RK LAST WK
1 (3) SPURS 47-16
The Spurs currently have the NBA's best record, thanks to their 7-game winning streak. I expect the Spurs to make it to the Western Conference Finals and if they are matched up against the Thunder, they would be my favorite to make it to the NBA Finals, especially if they have home court advantage.
2 (1) BULLS 48-16
The Bulls will finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference, but I'm not so sure that's a good thing. The Bulls will play the Sixers and the Celtics in the first two rounds and that could prove to be a very difficult feat, especially with Rose not being completely healthy.
3 (4) HEAT 46-18
Coach Eric Spoelstra decided to concede the best record to the Bulls, when he decided to rest Bosh and Lebron - the consensus MVP for this season - against the Wizards, the team with the second worst record in the league. To be honest, I'm bothered by this new-age concept of resting healthy players. During the Jordan-Magic era, players always played all 82-games if they were healthy, so obviously I don't agree with this new concept of resting healthy players. However, by conceding the best record, the Heat will avoid facing the Celtics until at least the Eastern Conference Finals, and that is if the Celtics can get past the Bulls, which is highly doubtful. Obviously the Knicks and Pacers are formidable opponents, but I expect the Heat to defeat both teams in route to the NBA Finals.
4 (2) THUNDER 46-18
The Thunder could be in some serious trouble if they don't end up with the best record in the Western Conference. If they end up with the best record, they would face the Jazz/Suns in the First Round and the Clippers in the Second round. This path will almost assure them a trip to the Conference Finals. The second best record would mean they would end up playing the Mavericks - the NBA's defending champions and then the Lakers in the Second Round. Either way, I don't see the Thunder getting past the Spurs if they do make it to the Western Conference Finals.
5 (6) PACERS 41-23
The Pacers are a well coached team, so getting past the Dwight Howard-less Magic should be foregone conclusion. Unfortunately, their season will come to an end in their Second Round match-up with the Heat.
6 (7) CLIPPERS 40-24
The Clippers are a very scary team, but I think the playoffs is when they will really miss Chauncey's leadership. They have perhaps the hardest challenge of all the elite teams in the West due to their fourth seeded position, which could end up being fifth. Their Round One matchup against the Grizzlies could easily go seven games and then they would play Spurs/Thunder in the next round, which I don't see them getting past. Chris Paul does make them a very scary team, but for Clippers to make it to the Western Conference, Blake Griffin would have to average 25-12 and shoot over 52 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free-throw line.
7 (5) LAKERS 41-24
I'm sure Ron Artest was trying to send a message by elbowing the Thunder James Hardin, but his action is going to cost him at least a 5-game suspension. I expect the league to suspend him for the team's last regular season game and the first four games of the playoffs. It's really sad, because Artest had been playing really well as of late, but the one good news is the Lakers can still get past the Nuggets - their potential First Round opponent - without Artest.
8 (9) GRIZZLIES 39-25
The Grizzlies 4-game winning streak has propelled them to the fifth seed and only one game behind the Clippers for the fourth seed in the West. In order for the Grizzlies to make it past the First Round, they will need to have home court advantage against the Clippers and they only have two game left to do it. I'm sorry to say, but I expect the Griz to end up right where they are - with the fifth seed - and to end up eventually losing to the Clippers in the First Round.
9 (8) CELTICS 37-27
The Celtics will probably get past the Hawks in Round One, but I'm sure every Celtic to a man, was hoping they would be matched up with the Heat and not the Bulls in the Semis. For the season, the Celtics have a 3-1 record against the Heat, but only a 1-3 record against the Bulls. I expect the "big 3" era to come to an end in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals against the Bulls.
10 (10) HAWKS 38-26
The Hawks have overachieved since losing their starting center Al Horford for the season. However, when the playoffs rolls around, his absence will really be felt. Even if they get past the Celtics, their season will be over once they face the Bulls.
11 (11) NUGGETS 36-28
The Nuggets are a First Round exit no matter who they face. Their First Round opponent will either be the Lakers (1-2), or the Clippers (1-3). There is absolutely no way I see the Nuggets making it past the First Round, but if you're a Nugget fan, you have to be happy with the season they've had.
12 (14) KNICKS 34-30
With the Magic slumping, the Knicks could move up to the sixth seed if they win their next two games and the Magic lose their last two. Of all the First Round matchups, I think the Knicks could upset the Pacers, a team they've beat twice already this season. Obviously if they don't move up and finish the season with the seventh seed, they would be matched up against the Heat, in which case their season would come to an end in the First Round.
13 (12) MAVERICKS 36-29
The Mavericks have a 0-4 record against the Lakers and a 1-2 record against the Clippers, so their obvious choice for a First Round opponent would be the Clippers. Regardless of who they face, I expect them to lose in the First Round. If all the stars are aligned well, the Mavs could upset the Clippers, but there is absolutely no way I see this team getting past the Lakers.
14 (19) JAZZ 34-30
All the Jazz have to do is win their last two games of the season in order to make the playoffs and I believe they have an excellent chance of doing so. The team's biggest challenge of the season will come on Tuesday when they face the Phoenix Sun in Utah. The Jazz currently have a one game lead over the Sun, but if the lose on Tuesday, could find themselves out of the playoffs.
