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Northwest Division

Denver Nuggets

Last Season: 36-46

Key Player: Kenneth Faried is one of a young few guys around the league sitting in that tough position of leading a team too good to tank but not quite good enough for the playoffs. Anthony Daivs/New Orleans captains this lot. Faried is the centrepiece, the Golden Nugget, now he embarks on the next step: being the best player on a playoff team.

What To Watch For: A relatively small team hitting it up, playing tight and sinking three balls. Aaron Afflalo is back in town too.

Key Question: Can they stay healthy? Danny Gallinari, J.J. Hickson and Nate Robinson all missed massive time last season, and JaVale McGee is already under a cloud as he recovers from a stress fracture.

2014/15 Prediction: 38-44

Minnesota Timberwolves

Last Season: 40-42

Key Player: Ricky Rubio. Slick Rick talked up his candidacy as a team leader, now he gets to act it out. First thing’s first, he’s gotta do something about that jump shot.

What To Watch For: Andrew Wiggins burst on to the scene in college as one of the best prospects since LeBron James. He was gonna be the Canadian Jordan. But he lost a whole lot of momentum last year and although he was drafted first in an almost ideal situation (learning from LeBron himself), he was quickly traded to the wilderness of Minnesota. Big Minny’s famous for producing the immense talents of Bob Dylan and Prince. Let’s see what they can do with Wiggins (and Anthony Bennett).

Key Question: Kevin Love or Andrew Wiggins/Anthony Bennett/Thad Young?

2014/15 Prediction: 28-54

Oklahoma City Thunder

Last Season: 59-23

Key Player: Rusty Wusty. KD’s injured to start proceedings, and Westbrook hasn’t often had to play without him (though the signs seem promising). Your move, Russell.

What To Watch For: Stone Cold Steve Funaki Adams, baby! Heading into his second season he’s set for an increased role (possibly even as a starter?) and if preseason’s anything to go by, he might just be about to bring that scoring touch too. At any rate, he’s always fun to watch. Kia kaha, Stevie.

Key Question: Did the Thunder screw up the offseason? Anthony Morrow was the only thing close to a top signing, though at least he’s an improvement on 55-year old (?) Derek Fisher. Nothing flashy about their draft either, though you never know.

2014/15 Prediction: 49-33

Portland Trailblazers

Last Season: 54-28

Key Player: LaMarcus Aldridge. One of the safest, most secure, durable, productive and very best players in the NBA.

What To Watch For: This team is the master of the long two, in an era in which that shot option is almost always a last resort. If you’re gonna hang deep, may as well go all in for threes, but the Trailblazers (both appropriately named, but also inappropriately, since this was how basketball was played in the 60s) do their own thing. And do it well, may I add. That’s cool, man.

Key Question: Damian Lillard’s buzzer beating, series clinching three against the Rockets in game 6 last playoffs. Where were you when it happened?

2014/15 Prediction: 54-28

Utah Jazz

Last Season: 25-57

Key Player: Gordon Hayward. He’s getting paid, now it’s time to earn it. He even gets to be a bit of a leader here with this team.

What To Watch For: That Dante Exum is a real head scratcher. No-one really knows which way that’ll go, only way to find out is to jump onto a pirated stream of some joker’s League Pass and watch.

Key Question: This is another team with a lot of young players with something to prove. How many can develop into more-than-serviceable NBA players for the Jazz?

2014/15 Prediction: 24-58

Pacific Division

Golden State Warriors

Last Season: 51-31

Key Player: Stephen Curry. He’s a proven gun now, time to revert to the long form nomenclature. He was sixth in made field goals last season, and third in assists. Boom.

What To Watch For: An undercover title contender. People have forgotten about these guys a little. Shaun Livingston brings in some nous, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes have playmaking ability yet to be properly harnessed and rookie coach Steve Kerr is saying all the right things so far.

Key Question: Will the Warriors regret not going harder for Kevin Love? Woulda meant giving up Klay Thompson. Hmm…

2014/15 Prediction: 52-30

Los Angeles Clippers

Last Season: 57-35

Key Player: Blake Griffin. A semi-distant third in the MVP ballots last season, he’s out to close that gap.

What To Watch For: “The world, chico. And everything in it” Seriously, I think the Clippers are in such a good place right now. Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan doing their thing, Doc Rivers is a superb coach and leader, Spencer Hawes brings something different to the team and for once they finally have a supportive owner. I’ve got doubts over whether or not I like Mr Ballmer (definite clown potential), but imagine the morale there now! Oh, and ‘Lob City’.

Key Question: Are the Clippers now, for the first time in history, the fan’s choice in the City of Angels?

2014/15 Prediction: 60-32

Los Angeles Lakers

Last Season: 27-55

Key Player: Aw, probably Carlos Boozer… NO, IT’S KOBE BRYANT, OF COURSE! Back after an injury setback that a lesser competitive mind would have retired from. He’s got nothing to prove to anyone but himself, which is all he needs.

