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Poll: Which Team Is Biggest Threat To Warriors?

September 28th, 2017 at 11:59am CST by Luke Adams

The brunt of the NBA’s offseason action typically happens in June or July, when the draft takes place and free agency opens. Generally, a week or two into the free agent period, all the big-name players are off the board, most trades have been finalized, and we have a pretty good idea of what teams will look like in the fall.

That wasn’t quite the case this summer. Three teams with championship aspirations look a whole lot different now than they did in mid-July. In mid-July, we didn’t even know that Kyrie Irving wanted to be traded by the Cavaliers. Now, he’s a member of the Celtics, with Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Ante Zizic in Cleveland.

Of course, that wasn’t the Cavs’ only major move. The team also locked up Dwyane Wade on Wednesday following his buyout with the Bulls, reuniting the former Finals MVP with his friend LeBron James.

Meanwhile, Western Conference teams also continued to load up on talent, with the Knicks sending Carmelo Anthony to Oklahoma City. It was the Thunder’s second notable acquisition of an Eastern All-Star this offseason, and while it wasn’t a surprise to see Anthony dealt, his destination raised some eyebrows. Following Houston’s trade for Chris Paul in June, one report suggested the Rockets expected to land either Paul George or Anthony, but both those players ultimately ended up in OKC.

Now that the dust has settled and it appears most contending clubs are done making major moves, it’s worth taking stock of where those contenders stand in relation to one team that has been quiet in recent months — the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors had an excellent offseason, but conducted all their business in June and July, not taking part in the flurry of last-minute upgrades happening around the league.

Taking into account each team’s roster heading into the summer, along with every club’s offseason moves, which team do you view as the biggest threat to the Warriors in 2017/18? Will a Western Conference rival like the Rockets, Spurs, or Thunder have a chance to take down the defending champs? Or will the best chance at an upset come from the Eastern Conference?

Vote below in our poll and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Detroit Pistons’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 27th, 2017 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

Coming off a 44-win season, the Pistons looked poised to take another step forward in the Eastern Conference in 2016/17, but many of Detroit’s key young contributors didn’t make the improvements the club had anticipated.

Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, Tobias Harris, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope – all in their early- to mid-20s – essentially put up the same numbers last season that they did the year before, or took a step backward in terms of overall production. In Jackson’s case, his struggles could be chalked up largely to injury issues, but that doesn’t change the end result — the Pistons slipped in the standings due in large part to the lack of internal growth, finishing the season with a 38-44 mark.

While the team was essentially capped out and couldn’t make major changes over the summer, Detroit did swap out Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris, and Aron Baynes for a new group of contributors that includes Avery Bradley, Langston Galloway, and Anthony Tolliver. Rookie marksman Luke Kennard also enters the picture to help make up for losing KCP’s outside shooting.

The Pistons seem hopeful that those roster tweaks – along with improvements from the likes of Jackson, Drummond, and Harris – will allow the team to get back above .500, but oddsmakers aren’t as optimistic. Offshore betting site Bovada has the Pistons’ over/under mark right about where it was last year — 38.5 wins.

What do you think? Is this Pistons team ready to bounce back and get back in the playoff picture out East, or is Detroit in for more of the same this season? Vote below and jump into the comments section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: New Orleans Pelicans’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 26th, 2017 at 3:54pm CST by Luke Adams

While DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis played together for about a month and a half down the stretch last season, the true test of the duo’s compatibility and effectiveness will come in 2017/18. With an offseason and a training camp to prepare, the Pelicans should enter this season with a clearer idea of how to best use Cousins and Davis.

Whether the pairing will be a success remains to be seen. New Orleans’ roster is somewhat oddly constructed — in addition to their two stars up front, the Pelicans also invested heavily in point guard Jrue Holiday, but then signed Rajon Rondo with the intent of playing him alongside Holiday.

With the club’s other highest-paid players – Omer Asik and Solomon Hill – not expected to play substantial roles due to health problems, the Pelicans will have to rely on several inexpensive contributors – including Tony Allen, Ian Clark, Darius Miller, and Dante Cunningham – to fill rotation roles and complement the team’s stars.

