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0 out of 16
Kelvin Kuo / Associated Press
Welcome to the 2018-19 NBA regular season, basketball fans!
After off-season intrigues featuring Hollywood-bound LeBron James, the DeMarcus Cousins and the title, as well as the Minnesota reality show parody, it may seem like we've never left.
However, all roads lead to games that matter, and the NBA is about to inject a dose of adrenaline into the country as we prepare for what announces itself as the highest. season of all time.
But are we destined to watch the Golden State Warriors rise to the iron throne for the fourth time in five years? Or can the Boston Celtics dethrone Kevin Durant and the Splash Brothers?
Can Anthony Davis Meet the High Standards He's Set For The jump with Rachel Nichols and reach the recognition that he feels deserves as the best of the game?
Will James and the Los Angeles Lakers bring some of their young workers together in hopes of reaching a big fish before the 2018-2019 trading deadline?
Join Bleacher Report staff to answer these questions and more!
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Rick Bowmer / Associate Press
The Jazz recorded 48 wins last year, has better defended than anyone in the last four months of the season and has secured a playoff victory. With such a baseline, we need to redefine what "jump" really means.
The total of wins should probably not reach 60. The first seed of the West looks like a long throw with Golden State and Houston who always look strong. Nevertheless, the Jazz are poised to take a crucial step from a "dangerous and disciplined enemy of the regular season" to a "legitimate competitor". This progression is more important than relying on a few extra wins or a net score of a point or two, although we see improvements in both areas.
The defense of Utah will be daunting. Rudy Gobert and a litany of capable wing blockers mean that the Jazz, unless there are major injuries, can finish worse than third in the defensive rankings. Even against the Rockets, who dominated the league in attack, Utah's Gobert-centric scheme worked. Houston scored 4.1 points less per 100 possessions in its playoff against Jazz compared to the year 's average. The reason the Jazz fell to the feet of the Rockets in five games was simple: they could not score.
With a new season of seasoning, Donovan Mitchell will rectify that. It will improve as a shooter, which will be an impossible decision for the defenders: continue to the big screen and expose the defense to a freight train that goes down the slope in a turn against four, or go under a truck Trey. Add to that the expected growth of Dante Exum, a rejuvenated Jae Crowder, extra shooting and staging by Grayson Allen, better health for Alec Burks, Joe Ingles doing Joe Ingles stuff and, more importantly, understanding of the offensive project and you have the recipe for Utah to become one of the top 10 offensives – one that is prepared for the rigors of the playoff game.
Jazz should be the choice of all black horse titles.
–Grant Hughes
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Ben Margot / Associated Press
It is the year when the maths win and the San Antonio Spurs lose.
Let's start with the basics of subtraction: The Spurs already have two short bodies. Breakout candidate Dejounte Murray's season ended before his debut, thanks to a torn LCA. Rookie Lonnie Walker IV, who might have seen the rotating minutes of a hungry team, also lost a torn meniscus. Danny Green also left, with a guy who finished third in the highest scoring vote two years ago. You know, the one who also has a pair of DPOY trophies. Kawhi Leonard did not help much last year, but it can be said that he will help him less in 2018-19, while he plays for the Toronto Raptors.
What about the addition? LaMarcus Aldridge and Pau Gasol both added to their most significant numbers, tackling it for another year. Aldridge is 33 years old and Gasol 38. Rudy Gay, who should only play the 4th in today's match, is the young man whose departure is scheduled for the 3rd. He is 32 years old.
Finally, we have the digital problem that triggered an ideological shift for all teams in the league, with the exception of the Spurs. Three, it's more than two, but San Antonio, after being ranked 27th in the league with a three-point rate last season (he only took 28.2% of his shots in depth), will now turn to Aldridge and DeMar DeRozan for both goals. In 2017-18, Aldridge was in the 99th percentile firing rate in the middle zone, according to Glass Cleaning. DeRozan was in the 98th percentile. It is almost impossible to score effectively when your two best weapons prefer to shoot from areas of the ground that report such low value.
