2012 NBA Predictions

NBA Predictions Sure To Go Wrong

I watched preseason basketball. I watched a lot of it. I'm kind of ashamed to admit it but I did it for you. In the past I've shied away from the preseason because nobody plays hard and you usually end up seeing low draft picks and future NBDL players on the court by the middle of the 3rd quarter. However, when I saw last season's MVP Derrick Rose driving to the lane in the 4th quarter against the Indiana Pacers I figured I should be attention.

Yes it was painful to watch the Golden State Warriors play the Sacramento Kings but I endured it. While watching I came to some conclusions about what will happen. I can't promise all of this will come true, I'm sure most won't but I know one thing for sure.That was no ordinary preseason and this will be a season unlike one we have seen.

The Boston Celtics are old and tired but they are not done...yet. Kevin Garnett already sounds like a grumpy old guy. He is complaining about training camp being too short saying it does not give enough time for teams to form a chemistry needed to contend for an NBA title. Kevin is also pulling your leg. He wants you to write off the veteran club. Keep saying they are too old and can no longer compete with the powerful Miami Heat and energetic Chicago Bulls. The short camp works in favor of a team whose nucleus has been together for multiple seasons now. 66 games will be tough but Doc Rivers will rest his players and they will be focused for one more run knowing this is their swan song. Prediction: A trip to the Eastern Conference Finals
The Los Angeles Clippers will be fun to watch, much improved but they are still not the best team in their own city. Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are depleted, upset, confused and fired up for the season. Chris Paul made Tyson Chandler an offensive force at one point; he will make DeAndre Jordan and Blake Griffin permanent residents on nightly highlight reels. However, the team is still lacking a shooting guard and last time I checked Vinny Del Negro is still the Head Coach. Paul Gasol is probably hurt over the trade talks, we know Kobe Bryant is upset over the front office moves and impending divorce and can they even put Metta World Peace on the back of a jersey? If Mike Brown thought coaching LBJ in Cleveland was rough wait until the bright lights in Hollywood come one. Jack Nicholson yelling at you is only cool in the first game but it gets old real quick. With that said, the Lakers will be hungry and their superstar will play with a fire and ferocity needed to carry them a long way. Prediction: Clippers are ousted in the first round and the Lakers make the Western Conference Finals.
Derrick Rose is exciting. He stepped his game up last season beyond what anybody expected from him. He willed his young Bulls team and first year Head Coach to the best record in the NBA and their first visit to the Eastern Conference Finals since some guy name Jordan called the United Center home. Can they get over the hump? Is Richard Hamilton enough to get them past the Miami Heat? Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah both struggled at the end of last season and the playoffs due to injuries. Both say they are healthy this year but the tough rigorous schedule will take a toll on their young MVP. The Bulls did not get him enough help and teams will zero in on him more than ever. Prediction: Bulls will not make it past the 2nd round.
The city of New York is clamoring for their Knicks to finally take the next step. They have their two superstars and a high powered offense. They signed Tyson Chandler to block shots and get rebounds because AmareStoudemire won't do it. Oklahoma City still has the bitter taste in their mouth from getting rolled by the Dallas Mavericks and they have bright expectations. Both teams are exciting to watch with a ton of star power but only one will be playing for the NBA Finals. The Knicks still don't play defense and Baron Davis at point guard is not going to scare anybody except the training staff with his ballooning weight and random injuries. Russell Westbrook will be the point guard the Thunder need. Durant can score at will and they might be the deepest team in the league who just so happens to play defense. Prediction: Knicks out in the 2nd round, Thunder in the NBA Finals.
Other random teams like Memphis, Atlanta, San Antonio and Orlando all fit in the same boat. Solid teams who will get beat in the playoffs by better talent. Prediction: You won't remember what any of them did because it really didn't matter.

Forward Derrick Williams (23) of the Arizona Wildcats during the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship between the UConn Huskies and the Arizona Wildcats at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.

What about the two teams we saw in the NBA Finals last year? The evil empire will be back and better than ever. If Lebron James is Darth Vader does that make Chris Bosh BobaFett? Dirk Nowitzki got the choke monkey off his back last year and he has a new versatile side kick in Lamar Odom. We all remember The Chosen One disappearing in the 4th quarters of the finals last year. We heard the jokes and criticism. Guess what? So has he. Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh both did what they could but the team's best player did not come through. That will change. Dirk and Cuban have their rings, Kidd is older and even though Odom helps they lost two key components in Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barrea. They will be very good but will take a step back. Prediction: Mavs out in the 2nd round and Miami will make it to the NBA Finals.
The NBA Finals should and will be entertaining. The star power between the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder will set up a fairly even matchup on paper. Yes Miami has the three headed monster but Durant's crew is deep with Westbrook, a healthy Kendrick Perkins, talented big man Serge Ibaka and lights out scorer James Harden. It could come down to home court advantage but it will come down to sheer talent and will. Lebron will be on another level this season. This is the year it finally clicks in his head and he will be King James. Prediction: Miami Heat over Oklahoma City Thunder in six games.