2020-2021 NBA Season Thread

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The NBA season starts next week! Here's a thread to discuss!

 

Season predictions:

 

East:

1. Nets

2. Bucks

3. Sixers

4. Heat

5. Celtics

6. Raptors

7. Pistons

8. Hawks

9. Pacers

10. Magic

 

West:

1. Lakers

2. Nuggets

3. Clippers

4. Mavs

5. Blazers

6. Suns

7. Warriors

8. Rockets

9. Grizzlies

10. Pelicans

 

Final four:

East: Nets, Bucks

West: Lakers, Nuggets

 

Finals: Lakers over Nets

 

MVP: Luka

Rookie of the Year: LaMelo Ball

Biggest surprise: The Nets are far better than anyone expected

Biggest disappointment: Clippers flake out again

Biggest caveat to these predictions: COVID impacts pre-vaccine. What happens when you lose five players for a week? We'll see very soon!

 

[AustinFromBoston]

Spoiler

Lakers over anyone 

 

[Digby]

I remain a Nets skeptic (unless they get Harden). Besides the obvious thing of a rookie head coach handling those, uh, personalities, Durant is obviously going to have some question marks coming back, and Irving is 1 for 3 in terms of actually making it to his teams' playoff runs lately (and the 1 was a galaxy-brain pouty team sabotage). But Harden will probably end up there and they will be the least likeable team in history.

 

Still think the Bucks run away with it in the regular season, though I think the Sixers have a big bounceback year too; wouldn't be surprised if the Nuggets or Clips do, too (but the Lakers will return and go supernova in the playoffs). Feels like the regular season will be even more meaningless than usual, with the inevitable Covid crises, and several top teams having barely rested, so what does it matter. Celtics won't have a full-strength Kemba for 1-3 months so I won't be surprised or worried if they're a lower seed.

 

I am very curious to see what the Hawks do, and whether the rest of the Mavericks can keep up with Luka to pose a real threat in both the regular season and playoffs.

 

But another big Lakers win feels by far the most likely. Great playoff team that somehow managed to improve.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

I'm holding out hope for Harden to LAC for Paul George. The salaries match and they'd each be a better fit swapped.

[dont care]

I don’t see the sixers being good this year. They’ll be a 5-8 seed team in the east just due to the team coming apart at the seams with embid and Simmons eventually parting ways.

[truepg]

Agreed, Embiid and Simmons together doesn't work and they haven't made any drastic structural changes to the roster to make a difference. Don't see the Sixers being much better, and maybe it will finally lead to some reason and a Simmons trade.

 

EDIT: Also, it's 2021 soon and I still can't grasp, why they traded away two players they picked in the 2018 draft who were exactly what they needed in Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet? And for Zhaire Smith and later Tobias Harris, neither of which fit or flourished in their system? Can someone explain? Just a couple of an endless series of bone-headed moves by them during that period.

[Digby]

I don't think anyone would argue that recent Sixers personnel history has been anything other than bone-headed, ha. But I do have more faith in a Morey/Rivers regime than the parade of carnival barkers they've had more recently. I think this year's supporting cast will be better complements to Embiid/Simmons so I'll give them one more try before blowing it up. (That said, I'd also move Simmons now for a Harden-type deal, probably.)

 

[Seadragon76]

Well, time for some picks...

 

Eastern Conference

 

1. Milwaukee (They still have Giannis, which more then enough to win the East)

2. Toronto (Even though they start the season in Tampa, the roster is pretty much the same for them)

3. Brooklyn (Now is the time for the Nets to have their breakthrough moment)

4. Miami (Can they catch lightning in a bottle again? They could with the spark plug that is Jimmy Butler)

5. Boston (Even without Hayward, the Celtics still have the talent to do well)

6. Orlando (Last season was a quick showing of what the Magic can do)

7. Indiana (When they do well, the Pacers can compete with anyone. When snake bit... ooh boy)

8. Atlanta (Young and hungry Hawks are ready for prime time)

9. Detroit (It might be the last big hurrah for Blake Griffin)

10. Charlotte (After years of being trash, the Hornets are ready to start doing damage)

 

