Eastern Conference

1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Orlando Magic
3. Boston Celtics
4. Detroit Pistons
5. Miami Heat
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Toronto Raptors
8. Washington Wizards
——————-
9. Chicago Bulls
10. Philadelphia 76ers
11. New York Knicks
12. Milwaukee Bucks
13. New Jersey Nets
14. Indiana Pacers
15. Charlotte Bobcats

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. Portland Trail Blazers
5. Denver Nuggets
6. Phoenix Suns
7. Utah Jazz
8. New Orleans Hornets
——————-
9. Golden State Warriors
10. Los Angeles Clippers
11. Memphis Grizzlies
12. Oklahoma City Thunder
13. Minnesota Timberwolves
14. Sacramento Kings
15. Houston Rockets

Eastern Conference First Round

1. Cleveland Cavaliers over 8. Washington Wizards (4-1)
4. Detroit Pistons over 5. Miami Heat (4-2)
3. Boston Celtics over 6. Atlanta Hawks (4-2)
2. Orlando Magic over 7. Toronto Raptors (4-0)

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

1. Cleveland Cavaliers over 4. Detroit Pistons (4-2)
3. Boston Celtics over 2. Orlando Magic (4-3)

Eastern Conference Finals

3. Boston Celtics over 1. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3)

Western Conference First Round

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 8. New Orleans Hornets (4-0)
4. Portland Trail Blazers over 5. Denver Nuggets (4-2)
3. Dallas Mavericks over 6. Phoenix Suns (4-3)
2. San Antonio Spurs over 7. Utah Jazz (4-1)

Western Conference Semi-Finals

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 4. Portland Trail Blazers (4-2)
2. San Antonio Spurs over 3. Dallas Mavericks (4-3)

Western Conference Finals

2. San Antonio Spurs over 1. Los Angeles Lakers (4-2)

NBA Finals

San Antonio Spurs over Boston Celtics (4-3)

Coach of the Year: John Kuester (Runner Up: Gregg Poppovich)
MVP: Lebron James (Runner Up: Dwight Howard)
Rookie of the Year: Tyreke Evans (Runner Up: Blake Griffin)
Sixth Man of the Year: Manu Ginobili (Runner Up: Leandro Barbosa)
Defensive Player of the Year: Dwight Howard (Runner Up: Ron Artest)
Most Improved Player: Brook Lopez (Runner Up: Michael Beasley)

The 2009-2010 NBA season is quickly approaching. Therefore, here are five bold, specific, quick hit predictions for the 2009-2010 NBA season.

1. The San Antonio Spurs defeat the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the NBA Finals behind a 17 rebound performance by Dejuan Blair. Tim Duncan wins the Finals MVP, while Manu Ginobili hobbles his wa through the Finals, retiring at their conclusion.
2. Brook Lopez makes his first Allstar game appearance and emerges as the top player from the 2008 Draft Class.
3. All four of the conference semi-final matchups (Cleveland vs. Detroit, Boston vs. Orlando, LA Lakers vs. Portland, and San Antonio vs. Dallas) will be epic playoff series.
4. Ben Gordon takes over the starting shooting guard spot from Richard Hamilton in November. At that point, Joe Dumars simultaneously trades Richard Hamilton for a center (it will be either Chris Kaman or Andrew Bogut). The Pistons combine one of the top producing back courts in the NBA with good interior defense to claim the fourth seed in the East. Ben Gordon has a better season than Derrick Rose and makes his first Allstar game. Gordon goes on to knock the Miami Heat out of the playoffs in Game 6 on a buzzer beating leaner along the baseline. The Pistons give the Cavs a hard fought series in the second round before being eliminated in six games.
5. Michael Beasley puts it all together as the Heat win around 46 games. Miami becomes the clear cut top free agent destination. Dwyane Wade re-signs with the Heat on the first day of free agency. The Heat also sign Lebron James or Chris Bosh on the first day of free agency.

