They have us tied for 8th with the Bulls. Last year we squeaked by at 4th by a game. A game of musical chairs. The music stopped. We had great end to season as did Miami and ATL. One game all that separated us from ATL and Miami.

Nets 54.5
Bucks 53.5
Lakers, Sixers, Jazz 51.5
Suns 50.5
Warriors 48.5
Heat, Mavs, Nuggets 47.5
Hawks, Celtics 46.5
Clippers 44.5
Blazers 43.5
Pacers 42.5
Grizzlies, Knicks, Bulls 41.5
Pelicans 40.5
Charlotte 37.5
Raptors 36.5
Kings 35.5
Wolves, Wizards 33.5
Spurs 29.5
Cavs 26.5
Rockers, Pistons 25.5
Magic 23.5
Thunder 22.5

Top is fairly predictable. Good health is assumptive for all. I would think Clippers odds factor no Kawhai for the season. Sixers number assume Simmons is back on PHilly.

Warriors could be the Widest to predict. They are top heavy with Vets with a talented young core. One would have thought they are in “Win now” mode and would have made a trade to get it.

Nuggs will be without Murray still for a while as ACL take time to shake the rust. Heat are proper. Fanboy in my does not like Mavs there. KP had a healthy off season and if there was a time to rise and shine, this is his moment. Heat are better with Lowry and a healthy Butler.

I have discussed Pacers on par with knicks the last few weeks and its curious they are above us and the Bulls. For that matter that Bulls are a fascinating study given the infusion of talent.

Which brings us to the Knicks. Fact is Vegas blew it last year but then did most of us as well. We hoped for the best, but thats not the same as predicting. We did not see Randle rise as he did and while we expected Thibs to be a marked improvement, COY and 10 games over .500 was a dream come true.
IM not thinking this is a gloomy prediction by Vega, just reality that other teams improved or will play to expectations. 6th-8th seed would be my guess.

Anyone here can chime in on Pacers and Bulls. I’d like to know!!
Pelicans? Slow start will initiate all kinds of Zion talk. Stan is gone. The pressure isn’t.
Charlotte, Wolves, and Cavs? One might surprise us. Raptors ahead of kings? Can the kings suck forever?
Is Pop really gonna stay forever in SAS?

I think NBA is achieving a bit of Parity and it should continue. The Salary cap and rules created a fresh final four last year. It allowed knicks to have a remarkable turn around season! ATL and Suns did not make playoffs year before. It was the bubble year, and last year a 72 game compressed covid season. This prevents dynasties from forming. Lakers are top heavy and will be very old and brittle. It could work. From an NBA fans view a Lakers-Nets finals would be fun. This is a Knicks site and I don’t expect many to agree.

Lets hope for a “normal” season!!!! What are you guys thoughts?????

Nalod wrote:Vaccines and technology will perhaps give us an 82 game season?
Free agents, trade and injuries will no doubt change the outlook.
Vegas just pegged some predictions. This list is fluid because so much can change. It will be fun to revisit this list in April of 2022.

The have us tied for 8th with the Bulls. Last year we squeaked by at 4th by a game. A game of musical chairs. The music stopped. We had great end to season as did Miami and ATL. One game all that separated us from ATL and Miami.

Nets 54.5
Bucks 53.5
Lakers, Sixers, Jazz 51.5
Suns 50.5
Warriors 48.5
Heat, Mavs, Nuggets 47.5
Hawks, Celtics 46.5
Clippers 44.5
Blazers 43.5
Pacers 42.5
Grizzlies, Knicks, Bulls 41.5
Pelicans 40.5
Charlotte 37.5
Raptors 36.5
Kings 35.5
Wolves, Wizards 33.5
Spurs 29.5
Cavs 26.5
Rockers, Pistons 25.5
Magic 23.5
Thunder 22.5

Top is fairly predictable. Good health is assumptive for all. I would think Clippers odds factor no Kawhai for the season. Sixers number assume Simmons is back on PHilly.

Warriors could be the Widest to predict. They are top heavy with Vets with a talented young core. One would have thought they are in “Win now” mode and would have made a trade to get it.

Nuggs will be without Murray still for a while as ACL take time to shake the rust. Heat are proper. Fanboy in my does not like Mavs there. KP had a healthy off season and if there was a time to rise and shine, this is his moment. Heat are better with Lowry and a healthy Butler.

I have discussed Pacers on par with knicks the last few weeks and its curious they are above us and the Bulls. For that matter that Bulls are a fascinating study given the infusion of talent.

Which brings us to the Knicks. Fact is Vegas blew it last year but then did most of us as well. We hoped for the best, but thats not the same as predicting. We did not see Randle rise as he did and while we expected Thibs to be a marked improvement, COY and 10 games over .500 was a dream come true.
IM not thinking this is a gloomy prediction by Vega, just reality that other teams improved or will play to expectations. 6th-8th seed would be my guess.

Anyone here can chime in on Pacers and Bulls. I’d like to know!!
Pelicans? Slow start will initiate all kinds of Zion talk. Stan is gone. The pressure isn’t.
Charlotte, Wolves, and Cavs? One might surprise us. Raptors ahead of kings? Can the kings suck forever?
Is Pop really gonna stay forever in SAS?

