PC's NBA Predictions for the 2024-2025 season

Dude…

BASKETBALL IS BACK!!! Thank the lord. I don’t have to watch baseball anymore. I don’t have to watch soccer. I get to watch guys throw an orange ball into a hoop. I couldn’t be happier with life. As the 2024-2025 NBA season starts, I’ve got my season predictions for all you hoop lovers out there. 

Western Conference Regular Season Champion- T-WOLVES The West is always competitive and it won’t be any different this year. The juggernauts are back as OKC brings back Shai, Jalen Williams, and Chet Holgrem. Adding key big man Isaiah Hartenstein will allow Chet to play more of a perimeter game. The Dallas Mavericks added sharp shooter Klay Thompson which makes them a big 3 with Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. The T-Wolves will be back in the mix as Anthony Edwards looks to excel even more. Adding Julius Randle and Donte Divicenzo to add depth and to help spread the floor. The Kings added veteran leadership in Demar Derozen who should bring another interesting factor into Sacramento. The Suns added an actual point guard in Tyus Jones to help facilitate the offense and spread the ball around to Booker, Beal, and Durant. Joker and the Denver Nuggets are still a contender as long as they stay healthy. Even with this loaded Western Conference I don’t see a team beating out the T-Wolves in the regular season. I really liked the move to get rid of KAT and space the floor. Randle should come back strong and if he isn’t as productive, it just means more shots for ANT. 

Eastern Conference Regular Season Champion- Philadelphia 76ers Even if the East isn’t as loaded as the west, it still has plenty of competition towards the top of the conference. Obviously, the defending NBA Champion Boston Celtics just reloaded. Jason Tatum and Jalen Brown continue to dominate the league. Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Porzingis will continue to contribute to a championship team. The Knicks got an upgrade as well, adding Miles Bridges and Karl Anthony Towns, making a big 3 of their own. Jalen Brunson will be a MVP candidate yet again. Giannis and Khris Middleton will still hold down the fort in Milwaukee. Paul George helps Philadelphia make a big 3 by teaming up with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. The speedy Indiana Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton. The Heat still have Jimmy Buckets, and we can’t forget about The Spida and Cleveland. Now, with a busy off season, who will win the regular season? It would be awful to not pick the Celtics… but I like going against the grain and I am going to pick Paul George and the Philadelphia 76ers to get over the hump and win the regular season.  

Western Conference Finals- With a loaded conference, we are bound to see a stacked Western Conference Playoffs. The 1 seed in my opinion will be the T-wolves, followed by the Thunder, Suns, Dallas, Nuggets, Kings, Grizzlies and the Lakers making it in the final seed. With a highly competitive playoff there will be only 2 teams left standing. This is the T-Wolves year. Ant will be in contention for MVP and the addition of Randle will prove to be better than the twin towers. The Suns will have a bounce back year. Adding a true point guard will be the key to unlocking this explosive offense. If KD, Book, and Beal can share the rock, it will be a huge upgrade. Adding depth and some more shooters off the bench.  I’ve got the Wolves and the Suns in a 1st round rematch, with the Wolves taking the win in 6.

T-wolves vs. Suns WCF: T-Wolves in 6

Eastern Conference Finals- So the top part of the conference is going to be good. With Philly getting the 1 seed. The Celtics get the 2, then the Bucks, Knicks, Pacers, Magic, Cavs, and rounding out the 8 seed is the Heat. The East is known for upsets, especially with Jimmy Buckets. I have them beating Philly and moving on to leave Sixers fans questioning the season yet again. I got the Celtics making it as Brad Stevens made himself yet another revolutionary squad. The Knicks will make it as well with Jalen Brunson will be an MVP candidate as well. KAT will prove to be a great factor and Miles Bridges will fall in nicely to Thibodeau’s offense. With the Celtics and Knicks facing off in a classic, the Cletics will again just have too much as they cruise to the Finals for the second straight year.

Celtics vs. Knicks ECF: Celtics in 6

NBA Finals- So the finals are set. The young Bull Anthony Edwards leads the experienced, yet explosive T-Wolves team to take on the reigning, defending, NBA Champion Boston Celtics. The biggest matchup of the year will come down to the stars. Can Ant carry the Wolves to their first title? Will JT and Jalen Brown help the Celtics win yet another title? I think Ant is ready to be the face of the league. Move over JT, you can’t win it every year. I have the T-Wolves winning the finals as Julius Randle returns back to his prime form and Donte helps lift the offense with an explosive series. All Hail King ANT

T-Wolves beat the Celtics in 7

MVP- The MVP race will be for the new stars of the league. The top 3 will go as follows: Anthony Edwards. As the biggest player on the best team in the west, Ant will not only prove that he is a star, he will prove to be one of the faces of the league. Jalen Brunson who will take the Knicks to a 4 seed, but blossoms as more of an all around player as he continues to blossom as a leader. Finally, Shai will again be the leading scorer for an incredible Thunder team. Shai will show more experience and be a better passer than last year. Now, with the final 3, there can only be one winner. I think if the T-Wolves are the 1 seed and do as well as I think they are going to do, I can’t help but think Anthony Edwards wins the MVP

MVP Winner: Anthony Edwards

Rookie of the year- This rookie class is up in the air on who is going to be the Rookie of the Year. We don’t have a Victor Wembenyama or a Zion Williamson who stand out as the clear choice. Alex Sarr went #1, but during summer ball he seemed flat. So, who will step up big for their team? I really like Rob Dillingham and what he could bring off the bench. His shooting aspect is great even if he is small. However, with Minnesota picking up Donte, he probably won’t see the floor much. Whoever is going to have the biggest impact on the floor will win this tightly contested ROTY race. My pick is someone who was proven to be an elite scorer and facilitator. He was the SEC player of the year and will bring huge offensive production to a Lakers team that desperately needs shooter and play making. Dalton Knecht is proven as a Volunteer and will be a great player for the Lakers this year. So good, he could find himself in the starting rotation or the 6th man off the bench. Give me Dalton Knecht as the Rookie of the Year.

ROTY Winner: Dalton Knecht

I am so excited for basketball to be back and for my fat self to be able to sit on the couch every single night and have some type of sport to watch. IT’S PRIME TIME BABY!!!