The SUPER Early Conference Projections Thread

[natedagg]

@priceFTW - would be curious to see what you think of how this will play out. Not based on anything that would be scientific and take up your time, just based on your familiarity with how good players are based on tooling around with advanced stats...

I don't know what happened this off-season so go easy on me:

Utah had some really good net rating lineups and lots of wins after ASB. Boston did too, but their schedule was weak (I think). Still Boston is a fiery team and well-coached, so they might sneak in.

I am calling it that this is the year when Washington sucks. It's just time for their aging front-court to diminish. It's coming. It'll be something like Nene Back problems. They will try to get something for Gortat at the deadline. Not seeing a any depth on their roster. Treadmill of mediocrity - this year I don't think they get in.

Kidd in Milwaukee with another infusion of talent, especially Parker, and a year to get those guys going again. I think they move up to 5th seed, maybe 3rd seed depending on health. They can win ugly and now the question is can they win with offense? It'll take 20 games, and then we'll find out if they can click.

Healthy Cleveland stands alone.

Chicago/Miami next tier.

Then the jumble. Gotta have Toronto rep the Atlantic. Atlanta shouldn't be totally disrespected either, but they did look to have slid toward the end of the year. Milwaukee will take time but could come charging strong, then who knows.

 

[Kevin Ollie]

I wouldn't be surprised to see the only difference in the East's playoff teams be Miami in and Brooklyn out. I don't think Indiana can make it. I don't think they have a single competent big man on their roster. I think Toronto still looks good, plus they get to play against their terrible division. I think the Wizards losing Pierce hurts their ability to play small, which is how they had all that success in the playoffs.

Cleveland
Atlanta
Miami
Toronto
Chicago
Milwaukee
Washington
Boston

The bottom part of the West is pretty hard to figure out. Dallas could still be in there. Don't think Phoenix looks too good. I want to put New Orleans higher, but I don't see how they can be better than any of the five teams in front of them.

Golden State
San Antonio
LA Clippers
Memphis
Oklahoma City
New Orleans
Portland
Utah

Completely forgot Houston out west. Idiot. Swap Rockets for Trailblazers.

 

[Derek]

I like Milwaukee, but I could definitely see them being the odd man out this year in the East. They just don't have any two-way players, and I could see that biting them in the ass.

I think Washington will be solid again. I see no reason to believe they won't be. Hopefully Wittman saw what his team did in the playoffs, and uses some of that in the regular season. I'm tired of seeing them chuck up a bunch of long 2's.

If Utah were in the East, I'd throw them in there no question. They just don't have anybody who can score consistently outside of Hayward. They will be amazing defensively, but I just don't think their offense will get it done. They'd be wise to explore trading Favors for a some sort of perimeter threat. The biggest hole on their roster is PG, but they've used 2 lotto picks on that spot in recent years, so who knows. They have a chance to win some games now.

 

[go cavs275]

1. Cleveland
2. Atlanta
3. Miami
4. Toronto
5. Chicago
6. Milwaukee
7. Washington
8. Indiana

1. Warriors
2. San Antonio
3. OKC
4. LAC
5. Houston
6. Memphis
7. New Orleans
8. Dallas

 

[gourimoko]

I don't think the Warriors repeat as the number one seed next season.

 

[Cassity14]

good odds, def..

but playing ful strength against SA and squeeking it out with an epic game from Kyrie, and they just imporoved drastically, and losing to GSW with arguably better +/- lineups than we'd have with kyrie and love dont make me feel confident about winning it all.


I know you guys dont like to hear any of that. but its just true, and vegas agrees.

Gsw are favorite if they make it to the finals. san antonio is a heavy favorite to beat the living shit out of us if we both make it to the finals. we had an underwhelming offseason, and they added studs.

yes, we only have to worry about one team in the west and the rest will bea each other up, but general consensus says that team will beat us and that we are not the best team in basketball.

The post feels very uninformed.

Underwhelming? Through 40 games, sure.