What To Watch For: The Kobe Comeback, the odd Linsanity sighting, Byron Scott trying to make something of a non-existent defensive structure, Jack Nicholson, Julius Randle proving if he’ll be a piece of the future LA puzzle or not, Leonardo DiCaprio, Swaggy P doing dumb things… there are plenty of things to watch for, just none of them are making this a good basketball team. Yet.

Key Question: How conscious is Leo of trying to emulate Jack’s career? He’s got a pretty handy claim to being the Nicholson of his era, right down to the Lakers fandom. By the way, Jack didn’t win an Oscar ‘til his fifth nomination, Leo’s only had four. Sorry, did I get off course there?

2014/15 Prediction: 31-51

Phoenix Suns

Last Season: 48-34

Key Player: Goran Dragic. Just check out the improvements here between 2012/13 and 2013/14. Insanely good stuff for a 27 year old. A 1.5 drop off in assists is more than balanced by an almost 6 point boost per game.

What To Watch For: A really exciting team with three superb guards (Dragic, Eric Bledsoe and Isaiah Thomas). Plus they have serious underdog capabilities.

Key Question: Was last season a fluke? A lot of overachievement potential, could be tough to repeat.

2014/15 Prediction: 44-38

Sacramento Kings

Last Season: 28-54

Key Player: BOOGIE! He’s been up and down in the past, and his personality is a speed bump for some. Ahh, but then he did what he did at the World Cup and we may be about to see a new level of maturity and performance from DeMarcus Cousins, who’s led the league in technical over the last 2 years.

What To Watch For: They’ve got an owner who is willing to pull the trigger. Boogie, Rudy Gay and few good young shooters won’t get them into the playoffs, but don’t count out a trade that’ll get them up there in contention.

Key Question: Can Darren Collison be a starter on a playoff calibre team? What about Ramon Sessions? Is this team too guard-heavy?

2014/15 Prediction: 41-41

Southwest Division

Dallas Mavericks

Last Season: 49-33

Key Player: Dirk Diggler. Even at 45 or however old he is now, he’s still got the smoothest release of any sonofagun out there. Awkward build up, but smooth release. He’s taken a pay-cut to make sure he’s got plenty of helping hands too.

What To Watch For: Tyson Chandler was considered one of the most crucial locker room pieces of the 2011 champ side before leaving in free agency (controversially). He’s back, let’s see if it galvanises them. Plus Monta Ellis is super dynamic and Chandler Parsons is arguably your starting small forward in the All-NBA White Americans side.

Key Question: Tyson Chandler, Chandler Parsons… who’s next, Chandler Bing?

2014/15 Prediction: 50-32

Houston Rockets

Last Season: 54-28

Key Player: Dwight Howard is still a monster, even if he messed his reputation up a little the past couple years. James Harden ain’t too shabby either.

What To Watch For: Defensively they should be better this season. Trevor Ariza can at least match Chandler Parsons in that regard. Without Jeremy Lin there’s better balance and not having Omer Asik, aka the saddest man in the NBA, shouldn’t hurt too much. It’s a shame they couldn’t get Chris Bosh, he’d have fitted nicely, but any team with Harden and Howard has a chance on the night. Hopefully Jason Terry finds a little niche as a three point specialist or something too. I like that guy.

Key Question: Do the Rockets have the depth behind their stars? Role players will win you playoff games.

2014/15 Prediction: 49-32

Memphis Grizzlies

Last Season: 50-32

Key Player: Marc Gasol. Just look at what happened last season. 10-13 with Gasol out of the line-up, 40-19 with him in there. Tells ya all you need to know, really.

What To Watch For: Claustrophobic, suffocating, panic-inducing defence. Only the Bulls and Pacers gave up fewer points per game last season and they both got to deal with the bottom feeders in the East.

Key Question: Does Mike Conley have a little All Star potential in him? He’s already one of the more underrated point guards in the league.

2014/15 Prediction: 47-35

New Orleans Pelicans

Last Season: 34-48

Key Player: Anthony Davis. Fear the Brow, he will be the best player in the NBA someday.

What To Watch For: This is a promising team preparing to take the next step, with a future superstar. Get on the bandwagon quick (playoffs next season, I reckon), or at least flick the ol’ League Pass/Suspicious Stream over now and then to get a look at Mr Davis.

Key Question: Will Monty Williams be the first coach fired? I’d put a tenner on it.

2014/15 Prediction: 40-42

San Antonio Spurs

Last Season: 62-20

Key Player: Gregg Popovich. If you think I’m gonna single out one of these boys you can take a running jump off a tall bridge. Pop has continually assembled successful teams full of foreigners and draft steals and this time he’s retained all 13 men that took the court in the Finals clincher against Miami.

What To Watch For: The greatest dynasty of the last 15 years (sorry Kobe) once again proving the doubters wrong. Not saying they’ll repeat, but you’re mad if you think they’re not in contention.

Key Question: Tim Duncan. Top five player of all time?

2014/15 Prediction: 56-26