I think NBA is achieving a bit of Parity and it should continue. The Salary cap and rules created a fresh final four last year. It allowed knicks to have a remarkable turn around season! ATL and Suns did not make playoffs year before. It was the bubble year, and last year a 72 game compressed covid season. This prevents dynasties from forming. Lakers are top heavy and will be very old and brittle. It could work. From an NBA fans view a Lakers-Nets finals would be fun. This is a Knicks site and I don’t expect many to agree.

Lets hope for a “normal” season!!!! What are you guys thoughts?????

Last year, pundits described the Knicks as overachieving and outperforming expectations. I think the Knicks fundamentally improved as a team.

This year, you need to swap in Kemba and Fournier for Payton and Bullock, include a full season of Derrick Rose and make a determination whether this team is better than last year's squad. I could see some drop off in defense in the short term with an increase in points per 100.

That said, I think their offensive playset is subpar because it prominently features long 2s. This isn't to say that the Knicks are going to be bad offensively -- just that they will struggle with the Bud's reigning world championship Bucks which are bringing both defense and a highly efficient offensive scheme.

I think the rankings below fail to penalize teams like the Nets and Hawks for the rule changes -- I question how guys like Trae Young and James Harden will adapt to fouls on non-basketball moves.

I don't really see the Knicks being worse than last year. Its possible based on injury or regression but I don't see a lot that makes me think last year was lucky so much as the Knicks improved their skill sets across the board. Fundamental basketball shouldn't regress to the mean. Randle showed up to camp as a 40% 3pt shooter which didn't exist before. The other Knicks started shooting 40%. And they committed to defense as a team. That shouldn't just "go away".

I don't see what the Pacers did to make themselves so much better than they were last year. What did the Celtics do to improve? Added Enes Kanter and Al Horford is such an improvement? Taking Brad Stevens off the bench is an improvement?

The Heat improved on paper. Barring injuries, I see their increased win total. They play solid fundamental basketball and added a solid (older) two way point guard while retaining key free agents.

I think the Bulls improved a bit, but probably have a learning curve with the squad changes they made. If/when they start to click, they should be a force.

I have us at 4 - 6 in the east. I just don't see the Pacers or Celts finishing ahead of us. I don't think either team solved its problems from last year. Maybe they are healthier. Maybe they aren't.

Randle MVP.

Grimes/McBride 1/2 in ROTY voting.

RJ most improved.

IQ 6th man.

Thibs COTY.

Those are my predictions.

EwingsGlass wrote:

KnickDanger wrote:Knicks beat whoever wins the West in finals after sweeping Nets in first round.

Randle MVP.

Grimes/McBride 1/2 in ROTY voting.

RJ most improved.

IQ 6th man.

Thibs COTY.

Those are my predictions.

You forgot Mitch Robinson DPOY.

Thankfully you didn't!

IN other news Darren Collison is only 34 years old. He has not played in two years but has a tryout with the Warriors. Nothing imminent. The guy never goes away.

Article this week revisits for teh 100th time Melo trade to NY and his side implicating he did not want to be part of a rebuild in Denver. Heard a line on podcast discussing his resigning with knicks with Phil and the NTC. Recall he took a small discount to get that NTC:
“Melo kind of screwed the knicks and the Knicks kinda screwed Melo (by not rebuilding)”.
This subject is divisive among fans. Its kind of true. Melo gave up on Phils triangle and lost his mojo in the aftermath, and knicks did not put a good team on the floor to enhance his talent. When his talent diminished a bit, it unraveled.
I can see this being a thing for years and thru his eventual enshrinement to the HOF. Safe to say Phil won’t be giving a speech. Nor MDA. Nor George Karl. I’d guess Lebron and Jim Boeheim? Not a laker fan bu would like to see melo have a solid role contributing to a Chip.
I was too young to see the Russell era, too much a knick fan to enjoy the Jordan era, but I choose to enjoy the Lebron era as a basketball fan. He was never a knick villain. I understand many of you don’t like him. Its my choice to appreciate his talent and achievements. Same for Kobe. Both were empowered young arrogant young men who grew up over nearly two decades of play and matured into more rounded men on and off the court. Jordan cast a templete in a different era that was perhaps more respective to privacy. Kobe is gone, Lebron will one day also and we’ll have a new star to debate.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2021_preseason_odds.html

Covid threw a lot of **** at this……
Its easy to look at previous years. Vegas gets lot of it wrong.

The sixers have a problem (Houston) they just lost all of their leverage..

Remember what we got for melo

Pacers will be much better with Carlisle there. Don't be surprised if they make a big leap.

I like Willie Green for the NOP. Usually non superstar PG make good coaches.
I like Portland's offseason a lot but I think Billups is the real x Factor. If they lose 5 in a row，does the kitchen get too hot?

Orlando will be interesting. RJ Hampton will make a strong push for the starting PG spot. Management will want Fultz to play to justify that contract but it will be a tough sale b/c Suggs will want to compete. Magic will lose a lot but in a much less depressing fashion than OKC.

