This week we look at seven teams and attempt to predict where they will finish the season.
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NBA Team Predictions – Western Conference
- The Los Angeles Lakers are an interesting team. Thus far Anthony Davis has missed one game while LeBron James has played in all 18 games the Lakers have played. After losing three straight, two of those games by over 20 points the Lakers have struggled of late. It seems obvious that both stars need more rest and asking them to play all their games may be unrealistic. Because of this the Lakers are a team that probably has a ceiling of 47 wins and a minimum of 42 wins. An interesting stat is going into Friday night the Lakers have given up one more points per game than they’ve scored.
- The Denver Nuggets have a Jamal Murray problem. The Nuggets are 12-8. Murray is averaging 17.9 points per game this season. That’s four points less than last season. He’s also only played in 13of Denver’s 21 this season. Couple that with a weak bench and the Nuggets ceiling is 50 games and this only because of the greatness of Nikola Jokic.
- The team that is impossible to predict is the Phoenix Suns. The Suns are a team to be reckoned with when Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal are healthy. Durant and Beal have played in 11 of the Suns 18 games thus far. It’s difficult to see where they are going because of the injury history of that duo. The Suns look like a team that can win 45 to 50 games but what is much more important is they get into the playoffs with those two healthy.
- The Golden State Warriors over achieved early. It looked like Steve Kerr was onto something playing 11 or 12 players in every game. Of late, the Warriors have lost three straight. They still have the fifth best record in the NBA. When you look at the Warriors they have one star, though a great one in Stephen Curry. In the NBA teams with the most stars usually win. Although nobody wants to see them in the playoffs, barring a trade for a star, I don’t see them as a true title contender.
NBA Team Predictions – Eastern Conference
- The Boston Celtics just got Kristaps Porzingis back. He wasn’t expected back for another month. With him the Celtics have the rim protector they need. Rim protection was a weakness. He also gives the Celtics a post player they can utilize when the threes aren’t falling. With him returning barring injuries the Celtics should easily go over the 60 win total.
- The Milwaukee Bucks are coming on after a horrible start to the season. They are 9-9 and have won five straight. In the last ten games Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged over 33 points, almost 12 rebounds and over six assists per game. It seems like Giannis has put his team on his back. Now that it seems the Bucks are beginning to figure it out they look to have a good shot at the third seed in the Eastern Conference.
- The Miami Heat are always a tough team to figure out in the regular season. Presently they are 8-8. Tyler Herro has emerged as their best offensive player. Jimmy Butler has already missed six of those 18 games. The Heat aren’t as talented as in past years. In the weak Eastern Conference they seem to be a sixth or seventh seed winning 40 to 45 wins.
