NFL
Written by: Jordan Vitkauskas
With the new NBA season set to begin this Tuesday, it’s time for the 2021-22 NBA Eastern Conference preview, where we predict how the standings will shake out after another fun offseason of movement and trades.
With the major challenges of COVID, as well as a late-ending Finals behind the league, teams will revert back to the standard 82-game schedule. Opening night begins Tuesday, Oct. 19, with the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks hosting the Brooklyn Nets in the opening contest at 7:30 p.m., followed by the Golden State Warriors battling in Los Angeles against the Lakers at 10 p.m.
Check out the full slate of NBA games for each team this season here.
Eastern Conference Preview
1. Brooklyn Nets (61-21)
Key Offseason Moves: Re-signed LaMarcus Aldridge, signed Patty Mills, drafted Cam Thomas
Projected Starting Lineup: James Harden, Joe Harris, Bruce Brown, Kevin Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge
Key Reserves: Patty Mills, Cam Thomas, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap
Storyline: There’s really only one major storyline in Brooklyn heading into the season – will Kyrie Irving get vaccinated and suit up for the Nets? It’s a sentence that would be wild to write even two years ago, but it’s the reality of the life and times we live in currently. Irving has remained away from the team and stands firm on the stance of not getting vaccinated, while the rest of his team followed the guidelines. It’s certainly a dark cloud hanging over what could be an incredible season for Brooklyn, as they are still favorites to win the title.
The positives are still there, however, as Kevin Durant is coming off of an incredible playoff run (34.3 ppg on 51.4% shooting) and is fully healthy. Additionally, James Harden is back after a hamstring injury left him out for essentially four games in the playoff series loss to the Bucks last June. Second-year coach Steve Nash now has Patty Mills and draftee Cam Thomas as replacements for Irving, should he not play this year, and the trio of LaMarcus Aldridge, Blake Griffin, and Paul Millsap should help space the floor. Even with the potential Irving absence, I still expect a strong year from the Nets, with only injuries to Durant/Harden that could prevent them from winning 65+ games.
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2. Milwaukee Bucks (60-22)
Key Offseason Moves: Re-signed Bobby Portis, signed Grayson Allen, re-signed Rodney Hood
Projected Starting Lineup: Jrue Holiday, Donte DiVincenzo, Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez
Key Reserves: George Hill, Grayson Allen, Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis
Storyline: The defending-champion Milwaukee Bucks return most of the same team from their Finals run, including the ever-talented Giannis Antetokounmpo, who seems to have developed his jumper even more in the offseason. That last part should terrify all 29 other teams in the league. Giannis has shot just under 31% from three in the past two seasons (on about four attempts a game), but if he can get that number up to around 35%, he essentially becomes un-guardable. Complain about the injuries to the Lakers and Nets all you want (both fair points), but the Bucks are the real deal and now have the confidence that comes with winning a championship.
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This isn’t some aging group that is satisfied with one ring. The Milwaukee core of Giannis, Middleton, and Holiday is between the ages of 26 and 31, and the Bucks will most certainly be a formidable defending champion all year long. Their stars don’t get injured a lot, they play hard-nosed defense for 48 minutes, oh and have won 162 of 227 (71.3%) of regular-season games in the last three years. I can’t see a world where there is a championship hangover with this group and it would not shock me if they claimed the one seed over Brooklyn when it is all said and done.
3. Miami Heat (55-27)
Key Offseason Moves: Traded for Kyle Lowry, re-signed Duncan Robinson, signed Markieff Morris
Projected Starting Lineup: Kyle Lowry, Jimmy Butler, Duncan Robinson, P.J. Tucker, Bam Adebayo
Key Reserves: Tyler Herro, KZ Okpala, Markieff Morris, Dewayne Dedman
Storyline: What an interesting nine months for the Miami Heat. During the 2020 season, they made an improbable run to the Finals in the Disney World “bubble”, before falling to the Lakers in six hard-fought games. After less than 75 days off, Miami returned for the 2021 season and stumbled out of the gate, going 7-14 in its’ first 21 games. Jimmy Butler and Co. righted the ship eventually and finished 40-32, but looked inconsistent all year before getting demolished by Giannis and the Bucks in a sweep.
