Top 8 playoff teams in the east and the west

[WarriorSoul]

Yankees #1 in the east

West:
1. Lakers
2. OKC
3. Mavs

East:
1. Bulls
2. Heat
3. Celts

[Boxingtech718v2]

East
Miami - Defending East Champs, still have 3 stars
Bulls - I think Hamilton makes them that much tougher if it gels
Knicks - Chandler will allow Amare to play the PF position full time
Orlando - Depends on D12 trade happening or not.
Celtics - Kind of old and banged up need fresh legs
76ers - They got a good squad on paper can they do something with it
Atlanta - Athletic but no true go to player
Bucks - Sleeper team

West
Thunder - Ready to turn the corner
Mavericks - Lost Chandler
Lakers - Lost Odom to Mavs
Clippers - Beast mode with CP3
Memphis - They got Marc Gasol back
Spurs - Getting Old don't see how they will make it out the first rnd
Hornet- With Kaman, Okafor, Ariza, Gordon, and Jarret Jack they should be
Phoenix - Think Nash gets his team the eight seed somehow

I think a lot of people are basing their picks off of what happend last season. But that was last season. A lot of teams changed dramatically or lost/gained players. Its a whole new league and if you don't have depth with all these back 2 back games your team is probably going to suffer more losses from fatigue. I got the Heat #1 in the east right now but they can easily slip because they have no depth. It's obvious that without Chandler the Mavs won't win again even with Odom. Thunder at number 1 in the west because they are young healthy, athletic and Durant a beast. How long can Durant be held off from the Finals? Can't really see the Celtics being higher than a 4th seed with their age and they don't have a lot of chemistry with the shortened training camp. Chemisty is real important to an older veteran team that depends on timing and running set plays. If Chandler can give NY 80 percent of what he did for Dallas last year and Amare and Melo are back to full strength I don't see many teams beating the Knicks. Only glaring weakness is Douglas at PG but they have Bibby to give the ball to Melo in case. If Hamilton is at at least 85 percent he will make life a lot easier for DRose. Especially if Noah continues to hit the weights and bulk up Bulls can be touger this year. Don't really care bout the rest of teams to keep writing.

[-Hyperion-]

Spurs at 1, Hype?

It's what I think, not what i want :P

Popovich is a great coach....and they were #1 last year. There's barely any drama in San Antonio(to my knowledge), so i expect them to play like a team. That's why i put Spurs and OKC high, they will start well...Mavs and Lakers have gone through changes, so i don't think they'll be as consistent early on.


We're deciding playoff seeds right?on the post-season, things will be different....

FINAL:
Lakers,OKC or Mavs VS Miami.

[-MAKAVELLI-]

It's what I think, not what i want :P

Popovich is a great coach....and they were #1 last year. There's barely any drama in San Antonio(to my knowledge), so i expect them to play like a team. That's why i put Spurs and OKC high, they will start well...Mavs and Lakers have gone through changes, so i don't think they'll be as consistent early on.

i just think they're too old...i see Duncan's numbers dipping even lower than last season's

plus it'll be interesting to see how those old legs respond to a condensed season...just like us


i see OKC finishing the season at # 1

then maybe the Mavs followed by the Lakers, Grizzlies

[-Hyperion-]

i just think they're too old...i see Duncan's numbers dipping even lower than last season's

plus it'll be interesting to see how those old legs respond to a condensed season...just like us


i see OKC finishing the season at # 1

then maybe the Mavs followed by the Lakers, Grizzlies

Could be...but dunno, i always write off the Spurs overall and, at least in the Regular season, they exceed my expectations. So this way, i cant underrate them again...i mean...were many people picking them to win the west last year?

[Boxingtech718v2]

As for a Finals pick I don't think you can reasonably make one with all the player movement this off season.
If I had a wish it would be for my Knicks to beat whomever in the West though.

[-MAKAVELLI-]

Could be...but dunno, i always write off the Spurs overall and, at least in the Regular season, they exceed my expectations. So this way, i cant underrate them again...i mean...were many people picking them to win the west last year?

i hear ya man...they always fly under everyone's radar...im not gonna front...before last season, i thought they'd be a 6th or 7th seed

[Pugilistic™]

East

1. Heat
2. Bulls
3. Celtics
4. Knicks
5. Pacers
6. Magic
7. Hawks
8. Bucks

West

1. Thunder
2. Mavericks
3. Lakers
4. Spurs
5. Grizzlies
6. Blazers
7. Clippers
8. Nuggets

[Boxingtech718v2]

East

1. Heat
2. Bulls
3. Celtics
4. Knicks
5. Pacers
6. Magic
7. Hawks
8. Bucks

West

1. Thunder
2. Mavericks
3. Lakers
4. Spurs
5. Grizzlies
6. Blazers
7. Clippers
8. Nuggets

Blazers ain't doing nothing Roy retired and Oden hurt again.
Nuggets too they got a lot of players in China
Pacers???
No 76ers???
Still ranking the Celtics pretty high considering they have no depth and a bunch of geriatrics. Rondo learn how to shoot yet?

[-MAKAVELLI-]

Blazers ain't doing nothing Roy retired and Oden hurt again.
Nuggets too they got a lot of players in China
Pacers???
No 76ers???
Still ranking the Celtics pretty high considering they have no depth and a bunch of geriatrics. Rondo learn how to shoot yet?

Blazers actually had a great pickup yesterday with Crawford

i think they also have Felton

its Felton, Crawford, Batum, Aldridge and Camby...its not a bad starting 5

Nuggets re-upped on Nene