Predictions for 2017-2018 NBA Season

WiggyRuss said:

West:

1. GSW
2. Houston
3. SAS
4. OKC
5. Minne
6. Portland
7. Denver
8. Clippers

East:
1. Boston
2. Cleveland
3. Washington
4. Toronto
5. Milwaukee
6. Philly
7. Miami
8. Charlotte

Cavs vs. Warriors round 4.


Worst teams in the East: Brooklyn, Orlando, New York

Worst teams in the West: Suns, Lakers, Kings


bottom half of the West playoffs is hard to predict with Utah losing heyward, denver getting milsap, pelicans in general, Clips without Paul....Portland....Memphis.....all these teams are so close together.

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Shaqdaddy11 said:

A lot of people are still banking on the Clippers and Jazz making the playoffs despite losing their best players.

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bksballer89 said:

Clippers should make it IMO. Still a solid roster. As for Utah, it is a toss up. I can see about 3 or 4 teams making the playoffs. On 2nd thought, I would probably replaced Utah with Portland. Just noticed I left them out.

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CitySushi said:

West:

1) Warriors 64-18
2) Thunder 57-25
3) Rockets 56-26
4) Spurs 52-30
5) Timberwolves 50-32
6) Blazers 49-33
7) Clippers 44-40
8) Pelicans 43-41

East:
1) Celtics 56-26
2) Cavs 54-28
3) Wizards 53-29
4) Raptors 50-32
5) Bucks 49-33
6) Pistons 47-35
7) Heat 42-40
8) Hornets 41-41

Not predicting the Playoffs because of the Jinx factor.

Couple thoughts on the West
-Think the Warriors will lose a few more games this year than last year due to the talent pool increasing in the West.
-Thunder and Rockets should be jockeying for 2nd place all year. Spurs meanwhile coast and I could actually see them being as far down as 6th place depending on how much rest they want to give to Pau, Manu and Parker.
-If the Blazers are healthy, I think they're a formidable team. Nurkic will be the key to their success. They played incredibly well after acquiring him. If he's a healthy and they have a full off-season to gel, they could be really good.
-I have the Pelicans sneaking in as the last team. They'll be competing with the Nuggets and Jazz for that last spot, but I think the sheer talent of the Pelicans has them making it.

East:
-Really wanted to go with the Wizards as the top seed, but just don't feel enough confidence to do so. I think they will be the biggest challenge to the Cavs, not the Celtics. Celtics just don't match up well with the Cavs, IMO.
-Really surprised no one picked the Pistons so far. I think Avery Bradley was an incredible pick up for the team and a stabilizing force. The key to the season will be two guys though: Reggie Jackson and Tobias Harris. If they can somehow just turn down their ball hog levels from like a 10 to an 8, this team could do really big things.
-Heat and Hornets will likely battle it out for the last two spots and I think they eek out the 76ers due to the 76ers overall youth and development.

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bksballer89 said:

You're way too low on the Spurs IMO. I have so much trust in Pop that I pencil the Spurs in for 55 wins every year.

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WiggyRuss said:

33 off the cuff bold/not so bold predictions, streaks ending etc.

1. Twolves streak of utter incompetence ends. Over half the teams make the playoffs in the NBA. Its been well over a decade since the Twolves made the playoffs- that ends this year

2. Giannis becomes a top 10 player.

3. If Kyrie is traded Lebron will win the MVP and further separate himself as the 2nd best of all time

4. The Magic are the worst team in the East.

5. The Kings and Lakers will fight for worst team in the West.

6. The Celtics will flirt with winning 60 games.

7. Joel Embiid plays over 65 games and takes the leap and establishes himself as easily the best Big Man in the East.

8. George and RW will fit together well and enjoy playing together. Adams takes a step up and becomes an elite defensive center.

9. Devin Booker establishes himself as a future star.

10. CP3 makes his FIRST conference finals

11. Cousins is dealt

12. Mavericks start putting it together in the 2nd half. Dennis Smith is not ROY- but is top 3.

13. Lakers fail to win a playoff game for the 6th straight year.

14. Atlanta and Memphis fall apart.

15. Toronto makes the Conference Finals

16. Fox is the ROY

17. Gobert is the DPOY

18. The Clippers blow it up and fire Doc

19. Denver takes the next step and sets themselves up for the future. Jokic becomes an ALL NBA stud

20. Justice Winslow shoots below 40% from the field

21. JJ Redick becomes a HUGE acquisition for the Sixers

22. The Knicks and Cavs trade Porzingis and Noah for Kyrie Irving and cap flotsam

23. Victor Oladipo puts up a helluva lot of empty stats- as will D. Russell on the Nets

24. San Antonio trades Aldridge

25. Dwade is a Cav by the buy-out deadline

26. Carmelo gets bought out and goes to Houston

27. Bosh works out for multiple teams trying to get back in the league but does not succeed

28. Hornets push a first round series to 7 but lose vs. the Celtics. Malik Monk plays great ball as a scorer off the bench.

29. Utah makes a major trade involving Favors

30. Avery Bradley plays GREAT ball in Detroit- one of the most underrated acquisitions of the offseason.

31. Kevin Love follows up a great season with another great season and is a guy LeBron can depend on.

32. Jamal Murray of the Nuggets starts to show real star potential

33. Boston makes a real effort to trade the farm for Anthony Davis

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Shaqdaddy11 said:

Shut the fuck up

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bksballer89 said:

Clippers should make it IMO. Still a solid roster. As for Utah, it is a toss up. I can see about 3 or 4 teams making the playoffs. On 2nd thought, I would probably replaced Utah with Portland. Just noticed I left them out.

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ChiefsLakers67 said:

LOL @ his idiotic prediction about the Lakers...

that's called wishful thinking...

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ChiefsLakers67 said:

LOL @ his idiotic prediction about the Lakers...

that's called wishful thinking...

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