10 Predictions for the Second Half of the NBA Season

The first half of the NBA season has presented a plethora of heroic performances, highly entertaining games, insane dunks, juicy rumors, and Hollywood-like storylines.

Now that the All-Star break and the first half of the season now in the rearview mirror, here are 10 predictions for the NBA’s second half:

Important to note: Second half predictions will include the remainder of the NBA regular season and the entire postseason. Meaning predictions will not go beyond the final game of the NBA Finals – no draft, no free agency, no trades. 

10. The Cleveland Cavaliers will fall into a slump again

If the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first half was a roller coaster, the Gravity Max would lose some mystique. After looking like one of the worst teams in the entire NBA, the Cavs re-shaped their roster and since then have looked unbelievable. But that will not last, by late March, LeBron’s squad will once again experience difficulties on defense, and everyone will be panicking, worrying, overreacting and wondering if LeBron is leaving this July.

9. Blake Griffin’s former team will make the playoffs, his current will not

Since the Detroit Pistons acquired Blake Griffin, his former team has looked like the superior team. Both teams are currently sitting at the 9th seed in their respective conferences, but only one will be in this year’s playoffs: The Clippers. The Pistons entered the break stumbling by losing three out of their last four and still seem like a team that is deeply flawed. It is harder to imagine them moving ahead of the teams at the bottom of the East playoff race, compared to the Clippers who are now in a prime position to take over the 8th seed post-DeMarcus Couins’ injury.

8. James Harden will become the second-ever unanimous MVP

While this will not be announced until June 25 (past the timeframe of this list) the award will be won by April 11. Not only will it be won, but won unanimously. While Steph Curry will always be the first-ever unanimous MVP, he won’t be the only one for long. James Harden has been an absolute force this season leading the league in scoring, hitting clutch shots, refusing to lose, and re-writing the NBA history books. And that is just a portion of what The Beard has been up to as of late. There is no reason to believe this will stop, meaning there is no other player will receive even a single first-place vote.

7.  LaVar Ball will say something dumb at least three more times

If the over/under was set at one, this would be the safest bet on the list. But for fun, let’s put it at three. And LaVar Ball will accomplish just that. Even being overseas in Lithuania has not stopped Mr. Ball from causing chaos. Just last week, he threatened to take Lonzo off the Lakers. Once Lonzo gets back on the court from injury, LaVar will be even more annoying — book it.

6. The Spurs will be bounced in the first round

This year’s version of the Spurs is starting to feel like a team destined for nothing. Kudos to Gregg Popovich for keeping this team afloat without Kawhi Leonard for much of the season, but it is becoming increasingly more likely we will not see Leonard at his MVP form this season. Therefore, the Spurs could fall as low as the 5th seed putting them up against either the Thunder or Timberwolves in the first-round. This year, Coach Pop’s playoff record will only increase by three wins.

5. We will see another 60-point+ game

There have already been 11 games this season where a player has scored over 50 points, with one reaching 60, expect that number to rise. The league has become as three-point photomontage, making the task to eclipse 60 simpler. It may not be done in a historic fashion such as James Harden’s 60-pointer in January, but another 60-pointer is happening before the NBA season concludes.

4.  Russell Weststrongrook will have averaged a triple-doustrongle two years in a row.

It is actually criminal this has not received more attention. Just because Russell Westbrook was the second player ever to average a triple-double in a season last year – for the first time in 55 years – should not take away from the fact he is in position to do it yet again. Currently, Westbrook is averaging 25.4, 10.4, 9.4, only falling short of the triple-double average by 0.6 RPG. That is more than in this guy’s range, just watch the effort he puts in each and every night:

3. The Warriors will be taken to a Game 7

TheGolden State Warriors finished off the first half in somewhat of a funk, and currently are 0.5 games behind the Rockets. Last year, the Warriors only lost one game in the postseason, this year they will lose more than that in one series. In the Western Conference Finals, they will meet the aforementioned Rockets who they went 1-3 against this season (James Harden and Kevin Durant missed the game they won) and what will serve as the unofficial NBA Finals. The Rockets have statically the best offensive rating ever and have all the resources to dethrone the champs. But in a back-and-forth showcase, it will come down to the final quarter in Game 7 when Kevin Durant slays James Harden at The Oracle.

2. The Cleveland Cavaliers will BARELY make the NBA Finals

BREAKING NEWS: LeBron James will make his eighth straight NBA Finals appearance … barely. Toronto – who is vastly underrated and really good – will end up with the 1st seed, and Boston will remain at the 2nd. This means Cleveland – 3rd – will have to get past both to advance to its fourth straight Finals. As mentioned above, the Cavs are not THAT good, and will really struggle this time around in the East during the postseason. After going to back-to-back Game 7s, the Cavs will just narrowly slide past both the Celtics and Raptors.

1. Kevin Durant will pass LeBron James as the best player in the world

What is the result of the first nine predictions? Kevin Durant becoming the new “best player in the NBA”. The seeds were planted for this last Finals as Durant outplayed LeBron on both ends of the floor in what felt like a tease of a “passing of the torch” moment. One year later, Durant will have continued to improve his defensive game (4th in blocks) and will once again be named Finals MVP. KD will be the primary reason the Warriors sweep LeBron’s crew. How many times in a row would that be that Durant has outplayed LeBron head-to-head? 11.