Post by poetic on Aug 19, 2010 14:54:38 GMT -5
Atlantic Division
7.
The Heat set out last season on a mission, a mission to suck and hopefully land the top player in the 2003 draft. Unfortunately things didn't work out for them. They did manage to move up in the draft from #7 to #4 after a trade with the Celtics to snag relatively unknown center prospect Darko Milicic. Management decided it was best to keep Darko overseas to develop his game some more before entering the NBA. This is one we'll have to keep an eye on in the future.
If there was one bright spot last season, it was the play of star small forward Paul Pierce who refused to lose and played with an incredible amount of heart. Sadly, the talent surrounded the Truth will probably land this team back into the lottery where they hope to have much better luck. The development of young power forward Eddie Griffin will play a huge part in their success. Can he improve upon his 14 point, 9 rebound, and 2 block per game 2002 season?
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Mark Blount
PF - Eddie Griffin
SF - Paul Pierce
SG - Roger Mason Jr.
PG - Earl Watson
Projected Record: 29-53
6.
Talk about lucky. The Knicks decided to tear it apart almost midway thru the 2002-2003 season and they hit it big this past off-season jumping from #8 in the projected lottery all the way to the top spot! 18 year old LeBron James was the obvious choice and the rookie we expect to make the biggest impact on this 2003 season and boy do the Knicks need it. King James as they call him will be joining one of the top point guards in the league this season in Steve Francis.
Francis led the team in points (25.6) and assists (9.1). We should see his scoring drop a little and his assists up as he develop more into a distributor instead of having the weight of the offense on his shoulders. New York also added a couple veterans in the off-season in Kenny Thomas and Tony Delk. I'm not sure they can make a run at the playoffs this season in the loaded East, but they should be fun to watch develop towards the future.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Nikoloz Tskitishvili
PF - Kenny Thomas
SF - LeBron James
SG - Matt Barnes
PG - Steve Francis
Projected Record: 32-50
5.
76ers are coming off a playoff season that saw their GM get fired and replaced. New GM Supa has done a great job of keeping the squad intact. Joining the 76ers veteran lineup are rookies Mo Williams and Alfonso Goodrich. Williams will probably start the season at the point guard position, more of a scoring point guard than the traditional passer, Mo's added scoring could give the team the firepower they need to really get it going. Also joining the team is 7'4" center Priest Lauderdale. He's had a decent career so far in TMBSL and the new atmosphere shouldn't change that too much. Let's hope he's still motivated after receiving a cool 7.5 million dollars to play this season.
Philly is led as always by superstar duo Grant Hill and Antonio McDyess, what can't these gentlemen do? All-League 1st team member Grant Hill averaged a sickening 31 points a game last season while McDyess added 25 himself to go along with 13 rebounds. Both guys are a year older, will they continue to play like this? The Sixers can't afford a decline in the crazy Eastern Conference. I feel they'll be battling for those 7-8 spots once again.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Priest Lauderdale
PF - Antonio McDyess
SF - Grant Hill
SG - Courtney Alexander
PG - Maurice Williams
Projected Record: 42-40
4.
Here's a team that was hit with the injury bug pretty bad last year, losing 3 of their starters for significant time. They made an insane run to close out the season and missed out on the playoffs on tiebreaker. So Sad. In the lottery the Wizards managed to snag Travis Outlaw who should play a huge role in their future. Mostly everyone is back, and that includes MVP candidate Shaquille O'Neal. The Diesel is easily one of the top players in the league and should resume right where he left off dominating dudes down low. Also returning is 2nd and 3rd scoring options Peja Stojakovic and Bonzi Wells. On a team that didn't do too much to it's roster, these guys will really have to improve their play if they plan to contend for a title. They should make it into the playoffs easily.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Shaquille O'Neal
PF - Jerome Williams
SF - Predrag Stojakovic
SG - Bonzi Wells
PG - Jason Williams
Projected Record: 44-38
3.
