The NBA season is here which means it's predictions time.

Rather than combing through each and every playoff team, we're going to have a crack at picking which teams fall in and out of the picture this season. 

Historically, there isn't a lot of change to the playoff teams year-on-year.

Just 1.7 teams per season have moved in and out of the playoff picture in the Western Conference over the last ten seasons. That number jumps to 2.5 in the East. So, we will call it somewhere in the middle and say two 2018-19 playoff teams in each conference won't be there again this season.

Western Conference

Oklahoma City Thunder

Let's go with the easiest of the lot first: The Oklahoma City Thunder

They finished 6th in the West in 2018-19 with a 49-33 record. However, Russell Westbrook and Paul George were around for that. They've since been traded away for more draft picks than any franchise could ever need to all but guarantee their four-season playoff streak comes to an end.

Sam Presti talks about "repositioning" and "replenishing", but let's be honest, this is a rebuild and one that won't produce the number of wins required in the West for quite some time.

Chris Paul arrived in the Westbrook trade, but he's no certainty of finishing the season in Oklahoma City. The 34-year old can still put up numbers, but his three-year deal that pays him a whopping $44.2 million in 2021-22 is of no use to a rebuilding Thunder, especially with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander joining the rosters as part of the George trade.

The 21-year old is a major part of the Thunder's future and having the ball-dominant Paul beside him in the backcourt won't help his development. He averaged 10.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists in 26.5 minutes per game with the Clippers last season. Sure to improve in 2019-20, it's not going to be enough for the Thunder to sneak into the playoffs. 

Danilo Gallinari, Steven Adams and Dennis Schröder are handy enough pieces and will provide opposing teams with some competition, but the Thunder are likely to be sellers this season. There is little chance of all three still living in Oklahoma City by March.

The Thunder are a rebuilding team and aren't done with knocking the walls down just yet. Their 32.5 win total is at least ten short of where teams will start jockeying for the playoffs.

This is a lottery team.

Portland Trail Blazers

The West is rammed with good teams and another one in Los Angeles is set to enter the frame this season. We've put a line through the Thunder already, but history suggests somebody else will miss out.

Of the uncertain playoff teams of the 2018-19 season, the Blazers are the most likely to fall.

When putting the Blazers alongside the Spurs and Warriors as possible lottery teams, it becomes a trust exercise.

The Spurs haven't missed the playoffs for 22 years. Greg Popovich always finds a way to get there and should do the same this year with a healthy Dejounte Murry joining a 48-34 team. As for the Warriors, they're on a similar path to the Blazers with two stars waiting for their third guy to return from injury and make a late-season run. Steph Curry and Draymond Green feel the better bet.

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Damian Lillard is an MVP-calibre player and has a reliable Robin in CJ McCollum, but there's not a lot to get excited about around the pair.

Jusuf Nurkic's broken leg will keep him out until February, and even when he does return, it will take some time for a man his size to get game fit. While they've finally got their man in Hassan Whiteside, he's a downgrade on Nurkic both on and off the floor.

When looking towards the wings, Rodney Hood, Kent Bazemore and Mario Herzonia hardly scream "a lock for the playoffs". There doesn't appear to be enough help for Lillard and McCollum and certainly isn't a bonafide third guy that can pick up the slack should one of the two miss time.

On the face of it, the Blazers probably sneak into the playoffs - Lillard is that good. But if another team is to drop out of the West with the Thunder, there's a good chance they're the ones to tumble.

Los Angeles Lakers

As much of a lock as the Thunder are to miss the playoffs, the Lakers are all but assured of post-season basketball.

They have to be with LeBron James and Anthony Davis on the same team. These two were made to play with each other and what they've shown in the preseason has been enough for a lot of people to tip them for the title.

Their potential in the pick and roll is mind-boggling.  Davis explains it best:

“When he comes off pick and rolls or comes off a down screen, he draws a lot of attention. And usually two guys go to him which leaves me open roving to the basket or a guy shooting on the weak side. The more and more we get opportunities to be in the pick and roll, the more effective we can be at it.”

The Lakers pick and roll handler scored 0.83 points per possession last season which ranked 25th in the NBA. The roll man scored a much better 1.13 points per possession. We can anticipate an improvement in both numbers and for the Lakers jump the standings.

We could go into the rest of the team, but why bother?

James and Davis will have the Lakers in the playoffs. It's only a matter of finding out which seed they claim after 82 games.

Sacramento Kings

The Kings need everything to go their way while hoping the Blazers - or Warriors and Spurs - fall to pieces if they're to make the playoffs.

While they feel a year away from the playoffs right now, there are some exciting pieces that can make the sort of leap that puts the Kings ahead of schedule.