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As always though, Pat Riley and the front office quickly went to work in the offseason, acquiring longtime Raptor Kyle Lowry in a sign-and-trade for a 3 year / $85 million dollar deal. Additionally, they nabbed defensive pest P.J. Tucker from the Bucks and Markieff Morris from the Lakers to give some much-needed frontcourt depth. The loss of Goran Dragic will sting, but Lowry is probably a better player than the Slovenian at this point in their careers, especially on the defensive end. Rookie phenom Tyler Herro (yes the one from the Jack Harlow song) had somewhat of a sophomore slump but has shined in preseason and all signs point to a strong third campaign.
Lastly, we move to Butler, the glue of the team. Bam Adebayo plays the bigger role on defense at this point, but Butler is the heart and soul of the team, a guy practically made for Miami Heat culture. He thrives on competition and is not afraid to push his teammates on and off the court. Butler had two of the best Finals games of the last decade in the 2020 championship round but scored just 15 points on 30% shooting in the playoff loss to Milwaukee in May. He’ll surely be back stronger and tougher than ever. His playmaking has improved the last few seasons and with a full offseason of rest, I think he and the Heat will be in the top-3 of the standings for most of the year.
4. Philadelphia 76ers (52-30)
Key Offseason Moves: Re-signed Danny Green, signed Andre Drummond, signed Georges Niang
Projected Starting Lineup: Ben Simmons (?), Seth Curry, Danny Green, Tobias Harris, Joel Embiid
Key Reserves: Shake Milton, Tyrese Maxey, Furkan Korkmaz, Matisse Thybulle, Andre Drummond
Storyline: Much like the Nets, the central storyline for the Sixers revolves around their point guard, in this case, Ben Simmons. After completely disappearing in the 2021 playoffs (11.9 ppg, 34.2% ft), Simmons was rightly chastised by fans and writers alike, and eventually demanded a trade. He even went as far as to forfeit over a million dollars by not showing up for the start of training camp, something rarely done by the players who care oh-so-much about their pockets nowadays. Since then, Simmons has reported, passed his COVID test, and is reportedly practicing with the team, although the intention of a trade remains firm.
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Few seem to know if he’ll actually suit up for any games, as he did make it clear to the front office that he wanted no part of the court until his (and really Rich Paul’s, let’s not fool ourselves here) demands were met. In short, it’s been a mess in Philadelphia for months, but they still have an all-world MVP candidate in Joel Embiid as their anchor and workhorse. Embiid has mostly said all the right things during the preseason, choosing to focus on the guys that want to be there as opposed to the latter. As long as he stays healthy, Embiid is arguably the best center in the NBA, and would most certainly have won the MVP last year if not for missing two weeks of games in March. He’s an unstoppable low-post force and will be flanked by capable shooters in Danny Green, Tobias Harris, and the ever-reliable Seth Curry. That’s still good enough for close to 50 wins, assuming their star big man can stay relatively healthy.
But all eyes will be on Simmons and the mess of a situation he created by submitting horrendous playoff performances and failing to do his simple job of improving his game each year. The only definable part he has improved since being drafted five years ago is defense, where he is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate thanks to his length and instincts. Other than that, he’s borderline useless on offense, and now everyone in the league knows he mentally can’t hack it when the spotlight is on him.
Take Lonzo Ball as an example – he came into the league with a horrendous form on his jumper, but worked tirelessly on his shot in four seasons and jumped from 30.5% his rookie season to 37.8% from three-point range last year while converting to a smoother release. That’s all anyone is asking from Simmons. Put in some work on the shot and hit even at a 32% mark for a season. But instead, we’re subjected to incredibly weak workout videos of him driving on 5’10” trainers in an open gym. Alright, we’re done here. I’ve spent more time on Simmons than he has on his game recently. God help Sixers fans.
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5. Atlanta Hawks (47-35)
Key Offseason Moves: Signed Delon Wright, signed Gorgui Dieng, extended John Collins
Projected Starting Lineup: Trae Young, Bogdan Bogdanovic, De’Andre Hunter, John Collins, Clint Capela
Key Reserves: Delon Wright, Lou Williams, Kevin Huerter, Danilo Gallinari, Gorgui Dieng
Storyline: Next we move to the team that defeated the 76ers in last years’ playoffs, and brings back nearly every major contributor for this season. Trae Young had quite the coming-out party in the playoffs last season, averaging 29 points and 10 assists while providing some memorable meme moments (just ask Knicks fans) along the way.
