The Golden State Warriors captured another NBA title in the 2017-2018 season. In the 2018 NBA off-season, there were a ton of splashes via trades and free agency. This was one of the more exciting off-seasons we have ever seen. We have seen Kawhi Leonard and Demar DeRozan switch teams, and Demarcus Cousins joins an already stacked Warriors team, Melo leaving the Oklahoma City Thunder like a legit thief in the night for the Atlanta Hawks… I MEAN Houston Rockets, and of course, the King has found a new home with the Los Angeles Lakers. Who knows what’s going on with Jimmy Butler? This off-season should give us a sample on how fun this NBA season can be.
Plenty of teams are loaded and ready to compete for an NBA championship. Here we discuss the 2018 NBA Preview with potential scenarios and predictions.
2018 NBA Preview
NBA Eastern Conference Standings
8) Miami Heat
11) Orlando Magic
12) New York Knicks
13) Chicago Bulls
14) Brooklyn Nets
15) Atlanta Hawks
With the East being the weak link of the two conferences, it’s hard to say that the top two seeds aren’t going to be the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers. With a ton of question marks with Leonard’s health, the East is left with only two real contenders for the Eastern Conference Championship. However, Boston is clearly the best overall team in the East.
NBA Western Conference Standings
1) Golden State Warriors
2) Houston Rockets
3) Oklahoma City Thunder
4) Los Angeles Lakers
7) Utah Jazz
12) Phoenix Suns
14) Dallas Mavericks
15) Sacramento Kings
Now that Lebron James is out of the Eastern Conference, he joins the much more competitive conference which may hurt his chance at winning another title. However, that will make the Western Conference that much more competitive. However, Steph Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Klay Thompson, and now Demarcus Cousins, are just too much to handle on both ends of the court. It’s still the Warriors’ conference.
NBA All-Star teams
As most know, the NBA has changed the All-star format, allowing two captains to select teams regardless of conference. Here are the predictions for the 2018-2019 All-stars:
Team 1:
Lebron James
Kevin Durant
Steph Curry
Team 2:
Kawhi Leonard
Demarcus Cousins
Jimmy Butler
Demar DeRozan
Draymond Green
Look out for newcomers Ben Simmons, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum, and Donovan Mitchell to get the recognition they deserve. Also, expect Brandon Ingram to have a breakout year!
NBA Awards
MVP – Kyrie Irving, Boston Celtics
If healthy, Irving brings a different dynamic to this stacked Celtics team. If Boston lands the number one seed, it’ll be because of Irving’s spectacular play.
Coach Of The Year – Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics
Similar to Irving, Stevens’ Coach of the Year nod will rely on the Celtics regular season success. All eyes are on Stevens because of the success the Celtics had last year without Irving and Hayward. This award is his to lose.
Rookie of the Year – DeAndre Ayton, Phoenix Suns
DeAndre Ayton is the most “NBA ready” rookie. His soft touch, ability to shoot, create his own shot, and shot block will be easy to translate to the next level. Getting Joel Embiid comparisons doesn’t hurt the argument either.
Defensive Player of the Year – Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Speaking of Embiid, this time the process will be recognized as the best defensive player in the NBA. Embiid is not only a difference maker offensively, but he is also a dominant rim protector and post defender. When he’s in the lineup, the team’s defense rises to another level. However, his ability to stay on the court will be a major factor.
Most Improved Player of the Year – Brandon Ingram, Los Angeles Lakers
Lebron’s presence in LA will relieve Brandon Ingram of defensive pressure from opposing teams. Ingram will benefit from Lebron’s creativity on the floor. This is the perfect opportunity to show LA why he was taken second overall in the 2016 NBA draft.
Sixth Man of the Year – Lou Williams, Los Angeles Clippers
Lou Will is coming off his best season as a pro. As an All-Star snub last year, Williams will get plenty of opportunities to put up points as he will once again, be looked upon to put up big offensive numbers. Being on the other Los Angeles team may be the only reason he gets overlooked again for All-Star honors for the second year in a row. Although, another Sixth Man of the Year award may make up for it.
NBA Finals prediction
Warriors over Celtics 4-0
Let’s fast forward to the NBA championship. The Warriors will defeat the Rockets and the Celtics will defeat the Sixers. Now, we have a championship series between the Warriors and Celtics. Let’s face it, the Warriors are going to be unstoppable. With All-Stars at every position, they will breeze through the playoffs and win another title. This might be the most complete team we’ve ever seen in NBA history. We’ll see another clean sweep from the team out in Cali, and of course, it’s not the Lakers.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
