Part One of 30 Teams:30 Missions focuses on the Atlantic Division.
Teams: Boston Celtics, Brooklyn Nets, New York Knicks, Philadelphia 76ers and Toronto Raptors.
*Note: All projected starting lineups are from ESPN.com
*Note: Teams are listed in terms of predicted finish in Atlantic Division
Toronto Raptors
Projected Starting Lineup: PG Kyle Lowry, SG Fred VanVleet, SF OG Anunoby, PF Pascal Siakam, C Aron Baynes
Record Prediction: 51-21
Seeding Prediction: 1st in Atlantic Division
Status: Pretender
Analysis:
The Raptors are fresh off a disappointing end to last season, getting eliminated in the second round by the Boston Celtics. Toronto did lose Kawhi Leonard to the Clippers the previous off-season, but even without the star player, a second-round exit could not have been in the plans.
Fast forward to today, and the Raptors did not do too much to shake up its roster. The biggest move was re-signing Fred VanVleet to a four year, $85 million dollar contract.
The Raptors did add C Aron Baynes after losing Marc Gasol to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Pascal Siakam and VanVleet took on a larger role after Kawhi’s departure. As well as hauling the load, the play of both players improved drastically.
Siakam posted career highs in ppg (22.9), rpg (7.3) and assists per game (3.5).
VanVleet followed suit posting career numbers across the board, leading to a new contract for the combo guard. “Steady Freddy” averaged 17.6ppg, 3.8rpg and nearly seven assists per game.
Toronto, led by veteran PG Kyle Lowry, should have no troubles navigating through the shortened 72 game season. With major question marks concerning the other teams in the division, the Raptors will place first, with a 51-21 record, falling two games short of last season’s mark.
As for the post-season, Toronto will again miss out on the Eastern Conference Finals. As mentioned earlier, the team will cruise through the regular season, but without enough star power, it will be tough to make a deep playoff run.
Philadelphia 76ers
Projected Starting Lineup: PG Ben Simmons, SG Danny Green, SF Matisse Thybulle, PF Tobias Harris, C Joel Embiid
Record Prediction: 49-23
Seeding Prediction: 2nd in Atlantic Division
Status: Pretender
Analysis:
Philadelphia is led by two young stars in Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. With these two players, talent isn’t the issue, because they are two of the most talented players in the entire NBA. The concern is chemistry, maturity and taking the next step.
The 76ers have playoff appearances under Simmons and Embiid, and actually came a game away from reaching the 2019 NBA Finals if it wasn’t for a miraculous Kawhi Leonard fadeaway jumper.
Although, that 76ers team did have star Jimmy Butler, and many will agree that he was the catalyst in Philadelphia advancing that far.
Last season was one to throw away completely. Simmons missed the end of the regular season, as well as the playoffs after he needed knee surgery. Embiid dealt with nagging injuries throughout the season as well.
Josh Richardson, Tobias Harris and Al Horford rounded out the starting five last season. Similar issues surfaced with chemistry and spacing being the focal point.
The Al Horford signing really was a questionable signing at best. Philly recently dealt the center to Oklahoma City in exchange for Danny Green.
The 76ers fired head coach Brett Brown and hopes bringing in Doc Rivers can take the team over the hump. Although, after Rivers’ tenure as head coach of the Los Angeles Clippers, crossing over the hump might still be an issue.
With the trade of Horford, the Sixers also traded away Josh Richardson, whom the team acquired from Miami in a sign and trade for Jimmy Butler. Ouch.
The Sixers received SG Seth Curry from Dallas in the Josh Richardson deal.
With the health and leadership of Simmons and Embiid being the compromise, Philadelphia has a chance to put together a really good regular season. Inserting Green and Matisse Thybulle into the starting lineup clears up some shooting and spacing deficiencies, as well as helps defensively.
Curry, a career 44% three-point shooter, will also play a key role off the bench in the City of Brotherly Love.
The question comes down to how will the Sixers navigate through the playoffs? In close games and clutch situations, who will Doc Rivers draw a play for? Who will he give the ball to? Not having a solidified closer will ultimately be the achilles heel for Philadelphia.
Boston Celtics
Projected Starting Lineup: PG Kemba Walker, SG Marcus Smart, SF Jaylen Brown, PF Jayson Tatum, C Daniel Theis
Record Prediction: 46-26
Seeding Prediction: 3rd in Atlantic Division
Status: Contender
Analysis:
Boston has been so close to reaching the NBA Finals a few times in the recent seasons. If it wasn’t for Playoff LeBron in 2018, and the Jimmy Butler-led Miami Heat last season, Boston would have an additional two NBA Finals appearances under its belt.
