Ranking The Atlantic

By: Tommy Beer 6/30/11

Before the doom and gloom of the lockout fully takes hold, we here at HOOPSWOLRD have been previewing each division, ranking where each team stands prior to the beginning of free agency.

Today, we take a look at the Atlantic, where the Celtics have reigned supreme since the moment KG and Ray Allen arrived in Boston. In fact, no team has finished a season within 10 games of the first-place C's since 2007. Could that change next year?


1. Boston Celtics
It was business as usual for the C's last season, finishing first in the Atlantic with an impressive 56-26 record, 14 games ahead of the second-place Knicks. However, after easily sweeping away New York in the first round, the Celts got whipped by the HEAT in Round 2.

Previewing the 2011-2012 season (whenever it starts), we have to consider the Celtics the favorites to retain the Atlantic Division title. Although there are a few up-and-coming squads that may give the C's a run for their money, Boston won't give up top-dog status without a fight. Despite an aging roster, it would be foolish to suggest the window of opportunity has closed in Beantown.

Rajon Rondo, assuming he heals fully from a nasty elbow injury, is one of the league's elite point guards. Paul Pierce, of the NBA's more efficient and effective small forwards, is still playing at an elite level. Kevin Garnet and Ray Allen are the down slope of their historic careers, but proved they still have plenty left in the tank last season. This 'Core Four' (along with coach Doc Rivers at the helm) isn't going anywhere. For starters, the Celtics have little choice but to keep the band together for at least one more season. Boston is essentially 'pot-committed' for the 2011-2012 campaign. Kevin Garnett ($21.2 million), Ray Allen ($10 million) and even Jermaine O'Neal ($6.2 million) are all in the last year of their respective contracts. Considering the pending restructuring of the Collective Bargaining Agreement, GM Danny Ainge would likely have a very difficult time getting equal value back for his aging stars. Even if he attempted to trade these pieces, he'd likely be unable to find a better fit than this group as currently constituted.

Nonetheless, in order to maintain their lofty status among the league's elite Boston has a few areas they need to address. First and foremost they desperately need to acquire a reliable center. The Celtic centers (or lack thereof) have been a major storyline in New England since the moment Kendrick Perkins was shipped out in late February. By trading Perkins at the deadline, GM Danny Ainge was gambling his collection of aging big men would be able to hold down the fort, and protect the paint, in the playoffs. Unfortunately for Boston, as Shaq and JO were fighting a losing battle against Father Time, the HEAT were beating up the Celtics.

Adding a legit big man won't be easy if the salary cap, as expected, decreases dramatically. Ainge will have to get creative. Outside of adding size, Boston would be well-served to re-sign Delonte West and retain the services of restricted free agent Jeff Green.

Still, as long as the Big 4 stays relatively healthy, this is Boston's division to lose.


2. New York Knicks
After a decade of despair the Knicks are finally heading in the right direction. After two wasted seasons spent cleaning out the cap, Donnie Walsh was able to sign Amar'e Stoudemire last summer. Then in late February, Walsh added Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups to the mix. Those three stars will form the backbone of the 2011-2012 Knicks, and for New Yorkers desperate for something to get excited about they can finally head into a season with realistically optimistic expectations for the first time in a long time.

However, outside of Amar'e, Melo, and Billups, the cupboard is relatively bare. This lack of depth is an untenable situation, and one that will need to be addressed via free-agency and/or trades before the Knicks can be considered true contenders. Much like the aforementioned Celtics, New York's first order of business is obtaining a starting center. Amar'e Stoudemire played too many minutes last season, and was forced to play the 5-spot far too often as well. Going forward, New York needs to do a better job protecting its $100 million investment. That starts with getting a big man that can effectively handle the responsibilities of a starting center – i.e. defending the other team's best post player, rebounding, setting picks, etc. While there will be a handful of talented centers on the market, they are not realistic options for NY, as the Knicks don't have much money to play with this summer and are determined to maintain maximum cap space for potential top-tier free-agents in 2012. The new Knicks GM may have to go shopping in the bargain bin, especially if the new CBA eliminates the mid-level exception.

The Knicks bought a second-round pick last week in order to draft burly Josh Harrellson out of Kentucky, but he'll be a long shot to crack the rotation, let alone provide meaningful minutes. On the other hand, Mike D'Antoni will be counting on first-round selection, Iman Shumpert, to play and contribute right away. Improving defensively is a must if the Knicks hope to take a significant step forward in 2012. The hope is Shumpert will assist in the effort.

Next season will be an interesting one in NYC. The Knicks have two of the league's premier players – both in their prime. How far can STAT and Melo carry the Knicks? Will they be able to challenge Boston for division supremacy? Or will New York's lack of depth and defensive inadequacy catch up with them? Stay tuned…


3. Philadelphia 76ers
The Sixers went 27-55 under Eddie Jordan in 2009-2010. Last season, Doug Collins took over as head coach, and the early returns were not promising. Philly lost 13 of their first 16 games, and it appeared the Sixers would once again sink to the bottom of the Atlantic.

