The playoff race is heating up! LeBron’s on fire, Rose is still coming back from injury and to top that they have an upcoming game, with the Heat sitting 2 1/2 games behind the Bulls. Of course the Heat have to be the favorite in the East going into the playoffs, they’re loaded! But, are we gonna see the same old LeBron from last year?? Only time will tell, but there’s way more stories to the playoffs other than that!
Of course you’ve got your perennial locks in the NBA playoffs. Eastern Conference is pretty set, Bulls, Heat, Hawks, Celtics, Magic like usual. The surprising Pacers have held their own and fought their way to the playoffs (first time since 06′). Then you have the rest and who knows who’s actually going to get in. With about 5-7 games left for the majority of the teams, the last two spots are up for grabs. You’ve got the Knicks and the 76er’s sitting at 31-29, but the lurking Bucks are only two games behind.
The 76er’s have fallen quickly after staying pretty strong for most of the year and are barely in the eight spot. They’ve gone 3-7 in the past ten and have the Bucks heating up right behind them. Monta Ellis has brought some fire to the team as he and Brandon Jennings are making a pretty solid 1,2 punch. Then we have the Knicks, who knows what to expect from them. Hot n’ Cold, Carmelo is red hot, but tons of injuries and I just can’t see them getting it together even if they make the playoffs. Your guess is as good as mine, but I think it’s gonna stay where it is. The Bucks have a tougher schedule left and Knicks as sketchy as they are, have no quit in them. Maybe next year Bucks!!
Western conference is stacked full of talented teams and only four spots are set in stone. Again a lot of usual suspects in the West, San Antonio, OKC, Los Angeles Lakers, but wait!!! That other L.A. team made the playoffs!! CP3 made a big difference this year teaming up with Blake Griffin and the Clips find themselves in the fourth spot currently!! Five through Eight, wiiiiiiiide open! Memphis, Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, Houston and Utah are all within four games of each other! Memphis is getting healthy at the right time, I’d lock them into the playoffs. Denver as well, great point guard play and now they have a younger, healthier big man in JaVale McGee since trading away Nene.
Oh the woes of the Mavericks! Are they going to pull it together and get into the playoffs?? The champs look pretty weak as of late. At least they’re done with the Odom plague and don’t have to worry about his whining and terrible shooting percentage! Phoenix is getting hot at the right time too, old man Nash seems to never age! He’s looking like he drank from the fountain of youth in the offseason. I believe Houston is finally done, not enough players to pull them in, they’ve been slowly dropping over the past month. Then Utah. . . . in and out of the eighth spot for the past month. They’ve got the big men to hold strong down low, but guard play is well. . . non existent! Devin Harris shows up once every twenty games, that’s not enough!! I think Dallas and Phoenix hold on to seven and eight.
It’s definitely going to be a great show this year! Star studded lineups, some young, some old! But, most of the same old teams will be back in action come playoff time!! Anything can happen! We could have a battle of the youngbloods with OKC vs. the Baby Bulls or the rumble in the retirement home, San Antonio vs. Boston. Who knows we could have what everyone wants to see LeBron, Dwayne, and Kobe battling it out for the NBA Championship!!
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