NBA Bubble Preview

It'll be 141 days between March 11th, the day the last NBA game was played, and July 30th, when the NBA restarts. I point that out because in the over four months since, it's simultaneously hard to tell if March was closer to a week ago or seven years ago. Frankly, the world has just changed. The COVID-19 Pandemic is still as much, or more likely more so, a threat. The battle for racial equality in our judicial and policing systems is still happening. News seems to break every thirty minutes that makes it difficult to determine what exactly is our "new normal".

This is the world in which the NBA is trying to relaunch itself. Twenty-two teams are all gathered in three hotels in Walt Disney World, prepared to play eight games plus a traditional length playoffs. Everything is different outside the game, but the rims are still ten feet off the ground and the game is comprised of four twelve minute quarters. So while acknowledging that social, political, and health issues are very important and need to be discussed, we at Head In The Game will be taking a look at the on-the-court action of the NBA Bubble to take a short break between dealing with all the stuff surrounding it in the world and instead talk about the love of joy that comes from sports, in this case basketball. 

8th Seed In The East

Troy: The Eastern Conference is in a very different situation than the West. In reality, the Wizards don't have a great chance at making the 8th seed. They would have to gain a couple games on either the Nets or the Magic and then win a play-in game against them. That means it's actually a contest of who drops to the 8th seed rather than gains it. I think between injuries and opt-outs, the Brooklyn Nets are going to be the ones to drop just enough games to fall to the 8th seed, even if they have the best merch possible.

Grant: The Washington Wizards are technically in the bubble, but their chances of making the playoffs sit well outside the bubble. Even with the Brooklyn Nets fielding a skeleton squad, Washington has too much ground to cover in just eight games to get into the top eight. However, the hometown Magic should be able to surpass the ravaged Nets for the seven seed.

8th Seed In The West

Troy: The Western Conference is going to be much more competitive than the East at the bottom of the playoff seeding. It seems like it's going to come down to the Grizzlies, Pelicans, and Trail Blazers for the final spot. Regardless of who it is, I believe this will come down to a play-in game for the 8th seed. I'm picking the Memphis Grizzlies based on them being the best team during the regular season and having the added motivation of everyone assuming that the Pelicans will catch them.

Grant: The fight for the eight seed in the West is a lot more compelling than the East, as there are five teams withing five games of each other. The Grizzlies currently hold the eighth spot, but the Trail Blazers, Pelicans, Kings, and Spurs are hot on their tail. I am part of the "everyone" assuming that the New Orleans Pelicans will catch the Grizzlies. The Pellies have a healthy Zion and play the easiest schedule of any team in the bubble.

No, this is not a shot from a low-budget horror film

Which Mascot Would You Want To Quarantine With

Troy: Call it blind fandom or nostalgia, but I want to be quarantined with Boomer from the Indiana Pacers. The panther(?) seems friendly but not too friendly, which seems important when you're stuck with someone for an indefinite amount of time. Congrats on making the Mascot Hall of Fame, by the way. Also, there's a Mascot Hall of Fame.

Grant: I thought about picking Boomer as well, because he is one of the few mascots I have been in the same room as. But I'll go with a mascot from a different country. That's right, I want to be quarantined with The Raptor (of the Toronto Raptors, of course). I've always wanted to hang out with a dinosaur. There should be some kind of island or park people can go to and hang out with dinosaurs. It would be great. No way that idea could go wrong in any way.

  

Which Player Would You Want To Quarantine With

Troy: Call me a homer, but I'm sticking with the Indiana Pacers and taking Myles Turner. He's into LEGOs, Star Wars, and Spider-Man, which makes him ideal to be stuck with. He might even teach me yoga, who knows. Again, no one can tell how long we'll be stuck inside except for maybe every other country on Earth.

Grant:  As fun as it might be to drink with J.R. Smith, eat gummy bears with Dion Waiters, go fishing with Ben Simmons, or break quarantine with Lou Williams, I can't choose anyone other than my guy Giannis Antetekounmpo. He seems like a fun-loving dude. Also, Grant and Giannis has a nice ring to it.

Just look at that smile

Team Of Destiny

Troy: There is no other team that has more experience with destiny than the Toronto Raptors. From the time Kawhi Leonard's shot to beat the 76ers in last year's playoffs, it was clear that they were the team the universe wanted to win the championship. The Raptors lost a player that had one of the greatest playoff runs in history and yet they actually are entering the bubble with a better winning percentage than they had last season. If any team is going to win this wacky and wild situation, it'll be the team that got its name because of the success of a Jeff Goldblum movie.

Grant: I don't really believe in destiny, and if things are predetermined, none of these teams scream DESTINY to me. But since I need to provide an answer, I'll come up with one. I would side my colleague and say the Raptors, but they were last year's Team of Destiny. The way 2020 has gone, this year's Team of Destiny has to be a team that needs a miracle to win it all. One team that would fit that description is the Orlando Magic. They are also playing in their home city and are literally called the "Magic".

Please follow

Who Wins The East

Troy: Bucks. In. Six. The universe obviously wants the Toronto Raptors to win every game they play, but the Milwaukee Bucks employ a man named Giannis. I just don't think anyone is going to be able to figure out how to get past the Greek Freak down in Orlando.

Grant: What Troy said. The Bucks were one game away from the Finals last year, and this time they don't have to worry about Kawhi Leonard.

Bucks 

Who Wins The West

Troy: The battle for LA is heading to Orlando. I keep going back and forth between the Clippers and Lakers. I like them both a lot and particularly like the Clippers bench, but I think when the situation gets weird you go with the go to guy. That's why I'm picking the Lakers to win the West. The grey in his beard and the sparkle in his eye leads me to believe that LeBron James is going to do everything that the laws of science allow to be done to win games.

Grant: What Troy said. The two Los Angeles teams are definitely the favorites, and I could see either getting to the Finals. But only one of those teams has LeBron James, which is why I'm going with the Lakers to win the West.

Somebody's been hitting that Touch of Grey

Bubble MVP

Troy: To be clear, this is just for the 8 seeding games and not the playoffs. That being cleared up, I'm taking Damian Lillard. I know, I know. I picked both the Grizzlies and Pelicans ahead of them for the 8th seed. Yet I think the only reason the Trail Blazers will be breathing down everyone's neck is because Dam is going to go off in these games. If he averages 35+ points and 8+ assists, I will not be surprised. If anyone is going to put up video game numbers, it might as well be Lillard.

Grant:  In an eight-game sprint, the MVP race is wide open. I could go with the player who'll probably win the actual MVP (Giannis) or the player who might've won it had the season not been halted (LeBron), But since this is an eight-game crapshoot, I'll take a shot in the dark and go with Ben Simmons. He has taken a lot of heat, but he's a strong defender and can go for a triple-double any night. I'm also going to make a bold prediction and say that he makes at least two three-pointers in the bubble. He'll be key in regards to how well the 76ers do.     

