A couple of weeks back I posted a power rankings and season outlook for each team entering the 2020-2021 NBA season. In this article, although it is early I decided to have written evidence of my season predictions with win-loss records and final standings predictions for each team, who will win the ROY and MVP, and also predicting NBA playoff matchups and results. I am bound to be wrong as the season unravels since injuries and roster changes are inevitable throughout the season. However here we go. I have already posted a season outlook for each team so I will save the descriptions of my thoughts on these teams as it is written in the previous power rankings article. I will start with the final standings predictions and win-loss records.
Western Conference
Los Angeles Lakers 58-14
Denver Nuggets 54-18
Los Angeles Clippers 50-22
Dallas Mavericks 48-24
Golden State Warriors 44-28
Utah Jazz 42-30
Phoenix Suns 40-32
New Orleans Pelicans 39-33
Out of playoffs
Portland Trailblazers 38-34
Houston Rockets- 36-36
Memphis Grizzlies 34-38
Sacramento Kings 30-42
San Antonio Spurs 26-46
Minnesota Timberwolves 22-50
Oklahoma City Thunder 16-56
Eastern Conference
Milwaukee Bucks 56-16
Boston Celtics 52-20
Brooklyn Nets 50-22
Miami Heat 48-24
Toronto Raptors 45-27
Philadelphia 76ers 42-30
Atlanta Hawks 40-32
Indiana Pacers 38-34
Out of playoffs
Washington Wizards 36-36
Orlando Magic 32-40
Charlotte Hornets 26-46
Chicago Bulls 22-50
New York Knicks 20-52
Cleveland Cavaliers 16-56
Detroit Pistons 13-59
Western Conference first-round matchups:
Los Angeles Lakers vs. 8. New Orleans Pelicans
The Lakers will play Zion, Lonzo, Ingram, and the Pelicans and it will be very fun to watch. The reason why we get this matchup is because the beard gets traded out of Houston and because of that the Rockets will not make the playoffs. Lakers will cruise in this series as the Pelicans will still be too young. Lakers in 4.
Result: Lakers in 4
Denver Nuggets vs. 7. Phoenix Suns
This series will go 7 games as crazy as that sounds. Chris Paul and Booker will step up while DeAndre Ayton will be dominant as well. Unfortunately for the Suns, the Nuggets will again work their Jokic and Murray magic with Michael Porter Jr. scoring 34 in game 7 and solidifying his spot as a rising star in this league. Not to mention Bol Bol will prove to have a serious role in this series.
Result: Nuggets in 7
Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6. Utah Jazz
I have said this many times before. The Jazz are not gonna win a title any time soon unless they surround Mitchell and Gobert with a third star as soon as possible. They will consistently get by with those two players leading the way but will get eliminated in the first or second round every season no matter how good their dynamic duo is. The Clippers will enter the playoffs angry, wanting revenge, and Kawhi Leonard and Paul George will dominate in this series as well as Ibaka on the defensive end against Gobert. Mitchell will buy his team a game with a 50 point performance but he can’t win this series by himself. This series will be over in 5.
Result: Clippers in 5
Dallas Mavericks vs. 5. Golden State Warriors
This will be a very good series. Even without Klay, the Warriors will be great this season behind Curry’s brilliance and Green, Oubre, Wiggins, and Wiseman being a valuable core to go along with Curry. Curry will be great all year and will also lead them in this series. Draymond Green will have a comeback year and surprise people with his production and even though I am not high on Wiggins, Oubre and Wiseman will be great too in their first year with the Warriors. However, Luka Doncic may be the best player in the NBA this season and he still has Kristaps Porzingis, a second star to surround his greatness. Josh Richardson was a huge pickup, although I hate the departure of sharpshooter Seth Curry. Tyrell Terry will have to step up but he won’t be Seth Curry. However, Luka will lead the Mavs to win this series in 6 games.
Result: Mavericks in 6
Eastern Conference first-round
Milwaukee Bucks vs. 8.Indiana Pacers
Plain and simple the Pacers don’t have what it takes and it doesn’t matter how good T.J. Warren, Domantas Sabonis, or Victor Oladipo are. Bucks in 4.
