This Is A Little Late. But These Are My Predictions For This Season

Again this is a few days late. But they haven't changed at all since I originally made them.

For the eastern conference. It's pretty simple in the east. There's 3 teams that have a shot and the rest won't do anything. I'm not big on predicting what a teams record will be. I'll say around the number of games they win. For example Cleveland will in 58 to 63 of their games this year. I don't predict records because it gets too difficult for me after a while. I don't know why. But here's my predictions for the east.

Eastern Conference

15. Milwaukee Bucks. They'll win anywhere from 20 to 24 games. I don't think they're that good. Michael Redd is a very good player and Brandon Jennings will be good in the future. I just don't think they have that much talent. They have a bunch of average NBA players and in the end that won't make for a very good team.

14. Charlotte Bobcats. Yes they almost made the playoffs last year. But almost every team in the east almost make the playoffs. I think getting rid of Emeka Okafor will hurt them. Raymond Felton is good. But other then that I don't see a lot of good players on their team. Tyson Chandler was only good during his time in New Orleans because of Chris Paul. So having him instead of Okafor will hurt the Bobcats. Larry Brown is a good coach. But that won't be enough for Charlotte. Coaching in the NBA is overrated anyway. The Bobcats will win anywhere from 20 to 27 games.

13. Indiana Pacers. They have a legitimate superstar in Danny Granger, T.J. Ford is a good but not great point guard, and Mike Dunleavy is a bust. I think Tyler Hansbrough will play well for them. Also Roy Hibbert I think will have a chance to be really good. They'll win anywhere from 23 to 30 games.

12. New York Knicks. They'll be better then they've been in recent years but not good enough to be a playoff team. They'll probably get it going later in the year but they'll be out of the playoff race by then. They'll win anywhere from 28 to 36 games this season.

11. Detroit Pistons. They will not make the playoffs this season because, in my opinion, the Pistons run as an elite team in the NBA is over. With no Rasheed Wallace and with trading Chauncey Billups last season I think made it clear that they're not what they once were. Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva are good additions, but they're not Chauncey and Sheed. I think the Pistons will look to move some of their key players around the trade deadline and stop trying to hold on to what gave them past glory. Detroit will win anywhere from 29 to 39 games this season.

10. Philadelphia 76ers. They have a nice young core with Iguodala, Dalembert, and Young. Also I think having Elton Brand back will be huge for them. But they will not be good enough because I think Brand will have trouble staying healthy and that will be big for them. Also losing Andre Miller is another big loss for them. The Sixers will win anywhere from 34 to 43 games this season.

9. New Jersey Nets. This is a nice young team on the rise. I like what they did in the off season trading Vince Carter for Courtney Lee. Also Devin Harris is one of the best point guards in the league along with Brook Lopez who is a premier big man. The nets will just miss the playoffs only winning anywhere from 38 to 41 games.

8. Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade will have a huge year as he most often does. Jermaine O'Neal will have a solid year but he'll have trouble staying healthy. Mario Chalmers is a good young point guard who will get better as the year goes on. Michael Beasley has the chance, in my opinion to be one of the best power forwards in the NBA. The Heat will win anywhere from 39 to 43 games this season.

7. Toronto Raptors. The additions of Hedu Turkoglu and Jarret Jack are big for the Raptors adding them with Chris Bosh and Jose Calderon. Bosh, since this is a contract year, will have a monster year. Hedu will have an all star type season as well and they'll grad the number 7 seed. They'll win anywhere from 43 to 46 games this season.

6. Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are a good team but I think losing Ben Gordon was a huge loss for them. Derrick Rose is one of the best point guards in the NBA and John Salmons is a good scorer. Kirk Hinrich is a good defender but I just have trouble seeing the Bulls amongst the elite in the east. They need one more legitimate star on that team and maybe it will come with a healthy Luol Deng. But the Bulls will win anywhere from 43 to 46 games this season.

5. Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks have a really nice team. But not nice enough to get them out of the first round of the playoffs. Horford is good and I think adding Jamal Crawford will be big. But they won't be amongst the east's elite. They'll win anywhere from 45 to 48 games this season.

4. Washington Wizards. The Wizards will return to the playoffs just because everyone is finally healthy. Gilbert Arenas will return to all star status along with Antawn Jameson and Caron Butler. They'll beat the Hawks in 6 in the first round and make a good run at the eastern conference finals. They'll win anywhere from 47 to 50 games this season.

3. Cleveland Cavaliers. With the addition of Shaq the Cavs finally solved the problem of who's going to be able to stop Dwight Howard in the playoffs. But in my opinion the Cavs aren't any better then they were last season. But they'll still be amongst the elite in the east. They'll win anywhere from 50 to 55 games this season.

2. Orlando Magic. I think adding Vince Carter is a huge upgrade for the Magic. I understand they lost Turkoglu but Vince will give them more then what Hedu did. Dwight Howard is one of the best if not the best big man in the NBA. With Jameer Nelson healthy again the Magic will make a good run at going to the finals again this season. They'll win anywhere from 58 to 60 games this season.

1. Boston Celtics. They're the best overall team I think in the entire league. With Garnett back they'll dominate the east. Adding Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels is huge for them too. The Celtics have great depth and scoring. Also I think that KG will make a run at the defensive player of the year again. The Celtics will win anywhere from 59 to 65 games this season.

 

 

Western Conference

15. Sacramento Kings. The Kings are the worst team in the NBA, plain and simple. Though they do have nice young talent with Jason Thompson, Spencer Hawes, and Tyreke Evans. The Kings don't have the players to get it done. They have one above average player in Kevin Martin but other then that the Kings don't have much else. They'll win anywhere from 15 to 21 games this season.

