Only 4 Contenders Remain... (Final Prediction)

[Sweet Serenity]

Might wanna add the Lakers in here tbh… we all know Lebron and AD are just waiting for the playoffs to ramp it up. Dlo is back in his all-star form, Reaves better than last year + Olympic experience. Rui also playing very good lately. They are trending up the past few weeks meanwhile other teams like the Clippers, Kings, Suns are going down. Tbh if they get the Thunder/Wolves without KAT in the 1st round it’s gonna be a quick “upset” and from there their only real challenge will be the Nuggets who have a weaker bench than last year.

Remember this is a Laker team that had really close games vs the Nuggets last year, and they only got better while the Nuggets got worse. As for the East the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be easy for the Lakers. AD/Lebron duo is much better than Giannis/old Dame or the inconsistent Tatum/Brown

Lakers are being slept on and it perhaps is to Lebron’s liking that they fly under the radar and catch opponents off guard and he wins his most impressive championship of his career

You can’t be serious ?

[MrBigShot]

Might wanna add the Lakers in here tbh… we all know Lebron and AD are just waiting for the playoffs to ramp it up. Dlo is back in his all-star form, Reaves better than last year + Olympic experience. Rui also playing very good lately. They are trending up the past few weeks meanwhile other teams like the Clippers, Kings, Suns are going down. Tbh if they get the Thunder/Wolves without KAT in the 1st round it’s gonna be a quick “upset” and from there their only real challenge will be the Nuggets who have a weaker bench than last year.

Remember this is a Laker team that had really close games vs the Nuggets last year, and they only got better while the Nuggets got worse. As for the East the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be easy for the Lakers. AD/Lebron duo is much better than Giannis/old Dame or the inconsistent Tatum/Brown

Lakers are being slept on and it perhaps is to Lebron’s liking that they fly under the radar and catch opponents off guard and he wins his most impressive championship of his career

You can’t be serious ?

Having LeBron and AD on your roster always gives you a chance, albeit a small one. Last year DLo was downright atrocious vs denver, and Murray put up 33ppg. Denver won by an avg of ~4.3 points in games 1/2/4. Very small chance, but I wouldn't count them out entirely.

Also can't count out the heat

[zeebneeb]

Might wanna add the Lakers in here tbh… we all know Lebron and AD are just waiting for the playoffs to ramp it up. Dlo is back in his all-star form, Reaves better than last year + Olympic experience. Rui also playing very good lately. They are trending up the past few weeks meanwhile other teams like the Clippers, Kings, Suns are going down. Tbh if they get the Thunder/Wolves without KAT in the 1st round it’s gonna be a quick “upset” and from there their only real challenge will be the Nuggets who have a weaker bench than last year.

Remember this is a Laker team that had really close games vs the Nuggets last year, and they only got better while the Nuggets got worse. As for the East the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be easy for the Lakers. AD/Lebron duo is much better than Giannis/old Dame or the inconsistent Tatum/Brown

Lakers are being slept on and it perhaps is to Lebron’s liking that they fly under the radar and catch opponents off guard and he wins his most impressive championship of his career

You can’t be serious ?

Having LeBron and AD on your roster always gives you a chance, albeit a small one. Last year DLo was downright atrocious vs denver, and Murray put up 33ppg. Denver won by an avg of ~4.3 points in games 1/2/4. Very small chance, but I wouldn't count them out entirely.

Also can't count out the heat

Anyone counting Miami out is foolish. That teams main pieces are battle tested, and they have the best coach.

I'm also really, really liking Dallas right now. Their big rotation, combined with Luka/Kyrie is devastating, and Luka is a playoff beast.

Dallas is legit.(right now)

[HoopsterJones]

I’d be disappointed in the Celtics if they don’t at least make it to the NBA Finals. They are clearly the best team in the NBA and should dominate the EC playoffs.

The WC is not so clear, although if I had to pick a team it would be the Nuggets and the soon to be 3x MVP Jokic.

[Mrakar]

There are much more contenders this year then last one. I could see 7 teams going out of the west(Top 10 minus Pels/Kings/Warriors)
and 3 in the East(Celtics/Bucks/Heat).
Margin is so narrow this year that injury to role player changes everything. If KCP goes out, Nuggets have to play Braun and that means 2 non-shoters in their 5 which changes everything.
Anyone believes that Porzingis will play all 4 rounds? Neither do i, and Celtics are different team without him.

One thing is sure, this will be a great year and we will nit see a lot of boring sweep series, even in round 1.

[Jta444]

Might wanna add the Lakers in here tbh… we all know Lebron and AD are just waiting for the playoffs to ramp it up. Dlo is back in his all-star form, Reaves better than last year + Olympic experience. Rui also playing very good lately. They are trending up the past few weeks meanwhile other teams like the Clippers, Kings, Suns are going down. Tbh if they get the Thunder/Wolves without KAT in the 1st round it’s gonna be a quick “upset” and from there their only real challenge will be the Nuggets who have a weaker bench than last year.

Remember this is a Laker team that had really close games vs the Nuggets last year, and they only got better while the Nuggets got worse. As for the East the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be easy for the Lakers. AD/Lebron duo is much better than Giannis/old Dame or the inconsistent Tatum/Brown

Lakers are being slept on and it perhaps is to Lebron’s liking that they fly under the radar and catch opponents off guard and he wins his most impressive championship of his career

You can’t be serious ?

