It’s that time of year again and I’m already counting the days until tip-off. The Atlantic division is my first stop on the divisional preview tour and features two players I included in my Players To Watch Next Season piece I did at the end of last season.
Atlantic Division
- Toughness: 6.2/10
- Baller to watch: Thaddeus Young, 76ers
- Team to watch: Toronto Raptors
1. Boston Celtics
They won the division by 21 games last year and that was without the help of Kevin Garnett, so I only expect that number to grow a little this season. Boston even brought in Rasheed Wallace to take some of the pressure off KG and bolster and already great team. How far they go this depends on the health of their aging roster.
1st round pick: N/A
Key move: F/C Rasheed Wallace
2. Toronto Raptors
This is one long, athletic team. The Raptors brought in the 6′-10 Hedo Turkoglu from the Magic to add to a roster that already includes another guy 6′-10 in Chris Bosh, and a guy who’s primed for a big year in Andrea Bargnani (7-footer). Not to mention they drafted freak athlete DeMar DeRozan (6′-7) with the 9th pick. I expect the Raptors to fight for a playoff spot this year.
1st round pick: SG/SF DeMar DeRozan
Key move: G/F Hedo Turkoglu
3. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers could make some things happen this season, but that all depends on Elton Brand. The guy has only played in 37 games over the past two seasons so the odds aren’t in the team’s favor. Third-year man Thaddeus Young is looking like he’s ready for a breakout year, though, so keep your eyes on him. I have them finishing just behind Toronto, but like I said, Elton Brand can change all that.
1st round pick: PG Jrue Holliday
Key move: G/F Jason Kapono
4. New Jersey Nets
I like the Nets and feel they are going in the right direction, they just need a couple more years. Devin Harris is one of the most underrated point guards in the league, Brook Lopez will be a solid center for years to come, and Courtney Lee who was part of the Vince Carter deal is a guy that any team would love to have. First round pick Terrence Williams is another future-stud who provides the Nets with a nice nucleus of young talent. Also, for the love of god please give Chris Douglas-Roberts more PT.
1st round pick: G/F Terrence Williams
Key move: Getting rid of the aging Vince Carter and his huge contract.
5. New York Knicks
Ah, the Knicks. I can’t say for certain whether or not things are looking up in NY because every time I do, they still end up looking hopeless. So, what I’ll say is this: David Lee is the man, Jordan Hill is a beast (even if he did just go 1-8 in the Knicks first preseason game), Toney Douglas is the truth (even if he is from FSU), and Danilo Gallinari needs more than 14 minutes a game and 28 total games played. Oh, and Larry Hughes has teardrop tattoos on his face.
1st round pick: PF Jordan Hill
Key move: …Darko Milicic?
ok…Knicks have Toney Doug?? I dig it!!
Elton Brand was a waste of money. I don’t know why the signed him. They might have well just bought crutches and a cast.
Eric Elton Brand is a stud. Glenn Robinson, there was a pair of crutches and a cast. Out of the last three “big” acquisitions of Brand, Webber and Robinson, Brand is by far the best and most motivated. The problem is a combination of the Sixers being a horribly managed team yet managing to barely skate into the playoffs (due to a lousy East). The managment can then say ‘look, we have a playoff team, no need to make big deals or acquire players we need!’
Jrue Holliday was a dreadful draft pick. Getting rid of Andre Miller, one of the top 5 guards last season, was especially stupid considering the new offense could use a veteran guard. The fact that the new offense is supposed to revolve around SAMUEL DALEMBERT, the Jamarcus Russell of basketball, is very alarming. Still, they’ll make the playoffs for their annual thrashing, and fail to get enough needed players in the offseason (Capono looks like a solid move but its not enough, especially considering Miller’s departure). If there was ever an NBA team in need of new ownership, it’s gotta be this one.
One example of a player we could and should have got: Hedo Turkoglu. Oh wait, just like in our coach search when we could have had Avery Johnson, we ‘weren’t interested’.
Yeah Elton Brand is good….in the 20 games he plays a year. That was a worse signing the Kevin Curtis.
you know whats worse than Kevin Curtis and Elton Brand? The fact that the Eagles still have Reggie Brown despite letting good players go instead of him. The fact that we still refuse to pick up Runyan. ahhhhhhhhhhh lol.