Free Agency isn’t over yet, but that won’t stop Matt Levine from breaking-down the Eastern Conference.

LeBron James going back to Cleveland has shaken up the Eastern Conference. By Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA (LeBron James) [CC-BY-SA-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Once LeBron James decided that he wasn’t returning to Miami and would join back with the Cavaliers, it shifted a balance of power in the East. No longer would the Miami Heat run roughshod all over the conference as a de-facto lock for the NBA Finals. With that in mind, here’s an outlook on the future in the Eastern Conference:

Chicago Bulls: Although they missed out in the Carmelo Anthony sweepstakes, they will still be putting a star player out onto the court in Derrick Rose — assuming he can stay healthy. Adding Pau Gasol and rookie Doug McDermott should help the offensive problems Tom Thibodeau’s team has had, while also adding some more star power to add to an already excellent team. Assuming Derrick Rose stays healthy and competes at a high level, expect the Bulls to compete for a title again.

Indiana Pacers: A Jekyll and Hyde metaphor nicely sums up how the Pacers’ 2013-2014 season ended. This team has so much talent on it but never got over the hump. Even with them playing so poorly through much of the playoffs, they were still two wins away from the NBA Finals. Losing Lance Stephenson is a blow to this team that struggles with offense at times. Adding a gritty player and scorer like CJ Miles likely will soften that blow. The best team in last year’s regular season, the Pacers will once again contend in the East.

Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James comes home. That will be the headline surrounding the Cavs all season long no matter how good or bad they are. Teaming up with Kyrie Irving and rookie Andrew Wiggins should give the Cavs a big-three for years to come. The Cavs will be a very good team simply because LeBron is on it but the storyline of LeBron winning a title for Cleveland at least this upcoming season is probably not very realistic, given the Cavs’ recent past.

Miami Heat: Even with the loss of LeBron James, the Miami Heat should still compete in the East. They still have Chris Bosh and assuming Dwayne Wade stays healthy, the Heat really aren’t all that bad. They replaced LeBron with Luol Deng who is a gritty defensive player and can also score the basketball. They added Danny Granger — a former All Star and leader of the Pacers. Although Josh McRoberts isn’t a household name, he can play. While the Heat likely won’t contend for a title for a while, don’t expect them to just fade into irrelevance.

Washington Wizards: Don’t look now but the Wizards are back and look like they are here to stay for the long haul. The back-court duo of John Wall and Bradley Beal can both flat out ball it up. Marcin Gortat and Nene up front make for a scary tandem for anyone who dares to enter the paint. They did lose Trevor Ariza, but the cherry on top of their offseason was the addition of Paul Pierce. Pierce clearly isn’t the same player as he used to be but can still be vital to a contending team. Watch out for Washington.

Toronto Raptors: Throughout all the LeBron and Carmelo Anthony madness, it seems as everyone has forgotten about the Raptors. The #3 seed in the East last year shouldn’t be overlooked either. They might slip a bit in the standings but not by much. Kyle Lowry, Demar DeRozan Terrence Ross are all young stars in their own right. Adding Lou Williams and rookie DeAndre Daniels from Connecticut will help fill in additional depth. Finally Toronto has a team to cheer for, for the first time since the Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady days.

Brooklyn Nets: The Nets went all out last season by teaming up Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Robin Lopez and Deron Williams but only got to the second round and paid a steep luxury tax in the process. Injuries and lack of chemistry were the demise of this team yet they started clicking towards the end of the season. While the Nets won’t surprise anyone or be a top team in the East, I think they will still make the playoffs and could get back to the second round yet again — even without Pierce or their ousted head coach, Jason Kidd.

New York Knicks: The Knicks have taken a lot of heat from fans and media over the past few years, but for some reason I believe in them this year. This is a team that won 54 games two seasons ago and has a lot of the same players. They brought in Phil Jackson to run the team and I don’t bet against the Zen Master. My beloved, Derek Fisher, is now call the shots as the head coach. Fish which will at least bring a new sense of culture to a team that seems to badly need it. The Knicks also got rid of some dead weight in Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton while acquiring Jose Calderon. On top of it all, they were able to somehow draft Cleanthony Early from Wichita State after he dropped to them in the second round. The Knicks look in pretty good shape especially after a very disappointing season last year.

Charlotte Hornets: Am I the only one who thinks it’s so cool that the Charlotte Hornets are back in the NBA? Not only are they back in the league, they also they look like a team that could compete. As the Bobcats last season, the made the playoffs as the #7 seed so they will be looking to improve from that. They still have big Al Jefferson and Kemba Walker and added Noah Vonleh in the draft from Indiana to add to their strong front court. They also may have gotten the steal of free agency by signing Lance Stephenson. Despite his playoff antics, Stephenson can be a huge piece of the puzzle for the Hornets. Michael Jordan may have finally built a team that can compete.