There’s certainly no shortage of talent on the Pelicans’ roster, but the odd mix of players makes it easy to imagine things going south. Speaking to reporters this week, GM Dell Demps downplayed the idea that New Orleans needs to get off to a good start to avoid disaster, but with Demps and head coach Alvin Gentry potentially on the hot seat and Cousins in a contract year, a hot start would certainly help.

Despite New Orleans’ playoff aspirations, oddsmakers are still lukewarm about the team’s chances to make an impact in a tough conference, with offshore betting site Bovada placing the Pelicans’ over/under at 39.5 wins. The club was 34-48 a year ago.

What do you think? Can the star power on the roster ensure that the Pelicans win at least 40 games, or is the lack of depth and versatility on the roster too big a problem to overcome? Vote below and weigh in with your thoughts on the comment section!

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Poll: Utah Jazz’s 2017/18 Win Total

September 22nd, 2017 at 3:16pm CST by Luke Adams

After steadily increasing their win total for a few years, the Jazz broke through in a big way in 2016/17, winning the Northwest division with a 51-31 record. However, the club’s hopes of taking yet another step forward this season likely dissipated around the time that Gordon Hayward published his Players’ Tribune piece on July 4.

The Jazz are still a talented team, but Hayward was the club’s top scorer and its only All-Star. With both Hayward and George Hill gone, Utah may struggle to put the ball in the net — the team’s other best player, Rudy Gobert, is more of a force on the defensive end than on offense, and new point guard Ricky Rubio is very much a pass-first player.

Besides Hayward, Gobert, and Hill, the only other Jazz player to average double-digit points last season was Rodney Hood, and he’ll have to improve significantly on his 12.7 PPG to help fill the gap left by Hayward’s departure. Joe Ingles, Derrick Favors, and Alec Burks may be asked to do more on offense too, with newcomers like Thabo Sefolosha and rookie Donovan Mitchell also chipping in.

The Jazz still look like a playoff contender, but they’re no longer a lock for the postseason, and oddsmakers’ projections for the team reflect that. Offshore betting site Bovada currently has Utah’s over/under for 2017/18 at 41 wins. Since we prefer to avoid whole numbers in these polls, and action on the over has been heavy so far on Bovada, we’ll bump that number to 41.5.

What do you think? Does this Jazz roster still have enough talent to finish above .500, or is a dip of 10 games or more in the cards without Hayward or Hill around anymore? Vote below and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Philadelphia 76ers’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 21st, 2017 at 1:39pm CST by Luke Adams

With the exception of the lockout-shortened season in 2011/12, the Sixers haven’t finished over .500 since the 2004/05 campaign. They’ve posted a 41-41 record twice during that stretch, but have been unable to reach the 42-win threshold in over a decade.

There’s some reason to believe that streak could come to an end in 2017/18. After all, the Sixers’ roster is more stacked with young talent than it has been at any time during that stretch, with No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz joining a group that includes Joel Embiid, Dario Saric, Robert Covington, and last year’s No. 1 pick Ben Simmons, who looks ready to go after missing his rookie season.

However, while Philadelphia’s young core is exciting, it’s also unproven. Fultz and Simmons have yet to play in an NBA game. Embiid has only played in 31 of them. And Simmons and Embiid are both coming off major injuries.

While a playoff berth is the goal for the Sixers, president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo has made an effort to temper expectations. As we noted yesterday, Colangelo recently suggested that Philadelphia is “hoping” to make the postseason, but not forecasting an appearance in the playoffs. That would be “getting a little ahead of ourselves,” in Colangelo’s words, and he’s not wrong — the Sixers improved their win total from 10 in 2015/16 to 28 last season, but they’d need another big jump to make the postseason.

Oddsmakers are optimistic about the Sixers’ chances to make that leap, with offshore betting site Bovada putting the team’s over/under for 2017/18 at 41.5 wins. Bettors are a little more hesistant to go all-in on the Sixers, with Bovada’s current lines indicating that action has been heavy on the under.

What do you think? Is this the year the Sixers finally get back up to 42 wins, or does the team’s young core need a little more time to develop? Vote below and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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Poll: Portland Trail Blazers’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 20th, 2017 at 10:40am CST by Luke Adams

After posting a 54-28 record in 2013/14, the Trail Blazers have found themselves slowly slipping down the Western Conference standings in recent years, with their win total declining from 54 to 51 to 44 to 41. Although the club earned a playoff spot last season, its 41-41 regular season record was a letdown.

