Playoff Picture: Top of the East

Cleveland became the first team to clinch a playoff berth, and it looks like they'll be able to maintain their #1 spot in the East. With 5 games separating them from the Magic and a relatively light schedule, the Cavs are in good position. Nine of their remaining sixteen games are at home, and their toughest competition will be a game against the Magic and two against the Hawks in April. They do have two more against Boston (one of which is on ABC tomorrow at 3:30) but the Celtics have been so out of sorts lately that it's hard to consider them a threat to the Cavs right now. I can't completely write off Boston though, especially with Cleveland missing Shaq. They also play the Spurs at the end of March, but San Antonio seems to be fading away similarly to Boston. I'll go ahead and assume the Cavs can handle them.

Although the Cavs will likely finish the season strong, there are concerns heading into the playoffs. The primary concern is how Mike Brown will utilize Cleveland's frontline. Antawn Jamison (who has missed some time with knee stiffness) has had minimal time to play alongside Shaq since his thumb injury and the return of Big Z could complicate matters even further. Power forward Leon Powe recently returned from knee surgery three weeks ago, so that's another piece to work in. Powe has started in Jamison's absence but might not see much playoff action. Cleveland will have a very deep frontline, but only so many minutes to go around. A lot of these players haven't even been on the court together, so chemistry is a concern.

Projected Record: 64 - 18

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Toronto Raptors

The Magic are the hottest team in the East right now with seven straight wins. They'll likely maintain the 2nd seed in the East, as Boston and Atlanta are both four games behind. Their toughest competition in March includes games against the Spurs and Nuggets, although they do play Miami, who has beaten them twice this season. I expect Orlando to put them in their place this time around, though. In April, they'll face Dallas (the hottest team in the league), San Antonio again, and Cleveland. I think they can beat Cleveland if Shaq is still out, while the game against the Mavericks will be one to watch. Mark your calendars for April Fool's Day.

Orlando seems to be hitting their stride at the right time. Vince Carter is bringing it together after a questionable start to the season and Matt Barnes is providing a nastiness they sorely missed in the playoffs last season. I am personally hoping to see more of Brandon Bass, who was signed from Dallas in the offseason. He has been seeing more playing time lately after having been out of the rotation through much of the year. He's a monstrous power forward with the ability to hit the mid-range jumper. Unlike Cleveland, Orlando will be able to evaluate their rotations down the stretch of the season, as everyone seems to be pretty healthy right now.

Project Record: 59 - 23

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Miami Heat

As mentioned earlier, Boston has been pretty awful lately. They recently lost to possibly the worst team ever in the Nets, got destroyed by the Grizzlies, and were two Ray Allen three-pointers away from losing to the Wizards. If they keep this up, there's a good chance Atlanta could slip past for the third seed. They are coming off a blow out win against the Pacers, but that's to be expected. They have some tough competition in March with the Cavs, Mavericks, Jazz, Nuggets, Spurs, and Thunder. Despite another game against Cleveland, April looks pretty manageable for them. They play the Bucks twice though, who have been hot and beat them just the other night.

It seems everyone is beginning to completely write off Boston, but I'm hesitant to do so just yet. I am close to joining that camp though, as the trade for Nate Robinson seems to be a stupid move. Eddie House fit in nicely and often hit big threes in the playoffs. It surprised me to see on Basketball-Refence that they have the best defensive rating in the league, because I was under the impression that they had been slipping on that end. The Celtics success in the playoffs will hinge on their aging superstars' health and ability to get back on the same page. Rondo will have to take it to another level like he did in last year's playoffs, too.

Projected Record: 51 - 31

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Charlotte Bobcats

The Hawks have been very inconsistent lately, with no "statement wins" and plenty of losses to teams they should beat. They recently lost to Miami (second time in two months! Go Heat!) and New York. They also lost to the Warriors back in February, which just shouldn't happen. The rest of March looks pretty light for them other than games against the Spurs, Magic, and Lakers. April also doesn't look too bad besides playing Cleveland twice. With that said, they have the Bucks and Raptors twice more this season, which are hardly guaranteed wins for this relatively shaky Hawks squad.

Atlanta is one of the more interesting teams in the NBA, because they are one of few teams that have improved mainly from internal growth. The addition of Jamal Crawford certainly has bolstered their roster, but they have improved season after season largely with the same team. This year's playoffs come with very high stakes for Atlanta, because anything short of reaching the Conference Finals will be considered a failure. Playoff success is especially crucial with Joe Johnson's impending free agency. If the Hawks are bounced in the first or second round, it could very well be the end of this core's run.

Projected Record: 52 - 30

Opponent if Playoffs Started Today: Milwaukee Bucks