No Fear, NBA Edition (2018-2019)

Intro

Fear my friends is a funny thing. It appears in all shapes and sizes. Everything from watching a scary movie to walking into a big test can create it. Personally, I know fear as that feeling in the pit of your stomach when you have absolutely no idea what is going to happen next. Today, we are going to talk about something that we’ve all been afraid of from time to time. That is of course the act of being wrong. Ideally, everyone wants to be right about everything, but unfortunately that just isn’t realistic. At the end of the day, we are all going to be wrong, and we need to get rid of that fear of getting something wrong. One place where you see this phenomenon quite a bit is in the area of sports media. Constantly I see the so called, “experts,” out there making timid statements and refusing to go out on a limb to make definitive predictions. That however is not something that I plan on putting you guys through. I have learned to honestly not care about looking like an idiot when I make a prediction that goes way wrong. That is why today, I am going to predict the entire NBA Season for you.

As the two cover guys for this blog would tell you, the NBA Season isn’t something that’s static. Going into last season, it seemed like my Boston Celtics were going to be true title contenders with the offseason acquisitions of Gordon Hayward, Kyrie Irving, and prized rookie Jayson Tatum. Although I didn’t think that they were going to be able to take down the Warriors in their first year of playing together, I thought they would easily beat LeBron James and the Cavs, reaching their first NBA Finals in a long time. A little thing called injuries however had other plans. As we all know, Hayward went down just minutes into the season with a horrifying ankle injury and Kyrie was eventually shut down before the playoffs due to complications from a previous knee surgery. Knowing about these two injuries, my expectations for the Celtics’ Season would’ve been tremendously different, and that’s why this isn’t exactly easy to do.

To make these predictions, I don’t just randomly tell you what seed all the teams are going to be like all the other, “experts,” out there. You guys deserve better than that, and that’s why I actually went through and picked each one of the 2,460 regular season games as well as all of the playoff games. I was able to do so with a site called playoffpredictors.com, and I’d advise you to check it out if you have a few hours to kill.   Due to the fact that I don’t want to bore you all to death, I’m not going to actually show you how every game shook out. I’m just going to run through each division and talk about some key points for each team. All this being said, keep in mind that these predictions were made on October 5th. This means that I didn’t know about Murray’s injury or the Jimmy Butler fiasco in Minnesota. I only like to go through and pick the games once, so I’m just going to stick with my original thoughts. So without further ado, let’s get right into it!

Southwest

Rockets, 68-14

Spurs, 64-17

Mavericks, 43-39

Pelicans, 37-45

Grizzlies, 24-58

The West is absolutely stacked this year. You’ll read this a lot throughout the season and this writing. Although I think there are only four teams in the conference that actually have a shot at winning it all, there are ten solid playoff teams here. The issue is of course that there are only eight spots. So let’s start off with the Southwest division and the Memphis Grizzlies. The grit and grind days are over, and this team is now led by a still very good Mike Conley as well as a pretty washed up Marc Gasol. Assuming no trades, they’ll be bad but not one of the teams fighting for that top pick. It also doesn’t help their cause that nearly everyone on their team is incredibly injury prone including the seemingly always hurt Chandler Parsons. Next up we have the Pelicans, and some of you might be a little surprised looking at their projected record. “But they have Anthony Davis!” I know they do, but they have little else. Losing Rondo is a huge blow, and I’m not sold on the idea of Randle playing next to AD. Their lack of both a true starting point guard and small forward is pretty crazy to see in the NBA, and man I just hope AD gets freed eventually. They’re going to be just out of the playoff hunt and one of the better lottery teams, not a great place to be if you ask me.

Some of you are probably surprised to see the Mavs in the playoff hunt, and if you are, you clearly weren’t paying attention this offseason. They still have perennially underrated Harrison Barnes, the explosive Dennis Smith, and Dirk! This offseason however, they added star center Deandre Jordan to solidify their defense and the foreign phenom himself Luka Doncic. I’m not sure how good Luka is going to be in year one, but the one thing I do know is that this kid can put the ball in the basket. The Mavs are a very solid middle seed in a vacuum, but their record is a little lower than it should be due to all the other great teams in this conference. Next in line is the Spurs, and a prediction that I might want to take back very quickly. As I said in the open, I went through this before Murray’s injury. Losing him is a huge blow, but with the addition of DeRozan being coached by Popovich, they’re going to be just fine. The bottom line with the Spurs is that I will always trust them because of Pop, and I just have a feeling they’re going to surprise a lot of people with how good they are this season. This team has a ton of talent and the best coach in basketball, a pretty good combination if you ask me.

