Just a few predictions before the season gets underway
Before taking any of what you’re about to read too seriously, remember: This is supposed to be fun. The NBA season is about to tip off and, in these uncertain times, allow me to find levity with some crazy (and notso- crazy) predictions to celebrate the return of Warriors basketball.
Here are 21 predictions for the 2020-21 season:
1. THERE ARE NO FIREWORKS WHEN DURANT AND THE WARRIORS MEET >> Durant makes his Nets debut in the season opener against the Warriors on Dec. 22 in Brooklyn. On Feb. 13, Durant returns to the Bay Area to play at Chase Center. There will be plenty of hoopla from fans and media, but the sense here is that both parties are still exhausted from the drama of 2019 and won’t create a ruckus. A dap between Durant and Draymond Green. A hug with Steph Curry. Tip.
2. GREEN’S FIRST BLOW-UP OCCURS WITHIN THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SEASON >> Ten of the Warriors’ first 14 games are against teams who made the playoffs last season, many of them in the West. Green, who recently said anything less than a championship is a failure, tends to get frustrated early in the season.
3. OUBRE JR., NOT WIGGINS, IS GOLDEN STATE’S SECOND-LEADING SCORER THROUGH THE FIRST HALF OF THE SEASON >> Wiggins may have the skillset to run the second-unit offense and is of more importance to the Warriors longterm, but Oubre has the mindset. He’s aggressive and is playing in a contract year. It may not always be pretty, but Oubre will average more points than Wiggins.
4. SOMEHOW, MULDER MAKES THE SECOND-MOST 3-POINTERS ON THE TEAM >> The Warriors still don’t know where Mulder falls in the rotation, but right now it seems
he’s behind Kent Bazemore, Brad Wanamaker, Damion Lee and Jordan Poole on the depth chart. Still, there will be nights when the Warriors are clanking every 3-pointer they take and Steve Kerr will need to mix things up. When he looks down the bench in a pinch, Mulder is the mosttrusted 3- point shooter outside of Curry.
5. THE WARRIORS WIN 39 GAMES >> Las Vegas has their win total at 36.5. I’m taking the over.
6. WISEMANWINS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR >> Early bets are on Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball, but Ball’s efficiency numbers will make some voters balk while Wiseman, in a simple rim-running role, should fill the box score and shoot a higher percentage.
7. CURRY MAKES MORE THAN 300 3-POINTERS DESPITE THE SHORTENED SEASON >> He needs to make a little more than four per game in the 72-game season. It would be fourth time in his career he eclipses the 300 mark. (But he doesn’t lead the league in made 3-pointers. That’s Buddy Hield.)
8. CURRY LEADS THE LEAGUE IN STEALS >> He averaged 2.3 per game in the preseason and the Warriors will encourage him more than ever to reach.
9. RELATED, THE WARRIORS LEAD THE LEAGUE IN STEALS >> Between Curry, Oubre, Wiggins and Green in the starting unit and Kent Bazemore and Brad Wanamaker coming off the bench, the Warriors will always have multiple players on the floor who have made a career of getting deflections.
10. CURRY SIGNS THE FULL THREE-YEAR, $155.7 MILLION EXTENSION >> Talks are ongoing and Curry has all but said he could be willing to take less to help Golden State build around him. Unfortunately, his cap hold will always be too much to create any real flexibility. He takes the money.
11. BEAL DOES NOT GET TRADED >> Washington ends up in the playoff mix in the East and decides to keep the core together, taking a potential trade target off the table for the Warriors.
Good
12. BUT HARDEN DOES >>
NBA to enforce its rules. This is DAN POOLE’S ROOKIE OPTION >> not a bold prediction. Chances Poole has put in enough work are every team will deal with a behind the scenes to earn it. positive test at some point. The Plus, with Lee, Wanamaker, Warriors have already had two Mulder and Oubre coming off with Green and Wiseman. the books next summer, they’ll
16. THE WARRIORS TRADE WIGneed the cheap depth.
GINS OR OUBRE IN A WIN-NOW 18. STEPHEN CURRY FINISHES MOVE >> GM Bob Myers proved THIRD IN MVP VOTING >> Curry last year he’s not afraid to rewas supposed to be in the MVP shape a roster mid- season. race last season, but a broken Sure, the Warriors have much hand prematurely ended his more at stake this season and run. But let’s be honest, the If Al Horford or Lawill probably be competing for campaign didn’t get off to a Marcus Aldridge are bought a playoff spot, but Wiggins and great start as the Warriors out by their current teams, Oubre may be too redundant. face-planted into an ugly 1-2 both would be great stop-gap Trading one ( Wiggins and his before Aron Baynes accidenoptions that can defend the long- term salary or Oubre, tally crushed Curry in October.paint,spacethefloorandal-whotheymaynotbeableto low Wiseman to develop slowly. re-sign) could help elevate the Similar to last season, Curry
15. AT LEAST ONE MORE WARother while filling a need — eiwill be without Klay Thomp
RIORS PLAYER TESTS POSITIVE ther shooting, defense or both son (out for the season with
FOR THE CORONAVIRUS DUR— that could help them in the a torn Achilles) and will seek
ING THE SEASON >> With teams postseason. support from a young, newtraveling, it will be hard for the 17. THE WARRIORS PICK UP JOR- look supporting cast. That’s bye, Houston
13. TAKE PASCHALL’S STATS FROM HIS ROOKIE SEASON, AND HALVE THEM >> Quietly, Paschall struggled in his two preseason games. The playing time won’t be there this season like it was his rookie year, and if the 3-point shot doesn’t come around it could be difficult to find time.
14. THE WARRIORS USE THE DISABLED PLAYER EXCEPTION ON A CENTER >>
not stopping me from predicting a do- over, and he’s got a better chance this time around.
Last year’s w inner, Giannis Antetokoumpo, won’t go for three straight MVPs. The shine has worn off and, even though this is a regularseason award, those who vote (the media) want to see Antetokoumpo deliver in the playoffs. Ditto for Kawhi Leonard. The Lakers’ stars could split Los Angeles- based votes. No one likes James Harden anymore, and it’s too early to predict an MVP- caliber bounceback by Kevin Durant.
That leaves Damian Lillard, Luka Doncic and Curry. I stop short of predicting Curry winning his third MVP because Lillard’s Trail Blazers and Doncic’s Mavericks had strong offseason that should propel each to better records than the Warriors. My money is on Lillard, because of his experience and media-wide appreciation. But Curry playing at an MVP-level is what Golden State needs.
19. THEWARRIORSWIN THE PLAYIN TOURNAMENT >> The NBA approved a one-time playoff playin tournament this season, which will take place after the regular season and include the teams with the seventh-best through the 10th-best records in each conference. Golden State will finish the season with the seventh-best record and beat the eighth-place Suns to earn the No. 7 seed in the West.
20. WESTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFF PICTURE >> Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets, Jazz, Trail Blazers, Mavericks, Warriors and… the Suns (who beat the Pelicans in the second round of the play-in tournament for the final playoff spot).
21. NBA FINALS >> Lakers over Nets in six.