When he threw this fish back, he missed the ocean. The entire ocean.

Which Player Would You Want As A Cornhole Partner

Troy: CP3 actually stands for Cornhole Points 3 because all Chris Paul is going to do is get it in the hole. Paul is both an excellent passer and a great bowler, which leads me to believe he'll be a great cornholer. I'd also like to take this point to say that it has come to our attention at Head in the Game that some people have been referring to the fine backyard game of cornhole as "bags". This kind of foolishness will not be tolerated on our blog and our official stance is that anyone that call it "bags" is a big fat poopoo head.

Grant: To find a bubble cornhole partner, I did some research. I discovered that the Spurs held a team cornhole tournament and the winners were Tyler Zeller and athletic development coach Kelly Forbes. Zeller grew up in Indiana, so it probably wasn't the first time he had thrown a bean bag at a wooden board. I feel confident that he would be able to carry us to victory (or at least a close loss).

Chris's partner would actually be Jake from State Farm

NBA Champion

Troy: Bucks. In. Six? Yes, I'm saying that Brandon Jennings' prediction way back in 2013 was not about their, at the time, current series against the Celtics but rather about the 2020 NBA Finals. The Milwaukee Bucks are a well constructed team around the current best player in the league. The biggest question mark is if Khris Middleton or someone else will be able to step up and be the second guy in late game situations.

Grant: BUCKS. IN. SIX. Okay, it might take seven games for the Milwaukee Bucks to topple the kings of the West, but I believe this is the year Giannis gets his first ring. The Bucks are a well-built team. They have a superstar, a good coach, and quality role players. The key, as Troy touched on, will be how guys like Khris Middleton, Eric Bledsoe, and Brook Lopez perform in crucial moments.

Giannis and co. have their eyes on the prize

To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)

The Impact of Kobe Bryant

Japanese writer Haruki Murakami once said, "Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it." Unfortunately, that part of life sometimes sneaks up on people much too early. I often think to myself, "Life isn't fair". But I should be grateful that my lungs are still breathing, my heart is still beating and my brain is still thinking. Because any moment, the "death" part of my life could commence. Tragically, several people entered that part of life on Sunday, including former NBA star Kobe Bryant and his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, when they were killed in a helicopter crash. Kobe was only 41 years old.

Let's start with what everybody already knows about Kobe: he was a baller. The "Black Mamba" played 20 seasons in the NBA, all of them with the Los Angeles Lakers. In that time, he averaged 25 points, 5.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game. He totaled 33643 points, the fourth-most in NBA history. He once scored 81 points in a single game, the second-most ever. He made the All-Defensive team 12 times and was All-NBA 15 times. He won an MVP award and was Finals MVP twice. And he won five NBA Championships and two Olympic gold medals. He is probably one of the five or ten best players ever.

I'll be honest, I have never been a big Kobe Bryant fan. I thought of him as overrated, and I was rubbed the wrong way by his alleged sexual assault from 2003. Despite that, I cannot deny that he was a generational player with a legendary work ethic. I cannot deny that he was very willing to teach and praise the younger generation after he retired. I cannot deny that he was a big proponent of the advancement of the women's game. And I cannot deny that he was incredibly influential to so many people. That's what really made his death resonate with me.

Death is difficult. No matter what you think of the person when they are alive, few people deserve to die, especially before they get the chance to grow old. Death is especially difficult when it affects so many people. Kobe and Gianna Bryant's deaths were like a major earthquake, affecting swaths of people everywhere, even if just in the slightest way. And that's not even mentioning the people affected by the other victims of the crash, which included a baseball coach, a basketball coach and multiple teenage girls. Several different athletes have died in the prime of their lives. Each time a sports star dies young, it sends shock waves through the entire sports world. Kobe's death sent shock waves through the entire world.

Just taking a quick stroll through social media the past day will show you how much Kobe Bryant meant to so many people. People from all walks of life joined in mourning his passing. Many shared stories of how Kobe had inspired them or impacted their lives. Others recounted memorable moments in his career, like the time he played on a torn Achilles, or the time he was featured on a rap song. I saw someone tweet that Sunday would be a day the sports world would never forget. I think that person was wrong. I think Sunday could be a day that the world in general will never forget.

Kobe Bryant may be the most influential basketball player of the 21st Century. The only other person with a case is LeBron James, and one could even argue that Kobe surpasses the greatest player of all-time in terms of influence. After all, it is his name that people shout when they pretend to be a basketball star, shooting crumpled pieces of paper into garbage cans. It is his name that actual basketball stars (including LeBron) most often cite as their inspiration. It is his name that I hear a lot when rappers mention basketball in their songs. It is his name that people who don't watch sports often come up with first when they are asked to name a famous basketball player. You do not have to know sports, basketball or the NBA to know Kobe. That's the impact he had.

Even after Kobe retired, he still remained a major part of society's consciousness. He won an Oscar and an Emmy. He started his own multimedia company. He appeared in commercials. He coached his daughter's basketball team. He even became a viral meme. He also gave props to current players on social media, including just a day before he died, when he tweeted congratulations to LeBron for passing him on the all-time scoring list. It's hard to think that less than 24 hours later, Kobe was no longer with us.
                                     

I, like many other people, couldn't believe it when I heard news that Kobe Bryant had died. Even after several respected sources confirmed the news, it still felt surreal. I had never imagined a world in which Kobe Bryant was dead. I still can't, even though I'm living in it. I also never imagined I would write an article about him. But not many people have had quite the wide-ranging impact that Kobe had. To quote writer Terry Pratchett, "No one is actually dead until the ripples they cause in the world die away." If that is the case, Kobe (and Gianna) Bryant will never truly die.

NBA 2019-2020: Happy Fun Time Teams

The 2019 NBA offseason was the craziest offseason the league has had in a long time, which is almost as impossible as saying that a man got put on the moon in 1969, #NAS-Yeah. The end result was that the league's talent, much to the delight of both NBA HQ and fans worldwide, is now much more equally distributed. Gone are the days of the Big 3 and Big 4 Superteams, and in their place come the Dynamic Duos.

With the drastically changing landscape, Head in the Game writers Grant and Troy will be giving you five teams each, with some overlapping, who should be a lot of fun to watch this season. These aren't necessarily the five best teams in the NBA, but just fun teams to watch this year. Additionally, the rule is that they cannot include their favorite team in those five. But to make it up to them, they can have a section at the end to talk about them. Oh, and these teams are in alphabetical order, not in some sort of ranking.

Grant's Five Fun Teams

Houston Rockets

Last Year's Record: 53-29 (4th in West)

Key Departures: Chris Paul (Trade - Oklahoma City)

Key Additions: Russell Westbrook (Trade - Oklahoma City), Tyson Chandler (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: James Harden and Russell Westbrook will be playing on the same team at the same time. Among players who played at least 2000 minutes last season, Harden was first in usage rate (39.6%) and Westbrook was eighth (30.1%). Using a traditional statistic, Harden ranked first in shots attempted (24.5 per game) and Westbrook ranked fourth (20.2). It will be fascinating to see how two of the most ball-dominant players in the NBA perform together, especially on a team as deep and talented as Houston.

