#West
- Thunder (61-21): They were already 1st and improved their weakest spots.
- Mavericks (57-25): They were on pace to win 60 after the PJ/Gafford trades and upgraded THJ to Klay.
- Timberwolves (55-27): Still are a very deep team after the trade and will still have an elite defense.
- Nuggets (50-32): Jokic is still amazing, but the team’s depth is shot, so they will regress a little.
- Kings (49-33): DeRozan is a very underrated pickup IMO. He will mesh great with this Kings team.
- Grizzlies (48-34): They are still good, but the West has gotten stronger since they were 2nd, and I don’t think their depth is on the same level as then.
- Suns (47-35): The bench is still pretty barren and their stars have been unreliable.
- Pelicans (46-36): Normally I would be high on the Pelicans, but they really need a better center than Theis.
- Rockets (44-38): I expect them to continue improving, though playoffs will be tough without a superstar leap from someone.
- Lakers (43-39): LeBron and AD had anomalously healthy seasons last year and the Lakers only barely made the 'yoffs.
- Clippers (42-40): Still a good team, but just not good enough to make the play-in in a conference like this.
- Spurs (40-42): Watch out.
- Warriors (38-44): They are done without an absolutely bonkers season from Steph. If the Warriors could get Olympic Steph for 82 games…
- Jazz (24-58): Tanking, but still have Lauri so they won’t bottom out.
- Trail Blazers (19-63): Just tanking.
#East
- Celtics (62-20): They will take it easy compared to last year.
- Knicks (58-24): The Knicks are ready to contend for a championship.
- 76ers (55-27): The 76ers are ready to contend for the conference finals.
- Magic (50-32): They will continue improving, but will need Paolo to become a legit top 10-15 guy to contend.
- Pacers (49-33): Good team but probably shouldn’t have made the ECF last year.
- Cavaliers (48-34): I think they make a trade. Allen and Garland are probably gone at the deadline IMO.
- Bucks (46-36): Giannis’ supporting cast is rapidly aging. With young teams on the come-up, I think the Bucks finally slip out of home court this year.
- Heat (40-42): They are done.
- Hawks (35-47): They are still painfully mid, and with talent up overall in the league, they are sub-mid.
- Hornets (33-49): If they are healthy, they will be back in the play-in. LaMelo and BM24 are legit. The rest of the team… eh.
- Bulls (28-54): Without DeRozan, they are cooked. Vuc and LaVine will be shut down by ASB.
- Pistons (23-59): They can’t be THAT bad again, right?
- Raptors (21-61): When Masai tanks, he tanks. The memo is already out there.
- Nets (19-63): Ben Simmons will put this team on his back.
- Wizards (16-66)
Lakers were on pace for 60 wins after darvin Ham stopped being a terrorist and were 10th? Yet Mavs were on pace for 60 wins and yall second? Kyrie and Luka don’t play 82 games like you think buddy