NBA Playoffs 2012: Teams That Will Fall in Conference Semifinals

After an exciting first round of the NBA playoffs full of surprises, the conference semifinals are now underway.

Four teams will go home unhappy in the conferences semis, leaving organizations and fanbases alike to collectively scratch their heads and wonder where it all went wrong.

Some teams will beat themselves. Others will simply be outclassed. 

Here's a look at the four teams I see getting knocked out of the playoffs in the conference semifinals.

Indiana Pacers

The Miami Heat are still the best team in the Eastern Conference despite the loss of Chris Bosh. They outscored the Pacers in the second half of Game 1, 53-38, despite Bosh's absence.

Mike Miller and Shane Battier are still suitable replacements at small forward while LeBron James moves to power forward. Both are good defenders (limiting Danny Granger to 1-of-10 shooting in Game 1) and Miller can still hit the three-ball when James and Dwyane Wade pick-and-roll.

The Pacers are an impressive young team, but the Heat are still the Beasts of the East. 

Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers are too inconsistent to beat the San Antonio Spurs. They had the Memphis Grizzlies down three games to one, and the Grizzlies were able to push the series to seven games.

Chris Paul and Blake Griffin obviously aren't the problems. The rest of the Clippers waver, though. It's understandable, given they have some young players, but they are facing a better and more experienced Spurs team. It's as simple as that.

Boston Celtics

Yep, you heard me right. I'm calling for the Philadelphia 76ers to shock the world once again. The 76ers certainly aren't a threat to teams like the Heat or Pacers, but they do know how to capitalize on their opportunities, and they've done that against the Chicago Bulls and Celtics thus far.

The 76ers didn't play particularly well in Boston in Game 2, but they out-muscled the Celtics (out-rebounding them, 48-36) and they are a young team that can give the aging veterans problems. After what I saw from the Celtics in Game 2, I'm ready to call for Boston's downfall at this point.

Los Angeles Lakers

It wasn't a surprise that the Lakers lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 1. What was surprising was how they were thoroughly dominated.

The Lakers, like the Clippers, are too inconsistent this season. It took them seven games to edge out a series victory over a Denver Nuggets team that was supposed to not be in the same class. You never know what you are going to get from Andrew Bynum, Pau Gasol or Metta World Peace. Most of the time it has to do with where their heads are at.

The Thunder are younger and play better as a team. They are also hungry for a championship. Sometimes I wonder how much the Lakers want it.

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