Every NBA season some surprise teams jump up and contend for the playoffs and in the East those could be the Hawks, Pistons, and Magic. The NBA season is a bit away from us but its never too early to look at the upcoming year especially one where there isn’t a clear favorite in the East for the first time in four years.

What do you think? Who is the favorite in the East now? Which team do you think will surprise people?

All season long, the two-time defending champion Miami Heat have been the favorites in the NBA. The San Antonio Spurs, who lost to Miami in the Finals last season, had the best record during the regular season and have looked like a team on a mission. The Indiana Pacers, who seemed determined to overthrow their rivals in Miami started off the season hot but have slipped lately. This was supposed to be the year that some team knocked off LeBron James and the Heat and stopped them from becoming a dynasty. Thus far in the playoffs that dream seems very unlikely.

Could the NBA Finals return to the Moda Center in Portland this season? By Another Believer (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

At this point, I think the only other two teams that could give the Heat some trouble out East are the young Toronto Raptors and the veteran Brooklyn Nets, who happen to be facing each other in the first round. With the Pacers struggling to find themselves, it almost looks like a lock for the Heat to meet up with a team like the Wizards in the Eastern Conference Finals.

In other words, it’s not turning out to be as challenging as many thought for LeBron and co.

In the West, it’s a free-for-all, with some of the top teams struggling so far in the playoffs. The top-seeded Spurs are playing their in-state rival Dallas Mavericks who so far are showing the Spurs they mean some business. The two teams from the Lone Star State have split the first two games in San Antonio and Dallas could have won both games in San Antonio if not for an impressive run to end game one by the Spurs.

The second-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder with MVP Kevin Durant seemed primed for another playoff run yet find themselves down 2-1 to the gritty Memphis Grizzlies. The Houston Rockets had a lot of hype after the addition of Dwight Howard in the offseason, but they are down 0-2 to the Trail Blazers heading into one of the loudest arenas in the NBA back in Portland. The Los Angeles Clippers are the only top seeded team looking like they should taking a 2-1 lead over the Warriors including winning a game in Oakland.

The NBA playoffs are far from over and anything can happen, but so far signs are pointing towards the Heat reaching their fourth straight NBA Finals and meeting up with any of the right Western Conference teams that clinched a postseason berth. Here is what I believe will happen over the course of the playoffs:

First Round:

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 8. Dallas Mavericks (Spurs in 7)

2. Oklahoma City Thunder vs. 7. Memphis Grizzlies (Grizzlies in 6)

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 6. Golden State Warriors (Clippers in 7)

4. Houston Rockets vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

1. Indiana Pacers vs. 8. Atlanta Hawks (Pacers in 7)

2. Miami Heat vs. 7. Charlotte Bobcats (Heat in 5)

3. Toronto Raptors vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets (Nets in 6)

4. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Wizards in 4)

Semi-Finals:

1. San Antonio Spurs vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 7. Memphis Grizzlies (Clippers in 7)

1. Indiana Pacers vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Wizards in 6)

2. Miami Heat vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets (Heat in 7)

Conference Finals:

3. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (Trailblazers in 6)

2. Miami Heat vs. 5. Washington Wizards (Heat in 5)

NBA Finals: 2. Miami Heat vs. 5. Portland Trailblazers (TBA)

Nothing compares to a good individual rivalry in the NBA. Since one-on-one is the name of the game in the League, individual match-ups are analyzed and torn apart. Fans ask the age-old question of who is better than who? By the time a game is over, we sometimes even get a definitive answer.

Until recently, we hadn’t seen any huge individual rivalries in quite a while. While Kobe Bryant has won five titles over the past decade-and-a-half, other players have come and gone. But Kevin Durant and LeBron James have changed that. Since meeting up in the 2011 NBA Finals, Durant and LeBron have been known as the two best players in the league and everything they do gets compared.

Kevin Durant is a great player but will be second to LeBron until he starts to win. By Keith Allison, via Wikimedia Commons

Durant vs. LeBron has become a matchup that is an event each and every time that the two match-up. Since 2010, when LeBron joined the Heat, Miami has a record of 9-4 against Oklahoma City, including their NBA Finals matchup.

Now why is this? It is actually very simple in the fact that the Thunder just don’t matchup very well against the Heat. I believe that if the Thunder and Heat met up in the Finals again, it would be the same boring outcome that is was back in 2011 when the Heat won the series 4 games to 1.

