On Saturday, April 28 the NBA playoffs 2012 are starting. It was a chaotic and incredibly intense regular season so it’s more difficult than ever to make predictions. The break between the regular season and playoffs is just a day and several major players aren’t in perfect conditions making it even more difficult to see what’s going to happen.
Let’s have a look at the teams with the best positions in the two conferences.
Eastern Conference
Chicago Bulls
Despite Derrick Rose’s injury, they won the Eastern Conference for the second straight year. Obviously, the playoffs are a different matter and we’ll have to see if Derrick Rose will be able to get fit in time for the games that really matter. In my opinion, everything will be decided in the conference finals against the Miami Heat.
Miami Heat
This season had fewer ups and downs of the previous one yet the Miami Heat still don’t convince. Don’t get me wrong, they’re the favorites to win the NBA title yet they always seem to find a way to create problems on their own. The pressure on them will be huge and if they don’t win the title this year the James-Wade-Bosh experiment could be a failure.
Indiana Pacers
They are the surprise of the season. The team has several good players but no superstars at the level of their competitors. The first round against the Orlando Magic – a team with internal problems, especially between Dwight Howard and coach Stan Van Gundy – but potentially very strong. If they pass a round in the playoffs they can be satisfied.
Boston Celtics
Despite the advanced average age, especially for the Big Three, in the end they had a good placement in the playoffs again. They have the fourth seed only because they won their division but the Atlanta Hawks will have the field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. The Celtics are in my opinion favorites because they’re veterans while the Hawks always seem to disappoint but then they’ll lose the Conference semifinal.
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Western Conference
San Antonio Spurs
I honestly thought that with Tim Duncan’s decline the team would have a decent season but nothing more. My mistake! Coach Popovich has once again shown he didn’t win NBA titles just because he has Tim Duncan and some other great players. Despite Manu Ginobili’s physical problems the San Antonio Spurs have won once again the Western Conference. If they have enough energy they could have great playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder
This was supposed to be the year of the confirmation for the Thunder and it was only partially. In the coming playoffs there will be pressure on them because at this point they’re expected to reach at least the NBA Finals. If they can get some confidence during the playoffs they can even win the title.
Los Angeles Lakers
It was a very difficult season for the Lakers. The acquisition that quickly went up in smoke of Chris Paul, the trade of Lamar Odom, the various physical problems for Kobe Bryant, all problems that almost overshadowed the fact that Phil Jackson isn’t coaching the team anymore. In the recent game against the Thunder, World Peace Metta had the brilliant idea of elbowing an opponent getting a seven games disqualification. The playoffs will be very hard and could be very short for the Lakers, who are facing the strong Denver Nuggets in the first round.
Memphis Grizzlies
Last year they were the surprise of the playoffs and this season they got good placement again. They could defeat any opponent theoretically superior to them again and this time it wouldn’t be such a big surprise. The first round against the Los Angeles Clippers, however, won’t be easy but it will depend very much on Chris Paul’s conditions.
More than ever in these playoffs there may be surprises from the first round so pay attention to all games because there will be fun!
