|
TEAM (APR. 14) |
2007-08 |
BREAKDOWN |
1 |
Boston (1) |
66-16 |
Off: 111.8 (10), Def: 100.4 (1) -- Even though none of the big three averaged more than 19.6 minutes in the preseason, they've somehow convinced us that they're just as hungry to repeat as they were to win it the first time. Still, there's still the question of their ability to remain healthy. Chances are that they won't play 224 games between them this season. |
2 |
L.A. Lakers (2) |
57-25 |
Off: 114.8 (3), Def: 107.2 (5) -- Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are saying that they need to improve their defense to win it all, and there's nothing wrong with saying that. But it was their offense that was more of an issue in the Finals, and Andrew Bynum's return should help the D anyway. They were stronger defensively before he got hurt (105.3 points allowed per 100 possessions) than they were after (108.6). |
3 |
New Orleans (3) |
56-26 |
Off: 113.3 (5), Def: 107.4 (8) -- James Posey should be a valuable addition for New Orleans, making their defense that much stronger, especially if they run into Kobe and the Lakers in the postseason. But the Hornets' bench is still thin, so it will be interesting to see if their stars can make it through a second straight run deep into the playoffs unscathed. |
4 |
Cleveland (18) |
45-37 |
Off: 107.6 (20), Def: 107.9 (11) -- The Cavs certainly turned it up a notch in the playoffs, and Mo Williams will help on the offensive end. But can he adapt to the defense-first mantra in Cleveland? That may be the key. |
5 |
Utah (6) |
54-28 |
Off: 115.6 (1), Def: 108.1 (12) -- Now here's a team that needs to improve their defense in order to take the next step. Specifically, they need to keep their hands to themselves. No team had their opponent go to the line more often than the Jazz last season. It's a good thing that their offense is a model of efficiency. |
6 |
Houston (7) |
55-27 |
Off: 108.2 (17), Def: 103.0 (2) -- The addition of Ron Artest will give the Rockets a boost, but the health of Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady will always be a question. McGrady's hesitance to play on his surgically-repaired knee in the preseason should keep any overconfidence from Houston fans in check. |
7 |
San Antonio (4) |
56-26 |
Off: 109.1 (13), Def: 103.6 (3) -- It's an odd year, and we'll never doubt the greatness of Tim Duncan, but the Spurs probably needed more retooling than just the addition of Roger Mason to put themselves back above the Lakers, unless Manu Ginobili's injury is all that held them back last year. |
8 |
Philadelphia (13) |
40-42 |
Off: 107.7 (19), Def: 107.3 (6) -- The ranking should tell you that we love the addition of Elton Brand, who will help them on the defensive boards and with their halfcourt offense. But this team desperately needs a shooter in their rotation and Kareem Rush was not very convincing in the preseason, shooting just .318 from the field. |
9 |
Detroit (5) |
59-23 |
Off: 112.7 (8), Def: 104.1 (4) -- New coach, same slow pace. The Pistons averaged just 87.8 possessions in their eight exhibition games, which in general were downright ugly. But you can't argue with success. They went 6-2 in the preseason and have been winning slow and ugly under Rick Carlisle, Larry Brown, Flip Saunders and now, Michael Curry. |
10 |
Orlando (10) |
52-30 |
Off: 113.2 (6), Def: 107.3 (7) -- Mickael Pietrus' length should help the Magic force more turnovers this season (that's where they were weakest defensively), and it's hard to fathom anyone challenging Orlando in the Southeast Division, but they're still a step below the other top teams in the East. |
11 |
Toronto (16) |
41-41 |
Off: 112.0 (9), Def: 108.8 (14) -- The Raptors were dead last in free throw attempts per possession last season, and they were still a solid offensive team. So the addition of a low-post scorer and shotblocker like Jermaine O'Neal should certainly help on both ends of the floor ... once he gets comfortable. |
12 |
Phoenix (8) |
55-27 |
Off: 115.2 (2), Def: 109.9 (17) -- It's going to take some time for the re-stylized Suns to hit their stride, but you've got to figure that there's too much talent on this team (including an underrated pickup in Matt Barnes) for them to suffer much of a decline. And of course, even though D'Antoni's defense was always undeservedly maligned, a new commitment to that end of the floor is never a bad thing. |
13 |
Portland (20) |
41-41 |
Off: 108.6 (15), Def: 109.7 (16) -- With their abundance of young talent, the Blazers are the envy of many a franchise these days. Now, it's time to see how it all fits together. The first five games (@ Lakers, vs. Spurs, @ Suns, @ Jazz, vs. Rockets) will be a real test of how they measure up against the best in the West. |
14 |
Dallas (9) |
51-31 |
Off: 112.8 (7), Def: 107.7 (9) -- A change in leadership and philosophy is exactly what the Mavs needed, and we're not ready to say that Jason Kidd's not a top five point guard anymore, but there are too many good teams in the West for Dallas to move up much. |
15 |
Washington (12) |
43-39 |
Off: 110.6 (12), Def: 111.0 (20) -- We know it was preseason, but the Wizards' results over the last few weeks, save for a win in San Antonio, weren't pretty. Their early schedule is pretty favorable though, so they might be able to tread water until Gilbert Arenas returns. |
16 |
Atlanta (15) |
37-45 |
