthy

4 NJ--NJ is a funny team because i didnt like that late season chemistry between jeff and VC. they need some bruisers upfront to back up and a serious back up to J kidd so they can keep him at 30 minutes. I think the MLE split on an earl watson and an Othella Harrington would be wise.

5 Clev--bottom line Lebron is a top 3 player and they will add Hughes Donyell and Sarunas. Cant hold Lebron down any more--his time to ascend starts now.

6 Chic-im going to assume that curry and chandler are bulls-they need to resign harrington--bottom line this is a nasty defensive team anchored by the 7-2 chandler. they get deng back and that nasty little combination of deng gordon nocioni and duhon give that team the juice--a lot of defense and enough offense--they are in

7 NY Knicks--yes Knick fans briggs think the knicks are back in as is. I believe they have a LOT of fire power from the backcourt and enough inside to do damage--i think We get the same impact Chicago did from their 5 rookies with our 3. We have depth firepower and size with much more explosion ability--downfall-defense scary to say but that is the truth--with larry brown im giving the knicks 7 if they go out and make a deal for walker--that likely drops to 10

8 Milw---they have a LOT of size
they get back TJ ford and mo
they ad Bobby Simmons giving them a meaty skilled athletic wing collection simmons redd mason
they have 6-10 guys all over the frontline who will get room with all of the perimeter skill

OUT-orlando- still a SCARY team that could JUMP up IF they stay healthy and DH establishes himself as a 20-10-3 player--if he does well and grant hill can stay on the court--well he hasnt yet.vazquez looks like a decent player--put in their case--w t f would you pass on may?


OUT Philly-a team that wants to rely on AI C Webb for 82 games is asking for it at this point
oUT boston--they are not good, they just got lucky for three weeks last year
OUT wash--theyll be close i could make a case for them, they have a lot of juice the differnce between wash and the knicks is a flip of a coin.
sleeper? atlanta IF they get both dalembart johnson and retain lue--even young they will be right there for the 8 tseed oh my God does m williams look bad. red flag when he measured 6-7


everyone else scks

toronto-charlie V starting C hahah lets see cv play 60 games i like CV and he is skilled but i know he isnt lasting 80 games 27

boston what an awful team--hello 32 wins

charlotte nasty frontline--nasty new pG everything else is suspect and young 24

Posted by BRIGGS:

2. Detoit--change of coach, but they still have the GM who put this together and a compentent coach who can just steer. they added ben wallace jr in Maxiell and a very under rated SG in Al Acer--a much needed infusion, they also drafted johnson who will be a stud

If they are able to incorporate maxiell and Darko in with what they have and they need to add a back up PG--im sure they will--its a better squad then last year--the coach just poickets 5mm and puts on the cruise control

Briggs, I don't know if they will have Hunter next season as I don't know about his contract, but they have Carlos Arroyo who could be a starter in many teams. He is more than cappable of handling the backup point if they let him...

Posted by Knicksfan:

Posted by BRIGGS:

4 NJ--NJ is a funny team because i didnt like that late season chemistry between jeff and VC. they need some bruisers upfront to back up and a serious back up to J kidd so they can keep him at 30 minutes. I think the MLE split on an earl watson and an Othella Harrington would be wise.

About NJ, I think it is now officially reported that the Nets used their MLE on Abdur Rahim, so no split for them...

they used their trade exception. you can't trade an MLE. they traded their exception (worth the same as a MLE) and their own 2006 #1 pick.

I agree that the East is going to be tumultous this year. I'm not sold on the Cavs yet. I think they need to resolve the Drew Gooden situation. I think Boston can be good, but Al Jefferson's crappy SL does give one pause. I still like Boston and Philly's roster. The Atlantic doesn't have any powerhouses (well, Nets, maybe), but everyone other than Toronto is going to be pretty solid - I think Boston, Philly, New York will all be in the 40-45 win range.

I like what Washington did in getting Butler AND Daniels. I don't think people realize how good Daniels is. I think the Wizards may actually be better this year with Arenas-Daniels-Butler-Jamison-Haywood.

anyway, it's going to be interesting.

Like I've been saying all week, 7th or 8th spot in the playoffs sounds about right. Guess who we'll be facing - Miami, Detroit, or Indy....4 AND OUT.



Unless we can land an impact, defensive PF.....that's just how I see it...

I hope we make the playoffs, thats a first step towards getting this young team better. Now, where do they go? Its not easy to tell because, for example, last season we expected them to be there. We'll see what happens. Some of the top teams are solid teams but an injury away from becoming an average team. I think Detroit will be fine but we have to see how they work with Flip. Cleaveland is stronger and very young. We are a better team, but since we haven't seen this group play as a team, I don't know how good will they be. They have good pieces. Maybe a coach like Larry Brown can really do wonders and make the Knicks even better than we imagine. Still, its too early. I take a playoff with this young team anytime, because they will taste the playoffs, get used to them and in the future really become a contender...