LA Teams

Clippers Last Year's Record: 48-34 (8th in West)

Clipper Key Departure: Danilo Gallinari (Trade - Oklahoma City), Shai Gilgerous-Alexander (Trade - Oklahoma City), Garrett Temple (Free Agency - Brooklyn), Wilson Chandler (Free Agency - Brooklyn)

Clipper Key Additions: Paul George (Trade - Oklahoma City), Maurice Harkless (Trade - Portland), Kawhi Leonard (Free Agency)

Lakers Last Year's Record: 37-45 (10th in West)

Lakers Key Departure: Lonzo Ball (Trade - New Orleans), Brandon Ingram (Trade - New Orleans), Josh Hart (Trade - New Orleans), Moritz Wagner (Trade - Washington), Tyson Chandler (Free Agency - Houston)

Lakers Key Additions: Anthony Davis (Trade - New Orleans), Danny Green (Free Agency), Avery Bradley (Free Agency), Quinn Cook (Free Agency), DeMarcus Cousins (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: Star power. Not only do the Lakers have LeBron, who is arguably the greatest NBA player of all time, but they now also have Davis, who is probably a top 10 NBA player right now. They also acquired multiple role players to round out the squad. After a forgettable 2018-19 season, LeBron's team is back among the contenders. The other LA team has quickly become a contender as well, acquiring both Kawhi and George, who, unlike LeBron and AD, were in the playoffs last season. It looks like this will be the first time in a while (or ever?) that both LA teams are NBA Finals contenders.

Milwaukee Bucks

Last Year's Record: 60-22 (1st in East)

Key Departures: Malcolm Brogdon (Sign-and-Trade - Indiana), Nikola Mirotic (Free Agency - FC Barcelona), Pau Gasol (Free Agency - Portland)

Key Additions: Robin Lopez (Free Agency), Wesley Matthew (Free Agency), Kyle Korver (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO. I don't think I need to say more, but I will anyway. Mike Budenholzer's team also has all-around guard Eric Bledsoe and perpetually underrated guard Khris Middleton, and they signed noted three-point god Korver and noted mascot-fighter Lopez. He joins his brother Brook, who has somehow become one of the best perimeter-shooting big men in the league. The Bucks have the pieces to win an NBA title.

New Orleans Pelicans

Last Year's Record: 33-49 (13th in West)

Key Departure: Anthony Davis (Trade - LA Lakers), Solomon Hill (Trade - Atlanta - Memphis), Elfrid Payton (Free Agency - New York), Julius Randle (Free Agency - New York), Stanley Johnson (Free Agency - Toronto)

Key Additions: Zion Williamson (Draft), Jaxson Hayes (Draft), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Draft), Lonzo Ball (Trade - LA Lakers), Brandon Ingram (Trade - LA Lakers), Josh Hart (Trade - LA Lakers), Derrick Favors (Trade - Utah), JJ Redick (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: New Orleans completely overhauled its roster, thanks mostly to the Anthony Davis trade. The only 2018 starter I can think of who's still on the team is Jrue (not Drew) Holiday. AD is gone, but Zion has arrived. If nothing else, Zion should make this team entertaining. He's an absolute freight train. NOLA also has numerous talented Lakers cast-offs and some skilled role players. They may not make the playoffs, but the talented young Pellies will be fun to watch.

UPDATE: Zion reportedly had surgery to repair a torn meniscus, meaning he will miss the first 6-8 weeks of the season. Ugh.

Utah Jazz

Last Year's Record: 50-32 (5th in West)

Key Departures: Derrick Favors (Trade - New Orleans), Kyle Korver (Trade - Grizzlies, Later Signed with Milwaukee), Ricky Rubio (Free Agency - Pheonix), Raul Neto (Free Agency - Philadelphia)

Key Additions: Mike Conley (Trade - Memphis), Bojan Bogdanovic (Free Agency), Ed Davis (Free Agency), Jeff Green (Free Agency), Emmanuel Mudiay (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: The most inaccurately-named team in the NBA made the playoffs last season, then made some major offseason moves. The Jazz improved their point guard position by trading for Mike Conley, adding to a starting five that includes Donovan "Spida" Mitchell, Joe "Jingles" Ingles and Rudy "The Stifle Tower" Gobert, and added some shooting by signing Bojan Bogdanovic, who is the better Bogdanovic. Watch out for the Jazz in the wild West this season.

Troy's Five Fun Teams

Atlanta Hawks

Last Year's Record: 29-53 (12th in East)

Key Departure: Taurean Prince (Trade - Brooklyn), Kent Bazemore (Trade - Portland), Dewayne Dedmon (Free Agency - Sacramento) 

Key Addition: DeAndre Hunter (Draft), Cam Reddish (Draft), Bruno Fernando (Draft), Allen Crab (Trade - Brooklyn)

Why You Should Watch: Last year's Atlanta Hawks ended the season as the League Pass favorite. They can certainly put on the points, playing fast and shooting threes. Trae Young really came on at the end of the year and was very entertaining. They added three very interesting pieces in the draft with two lottery pick wings and a very good second-round pick in Fernando. Hopefully, they'll keep up the fun offense and Trae Young will still be just as entertaining. 

Dallas Mavericks

Last Year's Record: 33-49 (14th in West)

Key Departure: Dirk Nowizki (Retired), Trey Burke (Free Agency - 76ers)

Key Additions: Seth Curry (Free Agency), Delon Wright (Sign-and-Trade - Grizzlies), Boban Marjanovic (Free Agency) 

Why You Should Watch: You should watch the Mavericks just to see their opponents be confused by their two European stars, coming on the heels of almost two decades of having a European star confusing opponents. Kristaps is the most unique matchup in the league, being 7'3" with the game of a wing. Add on to that Luka Dončić, who might be the most exciting young player in the league and can more or less do anything. Also, they have Boban, so that's something. 

Denver Nuggets

Last Year's Record: 54-28 (2nd in West)

Key Departure: Isaiah Thomas (Free Agency - Washington), Trey Lyles (Free Agency - San Antonio)

Key Additions: Bol Bol (Draft), Jerami Grant (Trade - Oklahoma City)

Why You Should Watch: The Nuggets were a team that surprised a lot of people last year. They're a team that has a lot of young talent all over their roster. Particularly this refers to Nikola Jokić. The Joker was a revelation last season, combining a traditional big man's body with a very unique skillset. I don't know if they'll have the same chance to go deep in the playoffs as last year due to added competition out west, but they'll still be very enjoyable to watch.

