Nightmare Scenario for Every NBA Title Contender

With less than two weeks to play before the start of the 2012 NBA playoffs, there are certain teams that are rising to the top of the list of NBA title contenders.

With eight true title contenders, like the Chicago Bulls, Miami Heat, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers, all vying for one NBA title, there will undoubtedly be teams left wanting at the end of the season.

While some teams are set up for an NBA title run better than others, there's no doubt that every title contender has a nightmare scenario that they hope doesn't come to fruition in the remainder of the season.

Ahead is a list of nightmare scenarios for the top eight title contenders in the NBA.  

New York Knicks: Jeremy Lin Coming Back for the Playoffs

I know this one is a stretch, as the reports coming out of New York point to Lin not returning to the court until next year, but the last thing the Knicks need heading into the home-stretch of the season is for Linsanity to return.

Sure, you could argue that the Knicks are a better team with Lin in the starting lineup, but without him, the Knicks have been surging towards a higher seed in the Easter Conference playoff standings.

The Knicks have won seven out of their last 11 games without Lin, and the main reason for their recent winning ways, is the fact that they've played with more intensity and passion without Lin on the court.

If Lin were to make a comeback at any point in the playoffs, it would throw a wrench in the Knicks' rotation, and it would also have a major impact on the new-found chemistry.

If Lin wants to do what's best for his team the rest of this season, he needs to keep his talents on the bench, as that's where the Knicks need him to be.

Boston Celtics: Second-Round Matchup with Chicago Bulls

If there's one team the Boston Celtics struggled with all year long, it's the Chicago Bulls.

The Celtics and Bulls matched up four times during the regular season, and the Bulls dominated three out of those four matchups, winning by an average of 8.3 points.

The reason why the Bulls have owned the Celtics this season is because they just don't matchup well with them, as the Bulls have much more depth coming off their bench than the Celtics can handle.

When it comes to the starting talent, both teams are relatively equal, with Rondo matching up with Rose, Garnett matching up with Boozer and Pierce matching up with Deng.  The real difference maker is the amount of talent the Bulls have in their "bench mob", and that's why the Celtics don't want to see them in the playoffs.

The best case scenario for the Celtics is to steal the third seed from the Pacers, which would most likely put them in a second-round matchup with the Heat rather than the Bulls, and shockingly enough, that would be a good place for the Celtics to be.

Meeting the Bulls in the playoffs could certainly mean a premature end to the Celtics' 2012 NBA playoff hopes. With the future talent of the franchise in question, this could very well be the last year the Celtics are in such a solid position to make a run at an NBA title, and that's why they need to avoid the Bulls at all costs.  

Miami Heat: Failing to Get the Number One Overall Seed in the Playoffs

If there's one weakness to the Miami Heat this season, aside from Erik Spoelstra's inability to coach, it's the fact that they aren't the same team on the road as they are when they are playing at home.

The Heat are currently 25-4 at home, as compared to their away record of just 17-13.

In matchups with the best teams in the NBA, the Heat have consistently won while at home, and have gotten consistently beaten while on the road, and that's a reason for concern if they are unable to steal the top spot in the East away from the Chicago Bulls.

I know the Heat still knocked off the Bulls last season without the top spot in the East, but this year is different, and the Bulls have proven that they are nearly unbeatable at home, winning both home matchups against the Heat this season.

If LeBron and company want to start winning their slew of NBA championships with one this season, they must grab the top spot in the East away from the Bulls.  If they fail to do that, they might not even be able to make it to the NBA Finals this year, which would make things quite uncomfortable in South Beach.  

Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose's Injuries Lingering Throughout the Playoffs

While the Bulls are 12-7 without Derrick Rose in the starting lineup this season, there's no doubt that their 2012 title hopes hinge on Rose being able to remain healthy throughout the playoffs.

Rose certainly hasn't played at the MVP caliber that he played at last year, but he is undoubtedly the catalyst for success for Chicago.

There's certainly no doubt that Rose will play in the playoffs, whether he's fully healed or not is the issue.

As Rose displayed against the Heat just a week ago, with his two point on 7.7 percent shooting performance, he's not the same explosive and productive player when he's dealing with nagging injuries, and that means the Bulls aren't the same team.

This may sound illogical, but if Rose isn't at 100 percent, the Bulls might very well be better off with him coming off the bench, and letting C.J. Watson run the show, as Watson has proved that he can lead the Bulls to wins against high-profile teams without Rose.