After January 15, the Cavs were anything but underwhelming, including their postseason run. In fact, they were equally as good as the warriors according to any statistic, and they pushed the eventual champs to 6 games without nearly half of a postseason rotation, including their 2nd and 3rd best players.

Underwhelming? Please. Maybe if you checked out in December only to come back in June.

If anything pays in this league, continuity does. The Cavs are most likely bringing back their entire rotation from that team except for possibly James Jones, who I feel will be back anyway.

The Cavs also sured up their biggest hole that was exposed last season - another playmaker/scorer on the perimiter.

If Delly, Jones, and Smith are replaced by scrubs, then we can revisit this.

The Spurs are great with their addition of Aldridge. Your love affair with the ever-declining David West is old and tiresome, however. At best, he will be an extremely small factor come playoff time. Duncan and Aldridge are going to play the vast majority of his minutes, and Diaw is a better fit for that scheme and roster. David West going to the Spurs is the most overhyped move of the offseason.

Citing a regular season game from last season (in San Antonio, I may add) as a reason to favor the Spurs over the Cavs in a playoff series this season is comical.

As with any team in the western conference, the Spurs have to actually make it there. I agree that they are the favorite to do so, but they are another team with plenty of history of getting banged up in the postseason. They also have to avoid the retirement home, and the addition of a guy like Aldridge has to be as seamless as everyone appears to assume it will be.

Like Gour, I don't think the Warriors will make it back because the odds of doing so in that conference are rediculous. Should they make it back, however, the Cavs demonstrated that they should not and will not fear a team they pushed so far with so little. Add in another year for guys like Barbosa, Iggy, etc. and I actually don't expect them to be any better. Curry had a historic season.

To top it off, according to Vegas, the Cavs are the favorite to win the title. I'm not sure what you meant by, "Vegas agrees."

 

[David.]

I'm pretty sure you think I'm someone else , and also didn't read my post

The post feels very uninformed.

Underwhelming? Through 40 games, sure.

After January 15, the Cavs were anything but underwhelming, including their postseason run. In fact, they were equally as good as the warriors according to any statistic, and they pushed the eventual champs to 6 games without nearly half of a postseason rotation, including their 2nd and 3rd best players.

Underwhelming? Please. Maybe if you checked out in December only to come back in June.

If anything pays in this league, continuity does. The Cavs are most likely bringing back their entire rotation from that team except for possibly James Jones, who I feel will be back anyway.

The Cavs also sured up their biggest hole that was exposed last season - another playmaker/scorer on the perimiter.

If Delly, Jones, and Smith are replaced by scrubs, then we can revisit this.

The Spurs are great with their addition of Aldridge. Your love affair with the ever-declining David West is old and tiresome, however. At best, he will be an extremely small factor come playoff time. Duncan and Aldridge are going to play the vast majority of his minutes, and Diaw is a better fit for that scheme and roster. David West going to the Spurs is the most overhyped move of the offseason.

Citing a regular season game from last season (in San Antonio, I may add) as a reason to favor the Spurs over the Cavs in a playoff series this season is comical.

As with any team in the western conference, the Spurs have to actually make it there. I agree that they are the favorite to do so, but they are another team with plenty of history of getting banged up in the postseason. They also have to avoid the retirement home, and the addition of a guy like Aldridge has to be as seamless as everyone appears to assume it will be.

Like Gour, I don't think the Warriors will make it back because the odds of doing so in that conference are rediculous. Should they make it back, however, the Cavs demonstrated that they should not and will not fear a team they pushed so far with so little. Add in another year for guys like Barbosa, Iggy, etc. and I actually don't expect them to be any better. Curry had a historic season.

To top it off, according to Vegas, the Cavs are the favorite to win the title. I'm not sure what you meant by, "Vegas agrees."

 

[Cassity14]

I'm pretty sure you think I'm someone else , and also didn't read my post

That's funny. I responded to every point you made in it.

I also read through your ideas in other threads and other forums when I got back from vacation where you've constantly lamented the Cavaliers' supposed lack of moves. You talked about the David West signing persistently. I addressed that persistent mentality as well.

