Will the Warriors Make It to the Western Conference Finals?
Considering how the Western Conference has strengthened and the fact that K. Durant left the team in the summer, this might seem like a strange prediction at the very least. On the other hand, without K. Durant, the Warriors looked simply great in the playoffs. Although it's likely that K. Thompson won't return to the court until the playoffs, the Warriors found a replacement for him and added D. Russell, who had a career season, in the summer. A significant part of the team's success will depend on his ability to integrate into the system. If Thompson returns to the court showing even half of what he did in last year's playoffs, it's likely that this team, with its vast championship experience, can go far.
It's also interesting to note that when the Warriors played without K. Durant, they won 34 out of 41 games. However, when Durant played but S. Curry didn't, they managed to win only 28 out of 46 games.
Dallas Mavericks Will Make the Playoffs
In the Western Conference, there is practically no doubt about the Lakers, Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Rockets, Jazz, and Trail Blazers making the playoffs. The battle for the 8th spot will be intense, and all remaining teams will try to cling to it, but the European Mavericks team seems to have the best chances.
The Dallas team, which added K. Porzingis in the summer, did not make any significant moves in the free agent market but has a fairly good bench that will provide quality rest minutes for the team's leaders. The duo of Dončič and Porzingis will probably be one of the hardest to stop in the entire league, as Luka is one of the best pick&roll players in the NBA, capable of finishing attacks himself, and Porzingis shoots well from all areas of the court.
Tim Hardaway Jr. is also worth mentioning, as he could become the third most important player on the team, given his significant potential. A guard who creates opportunities for himself and shoots well will also be one of the key factors for the Mavericks' success, and he seems ready for more serious achievements.
Philadelphia 76ers Will Win the Eastern Conference
The 76ers were very close to this achievement last season, falling to the Raptors, who later became champions, due to an incredible shot by K. Leonard in the final game of the series. Both J. Embiid and B. Simmons are young and have gained even more important game experience, and they undoubtedly improved during the offseason, so they should look even more solid next season. Moreover, the team added one of the most important Celtics players, A. Horford, who will also bring experience and more talent to an already talented team.
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It is very likely that the 76ers will meet the Bucks in the conference finals this year, but the Philadelphia team looks more solid and well-balanced both offensively and defensively, so they should be able to overcome this barrier.
Coach of the Year – M. Malone, Denver Nuggets
The Denver team was very close to finishing 1st in the conference last season, and the coach would have received this award, but a slight slump at the end of the season prevented it from happening. Considering how much this team improved last season compared to the previous one, it is very likely that this young team will perform even better in the upcoming season and be able to reach 1st place in the regular season.
Of course, the competition in the Western Conference is enormous, but all the main competitors of the Nuggets have many question marks, as it is unclear how long it will take for the Lakers, Clippers, and Rockets duos to gel and how they will look together. The Denver team retained its core, and M. Porter should also appear this season, who, if he can stay healthy throughout the season, will further expand the team's rotation by adding talent in the forward position.
Chicago Bulls Will Make the Playoffs
The 2018-2019 season was very difficult for the team. Not only did the team finish last in the entire NBA league, but it also recorded the worst home win/loss ratio (9-32) in the team's history.
After achieving only 5 wins in 24 games, the Chicago team parted ways with coach F. Hoiberg and replaced him with J. Boylen, who will start the upcoming season at the helm. This strategist has already proven that he always demands the maximum, and if he can earn the respect of this young team, it is likely that the team can surprise.
The Eastern Conference has been significantly weaker than the Western Conference for several years, so more teams have real chances to compete for playoff spots, at least the lower ones. The Bulls have players like Z. Lavine, L. Markkanen, who is very likely to have a career season in the near future, and they also added promising rookies Coby White and Daniel Gafford, who shone in the summer league. In the free agent market, they added T. Young from the Indiana Pacers and Czech T. Satoransky, so the team looks quite good “on paper,” and a 7th-8th place in the Eastern Conference would not be surprising.
Indiana Pacers Will Finish the Regular Season in 4th Place
The 2018-2019 season was very promising for this team until the team's leader, V. Oladipo, suffered a season-ending injury. Before he went down, the Pacers were in 3rd place in the conference almost halfway through the season. Despite Oladipo's loss, the Indiana team managed to finish the season in 5th place, but in the first round of the playoffs, they completely failed to challenge the Celtics and lost the series 4-0.
In the offseason, the Pacers lost B. Bogdanović and D. Collison, who were important players for the team last season. However, on the other hand, the team added talented and capable T.J. Warren, who averaged nearly 20 points during his time in Phoenix, and M. Brogdon, who was one of the more important players for the Milwaukee team. J. Lamb also joined the team. This guard averaged 15.3 points last season representing the Charlotte Hornets and will certainly get minutes to shine with the Pacers.
The Pacers will enter the season changed but certainly not any weaker than last season when they finished 5th, so it is very likely that the team will be able to secure home-court advantage for the playoffs this season.
S. Curry Will Become the 2019-2020 NBA Season MVP
Bookmakers currently rate Curry's chances of becoming the season MVP at 6, second only to G. Antetokounmpo, who has a 3.75 rating for becoming MVP. Although many consider Antetokounmpo and J. Harden as the favorites to become MVP, Curry should not be underestimated.
The two-time NBA MVP will be the main driver of the team's victories this season, as with Durant gone and Thompson injured, there will simply be no one else to take the initiative. No one doubts Curry's ability to score points and assist his teammates, so an average of 30 points would not surprise anyone. A team playing the entire season without 2 key players compared to last season and managing to stay in good positions in the strong Western Conference would certainly receive compliments.
D. Russell's arrival in San Francisco only increases the Warriors' chances of achieving more victories, and there are practically no questions about Curry's individual results in the upcoming season, so the guard becoming the NBA MVP for the 3rd time would not be surprising.
Rookie of the Year – Ja Morant
Although all the talk since the start of the draft has been about Z. Williamson, it would be hard to expect him to be as dominant in his first NBA season as anticipated. The team assembled in New Orleans is truly promising and capable of achieving a lot over the years, with players like L. Ball, B. Ingram, J.J. Redick, J. Holiday, and other good players, so Z. Williamson should not be the unequivocal leader of the team, at least in the first season.
It is also important to mention that Zion has injury problems every few games. Just after the friendly match marathon ended, news emerged that the Pelicans forward had undergone meniscus surgery, which will delay his season debut by 6 to 8 weeks.
Ja Morant, along with Valančiūnas and J. Jackson, will be the main players of the Grizzlies team, and Morant will certainly have the freedom to create, score points, and assist his teammates, as he will get plenty of playing time, and he has no injury history, so all the chances to become the rookie of the year are in his hands.