People can talk about how the Heat aren’t as good this season and how they won’t win a third NBA title in a row, but I give them a very good chance to do so. Until the Heat no longer have LeBron James on their roster, I will probably pick them to win each season. In my opinion, there are only three teams right now that could actually beat the Heat in a playoff series based on match-ups.

The Pacers and Spurs have proven they can play with the Heat so I give them a realistic chance to do so. The third team may be of a surprise to people but I think that the Rockets could give the Heat a run for their money. Having James Harden, the size of Dwight Howard, and all the shooters they have could cause problems for Miami.

The debate of Durant vs. LeBron is just getting started and I am excited to watch these two great players go at each other over the next several seasons. For now, though, the debate needs to stop because LeBron James is the best player in the world and will hold that title for a long time. Until Kevin Durant starts adding some NBA titles to his resume he will be second to his rival and friend LeBron James.

As the new NBA season approaches, it seems that there are more preseason story-lines than I can remember in a long time. This season, some of these questions are:

Is this the last season of the Big Three in Miami?

How will Dwight Howard fit in with James Harden and Houston?

Will this be it for Tim Duncan?

How will Kobe play when he comes back from his injury?

There are many other story lines coming into the NBA season but with story lines comes predictions, something many people enjoy doing. I have made my predictions for each the Western Conference and Eastern Conference but have yet to make my Conference Finals picks and NBA Finals picks. It has taken me a long time to finally decide which two teams will be playing for a title at the end of the season but I have made my picks and here they are:

Can the Indiana Pacers be the team to finally de-throne the Miami Heat in the East? By Marta Sand (Flickr: Heat vs Pacers, 2012), via Wikimedia Commons

Eastern Conference Finals

For respect purposes and the fact that I do believe Chicago and Indiana will play each other in the second round thus handing the Heat a spot here.

Opposing them will either be the Pacers or Bulls. While both teams play defense, I favor the Pacers over the Bulls because of the experience of a year ago. So, Indiana vs. Miami in a rematch of that epic seven game series last season but this time, I believe Paul George and the Pacers will pull through and de-throne the champions.

The Pacers are going to be a very hungry team after the end of last season and if not for a dumb mistake by Frank Vogel in game 1, I think the Pacers would have won the series a year ago. This year I believe they will get it done and make it to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. Adding Luis Scola and Chris Copland help boost this team past the two time champions.

Western Conference Finals

This is a tough pick because I believe that there are at least six teams that can represent the West in the NBA Finals. I am going to go with a somewhat bold prediction here and say that the Western Conference Finals will take place solely in Texas. The Rockets and Spurs are my picks for the Western Conference Finals.

The addition of a (healthy) Dwight Howard to an already pretty good Rockets team is a huge factor behind this. I think James Harden and Howard will play together much better than Howard and Kobe Bryant did last season — resulting in wins rather than losses. That being said, I don’t believe it will be the Rockets representing the West in the Finals. This is going to be a test year for the Spurs since they have never dealt with a Finals loss. Will this old team fold after losing such a tough Finals series? Or, will they use the loss as motivation to get back and win another title? I’m going to bet on the motivation. So, the Spurs do it again, looking to redeem themselves from the heart-breaking Finals loss last season.

NBA Finals

Pacers vs. Spurs.

David Stern’s worst nightmare.

This will be another tough, grind it out type series much like the Heat-Spurs series was last season and as much as my heart wants to pick the Indiana Pacers to win, my mind won’t let me. I have counted out the Spurs for too long. My pick to be the 2014 NBA Champions is the San Antonio Spurs. They added another shooter and in my opinion a tough-minded player in Marco Belinelli which should help the already explosive offense. After their first NBA Finals loss, I believe that Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and especially Tim Duncan will be extremely motivated and hungry to get one more title as a core unit. Tim Duncan and the Spurs pull a page from the Baltimore Ravens playbook with Ray Lewis and send Duncan off into the sunset on top of the NBA world, gathering his fifth NBA ring.

2014 NBA Champions: San Antonio Spurs 

It’s never too early for predictions.

Since LeBron James (or Ray Allen depending who you talk to) sealed the Miami Heat’s second straight NBA title, the other 29 teams have been making many moves to try and compete with the defending champs. While not all teams will even be given a chance to dethrone the champs, I thoroughly believe that most teams throughout the league improved from a year ago, which is going to make a great NBA season in 2013-14.

Will the American Airlines Area be hosting it’s 4th NBA Finals in as many years? By Ines Hegedus-Garcia, via Wikimedia Commons

1. Miami Heat: How can I not put them at the top of the East? They are the two time defending champs who didn’t lose any players plus added Greg Oden to try and add to the championship mix. I’m not sure if they will win the three-peat but they will definitely be a strong contender for it.