LA Teams

Clippers Last Year's Record: 48-34 (8th in West)

Clipper Key Departure: Danilo Gallinari (Trade - Oklahoma City), Shai Gilgerous-Alexander (Trade - Oklahoma City), Garrett Temple (Free Agency - Brooklyn), Wilson Chandler (Free Agency - Brooklyn)

Clipper Key Additions: Paul George (Trade - Oklahoma City), Maurice Harkless (Trade - Portland), Kawhi Leonard (Free Agency)

Lakers Last Year's Record: 37-45 (10th in West)

Lakers Key Departure: Lonzo Ball (Trade - New Orleans), Brandon Ingram (Trade - New Orleans), Josh Hart (Trade - New Orleans), Moritz Wagner (Trade - Washington), Tyson Chandler (Free Agency - Houston)

Lakers Key Additions: Anthony Davis (Trade - New Orleans), Danny Green (Free Agency), Avery Bradley (Free Agency), Quinn Cook (Free Agency), DeMarcus Cousins (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: Listen, it's not cheating if you're the one who makes the rules. LA is once again the epicenter of the basketball universe. The Lakers gave LeBron the running mate who can potentially make them championship contenders once again. On the other side of the Staples Center is the Clippers, who somehow made even more noise than their cross arena rivals. If you add both Paul George and Kawhi Leonard in the same offseason, naturally you are a title favorite. Matchups between the two Southern California teams this year should be phenomenal.

New Orleans Pelicans

Last Year's Record: 33-49 (13th in West)

Key Departure: Anthony Davis (Trade - LA Lakers), Solomon Hill (Trade - Atlanta - Memphis), Elfrid Payton (Free Agency - New York), Julius Randle (Free Agency - New York), Stanley Johnson (Free Agency - Toronto)

Key Additions: Zion Williamson (Draft), Jaxson Hayes (Draft), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Draft), Lonzo Ball (Trade - LA Lakers), Brandon Ingram (Trade - LA Lakers), Josh Hart (Trade - LA Lakers), Derrick Favors (Trade - Utah), JJ Redick (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: The clear answer would be Zion. New Orleans was partying when they got the number one pick (okay, let's face it. they were already probably partying). Zion isn't the only good pickup though. They had a great draft, picking up Hayes and Alexander-Walker later in the first round. The Anthony Davis trade also produced an amazing return with a buttload (the truest unit of measurement) of draft picks and young pieces in Ball, Ingram, and Hart. Additional new players in Favors and Redick will make the Pelicans a very interesting team.

Grant's Favorite Team - Cleveland Cavaliers

Last Year's Record: 19-63 (14th in East)

Key Departure: David Nwaba (Free Agency - Brooklyn), Cameron Payne (Free Agency - Toronto), J.R. Smith (Waived)

Key Additions: Darius Garland (Draft), Dylan Windler (Draft), Kevin Porter Jr. (Draft), Alfonzo Mckinney (Waivers - Golden State)

Why You Should Watch: You probably shouldn't watch, and you probably won't watch. The Cavs will not be good. But they might be fun. They still have Kevin Love, who, at the very least, is a handsome guy. They have Collin Sexton, who was the best rookie three-point shooter in the league last season. They have Delly, who is Delly. And they have a new head coach (John Belein) and three intriguing first-round rookies. Garland hardly played last season due to injury, but his talent got him drafted high. Windler was a prolific three-point shooter in college. And Porter, despite being drafted with the last pick of the first round, might be the most talented of the three. The Cavs will probably be bad, but hopefully they'll be the fun kind of bad.

Troy Favorite Team - Indiana Pacers

Last Year's Record: 48-34 (5th in East)

Key Departure: Darren Collison (Retired), Tyreke Evans (Suspension), Bojan Bogdanovic (Free Agency - Utah), Thaddeus Young (Free Agency - Chicago), Wesley Matthew (Free Agency - Milwaukee), Cory Joseph (Free Agency - Sacramento)

Key Additions: Goga Bitadze (Draft), Malcolm Brogdon (Sign-and-Trade - Milwaukee), TJ Warren (Trade - Pheonix), Jeremy Lamb (Free Agency), TJ McConnell (Free Agency)

Why You Should Watch: It's pretty obvious why you should watch Indiana. They're the team from the best state in the union, which is the place on Earth that loves the game the most. They have the best uniforms in the league (fight me). Most obviously of all, they lead the league in TJs.

The Pacers had a pretty good offseason. They signed someone who fits their system very well (Brogdon), got TJ Warren for straight cash in a trade, and got what might be a steal in the draft in Goga Bitadze. Losing Bogdanovic and Young will hurt a lot, but the additions look like they'll make the Pacers a better team once Oladipo returns.




To stay up to date on the newest Head in the Game articles (and general sports commentary), follow @headingameblog on Twitter. You can also find us on Twitter @T_RoyStory (Troy) and @G_Tingley (Grant)

NBA Playoff Preview

After a competitive and at times wacky regular season the NBA playoffs are finally here. Here at Head In The Game, we are here to give you the definitive, if you refuse to read any others, preview of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

1 Bucks v 8 Pistons

Deer Beats Car

Grant's Bucks' Key Player - Well, there is an obvious answer here, and he's a freak who's Greek. But since that's too obvious, I'll go with Brook Lopez, who has had a really good season.

Troy's Bucks' Key Player - I'm not picking Giannis only because it's too obvious and I don't want any of you to claim I'm being lazy. This is why I'm picking Khris Middleton to be the most non-Giannis X-Factor. 

Grant's Pistons' Key Player - The reason the Pistons are in the playoffs is Blake Griffin, who is one of the best players in the Eastern Conference.

Troy's Pistons' Key Player - I'm selection is Blake Griffin. After a semi-down year in his first year in Detroit, Blake has bounced back by refining his game and is averaging close to 25 points a game.  

Grant's Series Prediction - The Pistons just don't have enough (beyond Blake Griffin) to keep up with Giannis and the Bucks. Bucks in four.

Troy's Series Prediction - I don't think this series will be this close. If the Pistons sneak one out will be due to having familiarity with the Bucks since they share the same division. Bucks in four.

2 Raptors v 7 Magic

Magical Rawr

Grant's Raptors' Key Player - One of the best non-household names in the NBA this season has been Pascal Siakam (he averaged 17 point and seven rebounds per game during the regular season), and I think he will be the X-factor in this series.

Troy's Raptors' Key Player - Leonard and Lowry have been hurt on and off this season which has opened the door for the best second option to be someone other than one of the two. That second option has been Pascal Siakam and I think he'll be a key player if the Raptors want to make a run.

Grant's Magic' Key Player - With a chance at redemption against the team that drafted him, Terrence Ross could make things interesting if he continues his hot play from the regular season.

Troy's Magic' Key Player - The Magic's frontcourt will be a deciding factor if they want to compete but without strong play from the point, that frontcourt won't succeed. That's why my key player is D.J. Augustin. 

