The Golden State Warriors took the NBA by storm last season, and not even LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers could stop them.
But this season is a whole new ballgame.
The 2015-16 season tips off Tuesday night, and a quick look around the league reveals one obvious truth: There are a whole lot of teams with a shot at an NBA title.
The Warriors have all the pieces in place to repeat. The ever-dangerous San Antonio Spurs just added LaMarcus Aldridge. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a healthy, hungry combo in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. The Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers both are loaded with talent.
But there’s a good chance this year’s champion doesn’t even come out of the Western Conference. LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly won an NBA title without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, so if Big Three can stay healthy, the Cavs look like the team to beat.
So how will this NBA season shake out? We can’t see into the future, but we certainly can predict it. Here’s our predictions for playoff teams in both conferences, conference finals winners and, of course, the NBA Finals winner.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Atlanta Hawks
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Toronto Raptors
5. Miami Heat
6. Milwaukee Bucks
7. Boston Celtics
8. Washington Wizards
A motivated LeBron James and a healthy Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love make the top seed a runaway. The Hawks post another solid season despite losing DeMarre Carroll, while the Bulls rely on their depth to survive another injury-riddled season from Derrick Rose. The Heat and Bucks continue their rise in the East ranks, and the budding Celtics squeak past the disappointing Wizards for their second consecutive playoff appearance as a No. 7 seed.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. Golden State Warriors
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Houston Rockets
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Oklahoma City Thunder
6. Memphis Grizzlies
7. Utah Jazz
8. New Orleans Pelicans
Reigning MVP Stephen Curry powers the Warriors to another dominant regular season, but LaMarcus Aldridge and the Spurs are hot on their heels. Kevin Durant and the Thunder start slow under new coach Billy Donovan but storm down the stretch to earn the No. 5 seed. The Jazz continue their upward trend thanks to Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert, while Anthony Davis single-handedly leads a banged-up Pelicans squad back into the playoffs.
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Cavaliers over Bulls
Rose gets healthy in time for the playoffs and helps the Bulls run through the rest of the weak Eastern Conference. But even a healthy Chicago squad isn’t enough to stop James and the Cavs, who take this series in six.
WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS
Spurs over Thunder
The Thunder get on a roll and knock off both the Clippers and the Warriors, while San Antonio coasts through a much easier postseason slate. Durant makes this series interesting, but Gregg Popovich and the battle-tested Spurs find a way to get it done and win in seven.
NBA FINALS
Cavaliers over Spurs
James hasn’t forgotten the time San Antonio denied his Heat a third consecutive title in 2014. With Irving and Love by his side, the reigning NBA MVP wins his third — and most important — title to bring the city of Cleveland its first championship in more than half a century.
Thumbnail photo via Soobum Im/USA TODAY Sports Images
