I wrote an article for the NBA Season, includes the Rockets and the whole NBA. NBA Standings and Awards Predictions As one of the more memorable off seasons come to an end, we embark a special NBA season where almost every move we've been waiting 2-3 years to happen finally happened. The Golden State Warriors dramatically changed the way the NBA does the off season. No one can just sit on the previous years talent. The goal is to stack as much talent as possible. That is what will take to beat GSW and the offseason had showed that to be true. Below are my NBA standings predictions for the upcoming NBA season. 1. Boston Celtics This team has one of the highest ceilings out of all teams in the NBA, They replaced Isaiah Thomas with a straight assassin in Kyrie Irving who is only 25 with the experience most 10-15 year NBA vets only wish to have. Along side the notable additions of Jayson Tatum who looks to be a ROY candidate and Marcus Morris, and the development of Jaylen Brown. The ceiling is the roof for this squad 2. Cleveland Cavaliers This team will coast the regular season, and become a monster by the time Game 1 of the playoffs starts. With the bench depth of Jae Crowder, Wade, Rose and Shumpert this team is one of the deepest in the league. They will not be a quick out for GSW this time, this finals will for sure be a long fun series if indeed we see part 4. 3. Milwaukee Bucks So this is where the standings in the East get wild, from here anyone can be in any spot. 3-12 in the East is very unpredictable and I can very well be very wrong. Giannis is primed to take the next step and improve his scoring and become one of the best players in the league. Giannis should for a fact be a top 3 MVP candidate. This team will go as far as the freak takes them. 4. Washington Wizards John Wall is a legit superstar, and the East will be wide open for him. Wall will be primed to take the next step with Beal and Porter. In todays NBA this team lacks the star power to make the ECF unless Wall and Beal take tremendous steps 5. Toronto Raptors This team has been great in the East the last few years one of the more fun teams to watch but quite frankly Lowry and Derozan might have already peaked with the respective raptors squad. 6. Charlotte Hornets This is a team full of vets, playing a system that might actually work for Dwight. They will be a tough defensive team to play and as a result will be a tough out for a higher seed playoff opponent. 7. Philadelphia 76ers Finally all this tanking and we finally get the result we've waiting for, this team if healthy can be great for years and will soon take over the East. They have 2 ROY candidates in Fultz and Simmons (missed rookie year due to foot injury) 8. Miami Heat A nice team mixed with good young talent and a terrific head coach. Will surprise many people and can even possibly be a higher seed. This team will surprise many people. 9. Detroit Pistons 10. Indiana Pacers 11.Orlando Magic 12. Brooklyn Nets 13. New York Knicks 14. Chicago Bulls 15. Atlanta Hawks Western Conference Standings 1. Golden State Warriors The cream of the crop, the best of the west. The guys we've looked up to for many years. This year should be no exception. It will for sure be more challenging but with so much experience this team has a very excellent chance to win many consecutive championships 2. Houston Rockets This team will be a very good regular season team and If the warriors coast may even overtake the number 1 seed. This team has added the likes of PJ Tucker, Luc Mbah A Moute and Chris Paul defensive specialists who can also shoot those 3's needed to win. With the likes of D'antoni and Bzdelik, I believe this is a very dangerous team and will surprise the majority who believe the west is between OKC and Golden State. 3. San Antonio Spurs Is this even a question, have been contending for more than 20 years. One of the greatest organizations in sports. They added Rudy Gay. If Kawhi can stay healthy in the playoffs this team will be super tough to beat. Never count out San Antonio 4. Oklahoma City Thunder They're back in contention! With Star forwards George and Carmelo. They look like the sexy pick to challenge the Warriors. This starting five looks excellent but the team still has depth issues. They may wear out in the playoffs. Melo is getting up there in age. We've have to imagine Russ, George and Melo playing upper 30's in minutes all season. Billy Donavan will have to do a really good job of managing regular season minutes. Overall anytime you have 3 stars you are always in it to win the finals. 5. Minnesota Timberwolves They seemed to have won the summer, before the Thunder's flurry of moves adding Teague and Butler and 12' Bulls depth. Kat and Wiggins do not have the greatest of Defensive efficiency but with a season under Thibs belt, this team can improve a lot. They are no joke, if Wiggins, Towns and Butler get it going they will be scary. 