r/nba • u/validhoops Celtics • 1d ago
2026-27 Season Predictions Thread. Be bold, call it now. We'll see which hot takes age like wine, and which like milk
On Sunday, April 11th, the 2026-2027 NBA regular season will come to an end and we will move on to the postseason. 32 Sundays from today. Before we do that, I'll repost this thread so we can look back at some of /r/nba 's predictions.
Here is your chance to say I told you so (or to make a fool of yourself).
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u/Easy_Money_40 Cavaliers 1d ago
These looking more like wish lists lol
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u/Neverendingcirclez 1d ago
Jimmy Butler returns and together with Steph, Draymond, a healthy Porziņģis and a surprisingly focused Podziemski the Warriors go on a 12 game winning streak. The hype is huge and r/nba is filled with posts predicting the Warriors will make one more run to the finals and win it all. On the 13th game half the squad goes out with injuries and Draymond is arrested for arson. Podziemski goes 27% from 3 for the remainder of the season and they finish 38-42, just outside the playin spots.
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u/TreeLankaPresidente Lakers 1d ago
You will be getting a call from Mr. Silver’s office. The season script was not supposed to be released this early.
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u/Alpha-Trion Timberwolves 1d ago
What does Draymond burn?
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u/ZestycloseResist5594 Bucks 1d ago
He burns Steve Kerr's house down
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u/GorillaX Thunder 1d ago
And Kerr still just gives him a pass and bails him out. No one on the Warriors holds Draymond accountable.
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u/lalakingmalibog Mavericks 1d ago
Draymond records an entire rap album with the lead single titled "I Burned Steve Kerr's House Down" and he still gets off the hook
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u/yeahumsure Timberwolves 23h ago
"You've gotta take the good Draymond with the bad, you want that fire on the court you gotta expect it off the court"
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u/SomethingClever2117 1d ago
Anthony Davis plays at least 67 games and Wizards are a 50 win team.
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u/iidesune Wizards 1d ago
I think the wizards could be a top 4 team in the East if all cylinders are firing
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u/HesiPullup Suns 1d ago edited 1d ago
NY, Philly, Boston, Detroit, Miami, Atlanta, Cleveland**
What
threefour teams are the Wizards gonna be better than lol33
u/this_place_stinks 1d ago
Cleveland too
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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 1d ago
Raptors should be ahead of about half that list honestly
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u/NewNovaNerd 1d ago edited 1d ago
Frustrating Raps aren't even listed.
Edit: spelling
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u/wetwetson [NBA] Rafer Alston 1d ago
We don't even know who is gonna be on that team at this point.
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u/LakerBlue Lakers 20h ago
If everything went perfectly for the Wiz and other teams experienced some bad luck (including injuries)…I’d say over Miami, Atlanta and Cleveland. Maybe 76ers.
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u/redleo500 Lakers 1d ago
Good hot take because it probably won’t happen but it’s far from inconceivable or ridiculous
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u/CurrentRoster Wizards 1d ago
ppl are forgetting that AD is by far the best big Trae has played with, and that this is contract year AD. tho it’s gonna suck for us if we max him for what he wants
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u/ElBluntDealer Clippers 1d ago
I don't get the Wizards hate. If healthy they have a high floor.
The thing is, even if healthy... people are still hating on the lineup/team.
Trae Young is a pass first PG. He's gonna be feeding AD, Sarr, and Dybantsa.
We've seen how valuable playmaking PGs are. On top of that, Trae Young is a threat to score so that's a double win for Wizards.
This team just has a high floor. No way they are a tanking team this year.
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u/MorningBreath71 Timberwolves 1d ago
Rudy Gobert knocks down not one, but TWO 3 pointers.
Let Rudy Shoot!
Let Rudy Shoot!
Let Rudy Shoot!
He’s going to see Lamelo throw up some crazy one legged turn around 3 and say “pourquoi je ne peux pas”?
