A full 82-game schedule is back in the cards for the NBA as the 2021-22 season tips off on Tuesday night.
The Milwaukee Bucks are attempting to defend their first title in 50 years, but looming powerhouses not only in the Eastern Conference, but the NBA, will give Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. a run for their money.
Even without Kyrie Irving, the Brooklyn Nets — headlined by Kevin Durant and James Harden — look as though they’re one of the strongest teams in the league while out West, the Los Angeles Lakers are going to have their hands full navigating through a conference that features upstarts in the Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets, along with the defending conference champion Phoenix Suns.
LeBron James has extra help though in the form of Russell Westbrook, adding to a Big 3 of him and Anthony Davis — that’s why we see them as the favorite to represent the Western Conference in the NBA Finals.
But are they good enough to take down a restocked Nets team? Here is how we see the 2021-22 season playing out:
2021-22 Eastern Conference predicted standings
Milwaukee Bucks
Brooklyn Nets
Philadelphia 76ers
Atlanta Hawks
Boston Celtics
Miami Heat
New York Knicks
Indiana Pacers
Eastern Conference 1st Round
Bucks def. Pacers
Nets def. Knicks
76ers def. Heat
Hawks def. Celtics
Eastern Conference 2nd Round
Bucks def. Hawks
Nets def. 76ers
Eastern Conference Finals
Nets def. Bucks
2021-22 Western Conference predicted standings
Utah Jazz
Los Angeles Lakers
Denver Nuggets
Phoenix Suns
Golden State Warriors
Los Angeles Clippers
Dallas Mavericks
Portland Trail Blazers
Western Conference 1st Round
Jazz def. Blazers
Lakers def. Mavericks
Nuggets def. Clippers
Warriors def. Suns
Western Conference 2nd Round
Jazz def. Warriors
Lakers def. Nuggets
Western Conference Finals
Lakers def. Jazz
NBA Finals
Nets def. Lakers
NBA 2021-22 individual award predictions
MVP: Luka Doncic, Mavericks
Rookie of the Year: Cade Cunningham, Pistons
Defensive Player of the Year: Rudy Gobert, Jazz
Sixth Man of the Year: Patty Mills, Nets
Most Improved Player: Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets
Executive of the Year: Steve Nash, Nets
