2012 NBA FINALS

Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat

SEASON SERIES: series tied 1-1 (home team won both times)
ANALYSIS: After a 23-59 record in their first year in Oklahoma City, the Thunder’s gradual progression from a lottery team to one of the NBA’s elite took another big step with a 4-2 win over the San Antonio Spurs in the Western Conference Finals. Things did not come easily as the Thunder became just the 15^th NBA squad to win a best-of-seven while facing an 0-2 hole and going against a Spurs team that won 20 games in a row. A win in these Finals could be the start of a new dynasty in the NBA.

Down 3-2 to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat faced speculation of possible changes if they lost. However, behind LeBron James’ strong performances in Games 6 and 7, Miami won the East for the second year in a row and seek redemption. Things are not out of the woods yet, because those speculations will still loom unless they win here.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Russell Westbrook vs. Mario Chalmers
ADVANTAGE: Russell Westbrook
-Chalmers will have his second tough matchup as he adjusts from Rajon Rondo to a more offensively aggressive point guard in Westbrook. Westbrook is averaging 21.7 points per game this postseason, but his 7.3 assists in the West Finals showcased his abilities to be a combo guard. Chalmers can score when needed though—already notching two 20-point games in the playoffs and his ability to knock down threes—but stopping Westbrook will be a tall task.

SG: Thabo Sefolosha vs. Dwyane Wade
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade
-Sefolosha will have two players to try to stop in this series—LeBron James and his primary opposition in Wade. Wade has this matchup on paper, but has struggled with his shot much recently in the playoffs. In the East Finals, he shot just 44.4 percent from the field—nearly four percentage points off of his career postseason mark of 48.0 percent. Sefolosha kept Kobe Bryant and Tony Parker in check in the last two rounds and if he can force Wade’s struggles to linger, that will put more pressure on James.

SF: Kevin Durant vs. LeBron James
ADVANTAGE: Push
-This is the dream matchup most NBA fans have waited for since the lockout was resolved in November. Two of the NBA’s very best square off for the right to win the first title in what could be many for either player. On one hand, James is on a mission to quiet doubters on whether or not if he can get it done in the game’s biggest moments. None where bigger than in Game 6 when James scored 45 points, grabbed 15 boards and dished five assists to force a Game 7 against the Celtics. On the other hand, the 23-year old Durant is already an accomplished scoring champ—having won the last three titles. His 34 points and 14 rebounds to close out the Spurs in Game 6 was marvelous in getting the Thunder to their first Finals appearance since the move to Oklahoma City. Fans will not be disappointed in this series.

PF: Serge Ibaka vs. Battier/Bosh
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he starts), Ibaka (if Battier starts)
-While the status on whether Bosh starts or continues to come off of the bench is uncertain, the Thunder will have Ibaka at the 4 position ready to redirect Miami’s shots. In all but one playoff game, Ibaka has blocked multiple shots, but his offense is also taking notice. In Game 4 against San Antonio, Ibaka was lights out from the field, hitting all 11 of his shots for a 26-point performance. Battier will mostly be in charge of guarding Durant and to shoot spot-up threes, while Bosh could ease back into his starting role or provide a more reliable scoring option from the bench.

C: Kendrick Perkins vs. Udonis Haslem
ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins
-For the last few games, Haslem started at center for the Heat against Kevin Garnett, but the size advantage against Perkins might be a tough one for Haslem. Perkins will continue to provide defense inside the paint, but his 15 points against the Spurs in Game 4 shows that he can chip in offensively when needed. Haslem had his best game in Game 4 against Boston with 12 points and 17 rebounds, despite a loss. Those two will battle for rebounds all series long.

BENCH: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. Miami Heat
ADVANTAGE: Oklahoma City
-With or without Bosh coming off of the bench, the Thunder will have the advantage here with the Sixth Man of Year winner—James Harden—on their side. In the West Finals, Harden was unconscious from long range, hitting 60.9 percent of his 3-pointers en route to averaging 18.5 points per game. Derek Fisher can still knock down big shots and Nick Collision will provide tough defense in the post. Since coming back from an abdominal strain, Bosh is averaging 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds from the bench. Mike Miller will assist Bosh in bench scoring, but one more of the Heat’s other reserves—James Jones, Joel Anthony or Norris Cole—must step up.

PREDICTION: Thunder in 7

2012 NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics


SEASON SERIES: Celtics won 3-1
ANALYSIS: The Miami Heat withstood everything that the Indiana Pacers could throw at them, but turned up the pressure in the last three games to win in six. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade were able to take over in the last three games averaging 65.7 points to offset the loss of Chris Bosh. Having Bosh back would certainly help the Heat, but for the meanwhile, James and Wade will need scoring help.