Last but not least, let’s talk Rockets. Although this team lost Ariza and a couple of other pretty important pieces, they still have Capella, Harden, and CP3. While I don’t think he should have won MVP last year, Harden is one hell of a player, and he absolutely kills it in the regular season year in and year out. Barring a major injury to him or Paul, I just don’t see how they aren’t right at the top of the West just like they were last year. Paul and Harden on the floor at the same time is absolutely deadly, and they also have the X factor of Melo. I along with the rest of the world think he’s washed up, and I’m sure Melo has been listening to everyone saying the same this offseason. All this doubt and all of the insults he’s heard should motivate him to be the best Melo he can be this season. I have no idea what that looks like, but if he can be a team player and help take some pressure off of Harden and CP3, he could be a huge asset to the team. At the end of the day, the Rockets are going to be great this season, and they might just be special if they get anything close to the Melo of five years ago.

Northwest

Thunder, 67-15

Jazz, 58-24

Nuggets, 50-32

Timberwolves, 49-33

Trail Blazers, 43-39

On to the Northwest or as I’d like to call it, The Playoff Division. Somehow coming in last place, we have the Portland Trail Blazers. Although I don’t think their current core will ever make any noise in the playoffs, they will always be a solid regular season team due to their absurd guard depth. Most teams out there would kill for one guard with the skill of Dame or McCollum, and the Blazers of course have both of them. The issue however is that their roster doesn’t really have anything else. Throughout the regular season though, when other teams are dealing with injuries, the Blazers aren’t truly handicapped until both of their point guards are injured, and that is a huge asset during a long season. That is why their record might be a little better than people might expect. Next up we have the Timberwolves, and this is obviously assuming that Jimmy doesn’t get traded. With Jimmy in the fold, the combination of him and KAT are worth 49 wins easy. Both are tremendous players, and while I’m not a Wiggins believer, I don’t think he’s the worst third guy out there. If they sort out all the Butler Drama, expect the Wolves to be a solid team right in the middle of the playoff hunt out West.

The Denver Nuggets just barely missed the playoffs last year, but they are going to be a force this season. They are returning pretty much the same team as last year, but Paul Millsap is actually healthy. In addition, they picked up Isaiah Thomas, a guy who led my Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals just two years ago. While that may seem like ancient history, they might be able to get something close to that guy, and that he’s going to surprise some people. They still obviously have Jokic who is one of the most talented big men in the league. The bottom line is that the Nuggets are going to be very good. Next on the list we have the Jazz, a team that really exceeded expectations last season. For those of you who don’t watch a ton of Jazz basketball, let me assure you that Donavan Mitchell is the real deal. They also have Gobert, who is in my opinion the best defensive center in basketball right now. In addition, their roster is tremendously deep at every other spot, and they are so tough to beat at home. The only question for Utah is if Mitchell is ready to lead them on a deep playoff run against all the stiff competition out west.

Last but certainly not least, let’s talk some OKC Thunder. I’ll be the first to admit that I thought Paul George was as good as gone after their disappointing playoff exit last year. George however surprised me and every other NBA Fan out there by coming back to the Thunder. Westbrook finally swallowed his pride and actively recruited George, clearly learning from the departure of KD a few seasons ago. In addition, the Thunder added Dennis Schroder in a move that I don’t think people are fully appreciating. As the only good basketball player on the Hawks last year, I’ll admit he didn’t have a great season. On the Thunder though, he’s not even close to the focal point of the opposition, something that is going to lead to him being incredibly productive this year. Just remember that Reggie Jackson tricked the Pistons into his brutal contract by playing well in this role. The Thunder also get Roberson back, and while he may suck in 2K, he is one of the best defensive players in the NBA. Last but certainly not least, they still have Adams, one of the best defensive centers in the league. The bottom line is that year two of Westbrook and George is going to be a lot better than year one.

