National Basketball Association

NBA Playoffs Seeding Predictions for the 2016-17 NBA Season

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Jun 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with the Bill Russell MVP Trophy after beating the Golden State Warriors in game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

Projecting the standings in the Western and Eastern Conference

The NBA season will very soon be coming around. Fans have been barraged with shocking Free Agent acquisitions, Trades, and staff changes that have been made by NBA Franchises this off-season. This sequence of events has led to a number of teams drastically improving. The same teams that were a top of the conference last year will probably remain there this year, however the middle will be wide open.

So many teams won in Free Agency and Drafting. NBA fans and analysts should be super excited for the 2016-2017 NBA Season to take place. I know I am. The NBA Playoffs this year will definitely look different to say the least. A lot of key players were lost or traded away and some teams got a much needed boost. Other teams are suffering the opposite fate as a result. Kevin Durant going to Golden State was the biggest and most bitter sweet transaction.

Dwayne Wade landing in Chicago could also go on that list as well. Al Horford choosing the Boston Celtics also qualifies with the previous two signings. Dwight Howard even made a big move! The NBA Playoffs will be unpredictable and there will be some new teams making deep playoff runs. I am going to break down my seeding predictions for the Eastern Conference and Western Conference NBA Playoffs.

Apr 23, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) reacts during the second quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

8. Dallas Mavericks

The Dallas Mavericks are still a good basketball team. They have managed to always make the NBA Playoffs year in and year out. Despite injuries, age, attrition, and having to rely on an aging yet highly productive star in Dirk Nowtizki, Rick Carlisle has managed to facilitate talent being around his leader on the Floor. There is also a lot of good things going for this new Mavericks team. Dirk is still giving you double digit scoring numbers and doesn’t seem to be slowing down.

This year the Dallas Mavericks Roster has been revamped with some much needed youth and versatility. The lack thereof such youth and versatility did them in versus the Oklahoma City Thunder just a season ago. The first amazing thing their front office did was acquiring Harrison Barnes and Andrew Bogut from the Golden State Warriors.

This move gave them two players who will improve their defense and give more scoring and play-making on Offense. More Importantly, Barnes is only 24 years old. He is a capable all-around scorer who is steadily improving and could possibly turn into a star with better consistency.

Dallas has a good system that will get Harrison Barnes open looks and allow him to also run in transition (his major strength). This and Bogut being a good rim-protector, help defender, and play-maker are going to put Dallas in better position than they were last year. There is no doubt they will be in the Playoff picture at least as a comfortable eighth seed or maybe an even higher seed.

Apr 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Houston Rockets guard James Harden (13) as a timeout is called against the Golden State Warriors during the third quarter in game five of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

7. Houston Rockets

The Houston Rockets were not so good in the NBA Playoffs last year. The regular season was not so great either. Once Kevin McHale was dismissed, they had to scrap just to get an eighth seed. This year is going to be wildly different. James harden gets better by the year.

The front office established a Coach in Mike D’antoni who will help their offense instantly. Some key Free Agents in Ryan Anderson and Eric Gordon will give them some added scoring options. This should take some burden from James Harden so he can become a legitimate two-way threat and elevate this team. Clint Capela is a developing big man who has shown promise. Sam Dekker will be ready to go this season. Patrick Beverly will be bringing his corner three point shot and savvy defense to the table.

Houston will have a great Pick and Pop player in Ryan Anderson. The other thing that Anderson does so well is attack the basket on straight line drives and he has a great pull-up game. He is a top-notch stretch four and this will definitely benefit Houston’s offense. Eric Gordon is a great slashing two-guard. He can shoot it lights out and improves year to year.

A healthy Eric Gordon is a definite asset to Houston on offense and in transition. The great thing about these two additions is that they played together so the chemistry already drastically improves on that team. James Harden actually has an all-around game. He is a strong guard who can put it in the hole. Now he has some valuable role players who are pretty elite at making shots as well. This season Houston will be twice as good and the results should yield such progress. I also expect great improvement from the young Clint Capela.