2. Indiana Pacers: This team has pushed Miami to the brink the last two seasons in the playoffs, and Paul George had an incredible coming out party in the playoffs. They kept David West and added swingman Chris Copland from the Knicks and Luis Scola from the Suns. Plus Danny Granger should finally be healthy, look for the Pacers to have another great season.

3. Chicago Bulls: While they lost Nate Robinson, they welcome back former MVP Derrick Rose, which should make Chicago fans cheerful again. They are pretty much the same team as last year whom was pretty darn good despite all the injuries. Hard-nosed defense and Derrick Rose back, seems like a good combination to me.

4. New York Knicks: For some reason people doubt the Knicks and I don’t understand why. They finally won a playoff series last season only to lose to a great Pacer team in the second round. They have improved the 2^nd place team by adding Andrea Bargnani, Metta World Peace and drafting Tim Hardaway Jr. Until proven otherwise, the Knicks still own New York as far as I’m concern.

5. Brooklyn Nets: Having Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson as your starting lineup looks amazing on paper but only time will tell if they mesh well together under rookie head coach Jason Kidd. As we saw last year from the Lakers, names don’t mean wins.

6. Cleveland Cavaliers: Adding Andrew Bynum will give the Cavs an inside presence that they have been looking for, as long as he stays healthy. With both Bynum and Irving healthy, I really like this Cavs team. Also adding Jarrett Jack adds scoring off the bench and veteran leadership on a young team. For the first time since the whole LeBron James decision, the Cavs make it back to the playoffs.

7. Washington Wizards: It is about time the Wizards start winning with John Wall. They are a young team with tremendous upside, and to many peoples surprise the Wizards were one of the league best defensive teams last season ranking 8^th in the league. Not too bad for a bottom of the standings team last year.

8. Detroit Pistons: This was a hard choice because both the Pistons and Raptors could make the eighth seed but as of right now I think the Pistons edge them out a little bit. Adding Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings should improve this team enough to make the playoffs for a short date with the defending champs in the first round.

9. Toronto Raptors: Having Rudy Gay makes the Raptors somewhat relevant but not enough to make the playoffs. Maybe with one more piece to the puzzle, Toronto could win but not this year I don’t think.

10. Atlanta Hawks: Losing Josh Smith was a big blow and I’m not sure they can recover from that but adding Paul Millsap helps a little bit. The Hawks will drop, not to the bottom but out of the playoff race.

11. Charlotte Bobcats: I am going to go out on a limb here and say that the Bobcats won’t be completely terrible this season, good enough for 11^th in the East. I liked the signing of Al Jefferson to a young team. Don’t expect the Bobcats to do more than play spoiler for on the bubble playoff teams at the end of the season.

12. Milwaukee Bucks: While the Bucks made the playoffs last year, I believe it was because of how weak the East was and that isn’t the case as much this season. They lost both Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis and replaced them with Brandon Knight and O.J. Mayo whom aren’t bad but this isn’t a playoff team for the second straight year.

13. Boston Celtics: The roster looks very, very different for the first time in awhile except for Rajon Rondo. The Celtics will drop to the bottom this season but with players like Rondo, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley they won’t be the worst team in the East. It’s a rebuilding process for the green that starts in 2014.

14. Orlando Magic: The Magic will be just as bad as they were a year ago except this time they will have added a soon to be star in Victor Oladipo. He is a special talent and I believe will translate in the future to being a star but for now, he like the rest of the Magic must wait out the bad years to get to the good ones.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Yikes….that is what I thought when looking at their roster with the exception of Nerlins Noel and Michael Carter-Williams whom are both rookies. It’s going to be a dark year in Philadelphia unless Kwame Brown somehow decides to finally play like he was supposed to when the Wizards drafted him years ago. But even if that long shot happened, it probably won’t be enough for the Sixers.

The year is 2013.

But some things still haven’t changed and I had hoped it would have by now. I am talking about gay rights, racism and equality for all, regardless of sexual orientation, skin color, or race. While I will admit that there has been obvious progress made in these areas, it isn’t enough.

Discrimination because of race or sexual orientation is stupid. My motto is judge a person by their personality and that’s all. Many people will ask where I am going with this since this is supposed to be a sports article but this is much more than just sports.

Recently Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Riley Cooper was caught on tape at a Kenny Chesney concert using a racist phrase and it has brought up much anger and sadness within the sports world and just society as a whole. Like many others, I was disgusted at what Cooper said and the aftermath, but for different reasons then people might think. In no way shape or form do I support Cooper’s comments because they were completely inappropriate and uncalled-for — I want to make that clear before I proceed.

