Predicting Final NBA Standings for 2014-2015 Season

By Court Zierk

Predicting Final NBA Standings for 2014-2015 Season

2014 NBA Finals Game Five — It seems like just yesterday that the Spurs hoisted up their fifth Larry O'Brien trophy, but the season is set to begin again. There will be surprises, and there will be disappointments as always. This has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons ever. Here are my predictions for the final standings for the 2014-2015 season.

Eastern Conference

Miami Heat v Indiana Pacers - Game One — Eastern Conference

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Media Day

15. Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers Media Day — No other way to frame this, the 76ers are a bad, bad team. They may be a tick better than last season with the addition of Nerlens Noel, but that’s not really saying much. It’s entirely possible that they don’t even eclipse their 19 wins from last season.

14. Indiana Pacers

Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat: Game Three

14. Indiana Pacers

Indiana Pacers vs Miami Heat: Game Three — The Pacers will experience a bigger drop off this year than any other team. Losing Lance Stephenson hurt enough, but when Paul George went down, so too did any chance the Pacers had at remaining competitive. It wouldn’t shock me to see them lose 30 more games than they did last season.

13. Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks v Sacramento Kings

13. Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee Bucks v Sacramento Kings — There’s no doubting that the Bucks got better this offseason. Giannis Antetokounmpo now has a year of experience under his belt, as does Brandon Knight, and Jabari Parker looks to be the most pro-ready player in this rookie class. They are a year away from contending for a playoff spot, but they could double their win total.

12. Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic Introduce Their 2014 NBA Draft Picks Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Roy Devyn Marble

12. Orlando Magic

Orlando Magic Introduce Their 2014 NBA Draft Picks Aaron Gordon, Elfrid Payton and Roy Devyn Marble — I don’t expect the Magic to get much better or worse than they were last season. Losing Arron Afflalo will hurt them more than they think. Ben Gordon and Evan Fournier, together don’t make up for that loss. Adding Channing Frye is an upgrade, but not a significant one. Aaron Gordon is an exciting player, but is extremely one-dimensional, and Elfrid Payton will be good, but needs time. The Magic should remain right around the same win total.

11. Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets v Miami Heat - Game 2

11. Brooklyn Nets

Brooklyn Nets v Miami Heat - Game 2 — Brooklyn was a playoff team last season, but had an awful offseason, not having done anything to improve their team due to their unenviable salary cap position, and losing their coach in dramatic fashion. They also lost Paul Pierce, and only added Jarrett Jack to bolster their back court. In an improved Eastern Conference, I see the Nets taking a big step backwards.

10. Boston Celtics

Toronto Raptors v Boston Celtics

10. Boston Celtics

Toronto Raptors v Boston Celtics — The Celtics are in the middle of a rebuilding effort as evidenced by their 25 wins from a season ago. They made some nice moves in trading for Tyler Zeller and drafting Marcus Smart and James Young. If Rajon Rondo can play more than the 30 games he did last season, this team could make a push for a playoff spot, but will come up short.

9. New York Knicks

New York Knicks v Utah Jazz

9. New York Knicks

New York Knicks v Utah Jazz — The Knicks made some moves this offseason to solidify their future by bringing in Phil Jackson and Derek Fisher, and locking up Carmelo Anthony long term. They did improve their point guard position by bringing in Jose Calderon and softened the blow of losing Tyson Chandler by adding Samuel Dalembert. The Knicks should be improved, but so is the conference they play in, unfortunately for them, and they will wind up in the same position.

8. Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons v Sacramento Kings

8. Detroit Pistons

Detroit Pistons v Sacramento Kings — Detroit was one of the biggest disappointments last season, after bringing in Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings to improve their team, but they never figured out how to make the pieces fit. With the continued improvement of Andre Drummond, and the addition of Jodie Meeks and Cartier Martin to improve their long-distance shooting, look for the Pistons to snag the last playoff spot.

7. Miami Heat

2014 NBA Finals - Game Two

7. Miami Heat

2014 NBA Finals - Game Two — Miami did as well as a team could possibly do when faced with the challenge of replacing one of the best players on the planet. Adding Luol Deng, Josh McRoberts and Danny Granger, in addition to re-signing Chris Bosh keeps them competitive. They should be a 40 to 45 win team still.

6. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks v Charlotte Bobcats

6. Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks v Charlotte Bobcats — Amidst the turmoil that has recently surrounded this franchise, it is easy to forget that the Hawks have a pretty good team. They managed to make the playoffs last season largely without the services of their best player, Al Horford. With a fully healthy roster, this team should see a nice improvement. Adding Sefolosha and Bazemore are also subtle, yet really good moves that further improve their roster.

5. Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards v Orlando Magic

5. Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards v Orlando Magic — The Wizards didn’t have a flashy offseason, but made some moves under the radar to improve their team. They did lose Trevor Ariza, but should be able to withstand his loss with the addition of Paul Pierce. Adding Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair are also quiet moves, but greatly improves their frontcourt depth. Expect the Wizards to end the season with roughly the same number of wins as they did last year.

4. Toronto Raptors

Toronto Raptors v Brooklyn Nets - Game Four

4. Toronto Raptors

Toronto Raptors v Brooklyn Nets - Game Four — Toronto brings back their roster from last season largely intact, which for a team that finished with the number three seed is a good thing. Signing Kyle Lowry long term was huge, and combined with the emergence of DeMar DeRozan, the Raptors have one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Look for Jonas Valanciunas to have a breakout season as well.

3. Charlotte Hornets

2014 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot

3. Charlotte Hornets

2014 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot — Charlotte surprised everyone last year by going from one of the worst teams in the league to a playoff team in a single season. They had a really good offseason, and the addition of Lance Stephenson and Marvin Williams makes this a team to be reckoned with in the east.Their draft picks, P.J. Hairston and Noah Vonleh, are just icing on the cake. This team will make another huge jump this season and approach the 50 win mark.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 2

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Orlando Magic v Cleveland Cavaliers, Game 2 — Everyone is familiar with the Cavs offseason, so I will spare you the details, but how good this team can really become depends on how quickly they can gel. Despite their talent, they remain fairly shallow at the point guard and center positions, but then again, they have LeBron James, which tends to offset some perceived weaknesses. I expect this team to start slow, and finish strong, increasing their win total by about 20 games.

1. Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls v Denver Nuggets

1. Chicago Bulls

Chicago Bulls v Denver Nuggets — The Bulls had a great offseason, to add to an already good team. They boast what is probably the strongest frontcourt in the league between Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson. If Derrick Rose can remain healthy, look for the Bulls to go from start to finish as the top team in the east. Their biggest question mark is the shooting guard position, but great coaching and overwhelming defense can cover that up pretty easily.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder v San Antonio Spurs - Game One — Western Conference

15. Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz Draft Picks Portrait Shoot

15. Utah Jazz

Utah Jazz Draft Picks Portrait Shoot — The Jazz continue to stack up their roster with talent, but they are extremely raw. Gordon Hayward signed a lucrative contract to remain in Utah, but he remains nothing more than a mid-level talent in my opinion. Dante Exum is an intriguing prospect, but I don’t see how he fits on this roster with a ball-dominating point guard in Trey Burke already there. The Jazz could struggle to even get the 25 wins they had last year.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves

New Minnesota Timberwolves Player Portraits

14. Minnesota Timberwolves

New Minnesota Timberwolves Player Portraits — Minnesota wasn’t a terrible team last season, and they did a great job in getting back reasonable compensation in the Kevin Love trade, but they got younger and more inexperienced overnight. Their future may be bright with Andrew Wiggins, Anthony Bennett, and Thaddeus Young, but they will regress this year before getting better.

13. L.A. Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers v Charlotte Bobcats

13. L.A. Lakers

Los Angeles Lakers v Charlotte Bobcats — Anyone who thinks the Lakers can make a playoff push are delusional. This team was extremely bad last year, and although they are getting back a hungry and healthy Kobe Bryant, his advanced age leaves more questions than answers. Adding Jeremy Lin and Carlos Boozer does nothing to make this team better. Neither does re-signing Nick Young. This team will struggle mightily and Bryant will have one of the most frustrating years of his career.

12. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings v Atlanta Hawks

12. Sacramento Kings

Sacramento Kings v Atlanta Hawks — The Kings do have talent on their roster, DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay are both members of Team USA in the FIBA World Cup, so I expect to see some improvement over last season. Losing Isaiah Thomas will hurt, but Darren Collison, although unspectacular, is a solid veteran. Nik Stauskas will also surprise people this season, and become one of the Kings better players. Look for a three to five game improvement in the win column.

11. New Orleans Pelicans

Denver Nuggets v New Orleans Pelicans

11. New Orleans Pelicans

Denver Nuggets v New Orleans Pelicans — The Pelicans have a bright future, and have one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the game in Anthony Davis. They have the unfortunate fate of playing in a brutal Western Conference however, and they aren’t likely to see many more victories than last season. Adding Omer Asik makes them better and gives them a true center to take some pressure off of Davis, but they will lucky to get even two more wins than last season.

