Tuesday, October 22nd the NBA Season officially begins before that happens I will give a preview to as to how I believe the season will go and also what players will win awards. There are 7 playoff spots locked up in the Western Conference with essentially 2 teams fighting for the 8th seed. Los Angeles Lakers will ultimately meet the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference Finals. I am not worried about Paul George missing essentially the first month of the season recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. The team will be just fine with just Kawhi Leonard and the amazing supporting cast around him. The Rockets will struggle initially in big games with James Harden and Russell Westbrook figuring out who will the last shot in crunch time. Also, add in the Gerald Green broken foot were his status for the season is suddenly in question will cause the Rockets to slip to the 4th seed. The Denver Nuggets will take a big leap in terms of team chemistry and the addition of rookie Michael Porter Jr who was sidelined all last season recovering from back surgery. They do not have the talent that the Lakers and Clippers have but will be a very formidable team that builds on the success they have last year. It may not show in the win-loss column but come playoff time you will see the difference. The Golden State Warriors will make the playoffs have too much respect for their championship pedigree to see them not making the playoffs. Plus Klay Thompson is expected to come back after the All-Star break which would give the team a not only scoring but also a boost defensively. The Jazz will be a dark horse to win the NBA championship the addition of Mike Conley Jr is one of the most underrated pickups this offseason. To round out the last two playoff spots I have the Trailblazers and Mavericks making the playoffs. In the Eastern Conference, there are 8 locks to make the playoffs. I have the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers making the Eastern Conference Finals. The top 4 seeds in the East will be the Bucks, 76ers, Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers. I believe the Bucks will have the best record in the NBA this season. Giannis will take another leap we the emergence of a mid-range jump shot possibly even a consistent 3 point shot.I still have depth concerns about the 76ers but feel as though they have enough starting talent to carry them to the Eastern Conference Finals. The other 4 teams will be the defending NBA Champions Toronto Raptors, Brooklyn Nets, Detroit Pistons, and Miami Heat. With Kevin Durant unlikely to play this season for the Brooklyn Nets it put the Nets in the 5-7 range. The NBA Finals will feature the Los Angeles Lakers vs the Milwaukee Bucks. The Lakers will win in 5. The award winners for this season are listed below along with the Conference Standings.
Western Conference Standings 2019-2020
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Denver Nuggets
- Houston Rockets
- Utah Jazz
- Golden State Warriors
- Portland Trailblazers
- Dallas Mavericks
- San Antonio Spurs
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Memphis Grizzlies
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Phoenix Suns
Eastern Conference Standings 2019-2020
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Boston Celtics
- Indiana Pacers
- Brooklyn Nets
- Toronto Raptors
- Miami Heat
- Detroit Pistons
- Orlando Magic
- Chicago Bulls
- New York Knicks
- Atlanta Hawks
- Washington Wizards
- Cleveland Cavilers
- Charlotte Hornets
MVP: Anthony Davis
Dark Horse: Joel Embiid
Most Improved: Brandon Ingram
Dark Horse: Ben Simmons
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert
Dark Horse: Mitchell Robinson
Coach of the Year: Quin Synder ( Utah Jazz)
Dark Horse: Alvin Gentry ( New Orleans Pelicans)
Rookie of the Year: Zion Williamson
Dark Horse: Tyler Herro
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