Western Conference Playoff Prediction

If the season were to end today, here's what the playoffs would look like in the Western Conference:

1 SAS vs 8 MEM    4 OKC vs 5 DEN    3 LAL vs 6 POR    2 DAL vs 7 NOH           

If this were so, we'd be in for some quality games. The Griz are a good team and could pull off the upset, but if I were to make a full decision it would be the Spurs. The Thunder and Nuggets have been pretty equal as of late, but I would have to give this to the Thunder (in 7 games) simply because they have more talent. The Lakers should be pretty confident against the Blazers, based on their recent play. Finally, the Mavs and Hornets match up is a toss. The Mavs are the better team but they are very inconsistent. Their home records are almost the same, but the away games makes the difference, with the Hornets holding a losing record when visiting. This should be sufficient proof to say that the Mavs will take it.

Now we are left with:

1 SAS vs 4 OKC          3 LAL vs 2 DAL

Spurs against Oklahoma will be interesting. The Spurs will be favorites, and I would go with them winning the series. The Spurs are 3-0 this season against the Thunder. In their 3 wins, one game was a blowout, the second was a 10+ point win and the third was close. I know, I know, playoffs and regular season are different; but I just think that the Spurs will continue their successful play and take the series. The Lakers-Mavs should be entertaining. Both teams were fairly inconsistent throughout the season but the Lakers have been playing better as of late. I would give a slight edge to the Lakers but the Mavs could just as easily pull it off. It all depends on who is more ready to go come playoff time.

So we would be left with:

1 SAS vs 3 LAL

This is a very tough call. Both teams have a lot of confidence, have good records, and have beaten eachother this season. The Lakers lost to the Spurs at the buzzer earlier this season, but then blew out the Spurs in San Antonio, pretty recently. The Lakers will not lose at home but the Spurs hold home court advantage. If the Spurs were to win, it would be 4-3 win while the Lakers could take it in 6 or 7. This is a very tough call, but if we are looking at how teams have been playing as of late, I would have to go with the Lakers.

A Look Ahead

Just wanted to give the readers a little bit of information as to what is going on. After the first week, the site reached almost 1000 views (which is pretty good). NBA Blog Talk will keep providing readers with updates regarding the league, along with unbiased opinions and rankings (that are supported by facts of course).

This blog will also start providing readers with predictions based on how teams are playing. Playoff pictures and videos will soon be posted. The Power Rankings page has been updated today and you can check it out by clicking here. The MVP Rankings will be updated in one of the following days.

The blog will go from here and may feature podcasts in the future. Thanks to all the loyal readers and, hopefully, you keep coming back so that we can keep writing this blog.

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NBA Blog Talk

Bright Future for Philly

Firstly, I'd like to thank all the loyal readers. NBA Blog Talk has been up for a week now with around 1000 views. Not bad for the first week. Thank you all for reading, and keep coming back.

Out the 6 games played, 5 of the winners were visiting teams. The Lakers keep rolling, with a big win in ATL while the Heat get burned at home by the Blazers. These two games were big games and both meant a whole lot. But probably the biggest game of the night was the Sixers' win in Indiana.

The East has a weird playoff picture; Indiana is a losing team and has a big chance of making playoffs. With the Sixers' win, Philly has pretty much solidified its spot in the playoffs, with Indiana 6 wins behind Philly in the #8 spot.

Philly has a very talented team. They're young and inexperienced, but have a lot of potential. This year's playoffs will serve as a stepping stone for their young roster to learn what it's like. Chances are, they won't make it past the first round; the top 4 teams are too strong to let that happen. But, granted if they have a good summer, Philly could come back and surprise a lot of teams. Iguodala, Holiday, Turner and Williams are big players for the Sixers, who have a bright future a I would not be surprised if they make a push and make it to the second round next year. They have the players and they will have the experience.

A Day Full of Statements

A Sunday full of great match-ups. Many playoff statements were made; The Grizzlies get a win in Dallas, snapping the Mavs' win streak and showing why they belong in the playoffs; Chicago sweeps Miami, proving that they're one of the favorites in the East to make it to the Finals; New York beats the Hawks in Atlanta, showing what the future holds; and OKC beats the Suns, strengthening their playoff position.