Pacific

Warriors, 75-7

Lakers, 57-25

Clippers, 32-50

Suns, 17-64

Kings, 9-72

Now we have the incredibly top heavy Pacific Division. Let’s start in the cellar with the perennially awful Kings. Their roster is filled with promising young talent and washed up old players to keep that young talent firmly stapled to the bench. Looking at most of the bad teams out there, I can at least see that they have a plan but with the Kings, I just don’t know what their angle is. I truly feel awful for all you Kings Fans out there, if there are any left.  On a positive note though, it works out great for me because my Celtics have their first round pick this season! Next up we’ve got the Suns, a team that I am a little lower on than other people out there. Look, I’ll be the first to admit that the Suns are building a team that is going to be good someday. That being said, I don’t know how you can expect Booker and Ayton to keep the team close to playoff contention in this buzzsaw of a Western Conference. This team is just too young to be competitive right now, although they are going to be very fun to watch. I hope they prove me wrong, but it’s going to take a few more years before we see the Suns take that next step.

The Clippers are another team where I don’t really understand what their plan is. They have a pretty impressive collection of players I actually like quite a bit including Tobias Harris, Lou Williams, and Avery Bradley. Having said that, I just don’t know how they can possibly expect to compete for a playoff birth considering the rest of the talent in the west. The Clippers are one of those teams that are on that dreaded treadmill of mediocrity, and they need to do something to get off of it. Assuming that they stand pat at the deadline, they are going to be a solid team that will be tough to beat on certain nights in the regular season. Unfortunately for Clippers fans though, they’re still going to finish as one of the better lottery teams, and that’s the problem with their direction as a franchise. Next up we’ve got my guy LeBron and the Lakers. While I still think LeBron is the best player in the world and could lead a high school team to a playoff birth, I just don’t understand the roster construction of the Lakers. While I do like the idea of trying to surround LeBron with a defensive team, their lack of spacing is going to be too much to overcome even with great defense. I feel bad for the King, but he’ll have to wait a year before the Lakers have a true chance at making some postseason noise.

Last but not least, there’s the perennial juggernaut that is the Golden State Warriors. This is a team that was already in the conversation of the best basketball team of all time, and all they did was add Demarcus Cousins. Now while Cousins might never be the guy he was before his injury, it is still terrifying for the rest of the league if the Warriors get eighty percent of what he used to be, something that is pretty likely. All this being said, some of you out there might think that I’m being a little bit ambitious predicting that they’re going to finish with only seven losses. I understand that the Warriors are getting older and they’ve looked flat out bored during the regular season since KD came to town. You also have to factor in that the players know they are getting older, and this might be the last chance they have to do what they failed to do a few years ago. I bet that with Cousins in the fold, they go into this year wanting the greatest season a team has ever had in the history of the NBA. This would mean breaking the wins record, and winning the NBA Finals without really being threatened in the playoffs. They’re absolutely capable of the regular season part, and that’s why I have their record so high.

Southeast

Wizards, 45-37

Heat, 44-38

Hornets, 20-62

Magic, 15-67

Hawks, 12-70

So on to the much weaker Eastern Conference. In my opinion, the East has seven legitimate playoff teams, and a wide open eighth seed. Let’s start with what’s going to be one of the worst teams in basketball this year in the Atlanta Hawks. As I’m sure you can tell by that pretty terrible record projection, I just don’t think Trae Young is going to be the guy to right this ship, at least in year one. Schroder last year was a much better player, and losing him will hurt this team. To make matters worse, they lost their world class coach. The Hawks are going to be gross this year, even in a weak Eastern Conference. Next up we have the Magic, a team that is definitely building something. They have a solid young corps led by Aaron Gordon, Bamba, Fournier, and Isaac. While this team is going to be fun to watch this season, they’re just not ready to be a force to be reckoned with at this point. They have a promising young team, but they’re too young to make any serious noise just yet.

I’ll be the first to admit that I might be a little too low on the Hornets. I’ve always loved Kemba Walker as a player, and it kills me that he’s still wasting the prime of his career on this horrible team. The supporting cast just isn’t great to say the least, and I don’t see how they avoid being one of the bottom feeders in the East. We’ll see if they can prove me wrong, but Kemba and a bunch of spare parts should mean a pretty disappointing season for the Hornets. Kemba needs to get the hell out of Charlotte, and this might be the year they mercifully trade him. Next up we have the Heat, a team that has always scared the crap out of me as a Celtics Fan. The Heat might just be the grittiest team in basketball. Although they may not have the most talent out there, they play every single regular season game like their lives depend on it. That ferocious style of play combined with their always underrated coach Erik Spoelstra makes the Heat a tough win for every team on their schedule.

