THe NBA season is coming!!! What are your thoughts and predictions for the 2004-2005 season?

My Lakers I think are going to have to trust Kobe, but I HOPE he does bad to prove he needs Shaq, but with that being said, they will make Playoffs as a 5 or 6 seed.

I think the Pistons are tough again, good pick-up getting Antonio McDyess, but let's see how helathy they will be. Their guard position is thin and cannot afford to have anyone hit the DL.

Spurs are looking good and addressed their outside shooting needs with Brent Barry.

Pacers are strong too with the Stephen Jackson acquisition to add more energy.

Denver looks good on paper, but they are quite young still, Melo still needs to grow up.

Sacto Kings look older and weaker.

Miami of course improved their chances with Shaq, but who else do they have besides him and Wade?

Pistons will be touch again, but Pacers will put up a fight. And if The Heats role players can progress, they will be good.

In the West the team to look out for is the Nuggets! THey will be tough.

I am happy this year because living in LA people expect you to like Lakers and they also say you suck because Lakers are #1, well this year there are not even going to make the Finals.

I was born in LA so I am a die hard LAKERS FAN!!! But I will admit, this year wont be their year!!

Of course a Rockets fan. Saw the game against Kings on ESPN last night. Yao looks more comfortable, and I expect 20/10 from him this season. They may struggle at the beginning with a tough November schedule, but they will be a better threat in the playoff than last year.

I think if the Rockets want to be good they need to do kind of what the Lakers did. Give it to Yao in the post and let everyone else get open. I think the Rockets dont use Yao as much as they should. SHould be interesting.

Yes, it was frustrating at times last year. Francis isn't exactly a point guard, and there were way too many times that they didn't know what to do and ended up with turnovers or poor shots. The point guard is still a concern now, but at least Lue and Ward are more a prototype of point guard and won't be looking to score. They only need to distribute the balls to Yao and McGrady, and let them work. Will definitely be interesting to see.

New York Knicks fan here.

Better than last year for sure, Crawford and Williams will be great additions.

Plus, Sweetney might become really good player in the league.

And we're 2-0 in preseason! Though, not that it matters that much.

Knicks will make a run for it. I think they have the ability to be conference champions, but the chemistry wont work.

Knicks fan here. They're gonna be #3 in the East this year.

I think they could be higher, if they get it togethor. They have WAY TO MANY guards! And Stephon will play the PG, but what about Jamal? Hes to good to bench. Will he play SG?

Yea i want Houston on the bench.

So Crawford will be on the bench? That is a complete waste of talent and money. Put Houston at SF or something.

Here's the lineup in a perfect world.

PG-Marbury
SG-Crawford
SF-Thomas
PF-Sweetney
C-Mohammad

With K. Thomas, Baker, Ariza, and Houston coming off the bench.

WOW! Thomas also on the bench. They have a good bench!

My Lakers "DREAM" lineup:


PG- Chucky Atkins
SG-Kobe Bryant
SF- Caron Butler
PF- Lamor Odom
C-Vlade Divac


More complete team then last year, but you cant replace shaq!

if Drew Gooden puts up close to Boozer numbers, the Cavs may finish somewhere between the 5th and 8th seed in the east. LeBron has matured and they will have a full year with Jeff McInnis who was the spark for the cavs' turnaround last year. Also they added Eric Snow and have some great shooters in Anderson Varaejo, Sasha Pavlovic, and Luke Jackson.

My Prediction for the Cavs:

47-35 5th Seed in the east

My team right now is Sixers(always was) and in the last couple of years I'm starting to like Spurs.

I think the Lakers should use Odom more as a point small forward rather than as a power forward. His ball handling skills are phenomenal for a guy his size, but he does not have the bulk to compete with the Webbers, Duncans, KMarts, etc. down low. I would recommend the Lakers find a bruiser down low to help them out, not necessarily a socrer, but someone perhaps in the vein of a Ben Wallace (wouldn't everyone want that?.. lol).

The Rockets need some help in the point guard position. Otherwise I agree with feeding Yao more often, but he has not shown the stmaina needed to take 20+ shts every night.

The Cavs should make the playoffs this year, I agree, even without Boozer on their squad. E. Snow was a good pick-up.

yeah, i was so happy when the cavs got snow. McInnis and Snow will form a very nice backcourt. I'm liking their starting lineup more and more when i think about it

PG -- McInnis
SG -- Snow
SF -- James
PF -- Gooden
C -- Ilgauskas

with Varajeo, Pavlovic, Traylor, Jackson, Wagner, Newble, Harris, Diop coming off the bench. I think the key is Gooden, if he puts up respectable numbers, the Cavs will be all right.

LBJ wont be at PG, so maybe he will have better numbers. Also, Gooden is nowhere close to being as good as Boozer right now.

yeah, but he's been stuck playing behind other players on his other teams and spent a lot of time on the bench. if he can give me 12 points and 8 rebounds i'll be happy. I hope he can blossom and play to his full potential. i can only wait and see.

I'm a Celtics fan, and for some reason I am excited about them this year. They did add Payton and finally have Lefrenz, but that's not going to put them over the top this year. However, I think they will be contenders in the East.

Uh, the Knicks got crushed last night by Mavs who were without Nowitzki. :?