ESPN Insider - Projects 52 wins for OKC

[SOD 21]

I just read a headline from ESPN insider and then the opening part of the article that projects Oklahoma City with a 52–27 record this coming season.

Just so I understand, so the team that has averaged close to 60 wins per year when they've been healthy over the last four years, is now going to drop all the way to 52 wins. Their three best players are in their absolute prime.

They either believe that this team won't be healthy, that KD's agency will be too much of a distraction or that all these other teams in the conference have passed them over the last year.

It seems, in my humble opinion, that Oklahoma City is being severely undervalued and also disrespected. This team should win at least five or six more games than what ESPN Insider is projecting.

[ClipperRevival]

They have a brand new coach who never coached at the NBA level. That's a huge factor and can't be overlooked. The Vegas odds have them at +850 to win the title, which is noticeably higher than SAS, CLE and GSW.

There is also the issue of chemistry. Durant and Westbrook still haven't found the right way to co-exist like LeBron/Wade have. And black holes like Kanter and Waiters aren't exactly the right type of people to win rings with.

There is also the Durant injury issue.

Having said that, I agree that 52 wins is too low. I think they should be projected at around 55.

[GIF REACTION]

Can someone post all their predictions for every team

[Hamtaro CP3KDKG]

Can someone post all their predictions for every team
Sac Queens - 30 wins

[FreezingTsmoove]

*55-27 ?

[RidonKs]

Can someone post all their predictions for every team


okc - 58
gs - 57
lac - 57
sa - 57
hou - 56
mem - 50
nop - 41
utah - 41
sac - 40
dal - 38
min - 33
pho - 33
den - 26
lal - 26
por - 15


cle - 63
chi - 52
mia - 50
was - 49
mil - 49
atl - 47
tor - 43
ind - 43
bos - 42
bro - 35
orl - 31
det - 31
cha - 26
nyk - 25
phi - 16

[JerrySeinfeld]

They have a brand new coach who never coached at the NBA level. That's a huge factor and can't be overlooked. The Vegas odds have them at +850 to win the title, which is noticeably higher than SAS, CLE and GSW.

There is also the issue of chemistry. Durant and Westbrook still haven't found the right way to co-exist like LeBron/Wade have. And black holes like Kanter and Waiters aren't exactly the right type of people to win rings with.

There is also the Durant injury issue.

Having said that, I agree that 52 wins is too low. I think they should be projected at around 55.

Westbrook and Kanter played off of eachother well and dominated towards the end of last season. Kanter was regularly putting up 20/14 games with Westbrook next to him, I think for Westbrook going from Perkins to Kanter offensively was like being a runner taking 20 pound ankle weights off.

It'll be interesting to see how Durant fits in with those two, but based on Durant's style of play, I believe he could really mesh with any roster in the league. I mean he won the damn MVP in the Western Conference with Reggie Jackson, Thabo Sefolosha, and Kendrick Perkins starting next to him for half of the year. Thats 3 black holes and Ibaka can't really create anything for himself either.

[dunksby]

They have a brand new coach who never coached at the NBA level. That's a huge factor and can't be overlooked. The Vegas odds have them at +850 to win the title, which is noticeably higher than SAS, CLE and GSW.

There is also the issue of chemistry. Durant and Westbrook still haven't found the right way to co-exist like LeBron/Wade have. And black holes like Kanter and Waiters aren't exactly the right type of people to win rings with.

There is also the Durant injury issue.

Having said that, I agree that 52 wins is too low. I think they should be projected at around 55.
Blatt, Kerr anyone? Time to go to bed.

[ClipperRevival]

Blatt, Kerr anyone? Time to go to bed.

Please.

Blatt coached professionally for years overseas. And these are grown men, not college kids. College ball is different from professional.

And Kerr, although he didn't coach, was a former player and had high ranking positions NBA prior to the job and was well aware of the NBA.

And also, those guys are the exception, not the rule.

[Clifton]

They have a new coach and totally depend on both their superstars to be elite. Both their superstars have had injury problems in the last couple years. With all the weight on their shoulders, they're more likely to get hurt than a guy on the Warriors or Spurs anyway.

52-55 wins is a pretty safe bet. Sure if both KD and Westbrook play 80 games, 60 games is likely. But then again they have to run into teams like LA, Houston, San Antonio, Golden State more than a team out East would.

I wouldn't be surprised if no team out West won more than 62 games because they're bound to split when the elite teams play each other, and almost every team in the West is a threat to beat anyone on any given night.

[Legends66NBA7]

cle - 63
chi - 52
mia - 50
was - 49
mil - 49
atl - 47
tor - 43
ind - 43
bos - 42
bro - 35
orl - 31
det - 31
cha - 26
nyk - 25
phi - 16

Swap Toronto and New York's records and that should be aaccurate.

[SwishSquared]

Westbrook and Kanter played off of eachother well and dominated towards the end of last season. Kanter was regularly putting up 20/14 games with Westbrook next to him, I think for Westbrook going from Perkins to Kanter offensively was like being a runner taking 20 pound ankle weights off.

