2016-17 NHL and NBA Predictions: Whatever Redux

Similar to about a month ago when I was making my NFL "predictions," I'm once again finding it hard to muster the energy to upload and organize a bunch of logos as part of my full season of predicted finished for the teams of the National Hockey League and National Basketball Association (even though neither season begins for more than a week). So, once again, I'll be limiting my thoughts for both sports to just a few sentences.

We'll start with the NBA where there's not usually much in the way of surprises (although I must admit that Game 7 of last year's Finals was one of if not the best deciding title game of any sport I've ever seen). I'll go with the presumable masses picking the Golden State Warriors to regain the Larry O'Brien Trophy, presumably beating the Cleveland Cavaliers. I think both of those teams will win their respective divisions, with Miami, Boston, San Antonio, and Minnesota also winning divisions. The remaining playoff teams will be the Clippers, Thunder, Trail Blazers, Pelicans, and Jazz in the West, and the Raptors, Hawks, Bulls, Pistons, and Knicks in the East.

The NHL is much trickier, but I'm going to go with the Tampa Bay Lightning over the presumably very popular Nashville Predators in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. While I think Tampa will win the Atlantic, I am going to say Minnesota wins the Central, Washington takes the Metropolitan, and Los Angeles takes the Pacific. The other playoff teams will be Chicago, St. Louis, San Jose, Anaheim, and Dallas in the West (so basically the same eight teams as last year—what could go wrong?), as well as Boston, Florida, Pittsburgh, Carolina, and both New York teams, the Rangers and the Islanders, in the East.