The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway next month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?
As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.
We’ll turn today to the Central division…
Milwaukee Bucks
- 2020/21 record: 46-26
- Over/under for 2021/22: 54.5 wins (55-27)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: George Hill, Grayson Allen, Semi Ojeleye, Rodney Hood, Georgios Kalaitzakis
- Lost: P.J. Tucker, Bryn Forbes, Jeff Teague, Sam Merrill
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bucks poll.
Indiana Pacers
- 2020/21 record: 34-38
- Over/under for 2021/22: 42.5 wins (43-39)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Chris Duarte, Isaiah Jackson, Torrey Craig
- Lost: Doug McDermott, Aaron Holiday, JaKarr Sampson
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pacers poll.
Chicago Bulls
- 2020/21 record: 31-41
- Over/under for 2021/22: 42.5 wins (43-39)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: DeMar DeRozan, Lonzo Ball, Alex Caruso, Tony Bradley, Derrick Jones, Ayo Dosunmu, Marko Simonovic, Stanley Johnson, Alize Johnson, Matt Thomas, Tyler Cook
- Lost: Lauri Markkanen, Thaddeus Young, Tomas Satoransky, Garrett Temple, Daniel Theis, Denzel Valentine, Al-Farouq Aminu, Ryan Arcidiacono, Cristiano Felicio
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Bulls poll.
Cleveland Cavaliers
- 2020/21 record: 22-50
- Over/under for 2021/22: 26.5 wins (27-55)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Cavaliers poll.
Detroit Pistons
- 2020/21 record: 20-52
- Over/under for 2021/22: 25.5 wins (26-56)
- Major offseason moves:
Trade Rumors app users, click here for Pistons poll.
Previous voting results:
- Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
- Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
- New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
- Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)
- Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
- Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)
The Bulls O/U is tricky. They are definitely going to be better but it feels like they are one bad injury away from playing under .500 ball.
I voted under but agree. Tough call.
They could be really good, but I think the East is going to be tougher top to bottom than it’s been in a while, and I have some real questions about how the team is going to play together.
And their defense will most likely be horrendous.
Bull no bull crap this team is deep there used to playing hurt
Bulls have to get to know each other. I see them better in second half. 41-44 wins.
Bucks will win Central. Over
Pistons are Over. Cade and Hayes are for real.
Cavs need another lottery pick. Under
Pacers are a sleeper. Watch out for them. They could do damage . Over
IND+8. Finally forwards are stocked; over
MIL+8. Not worse, but drive lessened; under
CHI+14. Bovada overcredits; 4 thin; under
CLEeven. Unusual lineup can surprise; over
DET+2. More good moves; over
MIL & IND will be over!
CHI & DET will be under!
CLE is a tough one… but I will say over!
The Bucks are a pretty easy over, and I think the Pacers will be much improved so they should be an easy over too.
I’m not a fan of what the Bulls did (I can see Lonzo taking another step forward but I hate pretty much everything else they did and none of their new pieces really make sense together) so I’m taking the under on them, and I really like what the Pistons are doing but I don’t think they’re quite ready yet so I took the under on them also. I really like their young core, but they’ll still have some growing pains.
The Cavs are a tough call, even as a Cavs fan. I don’t see them suddenly competing for anything more than possibly a play-in spot this year, but I’m interested to see how good this team can be if Garland keeps improving and Okoro builds on how he ended last season. I’m taking the over on them, but probably somewhere in the low to mid 30s as opposed to something substantially higher than that.