The 2011 NBA Playoffs is finally here and it’s going to be very exciting! I expect the Spurs, Lakers, Mavericks and Thunder to advance to the Semi-Finals. I predict that the Thunder will defeat the Spurs and the Lakers will defeat the Mavericks and meet in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers will defeat the Thunder in game-7 and move on to the NBA Finals. In the East, I expect the Bulls, Heat, Celtics and Magic to advance to the Semi-Finals. I expect the Bulls to defeat the Magic and the Heat to defeat the Celtics and then face each other in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat will defeat the Bulls in game 6 and move on to face the Lakers in the NBA Finals. The Heat and Lebron James will defeat the Lakers in game 6 to win the NBA Championship.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
(1) SAN ANTONIO SPURS (61-21) vs (8) MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES (46-36)
The Spurs and the Grizzlies split 4 games during the season with each team winning 2 games at home. If this trend continues in the playoffs, the Spurs would have game 7 at home. The Spurs biggest concern is the health of Manu Ginobili, who is expected to miss game 1. Ultimately, I expect Manu to play in the series, but going up against the Grizzlies Shane Battier and Tony Allen will be very challenging.
The key players for the Grizzlies will be Z-Bo, who averaged 23 points and 14.8 rebounds in 4 games against the Spurs in the regular season and O. J. Mayo, who has replaced Rudy Gay in the starting lineup since Gay’s injury. For the Grizzlies to win this series, Mayo will have to average over 22 points per game in the series and I doubt that will happen which is why I favor the Spurs.
The Key players for San Antonio are Manu and Tony Parker. If Manu is not close to 100 percent, then Parker will have to carry most of the load in the backcourt, which I believe he is capable of doing. I expect the Parker-Ginobili combo to average 40 or more points in the series, which should be enough to hold off the Griz.
PREDICTION: SPURS in 6
(2) LOS ANGELES LAKERS (57-25) vs (7) NEW ORLEANS HORNETS (46-36)
The Lakers won all 4 games against the Hornets during the regular season and in three of those games, the Hornets had their former all-star forward David West in the lineup. West is expected to undergo surgery to repair a torn ACL, so he will not be in the lineup to challenge the Lakers big front line.
There is no reason to focus on the key players for this series, because unless the Hornets Chris Paul averages 30 or more points and 15 plus assist, the Hornets will not win the series. Of all the series in the playoffs, this one is the most unlikely to have an upset. I will be very surprised if the Hornets were even able to win a game in this series.
PREDICTION: LAKERS Sweep
(6) DALLAS MAVERICKS (57-25) vs (3) PORTLAND TRAILBLAZERS (48-34)
I anticipate this series being an absolute dogfight and I expect it to go down to the wire. This is definitely going to be a 7-game series, but the Mavericks will end up being victorious. The acquisition of Gerald Wallace made the Blazers a better defensive team, especially on the wing, which is where the Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki lives. And it doesn’t stop there, because even if Dirk goes down low, he will be equally challenged by LaMarcus Aldridge.
The Key player for the Mavericks will have to be Tyson Chandler. In 3 games during the regular season, Chandler averaged 12.3 points and 8.7 rebounds against the Blazers and I expect him to average around the same in the series. If the Blazers are successful in slowing down Dirk, Chandler will have to pick up the slack. By that I mean, if Dirk averages say around 20 points, Chandler will have to average at least 15 points and over 10 rebounds to make up for the difference. I think he is capable of doing that.
The Key players for the Blazers will have to be LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum and Gerald Wallace. In order for the Blazers to upset the Mavericks two things with have to happen. First, their forward trio will have to average over 55 points and 20or more rebounds. Second, they will have to contain Dirk and Tyson Chandler.
PREDICTION: MAVERICKS in 7
(4) OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (55-27) vs (5) DENVER NUGGETS (50-32)
This is going to be a very exciting series, but I don’t think it is going to be as competitive as people think. I understand the Nuggets can score with the best of them, but the Thunder are on a mission and not having a go-to-player will prove to be too very difficult for the Nuggets. The Nuggets only chance will be to speed up the game, but regardless of that, I still expect the Nuggets to lose in 6 games.
The key players for the Nuggets will have to be their backcourt, Felton and Lawson. Like I said, for the Nuggets to beat the Thunder, they must speed up the game and it will come down to their two point guards.