May 30, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Russell Westbrook (0) dribbles the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the third quarter in game seven of the Western conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Thunder 96-88. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

6. Oklahoma City Thunder

If there is an team that is in for an extremely good season it is this team. They are a very good basketball team from top to bottom. Sure they don’t have Kevin Durant anymore. They still have arguably a top 3 point guard in Russell Westbrook.

They made an amazingly clever trade that landed them Victor Oladipo, Domantas Sabonis, and the Thunder have a deadly big man duo in Enes Kanter and Steven Adams. Their bench is still really good. Cameron Payne can play. Anthony Morrow will be huge next season. He can shoot the three exceptionally well and will help space the floor so Russell Westbrook can penetrate the defense.

The Thunder will have a young team. The biggest advantage they will have is their athleticism and controlling the glass. Russell Westbrook will be the main ball handler and that will serve them well this season.

The biggest reason Oklahoma City will remain a playoff team is because of Billy Donovan. Donovan is exceptional and Westbrook (The Franchise Player) has all the faith in him. Billy Donovan has great defensive strategies and amazing offensive strategies that allow his team to play physical and fast paced basketball while getting open shots. This team may not be a NBA Championship contender anymore, but the can still be a convincing six seeded team in the NBA Playoffs.

May 11, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard (0) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors guard Shaun Livingston (34) during the second quarter in game five of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

5. Portland Trail Blazers

Portland overachieved during last season. Heck, Portland overachieved in the NBA Playoffs! This team lost 4 starters last year. Nick Batum, Robin Lopez, Wesley Matthews, and LaMarcus Aldridge. By average expectations one would have been completely convinced that Portland would project as a lottery team. I guess we were all fooled then.

Portland turns out to have a lot of untapped potential already on their roster. C.J. McCollum emerged as a reliable “1-A” scoring threat as he averaged over 20 PPG in the regular season and NBA Playoffs. Allen Crabbe whom was retained via Free Agency, budded into a promising and productive all around guard who can also fill it up. Ed Davis has carved out an amazing role in the Offense and was a good defender. Al Farouq Aminu helps their defense and hits open threes. Mason Plumlee has proven to be a great contributor at the 5 position. When Myers Leonard returns this coming season in healthy form, the dynamic duo of Lillard and McCollum will have more threats on both ends of the Floor.

One thing about this Portland team that is overlooked. Chemistry. They play for each other. These are a group of young guys who were written off by the NBA at their previous destinations. Now every single player on the roster is showing the league who they are and more importantly, that they mean business.

Portland will be a convincing fifth seeding team as long as they keep doing what they were doing last year. Also helping them is the addition of Point-Forward, Evan Turner. The addition of Turner puts yet another defensive stalwart and all-around player in place to compliment this team that already has one of the best offensive back courts in the NBA. This season Portland will not disappoint. With the genius of Terry Stotts and all this young talent that now has valuable experience, Portland has successfully blown away any expectations of underachievement.

Feb 5, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Memphis Grizzlies center Marc Gasol (33) drives to the basket past New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) during the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Adam Hunger-USA TODAY Sports

4. Memphis Grizzlies

The Memphis Grizzlies are a very terrifying match-up on paper. Let’s just assume that everything falls into place for this Grizzlies team. They could make some real noise in the future. That includes the 2016-2017 NBA season.

There are a lot of things going for the Grizzlies. Mike Conley is back and healthy. Zach Randolph will be able to be a second scoring option again. Marc Gasol will be healthy and ready to resume his role as the main post option. Also, it should be taken into consideration that the Memphis Grizzlies’ defense will be very tough with a number of stalwarts such as Tony Allen, Mike Conley, and Marc Gasol. The Front office made a huge splash in Chandler Parsons which will help fill this team out at the wing. Vince Carter is aging so the Parsons deal helps solidfy their half court and transition offense.

The Grizzlies, if they remain healthy, are more than worthy of a 4th seed in the West. They have an inside attack that is super potent and this year they have added more shooters to the mix. Most important to remember is that now they have their Floor General back.

Whether people want to admit it or not, Mike Conley will elevate this team. He has the keys to the offense and knows how to maximize the Grit and Grind attack all at the same time. Before Conley and others went down, this team was on pace to be at the top 5 of the west. Everything should come to fruition this season.

