The NBA season is upon us at last, and at this point what’s left but to pretend we know what’s going to happen? The 2019-20 season follows arguably the most turbulent offseason in modern league history, such that most every team has been turned upside-down one way or another. It’s fair at this point to say that none of us really knows what to expect.
There’s no fun in admitting that though, so on the cusp of the new season, here are one writer’s bold picks for some of the things we’ll see this year.
Dwight Howard Will Have His Best Season Since Orlando
I can’t believe I’m making a positive Dwight Howard prediction, but hear me out. Yes, the Lakers were desperate when they signed him. Yes, he’s a team killer. And yes, he’s been utterly useless for the better part of a decade. But now that those obvious factors are out of the way, consider this: Dwight is playing with the best teammate he’s ever had (LeBron James), the second-best teammate he’s ever had (Anthony Davis), and has absolutely nothing to lose. Davis will draw enough attention to give Dwight space to operate, and James will make sure he’s happy and productive. Throw in a pretty good preseason performance and I’m sold, not that he’ll be great, but that he’ll be a lot better than we’ve come to expect.
Devin Booker Will Win A Scoring Title
Devin Booker finished seventh (tied with Kawhi Leonard) in scoring last season. Granted just about everyone was at least 10 PPG behind James Harden, but you have to figure Harden’s scoring gets more mortal with Russell Westbrook now in Houston. And if Harden comes back down to Earth, Booker should be right in the mix. On top of that, he finally has a respectable point guard to play with (Ricky Rubio) at the same time as some of the Suns’ most reliable scoring left town in the form of TJ Warren. This means that Booker will be facing less of a need to create his own shot but more of a need to score. It should be good for a few extra points per game.
The Miami Heat Will Be The 3-Seed In The East
Among some of the betting experts’ picks for the NBA, I’ve been surprised to see how low Miami is in the Eastern Conference odds. The expectation seems to be that they’ll finish in sixth or seventh in the conference. I see a brighter season ahead for Miami. Love him or hate him, Jimmy Butler is a killer, and the best player the Heat have had since LeBron James. Bam Adebayo is ready to be unleashed now that Hassan Whiteside is out of town, and
Kyrie Irving Will Win MVP
For all his otherworldly talent, Kyrie Irving has undeniably earned his reputation as a weird, underachieving malcontent. His antics in Boston largely ruined his reputation, not just as a fun player but as an effective one. Yet I can’t help but feel like he’s ready to shake all that off in Brooklyn, and I think people speculating about an MVP season may be onto something. Irving chose this situation (unlike Cleveland or Boston). He has evident pride in his nearby home, and he will 100% have the reigns to the team this year as Kevin Durant recovers from his torn Achilles. The Nets as constructed are good enough to support Irving but not so good to get in his way. I expect incredible stats, significantly less drama, and all in all a Kyrie Irving who stands out so much in the East that he rises above the West’s hodgepodge of MVP contenders.
The Warriors Will Win The Title
This would have been the furthest thing from a bold prediction in each of the last five seasons. At this point though the Warriors are being recklessly counted out by seemingly the entire NBA community. I don’t get it. This team still has Stephen Curry (another likely scoring title and MVP contender) and Draymond Green. It brought in a legitimate All-Star-caliber guard in D’Angelo Russell. It may well get Klay Thompson back. It has a pretty good rookie in Jordan Poole. Kevon Looney re-signed. Sure, losing Durant and Andre Iguodala, and Thompson for at least a chunk of the season, hurts. But the full-strength Warriors were <em>so much better</em> than everyone else that I still think this depleted version should be considered a title favorite.
