NBA All Star Break Playoff Seeding Update
The NBA season resumes on Tuesday night with most teams having less than 30 games left. Now would be a good time to check in on the playoff races. These will be the match-ups if the season ended today. We will start with the Eastern Conference:
#1 Miami Heat vs #8 Milwaukee Bucks- This match is looking very likely as the Heat leads second place New York by four games and the Bucks lead the ninth place Philadelphia 76ers by 4.5. The Bucks are 1.5 games out of the seventh spot so there is a chance they could move up. But this series is probably going to happen. If it does the Bucks will be doing well if they take one game. Prediction: Heat in four.
#2 New York Knicks vs #7 Boston Celtics- This could be a very good first round series. Rumor has it the Clippers want to trade for Kevin Garnett but he won’t waive his no-trade clause. Could it be that he is looking forward to facing the Knicks and Carmelo Anthony in the playoffs? The Knicks will pull it out but it won’t be easy. Prediction: Knicks in seven.
#3 Indiana Pacers vs #6 Atlanta Hawks- Only two games separate third place and sixth. So this series may not happen. But if it does we like Indiana to take this one. The Hawks seem to have some internal turmoil. The Pacers are especially tough on their home floor. Prediction: Pacers in six.
#4 Brooklyn Nets vs #5 Chicago Bulls- A healthy Derrick Rose could really swing this series toward the Bulls. Even without him the Bulls will likely win it. Prediction: Bulls in five.
Now for the West:
#1 San Antonio Spurs vs #8 Houston Rockets- The Spurs lead the Thunder by 2.5 while the Rockets lead the ninth place Portland Trail Blazers by three games. So this series is looking like it will happen. The Rockets are young while the Spurs are old. Don’t be too shocked if we get an eight over a one in this one. We think the Rockets give the Spurs some trouble. Prediction: Spurs in six.
#2 Oklahoma City Thunder vs #7 Utah Jazz- The Thunder is still most people’s pick to win the West. We like them too. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are lethal.Prediction: Thunder in four.
#3 Los Angeles Clippers vs $6 Golden State Warriors- The Warriors have beaten the Clippers three of four times this season. With a healthy Andrew Bogut to go along with David Lee and Seth Curry, the Warriors make a formidable foe. But with the very deep Clippers team and now that Chauncey Billups is back to go along with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, the Clippers are going to take this one. Prediction: Clippers in seven.
#4 Memphis Grizzlies vs #5 Denver Nuggets- The Grizzlies are a different team than they were for most of the first half of the season. It’s hard to say what they will be going forward. The Nuggets have been steadily moving up all season after a slow start. We are going to take Denver in this one. Prediction: Nuggets in seven.
If we were to get all of those right, the Conference Semifinals would line up like this:
Spurs vs Nuggets- We like the Nuggets to upset the Spurs
Clippers vs Thunder- Great series. Thunder will pull it out.
Heat vs Bulls- If Rose plays this one could be very good. Heat wins it either way, but not without a fight.
Knicks vs Pacers- We like the Knicks in this one unless Reggie Miller plays.
Conference Finals would then go like this:
Heat vs Knicks- Heat win this one in five.
Nuggets vs Thunder- Thunder wins this one in six or fewer.
The NBA Finals would then be a rematch of last season’s Heat vs Thunder series. The Heat takes it in six this time.