The late-season arrival of Jusuf Nurkic provided a spark for the Blazers and gives the team a reason for optimism heading into the 2017/18 season. Since LaMarcus Aldridge‘s departure in 2015, Portland’s offense has been driven by its backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum, but if Nurkic recovers from his broken leg and continues playing like he did in his first 20 games with the Blazers (15.2 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 1.9 BPG), the team’s attack looks more balanced.

Still, while a full season with Nurkic in the lineup would bode well for the Blazers’ chances to improve, they won’t have it easy in a Western Conference that looks more daunting than ever. In Portland’s division alone, the Thunder added Paul George, the Timberwolves acquired Jimmy Butler, and the Nuggets signed Paul Millsap.

The Blazers, on the other hand, didn’t make any notable additions outside of rookies Zach Collins and Caleb Swanigan, who aren’t likely to make a major impact right away. Portland had to dump Allen Crabbe for nothing in order to cut team salary and reduce its projected luxury tax bill, giving the club one fewer outside shooter to rely on in 2017/18.

Despite Portland’s quiet summer and a loaded Western Conference, oddsmakers still project a very modest improvement for the Blazers this season, with offshore betting site Bovada putting the club’s over/under at 42.5 wins.

What do you think? Are the Blazers, with the help of Nurkic, set to bounce back and improve on last year’s record, or will they be hard-pressed to top 42 wins in a tough conference? Vote below and jump into the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

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Poll: Charlotte Hornets’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 19th, 2017 at 9:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have bounced up and down the Eastern Conference standings over the last five years, with their win total going from 21 to 43 to 33 to 48 to 36 during that stretch. While last year’s 36-46 record was a disappointment, Charlotte has reason to believe that better things are in store for the 2017/18 season.

Although the Hornets didn’t make major changes to their roster, the moves they did make look like good ones. A trade with the Hawks that sent Miles Plumlee and Marco Belinelli to Atlanta cost the club some outside shooting, but allowed Charlotte to acquire Dwight Howard, who should be an upgrade up front over Plumlee.

Meanwhile, the Hornets were able to replace some of that outside shooting in the draft, nabbing Malik Monk – who was viewed by most experts as a probable top-10 pick – with the No. 11 selection. Charlotte also made a savvy second-round pick, scooping up promising rookie Dwayne Bacon at No. 40.

While the Hornets made a few solid roster moves, the team didn’t have the cap flexibility to make any major splashes, and there are still question marks at some spots on the roster. Charlotte struggled to get reliable point guard production behind Kemba Walker last year, for instance, and while the team addressed that issue in free agency by replacing Ramon Sessions and Brian Roberts with Michael Carter-Williams and Julyan Stone, MCW is battling injuries again, and Stone hasn’t played in an NBA game since 2014.

Oddsmakers are optimistic about the Hornets’ chances of improving over last year, with offshore betting site Bovada putting their over/under at 42.5 wins.

What do you think? Does a seven-game improvement on last season’s record seem reasonable for the Hornets, or are there still too many areas of concern on the roster for the club to rack up 43 or more wins? Vote below and share your thoughts in the comment section!

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Poll: Miami Heat’s 2017/18 Win Total

September 17th, 2017 at 8:40pm CST by Luke Adams

The Heat entered the offseason with aspirations of re-adding some of the star power they’ve lost since the days of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. However, despite getting a meeting with Gordon Hayward, Miami failed to land its top target, and pivoted to Plan B: Re-signing its own players and adding a second-tier free agent in Kelly Olynyk.

Outside of the addition of Olynyk and a couple minor losses – Luke Babbitt and Willie Reed found new homes – the Heat’s roster looks very similar to last year’s version. With all the core pieces involved in last season’s 30-11 second-half run returning, and Olynyk and Justise Winslow set to join them, it’s reasonable to be enthusiastic about Miami’s chances of making some noise in the Eastern Conference.

