After a summer of dizzying player movement, it’s now a bit of a challenge trying to make predictions for an upcoming National Basketball Association campaign when you hardly know which players make up each of the 30 team rosters. The unknown impact of the pairings of star players exist all over the place. What appears strong on paper may not be so on the court. And for the first time in several years the Golden State Warriors are not the clear-cut favorite to win the Western Conference, let alone another NBA title. So after a crazy summer of uniform changes and before what promises to be an equally crazy winter, here are the midrangehoops.com 2019-20 NBA Predictions.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1) PHILADELPHIA 76ers
Very strong starting five. Adding Al Horford strengthens the Sixers in several ways AND weakens the rival Celtics in those same ways. The Sixers won’t need his scoring as much as the Celtics did, and he won’t mind. They will, however, need to shore up their backup point guard position unless Josh Richardson, an underrated addition, fills the role. Rookie Matisse Thybulle is a defensive terror.
2) MILWAUKEE BUCKS
Reigning league Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo earned his honor—and saved the sport—while converting on only 52 three-point attempts, and at a 25 percent clip for the 2018-19 season. (So there!) Anyway, the Bucks add Wesley Matthews for another long-distance guy who defends the perimeter. They will, however, feel the loss of 2016-17 Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon, who brought maturity and shooting accuracy to the court every night, then signed with Indiana over the summer.
3) BOSTON CELTICS
The Celtics will be good once again, because now their young players have experienced being targeted AND having expectations at the same time. Their fans are also hoping the internal strife of last season doesn’t resurface. Free agent signee Kemba Walker seems like a good fit here, as the Celtics stout defense couldn’t overcome the many scoring droughts last season. They’ll have to replace the versatility—on both ends—of the departed Al Horford, and will obviously need Gordon Hayward to regain his Utah form.
4) INDIANA PACERS
The Pacers don’t grab headlines outside of their home base, but they’ve been giving NBA foes fits with their aggressive play while winning 48 games in each of the last two seasons.. Their supporters are certainly hoping the team can retain the services of rebounding force Domantas Sabonis, who forms a formidable inside tandem with Myles Turner. Similar to last year, they’ll figure out a way to hang on until Victor Oladipo returns from injury.
5) TORONTO RAPTORS
The defending champion Raptors, as expected, will not be expected to repeat after losing their best player, Kawhi Leonard, in free agency. But the Raptors don’t appear ready to vanish just yet. The unexpected play of Pascal Siakam—whose hard work was recently rewarded with a really nice deal—was one of the key factors in the team’s 2019 success. For the Raptors to make any noise in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, they’ll need a similar jump from second-year forward OG Anunoby. But it’s not like there’s any pressure or anything.
6) BROOKLYN NETS
The Nets made a major splash on the day before the scheduled free agency period began, signing the two-player package—Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant—coveted by their more-established crosstown rivals. The Nets won’t have Durant this season, nor will they sneak up on any opponents. They shrewdly added some veteran defenders to the roster, but still-emerging players like Caris Levert will determine if the team can reach the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs.
7) ORLANDO MAGIC
During the latter portion of the 2018-19 NBA regular-season, the Orlando Magic emerged as one of the league’s more dangerous squads while earning a berth in the postseason as the Eastern Conference’s 7th seed. Their head coach, Steve Clifford, made sure his players paid attention to the defensive end of the court and slowly developed the younger players at the same time. Any progress by youngsters like Jonathan Isaac, Mo Bamba and Markell Fultz, plus an upgrade at the point guard position will keep the Magic pointing upward.
8) MIAMI HEAT
The Heat add Jimmy Butler to a team that struggled offensively in 2018-19. He won’t be able to revive the offense by himself, but the Heat do have some skilled players on the roster. Hassan Whiteside is no longer around, but Bam Adebayo looks ready to make the leap expected of third-year players after a strong “sophomore” season. Likewise, the Heat would certainly benefit from a full season of Justise Winslow, who has missed significant time over the past three seasons..
9) DETROIT PISTONS
The clear strength of the Pistons lies with interior players like Andre Drummond and Blake Griffin, although the latter found himself on the perimeter as the primary ballhandler with the offense running through him at times. Meanwhile the strength of the NBA has been trending farther away from the basket, and the Pistons struggle in this area, especially where perimeter scoring is concerned. Still they may have just enough to land a playoff spot for the second straight year, though they appear stuck in that dreaded “41-win hole” of mediocrity.
10) ATLANTA HAWKS
The Hawks biggest drawback is lack of experience, but they’ve assembled a talented group of young players. John Collins and Trae Young have made their mark as rookies for the past two seasons, and this year’s lottery picks, DeAndre Hunter and Cam Reddish look to be instant rotation players. Vince Carter is back for another year and raises the team’s average age by a couple of years by himself, but he has clearly embraced the “big brother” role. The Hawks might need another year to qualify for postseason play, but the Eastern Conference’s bottom playoff spot could be up for grabs THIS season.
