1. San Antonio Spurs...They were a shot away from winning it all last year. They've been the best team all season long this year. They had 30 road wins this year. There's not a team in this postseason that scares them...number 1 with a bullet if you ask me.
On a mission...
2. Miami Heat...This team is not as good as a season ago. LeBron's still LeBron. But how bad are Wade's knees? Who can be this year's Mike Miller? Are Shane Battier, Ray Allen, and Udonis Haslem basically done as relevant players? Can Odom and Beasily give them anything? At least the seeds fell in a way that they could potentially avoid Chicago and Brooklyn.
3. Oklahoma City Thunder...I've been tough on OKC all year, and I still think they can be outcoached, but KD is having the kind of season where he is probably good enough to carry the whole team on his back. Watch out for Russell Westbrook injuries/implosions though.
4. Indiana Pacers...Everyone's been on Indy's case of late, but this team is built for playoff basketball, and they still seem to play their best against the league's other best teams (see Miami and Oklahoma City). They also have home court advantage through the Conference Finals and play especially tough at home, so it's hard not to envision they at least make it that far.
5. Los Angeles Clippers...Probably the dark horse title contender right now, but if Blake Griffin gets dinged up again or regresses back to non-shooting Blake Griffin from last year's playoffs, they've got no shot.
6. Houston Rockets...I don't trust a Harden-Howard led team as far as I can throw them, but they do seem to match-up well with the Spurs at least, so I think they have to be taken seriously based on that aspect alone.
7. Memphis Grizzlies...How can the number 7 seed in the West be the number 7 team in the playoff power rankings? Well, have you seen their record since their oh-so-slow start when Marc Gasol was out of the lineup? Who would you rather have here? Toronto? Portland? Chicago? Get out of here!
8. Brooklyn Nets...Basically, my version of Memphis for the Eastern Conference. They have 1 of the best records in the league since the New Year though, and they have been Miami's kryptonite as well.
...but will they make it that far?
9. Portland Trailblazers...Love their starting 5. Love their home crowd. But I just don't think they have enough this year.
10. Golden State Warriors...Losing Bogut really hurts against the Clips, as he plays Griffin well. I expect an entertaining 1st Round series, but that should be as far as they go.
11. Toronto Raptors...The most overlooked, dismissed, disrespected 3-seed maybe in NBA history, and yet I kind of share the public's opinion with the Raps. Sorry, Canada.
12. Chicago Bulls...I so wanted to have them higher. They might be the most fun to watch bad offensive team ever, if there is such a thing, and they are going to give Indy a war in Round 2, but ultimately I think that lack of offense is their downfall. Start the Melo rumors now.
13. Dallas Mavericks...Dirk might average 35 a game against the Spurs in Round 1, but I just don't think he has enough help. Let's hope they can retool around him next season, as it would be a shame if this was Dirk's real last hoorah.
14. Washington Wizards...My Wizards are a nice story, but it's mindboggling to me that they are a 5-seed. I love you guys, but, seriously, what the f*** is wrong with the East?
15. Charlotte Bobcats...It will be fun to see Big Al jumphook Miami to death, but their Round 1 series should be over in 5.
16. Atlanta Hawks...I know they smashed the Pacers in Indy a few weeks ago, but Phoenix Suns' fans are collectively shaking their heads at the thought of them.
Damn, son.
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