2010-2011 NBA EAST POWER RANKINGS

By William Lee July 27 2:30 PM

After reviewing the NBA off season free agency acquisitions and losses certain teams got stronger and some just are fun to watch as they stay in rebuilding mode for the immediate future.

I ranked each playoff team from the 2009-10 season from each conference by measuring each team by looking at player additions and player losses during this off season to see if they would make it to the playoffs in the upcoming 2010-11 season.

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE:

Cleveland Cavaliers:

Add: Ramon Sessions

Lost: Lebron James, Delonte West, Sebastian Telfair

Coaching Change: Byron Scott replaces Mike Brown.

Motivation: We can do it without Lebron I bet you!

Prediction: 9th seed in East

Orlando Magic:

Add: Chris Duhon, Quentin Richardson

Lost: Matt Barnes

Coaching Change: None

Motivation: We have recent experience and we can use it to surprise a lot of people

Prediction: 3rd seed in East

ATLANTA HAWKS:

Add: Josh Powell

Lost: None

Coaching Change: (Yes) Assistant Coach Larry Drew promoted to Head Coach (14 year experience)

Motivation: We resigned Joe Johnson, we're younger than other teams and now have some experience under our belt.

Prediction: Atlanta #5

BOSTON CELTICS:

Add: Jermaine O Neal

Lost: Tony Allen

Coaching Change: Yes Assistant coach Tom Thiboddeau signed as Head Coach for Chicago Bulls

Motivation: Less than 6 points away as 2009-10 Champions.

Prediction: #1 Seed East

MIAMI HEAT:

Add: Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Eddie House, Juwan Howard, Mike Miller, Big Z, James Johnson, Jamaal Magloire

Lost: Michael Beasley, Quentin Richardson, Jermaine O Neal, Dorrell Wright, D Cook, S Randolph

Coaching Change: None

Motivation: We have the best trio that ever signed in NBA History

Prediction: 2nd Seed East

MILWAUKEE BUCKS:

Add: Corey Maggette, Chris Douglas Roberts, Drew Gooden

Lost: Luke Ridnour, Dan Gadzuric, Charlie Bell

Coaching Change: none

Motivation: We have a excellent point guard with 1 year experience, signed CDR, have a healthy Bogut ready to take on some premier teams.

Prediction: 6th in East

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS:

Add: Virtually none.

Lost: Theo Ratliff, Tyson Chandler, Larry Hughes, Raymond Felton

Coaching Change: None

Motivation: With DJ Augustine starting he may have a chance to really explode but it's a gamble. They still have their core in Stephen Jackson, Boris Diaw, and Gerald Wallace.

Prediction: 8th seed in East

CHICAGO BULLS:

Add: Carlos Boozer, Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver

Lost: Kirk Hinrich, Hakim Warrick, Brad Miller

Coaching Change: Yes, Tom Thiboddeau (Former Assistant Coach for Boston Celtics)

Motivation: With new coach, new direction, and a great core, Chicago has a positive outlook.

Prediction: 4th Seed.

EASTERN CONFERENCE: predictions for 2010-11 season

1) BOSTON CELTICS
2) MIAMI HEAT
3) ORLANDO MAGIC
4) CHICAGO BULLS

5) ATLANTA HAWKS

6) MILWAUKEE BUCKS

7) NEW YORK KNICKS (new playoff team)

8) CHARLOTTE BOBCATS

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9) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

10) WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Few Pointers About Lebron James Before Criticizing Him

Here are some facts:
Yes Lebron signed with the Miami Heat. Yes he is clearly hated on by a lot of people for leaving Cleveland. It is also true that he left a lot of people waiting on his decision to sign with a new team. It is true that Dan Gilbert the majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers disapproves this and expressed it in a formal letter almost putting a curse to Lebron and the Heat that they will never win a championship.

However, I feel the need to express several viewpoints as a player fan from an individual view point and how Lebron James is a person just like you, me, and anyone else.

