The NBA Season is here! This is one of the best times of the year for hoops fans around the globe, as the new league year is upon us. There’s hope for every team and fanbase to be the ones to hold the Larry O’Brien Trophy at the end of the year, signifying that they are the champions.
We’ve already seen the media giving their takes for the 24’/25’ season, so we wanted to give the Dr. Dish Fam our predictions yet again. Buckle up, and let us know if you agree!
Playoff Predictions & Win Totals
Let's get into the most important part of the predictions - where is everybody going to be at the end of the year? There are so many great teams, but only so many spots for each in the playoffs.
We saw sleeper teams like the Pacers and Mavericks make it all the way to the conference finals, while established teams like the Lakers and 76ers get bounced from the post season immediately. Anything can happen in the NBA, and that’s what makes the league so great. Here is how we predict both conference’s playoff picture will look like by the end of the year + their win totals:
*Italicized = NBA Play-In Tournament
Western Conference
- Thunder (60-22)
- Timberwolves (57-25)
- Mavericks (53-29)
- Nuggets (52-30)
- Grizzlies (50-32)
- Suns (50-32)
- Kings (48-34)
- Pelicans (47-35)
- Lakers (46-36)
- Warriors (45-37)
Eastern Conference
- Celtics (63-19)
- Knicks (57-25)
- 76ers (51-31)
- Bucks (50-32)
- Cavaliers (49-33)
- Magic (48-34)
- Pacers (47-35)
- Heat (44-38)
- Hawks (39-43)
- Hornets (34-48)
MVP Race
- Luka Dončić
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Nikola Jokić
- Anthony Edwards
- Jayson Tatum
The most coveted individual award of the year is time and again the Most Valuable Player. Being the best player in the league oftentimes isn't even enough, you need to produce unbelievable stats, but also position your team in a spot where they can compete for the title.
This year, we think our friend and Dr. Dish user Luka Dončić will finally get his first one. Going into his seventh season in the NBA, no player in history has had the early success Luka has. We expect big things yet again after a finals appearance last year.
DPOY Race
- Victor Wembanyama
- Rudy Gobert
- Jaren Jackson Jr.
He was unbelievably close last year, and if it wasn't for the Timberwolves having one of the best team defenses in recent history, he may of won the award as a rookie.
Victor Wembanyama, nicknamed "The Alien", is truly the future of the NBA. And we have him winning the Defensive Player of the Year in only his second NBA season. Keep an eye out for what this guy does - who knows, maybe the Spurs find a way to sneak into the play-in?
ROTY Race
- Reed Sheppard
- Zaccharie Risacher
- Zach Edey
The 2024 rookie class is the most interesting one in recent years - with no apparent No. 1 pick. Zaccharie Risacher was the player selected by the Hawks with the pick, but will he be the best player to come out?
While he has looked good in the pre-season, our team believes Houston Rockets Guard and No. 3 overall pick Reed Sheppard will come out on top. There's something about Kentucky guards just working out in the league, and this should be no different. Reed was arguably the best shooter in college basketball and was named SEC Freshman of the Year.
All-NBA Teams
Making an All-NBA Team signifies that you are one of the top 15 players in the league, regardless of position. All-time greats have been on this list countless times, like LeBron who has made it 20 times, or Kevin Durant with 11 appearances.
Being a staple on this list is what solidifies a player as one of the best in the league, and there's some young players like Anthony Edwards, Victor Wembanyama, and Ja Morant trying to shake up the teams a bit. Here's how our lists turned out:
All-NBA First Team
- Luka Dončić
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
- Anthony Edwards
- Jayson Tatum
- Nikola Jokić
All-NBA Second Team
- Ja Morant
- Jalen Brunson
- Kevin Durant
- Giannis Antetokounmpo
- Victor Wembanyama
All-NBA Third Team
- Stephen Curry
- Devin Booker
- LeBron James
- Anthony Davis
- Joel Embiid
5 NBA Hot Takes
Who doesn't love hot takes? We're going to put our Stephen A. Smith caps on and do our best to try and predict some crazy outcomes! How do you think we did?
- There will be no repeat NBA Finals teams from last season
- Victor Wembanyama will firmly establish himself as a top 10 player by the end of the season
- The 76ers will LOSE in the first round of the playoffs for the second straight year
- Another Timberwolves player will win 6th Man of the Year
- Zach LaVine will FINALLY get traded mid-season
Dr. Dish User Season Previews
Luka Dončić
Luka truely had a phenomenal season last year, averaging 28.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists - propelling him to his 5th First Team All-NBA selection. The best part? Luka broke through to the NBA Finals for the first time in his 7 year career. We expect him to buil don that and potentially win his first won next year!
Jrue Holiday
Congratulations to Dr. Dish user Jrue Holiday on his second NBA Championship! There is no player that embodies Championship DNA more than Jrue. wherever he goes, that team is going to be better for it. The Celtics have a phenomenal chance to repeat this season due to having a great defender, playmaker and leader in Jrue Holiday on their team again.
Zach LaVine
Zach LaVine is back and healthy for his 11th season in the NBA. The 2x All-Star was drafted back in 2014 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, and has gone on to exceed all expectations set for him. While Zach is going to be on a Bulls team potentially rebuilding for the future, there's speculation he could help a contender down the road 👀.
The basketball season is finally upon us, and if you're looking to elevate your game like some of these NBA Stars, there is no better way to do so than with Dr. Dish. Whether you're a coach, player, or facility owner, we have a solution that fits your needs. Click below to learn more.
