Game Thread The Official 2018-2019 Regular Season Prediction Thread

Pretty sure a little of both.

 

The only injury that'd derail our season is if Dame or Nurkic gets hurt. Even with Nurkic, I think we could easily trade for an Ed Davis type in them middle of the season to help with that loss. If Dame gets hurt, I think we're better equipped to deal with that with Curry and Baldwin.

 

Shhhhhh.
I wasn't gonna name names.

 

My prediction this season; They are going to win some games but, they are going to lose some games too.

 

Blazers win 39 games

 

46 wins

41%
509 attempts

 

Anyone want to take this over?

I have a basic spreadsheet with most of the predictions entered already built I can send to whoever.

 

Don't bail, man.

 

47-35; 40%; 450 attempts.

 

I get too much info from this place to not read up on things, but dont think i will be around often enough to keep up with this.

 

Bump. Only a few days left to cut off time.

 

44 wins - 38 losses. 39.6% on 416 attempts

 

48 wins

 

38 wins. Upheaval in the organization and ownership issues become too much of a distraction. PA was the real glue guy.

I wish I could believe they would play this season in his honor, and I think they will try, but how can this not be the ultimate distraction.

 

35 wins during a season of turmoil centered mostly around trade demands and possible relocation.

.......But then we win the lottery and draft a guy who has a leg 8 inches longer than the other one.

 

Yikes. Zach Lowes new article on his predictions...



Portland and Washington implode
The implosions would come after the season; I have both these teams in the playoffs, though Portland's spot (see below) is contingent on the Wolves trading Butler.

At some point, expensive 45- to 50-win teams that bump against the same second-round ceiling tend to break up. The results don't justify the salary outlay. Relationships fray, or grow stale. People get bored.

Implosion here doesn't necessarily mean dismantling. It means that at least one central figure -- player, coach, general manager -- won't be around when the next season starts.

The Wizards would have reached this point if not for their geographic location. The East: Delaying tough decisions since the late 1990s! Will another first-round loss put Ernie Grunfeld at risk?

Rejiggering the roster is tougher. John Wall's supermax kicks in next season, with a Year 1 salary of (avert your eyes) $38 million. Given his injury history, no smart team should trade for him. There are still a couple of dumb teams left.

Washington won't want to move Bradley Beal just for the sake of shaking things up. He's an All-Star on a fair contract. That leaves Otto Porter Jr., a fine player who might be a hair overpaid thanks to hitting free agency amid the cap spike. He'd be easy to move; he can fit any lineup, on any team.

If the Wizards sputter, smart teams will sniff around Beal. Is he unhappy? Would he ever flex his muscle, even with two-plus years left on his deal?

Washington has been one the league's angstiest teams for years. This is the year the angst boils over.

Portland has a more stable internal dynamic thanks to no-frills on-court leadership from Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Terry Stotts. Neil Olshey, their GM, has fought to maintain a competitive homegrown nucleus in a market with zero history of drawing free agents. They will be reeling for a long time, on both a personal and professional level, from the tragic death Monday of longtime owner Paul Allen. They remain a youngish team. If Durant leaves, why wouldn't they keep it together and dream big?

They might! But last season's first-round humiliation rattled Portland. It's hard to imagine every main character sticks around if this season ends in the first round -- or sooner.

The most enticing mega-trade on the board not involving Anthony Davis: Lillard to the Lakers for a package centered around Lonzo Ball. Lillard is a perfect fit next to LeBron, and LeBron respects Lillard's game, per sources familiar with the matter. The Lakers could absorb Lillard into cap space this summer without sending out giant matching salaries -- salaries they don't have on the books.

That feels like a reach now. Lillard loves Portland. The Lakers are optimistic about how their young players will mesh with LeBron, and they should be. Unless a deal for Davis falls into their lap during the season, I'd expect (bonus prediction!) the Lakers to hold their cards into the summer.

But that is just one fake Portland-centric trade -- one endgame. This could be a pivotal season for the Blazers.

 

Zach is really pissing me off this year. Seems so clickbaity and unlike him

 

There's no way Dame will let this team fall apart, esp. wirh Allen gone. He wont let this team go down the toilet. I cant believe some of the things the media are saying.

 

53-29

CJ 39.9% on 465 attempts

 

^53 wins???/ Damn!