The Wizards are pretty much the exact opposite of the Heat. They have the talent to be a true title contender with John Wall, Bradley Beal, Porter, and now Dwight Howard. That being said, this team just hasn’t been able to figure it out over the years. I mean hell, the best they’ve ever done is losing in the Eastern Conference Semis to a Celtics team led by a five foot nine point guard. That locker room is just one of the worst in the league, and I honestly believe that nearly every player hates being there, and that was before they brought in known locker room cancer Dwight Howard. The bottom line with the Wizards is that they have a ton of talent, negative team chemistry, and their season has one of the widest range of outcomes out there. Would it shock me if they were a rock solid team, competing for the number three seed in the East? Absolutely not. The issue is that it also wouldn’t shock me if they are an absolute disaster that needs to be blown up at the deadline. The only thing I do know is that the Wizards are going to be interesting one way or another.

Atlantic

Celtics, 71-11

Raptors, 71-11

Sixers, 46-36

Nets, 9-73

Knicks, 8-73

First of all in the Atlantic Division, we’ve got what should be the worst team in the league this year. Although they still play in a place that people call the Mecca of Basketball, the Knicks are going to be horrible this year. They have some young pieces, some horrible contracts, and an injured star. That’s pretty much all I can say about this team at the moment. I wouldn’t be shocked if they actually end up playing it safe with Kristaps and have him sit out the entire season. It just doesn’t make any sense rushing him back to just make your first round pick worse. This year, the Knicks are going to be tanking, and it isn’t going to be pretty. Joining them in the cellar of the NBA is their neighbor Brooklyn Nets. The Nets are still in the process of picking up the pieces after that franchise ruining deal with the Celtics, and just don’t have a ton of talent on the roster. The good news for all you Brooklyn Fans out there however is that you guys finally have a reason to tank! Yes, the Nets finally control their own pick, so Nets Fans get some good news for once. So just try and enjoy Russell, and dream of draft night!

Next up we’ve got the Sixers, a team that I am a little low on compared to other people out there. Last season, everything went well in the health department for injury prone stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, and I just don’t like the odds of it happening two years in a row. Although I’m not by any means predicting season enders for either guy, I just think that both of them are going to miss time, something that will ultimately hurt their record. Also, I just don’t know what Fultz, a guy who they are going to be pretty reliant upon, is going to bring to the table. The bottom line with the Sixers is that no matter how talented they may appear, I just can’t trust them due to all of the unknowns that they bring to the table. Next, we’ve got our first of the three title contenders in the Eastern Conference. The Toronto Raptors are always a great regular season team, falling just short of winning sixty games last year. They have incredible depth and always seem to do a great job filling out the supporting cast of their roster. The issue with them has always been when the playoffs come around, as we saw last year in their embarrassing loss to LeBron and the Cavs. The Raptors however decided to do something about it, trading for Kawhi Leonard instead of just running it back with the same team. In my opinion, Leonard is a top three player in the league when healthy, and he’s going to remind everyone of that fact this season. Led by the best player in the East and Kyle Lowry, the Raptors are going to be a force this season.

Last but not least, we’ve got my Boston Celtics. As everyone knows, they fell just a few missed threes short of making the Finals last season. If only they could add a scoring machine point guard and a do it all stud small forward. Oh wait, they did. Now while he wasn’t able to show his true talent last year due to injury, Kyrie is one hell of a basketball player. He came to Boston to win, and a motivated, finally healthy Kyrie is something that should scare the shit out of the rest of the league. In addition, Gordon Hayward is back after that gruesome injury, and people seem to have forgotten about how good he is. Hayward is a stud on both ends of the floor, and might actually come back better than ever. Just think about the fact that he spent so much time shooting from a chair. Now that he’s able to jump while shooting, he is supposedly able to pull up and knock down threes from Curry range. In addition, the Celtics have guys like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, Marcus Smart, Terry Rozier, and Marcus Morris that were able to take LeBron to seven games last season without their two best players. Led by a guy who is in my humble opinion already the second best coach in basketball in Brad Stevens, this is the year the Celtics take that next step. They’re just too good and have too much depth not to.

