Post by Clifford "Poop" Harris on Jun 28, 2010 11:00:54 GMT -5
It's hard to make predictions before i even know how good some of these players are so i'm basically going off tc's (ratings) and last year's results.
7.
They have one more year to tank before they have to win again if I'm not mistaking and it's not looking too good right now. Other than Gilchrist, it's hard to find anyone else on the team worth any value. This could very well be a one-man team throughout the year, which is why i have them at the bottom of this division as it stands. I wouldn't be surprised if Gilchrist put up 25 ppg+ on the season, but that won't be near enough to get them anywhere near the playoffs. They have a bunch of cap, so next summer could be a make or break off-season. It's tough to rely on Free Agency as a means to build a team. With that being said, they have a franchise player to build a team around, not something many other teams can say. Gilchrist looks like a perennial all-star so utilizing their pick this year to acquire another young stud is key. They can't afford to miss on their next pick or they could very well be cy'd.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Andray Blatche
PF: Aaron Murray
SF: Michael Gilchrist
SG: Rodney Williams
PG: Ervin Walker
Projected Record: 23-59
6.
The Heat have found a way to build a playoff team over the last few years despite going into many off-seasons with the cupboard bear. I see them struggling a bit this year, they lack a player with the ability to score inside and superstar or franchise player. They have a solid 1-2-3 punch in AK, Martell and Jose but i don't think you can make the playoffs with those 3 as your best players and not much depth behind them. They're going to have to rely on their defense, behind AK and Griffin in order to surpass expectations and make the playoffs. Those aren't bad guys to rely on, with 12 all-defensive teams between them, but it's going to be tough. I don't see them winning 50 games like they did last year, I see them maxing out at about 40-42 wins, but i could be wrong. The Lotto seems like the most likely destination though, we'll just have to see. This team is aging though so unless iflip decides to re-tool a bit, this could be their last realistic shot at the playoffs.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Eddie Griffin
PF: Soloman Alabi
SF: Andrei Kirilenko
SG: Martell Webster
PG: Jose Calderon
Projected Record: 36-46
5.
The Celtics were able to re-sign one of the best defensive bigs in the league in Martynas, which was crucial considering they had no other big men with much ability to defend. With the Center spot being addressed, the power forward is far from. They have a plenty of choices to go with at the PF spot but no real good ones. With Martynas taking care of the defense and rebounding, i predict ib4 will start Lamarcus Aldridge to begin the season. He's not a great choice, but he's the only big man who can score for them at this point. This isn't the only issue though, there's a gaping hole at the SF spot and it's unclear how ib4 plans to address it. He might be left with no other choice but to play guys out of position. The up-and-coming Alec Burks might need to be moved to the SF spot along with Devin Harris to the SG spot. Unconventional yes, but that might be the only option. If Alec can turn into a star, this team would have a guaranteed playoff spot but that might be a little premature. For now, they'll be fighting for a spot near the bottom of the playoff seedings.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Martynas Andriuskevicius
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
SF: Alec Burks
SG: Devin Harris
PG: Darren Collison
Projected Record: 39-43
4.
The first team we've come across so far in the division, with an actual superstar. In only his third season, expect to see him top his 27 ppg career high of last year. It's hard to imagine he's already set the bar so high in only two seasons in the league. He's basically the only reason i have the Knicks in contention for the playoffs. They have solid, not great, pieces around him, but not much is needed when you have one of the best players in the league. They're missing a defensive presence down low, but i expect Perry to pick up the slack on the boards as he's one of the best rebounding small forwards in the game. They could be battling up until the last final days for a playoff spot, it's going to be close. I believe they have one more year before they reach their cy though so it's not do or die yet. It's going to be tough if they don't surround perry with better players though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Ryan Richards
PF: Blake Griffin
SF: Perry Jones
SG: Jason Richardson
PG: Quinn Cook
Projected Record: 39-43
3.
The Magic will probably have another season of mediocrity. Andrew Bynum's development, or lack-thereof seem to hinder the team's ability to assure themselves a playoff spot. Lamar Odom seems to be declining every year so i doubt he'll perform at the same level he did last year. The only players shaunkol could rely on are Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala, if not for one or the other, this team would probably drop a spot or two in this division. They'll probably make the playoffs, but don't expect them to make any magical runs or anything. It's probably time to do a proper rebuild. They cut their losses by trading Chris Paul, it might be time to do that with Andrew Bynum. If it's not too late. As is, i wouldn't be surprised if they nabbed a 7th or 8th seed. Chances are, they don't make playoffs for the 2nd straight year. They could salvage the year by making it to 41 though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Andrew Bynum
PF: Josh Smith
SF: Lamar Odom
SG: Andre Iguodala
PG: Raul Lopez
Projected Record: 40-42
2.
