BASKETBALL PREVIEW 2007/2008

This basketball offseason started off very heartbreaking, with the Celtics missing out on the Oden/Durant sweepstakes, but new (and old) Boston hero Danny Ainge turned things around by trading for Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, making the Celtics the most talked about basketball team in the offseason (and got a good amount of press during a year when the Red Sox just won a World Series and the Patriots are Super Bowl contenders, if not favorites). Speaking of Greg Oden, the Trail Blazers got sort of burned, as he is already out for the year with an injury. The other big story in the NBA rests on Kobe Bryant's career with the Los Angeles Lakers. Everyone is wondering whether he will be traded or not. Being a Celtics fan who grew up in the 80s, the Lakers are my least favorite team, so I'm hoping for a crash and burn there. Last season was exciting, despite the Celtics' record, but this season has already elipsed that, and will be a lot more fun as well.

Here are my Season Standings Predictions, and please remember that no scientific fact or even thought has gone into this:

Atlantic Division

1. Boston Celtics*
2. Toronto Raptors**
3. New York Knicks**
4. New Jersey Nets
5. Philadelphia 76ers

Northwest

1. Utah Jazz*
2. Denver Nuggets**
3. Seattle SuperSonics
4. Portland Trail Blazers
5. Minnesota Timberwolves

Central Division

1. Cleveland Cavaliers*
2. Detroit Pistons**
3. Chicago Bulls**
4. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Indiana Pacers

Pacific Division

1. Phoenix Suns*
2. Los Angeles Clippers**
3. Golden State Warriors**
4. Los Angeles Lakers
5. Sacramento Kings

Southeast Division

1. Washington Wizards*
2. Miami Heat**
3. Orlando Magic
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Atlanta Hawks

Southwest Division

1. Dallas Mavericks
2. San Antonio Spurs**
3. Houston Rockets**
4. Memphis Grizzlies
5. New Orleans Hornets

*=Division Winner
**=Playoff Berth

FIRST ROUND:

Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Toronto Raptors
Detroit Pistons vs. Miami Heat
Washington Wizards vs. Chicago Bulls

Phoenix Suns vs. Golden State Warriors
Dallas Mavericks vs. Los Angeles Clippers
San Antonio Spurs vs. Houston Rockets
Utah Jazz vs. Denver Nuggets

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

Boston Celtics vs. Chicago Bulls
Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons

Phoenix Suns vs. Denver Nuggets
Dallas Mavericks vs. Houston Rockets

CONFERENCE FINALS:

Boston Celtics vs. Detroit Pistons

Dallas Mavericks vs. Denver Nuggets

NBA FINALS:

Boston Celtics vs. Dallas Mavericks

NBA CHAMPS:
Dallas Mavericks

Don't forget to read these predictions again in June to see how I did.

Written by: RF

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