Predicting How the 2012 NBA Season Ends and the Postseason Plays Out

With under 30 days left in the 2011-12 NBA season, the playoff picture is beginning to take form. 

Teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chicago Bulls are rising to the top, as other teams, like the Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks, are holding on for dear life.

In this slideshow we'll be gazing into our crystal ball to predict how the last month of the season will play out, and then look further into the ether to make some bold playoff predictions.

Read on to find out what we foresee. 

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

No. 1 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 8 Boston Celtics

When Derrick Rose went down with a groin injury two weeks ago, I thought the Heat would easily take over the No. 1 spot in the East, but Chicago clearly had different plans.  In their most recent eight games without Rose, the Bulls are 6-2, which just goes to show how impressive of a team they are.

While the Celtics aren't necessarily struggling, they are only 2.5 games ahead of the red-hot New York Knicks.  There's a high likelihood that they could easily fall to the eighth spot in the East.

A Bulls vs. Celtics quarterfinals would be a rematch of the memorable seven-game series between the two teams that took place in 2009, when the young Bulls almost upset the heavily favored and veteran Celtics.  This time around, the age of the Celtics wouldn't be a strength; it would be their biggest weakness, and it would ultimately be the reason why they wouldn't make it out of the first round of the playoffs.

The youth and depth of the Bulls would certainly be too much for the Celtics to handle, as Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng and Derrick Rose would steal the show from Boston's Big Three of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.  The Celtics' days of dominance over the Bulls ends in this quarterfinals matchup.

No. 2 Miami Heat vs. No. 7 New York Knicks

With the "Heatles'" dream of being the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference fading, they still have a strong hold on the No. 2 spot, which isn't a terrible place for them to be.

After a rough start to the second half of the season, the Knicks have caught fire again, finding themselves in contention for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference.  Even without Amar'e Stoudemire in the starting lineup, it's clear that the Knicks are going to be a hot team down the stretch.  That's why they'll find themselves in a quarterfinals matchup with the Heat.

Unfortunately for the Knicks, their hot streak will come to a quick end when they meet a hungry Miami team in the first round.  The Heat have won both regular-season meetings thus far, and they did so in impressive fashion both times.

The biggest strength for the Heat in this series will be the defensive pressure of Mario Chalmers and/or Dwyane Wade on Jeremy Lin, much like it was in their second win over the Knicks this season.  I want to believe this quarterfinals series could be a competitive one, but the Knicks just aren't ready to compete with the Heat.  

No. 3 Orlando Magic vs. No. 6 Indiana Pacers

With the Dwight Howard saga behind them for the time being, the Orlando Magic will work their way into the third seed in the Eastern Conference, right behind the Miami Heat.

Fortunately for the Magic, they'll find themselves in a favorable matchup with the Indiana Pacers, who will be the sixth seed in the East. 

The Magic won two of their three matchups with the Indiana Pacers in the first half of the 2011-12 season, mainly because of Dwight Howard being able to dominate Pacers center Roy Hibbert in the paint.  

While the Pacers are the more complete team overall, they won't be able to hang with the production of Howard, and they won't have an answer for power forward Ryan Anderson.

The Magic will dominate the Pacers in just five games, proving that they are just as dangerous as the Heat and the Bulls in the East.

No. 4 Atlanta Hawks vs. No. 5 Philadelphia 76ers

Oh how the mighty have fallen in the "City of Brotherly Love," as the Sixers have seriously cooled off after an impressively hot start to the season.  While Philadelphia will be the underdog and road team in this series, it will still come out on top, mainly because of the incredible depth of its bench. 

While it's uncertain whether or not Al Horford will be back for the playoffs, the Hawks have learned to operate without him, mainly because of the emergent play of Josh Smith.  Smith will lead the Hawks to the fourth seed in the East, but that doesn't mean they'll be favored in their quarterfinal matchup with Philadelphia.  

The 76ers beat the Hawks in their first two matchups of the 2011-12 regular season, and they did so in impressive fashion, to the tune of 90-76 and 98-87.  The one major advantage that the 76ers have over the Hawks is depth coming off the bench, which will ultimately be the difference maker in this first-round series.  

The 76ers will move on to the Eastern Conference semifinals for the first time in nine years, and they'll do so by beating the Atlanta Hawks in just five games.  

Western Conference Quarterfinals

No. 1 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 8 Memphis Grizzlies  

No one is giving respect to the San Antonio Spurs.  While that's in large part due to the fact they got upset last year in the first round by the Grizzlies last year, there's no doubting that they are a complete and dangerous team.

The Grizzlies, on the other hand, are playing to the level that most people expected them to, finding themselves on the edge of the playoff picture in the West.  Unfortunately, the Grizzlies will find themselves in a quarterfinals matchup with a team that's going to be hungry for revenge.

There's no way that a team led by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker is going to let themselves get embarrassed in the playoffs two years in a row, and that's why they will absolutely own the Grizzlies in this series.

The Spurs have won all three of their meetings with the Grizzlies so far this year, and they will continue that dominance in the playoffs, sending the Grizzlies packing in just five games.

