The Eastern Conference Just Got REAL Interesting

[FirstTimer]

The Bulls and Heat have been running 1 and 2 all season. The Bulls have injury issues at the off guard.

The 76ers and Pacers have been great stories this season and while I don't think they are real threats are going to be exceedingly annoying teams down the stretch and in the playoffs.

The Hawks are always going to be around. Losing Horford hurts but if Smith and Johnson can hold down fort until he returns they should be ready come playoff time.

Boston is an old veteran team that seems to be rounding into form a bit. Not sure if they have enough left though for a run. They could be the annoying old man at the YMCA though and have just enough game to make a run.

Orlando has come back around but who knows how much longer Dwight Howard will be there. If he stays, Orlando could be a player if they can keep their minds on the court.

And now the Knicks. Lin has seemingly been the PG that the Knicks have been looking for. The defense is ranked near the top 10(whut?) and now with the Jr Smith signing, Baron Davis coming back and bringing in Melo and Amare off injury/leave if they can pull the talent together they just got really scary.

1-8 in the East right now is:

Chicago
Miami
Philly
Orlando
Atlanta
Indiana
Boston
New York

:fap:

 

[tbo41fan]

idk, still dont see the Knicks any higher than a 4-5 seed IMO

 

[FirstTimer]

idk, still dont see the Knicks any higher than a 4-5 seed IMO

Which would still be really scary.

You could make an argument for 6 of those 8 teams as having a chance to win the conference.

Even if New York goes no higher than a 4 or 5 seed the EC Playoffs this year(and in the future seasons) have the potential to be really fucking great.

 

[tbo41fan]

Which would still be really scary.

You could make an argument for 6 of those 8 teams as having a chance to win the conference.

Even if New York goes no higher than a 4 or 5 seed the EC Playoffs this year(and in the future seasons) have the potential to be really fucking great.

Agree...it will make for some FANTASTIC 1st and 2nd round matchups

 

[inactiveuser1]

Before I saw who created this thread I read the title and thought it was an SP94 thread about how jr smith elevates the Knicks to elite status

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

Ideally, this is what the seeding will be:

1. CHI vs. 8. ORL (post-Howard trade)
2. MIA vs. 7. IND
3. NYK vs. 6. BOS
4. PHI vs. ATL

So then the Bulls would be able to avoid the Knicks and Heat until the ECF:

Round 2:
CHI vs. PHI/ATL

MIA vs. NYK/BOS

Unfortunately, I don't see things shaking out that way.

 

[Uman85]

Without a healthy Rip, the Sixers would have a pretty good shot at knocking out the Bulls. I don't know if the Hawks have enough without Horford, but they're still dangerous as well.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

Without a healthy Rip, the Sixers would have a pretty good shot at knocking out the Bulls. I don't know if the Hawks have enough without Horford, but they're still dangerous as well.

I have a hard time believing that. The Sixers are definitely better than expected (especially their defense) but they aren't going to be able to sustain what they are doing. Their schedule is going to get a lot tougher. Horford should be back for the playoffs but the Hawks are irrelevant in my opinion because they play too much isolation.

 

[4SidedDie]

Why is it Chicago always seems fucking great, but are always ended up being just one or two guys away?

 

[Diddy1122]

I can't tell if you're serious with this thread or not, FT.

LOL @ NY being a top defense. Not even close. Opponents shoot a better fg%, better 3pt%, have more apg, more rpg, & more bpg against them. The only category NY is tops in is steals (#2 overall), but they are also 2nd in league in TO's. Of the current playoff teams, they are dead last in point differential at 0.97+. New York is anything but a powerhouse.

D'Antoni teams are pretty & fun to watch but that's about it. It's the same story we all saw in Phoenix throughout the mid 2000's. Unless Melo, Stat, & Smith if he's signed decide to play defense & rebound then I might take this team seriously as a contender. Right now, they are a glorified pretender.

 

[FirstTimer]

I can't tell if you're serious with this thread or not, FT.

The Eastern Conference has the chance to be stacked come playoff time.

Are you stupid or something?

LOL @ NY being a top defense. Not even close.

LOL at you not being able to read.

New York is anything but a powerhouse.

No one said they were.

 

[Diddy1122]

LOL at you not being able to read.


No one said they were.

And LOL @ you not reading anything than the 1st line of my post.

They are only up in defensive rating because of their steals. Did you even read my post? They give up almost as many possesions as they take away. New York is NOT a good defense.

New York is not scary at all. Just like Phoenix wasn't scary back in the day.

 

[Diddy1122]

The Eastern Conference has the chance to be stacked come playoff time.

Are you stupid or something?

What are you talking about? You constantly dog everything, including the Knicks, so how am I supposed to know you are even serious.

 

[FirstTimer]

And LOL @ you not reading anything than the 1st line of my post.

I read the entire thing.

In fact I quoted more of it.

They are only up in defensive rating because of their steals. Did you even read my post? They give up almost as many possesions as they take away. New York is NOT a good defense.

They are 13th in the NBA in PPG allowed.

That's not bad. I'd label that as "good". They are in the upper half.

New York is not scary at all. Just like Phoenix wasn't scary back in the day.

You're an idiot.


Seriously.

 

[FirstTimer]

What are you talking about? You constantly dog everything, including the Knicks, so how am I supposed to know you are even serious.

Quit being a dumbfuck and learn to post.

 

[FirstTimer]

BRB gonna compare D'Antoni's Phoenix teams (who made back to back conference Finals at one point) appearances while never ranking higher than 25th in the NBA in scoring defense to this Knicks team which currently ranks 13th.

The **** is wrong with you?

 

[Diddy1122]

Quit being a dumbfuck and learn to post.

How bout you quit "Assin' it up" all the time on the boards.

 

[RamiTheBullsFan]

Yes, FT is assin' it up but the facts are on his side in this one. The Knicks aren't horrible defensively right now and the Suns were definitely a legitimate title contender (arguably screwed back in 2007 vs. SAS). They weren't so terrible defensively either.

 

[Diddy1122]

Yes, FT is assin' it up but the facts are on his side in this one. The Knicks aren't horrible defensively right now and the Suns were definitely a legitimate title contender (arguably screwed back in 2007 vs. SAS). They weren't so terrible defensively either.

OK so maybe I went alil overboard with my Suns comment (I still never found them scary even when they made the WCF because they played no defense), but there are still facts on my side as well. And I gave them. I don't label a 13th ranked defense as "Good". And I certainly don't find a team scary when they give up nearly as many points as they score.

But that's fine, I'm a dumbfuck who can't read, can barely write, & barely made it out of middle school.

 

[CODE_BLUE56]

ny doesnt have a great defense..but not a bad one either..middle of the road imo

chandler really changes the defensive dynamic imo

NY as an 8 seed with lin,melo,and amare though...thats not an easy matchup