In the First half of the season we have seen teams risen from the bottom of the barrel to competing for higher seeds and playoff births. Teams like Minnesota, Indiana, Philadelphia, Memphis, LA (Clippers), and Houston are playing at very high levels respectively. these teams are exceeding expectations from last year and are getting better game by game. Also in the first half we have seen Superstars put up gaudy numbers, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant put up 4 straight 40 point games at age 33 which made him the oldest to do so,
LeBron James is once again averaging almost a triple-double,
Kevin Durant has a league high of 51 points, and Dwight Howard is once again owning the glass with nearly 16 rebs. a game.
This season has also introduced us to some rising stars , yes we all know about the kid from NY known as Linsanity, but we also found out that the Spanish Prodigy point guard Ricky Rubio is legit. Don't worry Cavs Fans, Kyrie Irving will save the day... eventually.
With all that being said, the 2nd Half of the season is finally upon us and here my predictions leading into the playoffs.
The trade deadline is creeping up and here are my players that are potentially on the move. Orlando Magic center Dwight Howard has been thinking about getting out of Orlando since the team lost its first round playoff series against the Atlanta Hawks in the 2011 Playoffs. Every other week its a different interview about staying and leaving. He is the most dominate center in the NBA and the Magic could not afford to lose another great big man (Shaq) and get nothing out of it. If they do decide to move Howard I think he will suit up either in New Jersey via trade, LA Lakers via Trade, or to the Dallas Mavericks through Free Agency. Another Player who is on the move is Nets Guard Deron Williams. Williams is a top 5 Point Guard in this league and he is in his contract year. I believe he will end up in a different uniform come the trade deadline , a team in desperate need of a PG, possibly the Lakers or even the Dallas Mavs. Pau Gasol is also on trade watch, although he prefers to stay in LA, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is known for making drastic moves at the deadline to make the Lakers a serious contender. Pau Gasol could be moved for a up and coming point guard or another big such as a package deal that would send Dwight to the Lakers. Some other players that on the trading block include: Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo, Monta Ellis, Wesley Matthews, and Steve Nash. With the second half here, teams are looking to put every piece of the puzzle together and either keep doing what they're doing or try to make a playoff push.
Here are my predictions for the top seeds in each conference ....
Eastern Conference: The Miami Heat (27-7)
They are the fastest and most explosive team in the East, headlined with three all-stars, the Heat are looking even better than they did in their playoff run to the finals last year. They have a much improved bench than last year and with one of the best defenses in the East, they can match up with any team.
Western Conference: The San Antonio Spurs (24-10)
The Wiley old veterans are back and are seeking revenge from their first round exit vs the Grizzlies in last years playoffs. Lead by potential MVP candidate Tony Parker, the Spurs have added some young fresh legs to help them run and gun down the court. Kawhi Leonard, James Anderson, and Thiago Spiltter have really given the team a spark and picked up the slack while Manu Ginobili was out with a broken arm. Expect the Spurs depth and experience to take the top seed in the West.
Here are my predicitons for the 8th seed in each conference....
Eastern Conference: The New York Knicks (17-18)
Knicks fans were expecting huge improvements this year by adding defensive force Tyson Chandler, rookie guard Iman Shumpert and Veteran point guard Baron Davis. Yet the Knicks really struggled out of the gate with bad losses and injuries. A desperate Mike D'Antoni turned to his bench and got a huge lift from none other than Jeremy Lin. With Lin at point guard the Knicks have won 7 out of the last 10 games heading into the ASW. The Knicks have also added depth to the bench with lights out shooter J.R. Smith. I believe this team has enough talent to win with Carmelo, Amare, and a solid cast of scorers. But they really need to commit to the defensive end this half of the season to actually contend in the playoffs.
Western Conference : The Denver Nuggets (18-17)
The Nuggets are a very interesting team coming into the second half of the season. They started off white hot with some huge wins and great play from Danilo Galinari and Ty Lawson. But since their 6 game winning streak in mid - January, the Nuggets have really been struggling, they lost Galinari to injury who was their leading scorer. Although they are second in the NBA in scoring the Nuggets get into a lot of shootouts with teams. If they can improve defensively this team is very deep and can make a run for anyones money in the playoffs.