This is a tough team to judge. Had you asked me before training camp i would have locked this team up for a top 6 playoff seed. Now, I'm not so sure. Deron has slowly been declining over the last couple years and he's only 29, definitely raises some red flags. Larry and Duncan are surely passes their prime so a lot was riding on Deron's shoulders coming into the season and his decline puts this team in a tough spot. I think it'd be safe to say Gerald Green is probably their best player now. How they 76'ers end up will depend heavily on the abilities of Gerald Green. They should still be a lock for the playoffs, but it's hard to imagine them getting out of the first round.....again. It's about time they ditch Deron and cut their losses, interesting to see if there would be any suitors. A re-tool is seemingly necessary, if not a total rebuild.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Saer Sene
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Gerald Green
SG: Larry Hughes
PG: Deron Williams
Projected Record: 45-37
1.
I fully expect the Nets to run away with this division. They'll basically have the #2 seed on lock. The only question is, how far will they go once they make the playoffs. There's no weak link in the teams starting 5. They are solid at every single position, great in some. If Favors and Henry can take the next step in their development, this team could be the biggest challengers to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference. Their ability to compete for a title will hinge on the performances of Favors and Henry. You pretty much know what you're going to go with the other 3, these 2 still have room for improvement. The acquisition of Jameer was big in terms of conference supremacy. They have the pieces to represent the conference in the finals, but will they put all these pieces together. Should be fun to watch. No doubt who the Division winners will be...unless there's some injuries.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Paul Milsap
PF: Derrick Favors
SF: Xavier Henry
SG: Jameer Nelson
PG: Chauncey Billups
Projected Record: 56-26
All Atlantic Team
C: Martynas Andriuskevicius
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Perry Jones
SG: Andre Iguodala
PG: Deron Williams
8.
I believe they were in their cy before Pistons gm respectfully resigned. Hopefully the new gm can finally start stringing together some successful seasons. They are by far the worse team in the division and could be in contention for the #1 projected pick. That's not where you want to be going into your cy year so the resignation was for the best. They have nothing of value outside of Tomas and he won't net them anything to turn this team into a 41 win team. The new GM is going to have to be prepared to tank for another few seasons. hey might be the worse franchise over the last decade. A decade in which the team has seen 9 losing seasons and 1 44 win season. They might might have to ship out everything other than Tomas. Hopefully GM HeatFlash is up to the task.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Marc Gasol
PF: David West
SF: Tomas Satoransky
SG: Marcus Thornton
PG: Louis Williams
Projected Record: 24-58
7.
This is a franchise in turmoil. They've had 3 gm's over the last six seasons and they've failed to win 35 or more for the last seven seasons. Not all is lost though, they have a young core that gives them optimism for the future. With guys like Evan Turner, Josh Selby, Austin Rivers and Chase Budinger there's nowhere to go but up. The only question that remains is whether the current gm will be around to see it. They are in dire need of a big man so this extra year to tank should come in handy. James should made it a priority to make sure Evan Turner fulfills his potential. He's a few articles away from becoming a superstar. They probably won't be bad enough to land a top 5 pick, but they'll have a nice pick nonetheless as i don't see this team winning all that much. Expect an improvement over last season though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Julian Wright
SF: Evan Turner
SG: Chase Budinger
PG: Austin Rivers
Projected Record: 30-52
6.
This is an interesting team. They have a nice young core to build for the future so you get the feeling they should continue rebuilding, but then you see Manu Ginobili and you see a mediocre playoff team. It's going to be interesting to see what the Raptors GM does going forward. If his intention is to make the playoffs then he has the team to barely sneak in. The best case scenario for this team is a first round playoff exit. Dexter Pittman and Gordon Hayward look nice though so they have something a build around since Manu clearly isn't a long-term solution. It might be ideal for the Raptors to rebuild around Dexter and Hayward in order to acquire more young talent. No team wants to be in mediocrity like this team is set to do. I expect them to end the season around the .500 mark. I guess Raptors will be content making their CY. Sagapolutele is a great gm so don't expect them to be mediocre for too long.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Dexter Pittman
PF: Trey Thompkins
SF: Gordon Hayward
SG: Monta Ellis
PG: Manu Ginobili
Projected Record: 41-41
5.