As far as the Thunder goes, you don’t have to look any further than Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. I think Westbrook is probably more important, because he will determine the tempo of the game.
PREDICTION: THUNDER in 6
EASTERN CONFERENCE
(1) CHICAGO BULLS (62-20) vs (8) INDIANA PACERS (37-45)
The Indiana Pacers made the playoffs by winning only 37 games, the lowest win total since 2005. The Bulls on the other hand have Derrick Rose and Tom Thibodeau, my prediction for the NBA’s MVP and Coach of the Year Award respectively. I expect the Bulls to win this series convincingly, but the Pacer will get a win or probably two. During the regular season, the Bulls won 3 of 4 against the Pacers in convincing fashion and I expect this trend to continue.
The key players for the Pacers are Tyler Hansbrough and Darren Collison. Hansbrough averaged 20.5 points and made 57.1 percent of his field goal percentage in two games against the Bulls, while Collison struggled. If Hansbrough maintains his regular season average and Collison can figure out a way to average over 20 points, 8 plus assists and shoots at least 48 percent from the field, the Bulls will be in serious trouble. In all honesty, I don’t see that happening, but obviously that’s what it’s going to take for the Pacers to upset the Bulls.
The key players for the Bulls are obviously, Rose on the perimeter and Boozer and Noah on the interior. More importantly, their stifling defense will simply be too much for the Pacers to overcome.
PREDICTION: BULLS in 5
(2) MIAMI HEAT (58-24) vs. (7) PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (41-41)
I think the best comment that I heard came from Philadelphia’s head coach Doug Collins, when he said his team must win at least 80 percent of the 50-50 loose balls in order for them to have a chance against the Heat. If they do this, the Sixers will win two games, but in reality the Heat are equally active on defense, which will make winning 80 percent of 50-50 balls almost impossible for an entire series.
I think the Sixers will win a game, but this is a 5-game series.
Once again there’s no reason to focus on key players here because the Sixers are simply outmatched by the Heat and you’ll have to be a Sixers fan to think otherwise. Andre Iguodala will have to outplay Lebron James for the Sixers to have any chance of upsetting the Heat. During the regular season Lebron averaged only 22.7 points against the Sixers, so if Lebron maintains his regular season average and Iguodala have a career series, then outplaying Lebron might be possible, though highly unlikely. The bigger problem is that the Sixers have absolutely no answer for D-Wade, who torched them for 30.7 points in 3 regular season games, while making 51.6 percent of his shots.
PREDICTION: HEAT in 5
(3) BOSTON CELTICS (56-26) vs (6) NEW YORK KNICKS (42-40)
The New York Knicks have two of the NBA’s most dynamic scorers in Amare Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, but that still didn’t stop the Celtics from beating the Knicks four straight times during the regular season. The Celtics stumbled down the stretch of the regular season, as the Knicks improved to move into the sixth seed. That said, the Knicks will win only one game in this series, and if Amare dominates, maybe they might be able to win two.
The key players for the Knicks are obviously Amare, Carmelo and Chauncey. In order for the Knicks to upset the Celtics, Amare and Carmelo will have to average a combined 60 or more points and over 18 rebounds. In addition, Chauncey will have to outplay the Celtics Rondo. Though it may be possible, I don’t expect that to happen, which is why I predict that the Celtics will win in 5 games.
The key player for the Celtics is Rondo. He has to turn things around in order for the Celtics to be successful. The Celtics may be good enough to advance to the Semi-Finals with Rondo playing average, but if they expect to advance past the Semis, Rondo will have to return back to the form he had post Kendrick Perkins trade.
PREDICTION: CELTICS in 7
(4) ORLANDO MAGIC (50-32) vs (5) ATLANTA HAWKS (44-38)
This series is the Eastern Conference version of the Blazers-Mavericks, in that it is going to be very physical and bruising. The Magic have their work cut out, but they have Dwight Howard, who I expect to win his third straight Defensive Player of the Year Award. The Hawks are very confident and why not? They won 3 of the 4 regular season games they played against the Magic and were very effective against Dwight Howard. In the 4 games, Howard averaged 19.3 points and 14.8 rebounds, but made only 43.1 percent of his shots. I don’t expect that trend to continue in the playoffs.
