NBA Season Preview Roundtable: Section 400

Before every major sports season, the Section 400 staff will try their absolute hardest to predict the league champion, award winners, and surprise storylines after season’s end.

With the NBA season just underway, it’s time to correctly predict who will hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy, who will win the MVP, ROY, and COY, and which teams will surprise us in 2023-2024.

Here are what Section 400 writers Brian Hauch, Matt Kolen, and Jack Albanese have to say.

Young Guns

Victor Wembanyama was comically favored to be drafted first overall in this past NBA Draft. He is now favored to win the Rookie of the Year. Will he do it? Or will someone else snatch it from his 7′ 4″ grasp?

BH: It’s hard for me not to love “Wemby”. The guy is an absolute freak (and he happened to play for the Mets), but I am actually pivoting away from him to win this award.

He may lead the league in blocks and become one of the great defenders in the league, but I think Thunder rookie Chet Holmgren (+700) is going to put up the offensive numbers along with the defensive metrics to win over the voters when the dust settles.

MK: I like Chet or “Wemby” here. Both players are going to get a ton of usage and are more seasoned than the rest of the rookies.

JA: I mean come on. It will be “Wemby”. No need to over think this.

O say can you see?

It’s been five years since an American-born player won the MVP Award. Does that change this year?

BH: No. Joel Embiid had a great season last year but probably won the award due to voter fatigue and the postseason “struggles” of Nikola Jokic. “The Joker” is the best player in the world and will win another MVP after this season.

MK: Nope. The “Greek Freak” is taking home another trophy. He’s got Dame to help clear things up on the offensive end now. Giannis is going to put up massive numbers.

JA: The square play is Jokic. No one is going to touch the stats he’ll have between all his points, rebounds, and assists.

My underdog plays are Anthony Edwards or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. I love the Thunder and T-Wolves as teams and they are the best player on both.

Anything is Posssibbblllee!

Last season it was the Heat and Kings who surprised everybody by having great seasons. Which team does that this year?

BH: The Oklahoma City Thunder are not only going to make the playoffs, but they might mess around and win it all. I have my future locked in and loaded. Don’t sleep.

MK: Obviously we went over the Thunder in our podcast the other day. I like them a lot. The Pelicans are also sneaky is Zion Williamson can stay off the McDonalds.

JA: I’m going with the Timberwolves because of Anthony Edwards, not their soft-ass front court of Rudy Gobert and KAT.

Best of the West

The Denver Nuggets are favored to repeat as Western Conference Champions. Will anybody spice things up?

BH: Probably not, but let’s go Thunder. For real though, the only way I see the Nuggets going down is Lebron James turning back the clock and carrying the Lakers, or Luka Doncic summoning up all of his magic and pairing it with a vintage Kyrie Irving.

Unfortunately for Mavs fans, I think Kyrie has a better chance of falling off the flat face of the earth than that happening.

MK: The Golden State Warriors are going to be on top of the west once again. With Jordan Poole gone, the team chemistry is restored and Steph will get back to the Finals.

JA: I like the Warriors to beat the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals.

Beast of the East

The reloaded Bucks are sure to challenge the Celtics in the East. Will one of these teams go to the Finals?

BH: Damian Lillard is finally going to get his shot to get a ring. This conference finals will be a hell of a series though.

MK: The Celtics changed things up this offseason and they’ll get rewarded for it. Boston returns to the finals off the back of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Porzingis.

JA: Both of these teams will be in the final four, and I like the Bucks to get to the finals in their first year with Dame.

Poppin’ Bottles

Which team is going to raise a banner at this time next year?

BH: OKC! OKC! OKC! I’ll be rooting for the Thunder all season but my brain tells me the Nuggets repeat as champions and Nikola Jokic puts himself into the top 10 players of all time conversation.

MK: The Warriors are hungry after a less-than-desired season last year. Steph wins another one.

JA: Steph, Klay, and Draymond are getting another ring. Give me the Warriors.