Riley Cooper said some stupid things. He’s not the only one. By By Matthew Straubmuller (Flickr: Eagles vs Redskins), via Wikimedia Commons

In the aftermath of the comments, the Eagles have excused Cooper from team activities so that he could go to counseling for his actions and get help. While I have no problem with his counseling, my question and whole point is this: Why is he going to counseling for a racial slur but in the past when players use a gay slur all they do is get fined?

To me, and I think many others, using a gay slur is just as bad as a racist one so why is it that we as a society is making such a huge deal out of this situation but the same can’t be said when a gay slur is used? I wonder if Cooper had used a gay slur instead of a racial one, would it have been seen and dealt with differently? There have been many occurrences of gay slurs being used in recent years by other athletes but all that I’ve seen happen is a quick fine and people move on. Some notable slurs and insensitive comments include but are not limited to:

Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers earlier in 2013

Amar’e Stoudemire of the New York Knicks in 2012

Roddy White of the Atlanta Falcons in 2012

Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers in 2011

James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2011

Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls in 2011

Above are just six different occurrences of athletes using a gay slur but I don’t remember anybody making as a big deal about it as they are currently with Cooper’s situation. Isn’t using a gay slur is just as inappropriate and disgusting as using a racial one? Recently NBA center Jason Collins came out as a professional athlete and was greeted to much love and support which was very nice to see but then that goes back to my point.

Why isn’t the use of gay slurs made into more of a big deal then they are?

In my opinion, the use of both racial and gay slurs not just in sports but in society as a whole should be dealt with in a much more strict manner so that in the future, people won’t be as ignorant and use them.

What do you think?

Indiana Pacers star Roy Hibbert let loose on the media Saturday night in a strange press conference appearance following the Pacers’ impressive Game 6 win over the Miami Heat that pushed the Eastern Conference Finals to a decisive Game 7. When asked to comment on his own 10th place finish in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year voting, Hibbert had this to say:

Roy Hibbert (left) and the Pacers have proven themselves better than all but one Eastern Conference team. By Zach Primozic

(Before I get into the crux of the issue, I do want to point out that while Hibbert was outranked in DPOY voting by several more well-known players on higher-profile teams, he also received less points than the Pacers’ own Paul George as well as Larry Sanders of the Milwaukee Bucks, who isn’t even the most well-known person with his own name).

And he’s right, nobody watches the Pacers. Not their local residents — they have the 25th-best attendance in the league. Not San Antonio Spurs’ MVP Tony Parker, who admitted earlier last month to not watching any of the Pacers’ less-than-riveting first round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks. The truth of the matter is that the Indiana Pacers are, in fact, a little boring. As a die-hard NBA fan and League Pass subscriber, I watch at least a couple of hours and multiple games of basketball almost every day of the regular season. I don’t think there was even one point this season where I looked at the full offering of games on a given day and said, “You know, I’m really interested to see what the Pacers are up to today.”

Can you blame me? As much as they say that defense wins championships, the Pacers’ staunch defensive style (2nd in the league in opponent points per game) does little to make them inherently watchable to anyone other than that one tool some of us know who believes his superior appreciation of defense in the NBA makes him a better fan than us mainstream cretins who prefer to watch teams who score once in a while. The Pacers have been woeful in this regard, ranking 23rd in the league in points per game. Not only do the Pacers struggle to score, they struggle to score in ways that are fun to watch, ranking in the bottom five league-wide in categories like field goal percentage and assists per game. And while fundamentally, winning games only requires that you score more points than your opponent, winning games doesn’t necessarily translate to an enjoyable fan viewing experience.

Then there are the intangibles. While Frank Vogel is a gifted head coach who has led the Pacers into the elite of the Eastern Conference, whenever I see him, I experience an odd phenomenon. I’ve seen him many times before, but for a split second I’m surprised by what he looks like. He comes off as just kind of a nondescript type of guy. His Pacers take after him in this way. Although Paul George, Roy Hibbert, and the currently-injured Danny Granger have represented the Pacers in the All-Star Game in the past three seasons, none are the type of flashy offensive talent that inspires fans to go out and buy their jerseys–although it’s becoming apparent in these playoffs that Paul George may evolve into that sooner than anyone expected.

I don’t blame Hibbert for his apparent affliction with Jan Brady syndrome. In a league where respect can be measured by things like number of nationally televised games and jersey sales, Indiana is barely on anyone’s radar. However, he and the Pacers can do something about that. With a win tonight on the road against the defending NBA champions, the Indiana Pacers have a chance to not only advance to their first NBA Finals since 2000, but perhaps also to put us all on notice that they’re a team worth watching. Their prospective Finals opponents, the now very well-rested San Antonio Spurs, could teach the Pacers a little something about that. While also somewhat unfairly saddled with the “boring” label, they’ve proven their worth and earned their respect by winning multiple championships and being one of the most consistently elite teams in the last decade. You earn cred with people who love basketball through sustained excellence. You earn it by performing on the big stage. Now you have the opportunity tomorrow to come and get it.

