Golden State and Boston the NBA’s best for 2018-2019? Thunder and 76ers to spoil the Finals party?

Taking a casual glance at the NBA’s pre-season prognostications, the Golden State Warriors look like the team to beat in their attempt  to threepeat.  Yet, the Houston Rockets hope that the addition of Carmelo Anthony will get them to upend the GSW’s in the Western Division.  The Boston Celtics want to dominate the Eastern Conference now that Lebron James is now working with the Los Angeles Lakers in the West.  Toronto, with Kawhi Leondard, will challenge the Celtics and should be a threat to the Beantown favorites.  Oklahoma City heads a strong contingent of Western teams that look to make the Western Conference Finals if not Golden State or Houston.  The strong West has any number of teams that will be competitive on a game by game basis. The East, with a lack of the better teams in the league overall, also has less major super-stars which does not bode well in cross divisional play.

My Pre-season look at the NBA (Top eight in each conference will make the playoffs)

Eastern Conference

1. Boston

2. Toronto

3. Philadelphia

4. Indiana

5. Washington

6. Milwaukee

7. Miami

8. Charlotte

9. Detroit

10. New York

11. Orlando

12. Brooklyn

13. Cleveland

14. Atlanta

15. Chicago

Western Conference

1. Golden State

2. Houston

3. Oklahoma City

4. Utah

5. Denver

6. Los Angeles Lakers

7. San Antonio

8. New Orleans

9. Minnesota

10. Dallas

11. Portland

12. Los Angeles Clippers

13. Memphis

14. Phoenix

15. Sacramento

Power Ratings (Best regardless of Conference)

1. Golden State

2. Boston

3. Houston

4. Oklahoma City

5. Toronto

6. Philadelphia

7. Utah

8. Denver

9. Los Angeles Lakers

10. San Antonio

All NBA Pre-season team

Lebron James

Kevin Durant

Russell Westbrook

Kawhi Leonard

Joel Embiid

Stephan Curry

James Harden

DeMar DeRosan

Anthony Davis

Giannia Antetokounmpo

Western Finals:  Oklahoma City and Golden State

Eastern Finals:  Boston and Philadelphia

The Finals:   Philadelphia and Golden State

Feature Photo-  USA Today.com

Secondary Photo- Paul George:  Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Third Photo credit-  Steven Adams:  PHOTOSPORT