NBA Season Predictions!!!

Dude…

The best time of the year is officially upon us!! Not only do we have football and playoff baseball on, we are only a week away from the start of the NBA season. There were some WILD changes to teams over the off season. Damien Lillard is now a Buck. Bradley Beal is a Sun. Kristaps Porzingis is a Celtic. DeAndre Ayton is a Blazer. Marcus Smart is a Grizzly. The changes throughout the league have been drastic and the Dudes are here to predict what is going to happen in this wild season.

BEST OVERALL TEAM

PC- Celtics- The Boston Celtics are loaded this year. With Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown back, it’s going to be an impressive season for Boston. With the addition of Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday makes the Celtics even more of a threat. My favorite for 6th man of the year in Derrick White, will lead the bench players. The Celtics have a solid bench with Payton Pritchard and Sam Houser. These 8 along with Oshae Brissett who will get some playing time, will strive in the East. The only teams they may have problems with are the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. If Porzingis can stay healthy and be the matchup problem everyone knows he can be, my money's on the Celtics.

How6rd: Nuggets

If Jokic takes no decline from how he’s been playing the past three years it’s difficult to see any team possibly stop this team especially when they only got deeper this offseason. Highlighted by the return of Jamal Murray, the Denver Nuggets were a very impressive team throughout the regular season and became a juggernaut once the reached the playoffs (especially after the first round). Bruce Brown was a bit of a blow considering how much he helped their depth in the playoffs, but they got quite possibly the biggest steal in the draft with Julian Stawther who has looked like a very pure shooter in the preseason as he did in college. The Nuggets have been striving off of draft steals throughout their process in winning last season and their players are only trending upwards and some even at the peak of their careers. There’s a lot of teams this year who have strong lineups but very questionable depth, and I believe with both the strong talent in their lineup and off their bench still with one of the best coaches the Nuggets got this one once again.

K Stelt: Bucks

Although the Celtics are in a race to becoming the most dominant NBA team in the league due to past postseason failures and the Nuggets are the reigning NBA Champions. The team I feel like no one is talking about are the Milwaukee Bucks. Now I Understand the Bucks have had a decent team for the past couple years, but they legitimately added one of the best shooters and point guards, if not player in the league, to their roster. If you have been living under a rock and pay attention to the NBA, the longtime Trailblazer–Dame Lillard–got traded to the Bucks this offseason. While they lost one of the best defenders in the league, Drew Holliday, They added an impactful shooter who is hungry for a title in his long successful career in the NBA. The Bucks also have a reigning MVP in Gannis. And they bring back Kris Middleton and Brook Lopez. They have one of the deepest team in the league and will only have the Celtics, Maybe the 76ers to fight for a #1 spot in the East.

NBA MVP

PC-Jason Tatum- The best player on the best team should win the MVP. Tatum has been a star throughout his career but hasn’t ever broken out as MVP. I think this is the year he takes that leap and takes that crown. Tatum will have valuable assets around him that will help him score. Jrue Holiday is a menace as a true point guard, and Porzingis spreads the floor along with Al Horford. Jason will have the keys to the car to take this team to the promise land. I believe he will succeed and win his first MVP.

How6rd: Luka Doncic

I have disagreed with how the NBA MVP has been given out quite more often than any sport, but I feel like at the same time if healthy and he knows he needs to be the franchise player the Mavericks want him to be then Luka Doncic could 100% get the MVP award this year. The Mavericks are a team that people give the big eyes to at the beginning of the season and turn out to fall just short in some way of a final run. Last season after starting out hot and landing Kyrie Irving, Doncic was hurt and even after he came back the team just never found form and completely missed the playoffs. A year before when they were structured they put down the Suns in a blowout Game 7 before realizing they built nothing around Doncic in the conference finals. Now that this team both has structure and another star next to Luka in Kyrie and drafting a nice versatile big man in Dereck Lively, Luka will have a settled team that he can just go to work with if he’s on the court. I don’t know exactly how good this Mavericks team will fully be, but Luka Doncic will have Kyrie added to a roster he’s been working with his entire career and he could get an award everyone knew he was bound for in the future a season ago.

K Stelt: Anthony Edwards

I felt like picking a player like Jokic or EmbiId would’ve been too boring for this post. Anthony Edwards is a player I’ve been watching for a while and truthfully when I watch him play, I see a little bit, LITTLE BIT, of MJ. I know that's a wild take, but the kid has some type of game that only few have possessed in this league. The only problem that he has in this MVP race is that he plays on the Choke- job, Timberwolves. His stats aren’t MVP level in the past few seasons, but a gut feeling,and maybe a competitive team can put the Wolves in a winning environment. And if he avg. 29 PPG and does what he's done the past few seasons, don’t be surprised if he’s 3rd in the race in the later part of the season. The Wolves are a sleeper in this league and I really would like to see if they are able to put it all together and make a team like the Celtics and Bucks play a little bit harder during the regular season. But like Luka, this team has to help him along the way to give him the ability to obtain this goal.

