10 Bold Predictions for NBA Stretch Run

The first half of the condensed NBA season came and went in a flash, and while the second half stretch is sure to go by just as quickly, it is surely going to take on a whole new level of excitement. 

With the trade deadline nearing and the postseason to begin less than two months from today, games take on a new meaning after All-Star Weekend.

While there is no crystal ball that peers into the future of the NBA, there are a few things that shouldn't surprise you if they happen by this season's end.

The New York Knicks Will Win the Atlantic Division

The Philadelphia 76ers' early success shouldn't come as a surprise considering the way Doug Collins' crew turned their season around last year.

Whether or not they can keep up with the surging New York Knicks, though, is a whole different story.

Despite currently leading the division by three games, Philadelphia entered All-Star Weekend on a five-game losing streak, and it took a struggling Detroit Pistons squad to help them break the drought Tuesday.

The emergence of Jeremy Lin has addressed the point guard problem in New York and as long as everybody on the team can find their role, the Knicks should continue to creep up the standings in the Eastern Conference.

With two more games between these two teams to come, the Knicks should be able to continue their success and move past the 76ers for the division lead.

The Los Angeles Lakers Will Win the Pacific Division

As good as the Los Angeles Clippers have looked, and as many question marks have surrounded the Los Angeles Lakers this season, Lob City remains only .5 games ahead of the Lakers for the division lead.

Chris Paul is a great leader with playoff experience, but the team will be missing Chauncey Billups and his veteran leadership come playoff time.

Kobe Bryant is the undisputed leader of the Lakers, and his scoring this season has kept the team in the hunt despite poor play from the rest of the guards.

However, if the Lakers are able to make a move to improve their backcourt this season, it will make a world's difference by the time we've reached the season's end.

The second half of the season will feature more games at home than it does on the road and should help the Lakers get more comfortable with the new offense that has been put into place by head coach Mike Brown.

The Boston Celtics Will Miss the Playoffs

The Boston Celtics entered the second half of the NBA season on a five-game losing streak, and to put it simply, they've begun to look their age.

Beating the Cleveland Cavaliers and Milwaukee Bucks in their first two games back from All-Star Weekend will convince some people that Boston still holds their place in the playoff picture, but don't be so quick to assume.

The season began on a rough note with the announcement of Jeff Green's surgery, but while the team has remained relatively healthy since, it is tough to imagine the Celtics remaining injury-free in such a condensed NBA season.

A major shakeup could be in the works in Boston as GM Danny Ainge has already said that breaking up the core group could happen as early as this season.

Mixing up a roster in the middle of the season can be tough for any team looking to sneak into the playoffs, and if the Celtics decide to go this route, it could be a move for the future and a way of quickly pulling the band-aid on a tough season in Boston.

Blake Griffin Will Have His Best Dunk of the Season

LeBron James deemed Blake Griffin's dunk over Kendrick Perkins the Dunk of the Year, and he just might be right—so far.

Griffin has become one of the most exciting players in the entire NBA to watch on any given night, and the addition of Chris Paul to the roster has helped us all realize that this season.

The fast-break dunks are spectacular, but it's the ones that come out of nowhere that make us jump out of our seats and our jaws drop to the floor.

Admittedly, there's no way to prove or justify that a greater dunk is to come, but having seen Griffin put more and more impressive plays on display, it's not unlikely that he'll show us something outstanding when we least expect it.

The Charlotte Bobcats' Winning Percentage Will Be Worse Than the 2010 Nets

Every NBA season has its bottom-of-the-barrel teams, and this year is no exception.

While the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Hornets are near the bottom, the team stuck in the basement of the league this season is easily the Charlotte Bobcats.

Entering All-Star Weekend the Bobcats were 4-28 and had lost 18 of their last 19 games.

The 2010 New Jersey Nets posted a 12-70 record that year and are easily one of the worst teams in NBA history.

While it's difficult to compare one team that plays 82 games and another that plays 66, the Bobcats are only one win better than the Nets were through 33 games in 2010.

If Charlotte is to post a winning percentage below the Nets' .122 percent, they will have to win no more than four of their remaining games.

Coming from a team that has already encountered a 16-game losing streak this season, it's not far from the realm of possibility.