For the Hawks, it will come down to whether their center tandem of Jason Collins and Zaza Pachulia can continue to shut down Dwight Howard with their defense and also, whether Joe Johnson and Al Horford will put up all-star type numbers. For the Hawks to upset the Magic, Johnson and Horford will have to average a combined 45 points plus points with 18 or more rebounds.
The Key players for the Magic are obviously Dwight Howard and Jameer Nelson. I expect Dwight to play better. His field goal percentage is going to be over 50 percent for sure, but it’s Jameer Nelson that will ultimately be the difference. Nelson played in only 2 of their 4 regular season games, but I expect him to be at full strength during the playoffs.
PREDICTION: MAGIC in 7
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
NBA WIZARD 2010-11 NBA POWER RANKING WEEK 25
Entering the final week of the season, the Bulls are tied with the Spurs for the league’s best record and it appears that the Cavaliers will not end up with the worst record in the league. That distinction will probably go to the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Heat will end up with the second best record in the Eastern Conference and have home court advantage in the first two rounds of the playoffs, which may turn out to be the deciding factor when they face the Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals. As for the Celtics, Rondo has to get his act together. His play has really suffered since the team traded his best friend Kendrick Perkins, but unless he gets his act together, the Celtics will not be a serious threat in the playoffs. The Lakers are sporting a 5-game losing streak, but I strongly believe they will be ready in the playoffs. The Lakers Lamar Odom will win the NBA’s 6-Man Award and his talents will be on full display in the playoffs. Derrick Rose will win the NBA MVP Award and his rookie coach Tom Thibodeau will win the NBA’s Coach of the Year Award. The Magic Dwight Howard will win his third straight Defensive Player of the year Award.
The Rockets, Suns and Jazz will all miss the playoffs in the Western Conference, but between the three teams, only the Rockets seem to have a direction. The Bobcats and Bucks will miss the playoffs in the East and both teams don’t seem to have a direction. The Bucks may be further along the curve and should be much better next season with a healthy Andrew Bogut, their starting center and forme. As far as the Bobcats, I really don’t know what Michael Jordan plans are for his team. The Pistons have will have new owners next season and that stability will make Joe Dumars more confident to make decisions next season.
The Clippers, Warriors, Kings, Wizards and Cavaliers are all in position to make major strides next year, but at this point it is simply too early to make predictions. I think with two lottery picks and the $15 expiring contract of Antawn Jamison, the Cavaliers are in the position to make the biggest leap of any team next season, but that will depend on their luck in the lottery.
Later this week, I will have a detail list of my Award winners as well as my predictions for the NBA playoffs.
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) BULLS 60-20
2 (3) SPURS 60-20
3 (4) HEAT 56-24
4 (6) MAVERICKS 55-25
5 (7) THUNDER 54-26
6 (5) CELTICS 55-25
7 (2) LAKERS 55-25
8 (8) MAGIC 50-30
9 (9) NUGGETS 49-31
10 (10) TRAIL BLAZERS 47-33
11 (11) GRIZZLIES 46-34
12 (12) HORNETS 46-34
13 (16) KNICKS 42-38
14 (13) HAWKS 44-36
15 (15) 76ERS 41-39
16 (14) ROCKETS 42-38
17 (18) PACERS 37-44
18 (17) SUNS 38-42
19 (20) JAZZ 37-43
20 (19) WARRIORS 35-45
21 (22) BUCKS 33-47
22 (21) BOBCATS 33-48
23 (23) CLIPPERS 31-50
24 (25) PISTONS 29-51
25 (24) KINGS 24-56
26 (28) WIZARDS 22-58
27 (25) NETS 24-56
28 (26) RAPTORS 22-58
29 (30) CAVALIERS 17-63
30 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-63
The Rockets, Suns and Jazz will all miss the playoffs in the Western Conference, but between the three teams, only the Rockets seem to have a direction. The Bobcats and Bucks will miss the playoffs in the East and both teams don’t seem to have a direction. The Bucks may be further along the curve and should be much better next season with a healthy Andrew Bogut, their starting center and forme. As far as the Bobcats, I really don’t know what Michael Jordan plans are for his team. The Pistons have will have new owners next season and that stability will make Joe Dumars more confident to make decisions next season.
The Clippers, Warriors, Kings, Wizards and Cavaliers are all in position to make major strides next year, but at this point it is simply too early to make predictions. I think with two lottery picks and the $15 expiring contract of Antawn Jamison, the Cavaliers are in the position to make the biggest leap of any team next season, but that will depend on their luck in the lottery.
