Early NBA Playoff Predictions

The first half of the NBA season has taught us a few important things.

First off, we have learned what the Western Conference has learned. And that is it is a marathon not a sprint. They are still loaded despite early season slumps.

Secondly, we have learned that Shaq (now self-proclaimed 'Shaqovich') still cannot shoot free throws, no matter how long his latest streak has surprised us.

And finally, we have learned that the Magic are for real...And man are they scary right now.

The point of all this knowledge is this; it's anybody's ring.

But there is a catch.

There are eight legitimate contenders left with a chance to win it all. With eight being the least likely and one being the best chance, they rank as followed.

8. Houston Rockets—We know the Rockets have the talent, the depth, and the favorable matchups. But after several years of this being obvious, they still haven't developed the chemistry or the point guard.

However, they have shown enough improvement after a slow start to put them back into contention. Once again, this team will go as far as T-Mac takes them, which I finally say, will be past the first round.  

7. New Orleans Hornets—Many of us expected the Hornets to be running away with one of the top records in the league this season, and despite a slow start they have still been impressive. Chris Paul and David West are one of the best guard/forward combinations in the league.  

With CP3 throwing alley-oops to Tyson Chandler like it’s his job, the Hornets are looking like the team that took the West by storm last season. If they continue to gel at the rate they are as of now, they can beat anybody in the league.

However, they cannot be moved ahead of the remaining teams until they cut out losing to lower-tier teams at home such as the Knicks earlier this week. Friday night at Cleveland will give us an idea of who the Hornets really are.

6. Phoenix Suns - My oh my, what a difference a year makes. Many were quick to criticize the Shaq trade last season, but it seems the Suns knew what they were doing when they decided to build for the postseason instead of a 60-win regular season.  

This year's acquisition of Jason Richardson was huge. He is a great scoring weapon that does not need Nash to create a shot for him (e.g. Shawn Marion). Look for the Suns to continue to win games and but also rest Shaq and Nash. This may cause them to be seeded lower in the playoffs, but that doesn't mean they cannot win.

5. Orlando Magic—It was only a matter of time before the Magic decided to put themselves on the map. Hell, they were on the map last season and we didn't notice. So by raining threes and slamming dunks in everybody's face, we have finally started to give them a little respect. We all know how good Dwight Howard is, but has anybody noticed Jameer Nelson?

Remember? Jameer Nelson? St. Joe's superstar who came out of nowhere to become a household name. Well, he's developed now and he is really, really good. Averaging 16 points, five assists, and three boards a game while shooting 50 percent from the field and 48 percent from deep.

The Magic have five players scoring in double figures, and are now four deep on the bench with the emergence of J.J. Redick. Look for the Magic to give either the Celtics or Cavs a scare in the playoffs, and don't be surprised if they wind up in the Conference Finals.  

4. San Antonio Spurs—We know three things about the Spurs. They are the most experienced team in the league, they have the best trio in the league, and they can win on the road. It took them a few months to remind us of that, but now they are a perennial favorite to come out of the West.  

We all saw last night that they are on the Lakers’ level, but the question remains will their age be able to withstand the length of the elongated NBA season and playoffs?  

3. Boston Celtics—The defending champs no longer have the best chance to win the title. They are no longer the best team in the league. And they no longer intimidate the top teams in the league.  

With that being said, they are still really good. We know the big three will take care of business and Rajon Rondo can handle his own. But we have also learned that their bench is weak. They are not very deep and the loss of James Posey and P.J. Brown is going to hurt them in the post season.

If it had not been for a 20-foot jumpshot with two seconds left on the shot clock, the Cavs would have won the East last season. With the emergence of the Magic and the dominance of the Cavs, the Celtics need to finish with the No. 1 seed to have a smooth path to the Conference Finals.  

If they matchup with the Magic, or even the Cavs in the second round, a repeat is not likely.  

2. Cleveland Cavaliers—The Cavs have finally found a player to compliment LeBron James. Not only on the offensive end, but on the defensive side of the court and intensity wise.

There is not a loose ball that Mo Williams is not diving for, no moment when he does not keep his cool, and not a free throw that hits anything but net. Ben Wallace has revived his career, and Anderson Varejao, while being in a contract year, has developed a jumpshot and looks better than ever.

The Cavs are not at full strength without Z, but look for them to keep him on the sideline as he is a big part of their postseason strategy. The Cavs have finally learned how to not play down to their competition which has plagued them in the past.

This is largely due to the knowledge and determination of LeBron James and the coaching of Mike Brown. The scary part is, the Cavs are a much better team in the playoffs. I believe they are the favorite at this point to win the East and compete with any team that comes out of the West.

1. L.A. Lakers—The Lakers are on cruise control. Coming away with a win last night against the Spurs would have been nice, but don't expect Kobe to lose sleep over it. If you think the Lakers made it through the West last year without Bynum, wait 'til you see how dominant they are with him.

The Lakers go 10 to 11 deep and have four players in double figures consistently with Odom and Ariza bringing in nine apiece off the bench. Kobe and Fisher have been there and done that. Now that the rest of the group got a little taste, you can bet the best of the west won't be blowing any more 24-point leads. 

Sure the Spurs, Suns, and Hornets pose threats but are you going to take Tiger or the field?