NBA 2021/2022 season preview Basketball
Bucks win first NBA Title in 50 years
The Milwaukee Bucks lost the first two games, but they stormed back with four wins to beat the Phoenix Suns 105-98 in Game 6 for the 2021 NBA title. Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo, a 6-foot-11 power forward who was the league's back-to-back MVP following the 2019 and 2020 seasons, led the Bucks with 50 points and a game-high 14 rebounds. Antetokounmpo won the Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP award.
East | ||
Milwaukee - Atlanta | 4 : 2 | |
Philadel. - Atlanta | 3 : 4 | |
Brooklyn - Milwaukee | 3 : 4 | |
Milwaukee - Miami | 4 : 0 | |
Philadel. - Washing. | 4 : 1 | |
New York - Atlanta | 1 : 4 | |
Brooklyn - Boston | 4 : 1 | |
Atlantic Division | ||
1 | Philadel. | 68.1 |
2 | Brooklyn | 66.7 |
3 | New York | 56.9 |
4 | Boston | 50.0 |
5 | Toronto | 37.5 |
Central Division | ||
1 | Milwaukee | 63.9 |
2 | Indiana | 47.2 |
3 | Chicago | 43.1 |
4 | Cleveland | 30.6 |
5 | Detroit | 27.8 |
Southeast Division | ||
1 | Atlanta | 56.9 |
2 | Miami | 55.6 |
3 | Washing. | 47.2 |
4 | Charlotte | 45.8 |
5 | Orlando | 29.2 |
West | ||
Phoenix - LA Clipp. | 4 : 2 | |
Utah - LA Clipp. | 2 : 4 | |
Phoenix - Denver | 4 : 0 | |
Utah - Memphis | 4 : 1 | |
Phoenix - LA Lakers | 4 : 2 | |
LA Clipp. - Dallas | 4 : 3 | |
Denver - Portland | 4 : 2 | |
Southwest Division | ||
1 | Dallas | 58.3 |
2 | Memphis | 52.8 |
3 | San Ant. | 45.8 |
4 | New Orl. | 43.1 |
5 | Houston | 23.6 |
Northwest Division | ||
1 | Utah | 72.2 |
2 | Denver | 65.3 |
3 | Portland | 58.3 |
4 | Minnesota | 31.9 |
5 | Oklahoma | 30.6 |
Pacific Division | ||
1 | Phoenix | 70.8 |
2 | LA Clipp. | 65.3 |
3 | LA Lakers | 58.3 |
4 | Gold. St. | 54.2 |
5 | Sacram. | 43.1 |
NBA 2021/22 key dates
- October 3 : Preseason begins
- October 19 : Regular season starts
- February 18 - 20 : All-Star break
- April 10 : Regular season ends
- April 12 - 15 : Play-in tournament
- April 16 : NBA Playoffs begin
Coaching changes
Atlanta Hawks | Nate McMillan |
Boston Celtics | Ime Udoka |
Dallas Mavericks | Jason Kidd |
Indiana Pacers | Rick Carlisle |
New Orleans Pelicans | Willie Green |
Orlando Magic | Jamahl Mosley |
Portland Trail Blazers | Chauncey Billups |
Washington Wizards | Wes Unseld Jr. |
NBA 2021/22 favorites
These are odds to win NBA 2021/22 Championship published by online bookmakers before the start of the season:
Nets | 3.4 | Knicks | 81 |
Lakers | 5 | Hornets | 100 |
Warriors | 10 | Pacers | 100 |
Bucks | 10 | Grizzlies | 100 |
Suns | 16 | Pelicans | 100 |
Clippers | 17 | Raptors | 150 |
76ers | 17 | Wizards | 150 |
Jazz | 17 | Timberwolves | 250 |
Nuggets | 23 | Kings | 250 |
Heat | 26 | Spurs | 300 |
Mavericks | 31 | Cavaliers | 500 |
Hawks | 36 | Pistons | 500 |
Celtics | 41 | Rockets | 500 |
Trail Blazers | 51 | Thunder | 500 |
Bulls | 66 | Magic | 500 |
It's been an eventful off-season for the Brooklyn Nets. Kevin Durant led Team USA to Olympic Gold. James Harden fully recovered from injury. And Kyrie Irving found himself ineligible to join his team for home games because of his vaccination status. Irving's decision to skip the Covid-19 shot could strip the Nets' Big Three down to a Big Two, at least for Brooklyn's games at Barclays Center, where proof of vaccination is required to enter. Durant and Harden might still be good enough with a potent roster around them, but the Nets - and their rivals - know they aren't the same team without Irving.