Lebron James is one of the best players in the league. This is accepted by everyone who love him or hate him even used to love him and now hate him. Taking it a step further and what he has accomplished during his lifetime as a professional athlete excluding being able to win a championship, he is a once in a lifetime type of talent. Expressing it the best way you can Lebron James has a tattoo that says CHOSEN 1.

My exact point I'm trying to get across is that Lebron James can freely choose to do what he wants in his career. Everyone has a different personality. Lebron James has one. Michael Jordan has one. Kobe Bryant has one. Traditionally it makes sense that when you have the talents to back up your life plans you ultimately make a choice that suits the best interest to yourself. And this is when a person's personality comes into play. People make decisions in their life according to their personality. Yes this can be seen in day to day actions of your friends, parents, etc...Many argue and teach the fact of sound and right ways to live and make decisions in life. However, many at the same time can't do this when a situation is presented to them because of their personalities and the way people grew up.

I will go on for the purpose of this post to say that from a individual standpoint. Lebron James is not a born leader. He wasn't taught growing up to be one. Single parent raised from one mom. With that structure he doesn't have the personality traits to push out strongly with one factor: mental toughness. What I will argue next is that Lebron James' innate talent which comes strongly from his physical gift as a 6 foot 8 player with incredible physical gifts carried him this far. In order to win multiple championships to cement that legacy a player like Lebron James deserves he needs to develop mental toughness. And previously what showed a lot of this was Lebron's dynamic ability to pass the ball to his teammates. Lebron doesn't always feel the need to take this biggest shots. He was criticized for passing the ball in game winning opportunities when his team didn't deliver. As he got better and his supporting cast was able to deliver we forgot who Lebron James the player was a distributor/scorer. This is where the difference is seen between him and Kobe Bryant. Kobe Bryant is definitely not a distributor. His strengths lie in him as a scorer and clutch performer. Lebron was basically forced into the role to carry his team because he was just so talented. But from a personality angle he was more of a value type of player.

One of the biggest choices that athletes would make in their career is to pick the best situation to be able to win a championship. To sum it up....at the end of the day if you take a look back at what you did there might be nothing that quickly springs up with something to show for. Of course Lebron when he looks back into what he has done for himself and for the Cleveland Cavaliers he hasn't been able to step up and deliver. Last season months ago in Mid May he had the greatest chance to head back to the NBA Finals to possibly dethrone the Champs in the Lakers. The Boston Celtics clicked and started playing well at a perfect time outplaying the Cavaliers going on to beat them in the second round. Many feel as if Lebron choked or quit on his team during this series. However, as great of a player Lebron James showed that he was maybe we don't or didn't realize that at the time Lebron was maybe giving his best. To actually measure potential is very difficult thing to do. All I know for a fact is that the Cleveland Cavaliers losing to the Celtics came unexpected. And that this might have been a signal for change.

Lebron along with those closest to him that help him make life changing decisions for his Lebron's benefit probably got their message across that the reality of Lebron winning multiple titles in Cleveland after that beating to the Celtics was slim. I would say with Kobe Bryant who is still in his prime easily can win two more championships and would go on to surpass Michael Jordan who owns 6 rings. Kobe has 5 currently. And with 2 more rings Kobe would have 7 arguably the best to have ever played the game.

At a critical stage in Lebron's NBA career Lebron had to look at few road blocks or obstacles in preventing him from winning multiple championships. Number one was the Celtics who still have a great chance to win multiple championships even now, number two the Orlando Magic, and number three the Los Angeles Lakers. Both Eastern squads match up well against Cleveland. Hate it or love it this is true from what we seen in the past. What can be countered however is the fact that Antawn Jamison the mid season acquisition had little time to gel with the squad which can be argued as one. But the biggest reason for Cleveland not being able to be winners was the team's defensive mindset and mental strength. Neither Lebron James nor his supporting cast not one proves to have a mental strength that players can build off of. Not Mo Williams. Not Antawn Jamison. Not Anthony Parker. Maybe one player in Anderson Varejao. But Varejao being an international player holds culture barriers to effectively take charge when the team is down.

With having said my opinions about Lebron James people need to realize that Lebron James really wants what is best for not only himself but for those around him which ultimately makes him a real winner and the real king A Chosen 1.