Five Bold Predictions for the New NBA Season
After a mere two and a half months without basketball, a new NBA season upon us. The Lakers won the NBA Finals in the Orlando “Bubble” on October 11 over the Miami Heat, and they’ll be running back the LeBron James and Anthony Davis duo for another crack at the title. But with the season debuting this evening, it is time for everyone to assess new season, so here are my five bold decisions for 2020-2021.
Kyrie Irving for All- NBA First Team
For the last almost seven years, it seems Kyrie Irving has had the reputation of being a top-five point guard in the NBA. This season, it seems to be tailor-made for Irving to finally make the leap to All-NBA First Team. In only 20 games last season, Irving had two 50-point games and averaged 27.4 points per game, the highest average of his career. With a great point guard mentor in head coach Steve Nash and assistant coach Mike D’Antoni running the offense, it is time for Kyrie Irving to earn that first team status.
New York Knicks for the 8th seed in the East
The Knicks have been stuck in the quicksand known as mediocrity for almost 20 years now. But in my humble opinion, the Knicks will see playoff basketball in the 2020-21 season. Head coach Tom Thibodeau is the perfect leader for the Knicks, as he will bring that toughness and grit that Knicks coaches had in their glory days of the 90’s (think Pat Riley). With an older, smarter, and improved RJ Barrett, mixed with first round pick Obi Toppin, the Knicks are ready for that eighth seed that has been waiting for them for half a decade.
Lonzo Ball for Most Improved Player
The eldest Ball brother hasn’t quite lived up to his draft comparisons to Hall of Famer Jason Kidd, but 2020 is the year of the Ball Family. Lonzo’s brother Lamelo will be a flashy rookie in Charlotte, so it is time for Lonzo to match his brother’s buzz. In his two preseason games, Lonzo posted averages of 15 points, five rebounds and six assists, which he will look to duplicate in the regular season. The Pelicans are going to be must-see TV with Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, but it will be Lonzo who surprises us all with a trophy at the end of the year.
The Suns make a deep playoff run
The Phoenix Suns were on the cusp of playoff basketball with their undefeated bubble run in Orlando. Devin Booker has developed into an all-star level talent, but what I’m more interested in is their offseason acquisition of future Hall of Famer Chris Paul. Paul has been what the team in the desert has been desperate for for the entire Booker era up to this point. A cemented star point guard to lead the young talent that the Suns possess. Paul showed he can still hold his own after leading a – let’s be honest – mediocre Oklahoma City Thunder supporting cast last year. Expect Phoenix to make a deep playoff run.
The Trailblazers rebuild starts with a Lillard trade
After the 2019 loss to the Warriors in the conference finals, the Blazers ceiling seemed to have been reached. And with the Blazers just scratching a playoff spot together on the last day of the regular season, it doesn’t seem like it’s going to get better for Portland in 2021. Damian Lillard seems to be a once-in-a-generation talent that is being wasted in Portland and can use a change of scenery. I see the Blazers missing out on the playoffs and blowing it up by trading away their superstar guard, which nets a boat-load of picks and assets to jumpstart the rebuild.
