subject: Nba Tickets - State Of The Atlantic [print this page] Here is a look at the Atlanta Division as of Dec. 2, 2009.
Boston Celtics (14-4): The Celtics are looking strong again now that they're healthy. Kevin Garnett's knee seems to be 100 percent, though he's not quite the dominant player that he once was. He was already making the transition from superstar to solid player before his injury last season, though, and is doing less scoring as a result. He's still a contributor on the boards and defensively.
Ray Allen has gotten off to a slow start, but he's bound to round into form, and his struggles have not affected the team's record much, if at all. Rajon Rondo has elevated himself to being one of the top point guards in the league. This team may coast at times throughout the season as they wait for the playoffs, the part of the season that really matters to this bunch.
Toronto Raptors (7-12): Chris Bosh is having the best season of his career and the Raptors are still losing. This does not bode well for the team convincing him to remain a Raptor beyond this summer. Andrea Bargnani is also having his best season as a pro, but the team is still struggling. A lot of nights, the Raptors are somewhat of a four-man team. Bosh, Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu and Jose Calderon are really the only dependable players on a nightly basis, which hurts the team's consistency. Jarrett Jack has played pretty well and DeMar DeRozan has shown promise, but this team seems to be stuck somewhere between contending and rebuilding.
Philadelphia 76ers (5-12): The record really surprises me. The Sixers are a talented club that has been pretty good over the past two seasons. They got Elton Brand back from injury and he's played well, but they're still losing games. Thaddeus Young has been coming on as of late, which should really help the team, but it's going to take a team effort to fix things. Two of their promising youngsters, Louis Williams and Marreese Speights, have gone down with serious injuries.
They recently signed former Sixer great Allen Iverson in the wake of Williams' injury, presumably to take on the starting point guard role. Iverson will give this team a boost, but he's also a draw that will entice fans to purchase NBA tickets to see the team. Iverson can still make some electrifying plays and he could help this team right the ship.
New York Knicks (4-14): It's no secret that the Knicks are readily awaiting the summer of 2010 and the chance to land a big name or two, but the team is definitely having a rough go of it in the meantime. The roster contains several NBA castoffs, but has a few promising young players as well, most notably Danilo Gallinari. Gallo has shown a lot of potential and could even be a future All-Star. The team is struggling now, but may not be far from contending for a playoff spot following the summer.
New Jersey Nets (0-17): The Nets are yet to win a game, and while this season's prospects are not very good, I actually like where the Nets are headed. Injuries to Devin Harris and Courtney Lee have really hurt this season in the early going, but both of those guys are very good young players. Add in Brook Lopez and Terrence Williams and you've got a nice, young core of players. The Nets should be players in the free agent market this summer.