I see the Bulls taking a step back from their 50-win season last year. Al Jefferson is still performing at the top of his game, but Wang Zhi Zhi is on the decline. Jefferson, Wang, Deng should still be enough to get them a playoff spot, but they're going to have some struggles without a true pg. If Dalton Pepper can perform, they should be fine but it's a lot to put on a former 2nd round selection. Flor this reason, I see the Bulls being slightly less effective this season. It's probably getting close to rebuilding time for the Bulls. They've already won a championship with this car and returning to that form seems very unlikely. It's a stacked division, so 5th is nothing to be ashamed of. Expect Tigerz to have another championship contending team within the next 3-4 seasons.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Al Jefferson
PF: Wang Zhi Zhi
SF: Luol Deng
SG: Dalton Pepper
PG: Ronald Murray
I
Projected Record: 43-39
4.
The Cavaliers are one of the youngest teams in the nba with an average age of 23.4 years old. Not too long ago, Rudy Gay was the youngest player on the team. Now, he's the oldest in the starting lineup at only 27 years old. They surpassed expectations last year by winning 46 games and they seem to be better this year with the development of Ed Davis, Scotty Hopson and Ed Davis. They have a solid young core to go along with their superstar but they'll be destined for another 1st round exit. They could win 50 if everything aligns for them, but that looks highly doubtful. They should win about the same number of games as they did last year. Their inexperience at PG and lack of talent at the position will hinder their chances to make any kind of noise in the playoffs, but we'll see. I'll predict one less win than last year.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Brook Lopez
PF: Ed Davis
SF: Rudy Gay
SG: Scotty Hopson
PG: Dexter Strickland
Projected Record: 45-37
3.
The Hawks will be a solid playoff team this season. Whether they're anything more will depend on the abilities of Brandon Knight. If he gets camped via articles or IT's and makes improvements i see the Hawks being a 50 win team again. Deshawn-Kelenna-Knight would probably be most ideal for the Hawks GM at the 3-2-1 position. Knight isn't good enough to take the starting PG spot yet though so Deshawn is most likely going to start there. The Hawks are either going to have to invest in Brandon Knight to give him every opportunity to become a star, or look to trade him for a big man who can make an impact. That's their only real weakness at the moment and i don't see them making any noise in the playoffs unless they do. They're capable of making it to the 2nd round, but that's about it. Brandon Knight will be the x-factor for this team.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Kris Humprhies
PF: Josh Powell
SF: Donte Greene
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
PG: Deshawn Stevenson
Projected Record: 46-36
2.
Bucks are one of the few elite teams in the league. Despite losing Terrence Williams in the off-season they still field one of the best lineups in the league and should make it hard for the Pacers in the Eastern Conference. At the age of 31, Dwayne Wade is still the best player in the league and they should maintain their performance from last year. The development in the off-season of Greg Monroe might be enough to overcome the loss of Terrence Williams, but whether that will translate to production on the court is yet to be seen. I'd probably have them #1 in the division had they held on to Terrence, but it's a close call either way. It's rare to see a team have such good young talent around their superstar. With Travis Leslie and Greg Monroe, they have two players who should be able to pick up the slack for Wade as he ages and undergoes a natural decline over the next few years. They'll be contending for many more years, Pacers might interfere with their ability to win a championship though. The Bucks have a bigger window though so don't be surprised to see Krup get another title, with this core eventually.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Tyson Chandler
PF: Greg Monroe
SF: Dwayne Wade
SG: Travis Leslie
PG: Luke Ridnour
Projected Record: 55-27
1.
I had to go with the Pacers as the division winners, just had to. They are the defending champs and have won 50 games in each of the last six seasons. It's amazing when you consider Andrew's ability to keep his core intact for all these years. The Bucks seem to be closing the gap, but i wouldn't be surprised to see the Pacers hoist up another trophy when it's all set and done. To go along with their great starting lineup, they have great depth. That's what separates them from the Bucks and almost every other team. I don't see them dominating like they did last season, but they don't have to. They have had injuries going into the playoffs over the last couple seasons, that's the only thing i see stopping them this season. They'll probably end up with the #1 seed, giving them home-court throughout the playoffs once again. It's going to be tough for anyone to beat them.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Darko Milicic
PF: David Lee
SF: Carmelo Anthony
SG: Richard Hamilton
PG: Michael Redd
Projected Record: 59-23
All Central Team
C: Al Jefferson
PF: Greg Monroe
SF: Rudy Gay
SG: Dwayne Wade
PG: Deshawn Stevenson
ATLANTIC DIVISION
7.
