The 2021/22 NBA regular season will get underway in less than a month, so it’s time to start getting serious about predictions for the upcoming campaign and to resume an annual Hoops Rumors tradition.
With the help of the lines from a handful of sports betting sites, including Bovada and BetOnline, we’re running through the predicted win totals for each of the NBA’s 30 teams, by division. In a series of team-by-team polls, you’ll get the chance to weigh in on whether you think those forecasts are too optimistic or too pessimistic.
In 2020/21, our voters went 17-13 on their over/under picks. Can you top that in ’21/22?
As a reminder, the NBA played a 72-game schedule in 2020/21, so a team that won 41 games last year finished with a 41-31 record. This year, a club that wins 41 games would be a .500 team (41-41). For added clarity, we’ve noted the record that each team would have to achieve to finish “over” its projected win total.
We’ll turn today to the Southeast division…
Miami Heat
- 2020/21 record: 40-32
- Over/under for 2021/22: 48.5 wins (49-33)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Heat win in 2021/22?
-
Under 48.5 54% (252)
-
Over 48.5 46% (218)
Total votes: 470
Atlanta Hawks
- 2020/21 record: 41-31
- Over/under for 2021/22: 47.5 wins (48-34)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Delon Wright, Gorgui Dieng, Jalen Johnson
- Lost: Tony Snell, Kris Dunn, Bruno Fernando, Brandon Goodwin
How many games will the Hawks win in 2021/22?
-
Over 47.5 62% (309)
-
Under 47.5 38% (188)
Total votes: 497
Charlotte Hornets
- 2020/21 record: 33-39
- Over/under for 2021/22: 38.5 wins (39-43)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Hornets win in 2021/22?
-
Over 38.5 55% (247)
-
Under 38.5 45% (206)
Total votes: 453
Washington Wizards
- 2020/21 record: 34-38
- Over/under for 2021/22: 34.5 wins (35-47)
- Major offseason moves:
How many games will the Wizards win in 2021/22?
-
Over 34.5 55% (260)
-
Under 34.5 45% (214)
Total votes: 474
Orlando Magic
- 2020/21 record: 21-51
- Over/under for 2021/22: 22.5 wins (23-59)
- Major offseason moves:
- Added: Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner, Robin Lopez, E’Twaun Moore
- Lost: Otto Porter, James Ennis, Dwayne Bacon, Chasson Randle
How many games will the Magic win in 2021/22?
-
Under 22.5 54% (243)
-
Over 22.5 46% (209)
Total votes: 452
Previous voting results:
- Brooklyn Nets (55.5 wins): Over (63.2%)
- Philadelphia 76ers (51.5 wins): Under (70.0%)
- Boston Celtics (46.5 wins): Over (58.1%)
- New York Knicks (42.5 wins): Over (65.1%)
- Toronto Raptors (36.5 wins): Under (50.6%)
- Milwaukee Bucks (54.5 wins): Over (63.7%)
- Indiana Pacers (42.5 wins): Under (58.2%)
- Chicago Bulls (42.5 wins): Over (68.3%)
- Cleveland Cavaliers (26.5 wins): Under (50.5%)
- Detroit Pistons (25.5 wins): Under (52.6%)
- Utah Jazz (52.5 wins): Over (61.7%)
- Denver Nuggets (48.5 wins): Over (69.3%)
- Portland Trail Blazers (44.5 wins): Over (53.0%)
- Minnesota Timberwolves (34.5 wins): Under (57.1%)
- Oklahoma City Thunder (23.5 wins): Under (65.0%)
- Los Angeles Lakers (52.5 wins): Over (58.2%)
- Phoenix Suns (51.5 wins): Over (58.6%)
- Golden State Warriors (48.5 wins): Over (50.3%)
- Los Angeles Clippers (43.5 wins): Over (51.2%)
- Sacramento Kings (36.5 wins): Under (66.0%)
Charlotte and Washington are the slam dunk overs here. Barring injury, I think LaMelo-Hayward-Rozier is at worst a .500 team.
And while I don’t love what Washington did as much as some people, the amount of relative depth they put around Beal should keep them in a .500 general range. This is a team that wants to win and will actually try every night.
Orlando – I mean that over/under is SO low, who knows? I think they’ll stink, but even a garbage team can win 23 times out of 82. Push.
Atlanta and Miami are trickier. I lean toward the over for both, but the East is going to be tough to get to 50 wins next year.
For Miami, I could see them maximizing the Lowry signing and having a great year. I could also see Lowry finally losing a step, Herro continuing to flounder and Butler continuing to suffer post-Thibs health issues and them being middle of the road. I lean toward the under.
Atlanta I feel more confident about. But a part of me feels like . . . this team had a lot of success and there’s a lot of talent that’s going to be vying for minutes. Which in theory is always a good thing. But in the NBA egos can get in the way of success easily enough, and I’m not sure there’s a real defined hierarchy to this team, beyond Trae Young being their best player. I’d probably still take the over though.
The Wizards are deeper but I don’t think they’re going to make the play in
I’m really looking forward to the final installment covering the SW division.
The Rockets have a pretty decent chance of going over 26.5 or whatever it’s at now.
MIA (+8) un… Bovada gives too much credit
ATL (+4) ov… No sign of dissension
CHA (+2) un… Two needy rookies to break in
WAS (-8) ov… I expect better teamwork
ORL (-6) un… Tank year; overrated talent
Or maybe Bovada is on point. We’ll see.
ATL & CHA will be over quite easily!
MIA, WAS & ORL will be under!
WAS is quite a bit worst than last year, adding a bunch of depth to replace your best player ain’t the way to go in the league, can’t see them making the play in, like at all!
CHA could go over. I do not consider Hayward much when considering his team, but if he does not get injured, they could build momentum.