Hot takes on dismal Warriors, Kings, Bulls and an early season MVP

As for the Bulls, it was a terrible omen that their taskmaster coach, Jim Boylen, installed time-card clocks at the practice facility and required everyone to be 45 minutes early. It’s less reminiscent of Phil Jackson than it is, well, Jim Boylen, the guy who sparked a player revolt in his first week on the job. Realistically, it’s hard to expect consistency with an erratic young core, but this team is not going to keep shooting 27% from three-point range. I still think they’ll be 8-10 games better –- they still play in the Leastern Conference -– but miss the playoffs by a mile. The team that really worries me is the Pacers (1-3), who have no shooting whatsoever beyond Malcolm Brogdon and Myles Turner, and may end up firing Nate McMillan before Victor Oladipo is back from his injury.

Keane: How about player hot takes? Will Brooklyn's Kyrie Irving run away with the scoring title? Will the Rockets'  James Harden continue to miss 11 threes per game? Is this the season that Karl-Anthony Towns finally steps out of Kevin Love’s huge shadow in Minnesota? And who’s your MVP through 10 days?

Heery: I may have been tempted to declare Kyrie the scoring champ after this first week until I heard about the ESPN's Jackie MacMullan report that Irving’s moody ways are already bothering the Nets' organization ... and until I witnessed James Harden score his 59th point in a 159-158 win over the Wizards. Yeah, I’m going with The Beard to repeat as scoring champ, no matter how many step back threes he misses. 

And while I’m leading the “KAT is going to be an MVP-caliber player this season” train, I still need to see the Wolves get out to, say, a 20-10 start before declaring him a legit threat. I will say this, however, I didn’t mind the KATfight with fellow-MVP candidate Joel Embiid of the Sixers. I can’t remember the last time two MVP-caliber players went after each other like that. 

I must warn you that my MVP take after 4-5 games is pretty lukewarm: Kawhi Leonard. It’s the Year of Kawhi still. He’s scoring, defending, and now passing at an elite level. The Clippers are going to win a ton of games, maybe the most in the NBA. And he’s even doing self-deprecating Terminator commercials. I mean, who doesn’t love them some Board Man?

As for some other takes ... I’m saying Atlanta's Trae Young makes third-team All-NBA if the Hawks make the playoffs. Give me Dallas' Luka Doncic on the second team and Toronto's Pascal Siakam on the first team. Siakam might even get MVP votes the way he’s playing so far, averaging 28 points and nine for the surging Raptors (4-1). Plus, he’s guarding the other team’s best scorer almost every night. 

Heery: What has your attention? Did the career of Utah's Mike Conley’s fall off a cliff this season?

Keane: I’m way in on Philly's Ben Simmons after that KATfight. Maybe he will never shoot another three-pointer in his NBA career, but no one can call him a coward after he choked out a seven-footer and backed up his teammate. Nothing accelerates team chemistry like a brawl!

I think Conley (12 ppg.) is suffering from culture shock after moving from Memphis to Salt Lake City, and if Utah wants the player he used to be, it must arrange regular shipments of barbecue from Tennessee. Also he probably feels out of place, given that both gritting and grinding are illegal outside of marriage in Utah. Meanwhile, the Suns (3-2) are getting a boost from Ricky “Change Your Face, Be Happy” Rubio, whose passing, tenacious defense, and general love of life are three things completely missing from the team for the past two years. He’s even making Frank Kaminsky look good! Meanwhile, 23-year-old Kelly Oubre of the Suns is looking like a foundational piece, and Memphis probably regrets not trading MarShon AND Dillon Brooks for him last season.

I’m also into this Washington Wizards team, who suddenly seem like a fun, young team and not a dreary mess since Bradley Beal extended his deal. They’re not going to play any defense, but the Wizards (1-3) should be wildly entertaining, and Beal is going to make it back to the All-NBA team. Look, Washington D.C. is now a city of champions, so get ready for the Wizards to win it all in 2021 behind Beal and a rejuvenated John Wall. (I kid, I think).

Finally, I really like the Miami Heat (4-1). Tyler Herro might win Rookie of the Year, Goran Dragic could be Sixth Man of the Year, and now that he’s an actual father, Jimmy Butler might stop treating his young teammates like he’s their dad. If Kendrick Nunn can continue his hot scoring, Bam Adebayo keeps racking up double-doubles and Meyers Leonard remembers to wear sunscreen on the beach, this could be a fearsome team in the East.

Finally, are there any predictions that you’re ready to back off of? I’ve already given up on the Warriors snagging the seven seed and Zion’s Rookie of the Year campaign, but is there anything you thought before the season that’s already been disproven?

Heery: I think it’s safe to scratch my “Ben Simmons will attempt at least 50 threes this season” prediction. Let’s revise that to 10. And while I predicted that Kyrie would dazzle in Brooklyn, I don’t feel great about my top-four in the East prediction for his Nets. Finally, I regret being so bullish on the Bulls.

Heery: To close, give me one outrageously bold prediction/take you’re squatting on but somewhat afraid to put into writing. Mine is that the Bucks are the 2008-09 Cavs reincarnated -- they’re going down in the second round with this roster, no matter how special Giannis is.

Keane: After watching the Kawhi-less Raptors excel this season, I'm way into that Bucks bust-out prediction. My wildest take right now is Jazz-related. I think Conley shakes off his slump, I think Royce O'Neale becomes a de facto starter, and I think the Jazz make it to the Conference Finals. I'm not quite ready to pick them to upset one of the LA juggernauts yet, but I think no one wants to play them, and they're uniquely suited to take out the Lakers. Utah just got an All-Star Game in 2023, and it might get an NBA Finals this season.