NBA 2018-19 Season Preview
With 8 straight years of LeBron James winning the Eastern Conference and 4 straight years of the Warriors joining him in The Finals, what is there to look forward to?...
With the Warriors looking as fearsome as ever and with 3 championships under their belts, it's a good question to ask. But the league has taken a drastically different shape the past 3 years - one that I think will finally start taking shape in the NBA...
The "tanking" theory took full effect when Kevin Durant moseyed on over to Oakland. Many felt that the second this was announced, KD had ruined the NBA... And I was right there with those people...
But what did in turn was set the league in a new direction. A direction where 3 to 5 years of misery leads to championship contention. Teams looked at the Warriors on one side and LeBron on the other, and knew they pretty much had no shot of dethroning them. So they now "Trust the Process" to get high draft picks and clear cap space to draft the best young talent; let them go through the growing pains and then have the cap space to bring in the veterans needed to make the team whole.
If you can't beat them now, might as well build to beat them later.
This motto and those 3 to 5 years of rebuilding are the issue. The fans aren't stupid. They can see that their team isn't putting the best effort to win, but instead is putting their efforts in winning later. And that's where this new league begins to scare me.
Some teams are finally out of the rebuilding "Dark Days", others stuck in mediocrity, other just blew the dynamite and will have to build from the ground up... And some are just plain ridiculously loaded with talent.
So let's dive right in with my and our NBA Analyst Ben Huff's Conference Predictions:
Western Conference
Strizak
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Houston Rockets
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Utah Jazz
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. New Orleans Pelicans
8. San Antonio Spurs
Two to Watch
. Denver Nuggets
. Minnesota Timberwolves
Huff
1. Golden State Warriors
2. Houston Rockets
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
4. Utah Jazz
5. Los Angeles Lakers
6. Portland Trailblazers
7. Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Los Angeles Clippers
Two to Watch
. Denver Nuggets
. New Orleans Pelicans
Eastern Conference
Strizak
1. Boston Celtics
2. Philadelphia 76ers
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Detroit Pistons
5. Milwaukee Bucks
6. Miami Heat
7. Washington Wizards
8. Chicago Bulls
Two to Watch
. Cleveland Cavaliers
. Indiana Pacers
Huff
1. Boston Celtics
2. Toronto Raptors
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Washington Wizards
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Miami Heat
8. Detroit Pistons
Two to Watch
. Cleveland Cavaliers
. Charlotte Hornets
Power Rankings
1. Golden State Warriors
They're pretty good at putting the ball in the hoop.
2. Boston Celtics
The young stuff got A LOT of experience last year that they can use to assist the veteran talent that's coming back from injury.
3. Houston Rockets
I'm one of the people that says they'll miss Ariza more than they think. They still have so much talent and were the 1 seed last year in the Wild Wild West... I don't think they're ready to dethrone the Warriors...
4. Los Angeles Lakers
To everyone who doubts how far LeBron can carry a team... Have you not watched ANY of LeBron's career??… Like seriously, this Lakers supporting cast is arguably the 2nd best he's ever had in a season. Not sure if that's a compliment to the Lakers Front Office or a diss on the Cavs Front Office... Maybe a little of both...
5. Philadelphia 76ers
Trusting the Process got them to the Second Round last year. They're only going to get better IF they stay healthy which has been an issue for a multiple of players for them... They're at least a Top 5 team in the East either way.
6. Utah Jazz
I'm buying in on this team. Ricky Rubio is about to turn 28 and he is going to show just how talented his passing/defense combo is. With Gobert and Favors to help underneath, Donovan Mitchell has the stage set to put the Sophomore Slump rumors in the dust because he is a STAR!
7. Toronto Raptors
I think Kawhi Leanord is an MVP caliber player. When healthy. And motivated. I'm not sold he'll be either of these in Toronto. Toronto had to take the risk with their competitive time ticking away fast, but firing a coach that leads you to a #1 seed? That's something they might regret...
8. Oklahoma City Thunder
Russell Westbrook and Paul George are back and they look motivated. But it's the Wild Wild Western Conference for a reason. There is so much talent in the Western Conference that I'm not sure how this team will do when the pressure is on.
