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2012-13 expert picks: Heat remain favorites to win it again
From NBA.com's staff
Posted Oct 30, 2012 12:11 PM
From division winners to the MVP to surprise teams, NBA.com's team of experts has submitted its predictions for the 2012-13 season. Here are our picks for the division winners:
NBA.com Expert | Atlantic | Central | SE | NW | Pacific | SW | East Champ | West Champ | Finals Champ |
| Steve Aschburner NBA.com |  Celtics |  Pacers |  Heat |  Thunder |  Lakers |  Grizzlies | Heat | Thunder | Heat |
| Fran Blinebury NBA.com | Celtics |  Bulls | Heat | Thunder | Lakers |  Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Lakerst |
| Jeff Caplan NBA.com |  Nets | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Heat |
| Scott Howard- Cooper NBA.com | Nets | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Heat |
| Jared Greenberg NBA TV | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Grizzlies | Heat | Thunder | Thunder |
| Rick Kamla NBA TV | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Heat |
| Steve Kerr TNT analyst | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Lakers |
| Reggie Miller TNT analyst | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Spurs | Heat |
| John Schuhmann NBA.com | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Lakers | Heat |
| Sekou Smith NBA.com | Celtics | Pacers | Heat | Thunder | Lakers | Spurs | Heat | Thunder | Heat |
And here are our choices for MVP, Most Improved Player and more:
| NBA.com Expert | Most Improved | Sixth Man | DPOY | ROY | Coach of Year | MVP | Most Improved team | Scoring champ | Rebounding champ | Assists champ |
| Steve Aschburner NBA.com | Paul George, Pacers | Taj Gibson, Bulls | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | George Karl, Nuggets | LeBron James, Heat | Celtics | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Kevin Love, Wolves | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
| Fran Blinebury NBA.com | Kawhi Leonard, Spurs | Jason Terry, Celtics | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | Tom Thibodeau, Bulls | LeBron James, Heat | Nets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Steve Nash, Lakers |
| Jeff Caplan NBA.com | Klay Thompson, Warriors | Thaddeus Young, 76ers | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | George Karl, Nuggets | LeBron James, Heat | Nets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Steve Nash, Lakers |
| Scott Howard-Cooper NBA.com | Gordon Hayward, Jazz | Taj Gibson, Bulls | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | George Karl, Nuggets | LeBron James, Heat | Nets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | DeMarcus Cousins, Kings | Chris Paul, Clippers |
| Jared Greenberg NBA TV | Josh Smith, Hawks | Jamal Crawford, Clippers | LeBron James, Heat | Damian Lillard, Blazers | Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies | Rajon Rondo, Celtics | Nets & Warriors | Carmelo Anthony, Knicks | David Lee, Warriors | Deron Williams, Nets |
| Rick Kamla NBA TV | Klay Thompson, Warriors | Ray Allen, Heat | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | George Karl, Nuggets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Knicks | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
| Steve Kerr TNT analyst | Klay Thompson, Warriors | Manu Ginobili, Spurs | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | George Karl, Nuggets | LeBron James, Heat | Nets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Kevin Love, Wolves | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
| Reggie Miller TNT analyst | Klay Thompson, Warriors | Jamal Crawford, Clips | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets & Damian Lillard, Blazers | Doc Rivers, Celtics | LeBron James, Heat | Wolves | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
| Dennis Scott NBA TV | Nicolas Batum, Blazers | Jeff Green, Celtics | Serge Ibaka, Thunder | Damian Lillard, Blazers | Lionel Hollins, Grizzlies | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Bucks | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Kevin Love, Wolves | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
| John Schuhmann NBA.com | Gordon Hayward, Jazz | Manu Ginobili, Spurs | Andre Iguodala, Nuggets | Anthony Davis, Hornets | Erik Spoelstra, Heat | LeBron James, Heat | Nets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Steve Nash, Lakers |
| Sekou Smith NBA.com | Derrick Favors, Jazz | Lou Williams, Hawks | Dwight Howard, Lakers | Anthony Davis, Hornets | Doc Rivers, Celtics | LeBron James, Heat | Hornets | Kevin Durant, Thunder | Kevin Love, Wolves | Rajon Rondo, Celtics |
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