The Nets saw a big increase in performance last year, as they went from a lottery team to the 6th seed in the East. Everyone is back once again, but a year older. Time has to be running out on the Nets championship window. This is the season that will more than likely decide their future. All report indicate 2002 Rookie of the Year is looking about the same as last year, you'd like to see some growth from your sophmore star, but who wouldn't be happy with the 23 points and 10 rebounds the Mingus provides?
Shooting ace Allan Houston is coming off a season that saw his scoring totals drop 3 points per game, that can be attributed to the amount of shots he took which was almost 160 less than the previous season. However, his shooting averages were down across the board! If Houston can get back to that 2001 form, the Nets could be scary. The Nets had no key losses during the off-season and return pretty much everyone. Assuming management doesn't overeact and tears the team apart, playoff bound the Nets should be.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Yao Ming
PF - Ben Wallace
SF - Keith Van Horn
SG - Allan Houston
PG - Steve Nash
Projected Record: 46-36
2.
It's hard to not put the defending champions #1 in the Atlantic, because despite the low expectations put on these guys they always manage to shatter them and exceed. No one saw Orlando coming this past post-season, not a single member of the press predicted them to win it all. They find ways to win, as the roster is very experienced top to bottom. 40 year old Hakeem Olajuwon opted to return for 1 final year and a chance at his 4th NBA title. Finals MVP Rasheed Wallace looks to keep up his consistent ways and lead this team back into the playoffs.
The Orlando Magic didn't make too many moves in the off-season other than sign a couple veterans to fill out some depth. But the contraversial addition comes into the form of 5'7" point guard Joe Silvestri who shocked everyone when they found out teams have actually been inquiring about his services. Do the Magic have something up their sleeve here? or will he be the cancer that ruins a perfect championship team. That remains to be seen.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Hakeem Olajuwon
PF - Rasheed Wallace
SF - Shareef Abdur-Rahim
SG - Cuttino Mobley
PG - Sam Cassell
Projected Record: 49-33
1.
The Boston Celtics were one of the top teams in the league last year finishing with an impressive 62-20 record, but they just couldn't perform when it mattered as they lost to eventual NBA champions Orlando Magic in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Most teams would be content with their roster after a season like that and look to just try again, but the Celtics made one of the biggest moves this off-season sending starting center Pau Gasol along with multiple picks to the Golden State Warriors for the #3 and #4 picks in the rookie draft. The Celtics had Dwayne Wade fall into their lap @ the 3rd spot, before trading away the 4th pick for the 7th and 15th picks in the rookie draft.
Joining D-Wade is young defender, rebounder Kendrick Perkins who the Celtics hope will have an immediate impact down low as the Celtics were one of the worst shot blocking teams in the league. League MVP Chris Webber returns and is a year older. He has all the accolades one would want, but a championship. His time could be running out, so expect to see a huge season as the he leads the Celtics to one of the top records once again.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Kendrick Perkins
PF - Chris Webber
SF - Shawn Marion
SG - Michael Redd
PG - Damon Stoudamire
Projected Record: 57-25
All Atlantic Team
C - Shaquille O'Neal
PF - Chris Webber
SF - Grant Hill
SG - Allan Houston
PG - Steve Francis
Central Division
8.
You have to feel for current GM Trofie who inherited the worst run franchise in the league, but he's doing a good job. He's made a lot of moves since taking over and has added lots of young talent in Mehmet Okur, Tyson Chandler, Wally Szczerbiak, and newly acquired free agent Erick Barkley. We're not sure why he was added to the team or what Milwaukee's plans are at the position with a lot of quality point guards like Omar Cook and sophmore Frank Williams
The key to this team is obviously player growth, as they just don't have the pieces or draft picks to improve instantly. These young guys are going to have to step up in a big way or they could find themselves once again with one of the worst records league wide. Unfortunately for them, they don't benefit from poor performance as their 1st rounder belongs to another team.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Mehmet Okur
PF - Tyson Chandler
SF - Kyle Korver
SG - Wally Szczerbiak
PG - Omar Cook
Projected Record: 14-68
7.
