Central Division 2024-24 Season Win Total Predictions | NBA Picks & Best Bets
Ben DiGiacomo
Host · Writer
The NBA season is around the corner, and the Central Division is shaping up to be a fun one, so here are our win total predictions for each team in the division.
Chicago Bulls OVER 27.5 Wins (-112) | Bulls Depth Chart
The Chicago Bulls should certainly be called out for organizational malpractice as they seem completely content sitting in basketball purgatory, but I don’t think they’re bad enough yet to where they’ll win less than 27 games. They did lose their best player in DeMar DeRozan to free agency, but there is enough talent on this team to where they won’t be one of the worst teams in the East. Coby White took big strides last season, Lonzo Ball is back on the court, Nikola Vucevic is a consistent contributor, and Zach Lavine should be healthy. This line could be factoring in the chance that the Bulls trade away multiple guys at the deadline, but that’s not something I can bet on. Plus, when have the Bulls appeared to be sellers in recent years? The over is absolutely the play here, as I view this as a 35-win team.
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Cleveland Cavaliers OVER 48.5 Wins (-105) | Cavaliers Depth Chart
The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the 2023-24 season with 48 wins in a year when they were bombarded with injuries. Fully healthy, this team is one of the top four teams in the East, and I’m excited about what new head coach Kenny Atkinson could bring to this team. They looked lost at times with JB Bickerstaff at the helm, so I believe Atkinson himself is worth two or three more wins compared to their 2023-24 total. The line is certainly higher than I would like at 48.5, but I’ll still lean to that side.
Detroit Pistons UNDER 25.5 Wins (-122) | Pistons Depth Chart
Did I miss what the Detroit Pistons did this offseason to where they won’t be a bottom-three team in basketball again? They return all of the young guys who couldn’t do anything last season, hoping that JB Bickerstaff will make massive changes, but I still don’t understand that hire in the slightest. They signed Tobias Harris to a lucrative two-year deal, but I’m still perfectly aware of how awful he was at times for the Philadelphia 76ers in recent years. Part of me believes this team can’t be as bad as their 14-win total last season, but they certainly aren’t 12 wins better to beat the current line.
Milwaukee Bucks UNDER 50.5 Wins (-120) | Bucks Depth Chart
Someone has to convince me why I should believe that Doc Rivers will turn the Milwaukee Bucks into a 50+ win team this season. They went just 18-20 with him last season, and all they did this offseason was replace Malik Beasley with Gary Trent Jr. in the starting lineup. The pairing of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard was often ugly last season, and the rest of the pieces on this team, namely Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton, look to be on the decline. I view the Bucks as a 45 to 48-win team, so I’ll gladly bet the under here.
Indiana Pacers OVER 47.5 Wins (-112) | Pacers Depth Chart
After winning 47 games last season and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals before being swept by the Boston Celtics, the Indiana Pacers are flying into this season underappreciated, which shows in their win total projection. No matter how you slice it, they deserve more respect. Tyrese Haliburton should enter this season recharged after dealing with injuries all last season, Pascal Siakam has had more time to acclimate to this roster, and the rest of the roster is well-balanced. They remain a dark-horse team to come out of the East, especially if they upgrade from Aaron Nesmith on the wing at the trade deadline. This is a 50-win team to me, so I’ll treat them as such.
All Odds Courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
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