ESPN Insider Eastern Conference predictions

["Berry, Mark S" <berrym@BATTELLE.ORG>]

This is ESPN Insider's Eastern Conference predictions. I think they have
Atlanta too high and the Knicks and Heat a little low, but other than that,
it's hard to argue with their logic. Injuries, chemistry, trades and other
factors will determine things. Notice the disparity they see between the top
nine teams and the Celts (seven games). Seems like a lot.--Mark

1. Toronto Raptors
Projected Record: 54-28
2001 Record: 47-35 (No. 5)

Mountie up! The Raptors are no longer the traveling sideshow of the NBA.
Hakeem Olajuwon
adds the final piece of the puzzle for a franchise that put up rather than
shut up. Vince Carter is
a Raptor for life. Now it's up to the rest of the NBA to deal with it,
conspiracy theorists be
damned. Welcome to the NBA elite. The Raptors may have made it official with
the re-signing
of Carter but brought it about with the re-signings of Antonio Davis, Jerome
Williams and Alvin
Williams. Love all around.

2. Milwaukee Bucks
Projected Record: 53-29
2001 Record: 52-30 (No. 2)

How badly do the Bucks want Anthony Mason? How badly do the Bucks need
Anthony
Mason? If that one player will make a difference in that one game that would
have gotten them
into the NBA Finals last year, then why not spend the cash? The extra
playoff revenue alone
will pay for the cost. You can only win so many playoff games forcing style
of play. Eventually,
somebody's got to get dirty. I repeat. How badly do the Bucks want Anthony
Mason? How
badly do the Bucks need Anthony Mason?

3. Atlanta Hawks
Projected Record: 48-34
2001 Record: 25-57 (No. 13)

The most improved team in the entire NBA. Its frontline of Toni Kukoc,
Shareef Abdur-Rahim
and Theo Ratliff is not only complete but also compatible and complementary.
And let's not
forget about one of the best kept secrets in the league in Nazr Mohammed.
Each of those four
players can play at least two different positions while up top, Jason Terry
can both run the
offense and be the offense. Depending on how you look at it, they're either
a point guard or
shooting guard away from title contention. Depending on how you look at it,
Pete Babcock is
either mayor of the city or Executive of the Year. Or both.

4. Philadelphia Sixers
Projected Record: 47-35
2001 Record: 56-26 (No. 1)

Hope they liked the door prizes because the party is about to end. No more
MVP, Sixthman,
Defensive POY, Coach of the Year or return tickets to the Finals. Pat Croce
was that important.
Tyrone Hill wasn't but now the power forward position is an open sore.
Iverson's still gonna
score 30 a game. But he'll do it with Larry Brown at his throat again. In
fact, you won't be able
to tell much difference from the year before the Sixers were the team to
beat. But these guys
are gonna find out how hard it is to play injured when you're on the other
end of the scoreboard.

5. Orlando Magic
Projected Record: 46-36
2001 Record: 43-39 (No. 7)

Aged Patrick Ewing is still the best center the Magic have had since
Shaquille O'Neal. Horace
Grant is probably their best power forward since, well, Horace Grant. Tracy
McGrady is better
than Penny ever was. Yet, this team remains more fairytale than model
franchise. Smoke and
mirrors were never much against zone defenses and shot clocks. If Grant Hill
is half as healthy
as they say he is, then the Magic are still half a player away from serious
contention.

6. Charlotte Hornets
Projected Record: 46-36
2001 Record: 46-36 (No. 6)

They are a playoff team without a playoff home, full of tragedy and regret,
the forgotten point
guard on the verge of greatness, the power forward a vestige of his former
greatness, the silent,
strong-willed coach turned counselor by necessity. Baron Davis, Derrick
Coleman and Paul
Silas have absolutely nothing to lose. They could very well be the most
dangerous team in the
entire conference.

7. Indiana Pacers
Projected Record: 43-39br> 2001 Record: 41-41 (No. 

Jalen Rose posted career numbers in scoring, rebounding and assists.
Jermaine O'Neal tripled
his points and rebounds per game. Travis Best, Al Harrington and Jonathan
Bender also tallied
career highs in scoring. Every player on the roster who will have anything
to do with the future of
the Pacers, save for Austin Croshere, is a better player than last year when
the Pacers slipped
into the playoffs. And Reggie Miller shall lead them.

