Last season, the monotony was brought to an end, with the Utah Jazz becoming the first team to win the NBA Championship other than the Oklahoma City for the first time in five years. With the league edging towards a stronger level of parity, one team shines above as a new contender; the Washington Wizards. Securing the services of Kevin Durant as well as perennial shot blocker DeAndre Jordan, DC is no longer a laughing stock of the Southeast Division, and is sure to ruffle a few feathers in the Eastern Conference. It's also a season that sees divisions shift in the West, with the Blazers welcomed back to the Pacific division, while the Phoenix Suns join the most ruthless division of the last decade, with everything to prove against the league's best. With everything to play, this season proves to be the most unpredictable we've seen since 2009-10.
Division Previews
Eastern Conference – Atlantic Division
Arguably the most stacked division in the Eastern Conference, the Atlantic Division is a set to be a "pick em" throughout the year. With a long-term contract under his belt, Giannis Antetokounmpo looks set to take the Knicks back to the top of the East, with further playoff experience under their belt with their underwhelming performance against the Heat, the Big Apple is out for vengeance. Another team suffering collapse in the playoffs is the Boston Celtics, dropping a 3-1 lead to the eventual East champion Cavaliers. With the return of Joel Embiid and the addition of freshly championed big man Paul Millsap, the Celtics will still be at the top of the division and the conference, looking to pull the pieces together and return to the Finals for the first time in 10 years. Injuries were the story of the Eastern Conference playoffs, with no injury stinging more than the loss of DeMar DeRozan for the white-hot Raptors heading into the Conference Finals. Finishing atop the East at season's end last year, can the Raptors continue their underdog momentum, or have they overachieved and are on their way back down to middling contender? Giving up big man stocks in order to land a long-term swingman, the Brooklyn Nets are continuing their push to become part of the East's elite, hoping their gritty combination of Conley, Middleton and Pau Gasol can outlast those around them, as their spaniard continues to produce the best statistics of his career in BK. Despite the addition of another #1 pick and Al Horford, the Sixers are staring at a division which could rip them apart. Putting all their chips in on Horford and the move of Middleton to a division rival, the Sixers will need to improve, and improve quickly in order to survive the onslaught of what's sure to be another tight race for playoff contention in the division.
Eastern Conference – Central Division
Boasting the East champions for the first time since 2007, the Central division still seems like a tale of two ends, with the dominance of some outweighing the underperformance of others. The reigning East champions in Cleveland have a lot to prove, after a lackluster Finals performance and the swapping of Al Horford for a slightly less effective Zach Randolph, as well as the retirement of playoff hero Mo Williams, the Cavaliers will need their best to reign atop of the conference once again. Despite the strong regular season performance that saw them tangle with the Raptors at the top of the standings, the Bucks still sit without the killer instinct to have an impactful postseason run. Could this be the year that the Bucks sacrifice their future for the sake of winning a championship with their star duo of Paul George and Kemba Walker? Bringing back Chris Bosh and adding Derrick Rose, the Pacers still sit in flux, arguably the third best team in the division, however a massive gap between them and the Bucks and Cavaliers is evident. Without key prospects, Indiana could still be a while away from being amongst the East's elite. The rebuild continues for the Pistons, who are now nine years without a postseason appearance. With their core sitting between 19-25, the Motor City has the pieces to contend, but maybe just not quite yet. The Windy City remains the most damaged and depleted franchise in the Eastern Conference, still without a first round draft pick this season. The Bulls will need to bank on the prospects secured so far in their tumble to the bottom of the league, relying on the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Jaylen Brown and newly drafted Justin Patton to fly the Chicago flag.
Eastern Conference – Southeast Division
Now the must-watch team of the NBA, the Washington Wizards look set to take the East by storm, lead by the best player of this generation, less than a top 4 finish for the conference would be deemed a failure to this superstar squad. After leading the division for the good part of the decade, the Miami Heat now appear to have their biggest challenge ahead of them, and without longtime franchise piece Dwyane Wade, the Heat could take a backseat and rely on a postseason berth as a minimum, relying on their strong playoff experience to shake up the postseason once again. A true darkhorse appears to be brewing in Atlanta, with continued growth from the likes of Myles Turner, Gary Harris, Jamal Murray and the addition of veteran PG Tony Parker making the Hawks an under the radar team to keep an eye on throughout the season. Could Atlanta be back in the postseason hunt after a 3 year absence? The Magic also sit as a real question mark, with a collection of picks from their sudden demise which saw them at the bottom of the East last season appearing to pay off, with a renewed younger core that could do damage this season. Can the combination of Gordon Hayward and Brook Lopez and their slew of prospects shoot them straight back up the standings? Buzz City continues its state of flux, with the big money paid out to Thaddeus Young appearing to be quite optimistic that the Hornets can make this lineup work, while their top draft pick Jayson Tatum comes off the bench. Another mediocre season could bring into question whether Hassan Whiteside can afford to spend his prime stuck in the doldrums of Charlotte.