Result: Bucks in 4
Boston Celtics vs. 7. Atlanta Hawks
This will be a fun-high-scoring series even with the Celtics’ good defense. Trae Young will put up numbers but so will Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Bogdonavic and playoff Rondo, to go along with Young, Okongwu, Collins, and Capela, will win them at least one game this series if not two.
Result: Celtics in 5
Brooklyn Nets vs. 6. Philidelphia 76ers
The 76ers will be great in their first year with Daryl Morey as their GM, especially if they can get James Harden. Even if they do they still lose this series though. Getting Seth Curry was huge as he is the sharpshooter they lacked last season. Ben Simmons and Embiid will both improve and be fantastic if Ben Simmons stays on the team and isn’t traded for Harden. However, in a star-studded Eastern Conference, they will lose in the first round to Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant will be looking to prove he’s still the NBA’s second-best player and he will surely look like it in this series. the 76ers will be a tough first-round matchup but the Nets will win in 6.
Result: Nets in 6
Miami Heat vs. 5. Toronto Raptors
Toronto has built a tough, winning culture, but they lack superstardom no matter how good their players play together. Siakam, Lowry, VanFleet, and Powell will be great, but not enough to get past the hungrier defending Eastern Conference Champions Miami Heat.
Western Conference second-round matchups
Los Angeles Lakers vs. 4. Dallas Mavericks
This will undoubtedly be a close series. Luka will be trying to ascend to greatness and the first step in doing that is to beat the juggernaut Lakers with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Even though Luka will do everything in his power to make that happen, he just doesn’t have the supporting cast to do so. The Lakers will be challenged but will win in 6 games.
Result: Lakers in 6
Denver Nuggets vs. 3. Los Angeles Clippers
What a crazy rematch this is going to be. Kawhi and PG will want revenge and their gonna get it in 6 games this time around. They will not let the Nuggets force a game 7 because we know what happened the last time the Clips let them do that. Murray, Jokic, and Porter Jr. will all be great, but Kawhi will play some of the best basketball he has ever played and after this series, he will be considered an undisputed top 5 player in the NBA. Paul George will play great in this series too. Clippers in 6.
Result: Clippers in 6
Eastern Conference second-round matchups
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Miami Heat
I know the Bucks have never dominated the Heat and they won’t do so in the upcoming regular season as well. However, the Bucks will finally change the narrative that they are playoff chokers this year. They will beat the Heat, as crazy as that sounds in 7 games. This will be a very tough series for Milwaukee and Giannis will do everything he can to will them to win and he will. Jrue Holiday is an underrated signing and he will become the third star Giannis has needed for the past three years. Middleton will play great as well and Donte DiVincenzo will become a very good player as well. They need to pick up some more shooting by the deadline which I think they will do. Once they do that, this team will finally be built for the postseason, not the regular season. Jimmy Buckets, Bam Bam, and Tyler Herro will play fantastic, as will Duncan Robinson, but the Bucks will be hungry to prove that they can win a title. This will be the first step toward completing that goal. Bucks in 7.
Result: Bucks in 7
Boston Celtics vs. Brooklyn Nets
Boston is a very good team and is well-coached. However, as good as Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are, they are not Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving. The media really thinks Durant won’t be back in his MVP-type form. Are you kidding me? He was younger than Cousins and Kobe when they tore their Achilles and he spent more time recovering than either of those players to make sure he is elite again. Many members of the media also fail to see the depth and talent of this team. They have two superstars in Kyrie and KD, not to mention they have Spencer Dinwiddie, Caris LeVert, Jarret Allen, Joe Harris, Landry Shamet, and DeAndre Jordan. Wow. This team is the biggest threat to the Lakers if they stay healthy, and they will beat Boston based on their pure talent, regardless of how Steve Nash will coach.
Result: Nets in 6
Western Conference Finals
Los Angeles Lakers vs. 3. Los Angeles Clippers.
The matchup people wanted to see last year but the Nuggets spoiled it. Fans will get their wish this year as the Clippers are hungry to prove themselves while the Lakers are hungry to repeat. This series will go 6 games only because the Clippers don’t have the depth to even force a game 7 against the Lakers. With Horton Tucker becoming a solid role player, and the added depth of the Lakers with Gasol, Schroder, Harell, and Matthews, the Lakers will be challenged but will be able to make it out of the Western Conference without playing a game 7.
