We've finally arrived. The NBA is back after months on hiatus after the league was shutdown in March due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It's been a long journey to this point, but the NBA is ready to restart, even though it will look very different than what everyone is used to. We won't see any fans in the arena. Every team is playing in the bubble in Orlando. However, the competition isn't going anywhere and we all know the NBA always has plenty of storylines. It may look and feel very different, but the NBA is back, and hopefully better than ever.
As you can see, we're very excited for the restart. It's been a long a four months without basketball, but the wait is over. And props to the NBA for pulling this off. There were plenty of doubts about the bubble and it could still all come crashing down, but to this point, they've done an amazing job to get this together. Now it's time to watch some meaningful basketball, and to celebrate, the Complex Sports team, including some of our writers and other members of the staff, have put together full predictions for how the rest of the season will unfold.
There's no real consensus to the picks, other than Ja Morant as ROY and Giannis as MVP. Oh, and just about everyone thinks the Lakers will win it all. Lot of people sleeping on the Clippers and Bucks, it seems. It's all in good fun and mostly just a celebration of the return of hoops. It's been a long journey, so let's get to it.
Zach Frydenlund
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Heat
5. Pacers
6. 76ers
7. Nets
8. Magic
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Jazz
5. Thunder
6. Rockets
7. Mavericks
8. Pelicans
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Sixers
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Sixers vs. Lakers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: Boban Marjanović
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: As you can see by my Finals prediction, I think we see the 76ers go on a crazy run to the NBA Finals. I don’t think they win it all, but I have them upsetting the Bucks and sending Milwaukee into a dark place with Giannis’ free agency status in a few years.
Adam Caparell
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. 76ers
5. Heat
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Thunder
4. Nuggets
5. Rockets
6. Jazz
7. Mavericks
8. Blazers
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Clippers vs. Lakers
NBA Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Clippers
NBA Champion: Clippers
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: JR Smith
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: The Thunder last longer than the Rockets.
Zion Olojede
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Sixers
5. Heat
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Thunder
5. Rockets
6. Jazz
7. Mavs
8. Grizzlies
9. Pelicans (play-in)
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Sixers vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Celtics vs. Lakers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Bubble MVP: LeBron James
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: The Bucks won’t make it to the Eastern Conference Finals.
Angel Diaz
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Sixers
5. Heat
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Thunder
5. Jazz
6. Rockets
7. Mavs
8. Blazers
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Celtics vs. Lakers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Bubble MVP: LeBron James
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: I’m making two lukewarm predictions because I really don’t have a bold one. The first one is the Blazers will play themselves into the 8th seed and give the Lakers some trouble. They still might get swept or win a game, but the games will be close.
My second prediction is that the Celtics will upset the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Finals and give America a much needed Lakers/Celtics NBA Finals. I’ve had hotter takes. —Angel Diaz
Rawan Eewshah
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Heat
5. Pacers
6. 76ers
7. Nets
8. Magic
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Jazz
5. Thunder
6. Rockets
7. Mavs
8. Pelicans (praying for the sake of a LeBron vs. young Zion match-up in the first-round)
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Bucks
NBA Champion: Lakers, in honor of Kobe.
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja “Fuck 12” Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: LeBron James
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: If the postseason doesn’t get completely canceled due to Coronavirus, JR Smith will redeem himself for the 2018 NBA Finals during the 2020 NBA Finals.
Mike Destefano
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Heat
5. 76ers
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Rockets
5. Thunder
6. Jazz
7. Mavericks
8. Blazers
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Sixers vs. Raptors
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Sixers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: LeBron James
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: Joel Embiid
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: Ben Simmons gets hot from three in series clinching game, helps Sixers upset Bucks in Eastern Conference semis.
John Walaszek
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Heat
4. Celtics
5. Pacers
6. 76ers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Nuggets
3. Clippers
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Mavs
7. Thunder
8. Grizzlies
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Heat
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Nuggets
NBA Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Bucks
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: LeBron James
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: Jimmy Butler
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: Everyone gets COVID-19.
Kevin Clark
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Celtics
3. Raptors
4. Heat
5. 76ers
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Jazz
5. Rockets
6. Thunder
7. Mavericks
8. Pelicans
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Raptors
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Lakers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: LeBron James
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: LeBron James
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: Players will be social distancing in hazmat suits and masks during the championship celebration in the locker room.
Danny Cunningham
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Heat
5. 76ers
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Orlando Magic
8. Brooklyn Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Nuggets
4. Thunder
5. Rockets
6. Jazz
7. Mavericks
8. Trail Blazers
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Celtics
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Milwaukee vs. Lakers
NBA Champion: Lakers
NBA MVP: Giannis Antetokounmpo
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: LeBron James
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: The Bucks are pushed to seven games in both the Eastern Conference semifinals and the Eastern Conference finals.
Jannelle Moore
Eastern Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Bucks
2. Raptors
3. Celtics
4. Heat
5. 76ers
6. Pacers
7. Magic
8. Nets
Western Conference Playoff Seeding:
1. Lakers
2. Clippers
3. Jazz
4. Nuggets
5. Rockets
6. Thunder
7. Mavericks
8. Blazers
Eastern Conference Finals Matchup: Bucks vs. Raptors
Western Conference Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Clippers
NBA Finals Matchup: Lakers vs. Bucks
NBA Champion: Bucks
NBA MVP: Giannis Antentokounmpo
NBA Rookie of the Year: Ja Morant
NBA Bubble MVP: Giannis Antentokounmpo
One Bold Prediction for the 2020 NBA Playoffs: Expect a share of upsets. There’s no home court advantage. Everyone’s had the same amount of time off. With the odds as flat as they are in this regard, I wouldn’t put it past anyone to catch fire and pull off the impossible.
