NBA: Five Things to Look For in the Second Half

 
The first half of the NBA is coming to a close, as the 2008 All-Star game approaches on February 17. 

We've seen some surprises, like the resurgence of a young Portland Trail Blazers team, the consistent play of the New Orleans Hornets, and the disaster that is the Miami Heat. 

But what can we expect to see in the second half of the season?

1.  The Utah Jazz will win the Northwest Division easily.

Jerry Sloan's team has already won six in a row and is peaking at the right time.  The Nuggets have been inconsistent and have failed to play solid defense in back-to-back games at any point this season. 

Portland had a remarkable run earlier, but the adrenaline seems to be waning a bit for this young team.  They may still sneak into the playoffs, but Utah's core of Carlos Boozer, Deron Williams, and Andrei Kirilenko will be too much to handle at the end.   Experience will win out, and the Jazz have found their stride.

2.  The Nuggets or Warriors will be the odd team out in the Western Conference.

It pains me to say this as a Denver fan, but the Nuggets have been too inconsistent for me to think that they're ready to compete in the postseason.  With several players injured and a lack of cohesion on the starting line, George Karl has few options if the team doesn't make a move by the trade deadline. 

The run-and-gun style of play may be exciting, but in the West, if you don't play solid defense, you're not going to win a lot of games. 

The same goes for the Warriors.  You can only run up and down the court and shoot so many 3s until it catches up with you.  I love watching both teams play, but this style of basketball is not fit for the playoffs.  Both Denver and Golden State find themselves just 1 game ahead of Portland, and two ahead of Houston for the final playoff spot.  Don't be surprised if one of them falls out of the top eight by season's end.

3.  The Detroit Pistons will win the East.

Detroit is riding a six-game winning streak and, as of late, has been the most consistent team in the conference. 

Boston charged out of the gates early, but after blowing teams out for the first 15 games, they have lost eight and won several nail-biters.  The injury bug is slowly catching up with the Celtics and they seem to have lost a step or two. 

The Pistons have played together with this same core for over 4 years and know what it takes to win.  Add to that, the Celts still have two Western road trips where they have to travel to Denver, Golden State, Phoenix, and Portland in one trip, and San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans in the other.

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