NBA Predictions: Ranking the New Eastern Conference

This 15 team power ranking will feature all 15 teams in the East and a x-factor that will determine the team’s success who is not the clear cut no. 1 option on the team.  NOTE: This article is based on projections of what team will have a higher percentage record than the team below them in the REGULAR SEASON.

15. Toronto Raptors

I’m sorry Canada, but you will have the worst team in the NBA next season. When they had Bosh and Turkoglu they could not make the playoffs, imagine what happens when they lose their top two players.

X-factor: Jose Calderon- Since Bosh is gone, the Raptors will probably go to Bargnani as their No.1 option and Calderon has to bring the playing skills he had to make Colangelo offer him such a huge contract.

14. Philadelphia 76ers

The Sixers are really in a complete mess right now. Billy Knight gave out huge contracts to people who didn’t prove their worth… ahem Elton Brand… And Andre Iguodala has proven to be a distraction in the locker room and certainly not a franchise player.

X-factor: Elton Brand- Second mention of Brand in this post and another reminder that he needs to get back to the form he was at with the Clippers so he can prove he was worth the contract he got.

13. Cleveland Cavaliers

Yes, I know. LeBron, Ilgauskus, and Shaq have left. The LeBron era has ended in Cleveland and so has the love for their former superstar. All they have now are overpaid contracts and a young promising talent in JJ Hickson.

X-factor: JJ Hickson- To be honest, he is not the next Lebron James, but he will be the promising prospect that the Cavs will need to lead them into the future. But for now, the Cavs are rebuilding, sorry Dan Gilbert, no championship for you this year.

12. Detroit Pistons

The Pistons can actually probably go anywhere from 9^th-14^th depending on how Coach Jon Kuester will utilize his players. If he simply tries putting the young rookies and 2^nd year men this team will probably be going well down the drain at least for this year.  If he puts T-Mac in the system and actually is on form this could shape into a very good team from the power forward spot up. Stuckey-Hamilton-McGrady-Prince sounds very good to me.

X-factor: Tracy McGrady- Obviously, I believe Tracy McGrady will be the factor that brings this team to a success or the team has a downfall. 

11. Indiana Pacers

This team would have been a 13 or 14 without Collison coming in the trade. Their biggest need was a point guard and they got probably the best back up prospect there was in the NBA. 

X-factor: Darren Collison- He will be the main focus because he brought the Hornets team to new heights last season while CP3 was out so they need a boost from him as the secondary option on the team behind Danny Granger. 

10. Charlotte Bobcats

The Bobcats may have been a playoff team last season, but in a more stacked east they fall to the 10^th spot even if it is a bit harsh because the only big move they did was letting Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton and signing Tyrus Thomas to an albatross of a contract for his playing skills.

X-factor:  Stephen Jackson- Captain Jack will be piloting the Bobcats this yr with his co-captain Gerald Wallace. 

9. New York Knicks

The New Yorkers will experience an exciting season, and then get a playoff spot taken away from them by the team that you will see in the 8^th spot shortly.  Amare was a good addition but not worth the money especially since Lee agreed for $20 million less with the Warriors and he is of equal value with Amare.

X-factor: Raymond Felton- An above average point guard is needed for Mike Dantoni’s offense and the Knicks obviously did not have that last year and had a dismal record. Felton is a good point guard who could maybe bring a playoff berth for the Knicks. 

8. Washington Wizards

Washington is an interesting team because of the gun scandal that happened last season and the draft that brought john wall. I give them the 8^th seed because they still have arenas and john wall is a guard, which is a good thing if you are a 1^st overall draft pick, at least you aren’t a power forward or center; See: Blake Griffin, Greg Oden

X-Factor: John Wall- If he meshes well and has good chemistry with Gilbert Arenas because he will have to play shooting guard I think this team will compete for a playoff spot but still John Wall has to prove himself out there. 

