2013-2014 NBA Season
To spare all of you the same information being shared on Yahoo, ESPN, and every other blog, this is meant to be a quick and simple read. We will cut out all of the lottery teams, and stick with our playoff predictions for both conferences, as well as a few award predictions at the end. Let me just say that picking 2 of the top 4 teams in either conference seems like a coin flip. It will all come down to matchups. Lets see what we've got:
WEST: (Regular Season Seeding)
1-Los Angeles Clippers: I don't think they are the best team out west, but do think they will have the best regular season schedule.
2- Houston Rockets: I'm mostly excited to see this lineup: Beverly (who is much better than Lin and will eventually be the full time starter), Harden, Garcia, Parsons, Howard.
3-Oklahoma City Thunder: This all depends on when/how Westbrook comes back.
4-San Antonio Spurs: Hard to know where to rank them in the regular season, and their 4th seed doesn't reflect my belief that they are still the best team in the west.
5-Memphis Grizzlies: Also a really great team, that could finish anywhere including 1st, but one of these teams will finish 5th.
6-Golden State Warriors: This is the safe bet, but Jazz fans wouldn't mind seeing a train wreck in the Bay Area this year. (Jazz own their 2014 1st round pick).
7-Dallas Mavericks: I actually like them, as long as Calderon and Dirk are reasonably healthy, they should make it.
8-Portland Trailblazers: Decent Starting 5 and a bench with some NBA players on it this year. I think they'll surprise.
Other teams/notes: I have learned to never bet on the Timberwolves, that is why they've been left off. I think the Clippers might be tough, as long as they don't play the Spurs or Memphis, who I think are bad playoff matchups for them, they might make the WCF.
Western Conference Finals:
-San Antonio Spurs V.S. Oklahoma City Thunder
West Champions:
-San Antonio Spurs
EAST: (regular season seeding)
1-Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose looks back to being his old self, and Coach Thibs tends to play his starters playoff minutes during the regular season.
2-Miami Heat: They don't really care probably, but they might have another league best record if they are motivated to win games by another all-time win streak.
3-Indiana Pacers: New and improved bench, these guys are serious contenders for a championship.
4-Brooklyn Nets: Here by default. Like the Spurs, I don't think their regular season record will reflect their playoff scariness. Yes, scariness. Nobody wants to play Pierce and Garnett in the playoffs with a good surrounding group. AK47 is the piece nobody is talking about that I think puts this team on a new level.
5-Atlanta Hawks: Aren't they always a 5 seed? I like them. But they aren't contenders.
6-Washington Wizards: Spoiler Alert: I secretly think Wall/Beal is my favorite backcourt in the NBA. Add in some other decent players and I pick them as the surprise team of the year.
7-Detroit Pistons: Poor shooting but maybe Dumars is right, just throw out 5 good ball players and maybe they'll make it work.
8-New York Knicks: I don't think their team is any better, but Carmelo automatically gets them here.
Other teams/notes: Let me just ask this, is there a lineup in the league, that would legitimately be on the floor together in the history of basketball that is bigger than the Nets rolling out 1-Livingston 6'7/ 2-Johnson 6'9, 3-Kirilenko 6'11/ 4-Garnett 6'11/ Lopez 7'0? Would love to see that. Another team I could see making the playoffs if the Cleveland Cavs. Just not sure I trust Kyrie AND Bynum to stay healthy all year. Also, Toronto could surprise and be in there.
Eastern Conference Finals:
-Brooklyn Nets VS Chicago Bulls
East Champs:
-Brooklyn Nets
FINALS:
-San Antonio Spurs VS Brooklyn Nets
NBA CHAMPIONS:
-I can't pick. I want them both to win. I want the Spurs as redemption for last year, and the Nets because if they're healthy, holy hell have you seen that roster? I'll pick when the regular season is over.
Awards:
-MVP: Chris Paul. He will be the sexy vote if the Clips end up in 1st like my prediction states.
-DPOY: Lebron James, No MVP trophy means he wins this instead.
-MIP: Patrick Beverley. Hes my "odd how much I like him" player.
-6th Man: Danny Granger. Who knows?
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