As the season in the NBA winds down, one has to wonder how well certain teams will do in the playoffs. I myself have many thoughts. Here are my predictions for this year’s playoff run:
Chicago seems to be the front runners in the conference. I feel they will have
a very deep run into the playoffs, especially with Derek Rose and Carlos Boozer
to carry the load. The only problem I see standing in their way is the Miami Heat. Chicago dominated them in the regular season, but as you saw last year, when it came time to step up in the playoffs, they didn’t get the job done.
Speaking of Miami, they seem to be more determined than last year to win an NBA Championship. The big three of Lebron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh seem to be playing at an even higher level than last year. Personally, I don’t think they’ll win it this year, because there are some teams in the West that look just as dangerous.
The Orlando Magic are one of the most puzzling stories out there. Is Dwight Howard really committed to this team, or is he creating a never-ending soap-opera of will he stay or will he go? In any case, the Magic will make the playoffs, but I don’t think they have enough depth or power to go very far.
Same goes for the Philadelphia 76ers. I feel they have talent, but not enough depth and consistency. Andre Iguodala is a star in this league, but he can’t carry the team on his own.
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Teams like Atlanta, Boston, and Indiana, I’m sure they’ll just be happy to be there. I don’t see them going very far this year.
New York is one of the biggest wild cards in the playoffs this season. If Amare Stoudemire comes back, that will be a huge lift for them. If not, players like Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin, must pick up the slack.
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As for the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder seem to be the top runners. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are by far the best tag-team in the NBA right now, and they average 38 points a game. I see them having a good run.
The San Antonio Spurs are good, but not great. I feel their time has passed. Tim Duncan is getting old, and he hasn’t been putting up MVP caliber numbers anymore.
The two teams from Los Angeles are two interesting stories. The two teams are vastly different in many ways. The Lakers will always be led by Kobe Bryant, but I don’t see Kobe taking them back to the promised land this year. Same goes for the Clippers. Blake Griffin is a stud in this league, but the Clippers lack the depth and defense for a long run as well.
The Dallas Mavericks, last year’s champions, will need Dirk Nowitzki to be healthy mentally and physically in order for them to try and repeat this year.
As for the other teams like Memphis, Utah, and Houston, they have the talent, but not enough depth to get the job done.
All in all, it should be interesting how the playoffs unfold and who’s time it is to shine this year.
