Sue me, I'm a little late in getting my NBA preview on here (for all you NHL fans, don't hold your breath; I'm good, but I'm not that good).

I don't think there are going to be any seismic changes in the NBA this year. The teams that were there at the end last year will be there again this year (Lakers, Celtics, Cavaliers, Magic, Spurs), teams will continue to improve (Hawks, Warriors, Blazers, Nuggets, Heat), and other teams will continue to be terrible (Knicks, Kings, Bobcats, Bucks, Grizzlies).

However, here are my three teams that will surprise (almost) everyone this season.

1. Golden State Warriors. I'm not much of a Steph Curry guy, but I am a huge fan of Anthony Randolph, Anthony Morrow, Monta Ellis, and even Stephen Jackson (yeah, even Stephen Jackson). I love this team to really get up and down the court this year, and I'd look for them to make the playoffs in the tough Western Conference. They're that good.

2. Toronto Raptors. This could be the best team that Chris Bosh has had around him since he's been in the Great White North. Unfortunately for the Raptors, it will be Bosh's last year with the team, so it's good that they have more talent around him now. In a weak Eastern Conference, a trio of Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jose Calderon, along with former #1 overall Andrea Bargnani could be enough to make the playoffs.

3. Chicago Bulls. Before everyone jumps on me for choosing the Bulls as a surprise team after they had a great run in the playoffs last year, consider this: the Bulls did that without Luol Deng (arguably their best player) and they got even better in the off-season, adding players like Jannero Pargo and rookies Taj Gibson and James Johnson. This team may be better than the current 4th best East team (the Atlanta Hawks) and could be a huge factor in the East if any of the Big Three (Cleveland, Boston, Orlando) slips up.

So who do I like in the Finals this year? I love predictions like this because they're so up in the air and ridiculously impossible to justify. But I'll do it just for fun.

Eastern Conference: Cleveland Cavaliers over Boston Celtics
Western Conference: Los Angeles Lakers over San Antonio Spurs

NBA Finals: Cavaliers over Lakers in 7

Enjoy the season, everyone!