CSL Tonite! SouthEast Division Preview

Hi! I'm Mindy Mindy and welcome to CSL Tonite! Today we have Steve Smith, Dennis Scott, and Greg Anthony in studio and they're gonna discuss the Eastern Conference's SouthEast Division and give you their thoughts on who they feel will win the Division crown!

It's all on you guys...


Alright Mindy. Well guys I'm just gonna come out and say it... for now we can rule out The Orlando Magic as they're in a rebuilding mode but of course with an Andrew Wiggins, and Giannis, and a Nerlens Noel they'll be talked about winning not only divisional crowns but championships as well. Also we can count out the Washington Wizards as they made no significant moves to truly improve that roster and that's a shame when you have guys, young guys like John Wall, Blake Griffin, and Jonas Valanciunas who can make a probable impact in the division if given some more artillery and yes I know they signed a Manu Ginobili who helped lead that Houston Rockets team to the CSL Finals but it just isn't enough at this particular stage of his career, so with that said.... WHOO WHEE this is another tough call but I'm gonna have to say I'm gonna go with the Atlanta Hawks! That's right, ATL. They made some huge moves and not only did they bring in a guy like DeMarcus Cousins who when healthy is possibly the best C in the entire League, they brought in a Harrison Barnes who was an All Star, and then they brought in a closer in Tony Parker who leaves a losing situation in Dallas last season due to faulty management and is eager to prove he's still a top tier PG in the League... add that to the depth they get in Thabo Sefalosha and a Wes Matthews and these guys are looking like an elite team and I see them replacing the Miami Heat who just lost a ton of depth due to cap restraints.


That Atlanta team reminds me of your Blazers team in the late 90's early 2000's Smitty when you had Scottie Pippen, Damon Stoudemire, Rasheed Wallace, Sabonis, and all them boys but just couldn't get the job done... a lot of talent but just couldn't get over that hump and that hump in this case is gonna be the Charlotte Hornets. They're an Eastern Conference Finalist team so they have a taste of what success is, they lose Kobe who was their closer but they bring in a guy like Tyreke Evans and line him up with MKG who came into his own this past season, they bring back an Amar'e Stoudemire who played some of his best ball in Charlotte, they traded for Omer Asik, they sign Anderson Varejao who was let go by the Clippers for some strange reason, and those guys have the size, the players, and the firepower to win the divisional crown in my opinion.


Well I personally think Smitty chose the Hawks cause he used to play for them but you can't use your heart, what does your mind tell you? My mind tells me Miami and Kevin Durant lost a little too much to still be the team to beat. They lose a Tyson Chandler, they lose a Tiago Splitter, and although they brought in a Monta Ellis who'll get buckets for em, they just won't have enough to overcome the depth of the team I'm goin' with.... the Atlanta Hawks. They've just added so much that it's hard for me to see them losing the division title this season although I must say it's gonna be another tightly contested race throughout the season. And oh yeah Dennis, I played for that Blazers team as well.


Might fault Greg, that IS right... Let me ask you and Smitty, why don't you think Charlotte has the best chance of winning the crown?


Well for me I think when they lost Kobe they lost their closer, and that's what it comes down to. Miami has a closer in Kevin Durant, Atlanta has one with Tony Parker, who do the Hornets have?


Same for me... I don't see that team having a closer, I don't see anyone who can seal the deal in a tight game when you need a big bucket... Amar'e could be that guy or perhaps an MKG or even a Tyreke Evans but they just can't close like a Tony Parker or a Kevin Durant...


That's fair... that's fair enough... I don't agree but it's fair cause I think they'll win by committee which isn't a bad thing and maybe all those guys can be closers... one night it might be Amar'e, one night it be Tyreke, the next night it might be MKG... we'll see...


I like the teams that win that way 3D, not necessarily having just one guy to depend on cause I believe some teams can get too dependent on just one guy sealing the deal, it takes a team effort.


So you got Charlotte, too Mindy?


No no... (laughs)... I think the Miami Heat still win the division... they're the champs still so you gotta go thru them even if they currently are an organization in flux...

Well anyway guys, that'll do it for the SouthEast Division Preview, we wanna hear what you at home think so chime in and let us know...until next time, thanks for tuning in!