No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 7 Utah Jazz

The Oklahoma City Thunder are one of the most dominant teams in the entire NBA.  They are the owners of the league's top scoring offense, with an average of 103.7 points per game.  That's why they are such a powerful team, but their lack of defensive focus will push them to the No. 2 seed in the West, behind the Spurs.

The Utah Jazz are a consistently inconsistent team, beating teams like the Thunder one night, then losing to sub-par teams the next night.  Luckily for the Jazz, their sporadic play will be enough to get them into the playoffs at the seventh spot.  The bad news for the Jazz is that they will find themselves in a first-round matchup with the Thunder.

While the Jazz beat the Thunder 97-90 in their last meeting, there's no doubt that the Thunder will run away with this series.  The Thunder are just too athletic, too productive and too cohesive as a team for the Jazz to beat.

The Thunder will end the Jazz's playoff run in just four games in this first-round series. 

No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 6 Los Angeles Clippers 

The battle for Los Angeles will wage on in the playoffs, with the Lakers and the Clippers battling for supremacy in the Staples Center.

Of the Los Angeles teams, the Lakers are playing the more consistent basketball as of late, which has given them a 2.5-game lead over the Clippers for the third spot in the West.  The Clippers are within a half game of the sixth seed in the West, and if they keep playing as inconsistently as they have been, that's exactly where they'll find themselves come playoff time.

The Lakers and Clippers split their two matchups this season, and that's exactly how their playoff series will go.  This quarterfinals matchup will be the most competitive of them all, with both teams battling to get a slight advantage in the series.

Ultimately, the Lakers' experience will be too much for the Clippers to handle, and the Lake Show will come out on top once again as the top team in Los Angeles.  The Lakers will move on in a tough and physical seven-game series.

No. 4 Dallas Mavericks vs. No. 5 Denver Nuggets 

The Dallas Mavericks are quietly putting together a solid second half to the season, currently sitting in the fifth spot in the Western Conference playoff picture.  With the Mavericks' veteran experience, they will easily move into the fourth seed in the West.

The Denver Nuggets are also putting together an impressive second half of the season, making their way from the edge of the playoff picture all the way back into the playoff hunt.  With the Nuggets' youth and depth coming off their bench, they will certainly move their way up in the West, earning the fifth seed by the season's end.

Unfortunately for the Nuggets, earning the fifth seed will also earn them a first-round matchup with a team that's had their number the entire season.  In their four matchups this season, the Mavericks have won the last three, and they've done so in increasingly dominant fashion.

The Nuggets have a bright future, but they won't fully reach their potential this season, as the Mavericks will send them home rather quickly in this first-round matchup.  

Eastern Conference Semifinals

No. 1 Chicago Bulls vs. No. 5 Philadelphia 76ers

A Bulls vs. Sixers semifinals might not seem that exciting, but it will undoubtedly be a competitive matchup, with both teams vying for a coveted spot in the Eastern Conference finals.

Both teams have a significant amount of young talent on their teams, which is one of the main reasons why the series will be so competitive.  In their first three matchups this season, two of the three games have been extremely competitive, with the Bulls ultimately coming out on top 66.6 percent of the time.

While the Bulls and Sixers have arguably two of the deepest benches in the NBA, the ultimate difference-maker in this matchup will be the star power on the Bulls roster.

Derrick Rose will be too much for the Sixers' point guards to handle, and Carlos Boozer and Taj Gibson will be too much for the young Sixers frontcourt, especially over the span of a seven-game series.

Two things are for sure in this series.

First, it will be an absolute defensive struggle, as the teams rank first and second in the NBA in points allowed per game.  Secondly, it will take all seven games to crown the winner.  

Ultimately, the Bulls will prove to be the more complete and experienced team, earning a second straight appearance in the Eastern Conference finals.  

No. 2 Miami Heat vs. No. 3 Orlando Magic

The Heatles won't have to leave the confines of Florida for their semifinals matchup, as they face off against Dwight Howard and the Magic.

LeBron and Company will have their hands full in this series with Orlando, as the Magic have the perfect blueprint for beating the Heat.  The Magic have one of the most dominant centers in the game, and they also have the deadliest perimeter attack in the game, averaging an NBA-best 30.4 points per game from beyond the arc.

The Magic's formula for success against the Heat is a major reason for concern Miami, as the Heat have had trouble against dominant post presences and perimeter shooting the entire season.

While the Heat and Magic split their four-game series this season, with the home team winning every game, there's no doubt that the Magic have what it takes to knock the Heat off in a seven-game series.

Things will get heated in South Beach, after the Magic bounce Miami from the playoffs before LeBron is able to prove true on his promise of bringing NBA titles to the beaches of Miami.  In a shocking turn of events, the Magic will knock out the Heat in a full seven-game series, ultimately winning the series on Wade, LeBron and Bosh's home turf.  

Western Conference Semifinals

No. 1 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 4 Dallas Mavericks

The Spurs and the Mavericks are two veteran teams that are reaching the end of their best days, which means they will both be extremely hungry for one final NBA title.

With Dirk Nowitzki facing off against Tim Duncan, and Jason Kidd running the point against Tony Parker, this playoff series will be one for the ages.

