The NBA is back. There’s
not quite as much hype going into this season as there was last year. In a
strange way, the lockout was good for business. It kept fans hungry. LeBron
Losing was also good for business. But now that storyline is gone as well.
Linsanity has come and gone. And while it’s always good for the league whenever
the Lakers are really good, LA’s acquisition of Howard and Nash seems to have
gotten more of a shrug from fans than might have been expected.
I’m glad we’re getting
a full season this year. It’s much easier to make predictions and make
historical comparisons when you’re dealing with a normal season. But there’s a
lot I will miss about last year’s strange 66-game format. It made me realize
that we don’t really need the NBA prior to Christmas Day. I loved having a game
on every night rather than just every other night or every few nights. As soon
as the season got good it was time for the stretch run. The playoffs arrived on
time and for once didn’t seem to drag on.
People complained about
the format having an effect on injuries and that sort of thing, but I never
really bought that. Derrick Rose’s knee was going to pop at some point; I don’t
believe there was any connection between his injury and the accelerated
schedule. I understand fans being upset and wanting to blame someone or something,
but that was a false claim. To be sure, health played a role in the postseason,
but it always does. I really thought the positives of the 66-game schedule
outweighed the negatives. I’ll miss it, but at the same time, I’m glad we’re
back to normal.
I’m excited for the
season to start but it’s a different sort of excitement. I’m really interested
to see how my team (the Hawks) looks after undergoing a massive and
well-received transition during the offseason. I’ve been quietly confident that
the Hawks could still compete while rebuilding. Now we’ll find out what comes
next.
As for the rest of the
league, there are plenty of interesting storylines. Here are some of the ones I’ll
be looking for.
1. With the pressure
off, will the Heat take a shot at 73 wins?
2. Can Boston and San
Antonio make one last run with their stars?
3. How will Kobe mesh
with Nash and Howard?
4. How will Oklahoma
City react to the trade of James Harden?
5. Can Love and Rubio
get healthy in time or will it be another lost season for Minnesota?
6. Is Linsanity really
over?
7. Will Charlotte be
any better?
8. How will Anthony
Davis do in his first year in the NBA?
9. The Mavs and Dirk.
How bad will things be for both?
10. Can the Bulls put
themselves in position to do damage in the playoffs?
That’s it for my
introduction. The format of my predictions is 99.9% the same as last year. It
should be self explanatory. So here goes.
2012-2013 NBA Season Predictions
Playoff
teams are in bold.
(#)- denotes projected finish in conference standings.
(#)-
denotes where team
ranks in my preseason power rankings.
Eastern
Conference
Atlantic
Division
1. Boston 55-27 (2) (4)
2. Philadelphia 53-29 (3) (6)
3. Brooklyn 50-32 (5) (10)
4. New York 48-34 (6) (11)
5. Toronto 28-54 (12) (25)
Central
Division
1. Indiana 52-30 (4) (7)
2. Chicago 43-39 (8) (14)
3. Detroit 36-46 (10) (20)
4. Milwaukee 34-48 (11)
(21)
5. Cleveland 24-58 (13)
(27)
Southeast
Division
1. Miami 64-18 (1) (1)
2. Atlanta 45-37 (7) (13)
3. Washington 37-45 (9)
(18)
4. Orlando 21-61 (14) (29)
5. Charlotte 14-68 (15)
(30)
Western
Conference
Northwest
Division
1. Oklahoma City 54-28 (3) (5)
2. Denver 50-32 (4) (8)
3. Utah 41-41 (7) (15)
4. Minnesota 36-46 (10)
(19)
5. Portland 27-55 (14) (26)
Pacific
Division
1. Los Angeles Lakers 63-19 (1) (2)
