6 Bold Predictions for 2012 NBA Playoffs

The 2012 NBA playoffs are quickly approaching, and that means it's time for bold predictions.

Anything is possible in the postseason. A team can play great basketball in the regular season but get swept in the playoffs. Ask the Los Angeles Lakers.

Likewise, a player can put up big numbers all year, but crack under the postseason pressure. Ask LeBron James.

Who will win big and who will go home? Here are six bold predictions for the 2012 NBA playoffs.

Orlando Magic Swept in First Round

The Orlando Magic are on a steep decline heading into the postseason. They have lost seven of their last 10 games.

The distractions are proving to be too much for the team. With allegations that Dwight Howard asked for head coach Stan Van Gundy to be fired, Orlando is looking more and more like a soap opera (per the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins). Van Gundy no longer has his organization behind him, and if something doesn't change, the Magic will be swept in the first round.

Howard is sidelined with a herniated disk in his back and is out indefinitely. This season, the Magic have a 2-4 record without Howard, and their wins were against the Pistons and Cavaliers.

It seems like Orlando is hoping its big man will recover enough between now and the postseason to return to the court. However, if Howard is unable to suit up on April 28, will the Magic still be a playoff-caliber team? The answer is no.

The Magic are currently sitting the sixth seed. Any team they play in the first round is very capable of sweeping the injured, distracted Orlando squad.

Grizzlies Shock the West

The Memphis Grizzlies are the team to watch heading into the playoffs. They've won 10 of their last 14 games and are looking to grab the fourth seed.

Zach Randolph and the Grizzlies will do serious damage in the Western Conference. Randolph is an efficient scorer and rebounder, but his athleticism takes the team to a whole new level. His wide array of low-post moves combined with Marc Gasol at his side gives the Grizzlies one of the best big men duos in the West.

Defense wins playoff games, and Tony Allen can defend the best of them. His 1.6 steals per game is eighth in the league and he's arguably the best perimeter defender in the league, as he's able to keep up with Tony Parker and Kobe Bryant.

O.J. Mayo was a big help to the Grizzlies in the 2011 playoffs, but this year he's an even bigger contributor. Mayo averages 12.7 points per game coming off the bench. Not only does he excel from behind the three-point line, but he's also capable of coming through in the clutch.

The Grizzlies are on a hot streak that will last deep into the postseason.

Boston Celtics Win the Eastern Conference

The Boston Celtics are still a championship-caliber team. These guys are proof that with experience, talent and Doc Rivers, nothing is quite out of reach.

The key is the team's health. A healthy Boston Celtics team is an unbeatable Boston Celtics.

Rajon Rondo is the best point guard in the league. He's dished out at least 10 assists for 22 straight games. With Derrick Rose's health in question, no other team in the East has a point guard to match up with Rondo.

He will dictate the success of the Celtics. They will only go as far as he takes them, and that will be to the NBA Finals.

Kevin Garnett has transformed into a new player since he took over the center position after the All-Star break. He's playing with a new intensity that lights a fire under the whole team. As the team leader and anchor of its defense, Garnett will have a huge impact on the team's success in the postseason.

Most importantly, Rivers is still at the helm for the C's. The Celtics have the best coach in the Eastern Conference, maybe even the best in the NBA. Rivers even told the Dennis & Callahan show that he thinks his team can win an NBA title this year.

I won't say Boston is taking it all, but it will take the East.

Thunder Take Home the Title

Oklahoma City may be young, but it's ready.

The best team in the Western Conference is hungry and knows what it takes to win. After the heartbreaking loss in last year's playoffs, the Thunder are back for the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are two of the NBA's top five scorers this season. Durant is putting up 27.8 points a night, while Westbrook is right behind him with 24.3. Both are having the best seasons of their careers and both are instrumental in the team's winning record, the best in the conference.

If Westbrook can learn when to shoot and when to pass in the postseason, the Thunder will win a title this year, without a doubt. He and KD are a deadly combination that no NBA team can defeat in a seven-game series.

Defense is the key to winning playoff games. The Thunder have shown the ability to play championship-caliber defense. Kendrick Perkins is the defensive leader of the team and can hold his own against centers like Andrew Bynum and Tim Duncan.

Oklahoma City's youth, talent and killer instinct will lead the team to an NBA title this year.

LeBron Chokes Again

Yes, King James has had an MVP season so far, but that will all change in the postseason.

LeBron James is putting up big numbers (26.9 points, 6.3 assists and eight rebounds per game), but he hasn't had the big moments that win close playoff games. He has yet to prove he will rise to the occasion when his team needs him most—like in the fourth quarter of the finals.

It is true that LeBron has come through in the clutch occasionally, but fourth quarters remain a problem for him. Miami lost to Golden State early in the season after James didn't even attempt a field goal in the fourth. He has passed up the game-winning shot attempt numerous times, most notably against Utah and at the All-Star Game.

By passing up shots, James is legitimizing the stigma that he's not clutch in the final moments of games. It will mess him up mentally and we will see a repeat of last year's finals.

Lakers Go Home Early

The Lakers will have an early exit from the playoffs this season. Their streaky play will not fare well in the postseason against better, more consistent teams.

The Lakers have one of the worst benches in the NBA. Even though their starters are dominant, the bench has a hard time keeping the momentum going. If the Lakers were to face the Thunder or Spurs, they would be in big trouble.

Andrew Bynum may be averaging career highs across the board, but his poor attitude could add to the downfall of his team. The Los Angeles Times' Melissa Rohlin reports Mike Brown is denying a problem with the young center, but it's obvious Bynum is realizing how important he is to the team and is taking advantage of that. The 24-year-old is grabbing 12.2 rebounds per game and is the second scoring option for the Lakers behind Kobe Bryant. However, his immaturity is detrimental to the overall focus of the team.

Bryant is currently on the bench with a shin injury. Bryant said he'll be back for the playoffs according to the LA Times' Mark Medina, but which Kobe will we see in the postseason? Kobe didn't seem like himself in last year's playoffs due to an ankle injury, and Lakers fans can blame another early postseason exit on injuries.