You've also commented in the last year that you watch very few games, so I'm reluctant to believe you have seen the Cavs or other teams play much, or if you go off of Internet perusing, a flurry of nationally televised games, and busy times like this one.

 

[David.]

That's funny. I responded to every point you made in it.

I also read through your ideas in other threads and other forums when I got back from vacation where you've constantly lamented the Cavaliers' supposed lack of moves. You talked about the David West signing persistently. I addressed that persistent mentality as well.

You've also commented a number of times in the last year that you watch very few games, so I'm reluctant to believe you have seen the Cavs or other teams play much, or if you go off of Internet perusing, a flurry of nationally televised games, and busy times like this one.

Ok let's take it step by step dummy

My "love fest with david west", speficicslly him.

Now did I specify him and his game or did you picj one move out of the spurs off season and attribute my appreciation for their entire overseason to him? Go ahead and find a post specifically pointing him out, rather than appreciating their entire off-season. You either don't know what you're taKing about, like I said before, or are intentionally building a strawman argument.

Two, If you had a brain, or at least a pair of eyes, you'd be able to deduce that Vegas futures calculations include each teams opponents odds at winning their conference before getting to the Finals.

What's that mean? Can you Keep up? It means, like I've already said, abd you should be able to tell without my help, that if the warriors win their conference they are favored over us and if the spurs win, they ate heavily favored to beat the everlasting shit out of us.

Nowgo reread my post. I'm sure you will, considering your massibe boner for me she need to follow me around like a puppy and I have a steak.

Ill dumb it down and write louder. WE ARE EXPECTED, HEAVILY, NOT TO WIN IT SHOULD WE PLAY EITHER OF THE TOP TWO FAVORITE TEAMS IN THE WEST. THE SPURS, WHO ACTUALLY HAD AN OFFSEASON THAT WAS BETTER THAN ADDING MO FUCKING WILLIAMS, IS EXPECTED TO RUN US OFF THE COURT OF THEY PLAY US. WE DID PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO ADD TO OUR TEAM, ALMOST LITERALLY NOTHING, WHICH IS UNDERWHELMING, AND THE SPURS ADDED STUDS.

 

[David.]

That's funny. I responded to every point you made in it.

I also read through your ideas in other threads and other forums when I got back from vacation where you've constantly lamented the Cavaliers' supposed lack of moves. You talked about the David West signing persistently. I addressed that persistent mentality as well.

You've also commented a number of times in the last year that you watch very few games, so I'm reluctant to believe you have seen the Cavs or other teams play much, or if you go off of Internet perusing, a flurry of nationally televised games, and busy times like this one.

I will also pay you ten thousand dollats to find a quote that says I don't watch Many games. Legally binding contract, right here.

If you don't fund it, you admit you don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about and aimlessly follow me around like an idiot puppydog and never reply to another post I make.


Take the bet.

 

[Scholar]

I will also pay you ten thousand dollats to find a quote that says I don't watch Many games. Legally binding contract, right here.

If you don't fund it, you admit you don't have a fucking clue what you're talking about and aimlessly follow me around like an idiot puppydog and never reply to another post I make.


Take the bet.

I believe that the actual comment you have made was that you didn't watch "any games." Something that you have said on this site. I never understood how someone could be so opinionated on this team, and yet not watch their games.

 

[David.]

I believe that the actual comment you have made was that you didn't watch "any games." Something that you have said on this site. I never understood how someone could be so opinionated on this team, and yet not watch their games.

I believe thay was three years ago, when I made practically semiannual posts on the cavs portion of the board, and has absolutely no basis in reality anymore. I believe tt was shooting with his other hand at the time.

Might explain why I post opinions on the team now.

 

[godfather]

I don't think the Warriors repeat as the number one seed next season.

I have them number 4. I'm not hating on them either.

1.) SA
2.) OKC
3.) LAC
4.) Warriors

 

[Soar]

East:

1) Cleveland- Much faster start this year should secure 1 seed.

2) Miami- If healthy. Second best starting 5 in the East by a pretty wide margin imo.

3) Milwaukee- Really like Greg Monroe as a fit. Plus with Parker coming back, I think this is the surprise team.