But the biggest statement of the night, hate it or love it, was by the Lakers. The Lakers walked into San Antonio, who boasts the league's best record, and comes out with a 15-point win. The Lakers were led by Kobe and Gasol, who combined for 47, and Andrew Bynum's 17 boards. Odom also chipped in 15 points and dished out 6 assists. The Lakers, who have won their 7th straight game, are now only 1 win behind the Mavs and 6.5 wins behind San Antonio.

Sure it sounds like San Antonio is holding a huge lead in the West, but this win was not about who is going to finish first in the West, it's about who will go to the Finals. The Lakers, tonight, proved why they can go all the way for a 3-peat by beating the Spurs in San Antonio. People should also note that San Antonio has lost only 2 games at home before their loss to the Lakers.

The Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season. The All Star Game gave them the boost they needed to make a run, and extend it. Now, the Lakers are looking into finishing second in the West, make a run to the Western Conference Finals, where they will most likely face San Antonio. At this point, anything can happen.

Don't get it twisted though, it's not like the Lakers are counting on their offense to get them the championship. L.A. has been playing excellent defense as of late. The Lakers forced the Spurs to shoot 36% from the floor and 33.3% from behind the arc (just after the Spurs hit 17 3-pointers on Miami).

The statement the Lakers are making is simple: they are ready. They had a slow start to the season but are now building momentum going into the playoffs, where anything can happen.

Clippers On The Rise

With a win last night over the streaking Nuggets, the Clippers show why the future may be bright. With a team of talented young players, the Clippers can only move forward. Blake Griffin, if he stays healthy, could lead his team into the playoffs next year and maybe even look into getting to the second round.

Griffin, although a rookie, is a very mature player and he is only going to get better (believe it or not). And it is not like the Clippers have a weak supporting cast; Eric Gordon, Gomes, Kaman, Jordan, Foye, Bledsoe and Mo Williams are all major players in the game. The Clippers had a slow start this season and their chances of a playoff run are pretty much gone, but next year they are expected to make playoffs.

A team of their caliber should have no problem beating teams below .500 and even cause some upsets. They should use the remaining games this year to build for next season and mature as a team. That way, come November, they are ready and can play together. If all goes well for the Clippers, they will be a threat in years to come and could possibly make a run to the Finals one day.

Heat Extinguished; Lesson Learned

Two nights ago, the Heat were up on the Magic and lost a huge lead, allowing Orlando to hit 16 3-pointers. The next night, the Heat face the Spurs, and, this time, allow 17 3-pointers (a franchise best for San Antonio). In what was supposed to be a true test for the Heat's championship chances, the Heat failed miserably.

One thing was different, however, from the Magic game; the Heat were not up. The Spurs led the whole way down the stretch, extending there lead and getting the W. The Spurs showed the Heat how it is done. Plain and simple.

The Spurs had 8 players score in double figures with Ginobili leading the way with 20 and Parker chipping in 15 points and 8 assists in only 23 minutes of play. San Antonio shot over 56% and proved why they hold the #1 spot in the NBA. A fantastic display of basketball was executed by the Spurs in their home arena.

What can the Heat do? Keep their head up. There's still a lot of games left, they can still finish in the #1 spot in the East, and, if they can get some sort of run going, the could make a solid statement and make their way to the Finals. Anything is possible. They need to learn from their mistakes, and what a better way than watching their game against the Spurs again and taking notes.

The Heat will face trouble with the Bulls beating Orlando. The Bulls are on a killing spree and will take everybody out. There is no better time to be playing well than now. The Bulls, Lakers, Celtics, Mavs and Spurs are all taking advantage of that now.

Best Players on the Worst Teams

Hypothetically speaking, if all the winning teams suddenly disappeared, and the league were to continue going with all teams below .500, who would win the championship, and who would get MVP? I mean it is a valid question right? Lebron James himself said that some teams are so bad that the league should get smaller and eliminate at least 5 teams.

My guess, as to who those 5 teams that Lebron is thinking of, are Minnesota, Cleveland, Toronto, Washington and Detroit. Those teams have been losing for a while now (with the exception of Cleveland; although the losses this season has made up for their wins in recent years) and do not have a major fan-base. But if the opposite were to happen, and only the losing teams were to stay, we would be looking at the following scenarios:

Indiana would be facing Charlotte in the Eastern Conference finals, while Houston and Golden State would be battling it out in the West. Minnesota, Cleveland and Washington would continue losing and the Clippers could maybe even cause a few upsets and go to the Finals.

