1. new jersey
2. New orleans
3. Detroit
4. Boston
5 Philly
6. Indiana
7. Miami
8. Atlanta
9. Orlando
10.Toronto
11.Milwaukee
12. Chicago
13. New York
14. Cleveland
15. Washington

Lets be realistic...
7 new jersey 46-52 wins
7 New orleans 46-52 wins
6 Detroit 42-48 wins
6 Boston 42-48 wins
5 Philly 41-45 wins
5 Indiana 41-45 wins
5 New York 41-45 wins
5 Atlanta 41-45 wins
4 Miami 38-43 wins
4 Orlando 38-43 wins
3 Toronto 32-40 wins
3 Chicago 32-40 wins
3 Milwaukee 32-40 wins
3 Washington 32-40 wins
1 Cleveland 10-25 wins

Thats on a scale from 1-10. The current Lakers team and the 6 Bulls title teams are 10s. The Kings and 94 Knicks would in the 7-8 range.
My point is the East is a quandry of mediocrity. While the Nets and Hornets have the most balanced and talented squads, they are barely better the than middle of the pack. No team in the East got considerable better, and most got worse. Almost every team has shown they cant win with consistancy, and many teams have huge "ifs" regarding their upcoming roster. Based on this offseason, no one team has shown they should be regarded as ahead of the pack. So while the Knicks may fail to make the postseason, they will probably only be 4 games from the 4th seed. They could just as easily be #8 through #3

Clearly we are going to be below Atlanta Miami and Orlando--I have bunched us up with Milwaukee Toronto and Chicago and I think thats a fair bracket.

If we consider all teams healthy including the Knicks Atlanta has a much more dominant frontline more depth more team speed and better defense and the pocess the best player on both teams.

Miami is CLEARLY better than the Knicks--while we used to be a great match up to counter their team now it is the opposite. This team has much more size depth and MUCH better coaching into a well versed system. If you want to take our best player DICE and have ZO on him in the post hes tallerlonger bigger and Dice wil have his problems with that match up.

Orlando just has better talent + they were 14 games better last year+ they are getting back Grant Hill and adding Shawn Kemp. If anything Im considering them to rise into a playoff spot. T mac is WAY better than any other player in the east.

Charlotte? New Orleans right..lol

You're a gambling man though fritz, ATL as the first is a major bet.

Personally I think it's

1. NO
2. NJ
3. Indiana
4. Detroit
5. Philly
6. Boston
7. Orlando
8. hopefully NY, else Milwaukee or Toronto