Spurs’ Popovich will find right formula again

Doug Kezirian, former sports director for KTNV (Ch. 13) in Las Vegas, is an ESPN SportsCenter anchor. He also fills in on “NBA Tonight” and co-hosts the “NBA Lockdown” podcast.

Kezirian (@DougESPN on Twitter) answers five questions about the NBA season:

Q: Will the San Antonio Spurs get knocked off in the West, and do you think the Los Angeles Clippers have the best shot of taking down the defending champions?

A: The Spurs are clearly the class of the Western Conference. They play beautiful team basketball with selfless stars. Health is understandably a concern with an aging roster but coach Gregg Popovich always seems to find the right formula. I expect him to do it again. The Clippers are a chic pick and intrigue me for obvious reasons. They have removed the black cloud that was Donald Sterling, and Doc Rivers understands a winning culture. But Chris Paul has never reached the conference finals and somehow avoids criticism for inconsistent execution in crunch time. The Thunder are a ticking time bomb ready to explode. Scott Brooks is a coach with too many deficiencies and is incapable of winning an NBA championship. I believe Kevin Durant is genuine with his affection for Russell Westbrook. However, just like any poor relationship, it will take a new partner for him to realize the old one’s dysfunction. Durant is not surrounded by the right pieces or offensive system. I view the Warriors as more of a threat than the Clippers and Thunder.

Q: Kobe Bryant played in six games last season, when the Lakers finished 27-55. What do you expect from Bryant this season, and will the Lakers win more than 27 games?

A: The Lakers are worse off than last year. In a weird way, Mike D’Antoni did one of his best coaching jobs. Armed with a litany of 3-point shooters, he gave his team a puncher’s chance in every game. While Byron Scott is likely a better coach, his archaic and pedestrian offense will struggle to score. A slower pace with fewer possessions will only translate to a mirage of better defense and false hope. Kobe and Jeremy Lin would struggle guarding a backcourt of Matt Youmans and Adam Hill. So 27 wins is a stretch, and the Lakers need to lose because their draft pick is only top-five protected.

Q: The hype surrounding LeBron James and the Cavaliers will be off the charts. What problems might Cleveland run into, and do you think it will be a 60-win team?

A: Health is the only concern. Kyrie Irving has not played a complete season since high school. Otherwise, this Big Three complements one another perfectly. For the life of me, I cannot figure out why Kevin Love has so many critics. They rip him for missing the playoffs but he cannot do it alone, especially in the West. Look at who Minnesota drafted with its past three top-six picks: Johnny Flynn, Wesley Johnson and Derrick Williams. And even Ricky Rubio has been a project. LeBron carried a bizarre cast of characters to the 2007 NBA Finals. Now, he’s a two-time champion in his prime. I expect 37 to 40 home wins and about 25 road wins.

Q: The Eastern Conference appears to be a two-horse race between the Cavaliers and Chicago Bulls. But which teams in the East would you advise watching as under-the-radar or sleeper teams?

A: Too often I see teams take a giant step only to regress the following season. Progression is never guaranteed. I am not saying Washington, Toronto, Brooklyn and Charlotte will miss the playoffs, but it is much easier to sneak up on teams than it is to win games when everyone sees you coming on a nightly basis. Add the injury factor and anything can happen. My gut says the Nets miss the playoffs and the Knicks are better than others realize. My random sleeper is Atlanta. Mike Budenholzer is a Popovich disciple and makes great adjustments. Al Horford and Paul Milsap form an underrated duo.

Q: Now, let’s talk bad teams. Can you target the worst teams in the league?

A: Philadelphia is in a class by itself. While I support its long-term vision, I cannot envision too many wins. After that, it is another tier of Boston, Milwaukee and Orlando. The Celtics are the best of that bunch because they have some competent players and are well-coached. Utah is bad but will rack up bogus wins because of its home-court advantage in the altitude. Don’t sleep on Indiana unraveling beyond belief. The Pacers will resist a collapse more than most but there is a decent chance a franchise that recently viewed itself as a championship contender will not find any reason to pursue moral victories.