The Race is on!

[Matthew]

Its the fun part of the season now, and looking into the next month and a half, the race for the Atlantic looks most interesting. Boston currently holds a 2 game lead over philly, but on paper philly imo is the better team with webber. Heres the question though: can philly keep it close while working webber into the rotation or while the lead be too big for philly to make their run when webber is comfortable?

What a showdown it would be if it turns out the loser of this race gets the 6th seed, and they face off in the first round.

[The X]

that's a tough call....looking at the schedules, the 76ers is slightly easier as the Celtics have a few more road games....I think C's will get #3 seed....'Toine will fit right back in, and now they got the Glove back, they should be able to hold on to beat the 76ers out....just....

looking at their schedules, there is no reason that both teams can't make the playoffs....

talking about the C's, it's nice to see Delonte West getting some minutes....it seems like he's taken Marcus Banks' minutes....

[air gordon]

i'm leaning towards the celtics in this one. as much as i'm a fan of AI, the celts have the edge because they have playoff/seasoned veterans to rely on in their starting lineup.

you can't count out the other 3 teams either. NYK is on a roll, only 3 games back

[Sauru]

i think the celtics will take it simply cause they have the better team imo. i dont think the webber trade will help the 6ers as much as people seem to think it will.

[fgrep15]

I'm also going Celtics. I think overall they actually have the better lineup. Philly got Webber, but the Celtics starting lineup is better IMO.

New Jersey is also still in the race, and I guess the trade New York made wasn't so bad after all as they seem to be making a run.

[Sauru]

but is screwing your cap for several years really worth a chance at the playoffs, a small chance at that?

[Riot]

Boston>Philadelphia. By Far.

Timberwolves>Lakers, Nuggets.

Go Wolves, Go Celtics (win me $300+!)

[FendeR`]

I think the Sixers will go on a streak and beat out Boston, just because I'm biased.

[air gordon]

^
lol at least you're being honest

[COOLmac©]

Go Wolves, Go Celtics (win me $300+!)

are you into game betting?

[Doobie]

Well people , thee atlantic is the most exciting race in the NBA , all teams are within 5 games of eachther ,so if any team has a slide or a win-streak , the tides cant change any second in the atlantic and i believe all 5 of those teams have a legitimate shot at winning the atlantic.

[Amphatoast]

thats scary that the knicks have some hope still. I guess it may just be the most balanced division in the league.
but its kinda funny how everyone is alive still..

Boston-walker/pierce
PHilly- iverson/webber
NJ- Carter/Kidd
Toronto- Bosh/Rose
NY- Marbury/ um who ever decides to play good ( KT, TT, JC, etc.)

well these next 2 weeks will decide the fate of the knicks, nets and raptors.
a 4 game losing streak= OUT

[Riot]

Go Wolves, Go Celtics (win me $300+!)

are you into game betting?

way, way back at pre-season me and some buddies had a bet on the Atlantic divison. I have a Raptors fan and a Nets fan as friends then I got two other buddies to put $100 on the Knicks and the other on the 76ers. I put $100 on the Celtics. Whoever wins gets $350 and the 2nd place gets $150.

So it's pretty cool. The guy who picked New York is pissed.

Every year we pick a random division and select teams.

[Doobie]

thats scary that the knicks have some hope still. I guess it may just be the most balanced division in the league.
but its kinda funny how everyone is alive still..

Boston-walker/pierce
PHilly- iverson/webber
NJ- Carter/Kidd
Toronto- Bosh/Rose
NY- Marbury/ um who ever decides to play good ( KT, TT, JC, etc.)

well these next 2 weeks will decide the fate of the knicks, nets and raptors.
a 4 game losing streak= OUT

Tim thomas has been playin excelent ball llately , makes me happy that we have him. And knicks won 4 of last 5(i think??) welll 6 out of the last 10 and are doing pretty well , only 5.5 games behind celtics , but celtics also playing well so its gonna be tough to catch up too , but im happy

[The GOAT]

What do you think are the chances the Knicks will end up in the Lottery?

[j.23]

my moneys on philadelphia

[Matt]

I'll go with Celtics........Pierce looks alive again, they got Payton back

[cyanide]

Oh man, the race for the final spot is INSANE! I think Boston will top the Atlantic, but I'm hoping Indiana will beat out Philly for the last spot.

[Jeffx]

What do you think are the chances the Knicks will end up in the Lottery?

Dude, I will fly into a rage if the Knicks DON'T get into the lottery. And I'm really getting ticked off at all the spin-doctoring from Isiah & the front office. Making the playoffs only to get swept in the first round is not the way to go. Knicks must break their cycle of mediocrity starting now.

[Fresh8]

I would go with Bean Town! Philly will take a while to mesh...

[IronMan]

Webber frankly hasn't had any sort of impact on Philly post-trade. Definitely got to be patient still, but right now, Boston's going to come out on top.

[Fresh8]

Its easier for Toine to fit in cause hes played with P Dub before... and the GLove has so much experience... great players!

Webber will need time to adjust but AI will give the Sixers points if they need!

[GloveGuy]

Boston will pull away with this. On the court and on paper, they're the better team. In my opinion, they boast one of the best starting lineups in the East.

The thing that separates them from the Sixers is that after the deadline, they changed gameplans. Philadelphia is still Iverson's team, and even after acquiring Webber, they're still playing "Watch Iverson dribble until the shotclock runs down to 10 and then he either passes or throws up a low-percentage shot" basketball.

The Celtics, however, are now a threat of having five players in double-figures. They have a superstar in Paul Pierce, a first-ballot Hall of Famer in GP, one of the most versatile players in the league in Walker, a center with the ability to draw guys like Shaq and Ben Wallace out of the paint in Lafrentz, and one of the best 6th men in the league in Ricky Davis.

Look for the Celtics to easily take the Atlantic and go far in the playoffs this year.

[Riot]

Making the playoffs only to get swept in the first round is not the way to go. Knicks must break their cycle of mediocrity starting now.

I disagree. I want the Timberwolves to get the 8th seed. I think the T-Wolves can BEAT the Spurs. You have to have faith man.

[ShivaSquad]

Making the playoffs only to get swept in the first round is not the way to go. Knicks must break their cycle of mediocrity starting now.

I disagree. I want the Timberwolves to get the 8th seed. I think the T-Wolves can BEAT the Spurs. You have to have faith man.

i agree wit u riot. ive changed my opinion from earlier point of view and realized that life isnt long enuff to wait. i want to see the knicks make a crazy playoff run now and beat miami 1st round.

lol i kno 90% they wouldnt... but i KNOW that somehwere inside the knicks they hav a good side and they def hav potential. and besides if teams like the knicks and the wolves DO make it into the playoffs... they will hav sooo much momentum and will be feeling really good about themselves. both teams also hav the manpower to pull off an upset if they play at the top of their game