The second half of the season also means regular season awards, which players will be taking home the hardware... here are my predictions.
Most Improved Player : Ryan Anderson (Orlando Magic)
The 6'10 PF/C has been shooting the lights out for Orlando and has career highs in PPG with 16.1 and RPG with 7pg. Hes a very important piece for the Magic by stretching the floor and making it easier for Dwight Howard to get inside. Anderson is a sharpshooter for the Magic a team known for hitting the long ball, he is shooting over 43% for the season. Look for Anderson to continue his fantastic season down the stretch.
Sixth Man of the Year : James Harden (OKC Thunder)
What a luxury for the Thunder to have a player like James Harden coming off the bench. He is their 3rd leading scorer and plays starters minuets yet prefers his role sparking his team up by coming off the bench. He can do it all for the Thunder on both sides of the court, at times he is their best passer and ball handler. Harden is putting up 16.3 ppg along with 3 assists and 4 rebs per game. Mr. Fear the Beard is also shooting 37% from the arc and shooting 85% from the charity stripe which is key in late-game situations. James Harden could be a starter on almost every team in the NBA.
Defensive Player of the Year : Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic)
Shocked? Well you shouldn't be Superman has owned almost everyone on the defensive end of the court. Dwight has three-peat'd with the DPOY hardware. I honestly think he could win this every year for the next 8 years. His combination of strength, hand quickness, athleticism, and length make him the best protector of the rim. I do not see anyone challenging him for the award. He is averaging over 2 blocks per game and almost 2 steals a game as well.
Rookie Of the Year : Kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers)
This years rookie draft class has been considered weak, but Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving has not disappointed anyone. He is the future of the Cavs organization, he was Cleveland's first overall pick since LeBron James. He is leading all rookie guards in scoring with 18.1 ppg and he is dishing out over 5 assists as well. Irving is making the Cavs a competitive team out east , in fact they are fighting with the Boston Celtics and the NY Knicks for the last playoff spot. Irving is a lights out 3 point shooter as well shooting over 40% from downtown. I expect him to have a very bright future in Cleveland.
Coach of the Year : Doug Collins (Philadelphia 76ers)
Doug Collins has re-energized the city of Philadelphia and its basketball team. He has made the Sixers a legit Eastern Conference contender. With improved play from point guard Jrue Holiday and first time All-Star Selection Andre Igoudala the 76ers are a team no one would want to play in the playoffs. Collins has made them commit to defense and has a deep roster with multiple weapons who can score. He has the ability to maximize his players potential and has so much fire and heart which is contagious to his team. Nobody expected the Sixers to be a top 3-4 seed in the east and Doug Collins is reason why.
MVP : LeBron James (Miami Heat)
This years MVP has to be LeBron James. He has potential to drop a triple-double almost every night and has the Miami Heat on top of the East and the NBA. James is having a historic season posting Oscar Robertson type numbers (27 ppg, 6.8 apg, 8.1 rpg) not only is LeBron scoring he is doing with a mind boggling 54.7 FG% (Hes a Small Forward not a Center, people!). He is arguably the best player we have in the game today and shows it with such a rare combo of size, speed, and explosiveness. LeBron James has also silenced his critics/hater by improving many aspects of his game, especially his post-game. He worked with Hall of Fame Center Hakeem Olajuwon in the off-season and its paid off. He has the highest FG% from the post in the League, with a little over 55%. Not only will a good post game help LeBron score, but it can open up the court for shooters as well. Even though he plays with a team with two other All-Stars, he is the best player on the best team in the league which puts him ahead of Kobe and Kevin Durant for the MVP this year.
Enjoy the 2nd half of the season NBA Fans!!!
Credit : All images belong to Google.com google images, all highlights belong to YouTube.com i do not own any of these. All stats belong to ESPN.com
