11-23-2020, 07:22 PM
(This post was last modified: 11-23-2020, 07:23 PM by dirkfansince1998.)
West
Lakers (until proven otherwise)
Clippers (still more talent than any team outside of LA, will have something to prove)
Nuggets (lost Grant but with MPJ and Bol improving he won´t be missed)
Blazers (made the playoffs with Nurkic and Collins missing most of the season, finally added the needed 3&D wing RoCo)
Jazz (same as last year)
Suns (CP3 effect and young improving core, Ayton not missing 25 games because of a drug suspension)
Mavs (would be in front of the Jazz with a healthy KP)
Rockets (move to the botton without Harden, move up if both RW and Harden stay)
Warriors (no Klay, a lot of pressure on Steph, not sure if Wiseman will help from day one on)
Timberwolves (defense will be the downfall again, Rubio alone won´t solve it)
Spurs (even Pop won´t be able to win a lot with Aldridge, DeRozan and some unproven guys)
Pelicans (lack experience, lost their best player)
Grizzlies (lack experience as well)
Kings (gone Kangz...nuff said)
OKC (don´t even know who is on the roster right now but they probably will end up with all top 5 picks in a future draft)
East
Bucks (one last attempt to convince Giannis, added Holiday, screwed up the rest)
Heat (will only get better, brought back everyone except for Crowder and replaced him with Bradley and Harkless)
Celtics (two-way wing talent wins games and the Celtics still have the most in the entire league)
76ers (Morey didn´t wait and finally surrounded Embiid and Simmons with more shooting)
Raptors (lost older key guys like Gasol and Ibaka, Lowry is aging as well, really lack front court depth)
Nets (locker room issues are basically guaranteed, KD probably won´t be the same after the injury, Nash will need to deal with all of it)
Pacers (same as always, good but not enough to make a deep playoff run)
Hawks (overpaid but still made some solid additions, offense should be good, defense will be just as bad as it was)
Magic (no big moves, one of the few teams that really has no where to go, not bad enough to tank in a weak east but not good enough to win either)
Bulls (young guys improving)
Wizards (Wall/Beal chemistry, will they finally trade Beal and start ther rebuild)
Hornets (Ball hype and Hayward contract, I think Ball will be a bust, expect an all time bad defense)
Pistons (will probably start 5 centers)
Knicks (have even more PFs and Tom Thibodeaus outdated coaching schemes)
Cavaliers (will outtank the rest)
Overall the west is a lot harder to predict. I could flip the top 10 and wouldn´t be suprised if some of the younger teams (Grizzlies, Pelicans) makes the playoffs.
There is a clear drop off in talent after the top 8 in the east. The middle of the pack seems to be a lot better in the west.
Lakers (until proven otherwise)
Clippers (still more talent than any team outside of LA, will have something to prove)
Nuggets (lost Grant but with MPJ and Bol improving he won´t be missed)
Blazers (made the playoffs with Nurkic and Collins missing most of the season, finally added the needed 3&D wing RoCo)
Jazz (same as last year)
Suns (CP3 effect and young improving core, Ayton not missing 25 games because of a drug suspension)
Mavs (would be in front of the Jazz with a healthy KP)
Rockets (move to the botton without Harden, move up if both RW and Harden stay)
Warriors (no Klay, a lot of pressure on Steph, not sure if Wiseman will help from day one on)
Timberwolves (defense will be the downfall again, Rubio alone won´t solve it)
Spurs (even Pop won´t be able to win a lot with Aldridge, DeRozan and some unproven guys)
Pelicans (lack experience, lost their best player)
Grizzlies (lack experience as well)
Kings (gone Kangz...nuff said)
OKC (don´t even know who is on the roster right now but they probably will end up with all top 5 picks in a future draft)
East
Bucks (one last attempt to convince Giannis, added Holiday, screwed up the rest)
Heat (will only get better, brought back everyone except for Crowder and replaced him with Bradley and Harkless)
Celtics (two-way wing talent wins games and the Celtics still have the most in the entire league)
76ers (Morey didn´t wait and finally surrounded Embiid and Simmons with more shooting)
Raptors (lost older key guys like Gasol and Ibaka, Lowry is aging as well, really lack front court depth)
Nets (locker room issues are basically guaranteed, KD probably won´t be the same after the injury, Nash will need to deal with all of it)
Pacers (same as always, good but not enough to make a deep playoff run)
Hawks (overpaid but still made some solid additions, offense should be good, defense will be just as bad as it was)
Magic (no big moves, one of the few teams that really has no where to go, not bad enough to tank in a weak east but not good enough to win either)
Bulls (young guys improving)
Wizards (Wall/Beal chemistry, will they finally trade Beal and start ther rebuild)
Hornets (Ball hype and Hayward contract, I think Ball will be a bust, expect an all time bad defense)
Pistons (will probably start 5 centers)
Knicks (have even more PFs and Tom Thibodeaus outdated coaching schemes)
Cavaliers (will outtank the rest)
Overall the west is a lot harder to predict. I could flip the top 10 and wouldn´t be suprised if some of the younger teams (Grizzlies, Pelicans) makes the playoffs.
There is a clear drop off in talent after the top 8 in the east. The middle of the pack seems to be a lot better in the west.