Hollinger Boldly Predicts NBA New Season: Celtics Defeat Thunder to Win Championship, Top Five Draft Picks Miss Out on Rookie of the Year

Recently, renowned NBA analyst John Hollinger updated his personal column on The Athletic, making predictions for the final outcome of the new NBA season and the Rookie of the Year. He believes that the Boston Celtics will defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Finals to successfully defend their title.

Regarding the championship race, Hollinger predicts that the Thunder will face the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference Finals, with the Thunder ultimately winning the Western Conference title. In the East, the Celtics will showcase their formidable strength by defeating the Cleveland Cavaliers to win the Eastern Conference title and advance to the Finals once again. Looking ahead to the Finals, Hollinger believes the Celtics have the edge and will defeat the young Thunder team to retain the championship.

In terms of individual awards, Hollinger predicts that Cavs head coach Nate Atkinson will be named Coach of the Year, and Rockets guard Amen Thompson will win Most Improved Player. As for Rookie of the Year, Hollinger is not optimistic about the top five draft picks this year, instead favoring the 9th overall pick, Zach Iddi, and the 11th overall pick, Bozaris, as more likely candidates.

Additionally, Hollinger expects up to five head coaches to be dismissed before the All-Star break. The Atlanta Hawks are projected to once again vie for a playoff spot through the play-in tournament, and the Eastern Conference may see its first team lose at least 50 games but still secure a play-in spot.