NYY1NYK2 wrote:Indiana will be a lottery team, they Lost West,scola and are about to lose hibbert
NO INTERIOR PRESENCE, hope paul george doesnt miss time

Toronto lost Amir johnson and Lou williams , two key players, also not as good as they were last yr

Boston is shaping up to have a solid team..
Wouldnt be surprised if we sneak into the playoffs as a 7 or 8th seed

Toronto got better with Caroll.

Paul George will be back and they got Ellis. I think that they may surprise.

I think with the Knicks improving their overall defense, they might fall to #7.. We just have to see... Can't wait..

mreinman wrote:These are the top 7 for me:

Cleveland
Chicago
Miami
Washington
Toronto
Atlanta
Milwaukee

Who gets the eighth spot? I think that its Indiana or Boston.

Who do you think gets the eighth spot? Is this your top 7?

Miami
Cleveland
Chicago
Detroit
Atlanta
Milwaukee
Washington
Toronto/Boston

My guess, and it's a leap, that Miami actually takes the East. They've got a solid veteran team and they've made solid small moves this offseason. They've got a solid, though old, starting core and they have continuity into their system.

Cleveland is just team full of bad fits, a lot of talent, but a badly put together team, and Love and Irving just don't strike me as being as durable as most people would like. LBJ can only burn the candle at both ends so long.

Chicago also I think hit a decline phase. They've lost their elite coach and Father Time is going to catch up with the defensive core of this unit. This is a team where age can cause it to go off the rails very fast.

IMHO, the Pistons make the leap, solid coach, solid franchise pivot, and now a decent balance to highlight his strengths. A lot to like about this unit.

Hawks, I think part of the problem is what happens with Horford long term. If they think they can't resign him long term, they might trade him.

Bucks I think take advantage of a weak East. Sometimes with enough firepower, you can just run down the competition, and with youth, keep that pressure up.

Washington, a lot rests on how long Gortat holds off his decline and Beal's durability. I love Beal as an NBA fan, but the dude is brittle.

Raptors might blow it up and I'll never count out a team with Isaiah Thomas on it, so I think Boston could surprise. The Celtics can throw wave after wave of wing stoppers at you, it's not conventional, but it just might push them over the top.

I just don't see the Knicks pushing through, they don't have the depth to really make a push in the East.