On the eve of the latest NBA season, the people are curious. They have witnessed the offseason maneuvers. The paydays. The surgeries. The NBA Draft and Summer League. The Olympics. The rosters were meticulously organized for training camp and preseason games. Now it’s time for NBA predictions! All of those so-called experts need to provide their so-called expertise. How do we think the NBA season is going to pan out? Which NBA teams should be worried? To all of my pigskin-loving friends stuck with their miserable fantasy team rosters. To all of my long-ball-loving friends enduring a chalk World Series. And to all of my hockey compadres already a few weeks into their NHL season. Let me get you up to speed on all things NBA and how I think the season will play out.
NBA Worry-Wart Series
Catch up with some of the league’s contenders and pretenders by checking out my NBA Worry-Wart Series.
NBA Predictions: Eastern Conference
The Boston Celtics won the NBA championship last season with little standing in their path. The Celtics are now in the unfamiliar role of the hunted, but that’s not to say they are without a chip on their shoulder. This past summer, Jaylen Brown was snubbed as a late replacement for Team USA Basketball’s gold medal team. Jayson Tatum made the team but received little playing time as a healthy scratch in critical games. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla will use these snubs to motivate the players to prepare mentally for the new season grind.
The hunters are the usual suspects. The headline offseason changes include the Paul George move from the LA Clippers to the Philadelphia 76ers and the Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns trades to the New York Knicks. Many of the other moves were cosmetic at best. Most teams just re-signed their free agents as the cap restrictions of the latest CBA hamstrung them.
A handful of the top Eastern Conference players were injured and out by playoff time. I hope that will change this season, and we will see compelling drama. Here are my NBA predictions for the Eastern Conference playoffs.
- New York Knicks
- Boston Celtics
- Miami Heat
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Orlando Magic
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Toronto Raptors
Really Sir?
Ok, hear me out. The Celtics enjoyed a pretty healthy season with everyone in the top half of their rotation. They paired that health luck with championship hunger to the tune of a 37-4 record at home. I feel that the changes in New York will transform Madison Square Garden into that same kind of tough stadium to play in. They also have hungry dogs on their team, like Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges, who won’t miss many games. The Knicks edge here.
Miami is in Philadelphia’s spot as the three-seed because the 76ers have significant health concerns. Joel Embiid will be on load management all season. Their new offseason addition, Paul George, tweaked his knee during a preseason matchup and is also starting the season hobbled. I’ve watched Tyrese Maxey attempt to carry the team on his own before. It’s not a viable long-term solution. However, Embiid will play enough to get them in the dance, and health in April is what matters. Miami (currently) has no injury concerns other than Josh Richardson’s return from shoulder surgery.
Cleveland might be seeded too low. Their tremendous defense warrants at least a four-seed, but two or three is not inconceivable. Again, the teams ready to win now will go hard to capture early victories. The deep teams have staying power in the standings with this strategy.
Bottom Half NBA Predictions
Orlando is right where they should be, barring a leap from star forward Paolo Banchero. I appreciate the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope off-season addition, but many of their fringe role players got paid this summer (Are they motivated to overachieve?). I need evidence of a leap before I can predict it.
Milwaukee is already starting the season with an injured Khris Middleton. It is a lot to ask of Giannis Antetokounmpo to carry an 82-game load when they just need to make it into the dance healthy. Damian Lillard is 34, and Brook Lopez is 36. I doubt they will step on the regular-season gas.
The Raptors’ young talent will win over the Pacers’ talent for the final spot. Tyrese Haliburton has looked pedestrian all preseason and was injured during the latter half of the playoffs and the Olympics. A slow Pacers start to the season will come back to haunt them.
Eastern Conference Champions
The Boston Celtics. There is too much going in their favor on their roster. They do not have the MVP Eastern Conference players on their roster. MVP-caliber will have to suffice. They can be beaten, but the East has more parity than they do super teams. I predict the deepest roster to prevail.
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Photo Credit for featured cover image: Getty Images.