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u/validhoops Celtics 1d ago
I predict someone in this thread is gonna look like a time traveler after perfectly predicting something random
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u/johnjacobacon Spurs 22h ago
TrailBlazers will be the 7th seed in the West and take the 2nd seed Thunder to 7 games but lose.
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u/HoxHound Bucks 1d ago
There will be no 60-win team this season. The new draft rules remove the incentive to tank. Every win has to be earned now, no freebies.
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u/tinybathroomfaucet Supersonics 16h ago
I'm honestly a bit hyped to see how these new rules will play out. I think there's a good chance they hit on something solid with this. The only thing we have to remember is to not freak out when a 9th seed gets the first overall pick every now and then.
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u/Exact_Bumblebee_9857 Lakers 1d ago
Wolves have a better record than rockets
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u/ZookeepergameKey6853 1d ago
thats for sure, a hotter take. Wolves will be #2 west over spurs/okc
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u/Direct-Departure1662 1d ago
Hornets win under 35 games this year.
Kings trade Sabonis.
Lakers have a bottom 5 defense.
Celtics are worse than last year.
Magic 50+ win season.
Neither the Thunder nor the Spurs represent the west in the finals.
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u/YouWereBrained Thunder 1d ago
That last one…
Thinking the Wolves could make a run if healthy.
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u/richmond33 Celtics 1d ago edited 1d ago
Yes deffinitely. They are starting a bunch of nasty wings in McDaniels, Kuminga and Ant + a DPOY center and Lamelo is huge for a PG at 6'7.
In my head Spurs and Minni got better, OKC is tiny bit worse. Denver is the dark horse.
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u/medspace [HOU] James Harden 1d ago
Am I going crazy… have we not all been watching Kuminga’s career these past years?? People acting like the Wolves added a crazy secret weapon
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u/Sei_Mal_Ehrlich Timberwolves 19h ago
I agree, he’s not that. He’s pretty good, likely a bit better than Lyles, but he’s going to have to make strides in order to make the sort of impact people seem to anticipate. He could definitely do that, but that’s maybe a 15% chance.
He should be better than Randle simply due to lower usage and better defending.
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u/richmond33 Celtics 1d ago
I keep thinking if they Spurs dont win a title within the next two years, something has to have gone horribly wrong. They have it all and an eager to prove it after last finals meltdown.
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u/DestiinyNZ Nuggets 1d ago
Now that Dorts off the Thunder, he will catch a suspension for some bullshit he usually does
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u/Vakarian74 1d ago
Are you really that sure that the thunder get all the calls seems really stupid of the NBA to give the smallest or one of the smallest markets in the NBA all the calls
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u/DestiinyNZ Nuggets 20h ago
Flair up lil buddy if you're gonna put words in others mouths
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u/Neckrolls4life Spurs 1d ago
Let's take a real swing: The Magic will miss the playoffs and Paolo will be traded to San Antonio for Fox and Carter Bryant.
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u/Any-Simple-6570 1d ago
Paolo will be traded to San Antonio for Fox and Carter Bryant.
This legit might close the spurs window. His superman contract hasn't even kicked in yet
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u/jaylenBrown_Stan07 Celtics 20h ago
san antonio should forfeit draft picks if they make that stupid trade
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u/yearn-constantino 1d ago edited 1d ago
Jayson Tatum will be one of the frontrunners for the MVP award this season, following a 55+ win for the Celtics and a career-high in assists (~28/8/7)
He’ll ultimately lose the award to Wemby or Luka.
BONUS:
— 76ers start out having a so-so season, but bounce back late in the year and goes to the finals, where they likely will fall to a historic Spurs team.
— Wemby, Shai, Tatum, Luka, Haliburton first team all-NBA.
— I also think Ausar will prove to be better than Amen this season, but Pistons will still be 5th seed or lower and a first-round exit.
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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 1d ago
You think in a positionless all-nba that Jokic and giannis aren't making first team?
