2016 NBA Standings Predictions

The NBA draft just happened, free agency is still occurring, and teams are nowhere near set yet. So in my mind that means it is clearly time to already make predictions for the 2016 NBA season. Here are your way-too-early 2016 NBA Standings Predictions.

Western Conference

There has been a decent power swing in the Western Conference underneath Golden State, but overall the West is just so powerful. Teams that would be 5 or 6 seeds in the East don’t even make the playoffs in the West sometimes. That’s insanity at its finest.

1. Golden State Warriors: 62-20

The Warriors pretty much have everyone important back, but I have them dipping a bit in terms of record just out of how much better their Western conference foes have gotten. Steph Curry will still play at an MVP level, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green should improve, and the Warriors will still come out of the West with the number one seed.

2. San Antonio Spurs: 59-23

The Spurs stole free agency. They picked up LaMarcus Aldridge, Danny Green came back with a steal of a deal, Tim Duncan will be back, and they’re still the Spurs. Expect a battle on top of the West between the Warriors and the Spurs.

3. Houston Rockets: 57-25

The Rockets play in the same division as the Spurs, so this is a race to keep your eye on-that is unless the NBA goes forward and seeds teams based on record instead of division winners. The Rockets have no major changes, but they have a solid team and a core that is pretty set.

4. Los Angeles Clippers: 56-26

The Clippers have one of the best starting fives in the NBA, and that should carry them to a great regular season record. With a revamped bench (kind of) and DeAndre Jordan back, the Clippers should makes some noise.

5. Oklahoma City Thunder: 55-27

The Thunder will not miss the playoffs if both Durant and Westbrook stay healthy. People may have forgotten how great this team is, but with Durant back in the mix, people will remember. That is until Durant leaves OKC for Washington next year.

6. New Orleans Pelicans: 52-30

The Pelicans haven’t made any additions to the team really outside of new head coach Alvin Gentry, but with Anthony Davis ready to be even better and the high hopes of a healthy roster, the Pelicans should grow into legitimate contenders in the West.

7. Dallas Mavericks: 50-32

The Mavericks lost out on DeAndre Jordan after winning him, but they still have Wesley Matthews signed on, and they still have Dirk. They also added Deron Williams, who will make a legitimate impact for them.

8. Memphis Grizzlies: 49-33

The Grizzlies still need 3-point shooting and they just don’t care at all. Memphis falls here because of the increasing age of their stars, but they still squeeze into the playoffs.

9. Phoenix Suns: 45-37

The Suns went for Aldridge in free agency but did not succeed, instead pulling in Tyson Chandler, and getting a steal in the draft in Devin Booker. Expect the Suns to be right on the cusp of the playoff picture all year-long.

10. Utah Jazz: 41-41

The Jazz are quietly getting back into the playoff picture. Rudy Gobert is a stud, and this team is young. So while they aren’t real contenders this year, they will be in the next few years or so.

11. Sacramento Kings: 37-45

The Kings have a pretty nice roster actually, and with Rondo running the point the floor will open up for all of Sacramento’s scorers. Willie Cauley-Stein adds a defensive presence, and it will be all about how Cousins co-exists with George Karl.

12. Portland Trail Blazers: 34-48

The Trail Blazers are huge losers in this offseason. Their only top-6 scorer returning is Damian Lillard, and he will be playing with a ton of unproven prospects. I think they string together some wins, but the reality could look worse than this.

13. Minnesota Timberwolves: 32-50

The Timberwolves have a bunch of young talent, but that won’t equate to wins just yet. There’s no way they should finish with the number one overall pick again, but this squad still needs to learn how to play in the NBA and win together.

14. Los Angeles Lakers: 29-53

Yes Kobe is healthy again and D’Angelo Russell was a great pick, but the Lakers still don’t have a roster built to win, which is sad because they tried. Expect the Lakers to be planning for 2017.

15. Denver Nuggets: 21-61

Expect the Nuggets to tank. They have to clean out their roster and rebuild, so it will be a tough year in Denver. Getting Emmanuel Mudiay was a steal in the draft, but they need a lot more than Mudiay to be relevant.

Eastern Conference

Not as much changed in the East as changed in the West, but teams are still rising and falling. It will be interesting to see if Atlanta is magical again, and to see if David Blatt actually coaches this year.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers: 63-19

Cleveland’s team is borderline unfair. It’s like Dan Gilbert is playing NBA 2k16 with the cap turned off. To put it bluntly, there is no good reason the Cavaliers shouldn’t win the title next year. With LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, and Kevin Love with a great supporting cast, this Cavaliers team is like James’ Heat teams but on steroids.

