2019-'20 NBA Record Predictions That Will Probably Be Wrong

It seems that the chaos that has been the last few weeks of the NBA off-season is slowly starting to settle down. We now have a pretty good idea as to who will be playing on each team and can now start predicting how new pairings will mesh together as well as whether unchanged teams will be able to return to form come tip-off time in the fall. This post will be predicting and explaining the records of the NBA teams I believe will make the playoffs next season. I’m likely very, very wrong here, but hopefully my reasoning is logical enough to follow. Also, no, I don’t think either my Bulls or Hawks will make it unfortunately. That being said, let's get into it.

Eastern Conference:

1. Milwaukee Bucks (58-24): The young Bucks led the way in the Eastern Conference last season, and having only made minor but effective moves this off-season, I see them leading the pack again in 2019-20. Last season’s league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo recently stated that he thinks he’s only performing at 60% of his potential, which if true, should terrify the league. The Bucks are in good hands with Mike Budenholzer at the helm as head coach, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see a finals run by Milwaukee next year.

2. Philadelphia 76ers (56-26): Another case of youth which has trusted the process finds itself in the #2 spot of the Eastern Conference in my projections. The acquisition of Al Horford makes Philly’s front court of he and Joel Embiid one of most fearsome big-men duos in the league. A lack of shooters may give the 76ers some difficulty against certain opponents, especially come playoff time, but not enough to keep them under 50 wins next season.

3. Boston Celtics (52-30): Swapping out Kyrie Irving and putting in Kemba Walker at the point guard position shouldn’t be too much of a hiccup for this young Boston team. Gordon Hayward is increasingly returning to his pre-injury form, and young talent like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to impress. It may take some time for this newly assembled unit to maximize their chemistry together, but I see another good season coming out of Boston next year.

4. Indiana Pacers (50-32): Assuming that Victor Oladipo plays at his usual pre-injury level, I see Indiana as being a tough team next season. There isn’t much to be said here besides the fact that I do not think Indiana will regress next season, but instead improve and show that they’re a team worthy of praise.

5. Brooklyn Nets (46-26): This is why I absolutely hate injuries in the NBA. It will be another year until we see Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant play alongside one another due to KD’s achilles injury which will likely sideline him for the 2019-20 season. I still see Brooklyn being incredibly fun to watch, but nowhere near the top of their conference and likely a first round exit come playoff time. Come back in ‘20-’21.

6. Toronto Raptors (45-27): It isn’t over for Toronto even though Kawhi Leonard is gone. This was a team good enough to make it to and win an NBA Finals against tough competition because of spirit, grit, determination, and heart. Nick Nurse will lead this team back to the playoffs, and I expect another valiant effort from the Canada-representing NBA champs next season.

7. Miami Heat (43-29): Any team who lands Jimmy G. Buckets is likely to benefit, at least on the court, from such an acquisition. I’m excited to see what kind of fight this team has to give next season, and won’t be surprised when the Heat return to the playoffs next season.

8. Orlando Magic (41-31): The Orlando Magic are slowly just surely cementing their spot as the constant 7/8 seed in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Nikola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon will power their way to north of 40 wins, just enough to be eliminated by a far superior team in the first round of the playoffs.

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles … Clippers (62-20): Not only did the LA Clippers entice two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to join their squad, which would’ve been a feat enough in its own right, but they were also able to pair him with perennial NBA all-star and defensive beast Paul George. The defensive ceiling for this team is sky high with Patrick Beverly, PG, and the Klaw harassing opposing offensive units on every possession. I just don’t see this not working.

2. Denver Nuggets (58-24): This team is so much fun to watch. Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray’s chemistry will continue to develop as Denver makes their way back toward the top of a very stacked Western Conference playoff picture next year.

3. Utah Jazz (55-27): No one should be sleeping on the Utah Jazz, especially after landing underrated all-star Mike Conley this off-season. Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert, and Joe Inges continue to prove their worthiness to be considered as one of the top squads in the West, and maybe this is the year that they make another real playoff push.

4. Houston Rockets (54-28): While everyone is excited that Houston acquired Russell Westbrook from the Oklahoma City Thunder, I’m wary of how this pairing will be able to perform on the court. You can read more about that in my post here. Houston, to me, just doesn’t have the play style that it’s going to take to win it all in this new NBA-era. I expect a decent season, but another playoff disappointment resulting in an early departure accompanied by lots of finger-pointing.

5. Los Angeles Lakers (50-32): The Lakers would be much higher in my projected rankings if they hadn’t traded away their entire roster for Anthony Davis. I’m sure LeBron and The Brow will be dominant on most nights, and the Lakers were smart to not acquire a third superstar which would’ve negated any possible depth they’ve added to their roster, but I’m still worried about any possible injuries as The King continues to add mileage. Any team with LeBron James isn’t going to show their teeth during the regular season, anyway, so the 5 seed seems appropriate here.

6. Portland Trailblazers (49-33): It feels like a disservice to put Portland this low on the list. Damian Lillard and company continually show how much spirit and ingenuity they have to knock teams out of the playoffs in the most unforgettable ways possible. Any team that has to go up against Portland come playoff time has their work cut out for them.

7. Golden State Warriors (47-35): I think Golden State Warrior fans are still in denial. The superteam’s run will never be forgotten and the highlights will always be entertaining, but this just isn’t the same team anymore. Kevin Durant is now a Brooklyn Net and Klay Thompson will likely miss a majority of the upcoming season due to injury. D’Angelo Russell will need to acclimate to Golden State’s system, and their depth is nearly non-existent in losing Andre Iguodala and Quinn Cook. The Warriors will almost definitely be a first-round exit next year, but it will be fun to watch Stephen Curry put on a show all season long.

8. San Antonio Spurs (46-36): With Gregg Popovich leading things, it’s almost impossible to count the Spurs out of the playoff hunt. DeMar DeRozan and LaMarcus Aldridge still pair together nicely, and there’s enough depth here to land a playoff spot. Tim Duncan joining SAS as an assistant coach will likely help things as well.

Next season is setting up to be one of the most authentically entertaining in recent memory. A sense of seeming parity makes me excited but also makes these sort of predictions difficult to make, which is why my listings are likely to come back as wholly inaccurate. I hope that the logic behind my projections makes enough sense. I can’t wait for the return of NBA basketball. How do you think things will shake up?