25 Bold Predictions for Second Half of NBA Season

The NBA has seen Kobe Bryant don a not-so-stylish face mask, Rajon Rondo reinvent the single-game stat line and Deron Williams explode for 57 points. And that's just in March so far.

The second half of the season is officially under way, and already, it's been a wild one.

This is a time when the trade deadline dictates the fate of more than a few teams. It is a time when the MVP ladder begins to shorten. It's a time when contenders begin to separate themselves from the rest of the pack.

But most importantly, it's a time when the bold becomes a reality. 

Charlotte Bobcats Hit 10-Win Milestone

The prediction could easily be that the Bobcats lose 55 games, but at the rate this team is going, that's just not very bold.

If every day was Michael Jordan's birthday, the Bobcats would have an outside chance at 15 wins, but unfortunately His Airness' birth is celebrated only once a year.

There has been little, if anything, to get excited about in Charlotte, but Kemba Walker and company should be able to steal five more victories by season's end.

Minnesota Timberwolves Make the Playoffs

Optimism had become a foreign feeling in Minnesota. Then Ricky Rubio came stateside.

The Timberwolves are currently on the outside looking in at the playoff bubble, but the West remains wide open. 

Minnesota has a stronger conference record than both the Nuggets and Rockets and has managed to play .500 ball on the road, which will prove essential in any playoff push. 

As the Timberwolves become even more familiar with each other, their record at home should improve and Rubio and company should be able to snag the West's final playoff spot.

Steve Novak Breaks Single-Game Record for Three-Pointers Made

The record for three-point field goals made in a single game is 12, set by Kobe Bryant in 2003, and tied by Donyell Marshall in 2005. That means Steve Novak will have to drop 13.

But he's good for it.

The most Novak has made this season is six, but his attempts from downtown are increasing as the Knicks continue to rely on him to keep them in games.

His job is to stand behind the line and knock them down. And with a near-50 percent conversion rate, knock them down he does.

Los Angeles Lakers Win Pacific Division

The Clippers are younger, faster and more athletic than the Lakers, but experience will prevail in the battle for the Pacific Division.

Kobe Bryant is playing at an MVP level, Pau Gasol looks comfortable again, Andrew Bynum is making an impact and Metta World Peace has brought some of the intangibles he became known for back to the table.

Chris Paul, Blake Griffin and company, on the other hand, have hit a wall. They have struggled against the NBA's basement franchises and no longer look like a title contender.

The Lakers have spent a majority of the year playing catch-up to the Clippers, but by the end of the season—even if the Lakers stand pat at the trade deadline—the roles will be reversed.

Rajon Rondo Remains with the Boston Celtics

The Celtics have categorically denied that they are aggressively shopping All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo, but that hasn't prevented his name from appearing in a multitude of trade rumors.

Avery Bradley has shown flashes of developing into a prolific facilitator, making a Rondo trade easy to justify on Boston's behalf.

That said, the steep price tag the Celtics have set for Rondo, along with his penchant for dominating the stat lines, all but guarantees the 26-year-old point guard will remain in Boston for the rest of the season.

Jamal Crawford Gets Traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves

Jamal Crawford thought he had found a title contender in the Trail Blazers, but has instead found a headache.

Portland has dangled Crawford has trade bait in hopes of obtaining a point guard that can overshadow the woes of Raymond Felton, and the Timberwolves are among the teams interested in his services.

Minnesota has a clear need at shooting guard and a point guard to spare in Luke Ridnour, rendering this a deal that makes sense for all parties involved.

San Antonio Spurs Won't Fade Down the Stretch

The Spurs are having an incredible amount of unforeseen success this season, but we've seen this movie before.

Last year, San Antonio finished atop the Western Conference, but lost eight of 12 to close out the season, and went on to lose to the eighth-seeded Grizzlies in the first round of the playoffs.

With the Thunder likely to roll the rest of the way, the Spurs won't recapture that No. 1 seed, but unlike last season, they won't fade down the stretch.

San Antonio's veterans have continued to play stellar ball, but their younger guns have stepped up and assumed increased roles.

And that will prove to be the difference, as the Spurs will run away with the Southwest Division and settle themselves into the West's No. 2 seed. 

Ray Allen Gets Dealt to the Los Angeles Clippers

Rajon Rondo continues to tear up stat lines, yet it is Ray Allen who has reportedly been drawing the most interest around the league.