6. Denver Nuggets The front court of Milsap and Jokic is terrific, and the development of Jamal Murray expect the Nuggets to make alot of noise and be a very solid regular season team and tough out in the playoffs 7. Los Angeles Clippers This team just got what they lacked this summer great bench depth and a solid 3. With Patrick Beverley looking to develop into a star and earn a big contract. I like this team with like likes of the bench with Lou Will, Austin Rivers, Teodosic. Blake and Deandre will need to take a huge step but if they do it will still remain a very fun and possible dangerous team in they playoffs if they get HOT! 8. Memphis Grizzlies a very scrappy agressive team once has now gone under the youth movement while still keeping core guys in Conley and Gasol will look to sneak into the playoffs and cause havoc on a high seeded team. 9. Portland Trailblazers With CJ, Dame and Nurkic this is a very excellent squad but other than those guys. the bench is very questionable. 10. New Orleans Pelicans This might be the last year of Boogie and Brow experiment. How long will this last before this is the next set of teammates to break apart. Davis with his talent desperately needs a solid team before it is time for him to take his talents elsewhere. This is a crucial year, if Pelicans don't make playoffs expect a massive rebuild 11. Los Angeles Lakers Another great team looking to fight for 8 seed, Lonzo and the boys will indeed be in the fight for the playoffs 12. Utah Jazz A very good team coached by Quinn Snyder, will look to make the postseason with Gobert's improvement and the addition of Rubio but the West is just too talented 13. Sacramento Kings The last of the good teams that will possibly fight for the playoffs, got good mix of vets and young talent but just not enough star power to win in a loaded west. 14. Phoenix Suns They have a nice young upcoming team. Booker will develop into a great scorer with good surrounding young talent around. They will for sure be in the Bagely sweepstakes to bring him home 15. Dallas Mavericks It'll be another tough year in Dallas with the horrible contract given to Harrison Barnes and Dirk getting up there in age. I expect the Mavericks to cut Dirk loose to let him chase a championship. Dennis Smith looks like a very good ROY candidate and will make the Mavericks fun to watch MVP Picks: James Harden ROY: Ben Simmons Six Man: Dwyane Wade ECF : Celtics/Cleveland Cleveland in 6 WCF: Houston/Golden State Golden State in 6 Finals: GSW/CLE Cleveland in 7 Thank You everyone its your boy - @rockets13champs
@RocketsTruth @Le$$ @smitheygerard @basketballholic @Drexlerfan22 @SirIvyLeague @mig0s Awesome, I'll make sure to bump this either way!
OP is way off on the Jeez and Nuggets. Jazz will be in playoffs and in the chase for a top 4 seed. Nuggets aren't making the playoffs. More later.
Yeah not sure what he is talking about. They just lost Hayward too. GSW, Rockets, OKC and Spurs are pretty much locks for top 4
I think there are a few tinkers. West 1)Golden State 2) San Antonio - they are a well oiled machine. They may break down in the playoffs, but that Rudy Gay signing is an underrated move. 3) and 4) OKC and Houston you can flip flop them either way. They both have an adjustment period to mesh. 5) and 6) Timberwolves and Nuggets with the Timberwolves it all depends on the leap Karl Anthony Towns has. The additions are great, but will Tibs open the offense a little. Nuggets had a killer second half of the season last year. I love Paul Milsap even though he played for the Jazz. He has that workman attitude that rubs off on others. 7) Pelicans I think once this team figures it out they are the most dangerous because of their two skilled big men. They have added a little depth on the bench and Rondo I think can orchestrate that team to success 8) Blazers/ Jazz / Clippers this is a toss up. Clippers have added players , but I don't think Blake Griffin stays healthy. Jazz lost Gordon Hayward but play extremely hard Blazers Dame and CJ get hot at any time and their big man Nurkic is a willing passer. They had a great record after they acquired him. The west is stacked East 1)Cleveland - LBJ enough said 2 Boston 3) Wizards 4 Raptors 5) Charlotte Dwight will anchor that d 6)Milwaukee - still not enough shooting. I do think Giannis is the next MVP though. 7) and 8) toss up between Miami, Detroit, and 76 ers 76ers has the potential to climb if Emblid can stay healthy
The g.o.a.t Ricky Rubio of course. Out of all holics delusional takes this one really is the worst I've seen