Central

Bucks, 62-20

Pacers, 44-38

Cavaliers, 41-41

Pistons, 31-51

Bulls, 16-66

I did my best to not talk too much Celtics, and now we’re on to the Central Division. First up, we’ve got the Chicago Bulls. Now while they have offensive studs in Lavine, Jabari, and Lauri, the Bulls might just be the worst defensive team in the league this year. They absolutely have a ton of offensive firepower, but I just don’t see them making noise even in a bad East with that atrocious defense. That being said, I do like the direction the team is going in, and they may be building something special in Chicago. Next on the list, we’ve got the enigma that is the Detroit Pistons. I’ll be honest, I’m just not the biggest fan of their roster construction. I still don’t understand the Blake trade last season, as it was a win now move for a team that doesn’t have much of a chance to win now. The Pistons are just like Blakes old team in the sense that they’re on the treadmill of mediocrity. They’re too good to tank, but not good enough to be a true playoff team. Their only hope is that the former coach of the year Dwane Casey, a guy who I think shouldn’t have been fired in Toronto, can work his magic on this team. That however is a tall task, and that’s why I see their record shaking out the way it does.

The Cavaliers obviously lost LeBron James this offseason. Now while that is an absolutely catastrophic blow, this team is going to be incredibly motivated. I’m still in the camp that Kevin Love is an All Star Caliber Player, and he’s going to remind us all of that fact with his play this season. In addition, they drafted a promising point guard prospect in Colin Sexton, a guy who might be able to shoulder some of the scoring load. As for the rest of their roster, the Cavs still have all those guys who were brought in last season to help LeBron win a championship. Fresh off of some NBA Finals experience, they all should be ready to contribute in a more significant way than last year. The bottom line is that this team is going to be just good enough to go 500 in a weak Eastern Conference. Next up we’ve got the Pacers, a team that I might be a bit too low on. After all, they nearly beat LeBron James in the first round last season and are basically returning with the same team. With all of their young players now a year older, the addition of Tyreke Evans, and Oladipo entering his second year as the man, I really like the Pacers. That combined with one of the best coaches in basketball in Nate McMillan means that the Pacers are going to be solid this year. I really might be a little too low on them.

Last but certainly not least, we’ve got Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Now all of you haters out there might just take one look at that projected record and roll your eyes. Roll them all you want, because the Bucks are the third team in the East that I believe has a legitimate chance to win it all. I closely watched every game of their series with the Celtics last year, and this team is incredibly talented. You obviously have Giannis, who is right up there with Kawhi in the conversation of best player in the East, and that was without him being able to shoot. If he can actually pull up and hit threes this season, that is absolutely terrifying. So terrifying in fact that Giannis is my preseason pick for MVP. In addition, they have a roster full of talent including the underrated Kris Middleton, Bledsoe, Brogden, and Thon Maker. They even added NCAA Tournament Star Donte DiVencenzo to give them some more scoring off of the bench. I also love the addition of Brook Lopez, finally giving them a true center who can be a force both on the glass and the offensive end. The biggest move they made however was hiring coach Mike Budenholzer. He is the definition of an elite head coach, despite his lack of success the past couple of years in Atlanta. Just picturing this roster with Giannis being able to shoot and a guy like Bud coaching them instead of Wayland Smithers has me shaking in my boots as a Celtics Fan, and that should tell you something about this Bucks squad.

Western Conference Standings

1. Warriors, 75-7
2. Rockets, 68-14
3. Thunder, 67-15
4. Spurs, 64-17
5. Jazz, 58-24
6. Lakers, 57-25
7. Nuggets, 50-32
8. Timberwolves, 49-33

As I said in the beginning, there were ten teams deserving of playoff births out west, but two of them weren’t going to make it. Drawing the short straw were the Mavericks and Trail Blazers, just losing out to the Timberwolves for that eighth seed. For the Mavericks, better days are ahead but I think the Blazers will need to shake things up in the 2019 offseason. Looking at the standings, things look pretty much as expected despite the Lakers being all the way down at sixth. I can’t remember the last time a team with LeBron James was that far down in the standings, but I just can’t stand their supporting cast. We’ll see if I’m wrong, but I unfortunately don’t think I am. So there are your eight playoff teams from the west and now, let’s head out east.

Eastern Conference Standings

1. Celtics, 71-11
2. Raptors, 71-11
3. Bucks, 62-20
4. Sixers, 46-36
5. Wizards, 45-37
6. Pacers, 44-38
7. Heat, 44-38
8. Cavaliers, 41-41

So the Cavaliers are able to sneak into the playoffs amid cries from Mavericks and Blazers Fans that the NBA should get rid of the conference playoff model. Although the east does have four solid, middle of the road playoff teams, the conference is incredibly top heavy. I really do believe that the Celtics, Raptors, and Bucks are going to be right up there with the Warriors, Rockets, and Thunder. Unfortunately for all us fans out there, that is going to make for some pretty boring first round series.