Result: Lakers in 6
Eastern Conference Finals
Milwaukee Bucks vs. 3. Brooklyn Nets
This will be a very good series but again the Nets’ depth as long as they stay healthy will result in an Eastern Conference championship. Giannis, Holiday, and Middleton will play great, but Durant and Kyrie along with the depth of the Nets will be too talented to stop. Nets in 6.
NBA Finals
Los Angeles Lakers vs. 3. Brooklyn Nets
This will be a very good series and the matchup of Kevin Durant and LeBron James will be a huge story. Although they are different players with different teams than the last time they met, the Lakers’ depth is even better than the Nets depth so LeBron will lead the Lakers to their second straight championship, this time over Durant and the Nets. This series will go 6 games.
Result: Lakers crowned back to back champions in 6 games.
Now as I have laid out my predictions for the final standings and playoff matchup results, it is time to move on to award predictions. We will start with Rookie of the Year.
Award predictions:
Rookie of the Year: LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets
I have a strong feeling that LaMelo Ball will win this year’s Rookie of the Year. He will put up some great numbers for a rookie which will be around 16 ppg, 5 RPG, and 6-8 APG, which will be enough to crown him the Rookie of the Year. He will definitely be an inefficient shooter, but his flashy passes, swagger, and all-around game will result in a ROY award regardless of his shooting percentage. However, his team will suck whether Gordon Hayward plays or not, so I don’t know if that will have an effect on the result of the award. James Wiseman seems to be in a position to get valuable minutes and contributions to a projected playoff team in the Warriors so if he does well I can see them rewarding him with the award. Obi Toppin is the most NBA ready and will get a ton of minutes for the struggling Knicks. He will be fantastic and could definitely win the Rookie of the Year if he puts up numbers similar to what he’s expected to put up. Other than Wiseman and Toppin I don’t see anyone challenging Ball for this award, even #1 overall pick Anthony Edwards who will have to learn how to play with Towns and Russell before figuring out his role on the team.
Final standings in Rookie of the Year race:
LaMelo Ball
Obi Toppin
James Wiseman
Issac Okoro
Deni Avdija
Anthony Edwards
Tyrese Haliburton
Patrick Williams
Onyeka Okongwu
Killian Hayes
Most improved Player: Lonzo Ball, New Orleans Pelicans
I know that a ton of players could win this award, but I just see Lonzo Ball finally starting to reach his potential this season. I think that he will take an even bigger leap defensively this season becoming an elite on-ball defender, not to mention his field goal percentage and 3PT field goal percentage will get better as well. I think his scoring and rebounding will be around the same, where he will average around 12-13 PPG and 6-7 RPG, but his assist numbers will go up dramatically with Steven Adams coming in and Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson being the All-stars they are. That’s another thing. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Zion Williamson will make his first all-star appearance this season if he stays healthy. He will also average at least 25-26 ppg and a lot of that production will come from open looks created by Ball’s playmaking. Back to Ball, his APG should go up from 7apg to 9-10 APG. Ball will be in the top 3 of assists this season and his steal numbers will go up as well, since Jrue Holiday, another elite defender is now in Milwaukee. Other players that will challenge Ball for this award will be Michael Porter Jr, Tyler Herro, R.J. Barrett, and Marvin Bagley. All of those 5 could also win the award but I just see Lonzo flourishing this season and being a big part of New Orleans's success.
Sixth Man of the Year: Dennis Schroder, Los Angeles Lakers
Schroder was a finalist for this award last season after producing a remarkable campaign for the Thunder. LeBron and Davis can’t take all of the reigns of this team and Schroder will become the third option on this star-studded team. Harell should challenge Schroder for this award, as should Lou Williams of the Clippers, but I see Schroder being a huge factor in the Lakers repeating as champions and he will have a great year similar to last season.
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
Davis should have won the award last year as his defensive presence was evident and crucial in the Lakers’ quest for a championship. Davis has become the biggest defensive threat in the league as he is now an elite interior and perimeter defender. Put him on anyone, he will block their shot, force a turnover, and probably also get the rebound. Yes, Giannis and Gobert with both contend for this award, as will Kawhi Leonard and Ben Simmons, but the voters will finally get it right this year and Davis will be crowned DPOY.