What can be said about the Bulls? they're run by the most impatient, wishy-washy general manager in the league. He built the team with future domination in mind, before they could realize that dream he started trading away the young guys for veteran guys and ended up with 1 of the top 3-somes in the league. Most people had them pegged for a high seed in the East this year, but before the Bulls could attempt to meet the expectations all 3 players were sent packing to new teams for youngsters and future picks. Iverson to the Pistons, O'Neal to the Kings, and McGrady to the Fighting Kahns.
GM Bankz is on a new plan once again, one familiar to Bulls who have been following the team from the start. The team is loaded with young guys who have high potential, the question remains... is management patient enough to allow these kids to grow? or will they be sent away once again in favor of a new plan? we shall see...
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Steven Hunter
PF - Nick Collison
SF - Caron Butler
SG - Gerald Wallace
PG - Jay Williams
Projected Record: 25-57
6.
The Pacers are one of the youngest teams in the league with 9 of their 15 players being under the age of 24. The Pacers have a solid young core in Carmelo Anthony, Lamar Odom, and Tony Parker. Motivation seems to be the big issue here. Not many players showed much growth in training camp, and the higher ups are starting to wonder if the coaching staff is right for the team. Unless something drastic occurs, the Pacers are looking at the lottery once again. The team is looking for a leader, can a 19 year old Carmelo Anthony be that guy? or will it be someone else? My gues is Michael Bradley, look for him to score 20 points and grab 8-9 rebounds a game.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Michael Bradley
PF - Lamar Odom
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Quentin Richardson
PG - Tony Parker
Projected Record: 27-55
5.
Here's a team that could show some major improvement this year as everyone returns for one. But they managed to acquire the Big Dog, Glenn Robinson from the LA Lakers. This adds a 3rd huge scoring option for Cavs joining Elton Brand who made some nice improvements to his game last year going from 20 points to almost 24 points per game! Don't be surprised to see even more growth this year from the former Duke Blue Devil.
The Cavaliers made a big decision in bringing back veteran Antonio Davis who was a key part to their success last season. The 34 year old struck it big collecting a nice 20+ million dollars over 3 seasons. We feel they could finish anywhere from 9th to 5th this season, and we don't mean to be a dead horse... but the EAST is tough! 1 injury to a starter can send you in the wrong direction without hoping of making up ground.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Antonio Davis
PF - Elton Brand
SF - Glenn Robinson
SG - Ruben Patterson
PG - Stephon Marbury
Projected Record: 47-35
4.
The most contraversial team in the league last year had general managers fuming around the league as they pulled off trades way too good to be true. The Pistons put that team together in hopes of sneaking into the playoffs, but as luck would have it that wasn't to be. 2003 is the season of the Pistons, it's time to see if these trades will pay off. We have them ranked a little lower than they probably should based purely on being unsure of what these 3 superstars can due together as a unit.
Detroit has 3 guaranteed 20+ scoring, 2 guys who will pull down between 11-12 rebounds a game, a top thief in the league in Allen Iverson, and oh yeah... the reigning Defensive Player of the Year: Alonzo Mourning. The team is loaded, and should be a force to be reckond with! Don't sleep on the Pistons this year.
Projeced Starting Lineup
C - Alonzo Mourning
PF - Tim Duncan
SF - Juwan Howard
SG - Larry Hughes
PG - Allen Iverson
Projected Record: 41-41 to 51-31
3.![]()
a.imageshack.us/img180/5527/Eastern Conference Powerhouse Hornets.gif[/IMG]
Here's another team that improved quite bit last season when they traded for Keon Clark last off-season. He helped the team grab the 5th seed in the East, but once again were dismissed round 1. After 1 big season, Clark asked for one of the biggest contracts in league history to date, and wouldn't you know it... he got it. Reports coming out of camp are that he's hit a lazy patch and his play has decreased some. Not what you hope for when you pay a guy as much as he's getting. Watch out for the buyout as the Eastern Conference Powerhouse Hornets would prefer to keep their future intact.
The Eastern Conference Powerhouse Hornets have been busy in the off-season trading for Al Harrington and Keyon Dooling, plus drafting 2nd round steal Steve Blake. The overall talent of the team seems to be improving and we're interested to see if this is the year they get out of the first round. Time will tell.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Keon Clark
PF - Danny Fortson
SF - Rashard Lewis
SG - Derek Anderson
PG - Darrell Armstrong
Projected Record: 51-31
2.
