1. Atlanta Hawks
Hirsch: Pretender
I actually think this team will regress a little bit. Sefolosha should fill in nicely in wake of Carroll's absence, but other than that, everything should be the same as last year. I just see teams catching up to the Hawks' philosophy. This team is still dangerous but I don't hold them in as high of a regard since they got swept by Cleveland in last year's playoffs.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Hirsch: Contender
There shouldn't be any question here. After acquiring some role players via mid-season trades last year, the team looked complete. In fact, the Cavaliers boasted a record of 33-3 when they were healthy from that point on. Even the Cavaliers' B team pulled within 2 wins of capturing last year's championship despite only having a 7 man rotation.
 |
| As a Cavaliers fan, I can confidently say that this team is the most complete roster Cleveland has turned in by a long shot. |
Hirsch: Contender
This team, when healthy, is dangerous. The coaching change will do them wonders too as Tom Thibodeau relied far too heavily on his starters and was completely incapable of scheming anything on offense. Fried Hoiberg is going to utilize his pieces on that side of the floor much better than his predecessor. Look for him to take advantage of Mirotic's unique skill set a lot this year.
4. Toronto Raptors
Hirsch: Contender
The Toronto Raptors deserve to be commended. They have added a lot of low profile players who will actually contribute a lot. Both perimeter and interior defense should be much improved with the players acquired. The one weakness holding them back is inefficiency from their top two scorers in Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan. The guard tandem is explosive though, so it'd be wise not to underestimate them.
5. Washington Wizard
Hirsch: Pretender
As always, I'm high on this team because of the Wall-Beal tandem, but I just don't think they have the depth or experience to compete for a title just yet. This team made a really intriguing playoff run last year with Paul Pierce pulling off many of his own late-game heroics, but now they'll rely on the young, long, and athletic Otto Porter to man the small forward position. He offers a lot of upside but is still a little raw in his game.
 |
| These two make up one of my favorite guard tandems, but the Wizards will need to get more production from the Forward spots if they want to compete for a title. |
Hirsch: Pretender... but nearly a contender
The Milwaukee Bucks are going to impress a lot of people this season. Adding Greg Monroe to a team that is already really big and has playoff experience from last season should turn everyone's heads. Michael Carter-Williams will also have a full season to get tutelage from the future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, which should benefit the young point guard greatly. Another major factor that needs to be considered is that the "Greek Freak" is on the verge of having a serious breakout season, and Jabari Parker's return. The latter draws comparisons to Carmelo Anthony and many draft experts considered him to be an NBA-ready prospect.
 |
| Greg Monroe is a very polished player, something you don't typically see from modern-day Centers. Him joining forces with Milwaukee does not get the recognition it deserves. |
Hirsch: Pretender
The Celtics are improving gracefully and actually have a crowded frontcourt now. With a relatively young core, a smart coach, and active front office, this team is definitely heading in the right direction. They're just not ready to compete for a title yet. In fact, they may not make the playoffs because the Eastern Conference is starting to get more competitive.
8. New Jersey Nets
Hirsch: Pretender
This team dug themselves in a deep hole and will now be forced to rebuild for a few years at the very least. Deron Williams played well for them down the stretch and shone in a few playoff games, but even he left. Not a whole lot of bright spots here outside of Brook Lopez. I doubt this team will make the playoffs.
My younger cousin Kush wanted to say something about this topic so he asked me to take note of the following points:
Kush: (guest writer) Pretender
- In a bad situation because of salary cap
- Too much money tied up into Thaddeus Young and Joe Johnson
- No true point guard because Deron Williams left
- Addition of Rondae Hollins Jefferson will be interesting
- Getting rid Mason Plumlee was not worth it
0 comments:
Post a Comment