Staff Roundtable: 2020-21 NBA Season Predictions

Most Valuable Player

DJ: Damian Lillard, Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard was just downright incredible over the course of the NBA’s restart. While he surely is not going to be as good as he was then, the Trail Blazers as a whole are a much better team, having added Robert Covington, Derrick Jones, and Enes Kanter. If the Blazers become a top-4 seed in the Western Conference with Lillard averaging 30 and seven, he is going to receive a lot of praise.

JT: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Entering his age-21 season Luka has been this league’s brightest young star. Last season averaging 28.8 points, 9.4 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1 steal. However, he only played 61 games. If Luka repeats those numbers, plays every game, and the Mavs make the playoffs Luka will have a great chance at MVP.

MO: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

Luka is in a great position to win this award. The voters love him, and he will definitely put-up incredible scoring numbers. I do not think the west is super loaded with contenders this year and the 3-8 spots are really up for grabs with a bunch of teams. Luka can definitely lead the Mavs to a 3 seed. Last year he put a near triple-double while scoring 28 points per game so I would not be crazy for him to improve on that in his third season. I could really see him putting up a 28-10-10 on good efficiency.

PF: Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks

The Slovenian Sensation is already on the fast-track to becoming one of the greatest basketball players of all-time. In his second season Doncic already almost averaged a triple double. He is already one of if not the best playmakers in the league, and is still only 21-years old. Doncic is set up perfectly for his first MVP Award. He’s got a good supporting cast around him including Kristaps Porzingis, and newly acquired Josh Richardson. Doncic will be able to lead this group to a top four seed in the West and a much deeper playoff run than last season, while still putting up gaudy numbers. Doncic is most commonly compared to a young Larry Bird who didn’t win his first of three MVP’s until year five. Doncic is a generational player and will likely rack up plenty of awards in his career, and that begins this season with his first of likely several MVPs.

PL: LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

Many thought Lebron was cheated out of an MVP trophy last season and he’ll use that as motivation for this upcoming season. Even though Lebron is turning 36 at the end of the month, he certainly has not slowed down. In fact, he averaged a career high in assists last season with 10.2 to go along with an average of 25 points. The Lakers improved their roster this past offseason and the new additions will help lead Lebron to his fifth MVP trophy.

Final count: Luka Doncic 3, Damian Lillard 1, LeBron James 1