The biggest piece for the Hawks this year will be the full return of De’Andre Hunter, who scored 15 points a game during the first 23 regular-season games before injuries kept him off the court for all but five playoff games the rest of the way. Hunter is the ideal complement to Young – a defensive-minded wing who is comfortable moving without the ball on offense. Throw in Kevin Huerter’s development and the scoring options of John Collins, Danilo Gallinari, and Lou Williams, and Atlanta has a solid foundation for the next few years.
The only issue that most of the players named above, sans Hunter and Clint Capela, can’t defend, and that will cause huge matchup issues against the teams above. Not only are they more talented overall, but the top-tier teams in the East have surefire Hall of Famer and legends, which is just too much for Atlanta (or anyone really) to handle as currently constructed. I see a world where Young takes another step forward with his efficiency and leads the Hawks to a three or four seed, but coming out of the East in the playoffs is a longshot at best.
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6. New York Knicks (46-36)
Key Offseason Moves: Re-signed Derrick Rose, signed Evan Fournier, signed Kemba Walker
Projected Starting Lineup: Kemba Walker, R.J. Barrett, Evan Fournier, Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson
Key Reserves: Derrick Rose, Alec Burks, Obi Toppin, Nerlens Noel
Storyline: For the first time since 2012-13, the Knicks had a playoff game at Madison Square Garden, and man was that crowd electric. Even though New York couldn’t get past Atlanta, there was a real energy and potential for the first time in years. In the offseason, the Knicks went out and added some much-needed shooting in the form of Evan Fournier (41.3% 3pt last year), and playmaking with Kemba Walker (19.3. ppg, & 4.9 apg). They bring back Sixth Man of the Year candidate Derrick Rose and a healthy Mitchell Robinson should help bolster the defense inside the paint.
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Head coach Tom Thibodeau also has 2021 Most Improved Player of the Year Julius Randle coming off of his best season in which he averaged a career-high 24.1 ppg and 6.0 apg while hitting 41.1% of his three-pointers. We know Thibodeau-coached teams are guaranteed to do two things very well – 1. Play hard for 48 minutes, and 2. Make opposing teams work to score points. The Knicks will once again play with a ton of pride, and new expectations as they work towards a top-3 seed.
7. Chicago Bulls (45-37)
Key Offseason Moves: Signed Alex Caruso, traded for Lonzo Ball, signed DeMar DeRozan
Projected Starting Lineup: Lonzo Ball, Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Patrick Williams, Nikola Vucevic
Key Reserves: Coby White, Alex Caruso, Derrick Jones Jr., Tony Bradley
Storyline: The Bulls are… back? Well, sort of. Chicago has not won 40 games since the 2016-17 season, when they had Jimmy Butler, D-Wade, and Rajon Rondo on the roster. This time around, the Bulls are built on a foundation of Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Nikola Vucevic, and more. LaVine is coming off of his best season yet (27.4 ppg, 50.7% fg, 41.9% 3pt), and is coming off of the Olympics where he was arguably Team USA’s third or fourth-best player. That means more than people realize, as guys such as LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and more had their best season-to-date after competing in the 2008 Olympics. There’s just something about playing with other high-level guys for a month that helps players come back stronger the following season. Look for LaVine to build on his strong 2021 campaign.
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As for the rest of the roster, Lonzo Ball and Alex Caruso are going to give opposing guards fits with the ball, as both are above-average pests on defense. DeRozan is a longtime veteran and elite shot-maker in the mid-range, which will help Chicago when possessions break down at the end of the shot clock. Patrick Williams is a rising young player and Nikola Vucevic is the perfect pick-and-pop center for this team. I don’t know if they will be consistent enough night-to-night, but Chicago certainly has some hope for the first time in almost five seasons. I wouldn’t be surprised to see them jump up to the fifth seed when things are all said and done.
