The NBA off season is at the calm of the storm, where the focus of sports fans is turned to football, or the final push for the professional baseball season. It's that point when hard core NBA fans are just beginning to tire of the discussion over the slew of trades that happened within the last month or so, and are about ready to see what happens on the court. For those fans, the two to three month wait that still remains will be killer.
This season will be different than those of recent years, with a fresh new list of elite teams hoping to challenge for the NBA title. The Los Angeles Lakers have raised the bar by adding Ron Artest and retaining Lamar Odom, and many others have pulled triggers on trades and free agent signings in hopes of keeping up.
Like anything based on best guesses, predictions really don't mean much in the grand scheme of things, other than perhaps providing entertainment to those caught in this calm of the NBA off season. For those fans, these predictions may spark enough conversation to get them through the wait.
With that in mind, here's how the Western Conference may look this season:
Northwest Division
Predicted finishes:
- Portland Trail Blazers 56-26
- Denver Nuggets 53-29
- Utah Jazz 44-38
- Oklahoma City Thunder 29-53
- Minnesota Timberwolves 22-60
The Trail Blazers should only get better from this point on. Greg Oden is looking to prove he can be an impact player in this league, and he's certainly shown flashes now and again. The Blazers have depth, and adding Andre Miller to the mix should free up Brandon Roy more often, and raise the confidence level of this young club. Chauncey Billups proved to be just what the Nuggets needed last season, but losing Linas Kleiza will hurt a little. Arron Afflalo is better than people realize, and if Ty Lawson could develop a jump shot, he could be a suitable backup for Billups. Still, they may need someone else to step up to catch the up and coming Blazers.
Midwest Division
Predicted finishes
- San Antonio Spurs 55-27
- Dallas Mavericks 52-30
- New Orleans Hornets 46-36
- Houston Rockets 41-41
- Memphis Grizzlies 24-58
While the Spurs shouldn't have much problem winning this division, there will always be a question of injury when it comes to their old roster. Still, with a lineup that includes Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, with new additions of Richard Jefferson and Antonio McDyess, San Antonio seems like the best bet to challenge the Lakers in the West. The Mavericks' addition of Shawn Marion is interesting. He should fit well with Dirk Nowitzki, as he's capable of playing both forward positions. That being said, it will make things interesting for Josh Howard, who hasn't had much luck in the past at the shooting guard position. The Hornets made a smart move trading Tyson Chandler for Emeka Okafor, but it does leave them in a pickle at the center position. Okafor has always been an undersized center. Moreover, the Hornets have yet to address their depth issue on the perimeter. The Rockets are in trouble without Yao Ming this season. The only reason they may make the playoffs is because of the tough nature of their veterans, like Luis Scola and Shane Battier, and the emergence of Aaron Brooks. Oh, and having a coach with a history of overachieving doesn't hurt either.
Pacific Division
Predicted finishes:
- LA Lakers 67-15
- Phoenix Suns 44-38
- LA Clippers 39-43
- Golden State Warriors 33-49
- Sacramento Kings 22-60
The Lakers are coming into this season with confidence after winning an NBA title. Now they're looking to be a dynasty team. Not only have they kept the majority of their roster, but they've added Ron Artest, which is a significant upgrade over Trevor Ariza. They are officially the team to beat. The Phoenix Suns will be fun to watch again without Shaquille O'Neal slowing down the offense, but they won't win many games. The Clippers are better than last year's record by a lot. If they can stay healthy, it wouldn't be shocking to see them in the playoff hunt. Top draft choice Blake Griffin should be an instant hit in LA, reviving the constantly disappointed fans.
2010 Western Conference Playoff Predictions:
First Round:
1 Los Angeles Lakers vs 8 Phoenix Suns (Lakers in four)
2 San Antonio Spurs vs 7 Utah Jazz (Spurs in five)
3 Portland Trail Blazers vs 6 New Orleans Hornets (Blazers in seven)
4 Denver Nuggets vs 5 Dallas Mavericks (Nuggets in seven)
Second Round:
1 Los Angeles Lakers vs 4 Denver Nuggets (Lakers in five)
2 San Antonio Spurs vs 3 Portland Trail Blazers (Spurs in six)
Semifinal Round:
1 Los Angeles Lakers vs 2 San Antonio Spurs (Lakers in six)