It took a tough seven game series, but the Boston Celtics defeated an up-and-coming Philadelphia 76ers squad who could be special down the road. Making it to its third East Final in five years, this could be the last hurrah for Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce together as teammates, but they are ready for one last run at a title. Avery Bradley’s defense will be missed, but Rajon Rondo will look to get timely steals and incorporate everyone on offense.


POSITION SHOWDOWNS
PG: Mario Chalmers vs. Rajon Rondo 
ADVANTAGE: Rajon Rondo (Celtics)
-Rondo is continuing his strong play this season in the playoffs, leading all players in playoff steals (32) and assists per game (12.3). His triple-double against the Sixers (18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists) in Game 7 was his third this postseason and he will look to get everyone involved. Chalmers had his best game in Game 3 against Indiana with 25 points and five assists but Rondo will have the better advantage.


SG: Dwyane Wade vs. Ray Allen 
ADVANTAGE: Dwyane Wade (Heat)
-Both players have had their struggles in the playoffs this year, but Wade is on fire thanks to his recent streak of games. After scoring just five points in Game 3 against Indiana, Wade closed out the last three games with an average of 33.0 points and 7.3 rebounds while shooting 40-for-65 from the field. Allen is battling through injuries and a rough shooting stretch, but he showed that he can still be reliable with two 3-pointers in Game 7 against Philadelphia in the fourth quarter.


SF: LeBron James vs. Paul Pierce 
ADVANTAGE: LeBron James (Heat)
-In what should be the best position battle in this series, James will take an edge here in the showdown of future hall-of-famers. Defensively, both James and Pierce performed well this postseason, but how they stop each other will tell everything. The 2011-12 MVP comes into this series averaging 29.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, while Pierce is averaging 19.3 points and 6.9 rebounds.


PF: Bosh/Battier vs. Brandon Bass 
ADVANTAGE: Bosh (if he plays), Bass (if Bosh does not play)
-With Bosh’s status still up in the air for this series, it looks as if Battier will start against Bass at power forward until Bosh returns. Bass has shown that he can step up when needed in the playoffs, thanks to his 11.7 points and 5.1 rebounds per game. However, his 27 points and six rebounds sparked Boston in Game 5 against the 76ers. The Heat were able to get by the Pacers without Bosh, but they still missed his post presence. Battier only shot 21.2 percent from the field against Indiana, but he is mostly used for his defense and a needed 3-pointer.


C: Ronny Turiaf vs. Kevin Garnett 
ADVANTAGE: Kevin Garnett (Celtics)
-Sitting at 15-17 at the All-Star break, Doc Rivers made the move to start Garnett at center instead of his normal power forward position. As a result, Garnett and the Celtics finished the season strong and he currently averages 19.2 points and 10.8 rebounds per game this postseason. Turiaf would get the start and Joel Anthony gets more minutes, but I do not think either can slow down KG.


BENCH: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics
ADVANTAGE: Miami Heat
-Let me preface this by saying that the bench battle in this series may not be pretty, but Miami should have the advantage here especially when Chris Bosh is able to come back and reclaim his starting role. Avery Bradley’s season-ending injury hurts Boston’s bench because there is no scoring punch since Ray Allen starts in place of Bradley. Mickael Pietrus leads the Celtic bench with 3.7 points per game this postseason—a stat that must improve.


PREDICTION: Heat in 6.

2012 NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

SEASON SERIES: Spurs won 2-1

ANALYSIS: The San Antonio Spurs have rolled right along the 2012 NBA Playoffs with sweeps of the Utah Jazz and the Los Angeles Clippers, all while maintaining an 18-game winning streak since losing to the Los Angeles Lakers on Apr. 11. The Spurs have had solid contributions from their three key players—Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker—while still being able to manage each of their minutes thanks to a deep bench and other role players.

Making it to consecutive West Finals for the first time since 1978-1980, the Oklahoma City Thunder are hoping that last season’s loss to the Dallas Mavericks enables them to grow even more and possibly make the Finals. Oklahoma City only lost one game against the last two teams to put them out of the playoffs en route to this stage. First All-NBA selection Kevin Durant continues to improve his standing as one of the NBA’s elite players, while Russell Westbrook and 2011-12 Sixth Man of the Year James Harden are both great players that make this trio as terrific as they are.