First Round – Eastern Conference

Cavaliers vs Celtics (Four Games)

Wizards vs Sixers (Seven Games)

Pacers vs Bucks (Five Games)

Heat vs Raptors (Five Games)

Speaking of that boring first round out east, yuck. A sweep and two gentleman’s sweeps. The Cavs are going to be completely outmatched by a team who’s bench nearly knocked them off last season with LeBron James still on the roster. Although I do like the Pacers, this first round series is going to be where Giannis shows the world that he isn’t messing around anymore come playoff time. He’s shown a ton of potential for a long time, but this is going to be the year he ultimately realizes it. In terms of the Raptors, the Heat probably aren’t going to give them any major problems. Although they might be able to steal a game, effort and smart coaching only gets you so far in the playoffs. The Raptors are just too damn talented for the Heat to stand a chance. In the only exciting first round series in the east, the Sixers barely edge out the Wizards in a very fun seven game series. Again, the Wizards have so much damn talent, but I just don’t know if I can trust them buckling down and winning a playoff series against Embiid and company. At the end of the day, Embiid and the Sixers’ stability wins out over the Wizards’ erratic abundance of talent.

First Round – Western Conference

Timberwolves vs Warriors (Four Games)

Jazz vs Spurs (Seven Games)

Lakers vs Thunder (Six Games)

Nuggets vs Rockets (Five Games)

Things are definitely going to be a little bit more competitive in the West. That is of course with the exception of the Timberwolves who get the tough draw of the Warriors in the first round. Even if Jimmy and KAT hold hands and sing Kumbaya, something I don’t see happening, there isn’t any way that they even steal a game against the Warriors. Then there’s the Nuggets against the Rockets. While I do like this Nuggets Team, cutting your teeth in the playoffs against a squad as good as the Rockets is not a recipe for success. Although they should be able to steal a game and be competitive in the rest, the Rockets just have too much talent. The next series should show you just how much I like the Thunder this year. Playoff LeBron is a force to be reckoned with no matter his supporting cast, and him just getting two wins and losing in the first round is something he’s never done in his entire career. That being said, he’s never played a team this good in the first round. LeBron will be back with a vengeance next season, but year one in LA will ultimately be remembered as a failure for the King. Last but not least, we have what should be the best series of the first round, with the Jazz taking on the Spurs. Although the Jazz are the more talented team, Pop should find a way to pull this one out. The matchup of Mitchell and DeRozan is going to be one for the ages, and I’m sure that this series is going to give us a ton of great moments to remember. Having said that, the Jazz aren’t going to be able to get that game seven win on the road against the Spurs but man, this series would be fun.

Conference Semifinals

Sixers vs Celtics (Five Games)

Bucks vs Raptors (Seven Games)

Spurs vs Warriors (Six Games)

Thunder vs Rockets (Seven Games)

In the first Conference Semifinal series, I might actually be a little too generous. The Sixers were easily handled last year by the Celtics without Kyrie and Hayward. I was very nice to even give them a game against the incredibly talented and now postseason experienced Boston Celtics. In the next series, I again might have been a little bit too kind to the losing team. Even with Pop, saying that they’re going to get two wins against the Warriors is a little ambitious. This Warriors Team is just too good to be seriously threatened by a team whose star in DeRozan just doesn’t hold a candle to KD, Curry, Thompson, or even Cousins. That brings us to the first of the two fun matchups in this round, with the Thunder taking on the Rockets. This one should be an epic series, with Westbrook and Playoff P winning a nail biter in game seven on the road against Harden and Paul. The Thunder are a legit title contender this season, and you can see how highly I think of them with this prediction.

In what might just be the best series until the Finals, Giannis will barely edge out Kawhi and the Raptors in seven games. Although Rockets Thunder is going to be great, the reason I’m more excited about this series is due to the fact that it’s true strength on strength. As far as I’m concerned, you have the third and fourth best players in the league facing off in a playoff series for the ages. That game seven is the moment however where Giannis takes the next step in his journey to Springfield. Giannis doesn’t have a huge playoff win under his belt yet, and he gets it in that game. Just picture Giannis going into that incredibly hostile environment, and battling with Kawhi all night until he eventually pulls the game out for the Bucks. That is exactly what I believe will happen, and man, I really hope we actually get to see this series unfold. On another note, this matchup shows just how critical capturing the one seed is in the east this year. The difference between the Sixers and the Bucks in the second round is night and day, and that tiebreaker with the Celtics will end up costing Toronto a chance at the Finals.