4) Washington- Wall and Beal will get better. They lose a leader in Pierce but I think they have a good season.

5) Atlanta- Good regular season team. I think they struggle a bit this year though. They still don't have a dynamic scorer.

6) Chicago- Same roster, another year older. Noah is 30 going to be 31 and lacks the skill for when his body starts slowing down. Pau is 35. Dunleavy will be 35 before the season starts.

7) Toronto- Carroll and Joseph should help. But the East will be stronger.

8) Indiana- Paul George is good enough to get that team to the playoffs. Monta Ellis is a nice scorer too.

 

[Cassity14]

Ok let's take it step by step dummy

My "love fest with david west", speficicslly him.

Now did I specify him and his game or did you picj one move out of the spurs off season and attribute my appreciation for their entire overseason to him? Go ahead and find a post specifically pointing him out, rather than appreciating their entire off-season. You either don't know what you're taKing about, like I said before, or are intentionally building a strawman argument.

Two, If you had a brain, or at least a pair of eyes, you'd be able to deduce that Vegas futures calculations include each teams opponents odds at winning their conference before getting to the Finals.

What's that mean? Can you Keep up? It means, like I've already said, abd you should be able to tell without my help, that if the warriors win their conference they are favored over us and if the spurs win, they ate heavily favored to beat the everlasting shit out of us.

Nowgo reread my post. I'm sure you will, considering your massibe boner for me she need to follow me around like a puppy and I have a steak.

Ill dumb it down and write louder. WE ARE EXPECTED, HEAVILY, NOT TO WIN IT SHOULD WE PLAY EITHER OF THE TOP TWO FAVORITE TEAMS IN THE WEST. THE SPURS, WHO ACTUALLY HAD AN OFFSEASON THAT WAS BETTER THAN ADDING MO FUCKING WILLIAMS, IS EXPECTED TO RUN US OFF THE COURT OF THEY PLAY US. WE DID PRACTICALLY NOTHING TO ADD TO OUR TEAM, ALMOST LITERALLY NOTHING, WHICH IS UNDERWHELMING, AND THE SPURS ADDED STUDS.

Now you're making it personal. I don't follow you around. I don't respect your basketball acumen or maturity enough to consider it, to be honest. This sort of response validates that even more. I'm not on this site for EAYOR. Nothing wrong with those of you who are, particularly when the Cavs were awful, but it's not my primary thing.

You've touted the Spurs for nearly a month, and they added two players. One of whom is great, as I pointed out.

You just said they added "studs." Ergo, you just said David West is a stud. No? This isn't 2012, but apparently you didn't watch basketball then either (your words this time, not mine). Don't call me names for making an interpretation of a stance, and then reinforce said interpretation.

The Spurs offseason acquisitions don't even compare to what the Cavs did a year ago. That's why it's silly to bitch and moan about this summer. If I were a Spurs fan, and somebody were complaining a year ago that the Cavs had a better offseason than the Spurs, I'd have made the same sort of comment.

The Cavs lost nothing from a team that went to game 6 of the NBA finals without its 2nd and 3rd best players. That is a soon-to-be fact.

The Spurs lost in round 1 to a team we can all agree is tier 2 in the NBA at best (I hope) after blowing a 3-2 lead.

The Cavs are the favorite to win the NBA title. That's another fact.

This offseason is, "underwhelming," to the casual fan who tunes in for free agency and waits for new names. The Cavs made their acquisitions over the last twelve months, and have retained them assuming JR comes back.

Is it, "underwhelming," to re-sign 6 free agents (again, assuming JR, Delly, and Tristan do in fact sign)? Take out LeBron, and you have 5 guys re-signing, including one of the summer's top 2 thought-to-be-attainable FA's in Kevin Love, who admitted he wasn't all-in on returning until his meeting with LeBron paired with the feelings he had during the finals.

And the Cavs added a piece that fills a hole in their roster to boot.

I don't need caps lock to make that point clear. I don't need to attack you to make that point clear.

I disagree with your stance. I posted about it on a message board in a tactful manner. No need to be an ass.