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http://www.thenorthernlight.org/2013/10/29/head-to-head-forecasting-the-best-and-worst-of-the-2013-14-nba-season/
Thomas
McIntyre
Overtime: Head to head: Forecasting the best and worst of the
2013-14 NBA season
Thomas McIntyre and Mark Hoffman are two of the Northern
Lights sports writers nothing more, nothing less. The duo
has been pitted against each other to predict the results of
the 2013-14 NBA season.
For me, this will be exactly like in Above The Rim when
Shep played heads up with an invisible defender, said
McIntyre.
Ive played basketball with God Shammgod, Hoffman
responded.
And theyre off.
NBA Champions
TM
Miami Heat. The field is closing in, but not enough to sway
my decision. Its even harder to move off the Heat once you
consider the three giants havent been healthy for the last
two runs.
Chris Andersen pulls his ring lead over Karl Malone to two, and Dwyane Wade changes his name to Four.
MH
Chicago Bulls. Thats right, South Beach, no three-peat for you. This years champion will be decided in the East I
dont trust anybody to win it all in the West and the Heat, Bulls, Pacers and maybe the Nets, are the class of the
league.
I like a rejuvenated Rose to lead Tom Thibodeaus ragtag bunch of grinders past King James and the Evil Empire.
And then, you know, beat some team from the West in the Finals.

MVP
TM
LeBron James, Miami Heat. I dont know what to say here. Durant could yield a pity/boredom win. Either way, Im
right. James will be the best and most valuable player in the NBA. Perhaps I should sticky this section for the next five
years.
MH
The Field. Im taking the indecisive, Michael Wilbon approach to the MVP race and choosing the field. LeBron is
unquestionably the best player in the world, but it feels like were due for a Karl Malone-in-1998 or Derrick Rose-in-
2011 season from the award voters.
If all were right in the world, LeBron would be shooting for his sixth straight trophy.
I like the chances of KD earning a lifetime achievement nod or for a breakout guy, like Steph Curry in Golden State or
Kyrie Irving in Cleveland, to sneak the award away from LeBron.

Coach of the Year
TM
Kevin McHale, Houston Rockets. McHale was once handed the keys to an exotic vehicle named Kevin Garnett, and
he wrapped it around a light pole going 180 miles per hour. I make this prediction cautiously.
McHale showed last year that he could craft an offense. The Rockets are a fast, high-possession team. If Howard can
be convinced that the pick and roll is an effective basketball strategy, the Rockets will challenge for a two-seed. And
then McHale will take home COTY for his work as maestro.
MH
Doc Rivers, L.A. Clippers. Doc is already a former Coach of the Year and he inherits some studs in Chris Paul and
Blake Griffin now that hes in L.A. Surrounding those studs with shooters like J.J. Reddick and a defensive-minded
coach like Doc and the equation is starting to add up.
Remember when the Clips won 17 games in a row last year? Yeah, that was with Vinny Del Negro as head coach.
Wait to see what Doc does with these guys.

Defensive Player of the Year
TM
Roy Hibbert, Indiana Pacers. Hibbs is a very good defensive player whos on one of the two best defensive teams in
the NBA. His post protection anchors that unit. He also comes into the season looking like a guy who plays in a
league that doesnt test for HGH. Look out.
MH
Larry Sanders, Milwaukee Bucks. Great pick there by Thomas. Hibbert is a low-post beast in the mold of other
legendary Georgetown defenders like Patrick Ewing, Dikembe Mutombo and Alonzo Mourning.
Ill stop with the Hoyas talk now and take Larry Sanders as my pick for Defensive Player of the Year. Hes a highlight-
reel block specialist and as athletic as they come. Basically, hes the opposite of Hibbert.

Rookie of the Year
TM
Victor Oladipo, Orlando Magic. This is a lay-up. The Magic arent going to ease Oladipo into the league; theyre letting
him fly out of the gates. Hell wreck havoc on both ends while also making plenty of mistakes.
Dont for a second think I wasnt tempted to take the Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo. Hes already the
Rookie of the Year in my heart.
MH
Otto Porter, Washington Wizards. Okay, this is absolutely a homer pick because Im a huge Georgetown fan, but
Thomas is a Sixers fan, and we forgive him for that, right? The most common draft day superlative for Otto was Most
NBA Ready, so hes pretty much a lock for this award in my book.
Cody Zeller, Michael Carter-Williams, Kelly Olynyk and Oladipo all have high SRIP (Sleeper Rookie Impact Potential)
projections this year. See, I can make up some saber metric statistics too.

Most Improved Player
TM
Jonas Valanciunas, Toronto Raptors. Heres a prediction thats going to be wrong. Im projecting Valanciunas to have
a nice year, but he wont have the kind of earth-shattering impact thatd make people watch and appreciate a player
on the Raptors.
MH
Tristan Thompson, Cleveland Cavaliers. In case you havent heard, Thompson switched his shooting hand from his
left to his right and he says it has made him a whole new player. The third-year forward should be an integral part of
the Cavs youth movement and playing with Kyrie would make any of us better.
And now hes shooting with his RIGHT HAND.

Sixth Man of the Year
TM
Harrison Barnes, Golden State Warriors. Im a sucker for a sixth man who is far beyond sixth man talent. Barnes is
going to devour this role. Unless, of course, Andrew Bogut misses extended time, in which case he will likely be
plugged in as a starter. Theres a solid 15 percent chance that doesnt happen.
MH
Tyreke Evans, New Orleans Pelicans. Thomas alluded to the significance of injury time affecting the Sixth Man
Award, which makes it particularly hard to project a winner. Could be the same case in New Orleans, because Eric
Gordon cant seem to stay put on a basketball court. But if he does, I expect Tyreke Evans to make a big impact in a
new home. Sometimes a guy like him could just use a change of scenery.

Most Wins
TM
Miami Heat. Or the Chicago Bulls. But no, itll be the Heat. Could be those Bulls, though.
MH
L.A. Clippers. I like the Bulls call but Im taking the Clippers to have the best regular season record.

Most Losses
TM
Philadelphia 76ers. You have to think the NBA is quietly investigating the Sixers. This is the most arrogant and
transparent tank job that Ive ever seen. It is moving and more beautiful than any post-Romanticism art.
MH
Phoenix Suns. The most anticipated run at futility in hoops history should be fun to watch, especially if you like seeing
Eric Bledsoe run around with his head cut off. This roster is awful.

Best League Pass Team
TM
Golden State Warriors. Super duper hyphy. Step one: get NBA League Pass; step two: fire up the Dubs game; step
three: put on Mac Dres Feelin Myself. Repeat steps two and three 82 times.
MH
Miami Heat. Dont get it twisted: LeBron with any four guys around him is still the most entertaining basketball on
League Pass. The Cavs and Clips should be fun to watch, too, but the Heat will still produce the most wow
moments.

My Main Man Award
TM
This is the category where we plant a flag on a player whom we are ride or die for, a la Ahmad Rashad on NBA
Inside Stuff. My main man is Patrick Beverley just YouTube Patrick Beverley Jrue Holiday for an explanation.
And since Rashad was allowed about 400 main men, here are a few more picks: Andre Drummond, Chandler
Parsons, Anthony Davis and Andre Miller.
MH
An Ahmad Rashad NBA Inside Stuff reference? Count me in. My main man this year is Jeff Green of the Celtics.
With no one else of any particular skill healthy enough to play for Boston, my guy has the green light to break out this
year.
Also keep an eye on Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Bradley Beal and Greg Oden.

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