Quick Thoughts
Kevin: KD’s “Return” fares much better than Derrick Rose’s: First, he actually returns. Second, he leads his team to a championship. Meanwhile, another Finals loss forever silences the LeBron/Jordan comparisons.
Matt: “Pace and Space” is the NBA’s new thing, and more and more teams are jumping on board. Talent still wins though, and most of that remains out West.
Shawn: Out East, the Bulls must embrace a change in philosophy from defense-to-offense, solve an alpha-dog complex between Butler & Rose, and change their stubborn deadline ways to take another stab at Lebron's Cavs. Out West, a reloaded Popovich & Co. will attempt to fend off the desperate Clippers, moneyball Rockets, confident Warriors, and an urgent KD & Russ to make it back to The Finals. In the end, Pop meets Lebron to cement their battles as the lasting story of the decade.
Tapan: Something tells me this will be the year of the “back.” Back injuries, comebacks, backboard bank shots, you name it. Maybe they’ll even install the Spalding Back Atcha Ball Return for free throws. You know, the device attached to driveway hoops across the country. The big question, though, is whether all of this will result in a Warriors back-to-back. In keeping with my predicted theme, I’ll pencil them in for the WCF, where the Spurs will meet them, expecting to turn back the clock and return to the top.
Vineeth: The two most snake bitten teams of the past half decade finally catch some good fortune healthwise, while their competitors take their turn suffering from the injury bug. Hoiberg and Donovan make it two years in a row that the NBA Finals features two first year head coaches.
Award Winners
| Award | Kevin | Matt | Shawn | Tapan | Vineeth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROY | D'Angelo Russell | Karl-Anthony Towns | Emmanuel Mudiay | D'Angelo Russell | Jahlil Okafor | |
| MIP | Rudy Gobert | Victor Oladipo | Andrew Wiggins | Jusuf Nurkic | Andre Drummond | |
| MVP | Anthony Davis | Anthony Davis | LeBron James | LeBron James | Anthony Davis | |
| PPG | Kevin Durant | James Harden | James Harden | James Harden | Kevin Durant | |
| RPG | Andre Drummond | Andre Drummond | DeAndre Jordan | DeAndre Jordan | DeAndre Jordan | |
| APG | Chris Paul | John Wall | Chris Paul | Ty Lawson | Chris Paul |
Eastern Conference Playoffs
| Seed | Kevin | Matt | Shawn | Tapan | Vineeth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cavs | Cavs | Cavs | Cavs | Bulls | |
| 2 | Wizards | Bulls | Raptors | Hawks | Cavs | |
| 3 | Bulls | Wizards | Hawks | Bulls | Wizards | |
| 4 | Hawks | Hawks | Bulls | Heat | Hawks | |
| 5 | Raptors | Raptors | Bucks | Raptors | Heat | |
| 6 | Heat | Celtics | Wizards | Bucks | Celtics | |
| 7 | Bucks | Heat | Pistons | Celtics | Pacers | |
| 8 | Pacers | Bucks | Heat | Pistons | Raptors |
Western Conference Playoffs
| Seed | Kevin | Matt | Shawn | Tapan | Vineeth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Thunder | Rockets | Warriors | Warriors | Warriors | |
| 2 | Warriors | Warriors | Rockets | Spurs | Thunder | |
| 3 | Clippers | Thunder | Clippers | Clippers | Spurs | |
| 4 | Spurs | Clippers | Spurs | Thunder | Rockets | |
| 5 | Rockets | Spurs | Thunder | Rockets | Clippers | |
| 6 | Pelicans | Pelicans | Grizzlies | Grizzlies | Grizzlies | |
| 7 | Grizzlies | Grizzlies | Pelicans | Pelicans | Jazz | |
| 8 | Jazz | Jazz | Timberwolves | Jazz | Pelicans |
Final Four
| Seed | Kevin | Matt | Shawn | Tapan | Vineeth | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Finals | Cavs over Bulls | Cavs over Bulls | Cavs over Raptors | Cavs over Heat | Bulls over Cavs | |
| West Finals | Thunder over Warriors | Warriors over Spurs | Spurs over Rockets | Warriors over Spurs | Thunder over Warriors | |
| NBA Finals | Thunder over Cavs | Warriors over Cavs | Cavs over Spurs | Cavs over Warriors | Bulls over Thunder |
Bold Prediction
Kevin: Doug “McBuckets” McDermott finishes 2nd in Most Improved Player voting.
Matt: For the first time since 2007, no team in the East wins 55 games.
Shawn: Mark Cuban will hold true to his grim proposition of a David Robinson Year, as he scrambles to sell hard in order to retain his top-7 protected 1st in 2016.
Tapan: Kobe and Metta World Peace combine for 10 highlight defense-to-offense plays, and parlay their chemistry to a big screen franchise flick called “Metta World War.”
Vineeth: Kyle Singler steps up in OKC and becomes the missing link at two-guard to fortify an already scary starting five.
Bulls Prediction
Kevin: Bulls go deep because of a lack of true championship competition in the East. Butler’s play remains at same all-star level, but it does not take the needed leap into superstar territory.
Matt: Fred Hoiberg boosts their offense into the top five, but their defense falls into the bottom half of the league.
Shawn: Hoiball will compete with Houston for the most 3PA in the league, while GarPax finally delivers on a major deadline piece: Rudy Gay.
Tapan: Doug McDermott and Bobby Portis will be the NBA’s newest bromance. Bulls will attempt 2,500 3’s, up 37% year over year.
Vineeth: See you at Grant Park.
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