NBA Predictions 2012: Early Playoff Picture

Even though the NBA is not yet 10 games into the 2011-2012 season, it is never too early for playoff predictions. 

As expected, with the little time for training camp and the shortened preseason, some of the teams that were predicted to be contenders are struggling, injuries are starting to pile up and teams need some time to turn things around. 

So far we have also seen some surprise teams that, if they can keep things going the way they have started, will finish the season strong and have a chance to do well in the playoffs. 

The following is an early projection of where each of this year's playoff teams will end up for each conference. 

Teams are in order of projected seed from lowest to highest for each conference. 

Western Conference 8: Minnesota Timberwolves

The Minnesota Timberwolves have finally added the pieces they need to make it out of the Western Conference cellar and back into the playoffs. 

The additions of rookies Derrick Williams and Ricky Rubio along with the still improving Kevin Love will surprise a lot of people as the Timberwolves sneak into the playoffs and the eighth position in the West.

The last time the Timberwolves were in the playoffs was 2004 when they lost in the Western Conference Finals. 

The team has gotten off to a bit of a slow start, but will get it turned around in time and will make the playoffs on the last week of the regular season.

Western Conference 7: San Antonio Spurs

Last season it was a bit of a surprise that the San Antonio Spurs ended up as the top seed in the West.

Unfortunately it did not help them as they lost in the first round to the Memphis Grizzlies. 

This season will be different for the Spurs as they will have work to do down the stretch to make the playoffs. 

The accelerated pace of the 66-game season will not be kind to Tim Duncan and the other aging Spurs. 

Manu Ginobili has already gone down with an injury to his hand that will keep him out for much of the season. 

Head coach Gregg Popovich, Duncan and Tony Parker will find a way for this team to be good enough to get to the playoffs, but the Spurs will not have enough to get out of the first round. 

Western Conference 6: Denver Nuggets

With a 4-2 record, the Denver Nuggets are off to a good start that will continue throughout the season. 

The Nuggets seem to have picked up where they left off last season despite not having Carmelo Anthony or three other players from last season who are not eligible to play due to signing contracts in China. 

Led by the speedy guard Ty Lawson, the Nuggets currently have six players averaging in double figures. 

So far they have notable wins over the Dallas Mavericks and Los Angeles Lakers. 

Head coach George Karl will have his team ready to play when they make it to the playoffs, and possibly getting Wilson Chandler late in the season will only help the team.

Western Conference 5: Dallas Mavericks

The defending champion Dallas Mavericks are off to a very slow start this season but will get things turned around enough to earn the fifth spot in the playoffs. 

Having already lost to four playoff teams does not sound good, but the team will play better for the rest of the season. 

A recent win over the Oklahoma City Thunder is a big step in the right direction. 

Be careful not to count out the Mavericks who endured some rough stretches last season on their way to the NBA title.

Any team with Dirk Nowitzki playing for it must be respected and the Mavericks could make a good playoff run from this position.  

Western Conference 4: Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers have been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round in each of the last three seasons. 

The team, who is quietly putting together a very nice start at 4-1, will look for ways to not only return to the playoffs, but to get past the first round. 

With the fourth seed in the West, the Trail Blazers will host a first-round playoff series. That may be enough to give them a needed edge to go forward. 

The Blazers are currently coming off of a two-game road trip where they posted wins against the Los Angeles Clippers and Oklahoma City Thunder, and are shaping up to be a serious contender in the Western Conference.

Western Conference 3: Los Angeles Clippers

It seems odd to be talking about the Los Angeles Clippers in the playoffs because they have only been there twice since 1993.

The addition of Chris Paul to the team just before the season started will make it so the Clippers not only get into the playoffs, but end up as the third seed in the West. 

The Clippers have started out 2-2 but will improve as the team has a few more weeks to get used to each other and build team chemistry. 

With Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan and Chauncey Billups, Paul will have more help than he had in New Orleans and the Clippers could make a successful playoff run. 

Western Conference 2: Los Angeles Lakers

Despite all of the personnel changes and off-court drama that the Los Angeles Lakers have already endured this season, Kobe Bryant will once again lead his team into the playoffs as they end up in the second position. 

Bryant and the Lakers have opened this season with wins over the Utah Jazz, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets. 

They have only lost to the Chicago Bulls by one point on Christmas Day, and the Sacramento Kings and Denver Nuggets on the road.

After last season's playoff disappointment, Bryant is ready to take the team back to challenge for the championship.

Western Conference 1: Oklahoma City Thunder

Kevin Durant and the Oklahoma City Thunder will end the season with a record slightly better than the Los Angeles Lakers and will edge them out for the top playoff spot in the Western Conference. 

After making a strong playoff run last season the Thunder are ready to do it again. 