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - The Orlando Magic are probably the weakest team in the playoff field, and they don't stand much of a chance against Leonard, Lowry and the Raptors. I'll take Toronto in four.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - Congratulations to Orlando to finally making it out of Basketball Purgatory. Unfortunately, they don't really have much of chance in this year's playoffs. Toronto should run away with the sweep.

3 76ers v 6 Nets

Ask Grant about cooking shows

Grant's 76ers' Key Player - The key players for Philadelphia will be one of their two young stars (Joel Embiid or Ben Simmons). I'll go with Ben Simmons, who continues to be a bright young star in the league, but still can't (or at least won't) shoot.

Troy's 76ers' Key Player - I concur with Grant on this. Ben Simmons is a matchup nightmare as someone with the body of a power forward with the skill set of a guard, something the Nets don't have someone to match up with.

Grant's Nets' Key Player - It's clear who the key player for the Nets is. It's Ben Simmons' high school teammate, D'Angelo Russell, who has blossomed into one of the best young scorers in the NBA.

Troy's Nets' Key Player - Brooklyn has been a team led by one key engine, D'Angelo Russell, who is the one who will determine success in this series for the team.  

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - I think Russell and the scrappy Nets can give Philly a little scare, but the 76ers, with players like Embiid, Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and J.J. Redick, just have too much talent. 76ers in six.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - Despite not benefitting from their several high picks over the last few years due to one of the most one-sided trades ever the Nets have made the playoffs. Brooklyn is a solid team but the Sixers have too much talent. I like Philly in five and not just because I like alliteration.

4 Celtics v 5 Pacers

Lepre-car

Grant's Celtics' Key Player - Any number of Boston's young stars could step up, but I think the key factor will be the Celtics' "veteran leader", Kyrie Irving.

Troy's Celtics' Key Player - This is an easy one for me. In the last couple matchups between these two teams, Kyrie Irving picked apart Indiana's defense.

Grant's Pacers' Key Player - Without Victor Oladipo, Indy's other pieces will have to step up. That includes the other piece in the Paul George trade, underrated big man Damantas Sabonis.

Troy's Pacers' Key Player - Thad Young has been the rock for this team. Sabonis has been great all year, Miles Turner leads the league in blocks, and Bojan Bogdanović led the team in scoring but Thad is the player who has been the leader of the team who has used chemistry and hustle to overcome losing their star Oladipo.

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - If Victor Oladipo were healthy, I could see the Pacers taking Boston to seven. But without Oladipo, it'll be tough for Indy to take the Celtics six games, let alone seven. Celtics in five.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - These teams were tight during the regular season with two games being decided by one possession. The lack of top end talent will be the hill the Pacers won't be able to overcome which is why I'm picking the Celtics to win in six.

1 Warriors v 8 Clippers

This is what came up for Warrior Ships, I'm sorry

Grant's Warriors' Key Player - Kevin Durant is the best player on the team and Klay Thompson can take over a game, but this is Steph Curry's team.

Troy's Warriors' Key Player - I mean you could probably pick anyone you want from the starting five but I'm picking Klay Thompson because why not.

Grant's Clippers' Key Player - I like players with two last names, and I like referring to players with two last names by their initials. With that in mind, SGA (Shai Gilgeous-Alexander) can establish himself as a young star in this series.

Troy's Clippers' Key Player - The Clippers have relied heavily on their young guards. His has a tough task but Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a chance to make a real name for himself if he can have a big series.

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - I'm tempted to say the Clippers will steal a game or two (which they absolutely can), but the Warriors, as usual, just have an incredible amount of talent. Golden State in four.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - I do think that the Clippers can steal a game at home in this series if for no other reason due to the Warriors not trying that much. Golden State in five.

2 Nuggets v 7 Spurs

Stay golden Ponyboy

Grant's Nuggets' Key Player - There are a few players to choose from here. The Nuggets must play through Nikola Jokic, and young point guard Jamal Murray needs to play well. But I'll go with shooting guard Gary Harris, who has shown the ability to light it up from deep.

Troy's Nuggets' Key Player - The Nuggets have been super impressive this season after narrowly missing the postseason last year. A young, highly talented core is super encouraging for the Mile High City. I think the advantage for Denver is at point guard which is why I'm picking Jamal Murray.

Grant's Spurs' Key Player - After years of playoff disappointment in Toronto, DeMar DeRozan has a chance at redemption in San Antonio.

Troy's Spurs' Key Player - DaMar DeRozan is their best player. He hasn't gotten too much talk this year as San Antonio hasn't been in the spotlight this year.

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - The Nuggets had an outstanding regular season, and they have more talent than the Spurs, but Gregg Popovich's team is always a tough matchup. I think Denver will get by San Antonio, but it will take seven games.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - Congrats to Denver on having an amazing season and as a reward for your achievements you get to play the most consistent franchise over the last two decades. I still think the Nuggets will beat the Spurs, but it'll take them six games.

3 Trail Blazers v 6 Thunder

Droppin' dimes and droppin' dimes

Grant's Trail Blazers' Key Player - Damian Lillard is the obvious answer, but his backcourt mate, CJ McCollum, is also a major factor. CJ is often overshadowed by Lillard, but like Dame, he can turn it up in crunch time.

Troy's Trail Blazers' Key Player - Portland has maybe the most underappreciated star in the league. Damian Lillard is a true talent that we don't talk nearly enough about. Watching him go against Russ is maybe the thing I'm looking forward to most this round.

Grant's Thunder's Key Player - Paul George is the best player in Oklahoma City this season, but this team's fate rests in the hands of Russell Westbrook.

Troy's Thunder's Key Player - OKC has two of the best players in the league but only one of them is a true MVP candidate. That's why Paul George is going to be the leader for them this series.

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - This should be an exciting series, and I could see it going either way. Portland is the favorite, but I'm leaning towards OKC, especially if Paul George plays like he did during the regular season. Thunder in six.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - I think this might be the most competitive series in the first round. This is the one I think has the best chance at going seven games. I like OKC winning game seven on the road.

4 Rockets v 5 Jazz

Here's Don Lind, the first Mormon astronaut

Grant's Rockets' Key Player - I don't know if you've heard of this guy, but James Harden is someone I would call a key player for Houston. He's got a huge beard. You can't miss him.

Troy's Rockets' Key Player - Of course, James Harden will be important in this series, that's no question. The thing is if you ask the Rockets the biggest reason they couldn't get past the Warriors last year was Chris Paul's injury.

Grant's Jazz's Key Player - Who else could it be but Donovan Mitchell. It will be fun to see Mitchell and Harden trade daggers in this series. Mitchell will have to keep up with Harden for the Jazz to have a chance.

Troy's Jazz's Key Player - If you're going to match the Rockets you need someone to match up against Harden and you need to score points. I think the player that's best help them do this is Donovan Mitchell.