Conference Finals

Bucks vs Celtics

Thunder vs Warriors

That my friends brings us to the Conference Finals, a place where my Celtics’ Season has ended two years in a row. Fortunately for me and all you other Celtics Fans out there however, they aren’t going to let that streak go to three. In a rematch of that tremendous first round series last year, the Celtics will be able to pull it out. The Celtics are the far deeper team, and while I’d take Giannis over Hayward, the Bucks just don’t have an edge at any other spot including in the coaching battle. Another big reason the Celtics will win is due to their tremendous home court advantage. Anyone who has ever sat inside the Garden in a big playoff game knows that it’s one of the hardest places to play in the entire league, and I just don’t see the Bucks getting a win there. Giannis is one hell of a player, but this team is too good and now has too much playoff expereince to let the Bucks steal one in Boston. In terms of the Bucks at home, it is going to be incredibly difficult for the Celtics to win there, as they showed in their series last year. Having said that, after losing the first two on the road, Kyrie will go nuts in game six, giving the Celtics the series win. So while the Bucks have a lot to be proud of, their season will ultimately end in disappointment with the Celtics celebrating a trip to the Finals.

Although the series in the east is going to be tremendous to watch, I’m even more excited to watch the Thunder take on the Warriors. The obvious storyline in this one is Westbrook trying to prove a point to Kevin Durant. Man, would it be cool to see Westbrook knock off the Warriors. Unfortunately for Westbrook however, I just don’t see it happening. This Warriors Team is just too good. They have the advantage in literally every single matchup, and I just don’t think the Thunder are going to be able to overcome that. After getting game two stolen from them at home, the Warriors will take game three, lose game four, win game five, and close things out in OKC in game six. Just like in the Boston series however, this isn’t going to be alternating blowouts. Each one of these games should be incredibly competitive, and the Thunder are going to show the world just how good they are. Although the Warriors will ultimately head to the Finals once again, the Thunder should keep their heads held high, taking the Warriors’ best punch and nearly being able to come out on top.

NBA Finals

That of course brings us to the series that so many people out there have predicted going into this season. The Golden State Warriors defending their title against the team gunning for their spot as the top team in basketball. So let’s go through the matchups. In terms of coaching, Brad Stevens has a slight edge over Steve Kurr. As much as I like Kurr, Brad is in a whole different stratosphere in terms of his after timeout plays, something that is easily worth a few points each game. At center, you’ve got Demarcus Cousins vs Al Horford, a matchup that I’ll give a slight edge to the Warriors. Coming off of that injury however, Al could potentially give Cousins problems attacking from the perimeter, as he is incredibly skilled out there. Having said that, Cousins will be able to bully Horford in the post, and it will be a mismatch for the Warriors. Next we have Kevin Durant vs Hayward, and that’s another win for the Warriors. Durant is the second best basketball player on the planet as far as I’m concerned, and while Hayward is a stud in his own right, Durant is just in a different class.

At forward, we’ve got Draymond Green vs Jayson Tatum, a matchup that is a massive win for the Celtics. While this might shock some of you, Green is easily the worst of the Warriors’ starting five, and an incredibly overrated player in general. Although he is good defensively, he is absolutely atrocious on the offensive end of the floor, something that the Rockets exploited in a huge way last season. Watching that series, they were just leaving him wide open, and he failed to make them pay time and time again, something that Brad will do throughout this series. Tatum on the other hand was the best player on that Celtics Team that nearly made the Finals last year, and should take a huge step in his second NBA season. As much as I love Horford,  Tatum could just be their third best player by the time the Finals roll around. The next matchup is a pretty significant win for the Warriors, with Jaylen Brown taking on Klay Thompson. Now while Jaylen will do a solid job defensively, he is going to need to do a lot on the offensive end of the floor, and I’m not sure he’s ready. In terms of Klay, he will be locked on Kyrie the entire game and draining threes as he always does. This is where the Warriors have their biggest advantage, and it is indeed a big one.