Wiz changed coaches too- but I'm thinking there reshaped roster will be enough to power them to a play in game.

Maybe it's optimism，but I think Heat and Celtics both implode.

I love how the NBA literati can simultaneously believe "KD was unstoppable vs Milwaukee" and "PJ Tucker played great defense vs. KD" Tucker's tank is empty and Lowry's on E. Masai doesn't really lose trades. Don't be surprised if Dragic has a better December and January than Lowry before being traded to Dallas for whichever guy pulls his hand out of Kidd's gom jabber box.

Which brings me to the Celtics.
Organizational chaos with the GM being forced out for his overall sliminess? Check
Inside coaching candidate loved by players passed over for unknown outside hire? Check
Dinosaur power forward starter? Check (who incidentally they didn't resign because they didn't want to pay the back end of his deal)
Ridiculously overpaying own FAs? Check
Third best player paid a percentage of a bunch of crappie guys in front of him? Check
Said player hunting for a big contract that the C's can't pay? check
(this hurts because I love him but...)
Sieve back up center guaranteed to blow leads? Check
And finally- two best players both convinced they should be the man? Check

If any other team had that kind of a head scratching offseason， people around the league would notice. Instead， thrice abandoned Josh Richardson (Miami，Philly， and Dallas) gets two more years. Boston hitting the under seems like the safest bet.

shinmen wrote:I agree. This is not professional at all. This is a business. Teams can jettison player's ass anywhere they want when they feel like it but they pay premium for the right to to this. There should be limits to player's empowerment.

For the love of Red Auerbach，explain this in the context of Doc starting the series with Denny Green on Trae?

Refresher-
Ben Simmons，all defense NBA PG.
Trae Young，the little engine that could， heliocentric PG.
Doc Rivers (Of Mice and Men Lenny voice) Let's try Denny Green on Trae.

Even in Game 1 it was an obvious tank job by Simmons. He stayed glued on the stationary 3 point shooter in the corner ceding the middle to Trae to get around the defense to the rim. Ben followed the game plan. And then Doc lays it on Ben's door? I don't blame Ben for not wanting to be scapegoat for Docs ego.

Or even deal with Embiid missing a 3rd of the season every year without at least some gratitude to the guy who kept them as a top seed.

Good riddance.

gradyandrew wrote:Coaching changes should play a bigger role in these projections. It seems like 50% of new coaches crap the bed.

Pacers will be much better with Carlisle there. Don't be surprised if they make a big leap.

I like Willie Green for the NOP. Usually non superstar PG make good coaches.
I like Portland's offseason a lot but I think Billups is the real x Factor. If they lose 5 in a row，does the kitchen get too hot?

Orlando will be interesting. RJ Hampton will make a strong push for the starting PG spot. Management will want Fultz to play to justify that contract but it will be a tough sale b/c Suggs will want to compete. Magic will lose a lot but in a much less depressing fashion than OKC.

Wiz changed coaches too- but I'm thinking there reshaped roster will be enough to power them to a play in game.

Maybe it's optimism，but I think Heat and Celtics both implode.

I love how the NBA literati can simultaneously believe "KD was unstoppable vs Milwaukee" and "PJ Tucker played great defense vs. KD" Tucker's tank is empty and Lowry's on E. Masai doesn't really lose trades. Don't be surprised if Dragic has a better December and January than Lowry before being traded to Dallas for whichever guy pulls his hand out of Kidd's gom jabber box.

Which brings me to the Celtics.
Organizational chaos with the GM being forced out for his overall sliminess? Check
Inside coaching candidate loved by players passed over for unknown outside hire? Check
Dinosaur power forward starter? Check (who incidentally they didn't resign because they didn't want to pay the back end of his deal)
Ridiculously overpaying own FAs? Check
Third best player paid a percentage of a bunch of crappie guys in front of him? Check
Said player hunting for a big contract that the C's can't pay? check
(this hurts because I love him but...)
Sieve back up center guaranteed to blow leads? Check
And finally- two best players both convinced they should be the man? Check

If any other team had that kind of a head scratching offseason， people around the league would notice. Instead， thrice abandoned Josh Richardson (Miami，Philly， and Dallas) gets two more years. Boston hitting the under seems like the safest bet.

I'd go:

1. Nets/Bucks
2. Philly/Miami/ATL
3. Knicks/Pacers/Celtics/Raptors
4. Bulls/Charlotte

my 4 tiers. Pacers are overlooked because their injuries last year was awful and their coaching was a disaster. With Carlisle and health they will factor. They don't have a bankable star but they are deep and Lavert gives them scoring.

Miami if Olidipo returns after surgery, say mid year they could be a problem for teams.
I agree Celtics could very well be the team that falls. But.....Tatum if covid clear is that kind of top 5 MVP type player, and Brown is a solid allstar. A lot has to go right for them to move from the third tier.
Raptors another team that had it all wrong last year and could be in the mix. What Mix? 3rd tier. Bulls won't defend and they have Lavine pending free agency if they don't extend him. Im not sure I'd pay him that and maybe Bulls figure they can let him walk. They have learned they can lose with him..