NBA Playoffs 2012: Bold Predictions About This Year's Postseason

It's been a while since the NBA has been this much of a soap opera.

There's the he-said-she-said situation in Orlando, where Dwight Howard allegedly asked management to fire coach Stan Van Gundy (and then the two of them produced the most awkward press conference in history, via the Huffington Post). The Clippers are still only two games behind the Lakers in the Pacific Division, and meanwhile Kobe Bryant is allegedly staging a plot to get Derek Fisher and Lamar Odom back in L.A.

In Chicago, the Bulls are trying to get by without Derrick Rose while praying a prolonged absence due to a groin injury doesn't affect his postseason.

What does all this amount to? A crazy, drama-filled postseason. Here are five bold predictions about what will go down. 

5. Dwyane Wade will take over in Miami and prevent LeBron from standing in the way of his run to the Finals

There is one key difference between Dwyane Wade and LeBron James: Wade has a championship. And ever since James arrived in South Beach at the beginning of last season, he's been imaging that second one.

It's time for LeBron to take that into account and let Wade take over in April. The whole egos-clashing-in-Miami story is way overblown, and in order to forge a cohesive identity that will carry them through the postseason, one player needs to step up and lead the team.

It might as well be the one with some championship pedigree.

The Heat are currently poised to be the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. During last year's postseason run, which ended with a Finals loss to Dallas, James had the worst playoff numbers of his career in many categories, and his production dropped off at the end of the Mavericks series. James backs down with everything on the line, but maybe he needs to back down before it gets to that point so the team has a true leader—Wade—to follow. 

4. Kobe Bryant and Tim Duncan will lead their teams through a seven-game battle

Currently, the top three seeds in the Western Conference will be Oklahoma City, San Antonio and the Lakers—in that order—which sets up a potential second-round matchup featuring the Spurs and the Lakers, and a battle between Tim Duncan and Kobe Bryant.

With Duncan's future beyond this postseason up in the air and retirement possibly on the horizon, this could be the last battle between the two future Hall of Famers, and with a trip to the conference finals on the line, it will certainly be a spectacle.

The two teams will get three tuneups against each other in April in what will hopefully set the stage for a showdown in May. 

3. The Celtics will win the division and each of their playoff series will last seven games 

Everyone knows the Celtics are old, but in the playoffs, it could work to their advantage because veterans win championships.

After a very rocky beginning to the 2011-12 season, Boston fought its way to the top of the Atlantic Division and is currently seeded fourth for the playoffs. And with the Big 4 bound to be split up at the conclusion of this season, don't count out Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo. They will be motivated to end their run together on the best possible note.

While a solid veteran presence is a plus, though, age could prove to be a problem for the Celtics, especially considering there's not an overwhelmingly consistent bench presence to back up the starting five.  

2. The Chicago Bulls will not make the Eastern Conference finals.

Derrick Rose will be back in time for the playoffs, but is that enough to lead the Bulls to a deep run?

And yes, Chicago has found a way to win without him, but veteran teams are the ones that win in the postseason, and Chicago is still one vet short of being a legitimate contender.

Thursday night's win over Boston was big for the Bulls, but a team that has been admittedly "going through the motions," as Joakim Noah told ESPNChicago.com's Melissa Isaacson after the game, will be in trouble in the playoffs.

That is exactly where a veteran presence would pay off.

And what if Rose's groin injury resurfaces in the postseason? There are too many what-ifs with this team, and despite Thursday night's outcome, the Celtics could prove to be a troublesome matchup for Chicago in the second round (if they both make it that far). Rondo can slow down Rose, Allen's history against the Bulls is good and KG is always eager for an opportunity to teach Joakim Noah a thing or two about respect.

1. Kevin Durant will win his first championship before LeBron James

…and that will make the playoffs worth watching for all parties involved.