It'll be interesting to see how Durant fits in with those two, but based on Durant's style of play, I believe he could really mesh with any roster in the league. I mean he won the damn MVP in the Western Conference with Reggie Jackson, Thabo Sefolosha, and Kendrick Perkins starting next to him for half of the year. Thats 3 black holes and Ibaka can't really create anything for himself either.They also had terrible defense with Kanter on the floor. They gave up more on D than they scored on O when he was in the game, no matter how many 20/10 games he put up.

I think their second wing search is still ongoing. Waiters can be a 3&D guy (based on his 2013-2014 C&S percentage) and good physical tools. But I have to see it first b/c he values himself way too much on offense to seem happy in that role- playing hard on both ends consistently.

Ibaka mitigates the problem with Kanter's limited mobility and awareness on D. KD is an above average defender, so he can also provide help D. I expect them to start Roberson if Kanter also starts, just to have another good defender out there to play as a free safety-type when teams put Kanter in the PnR. I don't love the thought of playing Adams & Kanter together, either, so that may restrict some lineup combos.

I am expecting more than 52 wins but I can see that rationale I suppose.

[Duderonomy]

Wolves 32-50

Cavs 55-27
Mavs 38-44
Lakers 35-47
Clippers 53-29
Warriors 60-22
Pistons 39-43
Nets 25-57
Bucks 44-38
Raptors 48-34

[RidonKs]

i'm assuming health for okc's top record but my reasoning is

- they are in the weakest division
- they are hungriest
- they have the most raw talent

one thing is certain; the new coach will be a huge bump. brooks used a system of virtual free reign for his superstars. they are used to doing whatever they want, and so far they know that strategy has utterly failed. expect an adjustment period no question but they'll go through a stretch of games some time in the winter where they just dominate the opposition.

the playoffs are a different matter and that's when the lack of interior defense + brand new chemistry will come into play.

but god forbid if dion waiters plays more than 20 minutes a night. especially if he plays between his superstar teammates. better off with jeremy lamb.

[Clifton]

one thing is certain; the new coach will be a huge bump. brooks used a system of virtual free reign for his superstars. they are used to doing whatever they want, and so far they know that strategy has utterly failed. expect an adjustment period no question but they'll go through a stretch of games some time in the winter where they just dominate the opposition.

the playoffs are a different matter and that's when the lack of interior defense + brand new chemistry will come into play.

but god forbid if dion waiters plays more than 20 minutes a night. especially if he plays between his superstar teammates. better off with jeremy lamb.
Agreed on all points.

[dunksby]

Please.

Blatt coached professionally for years overseas. And these are grown men, not college kids. College ball is different from professional.

And Kerr, although he didn't coach, was a former player and had high ranking positions NBA prior to the job and was well aware of the NBA.

And also, those guys are the exception, not the rule.
How are the last year's finalists exceptions? Ever heard of assistants? Coaching is coaching, he's not going to play, he is there to watch the games on the sidelines and make adjustments.

[dabigbaws]

They have a brand new coach who never coached at the NBA level. That's a huge factor and can't be overlooked. The Vegas odds have them at +850 to win the title, which is noticeably higher than SAS, CLE and GSW.

There is also the issue of chemistry. Durant and Westbrook still haven't found the right way to co-exist like LeBron/Wade have. And black holes like Kanter and Waiters aren't exactly the right type of people to win rings with.

There is also the Durant injury issue.

Having said that, I agree that 52 wins is too low. I think they should be projected at around 55.

Not really when he is replacing the worst coach in the league. Scott brooks is literally retarded.

OKC with a MINIMUM of 60 wins. Easily.

[SOD 21]

It's interesting because most betting lines have Oklahoma City as the fourth favorite to win the championship with odds at 8.5 to 1.

By comparison, these are some of the other favorites:

Cleveland - 2.75 to 1
San Antonio - 3 to 1
Golden State - 5 to 1
OKC - 8.5 to 1
Clippers - 10 to 1
Houston - 16 to 1

But I've seen the "so-called ESPN experts" rank Oklahoma City as the fifth best team in the conference last month and now ESPN Insider predicting only 52 wins. There is a disconnect somewhere.

The betting line seem far more in line with my expectations, because fourth is where Oklahoma City belongs in the league overall.

[NugzFan]

Denver 26 wins and ny 25 wins? Damn we would have so many ping pong balls

[Vaniiiia]

The new coaching thing isn't a negative factor. People need to stop using that as a way to say OKC might struggle.

Questioning KD's health is understandable, but why not do that for the Cavs with Love and Irving returning from relatively serious injuries?

KD's foot is healed. It's HIGHLY unlikely he re-fractures it.

OKC will win a minimum of 60 games. If the conference wasn't so stacked they'd probably break the Bulls 72 win record.

[4 Inches]

OKC gon get 60 wins easy. Westbrook is gonna avenge his forefathers this season.