NBA: WARR Media's 2021-22 Season Opening Survey
How far are the Bulls to a Sky-like run? Will Kyrie or Simmons play another game for their teams? Who's your early favorites for the Finals?
Our panel: WARR writers Joshua M. Hicks and Drew Stevens, writer and Runnin With WARR contributor Gavriel Wilkins, NBC Sports Chicago podcast producer Tony Gill and WARR Media editorial director (and NBC Sports Chicago desk editor) Kyle Means.
1. A 16-16 team just brought Chicago a championship - what exactly are the % odds the Bulls could bring that feeling back again in 2022?
Drew Stevens: Whatever the odds were that both the Nets and Lakers would have their seasons derailed by injury last year. (ed. note - think I should have asked for more clarity on this answer. For number’s sake, let’s just say 10 percent)
Joshua Hicks: I’ll put it between 60-70%. The Sky ultimately brought a championship to the city and was one of the most talented teams in the WNBA. The Bulls have talent offensively and can improve defensively with a lot of fun and excitement to watch, but it's always a tough sell to bring a championship home when you have to potentially go through the likes of Kevin Durant and James Harden, Giannis or LeBron James. Not to mention the Bulls haven't made the playoffs since the “Three Alphas” era.
Gavriel Wilkins: 15%
Tony Gill: 0%. I think it's unfair to compare the two situations. I mean from not making it to the playoffs to the championship is a big feat that rarely happens. And I don't think its fair for those expectations to be put on them.
Kyle Means: Admittedly, I did make this question simply with an intention to mention the Sky, who we shouldn’t forget even though the Bulls stand to do some good things this season.
The Bulls won’t have the kind of season the Sky had, even if they creep into the postseason in a similar way (especially if they do). I’d put it at a 20% — no banners will be hung next fall, but they’ll be building off their most successful season in a minute.
2. Over/under on number of combined games Ben Simmons and Kyrie Irving play for the teams they are currently on
JH: Under 25 games right now. Simmons will get traded ASAP and I'm leaning toward Kyrie sitting out the season. I hope he plays this season for the Nets, though, and gets the vaccination situation taken care of.
TG: Twenty five games, all on Kyrie. I think the Ben Simmons thing is too far gone and Kyrie's mind is so fluid he can make up a scenario in his head where he finds a way where he can get vaccinated while still feeling in the right about everything. He doesn't feel like he's willing to go all the way with this stand, whatever that stand is.
KM: Don’t think either one will play more than a week’s worth of games with their current teams, that should add out to about 8, so under 8.5.
DS: Taking the over on them playing a combined 41 regular season games this year.
GW: Fifty seven (57). Simmons plays a total of eight games for the 76ers before forcing Daryl Morey's hand to send him home and trades him right before Thanksgiving rolls around.
Kyrie becomes fully vaccinated by mid-December and comes back just in time to make his season debut when the Nets face the Lakers at Staples on Christmas Day in an NBA Finals preview after missing the first 33 games of the 21-22 campaign.
3. What's the one team you would bet against the field in the Western conference?
KM: Lakers are an obvious betting favorite, but there’s got to be plenty reasons why Vegas wants that. Give me the Suns +700 (the Jazz, Clippers and Nuggets - all between +750 and +1100 are all worth looking at too).
GW: Los Angeles Lakers.
DS: The Denver Nuggets.
JH: Golden State Warriors, especially if everyone is fully healthy and the Klay Thompson of old is back.
TG: I'd take the Lakers vs the field. Underdog LeBron is one we haven't seen in a while and with the host of additions to the team he can scale back some in the regular season. I think there is an understanding now that no one is scared of LeBron anymore and he's gonna have to be better than he’s been in a while to win another one.
4. What's one team you think could have a Phoenix Suns/Atlanta Hawks-like reemergence this season?
TG: I think I'd go with the Bulls. They have certainly put themselves in that position where expectations are still relatively low, but they have the talent to surprise some folks. Hornets are too bad at defense and the Pels are just too weird for me so Bulls me up.
JH: Maybe the Warriors, or the Memphis Grizzlies.
GW: Memphis Grizzlies.
DS: You mean besides the Bulls? Hmm…the Hornets.
KM: To the extent that you’re talking about a so-so team that could possibly invade the league’s final four I’ll say the Grizzlies could finally make an impact in the West. After them, maybe the Knicks in the East. Yeah, I know, but never take for granted the chances of a Tom Thibodeau team to overachieve.
5. Who is a Bull who won't score 15 ppg that you expect to reach fan favorite status this year?
DS: Alex Michael Caruso.
GW: Alex Caruso.
JH: Javonte Green or Derrick Jones Jr.
KM: I’ll go in another direction and say Tony Bradley will mature into a decent reserve who in key minutes at the “5” will thrill Bulls fans with hard-working interior defense and rebounding. Stacy King will notice it first and get him over with the fans.
TG: Alex Caruso is the hard working white dude America loves. And he can dunk. That’s a bonus.
6. Your early pics for Eastern and Western conference champions and who takes the title?
JH: Eastern Conference - Nets, Western Conference - Lakers, Champs - Lakers (as long as Anthony Davis is healthy).
TG: In the East I'm gonna go with the Bucks. The Nets are more talented, but there is still something to having a consistent effort from everyone on a team — I think Milwaukee still has that.
In the West I'm going with the Clippers. I don't know why but if they haven't figured it out by now then what are they doing? Consider this me hedging my bets given my earlier take on the Lakers, lol.
GW: Eastern Conference: Brooklyn Nets; Western Conference: Los Angeles Lakers; NBA Champion: Los Angeles Lakers.
DS: Brooklyn and Utah will meet in the NBA Finals with the Nets taking it all.
KM: At the moment I see too much dysfunction and question marks across the contenders in the East to think anyone there, even the Nets, will beat Milwaukee four times out of seven. In the West you got a lot of the same wildness, and cause of that I like Phoenix to get it done before Ayton dips and CP3 retires and that franchise falls back.
Phoenix will get the best of the Bucks this time and continue an era that Howard Beck is considering the “end of NBA dynasties,” as the Association will crown a fifth different champ over the same number of years. Though I wouldn’t necessarily count Milwaukee out yet in that degree, they’ll take a lump again this year.
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