The Pacers will be the best in the East. Pacers won 60+ games the season before without Stephen Jackson. They are deeper now and Artest coming into his prime offensively. You have to remember Artest averaged 25 points a game before he got suspended. The dude is a stud.
Yeah I agree. Anyone who says the Pacers don't belong in the top ten have pretty short memories. This team had the NBA's best record in '03/04 and came out rolling last season before the Artest thing. Reggie retiring is a blow, but Artest and JO are entering their primes now, and Sarunus and Granger give them even more depth. They will be right there with the Heat and Pistons next season. And I hate the Lakers now but getting Phil back gives them instant credibility again. They won't be anywhere near a threat in the West but no.25 is way too low.
The Pistons beat them 2 years in a row, including when the Pacers had Artest and Reggie Miller as part of that 60win team. They have Jackson, but they don't have Miller (there most clutch half-court player) or Harrington (solid in 04)--which more than compensates (negatively) for having Jackson. There is NO WAY anyone should think they should be better than the Pistons, who can totally obliterate the Pacers half-court offense. Further, the Heat have the two best players in the EC, had the best record last year, and probably would have beat the Pacer-killers (Pistons) if Wade didn't get injured. So the Pacers are fighting for 3rd place in the EC (probably with the Cavs and Nets). The Pacers, Pistons and Heat will be the best 3 defensive teams in the East, but the Pacers are way, way, behind the other two in half court offense. The Pacers will have a successfull season if they beat the Cavs, Nets or perhaps Bulls on the way an EC exit. As for the Rockets, they should be #5.