Off: 108.3 (16), Def: 110.3 (18) -- The Hawks are a little deeper and a little more experienced than the team that scared the bleep out of Celtics fans last April, but it will take a stronger commitment to defense (they have the length to be a team that forces a ton of turnovers) for the Hawks to really move up. |
17 |
Denver (11) |
50-32 |
Off: 111.7 (11), Def: 107.9 (10) -- Yes, Denver lost key pieces in Marcus Camby and Eduardo Najera, but the remaining frontline of Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin and Nenê is still pretty good ... if healthy. That's question No. 1. Question No. 2 is whether they're still buying what George Karl is selling. |
18 |
Milwaukee (28) |
26-56 |
Off: 106.7 (22), Def: 114.3 (30) -- We like the Bucks to make a significant improvement over last season. They've been an atrocious defensive team for the last several years, but Scott Skiles will change that immediately. And with Michael Redd, Richard Jefferson and Andrew Bogut, they should have enough offense to challenge for that eighth spot in the East. |
19 |
L.A. Clippers (29) |
23-59 |
Off: 102.9 (28), Def: 110.9 (19) -- The Clippers are one of those teams that's hard to figure out. Well, we've figured out that they're a long shot to make the playoffs, but projecting their win total isn't easy. Marcus Camby's early injury issues have us leaning toward the 33-36 range. |
20 |
Sacramento (17) |
38-44 |
Off: 109.0 (14), Def: 111.4 (25) -- It's not a good sign when your coach cuts shootaround short because of the players' "lackadaisical" ways in the preseason ... and you don't have that much talent to start with. |
21 |
Golden State (14) |
48-34 |
Off: 113.5 (4), Def: 111.2 (24) -- Here's our pick for the team that falls off the most from last season's win total. When your best player is injured and you're missing both a point guard and a post game, you had better learn how to play some defense or it will be a long season. |
22 |
Chicago (24) |
33-49 |
Off: 105.2 (27), Def: 108.6 (13) -- With a rookie coach, a rookie point guard and a bunch of guys who underachieved last season, it's tough to gauge the Bulls. A slew of preseason injuries didn't make it any easier. Expect a slow start (especially with a brutal last 12 days of November), but because the East isn't all that deep, Chicago will have a chance to make noise in the new year. |
23 |
Indiana (19) |
36-46 |
Off: 107.8 (18), Def: 109.2 (15) -- With Jermaine O'Neal in Toronto and Jamaal Tinsley getting paid to do nothing, it's a new day in Indiana. But with tendinitis keeping Mike Dunleavy from playing more than 12 minutes in the preseason, it could be a while before the sun comes out. |
24 |
New York (27) |
23-59 |
Off: 106.2 (24), Def: 113.5 (28) -- Similar to the way they've been over the last few years, the Knicks will look brilliant at times ... and they'll look pretty bad at times as well. But the brilliance ratio should be higher under Mike D'Antoni, and the bad times won't be quite as terrible they were under the previous regime. |
25 |
New Jersey (21) |
34-48 |
Off: 105.5 (25), Def: 111.1 (22) -- Many believe that this is the worst team in the Eastern Conference, but even with Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson, the Nets so badly underachieved last season that we don't see that much of a dropoff, if any at all. If the new faces bring a new attitude, New Jersey can avoid bottoming out completely while still building for the future. |
26 |
Minnesota (23) |
22-60 |
Off: 105.4 (26), Def: 112.9 (27) -- While the O.J. Mayo or Kevin Love question may very well come to haunt them along the way, the Timberwolves should show improvement this season. They couldn't get any worse, right? |
27 |
Miami (30) |
15-67 |
Off: 102.1 (29), Def: 111.8 (26) -- We know that the Heat will be better than they were last season. But we don't know where Shawn Marion fits in, nor where they will find a point guard and a center. |
28 |
Charlotte (22) |
32-50 |
Off: 106.4 (23), Def: 111.2 (23) -- The Bobcats are one of several teams that will struggle early and improve as the season goes on. That's the way of Larry Brown. And with an 0-8 preseason, it seems like Step 1 in the process is already underway. |
29 |
Memphis (26) |
22-60 |
Off: 106.9 (21), Def: 113.5 (29) -- With four real building blocks for the future in Mike Conley, O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay and Marc Gasol, the Grizzlies should be fun to watch and a step ahead of the Thunder ... if they can just play a little defense. |
30 |
Oklahoma City (25) |
20-62 |
Off: 101.9 (30), Def: 111.1 (21) -- The Thunder is still a couple of years and a couple of players from even threatening for a playoff spot. Oklahoma City is probably probably just happy to have them, but in order to get the franchise moving in the right direction, Kevin Durant will need more help than Jeff Green and Russell Westbrook can provide. |
첫댓글 신기할정도로 시즌전 전문가 예상들이 하나같이 클블을 고평가하네요.. 모윌이 들어오긴했지만 작년보다 그렇게 좋아진건 모르겠던데 .. 댈러스 피닉스 전력이 토론토보다 아래라는것도 동감하기 힘들군요 -_-
동부 프리미엄 덕분인지.. 클리블랜드가 너무 높네요.. 휴스턴,샌안토니오 보다 더 높다는 건;;
클블이 저렇게 고평가 받아도 되는건지 -_-;;;
시카고 플오안에 들어야 한다.
마이애미 넘 낮다..ㅠ
동부 프리미엄 덕분인지.. 식서스가 피닉스 포틀 댈러스 덴버 심지어 같은 동부인 디트 보다도 순위가 높네요. 거참..
히트 ㅎㄷㄷㄷ
클리블랜드가 너무 높게 평가되는것 같네요
그러게요,,모윌이 공격력이 좋은선수이고 클러치 능력이 있는 선수이긴 하지만 슈팅전문 공격형포가인데 저렇게까지 높아질리는,,뭐 르브론이 더 성장할 것이기 때문에 높다는건가?..
식서스 충분히 저정도 평가받을만한거같은데요 ^^
클블이 서부면 플옵 진출할 수 있을까...?
클리블랜드가 진짜 서부면 플옵 진출이나 될지 의심스럽네요....근데 심지어 전체 파워랭킹 4위...........