11) CHICAGO BULLS
Like the Atlanta Hawks, the Chicago Bulls have used lottery picks “earned” by committing to a rebuild in recent years to upgrade their roster, which is now predominantly comprised of young players. There will be a fierce battle for minutes at several positions, but in Zach Lavine, Lauri Markkanen and Otto Porter, Jr., the Bulls boast three players who can score. Passable defense might even earn the Bulls a surprise playoff berth,
12) NEW YORK KNICKS
The Knicks are coming off a 17-win season and missed out on their free agent targets over the summer. That didn’t stop them from signing a bunch of veteran free agents anyway, including at least four who boast the almost obsolete power forward position as their strongest. These veterans will help the Knicks eclipse last season’s paltry win total, but they are not coming to NY to watch the young players on the roster develop. They are here to play. It’s a strange mix of players, and coach David Fizdale will have to figure out a way to keep both “factions” happy. The good news is that RJ Barrett has the look of a real player.
13) CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
The Cavaliers roster has been almost completely turned over since its 2018 playoff run with Lebron James, and one has to wonder how long the veteran holdovers like Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson will remain. The franchise is clearly in rebuild mode—as it should be—after losing its franchise player once again and now has a smallish backcourt resulting from the last two draft lotteries as its core. Long season ahead.
14) WASHINGTON WIZARDS
There is little reason for John Wall to return to action for the 2019-20 NBA season. By the time he’s physically ready to return from the torn Achilles tendon, the Washington Wizards will have already run out of meaningful games. They do still have sharpshooter Bradley Beal and a very promising rookie in Rua Hachimura, but upgrades are needed at several positions and the Wizards will play in front of small crowds at home once again.
15) CHARLOTTE HORNETS
You have to feel for the basketball fans in Charlotte, North Carolina. A short time after landing their first franchise in 1988 they were able to watch stars like Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues blossom while filling their nearly 24,000 seat arena to capacity on game nights. Their support is “rewarded” by watching the team relocate to New Orleans, followed by being “awarded” another expansion franchise a couple of years later. Since the 2004 expansion the Hornets have made little progress, and their best player–Kemba Walker– just walked out the door.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1) DENVER NUGGETS
The Denver Nuggets are returning all components of a Western Conference second-seed and playoff semi-finalist who lost a Game Seven at home to Portland. Nikola Jokic certainly doesn’t play like someone drafted in the second round, and his emergence nearly overshadows that of teammate Jamal Murray. Paul Millsap is the veteran glue for this otherwise young team. Advancing through the postseason in the Western Conference will be difficult for everyone involved, but another strong regular-season beckons.
2) HOUSTON ROCKETS
One of the more burning questions of the 201920 NBA season will be whether one basketball will be enough to keep two ball-dominant guards like James Harden and Russell Westbrook happy. The Harden/Chris Paul pairing did not end well. In any case, the Rockets should once again use the regular season to nail down a high playoff seed as most opponents would rather not chase players around a widely-spread court during an 82-game regular season. The playoffs are another story, but this team is still built largely for regular season success.
3) LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
During the off-season the Clippers somehow added a couple of highly-regarded Los Angeles natives in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. These two-way players should fit in nicely with a group of overachievers from last season and a defensive-minded coach like Doc Rivers. The Clippers will still have trouble scoring at times, but their defense should keep them in most games and will make them dangerous come playoff time.
4) LOS ANGELES LAKERS
Lebron James is coming off his first extended off-season break in many years, and in December he’ll celebrate his 35th birthday. The Lakers brought in Anthony Davis to help bring the Lakers back to prominence and sent away several skilled young players to get him, so he’ll be under a lot of pressure to produce. It’s also doubtful that Lebron will be able to go strong for 82 games plus a deep playoff run, so expect some load management to kick in. The Lakers brought in some other veterans but still lack the perimeter shooting needed to create space for their star players. Still, they’ll have to be considered one of the favorites.
5) UTAH JAZZ
The RIcky Rubio experiment is over and Mike Conley brings his floor leadership and defensive grit to Utah, where he’ll fit right in and pair with Donovan Mitchell to form a strong backcourt. Rudy Gobert is still around to anchor the defense and Bojan Bogdanovich comes in to stretch the opponent’s. The Jazz will be a tough out, but the Western Conference is loaded once again.
6) GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS
Everyone knows the impact of losing a Kevin Durant to free agency and a Klay Thompson to injury will be enormous, even on a stacked team like the Golden State Warriors. Underrated will be the effect of losing solid complimentary players like Andre Iguodala and Shawn Livingston, both of who were key components in the Warriors’ dominant run. Thompson is slated to return late in the regular season, and D’Angelo Russell will attempt to pick up some of the slack on offense after a breakout season in Brooklyn. The Warriors will still be good, but the string of finals appearances will end in 2020.