POSITION SHOWDOWNS

PG: Tony Parker vs. Russell Westbrook

ADVANTAGE: Push

-The fellow 2011-12 All-NBA Second Teamers square off in this round with a contrast in styles. Parker likes to get his teammates involved more, while Westbrook is a bit more aggressive with his offensive game. The key in this one will be how one performs defensively and limits the other. Parker torched Oklahoma City for 42 points and nine assists on Feb. 4, but both players played well in their Mar. 16 tilt—a Spurs win.

SG: Danny Green vs. Thabo Sefolosha

ADVANTAGE: Danny Green (Spurs)

-Although these two may have a small impact in this series, it may be one to hardly ignore. Green did not become a starter until Feb. 8, but he has provided 3-point shooting and good defense for San Antonio since then. Sefolosha’s stats are not that impressive, but what does not make the stat sheet—his perimeter defense—is something that helps out the Thunder.

SF: Kawhi Leonard vs. Kevin Durant

ADVANTAGE: Kevin Durant (Thunder)

-Like Green, Leonard is another good defender that San Antonio has. However, this could be his biggest test in this year’s playoffs as he will likely guard Durant. The runner-up to this year’s MVP award is averaging 26.7 points and 8.1 rebounds this postseason while not scoring less than 22 in that stretch. Leonard does one stat going for him, Durant only averaged 22.7 points against San Antonio this season—more than five points below his regular season average.

PF: Tim Duncan vs. Serge Ibaka

ADVANTAGE: Tim Duncan (Spurs)

-Ibaka has been a great shot blocking machine this season, turning away a league-high 241 shots and recording the 10-block plateau three times this season. But what happens when he plays against a rejuvenated Duncan? Duncan looks as if he has really turned back the clock in the playoffs. With the Spurs’ deep bench, rarely being in a closely contested game and the two sweeps, it is beneficial to Duncan, who only averaged 32.0 minutes this postseason but has his lowest defensive rating since 2003.

C: Boris Diaw vs. Kendrick Perkins

ADVANTAGE: Kendrick Perkins (Thunder)

-Diaw has seen it all this year. He started the season with the Charlotte Bobcats, but he signed with the Spurs two days after being waived from Charlotte on Mar. 21. However, I think Perkins’ championship experience wins out here. Mainly a defensive center, Perkins has come through with 14 blocks of his own and 5.9 rebounds per game this postseason.

BENCH: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder

ADVANTAGE: San Antonio Spurs

-While Manu Ginobili and James Harden are two of the top sixth men in the NBA right now, the Spurs deep bench might be one of the best in the NBA. Ginobili leads the group with 11.3 points per game this postseason, while players like Stephen Jackson and Gary Neal can provide good scoring off of the bench. Oklahoma City does have Harden averaging 17.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in the playoffs. Derek Fisher’s veteran leadership and Nick Collison’s hard-nosed defense will help the Thunder. Whichever team’s bench performs better, it has a good job of winning the game. 

PREDICTION: Spurs in 6.

MY 2012 NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET

It's that time again where everyone takes part in trying to pick that perfect bracket, or to at least beat their friends. It's also time for actually being right on a Cinderella team, so you can say that YOU saw it coming first.

It is the NCAA tournament!

Below is my bracket and I will be giving updates and commentary each day and round of how I did. We can all compare and see if you are doing better than me.

Are you ready for the challenge? Let's go!

http://games.espn.go.com/tournament-challenge-bracket/en/entry?entryID=7023862

UNC Asheville was so close to being the first No. 16 seed to beat
a No. 1 seed Thurs. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Mar. 15 1st Round Games: Everything started out hot with a perfect start through six games. However, that all ended after the Long Beach State 49ers -- a pick of mine to make the Sweet Sixteen -- was bounced by an equally impressive and game New Mexico squad. This started a stretch where I finished even par in the last 10 games of the day, but without my bracket taking too much damage except for the 49ers and UNLV losing before the Sweet Sixteen.

Outside of my bracket, the scare of the day went to No. 1 seed Syracuse during their game against No. 16 seed UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs had the Orange on the ropes at halftime and throughout most of the game, before Syracuse avoided the monumental upset, winning 72-65 despite a few missed calls from the officials.


The most entertaining game, however, belonged to VCU and Wichita State. The Rams led by 12 early in the second half, but the Shockers made it a game and came all the way back. Yet, Bradford Burgess' three gave VCU the lead back with 1:33 left and Garrett Stutz missed a game-tying three as VCU won 62-59. Will they make another run? Time will tell.