April 20, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Clippers guard Chris Paul (3) controls the ball against Portland Trail Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu (8) during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

3. Los Angeles Clippers

It is hard to predict what Chris Paul and the Clippers will do during playoff time. It would be asinine to believe that they would finish below the top 3 in the west though. I strongly believe this team is just unlucky in the NBA Playoffs. In this upcoming regular season, they will still be a dominant team. Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, J.J. Redick, and CP3 are big time players.

Blake Griffin will have a great comeback season. DeAndre Jordan is an elite rim protector, rebounder, and finisher. J.J. Redick has one of the sweetest and most textbook shooting strokes in the league and numbers have shown improvement in efficiency and volume year in and year out.

He is deadly. Let’s not overlook the fact the CP3 is a top 5 point guard in the NBA without a doubt and is the ultimate facilitator in all situations. Chris Paul can also close out games and give you 30 to 40 points with double digit assists at will.

This team has enough talent to win a championship someday. So they definitely will be an easy pick for 3rd in the West. Last year against Portland, Austin Rivers showed he can be big time, their role players were amazing in the NBA Playoffs. There is no doubt that they can replicate this during the upcoming season. Expect at least 50 wins from this Clippers squad, especially with everyone back and 100% healthy.

May 12, 2016; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard (2) brings the ball up the court against Oklahoma City Thunder guard Andre Roberson (21) during the first quarter in game six of the second round of the NBA Playoffs at Chesapeake Energy Arena. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

2. San Antonio Spurs

A new era has begun in San Antonio. This does not change the fact that outside of the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers, San Antonio has been the most dominant team in NBA over the past two seasons. This Spurs team is the only real threat to the Golden State Warriors in the west for years to come.

It really isn’t a contest as to who would be the second seed this season. San Antonio has the best Front line in the NBA for this upcoming season. Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Pau Gasol will be a powerhouse of a trio and that combined with how good the Spurs defense will be this year is enough of an argument. The Spurs lost Tim Duncan to retirement, however a lot of simple facts are overlooked about this team.

LaMarcus Aldridge is the most elite post scorer and mid-range shooter in the game right now. The previous could definitely be state for him amongst his peers at the traditional big man position. Pau Gasol is also very elite at scoring from the High Post, Low Post, and has his own shooting touch as well that is at the top of the league. Kawhi Leonard is an all-around talent and the superstar of this Spurs team. Kawhi Leonard is also a top 5 player in the NBA. He is one of the best three point shooters in the league, he excels in the High and low post game , has above elite slashing ability and creates his own shot.

Leonard can play off the ball, on the ball, decoy, and anything else you could need to keep things going. Oh, and let’s not forget that he is a two-time reigning defensive player of the year that happens to rebound like a player twice his size. The San Antonio Spurs also still have a great bench and Greg Poppovich who is arguably the best coach of all time. All these things and the fact that the Spurs have embraced this youth movement and brought in some great talent for the future point to San Antonio having another successful regular season and locking in the second seed of the NBA Playoffs.

November 17, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors interim head coach Luke Walton (far right) stands with his team during the fourth quarter against the Toronto Raptors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Raptors 115-110. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

1. Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are a runaway favorite for capturing the NBA Championship in the 2016-2017 campaign. They have four superstars who are young and determined. The acquiring of Kevin Durant made this team an automatic juggernaut. The West is very competitive, however Golden State was dominating everyone.

Now that Kevin Durant has brought his talents there, they have even more star power than their competition. This 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors roster is very good from 1 to 8. That may be good enough especially when you consider they have three elite scorers and maybe the best play-making stretch four in the game. They lost Speights, and Barbosa in Free Agency. But they picked up some good veteran players who will do fine taking some of those minutes.

There is one main reason why this Golden State Warriors team will be the runaway one seed in the West. He is the two-time reigning and back to back MVP. He is on pace to be the best shooter to have ever played NBA basketball. He is Stephen Curry. He had a regular season for the ages and broke record after record after record. Oh and he led his team to a 73-9 record in the Western Conference of all places!