The Los Angeles Lakers finished the 2020-21 season with a 42-30 record. They struggled with injuries all year long, with the team's key players missing several games throughout the campaign. The team made headlines after they traded for point guard Russell Westbrook in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, Montrezl Harrell and draft picks. In addition, the Lakers added many other free agents, including Carmelo Anthony, Trevor Ariza, Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Malik Monk, DeAndre Jordan, Kendrick Nunn, Kent Bazemore, and Rajon Rondo. The Lakers have the players to compete for a title, but it will come down to how fast they can come together.
This page is introduction to 2021/22 NBA season. Latest news, statistics, results and predictions you can find on our main NBA page.
The Golden State Warriors enter the 2021-22 season with the expectation that for the first time since the 2019 NBA Finals, they will see Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson on the floor together. It's been a long wait for Thompson's return, and a bumpy ride, but the Warriors are finally starting to feel like the Warriors again. They've added some extra shooters to space the floor with the acquisitions of Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter. Another key offseason signing was the former NBA Finals MVP with Golden State in Andre Iguodala.
The Milwaukee Bucks couldn't have asked for a better 2020-21 season. Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't win a third-straight MVP, but continued to be one of the NBA's most dominant two-way forces. Khris Middleton continued in his emergence as a superstar in the NBA, while Jrue Holiday finally gave them the two-way effort out of their point guard position. The challenge could be fatigue. Because of the pandemic, their postseason run stretched into July, and two starters - Middleton and Holiday - helped the USA Olympic team win gold in August. The Bucks also lost P.J. Tucker, invaluable in the late stages of last season, to the Heat in free agency.
The NBA finals in the last five years
2021 | Milwaukee - Phoenix | 4 : 2 |
2020 | LA Lakers - Miami | 4 : 2 |
2019 | Toronto - Golden State | 4 : 2 |
2018 | Golden State - Cleveland | 4 : 0 |
2017 | Golden State - Cleveland | 4 : 1 |
Team | Titles | 16/17 | 17/18 | 18/19 | 19/20 | 20/21 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Boston | 17 | 1/2 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/8 |
LA Lakers | 17 | - | - | - | title | 1/8 |
Golden State | 6 | title | title | finals | - | - |
Chicago | 6 | 1/8 | - | - | - | - |
San Antonio | 5 | 1/2 | 1/8 | 1/8 | - | - |
Miami | 3 | - | 1/8 | - | finals | 1/8 |
Detroit | 3 | - | - | 1/8 | - | - |
Philadelphia | 3 | - | 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/8 | 1/4 |
Milwaukee | 2 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/2 | 1/4 | title |
New York | 2 | - | - | - | - | 1/8 |
Houston | 2 | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/4 | 1/4 | - |
Toronto | 1 | 1/4 | 1/4 | title | 1/4 | - |
Cleveland | 1 | finals | finals | - | - | - |
Portland | 1 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/2 | - | 1/8 |
Oklahoma | 1 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/8 | - |
Washington | 1 | 1/4 | 1/8 | - | - | 1/8 |
Sacramento | 1 | - | - | - | - | - |
Atlanta | 1 | 1/8 | - | - | - | 1/2 |
Dallas | 1 | - | - | - | 1/8 | 1/8 |
LA Clippers | - | 1/8 | - | 1/8 | 1/4 | 1/2 |
Indiana | - | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/8 | - |
Minnesota | - | - | 1/8 | - | - | - |
Utah | - | 1/4 | 1/4 | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/4 |
Brooklyn | - | - | - | 1/8 | 1/8 | 1/4 |
Phoenix | - | - | - | - | - | finals |
Orlando | - | - | - | 1/8 | 1/8 | - |
New Orleans | - | - | 1/4 | - | - | - |
Denver | - | - | - | 1/4 | 1/2 | 1/4 |
Memphis | - | 1/8 | - | - | 1/8 | 1/8 |
Charlotte | - | - | - | - | - | - |
The table shows the overall number of NBA titles since 1947 and team success in the last five seasons.
