Predictions for the 2010 – 2111 NBA Season: Eastern Conference
Like the nervousness before the cards go in the air in a poker tournament, the NBA offseason represents the unknown. Franchises are nervously sizing one another up and plotting what pieces need to go where to compete with one another. Who are the suckers they are going to beat up on and who do they need to fear? This isn’t your typical home Texas Holdem poker game this year, because the rest of the Eastern Conference probably feel like an amateur poker player feels when Phil Ivey comes to the table. They are going to have to work hard and probably need to get lucky to beat the Miami Heat. The Heat just upped the ante when they moved LeBron James from Cleveland, and Chris Bosh from Toronto to the sunny weather of Miami and the welcoming arms of Dwayne Wade
The Cavaliers lost their franchise and the place atop the conference. The Raptors don’t have as far to fall but they too lost the heart and soul of their team.
1. Miami Heat. LeBron James, Chris Bosh, Dwayne Wade. This core is good enough to win Olympic Gold Medals and Eastern Conference Championships. They’ll need some outside shooting and some help, but not much. Their defensive length and ability to score at will should be the difference between them and the also-rans.
2.Orlando Magic. The talent is in Florida this year. Just as this year’s World Series of Poker’s November Nine features three players from Florida, the Eastern Conference champion should come from the Sunshine State.
3.Chicago Bulls. It might be easier to pencil the Boston Celtics in the third spot, but their age will come back to haunt them and Chicago’s young legs should make them a more realistic contender. The toughness of Carlos Boozer added to the improving youngsters like Derrick Rose will move Chicago up a couple of spots.
4.Atlanta Hawks. We’ll get to the Celtics, but not yet. The Hawks have improved for an amazing five straight years and this year they’ll be close to last year’s win total. They have bounce in their players and a growing belief their new blood is more talented than the old blood.
5.Boston Celtics. The Celtics last year proved the Rudy Tomjonavich’s quote to never underestimate the heart of a champion. This year their tired legs, sore backs, and age catch up to them. A reclamation project is on the horizon.
6.Charlotte Bobcats. Larry Brown is quietly building a team like he always does. The Bobcats haven’t had the greatest offseason, in fact in terms of personnel they might have gotten a little worse. The good thing is they have enough to make the playoffs again and DJ Augustin will have room to grow in the starting spot with Raymond Felton gone. They will be in a tight four way race for the last three spots with Miwaukee, New York, and Washington. Coach Brown will be the difference
7.Milwaukee Bucks. This is the team that has the biggest range of potential finishes. If Andrew Bogut is healthy and Brandon Jennings continues to improve they could be in the 3rd or 4th spot. For now, putting a team on the shoulders of a second year point guard who likes to shoot first and pass last, is a big leap of faith. It took Allen Iverson a few years to get it right in Philly and likely will be a year or two before the Bucks are contending too.
8.Washington Wizards. The New York Knicks could easily be in the slot with the acquisition of Aamre Stoudemire at first blush you might think so, but John Wall will have a bigger impact in Washington. Wall likes to pass the ball, so Gilbert Arenas will get looks and more looks. From day one the Wizards backcourt will be one of the best in the league even with a rookie at the helm.