14. Houston Rockets. Houston this season I don't think is that far behind Sacramento. I hear people say "wait until T Mac comes back." I got news for them, T Mac will never ever be the player he once was. Also with Yao out for the season that huts Houston because they have no size. They'll have to scrap and run if they want to win. They're also playing in the dominant conference so they'll have trouble winning. Houston will win anywhere from 18 to 25 games this season. But the bright side of that is, they'll get a high draft pick with Yao and T Mac coming back.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves. The T'Wolves don't have much to offer. Al Jefferson is one of the best big men in the league but other then that I think they have nothing. Losing Randy Foye and Mike Miller will hurt them. Johnny Flynn is good but not good enough. Kevin Love isn't that great in my opinion. They'll be one of the west's worst winning anywhere from 23 to 27 games this season.

12. Golden State Warriors. The Warriors are fading fast in my opinion. They have Monte Ellis who's a nice young point guard and Stephan Curry is a hell of a shooter who'll help them. But Stephen Jackson I think is going to have a down year this season and that will hurt. Golden State will win anywhere from 24 to 30 games this season.

11. New Orleans Hornets. The Hornets have really fallen off. They have one of the best players in the game in Chris Paul. David West is a little overrated in my opinion. Okafor will not work well with that team. Peja and James Posey are old. This team is on the downside. They need another all star there to help out Chris Paul. The Hornets will win anywhere from 27 to 34 games this season.

10. Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies will be better then expected. Allen Iverson will help this team along with Zach Randolph, OJ Mayo, Mark Gasol, Mike Conley, and Rudy Gay. This team has good talent and I think they'll sneak up on some teams. They'll win anywhere from 30 to 36 games this season.

9. Phoenix Suns. The Suns will miss out for the second year in a row because, well Steve Nash is too old. Amar'e will be traded this season. They do have nice talent though but they will be banged up for most of the season. They'll win anywhere from 35 to 40 games this season.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder. I thought long and hard about this one. OKC just seems to be a good young team. Kevin Durant is one of the best young guys in the league (anybody who thinks he should have been taken by the Blazers instead of Greg Oden is stupid.) Jeff Green is another very good player. The Thunder will win anywhere from 37 to 42 games this season.

7. Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers had the talent to do this last season but they were banged up. I think Eric Gordon is one of the best young guards in the NBA and a healthy Baron Davis and Marcus Camby will help this team tremendously. Blake Griffin will win rookie of the year and this team will be a playoff team. They'll win anywhere from 41 to 44 games this season.

6. Utah Jazz. The Jazz are good but not great. Paul Milsap is a very good power forward and I think if they hold on to Carlos Boozer it will help them. Deron Williams may be the best point guard in the NBA. With all that said, the Jazz still aren't good enough to be a top 3 team in the west. They'll win anywhere from 43 to 48 games this season.

5. Denver Nuggets. Carmelo will cool off from his hot streak that he's had for the fist two games. He won't win MVP (hopefully) Chauncey Billups is a good leader but the Nuggets don't have the talent I think to get it done. They'll win anywhere from 47 to 54 games this season.

4. Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs added Shawn Marion which I think is a nice addition. They also added Drew Gooden who is an underrated player I think. The Mavs will be much better then they were a year ago and will compete in the west. They'll win anywhere from 50 to 56 games.

3. San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs have the potential to be the best team in the entire NBA. But I think injuries will hold them back as they have the last 2 years it seems. Tim Duncan will wear down as it gets later in the season and Manu will get hurt as he always does. Richard Jefferson was a good addition but not good enough to make them number 1 in the west. The Spurs will win anywhere from 54 to 61 games this season.

2. Portland Trail Blazers. This may be wishful thinking because I'm a Blazer fan but I believe they'll get the 2 seed. Portland may be the deepest team in the NBA. Brandon Roy in my opinion is a top 5 player in the NBA. Greg Oden will have a breakout year. Having Martell back will be huge for the Trail Blazers and adding Andre Miller is big. The Blazers will make a good run in the west this year. They'll win anywhere from 54 to 61 games this season.

1. Los Angeles Lakers. No surprise here. The Lakers are clearly the best team in the west. Kobe will win the MVP this season. The addition of Ron Artest is big. Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom are both all star caliber players and Andrew Bynum will have a good year if he can stay healthy. With all that said the Lakers will win anywhere from 59 to 63 games this season.

 

 

Eastern Conference Playoffs

8. Miami Heat 0

1. Boston Celtics 4

7. Toronto Raptors 1

2. Orlando Magic 4

6. Chicago Bulls 2

3. Cleveland Cavaliers 4

5. Atlanta Hawks 2

4. Washington Wizards 4

Eastern Semis

4. Washington Wizards 3

1. Boston Celtics 4

3. Cleveland Cavaliers 2

2. Orlando Magic 4

Eastern Finals

2. Orlando Magic 4

1. Boston Celtics 2

 

Western Conference Playoffs

8. Oklahoma City Thunder 0

1. Los Angeles Lakers 4

7. Los Angeles Clippers 0

2. Portland Trail Blazers 4

6. Utah Jazz 1

3. San Antonio Spurs 4

5. Denver Nuggets 2

4. Dallas Mavericks 4

Western Semis

4. Dallas Mavericks 2

1. Los Angeles Lakers 4

3. San Antonio Spurs 3

2. Portland Trail Blazers 4

Western Finals

2. Portland Trail Blazers 3

1. Los Angeles Lakers 4

NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers 4

Orlando Magic 3

NBA Champions: Los Angeles Lakers