- General managers’ survey places Celtics and Nuggets at the forefront for championship hopes.
- Nikola Jokic emerges as MVP frontrunner and the go-to player to start a franchise.
- Both Stephen Curry and Erik Spoelstra earn notable accolades in their respective fields.
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Team Expectations
Both teams, the Nuggets and Celtics, garnered 10 out of a possible 30 votes to win the championship. Trailing behind, the Milwaukee Bucks secured seven nods, while the Phoenix Suns received two and the LA Clippers one. It’s noteworthy that in the previous year, the Bucks led the expectations with 43% of the votes.
Predictably, both the Celtics and the Nuggets were also tipped to win their respective conferences. In the Western outlook, following Denver were Phoenix, Los Angeles Lakers, Golden State Warriors, Clippers, and Memphis Grizzlies in that order. In the East, behind Boston, were Milwaukee, Cleveland Cavaliers, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Miami Heat.
Individual Recognitions
In terms of individual accolades, Nikola Jokic stands out as the favorite to snatch the MVP award, also solidifying himself as the top pick to build a franchise around. On the other hand, Anthony Edwards edges out Cade Cunningham as the breakout star of the season, while Victor Wenbanyama is favored to clinch the Rookie of the Year title and is anticipated to be the foremost promise in the foreseeable future.
In a player ranking by position, Stephen Curry was hailed as the top point guard, Devin Booker as shooting guard, Jayson Tatum as small forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo as power forward, and Jokic as the dominant center. From this list, only Tatum surpassing Kevin Durant was a shift from the previous year. On the coaching front, Erik Spoelstra was once again recognized as the premier strategist, excelling in motivation, adaptability, and defensive schemes. Meanwhile, Mike Brown, at the helm of the Sacramento Kings, was praised for leading the league’s most outstanding offense.
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