Five Bold NBA Predictions

Here are five bold predictions for the week of January 4-10:

Chris Bosh will be Eastern Conference Player of the Week

The Heat have four favorable matchups this week against the Indiana Pacers, New York Knicks, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz. The first two opponents visit Miami, while the Heat will head out to Phoenix and Utah. None of the four teams has gone better than 5-5 in its past 10 games, with Phoenix entering the week with a 1-9 record in its previous 10.

Bosh has scored at least 20 points in seven of his past eight games, with three double-doubles in that span. He's also recorded a minimum of three assists in all but one of those games. He'll take advantage of a week's worth of plus matchups en route to his best week of the season.

Andrew Wiggins will be Western Conference Player of the Week

Similarly to Bosh, Wiggins has excellent matchups against the Philadelphia 76ers and Denver Nuggets, before facing the Cleveland Cavaliers and Dallas Mavericks at home. The 76ers, Nuggets and Mavericks all allow more than 100 points per game.

Wiggins is averaging 18.8 points and 4.8 rebounds per game over his past five, showing some steady production beyond scoring alone. His usage and scoring is higher on the road, but his rebounding and assists increase at home. The four-game week will allow Wiggins to showcase his skills.

James Harden will pass Stephen Curry in scoring

Harden and Curry enter the week second and first, respectively, in scoring, with Curry leading the league by 1.6 points. Harden has a lead of 1.5 points over third-placed Kevin Durant.

The Rockets will play the Jazz in a home-and-home and wrap up the week against the Pacers, while the Warriors play the Charlotte Hornets, Los Angeles Lakers, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings. Curry is likely to be given plenty of rest with four winnable games in order to heal his leg injury, while Harden will continue seeing plenty of minutes and usage.

Tristan Thompson will pass Kevin Love in rebounding

The two teammates are separated by just 0.8 rebounds per game entering the week. Thompson has exceeded his season average in five of his past six games, while Love has been above his own average four of his past six. Love sits sixth in the league, while Thompson is just inside the top 10.

The Cavaliers conclude the week with games against the Timberwolves and 76ers. While Love may be removed from those likely blowouts early on, Thompson is far more likely to receive his regular playing time regardless of the score.

The Suns will continue to set

This one doesn't seem too bold for a team that's gone 1-9 in their past 10 games and currently on a nine-game losing streak, but with only two games this week, they can't fall that much further. Expanding this prediction to Sunday, Jan. 17, the Suns will extend their losing streak to 14 games and fall to last place in the Western Conference.

With PG Eric Bledsoe (knee) done for the season and PF Markieff Morris having emotionally split from the team, the Suns will fall below the Lakers by the end of the fortnight.