Another mid-major that all eyes were glued on was a one-loss Murray State squad and their matchup with Colorado St. The Racers were in trouble at halftime down by a point, but turned up the defense in the second half. The result was 21 Colorado State turnovers and a 58-41 win by Murray St. I see them going to the Elite Eight, but it gets no easier. A showdown with Marquette awaits.
SCORES: 11/16, 110 pts. (Day), 11/16, 110 pts. (Round), 11/16, 110 pts. (Overall)

Kyle O'Quinn (10) jumps for joy after Norfolk St.'s upset
win over Missouri. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Mar. 16 1st Round Games: If you had Norfolk State, Ohio and Lehigh advancing to the second round, then you are better than me and congrats to you. Missouri, Michigan and Duke have each been ranked highly for most of the season, but to see them lose in the Round of 64 is shocking (even if you are a rival of those teams). With those losses standing out, I was 10-for-16 and finished the first round 21-for-32. Gone are five of my predicted Sweet Sixteen picks, but I still have seven of my Elite Eight and all of my Final Four so things will be okay.

On to the aforementioned games and Missouri was stunned by Norfolk State, 86-84. The Spartans stayed with Tigers throughout the whole game by answering everything Missouri gave. After Phil Pressey missed a game-winning three-pointer, we witnessed the fifth-ever 15/2 upset and it was the third time an HBCU --SWAC, MEAC or Tennessee State of the Ohio Valley conference -- did the feat. Kyle O'Quinn had 26 points, 14 rebounds, and one of the best quotes ever that showed the meaning of March Madness. Same for the Spartans' locker room reaction. But Omaha, Neb. was not the only place to see an upset of this magnitude.

In Greensboro, N.C., No. 2 seeded Duke never lost an NCAA Tournament game in that city. Who would have thought that the Lehigh Mountain Hawks of the Patriot League would be the first to beat the Blue Devils? Down 37-32 with 17:24 left in the game, Lehigh refused to give up. C.J. McCollum scored 30 points and dished six assists as the Mountain Hawks took the lead down the stretch and win 75-70. Now, they will take on Xavier Sunday.

C.J. McCollum's 30 points were enough to beat Duke and to give
the Patriot League its third ever tournament win. (Photo by Chuck Burton/AP)

Michigan fans love to call Ohio St. "Ohio", so what happens when they actually play OHIO? Easy, a 65-60 loss. The Bobcats pulled their second NCAA Tournament upset in three years by dominating Michigan and taking advantage of their cold shooting. Ohio shot 51.2 percent from the field and led for the final 28 minutes by as much as 12. Ohio takes on USF Sun.
SCORES: 10/16, 100 pts. (Day), 21/32, 210 pts. (Round), 21/32, 210 pts. (Overall)

2011 NFL WEEK 17 PICKS

WEEK 16 PREDICTIONS
HOUSTON @ Indianapolis
DENVER @ Buffalo
Arizona @ CINCINNATI
Jacksonville @ TENNESSEE
Oakland @ KANSAS CITY
Miami @ NEW ENGLAND
N.Y. Giants @ N.Y. JETS
St. Louis @ PITTSBURGH
Minnesota @ WASHINGTON
Tampa Bay @ CAROLINA
Cleveland @ BALTIMORE
SAN DIEGO @ Detroit
Philadelphia @ DALLAS
SAN FRANCISCO @ Seattle
Chicago @ GREEN BAY
Atlanta @ NEW ORLEANS


WEEK: 9-7 (.563)
SEASON: 150-90 (.625)


PREDICTIONS FOR WEEK 17
DETROIT @ Green Bay
SAN FRANCISCO @ St. Louis
N.Y. JETS @ Miami
CHICAGO @ Minnesota
Buffalo @ NEW ENGLAND
Carolina @ NEW ORLEANS
Washington @ PHILADELPHIA
INDIANAPOLIS @ Jacksonville
TENNESSEE @ Houston
Tampa Bay @ ATLANTA
BALTIMORE @ Cincinnati
PITTSBURGH @ Cleveland
Kansas City @ DENVER
San Diego @ OAKLAND
Seattle @ ARIZONA
DALLAS @ N.Y. Giants

2011-12 NBA SEASON PREVIEW

It has been a long time coming, but the NBA is back!

This short preseason has brought forth a lot of changes, such as Tyson Chandler leaving the world champion Dallas Mavericks for the New York Knicks.

However, some changes were controversial, as former New Orleans Hornets guard Chris Paul winds up being traded to Los Angeles’ “second” NBA team—the Clippers—after commissioner David Stern blocked a trade sending him to the Lakers.

With a 66-game schedule and every team playing a back-to-back-to-back at a point during the season, teams will have to survive and limit the injuries if they any hope of hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy this June.