Grant's Series Thoughts and Prediction - Mitchell and company have the ability to push the Rockets to the edge, and the Rockets have the ability to miss 27 threes in a row. However, I think Houston will win in six.

Troy's Series Thoughts and Prediction - This will be another tight contest but I think I know how this will end up. The Rockets are going to be on a mission this postseason and will get past the Jazz in six games.

Schedule (Just Through Game Four, Will Be Updated)

Saturday 4/13:

• 2:30 - Game One - Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers - ESPN
• 5:00 - Game One - Orlando Magic @ Toronto Raptors - ESPN
• 8:00 - Game One - Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors - ABC
• 10:30 - Game One - San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets - ESPN 

Sunday 4/14 

• 1:00 - Game One - Indiana Pacers @ Boston Celtics - TNT
• 3:30 - Game One - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trail Blazers - ABC
• 7:00 - Game One - Detroit Pistons @ Milwaukee Bucks - TNT
• 9:30 - Game One - Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets - TNT

Monday 4/15 

• 8:00 - Game Two - Brooklyn Nets @ Philadelphia 76ers - TNT
• 10:30 - Game Two - Los Angeles Clippers @ Golden State Warriors - TNT

Tuesday 4/16 

• 8:00 - Game Two - Orlando Magic @ Toronto Raptors - TNT
• 9:00 - Game Two - San Antonio Spurs @ Denver Nuggets - NBA TV
• 10:30 - Game Two - Oklahoma City Thunder @ Portland Trail Blazers - TNT

Wednesday 4/17

• 7:00 - Game Two - Indiana Pacers @ Boston Celtics - ESPN
• 8:00 - Game Two - Detroit Pistons @ Milwaukee Bucks - NBA TV
• 9:30 - Game Two - Utah Jazz @ Houston Rockets - ESPN

Thursday 4/18

• 8:00 - Game Three - Philadelphia 76ers @ Brooklyn Nets - TNT
• 9:00 - Game Three - Denver Nuggets @ San Antonio Spurs - NBA TV
• 10:30 - Game Three - Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Clippers - TNT

Friday 4/19 

• 7:00 - Game Three - Toronto Raptors @ Orlando Magic - ESPN
• 8:30 - Game Three - Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers - ABC
• 9:30 - Game Three - Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - ESPN

Saturday 4/20 

• 3:00 - Game Four - Philadelphia 76ers @ Brooklyn Nets - TNT
• 5:30 - Game Four - Denver Nuggets @San Antonio Spurs - TNT
• 8:00 - Game Three - Milwaukee Bucks @ Detroit Pistons - ESPN
• 10:30 - Game Three - Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz - ESPN

Sunday 4/21

• 1:00 - Game Four - Boston Celtics @ Indiana Pacers - ABC
• 3:30 - Game Four - Golden State Warriors @ Los Angeles Clippers - ABC
• 7:00 - Game Four - Toronto Raptors @ Orlando Magic - TNT
• 9:30 - Game Four - Portland Trail Blazers @ Oklahoma City Thunder - TNT

Monday 4/22

• 8:00 - Game Four - Milwaukee Bucks @ Detroit Pistons - TNT
• 10:30 - Game Four - Houston Rockets @ Utah Jazz - TNT

Completing the Process

In the 2015-16 NBA season, Elton Brand played 17 games for the 76ers to close out his 17-year NBA career. On September 20th, 2018, Brand was named the general manager for the 76ers. As of February 8th, 2019, Brand has positioned the 76ers as favorites to come out of the Eastern conference with arguably the best starting lineup in the East.

But how did we get here?

Well, Brand inherited a team that had pieces but was not there yet. After years of essentially losing games on purpose to get higher draft picks for years under old management, the 76ers finally put together a winning team last season with superstars Joel Embiid and last season's rookie of the year Ben Simmons. With help from sharpshooter JJ Redick, and key role players like Robert Covington and Dario Saric, the 76ers finished the season with the 3rd best record in the East, and made it to the conference semi-finals last season. But that was not good enough.

Fast forward to this season, Minnesota Timberwolves star Jimmy Butler was unhappy and wanted to be dealt. Brand knew this was an opportunity to get one of the top 15 players in the league and form a Big 3 in Philly. With that being said, the 76ers traded Covington and Saric to the Timberwolves for Jimmy Butler. The roster they had was good enough to put them in 5th place in the East before the deadline. But Brand and the Sixers organization know they need to put together a contending team now, and the trade deadline was perfect for that.

The first deal the Sixers made was bringing in all-star caliber forward Tobias Harris from the LA Clippers. Harris is averaging a career high 20.9 points a game and 7.9 rebounds a game, while also shooting 43% from the three point line and 49% from the field. He has been very good at creating his own shot this season and ranks in the top 20 in jump shots off the dribble, while also having a career year from the three point line. Harris has also been very good in pick and rolls this season and even though the 76ers rank in the bottom of the league in pick and roll offense, Harris will add another dynamic to the Sixers offense that they desperately need.

In the Tobias Harris trade, the 76ers also got one of the more efficient bench players in the game, Boban Marjanovic. Boban is an absolute giant standing at 7-3 and weighing 290 pounds. While only playing around 10 minutes a game this season, Boban is averaging 6.7 points and 4.2 rebounds a game while shooting 60% from the field and 75% from the free throw line. While his numbers are not anything to marvel at, he will give Joel Embiid some much needed rest, while basically protecting the paint with his massive size.

Mike Scott will also come to Philly from the Clippers deal. The 30 year old is averaging just under 5 points and 3.5 rebounds a game in 14 minutes. While not taking very many shots, Scott is shooting a respectable 38% from three and the added bench depth will be important moving forward through the rest of the season as the fatigue begins to set in.

To round out the trade with the Clippers, the 76ers also acquired James Ennis, who is averaging a career high in points with 7.3 a game. The 28 year old was averaging about 23.5 minutes off the bench for the Clippers and at small forward, Ennis will add some depth to a team that definitely needs it. Ennis has played for the Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzles, Detroit Pistons, and Houston Rockets, so he has played under a number of different systems and should adapt very quickly. Defensively, Ennis brings a tenacious mind to not let his man score and offensively, he is shooting 36% from three, which will help stretch the floor off the bench.

Lastly, all Sixers fans knew it was coming, some were sad, others not so much, but the Markelle Fultz era is over. In a trade with the Orlando Magic, Fultz is going to Orlando while the Sixers get to bring in 29 year old Jonathon Simmons. Everyone may remember Simmons from his first year in the league with the San Antonio Spurs and being very good for them during his time there. While averaging almost 14 points, 2.5 assists, and 3.5 rebounds a game last season, Simmons has struggled so far this year, only averaging about 7 points a game, along with 2.5 assists and 2.5 rebounds a game. Simmons is not much of a shooter, only shooting about 22% from three this year, so his fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid will be brought into question and he may not get nearly as many minutes, but he does give the 76ers an athletic wing to bring in the game if need be.

