while literally everything else seems to be about the phony Celtics/Cavs kerfuffle over the trade, KP posted the biggest disagreements between Vegas and RPM and two teams i'm a bit interested in this season popped up along with Boston:
Boston Celtics
Line: 56.5 wins
RPM projection: 44.8 wins
I was looking at the lineup the other day and noticed something I retrospectively thought was totally getting underplayed in the press. Boston was close to league average on D last year, 13th, and they arguably either moved sideways or got worse at three positions. Amir->Morris and Crowder->Hayward are both general downgrades in that regard, plus they lost Bradley which leaves Smart as the main perimeter guy. Kyrie could be an upgrade on Thomas but he's not a huge one and he's never been very positive on that end. Plus Horford's back in the situation he openly hated in Atlanta when he doesn't have someone backing him up ala Amir/Zeller or Josh Smith to cover the backline, he's going to have to do it. Which he can, he just has been open about the fact that he doesn't find it ideal.
Philadelphia 76ers
Line: 42.5 wins
RPM projection: 33.5 wins
34 wins might still be good enough for the playoffs in the East though. Landing inbetween those marks probably definitely is. RPM has got to be tough on them here considering half their ideal rotation has basically no data. Though I may be a bit starry-eyed after Simmons and Embiid were a matchup nightmare that tore me apart in 2K recently. And that version of the team didn't have Amir, Redick, Fultz, a year older Saric, some idea of what to do with Okafor, etc.
LA Clippers
Line: 43.5 wins
RPM projection: 48.1 wins
Difference: 4.6 wins
The Clippers have become a favorite of statistical projections. Andrew Johnson's projections have them even higher at 51.6 wins.
This is one of those superstars get replaced by depth situations like OKC was hoping to have last year. It's going to really be relying on Griffin's development as an offensive player that Paul kinda shunted aside along with DeAndre taking away space down low. Now he's going to be the primary offensive player, but he's got all his additions he's made on giving himself an outside game and ability to distribute to fit himself in alongside those two. With Ganillari and the Rockets imports they don't look like that bad of team, not a contender anymore but probably not as huge of drop off as the Thunder took from Durant. Thunder went from 59-23 to 43-39 in pythag. Clippers were 52-30 last year and I don't think six teams out West going over or near 50 would be too crazy of a situation, yet it's kinda crazy to think losing Paul might only knock a couple wins off. But I guess they did quite well compared to a lot of a teams this offseason considering they got that haul of Rockets pieces and then plugging in Danilo to fill in for their superstar loss.
Their real problem probably continues to be Austin Rivers.