It's possible to appreciate the Zigger Spurs when everyone is in love with the zag, but this contrarianism has gone from stealthily admirable to stealthy. Marking is going to be difficult.
It has long been a mistake to predict a draw for the Spurs. For the first time in more than two decades, this bet looks pretty good.
–Grant Hughes
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Jim Mone / Associated Press
With seven coaching changes in the East since last season (and only two in the West), chances are statistically better for the Western Conference star to warm up. And there could be more signs of uproar than for Tom Thibodeau in Minnesota.
The Timberwolves are among at least 12 Western teams that are trying to play in the playoffs, and not all of them can. Add to that the fiasco of Jimmy Butler – with the owner Glen Taylor demanding an exchange and the resistance of the front office – and this will leave Thibodeau in a precarious place.
According to a recent report by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, Taylor told other owners at the board of governors meeting in New York that he was open to trading with Butler (although Thibodeau and General Manager Scott Layden refuted the team's requests) and added that the teams should contact him if they have trouble dealing with the front office on Butler. Ouch.
Thibodeau's dual coach-president titles in Minnesota stand in sharp contrast to the league's trend, as homeowners become less and less willing to convey as much power to a person (other than themselves). Butler's situation is a classic example. If he continues to lose control and / or the Wolves are underperforming, Butler may not be the only person to leave the Twin Cities in February (if not earlier).
–Ken Berger
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Gary Dineen / Getty Images
The moment for the Greek phenomenon is now in the Eastern Conference.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has married athletics and the size of another world with constant improvement and diligent work. From minutes to field attempts, to attempts at efficiency, Giannis has improved in every aspect of his game since his rookie season in 2013-14.
While his game continues to rise to the level of the elite, Giannis has gradually grown in the aforementioned departments in successive years. If the statistical trends continue, he could finish with an average of 30 points north, 11 rebounds, five assists, 1.5 interceptions and 1.5 blocks per game, while shooting 53% of the field and 33% against three .
Giannis 'health is not a concern, as he missed 16 games out of 410. And Giannis' role in the Milwaukee Bucks offense should only further intensify his impact on the match. Its 29.4% utilization rate finished fourth in the NBA among players who played 50 games or more, the first in the East (now that LABron is gone).
Giannis will have challengers in Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto, but none of the players in contention will have the opportunity or physical gifts to make as much impact as possible at every Giannis match.
By Bovada, Giannis is already in the discussion for the game's most valuable player, with a 5-1 rating. If Anthony Davis, James Harden and LeBron James are reinstated, even for the Giannis of 6 "11", the task will be tough, but overtaking the East will be a nice consolation prize.
Honorable Mentions: Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Kyrie Irving
–Preston Ellis. Follow him on Twitter @PrestonEllis
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Nathaniel S. Butler / Getty Images
PJ Tucker's sneaker collection is a legend. Michael Jordan once asked him where he had cut a rare pair of … Jordans. Seriously.
The NBA now allowing players to kick all colors at any time, the Houston Rockets forward is a good choice. Personally, I have so many questions. How ridiculous will he get with the colors? Will he wear the same shoes more than once? Can I visit the mansion that he owns to store all his kicks?
Others will turn to the stars for this unofficial honor, especially those who wear designer shoes. This is fine. James LeBron, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, Dwyane Wade et al. are all bound to become wild. Anyone approved by Puma is also asleep.
But Tucker is the king of kicking the NBA. And his collection, from what we've seen, is barely about to play security.
Honorable Mentions: Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard and Kelly Oubre Jr.
–Dan Favale
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Michael J. LeBrecht II / Getty Images
Is the choice of anyone other than Joel Embiid for this false reward allowed?
Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart are treasures of social media, but you have to believe that Grandpa LeBron's discipline will be contagious at some point. Enes Kanter, recruiting players for a team of Knicks who will never sign it next summer, will eventually get tired. Kevin Durant has too many accounts to monitor effectively. Beef Jimmy Butler-Andrew Wiggins is probably not eternal.
So we have Embiid, a loose canon of social media in the best possible way.
We can count on him to find great post-match venues in his Instagram posts, endless streams of "Trust The Process" tweets, and simply expert troll jobs that no one is spared. Just ask his former president of the team, Bryan Colangelo, or the only one to have been in the league for a second, Mo Bamba.
Hoping that Hassan Whiteside will avoid being relegated to the bench long enough for him and Embiid to rekindle their rivalry for the digital era.
Honorable Mentions: Enes Kanter, CJ McCollum, Ben Simmons
–Dan Favale
7 of 16
Randy L. Rasmussen / Associated Press
The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most intriguing franchises of the coming season. Will their young core of players, including Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, provide enough support to LeBron James for a long playoff run in the Western Conference?
How will veterans like JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Michael Beasley and Lance Stephenson join?
The answers could change the Lakers' path over the next year, but the plan in place is conservative.
Currently, the team will have enough room under next season's salary cap to add a star alongside James like Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson or Kawhi Leonard in July. The Lakers seem to be ready to wait.
If the team struggled in the standings, a change in philosophy could occur. If this is the case, it may seem more opportunistic before the February trading deadline.
A name to watch for is Anthony Davis. If it became available through the pelican trade of New Orleans, Los Angeles might feel compelled to change course.
Do not expect a big exchange mid-season. The front office of the Lakers and James seem satisfied with the potential of the current team. Why sacrifice potential young stars when they can just wait, keep them all and then add a star at the end of the season?
The answer would be Davis, if the opportunity arose. The advantage is too high and the wait is too long because it will not be autonomous before the summer of 2020.
–Eric Pincus
8 of 16
Andrew D. Bernstein / Getty Images
The Los Angeles Lakers are going to be very good this season. Why? Because LeBron James is really very good.
Yes, the team has flaws. JaVale McGee is the only real impact center on the list. The shooting on the outside is suspicious. Brandon Ingram's young stars, Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart could reassure the Lakers with their inexperience.
But James is still the best player in the league, and as Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report. As noted, the Lakers' lineup could be better than the Cleveland Cavaliers team that went to the NBA finals last season.
If the Lakers stay healthy and find a center rotation feasible, they should be much stronger than Cleveland defensively.
Instead of chasing the Golden State Warriors with shots on goal, Los Angeles has recruited a dynamic playmaker to Rajon Rondo to mentor and play alongside Ball, as well as generic Lance Stephenson card markers. Michael Beasley.
But these are the young legs of the team in Ball, Ingram and Hart will make the Lakers a tough team to score once the team builds chemistry.
While his opponents are trying to deal with James' dominance, the rest of his teammates will benefit from a more open appearance than ever before.
Although not all players are consistent each night, the Lakers are strong enough to win 53 games. This could be enough for the home advantage in the first round of the playoffs as a third or fourth seed in the competitive Conference of the West.
–Eric Pincus
9 of 16
Matt Slocum / Associated Press
Jimmy Butler is a very obvious choice here, so let's be a bit more creative than just focusing on the drama happening in Minnesota.
Nikola Vucevic has been doing it for several years now, offering quality statistics to Orlando Magic's junior teams after their arrival from Philadelphia in the contract that sent Dwight Howard to the Lakers.
Howard is on his fourth team since the Lakers. Meanwhile, Vucevic remained on the spot, despite rumors of trade that surface each year. Vucevic is in the final season of a $ 48 million four-year expansion and has not played in the playoffs for six seasons with the Magic.
Orlando drafted Mo Bamba sixth overall and probably considers it the center of his future with the hope of developing it throughout the match. This is the season in which a playoff candidate needing help on the field makes his call and Orlando finally agrees to exchange Vucevic. The team has too many gaps to fill elsewhere.
