The East breaks into four clear post-season tiers:
(2) Bulls, (1) Heat
Both teams are balling and seemed poised to keep balling into the post-season, where both are gonna be tough outs. The Bulls aren't as deep, but if they stay healthy, I can see them finishing 1st.
I think the Heat keep up the pace but their rotation still has some tinker time in it, so I can see them falling behind the Bulls (but hold off everyone else) to finish 2nd.
(3) Sixers, (4) Cavs, (5) Bucks
I like the Bucks to ramp up over the next six weeks. They've been strangely "okay" this year, but they're seasoned vets now and they experienced their best success when coming from behind, but now is the time to crank up the intensity. I think they'll get to 3rd.
The Sixers might be dangerous in the playoffs--and I can see them having a brutal hot streak before then, too--but I also think it'll take them a while to figure out how the Harden-Embiid tandem works, so I think they get passed by the Bucks, settle into 4th.
Feels like the Cavs are most likely to fade down the stretch (or be a soft puncher in the playoffs), but they've already overachieved, why can't they continue overachieving? I'll take the Cavs to finish 5th.
(6) Celtics, (7) Raptors, (8) Nets
The Nets have the most talent, now is the time for them to figure out how it all works and I think they will. I think Simmons is a good fit btw Kyrie and KD and come April they could be a juggernaut.
I like the Raptors. Don't love them, but they know who they are and they play well together. This is a good team and though I don't see them getting into the top 6, I wouldn't be shocked. I got them 7th.
The Celtics have been good lately. Too good. I don't buy it. I think they're a nice team, I like adding White, they're gonna be thorny in the playoffs, but I think they're 8th.
(9) Hornets, (10) Hawks
I dunno. The Hornets have the most interesting roster they've probably ever had--definitely a fun watch and I look forward to see them in the playoffs--but they're not very good right now. I'm only assuming they'll be better than the Hawks.
I dunno. I was all in on the Hawks this season, I gulped deep from last year's kool-aid and, outside of their drastic drop in defense, I don't really understand why they haven't racked up more W's, so I dunno.
(11) Wizards, (12) Knicks, (13) Pacers, (14) Pistons, (15) Magic
Yeah, these teams all suck and have no reason to win anyway. Pistons and Magic should dual for the #1 pick. I guess I'd say the Pacers and Wizards have the best chance to win games for no particular reason, but I don't see either of them getting into the play-in games. The Knicks are a broken team, I just can't see them being successful for the rest of the season (but still not bad enough for a top 3 pick!).
Playoffs projections for now:
I'll take Hornets over Hawks; Raptors over Celtics; Celtics over Hornets
I'll take: Bulls over Celtics (7), Heat over Raptors (6), Bucks over Nets (7), Sixers over Cavs (5)
Bucks-Nets in the 1st round! Sixers over Bulls, Bucks over Heat. Bucks over Sixers.
The West is all in the table (almost):
(1) Suns
Yeah, killin' it. I think they'll still be pretty good without Chris Paul (perhaps its best to get his annual injury out of the way before the playoffs...?). I like them to hold off the Warriors.
(2) Warriors
Yeah, haven't even really gotten going yet. They're still experimenting but I think they'll finish snugly behind the Suns.
(3) Grizzlies
Dude, these guys are good. They are nasty on defense, pretty good on offense and play with reckless abandon. I don't think they catch up with the Suns or Warriors, but hold off everyone else.
(4) Jazz, (5) Mavs, (6) Nuggets
I think the Nuggets are led by the most indestructible monster in the game, so even if nothing happens, I still like the Nuggets to leapfrog the Mavs into 4th (and they might have good things happening, in which case I think they fly into 4th).
The Mavs don't feel like they're getting better, but they're in a pretty good groove right now that I think holds them in 5th.
I'm not as into the Jazz as I have been in years past. Without Ingles (or a reasonable upgrade), they're too reliant on Jordan Clarkson for big numbers and Donovan Mitchell playing hero ball, which I don't think is a good idea.
(7) Wolves, (8) Clippers
I don't really understand how the Clippers work, but I like them to close strong and steal the play-in game home court.
I like the Wolves but really I don't like anyone else in the West to challenge (except for the Clippers). I see them finishing 8th.
(9) Lakers
They're heading into the toughest part of their schedule, which means their easy W's are pretty much all gone. Lebron will really have to strain just to keep them afloat. But everyone behind them is pretty bad, so I like the Lakers to hold on to 9th.
(10) Blazers, (11) Spurs, (12) Pelicans, (13 Kings, (14) Thunder, (15) Rockets
I'll take the Spurs to come out of this pile...to lose to the Lakers in the play-in. Well, actually still a pretty good season for the Spurs.
The Pelicans are playing pretty good right now, doesn't seem like enough to lure Zion out of early retirement, but should kill their chances at a good draft pick, so...yeah...the most awful place to be in the NBA. Congrats!
The Kings have nothing better to do than play ball and I wouldn't be shocked to see them win a bunch of games and even feel like a team on the rise going into the summer (don't be fooled: that feeling will be long gone by Xmas). But that still pretty much only gets them 12th in the West.
The Blazers have been getting sneaky W's lately (I think the Kings might start stealing some of those), but they're in a such a rebuild that as soon as the dust settles, we'll be reminded that they're not very good.
The Thunder are built for draft picks. A top-5 pick is all they have in mind (do they trade SGA in the summer? Don't be shocked).
The Rockets are basically all rookies, they couldn't win even if they wanted to (and they don't want to).
Playoff projections for now:
I'll take the Clippers over the Wolves; Lakers over the Spurs; Wolves over the Lakers
I'll take Suns over Wolves (6), Warriors over Clippers (5), Grizzlies over Jazz (7), Nuggets over Mavs (7)
Nuggets over Suns (6), Warriors over Grizzlies (5) Warriors over Nuggets (7)
Warriors over Bucks (7)....okay, we'll see.
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