Celtics don’t have enough offensive firepower only Tatum and occasionally Brown. Jrue and Derrick White while great defenders don’t really punish you on the offensive side which is the Lakers main weakness (backcourt defense). 2 of the top 3 players in the series will be on Laker side (Bron/AD). Lakers in 6 easy.

[Sweet Serenity]

Might wanna add the Lakers in here tbh… we all know Lebron and AD are just waiting for the playoffs to ramp it up. Dlo is back in his all-star form, Reaves better than last year + Olympic experience. Rui also playing very good lately. They are trending up the past few weeks meanwhile other teams like the Clippers, Kings, Suns are going down. Tbh if they get the Thunder/Wolves without KAT in the 1st round it’s gonna be a quick “upset” and from there their only real challenge will be the Nuggets who have a weaker bench than last year.

Remember this is a Laker team that had really close games vs the Nuggets last year, and they only got better while the Nuggets got worse. As for the East the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be easy for the Lakers. AD/Lebron duo is much better than Giannis/old Dame or the inconsistent Tatum/Brown

Lakers are being slept on and it perhaps is to Lebron’s liking that they fly under the radar and catch opponents off guard and he wins his most impressive championship of his career

You can’t be serious ?

Celtics don’t have enough offensive firepower only Tatum and occasionally Brown. Jrue and Derrick White while great defenders don’t really punish you on the offensive side which is the Lakers main weakness (backcourt defense). 2 of the top 3 players in the series will be on Laker side (Bron/AD). Lakers in 6 easy.

We have the highest offensive rating off all time

Your response shows you clearly know nothing about the Celtics or the NBA for that matter lol

[Jta444]

You can’t be serious ?

Celtics don’t have enough offensive firepower only Tatum and occasionally Brown. Jrue and Derrick White while great defenders don’t really punish you on the offensive side which is the Lakers main weakness (backcourt defense). 2 of the top 3 players in the series will be on Laker side (Bron/AD). Lakers in 6 easy.

We have the highest offensive rating off all time

Your response shows you clearly know nothing about the Celtics or the NBA for that matter lol

You haven’t learned the past 5 years. These Celtics always play the best in the regular season then time and again fail in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Heat or Sixers or Giannis bounces these Celtics.

Regular season stats DONT’T MATTER when you have playoff killers like Giannis, Jokic, Butler, Lebron standing in your way.

[TheHartBreakKid]

You can’t be serious ?

Celtics don’t have enough offensive firepower only Tatum and occasionally Brown. Jrue and Derrick White while great defenders don’t really punish you on the offensive side which is the Lakers main weakness (backcourt defense). 2 of the top 3 players in the series will be on Laker side (Bron/AD). Lakers in 6 easy.

We have the highest offensive rating off all time

Your response shows you clearly know nothing about the Celtics or the NBA for that matter lol

lol yeah I don’t know what the other poster is on. A hypothetical Laker Celtic finals would be far from
anything easy for the Lakers.

That said, regarding the bolded, that accomplishment sounds so impressive without any context. But when we consider the fact that the previous highest team Offensive Rating was last years’ first round exit Kings, it does becomes a little less impressive.

[Sweet Serenity]

Celtics don’t have enough offensive firepower only Tatum and occasionally Brown. Jrue and Derrick White while great defenders don’t really punish you on the offensive side which is the Lakers main weakness (backcourt defense). 2 of the top 3 players in the series will be on Laker side (Bron/AD). Lakers in 6 easy.

We have the highest offensive rating off all time

Your response shows you clearly know nothing about the Celtics or the NBA for that matter lol

You haven’t learned the past 5 years. These Celtics always play the best in the regular season then time and again fail in the playoffs. I wouldn’t be surprised if Heat or Sixers or Giannis bounces these Celtics.

Regular season stats DONT’T MATTER when you have playoff killers like Giannis, Jokic, Butler, Lebron standing in your way.

The same Giannis & Butler that the Celtics have beaten in the playoffs ?

If your Lakers somehow make it past the play-in, they’re getting bounced in the first round.

[sol537]

Please see my previous thread here on this topic from December.

As I see it now, there are only 4 legit contenders that have a shot at the title this year. Here are my percentage breakdowns:

Coming out of the West: Denver (65%), Dallas (17%), The Field (18%)

Coming out of the East: Boston (78%), NYK (10%), The Field (12%)

2024 NBA Championship Odds: Denver (48%), Boston (40%), Dallas (4%), NYK (3%), The Field (5%)

Am I wrong? Is there less than a ~88% chance that one of DEN or BOS wins it all this year?

*bumped*

I was very, very close in my predictions, but the NYK injuries did us in (if OG doesn't go down in game three, we probably sweep or win in 5). Denver had Minny on the ropes there for a good portion of game 7 but Murray came up short in the 2nd half like he has all playoffs (mostly due to injuries).

I still have a 44% chance of being right if either Boston or Dallas win but I'm thinking Minny goes all the way on the back of their elite defense and the Ant-Man. The 5% field it is!

I was right about OKC, PHX, MIL, PHI, LAL, MIA and all the other "pretenders" however...

[ForeverTFC]

I have a hard time seeing how any remaining team beats Boston IF Porzingis is back healthy.