–Jonathan Abrams
10 of 16
Andy Clayton-King / Associated Press
While the ghosts of 2016 still haunt the NBA, the horrendous contracts signed by players like Evan Turner, Chandler Parsons, Ian Mahinmi, Timofey Mozgov and Joakim Noah (to name a few) will expire after the season 2019-2020. .
Unfortunately, teams continue to make questionable decisions. The Toronto Raptors gave Norman Powell a $ 42 million extension for four years and then dropped him. Maybe he'll come back under new head coach Nick Nurse.
The Phoenix Suns owe TJ Warren $ 47 million over the next four years, but have acquired Trevor Ariza and Ryan Anderson, both of whom are expected to start with Warren on the bench.
The worst of this group is perhaps the $ 48.7 million due to Gorgui Dieng. The Minnesota Timberwolves are facing a major implosion, with Jimmy Butler demanding an exchange. Butler wanted the team to restructure his contract during the summer, but with too much investment in Dieng (with Andrew Wiggins), Minnesota did not have the opportunity to go below. the $ 101.9 million salary cap of the NBA.
In part, by paying too much, the T-Wolves will probably lose its star to Butler.
On the other side of the spectrum, the Los Angeles Lakers could have two of the best contracts in contention among sophomores Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart. The two men plan to be important acolytes for LeBron James while earning $ 14.3 million over the next three seasons.
–Eric Pincus
11 of 16
Rick Bowmer / Associate Press
Grayson Allen will not have enough minutes to produce the top 10 numbers. He will always win a role at different times of the season for his confident shooting and threat of secondary playmaker.
The inconsistency was the problem for Allen, who finished 21st overall and could have dropped much less if Utah Jazz had not been interested. However, his talent to ignite and score in clusters is quite suitable for a spark role on the bench. And when he's on, Allen can be powerful for stretching, more than Dante Exum and Alec Burks backups.
Explosive, 23 years old and dangerous in three, Utah's first-round pick has the chance to contribute immediately and become a valuable offensive reserve, especially if Exum and Burks are struggling to stay healthy.
–Jonathan Wasserman
12 of 16
STR / Getty Images
What can we predict about Markelle Fultz this season?
Short answer: Who the hell knows?
Describe something like Russian mountains is a bit of a cliché, but also, I can not think of a more appropriate time to apply this sentence. We know that Fultz is explosive and athletic and will have minutes. That's just about everything we know. we thought He will start, but Sixers head coach Brett Brown is already covered (he transferred Fultz on the bench for the start of the second half of the Sixers' final pre-season game).
we thought Fultz 's shot is not as broken as last year, but the jumpers he' s thrown in pre – season have not really reminded the shot of Steph Curry. Or, in this respect, the version of Fultz that dominated college basketball and propelled NBA board games. Speak aloud to the people inside this building, and they will tell you that his rider is not as capsizing as the team would have us believe.
Still, Fultz will likely continue to show flashes this year. It will probably set up decent figures sometimes too. He could probably come close to eight points and four assists per game just for quick breaks. But will there be one on which the Sixers will be able to count on the approach of the critical moment? And will the Sixers survive with him and Ben Simmons, another non-shooter?
Unfortunately, the answer to this question is no.
–Yaron Weitzman
13 out of 16
Kelvin Kuo / Associated Press
Although LeBron James has a long history of extreme success in his squads, he has not always exploited the production of young players with untapped potential. It usually requires excellence immediately, which often goes against an adequate development.
Brandon Ingram, however, is different.
"In the last two years in the NBA, I do not think I've played it out," he told Mirin Fader of Bleacher Report. "Even though I'm comfortable and playing at my I do not think I have been comfortable on the floor. "
It changes. The transition began in 2017-18 with Ingram beginning to take better strikes and put in place more effective scoring performances. It continued when he was able to mix offensive production with fierce defense. And he should only continue to roll when he is able to learn from first-hand experience alongside James, a man on whom he can reasonably model his nascent game.