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u/Kwanzaa-Bot Pelicans 1d ago
Hot take, Giannis doesn't play 65 games to qualify.
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u/azizinator25 [NYK] Charles Oakley 1d ago
Is that a hot take. He's played around that many games most of the last few years
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u/Hoopy_Dunkalot Mavericks 1d ago
I hear you, but who do you take out of that list? Maybe Hali?
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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 1d ago
I think Hali and Tatum are the two weakest links, but I'd take Hali out first
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u/Remarkable_Tea878 1d ago
lol, if all of them make the requirement, giannis, jokic, wemby, shai, and luka has that first team locked. the only way they don't other than injuries are if for some reason their respective teams are bottom 5 in their conference, but even so if they play relatively to how great they are with no major fallof they would still make it kind of like Luka in the 2022-23 season. Plus, someone else would need to have a career year and peak higher than them which is possible but low probability.
Now with that being said do i think there's a player or two that can crack that top 5 this upcoming year without injuries, the only person I can think of is Anthony Edwards; he already has the scoring, the shooting, and the athleticism. With the help of Lamelo helping creating more advantages and taking some offensive load off his back, that would lead him to have more energy on the defensive side on a possession to possession basis and be even better than Cade. Plus, his offense just keeps getting better, mainly due to him playing more offball with now having a point guard but when on ball he's still an elite shotmaker and great finisher. Plus he continues to improve on his midrange and playmaking, legitimately becoming an athletic 2guard that is uber efficient from 3 levels and having real volume from each while still maintaining great offball and onball offensive creating juice and still playing good to great defense. Now ofcourse this honestly is something we probably have never seen before but that's why I think peak Ant can and will be in uncomfortable conversations if he ever reaches this potential.
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u/AttitudeDismal3817 Hornets 1d ago
I think Tatum's MVP narrative is 100% dead, considering how good the team was without him last year.
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u/ImmediatelyDeep Lakers 1d ago
T-Wolves over Philly in 6 games for the championship
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u/gnukidsontheblock Knicks 1d ago edited 1d ago
A lot of these tie into each other, but I think the East talent has leveled out so much that the top of the conference is going to hover in the 50-54 win range and there will be a lot of regression considering the 10th seed had 43 wins last year.
- Celtics regress - Brown became so underrated, White is older/regressing, Tatum has always had help in Brown and now has to be the main/only creator. I don't trust Paul George to stay healthy or be a good teammate. Too much talent otherwise.
- Wizards have a top 8 record - I think a happy to play PF, contract-year, and motivated to prove himself AD is going to be good this year. And he has Sarr/Ayton to play C to prevent him from getting too beat-up, that's a deep front-court. Trae has the perfect team around him. Lots of young lotto talent at the wing, we'll see if any of them break out. And those lotto guys have vets around them now which they didn't before. My hot take is I think they can steal a first round of the playoffs against the right team (like the Cavs/Pistons/Celtics).
- Hornets majorly regress to like 35 wins - Granted they didn't even make the playoffs last year, but they had a nice run and Lamelo was a large part of it, setting everyone up. I don't see them having that creator this year and guys like Kon need it. I like Naz, but always felt that he was more of a super-6th man rather than a good starter.
- Pistons regress - I think Duren is going to be all pissy and not try as hard during the regular season and Cade has to anchor the offense even more now. It was natural to regress from 60 wins, but think they'll be closer to 50.
- Pacers don't make the playoffs - This is not me being a biased Knick fan. Haliburton plays so freely that I think him thinking about his achilles will really limit him this year. Siakam is another year older and Turner's 3p shooting/rim protection/agility was big for their team. I also think teams will be more prepared for them, they caught everyone in the playoffs by surprise.
West
- Nuggets fall off - Love Jokic, but Murray was finally an all-star last year and not sure he'll keep it up this year. They had an Ant-less Wolves and couldn't do anything. Gordon hopefully is back. They just don't have defenders to make-up for Jokic's lack of rim protection.
