The East

[mark at 10thumbs.org]

As always the east is wide open and I don't think we need to mortgage the
future (i.e. Jefferson for KG) to compete. Keeping Jefferson lets us
compete AND continue developing for the future.

Mark asked about the east... here's my take FWIW in rough order:


Chicago -- the clubhouse leader for the Finals in the east. No question.
Love the Noah pick as the eventual replacement for Wallace.


Cleveland -- LeBron is obvs. legit but they too may lose 2 of their top 6
guys in Pavlovic and Varejao.  And they still need a PG.  Also watch for a
LBJ breakdown... he's younger but guys who play internationally then in
Finals tend to breakdown (see: Jefferson, Richard). I'm skeptical that
they keep getting better--- more likely that they'll stay about 48 wins.


After these 2 teams I think each of the other teams in teh East have LEGIT
questions/isuses (as big or bigger than Boston's).  I'm not saying BOS is
better than them but that we're in the conversation (and have more room to
grow than most, IMO with Jefferson, Rondo and Green still developing as
players):


Detroit -- big question marks (will Billups and Sheed be back? at what
cost?) and a team that's getting old, quick. Dumars is as good as they get
as GM, but...

Miami -- Wade is great, but like a mix of DET and CLE, this team is
getting OLD quick and doesn't have much else around Wade.

WAS -- I think they've gone about as far as they can as constituted. They
need size as much as we do and may lose Deshawn Stevenson to keep Andray
Blatche. I could see them moving Jamison.

Toronto -- a good young team, but we've seen many times that the leap from
30-40 games is easier than 40-50. Teams won't be surprised by TOR next
season, but they have as good a young core as any in the East not named
Chicago.

NJ -- good get in Sean Williams, but I still think this team is on the
down swing.  I'd take Rondo/Allen/Pierce/Jefferson/Perk over
Kidd/Carter/Jefferson/Krsitc/Williams

ORL -- If you believe (as i do) that Jefferson is just about as good as
Howard, who does ORL have that even approaches Pierce or Ray Allen? They
play well as a team, but this reminds me of the pre-TMac Magic -- good
team that won't ever be great.  Actually that was the TMac magic too.

NY --- Curry/Randolph/Marbury. It's so crazy it just might work. But i'm
skeptical.

MIL --- depending on what they do with Yi (would DAL do a Yi + Mo Williams
for Josh Howard + Devin Harris deal?) they could be better than they were
last season.  Injuries hurt them as much as BOS. They've got nice pieces
but can it all come together?

PHI -- lots of swing men but no big men.

IND -- a mess.

ATL/CHA -- still a year or 2 away.


So all that is to say I think its legitimate to talk about the Celtics as
a 3-7 seed next seasaon.  mark B. makes a good point about the goal is
champinoships... but you have to be good before you can be great.  I don't
see how this deal prevents that.

(the other) mark