And if Hibbert and the Pacers pull this off, I promise that once in a while I’ll choose their games on League Pass next season.

Predictions in sports can be just as fun as what actually happens and a lot of time many people do it. Every person has their own unique way of predicting outcomes, some go through the purity of stats or some use just the heart and will of a team or player. Either way, predictions can be a way for a fan, analyst or gambler to have and feel like they are involved with the actual games being played. As for me, I have made many predictions throughout my life. Some have come true and some haven’t, and I will be the first one to admit when I am wrong. On that note, here is my prediction for the Eastern Conference when the season comes to an end in April, a small breakdown of each team and some playoff predictions with a little over half the season complete:

1.    Miami Heat:

The reigning NBA champions have looked like the champions…when playing at home. They are 18-3 at home but only 11-11 on the road. Winning on the road is what the playoffs is about and the Heat have yet to prove they can do that. This team improved from last season, but I’m not so sure I trust them.

If Derrick Rose comes back healthy, the Bulls have a real chance to go to the NBA Finals. By Keith Allison from Owings Mills, USA, via Wikimedia Commons

2.    Chicago Bulls:

The Bulls and coach Tom Thibodeau have done an incredible job thus far without former MVP Derrick Rose. Getting him back will only make this team that much better. They are ranked third in the league in points allowed, only allowing 90.9 PPG. Defense is what this team is all about and its something that will help them come playoff time.

3.    New York Knicks:

The Knicks started 6-0 and haven’t slowed down, as they are tied with the Heat for the number one seed at the moment. They have already beaten the Heat twice, once without MVP candidate Carmelo Anthony (in Miami). This team looks like a complete team and coach Mike Woodson has them firing on all cylinders. The oldest team in the league is also one of the best.

4.    Indiana Pacers:

With the emergence of Paul George, the Pacers have continued their winning ways from last season. Despite not having former All-Star Danny Granger, the Pacers seem to be doing just fine. If he can come back into the lineup and fit-in smoothly, this can be a dangerous team. Who doesn’t remember that physical playoff series last year with the Heat? And being the second ranked team in points allowed with only 89.9 a game, the Pacers can do some damage.

5.    Boston Celtics:

Like the Lakers, the Celtics aren’t normally this low in the standings but injuries and poor play have put them here. My pre-season pick for the finals from the Eastern Conference suffered a huge blow last week, losing all-star point guard Rajon Rondo to a season-ending injury and then yesterday lost rookie Jared Sullinger to injury. But they still have hall of famers Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett who, if anything have heart and will — something you can never bet against.

6.    Brooklyn Nets:

After a hot start and then a coaching change, the Nets seem to have finally gotten things together. Big man Brook Lopez and point guard Deron Williams lead the Nets and look to have this team poised for a playoff run. New look, new city, new players — can it all lead to new winning ways for the Nets? Both them and their new Brooklyn fans hope so.

7.    Milwaukee Bucks:

I really like this team and what they have done this season. They have beaten the Celtics three times and the Heat once and they look ready for the playoffs. Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis make a good backcourt duo for the Bucks and give them a tandem that teams don’t like to play against. The Bucks get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Fear the Deer!

8.    Philadelphia 76ers:

In a hard decision, I think the 76ers beat out the Atlanta Hawks for the eighth and final seed. The Sixers have hovered around the eighth seed all year and will be getting back big man Andrew Bynum after the all-star break. Bynum is a game-changer and I believe will really help the Sixers out. Although the Hawks have been very good this season, I think the Sixers will overtake them when it’s all said and done.

Notable Mentions: Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors

PREDICTIONS:

First Round:

1. Miami Heat vs. 8. Philadelphia 76ers: Heat in six

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 7. Milwaukee Bucks: Bulls in six

3. New York Knicks vs. 6. Brooklyn Nets: Knicks win the battle for New York in seven

4. Indiana Pacers vs. 5. Boston Celtics: Celtics in six

Semi Finals:

1. Miami Heat vs. 5. Boston Celtics

In the best series of the playoffs, I have this hard fought, mentally grinding series going to seven games with the Boston Celtics knocking off the reigning champions. Yes I know this is a crazy accusation (especially for a Laker fan), but I believe that the road struggles for the Heat will be the downfall of this years squad. I believe the Celtics can go into American Airlines Arena and still a game or two. This will be very difficult to do without Rondo, but these Celtics have a will to them, that you can’t describe. I may be wrong but Celtics in seven.