The Thunder started this season with five straight wins, but followed it with two losses in a row. 

The team may have some short lapses in winning this season, but has the young talent and ability to go far in this year's playoffs. 

The first round match-up of the Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves will be a fun one to watch with Oklahoma City coming out on top.

This team will compete to make it to the NBA Finals to meet the Eastern Conference champion. 

Eastern Conference 8: Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers did not do much to change their team during the offseason, and the move has paid off so far. 

The team currently holds a 3-2 record despite being the only team in the league to not have played a game at home.

The 76ers are full of talented young players and good athletes who will only build on a team that suffered through injuries last season. 

Philadelphia will take advantage of the shortened season and will end up in the eighth spot. They will improve on last year's .500 record. 

Eastern Conference 7: Boston Celtics

Much like the San Antonio Spurs, the shortened season and faster pace of the schedule will not be kind to the Boston Celtics. 

Paul Pierce and Ray Allen have already missed games and six of the team's top players are 31 or older.

The speed at which the season started and the compacted schedule will be very tough on the Celtics and they will struggle down the stretch. 

The team will end up in the seventh position in the Eastern Conference but will be one that no one wants to face in the playoffs. 

Eastern Conference 6: Orlando Magic

The Orlando Magic have started the season out with a 5-2 record but have only played one team that will be headed to the playoffs this season. 

They lost the season-opener to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Christmas Day. 

The Magic have looked good starting out and Ryan Anderson has been a nice complement to Dwight Howard so far. 

Unfortunately for the Magic, this season will be filled with trade talk and the stress of whether Howard is going to be with the team next season. 

This will take a bit of a toll on the Magic and they will fall to the sixth position in the playoffs. Like the Celtics, they will be a team that others will want to avoid and have a good chance at pulling a first-round upset. 

Eastern Conference 5: Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers were active with trades and in free agency following last season and have been able to improve their roster considerably. 

The addition of David West and George Hill coupled with the rising young stars in Paul George, Roy Hibbert and Tyler Hansbrough will help team-leader Danny Granger to have a surprising season that will see them land in the fifth spot in the playoffs. 

The Pacers have started the season 4-2 and trail only the Chicago Bulls in the Central Division. 

As the young talent that this team has continues to develop, the Pacers are only going to get stronger and will be the surprise team this season and in the playoffs where they could easily win an opening-round series and push another contender to a long series. 

Eastern Conference 4: New York Knicks

The New York Knicks have started out slowly but will figure it out and get things rolling. The biggest weakness they currently have is on defense, but it will improve as the season progresses. 

With Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire, scoring is not a problem, but they do need some help as their teammates' scoring numbers drop from there. 

As the Knicks get healthy it will not take them long to start putting together some winning streaks that will help them to the fourth position in the playoffs. 

Anything less than a first-round victory will be disappointing for the Knicks, who have not won a playoff series since 2000. 

With the strength of all of the teams in the Eastern Conference, that will be no easy task.

Eastern Conference 3: Atlanta Hawks

Atlanta Hawks head coach Larry Drew has his team playing well this season by using a balanced effort. 

Led by Joe Johnson, six Hawks are currently averaging in double figures. 

The team has started out 4-2 and have already shown that they will be competitors in the East with an eight-point road win over the Miami Heat and a narrow two-point loss in Chicago. 

The Hawks have struggled in the playoffs recently and have not been able to get past the second round.

To do that this year will once again be a big challenge, but will be something they are better able to accomplish as the third-seeded team. 

Eastern Conference 2: Miami Heat

Like last season the Miami Heat are expected by many to be the NBA Champions at the end of the season.

Although they fell short against the Dallas Mavericks, the Heat will once again enter the playoffs as the second-seeded team. They will have the second best record in the league only to the Chicago Bulls. 

The superstar trio of LeBron James, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade have started the season with a 6-1 record and will cruise through this season and into the playoffs. 

If the Heat get out of the Eastern Conference in the playoffs, history will not repeat itself and they will beat the Western Conference champion. 

Eastern Conference 1: Chicago Bulls

The Chicago Bulls will edge the Miami Heat for the best regular season record and will once again enter the playoffs as the overall No. 1-seeded team. 

Derrick Rose and the Bulls currently have the same record as the Heat at 6-1 with key wins over both the Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers and Atlanta Hawks.

The free agent addition of Richard Hamilton has already proven to be a good move for a Bulls team that is now stronger than it was last season when it earned the best regular-season record in the league.

The Bulls will have no problem making it to the playoffs, but will be challenged in the strong Eastern Conference.

The anticipated Eastern Conference Finals between the Bulls and the Heat will be the most exciting playoff series of the year with the winner likely headed for the NBA Championship over the Western Conference finalist.