If the season ended today, the playoff standings would be as follows:

Eastern Conference:

1. Boston Celtics
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Miami Heat
7. Philadelphia 76ers
8. Milwaukee Bucks

Western Conference:

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Denver Nuggets
4. New Orleans Hornets
5. Portland Trail Blazers
6. Houston Rockets
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Phoenix Suns

Using the team’s dabullz ratings, we predict:

Eastern Conference First Round:

1. Boston Celtics over 8. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Detroit Pistons over 4. Atlanta Hawks
3. Orlando Magic over 6. Miami Heat
2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 7. Philadelphia 76ers

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals:

1. Boston Celtics over 5. Detroit Pistons
2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 3. Orlando Magic

Eastern Conference Finals:

1. Boston Celtics over 2. Cleveland Cavaliers

Western Conference First Round:

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 8. Phoenix Suns
4. New Orleans Hornets over 5. Portland Trail Blazers
3. Denver Nuggets over 6. Houston Rockets
2. San Antonio Spurs over 7. Dallas Mavericks

Western Conference Semi-Finals:

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 4. New Orleans Hornets
2. San Antonio Spurs over 3. Denver Nuggets

Western Conference Finals:

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 2. San Antonio Spurs

NBA Finals:

1. Boston Celtics over 1. Los Angeles Lakers

According to the current standings, the playoff seedings for each conference will be:

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
3. Orlando Magic
4. Atlanta Hawks
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Miami Heat
7. New Jersey Nets
8. Milwaukee Bucks

Western Conference

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. New Orleans Hornets
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Houston Rockets
6. Portland Trail Blazers
7. Dallas Mavericks
8. Phoenix Suns

The Dabullz power rankings model suggests the following playoff results:

Eastern Conference First Round

1. Boston Celtics over 8. Milwaukee Bucks
5. Detroit Pistons over 4. Atlanta Hawks
3. Orlando Magic over 6. Miami Heat
2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 7. New Jersey Nets

Eastern Conference Semi-Finals

1. Boston Celtics over 5. Detroit Pistons
2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 3. Orlando Magic

Eastern Conference Finals

2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 1. Boston Celtics

Western Conference First Round

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 8. Phoenix Suns
5. Houston Rockets over 4. Denver Nuggets
3. San Antonio Spurs over 6. Portland Trail Blazers
2. New Orleans Hornets over 7. Dallas Mavericks

Western Conference Semi-Finals

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 5. Houston Rockets
3. San Antonio Spurs over 2. New Orleans Hornets

Western Conference Finals

1. Los Angeles Lakers over 3. San Antonio Spurs

NBA Finals

2. Cleveland Cavaliers over 1. Los Angeles Lakers

Here are my predictions for the 2008-2009 NBA season. These are always fun to put out, and they tend to make you look like a fool towards the end of the season.

First, the conferences.

Eastern Conference

1. Boston Celtics
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Orlando Magic
4. Cleveland Cavs
5. Chicago Bulls
6. Philadelphia 76ers
7. Toronto Raptors
8. Miami Heat
———————–
9. Atlanta Hawks
10. Washington Wizards
11. New York Knicks
12. Indiana Pacers
13. New Jersey Nets
14. Milwaukee Bucks
15. Charlotte Bobcats

Western Conference

1. New Orleans Hornets
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Houston Rockets
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Utah Jazz
7. Phoenix Suns
8. Portland Trailblazers
—————————–
9. Denver Nuggets
10. Los Angeles Clippers
11. Sacramento Kings
12. Memphis Grizzlies
13. Golden St. Warriors
14. Minnesota Timberwolves
15. Oklahoma City Thunder

Coach of the Year - Michael Curry
MVP - Chris Paul
Rookie of the Year - Derrick Rose (and not just because no Bulls fan will read my site if I predict otherwise!)
6th Man of the Year - Ben Gordon (assuming Del Negro never comes to his senses.)
Defensive Player of the Year - Kevin Garnett

NBA Champions - San Antonio Spurs over the Boston Celtics.