Official Predictions Thread
Posted: Thu Oct 2, 2008 5:55 am
Well.. we usually have one of these every year, but I haven't seen too many so far. So what's everybody's predictions for the upcoming NBA season?
Fast forward to the end of the season, and what will everybody's stats, awards, records be?
Western Conference
1: Los Angeles Lakers (61-21)
2: New Orleans Hornets (58-24)
3: Houston Rockets (55-27)
4: Utah Jazz (54-28)
5: Dallas Mavericks (52-30)
6: San Antonio Spurs (50-32)
7: Phoenix Suns (48-34)
8: Portland Trail Blazers (46-36)
9: Los Angeles Clippers (44-38)
10: Golden State Warriors (41-41)
11: Denver Nuggets (39-43)
12: Minnesota Timberwolves (36-46)
13: Sacramento Kings (35-47)
14: Memphis Grizzlies (29-53)
15: Oklahoma City (27-55)
In the West, as many others predict, the Lakers come out on top. Lakers and Hornets will be the best two teams in the West all season, and with a healthy Bynum and a "contract year" Lamar Odom, the Lakers pull the race out towards the end. The final playoff spots won't be AS GOOD as last year in my opinion. Ellis getting hurt for the first part of the season REALLY hurts them. Once everybody is back healthy though, I think they'll make a push towards the end, but ultimately coming up short. The Minnesota Timberwolves will improve with Kevin Love, Mike Miller and Corey Brewer, who I think could be a most improved player candidate this year.
Eastern Conference
1: Boston Celtics (58-24)
2: Detroit Pistons (56-36)
3: Philadelphia 76ers (52-30)
4: Orlando Magic (50-32)
5: Toronto Raptors (51-31)
6: Cleveland Cavaliers (49-33)
7: Washington Wizards (44-36)
8: Atlanta Hawks (40-42)
9: Indiana Pacers (39-43)
10: Miami Heat (38-44)
11: Chicago Bulls (37-45)
12: Charlotte Bobcats (36-46)
13: New Jersey Nets (35-47)
14: Milwaukee Bucks (34-48)
15: New York Knicks (30-52)
Boston is still the front runners. Pistons still steady, although you wonder how everyone will play after the summer of trade rumors. We saw what happened with the Bulls last year. The 76ers improve under Elton Brand and Iguodala. The Raptors improve with Jermaine O'Neal and no PG controversy; even though Jose and Ford did a relatively good job with that. They have depth all around off the bench with Jason Kapono, Andrea Bargnani (who is said to be "greatly improved" by pretty much everyone), newcomer Roko Ukic (who will surprise some people), Jawai and Humphries. Don't forget Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon on the wings as well. The East gets a lot tougher this year, there's not as many laughing stocks. The Nets fall. Loss of Richard Jefferson, no Kidd, etc.
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Awards
Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
Defensive Player of the Year: Jermaine O'Neal - Toronto Raptors (Kobe coming in 2nd)
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Love - Minnesota Timberwolves
Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson - Los Angeles Lakers
Most Improved Player: Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers
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Los Angeles Lakers Player Statistics
Kobe Bryant: 26.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG
Pau Gasol: 19.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 BPG
Andrew Bynum: 16.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 2.5 BPG
Lamar Odom: 13.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 5.0 APG
Trevor Ariza: 10.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.5 SPG
Sasha Vujacic: 9.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG
Derek Fisher: 9.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Jordan Farmar: 8.5 APG, 2.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
Chris Mihm: 7.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Josh Powell: 6.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG
Luke Walton: 5.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG
Vladimir Radmanovic: 5.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Sun Yue: 4.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.5 APG
DJ Mbenga: 2.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Coby Karl: 2.4 PPG, 1.0 APG, 1.5 RPG
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PG: Derek Fisher/ Jordan Farmar/ Sun Yue
SG: Kobe Bryant/ Sasha Vujacic/ Coby Karl
SF: Lamar Odom/ Trevor Ariza/ Luke Walton
PF: Pau Gasol/ Josh Powell/ Vladimir Radmanovic
C: Andrew Bynum/ Chris Mihm/ DJ Mbenga
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So.. what does everyone think? Lol. I got Coby Karl getting the last spot on the roster, with Brandon Heath being the final cut. Because of Sun's mono, Coby and Heath will battle it out.
Fast forward to the end of the season, and what will everybody's stats, awards, records be?
