2014-2015 NBA Season TBL Staff Picks

Stephen Douglas

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, Toronto, Brooklyn, Miami, Charlotte, Atlanta
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Chicago
Western Conference Playoff Teams: LAC, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Memphis, Golden State, Portland, Houston, Dallas
Western Conference Finals: Spurs over Thunder
NBA Finals: Cleveland Cavaliers over San Antonio Spurs
NBA Champion: Cleveland Cavaliers
NBA MVP: Russell Westbrook
Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Scoring Champion: Kobe Bryant
6th Man of the Year: Isaiah Thomas
Most Improved: Jimmer Fredette
Coach of the Year: David Blatt
Worst Record in the NBA: Philly
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook
Most-Hated Player by #BasketballTwitter: Roy Hibbert

Ryan

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Cavs, Bulls, and the rest may not really matter
Eastern Conference Finals: Bulls over Cavs
Western Conference Playoff Teams: Spurs, Thunder, Rockets, Mavericks, Warriors, Grizzlies, Clippers, Blazers
Western Conference Finals: Spurs over Clippers
NBA Finals: Spurs over Bulls
NBA MVP: LeBron
Worst Record in the NBA: 76ers
Rookie of the Year: Dante Exum
Defensive Player of the Year: Not Kevin Love or Kyrie Irving
Scoring Champion: Carmelo Anthony
6th Man of the Year: Jamal Crawford
Most Improved: Damian Lillard
Coach of the Year: Doc Rivers
Most-Hated Player by #BasketballTwitter: Kyrie Irving
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Russell Westbrook

Tyler

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: 1. Cavs 2. Bulls 3. Washington 4-8. Not the Pistons
Eastern Conference Finals: Cavs over Bulls
Western Conference Playoff Teams: 1. Clippers 2. Spurs 3. Rockets 4. Thunder 5. Mavericks 6. Warriors 7. Grizzlies 8. Blazers
Western Conference Finals: Spurs over Thunder
NBA Finals: Cavs vs. Spurs
NBA Champion: The Cleveland LeBrons, because I got them at 14-1.
NBA MVP: LeBron James
Worst Record in the NBA: Philadelphia
Rookie of the Year: Nik Stauskas, Go Blue.
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Scoring Champion: Carmelo Anthony
6th Man of the Year: Why is this an award?
Most Improved: Not Josh Smith
Coach of the Year: David Blatt
Worst Record in the NBA: Philadelphia 76ers
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Lance Stephenson

Jason McIntyre

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Cleveland, Chicago, Washington, Atlanta, Toronto, Brooklyn, Charlotte, Orlando
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland vs Chicago, unoriginal, but obvious (barring injury)
Western Conference Playoff Teams: San Antonio, Golden State, Oklahoma City, LA Clippers, Portland, Dallas, Houston, New Orleans
Western Conference Finals: Golden State vs Oklahoma City
NBA Finals: Cleveland vs. Golden State
NBA Champion: Cleveland
NBA MVP: LeBron
Worst Record in the NBA: Milwaukee Bucks
Rookie of the Year: Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis, New Orleans
Scoring Champion: James Harden, Houston
Most Improved: Andre Drummond, Detroit
Coach of the Year: Steve Kerr, Golden State
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Blake Griffin, LA Clipers

Jason Lisk

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Cleveland, Toronto, Chicago, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, New York, Miami
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Toronto
Western Conference Playoff Teams: LA Clippers, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Golden State, Memphis, Portland, Dallas, Houston
Western Conference Finals: LA Clippers over San Antonio
NBA Finals: Cleveland over LA Clippers
NBA Champion: Cleveland
NBA MVP: LeBron James
Worst Record in the NBA: Milwaukee Bucks
Rookie of the Year: Marcus Smart
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Scoring Champion: Carmelo Anthony in total points; Kevin Durant in points per game
6th Man of the Year: someone who should be starting
Most Improved: Jeremy Lamb
Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Blake Griffin

Cardillo

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Chicago, Cleveland, Toronto, Washington, Charlotte, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit
Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago vs. Cleveland
Western Conference Playoff Teams: San Antonio, Golden State, Portland, LA Clippers, Oklahoma City, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix
Western Conference Finals: San Antonio vs. Portland
NBA Finals: Chicago vs. Portland
NBA Champion: Portland
NBA MVP: LeBron James
Worst Record in the NBA: Utah
Rookie of the Year: Julius Randle
Defensive Player of the Year: Serge Ibaka
Scoring Champion: James Harden
6th Man of the Year: Draymond Green
Most Improved: Nikola Vucevic
Coach of the Year: Tom Thibodeau
Most Gif’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: Greek Freak
Most-Hated Player by #BasketballTwitter: Steven Adams

Shamburger

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams: Cleveland, Washington, Chicago, Toronto, Miami, Atlanta, New York, Brooklyn
Eastern Conference Finals: Cleveland over Washington (why not?)
Western Conference Playoff Teams: San Antonio, Golden State, LA Clippers, Portland, Dallas, Houston, OKC, Memphis
Western Conference Finals: Clippers over San Antonio
NBA Champion: Cleveland
NBA MVP: LeBron James
Rookie of the Year: Jabari Parker
Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Scoring Champion: James Harden
6th Man of the Year: I have no idea.
Most Improved: Jimmer Fredette (because it would make CRM happy)
Coach of the Year: David Blatt
Worst Record in the NBA: Philly
Most GIF’d/Vine’d/YouTube’d Player: LeBron Griffin, or is it Blake James?
Most-Hated Player by #BasketballTwitter: Lance Stephenson