Yep, but I believe! Anyway, I'll take any good season by the Knicks in which they make the playoffs and keep getting younger. That is the way to get closer to winning a championship.

THE Cavs ARE DEF. POSITIONED TO BE SOMEWHERE B/W 4-6 IN THE PLayoffs.

They hAVE all the tools. i'm ASSUMING THat clippers deAL INCLUDED WILCOX. THEY Have A SMall rotATION BUT it's pACKING alottA PUNCH.

THE 7 and 8 seed is hARDER TO PREDICT. I THINK IT'S GONNa be a DOG FIGHT all the wAY TO THE END. YOU Have milwAUKEE, PHILLY, NY, BOSTON, Washington, and chicAGO ALL CapABLE OF Making it. thAT'S THE REason why I see IsiAH HEavily shopping timmy towARD THE TRading deADLINE, TO SOLIDIFY OUR FRONTLINE...

KEYBOard issues. ACTUally, this is my moms' computer. AC adAPTER PROBLEMS WITH MY Laptop.


ANYWay, i look AT THE Cavs lineup now with Jaric AND PROBably wilcox, AND I COMPare it to wASHINGTON and chicAGO and even ours. they hAVE a much better mix of youth AND VETERans thAN anyone else. you might sAY, "BUT HEY, WHat ABOUT US?" WELL, THEIR ROTation is fAR More bALanced, AND THEY Have one of the top 5 best plAYERS IN LEBRON, NOT TO MENTION a nice side-kick in hughes. ilgAUSKUS WILL BE Hard to defend for ANY CENTER, and mARSHall is A NICE INSIDE-OUT GUY.

grANTED, THEY DO Have to prove it, b/c this tEam is BRand new. but looking AT IT ON Paper, i see no reASON WHY THEY SHOULDN'T At leAST LOCK UP THE 6TH SPOT.

SINCE CHICago will most likely lose curry this offseASON, THEY WILL BE WEaker up front AND MIGHT NOT EVEN Make the plAYOFFS. Washington will be just AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER, BUT THEY'LL STILL hAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE Last 2 spots. milwAUKEE Has A SOLID TEam just like clevelAND, BUT BOGUT, being AN INTRIGal pART OF thAT ROSTER, WILL ONLY BE a rookie.

with our lineup AS IT IS, I THINK WE'LL BE able to lock up the 8th spot with LaRRY as coACH. BUT PERSONally, I think we need to bring in AN IMPact big mAN TO SOLIDIFY THat frontline. we hAVE alot of pf's, but none thAT cAN Cause ANY TROUBLE FOR OPPOSING TEams.

Posted by bobs3304:

KEYBOard issues. ACTUally, this is my moms' computer. AC adAPTER PROBLEMS WITH MY Laptop.


ANYWay, i look AT THE Cavs lineup now with Jaric AND PROBably wilcox, AND I COMPare it to wASHINGTON and chicAGO and even ours. they hAVE a much better mix of youth AND VETERans thAN anyone else. you might sAY, "BUT HEY, WHat ABOUT US?" WELL, THEIR ROTation is fAR More bALanced, AND THEY Have one of the top 5 best plAYERS IN LEBRON, NOT TO MENTION a nice side-kick in hughes. ilgAUSKUS WILL BE Hard to defend for ANY CENTER, and mARSHall is A NICE INSIDE-OUT GUY.

grANTED, THEY DO Have to prove it, b/c this tEam is BRand new. but looking AT IT ON Paper, i see no reASON WHY THEY SHOULDN'T At leAST LOCK UP THE 6TH SPOT.

SINCE CHICago will most likely lose curry this offseASON, THEY WILL BE WEaker up front AND MIGHT NOT EVEN Make the plAYOFFS. Washington will be just AS GOOD, IF NOT BETTER, BUT THEY'LL STILL hAVE TO FIGHT FOR THE Last 2 spots. milwAUKEE Has A SOLID TEam just like clevelAND, BUT BOGUT, being AN INTRIGal pART OF thAT ROSTER, WILL ONLY BE a rookie.

with our lineup AS IT IS, I THINK WE'LL BE able to lock up the 8th spot with LaRRY as coACH. BUT PERSONally, I think we need to bring in AN IMPact big mAN TO SOLIDIFY THat frontline. we hAVE alot of pf's, but none thAT cAN Cause ANY TROUBLE FOR OPPOSING TEams.

Our future PF trouble-maker could be Frye, but yeah, he is too young now. This season may depend a lot on the progress of Mike Sweetney and the whatever Mo T brings. They are really our post up players and both are good ones scoring that way. We have more than enough power with our guards, and though we don't have star players in the frontcourt, I still think what we have, if we use it correctly, can get us to the playoffs and who knows what happens from there on. I don't know which position will the Knicks get but with the right coach (Brown), this team could surprise us.

BRIGGS The WIZARDS aren't in your playoffs list?