My 2013-2014 NBA Bold Predictions

Basketball! That's right, the NBA is finally back with the Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers tipping off the season at 7 p.m. EST Tuesday night.

Also with them on Opening Night, the Chicago Bulls face-off against the defending NBA champions, the Miami Heat, from the American Airlines Arena at 8 p.m. EST, followed by the LA Clippers and Lakers at 10:30 p.m. EST.

The last time we saw basketball, the Heat were celebrating their second straight championship, winning the NBA Finals in seven games over the San Antonio Spurs.

Over the summer, we saw Chris Paul stay with the Clippers; Dwight Howard picked the Houston Rockets over the Lakers; and the Brooklyn Nets got a lot older, and became more of a championship threat when they added Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in a trade with the Boston Celtics, who are now fighting for one of the top picks in next summer's draft.

Now to this season: We could be watching the Lakers' worst season in a long time with one of their weakest rosters in a while. The Heat will be going for a three-peat. And, of course, the one, Derrick Rose is back in action for the Bulls.

Here are my bold predictions:

NBA Finals Champion: Indiana Pacers

This isn't a real life thought. This is a bold prediction. And I'm predicting that the very young and talented Pacers club with hoist the Larry O'Brien Trophy next June.

Paul George, Danny Granger and Roy Hibbert are on the rise as the next big-three, and they're good enough to lead Indiana to where it hopes to go. With David West at the power forward, and CJ Watson as a backup on the bench, this team has all the tools necessary to compete and win.

They came as close as anyone to prevailing over the Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals last season, and I think they have a great chance to finally get over them this year.

NBA MVP: Derrick Rose

He is the one, and he is back. Rose will play in his first NBA game since tearing his ACL in the 2012 playoffs. He missed the entire 2012-2013 season, and now he's finally back, and Bulls fans everywhere have a reason to be confident in their team this season -- they're getting back their best player.

Rose was one of the league's best players when he went down, and it affected the Bulls' chances at the title last season.  Even with the Pacers, I've always thought that the team with the best chances to take down the Heat would be the Bulls with a healthy Rose.

I expect him to come back at the top of his game this season, and prove that he is the most valuable player to his team, and throughout the NBA.

Biggest Surprise In The Playoffs: Detroit Pistons

Yeah, I know. It's been a while since the Pistons last made the playoffs, and I think that this could be the year they get back into the top eight of the Eastern Conference. Detroit is a much better team than they were last season.

They acquired the sharp shooting guard Brandon Jennings over the summer, and though he'll be out for a couple of weeks with a foot injury, I expect him to come back and be a big part of the team's offense.

The starting lineup is expected to include the talented Brandon Knight, Rodney Stuckey and Tayshaun Prince. I don't think the Pistons will finish anywhere higher than 6th, and will most likely be making a first round exit from the playoffs.

Don't be fooled by the past, because the Pistons and here in the present, and they're ready to play.

Who Misses The Playoffs: Los Angeles Lakers

That's right, I said it. The Lakers will miss the playoffs this season, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree with me on that statement.

Kobe Bryant will be out until at least December while he recovers from a torn achilles. This roster is terrible, and I can't see any way, even with Kobe, they make the playoffs.

The Western Conference is very strong right now with teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Clippers and Spurs. The Lakers aren't going to have too much success against the top teams in the West.

They're going to have a ton of money to spend next summer with players like LeBron and Carmelo Anthony on the market, and LA thinks they might be able to land some big talent, but until then, they're going to suffer in '13-'14. Get mad, Kobe.

Western Conference Champion: Los Angeles Clippers

I've already mentioned it before, and I'll say it again: The Western Conference is very tough, and it's going to take a lot to get through it in the playoffs. I think the Clippers have more then enough to get through to the Finals for the first time in franchise history, and they're going to be a serious title threat.

The Clippers were able to bring back Chris Paul, who is easily their best player. Him and Blake Griffin create a great show on the floor. And with DeAndre Jordan, too, Lob City will thrive once again this season.

Bringing in Doc Rivers to coach the team was a great move. Not trading for Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett from Boston was an even better move. This relatively young team didn't need to get older, then need to get better.

They've got a good pair of shooters in J.J. Reddick and Jamal Crawford, who give the Clippers more reliable threat from outside.

The Thunder won't be at full strength until Russell Westbrook comes back from a torn ACL, and I just don't believe that the Warriors are there quite yet -- give them time, though, that team has a lot of talent.

Overall Prediction: This will be another good season.

There are so many storylines that we'll be watching this NBA season, and we likely won't get answers to most of them until the season has played itself out.

For now, though, I don't want to worry about what the answers are going to be. I'd rather just enjoy the ride. And you should, too. Happy New Year, NBA fans.

Follow @GavinEwbank2013 on Twitter, and give him your NBA bold predictions.