The Raptors are under new management as previous GM opted pass up his millions and dedicate his time to school. Insert NcHusker88, the new sheriff in Toronto. And boy did he luck out, inheritting the top program in the league these past 2 season. Toronto was shocked in the post season when the Magic knocked them out of the semi's to advance to the finals. Karl Malone then retired a few days later. Good new fans, Mr. Kobe Bryant returns. Kobe's scoring improved dramatically last year going up by 10 points per game, what will happen this year with Malone gone. Are we looking at a 40 point scorer!?
The overall talent level for the Raptors is still high and we don't expect much drop off to follow despite the inexperience of new GM. Look for the Raptors to secure one of the top 4 spots in the East and home court in the 1st round.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Greg Ostertag
PF - Theo Ratliff
SF - Brian Cook
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Terrell Brandon
Projected Record: 55-27
1.
Taking the top spot in the Central division for me is the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks made a nice playoff run before falling in game 7 to the Raptors. Everyone is back, and captain Kevin Garnett looks like a man possessed in practice. He's the kind of guy that can have a 22 point, 12 rebound, 5 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks type season which just blows you away. Add on the scoring of Antawn Jamison and sharpshooter Ray Allen and you have one of the most deadly big 3s in the game.
The Hawks signed a couple veterans to 1 year deals for depth reasons. But the most intriguing move was probably send 3 2nd round picks to the Utah Jazz for Vlade Divac. This is a do it all Center who can average a double double and pass with the best center around, possibly only matched by youngster Darko Milicic. Don't be surprised to see the Hawks flying in the TMBSL Finals this season and probably bringing home another title to the East.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Arvydas Sabonis
PF - Kevin Garnett
SF - Antawn Jamison
SG - Ray Allen
PG - Mooke Blaylock
Projected Record: 59-23
All Central Team
C - Alonzo Mourning
PF - Kevin Garnett
SF - Rashard Lewis
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Allen Iverson
7.
The Heat set out last season on a mission, a mission to suck and hopefully land the top player in the 2003 draft. Unfortunately things didn't work out for them. They did manage to move up in the draft from #7 to #4 after a trade with the Celtics to snag relatively unknown center prospect Darko Milicic. Management decided it was best to keep Darko overseas to develop his game some more before entering the NBA. This is one we'll have to keep an eye on in the future.
If there was one bright spot last season, it was the play of star small forward Paul Pierce who refused to lose and played with an incredible amount of heart. Sadly, the talent surrounded the Truth will probably land this team back into the lottery where they hope to have much better luck. The development of young power forward Eddie Griffin will play a huge part in their success. Can he improve upon his 14 point, 9 rebound, and 2 block per game 2002 season?
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Mark Blount
PF - Eddie Griffin
SF - Paul Pierce
SG - Roger Mason Jr.
PG - Earl Watson
Projected Record: 29-53
6.
Talk about lucky. The Knicks decided to tear it apart almost midway thru the 2002-2003 season and they hit it big this past off-season jumping from #8 in the projected lottery all the way to the top spot! 18 year old LeBron James was the obvious choice and the rookie we expect to make the biggest impact on this 2003 season and boy do the Knicks need it. King James as they call him will be joining one of the top point guards in the league this season in Steve Francis.
Francis led the team in points (25.6) and assists (9.1). We should see his scoring drop a little and his assists up as he develop more into a distributor instead of having the weight of the offense on his shoulders. New York also added a couple veterans in the off-season in Kenny Thomas and Tony Delk. I'm not sure they can make a run at the playoffs this season in the loaded East, but they should be fun to watch develop towards the future.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Nikoloz Tskitishvili
PF - Kenny Thomas
SF - LeBron James
SG - Matt Barnes
PG - Steve Francis
Projected Record: 32-50
5.