8t. Miami Heat
Projected Record: 41-41
2001 Record: 50-32 (No. 3)

We hope Alonzo Mourning returns in full force to lead the Heat in scoring,
rebounding, shooting
percentage, blocked shots and scowls. We also hope for a cure for cancer,
world peace and
one more album from Roger. But as it stands, Eddie Jones and Brian Grant
remain the nicest
role players Max money can buy, and without anyone to get him the ball in
the post, Zo will be
forced to flex at certain points in the season just to get the Heat into the
postseason. 

8t. New York Knicks
Projected Record: 41-41
2001 Record: 48-34 (No. 4)

News is Marcus Camby wants a raise because he finished his Happy Meal. Rumor
has it
Latrell Sprewell is already murmuring. Punchline is that Allan Houston still
believes he's the
best two-guard on the planet. And by the way, since when is Clarence
Weatherspoon a big
man? All this internal combustion may have worked in the past, but, for
once, Jeff Van Gundy's
public flagellation won't distract Knicks fans from the truth. He'll confirm
it.

10. Boston Celtics
Projected Record: 34-48
2001 Record: 36-46 (No. 9)

It wasn't too long ago that Rick Pitino said that neither Larry Bird, Kevin
McHale nor Bob Cousy
was going to come walking through that door in a Celtics uniform, all laced
up and ready to
play. But we're suppossed to believe that Red Aurebach reinstated as head
honcho is going to
make a difference this quick? This is still the same team that didn't make
the playoffs last
season or the year before or the year before and so on. I give 'till the
all-star break when
Beantowners start reminiscing about Len Bias.

11. New Jersey Nets
Projected Record: 34-48
2001 Record: 26-56 (No. 12)

The Jason Kidd impact is gonna take more than just a year to show effect.
And although he
may be the best point guard in the league, he's always needed someone to lob
the ball to.
Maybe Rod Thorn sees a different Kenyon Martin and Keith Van Horn than we
do. But mark my
words now. The trade that sent Eddie Griffin to Houston will keep them from
becoming
something they never have been. Winners.

12.Washington Wizards
Projected Record: 30-52
2001 Record: 19-63 (No. 14)

Funny, but I guess love of the game isn't worth what it used to be in the
final boxscore. Michael
Jordan won't defend his title, won't defend his singular supremecy, but he
will preserve his
all-time NBA scoring average. Come on, that's only four buckets a quarter.
But the Wizards
aren't going to make the playoffs this season nor the next. Rip Hamilton,
Courtney Alexander
and Kwame Brown, however, will be better players because MJ tried.

13. Detroit Pistons
Projected Record: 28-58
2001 Record: 32-50 (No. 10)

They're still shaking their heads, holding the losing ticket from the Chris
Webber Sweepstakes.
It was a million-to-one shot to start with, but, sadly enough, their best
shot yet to return to
former glory. Cliff Robinson is a nice pickup. Rodney White will win the
Rookie of the Year
award. But if every playoff team needs at least one superstar and if Jerry
Stackhouse is your
superstar, then the Pistons are still one superstar short.

14. Cleveland Cavaliers
Projected Record: 17-65
2001 Record: 30-52 (No. 11)

I guess soft feet can be contagious. Andre Miller, though, is still worth
the price of admission
even if you have to step over Zydrunas Ilgauskas and DeSagana Diop just to
get to your seat.

15. Chicago Bulls
Projected Record: 8-74
2001 Record: 15-67 (No. 15)

Could be the worst team in the history of the NBA? Sound familiar? There's
only one thing
worse than a bad general manager in the NBA and that's a bad general manager
who's
convinced his boss that he's a good general manager. To make matters worse,
even Tim Floyd
is sick of losing and plans on starting the washed-up veterans instead of
the future. Just exactly
how long can Krause stall before we finally start seeing the fruits or even
the growth of this
rebuilding project?