In this preview, my friend and fellow aspiring journalist Robert Brown (you can follow him on Twitter @UptownBobby and he writes for KevinNottingham.com) sized up the Eastern Conference while I focused on the West. We both gave our predictions of the awards too.

Eastern Conference

A somber LeBron James (left) and Dwyane Wade did not win the Finals in their
first year together, but could happier times be ahead for the Heat? (Photo by CBS Sports)

Since the new decade, the Eastern conference stands a bittersweet 0-2(or 0-1 depending on how you start counting your decades) in the NBA Finals. With much of the league’s top talent in the Eastern Conference, the scales of winning titles will have to sway in the favor of the East. The Big 3 in Miami looks faster, the big 4 in Boston look older, and the Big 1 in Orlando looks confused. Thanks to a shorter schedule and free agency, the East is the most competitive it’s been in years. 

Here’s the breakdown: 

Atlantic Division

Knicks forward Amar'e Stoudemire (1) and Celtics forward Kevin Garnett will battle
for Atlantic supremacy. (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics (56-26 in 2010-2011) 

The Celtics are depleted bench wise. With little action done during this offseason, the Celtics are going to need a lot of minutes from ‘’The Big 4’’, and a lot of growing up from rookies JaJuan Johnson and E’Twaun Moore. The unfortunate loss of Jeff Green is going to be felt this season and Boston also needs some size up front. Brandon Bass should be a solid upgrade from Glen ‘’Big Baby’’ Davis at the Power Forward position, but that still isn’t enough size up front to compete with Chicago’s Noah and Boozer, New York’s Chandler and Stoudemire and Miami’s faster , younger front court of Bosh and Joel Anthony.

Overall The Celtics still have a talented group of veterans that have enough to get them into the playoffs. Once the Celtics make the playoffs, they have the moxy to make it past the first round and possibly contend for the Eastern conference title if certain teams knock each other out first.

New York Knicks (42-40)

 The Knicks made the biggest free agent acquisition this season in the Eastern Conference by signing Tyson Chandler. Chandler’s presence takes pressure off Amare Stoudemire and allows him to be a pure Power Forward and give him someone that can carry some of the load of rebounding and interior defense. With a depleted back court, more of the offensive load is going to be on Carmelo Anthony this year and a possible scoring title could be in the future  for Melo if free acquisitions Mike Bibby and Baron Davis can get him the ball.

Overall The Knicks are going to be much better than last year. If Baron Davis recovers from his back injury successfully and plays to his potential, the Knicks could arguably be the best team in the East. The biggest question is can Mike D’antoni get the Knicks to play defense? On paper, the Knicks will make the playoffs, but we shouldn’t expect another first round exit this year.

Philadelphia 76ers (41-41)

The Sixers did a great job of re-signing free agent Thaddeus Young. Paired with Jrue Holiday, Thaddeus will have another solid season and could possibly be an All-Star reserve if he plays to expectations. Two guard Evan Turner will come back with a bigger role in the offense and swing man Andre Iguodala will give them a reliable 15-20 ppg if he isn’t traded before midseason.

Overall Many people didn’t expect the Sixers to make the playoffs last year, and no one expected them to steal a couple of games from Miami during the playoffs. Also, Philly can get better before the trade deadline by trading Iguodala and/or Elton Brand for another piece that could push them into contenders. Doug Collins is a great coach that will mold this young team into something special. Expect another playoff appearance from the 76’ers this year.

New Jersey Nets (24-58)

Losing Brook Lopez to injury for the beginning of the season is going to hinder any chance the Nets have of wanting to improve from last year’s record. Deron Williams is the key centerpiece of the team, but with a roster that’s still rebuilding after they traded most of it for Williams, the Nets have too many holes and not enough cap space to do too much of anything. Re-signing free agent Kris Humphries was a solid move, and Anthony Morrow is still a great 3 point shooter that can spread the floor.

Overall With most of the Nets season surrounding around Deron Williams contract extension and Dwight Howard trade speculation, there isn’t much to expect from New Jersey than another subpar season and maybe an All-Star appearance from Deron Williams. 

Toronto Raptors (22-60)

  With new coach Dwane Casey coming in, expect the Raptors to be a better defensive team than years before. DeMar DeRozan is going to have be their primary offensive option alongside 7 foot Andrea Bargnani. Could Dwane mold sharpshooter Bargnani into the next Dirk Nowitzki?

Overall The Raptors will be fun to watch, and with Casey at coach they’ll show improvement, but make no mistake, this team is rebuilding. Maybe a year or two from now we’ll be able to talk about the Raptors being more competitive.

