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Ubershorty's 2008-2009 NBA Predictions!!!

I already did some predictions over the summer, but things have changed since then and I have different ideas.  I'm going to give my predictions for the standings, playoffs, and award winners.  I will also make up some awards of my own.  I'm not going to give a record prediction because if I wanted to do it correctly I would have to do a bunch of math.

First I will start with the East because it is way less entertaining and competitive.

Eastern Conference Standings:

1. Boston Celtics

Last season, the Celtics were NBA champs after a 20-year drought.  This season they are hoping to be the first repeating team since the Lakers did it in 2002.  With the core of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett they will definitely make the playoffs with a top 3 seed, even if one of the big 3 gets injured.

2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland has been good in recent years, but they haven't had any legitimate 2nd option on the team beside Zydrunas Illgauskas and Larry Hughes, but Hughes had trouble playing his best with LeBron.  This season they will have Maurice Williams, who is coming off a season in which he averaged 17.2 ppg.

3. Orlando Magic

The Magic have one of the top frontcourts in the league, but they also have one of the worst backcourts in the league.  If Jameer Nelson and Mickael Pietrus can do a decent job as a backcourt, then expect the Magic to go far in the playoffs and get a high seed.

4. Philadelphia 76ers

Over the offseason, the Sixers made the huge signing of Elton Brand.  Last season they were a 7th seed and took the Pistons to 6 games, but with the addition of Brand, who is now their best player, they should have a good chance of going far in the playoffs and getting a high seed.

5. Detroit Pistons

Joe Dumars promised to trade a couple of his key players over the offseason, but he never found a deal he liked and they are stuck with the same team (other than the HUGE free agent signing of Kwame Brown).  They are the most balanced team in the league and should be able to win a lot of game in the regular season, but this will probably be the season that their streak ends and they don't make it to the conference finals.

6. Toronto Raptors

They acquired Jermaine O'Neal over the offseason, which should give Chris Bosh a lot of help in the frontcourt.  Along with point guard Jose Calderon and some good role players they should be able to win more games than last season, but still not get a higher seed.

7. Washington Wizards

The Wizards were the best team in the league a couple years back when they had their big 3 completely healthy, but since then they haven't had a completely healthy team.  Last year they did better in the playoffs without Gilbert Arenas, so I think they should have let him walk.  With the money they could have gotten a much better fit for their team in the 2009 or 2010 offseason.

8. Atlanta Hawks

The Hawks were the biggest surprises of the playoffs last season when they took the Celtics to 7 games.  I would have cried with happiness if they would have upset them, but that is a story for another time.  They have some talent in the starting lineup with Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Al Horford, and Mike Bibby, but after that they don't have much.  If their starters can stay healthy then they will be contenders for the 8th seed.

9. Milwaukee Bucks

The addition of Richard Jefferson should help them on both ends of the court next season, but they don't have any depth and don't play defense.

10. Miami Heat

They will definitely win more games than last season, but that probably won't be enough to get them into the playoffs.

11. Chicago Bulls

The Bulls were a huge disappointment last season.  With lower expectations for this season they may over-achieve and get a playoff spot.

12. Charlotte Bobcats

Even with new coach Larry Brown, they still have the problem of too many scorers and not enough passers or defenders.

13. Indiana Pacers

They got rid of Jermaine O'Neal's massive contract, but they don't have any good big men now and they still have Jamaal Tinsley.  At least they have Danny Granger to build around for the future.

14. New York Knicks

The Knicks will be better than last year, but not by much.  They will be more entertaining than last yera, but they won't have a chance at the playoffs unless players like Eddy Curry and Zach Randolph decide to get into shape and get a better attitude.

15. New Jersey Nets

The Nets are in rebuilding mode now.  They don't have much talent outside of Devin Harris and Vince Carter, and seem more interested in building a team for LeBron in 2010 than winning now.

Western Conference Standings:

1.  Los Angeles Lakers

With a healthy Bynum, the Lakers should improve drastically on defense.  They also have one of the best perimeter defenders in the league in Kobe Bryant.  The Lakers are loaded from the starting five to the 12th man.  Expect to see them in the Finals this season.

2. New Orleans Hornets

 The Hornets were the suprise team of last season, but this season they have championship expectations.    Led by MVP runner-up Chris Paul and David West, the Hornets should be able to make it past the 2nd round this year and possibly to the finals.

3. Utah Jazz

The Jazz have been one of the elite teams in the NBA for longer than the Lakers and Hornets, but they don't play great defense and they foul their opponents a lot.  They are led by the Stockton-Malone-esque duo of Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams, but Booz has a tendency to disappear in the playoffs and Williams can't do it alone.  Outside of them they have a couple really good players like Andrei Kirilenko and Mehmet Okur, then they have role players like Kyle Korver, Paul Millsap, and Ronny Brewer.  After that though they are pretty thin.

