Central Division NBA Futures and Predictions 2024-25: Who Will Win the Central Division in NBA 2024-25? (Bucks or Cavaliers?)

(Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images)

Predicted Order of Finish

• 1. Milwaukee Bucks
• 2. Cleveland Cavaliers
• 3. Indiana Pacers
• 4. Chicago Bulls
• 5. Detroit Pistons

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NBA Central Division 2024-25: Current Odds to Win

*Odds as of October 1st

Milwaukee Bucks NBA Central Division Season Overview 2024-2025 (49-33, first round playoffs)

Season Overview

• Last NBA Championship: 2020-21
• Key Move: Making efforts to get coach Doc Rivers on the same page with the rest of his coaching staff and the players after the franchise had three head coaches in a little over a year.
• In A Nutshell: With three starters 33 years or older, you would think this team would be cohesive, but its nucleus is not (yet). In order to make one more serious run at a championship, the core must be on the same page and remain healthy.

Milwaukee Bucks Synopsis

With Adrian Griffin, a head coach star player Giannis Antetokounmpo vouched for, the Bucks were rolling along at 30-13 and in second place in the East Conference behind Boston last season. He was then let go and veteran coach Glenn “Doc” Rivers was brought in and it was a rough transition to say the least.

Sure the Bucks didn’t have The Greek Freak available for the playoffs because of a leg injury, but they also limped to the end of the regular season finish line with a 17-19 won-loss record. Star guard Damian Lillard averaged 31.3 ppg versus Indiana in the playoffs, but it was a struggle overall after coming over from Portland.

Milwaukee needs to stabilize its shooting guard position and is hoping Gary Trent Jr. is the answer. He, Taurean Prince and Delon Wright need to contribute because this team has lacked the depth in recent seasons for a strong playoff push.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard worked as hard this off-season as any 1-2 punch in the league, but will it be enough to make the conference finals?

Milwaukee Bucks 2024-2025 NBA Central Division Prediction

• Prediction: 52-30. The Bucks’ sense of urgency will be worth four or five wins alone, but the key to the season will be the health of wing Khris Middleton and the play of Lillard.

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Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Central Division Season Overview 2024-2025 (48-34, Eastern Conference semifinalist)

Season Overview

• Last NBA Championship: 2015-16
• Key Move: Signing core pieces Donovan Mitchell (3-year, $150 million) and Evan Mobley (5-year, $224 million) to long term deals.
• In A Nutshell: The Cavs are committed for the long haul to core pieces Mitchell and Mobley, but are the complementary pieces the right ones to make this team good enough to challenge Boston for Eastern Conference supremacy?

Cleveland Cavaliers Synopsis

Cavs fans have to feel good knowing there is a core in place to remain in playoff contention for the coming years, but continued development is necessary in order to take a deeper step in the playoffs.

The organization felt the right move was bringing in new coach Kenny Atkinson, who is known for a fast-paced offense with an emphasis on 3-point shooting. The Cavs figure to let it fly and that will likely be a good omen for Mitchell, but point guard Darius Garland has to be ready to go and show he can mesh long term with Mitchell.

The backcourt doesn’t defend well and Max Strus at small forward is not great defensively, either, so Mobley and center Jarrett Allen must work well together up front.

Issac Okoro is a nice piece off the bench, but there are some question marks about this team’s depth and if its pieces will all mesh with what Atkinson is trying to accomplish.

Cleveland Cavaliers 2024-2025 NBA Central Division Prediction

• Prediction: 50-32. If the offense i.e. 3-point shooting is not to Atkinson’s liking, the Cavs might have to make a move before the trade deadline.

Indiana Pacers NBA Central Division Season Overview 2024-2025 (47-35, Eastern Conference finalist)

Season Overview

• Last NBA Championship: None.
• Key Move: Signing star forward Pascal Siakam to a 4-year, $189 million dollar deal.
• In A Nutshell: The Pacers know they have a good core, now they just have to learn how to close games when it matters and figure out the pecking order off the bench.

Indiana Pacers Synopsis

With coach Rick Carlisle, this franchise has a plan to succeed and with its core the plan is ahead of schedule, if last season is any indication. After reaching the conference finals, the next logical step would be a true run at the title, but it won’t be easy.

This young team plays at an incredible pace, but getting stops in the playoffs is what counts and holding on to leads, which it couldn’t do against Boson in the conference finals.

There is a quality piece at each position, and T.J. McConnell is one of the league’s best backup point guards and Obi Toppin fits in perfectly to spell Siakam. There is plenty of firepower, but the desire to get better defensively is a must. Is the personnel in place to do that?

Let’s face it, Indiana ran into Milwaukee and New York at the right time in the playoffs and there is no guarantee it will get breaks like that in 2024-25.

Indiana Pacers 2024-2025 NBA Central Division Prediction

• Prediction: 46-36. The Pacers won’t be sneaking up on anyone down the stretch and in the post-season.

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Chicago Bulls NBA Central Division Season Overview 2024-2025 (39-43, Play-in No. 9 seed)

Season Overview

• Last NBA Championship: 1997-98
• Key Move: By agreeing to let go of star wing DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade deal, this franchise is heading towards a rebuild.
• In A Nutshell: The Bulls tried to get young and head in a new direction without DeRozan and Alex Caruso, but they are stuck with some bad contracts and are probably not bad enough to get a Cooper Flagg, Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper in next year’s draft.

Chicago Bulls Synopsis

The franchise has made some perplexing moves and has a roster full of competitive players with unaligned goals. Can the brass get them on the same page?

Coby White had a breakthrough year, but the team brought in Josh Giddy (for defensive ace Alex Caruso) to presumably play the point. What if Lonzo Ball also returns from major injury problems? Up front the situation is no better, as Patrick Williams was given a 5-year, $ 90 million dollar extension even though he hasn’t been super productive as a No. 4 overall pick.

There is a log-jam at small forward and if Zach LaVine does return healthy that makes the jog-man even worse because he has to play, and coach Billy Donovan has to find minutes for Ayo Dosumnu too, right?

If everyone is healthy, there is no telling what direction this team will go but there is talent to make a playoff push once again.

Chicago Bulls 2024-2025 NBA Central Division Prediction

• Prediction: 28-54. Being in no-man’s land is tough, so will the franchise care about the protected first-round pick (top 10 pick) or look to make a play-in push once again?

Detroit Pistons NBA Central Division Season Overview 2024-2025 (14-68, Missed Playoffs)

Season Overview

• Last NBA Championship: 2003-04
• Key Move: Cleaning house after one of the worst seasons in NBA history.
• In A Nutshell: Bringing in a coach who wants to be there was a step in the right direction, but now more personnel moves have to be made to get better over time.

Detroit Pistons Synopsis

You can’t get any worse than a 28-game losing streak after signing a coach (Monty Williams) to the largest coaching contract in NBA history and then letting that coach go after one season. Pistons owner Tom Gores cleaned house and he’s hoping the changes will point the franchise in a new direction.

The main core pieces are point guard Cade Cunningham, center Jalen Duren and potentially off-guard Jaden Ivey. New coach J.B. Bickerstaff will use this season to see what other pieces are worth investing in long-term and what moves can be made at the trade deadline to make this team better down the line.

The 20-win benchmark is a good goal and the 25-win one would be quite a positive step in the long-term rebuild.

Detroit Pistons 2024-2025 NBA Central Division Prediction

• Prediction: 20-62. A healthy Cunningham and a fresh attitude will go a long way.

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