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ESPN.com has made its summer picks for the Eastern Conference champions this coming season. Surprisingly, 32 of 53 voters chose the Cavs.
Personally, I think Boston is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Further, I think the Magic are the second best team in the East.
ESPN results:
Cavs: 32 votes
Celtics: 13 votes
Magic: 8 votes
All three teams have added big pieces this summer to gear up for the coming season. Cleveland added Shaq, re-upped Varejeo, and signed Jamario Moon, Leon Powe and Anthony Parker. Orlando retained Marcin Gortat, signed Brandon Bass, Jason Williams, and Matt Barnes, and traded for Ryan Anderson and Vince Carter. Boston has signed Rasheed Wallace, Shelden Williams, and Marquis Daniels, while re-signing Glen Davis.
Boston still needs a backup for Rajon Rondo, but the team figures to be incredibly tough upfront. The addition of Wallace gives the team a proven winner to pair with Kevin Garnett and Perkins. Wallace’s gritty style of play fits the mold up in Boston. With a healthy KG, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rasheed Wallace, PG Rajon Rondo will have plenty of options to choose from on offense. Defensively, Boston figures to again be one of the premier teams in the entire NBA. KG, Sheed, and Perkins will own the paint and the addition of Marquis Daniels will help defensively on the perimeter.
Aside from the Celtics, Orlando’s great off-season has them ranked second in my head. Carter is a superstar player and a “go to” scorer for that team down the stretch of games. Ryan Anderson gives them a true PF with fantastic 3 point range on his jumper. Anderson fits the style of that team extremely well. Brandon Bass gives the Magic an element that it sorely lacked last year. His rebounding prowess and his pure PF style will complement Dwight Howard well.
It is still early for these types of predictions, but it is interesting to think about. Who is your pick to win the Eastern Conference?
oooooooo. this is a tough one. I believe that the Magic are still the team to beat…but i think that relies heavily upon whether or not Brandon Bass provides enough rebounding relief to Dwight Howard.
Now you got jameer back(allstar)
Vince (who was once an mvp candidate)
Rashad(overpaid allstar and at his natural position)
Brandon Bass (prototype pf)
Dwight howard(superman)
4 out of the 5 are allstars, two of them were or will be mvp candidates at one point or another
Personally I’d rank Orlando 1st if I went strictly by the roster then it’s a toss up between the Celts and Cavs. That Garnett injury still worries me but I think I have to give them the edge if he’s healthy. The Cavs moves I think are going to have surprisingly marked improvement. I really like Danny Green to make a nice contribution off the bench by the end of the season, being a senior from a winning program.
All that being said, I’m going to agree with your take Chris and I base it on the assumption that KG will bounce back, along with the fact that Doc Rivers is the better coach of the three.
1. Celtics
2. Magic
3. Cavaliers
The Celtics are the best and it isn’t particularly close. Magic are 2nd because of how dominant Howard is and a healthy Jameer Nelson might be the best PG in the East. Cavs are 3rd because Lebron, and a 38 yr old Shaq isn’t exactly Kobe and Shaq in his prime.
The Garnett injury situation is still unresolved.
Bill Simmons said in his podcast that no one has seen him play ball and people in Boston are fearful that he has hit the wall.
Orlando First, Cavs and Boston
Then Chicago, Heat, Atlanta, Washington (improving 20 games)
the 8 spot is a tossup.
Hopefully that tossup goes to us!!!
Yeah if KG is a shell of himself then forget it they slide back. I seriously think Mike Brown got out-coached in the playoffs (barely because it wasn’t as if Stan Van made many adjustments). Did Mike Brown learned from that experience? Or did Van Gundy learn more from being out-coached in the Finals by Chief Triangle? I think Doc still gets the nod in that department, but you still gotta have the players and if he doesn’t have a healthy big 3 they will have a tough go this year. Maybe they start Rasheed, with Big Baby off the bench early on and bring KG along slowly if he’s not 100% at the start of the season. Still not bad.
I think that 8th spot may go to the Raptors or even Philly if Lou Williams takes a step forward (losing Dre Miller hurts, but the 8th spot is feasible) and Brand comes back into the fold with a more defined role. Thaddeus Young is the truth.
Oh and the Pacers re poised to surprise people too, they played pretty well when they were healthy. Dunleavy is their X-factor.
Mike Brown is an awful Coach.
I could see Lebron asking that he be removed as a condition of staying or the reason he leaves..
Brown’s offense is give it to Lebron and everyone else et out of the way.
Completely agree. Mike Brown’s, “everyone get out of the way and let Lebron drive into the whole” is basically every play that he draws up or doesn’t draw up. He clearly got out-coached a few times but this time was so much more obvious because everyone expected Cleveland to go to the Finals.