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 3. New York Knicks

Finally the Knicks get out of the first round, but its short served. I have the Bulls taking out the Knicks in six games. But it’s a promising sign for the Knicks to even win a playoff series. The Bulls head back to the Eastern Conference finals where they have a date with the green machine.

Conference Finals:

2. Chicago Bulls vs. 5. Boston Celtics

After the hard-fought series against the Heat, the Celtics finally run out of gas against a younger Bulls team, so I’m picking the Bulls in six. Kudos to the Celtics for making it this far without Rondo but the Bulls make it back to the finals for the first time since the Jordan era.

2013 Eastern Conference Champions: 2. Chicago Bulls

In my prediction, the Bulls make it back to the NBA Finals where they will meet up with the Los Angeles Lakers. Their defense, the return of Derrick Rose and the help of the Celtics knocking off the Heat, are what propel the Bulls back to the championship series. As I said for the Lakers, I’m not saying the Bulls will win the NBA title but they will be one of the last two teams standing.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtRYIoMYN1A

This was nothing new.

The reigning Big West Player of the Year averaged 19.8 points per game as a senior, finished as the Gauchos’ all-time leading scorer, sixth all-time in three point field goals and as the only player in school history to score 500 points three straight years. 

He entered his senior season on the James Naismith Award Watch List after showing well on last Summer’s U.S. National team during the World University Games. By mid-season he was on the watch list for the John R. Wooden award and projected as high as a mid to late first round draft pick. All three accomplishments drove his name through the ranks of NBA officials and placed a stamp of approval on the 23 year-old’s future as an NBA player.

Johnson’s 6’5″ frame is bound with tremendous hops and an NBA-ready pull up game. He can get himself open with his speed and for a player of his size, rebounds well off the miss.    

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWB9PLHdduo

The guard’s NBA dreams came to fruition last week drafted 36th to the Kings. After he was traded to the Indiana Pacers five minutes later, Johnson wasn’t phased.

According to this article by Adena Andrews of ESPN.com, Johnson said of the Pacers, “I got a chance to meet with their representatives. I really liked their style. I just want to get into the rotation.”

And I’m certain he will.

Considering the guards ahead of him: former Bearcat Lance Stephenson, Duke star Dahntay Jones and veteran Leandro Barbosa, that’s more than a realistic expectation. I expect the gifted scorer to make wavelengths in the Pacers’ sometimes offensively parched system. 

Johnson’s comparison to former Big West star, Lucious Harris, is encouraging. Harris spent eleven years in the NBA with four different teams. He was a catalyst off the bench as a rugged role player with an ability to hit a 15 to 20-foot jump shot. The Long Beach product’s best season came in 2002-2003 with the Jason Kidd-led New Jersey Nets, when he started 25 games and averaged 10.3 points per game. 

OJ just hopes to excel; suffering loss more than most people by the age of 13, losing his mother as an infant and then four family members the following year to a house fire. The next year after that he lost his grandmother. Basketball has been a safe haven for the Seaside, California guard, who according to UCSB coach Bob Williams, is “the hardest worker,” “coachable,” and “all about winning.”

At the euphonious center of everything are his four brothers, who according to the guard “took care of everything for me and the only job for me to do was to get my high school and college diploma.” That commitment to family is what makes Johnson’s progression into the NBA ranks so special. 

“When he’s selected,” said Johnson’s oldest brother Damon Sr,”I will look up and thank my mother and grandmother for ordering his steps, protecting and guiding him this far and letting them know that we finally made it.”    

In the Western Conference, the eighth-seeded Memphis Grizzlies went into the Alamo and took it to the top-seeded Spurs something fearsome in game one of their series. The Spurs were fortunate enough to even the series in game two, but Memphis came out with reckless abandonment in game three, to take a 2-1 series lead, headed by Zach Randolph’s 25 points, which included a clutch 3-pointer as time was expiring. Randolph had made a total of 8 3-pointers out of 43 attempts all season. Game four last night saw a virtual repeat of game three, as the underdog Grizzlies rode a second-half wave to take a commanding 3-1 lead in the series. Back to San Antonio the squads go, but the conclusion may already be foretold. Hold the ball and cry to the gods, Dikembe, we might very well be in for an epic upset once again.