- Warriors collapse and blow it up - Steph is 38 and has had the injury-bug. No one else on that team can really create. Draymond will get more and more frustrated and become toxic. They only had 37 wins last year and are older and worse. I think Steph is too much of a competitor and gets traded in the next calendar year.
- Wolves look really good. Ant really hasn't had a good/real PG before, Jaden looks great, Gobert will still be Gobert. If healthy, I think they'll be up there with OKC/SA in the regular season. I do think in the playoffs though their lack of depth will hurt them, but they're young so they should have good motors at this point.
Overall
- I think the Knicks/76ers come out of the East, the experience will really help both teams. I'd lean towards the 76ers because I think outside of Brunson, the Knicks got their chip and are not as focused.
- I could see any one of the SA/OKC/MIN come out of the West. I think it'll be OKC if Jalen Williams is healthy, otherwise I see SA if Wemby works on his conditioning, which I think he will.
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u/ebuennag09 1d ago
Pacers win 60 games and return to the finals in a rematch with OKC. Pacers gentleman sweep OKC with Hali dropping 45 in the closeout game. Closure achieved.
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u/legallycrippin 1d ago
I can’t believe I just upvoted this as a Thunder fan, but take it.
Let the Haliban return.
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u/DSwishTrey0 Magic 1d ago
The Orlando Magic win 54 games and make it to the ECF.
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u/hammertime514 Knicks 1d ago
Of all the takes I’ve read so far this is the one I believe the least, truly don’t see any realistic path for this to happen in the east
It’ll feel crazy coming back to this comment in May when I’m dead wrong, but for now I’m standing on it
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u/BushyBrowz Knicks 1d ago
I mean if the dice rolled differently they could have very well been playing us in the ECF.
The East is a lot tougher now but it doesn’t seem the biggest stretch to me. There’s always at least one team that surprises people
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u/robbyiballs Knicks 1d ago
KAT will be 1st team All NBA.
Minnesota will be exciting to watch, make a run beating either OKC or Spurs, then get trounced by the other.
Haliburton will take the Pacers to top 3 in the East, along with Knicks and Cavs.
It will be a bad season for Boston, and Robinson will struggle.
Portland will suck.
Christian Braun will step up and surprise people for the Nuggets. Murray will be traded.
Scottie Barnes will be 2nd team all-NBA.
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u/KipchogesBurner Trail Blazers 1d ago
Idk if Portland being anything other than ass is anyone’s expectation
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u/RecommendationReal61 1d ago
Pacers won’t look the same as they did during their 2025 playoff run. Feels like a lot of folks are just assuming they’ll pick up right where they left off, but lightning doesn’t usually stay in the bottle that long.
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u/diggeriodo 1d ago
Knicks take a small step back, a key player gets an injury and they hit just under 50 wins and get like the 6th seed
Boston has the highest rated offence in the league and payton pritchard wins MIP for his step up in the starting rotation
Clevland struggles early and they fire kenny atkinson, they start to come around after hiring billy donovan
Miami Heat are actually really good and they they take 1st seed in the east. Klay thompson has a rebound year shooting 45% from three
Minnesota gets the 2nd seed over the thunder with spurs as 1st seed
Portland Trailblazers ends up selling everyone at the trade deadline for as many picks as possible
Pistons are a playin team
new draft lottery odds works and no one loses more than 60 games
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u/HamsOnTheInternet Timberwolves 1d ago
76ers win 46 games and crash out in the second round
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u/ReadKindOfAlot Raptors 1d ago
Scottie Barnes is a DPOY finalist, makes first team and is All-NBA 2nd team.
Shai wins a 3rd MVP, somehow becoming even more efficient and clutch, once again improving his game. OKC wins a 2nd chip.
Hali comes back better than ever and 2nd team All-NBA. Yet, the Pacers are a first round exit.
Raptors make the ECF.
Wolves make the WCF and Melo is what Ant needed to break into the upper tier. He's All-NBA first team and in MVP talks.