9. Detroit Pistons
This is more a coaching reason than a personnel reason. Dwane Casey is going to show the Raptors just how STUPID they are for letting him go. Pistons go to the playoffs AND go farther than the Raptors... I just need some time and a little visual evidence before they leapfrog the Raptors.
10. Portland Trailblazers
This team has secretly been consistent and talented. However, they haven't found a way to get it done in the postseason. With LeBron coming over, it seems even less likely they'll get far in the playoffs, but they obviously are a dark horse team to fear.
11. Milwaukee Bucks
The Greek Freak is one of my favorite basketball players to watch. I wish we could see him with some more 3 point shooters to take the pressure off his perimeter shooting... This team is a threat in a weaker Eastern Conference now that the Conference Crown is sitting on the floor, waiting to be grabbed.
12. Denver Nuggets
Jokic is the man! Just like all the lower Western Conference teams, I say throw them in the East and I'd be raving about them... The Nuggets and the next team on this list seem to be the teams with the most potential in the lower half of the conference...
13. New Orleans Pelicans
The Unibrow always comes to play. The younger players around him are getting better every day, and honestly the quick style he's able to play is part of the reason why. They're my favorite dark horse team this season and their fans should be ready to say "I told you so" to me if they make a Top 4 seed.
14. San Antonio Spurs
I love DeRozen joining a Pop-style team. His defense and speed play perfectly into the playbook. However, the surrounding talent looks to be the worst it's been since Pop came in... Spurs are going to have to prove it to me that they are still contenders...
15. Minnesota Timberwolves
Is Jimmy Butler traded yet?... It's a shame that a team with such talent can't quite find a way to put it all together. At this point, I hope Butler gets traded for as many prospects as possible to give Karl Anthony-Towns the best chance to have a supporting cast...
16. Miami Heat
Very underrated team in an inexperienced Eastern Conference. Look for the Heat to pull off some big wins and possibly a little playoff run.
17. Washington Wizards
I'm done betting on this team. John Wall and Beal together just doesn't seem enough to get to that next level. Looks like their championship hopes left when KD headed west instead of east...
18. Los Angeles Clippers
They did better than I thought they would've last year. However, they look like they're stuck in that mediocre category and aren't going anywhere. At least they got out of the Blake Griffin contract and can finally let Deandre Jordan go.
19. Chicago Bulls
I like where this team is headed. I may be getting to the party too early, but I'm just getting excited to see all their young prospects starting to come together. Bulls fans, prepare to slowly escape your pain.
20. Cleveland Cavaliers
Goodbye LeBron... Hello, Kevin Love?... Just like his days in Minnesota, Love is now the Superstar of the team and will carry most of the responsibility to get the ball in the hoop. Can he do it enough in weak conference to get Cleveland back to the playoffs?...
21. Indiana Pacers
They have the youth. They just need the time to develop. They'll win some big games this year, but will have some frustrating ones on the way as well... I have a feeling that adding Tyreke Evans as another scorer could push them high up this list...
22. Charlotte Hornets
This team is actually very balanced. What worries me is the young talent they are bringing in doesn't seem to be stacking up with the others who are "Trusting the Process"...
23. Phoenix Suns
Speaking of the process, the Suns are super duper young with super duper potential. Let's not get too excited, but they're headed in the right direction.
24. Dallas Mavericks
They actually needed Deandre Jordan again and this time he actually showed up. Patience will be key as I feel like I'm on repeat here about these young-rebuilding teams. I am excited to see Doncic take center stage!
25. Orlando Magic
Patience and eventually adding a point guard will make this team a contender in the east... But until then I just don't see it...
26. New York Knicks
Simple. No Porzingis. No playoffs.
27. Sacramento Kings
Rebuilding blah blah blah.... Patience blah blah blah....
28. Memphis Grizzlies
They FINALLY get a good scorer and they let him go to the Pacers.... They earn this gutter spot.
29. Atlanta Hawks
Their new arena is supposed to be cool... That's about all this team has going besides drafting and watching their G League team... I DO LIKE THE DEDMON ADD... So there is one positive...
30. Brooklyn Nets
Welcome to the basement! Well earned by all the AWFUL trades they've made... No other team I can think of that's worked so hard for this spot. Welcome to the rebuild.
As of 15 October 2018
-Host Alex Strizak
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