NBA Team Predictions and Rankings

As the regular NBA season of 2008-2009 begins, I have a few points and predictions to make.

First off, the Lakers look very strong as a unit and will definitely have a great record. The Celtics are the Celtics of last year for the most part. They will miss Posey and the energy he brought to the court, but they will still be one of the strong forces in the East.

The Miami Heat are true underdogs. Even though they picked up Beasley, Marion, Chalmers, and more, they are still very underrated in my opinion. Wade is in the same league as Kobe and LeBron, and makes everyone better. Miami will be a good force in the East and will make the playoffs without a doubt.

Also, Phoenix yet again, has a good squad. The addition of Shaq adds over 300 pounds of size and a ton more experience. Amare is better every time he plays, and Nash is just...Nash. Here are a few numbers to represent my predictions for the season.

A Few Team Predictions

East

Celtics: 59 wins, 23 losses

Heat: 52 wins, 30 losses

Pistons: 48 wins, 34 losses

West

Lakers: 66 wins, 16 losses

Hornets: 62 wins, 20 losses

Suns: 57 wins, 25 losses

Individual Scoring Leaders

1. LeBron James: 30.2 ppg

2. Kobe Bryant: 29.8 ppg

3. Dwayne Wade: 28.4 ppg