Serge Ibaka Will Win Defensive Player of the Year

The last time somebody not named Dwight Howard won Defensive Player of the Year the New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons were No. 2 seeds in the playoffs, Allen Iverson was averaging more than 26 points a game in the NBA and Derrick Rose was wearing a jersey that said Memphis on the front.

Howard has won the award every year since the 2007-08 season, and while he's seemingly just as deserving this time around, Serge Ibaka is making a case to steal the crown.

While only .01 blocks per game separate DeAndre Jordan and JaVale McGee for second and third in the league, Ibaka has surged to the top of the list with 3.21 blocks per contest—.58 more than second place.

On Feb. 19, Ibaka recorded a career-high 11 blocked shots against the Denver Nuggets—one more than the 10 that Howard recorded in 2008.

Although Ibaka ranks only 30th in the NBA in rebounds, he averages the third fewest minutes amongst the top 30 rebounders in the league this season.

What he lacks in rebounding he more than makes up for with his defensive presence, officially justifying the nickname Serge Iblocka.

Linsanity Will Take a Back Seat to Jeremy Lin

We all know about the uprise of Jeremy Lin and the nicknames that followed, but it's time to move on and realize that Lin can simply be a good point guard on a team that is looking to move up in standings.

His scoring should drop considering the returns of Carmelo Anthony and Baron Davis—not to mention the acquisition of J.R. Smith. But while his points may take a hit, his assists could jump even higher as a result of having so many scorers around him.

The second half of the season could even feature an improvement in the one area that Lin needs to work on most—turnovers.

Anthony likes the ball in his hands; no doubt about that. So while Lin will remain the floor general on the Knicks' team, don't expect him to handle the ball as much with Anthony back in the lineup.

The Knicks are a threat to compete for the Atlantic Division, and that needs to be the story as we make our way down the second half stretch of the NBA season.

The puns were fun for a while, but it's time to let them go off into the distance and focus on what Lin and his teammates can really do with the Knicks ready to make a playoff push this season.

Dwight Howard Will Not Be Traded

According to ESPN's Chris Broussard, Dwight Howard would prefer at this point to sign with the New Jersey Nets long-term over the summer instead of being traded before the March 15 deadline. 

While this may be the case, Orlando Magic owner Richard DeVos has already said that he does not want to trade the center this season. 

The truth is, it's tough to swing a deal for Howard that gives the Magic equal value, and the Magic are surely realizing that.

The best center in the league may not be with the Magic too much longer, but it wouldn't be shocking to see the team roll the dice this season, keep Howard and hope for a deep playoff run to remind Howard how much fun he's already having in Orlando.

The San Antonio Spurs Will Redeem Themselves

Last year's playoffs proved to be a major disappointment for the San Antonio Spurs, but come April they could very well be the most dangerous team in the West to challenge the Oklahoma City Thunder.

While last year's early exit helped convince the critics that the team is simply too old, they've quietly worked their way near the top of the Western Conference again this season. 

Tony Parker, 29, is having a career year. Although his shooting is down, his free-throw percentage is up, his points are nearing the best in his career and his assists are as high as they've ever been.

In the Western Conference, it appears to be the year of the Thunder. But the Spurs, who gave Oklahoma City a run for their money earlier this season, will be right there ready to make a deep run this postseason.

LeBron James Will Win Both NBA MVP and Finals MVP

It hasn't happened since Tim Duncan did it during the 2002-03 season, but LeBron James could be well on his way to earning the regular season MVP and the NBA Finals MVP this year.

Much has been made about the Miami Heat being a good team even without LeBron James, and it's true; they would be good.

But an MVP doesn't just have to turn a bad team into a good one; he can turn a good team into a great team, and that is exactly what James has done for the Heat.

Averaging 27.4 points, 6.8 assists and a career-high 8.1 rebounds per game is enough to make James the frontrunner for the MVP award thus far. It's the transition in his game, however, that shows a different side of James we haven't seen before.

Playing in the post and cutting down on three-point attempts has given James the chance to be as efficient as he's ever been, boasting career highs in both field-goal percentage and three-point percentage this season.

Miami has been arguably the best team in the league so far, and if James can carry the same production and dominance into the postseason, he could find himself taking home both pieces of hardware as he finally breaks through and wins his first NBA Championship.