NBA: Re-visiting pre-season award predictions
By Nate Friesen
A little more than midway through the 2019-20 NBA season, we look back at a few of our pre-season award and playoffs predictions
This week I want to take a look at some of my pre-season predictions. What was I thinking in terms of awards, standings and the playoffs just four months ago and how does that look different now.
I want to hold my self accountable for some of the things I got wrong, see what things I may have got right and see what things I would change at the halfway point of the season. With all that being said, let’s get started.
Pre-season Award Predictions:
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"MVP – Anthony DavisDPOY – Joel EmbiidROY – Zion WilliamsonMIP – Lonzo Ball6th MOY – Bogdan BogdanovicCOY – Brad StevensAll-NBA First team – Curry, Harden, Antetokounmpo, Davis, EmbiidAll-NBA Second team – Lillard, Irving, Leonard, James, JokicAll-NBA Third team – Westbrook, Doncic, Butler, Siakam, Gobert"
This is always a tough one. Honestly, I don’t think I got any of the major awards correct. However, the All-NBA teams I am feeling pretty good about with the exception of Curry. If I had to pick them all again, half-way through it would likely look more like this.
Mid-season Award Predictions:
"MVP – Giannis AntetokounmpoDPOY – Rudy GobertROY – Ja MorantMIP – Brandon Ingram6th MOY – Derrick RoseCOY – Nick NurseAll-NBA First team – Doncic, Harden, Antetokounmpo, Davis, EmbiidAll-NBA Second team – Lillard, Irving, Leonard, James, JokicAll-NBA Third team – Westbrook, Walker, Butler, Siakam, Gobert"
Honestly, I think that Giannis, assuming he stays healthy, is guaranteed to win back to back MVP’s and could be the second player to ever be a unanimous MVP. The same can be said about Rudy Gobert and Ja Morant, DPOY and ROY are theirs to lose.
In terms of MIP, 6th man and COY these are all still up for grabs. As of now, Ingram, Rose, and Nurse are the front runners, however, someone could still easily go and get those awards
Pre-season standings prediction:
Eastern Conference:
- Milwaukee Bucks
- Boston Celtics
- Philadelphia 76ers
- Toronto Raptors
- Miami Heat
- Brooklyn Nets
- Detroit Pistons
- Indiana Pacers
- Orlando Magic
- Chicago Bulls
- Atlanta Hawks
- New York Knicks
- Washington Wizards
- Cleveland Cavaliers
- Charlotte Hornets
I honestly did pretty well in the Eastern Conference. As of now is basically seems like Milwaukee has a stranglehold on the 1-seed, the Celtics, Sixers, Raptors, Heat, and Pacers are all fighting for seeds 2-6 and the rest of the Eastern Conference is a mess. The biggest mistake I made was definitely thinking the Pistons would make the playoffs… that’s just not happening.
Western Conference:
- Houston Rockets
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Denver Nuggets
- Utah Jazz
- Golden State Warriors
- Portland Trailblazers
- San Antonio Spurs
- Dallas Mavericks
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Sacramento Kings
- Minnesota Timberwolves
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- Memphis Grizzlies
Didn’t do as well in the Western Conference. I thought the Lakers, like most LeBron teams in the past, would coast in the regular season but that has been far from the case. It seems as though the Lakers really want the 1-seed and it’s the Clippers that are coasting.
In addition, the Rockets have been really inconsistent. I assumed they would be a steady regular-season team like they have been in the past but they have had a lot of injuries and still have a lot of stuff to figure out. I also had the Warriors at the 6-seed which is far from the case, however, that is mostly due to injury.
Pre-season playoffs prediction:
"ECF – Milwaukee Bucks vs. Philadelphia 76ersWCF – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Los Angeles ClippersFinals – Los Angeles Lakers vs. Philadelphia 76ersNBA Champion – Los Angeles LakersFinals MVP – LeBron James"
dark. Next. Pascal Siakam’s rise to NBA stardom is the epitome of hard work
I’m still feeling really good about my playoff predictions. I still think that these four teams are the most likely to make it to the conference finals. With that said I think at this point I would have to give the edge to the Bucks over the Sixers but I would still have the Lakers winning the finals and LeBron taking home finals MVP.