76ers are coming off a playoff season that saw their GM get fired and replaced. New GM Supa has done a great job of keeping the squad intact. Joining the 76ers veteran lineup are rookies Mo Williams and Alfonso Goodrich. Williams will probably start the season at the point guard position, more of a scoring point guard than the traditional passer, Mo's added scoring could give the team the firepower they need to really get it going. Also joining the team is 7'4" center Priest Lauderdale. He's had a decent career so far in TMBSL and the new atmosphere shouldn't change that too much. Let's hope he's still motivated after receiving a cool 7.5 million dollars to play this season.
Philly is led as always by superstar duo Grant Hill and Antonio McDyess, what can't these gentlemen do? All-League 1st team member Grant Hill averaged a sickening 31 points a game last season while McDyess added 25 himself to go along with 13 rebounds. Both guys are a year older, will they continue to play like this? The Sixers can't afford a decline in the crazy Eastern Conference. I feel they'll be battling for those 7-8 spots once again.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Priest Lauderdale
PF - Antonio McDyess
SF - Grant Hill
SG - Courtney Alexander
PG - Maurice Williams
Projected Record: 42-40
4.
Here's a team that was hit with the injury bug pretty bad last year, losing 3 of their starters for significant time. They made an insane run to close out the season and missed out on the playoffs on tiebreaker. So Sad. In the lottery the Wizards managed to snag Travis Outlaw who should play a huge role in their future. Mostly everyone is back, and that includes MVP candidate Shaquille O'Neal. The Diesel is easily one of the top players in the league and should resume right where he left off dominating dudes down low. Also returning is 2nd and 3rd scoring options Peja Stojakovic and Bonzi Wells. On a team that didn't do too much to it's roster, these guys will really have to improve their play if they plan to contend for a title. They should make it into the playoffs easily.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Shaquille O'Neal
PF - Jerome Williams
SF - Predrag Stojakovic
SG - Bonzi Wells
PG - Jason Williams
Projected Record: 44-38
3.
The Nets saw a big increase in performance last year, as they went from a lottery team to the 6th seed in the East. Everyone is back once again, but a year older. Time has to be running out on the Nets championship window. This is the season that will more than likely decide their future. All report indicate 2002 Rookie of the Year is looking about the same as last year, you'd like to see some growth from your sophmore star, but who wouldn't be happy with the 23 points and 10 rebounds the Mingus provides?
Shooting ace Allan Houston is coming off a season that saw his scoring totals drop 3 points per game, that can be attributed to the amount of shots he took which was almost 160 less than the previous season. However, his shooting averages were down across the board! If Houston can get back to that 2001 form, the Nets could be scary. The Nets had no key losses during the off-season and return pretty much everyone. Assuming management doesn't overeact and tears the team apart, playoff bound the Nets should be.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Yao Ming
PF - Ben Wallace
SF - Keith Van Horn
SG - Allan Houston
PG - Steve Nash
Projected Record: 46-36
2.
It's hard to not put the defending champions #1 in the Atlantic, because despite the low expectations put on these guys they always manage to shatter them and exceed. No one saw Orlando coming this past post-season, not a single member of the press predicted them to win it all. They find ways to win, as the roster is very experienced top to bottom. 40 year old Hakeem Olajuwon opted to return for 1 final year and a chance at his 4th NBA title. Finals MVP Rasheed Wallace looks to keep up his consistent ways and lead this team back into the playoffs.
The Orlando Magic didn't make too many moves in the off-season other than sign a couple veterans to fill out some depth. But the contraversial addition comes into the form of 5'7" point guard Joe Silvestri who shocked everyone when they found out teams have actually been inquiring about his services. Do the Magic have something up their sleeve here? or will he be the cancer that ruins a perfect championship team. That remains to be seen.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Hakeem Olajuwon
PF - Rasheed Wallace
SF - Shareef Abdur-Rahim
SG - Cuttino Mobley
PG - Sam Cassell
Projected Record: 49-33
1.
The Boston Celtics were one of the top teams in the league last year finishing with an impressive 62-20 record, but they just couldn't perform when it mattered as they lost to eventual NBA champions Orlando Magic in the 2nd round of the playoffs. Most teams would be content with their roster after a season like that and look to just try again, but the Celtics made one of the biggest moves this off-season sending starting center Pau Gasol along with multiple picks to the Golden State Warriors for the #3 and #4 picks in the rookie draft. The Celtics had Dwayne Wade fall into their lap @ the 3rd spot, before trading away the 4th pick for the 7th and 15th picks in the rookie draft.
