Five Bold Predictions for the 2019-2020 NBA Season

What an offseason it was. I’m sure someone out there made an NBA offseason bold prediction article and couldn’t ever foresee what transpired this offseason. The offseason is now behind us and the NBA regular season is starting up. For the first time in three seasons, we do not have a clear cut NBA champion frontrunner, now that Kevin Durant has moved on from the Golden State Warriors and signed with the Brooklyn Nets this summer. The parody is back and there are 10+ teams with legitimate championship aspirations. Nobody quite knows exactly what is going to transpire this regular season and postseason, but it’s fun to try to guess and what better way than to get a little bold with the predictions, so let’s get bold. Here are my five bold predictions for the 2019-2020 NBA season.   

 

Bold Prediction #1: The Dallas Mavericks make the playoffs

The Dirk Nowitzki era is over in Dallas and it will certainly feel different this season, but that doesn’t mean it will not be a promising and exciting season for the Mavs. The Mavs are young, but with youth comes excitement. Reigning NBA Rookie of the Year, Luke Doncic, impressed us with his all around play in his first year and at only 20 years old still has so much room to grow in his basketball career. The player that excites me the most about Dallas this season is Kristaps Porzingis. They traded for the 7’3” big man last trading deadline and is back and healthy. Their depth is worrisome, but with the 8th seed up for grabs in the Western Conference the Mavs have a shot at surprising many and sneaking into the playoffs.

Bold Prediction #2: The Indiana Pacers come within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals

After finishing last season as the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference and getting swept in the first round by the Boston Celtics, the Pacers are motivated coming into this season. They missed their leader, Victor Oladipo late last season and will be without him until at least January, but the Pacers have enough depth to maintain without him for the beginning of the season, and he’ll be back for the stretch run and the playoffs. A defensive minded and slow pace team, the Pacers added an under the radar player, Malcolm Brogdon this offseason. He fits them perfectly and with Myles Turner at center, they will be a tough out come playoff time if Oladipo is back and healthy.

Bold Prediction #3: Michael Porter Jr. wins Rookie of the Year

He’s an easy guy to forget about. He’s entering his second full season in the NBA, but failed to play in a game last season due to injuries, something Ben Simmons and Blake Griffin also did and both went on to win the ROTY in their second full season. Zion Williamson is the frontrunner for the award, and he rightfully should be. He is the best prospect entering the league since Anthiny Davis, but this is a bold prediction article for a reason. Zion’s only flaw right now is his injury history and he is now starting the season behind the 8 ball thanks to a torn meniscus that will have him sidelined for the first two months of the season. MPJ is surrounded by a number of selfless players and he’ll be the number scoring option of the second unit for Denver. If he can stay healthy for the full season, he can shock many and win the Rookie of the Year Award.

Bold Prediction #4: The Denver Nuggets claim the first seed in the Western Conference

This prediction goes hand in hand with my last one. If MJP has a breakout rookie season, like many, myself included, believe he will the Nuggets will be in good shape to secure home court throughout the Westwrn Conference playoffs. The Nuggets have the best big man in basketball, Nikola Jokic. He is a legitimate MVP candidate and can do it all on both ends of the court. Point guard, Jammel Murray had the best season of his young career last season and is looking to build upon it. They have the best depth in basketball and newly acquired, Jerami Grant brings great floor spacing to this team.

Bold Prediction #5: LeBron James wins MVP, but the Los Angeles Lakers are not a top three seed in the Western Conference

The best player in basketball had a down year to his standards last year, only playing in 55 games, a career low, and missing the playoffs for the first time since the 2004-2005 season, his 2nd year in the league. He is more rested than he has been in the last 15 years, and is more motivated than ever after a disappointing last season. Add a top 10 player, Anthony Davis, to the Lakers this offseason LeBron is and should be the MVP favorite. He’ll take a back seat to Davis, but when the game is on the line and the Lakers need him most that’s when his greatness will come out. Averaging close to 10 assists and 10 rebounds doesn’t seem out of this world and if he averages more than 25 points a game, something he hasn’t done since his rookie season, James will be in line to win his 5th MVP award. However, with a more even leveled, competitive Western Conference the Lakers will be fighting with the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Utah Jazz, and Houston Rockets for a top 3 seed and just miss out on it on the last day of the regular season.