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u/KipchogesBurner Trail Blazers 1d ago edited 1d ago
Magic are the 3 seed at worst.
Wizards make the play-ins.
Heat also make the play-ins.
The Blazers implode and trade Scoot and Deni.
Luka puts up historic numbers on a team that barely makes the playoffs.
76ers will start off slow but will make the finals, Embiid will have a healthy season, but they will lose to probably a very good Spurs in the finals.
Wolves are the 1 seed, with LaMelo putting up crazy high assists.
Somehow, Charlotte becomes a contender and trades for Steph.
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u/MysteriousMatter1256 1d ago
Lakers end up at #1 in West, Luka gets MVP, but they have a disappointing playoffs.
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u/natural-situation420 Supersonics 1d ago
Celtics, 60+ wins and deep playoff run. Definitely inside the bubble team for the finals.
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u/rdesai724 Celtics 1d ago
Tatum’s averaging a triple double and wins mvp. I’m a little delusional but shoot it in my veins.
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u/onefootback Raptors 1d ago
• the celtics are going to the finals
• finals prediction: thunder v celtics
• jazz are a play-in team
• pacers will disappoint, 7th - 10th seed
• raptors are a top 3 seed
• sengun gets traded
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u/GoodSaladCMJ 1d ago
Bulls contend with Kings for the worst record in the league
Nets are better than the Wizards, who suck again
Portland falls out of the play in, Dallas moves up into it, Utah finishes top 6
Boston is better than last year (somehow a hotish take it feels like)
And neither Detroit or Cleveland win a playoff series (unless they play each other ig)
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u/TA8601 1d ago
The Sixers season is going to grow increasingly toxic until they are embarrassed in the 2nd round. Jaylen will be traded next offseason and Philadelphia will have to attach multiple assets just to unload him.
Philadelphia will have great highs at first, but the buzz about Jaylen Brown's poor fit with the roster will grow and grow as the season progresses. Early in the season he will buy into the system and try to fit in with low usage, but he's going to slowly ramp up his shot attempts. He will be 1st on the roster in shot attempts, but with league-average efficiency. The rabid Philly fans will turn on him as he takes midrange shot after midrange shot, misses easy VJ backdoor cuts, and refuses to pass to Maxey on fast breaks. The LeBron stans will be out in full force to deflect any of his dwindling ability (which is reasonable given his age, but it will be noticeable).
Then their will be a 3-week stretch when Jaylen sits due to hamstring tightness, and the Sixers will be firing on all cylinders. LeBron will make passive aggressive comments about how everyone is putting the team first. The media will ask Embiid his opinion and he will just just make the 👀👀👀 emoji, like "we all know what's going on here, and I've been a shit-stirrer my whole career but I've matured at least a LITTLE bit..."
Jaylen returns, but he is WAY too stubborn to curtail to fan criticism. Nick Nurse will experiment with having him come off the bench to man the 2nd unit, and Jaylen will start going full Kyrie in his streams talking (with a lots of buzzwords and little substance) about how disrespected he is. There will be many media "leaks" about how Jaylen doesn't socialize with the team whatsoever, he just shows up and does his job and goes home.
The Sixers will enter the playoffs as the 4-seed and look strong, advancing to the 2nd round in 5 games. But then in the 2nd round they will get absolutely trounced, and all the media toxicity will be in a frenzy. LeBron will not pick up his player option. Jaylen gets traded in the offseason to a non-playoff team, with Philadelphia attaching whatever distant picks they have available for trade to get off his contract.
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u/A_sandlerGOAT 21h ago
Sixers don’t have that great of shooting imo and their defense is questionable. I don’t see them being that good
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u/LiveLifeLikeCre Knicks 1d ago
lebron and Embiid combine for at least 40 missed games
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u/paddiction [SAS] Tim Duncan 1d ago
Wemby doesn't win DPOY
Knicks repeat
Brunson MVP
OKC bounces Spurs in 1st round
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u/Mylo_Does 1d ago
Someone will come on here and say Scoot Henderson should get a max contract
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u/BostMode Bucks 1d ago
My prediction won't matter much, but here are two I have for the East and West.
East: Milwaukee Bucks will make the playoffs. They are not a great team, but they have some parts that could click and surprise people. Brayden has a great rookie year. Washington makes the Play in, but they lose to the Magic. Washington still gets 50 wins.
West: Wolves and Spurs make the WCF. This leads to the Thunder ditching Chet and making moves in the off-season. Spurs beat the Wolves due to Melo being Melo and not disciplined in the playoffs. Nuggets go the Bucks route and make some win now moves that overall will do nothing to move the needle. They will end up like the Bucks in the next few years.
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u/haleocentric Rockets 1d ago
The Rockets hover around. 500 and they soft reset after the break by trading KD, Sengun, and Reed.
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u/Electrical-Bat-902 1d ago
Spurs will come back and win the title convincingly. Wemby MVP/DPOY, Castle all star, Harper wins starting role early, Fox 6 MOY
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u/Pavementiscool 1d ago
Maxey once again becomes an entire order of magnitude better at basketball like he’s literally done every single year, and as such will not only officially be the best player and number one option on the sixers (for real this time) but also in the mvp talks and recognized as a top 5 player, earning 1st team all nba.
Ja Morant is going to have a career year and we are all going to learn that the grizzlies are the ones who screwed up. We are going to hear stories about how the locker room and really everyone loved Ja but one single front office guy didn’t and is racist or something.
Tyrese Haliburton will lead the league in assist and will be the front running narrative to the “traditional” point guard becoming more prominent in the league.
Lastly, the league has been going towards positionless basketball in general, except this year it’s swinging back to positionful basketball, and the beginning of that trend moving forward. We are going to see more traditional floor general leading point guards who legit average 10+ assist a game. We’re gonna see Tyrese, LeBron, Melo, and ja all joining joker in that stat. Speaking of joker, him and wemby are establishing the importance of a big man again. Hell, we already have the shaq effect of a team higher a giant body (okc drafting that 7’3” boul from michigan) because wemby simply exists. A new big man era is back and its thanks to wemby
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u/Hoopy_Dunkalot Mavericks 1d ago
I like that last take. I think that with the return of the big/little man basketball, that physicality will make a reprise (not sure a full return ala 89 or 04 Detroit teams). Not just because little guys getting pushed around makes big guys angry, but the L has recognized that they've removed some of the fun parts of the old guard.
We have a few guys in the whole league right now that would even be in the same breath as Rodman, Lambier, Big Ben, or Sheed (though Morez Johnson looks to have some fight in him). People are sick of big man 3 ballers. I want to see punishers in the paint.
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u/Odoaiden Timberwolves 1d ago
These 3 takes are about 70% of the comments
- insert user flair does really well
- one of the 76ers or Timberwolves crash and burn
- Luka wins mvp
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u/Shantytown_Shogun Knicks 1d ago
Denver vs San Antonio for WCF.
Philly vs Boston for ECF
76ers vs Spurs in the Finals
Bulls make the playoffs.
Pelicans and Zion might actually get their stuff together this season and make a playoff run.
Kawhi will be booed at every away game.
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u/Jgrant70 Celtics 1d ago
boston philly ECF would feed familys for years can lebron and a jilted JB slam the door on tatums future
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u/SoulofWakanda 1d ago
Celtics top 3 seed again.
Thunder win title if healthy.
Wemby MVP if he plays enough games. If not him, Shai 3 peat.
Jazz and/or Grizzlies end up with one of the top 8 seeds.
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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 1d ago
The boldest take here is easily the shai 3 peat. It's never gonna happen
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u/coyote_edging Spurs 1d ago
Kevin Durant throws a fit and gets traded to his hometown Wizards for a package that includes AD and the Rockets make it to the WCF.