Rose needs to rest for the rest of the season, because if he's not 100 percent healthy in the playoffs, his play will hold the Bulls back.

It's as simple as that. 

Los Angeles Clippers: Falling Further Than the Fourth Seed in the West

If the Clippers can manage to hold onto the fourth seed in the Western Conference, they can set themselves up for a nice run and a possible appearance in the Western Conference finals.

If the season ended right now, the Clippers would find themselves in a first-round matchup with the Grizzlies, which is a match that they could certainly win, as they dominated the regular season matchup with the Grizzlies this season.

In the second-round, the Clippers would face off against the Thunder, which at first glance might seem like a tough matchup, but the Clippers split their regular season series with Thunder at two games a piece.

The worst-case scenario for the Clippers is to drop out of the fourth spot in the West and find themselves in a first-round matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers or even the Dallas Mavericks, which would both be extremely challenging matchups for Lob City.

Even if the Clippers move up in the playoff standings, they could find themselves in a more challenging first-round matchup than they need to be in.  If the Clippers want to prove that they are legit, by making an appearance in the Western Conference finals, they need to hold onto the fourth seed like it's their job. 

San Antonio Spurs: Repeat of Last Year's Playoff Performance

Remember that time when the San Antonio Spurs were the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, and they lost in six games to the eighth seed Memphis Grizzlies?

A repeat this year is absolutely the nightmare scenario for the Spurs as they head into the home-stretch of the season and into the playoffs.

There's no doubt that last year's playoff performance is still fresh in the minds of all the players on the Spurs roster, and they will be trying hard to prove that last year's performance was just a major fluke.

The only problem for the Spurs is, that if the season ended today, they would find themselves in a first-round matchup with the Houston Rockets, and that is a matchup that could certainly give them lots of problems.

The Spurs and Rockets split their regular season series, and the Rockets gave the Spurs quite a run for their money in the games they lost too.

If the Spurs find themselves in a matchup with the Rockets, there's no doubt that the Spurs could be set up for a repeat performance of last year's playoff failure, and that is an absolute nightmare for Spurs' fans everywhere. 

Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe's Shin Injury Lingering Through Playoffs

While the Lakers are 4-1 without Kobe Bryant, there's no doubt that over the span of a seven-game series, the Lakers would be lost without the leadership and production of Kobe on the court.

Kobe sitting out the rest of the regular season won't hurt the Lakers all that much, as they are still a semi-competent team without him.  The real nightmare scenario is if Kobe returns to the court for the playoffs, and isn't 100 percent healthy.

When Kobe suffers from lingering injuries he's not the same ridiculously explosive player that everyone expects him to be, as he lacks that hop in his step and quickness in his game that makes him such a special player.

As any NBA fan or player would tell you, the playoffs bring out the highest level of competitiveness in professional athletes, which is why the playoffs are so exciting to watch. That being said, if Kobe isn't at full-strength, he will have a hard time hanging with the competition that the Lakers will have to go up against in the Western Conference.

If Kobe has trouble with double or triple-teams when he's healthy, just imagine how he will deal with them if his shin is still bothering him.  There's no doubt that the Lakers can make a run at the 2012 NBA title, but to do that they need Kobe at 100 percent.  If he's not 100 percent, the 2012 playoffs could certainly be a nightmare for the Lakers.  

Oklahoma City Thunder: Westbrook Shooting More Than Durant in the Playoffs

No disrespect to Russell Westbrook, but if the Thunder want to finally make it to the NBA finals, they need to have the main focus of their offensive production, especially in the playoffs, run through Kevin Durant.

Not only does Durant shoot at a higher percentage than Westbrook, with a season average of 50.3 percent from the field, as compared to Westbrook's 46.6 percent average, but Durant is also the more versatile player of the two.

Both Durant and Westbrook average around 19 field-goal attempts per game, and while that's worked in the regular season, the Thunder need to make sure that Durant's attempts go up, while Westbrook's either go down or stay the same.

As Durant goes, so will the Thunder, and that's good news for the Thunder, as he's arguably the most valuable player in the NBA.

If the focus of the Thunder's revolves around Durant, there's no limit to what they can achieve. But if Westbrook decides that he needs to take over the reigns of the offense, the Thunder will have serious trouble moving forward.