NBA Divison Preview: Atlantic

Atlantic Division Preview

The Atlantic division will once again be the worst division in the NBA. This past season, the Raptors were the only team with a winning record and the Knicks and 76ers both failed to reach 20 wins. This year is looking slightly better and will hopefully be a little more competitive.

Toronto Raptors- The Raptors are the defending champions of the Atlantic division and are the pre-season favorites to win the division for the third consecutive year. They finished last season 16 games over .500, but were thoroughly embarrassed in the playoffs by the Wizards. This year, the Raptors are looking to substitute offense for defense. After letting Sixth Man of the Year, Lou Williams, leave in free agency, they went out and signed former Spur Cory Joseph and athletic rim protector Bismack Biyombo. The change in philosophy should better prepare the Raptors for an athletic offensive team like Washington. DeMar DeRozan is a player to keep an eye on as a possible trade piece.
Player to watch: Terrence Ross

Prediction: 47-35

Boston Celtics- The Celtics are the up-and-coming team to watch in the East. They have one of the best young coaches in Brad Stevens and have steadily improved during his tenure. This is the year they should be able to secure a winning record. Their young backcourt, composed of Isiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, and rookie Terry Rozier is their strength. They were also able to improve their weak spot, the frontcourt, by acquiring Amir Johnson and former All-Star David Lee. If James Young and Tyler Zeller step up their game, this team has a chance to win a playoff series.
Player to watch: Isiah Thomas
Prediction: 45-37

Brooklyn Nets- The Nets have begun a rebuilding process. This was solidified by the Deron Williams buyout. It will be interesting to see if Brooklyn tries to win this year or if they attempt to trade Joe Johnson for whatever they can manage to get in return. While this team has certainly been an overpaid disappointment since purchased by Mikhail Prokhorov, they have managed to shed salary while retaining their best player, Brook Lopez and athletic big man, Thad Young. Lionel Hollis will keep Brooklyn afloat, but this roster is not promising.
Player to watch: Bojan Bogdanović
Prediction: 38-44

New York Knicks- The Knicks were a train wreck last year. They posted a franchise low 17 wins and managed to have a worse record than the 76ers, a team that had no interest in winning. The Knicks should improve this year with the return of Carmelo and the addition of solid role players including Robin Lopez, Arron Afflalo, Derrick Williams, and Kyle O’Quinn. However, they can’t attract big name free agents and they will once again struggle to score points. They had a decent draft, but Porzingis is a few years away from making an impact. This could be another long season for the Knicks and Derrick Fisher may be out of a job before it’s all over.
Player to watch: Carmelo Anthony
Prediction: 34-48

Philadelphia 76ers- The Sixers are still the Sixers. This will probably be another tough year for their fans. The backcourt is still lacking proven NBA talent, but the return of Tony Wroten will at least add some excitement to the team. The Sixers continue to stockpile draft picks and young talent, which can keep fans excited about the future. The trade for Nik Stauskas could be a steal and will give Stauskas an opportunity to prove himself and take a lot of three pointers. If Stauskas and Covington can make some outside shots, then opportunities will be there for Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor in the low post. Okafor is the future of the team and will have a shot at rookie of the year.
Player to watch: Jahlil Okafor
Prediction: 30-52


Grayson Gold-Garvey, follow him on Twitter @TheGraygo