They have one more year to tank before they have to win again if I'm not mistaking and it's not looking too good right now. Other than Gilchrist, it's hard to find anyone else on the team worth any value. This could very well be a one-man team throughout the year, which is why i have them at the bottom of this division as it stands. I wouldn't be surprised if Gilchrist put up 25 ppg+ on the season, but that won't be near enough to get them anywhere near the playoffs. They have a bunch of cap, so next summer could be a make or break off-season. It's tough to rely on Free Agency as a means to build a team. With that being said, they have a franchise player to build a team around, not something many other teams can say. Gilchrist looks like a perennial all-star so utilizing their pick this year to acquire another young stud is key. They can't afford to miss on their next pick or they could very well be cy'd.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Andray Blatche
PF: Aaron Murray
SF: Michael Gilchrist
SG: Rodney Williams
PG: Ervin Walker
Projected Record: 23-59
6.
The Heat have found a way to build a playoff team over the last few years despite going into many off-seasons with the cupboard bear. I see them struggling a bit this year, they lack a player with the ability to score inside and superstar or franchise player. They have a solid 1-2-3 punch in AK, Martell and Jose but i don't think you can make the playoffs with those 3 as your best players and not much depth behind them. They're going to have to rely on their defense, behind AK and Griffin in order to surpass expectations and make the playoffs. Those aren't bad guys to rely on, with 12 all-defensive teams between them, but it's going to be tough. I don't see them winning 50 games like they did last year, I see them maxing out at about 40-42 wins, but i could be wrong. The Lotto seems like the most likely destination though, we'll just have to see. This team is aging though so unless iflip decides to re-tool a bit, this could be their last realistic shot at the playoffs.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Eddie Griffin
PF: Soloman Alabi
SF: Andrei Kirilenko
SG: Martell Webster
PG: Jose Calderon
Projected Record: 36-46
5.
The Celtics were able to re-sign one of the best defensive bigs in the league in Martynas, which was crucial considering they had no other big men with much ability to defend. With the Center spot being addressed, the power forward is far from. They have a plenty of choices to go with at the PF spot but no real good ones. With Martynas taking care of the defense and rebounding, i predict ib4 will start Lamarcus Aldridge to begin the season. He's not a great choice, but he's the only big man who can score for them at this point. This isn't the only issue though, there's a gaping hole at the SF spot and it's unclear how ib4 plans to address it. He might be left with no other choice but to play guys out of position. The up-and-coming Alec Burks might need to be moved to the SF spot along with Devin Harris to the SG spot. Unconventional yes, but that might be the only option. If Alec can turn into a star, this team would have a guaranteed playoff spot but that might be a little premature. For now, they'll be fighting for a spot near the bottom of the playoff seedings.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Martynas Andriuskevicius
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge
SF: Alec Burks
SG: Devin Harris
PG: Darren Collison
Projected Record: 39-43
4.
The first team we've come across so far in the division, with an actual superstar. In only his third season, expect to see him top his 27 ppg career high of last year. It's hard to imagine he's already set the bar so high in only two seasons in the league. He's basically the only reason i have the Knicks in contention for the playoffs. They have solid, not great, pieces around him, but not much is needed when you have one of the best players in the league. They're missing a defensive presence down low, but i expect Perry to pick up the slack on the boards as he's one of the best rebounding small forwards in the game. They could be battling up until the last final days for a playoff spot, it's going to be close. I believe they have one more year before they reach their cy though so it's not do or die yet. It's going to be tough if they don't surround perry with better players though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Ryan Richards
PF: Blake Griffin
SF: Perry Jones
SG: Jason Richardson
PG: Quinn Cook
Projected Record: 39-43
3.
The Magic will probably have another season of mediocrity. Andrew Bynum's development, or lack-thereof seem to hinder the team's ability to assure themselves a playoff spot. Lamar Odom seems to be declining every year so i doubt he'll perform at the same level he did last year. The only players shaunkol could rely on are Josh Smith and Andre Iguodala, if not for one or the other, this team would probably drop a spot or two in this division. They'll probably make the playoffs, but don't expect them to make any magical runs or anything. It's probably time to do a proper rebuild. They cut their losses by trading Chris Paul, it might be time to do that with Andrew Bynum. If it's not too late. As is, i wouldn't be surprised if they nabbed a 7th or 8th seed. Chances are, they don't make playoffs for the 2nd straight year. They could salvage the year by making it to 41 though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Andrew Bynum
PF: Josh Smith
SF: Lamar Odom
SG: Andre Iguodala
PG: Raul Lopez
Projected Record: 40-42
2.
