2010-11 NBA picks

NBA win totals – my 80-81 game picks, (no one’s played more than 2 games yet) plus the playoffs, MVP and ROY.

Explanations for the picks coming in a later post.

Eastern Conference:

Ranked by Division – first, the Atlantic
1 Boston
Prediction: 50-32, 1st in Atlantic Division, 3rd seed in Eastern Conference

2 Philly
Prediction: 34-48, 2nd in Atlantic Division, 10th in Eastern Conference

3 NJ
Prediction: 31-51, 3rd in Atlantic Division, 11th in Eastern Conference

4 NYK
Prediction: 28-54, 4th in Atlantic Division, 12th in Eastern Conference

5 Tor
Prediction: 16-66, 5th in Atlantic Division, 15th in Eastern Conference

Southeast
1 Orlando
Prediction: 62-20, 1st in Southeast Division, 1st in Eastern Conference

2 Miami
Prediction: 57-25, 2nd in Southeast Division, 2nd in Eastern Conference

3 Atlanta
Prediction: 54-28, 3rd in Southeast Division, 5th seed in Eastern Conference (but 3rd best record)

4 Charlotte
Prediction: 40-42, 4th in Southeast Division, 8th in Eastern Conference

5 Wash
Prediction: 20-62, 5th in Southeast Division, 14th in Eastern Conference

Central
1 Chicago
Prediction: 48-34, 1st in Central Division, 4th in Eastern Conference

2 Milwaukee
Prediction: 44-38, 2nd in Central Division, 6th in Eastern Conference

3 Cleveland
Prediction: 41-41, 3rd in Central Division, 7th in Eastern Conference

4 Indiana
Prediction: 37-45, 4th in Central Division, 9th in Eastern Conference

5 Detroit
Prediction: 27-55, 5th in Central Division, 13th in Eastern Conference


Western Conference:

Northwest
1 Portland
Prediction: 55-27, 1st in Northwest Division, 1st in Western Conference

2 OKC
Prediction: 52-30, 2nd in Northwest Division, 3rd in Western Conference

3 Denver
Prediction: 49-33, 3rd in Northwest Division, 6th seed in Western Conference (but 5th best record)

4 Utah
Prediction: 38-44, 4th in Northwest Division, 11th in Western Conference

5 Minn
Prediction: 31-51, 5th in Northwest Division, 14th in Western Conference

Southwest
1 San Antonio
Prediction: 54-28, 1st in Southwest Division, 2nd in Western Conference

2 Dallas
Prediction: 50-32, 2nd in Southwest Division, 5th seed in Western Conference (but 4th best record)

3 Houston
Prediction: 45-37, 3rd in Southwest Division, 7th in Western Conference

4 NOrl
Prediction: 42-40, 4th in Southwest Division, 8th in Western Conference

5 Memphis
Prediction: 41-41, 5th in Southwest Division, 9th in Western Conference


Pacific:
1 LA Lakers
Prediction: 46-36, 1st in Pacific Division, 4th seed in Western Conference

2 LA Clippers
Prediction: 40-42, 2nd in Pacific Division, 10th in Western Conference

3 Golden St
Prediction: 36-46, 3rd in Pacific Division, 12th in Western Conference

4 Phoenix
Prediction: 35-47, 4th in Pacific Division, 13th in Western Conference

5 Sacto
Prediction: 27-55, 5th in Pacific Division, 15th in Western Conference


Playoffs: East: Homecourt advantage prevails as Orlando, Miami, Boston, and Atlanta win their first round; Orlando pummels Atlanta and the Heat outlast Boston; Orlando and Dwight Howard win the all –Florida conference finals.

West: Portland, Spurs, OKC and Lakers prevail in round one; Lakers upset Portland and Tim Duncan’s injury means the Thunder get by in round two; young Thunder and old Lakers meet in the Western finals. Ron Artest body slams Durant, Bynum is healthy, and the Lakers get their act going for one last hurrah into the Finals.

Finals: Orlando meets the Lakers in a repeat matchup of the finals from 2 years ago; but the outcome is different, as Phil is denied the 4th threepeat and the Magic win the title.

MVP: Dwight Howard
ROY: Blake Griffin

LeBron's future and NBA conference finals picks

As the playoffs started, I thought the NBA Finals would be Cavs-Suns, with the Cavs overwhelming the Magic in the Eastern finals and the Suns taking out the Lakers. Well, I have 3 of 4 correct.... but everyone else is discussing the one I (and most people) had wrong, as LeBron's Cavs are out and his free agency rumors are rampant. I suspect that LeBron will leave unless somehow the Cavs can make a dramatic acquisition to shore up the two spots they obviously have defensive/ offensive problems, PG and C. The only plausible deal that addresses what they need pre-draft and pre-free agency would be to deal Varejao and Hickson (the only two players with any desirability to other teams) along with Mo Williams and cap filler (probably J. Moon)to the Clippers for Kaman and Baron Davis. The Clippers would do it because their m.o. is to trade older expensive players for younger, cheaper ones, and a rotation of Blake Grffin and Eric Gordon and DeAndre Jordan plus the newcomers could actually have a nice future. The Cavs, meanwhile, could have a nice 7-man rotation of Kaman, Jamison, LeBron, Parker, and Davis as starters, with Delonte West and possibly a re-signed Shaq or Z off the bench. Of course, if LeBron would re-sign for this, one might wonder why wouldn't he just go sign with the Clippers....

Anyway, my picks: I think Bynum is hurting and will be exposed against the Suns tendency to play a 5 who moves a lot, even beyond the 3-pt line (Frye), and Phil Jax will end up going with Gasol and Odom as his primary frontcourt. That said, I think Nash vs Fisher is the key to the series; and I'm afraid this will be Derek's last rodeo, as Nash abuses his slowed defensive positions and Derek cannot make enough shots to force Nash to stay home on defense. With the series on the line, Kobe and his busted fingers will shoot 7 for 28 and the Suns will prevail in 6 games.

In the East, Orlando looks like an unstoppable juggernaut, as lost in the dismissal of the Hawks as gaggers was just how well Orlando played. Boston will face a far better coach this round, and Dwight Howard is the matchup problem Shaquille O'Neal has only a dim memory of being. Orlando in 5.