Key players
Atlanta Hawks
Center Clint Capela, Forwards De'Andre Hunter and John Collins, Guards Trae Young and Bogdan Bogdanovic
Boston Celtics
Center Robert Williams III, Forwards Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Guards Dennis Schroder and Marcus Smart
Brooklyn Nets
Center LaMarcus Aldridge, Forwards Bruce Brown and Kevin Durant, Guards James Harden and Joe Harris
Charlotte Hornets
Center Mason Plumlee, Forwards Gordon Hayward and Miles Bridges, Guards LaMelo Ball and Terry Rozier
Chicago Bulls
Center Nikola Vucevic, Forwards DeMar DeRozan and Patrick Williams, Guards Lonzo Ball and Zach LaVine
Cleveland Cavaliers
Center Jarrett Allen, Forwards Isaac Okoro and Evan Mobley, Guards Darius Garland and Collin Sexton
Dallas Mavericks
Center Dwight Powell, Forwards Dorian Finney-Smith and Kristaps Porzingis, Guards Luka Doncic and Tim Hardaway Jr.
Denver Nuggets
Center Nikola Jokic, Forwards Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon, Guards Monte Morris and Will Barton
Detroit Pistons
Center Isaiah Stewart, Forwards Saddiq Bey and Jerami Grant, Guards Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham
Golden State Warriors
Center Kevon Looney, Forwards Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green, Guards Stephen Curry and Jordan Poole
Houston Rockets
Center Christian Wood, Forwards Eric Gordon and Daniel Theis, Guards Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Green
Indiana Pacers
Center Myles Turner, Forwards T.J. Warren and Domantas Sabonis, Guards Malcolm Brogdon and Caris LeVert
Los Angeles Clippers
Center Ivica Zubac, Forwards Paul George and Marcus Morris Sr., Guards Reggie Jackson and Eric Bledsoe
Los Angeles Lakers
Center Anthony Davis, Forwards Kent Bazemore and LeBron James, Guards Russell Westbrook and Wayne Ellington
Memphis Grizzlies
Center Steven Adams, Forwards Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr., Guards Ja Morant and Dillon Brooks
Miami Heat
Center Bam Adebayo, Forwards Jimmy Butler and P.J. Tucker, Guards Kyle Lowry and Duncan Robinson
Milwaukee Bucks
Center Brook Lopez, Forwards Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo, Guards Jrue Holiday and Donte DiVincenzo
Minnesota Timberwolves
Center Karl-Anthony Towns, Forwards Josh Okogie and Jaden McDaniels, Guards D'Angelo Russell and Anthony Edwards
New Orleans Pelicans
Center Jonas Valanciunas, Forwards Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, Guards Devonte' Graham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker
New York Knicks
Center Mitchell Robinson, Forwards RJ Barrett and Julius Randle, Guards Kemba Walker and Evan Fournier
Oklahoma City Thunder
Center Isaiah Roby, Forwards Josh Giddey and Darius Bazley, Guards Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort
Orlando Magic
Center Wendell Carter Jr., Forwards Terrence Ross and Chuma Okeke, Guards Cole Anthony and Jalen Suggs
Philadelphia 76-ers
Center Joel Embiid, Forwards Danny Green and Tobias Harris, Guards Ben Simmons and Seth Curry
Phoenix Suns
Center Deandre Ayton, Forwards Mikal Bridges and Jae Crowder, Guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker
Portland Trail Blazers
Center Jusuf Nurkic, Forwards Norman Powell and Robert Covington, Guards Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum
Sacramento Kings
Center Richaun Holmes, Forwards Harrison Barnes and Marvin Bagley III, Guards De'Aaron Fox and Tyrese Haliburton
San Antonio Spurs
Center Jakob Poeltl, Forwards Doug McDermott and Keldon Johnson, Guards Dejounte Murray and Derrick White
Toronto Raptors
Center Khem Birch, Forwards OG Anunoby and Pascal Siakam, Guards Goran Dragic and Fred VanVleet
Utah Jazz
Center Rudy Gobert, Forwards Bojan Bogdanovic and Royce O'Neale, Guards Mike Conley and Donovan Mitchell
Washington Wizards
Center Daniel Gafford, Forwards Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Rui Hachimura, Guards Spencer Dinwiddie and Bradley Beal