Before we talk about the matchup everyone wants to see, let’s discus the Celtics’ biggest advantage. Although the Warriors may have the better starting five, the Celtics clearly have the better bench. The collection of Smart, Rozier, Morris, and Baynes is what will make the Celtics able to compete with the Warriors on the league’s biggest stage. I know I’ve said it eighty times by now, but this unit was on the floor in crunch time throughout their deep playoff run last season. Rozier, Smart, and Morris are too good to come off the bench, and that’s why two of those three probably won’t be in town next season. In terms of the Warriors’ unit, Iggy and Livingston are getting old, and although I like their young talent, I’m not sure if they’re ready to compete with guys like Marcus Smart. Although people love to say depth doesn’t matter in the playoffs, it absolutely does in a series this close. When you have to rely so much on your starters like the Warriors are going to, fatigue can become a big problem. For the Celtics however, they can play every minute a million miles an hour knowing that if for example Kyrie needs a break, they have Rozier waiting to check in. This ability for added effort from the starters will help keep it close when both starting lineups are on the floor.

Speaking of Kyrie, let’s talk about the matchup we’ve all been waiting for. Although again this may surprise some people, I think that Kyrie vs Curry is a wash. Yes, I know how good Curry is. That being said, just look at the times they’ve faced off throughout their careers. When being covered by Curry, Kyrie is nearly unstoppable as Curry just isn’t good enough a defender to even remotely slow him down. Kyrie on the other hand has had some pretty good success covering Curry, which will let Jaylen Brown focus on covering Clay Thompson. Curry on the other hand will most likely be covering Brown, which is a pretty big mismatch if you ask me. Brown was a pretty talented offensive player last season, and has a surprisingly good post game. This is where the six foot seven guard will be a huge issue for the Warriors. He will absolutely eat Curry alive in the post, and hiding Curry on the defensive end is going to be impossible with the offensive talent in that Boston starting five.

Now that we’ve given a nice preview for the series, let’s talk about how I see it unfolding. game one is going to be a win for my Celtics. Whatever Brad Stevens’ plan is to beat the Warriors will be unleashed in a big way in game one, and that will be more than enough for the Celtics to steal a close game on the road. In game two however, the Warriors are going to roll in a blowout. They’ll come in incredibly motivated after the game one loss, and run the Celtics out of the building in a big way. In game three, the Celtics will win big, getting their own home blowout win to back up a loss. In game four, the Warriors will win in a close game, with Durant hitting a game winner over the outstretched arms of Marcus Morris in overtime. In game five, the Warriors will get out to a big lead early, and the Celtics will spend the entire game trying to get back within striking distance. At the end of the day however, they won’t be able to get it within five, and the Warriors will take a three games to two lead in the series. In game six however, the Celtics will come out on top in a game that might give me a heart attack. The Warriors are really going to want this one, but the home crowd will give the Celtics the slight edge behind a good all around team win. That my friends brings us to a showdown in the Bay Area for all the marbles.

In game seven, it’s all going to come down to one man and one man only, Kyrie Irving. As we all know, Kyrie has a ton of experience playing well in this building, especially in that game seven where he hit the shot that brought Cleveland that elusive title a few years ago. After focusing their offense around targeting the Curry, Brown matchup in the post, Brad will make the adjustment of running things through his star point guard. Although Klay will initially be on him, the Jaylen Kyrie pick and roll will be ran into the ground to get Curry on Kyrie. When Kyrie has that matchup, he will eat. I’m not predicting another game winner for Kyrie, but expect him to drop 40+ points in what will be an all around electric game seven. The way that this game and series will end however is with the ball in Curry’s hands. He’ll come off of a screen on a last second inbound play, and catch the ball poised to put up a game winning three pointer. Unfortunately for Curry however, he won’t get a chance, as Marcus Smart is the hero for the Celtics, getting a finger on the shot, making it fall short. So there it is. The Warriors once again fall in game seven on their home court at the hands of Kyrie Irving. This is going to be the best Finals we’ve seen since the last time Kyrie won, a welcome breath of fresh air from watching the Warriors beat up on LeBron year in and year out.

Wrapping Up

So that my friends is how I see this NBA Season unfolding. Although last year did have its moments, this will be by far the better season. We will finally have something different in the east, and we’ll also get to see Giannis finally turn the Bucks into a force to be reckoned with. We’ll witness the rise of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and other legitimate threats to the Warriors’ streak of dominance in the west. And of course, we’ll get that amazing Finals Series where the Celtics will get that illusive eighteenth banner. This is how I see things going, and that is why this blog is called No Fear. Come this time next year, we could look back on this and see a very different result. Having said that, I really enjoy looking back at these preseason predictions throughout the season, and man does it make me feel smart when I get something right. But anyways, everyone out there should get excited, because the 2018-2019 NBA Season is here, and it is going to be a ton of fun to watch!