Eastern Finals: Milwaukee def. Brooklyn 4-2

 

Western Conference

 

1. LA Lakers (Now that the roster got a huge overhaul, there is little that might stop the Lakers from repeating as champs)

2. LA Clippers (The gap between the two teams is a tad bit larger now, so the Clippers need to work hard)

3. Denver (The Nuggets have some of best talent out there and they STILL get overshadowed)

4. Dallas (Doncic for MVP, peeps!)

5. Portland (Dame Time is every time)

6. Golden State (A rebound season for the Warriors)

7. Phoenix (The Suns finally have their moment)

8. New Orleans (Zion finally gets a full season under his belt... watch out)

9. Memphis (Grit and Grind still runs this team)

10. Utah (If they were in the East, the Jazz would be a 5-6 seed.. out here, it might be harder to get in)

 

Western Finals: LA Lakers def. LA Clippers 4-3

 

NBA Finals: LA Lakers defeat Milwaukee 4-3 (MVP: Anthony Davis)

[Digby]

22 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

I'm holding out hope for Harden to LAC for Paul George. The salaries match and they'd each be a better fit swapped.

 

80 percent sure George signing that extension means he can't be moved til after the trade deadline.

 

If I had to place a bet I'd put it on Harden to Miami.

[Digby]

FiveThirtyEight has the Nets as a 7 seed. I have been thoroughly out-skeptic'ed on this one.

 

https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/2021-nba-predictions/

[Ridleylash]

So, uh, how about them Clippers?

 

[habsfan1]

 

 

[Digby]

 This guy, man. 

[DG_ThenNowForever]

What a :censored:ing nerd.

[BBTV]

On 12/17/2020 at 9:24 AM, Digby said:

I don't think anyone would argue that recent Sixers personnel history has been anything other than bone-headed, ha. But I do have more faith in a Morey/Rivers regime than the parade of carnival barkers they've had more recently. I think this year's supporting cast will be better complements to Embiid/Simmons so I'll give them one more try before blowing it up. (That said, I'd also move Simmons now for a Harden-type deal, probably.)

 

 

Everything went to hell once the Coangelos got involved.  Ironically, it was the league that forced one upon them.  Fortunately, Jerry's wife's cell phone got him removed.

 

Are there any people that are thought of more highly despite accomplishing absolutely nothing than the Coangelos?

[Digby]

me: wish more athletes broke the archetypal jock mold

 

Kyrie: [exists]

 

me: not like that

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The Sixers with Colangelo were a Kawhi miracle shot away from the ECF.

[BBTV]

10 hours ago, DG_ThenNowForever said:

The Sixers with Colangelo were a Kawhi miracle shot away from the ECF.

 

That was post Colangelo, when they brought in Jimmy Jackson.  He also got fleeced by Boston in the Fultz/Tatum trade, and was (along with his wife) using burner phones to criticize players and fans.  You want to talk about carnival barkers?  There's no too bigger dufuses that get marks to line up for their services than Jerry and Bryan Colangelo.

 

They're both considered by most people here - even the Process and Hinkie Haters - to be two of the worst things that ever happened to the franchise.

[SFGiants58]

10 hours ago, Digby said:

me: wish more athletes broke the archetypal jock mold

 

Kyrie: [exists]

 

me: not like that

I’m just happy he’s not progressed to the runes yet.

[Digby]

EAST

CONTENDERS: Bucks, Nets, Sixers

 

PLAYOFF LOCKS: Heat, Celtics, Raptors

 

LOW SEEDS: Pacers, Hawks, Magic, Wizards

 

LOTTERY: Hornets, Bulls, Knicks, Cavs, Pistons

 

 

WEST

CONTENDERS: Lakers

 

PLAYOFF LOCKS: Clippers, Blazers, Nuggets, Jazz, Mavericks

 

IDK: Rockets

 

LOW SEEDS: Suns, Pelicans, Grizzlies

 

LOTTERY: Warriors, Spurs, Thunder, Kings, T'Wolves