Western Conference - Pacific Division
As the Trail Blazers return to the Pacific division, no one looks more primed to build on a injury-plagued season last year stifling their true potential. With a potent starting five that could challenge anyone in the league, this is the season for the city of Portland to well and truly take over the Western Conference. One of the key teams standing in the Blazer's way will be the Warriors, who crashed out of the playoffs in the first round to the eventual champion Jazz. Coming off an MVP season, Stephen Curry and DeMarcus Cousins look hungry to get the Bay Area back to the top of the NBA, in what seems like a distant memory since their 2012 success. Ditching the large contract of Carmelo Anthony after a horrific 2016-17 campaign, the Los Angeles Clippers now appear back in the outer fringes of the Western Conference, with enough established talent in Blake Griffin and C.J. McCollum mixed with promising prospect De'Aaron Fox. Expect the Clip show to be contending for the eighth seed if they play their cards right. After shelling out a small fortune for Derrick Favors, the Kings hoped to be on the precipice of a postseason comeback, but it seems on-paper to be another rough season for the city of Sacramento. Barring an electrifying first season from Dennis Smith Jr. and their star signing dominating the floor with All-NBA honours, this King's outfit looks set for another lottery season. Much of the same can be said for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are boasting possibly the worst lineup they've ever put on a court. With the Chicago Bulls first rounder in their pocket, the Lakers will be big players in this season's free agency period and draft, needing a major shakeup to rebuild one of the most storied franchises in the history of sport.
Western Conference – Southwest Division
With their potential finally coming to fruitition, the Big Easy looks set to be a big player at the top of the West. Boasting a bonafide triple-threat of Klay Thompson, Karl-Anthony Towns and Nikola Jokic, the New Orleans Pelicans are in pole position to run roughshod through their division, not just for this season, but many to come. Behind them stay the ever-consistent Spurs, who were embarrassed by the Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs last season. With no major change to their lineup, can San Antonio trust their veteran-based system? Or could it be time to build a new era in hopes for a greater chance of success? A team that just scraped into the playoffs was the Houston Rockets, who seem energised and ready to take on the West's best, with a young core that can only continue to grow and a strong leader in Eric Bledsoe, it would be a shock to see H-Town not return to the postseason again this year. Finishing less than handful of games behind them last year were the Memphis Grizzlies, who continue to puzzle pundits with their pieces around legitimate superstar Kawhi Leonard. Definitely needing a second All-NBA talent to shoot their way back up the West, what can the Grizzlies pull together at the deadline to get themselves back in the hunt? Another veteran-based approach in Texas is the Dallas Mavericks, that have all but confirmed to be sticking the course of their outlandish moves for Rudy Gay and Rajon Rondo with the signing of Dwyane Wade, hoping for championship experience to rub off on their younger pieces. Could the Mavs shock the southwest Division and prove to be a much more difficult handful than expected?
Western Conference – Midwest Division
There may be a new name for this conference, but it's ruthlessness still rings true. The newly dubbed Midwest division still contains the last six championship teams, and will continue to be a warground for anyone in the Western Conference. Sitting atop of it is the reigning champion Utah Jazz, who remain similar besides from the loss of Paul Millsap, ready to defend their crown with a killer 1-2 punch of Anthony Davis and Jimmy Butler. Running behind them is a new-look Thunder team, without their three-time MVP Kevin Durant. Adding the Hornets' Danilo Gallinari in the offseason is a mere bandaid solution to their gaping wound at the SF position, with their motley crue of role players now needing to step up more than ever. Can the duo of James Harden and a returning Russell Westbrook keep the Thunder at the top of the West picture? Or will the dynasty slow to a crawl without their superstar leader? Picking up the services of Carmelo Anthony at the deadline last season, the Minnesota Timberwolves sit at a crossroads. Long lauded as a true contender, pitiful postseason performances and injuries have hampered the franchises ability to win when it matters most. With significant improvement of their superstar SG Bradley Beal and a dip in star power of the Thunder, this could be the year for the Twin Cities to muscle their way into the West's best. Despite leading the west with a league-leading 61 wins, the move of DeAndre Jordan in exchange for Andrew Wiggins paints a different picture to the West leaders of last season, with the Nuggets now focusing on the next 5-10 years, with an extremely strong core of D'Angelo Russell, Andrew Wiggins, Steven Adams and a sophom*ore Caris LeVert. The sky is the roof for this Denver outfit, though their performance of this season is no longer their top priority. Provided a deathwish by the realignment of the pacific division, the Suns have more than a tall task ahead of them. Tied with Detroit for the longest playoff drought, John Wall and co are likely to see that streak continue for Phoenix for at least the near future.
Award Predictions
Most Valuable Player
Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
Going for back-to-back years, Stephen Curry played out of his skin last season, and you can't help but expect him to do the same this season.
Rookie of the Year
De'Aaron Fox, Los Angeles Clippers
With an established starting lineup around him, De'Aaron Fox is the spearhead that the Clippers need to get back in the hunt.
Defensive Player of the Year
Andre Drummond, New York Knicks
The Knicks have their eyes on the ultimate prize this season, and a key factor of that will be Andre Drummond's defensive presence in the middle.
Most Improved Player
Andrew Wiggins, Denver Nuggets
Given the keys to the Mile High franchise alongside former MIP winner D'Angelo Russell, Andrew Wiggins looks primed to have the biggest year of his career as he begins his time as a Nugget.
Sixth Man of the Year
Tim Hardaway Jr., Dallas Mavericks
With Dwyane Wade taking the starting slot, Tim Hardaway Jr. will be key to Dallas' potential rise back up the West standings, providing lethal shooting off the bench.
Coach of the Year
Tim Thibodeau, Minnesota Timberwolves
If the Timberwolves are to pounce on the slight demise of the Thunder, it could be a huge season for Minnesota and their head coach.
Roster Download
After facing a lot of issues with previous years, I believe this season's roster has successfully been uploaded to the NLSC Downloads page, which you can download here.