Later this week, I will have a detail list of my Award winners as well as my predictions for the NBA playoffs.
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (1) BULLS 60-20
2 (3) SPURS 60-20
3 (4) HEAT 56-24
4 (6) MAVERICKS 55-25
5 (7) THUNDER 54-26
6 (5) CELTICS 55-25
7 (2) LAKERS 55-25
8 (8) MAGIC 50-30
9 (9) NUGGETS 49-31
10 (10) TRAIL BLAZERS 47-33
11 (11) GRIZZLIES 46-34
12 (12) HORNETS 46-34
13 (16) KNICKS 42-38
14 (13) HAWKS 44-36
15 (15) 76ERS 41-39
16 (14) ROCKETS 42-38
17 (18) PACERS 37-44
18 (17) SUNS 38-42
19 (20) JAZZ 37-43
20 (19) WARRIORS 35-45
21 (22) BUCKS 33-47
22 (21) BOBCATS 33-48
23 (23) CLIPPERS 31-50
24 (25) PISTONS 29-51
25 (24) KINGS 24-56
26 (28) WIZARDS 22-58
27 (25) NETS 24-56
28 (26) RAPTORS 22-58
29 (30) CAVALIERS 17-63
30 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-63
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
NBA WIZARD 2010-11 NBA POWER RANKING WEEK 24
RK (LW) TEAM REC
1 (3) BULLS 56-20
The Bulls are ranked at the top spot and deservingly so. Slippage by the Spurs enabled this to happen. D-Rose is going to win the MVP Award now, but the Bulls may have peaked too soon. I don’t expect them to win the championship this season and as other teams improve, winning the championship will prove to be more difficult, despite Michael Jordan’s prediction that he expects this current Bulls team to wins 4-6 championships. That being said, after 76 games in the 2010-2011 season, the Bulls are the number ranked team in the land.
2 (2) LAKERS 55-21
The Lakers, or should I say the coasters had their 9-game win streak ended by the Nuggets, but in all honesty it really doesn’t matter because this team is very confident that they can beat the Spurs anywhere. I think having home court advantage against the Heat in the Finals might prove to be very important for the Lakers in due time.
3 (3) SPURS 58-19
What seemed like an impossible feat only a few weeks ago has become a reality for the Lakers and Bulls and that is having the best record in the league. The Spurs had a comfortable lead just a few weeks ago, but due to some nagging injuries to their star players they ended up losing 6 straight games. I still expect them to end up with the overall best record in the league, but their recent losing streak shows that they are vulnerable and this is not the time of the season to be looking vulnerable.
4 (4) HEAT 54-23
The Heat are running their offense through D-Wade down the stretch in games and it has had a positive effect. The reason this is happening has nothing to do with Wade being a better closer. Running the offense through Wade and having Lebron set picks, has two effects. First, Lebron has to leave the 3-point line and becomes an active participant. Second, James Jones, Mike Bibby or, Mike Miller are usually WIDE OPEN as a third options, which make the Heat unstoppable. Kudos to coach Spo for making James finally buy into a formula that works.
5 (6) CELTICS 53-23
The Celtics are playing better, but I am going on record to say that they will not recover from the loss of Kendrick Perkins. Kevin Garnett used to walk around like a He-Man and still pretends to, but with an injured Shaq, Garnett is nothing more than a 7-foot skinny dude. Against the Bulls and Heat, he will not be as effective as he’s been in the past, which is why I am convinced that the Heat will reach the NBA Finals. In probably 2 years from now, everyone will be talking about the Kendrick Perkins trade. First, the team knows they are not as physical, and Shaq recent hammy will certainly hurt. But even further, Perkins was beloved by the entire team, which is why the team will fall short, PERIOD!
6 (5) MAVERICKS 53-24
The Mavs are not going to beat the Lakers and from the looks of things, they are not going to beat Blazers either, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Mavs get booted out by the Blazers in the first round. Yes! I said it, booted out in the first round!
7 (7) THUNDER 50-26
OKC have a nice storyline going with their acquisition of Perkins and Mohammed to beef up the middle, but let’s be real, they will not defeat the Lakers in a 7-game series, point blank. Yeah they might make it interesting, but if the series goes to game 7 in L.A, Artest will shut down Durant and then what? The Lakers are going to the NBA Finals and there’s nothing the Spurs, Thunder, Mavericks or Blazer can do about it.
