The NBA season is almost at the halfway point, and there are a lot of narratives surrounding what’s going on with the best players in the league. The Western Conference is more open than it has been in a long time, while a lot of individual players are shining and making solid cases to be named the MVP.
As such, fans and analysts have a lot of predictions for how the rest of this season is going to pan out. The Lakers are at the center of serious trade speculation considering their situation. The Brooklyn Nets have surged again after a shaky start and are within touching distance of the first seed in the Eastern Conference.
There are at least 8 teams in the league that will feel like they have the chance to win the championship this season. The Celtics and Bucks are early favorites, but the Nuggets, Grizzlies, Nets, and Sixers will all want a say in the conversation. But according to the Ringer’s Michael Pina, Kawhi Leonard winning Finals MVP and the Clippers winning it all is a distinct possibility.
“With the Western Conference wide open, Leonard rounding into form, Paul George’s All-Star poise, a title-winning coach, and a roster built for the playoffs, it’s natural to feel optimistic about the Clippers making their deepest playoff run in franchise history. If that happens, please don’t bet against Kawhi. He’s focused, unfazed, and starting to treat every possession with the air of a man who’s not willing to negotiate. The T-1000 is coming.”
The Clippers are currently in the 5th seed with a 21-17 record, and while injuries have hampered them, they have the roster to make a run if they’re healthy at the end of the season. And this wasn’t the only bold prediction Pina made. He had a few more.
Joel Embiid Requesting A Trade, The Teams That Could Land Victor Wembanyama, And The MVP Race Have All Been Predicted
While predictions are far from gospel, Pina had some more interesting insights to offer, including Joel Embiid requesting a trade in the offseason.
“After a playoff flameout in Round 1, the Sixers will be in shambles. Harden will sign with the Rockets, and Embiid will ask out. But, just as Brooklyn managed with Durant, Philadelphia won’t deal their perennial MVP candidate and the chaos will eventually blow over, with Embiid remaining on the only team he’s ever played for.”
He had some ideas on which teams might land Victor Wembanyama as well, and it’s not any of the ones that are tanking completely.
“There’s not much to say here because the lottery is, by nature, unpredictable. But with the Timberwolves and Lakers struggling through seasons that have no light at the ends of their tunnels, the Jazz and Pelicans are sun-kissed at the exact right time.”
And with the MVP race the talk of the town in the league recently, he has backed Nikola Jokic to make history.
“Jokic’s campaign for a third straight MVP isn’t just alive and well, it’s thriving. In December he averaged 29.2 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game on 67 percent true shooting. His team has one of the best records in the league even though its second- and third-best players are in and out of the lineup.
“Dominance is key. Winning is awesome. Jokic checks off both of those boxes. He’s highly efficient in the face of any defensive coverage (he’s first in true shooting percentage among players averaging 30 minutes per game), he can score behind the arc and from the midrange, and he has an aesthetically breathtaking post game that no one has yet to figure out.”
There’s no way to know if any of these things will come to pass. In fact, most of this is quite unlikely. But there is sound reasoning behind all of these predictions and something to think about for fans that are invested in this season. If all of it comes to pass, though, it might end up being one of the most exciting seasons in recent memory.
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