The NBA returns Tuesday and just like every other year, I am going to pick the regular season standings, award picks, Conference Finals, and Finals pick (each of the last 2 years both teams I picked to go to the Finals were eliminated in the first round so I might be a mush).
West Standings
Nuggets
The defending champs are back and looking for a repeat. Nikola Jokic has cemented himself as the best player in the league and had proven all of his doubters wrong by winning the championship last season, look for Denver to be right back in the mix this season.
Suns
Phoenix has an elite big 3 with Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, and Bradley Beal. They are going to have an elite offense, you cannot have those 3 guys and not have an elite offense. Health, depth, and defense are Phoenix’s questions entering the 2023-24 season.
Warriors
Jordan Poole is gone and Chris Paul is in. Golden State was elite at home last season but couldn’t win a game on the road. I believe that water will level this season and that Paul will help them win road games, leading the Warriors to win a lot of regular season games.
Grizzlies
Memphis has been a regular season wins machine over the past 2 seasons. While I don’t think they’ll be the 2 seed again due to Ja Morant’s 25 game suspension, once Morant gets back, they’ll win a lot of regular season games.
Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers have a really good team this season. They are built for the playoffs and the regular season will be about getting into the playoffs and being healthy for them. I am also expecting a huge Anthony Davis season.
Timberwolves
The Wolvers were disappointing last season, winning 42 games and finishing 8th in the Western Conference. The West remains loaded so while I don’t expect them to be a 2 seed (who would ever pick that), I do think they’ll be better than last year.
Kings
Sacramento had a really fun year last season, winning 48 games and finishing 3rd in the West. However, I expect them to take a step back due to great injury luck they had last season and the conference is better than it was a year ago.
Clippers
The Clippers have 2 questions for this season, do they get James Harden and can they stay healthy? If the answer to both those questions is yes, they are a darkhorse team in the West.
Mavericks
I liked what Dallas did this offseason, surrounding Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving with shooting and defense is never a bad thing. I just do not think their roster is very good beyond Irving and Doncic.
Pelicans
If Zion Williamson is healthy, the Pelicans have a chance to be really good, but what makes any of us believe Williamson will be healthy?
Thunder
I like what Oklahoma City is building. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a top 15-20 player in the league and some of their younger players are really really good. However, there are so many good teams in the West, it’ll be a dog fight to make the playoffs.
Jazz
The way I feel about the Thunder is how I feel about the Jazz but Utah doesn’t have SGA. Again, making the playoffs in the West will be tough.
Rockets
The Rockets signed Fred VanVleet, Dillion Brooks, and drafted Amen Thompson to add to their core of Jalen Green, Alpren Sengun, and Jabari Smith Jr. They also hired Ime Udoka to coach them. They want to win, I just don’t think they will.
Trail Blazers
Another team that has good players yet just does not have a chance to make the Western Conference Playoffs due to all the good teams. I like what Portland is building, read my last blog for more on the Blazers.
Spurs
Victor Wembanyama is so good and though the Spurs won’t be good this year, they will be must see TV due to Wembanyama.
East Standings
Celtics
Boston adds Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to their team this season and look primed to win the championship. Can Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown get them there?
Bucks
The Giannis and Dame pick and roll is going to be incredible. The defense will likely be worse but I believe this offense is going to go to astronomical heights.
Cavaliers
Cleveland had a disappointing playoff stint last year but came back this season adding Max Strus and Georges Niang to help their shooting. Their top 4 is so good and they will win a bunch of regular season games, though I worry about their playoff ceiling.
Heat
I’ll never doubt the Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo led Miami Heat again. They are built for the playoffs but I think they’ll do a better job of getting there than they did last year.
76ers
Is James Harden going to be traded? If he is, what is the return? If not, what happens then? There are a lot of questions surrounding the Sixers and they need to keep the league MVP happy on top of all of it.
Hawks
I believe the Atlanta Hawks turned a corner under Quin Synder, their 3 point attempts were way up and they were a better team. There is a good basketball team somewhere in there and I think they’ll find it.
Knicks
I like what the Knicks are building and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were not in the play-in next season. However, there are a lot of good teams in the East so them being in the play-in wouldn’t surprise me.
Nets
Mikal Bridges is really good and is a legit building block for the Nets. They have a good team but they need a star at some point to become true contenders.
Magic
The Magic played really good basketball at the end of last season and with progression from Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner to go along with an entire season of a real starting 5, the Play-In Tournament is within reach for Orlando.
Bulls
The Bulls are still hanging on for another push with this roster.
Raptors
Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby can both be free agents at the end of the season but yet both still play for Toronto.
Pacers
Tyrese Haliburtion is really just so good. He is a real building block for Indiana and they should be a fun watch this season.
Hornets
There are some fun things about Charlotte LaMelo Ball to Mark Williams lobs, Brandon Miller’s first season, and more. Yet, Miles Bridges being on the roster is a dark cloud over all of it, get him out of our league.
Pistons
I want to buy into the Pistons. Monty Williams is a good coach, Cade Cunningham looks like a star, Bojan Bogdanovic is coming off his best NBA season, and they have so much fun young talent. Yet, I just do not think they have a good team.
Wizards
Deciding to bottom out the year after the generational prospect is so Wizards, even if it is the right decision. Watching Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma chuck shots all season could be entertaining though.
Regular Season Awards
MVP: Jayson Tatum
Tatum has been an MVP candidate the last few seasons and I think this is the year he finally breaks through. With Boston being the one seed and him being the best player on the team, probably averaging over 30 points a game, Tatum earns his first MVP this season.
Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama
Wembanyama is a monster, at 7’4” the skills he has make him look like a future MVP candidate and worth all of the hype he is getting. Not only that but his defense is just as good as the offense, if not better.
Sixth Man of the Year: Immanuel Quickley
After finishing 2nd in Sixth Man of the Year last season, this is the season that Quickley gets the award behind another big season leading the Knicks 2nd unit.
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Davis was the best defensive player in the playoffs last season and I think that carries over. Expect the Lakers to have a really good defense led by Davis, provided he stays healthy.
Most Improved Player: Franz Wagner
I think Wagner is going to take a monster leap this season, similar to the one Tatum took in 2019-20. The playmaking will be much improved and his scoring should take another leap, leading to a breakout season for the Magic.
Coach of the Year: Frank Vogel
Vogel is not an obvious choice but there never is for this award. I think he will get this award because I think Phoenix's defense will be pretty solid and better than people expect leading to him getting the award.
Playoff Picks
Western Conference Finals
Nuggets over Suns in 6 games
The Nuggets have a championship DNA, and while their rotation scares me a little bit right now, I think that it improves by the time the playoffs roll around. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic prove that they are too much even with all of the Suns’ star power.
Eastern Conference Finals
Bucks over Celtics in 7 games
A game 7 loss at home would be devastating for the Celtics and their fans (me) but Giannis and Dame are just so good that they will find a way to beat the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals.
NBA Finals
Nuggets over Bucks in 6 games
I think the Nuggets will repeat and that they are just too good. Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic have proven that they are built for the playoffs and I think that they’ll find ways to exploit some of Milwaukee’s defense issues in this potential series.
The NBA returns Tuesday and for that we are all very excited. So let’s all sit back and enjoy these next 8 months because basketball is finally back.
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