Post by stache on Mar 26, 2013 16:53:02 GMT -5
2012-2013 Eastern
Conference Review<o:p></o:p>
Brooklyn, New York - The Eastern Conference this
season was strong and that’s not even a justifiable way to put it. Last year
the seventh and eighth seed was a battle to the last day involving teams under
five hundred. This year? The bottom seeds were comparable to the top teams as
both the seventh and eighth seed reached the conference finals which is a
pretty remarkable turnaround.
<o:p></o:p>
Toronto Raptors: I suppose you
have to start with the team that shocked the world and reached the NBA Finals
becoming the first eighth seed to reach the finals in forty one years. They
even had one hell of a battle just to get that far as going through the
playoffs they had to go through the Chicago Bulls, the defending champions
Miami Heat, and the Brooklyn Nets. No small feat, they even nicked the armor of
the all so powerful Thunder in the finals before they finally lost steam from
previous series to give the series over to the Thunder. This team made history
under the shooting ability of Andrea Bargani and now they look to do it for
many years to come.
<o:p></o:p>
Brooklyn Nets: The GM expected
it but beyond a few others no one else saw the Brooklyn Nets matching up with
anyone in the finals. So as the underdogs they did exactly that whipping
through easily over the 76ers and the Pelicans to meet up with the Raptors in
the Eastern Conference Finals which was one hell of a series that was very back
and forth and could have very well gone either way. One long three from Andrea
Bargani however ended the series in game seven and with that the chances of the
Nets who led early in the game, and really lost it with a poor third quarter,
of reaching the Finals. The team can be proud for what they did, but no doubt
were they left hungry coming so close to the Finals.
<o:p></o:p>
Miami Heat: What are the Heat if
Lebron James goes down? Well this critic calls them nothing better than a
seventh seed in the overpowered East. With Lebron they cruised to the Finals in
the 2011-2012 season and then crushed the hopes of the Thunder. But in
2012-2013 Lebron got hurt right before the playoffs in which they staggered
through the first round barely beating the Bucks, which I personally called a
major upset. Then their colors really showed against the eighth seed Raptors as
they didn’t even put up a fight losing all three games before Lebron could
return for game four, but even then it was too late as the Raptors swept the
defending champions with ease to reach the conference finals. The Heat have
flaws, but also the ability to be the best in the game. We just found out that
if Lebron goes down the best in the game is nothing more than a dream for the
Heat and the flaws shine way too bright.
<o:p></o:p>
New Orleans Pelicans: Dwight,
Dwight, Dwight. That’s all we heard from the Pelicans in 2011-2012. Dwight will
lead the team to the finals; no one can match up with them. Then the new season
began with Howard under wing and well the season didn’t go as planned as even
his former team the Nuggets, who were expected to crash and burn after losing
Dwight for nothing had a similar season to the Pelicans, only coming two games
shy of identical records. In the Playoffs they were able to knock off the
Pacers before being eliminated by the Nets. Can they improve next year with no
real point guard and players like Zach Randolph for sure getting raises if they
resign? We’ll see soon enough.
<o:p></o:p>
Indiana Pacers: What a year this
team had led by point guard Rajon Rondo they were able to compile fifty three
wins which was third best in the Eastern Conference. I admit I definitely undervalued
this team and expected them to barely scrap into the playoffs if they made it.
I never understood why I felt that way I just did, and they have surely proved
me wrong by finishing third. Their finish the playoffs however not so studly
compared to the regular season as they were unable to make it past the
Pelicans, thus being eliminated after the first round. They also made some
curious moves like trading future star shooting guard Jimmer Fredette to the
Nets, but even that worked out to help them finish where they did. This team is
young however, and has shown the ability to compete; maybe next year will be a
different story.
Milwaukee Bucks:
This season started as the last one ended for the Bucks. NOTHING BUT DRAMA!
Ersan doesn’t even need a last name anymore to be known around the league after
his agency got into a very public feud with the Bucks organization. Some
thought it would be over in the offseason with Ersan being a restricted free agent;
maybe the bucks would let him walk just to avoid drama. Of course he didn’t and
Ersan was traded away in the end anyways. The team still strived after the
trade lead by Andrew Bogut and Brandon Jennings they cruised to the fourth best
record in the division and matched up with the defending champion the Heat and
put on one heck of a show with stars missing from each side the Bucks almost pulled
it off but the Heat were able to squeak by and eliminate the Bucks from the
playoffs, can they change that next season?
<o:p></o:p>
Chicago Bulls:
Well that was a shocker, the Chicago Bulls led by guard Derrick Rose eliminated
in the first round of the playoffs after going in as the number one seed? Who
would have ever thought that was possible outside of the Toronto Raptor
organization, and even then some of them might have been dreaming at the time.
This team has to be enraged going into next season after a surely upsetting
finish to this one the Bulls must see red and charge ahead if they have any
hope of rectifying this end to themselves and proving it nothing more than a
fluke next year.
<o:p></o:p>
Philadelphia 76ers: Led by
Carmelo Anthony this team looked like it could be a force in the Eastern
Conference, though the same could be said for the rest of the teams that made
it into the eastern side of the playoffs. The 76ers cruised to the second best
record in the division, topping both the Bucks and Heat (The one and two seed
from the previous year) to be able to take on the Nets. Maybe they drew a bad
card, like the rest of the top half of the conference since no one in the top
half made it out of the first round, but the Nets crushed their hopes quickly
to end their year. Now the offseason approaches and questions will be answered,
will the Ersan drama that started with the Bucks carry to the 76ers causing him
to opt out of his deal? We’ll find out soon enough.
<o:p></o:p>
Free Agency: This offseason no major free
agent to be is demanding trades or saying they’re only going to sign with one
team. This lack of drama is a wide turnaround from last year and personally I don’t
like it. Drama is key, granted it would be nice if the next Dwight Howard
actually tests free agency and not just say put me here before the offseason
and then going there within minutes of Free Agency, but hey this class is still
good, with the likes of Stephen Jackson hitting the market and possibly Ersan
Ilyasova, we could be in for a fun ride.<o:p></o:p>
, good job thou
