—EAST—
Bucks 58 24 .707
Celtics 57 25 .695
76ers 54 28 .659
Cavaliers 51 31 .622
Knicks 47 35 .573
Nets 45 37 .549
Hawks 41 41 .500
Heat 44 38 .537
Raptors 41 41 .500
Bulls 40 42 .488
Pacers 35 47 .427
Wizards 35 47 .427
Magic 34 48 .415
Hornets 27 55 .329
Pistons 17 65 .207
—WEST—
Nuggets 53 29 .646
Grizzlies 51 31 .622
Kings 48 34 .585
Suns 45 37 .549
Clippers 44 38 .537
Warriors 44 38 .537
Lakers 43 39 .524
Timberwolves 42 40 .512.
Pelicans 42 40 .512
Thunder 40 42 .488
Mavericks 38 44 .463
Jazz 37 45 .451
Trail Blazers 33 49 .402
Rockets 22 60 .268
Spurs 22 60 .268
My expertise is the Pacers, and I would take the over. Wizards had 35 wins last year, and I think the pacers team as constructed is better than that wizards team, and will be actually trying this year. I would put them in the 38-39 win range, so it’s a soft over, but I think they’ll hit it.
Wizards are another team I’d take under: they’ll blow it up mid season
It’s obvious Spurs, Magic, Rockets will go over, but I see Bucks, 76ers, Nuggets and Grizzlies under
Pistons should be easy over if Cade stays healthy. Bulls with the under and my guess is that they’ll finally blow it up.
Late reply, oh well-- as a Nets fan, I’m excited about the fresh start and the prospect of the first healthy season for Ben Simmons in years. But unless everything goes ideally, it’s hard to see them matching their KD&KI-aided 45-37 finish from last season.
They should be a likeable, hard-working team, absent divas. Bridges, Claxton and Simmons should all be AS-game candidates. Their ceiling should be a hard-fought 1st-round loss, or getting spanked in the 2nd round. Prediction: UNDER
I think my Raptors can do better than .500 (41 wins) this year - I like what I see from new head coach Darko Rajakovic. The East is deep though
I think the whole league is uncertain whether they keep the stars or send away Siakam and OG to gain FRP and rebuild, they already have some good pieces
I think the reason that’s unlikely is that they’ll have to finish in the bottom 2 to maintain control of the top 6 protected draft pick that was sent to the spurs. They’d have to tank from very early in the season and the team is too good to be that bad. The contract situations of OG, Trent and Pascal will keep them motivated to win. Playing team first ball is another question after seeing the bag Fred got.
They can’t be bottom 2 if they keep the three you mentioned and they let Barnes play
