Can you believe we are a decade into this opening night predictions? I have to take a quick moment to shout out our previous Canis Hoopus overlords, John Meyer (FAQ incoming), Eric in Madison, Kyle Theige, and Jack Borman for setting a foundation of tradition and pinpoint forecasting abilities.
If you really want a few hours to kill, take a look at our previous renditions of this below!
Previous Annual Predictions (Click to open)
Fast forward to calendar year 2025 and boy, have we done a lot of winning! Our esteemed writing staff joins us for our opening night predictions.
2025-26 Wolves Predictions
Will the Wolves eclipse an anticipated 2025-26 win total of 49.5?
Apr 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates while looking to the Los Angeles Lakers bench in the second quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Apr 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) celebrates while looking to the Los Angeles Lakers bench in the second quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
Yes - Leo Sun
After going zero for four on getting this question right previously, I finally bucked that trend last season when I predicted the Wolves would hit the over. They did not. My credibility is now shot so who cares what I think! I think Donte DiVincenzo is going to have a field day sopping up minutes left behind from Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Anthony Edwards looks as motivated as ever. Julius Randle is happy. People are sleeping on the Timmies!
Yes - Derek Hanson
After a tumultuous start to the 2024-25 season where the team struggled to integrate Randle and DiVincenzo, the Wolves managed to claw their way to a 49-33 record. Things started to click for the Wolves in March and April, and the newfound cohesion allowed them to play 0.800 basketball during the final two months of the regular season. With the roster remaining largely intact, there’s no reason (outside of injury) that this momentum shouldn’t continue. I’m hitting the over, HARD.
Yes - Benny Hughes
Minnesota is poised to win a lot of regular season games this season. The roster continuity should translate to a fast start out of the gates while having the depth to withstand the random injuries that happen throughout the season. A lot of the conversation has been about how the end of the rotation is going to shake out. They have seven guys who are set in stone in the rotation with the trio of young guys fighting for the eighth, nineth and tenth spots. Combine that with some steadfast veterans and the young Frenchman Joan Beringer, I think it is logical to predict a 50-win team that is hosting a playoff series come April.
Yes - Ryan Eichten
The Wolves won 49 games a season ago when, at so many times throughout the year, it felt like the wheels were falling off. It wasn’t until March that the team’s talent level finally shined through as they finished the season winning 17 of their final 21 games. With an offseason of continuity other than the loss of Alexander-Walker and players like Randle and DiVincenzo in a much better place both personally and professionally, the Wolves are poised to look far more like the team late in the season and cruise past the 50-win mark.
No - Thilo Latrell Widder
Sorry to prevent a full sweep on optimism here, but I’ve convinced myself that this will be a bit of a gap year for the Wolves in anticipation of a 2026-27 full run with reloaded youth and more flexibility to make moves. That will unfortunately come at the expense of Mike Conley, who looks completely and utterly finished, and Rudy Gobert, who is not too far behind him.
Ultimately, I think that TJ Shannon, who is often earmarked to replace Alexander-Walker, may struggle given a larger role and Jaylen Clark, who is the far more comfortable fit to replace the now Atlanta Hawk, simply won’t get the minutes to make a substantive impact. At the center of it all, this team’s placement will depend on the play of Rob Dillingham and, as high as the highs have been in Summer League and preseason, I’m still not willing to fully buy into that swing factor.
Yes - Andrew Carlson
Before I embark on my quick explanation, let me plug what I said last year as to why the Wolves would go UNDER:
There’s going to be an adjustment period with Julius Randle. It will look sloppy at times. I think ultimately they look a lot better towards the end of the season, but whatever spacing ends up looking like is going to be a change from what it was last year. I think the casualty of that might be a few games earlier in the season that they’re expected to win.
The adjustment period is no longer a thing this year. Continuity is here, and that pays dividends in November and December towards exceeding this total. I do think the early season win casualties will come with Rob Dillingham needing to catch up to speed and move the guard position forward. I just don’t think it will be that great of a casualty in reaching 50 wins. What happens in the playoffs will expose if this set roster is sustainable, but the regular season is what teams the like Wolves are built to thrive in.
Who will ultimately play the most minutes at point guard this season?
