2015 NBA Season Predictions

Predictions for the 2015 NBA season include a tougher season for the Miami HEAT with a smaller reward and absolute chaos in the Western Conference.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (33-49 last season)

LeBron's bitchassness and Kevin Love's dickriding brought a bunch of wins from last season to one of the NBA's racist owners. The only thing that could keep the Cavs from the best record in the East would be if they turn out to be more Chandeliers than Cavaliers - physically or mentally.

2. Toronto Raptors (48-34 last season)

The Raptors added enough productive depth on the wing with Lou Williams and James Johnson to win 50 games if they stay healthy, but will Jonas Valanciunas and Terrence Ross improve enough to get them into the 2nd round?


3. Chicago Bulls (48-34 last season)

I trust Derrick Rose about as much as Tom Thibodeau will trust his rookies this season. If Rose returns to a top 5 point guard, then the Bulls will be the second-best team in the East.

4. Miami HEAT (54-28 last season)

The HEAT lost 16 wins from last season this summer. The only teams that lost more were the Timberwolves and the Pacers after Paul George broke his leg. It will take an extraordinary effort for the HEAT to win the Southeast Division and get home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Dwyane Wade will need to maintain last season's production and efficiency while playing at least 1,000 more minutes. Chris Bosh will need to be twice as productive as last season while turning 31 years old in the 12th year of his career. Erik Spoelstra can't afford to make too many mistakes with the lineups because the margin of error for this team is razor thin. Pat Riley and Andy Elisburg will need to take advantage of any opportunity to improve the team when it presents itself. It won't be easy, but it can be done.

5. Charlotte Hornets (43-39 last season)

Can Lance Stephenson get them a division title? Will Marvin Williams be healthy enough to replace McRoberts? Can MKG be trusted to make a jumpshot? The Hornets should push the HEAT for the division title and the playoff rematch could be the beginning of an interesting rivalry.

6. Washington Wizards (44-38 last season)

Paul Pierce, Kris Humphries, Dejuan Blair and improved Otto Porter will not be enough to help John Wall and Marcin Gortat win the division.

7. Atlanta Hawks (38-44 last season)

Their whole season comes down to Al Horford's health. That's the difference between making and missing the playoffs.


8. Detroit Pistons (29-53 last season)

The Pistons quietly acquired more wins produced last season than every team except the Cavs this summer. If anybody can turn Jodie Meeks, Caron Butler, D.J. Augustin and that talented Pistons frontline into a playoff team, it's Stan Van Gundy. It would be interesting to see what he would come up with against the Cavs in the first round of the playoffs, too.


WESTERN CONFERENCE

1. Houston Rockets (54-28 last season)

Trevor Ariza was a good signing for the Rockets and the importance of the players they lost is overrated. The Spurs are old and hurt, Kevin Durant's injured and the Clippers are coons. The Rockets should be able to fall out of a strip club and into a top-2 seed out west if they stay healthy.

2. San Antonio Spurs (62-20 last season)

Outside of the draft, the Spurs stood pat this offseason. If you're not moving forward, you're going backwards.

3. Portland Trailblazers (54-28 last season)

Durant's fractured foot plus replacing Mo Williams with Steve Blake should be enough for the Blazers to win their division and get home-court advantage in the 1st round of the playoffs. How far they go in the playoffs is up to Damian Lillard - who went from Rookie of the Year to All-Star just like Derrick Rose. Can he make the leap to MVP candidate and push the Blazers to the conference finals?

4. Golden State Warriors (51-31 last season)

Shaun Livingston was a nice improvement in the backcourt, but the Warriors' big plan seems to be hoping Klay Thompson become a max player. They may not get that lucky this season, but they will get lucky enough to win the Pacific Division thanks to the collapse of the LA Coons aka Clippers.

5. Phoenix Suns (48-34 last season)

If Isaiah Thomas doesn't bring the negativity and selfishness from Sacramento to the Suns, then he could have a shot at Sixth Man of the Year and keep Phoenix in a dogfight for the division title all season.

6. Dallas Mavericks (49-33 last season)

The Mavs made one more good move than bad moves. Tyson Chandler's health could get them home-court advantage in the playoffs if the Blazers, Warriors or Suns stumble.

7. New Orleans Pelicans (34-48 last season)

It all comes down to health, Anthony Davis' improvement and Monty Williams' coaching this season. I trust Davis to dominate and hope the other two factors come through. Anthony Davis kicking Tim Duncan's ass out of the playoffs would be a helluva story.

8. Oklahoma City Thunder (59-23 last season)

OKC lost 7 wins produced last season by telling their veteran wing players - Derek Fisher, Caron Butler and Thabo Sefolosha - to kick rocks. The Thunder will be going young early and often without Durant, but it will be great to see him healthy enough to upset Harden and the Rockets in the playoffs.

The spreadsheet below lists the wins produced each team added or lost with their offseason moves. All wins produced data is from David Berri. Offseason moves were taken from NBA.com and prosportstransactions.com.