Divison Winner: New York Knicks

Central division

Bulls guard Derrick Rose (right) won the MVP last year, but he has his sights on an NBA title.

Chicago Bulls (62-20)

 With Derrick Rose being this team’s rock the sky is the limit. Last year, Rose carried the Bulls to the Eastern Conference Finals with little to no help. The key to the Bulls jumping over South Beach into the Finals is Carlos Boozer. If Boozer can play to his All-Star potential, the Bulls may be the team to beat in the East. Signing Rip Hamilton will get more points on the board and insert a veteran into the Bulls lineup that can bring a sense of leadership to a young team.

Overall Last year was a surprise year for the Bulls. No one expected Rose nor that team to be so good that fast. Now, it’s NBA Finals appearance or bust. This team has enough talent to bring Chicago its first title since 1998.

Indiana Pacers  (37-45)

Much like the 76’ers, the Pacers are a great young team with a 2^nd year coach (Frank Vogel) that has improved in the offseason from last year. With Darren Collision being the starting PG, expect the offense to grow even more now that he’s the primary facilitator. Free agent signing David West is going to add much needed locker room leadership to a young team that needs it.

Overall  The Pacers are a dangerous team if things translate on paper onto the floor. Roy Hibbert will develop and acquisitions George Hill and young players like A.J. Price, Paul George , and Tyler Hansbrough will get plenty of playing time. The Pacers are looking to be at least a 5 or 6 seed come playoff time.

Milwaukee Bucks (35-47) 

 Brandon Jennings had a lukewarm season last year that was plagued with injuries and a team that was last in scoring last year (91.9 points per game). With the signing of Mike Dunleavy and new comer Stephen Jackson, there are bright spots on the team that can mold into playoff hopes.

Overall Milwaukee can do some great things this year if they can remain healthy. A 66 game season should favor a young group with veteran pieces. Jennings is the key, though. If he can take the leap that many experts imagined him taking last year, than Milwaukee is a playoff team. A first round series would be enough to keep Scott Skiles a job.

Detroit Pistons  (30-52)

 Lawerence Frank is a good coach, but rebuilding is never fun. The Pistons have great  young pieces in Greg Monroe and Rodney Stuckey veteran leadership from Tayshun Prince. And with Charlie Villanueva and Ben Gordon being overpaid, they still can contribute offensively.

Overall Lawerence Frank will have a job in trying to please everyone in his rotation. Expect Brandon Knight and Kyle Singler to contribute immediately. If things work for the better, Detroit could sneak into the playoffs.

Cleveland Cavaliers (19-63)

The ghost of LeBron James isn’t lingering as much now that new #1 draft pick Kyrie Irving is in town. This team is far from being complete, but they do have great young players that will develop and possibly become household names. Expect a huge season for rookie Tristan Thompson.

Overall  The Cavaliers won’t be very good, but they are going in the right direction as far as rebuilding goes. They’ll be in the draft lottery again building around Irving.

Division winner: Chicago Bulls

Southeast Division

Could Magic center Dwight Howard go "up, up, and away" from Orlando or does he stay?

Miami Heat  (58-24)

 Chirs Bosh is the man that will push Miami through the season. Bosh spent this off season bulking up and from this Preseason has played with an edge. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade will do what they do best and create offense and everything else for the Miami Heat. Veteran Udonis Haslem returns to start the season healthy this year and will give Miami toughness up front. Shane Battier will give Miami a much needed boost off the bench and can knock down the occasional clutch 3 pointer.

Overall  The Miami Heat are good enough to start the season off 20-0. The back-to-backs during this shortened season will benefit Miami more than any other team in the Eastern conference. I honestly can’t see Miami losing more than 10-15 games all season. This is definitely the season that will put the Heat in the record books, title or not.

Orlando Magic (52-30)

  The season all depends on Dwight Howard being traded or not. If he stays, the Magic are pretty much bringing the same team back from last year that got put out the first round of the playoffs. If he goes, maybe the Magic can start the rebuilding period early and build around the draft. It all depends on how the Magic start off the season before Magic G.M. Otis Smith pulls the trigger on a deal for Dwight.

Overall  Orlando overpaid for Turkoglu and Jason Richardson, but they’re back on the team and if they contribute accordingly, Orlando could make some noise during the postseason.