Coach of the Year: Erik Spoelstra, Miami Heat
Spoelstra proved to be the best coach in the Eastern Conference through the playoffs last season. He had adjustments for every opponent, even the Lakers as seen in game 5 of the NBA finals. It is amazing that that roster even made it to the Eastern Conference Finals, not to mention the NBA Finals. Rick Carlisle, Nick Nurse, and Frank Vogel will challenge Spoelstra for this award, but I think he deserves it and will get it this upcoming season.
Executive of the Year: Rob Pelinka
I am not gonna lie, I was a Rob Pelinka hater until this year. As a Lakers fan, I have paid attention to every move Pelinka has made as the Lakers GM. What made me originally hate him and Magic Johnson was the move to trade Zubac for Muscala at the trade deadline in 2019. I don't know if this stupidity was attributed to Rob or MAgic, but whoever it was didn’t matter because everyone and their mom knew that was a bad trade and it shouldn’t have happened. In hindsight, did the Lakers need Zubac? No, not really, and every move by Pelinka since Magic stepped down that April has been fantastic. The trade for Anthony Davis was great, even if the Lakers had to give up a lot, it resulted in a championship in his first year as a Laker. The additions of Dwight Howard, Avery Bradley, Quinn Cook, Jared Dudley, and others last season proved to be successful after the season resulted in a championship. He changed my mind about him then and he continued to have the best offseason ever following a championship getting Montrezl Harrell, Dennis Schroder, Wesley Matthews, and Marc Gasol to help bolster an already NBA championship roster. He should have won executive of the year last year, but he will finally get this much-deserved award this upcoming season.
Most Valuable Player: LeBron James
I am a diehard Lakers fan so you can call me biased, but realistically LeBron James deserves league MVP every year. Last season he definitely deserved it leading the league in assists while also leading the Lakers to an NBA championship. LeBron is tired as he is coming off just 72 days of rest and he probably won’t try unless he needs to in the regular season but it doesn't even matter. Not trying age 36 LeBron will still average 25 PPG, 8 RPG, and close to 10 APG. He will lead the Lakers to the first seed in the Western Conference and the best overall NBA record as well. That should be enough to put him and Davis as leading MVP candidates to go along with Luka Doncic, Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, Giannis, and Nikola Jokic. The voters must then decide who is more valuable…Davis or LeBron? I think they go with Lebron and give him his much deserved 5th MVP award at age 36.
All-NBA team predictions:
All NBA first team
PG: Damian Lillard
SG: Luka Doncic
SF: LeBron James
PF. Anthony Davis
C: Giannis Antetokounmpo
All NBA second team
PG: Steph Curry
SG: James Harden
SF: Kevin Durant
PF: Jayson Tatum
C: Nikola Jokic
All NBA third team
PG: Trae Young
SG: Devin Booker
SF: Jimmy Butler
PF: Zion Williamson
C: Joel Embiid
Honorable mentions: Bam Adebayo, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, Karl Anthony-Towns, Rudy Gobert, Domantas Sabonis, Ben Simmons, Kawhi Leonard, Donovan Mitchell.
It was tough not to put KD in the All NBA first team, but I couldn’t put him above Giannis, AD, or LeBron who I all think will have slightly better seasons. I could have put him at guard but that would be unfair. The center position was tough, but I made some tough cuts. I think Zion being selected to the third team instead of Towns, Gobert, Leonard, or Adebayo is definitely realistic. His field goal percentage, scoring, and rebounding will be elite if he stays healthy and I think that it will be enough to put him on an All NBA team in year two.
I will now do the first team for both defense and rookies.
All-Defensive first team
PG: Ben Simmons
SG: Lonzo Ball
SF: Giannis Antetokounmpo
PF: Anthony Davis
C: Rudy Gobert
All-Rookie first team
PG: LaMelo Ball
SG: Anthony Edwards
SF: Isaac Okoro
PF: Obi Toppin
C: James Wiseman
Those are my season predictions so now since we have written evidence of my predictions we wait to see how right or wrong I am! Hope you enjoyed reading this!