Hey, this is my first post everybody and I am an avid NBA fan, and at least once a week
I will write in my opinions and predictions of the NBA season and future. Please read
and enjoy, and maybe comeback for more 
.
The NBA season is coming to a close in a few weeks and the playoff race is heating up.
In the west the fight for the eigth seed is getting good with the Clippers finally
playing like we expected them to do this year, while finally showing some passion for
the game. Golden State is two games behind but playing well as of late also, while the
Hornets sit at the tenth seed barely clinging to their playoff lives due to the loss of
Peja.
NUGGETS FATE
Denver is a team to watch. They have been inconsistent and underperforming with Caremlo
and AI, but as of late they have played better and Carmelo is playing much less selfishly
than he did before coach Karl ripped him in the media. Since then he has averaged around 23
points a night, seven less than he previously did, but the Nuggets are 7-5 and are starting
to show signs of greatness. They dont play good defense, but Camby is a force inside and Nene
and Reggie Evans bang on the boards with Camby to clean up rebounds. Denver is a dark-horse
title contender, and they are capable of beating anyone, anytime, anywhere, period. I expect
them to up there game in the playoffs and push the Suns to at least six games, maybe seven.
CLIPPERS FATE
LA should take the final playoff spot and maybe take seventh too if they keep playing
with passion but they have not done that this year untill recently. Dunleavy has finally
given Corey Maggette the playing time he deserves and he is putting up 18.9 points a game
in March in 34.5 minutes. Not suprisingly, the Clips have won four out of five. Sam Cassell
has been out with back issues of late, and if the Clips make the playoffs and he isnt playing,
they will struggle to win one game. If Sam comes back though, the Clippers CAN challenge the
Mavericks in a seven game series, and I would expect them to win two games.
WARRIORS FATE
The Warriors are playing good ball as of late, but two things hold them back from being in the
playoffs, lack of defense obviously, and the terrible play of Jason Richardson this year. The
former 20 point a game scorer has struggled mightly this season, partly due to less isolation
plays for him this year with the emmergence of Monta Ellis and others, and also just due to plain
bad shooting. He has also been terribly inconsistent, often looking to snap out of his season long
funk with a 30 point game, then putting up a 6 point 1-10 FG night the next. If Richardson over the
last 11 games puts up 20 a night, the Warriors have a great shot to make the playoffs,
they are 5-3 when he tops 20 this year. The defense wont improve, they just dont have
any defensive players on the team besides Peitrus. The Warriors just look to out-score you,
so in the first round (if they make the playoffs) they will probably steal a game against the Mavericks,
but even though they have the Mav’s number and think they can beat them, you have to play some defense
and rebound a little bit to win a playoff series, and Golden State has not shown they can do either, AT ALL.
NEW ORLEANS FATE
The Hornets are a tough team, who somehow have stayed in the playoff race despite crippling injuries
this year, highlighted by Peja Stojakovic only appearing in thirteen games. The Hornets are tough
and will not give up, but they just don’t have enough scoring punch without Peja in the lineup to
make it. Chandler has risen his game to new heights though, putting up monster numbers in February
(13.2 PPG, 16.2 RPG), and March (12.6 PPG, 12.4 RPG). Chander is turning into a franchise center,
and with his emergence next year the Hornets will be a 50 win team if healthy. If the Hornets somehow
make the playoffs then they will play the Mavericks tough but will at most win two games just due to
lack of scoring. Unless, Chris Paul can elevate his game in the playoffs like Dwyane Wade, which we
don’t know yet.
KINGS FATE
Sacramento is a team in turmoil with the head coach Mussellman possibly not returning next year,
Artest causing many problems highlighted by his domestic assault arrest recently. He has even
talked about retiring after this year. Sacramento has almost no hope of the playoffs, all they
can hope for is that Mike Bibby plays like he did against Phoenix Sunday (37 points, 9-12 3’s)
or they are done. The Kings are a team that I see unfornatuely going on the downhill and possibly
heading for some real rocky seasons the next couple of years. Artest, who knows whats gonna happen
there, Bibby possibly on the way out, Brad Miller is declining fast, and the only real bright spot
is Kevin Martin. Kevin Martin maybe be the 2008-2011 version of Mitch Richmond for the Kings, lone
star on a bad, bad team.
(7)Denver 35-35
(8)LA Clippers 34-37 GB
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(9)Golden State 32-39 2.0
(10)New Orleans 32-40 2.5
(11)Sacramento 30-40 3.5
