Central DIvision Predictions 2006

Looks like a pretty heated race will be on between Detroit, Cleveland, and Chicago. Indiana and Milwaukie will be happy to make the playoffs.

1. Detroit Pistons
Last Year: One of the best starts in NBA history fizzled in the playoffs. Did Flip lose the team? Were they too tired? Did the new rules catch up with them. Or maybe it was just Dwayne Wade...

This year: Losing Ben Wallace will hurt them and they will not dominate the regular season like last year. But the other starters are very solid and I do think Flip deserves some credit for the offenses he creates. This is still a very good team, and who knows? Maybe they'll go with McDyess at Center and have no gaps offensively in their starting line-up.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Last Year: They made all the big off-season moves last summer, all of which pretty much did nothing. Fortunately, Lebron blossomed into the super-star we've all been waiting for and made them contenders.

This Year: Don't see much difference. Lebron is amazing and the hard-core handchecking rules make him that much more. They ended the playoffs almost toppling the Pistons and I see them in the hunt for the Eastern crown all year. Additionally, there's a chance some of those last-season moves could payoff (pick it up Damon, Larry, and Donyell!).

3. Chicago Bulls
Last Year: Mostly last year was a step back and they barely made the playoffs a year after being the East's 4th seed. But they ended the regular season strong and played Miami very tough in the playoffs.

This Year: What happens when you take an average team's biggest strength and make it stronger? The Bulls already were one of the best defensive teams in the NBA, and now they add PJ Brown and Wallace? Some have criticized the move since it didn't give them any of the low-post game they lacked. This is a valid point and probably means they won't be jumping up to Detroit's level yet. Neverthless, I am happy to see them get rid of the endless project that was Tyson Chandler and add some veteran presence. They also have some guys who might take a step up next year (Kirk, Gordon, and Deng are all solid). This looks to me a like a good team, but not a great one yet.

4. Indiana Pacers
Last Year: It was supposed to be their comeback year and instead it was the same old same old crazy Ron Ron issues. Many people predicted them to win the East, instead they ended at exactly .500.

This Year: Some interesting moves by Bird in the off-season. Overall, they made a lot of little moves that increased their overall athleticism. But their main men are still the same- Tinsley, O'Neal, and Jackson, and I don't see them as making them contenders. I also don't see Harrington doing all that much for them.

5. Milwaukie Bucks
Last Year: Started really strong and still pulled out a playoff spot.

This Year: I believe they will compete for a lower playoff seed, but might not pull it off. Redd is very good, but Bogut is still a couple years away from being an all-star. Villanueva is kind of the wild card. He had his amazing 48-point break through when he got to start at power forward and that's where he should be all of this year. But it also wouldn't surprise me if he took a step back this year. He might have gone from underrated to overrated.