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 14: Donte DiVincenzo #0 and Mike Conley #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on after the game against the Golden State Warriors during Round 2 Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MAY 14: Donte DiVincenzo #0 and Mike Conley #10 of the Minnesota Timberwolves look on after the game against the Golden State Warriors during Round 2 Game 5 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs on May 14, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Donte DiVincenzo - LS
DDV may earn the most minutes listed as the point guard in lineup data, but this doesn’t mean I think he’s going to actually play the point guard role. I believe between Ant and Julius, the playmaking will mostly come from a non-PG position. That means Donte will be free to roam and fire away from perimeter. Basically, my answer is that I think Donte will get more total minutes played on the season than Mike Conley or Rob Dillingham, or Tristen Newton.
Mike Conley - DH
Minnesota Mike remains the answer for the Wolves at point guard. The savvy veteran may not be the player he once was, but he’s still more than capable of running the offense and is Minnesota’s best option at the point. Conley will likely played reduced minutes, with DDV, Dilly, and Bones filling in. However, I still think he logs the most minutes at the point guard position overall.
Donte DiVincenzo - BH
The main players you think of when you are talking about point guards are Rob Dillingham and Mike Conley. Even with that, I think that DDV is the one who holds down the backcourt fort the most next to Anthony Edwards. Baking in Conley rest games, along with Dillingham finding his way as a 20-year-old, I think that DiVincenzo is in for a big season. Alexander-Walker and DiVincenzo, as much as we like both of those players, took away from each other due to their similar positions and skillsets. NAW is gone, and DDV remains. Given all of these factors, I think Donte is a prime candidate to play a lot and close games, even if he doesn’t start them.
Mike Conley - RE
One of the larger takeaways from media day is that the Timberwolves are not planning on leaning away from Conley like much of the fanbase may want them to. The Wolves still feel the 38-year old veteran still has plenty of good basketball left in him, especially for a team that often needs the extra basketball IQ out on the floor. While DiVincenzo will likely start of fair number of games at point guard, players like Edwards and Randle will take on enough of the ball handling duties such that Conley will likely still lead the Wolves in true point guard minutes at the end of the year.
Mike Conley - TLW
As I said in my answer for win totals, I think it’s time to call it a career for good old Bite Bite. However, the coaching staff and roster clearly do not feel the same way. Despite a notable decline last year, and a preseason that has looked dreadful especially on defense, there is no way that the 38-year-old isn’t still the starter and penciled in closer as well. It will be a far closer race than it was last year, but the question for Conley is how many games he will play, not whether he will play less minutes in those games. For that reason, he’s my pick.
Donte DiVincenzo - AC
Not to take away from what Conley will inevitably contribute this year, but those contributions are likely going to come in the form of more concentrated minute loads and a couple more nights off. DiVincenzo projects to be the minute hog in the rotation at the point guard spot without being the main initiator on offense (those responsibilities will be more spread out), and not having a duplicative skillset on the team like Nickeil Alexander-Walker will only increase the amount of minutes DiVincenzo is slated for.
What will be the biggest foible of the Wolves season?
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 28: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends against Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 28, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA - MAY 28: Jalen Williams #8 of the Oklahoma City Thunder defends against Julius Randle #30 of the Minnesota Timberwolves during the third quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 28, 2025 in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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Lack of ball security - LS
The Wolves finished the regular season 19th in turnover percentage, but it certainly felt worse than that. Probably because it increased from 14.6 turnovers to 16.3 in the postseason. Much has been made about their willingness to push in transition this year, though it could lead to more turnovers. Finch has already talked about how not all turnovers are created equal (Live ball vs Dead ball), but I think we can all agree that less turnovers overall would be good. Edwards and Randle will have to be better, as they were the top two culprits with a combined 6.0 turnovers per game last year.
Lack of a veteran backup PG - DH
Last year the Wolves featured a back-up point guard by committee with Donte, NAW, Ant, Randle, and Dillingham all filling in as the primary ball-handler when Conley was on the bench. Without a true veteran point guard, we saw the Wolves offense grind to a halt far too many times. This glaringly obvious need was left unaddressed by the front office this summer, likely due to cap constraints. Most nights, the Timberwolves should be able to compensate during the non-Conley minutes, but I suspect there will be more than a handful of games this year that this gaping roster hole ends up costing the team.
Not enough easy points - BH
One of the biggest ideas that we have all heard from camp is the attention to push the ball and work in transition more. While I think that will uptick this year, it is tough to see them greatly improving this area. The other type of scoring that we think of when talking about easy points is getting to the free throw line. With the emergence of Anthony Edwards the mid-range scorer, coming on the heels of a Steph Curry-like shooting season, I think the free throw rate for the whole team will take a hit. I am obviously not complaining about Ant the shooter, and if it came down to it I would take his three-point shooting over getting to the free throw line, but I do think that they will leave easy points off the table from not getting to the line enough.