Still, this also looks a lot like the team that had a 11-30 record in the first half of the 2016/17 campaign, which shouldn’t be overlooked. Goran Dragic, Hassan Whiteside, and Dion Waiters make up a solid core group of scorers for the Heat, but none of those players – or anyone else on the Miami roster – has made a single All-Star appearance, limiting the club’s upside.

Oddsmakers projecting the Heat’s 2017/18 win total lean slightly more toward the second-half version of the club than the first-half version. Offshore betting site Bovada has Miami’s over/under at 43.5 wins.

What do you think? Can the Heat build on last year’s scorching final stretch and reach 44+ wins in 2017/18, or was their offseason too quiet to expect a major step forward? Vote below and jump into the comment section to share your thoughts.

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Poll: Los Angeles Clippers’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 16th, 2017 at 4:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The summer of 2017 represented the end of an era for the Clippers, who sent nine-time All-Star Chris Paul to Houston in a blockbuster trade that helped replenish their depth, but cost them a superstar. While the Clips did well to extract several pieces of value for Paul, who could have joined the Rockets as a free agent, the club will face a challenge as it enters the coming season without its longtime starting point guard.

With Paul, J.J. Redick, and Raymond Felton all gone, the Clippers’ new-look backcourt will be fortified by Patrick Beverley and Lou Williams – two players acquired in the CP3 trade – and international import Milos Teodosic, who will get his first taste of NBA action after years of starring in Euroleague play.

Meanwhile, the frontcourt no longer features Luc Mbah a Moute, Marreese Speights, Paul Pierce, or Brandon Bass, but Danilo Gallinari was a big acquisition for the Clippers, Willie Reed should provide solid minutes off the bench, and the trade with the Rockets also provided a couple interesting young forwards in Sam Dekker and Montrezl Harrell. Of course, Blake Griffin – locked up to a new long-term contract – and DeAndre Jordan are still the mainstays up front.

The Clippers look deeper and more balanced than they have in recent years, but losing Paul will hurt. The club has played a certain style with CP3 leading the way for years, so it will be interesting to see what adjustments Doc Rivers makes with his new group. It also remains to be seen how Gallinari will acclimate to his new team — he looks like a natural stretch four, but he’ll likely end up spending more time at the three if he plays frequently alongside Griffin and Jordan.

The Clippers have won between 51 and 57 games in each of the last five seasons, but oddsmakers aren’t as enthusiastic about the new-look roster, with offshore betting site Bovada putting the team’s over/under for 2017/18 at 43.5 wins.

What do you think? Will the post-Paul era result in some struggles for the Clippers in a tough Western Conference? Or does the team still have enough talent to win 44 or more games this year? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to weigh in with your thoughts!

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Poll: Denver Nuggets’ 2017/18 Win Total

September 15th, 2017 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets missed the postseason in 2016/17, but you could make a convincing case that they were the most talented team to land in the lottery. Only the Heat had a better record than Denver among non-playoff teams, but the difference was only one game, and the Nuggets played in the stronger conference.

That conference has gotten even more daunting within the last few months. Not only have teams above the Nuggets in the standings, such as the Rockets and Thunder, added star talent, but some of the West’s other lottery teams, like the Timberwolves and Pelicans, have made major moves and hope to enter the postseason picture themselves.

Denver made a signficant move of its own when free agency opened, landing All-Star big man Paul Millsap, who is expected to make an excellent frontcourt partner for breakout star Nikola Jokic. With young guards Gary Harris and Jamal Murray showing signs of developing into core pieces as well, the Nuggets have a strong foundation and look poised to get over the hump and make the playoffs in the West this season.

Still, Denver’s roster isn’t without its weaknesses. The point guard position remains unsettled, with neither Jameer Nelson nor Emmanuel Mudiay looking like a solid starter at this point. Longtime Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari is also gone, and it still feels like the club needs to make one more trade for its roster to really take shape.

Oddsmakers are optimistic about the Nuggets’ chances of taking a major step forward in 2017/18 though. After finishing last season with a 40-42 record, Denver is currently projected to have an over/under of 45.5 wins for the coming year, per offshore betting site Bovada.

What do you think? Can the Nuggets finish with 46 wins or more, or is the Western Conference simply too tough for a non-playoff team like Denver to make that kind of leap in 2017/18? Vote below in our poll and then jump into the comment section to share your thoughts!

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