Every year before the NBA season begins, the Las Vegas Superbook posts predicted win totals for every NBA team and the betting public can wager if a team will go over or under their predicted line. Last season, the Wizards were predicted to go 42-40 for the 2013-2014 season. Ultimately, they finished with 44 wins, with an over of 2 games.

Today, the lines for the upcoming 2014-15 NBA season were announced and with the Washington Wizards’ free agency splash addition of Paul Pierce, they have upped the ante to 49.5 wins. This is tied for seventh highest in the league and is an interesting precursor to how high the bar has been raised for this Washington Wizards team. Of course, coming off a first round playoff victory and a fantastic off-season, the Washington Wizards should be placed highly in the NBA ranks, but will they get to that vaunted 50 wins?

Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Reasons They Will Win 50 Or More Games



1) Panda Powers

Bradley Beal really came into his own as a star and playmaker by the end of last season. His improvement handling the ball were evident and his newfound skills in the pick-and-roll with Marcin Gortat or Nene spaced the floor and allowed Wall to attack from different parts of the floor, not just the top of the key. With another year under his belt, Beal has the chance to make a massive leap this season to All-Star and truly make the Wizards backcourt the best in the league.

2) Key Offseason Acquisitions

I don’t know if you’ve heard but the Wizards acquired future Hall-of-Famer and headband wearer, Paul Pierce, to the squad. Although he will not be playing 48 minutes per game due to age and wanting to keep him healthy for a postseason run, his experience and veteran leadership can keep the ship afloat during turbulent times. There were times last season, especially early into the campaign, where the Washington Wizards lost to bad teams or just did not come out with the fire needed to emerge victorious, but Pierce can be the rock for the Washington Wizards this season.

Alongside Pierce are the additions of Kris Humphries and DeJuan Blair. These role-players will be integral off of the bench to give rest to Gortat and Nene during a long and grueling season. Also, both of these big-men are skilled rebounders and defensive presences. The Washington Wizards can use this height to their advantage and force smaller teams to play bigger.

3) Nene: It’s Hilario-us That You Forgot About Him

One key detriment for the Washington Wizards last season was the loss of Nene for 6 weeks during the second half of the year. In late February, Nene dealt with a sprained MCL and missed an extended period of time. With the new bench help, Nene will get to play less minutes on a game-by-game basis. His health is vital for the Washington Wizards’ success because, as we saw while he was dominating Joakim Noah, Nene has the talent to be the best player on the court any game. If Nene can make it through this whole season, that can lead to a significant uptick in wins for the Zards.

Reasons they won’t win 50 games continued on next slide