The seventh-seeded New Orleans Hornets have more than surprised the second-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, They have hung in the series quite effectively, tying it at 2 games-apiece with game 5 back in Los Angeles tonight. The Lakers need a remedy to combat the virus that is the pick-and-roll penetration of Chris Paul. Look for Los Angeles to employ some sort of quasi-zone defense to affront this issue, and end up getting over, not only tonight, but back in Nola for game six, and eventually wrapping up the series and advancing. Kobe’s ankle issues could run the series to seven, but Bryant has always played through injuries such as this, and even given his advancing age, I see the Lakers lighting a fire and burning this series out in anticipation of the Dallas/Portland winner.

The third-seeded Dallas Mavericks melted down during game four on Saturday, blowing a 23-point, second-half lead en-route to allowing the Blazers to execute one of the greatest comebacks in NBA playoff history. Amidst a Brandon Roy 24-point performance, one in which he scored 18 points in the fourth quarter alone, Dallas wilted under the feverish pressure the Rose Garden puts on its visiting opponents. Game five back in Dallas saw the Mavericks man-up, behind the veteran Dirk Nowitzki’s 25 points and 8 rebounds, as the Mavs took a 3-2 series lead.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, who have been tabbed as the team that nobody wants to encounter in this year’s Western Conference playoff scene, have all but dominated the fifth-seeded Denver Nuggets in the first three games of the series. The three-headed monster of point-scorer Russell Westbrook, MVP-canidate Kevin Durant and defensive stalwart Kendrick Perkins have proven to be too much for Denver. The question here is not regarding this matchup, but rather whether or not Oklahoma City will prove as too much to any potential opponent for the remainder of the Western Conference tournament. Denver showed a glimmer of hope last night in a game four win, albeit with their collective backs against the wall, as Ty Lawson poured in 27 in a desperate effort, but expect the Thunder to close this mismatch out in five back home.

Top-seed Chicago is a popular pick in the Eastern Conference. However, a lot of “nay-sayers,” such as myself, believe that the greatness that is the Bulls relies entirely too much on one player. MVP-to-be Derrick Rose has shown an amount of vulnerability in the Bulls’ first round series versus the Indiana Pacers. Hired thugs such as Jeff Foster and Tyler Hansborough have beaten up the head of the snake, which has reaped some benefits for the Pacers, while not in victory, in the first three games. During game four, in which this tactic was imposed, the strategy proved positive. Now holding a 3-1 series lead, Chicago heads back home with a game five victory in their sights. While Indiana has a limited chance to last in this series, they have given future oppenents of the Bulls a gameplan on how to slow down the on-going trend of Rose. Look for Orlando or Atlanta in the next round, or Miami or Boston in the Eastern Conference Finals to employ the same schemes that Indiana has shown to help them strike an upset over the top seed.

The second-seeded star power of the Miami Heat have come out on fire versus the seventh-seeded Philadelphia 76ers. The Doug Collins-aimed Sixers came into the series with visions of upset dancing in their heads. These dreams quickly turned into a nightmare. There seemed to be more Wade to LeBron alley-oops than there were solid possessions by Philly. That being said, the Sixers didn’t lay down after a three games to none deficit, as they exuded their pride in a game four win, in which they finished the game on a 10-0 run resulting in victory. The series shifts back to Miami for game five Wednesday. While Miami will eventually advance, the lack of their ability to hit a shot in the clutch could prove as a vital hitch in future rounds.

Things were being said about the Celtics coming into the playoffs, most notably referring to how they could be over the hill, or that New York could cause them some issues. I don’t know why. Yes, Chauncey Billups was absent from this series, if you want to call it that, and Amare Stoudamire gave a half-hearted effort due to nagging injuries, but how closely the Knicks played Boston in the first three games should have reaped them at least one victory. Turns out it didn’t. Even Carmelo’s 42 in game two couldn’t salvage a “W.” The chowds ended up sweeping the Knicks on Sunday afternoon, but the Knicks are still, without a doubt, a work in process. The dominance of the Celtics shouldn’t be garnered as a true measuring stick because of this fact. Boston easily advanced to the next round, but New York will be a force to be reckoned with in years to come, given Carmelo, Amare, and their big-market money.

Pundits swore up and down that Orlando was the the squad to take out the supposed, over-hyped Chicago Bulls in the second round, but this foregone conclusion has absorbed a wrench in the works. The Hawks managed to steal one in Orlando, and have held court for both games back in Atlanta, to take a 3-1 series lead heading back to Disneyworld for game five. It seems upon the eventual, first-round defeat, the “Stan Van Jeremy, master-of-panic” regime should be reevaluated. Top-seed Chicago will have a much easier time with Atlanta than they will with Orlando and the threat that Dwight Howard presents. The Bulls may have just dodged a bullet if Atlanta wins out. Game five tips-off early today.

Enjoy, and check back in, because these NBA playoffs have shown us all that “seeds” mean little and desire reigns ultimate.