Atlanta Hawks  (44-38)

Swingman Jamal Crawford is now in Portland and that means that the Hawks offense is less explosive than previous seasons. Al Horford  came into his own last year under center with career highs in scoring (15.3) and field goal percentage (55.7%) .  If Joe Johnson can play at an All Star level and Josh Smith show gradual improvement the Hawks can be a threat first round and send another favorite home.

Overall  Joe Johnson has to play like he’s getting paid; elite. Atlanta needs  to make it to the Eastern conference Finals or else G.M. Rick Sund  may have no other choice but to blow the team up and rebuild.

Charlotte Bobcats (34-48)

Kemba Walker will be the draw and face of the franchise. Pairing him with a shooter and scorer like Gerald Henderson will make for a good backcourt, but no big men will be the Achilles heel of the Bobcats.

Overall  The Bobcats are post season material, but they have players that are fun to watch. Kemba Walker will probably be a runaway candidate for Rookie of the year.

Washington Wizards (23-59)

John Wall is expected by experts to make the ‘’leap’’ this year that will make him a superstar caliber point guard.  Andray Blatche and JaVale McGee give him a big, talented front court that could be the East’s version of The Clippers ‘’Lob City’’. Nick Young is also the team’s best overall scorer.

Overall  The Wizards will improve their record from last year, but there’s still a sense of rebuilding in D.C. John Wall will definitely be a player to watch this year.

Southeast Division winner: Miami Heat

Eastern Conference Playoff prediction:

     1.       Miami

     2.       Chicago

     3.       New York Knicks

     4.       Indiana Pacers

     5.       Orlando Magic

     6.       Boston Celtics

     7.       Philadelphia 76’ers

     8.       Milwaukee Bucks

     Eastern Conference Finals : Miami vs. Chicago

     Winner: Heat. 

WESTERN CONFERENCE


SOUTHWEST DIVISION

The Dallas Mavericks retooled a bit this offseason but (from L to R) Vince, JET, Matrix,
Dirk, Kidd and LO hope to make another title run. (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images)

Dallas Mavericks (57-25)

As you can tell by this brilliant rendition of “We Are The Champions” by 2011 NBA Finals MVP Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks are the defending NBA champions. They also had their share of roster turnover after losing Tyson Chandler, JJ Barea and Caron Butler while making Brendan Haywood a starter and adding Vince Carter and Lamar Odom a roster already with Jason Terry, Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd. Dallas is primed at another championship run with Nowitzki being the star and many good pieces around him.

Memphis Grizzlies (46-36)

The young and energetic Memphis Grizzlies and the ever-reliable San Antonio Spurs look to challenge the Mavs for the Southwest Division crown as both teams head in different directions. The Grizzlies had an improbable run to Game 7 of the Western Conference Semifinals behind the powerful frontcourt of Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol while Rudy Gay was sidelined with a shoulder injury last February. With Randolph and Gasol secured to newer contract and Gay healthy, could Memphis take another leap forward?

San Antonio Spurs (61-21)

The team Memphis upset in the first round—San Antonio—had the No. 1 seed in the West last season, but could not keep up with the Grizzlies power inside. The Spurs’ core of Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker are getting up there in age but they may still have enough for another go at the title. Look for Gregg Popovich to monitor their minutes closely, but their role players must step up.

Houston Rockets (43-39)

The Houston Rockets have had winning records the last two years, but wound up No. 9 in the West each time. What is even more impressive is that they have played tough with non-household names like Luis Scola and Kevin Martin as Yao Ming battled injuries. Yao retired in the offseason and Kevin McHale takes over for Rick Adelman as head coach.

New Orleans Hornets (46-36)

The New Orleans Hornets will not be an immediate force in the West, thanks to David Stern nixing the Chris Paul trade that involved the Rockets and Lakers, but they can be young and entertaining. Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon and Chris Kaman are good pickups that can help the team in the long run, but for now they must jell together and hope for the best. At least New Orleans is likely to have two lottery picks, thanks to the Clippers trading Minnesota’s pick to the Hornets.

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Dallas Mavericks

NORTHWEST DIVISION

Russell Westbrook (left) and Kevin Durant hope to make the next step this season and make the NBA Finals.
(Photo from XXLMag.com)

Oklahoma City Thunder (55-27)

The Oklahoma City Thunder has gone from a lottery team to a serious title contender in a short span of three years thanks to its two budding stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. Oklahoma City made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals despite at times it seemed that the two stars were not on the same page during the playoffs. If those two, along with Serge Ibaka and James Harden, can tune out the distractions, we could have ourselves the makings of a multiple champion someday.