2. Los Angeles Clippers 49-33 (5) (9)
3. Golden State 40-42 (8) (16)
4. Sacramento 33-49 (12)
(23)
5. Phoenix 24-58 (15) (28)
Southwest
Division
1. San Antonio 57-25 (2) (3)
2. Memphis 47-35 (6) (12)
3. Dallas 39-43 (9) (17)
4. Houston 34-48 (11) (22)
5. New Orleans 32-50
(13) (24)
Eastern
Conference Playoffs
First
Round
#1 Miami over #8
Chicago (4-3)
#2 Boston over #7
Atlanta (4-3)
#3 Philadelphia over #6
New York (4-2)
#4 Indiana over #5
Brooklyn (4-2)
Semifinals
#1 Miami over #4
Indiana (4-2)
#2 Boston over #3
Philadelphia (4-3)
Conference
Finals
#1 Miami over #2 Boston
(4-2)
Western
Conference Playoffs
First
Round
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
over #8 Golden State (4-0)
#2 San Antonio over #7
Utah (4-0)
#3 Oklahoma City over
#6 Memphis (4-3)
#5 Los Angeles Clippers
over #4 Denver (4-2)
Semifinals
#1 Los Angeles Lakers
over #5 Los Angeles Clippers (4-2)
#2 San Antonio over #3
Oklahoma City (4-3)
Conference Finals
#1 Los Angeles over #2
San Antonio (4-2)
NBA
Finals
#1 Miami over #1 Los Angeles (4-3)
Awards
NBA
MVP:
LeBron James (Miami)
Finals
MVP:
LeBron James (Miami)
Defensive
Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (Los Angeles Lakers)
Sixth
Man of the Year: Andre Miller (Denver)
Most
Improved Player: Gordon Hayward (Utah)
Rookie
of the Year: Anthony Davis (New Orleans)
Coach
of the Year: Doug Collins (Philadelphia)
Executive
of the Year: Mitch Kupchak (Los Angeles Lakers)
All-NBA
Teams
1st
Team
G Chris Paul (Los
Angeles Clippers)
G Kobe Bryant (Los
Angeles Lakers)
F LeBron James (Miami)
F Kevin Durant
(Oklahoma City)
C Dwight Howard (Los
Angeles Lakers)
2nd
Team
G Russell Westbrook
(Oklahoma City)
G Rajon Rondo (Boston)
F Josh Smith (Atlanta)
F Kevin Love (Minnesota)
C Andrew Bynum
(Philadelphia)
3rd
Team
G Tony Parker (San
Antonio)
G Dwyane Wade (Miami)
F LaMarcus Aldridge
(Portland)
F Carmelo Anthony (New
York)
C DeMarcus Cousins
(Sacramento)
All-Defensive
Teams
1st
Team
Rajon Rondo (Boston)
Chris Paul (Los Angeles
Clippers)
LeBron James (Miami)
Kevin Garnett (Boston)
Dwight Howard (Los
Angeles Lakers)
2nd
Team
Kobe Bryant (Los
Angeles Lakers)
Tony Allen (Memphis)
Josh Smith (Atlanta)
Joakim Noah (Chicago)
Tyson Chandler (New
York)
All-Rookie
Teams
1st
Team
Damian Lillard
(Portland)
Bradley Beal
(Washington)
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
(Charlotte)
Thomas Robinson
(Sacramento)
Anthony Davis (New
Orleans)
2nd
Team
Austin Rivers (New
Orleans)
Harrison Barnes (Golden
State)
John Henson (Milwaukee)
Tyler Zeller (Cleveland)
Meyers Leonard
(Portland)
Stat
Leaders
Scoring
Leader: Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City)
Assist
Leader: Rajon Rondo (Boston)
Rebound
Leader: Dwight Howard (Los Angeles Lakers)
Field
Goal Percentage Leader: Dwight Howard (Los Angeles Lakers)
3-PT
Field Goal Percentage Leader: Ray Allen (Miami)
Free
Throw Percentage Leader: Chauncey Billups (Los Angeles
Clippers)
Steals
Leader: Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers)
Blocks
Leader: Serge Ibaka (Oklahoma City)
Division
Rankings
1. Atlantic
2. Northwest
3. Southwest
4. Pacific
5. Central
6. Southeast
Power
Rankings
1. Miami
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. San Antonio
4. Boston
5. Oklahoma City
6. Philadelphia
7. Indiana
8. Denver
9. Los Angeles Clippers
10. Brooklyn
11. New York
12. Memphis
13. Atlanta
14. Chicago
15. Utah
16. Golden State
17. Dallas
18. Washington
19. Minnesota
20. Detroit
21. Milwaukee
22. Houston
23. Sacramento
24. New Orleans
25. Toronto
26. Portland
27. Cleveland
28. Phoenix
29. Orlando
30. Charlotte
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