"I Know the Game Like I'm Reffing It"















Tuesday, October 28, 2014

2014-15 NBA PREDICTIONS

The NBA season kicks off tonight, so of course, it's time for me to tell you what's going to happen over the next 8 months or so.

There are stories galore this season.

Lebron.

How long will it take his Cavs to gel?

D. Rose.

Will his knees, or the rest of his body parts for that matter, hold up?

The Knicks, Phil Jackson and the Triangle.

Jason Kidd and Jabari Parker in Milwaukee.

Tears for Miami and Wade, County.

That's enough.

Let's look at the East and West conferences as they will look come mid April. As well as the projected over/unders (for betting purposes only).

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Chicago Bulls - Rose's health is of course the key here. Thibs is Thibs and the frontline is looking stout with the addition of Pau. over/under: o55.5
2. Cleveland Cavaliers - How fast will they mesh? Will they play defense? Can Kyrie adjust his game? over/under: u59.5
3. Brooklyn Nets - Can you say bold prediction? Health's an issue, but head coach is no longer. Still a deep team. over/under: o42
4. Miami Heat - Hey, Wade, Bosh & Spoelstra are still together and expect Shabazz Napier to play a key role (love those 4yr college guards). over/under: o44
5. Washington Wizards - Wall's back with a chip on his shoulder. If only it came with a jump shot. Beal's return will be key, obviously. over/under: u48
6. Toronto Raptors - DeMar DeRozan will continue his superstar ascendence. Will Lowry be the same after the big contract? Yes. over/under: u49
7. Charlotte Hornets - Kemba and Stephenson form an exciting backcourt and old-man-game Jefferson is still very much alive and kicking. over/under: u45.5
8. New York Knicks - Vaunted Triangle or not, Melo is prime for an MVP type year. Tim Hardaway Jr. is good too. over/under: o41
9. Detroit Pistons - Stan Van can coach, we know that. Look for him to run the offense through Greg Monroe. over/under: o36
10. Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks will be solid again this year, but unspectacular in an improved East. over/under: u42
11. Milwaukee Bucks - Interesting mix worth watching, with Jabari, Giannis & Kidd. over/under: o24.5
12. Boston Celtics - Brad Stevens is legit. Jared Sullinger will surprise you this year. over/under: o26.5
13. Indiana Pacers - Umm, take a look at their roster. Decimated. Solid coach, though. over/under: u34
14. Orlando Magic - Some young talent, but... over/under: u28.5
15. Philadelphia 76ers - Yeah, umm... over/under: u16.5

WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. San Antonio Spurs - Everybody's back so they're still loaded. Kyle Anderson will add even more with his unique passing ability. over/under: o56.5
2. Los Angeles Clippers - It's the Paul, Blake and Doc show again, so we'll see. over/under: u57
3. Golden State Warriors - Kerr gets the chance to live up to the "so much better than Mark Jackson" hype. Bogut's health will be key, as per usual. over/under: o52
4. Oklahoma City Thunder - KD out a couple months so it's Westbrook's show, just how he likes it. over/under: o53.5
5. Portland Trailblazers - There aren't many better tandems than Lillard and Aldridge. over/under: o49.5
6. Houston Rockets - Howard and Harden are big time talents with mixed reviews, while McHale just gets the mixed reviews. over/under: u50.5
7. Dallas Mavericks - Carlisle, Dirk and Monta get some more help this year, see Parsons, Chandler and Nelson. over/under: u50
8. Memphis Grizzlies - You already know how Gasol, Zach and Conley do. over/under: u48.5
9. Denver Nuggets - Still talented, but not quite enough. over/under: o41.5
10. New Orleans Pelicans - Anthony Davis is real tough, but so is the West. over/under: u43.5
11. Phoenix Suns - Their guards will be tough to keep up with, but don't expect a repeat of last year. over/under: u44.5
12. Minnesota Timberwolves - They pulled off a coup in the Love trade and will be fun to watch, but wins will be tough to come by. over/under: o26.5
13. Los Angeles Lakers - Kobe, Kobe, Kobe. over/under: u32
14. Sacramento Kings - Will Cousins keep it together on a bad team that gets few Ws? over/under: u30
15. Utah Jazz - Young unproven talent, much like Minnesota. Keep an eye on Dante Exum. over/under: u26

Finals

Oklahoma City over Cleveland - Why not?

MVP

LeBron James - He didn't get it last year, so...

Rookie of the Year

Jabari Parker - The most polished rookie scorer, by far.