There is no reason to believe that Stephen Curry’s production is going to decline next season. With Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Andre Iguodala in his supporting cast alongside the elite coaching skills of Steve Kerr and their staff there is no limit as to what Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors can achieve next season.

The Golden State Warriors will be a 60 plus win team next season and will get the First seed with relative ease as the only team that could possibly challenge them for the Western Conference Crown is the San Antonio Spurs who usually flow on autopilot every regular season. All those factors point to the Warriors being a shoe in one seed for the NBA Playoffs.

Apr 24, 2016; Auburn Hills, MI, USA; Detroit Pistons center Andre Drummond (0) walks to the bench during the second quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game four of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Cavs win 100-98. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

8. Detroit Pistons

The Detroit Pistons have a chance to become a great team. Stan Van Gundy has done a fantastic job with this young Detroit Pistons squad and it showed last season. The Pistons are built like the Orlando Magic were when Dwight Howard was the franchise player.

The only difference is they could be better because Andre Drummond is more talented offensively than Dwight Howard was. All Drummond needs to do is learn to hit his Free Throws with more efficiency. They will be in the NBA Playoffs this year. They need to work on their Offense before we can count them as any more than an eighth seed. Going up against Cleveland showed how much more firepower they needed to even get a game in a playoff series let alone over the course of 82 games.

The Detroit Pistons have a great core. Their stars are young and showing signs of improvement which is a step in right direction. Andre Drummond is a top the league in rebounding and a good scorer around the rim. He is good on offense outside of his horrible Free throw percentage. His Defense could use improvement but over time that can be done.

Stanley Johnson can be a good scorer for this team especially in the NBA Playoffs where games are called more loosely. He is a stud physically and has potential to slash and knock down tough isolation jumpers as well. Johnson also is a smooth ball handler which also is a good sign. Reggie Jackson had an amazing season and continues to improve his ability to run an offense and control the pace of the game.

Tobias Harris adds some scoring punch that Detroit will need. His production should improve this season. There are other good players who are young and have talent such as KCP (Kentavious Caldewell-Pope) , Arron Baynes, Boban Marjanovic, and others. This Detroit team should be an eighth seed and do a little better in the NBA Playoffs but not by much this season.

Nov 18, 2015; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Chicago Bulls guard Jimmy Butler (21) handles the ball in the second half against thePhoenix Suns at Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Bulls defeated the Suns 103-97. Mandatory Credit: Jennifer Stewart-USA TODAY Sports

7. Chicago Bulls

Last year the Chicago Bulls missed the NBA Playoffs by a mere game. The good news in all of the struggles this team had was that Jimmy Butler had a break out season despite his injury woes. The Bulls also have a lot of young players who have great potential to be contributors to a playoff run this season.

Dwayne Wade and Rajon Rondo are a huge upgrade for the Chicago Bulls. Jimmy Butler now has two veterans who are elite at their positions whom he can learn from and play more freely around. Jimmy Butler will still be the first option. Now he just has more help to go along with the role players on the Bulls’ roster.

The Bulls are now going into their second year with Fred Hoiberg as the Head Coach. Their offense should and will look better as there is more talent on the roster. Rondo and Wade are both great in transition, which is an area where the Chicago Bulls were lackluster last season.

This season should be a great one for the younger players such as Bobby Portis, Doug McDermott, Denzel Valentine, and Cristiano Felicio. They will be needed to play big minutes and produce. Portis and McDermot will show great improvement and Valentine will contribute right away. Nikola Mirotic will be even better as well. Expect this team to win at least 45 games and make a NBA playoffs appearance. Barring injuries, the Chicago Bulls can capture the seventh seed in the NBA Playoffs with relative ease.

Apr 26, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) drives against Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) during the second quarter in game five of the first round of the 2016 NBA Playoffs at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

6. Indiana Pacers

Paul George had a great season and did well in the NBA Playoffs. The Indiana Pacers as a team upgraded big time. By acquiring Jeff Teague, they have effectively added another star to help take some burden off of Paul George. Teague is a great play-maker.