NBA FINALS TEAMS

PC- Suns vs. Celics- These are the best two teams in the NBA in my opinion. The Celtics received massive upgrades and didn’t lose a lot from last season. They were a two seed and only upgraded the talent around their stars in Tatum and Brown. The Suns also upgraded by adding a third superstar in Bradley Beal. They traded their toxic center in DeAndre Ayton and old Chris Paul. They received multiple key players when trading Ayton which included Grayson Allen and Jusuf Nurkic. This team is stacked with players who could go off at any given moment. The bench rotation will be vital for a deep run. If the Suns can learn to share the ball and get everyone involved, they should be able to beat any team in the west.

How6rd: Nuggets vs Bucks

Now this seems mainstream but with what I know about these teams from last season and how they’ve transitioned into this year these are both the best teams on paper. As explained earlier, the Nuggets are still very deep with all kinds of young talent and solid veterans, now including a man who happened to be the best player last season in Jokic, and that combo is the perfect recipe for NBA success. As for the Bucks even with the huge addition of point guard Damian Lillard star additions don’t always work out at least in the first year, but the thing is the Bucks didn’t lose a step anywhere in acquiring Lillard outside of a bit of perimeter defense. Milwaukee Bucks’ biggest issue along from the injury trouble with Khris Middleton was that they had no one to pick up the strong performances Giannis was having 80% of the season and the playoffs. With Lillard now in the picture surrounded by a team with good chemistry and his scoring drive boosting Giannis I’d be shocked if any team can catch up with that duo and a healthy Middleton along with consistent role players.

K Stelt: Golden State vs Philadelphia

Maybe I’m a little more outside thinking when I go with who’s making it all the way. But the NBA reminds me a lot of the MLB season. It’s long and players get hurt. The teams I’m looking for are ones who really have a shot to get all the way through the playoffs. The other thing I find important is what city the teams are in. When it comes to Golden State, the Bay area teams are known for being champions in this early century (the 49ers get close sometimes). But GS has a good coach, a HOF player, and rings to fall back on. This team plays well together, all the time and they have guys who have gotten there plenty of times. They also shoot the ball really well. The 76ers are a team who nobody thinks can get there. But we keep forgetting who is on this team. Harden and the reigning MVP still play on this team, they have a good defense now and young players to help along the way. They also hired a Championship Coach, Nick Nurse, who has plenty of accolades that many teams want on their team. Maybe this guy can really get this team past the 2nd round, unlike their past coach. Call my take silly, but these are the takes that make this whole thing fun.

NBA FINALS WINNER

PC- Phoenix Suns

The Finals matchup is set up top. I chose the Celtics and the Suns in the finals. Now, stars like Kevin Durant and Devin Booker match up nicely against the Celtics big 2 in Jason Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Both teams brought in an x factor in Bradley Beal for the Suns and Kristaps Porzingis for the Celtics. Both teams have key role players that should thrive in their roles. These teams are evenly matched. However, I think the star power of the Suns is just too much. If these guys can get on the same page and not hog the ball, they will be awesome. I believe Beal will become that third option and won’t need the ball, allowing Booker and Durant to cook. I’m going to take the Suns big 3 over the Celtics big 3 as the Suns will win in 6.

How6rd: Denver Nuggets

I’d like for something a little more interesting in something we didn’t see last year and even saying that a team like the Grizzlies or the Cavaliers only improved, but the Nuggets just look completely stacked still above all other teams in the league. The western conference is going to be a madhouse this upcoming season and to say that a team sits comfortably right now above all the other rosters who have good talent sounds crazy. If the NBA has taught me anything though it’s that “if it ain’t broke then don’t fix it,” and the Nuggets have just done that especially if Strawther can fit right into the shooter spot off the bench they need. They got young talent like Christian Braun, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr, Aaron Gordon, and the Finals MVP in Nikola Jokic himself and more than half of those players are in their prime right now just waiting to clinch a second title at any season in the near future. There’s not a team with better matchups overall currently and the Denver Nuggets at this very moment are the only team I can see getting the title again in the 2023-24 season.

K Stelt: 76ers

Will the city of Philadelphia really go through more pain on not attaining a championship when so many of their teams get so close? I think it’s time the team no one expects to go gets it’s shot. I think it really is the year where Harden and Embiid get their ring. Is it crazy to say that? Yes, but what do I really have to lose? I don’t bet and I don’t have a team, so why not say the most wild take in the group? And what do they have to lose, no one believes in them and the entire NBA hates them because they’re in Philly. Go the distance to Philly. Shut up the haters and win the title.

