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With the 2015-16 NBA season now completed, it’s time to look back at the predictions I made pre-season, and assess how well I did. Or didn’t do, to be more accurate!
Predictions are a mug’s game, particularly with rabid Roarers ready to tear me apart, but thankfully I didn’t do too badly this season.
More NBA Finals:
» History erasers: Cleveland steal Golden State’s crown
» Game 7 match report
» Re-live the action with out Game 7 live blog
» Cavs make history
NBA champion
Prediction: San Antonio Spurs
Actual: Cleveland Cavaliers
To say I thought the off-season poaching of LaMarcus Aldridge by the Spurs was impressive would be an understatement for the ages. I thought the signing of Aldridge catapulted San Antonio to outright championship favourites.
To be honest, I still think they could have won the championship this season had they been able to withstand a Kevin Durant explosion in the Western Conference semi-finals.
Coulda, shoulda, woulda. They didn’t.
What’s surprising is that it wasn’t even their conquerors – or even their conquerors’ conquerors – that won the title, with the Thunder losing to the Warriors, and then the Warriors losing to the Cavaliers.
Cleveland’s long-suffering fans will celebrate long and hard for some time to come, as LeBron James delivered on his promise to bring a championship to his home team.
‘The King’ produced a Finals performance for the ages, cementing his place among the all-time greats, and ending the lazy narrative that he’s a ‘choker’ once and for all.
Kudos to LeBron, Kyrie Irving and the rest of the Cavs team for an amazing title, becoming the first team in NBA history to win the NBA Finals after trailing 3-1.
A truly stunning performance, and deserved winners.
MVP
Prediction: Kevin Durant
Actual: Stephen Curry
I believed Kevin Durant was going to have a monster bounce-back season, and he did. Among a number of impressive stats the Oklahoma City forward compiled, he averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebound and five assists, with astonishing shooting splits of 51-39-90.
Yet such was the level of outstanding play from the NBA’s elite this season, Durant could only muster a fifth-place finish, and I can’t really ague with the result.
Teammate Russell Westbrook finished fourth, LeBron James was third and Kawhi Leonard was runner-up.
Yet the runaway winner from start to finish was Steph Curry, who became the first unanimous MVP award winner in NBA history. Curry had an unbelievable season – understatement alert! – and was the undisputed MVP; a result that only fools would disagree with.
Defensive Player of the Year
Prediction: Kawhi Leonard
Actual: Kawhi Leonard
Considering his talent – and the fact he won last season – this wasn’t exactly a bold selection. Yet often in life, the obvious answer is the correct one, and so it proved with the Spurs forward.
There is no need to pontificate here: Leonard is a defensive beast, and an absolute nightmare for opponents with his long arms, quick instincts and ability to completely smother offensive players.
At just 24 years of age, this is his award to lose for the rest of the decade.
Coach of the Year
Prediction: Doc Rivers
Actual: Steve Kerr
This one is slightly embarrassing, and one of those moments where you wonder what the hell you were thinking.
So what was I thinking? No idea. I can’t recall.
What I do know is that there can be no complaint with the award going to the coach of the team that won the most games in NBA regular season history.
Jog along.
Most Improved Player
Prediction: Doug McDermott
Actual: CJ McCollum
I really thought Dougy McBuckets was going to have a breakout year.
Though he certainly improved on his rookie season, playing in an additional 45 games, and upping his scoring from three to nine points per game, that was nowhere near enough to displace CJ McCollum for this honour.
The Blazers shooting guard announced his arrival as a future star by increasing his statistics right across the board, most noticeably his points per game average, which leapt from 6.8 to 20.8.
Yet more than just impressive numbers, it was the fact his emergence allowed the Blazers to surprisingly make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference that really ensured he deserved this award.
Rookie of the Year
Prediction: Karl-Anthony Towns
Actual: Karl-Anthony Towns
Most of the love pre-season was going Jahlil Okafor’s way, as it was felt the lowly Sixers would allow him to pad his stats somewhat, and take home the award in a canter.
Though he did average 17.5 points per game, his meek rebounding numbers (seven a game), poor defence, limited games (53), the Sixers’ horrible record, and some off-court dramas, all made his claims for the award problematic.
Yet what really hurt Okafor’s chances was the winner.
In just one season, Karl-Anthony Towns announced himself as a future MVP contender.
Hyperbole? How does 18.3 points, 10.5 rebounds, two blocks, two assists, 54-34-81 shooting splits and a PER of 22.5 grab you?
Anthony Towns emerged as a legitimate two-way star for the Timberwolves, and a justified winner of the Rookie of the Year award.
Sixth Man of the Year
Prediction: Enes Kanter
Actual: Jamal Crawford
Jamal Crawford was a two-time winner of this award and is a perennial favourite to take home the trophy.
I actually believe that led the voters to be lazy, and with no clear-cut favourite this season, Crawford was a ‘default selection’ of sorts, which saw him win it for the third time in his career.
I selected Kanter in pre-season, and would have still chosen him at the end of the season. He had a bigger impact than Crawford, on a team that won more games, and was just one win away from the NBA Finals.
Perhaps it’s sour grapes, but I think the voters got this one wrong.
Bonus prediction
Prediction: Derrick Rose will get traded
Actual: Derrick Rose was not traded
I really thought he would be!
In fact, I can’t believe the current noise about the Bulls looking to trade Jimmy Butler. Is that instead of Derrick Rose?
Yeah, let’s trade the younger, healthier, better, more reliable, better two-way player. Makes perfect sense.
That franchise is a bit of a head-scratcher at present.