Sports Illustrated's NBA Rankings for 2006-2007 Season

I got my newest issue of Sports Illustrated today and they have their rankings on how the teams will finish this season.

Eastern Conference

Atlantic Division
New Jersey Nets(2)
Toronto Raptors (10)
Philadelphia 76ers (12)
New York Knicks (13)
Boston Celtics (14)

Southeast Division
Miami Heat (1)
Washington Wizards(7)
Orlando Magic (8)
Charlotte Bobcats (11)
Atlanta Hawks (15)


Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers (3)
Detroit Pistons (4)
Chicago Bulls (5)
Indiana Pacers (6)
Milwaukee Bucks (9)


Western Conference

Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks (1)
San Antonio Spurs (3)
Houston Rockets (5)
New Orleans Hornets (11)
Memphis Grizzlies (12)

Northwest Division
Utah Jazz(4)
Denver Nuggets(9)
Minnesota Timberwolves (13)
Seattle SuperSonics (14)
Portland Trail Blazers (15)

Pacific Division
Phoenix Suns (2)
Los Angeles Clippers (6)
Los Angeles Lakers (7)
Sacramento Kings (8)
Golden State Warriors (10)



EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

HEAT over NETS

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

SUNS over MAVERICKS

2007 NBA FINALS

SUNS OVER HEAT

Chicago Bulls 5? Arr come on. They'll be better than that.

I too believe the Bulls are capable of being a top four team in the East but I don't think it's a given just yet. Even though the continued growth of their core players and the moves they've made this offseason suggest they'll be better it will likely come down to how well the Pistons fare without Ben Wallace.

Suns over Heat is an interesting prediction though. I think this is going to be another wide open year with no clear cut favourite for the title. I guess the Heat are the team to beat by virtue of being the reigning champions and it's certainly not unfeasible that they'll successfully defend their crown but it wouldn't seem to be a foregone conclusion as it did with teams like the Bulls of the 90s and the Lakers earlier this decade.

Jazz over Nuggets Denver will win the NW Division again, Anthony proved himself as a superstar last year and K-Mart is looking good in pre season, dre and camby will be a veteran group who is proven to perform well. If there will be no injuries and whining from martin, we will get in the playoffs.

Nets as the second best in the east?
Jazz as the 4th in west?

Are these picks for shock value or something... he cant be serious

IDK about you guys.. but doesn't the fact that the Suns beating the heat in the finals suprise anyone?

Yea this list is shit. Bulls should be much higher up and also the Spurs too. Spurs will b e in the conference finals

hey man, i didnt make the list.. SI did.. i just posted it so everyone could see.

I'm pretty sure everyone is questioning the article, not you.

The Jazz can seriously do some damage if their frontline stays healthy... But there's little chance of that happening so I'd definitely have them further down.

Nets in ECF??? they barely made it out of the 1st rnd last year, didnt challenge in the 2nd and the team has barely improved and they are going to ECF?

looks good to me

I think Indiana, Sacramento, New Orleans and New York will all do better then this.

i think Boston will do better than 14 and Minnesota better than 13. Toronto & Charlotte @ 10 & 11 doesn't look right.

Blazers at 15th!??!?!! WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT.

reality?

I'm not even gonna bother fighting the haters. Just come back when it's April.

Stop smoking weed at a young age Jugs. You know the Blazers are deserving of 15th.

Well, at least they got the Finals pick right

Hmm I don't know about Nets at 2, I like them alot, but I just don't see them ahead of Chicago and Cleveland

