NBA second half prediction: Lakers and Warriors are difficult to reproduce the counterattack miracle Clippers go all out to attack the championship

The NBA All-Star Weekend has come to an end, in this day without games, we might as well predict some topics in the second half of the season, the author believes that the Lakers and Warriors can counterattack and reach the playoffs but it is difficult to advance to the Western Conference finals, the Clippers are going all out to win the championship, Jokic has a high probability of winning the MVP again, and Wembanyama is basically locked up as the best rookie.

Can the Lakers and Warriors replicate the Purple and Gold's comeback miracle last season?

So far this season, the Lakers and Warriors have not had a good record, the Lakers are currently ranked ninth in the West with 30 wins and 26 losses, and the Warriors are ranked tenth in the West with 27 wins and 26 losses.

The author believes that in the last 20 games of this season, with the gradual return of injured players such as Van der Biao, Reddish and Paul, the current momentum of the Lakers and Warriors will continue to improve, the Lakers and Warriors are 6-1 in the last 7 games, I believe they will all enter the playoffs, but it is difficult for the Lakers to reach the Western Finals, the Timberwolves and Thunder are rising strongly, the Nuggets are still strong and aiming to defend the title, the Clippers offensive and defensive integration and the Suns offense is hot, for Janku, the task of impacting the Western Finals is too difficult.

Who is the biggest dark horse in the league?

The Knicks, who traded Anunoby, Bojan and Burks, and the Mavericks, who brought in Gafford and PJ Washington, have all improved their offensive and defensive strength, and although the Knicks have suffered four straight losses, Anunoby and Randle will show the outside world their strength when they return from injury, and the Mavericks are the super-big winners after the trade deadline with a wave of six straight wins.

The Cleveland Cavaliers should not be underestimated, in the last 20 games, the Cavaliers have a proud record of 18 wins and 2 losses, soaring all the way to second place in the East, but the author believes that the Heat is still expected to become the biggest dark horse in the league, and the Heat is currently 30-25 ranked 7th in the East.

Can the Clippers finally make it to the top of the West?

The Clippers once briefly topped the West, currently ranked third in the West with 36 wins and 17 losses, 2 wins behind the Timberwolves, the first in the West, although this gap is not big, but the remaining schedule, the Clippers' schedule is ranked 5th most difficult in the West, more difficult than the Timberwolves, Thunder and Nuggets, the author believes that the Clippers are difficult to win the Western regular season championship, and may eventually be ranked 2-3 in the West.

For the Clippers, as long as their roster remains healthy, this year is their best chance to challenge for the first championship in franchise history, regardless of the final regular season standings, and it remains to be seen whether Harden, Westbrook and George can get their first taste of the championship this year.

Major Award Predictions

Embiid was disqualified from all awards including MVP due to injury, and Jokic is the best prospect to win the MVP and is expected to achieve the feat of winning the MVP three times in four years, but Alexander may be the biggest contender for MVP, given SGA's excellent stats and the Thunder's record is better than the Nuggets.

Gobert and Bushy Eyebrows will be the top two favorites in the DPOY, both of them are excellent on the defensive end, especially Gobert, who has a better chance of winning the Defensive Player of the Year than Bushy Eyebrows, after all, the Timberwolves have a better record, and as for the most improved player, 76ers star Maxey is a good prospect to win the award, and his stats are up 5.4 points and 2.9 assists per game compared to last season.

As for the best rookie, there is not much suspense in this award, the performance of the Spurs champion Wembanyama is too good, averaging 20.5 points, 10 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 3.2 blocks and 1.1 steals per game, and the average points, rebounds and blocks per game are leading the rookie list, and the average blocks per game are the first in the league.

What do you think about the 2023-24 season?