Bucks will be the biggest "threat" to the Cavs when Jabari returns.

[Goat Milk]

Yeah, Wall is probably the 2nd best player in the east, but the Wiz are still not a tough team. Wall is their only tough player. Beal is a good scorer but doesn't do much else. You can't be considered an elite sg if you don't create plays for teammates and can't take on the challenge of guarding a James Harden etc. Beal needs to be the 3rd best player on the team for the Wiz to win the East.

Toronto will do what they always do and melt down under the lights.

Celtics are just a regular season team. Try as hard as they can in the reg season like every game is the championship. Not gonna beat James with that mentality.

Lastly, the Bucks.

The Bucks just grabbed Eric Bledsoe, who probably needs some time to gel, but Bledsoe is a big time player. He's an all star for sure in the East most years, and is on the same level as pgs like Mike Conley. He's a veteran presence who's been in the league longer than most of the guys on this team.

The team now moves Brogdon to the bench and they have great depth at pg with Bledsoe Brogdon and Delly. Middleton isn't much, about as good as JR Smith, but he's good enough. Atetokoumpo is one of the best players in the league.

And then Jabari Parker, a professional scorer who is very similar to a young Carmelo Anthony. Deadly from midrange with a powerful first step. Jabari is coming off his 2nd straight acl tear. A lot of how far this team goes depends on him. He's their second best player and averaged 20 last year. If he gets back to 100%, they should push Cleveland to 6.

[Mackballs]

You had me until the Melo comparison. IM OUT!

[Bostongambler]

Greek freak is second best player in the east I would argue.

[jjgold]

Wall is a non factor too wild
Knick center best player in East now



Boston much better coached although Bucks good

Lol Cleve?? They are not a factor in the East anymore

[shadymcgrady]

Comparing conley a proven veteran pg to an unproven journeyman in bledsoe is purely subjective

Bledsoe is an athletic slasher with a broken jumpshot, can he become a player on conley level? The potential is there but to blindly say he's alrdy on that level is again 100% subjective

[shadymcgrady]

Middleton also the 2nd best player on the bucks, not parker not bledsoe

Regardless of personal bias or subjectivity, the fact remains that after Greek freak, middleton is the guy this year. Doesn't matter what anyone who prefers athleticism at the local ymca pickup games say, just ask the bucks coaching staff or beat writers that cover the team

Bledsoe a better athlete for sure but the nba isn't ab that, especially when their best pkayer alrdy fits that bill

[YoungGambler]

Love the bledsoe move, from what I saw it was exactly what the Bucks needed. I bet Jason Kidd is jerking off making gameplans now cause he gets a point guard that can push and get easy baskets

[jjgold]

All we all know Cleve will not be in finals

Basically a longshot

[xdodger19]

Parker is the team leader before he got injured, hope he can have a good career.

His game is similar to Karl Malone. sort of

[xdodger19]

Now Bucks need a 5 that can play some defense, rebound, and alley-oop

Players they should look to bring in

Frank the tank

Julius Randle

Dwayne Wade for Snell and Dellavedova haha

[Seto]

All we all know Cleve will not be in finals

Basically a longshot

Willing to put your money where your mouth is and give "long shot" odds?

[shadymcgrady]

Now Bucks need a 5 that can play some defense, rebound, and alley-oop

Players they should look to bring in

Frank the tank

Julius Randle

Dwayne Wade for Snell and Dellavedova haha

They alrdy have the guy, Google thon maker

[upscope]

Middleton isn't much, about as good as JR Smith, but he's good enough.

Good post until this gem that Middleton is about as good as JR Smith.
JR Smith is garbage while Middleton has developed into a pretty solid player!
18/6/5 with over a steal game & trusted 3-pt shot. JR Smith isn't anywhere near this level & isn't anywhere near "about as good as Middleton"
Get real~

[jjgold]

Good post until this gem that Middleton is about as good as JR Smith.
JR Smith is garbage while Middleton has developed into a pretty solid player!
18/6/5 with over a steal game & trusted 3-pt shot. JR Smith isn't anywhere near this level & isn't anywhere near "about as good as Middleton"
Get real~

exactly..JR SMITH COULD NOT START FOR DUKE OR KENTUCKY

[KRIT]

I agree with this. This thread isn't saying much as no team is really that much of a threat to Cleveland. Once IT comes back they should be as good if not better than they were last year.