4. Houston Rockets

The Rockets acquired defensive stopper and team destroyer Ron Artest over the offseason.  If the experiment works out perfectly and none of them get injured then they will have a high chance of making the Finals.  They are already one of the elite defensive teams in the league, and the addition of Artest should only improve that.

5. San Antonio Spurs

This will probably be the year that the Spurs odd numbered year championship trend ends.  They are too old and too injury prone now.  They won't have Ginobili for the beginning of the season, and only a few of their role players are below 30.

6. Dallas Mavericks

Just two seasons ago they won 67 games.  Since then they have traded away Devin Harris for Jason Kidd, fired Avery Johnson and hired Rick Carlisle, and been eliminated in the first round.  They still have one of the best big 3's in the league with Jason Kidd, Josh Howard, and Dirk Nowitzki.  They have regressed so much in the past two seasons that they will go from championship favorites to one-and-done's in the playoffs.

7. Portland Trailblazers

The Blazers have rebuilt themselves after the Jailblazers era and are now set to compete for championships for the next decade.  With their young core of Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Greg Oden, Jerryd Bayless, and Travis Outlaw the sky is the limit for the Blazers.  But this season will be the start of their championship contention and they will probably get a low seed and be eliminated in the first round.

8. Phoenix Suns

They used to be the fun, fast, exciting, no-defense contenders of the NBA, but now they are close to being forced into a rebuilding period.  The trade of Marion for Shaq is not a good thing to have on your resume if you are Steve Kerr.  They could have gotten someone better and cheaper or just let his contract run out, but Kerr blew it big time.  But in two seasons they will have a lot of cap room to try and lure a superstar free agent to join Stoudemire in Phoenix.

9. Los Angeles Clippers

They should be better than last year, but after an exciting season they will fall short of the playoffs.

10. Denver Nuggets

With their new "dedication" to defense the Nuggets might be able to make a run at the playoffs, but the difference will be Marcus Camby.

11. Golden State Warriors

The opting out of Baron Davis completely destroyed their playoff chances for now.  The best they can hope for is that Ellis comes back healthy and proves to be an able point guard.

12. Minnesota Timberwolves

The T-wolves looked like fools for trading away Garnett for Al Jefferson and role players, but if Al can become the player they want him to be then they will have a chance for playoff contention in the future, but for now they will continue to be a lottery team.

13. Sacramento Kings

The Kings traded away their own chances of playoff contention last season and during the offseason by trading away Ron Artest and Mike Bibby, now they will have to hope that Kevin Martin can lead their franchise in the right direction.

14. Memphis Grizzlies

The Grizzlies have never been consistently good, but that could change in a few years with their nucleus of O.J. Majo, Rudy ####, Marc Gasol, and Mike Conley.

15. Oklahoma City Thunder

The Thunder will continue to suck in Oklahoma for awhile unless they can get some decent help for Kevin Durant.  If they can somehow lure a big free agent in a couple of years then they may have a chance at the playoffs.

Playoffs:

East

First Round

 1. Celtics (4) - 8. Hawks (1)

2. Cavaliers (4) - 7. Wizards (1)

3. Magic (4) - 6. Raptors (3)

4. 76ers (3) - 5. Pistons (4)

Second Round

Celtics (4) - Pistons (3)

Cavaliers (3) - Magic (4)

Conference Finals

Celtics (4) - Magic (3)

West

First Round

1. Lakers (4) - 8. Suns (0)

2. Hornets (4) - Blazers (2)

3. Jazz (4) - 6. Mavericks (2)

4. Rockets (3) - Spurs (4)

Second Round

Lakers (4) - Spurs (1)

Hornets (4) - Jazz (3)

Conference Finals

Lakers (4) - Hornets (3)

2009 NBA Finals

Los Angeles Lakers vs. Boston Celtics

Game 1: Lakers

Game 2: Celtics

Game 3: Celtics

Game 4: Lakers

Game 5: Lakers

Game 6: Celtics

Game 7: Lakers

Finals MVP: Kobe Bryant

Awards:

MVP: Lebron James, Cavaliers

Runner Up: Chris Paul, Hornets

6th Man of the Year: Lamar Odom, Lakers

Runner Up: Rodney Stuckey, Pistons

Defensive Player of the Year: Kobe Bryant, Lakers

Runner Up: Ron Artest, Rockets

Coach of the Year: Nate McMillan, Blazers

Runner Up: Rick Adelman, Rockets

Rookie of the Year: Michael Beasley, Heat

Runner Up: O.J. Mayo, Grizzlies

Most Improved Player: Andrew Bynum, Lakers

Runner Up: Rajon Rondo, Celtics

Scoring Leader: Amare Stoudemire, Suns

Runner Up: Lebron James, Cavaliers

Assists Leader: Chris Paul, Hornets

Runner Up: Steve Nash, Suns

Rebounds Leader: Dwight Howard, Magic

Runner Up: Andrew Bynum, Lakers

Surprise Player of the Year: Patrick O'Bryant, Celtics

Runner Up: Kwame Brown, Pistons