2. Atlanta Hawks: 56-26

The Hawks haven’t done anything to drastically improve, but they’re pretty much the same team outside of DeMarre Carroll. However, the loss of Carroll should equate to some more losses in Atlanta.

3. Chicago Bulls: 53-29

Let’s assume Derrick Rose isn’t healthy all year, but his play improves with a year under his belt returning from all sorts of knee surgeries. Let’s assume Fred Hoiberg helps the offense actually work. Jimmy Butler will be an MVP candidate, and the Bulls still have a very good roster. Good enough to get out of the East? No. But good enough to face Cleveland in the Conference Finals? Yes.

4. Miami Heat: 52-30

Expect the Heat to be legitimate contenders for a top two seed in the East. With Chris Bosh back on the court, a steal in Justise Winslow in the draft, Goran Dragic, Luol Deng, and Dwayne Wade returning, the Heat have a great team. Hassan Whiteside will hopefully improve, and how cool would a Cavaliers/Heat semi-finals be?

5. Milwaukee Bucks: 48-34

Milwaukee scares me. The addition of Greg Monroe will be nice for their lack of low post fire power, and Jabari Parker recovering from ACL surgery will also be huge. I really expect to see Giannis Antetokounmpo take a big leap this year; his potential is endless.

6. Washington Wizards: 46-36

I have the Wizards finishing with the exact same record. They will continue to improve (I am especially excited to see John Wall) but the East has also improved. Don’t be surprised to see the Wizards finish here, but still win a first round playoff series.

 

7. Toronto Raptors: 42-40

The Raptors had a great year last year, but even with the addition of DeMarre Carroll they lost Amir Johnson and Lou Williams, and will suffer as a result. The Raptors could push higher than this, but I just see a decent drop.

8. Boston Celtics:39-43

I see the Celtics still making the playoffs, but with a worse record than they accomplished last year. Not like it is significant, but it makes sense they may lose a game or two more now that other Eastern conference teams are now a little better. The Celtics got a big man in Amir Johnson, but he isn’t a total game changer.

9. Indiana Pacers: 38-44

The Indiana Pacers have Paul George coming back, but they just aren’t the same team they used to be. Without Roy Hibbert and David West they don’t have the same defensive/low post presence. Expect this to be a transition year, but give them a couple years and they’ll be competing again.

10. Detroit Pistons: 37-45

At one point I projected the Pistons to make the playoffs in 2016, but I had also projected them getting a little better of a supporting cast around Andre Drummond than Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova. The Pistons are putting some nice things together though, taking a big swing with Reggie Jackson’s contract and hoping it pays off.

11. Brooklyn Nets: 33-49

Brook Lopez always struggles to stay healthy, and this team is really built on fringe starters outside of Lopez and Joe Johnson. The Nets will compete for the 8th seed, but this is a team that needs to continue the commitment to getting younger.

12. Charlotte Hornets: 31-51

The Hornets got better with Nic Batum, but playoffs-better? Their star Al Jefferson regressed last year, and they’re still not really built for success. The Hornets are stuck in mediocre limbo right now, not wanting to tear apart the roster, but not good enough to compete.

13. Orlando Magic: 28-54

The Magic are an exciting young team, but I still think they have a couple years of growing pains to go. Aaron Gordon is looking good, Elfrid Payton should be improved, and Scott Skiles is the guy who can bring them to mediocrity until Tom Thibodeau takes over.

14. New York Knicks: 24-58

The Knicks have made minor improvements, but they’re still not quite built to win. Carmelo is regretting taking the money to stay in New York, but at least they won’t be AS terrible as last year… right?

15. Philadelphia 76ers: 21-61

The 76ers drafted roughly 42 big men in the 2015 NBA draft because they don’t really care about winning right now. However, Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel will make a great front court. The 76ers still don’t have a competitive team, but if they draft as many guards in the 2016 draft as they did bigs in 2015, they might be onto something.

 

Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Am I just a h8r who sits behind a computer screen? Let me know in the comments below.

 

Also, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter! You can also follow me on Twitter so we can talk sports all the time.

Related Posts

• 
  Steelers Week 2 Preview
• 
  Carolina Panthers vs. Houston Texans: Week 2
• 
  Why Signing Metta World Peace Somehow Makes Sense