It would be easier to ask what they don't have that could keep them out of the playoffs. That would be a superstar perimeter scorer in his prime. That's it. They have everything else. For starters, they have Dennis Lindsay. He's one of the most brilliant GMs in the Association. And he's done a masterful job of reshaping the roster with the departure of Gordon Haywood and George Hill. Secondly, they have a quality coaching staff. Snyder and crew are great. Now, the roster. 1. They have great paint defense. Gobert is no doubt the best paint patroller on the planet. And he's in his prime. Follow him up with Favors/Udoh. They'll have great paint defense for 48 minutes. When you can push opponents down to the mid forties percentage in the paint you are basically making rim runs inefficient for the opponent. This allows your perimeter defenders to be more aggressive. So, let's go there next. 2. Good perimeter defense. Starts at the point. Rubio is one of the best defenders at the point of attack in the Association. When you combine Rubio's defense at the point with Gobert's defense at the rim you have the makings of a special defensive unit. Now throw in Rodney Hood, Sefalosha, Joe Johnson, Burks, Jerebko, and even Mitchell on the wings and they could be very special defensively. I've already said Rubio will lead the league in assists. He may pull off the double and lead the league in steals too with an anchor like Gobert behind him. He'll be able to gamble lot more. I suspect he may lead the league in steals. So there's your defense. Multiple great defenders on the interior, wings, and at the point, and very solid defensive depth. Now, let's look at their offense. It should be easy to see where they're going offensively. Spread the floor and run PnR with Rubio/Gobert. Guys, that's a great PnR combination and will be super effective with three quality shooters around them, something Rubio never had in Minny. The Jazz are plugging Rubio into their system, which is tailor made for him. The wildcard is Mitchell. (I think he's going to be great.) Hood, Ingles, and Johnson are all plus three point shooters. Alec Burks and Jerebko are too. And Thabo is good when open. And everybody will be more open this year. You can expect Jerebko and Johnson to get major minutes at the 4. If Mitchell gives them solid backcourt play them the Jazz will have plenty of very good options on the wings. Rubio is apick-and-roll matter. You give him shooters and he'll kill opponents. Doesn't matter if they sag off him. He'll take up the space and go to the hole where he'll either get Gobert a dunk or draw a shooting foul (he's very good at drawing shooting fouls) and once he gas his defender in foul trouble he'll hit a bunch of layups. Rubio's offensive efficiency is going to spike. And lastly they have another wild card in Favors. He's a quality 5 man on an expiring contract around $12 million. They've got Udoh so they don't really need Favors as a backup 5. And he'd be an asset for another contender looking for big man help or to a lottery team looking to drop salary. So they've got great possibilities of aging another significant piece to this roster by the deadline. If they stay healthy (Gobert and Rubio mainly), they're going to be a pain in the butt to play against. They'll be in the dogfight for 50 wins and a top 4 seed. Interior defense - check Perimeter defense - check Rebounding - check Playmaking - check Shooting - check Finishing - check Bball iq - check Character - off the charts Weaknesses - backup playmaking if Rubio goes down for an extended time
My Predictions: Spoiler East Boston Celtics Cleveland Cavaliers Washington Wizards Milwaukee Bucks Toronto Raptors Miami Heat Charlotte Hornets Philadelphia 76ers Detroit Pistons New York Knicks Indiana Pacers Orlando Magic Atlanta Hawks Brooklyn Nets Chicago Bulls East Playoffs 1st Round Celtics beat 76ers 4-1 Cavs beat Hornets 4-0 Heat beat Wizards 4-3 Raptors beat Bucks 4-3 2nd Round Celtics beat Raptors 4-2 Cavs beat Heat 4-2 ECF Celtics beat Cavs 4-3 West Golden State Warriors Houston Rockets Oklahoma City Thunder San Antonio Spurs Minnesota Timberwolves Portland Trailblazers Los Angeles Clippers Denver Nuggets Utah Jazz Memphis Grizzlies New Orleans Pelicans Los Angels Lakers Dallas Mavericks Sacramento Kings Phoenix Suns West Playoffs 1st Round Warriors beat Nuggets 4-0 Rockets beat Clippers 4-0 Thunder beat Trailblazers 4-2 Spurs beat Timberwolves 4-0 2nd Round Warriors beat Spurs 4-2 Rockets beat Thunder 4-2 WCF Rockets beat Warriors 4-3 FINALS Rockets beat Celtics 4-3 Awards MVP: James Harden (31 ppg, 8 apg, 7 rpg) ROY: Markelle Fultz COY: Brad Stevens 6MOY: Jae Crowder DPOY: Kawhi Leonard NBA All-1st Team: G- Curry G - Harden F - LeBron F - Kawhi C- KAT NBA All-2nd Team: G- Westbrook G - CP3 F - Paul George F - Kevin Durant C- Anthony Davis