After losing Chauncey Billups for the season and missing out on J.R. Smith, the Clippers are among the teams interested in the veteran shooting guard's services.

Allen is averaging 14.3 points per game and shooting over 48 percent from behind the rainbow, production Los Angeles is sorely in need of.

While the Clippers are able to supply the young talent it would take to pry Allen from the Celtics, they lack the necessary draft pick Boston is interested in.

That said, after a number of shaky outings, Los Angeles isn't likely to pass on this opportunity. Look for them to go out and get a first-rounder or entice the Celtics with another piece of young talent.

Golden State Warriors Trade Stephen Curry

Monta Ellis continues to dominate the Warriors trade rumor mill, but it will be Stephen Curry that gets moved.

Curry has been plagued by ankle injuries all season long, but at only 23, the combo guard is far from hopeless. 

That said, Ellis has emerged as Golden State's leader, and the team could use Curry as a means to improving their defensive performance.

New York Knicks Win Atlantic Division

The Knicks haven't exactly played consistent basketball all season, but lucky for them, they are only 3.5 games out of first place. 

Both the Celtics and 76ers are currently ahead of New York, but neither rival has been playing at an exceptionally high level as of late.

Boston has managed to put together a string of five straight victories, but their championship window has closed. Danny Ainge will opt to blow up the roster and begin rebuilding, leaving the Celtics free to fall in the standings.  

As for Philadelphia, they are losers of eight out of their last 10 and hardly look like the defensive juggernaut that opened the season.

Consequently, the stage is set for the Knicks move up in the ranks.

James Harden Unanimously Wins Sixth Man of the Year

On any other team besides the Thunder, James Harden would be starting. And he arguably should be starting for Oklahoma City.

Harden was easily an All-Star snub. He is averaging 16.5 points and 4.2 rebounds per game and shooting over 47 percent from the field. That's doubly impressive given most of his attempts come on the perimeter.

Harden's hard work will be soon be rewarded though, as he is a lock to win the Sixth Man of the Year award. 

There won't even be another player who challenges him for it.

Eddy Curry Gets More Playing Time

The Heat are in need of a competent inside presence and will experiment more with Eddy Curry before the end of the season.

Curry has lost over 100 pounds and can actually navigate the floor without needing an oxygen mask immediately after. He's seven-feet tall and was once one of the most dominant low-post scorers in the game.

That counts for something.

His most recent slam against the Nets doesn't hurt either.

Los Angeles Clippers Fall out of West's Top Four

The Clippers have been unable to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack all season, and now find themselves clinging to the Western Conference's third seed.

Los Angeles still has some chemistry issues to work through and are in desperate need of replacing the offense Chauncey Billups took with him.

With teams like the Lakers and Grizzlies skilled in the art of late-season surges, finishing outside of the top four has become an increasingly realistic scenario for the Chris Paul-led Clippers.  

Rajon Rondo Posts Five More Triple-Doubles

Rajon Rondo is a triple-double machine.

Rondo already has posted four triple-doubles on the season, but he isn't quite done yet.

The Celtics are leaning on him now more than ever. With 29 games left to play, he'll find a way to obliterate the stat lines at least five more times.

In fact, a total of 10 triple-doubles for the season is not out of the question.

Pau Gasol Gets Dealt to the Houston Rockets

The Lakers continue to shop Pau Gasol in hopes of landing a premier point guard, but according to ESPN, the Rockets aren't budging on their refusal to give up Kyle Lowry.

Lowry is having a career year, but Houston is laden with depth at the point guard position and could change their tune before the trade deadline.

The Timberwolves remain heavily interested in Gasol, but the Rockets can, and ultimately will, offer a package that is much more appealing to Los Angeles.  

Indiana Pacers Finish Third in Eastern Conference

The Pacers have been one of the NBA's biggest surprises of the season, and they aren't falling off the radar anytime soon.

Roy Hibbert has blossomed into a star, Danny Granger continues to put points on the board and Paul George is improving by the game at both ends of the floor.

Indiana may not be ready to contend with the likes of the Heat and Bulls, but should be able to fend off late-season runs by the 76ers and Magic to finish in the top three.

Memphis Grizzlies Grab West's Fourth Seed

With the Clippers poised to finish outside the Western Conference's top four, the door is wide open for the Grizzlies to move on in.