8. Boston Celtics (43-39)
Key Offseason Moves: Signed Dennis Schroder, traded for Josh Richardson, traded for Al Horford
Projected Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Josh Richardson, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford
Key Reserves: Payton Pritchard, Marcus Smart, Aaron Nesmith, Grant Williams, Robert Williams
Storyline: Hopes were incredibly high for the Boston Celtics a year ago, after making the Eastern Conference Finals in the bubble and having two budding stars in Jaylen Brown (24.7 ppg, 48.4% fg) and Jayson Tatum (26.4 ppg, 45.9% fg). Fast forward to last season, where Marcus Smart and Kemba Walker missed multiple weeks with injuries, and Boston was arguably the most inconsistent team in the league. Tatum had another stellar season, but other guys just couldn’t step it up enough each night. Brad Stevens had some questionable lineup and coaching decisions, and Boston scraped by as the seventh seed (36-36) before falling in five games to the Nets.
This year, Al Horford, Dennis Schroder, and Josh Richardson replace Tristan Thompson, Kemba Walker, and Evan Fournier, which should help stabilize Boston’s depth. Schroder laid one of the worst eggs in recent playoff memory with the Lakers last May but will bring some much-needed isolation scoring to the starting lineup. Horford is familiar with the Celtics’ system and still has a little left in the tank. If Tatum and Brown can be 3-5% better than last season, Boston could make a run at securing homecourt advantage for the playoffs. If one or both misses time, it could be another long year for Boston fans.
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9. Indiana Pacers (40-42)
Key Offseason Moves: Drafted Chris Duarte, re-signed T.J. McConnell, signed Torrey Craig
Projected Starting Lineup: Malcolm Brogdon, Caris LeVert, T.J. Warren, Domantas Sabonis, Myles Turner
Key Reserves: T.J. McConnell, Justin Holiday, Jeremy Lamb, Goga Bitadze
Storyline: The Pacers enter the 2021-22 season with a new coach in Rick Carlisle (out after 13 years in Dallas), and mostly the same core group as 2021. Caris LeVert is supposed to return from injury and Malcolm Brogdon recently signed a two-year extension to prolong his stay in Indiana. Carlisle also has T.J. Warren and Domantas Sabonis as 20+ ppg scorers every night, as well as Myles Turner to defend the rim. It’s a decent top-6 lineup on paper but inconsistent and defensive issues have plagued the Pacers over the last two seasons. Not to mention their bench is incredibly average and will struggle to get stops. I really want to put Indiana higher, but the reality of the situation is you just cannot depend on them to stay healthy or play good enough defense. Plus, Turner has been on the trade block for two years and could be gone at any time. Expect another middle-of-the-road season for the Pacers.
10. Charlotte Hornets (37-45)
Key Offseason Moves: Signed Kelly Oubre Jr., signed Ish Smith, re-signed Terry Rozier
Projected Starting Lineup: LaMelo Ball, Terry Rozier, Miles Bridges, Gordon Hayward, Mason Plumlee
Key Reserves: Ish Smith, Kelly Oubre Jr., P.J. Washington
Storyline: The Hornets turned out to be a pretty fun team to watch last year, led by LaMelo Ball’s impressive rookie campaign. His shot selection and energy on both ends were better than expected, and he seems to have the support of his teammates. Miles Bridges and Gordon Hayward provide shooting and playmaking on the wing, while P.J,. Washington is the perfect spark plug off the bench. Kelly Oubre Jr. was added to help bolster the second unit, and Ish Smith is a classic veteran backup point guard who can spell Ball for 6-8 minutes a half.
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Unfortunately, the center position is a big black hole for Charlotte, as Mason Plumlee provides little besides rim-running and putback dunks. Against the lower-level competition, he’ll be fine, but against the Giannis’s, Embiid’s, and more, Plumlee will be out-matched and dominated every minute he is on the floor. There’s no real solution either, as the current free-agent market is slim. Throw in the defensive deficiencies of Hayward, Ball, and Terry Rozier, and you have the recipe for the Hornets to be no better than in the play-in tournament, come to the end of the season.
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Teams missing the play-in tournament (in order) – Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Orlando Magic
All stats and notes courtesy of ESPN.com / Basketball-Reference.
