Wizards & Hawks will make playoffs on which team expense?

[Nike D'Antoni]

Orlando & ???

[Axe]

Indiana

[AirBonner]

Nah they won’t

[jalbert009]

These Teams appear to be Locks to make the Playoffs
Bucks
Celtics
Brooklyn
Heat
76ers

These teams will be playing for the last 3 spots
Wizards
Pacers
Raptors
Hawks

Magic I feel will miss out altogether
Pistons may surprise us if Rose and Griffin can stay Healthy and if J.Grant has a breaks out year

[AirBonner]

Pacers and raptors are a lock. There is only the 8th seed to fight for

[SouBeachTalents]

Lakers

[Axe]

Warriors

[insight]

Pacers and raptors are a lock. There is only the 8th seed to fight for
We will see, hawks have a better roster than the raptors and Pacers. When is the last time Russel Westbrook missed the playoffs?

[HylianNightmare]

Celtics

[Wally450]

The Clippers

[Nike D'Antoni]

I am thinking Brooklyn, if Durant gets a season ending injury.

[Reggie43]

Pacers played 22 different starting lineups last season due to various injuries to key players and still managed to snag the 4th seed in the East. Hard to see them missing the playoffs next season with a more stable and healthier lineup.

[bluechox2]

probably brooklyn, kyrie will have his regular season injury as every year and that hurt kooch of his will set it back more, durant will be learn that half his lift is gone and with the defense he will face, will essentially evolve into current melo

[tanibanana]

I have a feeling Wizards & Hawks will need to knock each other out.
Meaning they will finish 8th/9th.

[insight]

Pacers played 22 different starting lineups last season due to various injuries to key players and still managed to snag the 4th seed in the East. Hard to see them missing the playoffs next season with a more stable and healthier lineup.

New coach, new scheme, several players coming off major injury. I don't follow the Pacers too closely, what give you such optimism with so many changes?

[RRR3]

Magic won’t make the playoffs again. Hawks might finish 9th tbh.

[Axe]

Pacers played 22 different starting lineups last season due to various injuries to key players and still managed to snag the 4th seed in the East. Hard to see them missing the playoffs next season with a more stable and healthier lineup.
Wasn't oladipo finished with indiana? And we'll have to see again how tj warren will do this time for that.

[Reggie43]

Wasn't oladipo finished with indiana? And we'll have to see again how tj warren will do this time for that.

Oladipo missed a ton of games yet they still managed to finish 17 games above .500 last season for the 4th seed. They are a veteran team with depth and smart players and I figured even if they do slightly worse its hard to see them missing the playoffs if they are somewhat healthy and with a supposedly much better coach.

[insight]

Oladipo missed a ton of games yet they still managed to finish 17 games above .500 last season for the 4th seed. They are a veteran team with depth and smart players and I figured even if they do slightly worse its hard to see them missing the playoffs if they are somewhat healthy and with a supposedly much better coach.
The coach is a 1st time NBA coach, who was an assistant coach under Nick Nurse for a couple of years. He maybe great, he may not but it will still take time to adjust to a new system especially with Covid. I thought they will start without Sabonis and Lamb but I could be wrong. They are a veteran team so you have a valid point, but some other eastern teams have sustainably improved their roster and are deeper than the Pacers on paper.

[Reggie43]

The coach is a 1st time NBA coach, who was an assistant coach under Nick Nurse for a couple of years. He maybe great, he may not but it will still take time to adjust to a new system especially with Covid. I thought they will start without Sabonis and Lamb but I could be wrong. They are a veteran team so you have a valid point, but some other eastern teams have sustainably improved their roster and are deeper than the Pacers on paper.

Dont you think this will be a bigger problem for the Hawks and Wizards especially having to adjust to newly added players who have never played with each other before?

[Smoke117]

Nah, Hornets making it.