De'Aaron Fox is a genuine NBA star and it's only a matter of time before he's playing in an All-Star Game. He will continue to build on the 17.3 points, 3.8 rebounds and 7.3 assists he averaged last season. Harry Giles and Marvin Bagley are both expected to see more minutes and continue in their development. Meanwhile, Buddy Hield is coming in off a career year and can be relied upon as a consistent scoring threat from beyond the arc after hitting over 42% of his three-point shots in back-to-back seasons.

Bogdan Bogdanovic is another player that can fill a few spots on the roster, and while we know what Harrison Barnes is at this stage of his career, he's good enough in most areas to be effective.

The Kings aren't going to surprise anybody this season; everybody knows they're good.

Being 'good' isn't enough in the West, though. It's more likely the Kings improve on their 39-43 record, but fall just short of the 8th seed.

Eastern Conference

Detroit Pistons

Cast your eyes over this roster and try to get excited about the Detroit Pistons.

Roster Table

Blake Griffin is a great player, but he's turning 31-years old in March and the 75 games he played last season is his first 70+ season since 2013-14. Unlike Anthnony Davis at the Lakers, Griffin hasn't done nearly enough to shake the 'injury-prone' tag and has already been ruled out of the first week of the season.

Andre Drummond is in there. Again, a great player in his own right, but he's third-guy-on-a-good-team calibre (if they sign him to a max deal you can stick a fork in the Pistons for a few more years - they're done). Drummond has been asked to do too much in Detroit, and the results - two first-round exits since his arrival - speak for themselves.

With Reggie Jackson, Luke Kennard, Derrick Rose and Markieff Morris the next big-name players on this uninspiring roster, the Pistons face a tough task of reaching the playoffs.

Indiana Pacers

Most experts have the Pacers keeping their place in the playoffs, but it's far from a sure thing.

First of all, Victor Oladipo is missing the start of the season, and by the time he returns, he won't have played competitive basketball for the best part of 12 months. From there, he has game fitness and load management issues to work through. 

While healthy right now, Malcolm Brogdon has had his fair share of injury concerns already in his career. The Pacers will really struggle if he goes down early.

Myles Turner, Domantas Sabonis and Goga Bitadze are appealing pieces on their own. However, their fit in the front court doesn't seem quite right. Perhaps they do work things out? It will take time - something they won't have if early losses pile up.

Jeremy Lamb, Aaron Holiday and the T.J's - Warren, McConnell and Leaf - provide the Pacers with a nice mix of youth and experience amongst the role players, but not a lot of night in, night out dominance. 

Similar to the Blazers in the West, the Pacers are favoured to make the playoffs. It won't come as too much of a surprise if they miss out, though.

Miami Heat

The Jimmy Butler show has arrived in Miami and he's taking the Heat back to the playoffs.

In need of a star player that can take this group of serviceable NBA players up a notch, Butler will add north of the 18.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.3 assists per game he averaged with the 76ers (55 games). A controversial character on a contract plenty in the Heat Nation aren't too chuffed about, Butler's ability is unquestionable. 

He can take the likes of Justice Winslow, Goran Dragic, Myers Leonard, Bam Adebayo and Dion Waiters to the playoffs.

Erik Spoelstra is the straw that stirs the drink, though.

A Hall of Fame coach in waiting, Coach Spo is grossly underrated in his field. He's made the playoffs eight times in his 11 seasons at the Heat. Of those eight playoff appearances, four ended in the finals — two lifting the championship trophy.

When looking at the peloton of teams vying for a spot at the backend of the East, it's Spoelstra that puts the Heat out in front.

Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks are travelling down a similar road to the Kings.

They also feel another year away from playoff basketball, but they have the talent capable of leaping in early. 

Trae Young found his feet by the end of his rookie season. Averaging 24.7 points, 4.7 rebounds and 9.2 assists per game after the All-Star break, Young snuck himself into the Rookie of the Year conversation. He worked well with John Collins and the development of that combination will determine how far the Hawks rise in 2019-20.

Young sent 20% of his passes to Collins who shot at 54.8% on resulting shots last season. The pair will look to improve on the pick and roll, in particular. Meanwhile, Collins' 19.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game are in line for a bump too.

The baked-in improvement of DeAndre' Bembry, Kevin Huerter and Alex Len make for a handy enough young core. Evan Turner and Allen Crabbe provide some experience while rookies De'Andre Hunter, Cam Reddish and Bruno Fernando offer the hope of a speedy rebuild and re-entry into the playoffs.

Young is certainly confident telling Marc Spears of The Undefeated , "next season, the Atlanta Hawks will surprise everybody”.

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