The Celtics did not do much this off-season outside of trading Gordon Hayward to the Charlotte Hornets.
Hayward could never get his play going during his time in Boston after a gruesome leg injury on the opening night of the 2018 season. Even in his return, Hayward never seemed to completely fit with the team. Maybe it was the injury, or the progressions of both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Tatum and Brown create a dynamic one-two punch on both sides of the ball for the Celtics.
Brown is an All-Star level player, but the team goes as Tatum goes.
Tatum signed a max contract extension with Boston this off-season. The contract is worth $195 million over five years.
Tatum took a huge leap last season, averaging 23.4ppg, seven rebounds and three assists per contest. Those three categories are career highs for Tatum, who is entering his fourth year.
The biggest question mark seems to be the health of Kemba Walker, as the combo guard will miss the start of the season due to a knee injury.
Boston brought in PG Jeff Teague and C Tristan Thompson. Teague, the 11-year veteran, will likely fill in for Walker’s absence.
With multiple star players, good depth within the roster and a genius of a coach in Brad Stevens, the Celtics have the pieces to compete to win the East.
Brooklyn Nets
Projected Starting Lineup: PG Kyrie Irving, SG Caris LeVert, SF Joe Harris, PF Kevin Durant, C Jarrett Allen
Record Prediction: 45-27
Seeding Prediction: 4th in Atlantic Division
Status: Contender
Analysis:
Exciting basketball is returning to The Mecca when Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving take the court together for the first time in Nets uniforms.
Irving only played 20 games in his debut season with Brooklyn before requiring season-ending shoulder surgery. Kyrie had a stint in the middle of the season where he missed 26 games, and would play nine more contests before being ruled out for the remainder of the season.
In the 20 games the star PG played in, he averaged 27.4ppg, 5.2rpg and just over six assists per night. The downside is Brooklyn won just eight of those games with Irving active.
And the most anticipated moment of the NBA season will be the return of Kevin Durant.
Durant missed the entirety of last season after suffering a torn achilles in the 2019 NBA Finals. Though Durant, then a free agent, was ruled out for an extended period of time, the generational small forward still inked a four-year, $164 million-dollar contract with the Nets.
This off-season, the Nets hired former NBA point guard Steve Nash as the team’s next head coach. Nash has already stated it is “probably unlikely” Durant and Irving play the full 72 games.
This isn’t “shocking” news as both players are coming off lengthy lay-offs due to season-ending injuries.
With KD and Kyrie expected to miss games here and there, expect the Nets to lose a few games the team would otherwise win. This will result in Brooklyn finishing fourth in the division.
What matters is the playoffs, which is why the Nets are preparing for a deep playoff run. Brooklyn will be in contention to win the East, and many believe they will indeed do so. The separation factor is Steve Nash has two solidified closers to call on when needed in clutch situations. There is no way to guard Durant, and Irving is also one of the best closers in the NBA. Go back to 2016 for reference.
The Nets did not make much noise this off-season, although rumored to be linked with Rockets star SG James Harden.
Brooklyn and Joe Harris did agree to a four-year, $75 million-dollar contract.
The questions are how will KD perform after his achilles injury? how will Durant and Irving mesh? Will there be a disconnect on who the leader of the team is? What about who gets the ball in late game situations? Also, who will be that third star to KD & Kyrie?
New York Knicks
Projected Starting Lineup: PG Elfrid Payton, SG RJ Barrett, SF Obi Toppin, PF Julius Randle, C Mitchell Robinson
Record Prediction: 20-52
Seeding Prediction: 5th in Atlantic Division
Status: Rebuild
Just imagine the Knicks being championship contenders again. Eastern Conference Playoff games played under the statement lights of the monumental Madison Square Garden. “Let’s go Knicks! Let’s go Knicks! Let’s go Knicks!”
Now it’s time to wake up from that lovely dream Knicks fans. It’s almost certainly not happening this season.
New York has failed to recruit a superstar player to play for the Knicks for years now and instead was only able to sign Julius Randle and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, among others. Not the kind of signings that will boost a team’s chances to make a playoff run.
The Knicks did draft forward Obi Toppin out of Dayton in the 2020 NBA Draft. Toppin averaged 20 points, nearly eight rebounds and slightly over two assists per game during his sophomore season with the Flyers.
Once again, the Knicks will not compete for a championship, much less compete for a .500 record. The Knicks are in rebuild mode, still.
The development of second year player RJ Barrett, as well as the improvements of Mitchell Robinson and Kevin Knox should be the focus of the New York Knicks front office.
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