BDL’s 2015-16 NBA Season Previews: All 30 team previews, collected
After four long months of waiting for our next proper fix after watching Stephen Curry’s Golden State Warriors topple the LeBron James-led Cleveland Cavaliers, our time is now, basketball junkies: The 2015-16 NBA season tips off on Tuesday.
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An Atlanta Hawks team eager to replicate last year’s surprising success will take on the Detroit Pistons, who could be poised to make a leap in Year 2 under Stan Van Gundy. The high-priced Eastern Conference champs will get their first look at Fred Hoiberg’s new regime when Cleveland locks horns with the Chicago Bulls. The Dubs begin their title defense by renewing pleasantries with the opponent they knocked off in the first round of last spring’s postseason: the New Orleans Pelicans, who are dealing with a raft of injuries, but who still have perhaps the NBA’s most perfect weapon in All-World power forward Anthony Davis.
After that, we only get 2,457 more games before the playoffs. Somehow, we’ll have to make do.
[The BDL 25: The key storylines to watch this NBA season]
We’ve spent all month getting ready for Tuesday, putting together in-depth looks at all 30 NBA teams — how we last left them, how we now find them, their major moves and key questions, and all the storylines and subplots to watch this season. They’re all collected here, in case you missed any, would like to take another look, or just want to study up.
The links below point to each team’s season preview, along with predicted records and projected playoff seeding. Dig in, enjoy, and feel free to tell us where you think we’ve gone wrong — today, tomorrow, all season long and always — on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.
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EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic Division
1. Boston Celtics: 45-37
2. Toronto Raptors: 45-37
3. New York Knicks: 30-52
4. Brooklyn Nets: 23-59
5. Philadelphia 76ers: 18-64
Central Division
1. Cleveland Cavaliers: 54-28
2. Chicago Bulls: 51-31
3. Milwaukee Bucks: 47-35
4. Detroit Pistons: 37-45
5. Indiana Pacers: 30-52
Southeast Division
1. Washington Wizards: 52-30
2. Atlanta Hawks: 52-30
3. Miami Heat: 50-32
4. Orlando Magic: 35-47
5. Charlotte Hornets: 21-61
Which would mean, playoffs-wise …
1. Cleveland
2. Atlanta/Washington*
3. Washington/Atlanta*
4. Chicago
5. Miami
6. Milwaukee
7. Boston/Toronto*
8. Toronto/Boston*
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Northwest Division
1. Oklahoma City Thunder: 55-27
2. Utah Jazz: 44-38
3. Portland Trail Blazers: 27-55
4. Denver Nuggets: 25-57
5. Minnesota Timberwolves: 20-62
Pacific Division
1. Golden State Warriors: 62-20
2. Los Angeles Clippers: 59-23
3. Phoenix Suns: 42-40
4. Sacramento Kings: 34-48
5. Los Angeles Lakers: 24-58
Southwest Division
1. Houston Rockets: 58-24
2. San Antonio Spurs: 58-24
3. New Orleans Pelicans: 51-31
4. Memphis Grizzlies: 45-37
5. Dallas Mavericks: 36-46
Which would mean, playoffs-wise …
1. Golden State
2. L.A. Clippers
3. Houston/San Antonio*
4. San Antonio/Houston*
5. Oklahoma City
6. New Orleans
7. Memphis
8. Utah
* depending on tiebreakers
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