Late-game execution - RE
Last season, the Wolves biggest issue came late in close games. They struggled to put together quality possessions on either side of the ball, which was especially hurtful given they led the league in clutch games played at 46. The result was that despite having the fifth highest net rating, the Wolves finished with the tenth best record in the NBA. While I do believe they will be better late in games than a season ago (mostly because it will be harder to be worse), I think it will still be a large problem for them this season even if Edwards has a new and improved mid-range game.
Turnovers and lackluster team connectivity - TLW
I know that second half sounds like a LinkedIn post made by someone who is telling the whole internetting world that the ghost jobs they list are in fact real, but I have a reason for it. The turnovers have been the obvious problem over the past two years that have simultaneously been the best two-year stretch in Wolves history. However, behind that problem has been a set of constant contradictions between how the ball-handlers on the roster want to play. Differences in pace preferences and iso frequency leave half the roster wanting to play fast and the other half wanting to stay ready off of Anthony Edwards iso threes and Julius Randle post-ups. It works, and is a problem that has certainly decreased when we hit May basketball, but that will be the biggest issue with the 2025-26 Timberwolves.
“Your turn, my turn,” and inability to finish bad teams - AC
There hasn’t been a season yet with Anthony Edwards in the lineup where the offense hasn’t fallen into lulls of taking turns shooting the ball with little ball movement and standing around. Until there’s legitimate proof of that not happening, it’s hard for me to believe that those frustrating offensive stretches won’t happen, especially with how Ant plans on approaching contests against bad teams.
I know it went viral, but I really didn’t love this from Ant. A lot of times, those games can be doors that open for role players due to good ball movement and having more options to be able to run teams off the floor. Coming out of the gate with the idea that you’re going to set your career-high in scoring gets you into positions like the game against the Detroit Pistons last year: a 50-piece in a loss where no one else is engaged.
The hope is that the Wolves can figure it out. It would be a huge step in Ant’s maturity as a pro and the leader of the team. I’m just not sure at this point that it will be figured out this season.
CAUTION: Takes May Be Blistering Hot
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 6: Sean Ford presents Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves the Team USA 2024 Olympic Championship ring before the game against the Houston Rockets on February 6, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - FEBRUARY 6: Sean Ford presents Anthony Edwards #5 of the Minnesota Timberwolves the Team USA 2024 Olympic Championship ring before the game against the Houston Rockets on February 6, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Naz Reid will start… at small forward - LS
I’m going blazing hot on this one. Big is in. Many teams have openly talked about going with double-big lineups. Why go double big when you can go triple big? Naz Reid’s dynamism allows him to slot right into the three spot next to Julius and Rudy. Ant and Jaden can terrorize opposing backcourts with ease. It’s time, Finch.
Anthony Edwards wins the NBA MVP - DH
Everyone is ready to hand the award to Nikola Jokić again, but when the Wolves finish six games ahead of Denver in the standings, Minnesota completed another 4-0 sweep of the Nuggets, and Ant-Man makes 380 three pointers during the season, Edwards will finally earn his crown.
Anthony Edwards has a 50-40-90 season - BH
Ant is one of the most gifted scorers in the NBA. He has had eye-popping scoring seasons already and is looking to continue to stack them up. The efficiency, on the other hand, can be a bit in flux from game to game. Last season, he had .447/.395/.837 splits which was good considering his volume and how much was on his plate. The three-point shot was elite. Turning the dial up would be a massive jump to reach the fabled threshold, but I think that there is a path with an improved mid-range arsenal and more attention to detail on a game-to-game basis.
Three different Timberwolves receive Sixth Man of the Year votes - RE
Despite losing NAW in the offseason, the Wolves still have a deep bench full of quality players, many of whom would start on most other teams. Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo are both obvious candidates for the Sixth Man of the Year, but I believe Terrence Shannon Jr. will play so well this year that he too will receive votes for the award. None of the trio will end up winning it, mostly due to them all splitting votes, but with Shannon’s increased role this season, the “eight starters” mantra from a season ago may have to come back.
Joe Ingles continues to be the funniest human being on the Wolves - TLW
Before last season, I described Joe as a grumpy cat wearing a sombrero hat and insisted that he would be a comedic light in the competitive darkness. I think the Wolves have had some incredible characters over the years, but the arrival of Ingles to a great team means that his ridiculousness does not come at the expense of a 23-win team. Instead, he gets to troll Anthony Edwards about stopping him and we can all laugh and giggle instead of wondering why a 38-year-old journeyman is shutting down the franchise savior (only for a single play apparently).
