Updated NBA 2009-10 Season Predictions

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics - With KG back and Rasheed Wallace in, the Celtics can climb back to the top of the East.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers - LeBron has a new weapon named Shaq. "Say hello to my little friend!"

3. Orlando Magic - Hedo Turkoglu gone, Rashard Lewis will have to step up to make even more key jump shots than he already did, and he's capable of just that.

4. Detroit Pistons - How can they do this well without Chauncey Billups or Rasheed Wallace? Rodney Stuckey will step up and be the all-star that everyone expects him to be.

5. Miami Heat - Dwayne Wade wants to prove he can get a title without Shaq at his side, but he'll have to go through Shaq to get it.

6. Atlanta Hawks - Another quiet year? Not if Mike Bibby or Joe Johnson have anything to say about it.

7.Toronto Raptors - After what I'd describe as a "flop" season, Chris Bosh and the Raptors will find a way back into the playoffs with the help of Turkoglu.

8. Washington Wizards - Gilbert Arenas' return at the end of last year resulted in beating the Cleveland Cavaliers. What will it result in this year? Another title try.

9. Chicago Bulls - A disappointing season for Derrick Rose and the Bulls puts questions in the minds of Chicago fans.

10. Philadelphia 76ers - Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, and the Sixers really miss the Blazers' new pickup Andre Miller, and can't find a way to the playoffs without him.

11. Indiana Pacers - Will Danny Granger ever get some help on this team? If the answer is no, Indy is looking at another 82 game season.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - After disappointing their fans by missing the playoffs last year, there'll be even more separation between the Cats and the top 16 this year.

13. New Jersey Nets - Devin Harris will have to wait at least another year for his support to get talented enough to make it even close to the playoffs.

14. Milwaukee Bucks - No surprise here, just another throw away year for the Bucks, who just can't pull it together and be a consistent team. 

15. New York Knicks - As the N.Y. basketball world waits for the possibility of King James taking the headlines in 2010-11, no one can do it in 2009-10.

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers - The defending champs add Ron Artest and sit atop the Wild West for the third straight season.

2. New Orleans Hornets - CP3 and the Hornets lead the Big Easy with more excitement after the Saints' great start.

3. San Antonio Spurs - While the rest of the world ignores them, San Antonio lets Tim Duncan and Tony Parker carry them to another high seed.

4. Denver Nuggets - Can Chauncey Billups, Melo, and the high-powered Nuggets make it over the hump this year?

5. Portland Trail Blazers - Rip City Uprise continues as Portland uses Andre Miller to the best of his ability and prepares to face a tough first round opponent.

6. Oklahoma City Thunder - First round Pick James Harden compliments the likes of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, jump-starting OKC's imminent success.

7. Dallas Mavericks - Dirk Knowitzki and Jason Kidd carry the Mavs into being the sencond of the 2/3 Lone Star State teams to make the playoffs.

8. Los Angeles Clippers - First overall pick Blake Griffin helps LAC shock the world and become the last of the 16 NBA teams to reach the playoffs.

9. Utah Jazz - The Carlos Boozer- Derron Williams show can't make it back to play for a title, even with AK47 and a young power offense to help them.

10. Houston Rockets - Losing Ron Artest to the Lakers and Yao Ming to injury, Houston's Big Three becomes a Big One, and McGrady has never been known to carry a team alone.

11. Memphis Grizzlies - The addition of Allen Iverson has the Memphis basketball world jumping for joy, but A.I. can only take them so far by himself.

12. Phoenix Suns - An old team that has been falling out of the spotlight can't replace the Shaq Daddy with Ben Wallace, and it looks like their glory days are over.

13. Golden State Warriors - The Warriors just haven't been the same without Baron Davis, and they won't even be able to compete for a trip to the playoffs this year.

14. Minnesota Timberwolves - Maybe they should've made a better decision on draft day, but that wouldn't help them get over the hump anyway.

15. Sacramento Kings - Has anyone ever heard of anybody on this team? A team with no star power can't go anywhere.

Playoffs

East

1. Celtics over 8. Wizards, 4-1 - Arenas can only do so much against the Big Three.

2. Cavaliers over 7. Raptors, 4-2 - LeBron and Shaq overpower Bosh and Turkoglu.

6. Hawks over 3. Magic, 4-0 - Bibby, Atlanta surprise the Magic four games in a row.

5. Heat over 4. Pistons, 4-3 - The Pistons' hopes come to a stop, courtesy of Wade.

West

1. Lakers over 8. Clippers, 4-2 - The Clips have to wait 'til 2011 to make it further than this.

2. Hornets over 7. Mavericks, 4-3 - CP3 slips NO barely past Terry and the Mavs.

6. Thunder over 3. Spurs, 4-3 - OKC shocks the Spurs in seven, but can they go further?

4. Nuggets over 5. Trail Blazers, 4-3 - Denver denies Portland their ticket to NO.

East 

1. Celtics over 6. Hawks, 4-0 - Boston isn't quite as unprepared for Atlanta's game as Orlando was in the last round.

5. Heat over 2. Cavaliers, 4-0 - The Heat complete a shutout second round in the East, shocking Cleveland in four games.

West

1. Lakers over 6. Thunder, 4-2 - L.A. takes down both of the West's shocking playoff teams in six, and Kevin Durant can't wait for more next year.

4. Nuggets over 2. Hornets, 4-1 - NO is heart-broken once again vs. the Nugs, and they'll have to try again in 2011.

East

1. Celtics over 5. Heat, 4-3 - Miami is hungry for another upset, but Garnett and the C's are just as ready to deny it, if not more.

West

4. Nuggets over 1. Lakers, 4-3 - A repeat of last year's Western Finals has a different outcome, as Denver defeats L.A. in a nail-biting series.

Finals

1E. Boston Celtics over 4W. Denver Nuggets, 4-0 - A much less climactic series for both team's results in Boston's second title in three years, as only two games are played in their hometown.

Champions

1E. Boston Celtics

Finals MVP - PG No. 9 Rajon Rondo