Portland Trail Blazers (48-34)

Another year, another battle with injuries. With LaMarcus Aldridge missing the preseason with a heart ailment, Greg Oden out for an indefinite amount of time and Brandon Roy being forced to retire, you would think that Portland can catch a break. With that said, the Blazers are still a tough and dangerous team with Aldridge now leading the team. If he, Gerald Wallace and Nicolas Batum can weather the storm, Portland will once again be a team no one wants to play in the playoffs.

Denver Nuggets (50-32)

Last season, the Denver Nuggets dealt Carmelo Anthony and played so much better after the “Melo-drama”. This season, the Nuggets have been hit hard due to three key players—Wilson Chandler, Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith—having to stay overseas until March. Denver did resign Nene after he flirted with leaving the team and all five of their projected starters averaged double-digits. The addition of those three playing elsewhere can only help down the stretch right?

Utah Jazz (39-43)

From out of nowhere, the Utah Jazz traded away Deron Williams to the Nets at the trading deadline while Jerry Sloan stepped down as coach. Yes, change does happen in Utah. But for Williams, the Jazz got Devin Harris and Derrick Favors in the deal and they have a chance to perform well in the first full year with the team. Utah will compete for the No. 8 seed but they still need someone to step up at small forward.

Minnesota Timberwolves (17-65)

Minnesota will not sniff the playoffs this year, but they will be fun to watch with an abundance of youth and a good coach in Rick Adelman. Kevin Love is a rebounding machine but all eyes with be on Ricky Rubio—who will finally play for the Wolves. Rubio had seven assists in 24 minutes in the preseason against the Bucks on Dec. 17 and it could be a sign of things to come. The No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft—Derrick Williams—will be a good addition to the team, expect him to push Michael Beasley for playing time.

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Oklahoma City Thunder

PACIFIC DIVISION

Kobe Bryant (24) and the Lakers run L.A. but their little brother hit a
huge growth spurt when Chris Paul got traded to the Clippers. (Photo by AP)

Los Angeles Clippers (32-50)

For the first time in…well ever, the Los Angeles are being talked about as a division champion and the possibility to make a playoff run to possibly the conference finals. This is what acquiring one of the best point guards in the NBA can do for a team. Chris Paul will have a field day lobbing up alley-oops to Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan as this team will be very athletic. The only thing that concerns me is with Chauncey Billups moving to the two guard, how will he defend the bigger shooting guards?

Los Angeles Lakers (57-25)

Across the hallway of the Staples Center, the Lakers lost out on Paul, Kobe Bryant lost his best friend on the court (Lamar Odom) and off (his former wife Vanessa), and Mike Brown is the new head coach. The Lakers were embarrassed by the Clippers in the preseason, but they should be ready once the season begins. If they can successfully pry Dwight Howard from Orlando, the Lakers will give Kobe some extra help he needs. If not, they are still a playoff team, but with a closing window.

Phoenix Suns (40-42)

The sun may be setting on some of the Phoenix players, but they sure are not playing like it. Steve Nash is still playing great at the point, while Grant Hill is still producing whenever needed. They must improve defensively as they surrendered 105.9 points per game—second-worst in the NBA. The Suns must also find a backup for Nash until Aaron Brooks is eligible to come back from China in March. Either Ronnie Price or Sebastian Telfair must step up.

Golden State Warriors (36-46)

Mark Jackson will make his coaching debut with the Warriors this season and he inherits one of the more exciting guard duos in the league. Both Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis can score plenty of points, but Ellis has been the subject of trade talk while Curry rolled his ankle during the preseason and might be hampered by it. On the frontcourt David Lee returns with hopes that he is healthy but can Andris Biedrins play well and hold off Kwame Brown?

Sacramento Kings (24-58)

It is Jimmer time in Sacramento! The Kings have a good collection of young talent that needs to mature but can be special if they do. Tyreke Evans, Marcus Thornton and Jimmer Fredette are three players who score well, while DeMarcus Cousins might be immature at times but he can be a force when things are good. One question remains—Will the team stay in Sacramento for good or will they move to Anaheim?

PREDICTED CHAMPION: Los Angeles Clippers

Western Conference Playoff Prediction

1. Oklahoma City

2. Dallas

3. L.A. Clippers

4. L.A. Lakers

5. Memphis

6. Portland

7. San Antonio

8. Houston

Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City vs. Dallas

West Champion: Oklahoma City

AWARD PREDICTIONS

MVP: Chris Paul, Clippers (Rob); Kevin Durant, Thunder (LaMar)

Rookie of the Year: Kemba Walker, Bobcats (Rob); Ricky Rubio, Timberwolves (LaMar)

Scoring Title: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks (Rob & Lamar)