Extrapolate the 1st third or predict what we don't know? I'd expect Minny to get their **** together. Memphis is back. Rockets on the rise. Its tough out there.
As said, GSW perhaps parlay Kuminga and Schroder into a bigger piece?

Lakers? Depends on the night it seems.

Back East, I think Nets give Simmons the ball and try to trade if he looks good. That or a buy out. Move Finny-smith or Cam Johnson. or Cam Thomas also. Can't say how long they tank. A guy like Ben Simmons can help a contender off the bench if he can stay healthy.

Then there is Miami with Butler. They don't have many picks and are on the decline. Riley has no problem tanking once in a while but to what end? They do seem to find players from the scrap heap. Bam is not typical Bam. I'd think they want Kuminga for butler but how to make the money work is another thing. I'd almost expect to let Butler walk and use the money to sign someone. He find his way to Minny and Randle to Miami? Both are free agents and I can't see them giving randle big money. I can see giving Butler a decent 2 year deal perhaps?

Clev? Like any team its the injury thing. They should stay top 3 and other than Orlando I see Knicks basically at the 3 but its gonna be tight. When the music stops they could be 3-4-5. Orlando has room to also make trades.

DLeethal wrote:Boston is still the king of the East. CLE will get bounced early by someone and reminds me of Donovan's Utah teams that won 55-60 games but never got it done in the playoffs.

Knicks are still some seasoning and trades on the margins from being legit contender. The defense and depth simply isn't good enough yet.

Without a healthy Magic team, Bucks and then Hawks are the next best things in the East. Hawks are gonna be a force soon in my opinion. Very good job by Landry Fields from retooling that team when everyone thought they needed to blow it up.

Philly and Indy look pretty cooked, not really sure how they right their ships.

OKC and Dallas are the kings of the West and seem destined for a rematch in the playoffs to determine who goes to the Finals. I think GSW pulls of a trade which makes them right up there though. LeBron or Butler. Something crazy for Curry's final stretch of years.

However if we can get to the spring with 5 healthy starters and a bench of McBride/Shamat/Precious/Mitch I think we are close as we could ask

fishmike wrote:

DLeethal wrote:Boston is still the king of the East. CLE will get bounced early by someone and reminds me of Donovan's Utah teams that won 55-60 games but never got it done in the playoffs.

Knicks are still some seasoning and trades on the margins from being legit contender. The defense and depth simply isn't good enough yet.

Without a healthy Magic team, Bucks and then Hawks are the next best things in the East. Hawks are gonna be a force soon in my opinion. Very good job by Landry Fields from retooling that team when everyone thought they needed to blow it up.

Philly and Indy look pretty cooked, not really sure how they right their ships.

OKC and Dallas are the kings of the West and seem destined for a rematch in the playoffs to determine who goes to the Finals. I think GSW pulls of a trade which makes them right up there though. LeBron or Butler. Something crazy for Curry's final stretch of years.

totally agree on the bold... literally exactly what I see. I do think the Knicks have the staff/roster to make that leap by the end of the year. Not saying it WILL happen.. I think they are doing everything right. I hate that McBride is hobbled. That knee is hurting him and he's simply not the explosive guy he was last year.

However if we can get to the spring with 5 healthy starters and a bench of McBride/Shamat/Precious/Mitch I think we are close as we could ask

Shame really adds a huge piece for us. Especially if one of our starter wings go down he is a much needed minutes eater. We can't expect OG to play 80 games and I worry about what happens when he goes down but we could retool the lineup pretty nicely with guys like Precious and Shamet available off the bench.

Panos wrote:Who finishes with a better record? Knicks or Bucks?

I think around the same. I feel like the Knicks are Chris Paul and the Knicks are Steph Curry in that one State Farm commercial.

franco12 wrote:Everyone was dumping on the Bucks earlier in the season- I said they would be fine- they just won the cup.

If healthy- they are may 2 or 3 behind Boston and maybe Cleveland.

Impressive turn around for sure. Good call!
We fans tend to extrapolate the present/past into the future. Seems few have respect for Clev given DM Utah playoff "failures" and that we manhandled them a few years ago. Mobley is all grown up now and Atkinson has found something with Garland.
comeing back down to earth a bit perhaps but that to be expected.
As for Knicks, I have really no idea how this all turns out this year.