BY DAVID THORPE

Editor note: Knowing he has an uncommon history of accuracy, we asked David Thorpe to predict every team’s win totals. Then we learned he did it by looking at the schedule and predicting every single game. Scroll down for his projected win totals.

It doesn’t take a basketball expert to pinpoint NBA favorites. Until the Raptors won their title in June, it had been many years since there had been a surprise. (The Cavaliers won a few years ago, but they had LeBron James, so not too much of a shocker.) For the past four years, the spotlight has shone directly on the Warriors. This year, it’s divided among the Clippers, Lakers, and Rockets, and the Bucks and Sixers seem headed to a showdown in the East.

But as we saw with the Raptors, there is a lot to be said for hanging around, on the edge of the spotlight. Just be in the running and give yourself a chance to get a little lucky. The Jazz and Pacers are taking notes.  

The Jazz and the Pacers can suffocate teams 
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