I think i would put the three teams in this order
1. Magic
2.Celtic
3.Cavaliers
I think with the additions of Brandon Bass,Vince Carter And A Healthy Jameer Nelson this team is tops in the East. Celts with Rasheed and a Healthy Garnett are a close 2nd. The Cavs 3rd because i just dont think that Shaq and Lebron are gonna mesh well. Shaq is gonna clog up the lanes where Lebron loves to drive. i just dont see it working out, but i have been wrong before.
Well I thinkif the celtics stay healthy they the team to be in the east
Magics an cavs is kinda hard to pics who is second
An for those that didn’t know if it wasn’t for r.lewis I don’t think the magic would of went that far.
Don’t sleep on the pistons.
I wonna see how J.crawford plays for a winning team for the first time in his career with the hawks…
I don’t think turkey is going to help the raps a whole lot..
IVERSON IS COMING SOON TO 33RD STREET.
I’m not a fan of Orlando’s new roster. Maybe I’m totally wrong, and maybe Vince Carter will lead the Magic to the promised land but they should have tried to get a young second option like Villanueva (sign-and-trade) in my opinion. I don’t know if the supporting cast will ever be good/durable enough to put them in a position to win a championship.
The Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference – if healthy. Danny Ferry did a terrible job but I think the Cavaliers will get the second spot (or even the first one).
1. Celtics
2. Cavaliers
3. Magic
4. Hawks
5. Raptors
6. Wizards
7. Heat
8. Sixers/Bulls/Pacers/Knicks
I’m not high on Villanueva. I think he is overpaid.
Maybe. I’m not a fan neither.
But in 2 years he’ll be more valuable than Vince Carter. That was my point.
But at the same time, in two years, Cater will be off the team as a FA and the Magic will have money to spend on another player.
Good point.
I’d (still) rather have Villanueva but rationally you got the W.
1. Magic (If Jameer is healthy)
2. Celtics (if KG is healthy)
3. Cavs
It’s close between all three but don’t think the
Darkhorse: Wizards
People seem divided on whether Washington is overrated or underrated. I, for one, am a fan. I think Blatche/McGee are going to do a lot of growing this year and have a big impact. It’s been so long since Arenas has played I’m not quite sure what to expect from him, but I would not be surprised if he finished the year with 16ppg/7apg. The arrivalof Miller and Foye can only help.
If Arenas is healthy, I think he should be, they said he was close at the end of last year so I would think he’d be at 100% by training camp, they ARE making the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised if they challenged for home court in the 1st round even (4th seed).
Ditto.
On paper they are one of the best teams in the league. What’s exciting for me is that I think Arenas is going to fill the role as distributer rather than primary scoring threat now that he has Miller, Foye, and Blatch as scoring options on top of Butler and Jamison.
I really wonder if there is any reason to watch this team this year. Donnie Walsh has just put all his eggs in one basket by being cheap and not getting Sessions(who I am convinced will become a 2 way stud). Now we have to get Lebron because we are basically throwing this year away by putting the same scrubs from last year out on the court again. Duhon once again getting 35 mins a game, GREAT!
dear NYK Orange and Blue,
The reason to watch is that this current roster is in the best shape its been in since maybe 2000..? even the first year starbury playoff sweep was not a good team….donnie is taking steps to rebuild and even if he has faltered ie not trading jeffries and nate or possibly not sighning sessions (which would have happened if he did trade jeffries and nate for the pick)…he still has gotten rid of bad contracts and started gathering young talent… i expect the knicks to win around the same amount of games as last year, yet watching a healthy gallo along w/chandler/hill/ghostface/lee/nate gives me the optimism that the team is, regardless of lebron, in the right direction…
thats y we watch, to show that we care…this isn’t a magic turnaround from 32 to 55 win season but this is a huge leap in the right direction…and as fans we need to show that it is better to take the time and build a team rather then have a owner/gm try to make as much money as possie on “quick fixes” such as stevie frahchise and eddy curry….or victor zambrano if your a baseball fan
I still feel a trade brewing for us..Maybe Im wrong, Maybe Im Not….
What significant trade do you feel brewing? Maybe some cap cutting moves, but any trades during the season may be too disruptive to the cohesion needed to win this year. Again. I predict 30-35 wins.
and I’m suprised to see so many espn writers jump on the cavs bandwagon…I for one don’t feel that an old shaq puts the cavs over a healthy boston or orlando….but mo williams and shaq are by far the best talent cleveland has put around lebron so who knows?
I’m not surprised that ESPN voted the Cavaliers as the #1 team to beat….thats who they want to see in the finals. This is typical media bs. ESPN has been kissing Lebron and the Cav’s *** for awhile now. They want to see a Lebron vs Kobe finals for ratings.
Fact is Boston is the true team to beat in the East. Had they been healthy they would’ve been in the Finals this past season. They are now healthier and possibly better with the additions of Rasheed Wallace (6′10″ power forward / Center who is a proven winner and plays tough D) and Marquis Daniels (6′6″ shooting guard who can defend). My vote is Boston is #1 then comes Orlando at #2. Had Orlando kept Hedo Turkoglu and got Vince Carter that would’ve been a tougher choice at least.