Predicting the next NBA champion and major award winners
Heading into the 2019-20 regular season, theScore's NBA staff predicts who's taking home the individual hardware at the end of the year and who's hoisting the Larry O'Brien trophy.
Western Conference finals
| Editor | West champ | West finalist |
|---|---|---|
| Casciaro | Lakers | Clippers |
| Chick | Clippers | Lakers |
| Nacion | Jazz | Clippers |
| Potter | Clippers | Nuggets |
| Soveta | Clippers | Rockets |
| Weinstein | Clippers | Lakers |
| Wolfond | Clippers | Lakers |
One thing is very clear: We're big believers in the Los Angeles Clippers' transformative offseason. All seven voters picked Doc Rivers' new-look team to at least make the conference final in Year 1. - Potter
Eastern Conference finals
| Editor | East champ | East finalist |
|---|---|---|
| Casciaro | 76ers | Bucks |
| Chick | 76ers | Bucks |
| Nacion | 76ers | Bucks |
| Potter | 76ers | Bucks |
| Soveta | Bucks | 76ers |
| Weinstein | Bucks | 76ers |
| Wolfond | Bucks | 76ers |
The East is looking like a two-team race. Last spring, the Toronto Raptors ended both the Philadelphia 76ers' and Milwaukee Bucks' seasons. With Kawhi Leonard joining the Clippers, no one is counting on the Raptors to defend their conference crown. - Potter
Finals
| Editor | Champion | Finalist |
|---|---|---|
| Casciaro | Lakers | 76ers |
| Chick | Clippers | 76ers |
| Nacion | 76ers | Jazz |
| Potter | 76ers | Clippers |
| Soveta | Clippers | Bucks |
| Weinstein | Clippers | Bucks |
| Wolfond | Clippers | Bucks |
There are no major surprises here, as the Clippers hype train is expected to roll all the way to the 2020 title. Despite everyone projecting the Bucks to at least make the Eastern finals, no one believes they'll actually win the championship. - Potter
15th seed
| Editor | West | East |
|---|---|---|
| Casciaro | Grizzlies | Hornets |
| Chick | Grizzlies | Hornets |
| Nacion | Suns | Hornets |
| Potter | Grizzlies | Hornets |
| Soveta | Grizzlies | Cavaliers |
| Weinstein | Suns | Hornets |
| Wolfond | Grizzlies | Cavaliers |
The Memphis Grizzlies and Charlotte Hornets are expected to finish with the worst record in their respective conferences after both teams moved on from franchise point guards this summer. Perhaps surprisingly, no one picked the New York Knicks to finish last in the East after they posted an NBA-worst 17-65 record last season. - Potter
Rookie of the Year
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Zion Williamson |
| Chick | Ja Morant |
| Nacion | Zion Williamson |
| Potter | Ja Morant |
| Soveta | Zion Williamson |
| Weinstein | Ja Morant |
| Wolfond | Zion Williamson |
As tight a two-horse race as it gets. Team Zion is understandably high on the New Orleans Pelicans rookie, though Morant will be given the keys to the Memphis Grizzlies and the freedom that goes with it. - Soveta
Coach of the Year
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Mike Malone |
| Chick | Quin Snyder |
| Nacion | Quin Snyder |
| Potter | Mike Malone |
| Soveta | Alvin Gentry |
| Weinstein | Erik Spoelstra |
| Wolfond | Mike Malone |
The Denver Nuggets boast the quality to disrupt the heavyweights in the West, giving their bench boss, Mike Malone, the edge over his Utah Jazz counterpart, Quin Snyder. - Soveta
Executive of the Year
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Lawrence Frank |
| Chick | Lawrence Frank |
| Nacion | Lawrence Frank |
| Potter | Lawrence Frank |
| Soveta | Lawrence Frank |
| Weinstein | Lawrence Frank |
| Wolfond | Lawrence Frank |
It's a unanimous selection for the Clippers president of basketball operations, who engineered the blockbuster trade for Paul George out of nothing in order to also land Leonard. - Soveta
Most Improved Player
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Shai Gilgeous-Alexander |
| Chick | Jayson Tatum |
| Nacion | Anfernee Simons |
| Potter | Markelle Fultz |
| Soveta | Malcolm Brogdon |
| Weinstein | Lonzo Ball |
| Wolfond | Bam Adebayo |
No one is in agreement about who will make the biggest leap this season. What the majority of voters do agree on is that the winner will be competing for a new team in 2019-20. - Soveta
Defensive Player of the Year
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Joel Embiid |
| Chick | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Nacion | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Potter | Draymond Green |
| Soveta | Anthony Davis |
| Weinstein | Joel Embiid |
| Wolfond | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
No one showed any love to two-time reigning Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert. Nearly half of our voters did tab Antetokounmpo, last year's runner-up, to take home the hardware. - Potter
Sixth Man of the Year
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | Fred VanVleet |
| Chick | Lou Williams |
| Nacion | Spencer Dinwiddie |
| Potter | Fred VanVleet |
| Soveta | Fred VanVleet |
| Weinstein | Montrezl Harrell |
| Wolfond | Joe Ingles |
To be eligible for this honor, a player must come off the bench for at least half of his appearances, making this a tough one to project. In any case, 14 of the past 15 winners have been guards, so that's probably a safe bet yet again. VanVleet is the only player to be selected by multiple voters. - Potter
Most Valuable Player
| Editor | Pick |
|---|---|
| Casciaro | LeBron James |
| Chick | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Nacion | Joel Embiid |
| Potter | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
| Soveta | Anthony Davis |
| Weinstein | Anthony Davis |
| Wolfond | Giannis Antetokounmpo |
Three tabbed the Greek Freak to go back-to-back. That isn't a particularly uncommon feat, having been achieved five times this century: Tim Duncan (2001-03), Steve Nash (2004-06), LeBron James twice (2008-10, 2011-13), and Stephen Curry (2014-16). With no second star to split his votes, Antetokounmpo will certainly be in the mix if the Bucks continue to be among the league's best teams. - Potter