Western Conference
1: Los Angeles Lakers (61-21)
2: New Orleans Hornets (58-24)
3: Houston Rockets (55-27)
4: Utah Jazz (54-28)
5: Dallas Mavericks (52-30)
6: San Antonio Spurs (50-32)
7: Phoenix Suns (48-34)
8: Portland Trail Blazers (46-36)
9: Los Angeles Clippers (44-38)
10: Golden State Warriors (41-41)
11: Denver Nuggets (39-43)
12: Minnesota Timberwolves (36-46)
13: Sacramento Kings (35-47)
14: Memphis Grizzlies (29-53)
15: Oklahoma City (27-55)
In the West, as many others predict, the Lakers come out on top. Lakers and Hornets will be the best two teams in the West all season, and with a healthy Bynum and a "contract year" Lamar Odom, the Lakers pull the race out towards the end. The final playoff spots won't be AS GOOD as last year in my opinion. Ellis getting hurt for the first part of the season REALLY hurts them. Once everybody is back healthy though, I think they'll make a push towards the end, but ultimately coming up short. The Minnesota Timberwolves will improve with Kevin Love, Mike Miller and Corey Brewer, who I think could be a most improved player candidate this year.
Eastern Conference
1: Boston Celtics (58-24)
2: Detroit Pistons (56-36)
3: Philadelphia 76ers (52-30)
4: Orlando Magic (50-32)
5: Toronto Raptors (51-31)
6: Cleveland Cavaliers (49-33)
7: Washington Wizards (44-36)
8: Atlanta Hawks (40-42)
9: Indiana Pacers (39-43)
10: Miami Heat (38-44)
11: Chicago Bulls (37-45)
12: Charlotte Bobcats (36-46)
13: New Jersey Nets (35-47)
14: Milwaukee Bucks (34-48)
15: New York Knicks (30-52)
Boston is still the front runners. Pistons still steady, although you wonder how everyone will play after the summer of trade rumors. We saw what happened with the Bulls last year. The 76ers improve under Elton Brand and Iguodala. The Raptors improve with Jermaine O'Neal and no PG controversy; even though Jose and Ford did a relatively good job with that. They have depth all around off the bench with Jason Kapono, Andrea Bargnani (who is said to be "greatly improved" by pretty much everyone), newcomer Roko Ukic (who will surprise some people), Jawai and Humphries. Don't forget Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon on the wings as well. The East gets a lot tougher this year, there's not as many laughing stocks. The Nets fall. Loss of Richard Jefferson, no Kidd, etc.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awards
Most Valuable Player: Chris Paul - New Orleans Hornets
Defensive Player of the Year: Jermaine O'Neal - Toronto Raptors (Kobe coming in 2nd)
Rookie of the Year: Kevin Love - Minnesota Timberwolves
Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson - Los Angeles Lakers
Most Improved Player: Andrew Bynum - Los Angeles Lakers
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Los Angeles Lakers Player Statistics
Kobe Bryant: 26.5 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 7.5 APG, 1.8 SPG
Pau Gasol: 19.0 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.1 BPG
Andrew Bynum: 16.5 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 2.2 APG, 2.5 BPG
Lamar Odom: 13.5 PPG, 9.8 RPG, 5.0 APG
Trevor Ariza: 10.1 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.5 SPG
Sasha Vujacic: 9.3 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 2.0 APG
Derek Fisher: 9.0 PPG, 3.5 APG, 2.5 RPG, 1.3 SPG
Jordan Farmar: 8.5 APG, 2.5 RPG, 3.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
Chris Mihm: 7.0 PPG, 4.4 RPG, 0.9 BPG
Josh Powell: 6.5 PPG, 5.7 RPG
Luke Walton: 5.5 PPG, 2.5 RPG, 2.5 APG
Vladimir Radmanovic: 5.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG
Sun Yue: 4.5 PPG, 1.3 RPG, 1.5 APG
DJ Mbenga: 2.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG
Coby Karl: 2.4 PPG, 1.0 APG, 1.5 RPG
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PG: Derek Fisher/ Jordan Farmar/ Sun Yue
SG: Kobe Bryant/ Sasha Vujacic/ Coby Karl
SF: Lamar Odom/ Trevor Ariza/ Luke Walton
PF: Pau Gasol/ Josh Powell/ Vladimir Radmanovic
C: Andrew Bynum/ Chris Mihm/ DJ Mbenga
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So.. what does everyone think? Lol. I got Coby Karl getting the last spot on the roster, with Brandon Heath being the final cut. Because of Sun's mono, Coby and Heath will battle it out.