Bucks are probably second best team in the East, but there is a huge gap between them and Cleveland.

[Seto]

Willing to put your money where your mouth is and give "long shot" odds?

Crickets. Stupid old man.

[jjgold]

Isaiah Thomas lol you’re not going win with that midget

Kyrie Irving’s 10 times the player

[packerd_00]

Good its about time,don't mind the Bucks.

[jayfly]

Lots of #'s last year showed the Bucks were better when Parker was not on the floor.

Bledsoe has never proven he can stay healthy or be part of a winner. This is a huge year for him, needs to prove something.

[Goat Milk]

Middleton also the 2nd best player on the bucks, not parker not bledsoe

Regardless of personal bias or subjectivity, the fact remains that after Greek freak, middleton is the guy this year. Doesn't matter what anyone who prefers athleticism at the local ymca pickup games say, just ask the bucks coaching staff or beat writers that cover the team

Bledsoe a better athlete for sure but the nba isn't ab that, especially when their best pkayer alrdy fits that bill

Middleton is an average NBA starter. He can't dribble or create plays for his teammates. He's a great shooter and good defender. That's all. Jabari Parker is a nightmare to guard. Ask any NBA player. No one fears middleton. No one gameplans for him. They gameplan for Parker. They game plan for Bledsoe and Giannis.

[Goat Milk]

Good post until this gem that Middleton is about as good as JR Smith.
JR Smith is garbage while Middleton has developed into a pretty solid player!
18/6/5 with over a steal game & trusted 3-pt shot. JR Smith isn't anywhere near this level & isn't anywhere near "about as good as Middleton"
Get real~

JR Smith has similar numbers when he was the number 2 option as well.... You can argue JR Smith today is better than JR 4 years ago, but 4 years ago had better stats due to the situation. When Parker comes back, Khris Middleton will be the 4th option on that team. He won't be putting up anywhere near 18 a game with Bledsoe Giannis and Parker all averaging 18+.

[upscope]

JR Smith has similar numbers when he was the number 2 option as well.... You can argue JR Smith today is better than JR 4 years ago, but 4 years ago had better stats due to the situation. When Parker comes back, Khris Middleton will be the 4th option on that team. He won't be putting up anywhere near 18 a game with Bledsoe Giannis and Parker all averaging 18+.

Middleton helps you in multiple other ways than just scoring & will still be a decent scorer when Bucks eventually get to full strength. He's a solid & much better rebounder than Smith. He's a solid & much better assister than Smith. He actually takes good shots & shoots for a much better FG % than Smith. Much better free-throw shooter than Smith. Also shoots a much higher percentage than Smith from 3. He's a better defender & racks UP steals. Not to mention considerably younger.
Smith at this point is nothing more than a decent defender & streaky shooter than can shoot you out of a game just as easily & keep you in it. I can't really thing of one single thing Smith does better that Middleton?? Middleton is an all around better player & it's not close. To suggest otherwise is silly~

[Guy Guido Fieri]

FLAVOURTOWN GUY HERE. An INSIDER at SAUSAGE SKEPTICS SYMPOSIUM told me that GIANNIS A. as a young man ate rare young HONEY right past MILK MIRAGE MOUNTAIN in the UPLIFTING and difficult to reach BUMBLE BEE BUBBLE BUZZ. It caused a growth spurt and his constant effort to reach the bubble and side nourishment from MILK MIRAGE MOUNTAIN and hiking caused him to have strong legs. NOW LOOK AT HIM IN THE NBA. ALL THANKS TO FLAVOURTOWN.