[insight]

Dont you think this will be a bigger problem for the Hawks and Wizards especially having to adjust to newly added players who have never played with each other before?
Possibly. I think the hawks will be OK because when John Collins came back after suspension they were playing .500 ball in the 2nd half before everything got shut down. Clint Capella was traded last season so he should already know the the scheme and his teammates. Bogi is probably the only new starter.
The rest of the players like Galo, Dunn, Rondo are 2nd Unit players that all have a ton of experience and will provide much needed leadership. I think they will be very dangerous when they gel as a unit.
The Wizards haven't had John Wall in 2 years so adding an All Star player in Russel Westbrook is a big deal. I don't love their roster but I can see Bertans and Beal opening up the driving lanes for Russel Westbrook. They could be a 9th seed or do much better depending on how the Westbrook trade pans out.
Pacers have been consistently good so it's hard to bet against them especially with a lot of talent coming back but I think they are going to struggle in this condensed season.

[k0kakw0rld]

Pacers and raptors are a lock. There is only the 8th seed to fight for

Raptors will again be ahead of the Celtics.

People act like we left the conference or something.

I am expecting Vanvleet to be an all Star. The same for Siakam
I am expecting big things as well from O.G. Norman Powell (keep pretending like they can't ball)

We still a playoff team and we still got Lowry.

So 3 potential All Stars :confusedshrug:

[MrFonzworth]

Hawks make it over Raptors:confusedshrug:

[k0kakw0rld]

Hawks make it over Raptors:confusedshrug:

Raptors will again finish ahead of the 76ers and the Celtics.

[insight]

Raptors will again be ahead of the Celtics.

People act like we left the conference or something.

I am expecting Vanvleet to be an all Star. The same for Siakam
I am expecting big things as well from O.G. Norman Powell (keep pretending like they can't ball)

We still a playoff team and we still got Lowry.

So 3 potential All Stars :confusedshrug:

I think Toronto has the best coach in the East and several proven players but replacing Ibaka and Gasol with Baynes seems like a downgrade to me. Bembry is a good defender but he is a low IQ basketball player so I don't seeing him adding anything.. Their core is solid but they lost a few key backups and did not get better when other teams have bolstered there rosters.

[k0kakw0rld]

I think Toronto has the best coach in the East and several proven players but replacing Ibaka and Gasol with Baynes seems like a downgrade to me. Bembry is a good defender but he is a low IQ basketball player so I don't seeing him adding anything.. Their core is solid but they lost a few key backups and did not get better when other teams have bolstered there rosters.
We got younger and possibly smaller. However the depth is still something we will use to our advantage.

Vanvleet is about to have a breakout year. Siakam is coming back for revenge and to prove a point. I really can't wait to see what he's made of. And in coach Nurse I trust.
Other teams like?

[jayfan]

I think OP is on the right track thinking Wiz could make playoffs.

Folks don't realize how injured they were last season. (not counting Wall).

I don't know how many games they played with a healthy Beal, Bryant, Bertans, & Hachimura all together, but it was very few. And that's a nice starting 4.

Westbrook becomes the wild card. Will he blend in, complement them, and complete a really good starting lineup, or will he cancer it like he arguably did in Houston? That's the question.

If he complements it, and if Wash stays healthy, they are a playoff team.



.

[Jasper]

I think Cleveland

[insight]

We got younger and possibly smaller. However the depth is still something we will use to our advantage.

Vanvleet is about to have a breakout year. Siakam is coming back for revenge and to prove a point. I really can't wait to see what he's made of. And in coach Nurse I trust.
Other teams like?
Vanvleet is already playing at a very high level and should improve since he is in his prime. I believe Siakam suffered because teams were able to focus on him defensively, is there another forward on the roster who can score and create their own shot consistently? Gasol was your only stretch 5 on the team I think he will be missed. Toronto is very experienced so that may be enough to keep them completive but I wouldn't be surprised if they slipped to the 7th or 8th seed. The other teams who will have a stronger roster are Brooklyn, 76rs, Hawks, Wizards, Miami and Detroit. I don't know which teams will put it all together but the east has a lot of teams with similar levels of talent.

[insight]

I think Cleveland

I like several of the Cavs young pieces but I,m skeptical of the established veterans like Love and Drummond. You need veterans who are still playing at a super high level to help guide young players.