8 (8) MAGIC 48-29
Orlando Magic must hope Dwight Howard can average 30-15 while the team shoots forty percent or better from the 3-point line for the entire playoffs, if they expect to face the Lakers in the NBA Finals and that is just not going to happen. I am sorry Dwight, but this is not your year.
9 (9) NUGGETS 47-29
The Nuggets added another notch to their belt, yes, going into L.A and ending the Lakers 9-game win streak, but does that means the Nuggets are ready? No! As we all know, the playoffs is a totally different series, which is usually played at a slower half court pace. Unless Nene, the Nuggets center can average 25ppg and 12rpg for the entire playoffs, I don’t see how this team can defeat the Thunder and the Spurs before facing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. I just don’t see how.
10 (11) TRAIL BLAZERS 45-32
The Dallas Mavericks needs to be real concern, because I really think the Blazers will upset the Mavs in the first round. I think this is going to be possible for two reasons. First, losing forward Caron Butler will prove to be the deciding factor. Second, having Batum and now Wallace beating up Dirk for an entire series might prove to be too much, not to mention LaMarcus Aldridge. I think the Blazers will defeat the Mavericks in the First Round, I am sure of it.
11 (13) GRIZZLIES 44-33
I think it’s fair to say that the Rockets and the Suns will miss the playoffs and the Griz will end up with the seventh or eighth seed. The addition of Shane Battier was the best move the Griz could have made after losing Rudy Gay. I believe acquiring Battier assured the Grizzlies a playoff berth.
12 (12) HORNETS 44-33
I think the Hornets will end up with the eighth and final playoffs spot in the West, but a first round exit against the Spurs is almost certain. Losing forward David West for the rest of the season and playoffs gives the Hornets no chance against the Spurs, the team I expect them to be matched up against in the First Round.
13 (10) HAWKS 44-33
The Hawks are another one of those teams that could end up with an upset against the Magic. I think this will be Stan Van Gundy’s last season coaching the Magic if the Hawks are able to pull off this feat. The reason I think this is possible, is because the Hawks are one of the few teams in the league that can play Dwight Howard straight up. Well if you don’t double Howard, the Magic don’t get open 3s and if the Magic don’t get open 3s, Howard will have to average between 35-40 points along with 15 plus rebounds for the series and I just don’t see that happening.
14 (14) ROCKETS 41-36
Good fight, good run down the stretch, but I think we have a case of a little too late. With only a few games left, I am going to predict that the Rockets will miss the playoffs. I don’t think there is any way they wrestle the eighth seed from the Griz, however, you must commend their effort down the stretch.
15 (15) 76ERS 40-37
The Sixers have played beyond their potential and head coach Doug Collins will certainly garner some votes for Coach of the Year, but I don’t see this team upsetting the Celtics or Heat in the first round. There is no way that happens. C-Webb tends to think they may have a chance of an upset if they face the Heat, but that is just not going to happen, PERIOD!
16 (17) KNICKS 38-38
I think the Heat will have their work cut out for them facing the Knicks in the First Round and even though I don’t see the Knicks upsetting the Heat, I really expect this series to be very competitive. In the playoffs when everything slows down, the Knicks will be able to score with anyone and I believe this may pose a threat to the Heat.
17 (17) SUNS 37-39
The Suns used and abused two-time MVP Steve Nash and milked him for everything he was worth, but at the end of the day, the Suns will miss the playoffs for the first time in a long time and I don’t think it was fair to Nash. The Suns should have traded him before the deadline, but they didn’t which means no one benefited. Actually, maybe management did, but certainly not Steve Nash.
18 (20) PACERS 35-43
I expect the Pacers to end up with the eighth seed and make the playoff in the Eastern Conference. Obviously I expect them to be a first round out against the Bulls, but at least in terms of pride they will be able to say they made the playoffs. The two teams behind them, the Bobcats and the Bucks will fall short.
19 (19) WARRIORS 33-44
The Warriors have some decisions to make and they could go in three directions this offseason. First, do they keep their new head coach Keith Smart? I think that is highly doubtful. Second, do they trade Ellis or Curry? I think they would likely trade Ellis, because they might be able to get a dominant post presence to play alongside forward David Lee. Finally, do they keep both Curry and Ellis? I think this is the least likely scenario.