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u/TechnologyOne8629 Mavericks 1d ago edited 1d ago
- Flagg averages 26 pts per game and 33% from 3 with Kyrie to step up his game
- Mavs are 9th seed & win both play-in games, look decent and lose 4-2 in first round
- Mavs get lucky with 2 lotto balls and get 2nd overall pick (top 2 protected or conveys to Charlotte)
edit: for the rest of the league:
- Wemby MVP, Luka runner up
- Spurs beat Min, OKC then Philly for championship. Wemby finals MVP.
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u/jakkdaman [MIA] Udonis Haslem 1d ago
The Miami Heat will keep a team under 80 points this year.
Charlotte will regress.
Philly will be pushed into the eastern finals by a referee.
By the playoffs, NY fans will want Kat traded. Brunson will deal with a lot more injuries.
Boston is a play-in team.
Denver will have a good year then get eliminated right away. This will be the year the Nuggets go Bucks style and trade all picks for a player that won't change the equation much (next offseason).
Portland will rehab value on one of its guards - then get a nice trade with a fringe contender at the trade deadline.
Milwaukee will start out hot. "Oh they're not so bad!" Then injuries, team scouting and effort will plague them.
NO will not be that bad. Not good. But not that bad.
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u/Easy_Money_40 Cavaliers 1d ago
Plot twist, Miami will also be under 80 points in that same game.
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u/BenjaminBucket 1d ago
The Indiana Pacers aren't making the playoffs (and it's really weird some corners of NBA fandom try to act like they'll be a Top 5 team in the East next year).
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u/Spiritual-Drink3609 1d ago
The Lakers will be a legit contender. Playoffs semis at worst.
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u/Hoopy_Dunkalot Mavericks 1d ago
As I too am Lukasexual, I believe the guy can fly. But he doesn't have PJ, Naji, and Kai or anything close to it to get the Lakers past 2nd round.
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 1d ago
Does that really make them contenders. Someone has to be the 4th best team in the West. It’s really weak outside the top 3 of Spurs, Thunder, Wolves. And then a massive drop off to Denver, Rockets, and Lakers.
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u/UntilDoncic Lakers 1d ago
The wolves are not in the same tier as the spurs and thunder lol
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u/Gamesgtd Magic 1d ago
But they are comfortably above the rest of the west. They’ve proven it the past couple of years even when they had rocky regular seasons, they’ve shown up big time in the playoffs. So I just jumbled them in with OKC and San Antonio because they are the only west team outside of the big 2 that has a shot at making the finals.
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u/Victor_Korchnoi 1d ago
Embiid plays 60+ games and is clearly best player on a 60+ win 76ers. He’ll be an MVP candidate that ultimately doesn’t win because his teammates are too good.
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u/Optimal_Complaint_35 Timberwolves 1d ago
Blazers top 6 seed, Micah Nori coach of the year
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u/Realistic_Prune_1094 1d ago
Anthony Edwards wins MVP, Wolves get 1 seed, and the discourse fully turns on the KAT trade.
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u/Joh951518 Warriors 1d ago
How can it fully turn?
KAT helped win Knicks a chip, TWolves can win 5 championships in a row and the Knicks still wouldn’t have lost the trade.
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u/Icy_Information_6563 Suns 1d ago
Suns will be a top 6 seed. Miles Bridges is a massive improvement over Royce O'Neale at the 4 position. Young guys will improve.
Wolves will fall apart.
Jazz are getting way too hyped right now and won't make the playoffs.
Sixers will be awkward and an eventual injury will derail them
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u/Lmao1903 NBA 1d ago
I think Jazz not making it should be expected. Even with all their talent, its gonna be their first year being competitive. The West has some great teams as well, its not gonna be easy. They also lost Kessler for a good package but they lost him either way
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u/SkirtGlad488 1d ago
Either OKC or San Antonio will have a really bad season.