7. New Jersey Nets

New Jersey Nets had a team full of young prospects as role players and a core of Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. After the Nets realize this, Mr. Prokhorov thinks he has a brilliant idea and decides to get MORE young role players like Jordan Farmar and Travis Outlaw. Sorry for the slang people but smh.

X-factor: Devin Harris: Brook Lopez looks like he has taken the reins of this team and all he needs is for Devin Harris to repeat his allstar performance of 2 years ago. Because he was out during the beginning of the Nets’ historic losing streak in the beginning of the season he could never catch a groove during the rest of the season.

6. Milwaukee Bucks

This is where I think the second tier of the East starts. They added a scorer in Magette, a rebounder in Drew Gooden, and also resigned the man that made their playoff magic, John Salmons. They are at the same spot in the East, though because of the suddenly stocked East.

X-factor: Andrew Bogut- Andrew Bogut was the main reason for the late playoff push by the Bucks last season. He was starting to evolve into the player everybody in Milwaukee thought they were getting when they were getting Andrew Bogut in the draft at 1^st overall. Until the elbow injury, the Bucks were actually supposed to jump into the second round because of their hotstreak and they were still close by losing in 7 games to the Hawks. 

5. Atlanta HAwks

Wow, those wacky Hawks. 3^rd seed last year also and still trying to be a contender in the East. After winning the 1^st round of each of the last two years in 7 games they have been swept in the 2^nd round in infamous fasion. The contract they gave to joe Johnson was also abysmal, but he is still a perennial all star with a very good frontcourt of Josh Smith and Al Horford. If they got Shaq it would have helped but they could not come up with anything and their best acquisition was a measly Josh Powell. Expect much of the same from the Hawks. OVERALL I THINK THE HAWKS WILL HAVE THE 3RD BEST RECORD BUT ACCORDING TO RULES THEY WILL HAVE TO DROP DOWN TO 5TH.

X-Factor: Josh Smith- He was the reason the Hawks improved so much last year. He stopped taking so many 3s and stuck to driving to the basket which helped for the better cause of the team. 

4. Boston Celtics

Yes Yes I know the Celtics were the Eastern champs last year, but do you remember that they started out with the 4^th seed. This was because they tried to keep their big 3 healthy throughout the season so they could build up for the playoffs. Its not like they are getting any younger, so I think the Bulls eclipse during the regular season but it will be another great battle in the postseason with the Hawks. 

Kevin Garnett: He is the biggest question on the Celtics because of his bum knees and I’ll take another step and question his intensity from his younger years. It is known that he will have the same mindset as when he did when he was younger but will his physicality conform to his mentality?

3. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls went to Plan B during this offseason and I believe that it was probably the best Plan B any team could have. They got Boozer and Korver who I understand is being overrated as the shooter the Bulls have always needed but it is true, the Bulls really needed a shooter to not jam Derrick Rose’s penetration to the basket during last season.

X-factor: Carlos Boozer: He was the inside low post scorer that the Bulls needed. He will be called upon to be the low post scorer to play alongside Derrick Rose. He will also need to prove that he wasn’t just feeding off of Deron Williams’s passes although Derrick Rose isn’t much of a downgrade, if not an upgrade.

Orlando Magic

The Magic have stayed with their core group of players except for swapping Turkoglu with Vince Carter, but the mentality of Stan Van Gundy has paid off; have Dwight Howard dominate in the middle while having 4 shooters all around so he can pass to.  They made a key move by resigning JJ Redick but they could not keep back Barnes which was a vital defensive presence.

X-Factor: Dwight Howard-He will always be the force in the middle for this team that makes the juices run. He needs to develop a valid offensive array of using his speed and strength to get by other centers.

1. Miami Heat

Miami Heat: Ahh, yes the Miami Heat; the Big 3, whatever you want to call them but that is 3 of the top 15 players in the NBA playing with each other. You might not like it, but they have LeBron and Dwayne Wade on the same team and I just do not find two perimeter defenders that can stop these 2.

X-factor: Chris Bosh- How will he handle being the third option on the team. I doubt there will be much of a chemistry issue because he is mostly humble. But it makes me wonder…