This is a tough team to judge. Had you asked me before training camp i would have locked this team up for a top 6 playoff seed. Now, I'm not so sure. Deron has slowly been declining over the last couple years and he's only 29, definitely raises some red flags. Larry and Duncan are surely passes their prime so a lot was riding on Deron's shoulders coming into the season and his decline puts this team in a tough spot. I think it'd be safe to say Gerald Green is probably their best player now. How they 76'ers end up will depend heavily on the abilities of Gerald Green. They should still be a lock for the playoffs, but it's hard to imagine them getting out of the first round.....again. It's about time they ditch Deron and cut their losses, interesting to see if there would be any suitors. A re-tool is seemingly necessary, if not a total rebuild.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Saer Sene
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Gerald Green
SG: Larry Hughes
PG: Deron Williams
Projected Record: 45-37
1.
I fully expect the Nets to run away with this division. They'll basically have the #2 seed on lock. The only question is, how far will they go once they make the playoffs. There's no weak link in the teams starting 5. They are solid at every single position, great in some. If Favors and Henry can take the next step in their development, this team could be the biggest challengers to the Pacers in the Eastern Conference. Their ability to compete for a title will hinge on the performances of Favors and Henry. You pretty much know what you're going to go with the other 3, these 2 still have room for improvement. The acquisition of Jameer was big in terms of conference supremacy. They have the pieces to represent the conference in the finals, but will they put all these pieces together. Should be fun to watch. No doubt who the Division winners will be...unless there's some injuries.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Paul Milsap
PF: Derrick Favors
SF: Xavier Henry
SG: Jameer Nelson
PG: Chauncey Billups
Projected Record: 56-26
All Atlantic Team
C: Martynas Andriuskevicius
PF: Tim Duncan
SF: Perry Jones
SG: Andre Iguodala
PG: Deron Williams
CENTRAL DIVISION
8.
I believe they were in their cy before Pistons gm respectfully resigned. Hopefully the new gm can finally start stringing together some successful seasons. They are by far the worse team in the division and could be in contention for the #1 projected pick. That's not where you want to be going into your cy year so the resignation was for the best. They have nothing of value outside of Tomas and he won't net them anything to turn this team into a 41 win team. The new GM is going to have to be prepared to tank for another few seasons. hey might be the worse franchise over the last decade. A decade in which the team has seen 9 losing seasons and 1 44 win season. They might might have to ship out everything other than Tomas. Hopefully GM HeatFlash is up to the task.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Marc Gasol
PF: David West
SF: Tomas Satoransky
SG: Marcus Thornton
PG: Louis Williams
Projected Record: 24-58
7.
This is a franchise in turmoil. They've had 3 gm's over the last six seasons and they've failed to win 35 or more for the last seven seasons. Not all is lost though, they have a young core that gives them optimism for the future. With guys like Evan Turner, Josh Selby, Austin Rivers and Chase Budinger there's nowhere to go but up. The only question that remains is whether the current gm will be around to see it. They are in dire need of a big man so this extra year to tank should come in handy. James should made it a priority to make sure Evan Turner fulfills his potential. He's a few articles away from becoming a superstar. They probably won't be bad enough to land a top 5 pick, but they'll have a nice pick nonetheless as i don't see this team winning all that much. Expect an improvement over last season though.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Vladimir Radmanovic
PF: Julian Wright
SF: Evan Turner
SG: Chase Budinger
PG: Austin Rivers
Projected Record: 30-52
6.
This is an interesting team. They have a nice young core to build for the future so you get the feeling they should continue rebuilding, but then you see Manu Ginobili and you see a mediocre playoff team. It's going to be interesting to see what the Raptors GM does going forward. If his intention is to make the playoffs then he has the team to barely sneak in. The best case scenario for this team is a first round playoff exit. Dexter Pittman and Gordon Hayward look nice though so they have something a build around since Manu clearly isn't a long-term solution. It might be ideal for the Raptors to rebuild around Dexter and Hayward in order to acquire more young talent. No team wants to be in mediocrity like this team is set to do. I expect them to end the season around the .500 mark. I guess Raptors will be content making their CY. Sagapolutele is a great gm so don't expect them to be mediocre for too long.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Dexter Pittman
PF: Trey Thompkins
SF: Gordon Hayward
SG: Monta Ellis
PG: Manu Ginobili
Projected Record: 41-41
5.