20 (18) JAZZ 36-41
Like I said last week, I think the Jazz will be a completely different team next season. I believe they will use the next four games and the summer as an evaluation measuring stick considering they are going to miss the playoffs this year.
21 (21) BOBCATS 32-44
I think when the Bobcats look back on this season, they will remember their 97-91 loss to the Wizards in Washington as the game that ended their playoffs hopes. The Bobcats are 2-games behind the idle Pacers with six games left which means it will take a miracle for them to make it to the playoffs.
22 (22) BUCKS 31-45
If the Bobcats chance of making the playoffs seems unlikely then the Bucks chances may be lingering around impossible with six games left and 3 games out. Brandon Jennings, the team’s main offensive option is shooting 38.7 and that is simply not going to get it done.
23 (23) CLIPPERS 30-47
The Clippers are not playoffs bound and with their lottery pick going to Cleveland, must rely on their current roster to get it done. I think they are extremely young, but in due time court emerge as the NBA’s next Oklahoma City Thunder.
24 (25) KINGS 22-54
The Kings are preparing for next season, whether in Sacramento which is highly doubtful, or Anaheim, California, which seems like their likely destination. Personally, for as large as the L.A market is, I think having three NBA teams might be just a bit too much.
25 (24) PISTONS 26-50
Rip Hamilton continues to fill up the stat sheet and enhance his farewell tour and the team seems to be okay with that. Obviously the Pistons are not going to make the playoffs this year and if Rip continues playing well, he will only enhance his trade value come next season, which will only benefit the Pistons.
26 (27) RAPTORS 21-55
The Raptors have been without their leading scorer Andrea Bargnani for 3 of their last 5 games and have posted a 1-4 record during that stretch. I think shutting him down for the remainder of the season may be the best thing to do.
27 (26) NETS 23-53
I expect the Nets to shut down Deron Williams for the remainder of the season. Word out of New Jersey is that he is scheduled to see a specialist for his hand and he should. Winning a few more games means nothing at this point, I think it is very important for management to show that they are committed to Williams at this point.
28 (28) WIZARDS 20-56
The Wizards are winners of their last two games and although they will not make the playoffs this year, the team has clearly taking a step in the right direction. The Clippers are my sleeper team for next season, but the Wizards are my sleepers for the 2012-2013 season. This team will be awesome in two years.
29 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-60
I think the Wolves might simply shut down Kevin Love for the remainder of the regular season. I think they were trying to play Love in hopes of not finishing with the league’s worst record, but at this point it doesn’t matter if you finish 29th or 30th, because you are still a pretty bad team
30 (30) CAVALIERS 15-61
If Love doesn’t return to the Wolves as I am expecting, the Cavaliers could sneak up and end up with the second worst record in the league. Since beating Miami, the Cavs are sporting a 3-game losing streak, but they have certainly played a lot better as of late.
1 (3) BULLS 56-20
The Bulls are ranked at the top spot and deservingly so. Slippage by the Spurs enabled this to happen. D-Rose is going to win the MVP Award now, but the Bulls may have peaked too soon. I don’t expect them to win the championship this season and as other teams improve, winning the championship will prove to be more difficult, despite Michael Jordan’s prediction that he expects this current Bulls team to wins 4-6 championships. That being said, after 76 games in the 2010-2011 season, the Bulls are the number ranked team in the land.
2 (2) LAKERS 55-21
The Lakers, or should I say the coasters had their 9-game win streak ended by the Nuggets, but in all honesty it really doesn’t matter because this team is very confident that they can beat the Spurs anywhere. I think having home court advantage against the Heat in the Finals might prove to be very important for the Lakers in due time.
3 (3) SPURS 58-19
What seemed like an impossible feat only a few weeks ago has become a reality for the Lakers and Bulls and that is having the best record in the league. The Spurs had a comfortable lead just a few weeks ago, but due to some nagging injuries to their star players they ended up losing 6 straight games. I still expect them to end up with the overall best record in the league, but their recent losing streak shows that they are vulnerable and this is not the time of the season to be looking vulnerable.
4 (4) HEAT 54-23
The Heat are running their offense through D-Wade down the stretch in games and it has had a positive effect. The reason this is happening has nothing to do with Wade being a better closer. Running the offense through Wade and having Lebron set picks, has two effects. First, Lebron has to leave the 3-point line and becomes an active participant. Second, James Jones, Mike Bibby or, Mike Miller are usually WIDE OPEN as a third options, which make the Heat unstoppable. Kudos to coach Spo for making James finally buy into a formula that works.
