Bone, what are your playoff predictions? All-Star surprises? Thoughts on coaching changes? Just say everything you've been thinking the whole past year.
I don't have any grand predictions. I think the Spurs will be very very good, but for me, last year's first round exit was due to losing a Sunday afternoon home game to the Cavs w 25 games left. They were up 12 midway thru the 4th quarter. Then Kyrie Irving scored 25 points in 12 minutes (last 7 plus OT) and the Spurs go from a 3 seed to a 6 seed, or wherever they finish and get the Clips with Game 7 on the road.
Not making excuses so much as seedings are going to be about who gets the fewest injuries and gets on a role with a couple of those crazy games thrown in (like say the Warriors losing at home to the Kings or something). I think the following playoff teams will exceed expectations in the regular season:
* Rockets, Thunder, Hawks, Pacers, Wizards, Heat, Lakers, Kings (see both Kings and Lakers battling for the 8th spot)
I think the following playoff teams will not meet regular season expectations:
* Cavs, Warriors, Clippers (gonna miss Fisher bitch-slapper, Matt Barnes)
I think the East will be better than expected though as I think the 2-6 slots in the East will be very tough outs.
I think the Blazers and Mavs will fall well below expectations. This is the year the bottom drops out for the Mavs.