NBA season predictions: Will the Warriors repeat as champs?
The last time the Warriors took the court in a game that mattered, they won the NBA Finals.
Since they clinched the title in June, plenty has changed in the league, though: In addition to the normal roster changes across the NBA via free agency and the draft, several title contenders have returned injured stars and both Finals participants have had serious scandals over the last month.
The Warriors insist their chemistry won’t be disrupted by Draymond Green’s punch of Jordan Poole two weeks ago, or the extensions signed with Poole and Andrew Wiggins — but not Green.
That second element will loom large over their season, though, as Green inches closer to his 33rd birthday on March 4 and the $27.6 million player option he’s set to accept or decline four months later.
The competition in the West will likely be stiffer than last season, as Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers and Jamal Murray of the Nuggets return from ACL tears after missing all of last season. The Warriors also have their rotation almost wholly intact to start the season, something they haven’t been able to say over the last three years as Klay Thompson has recovered from consecutive serious injuries.
In the East, the Nets and Bucks will be getting key contributors back in Khris Middleton and Ben Simmons, respectively. Middleton will miss the start of the season, though, with another knock after being injured in the playoffs. Philadelphia has re-stacked its roster around Joel Embiid and James Harden, and Boston added Malcolm Brogdon to shore up some of the ballhandling issues that the Warriors exploited in the Finals.
The NBA is back. Let’s get to our team’s picks.
Madeline Kenney
West playoff and play-in teams, in order: Clippers, Warriors, Nuggets, Suns, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Lakers, Kings
East playoff and play-in teams, in order: Bucks, 76ers, Celtics, Nets, Heat, Cavaliers, Raptors, Hawks, Bulls, Knicks
West finals: Warriors over Clippers
East finals: Bucks over 76ers
NBA Finals: Bucks over Warriors
MVP: Joel Embiid
Shayna Rubin
West playoff and play-in teams, in order: Nuggets, Warriors, Clippers, Mavericks, Pelicans, Grizzlies, Timberwolves, Suns, Lakers, Kings
East playoff and play-in teams, in order: 76ers, Heat, Celtics, Bucks, Raptors, Cavaliers, Hawks, Nets, Pistons, Bulls
West finals: Warriors over Clippers
East finals: Bucks over 76ers
NBA Finals: Warriors over Bucks
MVP: Luka Dončić
Alex Simon
West playoff and play-in teams, in order: Nuggets, Warriors, Grizzlies, Pelicans, Mavericks, Clippers, Timberwolves, Suns, Trail Blazers, Lakers
East playoff and play-in teams, in order: Bucks, 76ers, Raptors, Nets, Cavaliers, Heat, Hawks, Celtics, Knicks, Pistons
West finals: Warriors over Pelicans
East finals: Bucks over 76ers
NBA Finals: Bucks over Warriors
MVP: Luka Dončić
Laurence Miedema
West playoff and play-in teams, in order: Nuggets, Warriors, Grizzlies, Suns, Clippers, Mavericks, Timberwolves, Pelicans, Trail Blazers, Lakers
East playoff and play-in teams, in order: Celtics, Bucks, 76ers, Heat, Raptors, Nets, Cavs
Hornets, Hawks, Bulls
West finals: Nuggets over Warriors
East finals: Celtics over Bucks
NBA Finals: Celtics over Nuggets
MVP: Ja Morant
Michael Nowels
West playoff and play-in teams, in order: Warriors, Nuggets, Clippers, Pelicans, Suns, Timberwolves, Grizzlies, Mavericks, Kings, Lakers
East playoff and play-in teams, in order: Bucks, Celtics, 76ers, Heat, Raptors, Cavaliers, Nets, Bulls, Hawks, Pistons
West finals: Clippers over Warriors
East finals: Bucks over 76ers
NBA Finals: Bucks over Clippers
MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo