Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 52-29
Best Case: The Trail Blazers supervise everyone by making it to the Western Conference Finals and taking the Warriors to seven tough games. Portland then enters the offseason knowing that they get Nurkic back and that the West is up for grabs after the Warriors lose Durant.
Worst Case: The Blazers fail to make it out of the first round of the playoffs again, losing in six to the Thunder and they have to continue to hear the criticism of how they aren’t good enough. Then in the offseason the Blazers lose both Al-Farouq Aminu and Seth Curry and can’t find adequate replacements for either.
Houston Rockets
Record: 53-29
Best Case: The Rockets get revenge over the Warriors by beating them in seven games in the second round of the playoffs.The Rockets then go on and win the NBA Finals behind a legendary performance from Finals MVP James Harden.
Worst Case: The injury problems that caused the Rockets slow start flair up during the playoffs and Houston is unable to make it back to the WCF as they fall to the Warriors in the second round in six games.