NBA PLAYOFF PICTURE

The NBA Playoff picture is beginning to form. Now that the trade deadline has passed, it is easier to see which teams have packed it in, and which teams are fighting for a playoff berth. Below is the current playoff situation, and my predictions.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1) Cleveland - They are all but locked into the number 1 seed.
2) Orlando - Currently lead Boston by 1.5 games. I expect Boston to take over the 2 seed.
3) Boston - See above.
4) Atlanta - Trails Boston by half a game for the 3 seed. I expect them to stay put.
5) Toronto - Leads Chicago by 1.5 games. I don't see MY Bulls taking this spot.
6) Chicago - Lead Milwaukee by 1.5 games, but I think that they end up in the 7th spot.
7) Milwaukee - Rolling with Salmons in the line-up. 4 straight wins. Expect them to move up.
8) Miami - Tied with the Bucks. I think they lose the 8 spot. D-Wade leaves the beach.
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9) Charlotte - Trail Miami by 1 game. A healthy T. Chandler from making the playoffs. 8 seed.
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN:
Philadelphia, Detroit, and Washington (All trail by 6+ games).


WESTERN CONFERENCE
1) LA Lakers - This is a top 5 team without Kobe. Now that he is back. 1 seed is wrapped up.
2) Denver - Lead Utah by half a game. I expect Utah to take over this spot. 4 seed.
3) Utah - See above.
4) Dallas - Streaking to 5 straight wins. I expect them to climb to the 3 seed, right behind Utah.
5) Phoenix - Huge win over OKC. Lead by 1.5 games. They will hold off the young Thunder.
6) Oklahoma City - A scary team come play-off time. I see them slipping to the 7 seed.
7) San Antonio - Not a contender anymore, but they won't go easy. I see them climbing to 6.
8) Portland - Where would they be without injuries? They will stay at 8.
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9) New Orleans - 3 games back. The 2nd best PG in the NBA (maybe), will get a lottery pick.
10) Memphis - 3.5 games back. The surprise team, will make a push and miss out by 2 games.
11) Houston - 4 games back. This roster has over-achieved, but will be back strong next year.


THE PLAYOFF PICKS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
First Round:
Cleveland over Charlotte (5 games)
Toronto over Atlanta (UPSET PICK - 7 games)
Boston over Chicago (6 games)
Orlando over Milwaukee (5 games)

Second Round:
Cleveland over Toronto (6 games)
Boston over Orlando (7 games)

Eastern Conference Finals:
Cleveland over Boston (7 games - I picked Boston before the season)

WESTERN CONFERENCE
First Round:
LA Lakers over Portland (5 games)
Denver over Phoenix (7 games)
Utah over Oklahoma City (6 games)
Dallas over San Antonio (5 games)

Second Round:
LA Lakers over Denver (6 games)
Dallas over Utah (7 games)

Western Conference Finals:
LA Lakers over Dallas (6 games)

NBA FINALS:
Cleveland over LA Lakers (7 games)

A lot of things will likely change in the final 25 games of the regular season. I will update my playoff picks when the seeding is final.

BRACKETOLOGY - 2/9/2010

Here is the newest Bracketology. The next two weeks will be very telling for a lot of these teams.


Automatic Bids
America East: Stony Brook
Atlantic 10: Xavier
ACC: Duke
Atlantic Sun: Belmont
Big 12: Kansas
Big East: Syracuse
Big Sky: Weber State
Big South: Coastal Carolina
Big Ten: Michigan State
Big West: Pacific
CAA: George Mason
Conference USA: UTEP
Great West: South Dakota
Horizon League: Butler
Ivy League: Cornell
MAAC: Sienna
MAC: Kent State
MEAC: Morgan State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
Mountain West: BYU
Northeast: Robert Morris
Ohio Valley: Murray State
PAC 10: California
Patriot: Lehigh
SEC: Kentucky
Southern: College of Charleston
Southland: Sam Houston State
SWAC: Jackson State
Summit: Oakland
Sun Belt: Arkansas State
WCC: Gonzaga
WAC: New Mexico State

BIG EAST AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Villanova
West Virginia
Georgetown
Pittsburgh
South Florida
Louisville

BIG TEN AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Purdue
Wisconsin
Ohio State
Illinois

BIG 12 AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Kansas State
Texas
Texas A&M
Baylor
Missouri
Oklahoma State

ACC AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Wake Forest
Georgia Tech
Maryland
Clemson
Florida State

SEC AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Tennessee
Vanderbilt
Mississippi
Florida

OTHER AT-LARGE SELECTIONS
Rhode Island
UNLV
Temple
Richmond
UAB
Dayton
Old Dominion
New Mexico

FIRST FOUR TEAMS OUT
Saint Mary's
Charlotte
Virginia Tech
UCONN

NEXT FOUR TEAMS OUT
Notre Dame
Texas Tech
Cincinnati
Wichita State

THE BUBBLE IS ABOUT TO BURST
Marquette
Northwestern
South Carolina
San Diego State
Washington
Minnesota
Mississippi State

Bracketology

Welcome to the C.M.A.S. Elite Hoops News Blog. In this blog, I will discuss basketball at all levels. I encourage you to comment on my posts and please don't hold your punches. To begin, I am going to post my first Bracketology. The mission here is a little bit different than Mr. Lunardi's bracketology. I am going to simply list the teams that I feel are in the field of 65. I will not seed the teams until Championship Week. Last year I was able to list 63 out of the 65 teams in the field. Please keep in mind that this list of teams are not who I believe belongs in the field, but who I think that the selection committee will include. Here we go:


Automatic Bids
America East: Stony Brook
Atlantic 10: Xavier
ACC: Duke
Atlantic Sun: Jacksonville
Big 12: Kansas
Big East: Villanova
Big Sky: Weber State
Big South: Coastal Carolina
Big Ten: Michigan State
Big West: Pacific
Colonial AA: George Mason
Conference USA: UAB
Great West: South Dakota
Horizon League: Butler
Ivy League: Cornell
MAAC: Sienna
MAC: Central Michigan
MEAC: Morgan State
Missouri Valley: Northern Iowa
Mountain West: BYU
Northeast: Robert Morris
Ohio Valley: Murray State
PAC 10: California
Patriot: Lehigh
SEC: Kentucky
Southern: College of Charleston
Southland: Sam Houston State
SWAC: Jackson State
Summit: Oakland
Sun Belt: Arkansas State
WCC: Gonzaga
WAC: Louisiana Tech

At-Large Bids
Big East
Syracuse
Georgetown
West Virginia
Pittsburgh
Louisville
Marquette

Big 10
Purdue
Wisconsin
Ohio State

Big 12
Kansas State
Texas
Missouri
Oklahoma State
Baylor
Texas A&M

SEC:
Vanderbilt
Tennessee
Mississippi
Mississippi State

ACC:
Georgia Tech
Clemson
Maryland
Florida State
Wake Forest

Other Conferences:
New Mexico
Temple
UNLV
Richmond
Rhode Island

LAST 4 IN:
Cincinnati
Old Dominion
Florida
UCONN

FIRST 4 OUT:
North Carolina
Wichita State
St. Mary's
Illinois

NEXT 4 OUT:
Minnesota
Seton Hall
Arizona
Northwestern