Win totals for all 30 NBA teams
Expect a season full of dogfights
BY DAVID THORPE
Just published: A podcast where David and Jarod discuss his projections—and Victor Wembanyama.
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[Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article came up 28 total wins short because, well, math is hard. That discrepancy has been remedied.]
The NBA has more superstars, stars, and potential stars than ever before. It’s truly a golden age for talent. And thanks to strict financial penalties for high-spending teams, that talent is spread across the league.
There are very few bad teams. In fact, only the Trail Blazers look to be worse than they were a year ago. That means more dogfights on a nightly basis and what might be the tightest playoff race in NBA history. Of course, new mandates on load management also cloud the April forecast.
Thus, projected-win totals are down across the board, and “drama” will be the catchword for the 2023-2024 season.
Eastern Conference win totals
Boston Celtics: 50 wins
Questions will persist until we see this entire new group play together for a while. One thing we know for sure: As a tandem, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been incredibly successful. That’s a very firm footing to start the season. Adding Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porziņģis gives the Celtics four potential All-Stars and a leg up in the East.
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