The NBA feels like an entirely new beast this year. So many players moved, so many teams improved. There are injuries and power duos on both coasts. Things got pretty wild over the summer. Which leaves us with a question that we haven’t had for a while: who is going to win the NBA championship? For once, Golden State is not the obvious answer. Daylight is breaking through, the Warriors cloud has lifted. The league is wide open once again.
(I know, I know. Golden State didn’t win last year. But they 100% would have if two of their starting all-stars were not injured. We all know that.)
I hate when people make you read through a long article before they, with trumpet sounds, announce their pick. I’m not gonna do that. My pick is the Los Angeles Clippers. That’s who I think is going to win it. It’s more of a process of elimination than anything else, really.
The East has some really good teams this year, I am not discounting that, but I believe that whoever comes out of the West will win the rings. The West is just better. To make it out of there takes depth, consistency, and talent. You can get lucky and ride a wave to get out of the East.
The Bucks are still good, but they didn’t do it last year and didn’t do much to make a significant run at it this year. The 76ers are stacked. They would be my pick if I had to choose someone in the East to win it. Embiid, the second-best center in the league, will ruin teams if he can stay healthy. The Nets are looking scary, but with the KD injury, they are a little up in the air right now. I really like Kemba Walker, but I don’t think the Celtics have enough pieces around him to do anything. I can’t think of any other team in the East that has a legitimate shot to win it. It’s basically Philly or the Bucks in my mind.
Then we get to the East, which has roughly 7 teams that I wouldn’t be shocked to hear have made it to the Finals.
I’m not sold on the Lakers. I don’t think they have depth. I don’t think Anthony Davis is as good as everyone says he is. I’ve seen nothing from him to prove he is capable of being that mega-star. Lebron is older and can’t carry a team the way he used to. I don’t think the Lakers make it far in the playoffs, but I wouldn’t be surprised if they make it out. They have some really talented guys. I’m just not fully sold.
The Rockets are another interesting team that I’m not sold on, but wouldn’t be surprised if they prove me wrong. With Russ and Harden on the same team, it’s hard to see them as anything but dominant. However, I’m not sure how that dynamic will work. Both want to be on the ball, both want to be scoring. Who is going to take a backseat there? Who is willing to set their ego to the side? I think this team will collapse, but wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t.
The Nuggets are my favorite team, but I don’t think they’re quite there yet. Their biggest strength is their depth. They have talent far down the bench that is going to be crucial in February when the starters need some rest. The biggest issue is inconsistency in some key players. Jamal Murray doesn’t show up every game like they need him to. No one can forget Will Barton’s insane slump last season. But Jerami Grant was a massive addition to this team and I really hope they shock me and win the championship.
The Mavericks are a sneaky-great team. I think they’ve gotten a little lost in the shuffle of the L.A. teams and the Rockets and such. But with Luca Doncic and Porzingis, they are not a team to be slept on. I am not fully convinced with them yet, but I’ll keep my eye on them.
The Jazz and Portland are sort of in the same conversation for me. They are both good teams that, I think, got a bit better. If they get hot at the right time, they could break out of the West. Will they? Probably not. But they could.
Despite what I said earlier, you can’t not talk about Golden State. Steph is a proven winner. Draymond Green is poised to have a huge year. D’Angelo Russell is a baller. Klay should be back around January, I think. With a healthy team, they can put up big numbers. Plus, they have a culture of winning. They shouldn’t be totally written off. Though they did just get blown out by a rebuilding Thunder and have not much depth, so I don’t know…
That leaves my pick. The Clippers. Kawhi is the current best player in the league, in my opinion (maybe besides KD). He has the ability to make any team he is on a contender. Throw in Paul George, Patrick Beverly, and Lou Williams and this team seems poised to win it all. The main issue will be at center. With a few top-notch centers emerging over the past few seasons, it may be hard to beat teams with established, dominant big men without one of their own. And there’s a chance that making it through the West means going through the likes of Anthony Davis, Demarcus Cousins, Nurkic, and Jokic. Not to mention Embiid if Philly makes it out of the East. You also can’t discount the contribution of a hall of fame coach in Doc Rivers.
At the end of the, I think the Clippers have the best chance to win this year. I wouldn’t put money on it, though.
Just Sports Guys 