Joining D-Wade is young defender, rebounder Kendrick Perkins who the Celtics hope will have an immediate impact down low as the Celtics were one of the worst shot blocking teams in the league. League MVP Chris Webber returns and is a year older. He has all the accolades one would want, but a championship. His time could be running out, so expect to see a huge season as the he leads the Celtics to one of the top records once again.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Kendrick Perkins
PF - Chris Webber
SF - Shawn Marion
SG - Michael Redd
PG - Damon Stoudamire
Projected Record: 57-25
All Atlantic Team
C - Shaquille O'Neal
PF - Chris Webber
SF - Grant Hill
SG - Allan Houston
PG - Steve Francis
Central Division
8.
You have to feel for current GM Trofie who inherited the worst run franchise in the league, but he's doing a good job. He's made a lot of moves since taking over and has added lots of young talent in Mehmet Okur, Tyson Chandler, Wally Szczerbiak, and newly acquired free agent Erick Barkley. We're not sure why he was added to the team or what Milwaukee's plans are at the position with a lot of quality point guards like Omar Cook and sophmore Frank Williams
The key to this team is obviously player growth, as they just don't have the pieces or draft picks to improve instantly. These young guys are going to have to step up in a big way or they could find themselves once again with one of the worst records league wide. Unfortunately for them, they don't benefit from poor performance as their 1st rounder belongs to another team.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Mehmet Okur
PF - Tyson Chandler
SF - Kyle Korver
SG - Wally Szczerbiak
PG - Omar Cook
Projected Record: 14-68
7.
What can be said about the Bulls? they're run by the most impatient, wishy-washy general manager in the league. He built the team with future domination in mind, before they could realize that dream he started trading away the young guys for veteran guys and ended up with 1 of the top 3-somes in the league. Most people had them pegged for a high seed in the East this year, but before the Bulls could attempt to meet the expectations all 3 players were sent packing to new teams for youngsters and future picks. Iverson to the Pistons, O'Neal to the Kings, and McGrady to the Fighting Kahns.
GM Bankz is on a new plan once again, one familiar to Bulls who have been following the team from the start. The team is loaded with young guys who have high potential, the question remains... is management patient enough to allow these kids to grow? or will they be sent away once again in favor of a new plan? we shall see...
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Steven Hunter
PF - Nick Collison
SF - Caron Butler
SG - Gerald Wallace
PG - Jay Williams
Projected Record: 25-57
6.
The Pacers are one of the youngest teams in the league with 9 of their 15 players being under the age of 24. The Pacers have a solid young core in Carmelo Anthony, Lamar Odom, and Tony Parker. Motivation seems to be the big issue here. Not many players showed much growth in training camp, and the higher ups are starting to wonder if the coaching staff is right for the team. Unless something drastic occurs, the Pacers are looking at the lottery once again. The team is looking for a leader, can a 19 year old Carmelo Anthony be that guy? or will it be someone else? My gues is Michael Bradley, look for him to score 20 points and grab 8-9 rebounds a game.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Michael Bradley
PF - Lamar Odom
SF - Carmelo Anthony
SG - Quentin Richardson
PG - Tony Parker
Projected Record: 27-55
5.
Here's a team that could show some major improvement this year as everyone returns for one. But they managed to acquire the Big Dog, Glenn Robinson from the LA Lakers. This adds a 3rd huge scoring option for Cavs joining Elton Brand who made some nice improvements to his game last year going from 20 points to almost 24 points per game! Don't be surprised to see even more growth this year from the former Duke Blue Devil.
The Cavaliers made a big decision in bringing back veteran Antonio Davis who was a key part to their success last season. The 34 year old struck it big collecting a nice 20+ million dollars over 3 seasons. We feel they could finish anywhere from 9th to 5th this season, and we don't mean to be a dead horse... but the EAST is tough! 1 injury to a starter can send you in the wrong direction without hoping of making up ground.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Antonio Davis
PF - Elton Brand
SF - Glenn Robinson
SG - Ruben Patterson
PG - Stephon Marbury
Projected Record: 47-35
4.
