Looking way ahead
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- July
- 7
Let’s make a list. Based on the rosters currently assembled, give me the order of finish next season in the Atlantic Division, and we’re going to do this a couple of times over the summer as teams make significant roster moves.
I’ll say Boston, Toronto, New York, New Jersey and Philadelphia.
There’s a very good chance I have the Knicks too high on that list, but I think Philadelphia is a solid free agent away from becoming a playoff team. And while I like what the Nets are doing, a major overhaul usually results in a period of losing.
Let’s make another list. Based on the rosters currently assembled, give me the Eastern Conference playoff teams in no particular order.
I’ll say Boston, Orlando, Detroit, Toronto, Washington, Cleveland, Miami and Chicago.
We’re still waiting to hear when the Knicks might formally introduce Chris Duhon, but free agents can’t sign until Wednesday. The summer league roster should be finalized any moment now, so that will get passed along once the announcement is made.
Did anybody happen to see what Randolph Morris had to say about his former employer in the Boston Herald over the weekend? He was part of the Celtics’ free agent and rookie camp last week took a roundabout shot at Isiah Thomas for not developing players on the end of the bench.
“It was hard because you had to try and find different ways to get noticed,†Morris said. “But when I did get the chance, I had to live up to my potential, and that didn’t happen.
“But there’s no question it was tough there. The first thing you wanted to deal with was the question of helping the team in some way. But there were only spotty minutes in practice for guys like me, and that should have been the time when they were trying to develop their young guys.â€
To be fair, there’s only so much practice time and players that far down the bench have to be self-motivated enough to find a way up the food chain. Morris should be asking why he wasn’t sent to the NBADL to learn on the fly.
This entry was posted
on Monday, July 7th, 2008 at 10:42 am by Mike Dougherty.
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hay mike philly made the playoffs last year they are one free agent from becomeing a top 4 or 5 team in the east so u can change that on youre list. And what if toronto blows up and BOSH and ONEAL cant work toronto is stuck with oneal and at this point in his career nobody wants a player with a MAX contract and knee problems. maybe they fall out just like chicago did. And with the signing if Arenas i see washington being the second in the east not orlando. Detroit is going to make a move most likely and if they do unload billups and wallace that might help a couple teams that are at the bottom to move up. Like our beloved NEW YORK KNICKS
Philly is ALREADY a playoff team, a ss.
It’s gonna be Boston, Philly, Toronto, us, NJ and in the east it’ll be Boston, Detroit, Orlando, Miami, Washington, Cleveland, Philly and Chicago
That poster with a capital D is not me, boys!!
I see Boston, Philly, Toronto, NY, NJ. I’ll be optimistic we can finish 4th. I do think it’s a bit early for this. I’m not big on the J.O. trade for Toronto, but they will not slide far enough for us to catch them unless Duhon becomes Carlos Boozer. I like our moves though, and I can see some others, potentially. Most notably an end to the Marbury era. So, maybe we can move up.
I think Chicago takes a major step forward with Rose and depending on whether they can, maybe move Heinrich for a quality big man with some post game. I don’t think that Beasley, Wade and the D-League all stars are going to be quite ready in Miami.
Boston
Detroit
Cleveland
Orlando
Chicago
Washington
Atlanta
Philly
It is too early to make predictions. But I will say this. If Marbury is still on the team he will be a distraction.
Any time a coach tries to make him play D he cries. He wants his shots because he is a vet who knows what is best for the team.
They need to off him one way or the other. Most likely they will have to eat major $$$ for the sanity of the club.
Oh. By the way in response to your poll the answer is E) All of the above.
You really should let us submit an answer.
Miami rebounds after a bad year and D Wade, Beasley, Marion become the new beast of the east.
Knicks come out the flood gates blazing and scoring record numbers and making a splash in the first half of the season. Burnout becomes a factor from some poor team conditioning the team has remnants of the old Isiah players. Knicks make their first playoff appearance since 03-04 as a seventh seed. We face Miami in the playoffs and lose. But a new old rivalry is born. This time we have the coach.
Wizards regret signing Gilbert Arenas to a long term contract.
Philly becomes the new Boston and dominates the conference.
Detroit looks real bad and may miss playoffs.
Atlantic Division in 08-09
1. Philadelphia
2. Boston
3. New York
4. Toronto
5. New Jersey
Central Division
1. Cleveland
1. Milwaukee
3. Indiana
4. Detroit
5. Chicago
South Division
1. Atlanta
2. Miami
3. Orlando
4. Charlotte
5. Washington
The division will finish like this:
Boston
Philadelphia
Toronto
New York
New Jersey
Playoff teams will be:
Boston
Detroit
Orlando
Cleveland
Washington
Miami
Milwaukee
Chicago
The answer to Morris’ question is quite simple. Isiah is a moron of untold proportions. Thank God the Knicks came to their senses and finally removed him completely from the organization…uh, he’s still here and he played a big part in selecting their lottery pick? Nevermind.
It really bugs me that the Knicks haven’t released their summer league roster. I’m not even sure why I care. I just thought I’d check to see if they were bringing in any interesting UFAs and now they just seem to be refusing to release the info. ARGH.
AR- you must be from Philly right? How do the 76ers become dominant? Are they getting Brand and J-Smooth? I don’t see it.
The Knicks are impossible to predict. But I’ll say they miss the playoffs by a game or two and get the 9th seed. It would only be fitting.
Atlantic:
Boston
Philly
Toronto
NY
NJ
East (no order):
Boston
Cleveland
Detroit
Orlando
Washington
Milwaukee
Toronto
Atlanta
Very hard to figure out what the Bucks are gonna be like next year. Could really be a surprise, so I’ll put them in. I personally love Mo Will’s game, and I think RJ and Redd could be like Rashard and Ray on the old Seattle team. That right there could be a playoff team. Throw in an improved Bogut, or at least sustained defensive #’s from last year, and the wild card of Joe Alexander, they could finish as high as 6 I’d say. More likely, they take another year or two to figure it out. Then we see a few years of some real ball in Milwaukee. Who knew!? Mike, no love for the Bucks?
I say Chicago needs a year to get used to Rose, and their lack of bigs still haunts them. Miami is better but can’t pull off that much of a turnaround in one season with a rookie playing such a big role. And Philly is good, but with an improved East just can’t make the cut. I already mentioned Knicks just missing it, then Jersey, Charlotte, and Indiana round out the bottom.