Julius Randle will receive MVP votes - AC
This is a bet that we’ll get a full season of Julius Randle similar to what we saw down the stretch last season and in the playoffs: One of the best players on the floor at all times. Free of saddling himself with more offensive responsibility than he can handle and still understanding his important role of being connective tissue on that end of the floor, I think Randle will get the closest he has in his career so far of averaging a triple-double.
“Shot Clock Winding Down!”
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 21: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves high fives Mike Conley #10 during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 21, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - MARCH 21: Rudy Gobert #27 of the Minnesota Timberwolves high fives Mike Conley #10 during the game against the New Orleans Pelicans on March 21, 2025 at Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE(Photo by David Sherman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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Julius Randle is going to fight someone (on another team) - LS
More hilarious Jaden McDaniels hijinks against Devin Booker - LS
There will be a Naz Reid towel sighting at the 2026 Winter Olympics - DH
Kevin Garnett attends a Wolves NBA Finals game - BH
Jaylen Clark makes an all-defense team - BH
Julius Randle makes the All-Star Team - RE
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert have resurgent seasons - RE
Mike Conley and Rudy Gobert have their worst seasons since joining the Wolves, leading to offseason questions - TLW
Rudy Gobert’s bald era is going to be his best so far on the Timberwolves. Can you feel his Tyson Chandler arc? Just me? - AC
In sticking with my tradition of who will get in the first fight, I’ll switch it up a bit this year. Give me Naz Reid to engage in fisticuffs - AC
General 2025-26 NBA Predictions
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 11: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks high fives Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Preseason on October 11, 2025 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MEMPHIS, TN - OCTOBER 11: Jalen Johnson #1 of the Atlanta Hawks high fives Trae Young #11 of the Atlanta Hawks during the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during Preseason on October 11, 2025 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
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One of the Los Angeles teams will miss the playoffs - LS
The chances that LeBron James (40), Chris Paul (40), Brook Lopez (37), James Harden (36), and Kawhi Leonard (34) stay upright for the majority of a season seem mighty slim to me. They already have to lean into the fact that they’re going to have to be a “postseason team, not a regular season team” which says enough about their availability. Something is bound to go haywire for at least one of them, and I will be “Michael Jackson eating popcorn gif-ing” all the way.
The Orlando Magic win the Eastern Conference - DH
…only to get swept in the Finals.
Atlanta Hawks get the #1 seed - BH
With the hole left in the Eastern Conference due to the Tyrese Haliburton and Jayson Tatum injuries, along with the moves that the Hawks front office made, I think that Atlanta could push for the top seed in the East. Trae Young has the best supporting cast he has ever had, and one that compliments him super well. Jalen Johnson is back and healthy. He has the two-headed monster of Kristaps Porziņģis and Onyeka Okongwu, who possess a range of skillsets to run pick-and-roll with Trae. He has a great defensive backcourt partner in Dyson Daniels. Though the Cavaliers and Knicks will be the odds on favorites, don’t be surprised to look at the standings come springtime and the Hawks are right there with them.
The Western Conference has a historically good record against the Eastern Conference - RE
It’s hard to remember a time when the difference between the two conferences has been this stark. Last year, the West went 249-203 against the East. This year, with Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton injured for likely the entire season, therefore the difference will be even more stark, and in my opinion to a record-setting level.
****Seven of the top 10 teams in the league will be in the Western Conference -****TLW
I don’t think there’s any team in the Eastern Conference that you can call a championship contender outside of the New York Knicks, who have added some depth to a roster that was playing Landry Shamet deep into the playoffs. Even beyond that, the dark horse teams in the East that I do believe in, like the Atlanta Hawks, who killed the offseason and still have Jalen Johnson coming back, and the Orlando Magic, who have a well-balanced team with high defensive floors built around their two franchise stars, are likely not ready to challenge for the Larry O’Brien yet.
On the West, well, this is just a blood bath. The Wolves are surrounded by the Denver Nuggets, who have improved considerably and have the best player in basketball, the Oklahoma City Thunder, who just had about as dominant of a season as possible, the Golden State Warriors, who are old and still won 78% of their games after trading for Jimmy Butler, and the Los Angeles Lakers, who still have one of the most carry-capable players in the sport in Luka Dončić.
No matter how you slice it, even the lower echelon of the West is lined with great teams that are chomping at the bit to take out someone who finished last year above them. Portland is better. San Antonio is better. The Rockets, the Pelicans, and the Grizzlies are better. Not all of those dart throws will hit, but I feel pretty comfortable saying that they are far more likely than whatever’s going on in the East.
