The 2021-22 NBA season is upon us!

It’s time to preview the season — division by division — asking two very important questions for each team:

What’s the case for the Over?
What’s the case for the Under?

5. Toronto Raptors

2021-22 Over/Under: 36.5 wins — 45% winning pct (last season winning pct: 38%)

What’s the case for the Over?

Nick Nurse is one of the better coaches in the entire league. That accounts for a lot.

So does the fact that the Raptors are back home in The 6. We know that the crowds at Scotiabank are going to be rowdy! If you listen closely, you can hear the roar from Jurassic Park now.

Freddy V can lead this team — a worthy successor to Raptors legend Kyle Lowry.
Poised for a breakout season, OG Anunoby appears ready to handle an additional scoring load on offense while Siakam is out to start the season.
Scottie Barnes sure looks the part. He pops off the screen with his size at 6-9, 227 lbs.
Precious Achiuwa had an absolutely fantastic preseason. Did you see him ripping 3’s and handling the ball like a guard in the open court!?
The Raptors have a lot of really athletic players. This defense should be better.

Prior to last season when they were stuck in Tampa, the Raptors had hit the Over four seasons in a row.

What’s the case for the Under?

This roster has a lot of solid players, but they don’t really have the top-end talent that a lot of other teams possess.

No Siakam to begin the season and the departure of Lowry leaves a big hole in terms of continuity and stability.
Are the offensive half-court set issues going to be any better?
Is there going to be enough shooting?

Masai might be fine with tanking or re-tooling the team at some point, gaining future assets from teams looking to win big right now, something the Raptors probably will not be able to pull off this season.

Final Prediction: The Raptors only have to be 7% better than they were last season. That seems attainable, but the possibility of tanking causes us to lean the other way. Under 36.5 wins.

4. New York Knicks

2021-22 Over/Under: 41.5 wins — 51% winning pct (last season winning pct: 57%)

What’s the case for the Over?

The Knicks looked great in the preseason with smothering defense and impeccable ball-movement.

Fresh off a game-winning step-back buzzer-beater, Julius Randle is out to prove last season was no fluke. It was just the beginning.
R.J. Barrett looks like a beast — like it’s possible he could be the ultimate 3-and-D wing he was drafted to be, especially if his 41 percent from 3 from last season is for real.
Adding Kemba and Fournier gives the Knicks exactly what they needed: additional offense.
A Kevin Knox resurrection might be possible! His 3-point stroke looks smooth.
Mitchell Robinson’s return offers depth up front and more rim protection. The defense should still be there.

We know that Thibs will have them ready to run through a brick wall and try to eke out every win.

What’s the case for the Under?

Opponents will be more ready for the Knicks.

Based on opponent three-point shooting alone, the analytics say the defense is due for some natural regression.
Can the Knicks replicate their own 3-point shooting, a stellar #3 in the entire NBA last season?
Can Randle really continue to hit all of those ridiculously difficult shots?

There is always the chance that Thibs runs them into the ground.

And… James Dolan is still the owner.

Final Prediction: This one seems easy: The Knicks can be 6% worse than last season, yet the roster has been upgraded. Over 41.5 wins.

3. Boston Celtics

2021-22 Over/Under: 46.5 wins — 57% winning pct (last season winning pct: 50%)

What’s the case for the Over?

The Celtics have revamped this roster and actually have some depth this go around.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are one of if not the premier two-way wing duo in the NBA.
The Marcus Smart turmoil that popped up previously will hopefully be resolved after his extension. Smart is the longest-tenured Celtic and his grit, toughness and defense are key.
Speaking of guys that got paid this offseason, Robert Williams is thought of as possibly the biggest X-factor in the league. If he can stay healthy and get his fouling under control, look the hell out for Time Lord.
Al Horford is back in Beantown and can help mentor Robert Williams, as well as offer floor-spacing since he can still shoot the 3. Enes Kanter has also returned and can offer rebounding and offense in spot minutes.
There might not be a more motivated player in the league than Dennis Schroder, out to prove his worth and get that next contract.
Payton Pritchard looks dialed in after an offseason that created some positive buzz.

