Summer has ended, the NFL is about to start, and you can practically smell the NBA season right around the corner. There are so many exciting storylines ahead of next season, but what will actually happen? Which teams will over and underperform their expectations? Will Boston defend their throne, will Bing Bong be heard in the streets of New York, will the process finally succeed in Philadelphia, will Brooklyn put up a fight in the battle of the boroughs, is there anything interesting happening in Toronto?
Bold Predictions For Every NBA Team: Atlantic Division
Boston Celtics: Jayson Tatum Averages 30 Points Per Game, Comes Top-Two in MVP Voting
Tatum should come into next season with a chip on his shoulder. Whether it be Jaylen Brown winning the Finals MVP, being benched in the semifinals of the Olympics, or the constant hate he receives on social media, Tatum needs to come out with vengeance. He is the best player on the best team in the NBA, yet still, people doubt his abilities.
However, next season, Tatum will answer all of the questions. He will finish in the top three in the league in scoring and once again lead the Celtics to the one seed in the East. Tatum hit the 30-point threshold in 2023, and this score-first mentality will return. Furthermore, Kristaps Porzingis’ injury may help Tatum’s scoring, as he averaged almost 29 points per game last year without his big man as opposed to 26 with him. Porzingis is expected to be out until January, and during this time, Tatum will need to take more scoring responsibility on his shoulders. Next season, Tatum will set a career-high in scoring, be the leader of the best team in the NBA, and finish second in MVP voting.
New York Knicks: Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby gambles pay off, Finish With The Best Defense In The NBA
Anunoby’s impact on the Knicks cannot be understated. They went 20-3 with Anunoby in the lineup last season, and he had a positive 353 plus minus in those 23 games. That means that when he was on the court, the Knicks were 15 points per game better than their opponent. On the defensive end, adding Anunoby turned a middling defense into the best in the NBA. The Knicks’ defense ranked 23rd in the league without Anunoby compared to first with him. His length and versatility were a problem for all opponents, no matter the size- he matched up with shifty guards like Anthony Edwards and dominant big men like Joel Embiid.
In addition, the Bridges trade will only make it harder to score on the Knicks. While his defense regressed during his last two seasons with the Brooklyn, Bridges’ individual defensive rating in 2022 with the Phoenix Suns was top-twenty in the league. One has to assume that the worsened defense in Brooklyn was due to the lack of winning that was taking place, and he will revert back to his elite-defensive ways of Phoenix. Anunoby and Bridges on the wings, Mitchell Robinson at center, and Tom Thibodeau as head coach should help the Knicks have the best defense in the league.
Philadelphia 76ers: Paul George Finds His Home, Has 50/40/90 season
One can argue that this year’s 76ers team will be the most talented roster that George has ever been on; Joel Embiid’s presence will make his job the easiest it has ever been. George will be a spot-up shooter who can attack closeouts, but also still can get a bucket in isolation if needed. He will get the most open looks of his career, and his efficiency should skyrocket. Last season, George shot 47 percent from the field, 41% from three, and 91% from the line, all three being career highs. He’s aging like fine wine, and that will continue. George could very well set three new career-high shooting percentages this year, as his shot attempts will go down while the quality of each shot goes up.
The 76ers have one of the best trios in the league in George, Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey, but don’t get it twisted- Embiid is the clear alpha. He will demand all of the attention and attract double and triple teams in the paint. George will be the forgotten weapon of the 76ers and make other teams pay for their ignorance. He will complement Embiid perfectly and join the history books as a 50/40/90 player.
Brooklyn Nets: Worse Than Last Year’s Detroit Pistons, Lose 70 Games
The league is getting better and better, while the Nets are getting worse and worse. They just traded Bridges, their best player, and are entering the race to the bottom for Cooper Flagg. The Nets have some intriguing players on the roster, like Dorian Finney-Smith and Cameron Johnson, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see those guys traded at the deadline. There is no reason to try to be good, and Sean Marks has shown all of the signs that he is content with embracing the tank.
There are upwards of 22 teams that have their eyes set on making the playoffs this year, and each game will become crucial; matchups against bottom-feeders like the Nets are must-win. 12-70 would be the worst record in the league since the 2016 76ers, but comparing the high-end talent currently running rampant in the league to the utter mediocrity of the Nets’ roster, a historically bad season doesn’t seem absurd.
Toronto Raptors: Scottie Barnes Blossoms, Makes All-NBA Team
Last year, Barnes took a huge leap. He went from 15 points per game to 20, shot 34 percent from three, and was selected for the all-star game. This season, he will take another jump. The Raptors traded Pascal Siakam and Anunoby at the deadline last year, and Barnes is now the guy. He holds the keys to the franchise and is the one player on the roster with superstar potential. Barnes will have a high usage rate and be given whatever he needs to succeed. 24 points per game, nine rebounds, and six assists would not be a crazy stat line for Toronto’s young star. He has a capable point guard, Immanuel Quickley, and no competition as the alpha on his team.
Toronto likely won’t be very good, maybe competing for the play-in, but it doesn’t matter- this is Barnes year. Barnes needs to take another step forward to justify the trades of Siakam and Anunoby and show that he is the future. My bet is that he does perform and makes an All-NBA team, cementing himself as a top 20 player in the league.
The NBA is one of the most unpredictable leagues in all of sports, yet we still can’t help ourselves. Get your bets in now, because soon the NBA season will be upon us and the time for talking will be over.
Main Image: Peter Casey-Imagn Images
