Skip to content

NBA season predictions: Who can stop the Golden State Warriors? Will LeBron James inspire the LA Lakers?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Sky Sports is the new home of the NBA

Ahead of the new NBA season, live on Sky Sports, we caught up with Neal Meyer, associate vice president of basketball operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, to give his season predictions…

NBA champions

I think the Golden State Warriors. The way they've been put together and played the last four to five years, they are the team everybody's chasing.

I think they're going to be difficult to beat so ultimately they're going to be the ones that are going to win it.

They have so much firepower and they've got better defensively. But offensively, they can just score. The only thing that can set them back are injuries.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

The new NBA season is just around the corner - but how does the league actually work? All will be explained...

The Warriors' closest challengers

Boston Celtics are the best team in the Eastern Conference. The blessing in disguise with Gordon Hayward's injury is that Kyrie Irving, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown all had to step up last year early and they gained a lot of experience going through the regular season and the playoffs.

Getting Hayward back, they're going to be able to take that experience and get themselves to the finals.

Jayson Tatum #0, Jaylen Brown #7, Kyrie Irving #11, Gordon Hayward #20 and Al Horford #42 of the Boston Celtics pose for a portrait at media day
Image: Meyer believes the Boston Celtics will be the biggest threat to the Warriors' title charge

How will LeBron fare at the Lakers?

I think they're a year or so away from challenging for the NBA Championship but LeBron will get them into the playoffs.

Also See:

I think they need that second superstar like a Scottie Pippen or Kobe Bryant. But LeBron's a guy that's going to give you that extra three or four wins.

LeBron James
Image: LeBron James will be hoping to inspire the LA Lakers to their first NBA Championship since 2010

MVP contenders

The one that I think is interesting is Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks because of his body transformation this summer and his dedication. The only thing which will hold him back is his team's success.

LeBron's always in the conversation and if he manages to elevate that team beyond expectations he'll certainly be right up there.

But I'm going to go with Kevin Durant. He does everything - he can score, his defence is better and he fits right in with that team. If the Warriors lost him, it would affect them quite a bit.

 Kevin Durant #35 of the Golden State Warriors brings the ball up the court against the Los Angeles Lakers during their preseason game at T-Mobile Arena on October 10, 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Image: Golden State Warriors forward Kevin Durant is Meyer's pick to win the MVP award which he won in 2014

Rookie of the Year award

We've got Deandre Ayton, Luka Doncic and Trae Young, and I'm going to say Doncic.

He's a phenomenal player and will play straight away and get a lot of minutes. He can play multiple positions and has got such a high basketball IQ. He sees the floor so well and that's what makes MVPs - guys that make everybody better and make the game easier for them.

Ayton has the potential, but as a power forward I just don't think he can control the ball enough and be able to elevate his team like Doncic will.

Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks during the game against the Charlotte Hornets on October 12, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
Image: Slovenian guard Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is Meyer's tip to win Rookie of the Year

Best acquisition

Kawhi Leonard completely changes the dynamics of the Toronto Raptors. DeMar DeRozan, who went the other way to the San Antonio Spurs, was much more of a locker room guy at the Raptors and popular with the crowd whereas Kawhi is much more introverted - he leads by example but doesn't say a lot.

Carmelo Anthony going to Houston Rockets is very interesting looking at how he will fit into that system. He's always been a guy that needs to have the ball in his hands but with Chris Paul and James Harden there, his ball time might be limited.

If Kawhi can stay healthy, play a full season and get back to form he could have a huge impact.

MONTREAL, CAN - OCTOBER 10: Kawhi Leonard #2 of the Toronto Raptors shoots the ball against the Brooklyn Nets during a pre-season game on October 10, 2018 at Bell Centre, in Montreal, Canada.  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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Mark Blinch/NBAE via Getty Images)
Image: Kawhi Leonard swapped San Antonio Spurs for Toronto Raptors this season

Dark horses

I think you're looking at the Denver Nuggets. They've missed the playoffs in the last two years by a couple of games. They've got Nikola Jokic from Serbia and they've got a good core so they've got a good shot.

The Utah Jazz have Rudy Gobert, Donovan Mitchell and Ricky Rubio so they're a team to watch too.

Around Sky