New head coach Ime Udoka is highly regarded by all accounts. It seems like a change in voice will be a breath of fresh air for this locker room.

What’s the case for the Under?

This season has already gotten off to an ominous start with JB testing positive for Covid, eerily similar to how last season began when Tatum did the same.

The Celtics had a pretty bad fouling problem last season, most notably the two Williams (Robert and Grant).
You know the saying, “Where there’s smoke, there’s fire?” Well, Danny Ainge might be gone, but all of the other main characters are all still here: Brad Stevens, Tatum, Brown and Smart. Was that fire previously put out? Time will tell.
The C’s lack a true power forward. We know it’s a position-less game, but there are still certain types of players that help with true lineup flexibility.

A first year head coach in a stacked division, Udoka also has that Boston pressure on him from Day 1.

Final Prediction: Feeling lucky and seeing green. Over 46.5 wins.

2. Philadelphia 76ers

2021-22 Over/Under: 50.5 wins — 62% winning pct (last season winning pct: 68%)

What’s the case for the Over?

The Sixers had the best record in the East last season and the no doubt 1st half MVP in Joel Embiid.

Despite whatever happens with Ben Simmons, Embiid is a serious wrecking ball. He still looks nimble like he did when he dominated last season.
Ben Simmons finally showed up in Philly and he could actually play…
There are reliable shooting veterans: Seth Curry, Danny Green and Georges Niang. All three have shot over 40 percent from 3 for their careers.
There are young studs in Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle. Maxey can handle the ball and create offense. Thybulle is one of the best defenders in the game.
You gotta like what Paul Reed and Isiah Joe showed in the preseason. Looked like a couple of hoopers!

Behind the strength of the defense, this team has a winning regular season formula.

What’s the case for the Under?

Not only is the Ben Simmons drama a constant distraction, but if he doesn’t play at all, and Daryl still can’t find a trade, then they’ll flat out be missing an All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year caliber player.

The personnel has changed here since the bubble playoffs, but the Sixers got smoked in that 1st Round without Simmons.
If and when Embiid misses some time (he unfortunately always does), that’s when the real effects of not having Simmons will be felt.
And if a trade is actually ever made, there will be an adjustment period to work in the new pieces.

The top-middle of the East has taken a pretty big step forward.

Final Prediction: For the first time in a long while, we’re fading Philly. Under 51.5 wins.

1. Brooklyn Nets

2021-22 Over/Under: 55.5 wins — 68% winning pct (last season winning pct: 67%)

What’s the case for the Over?

Even without Kyrie, the Nets are loaded.

There is a lot more depth and some continuity going here now.

KD + Harden = one hell of a 1-2 punch. Steve Nash can keep one on the court at all times.
Patty Mills can fill in at the point when Harden rests. He looked as good as ever in the Olympics.
Have you seen Cam Thomas?? He’s a STUD.
The Nets got Paul Millsap and LaMarcus Aldridge back basically for free. Both former All-Stars should have something left in the tank to help in select minutes. And Nic Claxton might eventually be the best option at center.
There’s always the chance that Kyrie ultimately decides to just get the shot.

The Nets rolled people last season with a mishmashed version of their Big 3 anyway.

What’s the case for the Under?

As pretty much always, Kyrie is an ultimate distraction.

KD and Harden missed their fair share of games last season. (They both damn near missed half the season.) We have to reiterate that it was Kyrie who played the most regular season games out of the Nets Big 3.
The defense here probably won’t be any good again, softer than a bruised banana.
We don’t know how much they will actually care about the regular season. There are a lot of things to figure out, and they didn’t care about the 1 seed last year.

Teams will be gunning for the Nets, the favorites and “Super Team” that hasn’t actually won anything yet.

Final Prediction: The health at the top is still too much of a concern for us. Under 55.5 wins.

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Northwest season preview.

Southeast preview. | Central preview.

Southwest preview. | Pacific division preview.

TUESDAY NIGHT is officially OPENING NIGHT!

Brooklyn Nets at Milwaukee Bucks - 7:30pm

Warriors at Lakers - 10:00pm - (TNT)

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