East playoff seedings

[vcsgrizzfan]

A lot of moving parts in the east. Pacers did a bunch of stuff, Hawks did a bunch of stuff, Bulls did a bunch of stuff, Magic did a bunch of stuff and in pretty much all cases, you can make a case they got better, and you can make a case they got worse.

Gun to my head, I say Artie is wrong about the Magic and they still don't make the playoffs, and the Bulls are a 5-8 seed. I'm only including them, since they seem to be the lightning rods of discussion. I think it's an absolute given that the Cavs are first seed unless LeBron rips up a knee and Boston definitely should move up into top 4 seed territory.

[elartman1973]

A lot of moving parts in the east. Pacers did a bunch of stuff, Hawks did a bunch of stuff, Bulls did a bunch of stuff, Magic did a bunch of stuff and in pretty much all cases, you can make a case they got better, and you can make a case they got worse.

Gun to my head, I say Artie is wrong about the Magic and they still don't make the playoffs, and the Bulls are a 5-8 seed. I'm only including them, since they seem to be the lightning rods of discussion. I think it's an absolute given that the Cavs are first seed unless LeBron rips up a knee and Boston definitely should move up into top 4 seed territory.

Magic make the playoffs and theres no case for them getting worse at all

[3effs]

I would say there are 3 playoff locks in the East: Cavs, Celtics and Raptors. Probably Pacers too.
Don't see it with the Bulls. Reminds me when the Pistons signed Jennings and Smith and had a bunch of non shooters. They are going to be too easy to gameplan against and the East is going to have a lot of teams battling for those last few spots.

[rileymartin]

Cleveland
Toronto
Boston
Indy
Charlotte
Detroit
Chicago
Miami

[elartman1973]

Cleveland
Toronto
Boston
Indy
Charlotte
Detroit
Chicago
Miami

Magic will be better than miami and cbarlottw right off the bat...pistons have a lot of issues....
Lol at the severe underrating (misunderstood) magic

[3effs]

Pistons own the Magic.

[vcsgrizzfan]

Nobody is giving the Hawks any love here. I think they are clearly still good enough to make the playoffs.

Howard gets shit on, but enough of the piling on alright already. Millsap compliments him well. Trading Teague hurt them and obviously losing Horford, but I still see them being at least a lower half seed.

[rileymartin]

Cleveland
Toronto
Boston
Indy
Charlotte
Detroit
Chicago
Miami

Magic will be better than miami and cbarlottw right off the bat...pistons have a lot of issues....
Lol at the severe underrating (misunderstood) magic

I am not seeing it.

[elartman1973]

Cleveland
Toronto
Boston
Indy
Charlotte
Detroit
Chicago
Miami

Magic will be better than miami and cbarlottw right off the bat...pistons have a lot of issues....
Lol at the severe underrating (misunderstood) magic

I am not seeing it.

You havent bothered to really look....
And as for the heat???? They arent making the ayoffs and certainly not better than the magic

[AlaskaHawks]

1. CLE
2-8. WHO CARES

My thoughts exactly.

[rileymartin]

Magic will be better than miami and cbarlottw right off the bat...pistons have a lot of issues....
Lol at the severe underrating (misunderstood) magic

I am not seeing it.

You havent bothered to really look....
And as for the heat???? They arent making the ayoffs and certainly not better than the magic

Miami has 3 players that are better than anyone on the Magic. And, what I see is a 35 win team that has been considerably weakened by a trade.

[3effs]

Hawks should make the playoffs.
I think the only teams in the East who have absolutely no shot are the Nets and 76ers.

[rileymartin]

Hawks should make the playoffs.
I think the only teams in the East who have absolutely no shot are the Nets and 76ers.

...And the Magic

[elartman1973]

Hawks should make the playoffs.
I think the only teams in the East who have absolutely no shot are the Nets and 76ers.

...And the Magic

Moron...
How will the heat even win 20 games? You lost johnson..wade, deng, bosh probably...and you are claiming they are better than the magic and a playoff team?

Youve lost all credibility

[Deez]

Hawks should make the playoffs.
I think the only teams in the East who have absolutely no shot are the Nets and 76ers.

...And the Magic

...And the Heat

[3effs]

You can talk yourself into the Magic though.

Ibaka has a big contract year and forms a formidable front line with Biyombo.
Hezonja takes that next step.
Payton and Fournier continue to improve.
Possibly make a shrewd move or two during the season to get better. Maybe a Vucevic trade?

I just don't see all of those things happening. I'm also not high on Ibaka.

[vcsgrizzfan]

You can talk yourself into the Magic though.

Ibaka has a big contract year and forms a formidable front line with Biyombo.
Hezonja takes that next step.
Payton and Fournier continue to improve.
Possibly make a shrewd move or two during the season to get better. Maybe a Vucevic trade?

I just don't see all of those things happening. I'm also not high on Ibaka.

This^^^^^.

It's sorta possible, but just doesn't feel likely.

[elartman1973]

You can talk yourself into the Magic though.

Ibaka has a big contract year and forms a formidable front line with Biyombo.
Hezonja takes that next step.
Payton and Fournier continue to improve.
Possibly make a shrewd move or two during the season to get better. Maybe a Vucevic trade?

I just don't see all of those things happening. I'm also not high on Ibaka.

This^^^^^.

It's sorta possible, but just doesn't feel likely.

Feels quite likely and then some

[3effs]

You can also talk yourself into the Heat. Dragic's larger role allows him to play more like the guy we saw with the Suns. Whiteside actually is worth 98 million (have my doubts). And Winslow blossoms in his second season.

Good luck talking yourself into the Nets or 76ers.

[rileymartin]

You can also talk yourself into the Heat. Dragic's larger role allows him to play more like the guy we saw with the Suns. Whiteside actually is worth 98 million (have my doubts). And Winslow blossoms in his second season.

Good luck talking yourself into the Nets or 76ers.

Don't forget Richardson...The guy was lights out from three once he got playing time, and he is a very good defender. It will depend on the the other moves Riley makes to fill out the roster for this season, but depth will be more important than adding a frontline starter.
And, if Bosh is healthy, it would be a no brainer that Miami is in.