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TheNorge

@norseofbroad.bsky.social

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TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 8h

Do not give Thompson this much credit yet

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 12h

I won't be watching the Phils tonight. I'll have score alerts on my phone. If they get it together, I'll be back tomorrow, but not subjecting myself to a sweep

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 15h

thanks!

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 16h

do we have his bird rights next year or no --Shams had an article that said we did and I thought we didn't...

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

I'm definitely planning on them staying healthy, which is perhaps a mistake but they are tough.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

Win Proj: 64
Vegas Line: 62.5

Impossible not to have them #1. Their Vegas line is 6 wins higher than anyone else. They have 9 top-150 players and almost all of them are young with room to still improve. Injuries and/or boredom is the only thing keeping them from repeating

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

2. Denver Nuggets

Win Proj: 57
Vegas Line: 54.5

After years of getting worse in the off-season, they finally decided to get better -- adding Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, Jonas Valanciunas and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Jokic is still the best in the world and has a chance at title #2 this year.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

3. New York Knicks

Win Proj: 57
Vegas Line: 52.5

Feel like if there is going to be a year for Knicks, this is it. They may get a "new coach" bump & added some depth with Yabu, Brogdon and Clarkson. Healthy Mitch Robinson would help them. I have them taking the #1 seed & making the Finals.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

4. Cleveland Cavaliers

Win Proj: 55
Vegas Line: 56.5

A small step back for the Cavs, but still a title contender. Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland always strike me as way too high on NBA rank lists. If Lonzo Ball can stay healthy he's a nice add, but that's a huge if. They will miss Ty Jerome.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

5. Orlando Magic

Win Proj: 53
Vegas Line: 50.5

I love adding Desmond Bane, and Tyus Jones was a sneaky good add as well.

How good they can be will really come down to whether Banchero (turning 23 in Nov) and Franz Wagner (24) are ready to be real stars or if I'm a year early on them.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 18h

6. Golden State Warriors

Win Proj: 51
Vegas Line: 46.5

I'm buying what might be the Warriors last real run at it. They have a good mix of stars (Curry, Butler), reliable vets (Green, Horford, Hield) and young guys (Podziemski, Kuminga, Moody).

They also get extra points for DeAnthony Melton

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 20h

7. Los Angeles Clippers

Win Proj: 49
Vegas Line: 47.5

Depth, depth, depth. Brook Lopez, Bradley Beal, Chris Paul, John Collins, Bogdan Bogdanovic all added since last deadline. Age is obviously their biggest obstacle, but they have enough unless they all go downhill at once.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 20h

8. Houston Rockets

Win Proj: 49
Vegas Line: 52.5

FVV was huge loss &I'm not sure how many games you can count on KD, so I have them lower than others (5th in WC). Amen Thompson has to live up to this top-35 player hype he's gotten all off-season. I love Sengun. Interested in how Sheppard does.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 20h

9. Dallas Mavericks

Win Proj: 48
Vegas Line: 41.5

Kyrie's unclear return / AD's injury issues make this a very tough prediction, but... this is a deep team w/ real star power at the top. Oh and Cooper Flagg will absolutely have a positive impact in Year 1. Swap AD for Doncic and they are 5th.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 21h

10. Atlanta Hawks

Win Proj: 47
Vegas Line: 47.5

The "winners of the offseason" is usually a trap and it might be here, but adding Porzingis, NAW and Kennard on top of getting a full season from Jalen Johnson and increased role for Okongwu and Year 2 of Risacher, there is a lot to like here.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 21h

11. Los Angeles Lakers

Win Proj: 47
Vegas Line: 48.5

Hard to predict how this will go - Doncic is good enough to drag a team along, but will LeBron let him? Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia were decent pick ups but I still don't love their depth. How many games will LBJ play?

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 21h

they are good over bet if for no other reason than they won't tank, and their guys play 80 games each

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 21h

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

Win Proj: 46
Vegas Line: 49.5

I love Ant, but the Towns trade didn't work exactly how they hoped. They are really, really thin after their top-7 (Ant, Gobert, Randle, Reid, McDaniels, Donte, Conley) so injuries could really hurt them. 8th in West (would be 5th in East).

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 21h

13. Memphis Grizzlies

Win Proj: 45
Vegas Line: 39.5

Yes, they lost Bane. But they won 48 games last year (Morant only played 50), added Ty Jerome and KCP, and are stocked with young guys who could improve (Edey, Pippen Jr, Wells, Jackson, Williams).

Sadly this only gets them 9th in the West.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

Jonathan Gannon owes the Eagles a Super Bowl. Garbage human.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

14. Milwaukee Bucks

Win Proj: 44
Vegas Line: 42.5

Giannis is still a top-3 player in the league and he will drag this bunch to a top-5 seed. Will be interesting to see what Myles Turner does outside of Indiana.

Cole Anthony is now on the Bucks, which I guess I missed.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

15. Detroit Pistons

Win Proj: 43
Vegas Line: 46.5

I'm lower on DET than Vegas. I'm not really sure they got better. Hardaway Jr / Beasley / Schroeder out.... LeVert / Duncan Robinson in?

Jaden Ivey could change their fortunes if he makes a leap forward. Jaden Duren underrated in the league.

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

16. San Antonio Spurs

Win Proj: 43
Vegas Line: 44.5

Year 3 Wemby should have them near the top of the West, right? Not so much - as the West is loaded and the players behind Wemby and Fox. Is Luke Kornet their 3rd best player? I have them 10th in WC.

Who will emerge from Castle/Harper/Fox trio?

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

17. Philadelphia 76ers

Win Proj: 43
Vegas Line: 42.5

This assumes Jo & PG can play, but aren't elite. W/o both, Sixers would drop to all the way to 27th. If both are all-stars, they jump to 6th. No team has more variance than Sixers this yr. 43 wins (7th in EC) is the middle ground & Vegas agrees

TheNorge @norseofbroad.bsky.social · 1d

18. Boston Celtics

Win Proj: 40
Vegas Line: 41.5

Impossible to rank team #2, especially with rumors Tatum could return. Jrue, KP and Horford are gone too. But Brown and White are still an elite tandem, and they keep finding guys like Payton Prichard. Likely too proud to tank unless JB/DW get hurt