10. Memphis Grizzlies

Oklahoma City Thunder v Memphis Grizzlies - Game Three

10. Memphis Grizzlies

Oklahoma City Thunder v Memphis Grizzlies - Game Three — I see Memphis taking a big step back this season. Only the Mavericks and Heat are older, and although I like Vince Carter, I don’t see him being a great fit for this team. They really did nothing of note to improve their roster, while there are some teams that did, and they will pass them in the standings. Look for about a 10 game drop-off in total wins.

9. Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors v New York Knicks

9. Golden State Warriors

Golden State Warriors v New York Knicks — The Warriors are another team I think we see struggle this season compared to last. They bring in a new coach, and will have to adapt to his ways. while dealing with the gauntlet that is the Western Conference. Much like the Grizzlies, they didn’t do anything impressive to improve their roster, and they will see some teams pass them by. A difference of even five games in the loss column will move them back as much as three spots.

8. Portland Trail Blazers

Atlanta Hawks v Portland Trail Blazers

8. Portland Trail Blazers

Atlanta Hawks v Portland Trail Blazers — The Blazers were one of the NBA’s biggest surprises last season, upping their win total by 21 games from the year before. They made a few moves to shore up their bench, by bringing in Steve Blake and Chris Kaman, but nothing that makes them significantly better. I have them taking a small step back amidst the stiff competition in the west, but they are still a playoff team.

7. Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Two

7. Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers - Game Two — The Nuggets, more than any other team, were plagued by injuries last season. With a fully healthy team, plus the additions of Arron Afflalo and Gary Harris, and with Brian Shaw entering his second year as head coach, I like the Nuggets to make a big leap. Remember, with largely the same roster, this team won 57 games two years ago. I have them pushing the 50 win mark.

6. Houston Rockets

Toronto Raptors v Houston Rockets

6. Houston Rockets

Toronto Raptors v Houston Rockets — The Rockets had one of the worst offseasons of any NBA team, missing out on their free agent targets and losing Chandler Parsons and Jeremy Lin. They did add Trevor Ariza, which helps, but I see the Rockets taking a step in the wrong direction this year, and they certainly won’t win the 54 games they did last season. This team is very top-heavy, and their bench is extremely questionable.

5. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns v Portland Trail Blazers

5. Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns v Portland Trail Blazers — The Suns were another surprise last season, increasing their win total by 23 games from the previous year. They have more guard depth than anyone else in the league, and are still looking to add more, as they consider signing Zoran Dragic, and are still at a standoff in the Eric Bledsoe situation. Even without Bledsoe in the mix, I like this team to continue their upward trajectory.

4. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks v Phoenix Suns

4. Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks v Phoenix Suns — The Mavericks quietly made their team significantly better over the summer. They added Chandler Parsons and Tyson Chandler, both upgrades over their predecessors. They traded away Jose Calderon, but wound up with Raymond Felton and Jameer Nelson to fill the void. Losing Vince Carter will hurt them, but Richard Jefferson can fill that role. Bottom line, the team that pushed the world champions to seven games in the playoffs got much better.

3. L.A. Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors - Game Six

3. L.A. Clippers

Los Angeles Clippers v Golden State Warriors - Game Six — The Clippers didn’t do anything flashy to improve their team, but are counting on another year of experience and gelling to take them to the next level. They did add Spencer Hawes, which was a good move to bolster their depth in the front court. Jordan Farmar is a good replacement for Darren Collison to back up Chris Paul. I see this team as being just as good as they were last year.

2. San Antonio Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder v San Antonio Spurs - Game Five

2. San Antonio Spurs

Oklahoma City Thunder v San Antonio Spurs - Game Five — The only reason the Spurs aren’t in the top spot is because Gregg Popovich always plays to prepare his team for the playoffs, which often means resting players late in the season. They will lose some games of less importance, but make no mistake about it, the Spurs are the best team in the league still.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

San Antonio Spurs v Oklahoma City Thunder - Game Three

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

San Antonio Spurs v Oklahoma City Thunder - Game Three — The Thunder will once again be regular season warriors, powering through the west. They did nothing to address their flaws that always get exposed in the playoffs, and as a result, they will find themselves at home watching the NBA Finals. Until they address their bench and coaching situation, it will be the same old story.

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