Since bringing in the new guys, the Sixers are 2-0 with wins over the Denver Nuggets, 117-110, and the Los Angeles Lakers, 143-120. The game against the Nuggets, who hold the NBA's best record, showed exactly what the Sixers could be capable of as the new "Big 4" combined for 63 points, which excludes JJ Redick going for 34 points in that win. All of the new guys got substantial minutes, except for Jonathon Simmons, who was out with an abdominal injury, and while some of the guys off the bench did not put up big numbers, the promise of just getting some relief for the starters is what was hoped.

While the Lakers matchup was not close, Harris notched his first 20 point game, scoring 22, and Simmons even saw a little bit of action.

With free agency coming up and some of the questions circling about what Jimmy Butler may do, bringing in some guys to make the 76ers real contenders is very important and Elton Brand went out and did exactly that. After two games, the promise for this team to make a deep push in the playoffs seems high and the excitement surrounding the team is soaring. From ownership, to the coaches, to the players, to the fans in Philadelphia, everyone has been waiting for a team to make Philly basketball exciting again and here it is. The Process has been trusted, and it has officially arrived.

New Orleans vs LA

With the NBA trade deadline come and gone for the 2018-19 season, there was no bigger question than: Is New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis going to be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers by the deadline? Davis, who still has another year left on his contract, was eligible to resign with the Pelicans to a 5-year $230 million super max deal after next season, if he wanted. Instead, Davis did not see a future in New Orleans and asked his agent, notably, agent and close friend of Lakers star LeBron James, to ask for a trade.

So the fun began. 

Davis immediately was rumored to want to play for the Lakers with LeBron and would sign an extension with the team but inevitably opened his list of teams he would re-sign with to the Milwaukee Bucks, New York Knicks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Los Angeles Lakers. Now to add a wrinkle into this, the Boston Celtics wanted to be apart of the trade for Davis and wanted the Pelicans to wait until this off season so they could make an offer for Davis, even though their star point guard Kyrie Irving may end up leaving the team in free agency this summer, and Anthony Davis' dad spoke publicly and said he does not want his son playing for Boston. Notable that Davis did not add the Celtics to the teams he would sign with, but Celtics owner Danny Ainge remains optimistic and wants to trade for Davis anyways.

So do you have all that?

Okay good, now here is what makes some of this so interesting.

The Lakers have a good young core with LeBron James as their leader. They have 2017 second pick of the draft Lonzo Ball at the point guard, 2017 27th pick Kyle Kuzma, and a young and talented star in Brandon Ingram. For the Lakers to have a shot at Davis, the Pelicans wanted Ball, Kuzma, Ingram, point guard Rajon Rondo, shooting guard Lance Stephenson, wing Michael Beasley, 2 first round picks, and for the Lakers to take on Solomon Hill's bad contract through next season. So essentially, the Lakers would be giving up their entire young core, both of their point guards, and three of their bench players just for Davis. The Lakers made it very clear they want to win now and want Davis for this season. While Davis is one of the best players in the league and will make a huge impact on any team he gets traded to, that is a steep price nonetheless. Personally, I think the Pelicans were not smart to not accept the trade because it gives them a good young core and some draft picks to work with in the future, but they decided it was not enough and have decided to hold on to Davis through the rest of the season. 

The interesting part about the Pelicans holding off on the Lakers deal, is it makes it apparent that they are intrigued to see what the Celtics will offer them and have a chance at dealing Davis to Boston this summer.

So where do the Lakers go from here?

The NBA is a business and most guys in the league can be traded at any minute, but for young guys, hearing your name in trade rumors can be hard to deal with and bring down your confidence a little bit. This was no more apparent than the other night when the Lakers traveled to Indiana to take on the Pacers and lost by 42 points with LeBron sitting on the opposite side of the bench from his teammates during the game. 

So how do the young guys recover from almost being traded and essentially knowing this offseason they can be traded at any moment while also trying to make a deep run in the playoffs this season? That is something that will be interesting to watch as the season continues but, as far as the organization is concerned, landing Davis this summer is at the top of their priorities because they know, if you get LeBron James and Anthony Davis paired together, the Los Angeles Lakers will finally be a championship contender again.

Western Conference Preview

Just like Lewis and Clark, it is time to head west. Here's how things will shake out in the Western Conference, with each team's ceiling and basement. If you missed the Eastern Conference preview, you can find it here.

Dallas Mavericks

"We have to find who took the last tapioca"
- Dirk (most definitively)

Key Addition - Luka Doncic (Drafted 3rd Overall)

Key Departure - Seth Curry (Signed with Trail Blazers)

Realistic Ceiling - 8th Seed

Realistic Basement - 13th

Betting Line for Title - +25,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - +600

Bottom Line - The Mavs are a very interesting team to me. Dennis Smith Jr. has the makings of a very good guard in the league, and Luka Doncic could very well be the next big thing. The team still isn't very deep, and Dirk's at the point where even his trainer was shocked when he decided to come back, so if they do make a run at the playoffs, they'll barely sneak in.

Denver Nuggets

When you're about to hit your homie
with a ball but they make you laugh

Key Addition - Isaiah Thomas (Free Agency)

Key Departure - Kenneth Faried (Traded to Nets)

Realistic Ceiling - 4th Seed

Realistic Basement - 9th

Betting Line for Title - +12,500

Betting Line for Playoffs - -400

Bottom Line - The Nuggets just missed out on the playoffs on the final day of last season. They lost energy man Kenneth Faried, but they were able to pick up Isaiah Thomas, who is looking to have a bounce-back year.

Golden State Warriors

I'm no casting agent, but...

Key Addition - DeMarcus Cousins (Free Agency)

Key Departure - JaVale McGee (Signed with Lakers)

Realistic Ceiling - Top Seed

Realistic Basement - 3rd Seed

Betting Line for Title - -195

Betting Line for Playoffs - -10,000

Bottom Line - So the Warriors are good. They swapped JaVale McGee for perennial all-star DeMarcus Cousins, who once he returns will create the best starting lineup in pro sports since the 1931 New York Yankees (shouldn't have said that, because now you all know I was frozen in time like Captain America). Golden State is so good that if you were to bet $100 on them to make the playoffs, you'd lose $9,900 and your pride.

Houston Rockets

The Houston Elon Musk-eteers

Key Addition - Carmelo Anthony (Free Agency)

Key Departure - Trevor Ariza (Signed with Suns)

Realistic Ceiling - Top Seed

Realistic Basement - 5th Seed

Betting Line for Title - +850

Betting Line for Playoffs - -2,000

Bottom Line - Houston is still a good team, but they'll be slightly worse compared to last season. Losing Ariza is going to hurt a lot, as he added so much defensively to his team, which it needs. Adding Atlanta Hawks legend Carmelo Anthony is kind of like adding Joe DiMaggio to the 1931 Yankees (is that joke good enough to use twice?). It's adding more offense to the team known for offense.