I see the Bulls taking a step back from their 50-win season last year. Al Jefferson is still performing at the top of his game, but Wang Zhi Zhi is on the decline. Jefferson, Wang, Deng should still be enough to get them a playoff spot, but they're going to have some struggles without a true pg. If Dalton Pepper can perform, they should be fine but it's a lot to put on a former 2nd round selection. Flor this reason, I see the Bulls being slightly less effective this season. It's probably getting close to rebuilding time for the Bulls. They've already won a championship with this car and returning to that form seems very unlikely. It's a stacked division, so 5th is nothing to be ashamed of. Expect Tigerz to have another championship contending team within the next 3-4 seasons.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Al Jefferson
PF: Wang Zhi Zhi
SF: Luol Deng
SG: Dalton Pepper
PG: Ronald Murray
I
Projected Record: 43-39
4.
The Cavaliers are one of the youngest teams in the nba with an average age of 23.4 years old. Not too long ago, Rudy Gay was the youngest player on the team. Now, he's the oldest in the starting lineup at only 27 years old. They surpassed expectations last year by winning 46 games and they seem to be better this year with the development of Ed Davis, Scotty Hopson and Ed Davis. They have a solid young core to go along with their superstar but they'll be destined for another 1st round exit. They could win 50 if everything aligns for them, but that looks highly doubtful. They should win about the same number of games as they did last year. Their inexperience at PG and lack of talent at the position will hinder their chances to make any kind of noise in the playoffs, but we'll see. I'll predict one less win than last year.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Brook Lopez
PF: Ed Davis
SF: Rudy Gay
SG: Scotty Hopson
PG: Dexter Strickland
Projected Record: 45-37
3.
The Hawks will be a solid playoff team this season. Whether they're anything more will depend on the abilities of Brandon Knight. If he gets camped via articles or IT's and makes improvements i see the Hawks being a 50 win team again. Deshawn-Kelenna-Knight would probably be most ideal for the Hawks GM at the 3-2-1 position. Knight isn't good enough to take the starting PG spot yet though so Deshawn is most likely going to start there. The Hawks are either going to have to invest in Brandon Knight to give him every opportunity to become a star, or look to trade him for a big man who can make an impact. That's their only real weakness at the moment and i don't see them making any noise in the playoffs unless they do. They're capable of making it to the 2nd round, but that's about it. Brandon Knight will be the x-factor for this team.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Kris Humprhies
PF: Josh Powell
SF: Donte Greene
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
PG: Deshawn Stevenson
Projected Record: 46-36
2.
Bucks are one of the few elite teams in the league. Despite losing Terrence Williams in the off-season they still field one of the best lineups in the league and should make it hard for the Pacers in the Eastern Conference. At the age of 31, Dwayne Wade is still the best player in the league and they should maintain their performance from last year. The development in the off-season of Greg Monroe might be enough to overcome the loss of Terrence Williams, but whether that will translate to production on the court is yet to be seen. I'd probably have them #1 in the division had they held on to Terrence, but it's a close call either way. It's rare to see a team have such good young talent around their superstar. With Travis Leslie and Greg Monroe, they have two players who should be able to pick up the slack for Wade as he ages and undergoes a natural decline over the next few years. They'll be contending for many more years, Pacers might interfere with their ability to win a championship though. The Bucks have a bigger window though so don't be surprised to see Krup get another title, with this core eventually.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Tyson Chandler
PF: Greg Monroe
SF: Dwayne Wade
SG: Travis Leslie
PG: Luke Ridnour
Projected Record: 55-27
1.
I had to go with the Pacers as the division winners, just had to. They are the defending champs and have won 50 games in each of the last six seasons. It's amazing when you consider Andrew's ability to keep his core intact for all these years. The Bucks seem to be closing the gap, but i wouldn't be surprised to see the Pacers hoist up another trophy when it's all set and done. To go along with their great starting lineup, they have great depth. That's what separates them from the Bucks and almost every other team. I don't see them dominating like they did last season, but they don't have to. They have had injuries going into the playoffs over the last couple seasons, that's the only thing i see stopping them this season. They'll probably end up with the #1 seed, giving them home-court throughout the playoffs once again. It's going to be tough for anyone to beat them.
Projected Starting Lineup
C: Darko Milicic
PF: David Lee
SF: Carmelo Anthony
SG: Richard Hamilton
PG: Michael Redd
Projected Record: 59-23
All Central Team
C: Al Jefferson
PF: Greg Monroe
SF: Rudy Gay
SG: Dwayne Wade
PG: Deshawn Stevenson