7) SAN ANTONIO SPURS
The Spurs aren’t what they used to be, but I will never pick them to miss the playoffs until they demonstrate that they can miss the playoffs. And they still have talent, it’s just not championship talent. They’ll love DeMarre Carroll and Trey Lyles from a depth standpoint, and Dejounte Murray is back from injury to run the show. Once again, they’ll land a low seed in the Western Conference playoffs, then scare the heck out of somebody before bowing out.
8) PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS
I always underestimate the Portland Trailblazers. Last year they advanced to the Western Conference Finals. This year they’ll probably prove me wrong again. They still have the dynamic Lillard/McCollum backcourt, but they lost some grit when Al-Farooq Aminu and Mo Harkless left town. They brought in Hassan Whiteside and others who will fill support roles, but this team is still all about the starting backcourt and in tandem they’ve reached their ceiling. Since I think they’ll backslide a bit in the standings, they’ll probably win the Western Conference.
9) SACRAMENTO KINGS
The Sacramento Kings have not qualified for the NBA postseason or had a 40-win regular season in the last 13 seasons. The 39 games they won last season was the most during this extended playoff drought. Now the Kings boast a surprisingly deep roster and a nice veteran/youth mix that gives their fans hope of sneaking into the Western Conference playoffs. The continued growth of young players like De’Aaron Fox and Marvin Bagley will make the Kings one of the more interesting teams to watch this season. It’s almost time.
10) DALLAS MAVERICKS
2019 NBA Rookie of the Year Luca Doncic now pairs with a now healthy Kristaps Porzingis to give the Dallas Mavericks its own exciting tandem in a conference full of them. After winning only 33 games last season, the Mavs should begin a slow climb up the Western Conference ladder. For now they’ll need their top players to gain more experience and more reinforcements on the bench. They’ll be fun to watch this season but will need time.
11) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
When Chris Paul was traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder for Russell Westbrook, the prevailing thought was that Paul had been sent to exile, especially since this was all brought about by Paul George’s departure. It may not be so bad, especially if Paul finds peace that was missing at his other stops. The locals could get more excited about the arrival of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander if played a different position as Paul, and Dennis Schroeder is still around. A trade could balance the roster, which isn’t totally barren.
12) NEW ORLEANS PELICANS
The Pelicans’ young players, including rookie Zion Williamson, have been wowing folks since the NBA Summer League and have continued during the preseason. And they now have layers of talented young players acquired through the draft and via the Anthony Davis trade, along with the steady Jrue Holiday to lead by example. They’ll probably get better as the season progresses, but a playoff spot might be asking a bit much this season. Williamson’s knee issues are a concern, and he’ll miss at least the first couple of months of the season.
13) MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
Something’s amiss here. Four members of the Derrick Rose-era Chicago Bulls—including the coach—left the building either during or after last season, and the defensive experiment was deemed a colossal failure. So the Wolves are left with two players considered cornerstones with Karl Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins. Folks are down on Wiggins, and he might need a change of scenery. In the meantime they do have some talent on the roster, and hopefully some of the new acquisitions can bring some joy to that dark arena in Minneapolis.
14) PHOENIX SUNS
Sleeper? Perhaps, if Monte Williams can change that culture and we finally hear the squeaking of sneakers on the defensive end. Ricky Rubio is in, Devin Booker is the proven scorer, big guy Deandre Ayton has a year in and Kelly Oubre appears ready to break loose. Like Sacramento, it’s time Phoenix got back to prominence but it will take some time unless the Suns can convince league execs that Phoenix, AZ is on the east coast.
15) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
Watched Ja Morant break out last winter.as a sophomore at Murray State. The Grizzlies won’t be good this season but they’ll be entertaining, largely because of Morant and second-year player Jaren Jackson, Jr. They’ll play an uptempo style and they’ll score some points, but will give up more. Once the Grizzlies let Mike Conley and Marc Gasol go, they were in full rebuilding mode. But they’ll be a team to watch when some of the veteran teams at the top of the standings begin to dismantle.
NBA FINALS
Philadelphia over Los Angeles Lakers.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Ja Morant – Memphis
RJ Barrett – New York Knicks
ROOKIE SLEEPERS (NON-LOTTERY)
Nickeil Alexander-Walker – New Orleans Pelicans
Matisse Thybulle – Philadelphia 76ers
Ty Jerome – Phoenix Suns
COACH OF THE YEAR CANDIDATES
Doc Rivers – Los Angeles Clippers
Steve Clifford – Orlando Magic
Michael Malone – Denver Nuggets
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER CANDIDATES
Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
Joel Embiid – Philadelphia 76ers
Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers
MOST IMPROVED PLAYER CANDIDATES
Bam Adebayo – Miami Heat
Jonathan Isaac – Orlando Magic
OG Anunoby – Toronto Raptors
Marvin Bagley – Sacramento Kings
SLEEPER TEAMS
Chicago Bulls
Phoenix Suns
Sacramento Kings
So it’s time to get this season underway. I can still dream of a season with minimal load management, three-pointers and replay. Then I’ll have to wake up, as we will see all of the above in abundance.
(Sigh.)
Photo by Alex Haney on Unsplash