Ingram will not need to complete the featured role in which he was placed during his first seasons. Not with James in charge. But it's a blessing that will allow him to work on other facets of his game and continue to exploit the full game that has already led Kevin Durant to say that he was looking in the mirror at the product Duke.
The move to stardom is imminent, though this increased efficiency will come as it pulls less from the Tinseltown spotlight.
–Adam Fromal
14 of 16
Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press
The Phoenix Suns have not been in the playoffs since 2010, when Steve Nash, Amar & Stoudemire and Jason Richardson led them to an unsuccessful battle for the Western Conference final with the Los Lakers Angeles led by Kobe Bryant. This drought will not end in 2018-19.
But again, give them another year.
Despite the reshuffle of the CEO and reports, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.com, from interference from above, the Suns are about to make a breakthrough. Even if it does not happen while Devin Booker's hand thwarts his ability to ignite early in the campaign and Deandre Ayton learns to function as a major recruit in the Association, the growth seems inevitable. The desert-based organization now has enough talent (with an additional potential first-round pick via the Milwaukee Bucks in 2019) to inspire a semblance of confidence.
Of course, the Suns need a keeper they can rely on. Maybe it's Elie Okobo or De? Anthony Melton. Perhaps the general prosecutor's office of the future is not yet on the list. Teasing out production of Dragan Bender and / or Marquese Chriss would also be helpful, just like getting T.J. Warren will present some defensive developments.
Nevertheless, the Booker-Ayton combination is promising, especially if the duo is joined by the version of Josh Jackson that we witnessed more frequently during the second half of his rookie round. They will build chemistry together in 2018-2019, helped by seasoned presenters such as Tyson Chandler and Trevor Ariza, and then seek to make the proverbial jump in 2019-20.
–Adam Fromal
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Ezra Shaw / Getty Images
We could be bold and call that for the Kyrie Celtics or the Harden Rockets. We could hijack the Philly train and go with the Six Embiid-Simmons. We could overdose purple Kool Aid and plan a show for LABron and Co.
But no. Let's not be silly or emit one of those contrarian "look at me" just to be different. The Golden State Warriors remain the only logical choice for at least one more season – stipulating all the usual warnings (wounds, boredom, acts of God).
It will not be easy. Indeed, this should be the most difficult race of the Warriors since the launch of this dynastic race four years ago.
No team has made five consecutive finals since the 1960s Celtics. The core group of warriors – Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston – recorded a ton of minutes. At some point, mental and / or physical fatigue can derail them.
But the Warriors remain, by far, the most talented team in the NBA, although the newcomer DeMarcus Cousins never plays a minute. (And if he does, the gap is only widening.) The Rockets took their best shot last spring, lost and lost some key pieces. Utah and Oklahoma do not have firepower.
The biggest threat to warriors? The best built team to end its run? These are the Celtics, who have all the talent, depth, versatility and defensive prowess to stress Steph and Co.
But the Celtics are still young in key positions and untested on the big stage. They will give us a good show next June. But it's the Warriors – with Curry finally winning the MVP trophy in the final – who dance again through the confetti.
-Howard Beck
16 of 16
Rich Pedroncelli / Associated Press
Marvin Bagley III will be the most disappointing rookie based on where he was taken and that of the Sacramento Kings, especially Luka Doncic.
He will recover a good portion of his easy baskets by exploiting his rebound and his energy by causing offensive rebounds. But he will fight to create his own scoring chances, especially from 4 alongside Willie Cauley-Stein. Bagley is not a powerful power shooter when he catches the ball out of the paint, nor is he ready to make jumpers at a respectable rate.
He will still score about 10 points per game, but it will not be effective for a big athlete of 6 "11. Until now, Bagley has been clearly outperformed by fellow rookie and fellow Harry Giles, who has Not to go once last season.
–Jonathan Wasserman
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