As far as MVP Rankings go, Kevin Love and Blake Griffin would be the first names to come to mind. Both players have been dominant all season long and have played in the All Star Game just a couple weekends ago. Both players work hard and hustle their way into getting their points and rebounds. Blake is more athletic but K-Love is more fundamental.

It’s a shame that players of such caliber are on losing teams. And it’s not like these teams were winning before and now hit a bump in the road, no, they have been losing for a while. Unfortunately, if those players wish to win games and possibly finish their career with a ring, they will have to leave their current teams. A lot of players have done that. Kevin Garnett, for instance, could not get it done until he moved to Boston and made friends with Pierce and Allen. Ron Artest, best defensive player in the league, joined the Lakers because he knew that if he wanted to win a ring, he would need to join a team that has offensive threats where he would not be the go-to-guy. What do you think Lebron and Bosh are doing? Everyone wants a ring and these players on losing teams will need to get traded or signed by good teams if they want to make some noise in their careers.

Players like John Wall, Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin, Tyreke Evans, Kevin Love, Steph Curry, Monta Ellis, Brandon Jennings, and so on, are going to need to get traded if they intend to win championships. Luckily, most of these guys are young and still have a ton of time to do something in their careers.

Thinking about these things really makes you wonder whether or not the league would be better without some of these teams. But that’s the fantastic thing about the NBA: it is unpredictable. Boston goes from worst to best in one year. Cleveland goes from best to worst. Quick changes and trades make all this possible. All it takes is a good general manager, a ton of risk and a lot of good luck. And then, maybe you will start the year with a ring ceremony.

A Lot of Magic in Florida

All eyes were on the state of Florida tonight. The Magic visited Miami, and the Heat were obvious favourites. The Heat jumped to a 24-point lead (which even non-basketball folk would know is a lot and would most likely guarantee an increase in the win column); but the Magic did not just roll over and give in. The Magic, led by Jason Richardson, hit 16 3-pointers in one of the most historic comebacks.

Two statements were made with tonight’s game: Orlando is ready for anyone and will play for 48 minutes, no matter what the score; and that the Heat will face trouble in playoffs. The Heat, at the start of the season, were favourites to win the championship. It has become clear since then that this is not the case. They are a contenders, no doubt, but are no longer favourites. They have not won a significant number of games against worthy opponents and have a tendency to choke, which was proved tonight. Miami clearly has issues at the point guard and center spots. They need to adjust their roster and have a consistent line-up.

The Heat will play the Spurs, Lakers and Bulls in the next week or so and will have a chance to prove themselves. The Spurs are Parker-less, and so the Heat should win that game. The streaking Lakers should be a good test for them and the game against Bulls may be a playoff preview. The Heat have their work cut out for them. If they want to live up to their expectations, they need to come together as a cohesive unit and figure out what their problems are. This is a bad time to lose to your biggest competition.

On the other hand, the Magic should use this momentum in their coming games and attempt to start a streak going into the playoffs. Once you get into the playoffs, nothing matters. Anything can happen come playoff time. Jason Richardson, Dwight Howard, Jameer Nelson and co. are playing very well together. They need to keep this up if they want to have a shot at reaching the Finals again.

Spurs Need To Keep Their Head Up

The San Antonio Spurs have been the best team in the league thus far. They sit atop the Western Conference with a league-best record of 50-11. They were the first team to reach 50 wins this season, and have been in 1^st place for almost the entire year. 

The Spurs’ success in the regular season, so far, has been due to the excellent play of Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Tim Duncan, as a cohesive unit. Also, much praise must be given to Richard Jefferson, Gary Neal and George Hill, who have all had a fantastic season thus far. Along with Matt Bonner and Antonio McDyess, the Spurs have had a solid rotation of players throughout the season.

All was going well until Tony Parker had injured his calf, just a few nights ago. The injury should keep Parker out for 4 weeks. The Spurs have 21 games left on their schedule, 7 of them against top 3 seeds from each conference: not good news for the Spurs. Aside from those 7 games, the Spurs are playing another 9 teams that are .500 or better. Even more bad news. 

With a hard upcoming schedule, the Spurs can expect to fall from 1^st place, although not far. With the Mavericks and Lakers, both boasting high win streaks, the top three will change and San Antonio will fall. Come playoff time, it may be too late for Tony Parker and the Spurs. It is the wrong time for a team like the Spurs to lose focus. The Lakers are playing their best basketball of the season, the Mavericks are back to their winning ways with a great roster (Nowitzki, Kidd, Marion, Stojakovic, all playing major roles), and the Thunder are becoming a major threat. 