My comments...if i dont say anything i feel its about right
Eastern Conference
Atlantic Division
New Jersey Nets(2)-I have to agree with everyone else on this...While Jefferson, vince, and kidd are good...they arent THAT good...
Toronto Raptors (10)- this is completely up to bosh and his play...if he continues to improve, i think they could be playoff bound
Philadelphia 76ers (12)
New York Knicks (13)-Isiah:all star cast, only one problem..THEY ALL PLAY THE SAME POSITION ...wake up
Boston Celtics (14)-Pierce is way past his prime, they need to start rebuilding
Southeast Division
Miami Heat (1) Nothing has changed on this team, and they're going to be tough for any team, but zo and shaq i think are going to be run down and they will make playoffs as a 2 or 3 seed but number 1? no
Washington Wizards(7)
Orlando Magic (8)
Charlotte Bobcats (11) Could be a playoff team depending on the development of felton/may
Atlanta Hawks (15)
Central Division
Cleveland Cavaliers (3) I expect them to have a rising up this year...i'm looking for them to be the 1 or 2 seed
Detroit Pistons (4) Ben Wallace is gonna be a tough blow, but they'll still make playoffs on billups/rip
Chicago Bulls (5) Expecting a decent season, certainly playoff bound, dark horse for upsetting the "powerhouses"
Indiana Pacers (6)-Jermaine ONeal needs more help if they wanna be a high caliber team
Milwaukee Bucks (9)
Eastern Conference playoffs:
1 Cleveland
2 Miami
3 Detroit
4 Chicago
5 washington
6New Jersey
7 Indiana
8 Orlando
Eastern Conferene Finals Miami and Cleveland with Miami winning due to veteran experience and Pat Riley's coaching
Western Conference
Southwest Division
Dallas Mavericks (1)-I love dirk, but i think the suns with amare back are going to take over the one seed
San Antonio Spurs (3)-Duncans Old, Parker and Manu need amazing years for this to be true
Houston Rockets (5) -they're always ranked like this and then do terribly. To do well TMac MUST stay healthy and Yao has to up his game
New Orleans Hornets (11)-Playoff team, 6-7 seed...Paul is amazing and with chandler down low he wont have to do everything by himself anymore
Memphis Grizzlies (12)
Northwest Division
Utah Jazz(4) - while i would like this to happen since my illini there, i dont think it will
Denver Nuggets(9) Playoff team, 8 seed..'melo will beome a true leader this year
Minnesota Timberwolves (13)
Seattle SuperSonics (14)
Portland Trail Blazers (15)
Pacific Division
Phoenix Suns (2) My pick for the championship, it wont be easy but with nash, amare, diaw and marion who rather than aging seems to be doing just as well) with bell/barbosa leading the supporting cast, this team is an automatic threat/test for any team in the nba
Los Angeles Clippers (6)
Los Angeles Lakers (7)-This is about right due to kobe being able to carry the team as much as i hate him....
Sacramento Kings (8)
Golden State Warriors (10)
Western Conference Playoffs
1) Suns
2) Mavs
3)Clippers
4) Spurs
5) Jazz
6) Lakers
7)Hornets
8)Nuggets
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
SUNS over MAVERICKS
2007 NBA FINALS
SUNS OVER HEAT due to the suns being much younger overall and wont be as run down by the season as the Heat will be...

This is all my opinion and is based on no fact whatsoever, just my views on it

Nets #2 is the weirdest thing i read in that issue...since they basically say that their "big" acquisitions were just backup PGs for Kidd...and even the McInnis situation is fubar. It will be interesting to see Eddie House lead the Nets to #2 beating out Detroit & Chicago =P

Cavs are overrated...what are they expecting from LeBron? 50 ppg 20 rpg 20 apg? The reality is that LeBron is *already* giving them 1st team All-NBA numbers and they still struggled last year. The dynasty Bulls didn't taste success when Jordan broke out, they got success when Pippen & Grant broke out.

Pacers should really be rated higher with the players they have. I guess there's this assumption that injuries & off-court distractions will take their toll like they do every year.

As for Phoenix over the Heat...i haven't seen or read anything that indicates Amare is 100%. If he was he should have dominated the Summer League a lot more than he did. If he is back, then it should be a lock for the Suns but any surgery that takes a guy out for more than a year is not a minor surgery.

Why is there all this love for Chicago?

Detroit couldnt go anywhere in the playoffs with Ben Wallace, and have a much better starting 4 than Chicago...
Whoopdy dee, they got more defence ... they also now have PJ Brown and Ben Wallace as their low post options

I think those rankings are balogna. No way the sonics are going to be 14 out of 15 in the western conference. They have a better team than they started with last season so they cant be any worse... Besides they finished the season, after aquiring Wilcox and Watson, with a winning record. They may not make the playoffs but they wont be 14th!

Sports Illustrated wtf r u smokin come on u cant put raptors at 10 tht aint right they won all there preason games Boston is way to low and honstly wizards aint tht good there prob 10 id say minnesota 13 wtf u gotta be kidding jazz 4th

Why is there all this love for Chicago?

i think it comes off the good effort in the playoffs. If they got swept there wouldn't be this buzz. Now people talk about how Chicago "almost beat Miami"...add Brown & Wallace to defend Shaq and you can see where the hype leads.