The one thing I see that people always like is rate and review my team. Rate and review my season; where would things begin and end. So, I tried to do this. Because of being in the DukeOfNBA Facebook group, I had some meaningful content about the New York Knickerbockers. Yes, the Knicks. They are an old team. The New York Daily News and ESPN team bloggers have overtly discussed the Knicks team age, and their stated concerns. When Marcus Camby (already injured), Rasheed Wallace, Jason Kidd start showing wear and tear, Knicks fans should be highly concerned, especially when it means diminishing their 2nd unit.
I posted in the DukeOfNBA Facebook group what is considered as an industry piece. Basically, however way you wanted to pick it apart to determine, who will be playoff eligible, their seeded number, and choosing their conference and NBA finals winners. These are the results posted below:
There is overall agreement in both conferences. In the Eastern Conference, there is a prediction that the Miami Heat, Boston Celtics, and Indiana Pacers will win their divisions. Even with Thomas picking the Knicks as a 3rd seed, he selected the Pacers as the 4th seed as the Central Division champion, but having the Knicks win more games. Most of us think the Bucks should make it to the playoffs. In the end, the Heat will emerge from the Eastern Conference.I posted in the DukeOfNBA Facebook group what is considered as an industry piece. Basically, however way you wanted to pick it apart to determine, who will be playoff eligible, their seeded number, and choosing their conference and NBA finals winners. These are the results posted below:
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In the Western Conference, the Northwest and Pacific conferences will be lead by the Lakers and Thunder, and that the Lakers will emerge from the Western Conference, unanimously. However there are many dissenting opinions after this.
Nobody is going to get along between picks 3-7. In the East, the Knicks were highest set as a 3 seed, and lowest as a 6 seed. Nets were in the range of 4-6, as the Sixers and Bulls were in the range of 5-7 seeds. Despite the lack of range, most of us think that the Knicks and Nets will have a Metropolitan showdown in the playoffs. This is very good for TV ratings, sports talk radio, and fans around the water cooler. It also clearly shows two very evident things. That teams such as the Sixers, Bucks, and Bulls who took losses in player talent in comparison from last season, are still playoff bound teams. Most people think the Nets will just be a far better team, who made strides in improving their talent and core, while the Raptors who did the same, may not fare highly (only 1 playoff selection).
In the Western Conference, this is I feel a more difficult situation. I think teams are more evenly matched in the West. The Lakers have probably equaled in experience as what as the Thunder has in talent and ability. As for seeds 3-8, it tells us that there may be mixed feelings about the Southwest division, as in that the Spurs are not the premier team in that division and won't be securing a 3-6 matchup in the playoffs. Matter in fact, Jay has the Mavs winning that division. The exodus to the West has been continuous for a while, and it may be a fact that organizations in the West are far better equipped to improve their talent, and willing to maximize their rosters than in the Eastern conference. This could mean that playoff races again, from top to bottom will not be decided until the final games of the season, with teams with winning records.
A lot of us feel very confident about the Heat winning the championship. It is a testament that after winning, you look to strengthen your weaknesses while maintain their strengths. Yes, the Heat did get older, but they also have a young core with Norris, Chalmers, and Harrelson with their 2012 lottery picks. The Heat will have some difficult choices in narrowing their roster. But they're addressing the lack of rest LeBron James had during last season. They're addressing the lack of a healthy shooter with Ray Allen. A Chris Bosh move to Center allows Rashard Lewis to start at PF, and you have a depth chart that would likely be:
| Miami Depth Chart (Projected-15) | ||||
| PG | Chalmers | Cole | Harris | |
| SG | Wade | Allen | Carney | |
| SF | James | Jones | Battier | |
| PF | Lewis | Haslem | ||
| C | Bosh | Anthony | Pittman | Harrelson |
So, what does this say for Knicks fans? Knicks have to deal with a bolstered Boston team in the playoffs or a bolstered Nets team who are confident that they can beat the Knicks. I do think the Knicks took a Moneyball approach by signing the talent that others were not heavily pursuing. Rasheed Wallace, Jason Kidd, Kurt Thomas are aged players who yes, when healthy will be able to provide quality numbers. But they will have to be managed, and you have to depend on your 9-12 man in your rotation. Will Kidd/Felton likely backcourt produce (Shumphert out to January), with tons of experience and tons of inexperience (probably best blend is with Brewer and Novak, but they have limitations)? I am not highly sold that the Knicks will be able to get it all together and get out of the first round.
| Knicks Depth Chart (Projected-15) | |||
| PG | Felton | Kidd | Prigioni |
| SG | Shumphert | Smith | Brewer |
| SF | Anthony | Novak | Thompson |
| PF | Stoudemire | Camby | Copeland |
| C | Chandler | Wallace | Thomas |
Doing this Industry Piece was fun. I got to look at what other people thought, and put into a bubble what many people were thinking. I think, we agreed that as viewers of the NBA, we expect rivalry match ups in the playoffs, and there are questions to each team in their level of success. I expect issues of small sample size, bias, and basing predictions off of an average. However, this was an exercise, which I will admit can be improved. But it was definitely something to try, and it would be interesting to see these pieces come into place and narratives develop in the 2012-13 NBA season.