However, the team rallied around Collins, who preached defense and teamwork. After that 3-13 start, the Sixers went 38-28 the rest of the way, storming into the postseason. Philadelphia drew the heavily favored HEAT in the first round. Although Philly lost in five, they played Miami tough. The 2010-2011 campaign certainly represented a step in the right direction. The question is whether or not they can continue to build on that positive momentum.

One key will be retaining Thaddeus Young. Serving as sixth man last season, Young was instrumental in their success. Thad will be a restricted free agent this offseason, and should receive plenty of attention. The Sixers may have to commit significant funds to retain him.

Philly also needs continued improvement from its young guards. Jrue Holliday showed flashes of his impressive talent, but needs to be more consistent. Evan Turner's rookie season was mostly disappointing. It will be interesting to see if he step up as a sophomore.

The other main issue is the future of Andre Iguodala. There has been rampant speculation that the Sixers have considered trading him for everyone from Monta Ellis to Lamar Odom. Assuming Iguodala stays put, the 76ers will need steady contributions from their vets (Brand and Iggy, in particular) in order to return to the postseason for the second straight year.


4. New Jersey Nets
With Deron Williams now quarterbacking the attack, one could certainly make the case that the soon-to-be Brooklyn-bound Nets should be ranked higher on the list. After four straight losing seasons, the Nets are primed to make a run back to respectability (and the playoffs) during their final season in New Jersey.

The Nets long-term success is predicated upon retaining Williams, who can potentially hit the open market as an unrestricted free agent next summer. If Williams walks away from the Nets next summer, a couple of months before the Nets move to Brooklyn, it would represent a devastating step backwards. Williams, one of the league's preeminent players and arguably the best point guard on the planet, is now the new face of the franchise. He is vital to Nets resurgence. However, when it comes to retaining Williams, owner Mikhail Prokhorov and the Nets may have something significant working in their favor – i.e. a newly negotiated Collective Bargain Agreement. When the NBA emerges on the other side of the (inevitable) lockout, we will enter a brave new world, one of fiscal austerity, reduced salaries, and (potentially) less movement among the leagues elite superstars.

While the future is uncertain, Nets fans will be able to enjoy D-Will for at least one season, as he is under contract thru 2012. The Nets other main building block is center Brook Lopez. Although a poor rebounder, Lopez is one of the better offensive big men in the NBA. Each of the other four teams in the division has a major question mark at center; not New Jersey. Lopez averaged averaged a career-high 20.4 points per game last season – more than the other four division-rivals centers combined on most nights.

Arguably the Nets most consistent all-around player last season was Mr. Kim Kardashian – Kris Humphries. Hump was a beast on the boards and a solid defender. However, Humphries is now a free agent (one of seven FA's on the Nets roster), so it will be interesting to see if the Nets re-sign him and if so, at what price.

Once the roster is fully fleshed out (they added MarShon Brooks, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Jordan Williams via the draft), we'll have a better sense of how many wins the Nets will be projected to post.

5. Toronto Raptors
There is certainly room for debate about where to rank the four teams above; but I think we can all agree that the vast majority of pundits will predict the Raps will finish last in the Atlantic next season.

While many of the other teams in the division are progressing, there are still many unanswered questions in Toronto, and the Raps are in full-scale rebuilding mode. The good news for Raptor fans is that they have some solid pieces in place. In the 2011 NBA draft, Toronto nabbed 6-11 center Jonas Valanciunas out of Lithuania with the 5th overall pick. Valanciunas was regarded by many as the top foreign player and best big man prospect in the entire draft. If Valanciunas can stick at center in the NBA, it would allow Toronto to move Andrea Bargnani to power forward, where his defense shortcomings would be exploited less frequently. Jonas may have to spend another season overseas due to a buyout issue in his contract, but that isn't a major problem for the Raps, as they are thinking long-term and an extra season of seasoning may do the youngster some good.

Out on the wing, shooting guard DeMar DeRozan has shown he is legit NBA scorer – doubling his rookie season scoring average by pouring in over 17 PPG as a sophomore. Amir Johnson and Ed Davis provide some more size and depth up front. Dwyane Casey has replaced Jay Triano, and will look to guide the Raptors back on the right track by focusing on the defensive end of the floor.

There is cause for optimism and some promising potential in Toronto, but don't expect any immediate miracles next season.


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112288, yet another good thing about this forum is with you posting these relevant articles I almost never go anywhere else for Celtics news and updates. Thanks!

Hope everyone is having an enjoyable summer. I'm still basking in the afterglow of the Bruins winning the Stanley Cup, and looking forward to the Sox making it to the World Series, and I have faith Danny will make a couple of moves to add to the "core four." Oh almost forgot about the Patriots, they are long overdue for another championship season. Those bums have been lagging lately.

Thanks Bob, I hope all is well with you. You look so handsome I did not know you made the cover! Just getting summer kick started......July 4th weekend out on East End of Long Island then the Cape & Vineyard sometime in August. Been busy getting a new company launched this year in medical equipment leasing so I have been running and gunning since March!

Stay well and hope to see you soon.

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