5 (6) CELTICS 53-23
The Celtics are playing better, but I am going on record to say that they will not recover from the loss of Kendrick Perkins. Kevin Garnett used to walk around like a He-Man and still pretends to, but with an injured Shaq, Garnett is nothing more than a 7-foot skinny dude. Against the Bulls and Heat, he will not be as effective as he’s been in the past, which is why I am convinced that the Heat will reach the NBA Finals. In probably 2 years from now, everyone will be talking about the Kendrick Perkins trade. First, the team knows they are not as physical, and Shaq recent hammy will certainly hurt. But even further, Perkins was beloved by the entire team, which is why the team will fall short, PERIOD!
6 (5) MAVERICKS 53-24
The Mavs are not going to beat the Lakers and from the looks of things, they are not going to beat Blazers either, so it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Mavs get booted out by the Blazers in the first round. Yes! I said it, booted out in the first round!
7 (7) THUNDER 50-26
OKC have a nice storyline going with their acquisition of Perkins and Mohammed to beef up the middle, but let’s be real, they will not defeat the Lakers in a 7-game series, point blank. Yeah they might make it interesting, but if the series goes to game 7 in L.A, Artest will shut down Durant and then what? The Lakers are going to the NBA Finals and there’s nothing the Spurs, Thunder, Mavericks or Blazer can do about it.
8 (8) MAGIC 48-29
Orlando Magic must hope Dwight Howard can average 30-15 while the team shoots forty percent or better from the 3-point line for the entire playoffs, if they expect to face the Lakers in the NBA Finals and that is just not going to happen. I am sorry Dwight, but this is not your year.
9 (9) NUGGETS 47-29
The Nuggets added another notch to their belt, yes, going into L.A and ending the Lakers 9-game win streak, but does that means the Nuggets are ready? No! As we all know, the playoffs is a totally different series, which is usually played at a slower half court pace. Unless Nene, the Nuggets center can average 25ppg and 12rpg for the entire playoffs, I don’t see how this team can defeat the Thunder and the Spurs before facing the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. I just don’t see how.
10 (11) TRAIL BLAZERS 45-32
The Dallas Mavericks needs to be real concern, because I really think the Blazers will upset the Mavs in the first round. I think this is going to be possible for two reasons. First, losing forward Caron Butler will prove to be the deciding factor. Second, having Batum and now Wallace beating up Dirk for an entire series might prove to be too much, not to mention LaMarcus Aldridge. I think the Blazers will defeat the Mavericks in the First Round, I am sure of it.
11 (13) GRIZZLIES 44-33
I think it’s fair to say that the Rockets and the Suns will miss the playoffs and the Griz will end up with the seventh or eighth seed. The addition of Shane Battier was the best move the Griz could have made after losing Rudy Gay. I believe acquiring Battier assured the Grizzlies a playoff berth.
12 (12) HORNETS 44-33
I think the Hornets will end up with the eighth and final playoffs spot in the West, but a first round exit against the Spurs is almost certain. Losing forward David West for the rest of the season and playoffs gives the Hornets no chance against the Spurs, the team I expect them to be matched up against in the First Round.
13 (10) HAWKS 44-33
The Hawks are another one of those teams that could end up with an upset against the Magic. I think this will be Stan Van Gundy’s last season coaching the Magic if the Hawks are able to pull off this feat. The reason I think this is possible, is because the Hawks are one of the few teams in the league that can play Dwight Howard straight up. Well if you don’t double Howard, the Magic don’t get open 3s and if the Magic don’t get open 3s, Howard will have to average between 35-40 points along with 15 plus rebounds for the series and I just don’t see that happening.
14 (14) ROCKETS 41-36
Good fight, good run down the stretch, but I think we have a case of a little too late. With only a few games left, I am going to predict that the Rockets will miss the playoffs. I don’t think there is any way they wrestle the eighth seed from the Griz, however, you must commend their effort down the stretch.
15 (15) 76ERS 40-37
The Sixers have played beyond their potential and head coach Doug Collins will certainly garner some votes for Coach of the Year, but I don’t see this team upsetting the Celtics or Heat in the first round. There is no way that happens. C-Webb tends to think they may have a chance of an upset if they face the Heat, but that is just not going to happen, PERIOD!