The most contraversial team in the league last year had general managers fuming around the league as they pulled off trades way too good to be true. The Pistons put that team together in hopes of sneaking into the playoffs, but as luck would have it that wasn't to be. 2003 is the season of the Pistons, it's time to see if these trades will pay off. We have them ranked a little lower than they probably should based purely on being unsure of what these 3 superstars can due together as a unit.
Detroit has 3 guaranteed 20+ scoring, 2 guys who will pull down between 11-12 rebounds a game, a top thief in the league in Allen Iverson, and oh yeah... the reigning Defensive Player of the Year: Alonzo Mourning. The team is loaded, and should be a force to be reckond with! Don't sleep on the Pistons this year.
Projeced Starting Lineup
C - Alonzo Mourning
PF - Tim Duncan
SF - Juwan Howard
SG - Larry Hughes
PG - Allen Iverson
Projected Record: 41-41 to 51-31
3.
Here's another team that improved quite bit last season when they traded for Keon Clark last off-season. He helped the team grab the 5th seed in the East, but once again were dismissed round 1. After 1 big season, Clark asked for one of the biggest contracts in league history to date, and wouldn't you know it... he got it. Reports coming out of camp are that he's hit a lazy patch and his play has decreased some. Not what you hope for when you pay a guy as much as he's getting. Watch out for the buyout as the Eastern Conference Powerhouse Hornets would prefer to keep their future intact.
The Eastern Conference Powerhouse Hornets have been busy in the off-season trading for Al Harrington and Keyon Dooling, plus drafting 2nd round steal Steve Blake. The overall talent of the team seems to be improving and we're interested to see if this is the year they get out of the first round. Time will tell.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Keon Clark
PF - Danny Fortson
SF - Rashard Lewis
SG - Derek Anderson
PG - Darrell Armstrong
Projected Record: 51-31
2.
The Raptors are under new management as previous GM opted pass up his millions and dedicate his time to school. Insert NcHusker88, the new sheriff in Toronto. And boy did he luck out, inheritting the top program in the league these past 2 season. Toronto was shocked in the post season when the Magic knocked them out of the semi's to advance to the finals. Karl Malone then retired a few days later. Good new fans, Mr. Kobe Bryant returns. Kobe's scoring improved dramatically last year going up by 10 points per game, what will happen this year with Malone gone. Are we looking at a 40 point scorer!?
The overall talent level for the Raptors is still high and we don't expect much drop off to follow despite the inexperience of new GM. Look for the Raptors to secure one of the top 4 spots in the East and home court in the 1st round.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Greg Ostertag
PF - Theo Ratliff
SF - Brian Cook
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Terrell Brandon
Projected Record: 55-27
1.
Taking the top spot in the Central division for me is the Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks made a nice playoff run before falling in game 7 to the Raptors. Everyone is back, and captain Kevin Garnett looks like a man possessed in practice. He's the kind of guy that can have a 22 point, 12 rebound, 5 assist, 2 steals, 2 blocks type season which just blows you away. Add on the scoring of Antawn Jamison and sharpshooter Ray Allen and you have one of the most deadly big 3s in the game.
The Hawks signed a couple veterans to 1 year deals for depth reasons. But the most intriguing move was probably send 3 2nd round picks to the Utah Jazz for Vlade Divac. This is a do it all Center who can average a double double and pass with the best center around, possibly only matched by youngster Darko Milicic. Don't be surprised to see the Hawks flying in the TMBSL Finals this season and probably bringing home another title to the East.
Projected Starting Lineup
C - Arvydas Sabonis
PF - Kevin Garnett
SF - Antawn Jamison
SG - Ray Allen
PG - Mooke Blaylock
Projected Record: 59-23
All Central Team
C - Alonzo Mourning
PF - Kevin Garnett
SF - Rashard Lewis
SG - Kobe Bryant
PG - Allen Iverson