NBA ROTY

PC- Chet Holmgren- Now I know it’s technically his second year in the league, but he was hurt all last season. Chet will win ROTY because of that full year off. He is a 7 '1 forward who put on some muscle this season. Chet has had time to develop and learn how to be a pro in the NBA. That makes him MILES ahead of the rest of the rookies. Yes, Victor Wembanyana will be a rookie, but I just think Chet will have a better season. Chet won’t only be the best rookie, he will help lead OKC to a top 5 seed in the chaotic western conference.

How6rd: Scoot Henderson

The Portland Trail Blazers actually have a sense of direction with their franchise again and with the third overall pick have possibly the new best “young core” in the NBA on their hands. Scoot Henderson in my opinion has looked insanely talented for the age he’s been since I saw games of his in high school and on G-league Ignite he was quite possibly the only player showing huge production even surrounded by NBA former draftees and veterans as an 18 year old. Now he’s reached his highest level of competition in the NBA and has players surrounding him who all have ceilings higher than most of the current young talent and with his playmaking skills primary over his scoring (if you can believe that) is what makes him so scary. His ceiling is invisible at this moment and alongside a pure scorer in Anfernee Simons, a highlight reel everywhere on the court in Shaedon Sharpe, and even a man who had performances good enough for a second contract and still growing at 25 in Deandre Ayton (who’s in a better situation for his development than he was on a competing team like the Suns). If Scoot takes leadership of his new team similar to how Donovan Mitchell did in 2017 excelling them to new heights, then I believe he will be most deserving of the Rookie of the Year award in this upcoming season.

K Stelt: Grady Dick

You know I had a couple of players who I think can really show up this season and perform well. But Grady Dick is a special player that really showed NBA level ability to become that dude. Not only is he a fantastic, and I mean FANTASTIC, shooter. He also is way more athletic than you guys think he is. He looks gangly and slow and maybe he’s a little silly on defense. But he’s more athletic and faster than you think he is. He can drive to the hole and he plays way above the rim. But in realistic measures, the kid may be one of the best shooters in the league, especially if he is able to get 5 shots off a game. Watch out for this kid because he will make your team pull out their hair.

NBA 6th Man

PC: Christian Braun- It’s pronounced Brown not Braun. The Nuggets are going to be a contender again this season. Denver has an MVP in Nikola Jokic returning. Jamal Murray still looks like a star. Michael Porter Jr. will be back and better than ever. As the starters need their breaks from time to time, watch out for 2nd year man out of Kansas, Christian Braun, to lead the second unit. Braun proved a ton over his rookie season, and will only continue to improve. Braun was a key player throughout the playoffs and especially in the NBA Finals. With Bruce Brown moving to Indiana, Braun could step into that leadership role even as a second year player. Watch out for the Nugs this season, and for Braun to make a huge jump to grab 6th man of the year.

How6rd: Cam Thomas

If you want a guy to come off the bench on your team and quickly score some baskets and get some points production when your starters, specifically guards, have to sit then Cam Thomas is 100% your guy. It was already in question after last year’s preseason why Thomas wasn’t getting much playing time after he killed it last preseason and even with playing under Kyrie Irving and others. Once Kyrie got traded last season Thomas exploded for three straight 40+ point games last year being the youngest to do so and he had some more games after that showcasing how he can score in what seems like a million different ways. Now with Kyrie Irving fully out of the picture to start the year Jacque Vaughn needs to realize the scoring talent he has when his starters need to rest and both Thomas and his team can strive this upcoming season. If you look at the stats he doesn’t do much else in the rebounding or assist department, but similar to the days Lou Williams was cooking just give Cam Thomas the ball and move out the way and he’s guaranteed to be one of if not the best scorer off the bench this upcoming season.

K Stelt: Mac Mcclung

You know what bugs me, is when I get asked why my NBA takes are so correct and so well thought-up and put together and if I’ll ever apologize for my correct takes. My answer is shut up, an Alpha Male never apologizes for anything. And one of those Alpha Males is Mac McClung. Mac is a non-woke, Trump Supporting Alpha Male who stands for the anthem. This guy has the greatest accolade in the NBA, an NBA Slam dunk Champion. Name another 6’2” kid who can do that? That's what I thought. Mac has been thrown under the bus his whole career, and he gets his chance this year to show the liberals why he’s the coldest boy from Virginia to ever play the game, (AI was mid). He’s a former ROTY in the G League and sported a 20 ppg, 56% FG and 47% 3pt while sporting 2.5 RPG and 5 APG. Idk about you but that screams a glue guy to me. Watch out for the Magic this year. WATCH OUT.