Rudy Gay and company are winners of eight out of their last 10 and are finally looking like the formidable opponent they were expected to be.

Zach Randolph should return sometime this month, and his presence will add some much-needed depth in the low post. 

With Randolph in the fold, in addition to the play of Gay, Tony Allen and Marc Gasol, Memphis will be able to play its way toward at least one round of home-court advantage in the postseason.

Oklahoma City Thunder Cruise to Best Record in NBA

The Thunder have been plagued by turnovers all season long, but have managed to build a sizable lead for the Western Conference's top spot nonetheless.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook have picked apart opposing defenses, and James Harden is a lock to win Sixth Man of the Year.

Thabo Sefolosha should return before the end of the regular season and will provide Oklahoma City with some much-needed perimeter defense, making them an even tougher matchup for teams like the Heat, Spurs and Bulls.

Barring any major injuries, the Thunder will easily finish out the year with the league's best record.

Chicago Bulls End Season Atop the Eastern Conference

While the Heat have looked unbeatable at times, the Bulls, led by reigning MVP Derrick Rose, will once again finish with the best record in the Eastern Conference.

Miami's lack of a true low-post presence has proven costly on a number of occasions, and it is unlikely they find a solution by the March 15 trade deadline.

The door will be left wide open for the Bulls to once again keep hold of the East's top seed as they look toward the postseason with hopes of exacting revenge against LeBron James and company. 

Phoenix Suns Finish at or Above .500

Steve Nash will not request a trade from the Suns and Phoenix won't trade him unless he does. That strongly suggests the point guard isn't going anywhere.

And that's great news for Marcin Gortat, as well as the rest of the Suns roster.

With Nash at the helm, Phoenix has remained competitive in the talent-laden Western Conference. They don't look like a team poised to make the playoffs, but do look like one that will embrace the roll of a spoiler.

To finish at .500, the Suns must go 16-13 to close out the season, a feat that Nash renders possible.

D.J. Augustin Gets Traded

That's right, the Bobcats will not only reach a double digits in the win column, but will ultimately do so without their best player.

With Kemba Walker aboard, there is little need for D.J. Augustin, especially considering he's a restricted free agent this summer. Charlotte has said otherwise, but he is reportedly available.

At this stage of the game, the Bobcats have set their sights on the future and will wind up moving Augustin in an attempt to stockpile younger assets.

Dallas Mavericks Miss the Playoffs

Unlike the Eastern Conference, the West has a number of teams currently outside the playoff bubble ready to make a late-season push.

The Mavericks are starting to show their age and have had trouble closing out games down the stretch all season. Even Dirk Nowitzki's presence has not been enough to completely turn Dallas' ship around.

With teams like the Nuggets, Rockets, Timberwolves and Blazers nipping at their heels, there is a real possibility that the reigning NBA champions are forced to watch the playoffs unfold from their homes.

Dwight Howard Gets Traded to New Jersey Nets

Dwight Howard's future with the Magic remains uncertain, but expect to see him in a Nets uniform by season's end.

Orlando continues to frantically search for another star to pair alongside Howard, but simply don't have the assets to do so.

New Jersey, on the other hand, has plenty of assets, the ability to assume numerous bloated contracts and the framework of a three-team deal in place.

As the March 15 deadline approaches and the Magic find themselves unable to obtain another star, utilizing the Nets' assets will only become more appealing.

LeBron James Becomes a Closer

From the All-Star game to the loss at Utah, LeBron James has been the subject of a myriad of criticism regarding his ability to come through in the clutch. That's all about to change.

The Heat play 20 of their last 29 games against playoff-bound teams, setting the stage for a number of close contests.

The heightened competition will present James with numerous opportunities to not only lead Miami down the stretch, but also to put the outcome of games in his hands, not someone else's.

By season's end, James will officially have become a closer. 

Kevin Durant Edges out LeBron James for MVP

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are both having MVP-caliber seasons.

James is averaging 27.6 points, 6.8 assists and 8.4 rebounds per game, and has the Heat looking as dangerous as ever. Durant himself has the Thunder looking like legitimate title contenders as well, and is averaging 28.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest. 

A case can be made for either player to take home the hardware, but James' decision to team up with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh ultimately puts him at a disadvantage. Whether that's right or wrong is irrelevant, because it will still factor in.

Just like he did at the NBA All-Star Game, Durant will edge out James for MVP honors.

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