San Antonio Spurs take their first step of being the Thunder 2.0 - AC
If, and big if, Victor Wembanyama can stay on the floor this year, the Spurs have all of the pieces to make the jump from upstart young team to legitimate West contender this season. I’ve loved what I’ve seen from Dylan Harper so far, and think he’ll be able to pick up whatever slack comes from the nagging De’Aaron Fox hamstring injury (and actually think the Spurs can be in position to trade him by the deadline).
Between Wemby, Harper, and Stephon Castle, the Spurs have a legitimate young nucleus for talented role players like Devin Vassell, Keldon Johnson, and newly-signed Luke Kornet to form around while also not needing to rush top-10 pick, Carter Bryant, along.
A Look at Our Receipts
Leo Sun’s Receipts:
It was all wrong for me during my preseason predictions last season. As mentioned earlier, I was unintentionally correct on the Wolves season total wins, but I completely whiffed on Josh Minott taking a noticeable jump, unless you consider his jump out of the rotation. It’s debatable if Julius Randle was “the player that surprised Wolves fans,” as he certainly had a down-and-up season which didn’t culminate in him punching Draymond Green. Steph Curry also did not get traded.
But hey, I predicted every single playoff game correctly aside game four of the Western Conference Finals!
Benny Hughes’ Receipts:
Tough year last year. I guess that’s why the takes are hot.
Over 52.5 wins: Nope (I said yes)
Faith in post-KAT Wolves: 9 - Another Western Conference Finals? I think I’ll give myself this one.
What player will surprise the most: Donte DiVincenzo - Neutral, I’d be ok saying that I’m wrong but I think neutral is the way to go.
Wolves hot take: Donte DiVincenzo becomes the full-time starter - I was right!… For 5 games
Other predictions: Rudy Gobert hits a three - Dang it
Other predictions: Ant and Donte break the single season three point record - one out of two! Donte had 174 in 62 games played (record was 240)
NBA Predictions: Milwaukee Bucks get the 1 seed in the east - Woof
Ryan Eichten’s Receipts:
It was a mixed bag for me last year. The Wolves came up short of their 52.5 win total despite my pick of over and my breakout candidate of Josh Minnott did the opposite, playing himself out of the rotation early in the season. I did have some solid choices as well though, as my prediction that they would be top 10 in three-point attempts was right, but didn’t go far enough as they finished with the fifth most attempts, and Dillingham did not have a regular rotation role just as I thought.
Thilo Latrell Widder’s Receipts:
I’m going to be fully genuine and say that I didn’t miss on anything too bad. I said Conley would be out of the rotation, and while that didn’t come true, there was certainly the argument that he should have been 86’ed during the series against the Thunder. Leonard Miller did not end up being the backup five, but I was right that neither he nor Luka Garza ended up getting enough minutes for it to matter anyway.
Amazingly though, I managed to predict the exact day that Cade Cunningham would have a triple-double. What started as a joke, a dig at myself for not really risking anything in my previous predictions, turned into the most baffling success story in my history as a writer, even if Tobias Harris let me down by five points. I am not a betting man, but I have to wonder if I should have taken my baiting a little bit more serious for one night only.
Andrew Carlson’s Receipts:
I was right on the nose last year for the wins under, including my explanation for Julius Randle needing to fit early in the season, and wins coming at the cost of that.
I was a little high on Donte DiVincenzo heading into the season, and still think I might need to temper that a bit. But I do love his game.
I was correct on Rob Dillingham being the most surprising player in a negative way. Fans angrily calling for him last season was the product of not great point guard play, and behind the scenes Rob just wasn’t ready. I think the expectation was for him to show that he could be the point guard of the future last year, and in games he played, was just too shaky. We’ll see if he can write that ship this year and find consistency in the rotation.
I was incorrect on Terrence Shannon Jr. being so good that he will demand minutes last season. He was good, but didn’t force his way into the rotation. Maybe I was just a year too early!
I said Joe Ingles was going to be in the first fight last year. WRONG! He barely played. Not enough opportunities, but still talked plenty of sh*t from the bench.
I said the 76ers were the most overlooked team in the league last season. Fell for it again award! Health is always the question, but those young guards look pretty good…
Away we go! We’re hittin’ send on these babies as our dreams and fears may or may not come true. Knowing the history of Canis Hoopus, they will all absolutely come to fruition. Let’s hear your predictions below as the season finally kicks off.
NBA basketball is back!