Well, if you have been following basketball lately, you’d know that it’s the off-season and not much is going on. With that being said, to keep Full Court Press active I decided to do an East and West one through 8 seeding prediction for the up-coming NBA season. Now I know people aren’t going to agree with this but everyone has there own opinion. Let’s take a look at the Eastern Conference first.
1. Boston Celtics-This was a hard one, and it took me a while to choose, I was thinking Celtics, Magic, or Heat. Now I know what you’re thinking, the Celtics are old and banged up. The Celtics had a great off-season while adding Jermaine O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neal, Von Wafer and recent pickup Delonte West. Losing Tony Allen who’s a great defensive player and possibly losing Kendrick Perkins who’s also another great defensive player could be a blow to there defense. At worst if healthy I can see the Celtics being third seed.
2. Miami Heat-The team who pulled off one the best off-seasons this year, acquiring LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and resigning Dwyane Wade how can you not put them in the top 3 atleast. Last year the Miami heat were the fifth seed and that’s was just Dwyane Wade and company. Not only did the Heat sign James, Bosh and Wade, they also signed sharp shooter Mike Miller. With Wade, Bosh, and James constantly getting double-teamed Miller is going to be wide open all the time and will knock down that shot. If the Heat took the first seed I wouldn’t be surprised, at worst I can see them being third.
3. Orlando Magic-Well where do I begin, I feel like the Celtics and Heat gotten better an this team slightly got worse, but not by much, they basically kept the same team an lost some key players. Losing Matt Barnes will be a big blow to there perimeter defense. They did acquire Quentin Richardson and Chris Duhon over the summer, but I don’t think Duhon is much of an upgrade over Jason Williams an Richardson is a upgrade over Barnes but only offensively.
4. Chicago Bulls-They didn’t get LeBron James or Dwyane wade like they wanted to but they did manage to sign Carlos Boozer over the summer. This pick up is something Derrick Rose really needed and that’s more scoring help. Not only did they sign Boozer, they signed Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer, a good shooter to come off the bench and a good defensive player. If everyone can be healthy this team will be great and entertaining to watch, at worst I can see them being sixth.
5. Milwaukee Bucks-Last season the Bucks surprised everyone as they were the sixth seed. The Bucks was another team who had a great off-season, they resigned John Salmons who help this team tremendously after acquiring him last season before the trade deadline, they also acquired Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Kenyon Dooling, and Drew Gooden. Maggette will definitely will give the Bucks some more scoring punch in which they were kind of lacking with Michael Redd being out for the season again. If Andrew Bogut can be healthy this team can go far, at worst I could see them being sixth.
6. Atlanta Hawks-I think the Hawks will take a drop from last year being fourth seed to being sixth seed. First off there talking about getting rid of last season sixth man Jamal Crawford, and if they do this it will be a big blow to there bench. Also after Joe Johnson getting that horrible contract I can see him slack off, im sorry Hawk’s fans but that contract was atrocious.
7.Charlotte Bobcats-After one through six I honestly didn’t know who to put for seventh and eight. They traded Tyson Chandler, and loss Raymond Felton by letting him sign with the Knicks, and to top it off they got back Matt Carroll an his horrible contract who they got rid of to begin with, an then the get Erick Dampier. If they can flip Dampier’s contract into something to better the team then I will feel more confident about the Bobcats.
8. New York Knicks-Yes Knicks fans, I think it’s that time finally. Signing Amar’e Stoudemire and Raymond Felton, then acquiring Klenna Azubuike, Roger Mason Jr., Ronny Turiaf, and Anthony Randolph I can see this team finally make the playoffs again. I can even see the Knicks being seventh seed.
8 Alternative. Washington Wizards-Just in case the Bobcats or Knicks don’t make the playoffs, I wouldn’t be surprise if the Wizards some how surprise people this year. If John Wall can be what people expect him to be, and if Gilbert Arenas comes back an stays out of trouble, and if Josh Howard is healed and healthy then this team will be exciting and fun to watch, the thing is, that’s a lot of “if’s”
Well there you have it, my one through eighth seeding for the Eastern Conference predictions, I’ll try to do the Western Conference later today or tomorrow.
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