Much like the Heat and the Magic, the Spurs and Mavericks have split their four games this season, with the home team winning every time.  The only difference is that the Spurs' wins both came by double digits, whereas the Mavericks beat the Spurs by a combined total of just seven points in their wins.

While this matchup will certainly be close one, the Spurs undoubtedly have the advantage, as their bench is much deeper and much more productive.  Bench play will be the difference-maker here, as both the Mavericks and Spurs are aging teams that will need to utilize their bench more than most teams.

The Spurs will make it to the Western Conference finals, but it will take a full seven games to make it there, which will seriously impact their performance in the next round.

No. 2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs.  No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers

The Thunder and Lakers have only met once so far this season, and the Thunder dominated that one meeting, beating the Lakers by an impressive 15 points.

At the heart of that victory was the explosive offensive play of Kevin Durant and the stingy defensive play of Serge Ibaka.  Those two players will be at the foundation of the Thunder's success in this playoff series, much like they were during the regular season.

While the Lakers have gotten better with the acquisition of Ramon Sessions, there's no doubt that they don't match up well with the Thunder, especially on the defensive side of the ball.

Although Kobe Bryant will want to win more than any other player in the playoffs, he won't be able to will his team to victory alone in this series.  The fact that the Lakers' bench is one of the weakest in the NBA will ultimately come back to haunt them in this playoff series.

The Thunder will overwhelm the Lakers, proving that they are the new powerhouse in the Western Conference by making it to the Western Conference finals in just five games. 

Eastern Conference Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Orlando Magic

In a shocking turn of events, the Miami Heat will be watching the Eastern Conference finals from the luxury of their homes in South Beach, as the Magic and the Bulls will be facing off for a trip to the finals.

After taking down the Heat, the Magic will head into Chicago to try to dethrone another top team in the East.

The Bulls dominated the Magic in the team's most recent meeting by a score of 85-59, and they didn't even have Derrick Rose when they laid the smack down on Dwight Howard and Company.

The reason why the Bulls were able to dominate the Magic was because they play with the highest efficiency in the entire NBA.  They have the second-best defense in the league, the fourth-highest assist average per game and the highest rebound average per game.

Across the board, you'd be hard pressed to find a team that is more balanced, more complete and deeper than the Chicago Bulls.  That's the main reason why they will be able to get the best of the Magic.

The Magic will be able to win two games in this series, but they won't be able to win more, as the Bulls defense will be too much for Orlando to overcome.

The Bulls will move on to their first NBA Finals since the 1998 season, which is an impressive accomplishment for Derrick Rose and Company.   

Western Conference Finals: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

A San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Western Conference finals is the perfect matchup of youth against experience.

The lingering question of this playoff series will be whether or not the Spurs can last with the Thunder if the series is stretched out to a full seven games.  With the Spurs battling it out with the Mavericks for seven games in their semifinals matchup, they will certainly be more tired than the Thunder heading into the Western Conference finals.

While the Spurs won two out of their three matchups with the Thunder so far this season, this meeting will be a complete different story.  The Spurs won't have an answer defensively for the explosive play of Durant, while Ibaka and Perkins will stop the Spurs from getting production in the paint.

The Spurs will give the Thunder a run for their money in the first two games, but after that the youth of the Thunder will prove too much to handle for the aging talent of the Spurs.

Winning games during the regular season is much different than playing in a playoff series, where the Thunder will overwhelm the Spurs with their resiliency, energy and athleticism.

The Spurs bench will certainly give the Thunder and their lack of depth some trouble, but it won't be enough to help the Spurs come out on top.

The Thunder will overpower the Spurs in five games, heading to their first NBA Finals appearance since the 1996 season, when they were known as the Seattle SuperSonics. 

2012 NBA Finals: Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

A Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder matchup will be an absolutely epic NBA Finals, pitting arguably the two best teams in their respective conferences against one another to figure out which team truly is the best in the entire league.

The NBA's highest-powered offense belongs to the Thunder, with an average of 103.7 points per game.  The Bulls have one of the NBA's most dominant defenses, only giving up an average of 89.1 points per game.

This NBA Finals will be highly competitive, with two young teams wanting to prove that they are ready to take over the honor of being the best.

While the Bulls and Thunder haven't faced off this season yet, there's no doubt they are very evenly matched teams, aside from the depth that the Bulls have coming off their bench.  While the Bulls have arguably the deepest bench in the NBA, that alone won't be the reason why they will take down the Thunder in this series. 

The real difference-maker in this matchup will be the way that the Bulls handle Kevin Durant on the defensive side of the ball.  With the defensive talents of Luol Deng trying to lock down Durant, the Bulls will be able to control the offensive flow and pace of this series, which will prove monumental. 

Controlling the pace of the series includes Derrick Rose controlling his matchup with Russell Westbrook, and that's exactly what he will do.

Derrick Rose will outplay everyone on the court, winning the 2012 NBA Finals MVP trophy, while helping the Bulls earn their first NBA title since the days of Michael Jordan.

It's time for a new dynasty to begin in Chicago.