This will allow Paul George to be off of the ball on offense more. Al Jefferson will be great with the second unit. Jefferson is a low post specialist with a decent mid-range game. The second unit guards will be able to play off of him when the Pacers want to slow the game down. The rookies look promising and the second year players in Myles Turner and Joseph Young are going to dramatically improve with the experience they have under their belts. Larry Bird has constructed a 50 win team at the least.

This will be the Indiana Pacers’ first year with Nate McMillan as the Head Coach. McMillan has a great resume and is just the leader this young Indiana Pacers team needs. The roster as is for this upcoming season is made for a run in the NBA Playoffs. They added good veterans and have a two-way superstar to play through in Paul George.

Myles Turner will produce big numbers this season and Al Jefferson can fill up the scoreboard with the second unit. Nate McMillan is old school and the roster he is working with can play fast and slow. The Indiana Pacers have a lot of versatility and will be a definite sixth seed in the NBA Playoffs in the worst case scenario.

Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Atlanta Hawks guard Kyle Korver (26) and forward Kent Bazemore (24) celebrate against the Boston Celtics during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

5. Atlanta Hawks

The Atlanta Hawks were a good team last year. They just do not match up well against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They were swept in the second round of the NBA Playoffs by Lebron James and his crew for the second year in a row.

That does not take away from the fact that they beat just about every other team in the Eastern Conference. The Hawks will always be in the NBA Playoffs. This year should be no different. While Al Horford did leave for the Celtics, the Atlanta Hawks still have a lot working in their favor.

They still have Paul Millsap, Dennis Schroder, Kyle Korver, Kent Bazemore, and other role players who showed improvement last season. Paul Millsap is a clear first option. Kyle Korver will have to return to form and he will get plenty of attempts in the upcoming season. Despite losing Al Horford, the Hawks will convincingly win 50 plus games this season.

The Atlanta Hawks have added a Star Center in Dwight Howard. Paul Millsap will have more help on the defensive end with this signing. The Hawks front office was very wise for drafting Taurean Prince. He is the perfect replacement for Demarre Carroll. He will fit nicely in a role this season, even with bench minutes.

Kent Bazemore is showing steady improvement and that should translate into 2016 as well. Kyle Korver is now 100 percent healthy. This means he should return to form and be a good second or third option on Offense. The Hawks have some good young talent on the roster. Everything points to the Hawks being an elite team in the East. Mike Budenholzer is also an elite Head Coach and has done great things in his time with Atlanta. Atlanta will enter the playoffs as a 5th seed and win at least 50 games.

March 11, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; New York Knicks forward Kristaps Porzingis (6) controls the ball against Los Angeles Clippers during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

4. New York Knicks

Last season the New York Knicks convincingly missed the NBA Playoffs. The Knicks were essentially a 30 plus win team last season. A lot of it could be contributed to Derrick Fisher forcing the Knicks to let him go by way of his off-court antics.

A lot of it could be contributed to the incompetence of Kurt Rambis as an Interim Head Coach. Throughout all of the dysfunction, the Knicks have a bright spot. They have a deadly duo on their hands in the form of Carmelo Anthony and Kristaps Porzingis. The unicorn will have a year to remember this year. Carmelo Anthony will also have a great season. With Jeff Hornacek as the new Head Coach, the Knicks can finally modernize their offense and uncover their potential as a threat to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

New York made no mistake in ugrading the talent around their Franchise Players. Derrick Rose, Brandon Jennings, and Joakim Noah will help elevate the Knicks to contender status in the East. This is barring injuries of course. Courtney Lee will be a great upgrade as the starting shooting guard and will solidfy the defense.

Noah and Porzingis will be great at defending the Pick and Roll and the rim. Courtney Lee and Derrick Rose are also solid defenders. This will cover up Carmelo Anthony’s problems on that end. The Knicks have good young players as well who will help contribute to a turnaround season. Lance Thomas is also due for a breakout year. We should safely expect this Knicks squad to garner 50 plus wins and a fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs.

Apr 28, 2016; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas (4) reacts against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half in game six of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

3. Boston Celtics

In the 2015-2016 NBA Playoffs, this Boston Celtics team was bounced out of the first round by the Atlanta Hawks. This year could easily be a different story. Boston has really taken it’s team to another level by shipping out Jared Sullinger and bringing in Al Horford. Horford and Thomas will be great scoring options for the Celtics offense going forward.

