A Ring for the King?

So, I have broke down the Western Conference and for Lakers fans, be happy, surely you will win again the West since only the Spurs is the dominant opposition.

But NBA finals? Wait, three teams from the East is here and proved to be even stronger. So, for me, the East is the conference to watch. The 6th to 8th seeds will be fun to watch as Hawks, Sixers, Heat and Bulls scrambled to survive for a play off spot.

Here is my list for the East. I can say only three teams has a chance of winning the crown come June 2010. As usual, Cavs, Magics and the Celtics will be the beasts with the Wizards making the biggest turnaround this season.


#1 Cavs - Shaq promised the ring to King James. Does he still have it? Well, I believe so. Cavs also scored well with the acquisitions of Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon, an insurance once Delonte West goes berserk.
#2 Magic - Hedo’s gone but Vince Carter is coming in. A slasher who can penetrate at will and open it up for Dwight Howard inside and Rashard Lewis outside. This team will be the hardest to defend.
#3 Celtics - All eyes on KG’s knees and Rasheed Wallace’s hot-headed attitude but the key here will be newcomer Marquis Daniels. I think he’s one of the underrated players in the league and guaranteed to take some minutes off Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
#4 Wizards - Am I sure? A healthy Gilbert Arenas and Brandon Haywood plus Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison will make them playoff contenders again. Plus, don’t forget they acquired Mike Miller and Randy Foye from Minnesota. Too much firepower but please stay injury-free.
#5 Raptors – The biggest loser from last year. With Hedo on board, they will have a dynamic inside-outside frontcourt combo. Plus, Chris Bosh needs to show up, free agency is coming in.
#6 Hawks - Even though they’re small up front, the athletism is overwhelming. Jamal Crawford’s arrival makes them bigger anyway in the backcourt. Plus Marvin Williams is showing improvement showing why he’s picked ahead Chris Paul and Deron Williams 4 years ago.
#7 Sixers - I really don’t know if Elton Brand fits in well with the system. They just slow down every time and that’s not their game. With Andre Miller out, point position will be a key to their success this year.
#8 Heat - Dwayne Wade’s last year in Miami? Well, Jermaine O’neal’s knees and Michael Beasley’s defensive improvement will answer that. But an early playoff exit will sum it up.
# 9 Bulls - I’m a Celtics’ fan and I know that first round was a fluke. And their hero during that series bolted to Detroit months ago (Ben Gordon if you don’t know).
#10 Bobcats - I hate the Okafor-Chandler trade. Just don’t make sense but knowing Coach Larry Brown, defense is number 1. Still, last year’s composition is better than this year. Playoff failure seems to abound.
#11 Pistons - Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon are your free agent jackpots? Come on Joe Dumars, you are better than that. You won’t sign Ben Gordon for $11M per year as your sixth man? Smells like Rip Hamilton is living Motown.
#12 Pacers - Danny Granger’s showed he can be the franchise player to build upon. With Mike Dunleavy coming back from injury and improvements on their young players, this team is locked for a winning season but the time is not now.#13 Knicks - Still no major roster shakeup in anticipation for the highly-touted 2010 free agency. They need to win now to show they are a team to choose next year. I hope their investment to Eddy Curry pays well.
#14 Bucks - Key players are injured. What can you expect? Well, some highlights from rookie Brandon Jennings. Is he that good? The best PG in the rookie class? Let’s see.
#15 Nets - Devin Harris can’t carry this team alone. Another wasted but learning season for the young guys here especially Robin Lopez. Just wait for them in Brooklyn.