With so much going on around the league, the Spurs last chance of a run to the Finals may fall short. The Spurs need to keep focus and work their best in attempt to make up for the absence of Tony Parker. They are still title contenders, but are no longer favorites. The next four weeks will show where the Spurs stand.

Why The Knicks and Magic Aren't Contenders

The New York Knicks and Orlando Magic are two of the most exciting teams to watch. The Knicks' Chauncey Billups, Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire are a fantastic trio and have proved, since the mega-trade, that they work extremely well together. The Magic, boasting the best defender of the league, and best center in the league, are electrifying. Filled with scorers, they have found a way to work together and are trying to make a run for the championship.

So if everything is so perfect for both teams, what's keeping them from going all the way in the East? Four words: Celtics, Heat, and Bulls. These three teams are exceeding expectations. They are unstoppable. These three teams will make the Eastern Semi-Finals. The question now becomes, who will join them? Will it be the Knicks or the Magic? The Hawks are not performing as well as they should have since January and they are not a serious contender, despite their incredible record (37-24).

The Magic (39-22) and Knicks (31-28) are 4th and 6th respectively. It is important to note that the Knicks trio have only played a few games together and their record is only going to get better. As good as these teams are, they will not make it to the finals. Even if one of these teams makes the semi-finals of the Eastern Conference and upsets one of the three favorites, the odds are against them in the Conference Finals.

The Heat, Celtics, and Bulls are playing too good right now to allow an upset. Dwayne Wade and Lebron James are playing well together; D-Rose is leading his team to more wins than was expected of them; and the Celtics, as usual, are playing their game and controlling the tempo. All three of these teams have made a stand and proved their worthiness. So what's left for the Magic and Knicks, looking in from behind? The future looks bright for both the Magic and Knicks; long-term, that is. It is almost impossible for either of these teams to make a run to the Finals.

Bulls Making a Statement

The bulls walked into Washington and owned the place. You could say they felt at home, beating the lowly Wizards by 28. The Bulls have the second highest home record in the league (26-4), behind San Antonio. Chicago now sits in 3rd place in the East, with the highest win streak in the top 6, two wins behind Boston and one behind Miami. Rose has made himself a clear candidate for this year's MVP and proves himself every night. His confidence on the court and trust for his teammates are the reasons why the Bulls are winning.

Rose is averaging almost 25 points, 8 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game. Rose is also arguably the best dunker from all point guards. It is scary to think about how young Rose is and how much better he will get. As long as Rose stays healthy and the Bulls keep playing the way they do, Chicago's basketball future will be very bright.

The Bulls are very serious championship contenders (along with the Spurs, Celtics, Heat, Mavs and Lakers). It is highly unlikely of the Bulls dropping any home games in the play-offs, so opponents will have to take care of business at home.

The Last Day of February

Five games were played to end the month of February.

The first game, featuring the Suns and the Nets (D-Will's first home game with the Nets), was more interesting than expected. The key of this game: bench points - Phoenix had 64 with Gortat leading the way with 17. D-Will had 13 points and 18 assists (playing with an injured wrist), but it was not enough to get past the Suns, who pulled away with a 104-103 victory in OT. Frye made a long 3-ball for the win the six seconds left on the ticker.

Chicago demolished the Wizards by 28. Rose and Boozer are working well together, should be scary for Boston and Miami. Nick Young, probably the brightest spot for the Wizards (aside from Wall) had 14 on the night. The Wizards' awful shooting percentage (35.6) is what kept them out of this game).

Denver beats ATL at home. No 'Melo, no problem. Nuggets are 3-1 without Carmelo, with a big win over the Celtics. J.R. Smith with 19 on the night.

In the final two games of the night, Boston grabbed a W in Utah, but the Jazz did not make it easy. Boston is still #1 in the East, while the hurting Jazz are falling down the standings winning just 2 of the previous 10 games. Meanwhile, Cousins and Griffin were battling it out in their game, both of whose teams have no realistic chance of making the playoffs this year. Sacramento came away with the home win with cousins dropping 29. Griffin also had a monstrous night with 27, 12 & 4.

The Beginning

NBA Blog Talk is an up and coming daily blog that will cover everything going on in the NBA. Our purpose is to provide readers with the league's most important updates and summaries of the games. Stay tuned. More, coming soon.