With this off-season the Celtics drafted a stud in Jaylen Brown, who has the physical make-up and skill to contribute right away. Jae Crowder, Avery Bradley, and Kelly Olynyk will all continue to improve by playing their roles on this team. Year in and year out this team gets better. Isaiah Thomas is a proven star for the Boston Celtics and Al Horford is also a Star, who happens to be one of the most versatile big men in the game.

The Boston Celtics front office has done an outstanding job with this rebuild. Brad Stevens is the perfect coach for this team. Isaiah Thomas is a diamond in the rough. Al Horford will elevate the team on both ends of the floor. Brad Stevens now has more talent than ever around him that he can work with.

The Boston Celtics led by Isaiah Thomas, Al Horford, and Avery Bradley along with others will post a 50 plus win season with ease and clinch a high seed in the NBA Playoffs. Their defense is already great, and now with the improvement of talent on the offensive end combined with continuity and chemistry, the Celtics are geared for a deep playoff run barring injuries.

May 25, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Toronto Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll (5) and forward Luis Scola (4) and forward James Johnson (3) watch from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Cavaliers in game five of the Eastern conference finals of the NBA Playoffs at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavs won 116-78. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

2. Toronto Raptors

The Raptors were in the Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA Playoffs last year. It would be crazy to believe they would drop to a lower seed this year. In Kyle Lowry, DeMar DeRozan, Jonas Valanciunas, and Demarre Carroll the Raptors have a core they can improve upon. Last years Toronto Raptors won 55 games and made an Eastern Conference Finals appearance.

In fact, this team pushed the Cleveland Cavaliers to 6 games. This year a lot of things will be working the favor of the Raptors. Kyle Lowry seems to only be getting better. The same sentiment could be used for DeMar DeRozan. Demarre Carroll should be healthy by now so that will definitely help this team towards locking in the second highest seed in the east. The raptors lost Bismack Biyombo. However, they picked up Jared Sullinger and drafted a promising big in Jakob Poetl.

With some new talent on the roster and recurring players who are projected to show improvement (Cory Joseph, Norman Powell, Delon Wright, and Terrence Ross) the Raptors will easily take the second spot in the East as it is not very top heavy. Dwayne Casey has shown his ability to teach this team to win and play with purpose.

This leads to improvement year in and year out. The numbers of the Franchise players (Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan) should continue to get better and they will have less pressure on them during the regular season this year. The bench depth has improved and that only makes getting wins easier. Barring major injuries we should see Toronto finish the season in the top two as we did last year.

June 19, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) and the Cavaliers celebrate the championship victory against the Golden State Warriors following game seven of the NBA Finals at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Lebron James and the Cavaliers dismantled the Eastern Conference in the NBA Playoffs and clinched a long coveted NBA Championship in 7 games versus Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors. To expect Lebron James to miss the playoffs in any scenario is absolutely asinine. The Cavaliers are the defending champions in a conference that is still trying to reach a competitive solution for them. Cleveland has all the tools and opportunity to finish at the top of the Eastern Conference and be a 1 seed in the NBA Playoffs. This team also made some good acquisitions this off-season. With chemistry and improvement on their side, this could be better than the last.

Kevin Love will be back to form this season. It has been an on going struggle for him. With a championship under his belt and valuable playoff experience he will come into his own and the major beneficiary will be Lebron James and the Cavs. Kyrie Irving is obviously going to be great next season.

Lebron James will be dominant as he usually is. There are so many things you can count on with Cleveland that it;s hard to not see them in the Finals again this year. With the addition of Mike Dunleavy Jr. , Kay Felder, and Chris Andersen, Cleveland has increased their depth effectively by adding players with potential or a great track record on winning teams.

All of these additions along with young talent that showed glimpses last season such as players like Jordan McRae, (who can score at will and has a role carved out for him) and Kay Felder will help win Cleveland at least 50 plus games this season. If all else fails Lebron James will see to it that Cleveland finishes a top the Eastern Conference once again.