The Battle for Eighth in the West
The battle for the last playoff spot in the Western Conference will be fought between two teams, the Utah Jazz and the Phoenix Suns. Currently, Utah has a one game lead. The Jazz are led by point-guard Deron Williams (19.2 PPG, 10 APG) and center Mehmet Okur (17.8 PPG, 8.4 RPG). Their season appeared to be in trouble when their star power-forward Carlos Boozer went down with an injury, but Paul Millsap (14.7 PPG, 9.2 RPG) has filled in admirably. Speaking of Boozer, the Jazz expect him back shortly, and his return should give them a big boost heading down the stretch. As for the Phoenix Suns, they are led by point-guard Steve Nash (13.8 PPG, 9.8 APG), power-forward Amar'e Stoudemire (21 PPG, 8.1 RPG), and center Shaquille O'neal (17.3 PPG, 8.9 APG). Their talent has not meshed well, however, they have a lot of problems defensively, and they appear to be a team in transition. Earlier this season, they traded Raja Bell and Boris Diaw to the Bobcats for Jason Richardson, there are currently trade rumors involving Amar'e Stoudemire and Shaquille O'neal, and they just fired head coach Terry Porter and replaced him with assistant Alvin Gentry. Given all that, the Jazz have to be considered the favorites to grab the last playoff spot out West.
The Battle for Eighth in the East
The battle for the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference is a little more complicated than in the West. The Milwaukee Bucks currently hold the eighth seed but there are four teams within 3.5 games. It is time to take a look at the five teams and evaluate their chances.
Milwaukee Bucks - Depleted by Injuries
The Milwaukee Bucks are eighth right now, but they have been depleted by injuries as of late. Shooting-guard Michael Redd is out for the season, center Andrew Bogut may be out for the season, and point-guard Luke Ridnour is out four weeks. Forwards Richard Jefferson (17.8 PPG) and Charlie Villanueva (15.7 PPG) have stepped their games up to compensate for the injuries, but it will be very difficult for this team to hang on to the eighth spot with all the players they have out.
New York Knicks - Consistently Inconsistent
The New York Knicks are currently 3.5 games out of the last playoff spot. They are led by center David Lee (16.4 PPG, 11.8 RPG) but he is not a true go-to-guy and they have had a lot of trouble finishing games. They have been inconsistent, they've had some good wins but they've had more disappointing losses. It is hard to see the Knicks making the playoffs.
Chicago Bulls - Talent that has not Meshed
The Chicago Bulls are 2 games back. They are a talented team, led by guards Ben Gordon (20.4 PPG) and former number one pick in the draft Derrick Rose (17 PPG). Their talent has not meshed well, however, and they've been headed in the wrong direction the last couple of years. Unless this talented group learns to play as a team, it'll be tough for them to make the playoffs.
Charlotte Bobcats - Offensively Challenged
The Charlotted Bobcats are 3.5 games out. They are a team in transition. This season, they've traded away their leading scorer, Jason Richardson, and former first-round draft-pick Adam Morrison. They have no go-to-guy and they are dead-last in the NBA in scoring at 92.2 PPG. This team simply does not have enough offense to make the playoffs.
New Jersey Nets - The Smart Pick for the Eighth Spot
The New Jersey Nets are just 1 game back. They have gotten a break-out year from first time All-Star Devin Harris (21.8 PPG, 6,5 APG). They've also gotten very good years from veteran shooting-guard Vince Carter (20.9 PPG, 4.9 APG) and rookie-of-the-year candidate Brook Lopez (12.3 PPG, 8.3 RPG) and his numbers are much higher since being inserted as the full-time starter. Free-agent acquisitions Keyon Dooling and Jarvis Hayes have made solid contributions off the bench for this team. For some reason, though, the Nets have struggled at home this year. They are just 11-16, but with their talent, they should be able to turn things around and make a strong pust into the playoffs in the second half.
There are many factors that could impact the playoff races (trades, injuries etc.), but all things being equal, one would expect the Utah Jazz to get the eighth seed out West and the New Jersey Nets to get the eighth seed in the East. Regadless of what happens, the playoff races should make for an entertaining second half of the NBA season.
