1.) Chicago
2.) Cleveland
3.) Miami (Need some more support for Wade)
4.) Detroit
5.) Washington
6.) New Jersey
7.) Orlando (Dwight Howard+Jameer Nelson=Something special in a couple of years)
8.) Indiana
9.) Philadelphia
10.) Milwaukee
11.) New York (Headed in the right direction)
12.) Boston
13.) Toronto
14.) Charlotte
15.) Atlanta

You're right, I think you're crazy with the Knicks headed in the right direction.  Toronto is my sleeper team in the East this year.  Have to agree Orlando is a year away still, but if Howard's improvement from last year to this year is on par with season one to season two - LOOK OUT!  

What is T-Mac doing on the list of potential MVPs?  I have him in the top 4 of my most likely to hit the injured list by December, but not on my MVP list.  Sleeper MVP prediction Gilbert Arenas.

They have serious problems. Larry brown exaggerated them but the knicks are a deeply flawed team.  There are too many egos and not enough shots or minutes at PG/SGs (starbury, franchise, crawford and richardson).

Centers Curry and Jones are out of shape and space out.

SF Jefferies is injured and out for a while and Rose is too old.

May and Frye are the two bright spots so I bet they bpth play as PF/C.

Finally, Thomas is a dead duck at the end of the year so the incentive to listen is minimmal. The first sign of trouble and the team will turn on him and lobby for their own cause.  

I'll wage Dolan fires Thomas using the sexual harrassment lawsuit (recent finding of probable cause so it's a real issue) as an excuse to sever his contract, make a scape goat and save money.

1. Miami
   
2. Cleveland
   
3. Washington
   
4. Chicago
   
5. Detroit
   
6. Milwaukee
   
7. Orlando
   
8. New Jersey
   
9. Indiana
   
10. Boston
    
11. Philadephia
    
12. Charlotte
    
13. Toronto
    
14. Atlanta
    
15. New York (totally disagree that they're headed in the right direction)
    

Anyway, 1st time posting from LBC and plan on getting up to Tha Town to check out some Warrior games...early as Nov. 11th. What!

Holla

Their team was built by Isiah Thomas and for Isiah Thomas.  The personnel on that team is fit to how Isiah feels a team should be run in today's NBA.  The Warriors team was built by Chris Mullin for Chris Mullin...it just so happens that Chris Mullin's ideas on basketball are the same or at least very similar to Nellie's ideas.

See where I'm getting at?

They're a wildcard for me when I look at it from that perspective...

1.  Chicago (I know it seems like they're overrated, but they gave the Heat more problems than Detroit did in the playoffs last season... and they had a solid mix of offense and defense before Wallace got there with Chandler, and he didn't do anything on the offensive end... Think about their defense now.  The Chicago Bears probably inspired them. Noccioni for 6th man of the year award)
   
2.  Miami (The champs are still good, but Shaq will be on cruise control until the playoffs which definately knocks them down to #2 in the East).
   
3.  Cleveland (Lebron James for MVP... Nuff said!)
   
4.  Washington (Arenas + Jameson = Warriors... oh what could have been)
   
5.  New Jersey (Kidd still has enough in to be very good this season, and Vince & Jefferson can only help him get to 10 apg)
   
6.  Detroit (The loss of the TRUE MVP of the team will reveal the weaknesses in the overrated Chauncey Billups.  Prince will vie for the most improved player of the year)
   
7.  Philadelphia (Iverson can't be out of the playoffs this long...)
   
8.  Orlando (Exciting young nucleus with a HEALTHY Grant Hill should be enough in the weak bottom half of the Eastern Conference)
   
9.  New York (I agree that they should be improved with clearly defined roles this season.  Frye, Starbury, Curry, and Francis should all have improved numbers across the board this season)
   
10.  Indiana (J. O'Neal will get injured AGAIN as it seems almost inevitable for something to go wrong in Indy)
    
11.  Boston (This is as good as Paul Pierce is by himself)
    
12.  Milwaukee (Villanueva vies for most improved player of the year award... and thats about it)
    
13.  Charlotte (Rookie of the year Adam Morrison isn't enough to save this team... YET)
    
14.  Toronto (Yes... There IS a team worse than the Raptors this season)
    
15.  Atlanta (This team just has no hope... it's not the team, it's the ownership!  A lot of players filled with potential, too bad that they won't be able to get it together)