Los Angeles Clippers

The her? of the NBA

Key Addition - Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Drafted 11th Overall)

Key Departure - DeAndre Jordan (Signed with Mavericks)

Realistic Ceiling - 7th Seed

Realistic Basement - 11th

Betting Line for Title - +25,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - +550

Bottom Line - The Clippers are venturing to unknown waters (boat joke) in Doc Rivers' tenure with the team. Lob City has disappeared from the Staple Center, leaving the team without any recognizable star to lead the team. I thought they had a solid draft, which lays a good foundation for coming years, but this year will have a lot of struggles.

Los Angeles Lakers

Glad these crazy kids are finally 

trying to make it work

Key Addition - Michael Beasley...JKJK Lebron James (Free Agency)

Key Departure - Brook Lopez (Signed with Bucks)

Realistic Ceiling - 3rd Seed

Realistic Basement - 6th Seed

Betting Line for Title - +1,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - -500

Bottom Line - The Lakers just added a team-changing, generational talent in JaVale McGee, and also some up and coming point forward in LeBron James. The Lakers are definitely making the playoffs because of you know who, but the real test in whether or not they can compete with the Warriors is their younger core. If Brandom Ingram and Kyle Kuzma can become effective running mates for LeBron, the team could be scary.

Memphis Grizzlies

Since apparently Memphis ownership 

doesn't know the difference

Key Addition - Jaren Jackson Jr. (Drafted 4th Overall)

Key Departure - Tyreke Evans (Signed with Pacers)

Realistic Ceiling - 8th Seed

Realistic Basement - 14th

Betting Line for Title - +50,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - +600

Bottom Line - The Grizzlies are a team that is in a weird place. Mike Conley Jr. and Marc Gasol are in the back nine of their careers and eat up a bunch of cap space, while Jaren Jackson Jr. is a very promising prospect for the team. They still won't be competitive, but at least their name isn't geographically accurate.

Minnesota Timberwolves

"I'll send you a postcard from my new place"

- Jimmy Butler (probably)

Key Addition - Keita Bates-Diop (Drafted 48th Overall)

Key Departure - Nemanja Bjelica (Signed with Kings)

Realistic Ceiling - 6th Seed

Realistic Basement - 10th

Betting Line for Title - +15,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - -180

Bottom Line - Everyone please come to the middle of the floor for a game of (in) limbo. No one really knows what's happening with Jimmy Butler, where he's going or what the team could get in return. If Butler stays and decides to give it his all, the team could be strong, especially if KAT keeps getting better.

New Orleans Pelicans

New Orleans protecting Anthony Davis
from free agency

Key Addition - Julius Randle (Free Agency)

Key Departure - DeMarcus Cousins (Signed with Warriors)

Realistic Ceiling - 7th Seed

Realistic Basement - 11th

Betting Line for Title - +12,5000

Betting Line for Playoffs - -220

Bottom Line - The Pelicans are the team with a lot of moving factors. The Brow is a bonafide megastar, yet the team around him just isn't good enough to win him the championship. But they are good enough to get him to the playoffs. Julius Randle isn't good enough to be a true replacement for DeMarcus, but essentially he's just being added to the second half team last year, which made the playoffs.

Oklahoma City Thunder

New Thunder Buddies?

Key Addition - Dennis Schroder (Traded From Hawks)

Key Departure - Carmelo Anthony (Traded To Hawks)

Realistic Ceiling - 3rd Seed

Realistic Basement - 8th Seed

Betting Line for Title - +3,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - -700

Bottom Line - I'm still one of the biggest doubters of OKC. Dennis Schroder is a good addition to the team, but I don't know about him and Russ being able to play at the same time. I do think the team will easily make the playoffs, but there's no chance they can beat the Warriors or Rockets or Celtics or Lakers (probably).

Phoenix Suns

Couldn't not post this

Key Addition - DeAndre Ayton (Drafted 1st Overall)

Key Departure - Marquese Chriss (Traded to Rockets)

Realistic Ceiling - 7th Seed

Realistic Basement - 15th

Betting Line for Title - +40,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - +900

Bottom Line - Suns fans should be excited by what this team could become. DeAndre Ayton is going to be a good player in this league, and Devin Booker is still someone I'm very high on. The team might not be able to put everything together this year, but in the next few seasons, they can be very successful.

Portland Trailblazers

Portland has a lot of bridges,
just not Miles, or Mikal

Key Addition - Seth Curry (Free Agency)

Key Departure - Shabazz Napier (Signed with Nets)

Realistic Ceiling - 4th Seed

Realistic Basement - 10th

Betting Line for Title - +15,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - EVEN

Bottom Line - Portland is the Western Conference version of the Wizards. They have a star backcourt pair with the point leading the way. I could legitimately see the team finishing anywhere from the middle of the playoff seeding to just missing the playoffs.

Sacramento Kings

We got this in the bag(ley)

Key Addition - Marvin Bagley III (Drafted 2nd Overall)

Key Departure - Vince Carter (Signed with Hawks)

Realistic Ceiling - 10th

Realistic Basement - 15th

Betting Line for Title - +50,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - +1,500

Bottom Line - Bagley is a good starting point for the team, but it is more of a step toward the solution than the solution itself. They don't have a great starting lineup, nor do they have a real bench, which means the team will lose a lot of games. They haven't made the playoffs since Ice Age 2: The Meltdown was in theaters, and it might take a couple more years yet.

San Antonio Spurs

Me when someone says
Drake and Josh is overrated

Key Addition - DeMar DeRozan (Traded From Raptors)

Key Departure - Kawhi Leonard (Traded To Raptors)

Realistic Ceiling - 4th Seed

Realistic Basement - 9th

Betting Line for Title - +8,000

Betting Line for Playoffs - -150

Bottom Line - The Spurs did some stuff in the offseason. Out is Kawhi, in is DeRozan. The Spurs just took a big blow with Dejounte Murray tearing his ACL, especially since this seemed like it was going to be a breakout year for the guard. San Antonio has made the playoffs every year since 1996, and I'm confident they'll still make the playoffs, but we won't truly know how good they are till we see them play.

Utah Jazz

This was found when I searched

"jazz musicians in Utah".

Key Addition - Grayson Allen (Drafted 21st Overall)

Key Departure - Jonas Jerebko (Waived)

Realistic Ceiling - 2nd Seed

Realistic Basement - 7th Seed

Betting Line for Title - +7,500

Betting Line for Playoffs - -500

Bottom Line - I'm very high on the Jazz going into this year. They were a lot of fun to watch last playoffs and didn't lose much of anything from last year's roster. Time will tell if Donovan Mitchell can repeat last year's success over the course of his career, but regardless, Jazz fans should be excited for this year.


Jump to the Eastern Conference Preview

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