16 (17) KNICKS 38-38
I think the Heat will have their work cut out for them facing the Knicks in the First Round and even though I don’t see the Knicks upsetting the Heat, I really expect this series to be very competitive. In the playoffs when everything slows down, the Knicks will be able to score with anyone and I believe this may pose a threat to the Heat.
17 (17) SUNS 37-39
The Suns used and abused two-time MVP Steve Nash and milked him for everything he was worth, but at the end of the day, the Suns will miss the playoffs for the first time in a long time and I don’t think it was fair to Nash. The Suns should have traded him before the deadline, but they didn’t which means no one benefited. Actually, maybe management did, but certainly not Steve Nash.
18 (20) PACERS 35-43
I expect the Pacers to end up with the eighth seed and make the playoff in the Eastern Conference. Obviously I expect them to be a first round out against the Bulls, but at least in terms of pride they will be able to say they made the playoffs. The two teams behind them, the Bobcats and the Bucks will fall short.
19 (19) WARRIORS 33-44
The Warriors have some decisions to make and they could go in three directions this offseason. First, do they keep their new head coach Keith Smart? I think that is highly doubtful. Second, do they trade Ellis or Curry? I think they would likely trade Ellis, because they might be able to get a dominant post presence to play alongside forward David Lee. Finally, do they keep both Curry and Ellis? I think this is the least likely scenario.
20 (18) JAZZ 36-41
Like I said last week, I think the Jazz will be a completely different team next season. I believe they will use the next four games and the summer as an evaluation measuring stick considering they are going to miss the playoffs this year.
21 (21) BOBCATS 32-44
I think when the Bobcats look back on this season, they will remember their 97-91 loss to the Wizards in Washington as the game that ended their playoffs hopes. The Bobcats are 2-games behind the idle Pacers with six games left which means it will take a miracle for them to make it to the playoffs.
22 (22) BUCKS 31-45
If the Bobcats chance of making the playoffs seems unlikely then the Bucks chances may be lingering around impossible with six games left and 3 games out. Brandon Jennings, the team’s main offensive option is shooting 38.7 and that is simply not going to get it done.
23 (23) CLIPPERS 30-47
The Clippers are not playoffs bound and with their lottery pick going to Cleveland, must rely on their current roster to get it done. I think they are extremely young, but in due time court emerge as the NBA’s next Oklahoma City Thunder.
24 (25) KINGS 22-54
The Kings are preparing for next season, whether in Sacramento which is highly doubtful, or Anaheim, California, which seems like their likely destination. Personally, for as large as the L.A market is, I think having three NBA teams might be just a bit too much.
25 (24) PISTONS 26-50
Rip Hamilton continues to fill up the stat sheet and enhance his farewell tour and the team seems to be okay with that. Obviously the Pistons are not going to make the playoffs this year and if Rip continues playing well, he will only enhance his trade value come next season, which will only benefit the Pistons.
26 (27) RAPTORS 21-55
The Raptors have been without their leading scorer Andrea Bargnani for 3 of their last 5 games and have posted a 1-4 record during that stretch. I think shutting him down for the remainder of the season may be the best thing to do.
27 (26) NETS 23-53
I expect the Nets to shut down Deron Williams for the remainder of the season. Word out of New Jersey is that he is scheduled to see a specialist for his hand and he should. Winning a few more games means nothing at this point, I think it is very important for management to show that they are committed to Williams at this point.
28 (28) WIZARDS 20-56
The Wizards are winners of their last two games and although they will not make the playoffs this year, the team has clearly taking a step in the right direction. The Clippers are my sleeper team for next season, but the Wizards are my sleepers for the 2012-2013 season. This team will be awesome in two years.
29 (29) TIMBERWOLVES 17-60
I think the Wolves might simply shut down Kevin Love for the remainder of the regular season. I think they were trying to play Love in hopes of not finishing with the league’s worst record, but at this point it doesn’t matter if you finish 29th or 30th, because you are still a pretty bad team
30 (30) CAVALIERS 15-61
If Love doesn’t return to the Wolves as I am expecting, the Cavaliers could sneak up and end up with the second worst record in the league. Since beating Miami, the Cavs are sporting a 3-game losing streak, but they have certainly played a lot better as of late.
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