15 (17) SIXERS 33-30
The Sixers are a wounded team and will be lucky to win a game in the playoffs. It wouldn't surprise me if the Bulls sweep the Sixers in the First Round, but at most, the Sixers might win one game.
16 (13) MAGIC 36-28
What a fitting end to a crazy season. Howard will have season ending surgery to repair his injured back and with that, the Magic will definitely have a quick First Round exit. Dwight had only missed a combined seven games due to injuries before this season, but I guess with all the turmoil surrounding the Magic this season, it was only a matter of time before something terrible happened and unfortunately, it all ended with Dwight's injury.
17 (15) SUNS 33-31
If the Phoenix Suns defeat the Jazz in Utah on Tuesday and returned to Phoenix and beat the Spurs, they would make the playoffs. Though that may be a pretty tall order, the Suns biggest challenge would be to beat the Jazz in Utah, because the Spurs might end up resting their stars when they play the Suns in Phoenix. I'm rooting for the Suns, because I predicted the Jazz wouldn't make the playoffs, but the Jazz do have the easier schedule and chance of making the playoffs.
18 (18) BUCKS 30-33
The Bucks have to win their last three game and hope that the Sixers lose their last three in order for them to make the playoffs, and that is simply not going to happen. Unfortunately the Bucks have now become a middle-of-the-road team, not good enough to make it past the First Round and not bad enough to get a high lottery pick, a really though spot to be in if you ask me.
19 (16) ROCKETS 33-32
The Rockets chose the wrong time to have their worst stretch of the season and now they are officially out of the playoffs. The team lost 7 of their last 8 games and their 97-88 loss to the Heat finally closed the door to the playoffs.
20 (20) TRAIL BLAZERS 28-36
Losing Brandon Roy to retirement along with Greg Oden - who was eventually cut - for yet another season ending injury was simply too much for the Blazers to overcome this season. Trading for Jamal Crawford was supposed to fill the void created by Roy's retirement, but that simply didn't pan out.
21 (23) TIMBERWOLVES 26-39
The Wolves are going to join the ranks of the Memphis Grizzlies and Oklahoma City Thunder as one of the up-and-coming teams of the NBA. Rubio will be back, Love will be back, Derrick Williams will be one year better and the Wolves will have a few new draft picks. This team certainly has a bright future ahead of them.
22 (24) PISTONS 24-40
The Pistons are lottery-bound and will end up finishing at the bottom of the league in most statistical categories. The team is 28th in scoring at 90.5ppg, 27th in rebound at 40.2rpg and 29th in assist at 18.5 per game.
23 (26) WARRIORS 23-41
The Warriors could also join the ranks as a young up-and-coming team next season. This team should have made the playoffs this season, but an assortment of injuries combined with a lack of several trades that could have been made, eventually led to the Warriors not making playoffs this season.
24 (21) RAPTORS 22-42
The Raptors are lottery-bound, but unlike the Warriors and Pistons, the Raptors seem to be a step behind and unless they end up with Anthony Davis, this team could be in the same position come next season.
25 (22) NETS 22-42
It wouldn't surprise me if the Magic decide to start all over and end up trading Dwight Howard to the Nets next season. Even if the Nets do not end up with Howard, I strongly believe the team will be able to re-sign their superstar Deron Williams. A Few lottery picks could easily help the team change course, especially if Anthony Davis happens to be one of those picks.
BOTTOM FEEDERS
26 (25) HORNETS 20-44
One player is definitely getting an new contract next season and his name is Eric Gordon. The Hornets are 6-3 with Gordon in the lineup this season and could have made a strong push at the playoffs had he played the entire season. With the Hornets now having a new owner in place, the team's future definitely looks bright and less uncertain.
27 (28) KINGS 21-43
The Kings were not about to help the Bobcats end their losing steak in anyway and added to the Bobcats misery by defeating them 114-88 in Charlotte. On a positive note, talks have resume between the Maloofs - the Kings owners - and the city of Sacramento, led my Mayor Kevin Johnson in regards to a new arena being built in Sacramento.
28 (29) WIZARDS 17-46
The Wizards are sporting a 3-game winning streak, which included a win over the Heat. The Wizards faced a Lebron and Bosh-less Heat, but regardless of that, the Wizards are happy to be sporting a 3-game winning steak. The Wizards have had a very disappointing season without question, but to beat the Bulls and Heat in the same week, the season couldn't have finished on a better note.
29 (27) CAVALIERS 21-42
Kyrie Irving has been back with the team for the last 3 games, during which time the Cavs have a 1-2 record. Considering Irving has the Rookie of The Year Award on lock, I would have definitely held him out for the rest of the season, rather then bring him back from his injury.
30 (30) BOBCATS 7-56
The Charlotte Bobcats must win one of their last three games to avoid ending the season with the worst winning percentage in the history of the NBA and the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic and New York Knicks are the three teams that stand in their way. The Bobcats best chance of avoiding this futility is to beat the Wizards in Washington D.C. If they fail to do so, they'll have to beat an Orlando Magic team with a point to prove and a Knicks team that is playing very well right now. If the Bobcats lose to the Wizards, I believe a new NBA futility record will be set.
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