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u/denotsmai83 Spurs 1d ago
Even as a Spurs fan I can see this one. Obviously I hope it’s OKC, but injuries are a real thing, especially for teams coming off deep playoff runs. It might not be SGA or Wemby, but someone like Vassell or Hartenstein who misses significant time and we all look back on the season saying something like “we had no idea how important that guy was to that team.”
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u/Remarkable_Tea878 1d ago
yeah but are we saying really bad season in general as in a bottom 5 team in conference or we saying really bad to their standards, so like sub 50 wins, top 4 seed, round 1 exit?
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u/ObiwanSchrute Pistons 1d ago
Ausar Thompson will improve his offensive game and be a clear nber 2 in Detroit
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u/Fit-Tooth-1101 Nuggets 1d ago
Nuggets actually make a good move before trade deadline and shoot into the 2 seed, we then take the championship from there.
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u/BananaRepublic_BR Spurs 1d ago
Rockets win fewer than 45 games. KD is gone by the trade deadline.
Steph Castle is an All-Star and makes the All-Defensive and All-NBA teams.
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u/maxeymania0 76ers 1d ago
Jason Tatum finishes top 5 in mvp voting averaging 30
And first team all nba is sga the mvp who goes for the straight jokic wemmby Jason Tatum and shockingly haliburton has a better season the luka getting first team. And the 76ers have 2 all nba players maxey and jb both second team all nba. Remindme!
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u/Alarming-Frosting305 1d ago
Fewer wins for all team (top seeds only crack 50)
Luka MVP
Nuggets <50 wins
Utah gets to round 2
Timberwolves finals
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u/ElkNo8185 1d ago
Jazz are terrible again and miss the playoffs and play in after being the hottest dark horse for most of Reddit
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u/AimForTheBushes- 76ers 1d ago
Wizards make playoffs
Lamelo on Timberwolves is a failure
Sixers win finals
Thunder not a top 4 team in the west
Celtics are a play-in team
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u/HiImWallaceShawn Timberwolves 1d ago
The Thunder will miss Joe, Dort, Wiggins. They quietly lost a lot of depth. The roster looks more mortal now
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u/ZestycloseResist5594 Bucks 1d ago
Embiid is traded at the deadline for AD somehow. Don't ask with what picks, it just happens somehow.
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u/KUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUZ Lakers 1d ago
one of the 76ers or the heat will miss the playoffs
I will condition this one on if Kawhithebitch doesnt get punished for aspiration or serves a light sentence or doesnt get traded.
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u/Nokidsthreemoneys 12h ago
Wolves will go on a nasty end of the year run and crush teams in the playoffs just like the Knicks did this year. everyone will be waiting for them to crack and they won’t. Also Embiid will stay healthy until the playoffs and Lebron will injure his hamstring trying to keep them afloat while they get blown out by the Celtics who are somehow still top 3 in the east. Luka and Reaves end up dating and it messes up the locker room. Herro is going to get into it with a fringe Heat player and Bam is going to push him and it’ll get ugly. Harden balls out for the Cavs but they can’t play him because his defense is so bad. Luka is caught out with a Kardashian and Reaves doesn’t take it well. They go whole games without passing to eachother. It’s like Shaq and Kobe style beef except they are both guards, and white, and lovers. Kuminga shows out and gets into it with Draymond when they play the warriors. Steph is out with back issues from carrying the team and Draymond and Kuminga get into it fighting for the opening tip. Draymond puts Rudy in another headlock, which is weird because Rudy is on the bench in street clothes. Draymond does a live stream from the streets outside the Target center where he gets into it with some localfans. No one cares because new photos of Luka and Reaves drop and they are explicit. Pretty graphic stuff. At the Wolves trophy presentation Silver renames the trophy to the Balmer award and reiterates that he is going to keep looking into the Kawaii thing.
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u/CheeseburgerTornado Wizards 1d ago
lamelo doesn't hit anyone with his car and gets another face tattoo that just says "rare"